Set in Italy, Bianca goes from a cruel, graphicly portraited perverse husband to a rocky road to find and be with her love. Warning not for the faint of heart, there is mention of bestiality and coerced sexual acts during the ugly phase. Another thing that I stumbled over the 'flashing cock moving side to side and at one point her vagina being called a tube. I liked the story, just had some jarring moments.
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This was not one of my favorite Small books, but it wasn't so shocking as some of these reviews would have you believe. Yes, the girls married young back then. The author stayed true to the time period in that regard. Yes, there was reference to some distasteful activity involving a donkey... but it was only referenced and there were no graphic descriptions or details. I would not be surprised to learn things like that happened back then - I think they still have donkey shows in parts of Mexico today. But the bulk of the story involved Bianca and Amir, their friendship and budding romance. As Amir was of the Ottoman empire, he had more than one wife. Again, nothing distasteful there as it was culturally accurate. So don't let some of these reviews put you off reading this book. It was not a bad read, particularly if you are a fan of harem romances. They aren't my typical cup of tea or I would've probably rated this a little higher. ( )

Whenever I need a touch of romance, Bertrice Small is the author that I can always count on to show that love isn't always easy but definitely worth the effort.

In this book, Bianca is forced into a marriage with a cruel older man to save her family honor. After escaping this travesty, she finds and falls in love a Muslim Prince. Their differences can't overcome their love. ( )

I enjoyed this steamy historical romance. I like the authors writing style with action that moved right along which compensated for feeling uncomfortable at how easily the heroine accepted her new lifestyle. Bianca escapes from a terrible marriage and meets Prince Amir who has majorly different religious beliefs.
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In 1474 Florence, to save her silk merchant family's fortune and honor, the lovely fifteen year old Bianca is married to a man more than twenty years older than her. At his hands, she suffers rape, beatings, and sexual degradations until she finally manages to escape. As time passes, her emotional wounds begin to heal. Although she must remain in hiding, when she meets Prince Amir ibn Jem, she dares to reach out to another. Over time, the two fall in love. When her husband finally dies, Bianca and Amir are free to act on their love. But the daughter of a Christian should never wed a Muslim, even a noble. Eventually, the two feel their love can no longer be denied and they depart for Constantinople. Bianca's story spans Italy and Turkey, from humiliating debauchery to lovely eroticism.