I am just going to say what I feel. And my first thought, sitting down to write this review was :

How on earth am I going to review a book this?!


Strange Eden is a five star book.

Everybody should read it . If you have it on your to read list, bump it up.

it is a magnificent, sweeping saga that I literally could not stop reading until I finished.

This is historical fiction that takes place in the 1700s in the Caribbean in a house on a windswept beach in the Bahamas.


I just stumbled upon this book. Within about five seconds of reading what it was about, I knew that I would be reading it soon. I actually stopped reading another book to read this one. I read it over the course of a 48 hour time period.

Eliza is ahead of her time. She is what we would call today, a feminist.

As one might expect, feminism in the 1700s in the Bahamas in a house on a windswept Beach is not received with joy.


Eliza comes to be there after accepting a marriage proposal from Charles, a man whom she really doesn’t know at all.

Eliza has always dreamed of adventure in her life. She never really wanted to be married at all, but she dreams of seeing other, more exotic places and she desperately wants and yearns for freedom and she thinks this marriage will get her that.

The island does not receive her with welcoming arms. She is a stranger in a strange land, a woman in a man’s world and is horrified by some of the things that she sees .

One of them is the international slave trade, and I have to say upfront, that there was a lot of that in this book.

Naturally, Eliza is horrified at this and she wants to change things.


There is also a menacing, Governor’s mansion and a menacing governor, and then there is Cleo , one of the slaves and Celia, another slave, and the angelic Jean, who I can’t say much about.

Oh -- I must not forget the pirates! And there is also a Gothic feel and some super natural events.


But always there is Charles, her husband, and the two of them might be living on different planets for how much they understand each other.

Of course, in the year 2024 they could divorce but as you know things were quite different back then.


Eliza find solace and freedom in the ocean. The house Charles takes her to live in, is located on the beach with the swirl of the glittering waters inches from her at all times.


Eliza has no fear of the water. it is her friend.

I have to take a moment and say that this is one of the most lush, visually magnificent, gorgeously written books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read.

The island, and it’s tropical winds, the beach, and it’s ethereal glow in so many different shades of shimmering blues is described in an almost otherworldly way.

If you. are a visual reader and you that kind of writing you really need to read this.

The essence of the Caribbean is present through the whole book. I have never been to the Bahamas, but I’ve been to other Caribbean islands, and this book left in my soul a longing to go back. It Left me thinking about the clear, gentle waters of palm tree, covered islands, and coconuts and Mystic beauty and tropical winds.

You can even inhale the smells and scents. You are put right there. . I’m telling you I was starry eyed reading this.


But there’s violence, and there’s things that could be triggering slavery and emotional abuse and physical abuse.


And now I will continue on with my review, but I have to put in place spoilers so if you do have an interest in reading this book, I would stop here. For those that have read it or who don’t mind spoilers.


SPOILERS:


Yes, there is a romance in this book. No I generally don’t read much in the way of romance. Yes, I fucking loved the romance in this book.

It is very un me to get deeply emotionally invested in a romantic coupling in a book. I read much more romance in my teen years and 20s than I did in my childhood and adulthood. Don’t get me wrong. I have read many a smutty Jackie Collins novel in my time and love them but the point is my tastes have changed, and I don’t read as much romance anymore . But I loved the romance here.

But that is only one part of this book, one aspect, and I was just riveted by everything. I would say not only is this a five star book but one of the best books I’ve read this year and it has been an incredible year of books too.

Still with me?


Well, if anyone knows when part two is coming out feel free to comment in the comment section! Do authors read their own on Goodreads? If so, please, I am yearning for part two. I hope it’s out soon. That was a heck of a way to end the book.


One last thing before I end this review. This year has been interesting for reading because there’s been a few times that some of my favorite books of 2024 have reminded me of some of my favorite books ever. I’m talking about books on my top 20 or 30 of all time.

This one really really reminds me of a book that I read in my youth called Fiona. I read it so many times that it became a joke in my family that I was always reading Fiona. That book also features a main character, who is a stranger in a strange land, and it takes place in the West Indies. It also deals heavily with the issue of slavery, and there was also a tragic romance In that book I guess I these kind of books!

