Beneath a Crescent Shadow

The Balkan Legends, Book 1

By: A. L. Sowards

Narrated by: Lameece Issaq

After an arranged marriage, Konstantin and Suzana must find a way to meet the demands of a conquering Ottoman sultan amid a torrent of setbacks and dangers much closer to their Balkan home.

The Balkans, 1373
A devastating battle claimed the lives of Konstantin’s father, uncle, and most of their Serb army, leaving him to rule as a vassal of the Ottoman sultan, a role he is wholly unprepared for. Between war, famine, and a persistent band of brigands, Konstantin is nearly bankrupt. He will need to find a wealthy bride to marry if he is to have any hope of saving his lands and securing his future.

A betrothal to Suzana, the daughter of a prosperous merchant, is soon arranged, and upon meeting her, Konstantin immediately feels hope that their marriage could someday grow into love. Yet, from the moment of Konstantin and Suzana’s betrothal, enemies threaten their lives, outlaws prey on their lands, and the terrors of Suzana’s abusive past haunt their fragile new relationship. As this onslaught of threats closes in, the two face challenges that will test their love, their faith, and their hope to save their people and win their freedom from the heavy weight of Ottoman oppression.

©2024 A. L. Sowards (P)2024 Blackstone Publishing

Truth and honor are still alive

Use of good language. Very interesting historical events, culture, and codes of honor at this time. We could all benefit from that.

I love this story!

I love the love story. I felt very sad with the betrayal of one of Constantine’s men. I started the book but I’m 83 so I was very tired so I got the book on Audible.

Superb

This was an amazing story about a period of time that I didn’t know much about. It was clean and uplifting, and I was invested in the story right from the start! The main characters were well developed and had very real problems that they had to resolve, as well as relationships to navigate. There were some tasteful references to abuse, but nothing was told in any detail and there was nothing graphic. I’m looking forward to the next story in this series very much!

Absolutely wonderful

This book sucked me in with action and intrigue from the very beginning. An arranged marriage. A young man, just called up to rule, encouraged to take a wife he had never met to save his people. A woman who had never felt her worth and doesn’t trust easily.

I loved these two main characters. I loved how they interacted and how they treated each other, as well as those around them. Imperfect and insecure at times, but always leading with good heart. Their relationship was believable and relatable.

The story takes place in the Balkans in the late 1300s. It is a time of war and a story filled with mystery, betrayal, triumph, despair, and the human experience among a people at war. I loved learning about a time and place I know little about and was pulled in by the very human experience the characters had with one another.

I listened to the audiobook and absolutely enjoyed the narrator chosen for this book. Her voice was strong and well suited to the storyline of war and love. I also loved how she pronounced places and names with an understanding of the native language. I know I would have butchered these names and places if reading this myself.

If you like action, history, and mystery mixed in with romance, this book is for you!

There are some sensitive and mature topics in this book. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to know more about content that you might be sensitive to.

An amazing story filled with rich history!

This is an incredibly beautiful heart-wrenching historical fiction/romance novel! The story of Konstantin and Suzana’s arranged marriage pulled me in from the very beginning!
Konstantin is faced with an arranged marriage to save his people from ruin. From the moment of his betrothal he is faced with challenge after challenge to keep his betrothed and himself alive.

Once married, he works to build trust with Suzana who has faced more pain than he ever could have imagined.
Konstantin is forced to go to war for the Sultan and when he returns home, he is not the same man who left. The aftermath of the war upends his whole world and he and Suzana must work together to save their marriage, home, family, and people.

With every turn of the page I felt myself feeling every emotion these characters felt, as if I was standing next to them facing the trials, heartache, grief, war, betrayal, forgiveness, and love. ♥️

The narration of this book made was done so well and I really enjoyed how this story was brought to life!

Beautiful Story of Faith and Forgiveness

My Favorite Parts:
Suspense and Mystery
Christian aspects
Medieval Serbia (a whole new time period to me, one I had never read about)
Arranged Marriage
The history
The gifts
Gestures
Forgiveness
Healing
Duel and battles

Sowards weaves a beautiful tale of eventual love in an arranged marriage, reliance on God, and healing from grief beyond comprehension. Beneath a Crescent Shadow is a moving story about Zupan Konstantine and Suzana who must find love for each other, survive the battle field and conspiracies, and learn to rely on God and each other through difficult times.
Wow! What a fascinating and inspiring story. I really enjoyed every aspect of this story: the faith in God, the battle scenes, the tender romance, the grief, the conspiracies, forgiveness of those who wrong us, importance of communication in a relationship especially a marriage, and healing.
The pain and ache on both sides felt real. I felt deep emotions for the characters. I empathized with one of Suzana’s pains.

I loved how hard the characters had to struggle and fight physically and emotionally to come to understand and fully love one another on a deeper emotional level. I truly enjoyed this one and learned much about that time period and setting and look forward to the rest of the series.

Audiobook Review: I loved being able to listen to the audio because I learned how to pronounce all of the many medieval Serbian/Turkish names. The narrator did a fantastic job at voices, general narration, and making this story come to life.

Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content Warning: peril from battle, blood, violence (non gory), peril from other instances, drinking, physical intimacy between married couple implied

Trigger Warning: PTSD from abuse and rape, rape (referenced), stillborn/miscarriage

Fantastically accurate historical fiction

This is a great start to a series I am super excited about! This story has it all - a tender arranged marriage, daring rescues, forgiveness, and battles. The narrator does a fantastic job! They were easy to understand and follow, the different character voices were pleasant, and I do believe the pronunciations were accurate.

I can tell a lot of heart and research went into this book, and it really paid off! I love learning about lesser known historical events through novels, and I definitely learned more about the Ottomans and life at that time.

Loved this book and can’t wait until the next one comes out!

Content: near death experiences, light suicidal thoughts, pregnancy loss, mentions of rape, war, Christian views
Romance: kisses and implied intimacy between married couple