The Book Gourmet

Upon his return from the Spanish Main, his ship heaving under the weight of the gold taken at sword's point, Captain Michael Goddard is arrested under charges of high treason against Queen Elizabeth and England.

Escaping the leader of the Spanish party, he meets Meg, a tavern maid, who helps him escape his pursuers, leading him safely to the rendezvous with Queen Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Regina thus entrusts him with the mission to expose the members of the Spanish party, the real traitors who would see Philip, King of Spain, on the English throne, and Michael and Meg embark on an almost impossible mission of unmasking the traitors within and battling the Spanish invasion from across the Channel.



This was a swashbuckling spy story set in Elizabethan era England. It had it all...treachery and deceit, duels, cloak-and-dagger (literally) adventure, (star-crossed) romance, love, and a massive sea battle in the last couple of chapters.

I liked the spy elements of the story as Michael attempted to gather enough proof to hand over to Queen Elizabeth. The adventure and suspense were gripping and intense as both protagonist and reader tried to think and plan ahead, wondering just what might happen next.
Compared to that, the romance element was more or less relegated into the background, resurfacing only to draw the spotlight onto the fact Michael and Meg could never really be, thanks to the disparity between their stations in life. But since this was an adventure story, the author never lingered overmuch on the romance aspect.

It was a wonderful story, an exquisitely written tale of perils and breathtaking romance.

It's definitely a must read, though quite a feat to obtain.