Five gorgeous turquoise, fragrant, tropical stars for a wonderful story.all-different-types dark-and-heavy feminism ...more40 s9 comments Pancha Mantilla157 13

Woah… so many emotions compressed in this book. Honestly I’m not sure of what to say but I’ll try my bets.

A warning tho, this book has some Violet scenes and a cliff hunger that really hursts at the end.

The book follows Eliza, a woman who knows she’s not cut out for the ideal wife of the times. Against everything she believes she marries Charles, a man who offers her a life in an exotic Caribbean island. There she finds herself a front row seat to the cruelty of the slave trade, the plantations and a man who embodies everting in him. She moves in the island trying to survive her husband and enjoy the ocean and the marvels the land gives her. But life doesn’t seem offer as much freedom as she hoped. Powerless agains the cruelty society embodies she fights small battles to try and help others and herself.
The story is really well written. I loved to read the descriptions of the place. You could feel how much Eliza loved the ocean and her surroundings. The characters are incredibly well written and have powerful depths to them. It was nice to read how Eliza goes against Charles and powerful man to fight for her beliefs. I really hope to read more about her story and quest for justice for everyone.

My opinions:
- I loved how sincerely Eliza’s emotions were portrayed
- Loved the setting
- Loved that the author included the bibliography (will defiantly read some of those)


Go read this if you historical fiction! It was an incredible emotional roller coaster! 6 s Natalie all_books_great_and_small 2,446 113

I received an AD PR copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Insta Book Tours.

Strange Eden is a breathtaking debut historical fiction book that completely captivates and pulls you into the story.
Set in 1791 in the Bahamas, we follow Eliza, who's a feminist way ahead of her time. I loved Elizas character and spirit from the instant we meet her. Free spirited, adventurous, and filled with dreams, Eliza becomes engaged to Charles and moves to the carribean island to live with him. The shock and despair she experiences she tries in whatever small way she can to help others suffering as well as ease her own,as she's married to a monster and no matter her exotic, beautiful surrounding she cannot escape the horrors happening around her.
The book is very vividly brought to life, and I could almost feel the wind in my hair and hear the sound of the ocean. It's truly heartbreaking to envisage the horrors the people in the book faced for the time period as it is set when slavery was rife.
This is a deep, well researched, and thought-provoking book I urge all to read.5 s1 comment Jennifer1,285 84

Wow! This was a great debute novel. I really didn’t know what this was going to be about, I mean I knew it was an historical fiction but I was blown away. It was a uniquely written in a way that held me completely captive. It took place in the Bahamas in 1791 where slavery was still a thing and white women were also basically treated as property. The writing brought me right to the beaches and the humidity. I felt the warm breeze and the desperation of the characters. The struggle of the marriage and the hopeless of the situations. And then I reached the end and can’t wait for book 2.
Thanks to BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.arc netgalley4 s Jordy77

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Eliza is such a strong woman for her time period and has no interest in conforming to societies expectations of her sex.

Gina has done a wonderful job of creating a story set within the time period of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. She perfectly encapsulates the feelings of those for an against the trade and the ‘happy attitude’ slaves must use at all times. I particularly enjoyed one Slave who struggled to hide her contempt, she helps Eliza realise many important truths about the new world she has been thrown into.

It was very refreshing to read a story where a character truely hates another character with every fibre of their being and that nothing they do or say can change that.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing how Eliza further grows as a character.3 s Karen Watkins28 1 follower

An emotional roller coaster ride and ends on a cliff hanger!

Strange Eden

This book was a roller coaster and ends on a cliff hanger! Hurry Up and write the sequel!
The historical background to the main plot was well researched. The main plot itself had some twists and turns-- during the times of rum runners, slave trade & sugar cane..and the pirates?? Did I mention pirates? Women during that time period were thought of as possessions and not as equals--which is one of the main problems the heroine in the story faces.. repeatedly..again.. and again..This book would appeal to anyone who historical romances and s this time period in history.3 s Booksandcoffeemx1,958 89

We visited Nassau last year, and it’s a place full of rich history, that made for me this story irresistible. Strange Eden is a haunting and well researched novel, it touches heavy subjects such as slavery written in a way that simply draws you in. Captivating, immersive and thought provoking.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours for this tour invite.


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