Review and Giveaway: The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones

I am thrilled to welcome France Book Tours back to The Book Binder’s Daughter today with an historical fiction novel set in twelfth century France.  Emma, the owner and tour coordinator,  does such a great job with all of her tours and it is always a pleasure to work with her.  Please visit France Book Tours to see a complete list of current and upcoming tours. I invite you to read a synopsis and my review of The Sharp Hook of Love, enter the giveaway to win your own copy, and stop at the other blogs on this tour.

Book Synopsis:
“To forbid the fruit only sweetens its flavor”

Among the young women of 12th century Paris, Heloise d’Argenteuil stands apart. Extraordinarily educated and quick-witted, she is being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess in the service of God. But with one encounter, her destiny changes forever.

Pierre Abelard, headmaster at the Nôtre Dame Cloister School, is acclaimed as one of the greatest philosophers in France. His controversial reputation only adds to his allure, yet despite the legions of women swooning over his poetry and dashing looks, he is captivated by the brilliant Heloise alone. As their relationship blossoms from a meeting of the minds to a forbidden love affair, both Heloise and Abelard must choose between love, duty, and ambition.

Sherry Jones weaves the lovers’ own words into an evocative account of desire and sacrifice. As intimate as it is erotic, as devastating as it is beautiful, The Sharp Hook of Love is a poignant, tender tribute to one of history’s greatest romances, and to love’s power to transform and endure.

My Review:

Heloise was abandoned by her mother at a very young age at a convent and, although she receives a remarkable education, she longs for human interaction, warmth and the love of a family.  When her mother dies, her uncle recues her from the cold walls of the convent and brings her home to live on his estate in Paris.  Heloise’s uncle is a rich, dull and brutish man who is only trying to use his niece’s reputation as a scholar to advance his own career in the church.  He is prone to bouts of drunkenness and physically abuses Heloise when he feels she is not obeying him.

When Heloise meets Abelard, a philosopher and teacher at the Notre Dame Cloister School we can’t help but have hope that their attraction will lead to true love.  Abelard begins living with Heloise and her uncle in his house and Abelard tutors Heloise in writing and philosophy.  The topic that they write about most is their ardent love for one another and their expressions of love are romantic and lyrical.

Abelard and Heloise begin to explore each other mentally and physically as they spend more and more time together.  But Heloise is supposed to be shipped off to an abbey and both Heloise and Abelard are supposed to have devoted their lives to God.  Will their love endure despite all of these obstacles? What will Heloise’s vengeful uncle do if he finds out about their relationship?  All of these questions and more kept me enthusiastically involved in the plot of this book..

This book serves to make the reader vividly understand that women had very little say over their lives and destinies.  Heloise is abandoned at a convent and doesn’t have a father to protect her.  When her uncle takes her in, she must obey his every command.  And, although they have a beautiful love affair, Heloise is also under the spell of Abelard’s love and she is never free from men who make choices for her.

I highly recommend THE SHARP HOOK of love not only because it is a compelling love story, but also because it is a well-researched historical novel set in twelfth century France.

About The Author:
Sherry Jones is also the author of Four Sisters, All Queens, The Sword of Medina, and her controversial, internationally bestselling debut, The Jewel of Medina.
She lives in Spokane, Washington. Visit Sherry at her website: authorsherryjones.com

Giveaway:
This giveaway is open internationally. There will have 10 winners: print or digital copy for US/Canada, digital copy for all other countries.  Click on this Entry-Form to enter.

Other Stops on The Tour:

Please click on the France Tours banner below to visit all of the stops on The Sharp Hook of Love Tour.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I also encourage you to follow The Book Binder’s Daughter by email to keep up on the latest giveaways, book tours and author interviews.  Just enter your email in the sidebar, it’s as easy as that!