That is how strong we must be, to keep the things we love.” To be so strong even the sea could not defy you. “You had to know what you wanted – but knowing wasn’t enough. Tolcser played with the themes of forgiveness and guilt really well here.

I loved the return of some side characters, one return in particular I really enjoyed, though it wasn’t what I had been expecting and they weren’t unchanged. Then, around the 100 page mark, the fun really began and didn’t let down for the rest of the book.

I was a little worried at this point that I wasn’t going to enjoy this books as much as the first, however things slowing began to pick up. The beginning did start off a little slow as the focus was on Markos’ political manoeuvring as opposed to adventures. I would put it down to pause only to pick it right back up because I couldn’t stop reading. Whisper of the Tide brings all this back along with a good deal more pirating. Reading Whisper of the Tide I found the pages flying by. I hadn’t read anything like it and Caro was such a great protagonist to follow, add pirates and it was a whole lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed book one of this duology, The Song of the Current. As Markos’ efforts to raise support for his campaign to take back his throne continue to stall, Caro is faced with the possibility of losing him for good. Despite having promised Markos she would sail for him, Caro is beginning to feel stuck and unsure of who she is. Whisper of the Tide brings readers back into Caro’s world of gods, rebellions and piracy. With shipwrecks, lost treasure, old and new enemies, dark magic, and devastating romance, Sarah Tolcser weaves another epic story about chasing fate. And Caro will have to decide if her destiny is to sail with the tide, or chart her own course. They must decide which is more important: their love for each other or the fate of Akhaia. But in exchange for an army, Markos must marry the Archon’s daughter. Relief appears on the horizon when a powerful Archon wants to side with Markos in his fight for the throne. Without military strength he doesn’t have a chance.

Markos is in constant danger, and his claim to the Akhaian throne is largely unsupported. Blurb: Caro and Markos have settled into a routine: Wake, eat breakfast, try to figure out who is going attempt to assassinate Markos today.

Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolcser