As her beloved older brother Marco confessed his wrong doing to his beautiful sister, Lady Bianca, she was shocked! Despite living the normally sheltered life expected of the daughters of Giovanni Pietro d'Angelo, the richest silk merchant in all of Florence, Bianca was very intelligent and could pull together from little whispers to other small events what was happening. She knew what was expected of her. Yet as the full implications of his wrong doing dawned on her, nothing could prepare her for the horror of her future, now changed forever.

Her parents had raised Bianca to be a wife and mother and she was ready to have her pick of the handsome young men who wanted her favor; but now, due to the stupid indiscretion of Marco and his friend, Stafano Rovere, Bianca was to marry Stafano's father, the notorious Sebastiano Rovere. Spurred on by the teasing words of his Moorish slave mistress, the depraved and abusive Sebastiano was determined to marry this untouched and beautiful virgin. What could she do?

As the grandson of the powerful Mehmet, Prince Amir knew only too well what could happen in Turkey when his grandfather died and only one son could ultimately take his place. Seeking his own safe haven, he has chosen to run his own business and affairs far from where those seeking power plotted their ambitions. Amir cared little for their political intrigue, but was fully intrigued by the utterly lovely lady walking on the isolated beach. Who was she and why was she here?

Set in Florence in 1474, bestselling author Bertrice Small instantly pulls you into the danger and dynamics of the times. The plotting is spellbinding with its undertones of danger from family loyalty and the expected roles of women as pawns and chattel in both the differing cultural traditions of east and west. Bianca is a very likeable heroine with the intelligence and inner strength to know when to be obedient and when to change her role, from dealing with totally depraved abusive sex to making love flow as smooth and as sensuous as silk. Historical romance fans are sure to enjoy this intriguing story and to relish in the fact that it is the start of a new series The Silk Merchant's Daughters!

Book Summary

Renaissance Florence comes to passionate life in a vivid new historical romance series by “legendary”* New York Times bestselling author Bertrice Small.

Florentine silk merchant Giovanni Pietro d’Angelo and his wife want nothing more than to marry their daughters to wealthy men of distinction. But when their son’s dangerous indiscretion implicates him in a tragic accident, it is their eldest daughter who must pay the price. Blackmailed by the powerful and debauched Sebastiano Rovere, the Pietro d’Angelos must give beautiful Bianca in marriage to Rovere to buy his silence.

With the aid of her mother, Bianca flees her dark, cruel union, seeking shelter in a seaside villa. It is the shocking murder of her husband that allows her to find the possibility of love at last. But Florentine society would never approve of the man she’s chosen: Prince Amir, grandson of Memhet the Conqueror.

Two passionate lovers...two different cultures...two worlds determined to keep them apart...