Review: Conquered (+$20 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: Conquered

Author: Paula Quinene

Series: N/A

Pages: 326

Date Published: 2015

Publisher: Self-Published

Format: Kindle

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
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Synopsis:
Groomed to become the people’s medicine woman, smart and resourceful Jesi Taimanglo has been hiding in a cave in Guam, hoping to escape Japanese treachery during WWII. Having noticed more frequent and louder bombs on the eve of July 21, 1944, Jesi realizes the Americans are finally rescuing her people. Instead of waiting for her family to come for her, she leaves her hideout to find them. She is caught by the enemy, but the American who soon rescues her appears just as threatening.

Blaming himself for the death of his beloved, Johan Landers enlisted in the US Army in February 1942, and ends up in the middle of the war on Guam. Hell-bent on putting himself in harm’s way, a marauding airplane blows him from his platoon. Awakened by terrified screams, Johan is enraged to find a native girl pinned by three Japanese soldiers in a nearby shack. Ignoring his injuries, he eliminates her attackers, one by one. 

Jesi is expected to marry a Chamorro man, but the one who’s awakening sensations in her heart and body is not a man of her own race. Still grieving, Johan has vowed to keep his heart closed forever yet the girl that patched him up, with her strange eyes and beautiful smile, has crept into the deepest place of his heart. Unable to resist forbidden passion, Johan and Jesi must hide their growing attraction. As time nears for Johan to ship out, they must choose between their love for each other, and their duty to those that rule them.

~My Thoughts~

This is actually an area of WWII that I never really read about, and I have read a LOT of WWII fiction. From British soldiers in battle on the front lines, to Nazi soldiers in forbidden romances with their Jewish sweethearts, but a story set in Guam is an exotic, romantic, and unique approach to the era. 

The main plot line here is of the "two worlds collide" variety and was particularly interesting as it focused on an interesting interracial relationship in a time in which that was still very taboo on both sides. I thought that the author handled the situation deftly, and without making too big of a deal out of their differences. I enjoyed the romance between Jesi and Johan quite a bit! They truly sizzled and you could tangibly feel the chemistry between them! 

My this was a spicy little novel! It was a bit more erotic than I had anticipated, seeing as the genre is Historical Romance, but those of you who tend towards the erotica side of things will be very happy with the steam level of this one! Those of you who are used to a bit more...demure...affair may find themselves blushing quite a lot! 

Definitely give this one a shot if you are a romance fan. It's got an interesting setting and plot, and is not your average love affair! 

~Try an Excerpt!~

Staff Sergeant Johan Landers left his tent and walked toward the railing on the port side of the ship. With his back against the rail, he looked left. The bow was blocked by a chimney and the quarterdeck. He looked right. The gun turrets didn’t completely obstruct his view of the stern. It never failed to amaze Johan that these ships were much longer than a football field. Some ships were built twice as long. Soldiers and equipment were packed so close together on the deck Johan felt as if he were training in the deserts of Arizona. He turned to look out at the ocean.


Johan pressed his hips into the metal. Mount Sasalaguan is at the center of southern Guam. Johan checked the time; it was 0140. The glass and frame of the Bunn Special sparkled when it caught one of the lights on the ship. The silver-cased watch was the only keepsake he had from his old life. It was a gift from his grandfather who had worked the railroads that ran through the Catskill Mountains. It was a pocket watch, Pops had said. Johan cleaned the glass with his thumb, and a smile touched one corner of his mouth….


He crossed his arms on his chest and filled his lungs with air. Soon, even sleep would be tinged with thoughts of battle, a welcomed retreat from the nightmares he’d had since losing Lily. Johan shouldn’t have bothered with his mother and father that day. If I had left on time. The ache in his heart threatened to consume him. They should’ve just let me die.

~Meet Paula!~ 

Paula Quinene was born and raised on Guam. She graduated from the University of Oregon in 1997 with a bachelor’s of science in Exercise & Movement Science, hoping to return to the island as an anatomy teacher. A resident of North Carolina since 2000, Paula’s homesickness – or “mahalangness” – has motivated Paula to write A Taste of Guam, Remember Guam, both cookbooks, and her first novel, Conquered. Paula’s home on the web is www.paulaq.com.

Paula will be awarding a $20Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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