First published 1999
Two sailors carry adventurer Carlos Fradique Mendes ashore in Angola in 1868. The slave trade shocks him deeply, but Ana Olimpia captivates him even more. She once wore chains herself but now lives as wife to one of the Portuguese colony's wealthiest and most powerful men. Fradique falls passionately in love with her, yet chooses to continue his journey around the world. When Ana's husband dies, Fradique returns to Angola only to discover something horrifying. Ana's brother-in-law has sold her back into slavery. Now Fradique must fight to win her freedom. This story weaves together a tragic romance with the brutal realities of colonial Angola, where love collides with the cruelties of human bondage.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, african-literature, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Angola, Portugal
Period: 1868
178 pages · Paperback · Dtv
Content warnings: colonialism, slavery