This is a fitting sequel to Tidelands and is book 2 in the Fairmile series. James Avery deserted his pregnant lover 21 years before and is now a wealthy man with land, money and houses and sets out to find Alinor and his son and heir. Things do not go as planned and he finds himself tangled in a web of secrecy, lies and deceit. This story is set in 1670, in the poverty and grime of a poor warehouse at the River Thames and the glamour, affluence and greed of Venice. Wonderfully descriptive and another great long ( 496 pages ) read from Philippa Gregory. I look forward to this story continuing in the next book.

I very much enjoyed Dark Tides, the sequel to Tidelands. The novel begins in 1670 London. The monarchy has been restored to England where Charles II is renowned for his hedonistic court. Republicans who had Charles I executed have been persecuted or have fled to the New World. Traditions such as Christmas are no longer prohibited in England. Alinor and her family have established a new life, scraping an honest living by the shores of the River Thames. Her daughter, Alys, runs a small wharf there on the dreary south bank. A surprise visitor with a mysterious past extends the novel’s plot to the crowded canals of Venice, where sinister goings on are uncovered. Dark Tides also transports the reader to the hardships faced by European settlers in New England. Ned, Alinor’s brother, disillusioned by the outcome of the English civil war, has embarked on a new life there. His political ideals and new friendships are tested as he witnesses growing conflict between his old allies and the Native Americans. Based on historical research, the atmospheric and beautiful descriptions of lost worlds immerse the reader, and the plot is a definite page turner.

Whilst I very much enjoyed the simplicity of the first book in the series, Tidelands, I enjoyed Dark Tides immensely. So cleverly thought out blending three different worlds. With all the plot twists you won’t be able to put it down.

I really enjoyed the complexities of the characters, but really struggled with the pacing of the plot and lack of progression in the storyline. There were some engaging plot points but they were a bit few and far between to hold my attention consistently.

Reading Phillipa Gregory is usually a safe read with beautifully crafted prose, but this was a huge disappointment. Throughout the book it is uncertain who the main protagonist is, the story is slow and the characters unbelievable. There were entire chapters that I skipped as it was not relevant or moved the story forward. The pace picked up towards the end and I only wished it was that interesting from beginning to end. Disappointing, boring and frustrating.