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Jennifer Hallock
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Under the Sugar Sun Kindle Edition

by Jennifer Hallock (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
A schoolmarm, a sugar baron, and a soldier…
It is 1902 and Georgina Potter has followed her fiancé to the Philippines, the most remote outpost of America’s fledgling empire. But Georgina has a purpose in mind beyond marriage: her real mission is to find her brother Ben, who has disappeared into the abyss of the Philippine-American War.

To navigate the Islands’ troubled waters, Georgina enlists the aid of local sugar baron Javier Altarejos. But nothing is as it seems, and the price of Javier’s help may be more than Georgina can bear.
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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Sugar Sun Series
  2. Print length
    434 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 15, 2015
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 4 books in this series.

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From the Publisher

Historical romance Philippines American schoolteacher Filipino Asian hero Gilded Age
Courtney Milan meaty historical romance must read Gilded Age Philippines schoolteacher heroine
Intensely absorbing Historical Novel Society historical fiction American colonial Philippines

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you're looking for a meaty historical romance that will transport you somewhere you've never been, Jennifer Hallock's books...are must-reads." (Courtney Milan, author of The Duchess War)

"Intensely absorbing...the charged political climate of the day is drawn with refreshing nuance." (Laura Fahey, Historical Novel Society)

"Two pages in and I was utterly hooked. I sensed the voice of a confident writer and spied the shorelines of a diligently-researched world. I finished it this weekend, hungry for more." (Bea Pantoja, blogger)

"...Under the Sugar Sun was also just a great romance, the kind that makes you feel squiffy in the stomach when you remember it at odd moments during the day...grand in scope in the same way old-school romances were, but with a very modern presentation of race, class and gender." (Dani St. Clair, Romancing the Social Sciences blog)

From the Author

Books in the Sugar Sun series: 

#1  Under the Sugar Sun
#1.5  Tempting Hymn (novella)
#2  Sugar Moon
#3  Sugar Communion (coming 2020)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B016PNLI9M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little Brick Books (October 15, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 15, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 434 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Jennifer Hallock

Jennifer Hallock

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Jennifer Hallock spends her days teaching history and her nights writing historical happily-ever-afters. She has lived and worked in the Philippines, but she currently writes at her little brick house on a New England homestead—kept company by her husband, a growing flock of chickens, and a mutt named Wile E.

More information about the world of the Sugar Sun series and content advisories on each book can be found at the author's website.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
68 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-researched and engaging. They appreciate the author's skill in portraying historical context and cultural tensions. The book is described as a fast-paced, romantic read with unexpected twists and turns. Readers praise the well-developed characters, including strong female characters. They also appreciate the vibrant atmosphere and confident heroine.

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Historical accuracyReadabilityRomanceCharacter developmentAtmosphereConfidence
10 customers mention "Historical accuracy"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the historical accuracy of the book. They appreciate the author's attention to detail and skillful portrayal of racial and cultural tensions. The well-defined background and realistic setting make for an engaging read.

"...This is definitely a historical novel, but you do not need to know the history because she explains it with just enough background to have it make..." Read more

"...It started a bit slow, with lots of rich detail about the setting and deep history of the Phillippine region but once the actual story/romance got..." Read more

"...The author clearly cares about history, and this is apparent in her writing...." Read more

"...mixture of Western historical romance vibe and the touch of Philippine culture in this novel. That was what made me buy this book...." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it an engaging historical novel with realistic details that add realism to the narrative. The book is also described as a great conversation starter with friends.

"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Ms. Hallock has managed to bring 1902 Philippines to life in this gripping and fast-paced historical romance...." Read more

"I enjoyed every page of this book, which follows an American woman as she struggles to track down her brother in remote islands of the Philippines..." Read more

"...And its these very qualities that add a real sense of verisimilitude to the novel...." Read more

"...(which by itself is worth a read, Google her.)..." Read more

8 customers mention "Romance"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book. They find it fast-paced with romantic twists and turns that they thoroughly enjoy. Readers of historical romance novels will have a new favorite author. It's refreshing to read a romance novel featuring a spunky woman with her own mind. The romance moves at a respectable pace for this time period but once it takes off, it was suspenseful. The plot is intense and epic, filled with tons of information, and readers are instantly caught up in the story.

"...Ms. Hallock has a great understanding of the romance genre and of the Philippines and the Filipino people and I can't wait to see how it plays out..." Read more

"Under the Sugar Sun by by Jennifer Hallock was an intense epic story filled with tons of information, romance, suspense and angst...." Read more

"...It was refreshing to read a romance novel featuring a spunky woman with a mind of her own...." Read more

"...In fact, I love the mixture of Western historical romance vibe and the touch of Philippine culture in this novel...." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters. They find the story features strong female characters, including the heroine, who are brave and question the status quo.

"...The characters are well developed and flawed, but accurate for the time, just after the Philippine-American War...." Read more

"...The characters were unique and likable and the nice deep point of view helped us understand their actions and motives...." Read more

"...aspects of the book, I appreciated how the story features several strong female characters, including its heroine, Georgina, a strong-willed..." Read more

"...He knows what he wants and he gets it, no matter what. The minor characters are likeable, as well, (Andres!)..." Read more

3 customers mention "Atmosphere"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's ability to capture the vibrant atmosphere of the time.

"...This book happily combines both fiction and facts in a beautiful way that didn't feel forced...." Read more

"...It is impressive how she has captured the vibrant atmosphere of the time...." Read more

"...What's not to love on a hot sugar baron? He is charming, smart and confident. He knows what he wants and he gets it, no matter what...." Read more

3 customers mention "Confidence"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They appreciate the confident and strong-willed heroine, as well as the compelling challenges of being an English teacher. The story offers romance and culture shock, with unexpected twists and turns.

"...female characters, including its heroine, Georgina, a strong-willed schoolteacher...." Read more

"...What's not to love on a hot sugar baron? He is charming, smart and confident. He knows what he wants and he gets it, no matter what...." Read more

"...leads to fascinating moments of culture shock, compelling day-to-day challenges as an English teacher, and romantic twists and turns that I..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • karen Taylor
    5.0 out of 5 stars I always love to read what I can about this incredible country
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Having lived in the Philippines, I always love to read what I can about this incredible country, but I usually can only find non-fiction. Finally, some Filipino fiction that is in English! This book happily combines both fiction and facts in a beautiful way that didn't feel forced. The characters are well developed and flawed, but accurate for the time, just after the Philippine-American War. This is definitely a historical novel, but you do not need to know the history because she explains it with just enough background to have it make sense. The story is in charge and it plays out beautifully against a well-defined background and she made the islands come alive!
    The main character Georgina struggles with culture shock and language acquisition as she tries to navigate Tagalog, Spanish, Cebuanu and others at a time when there weren't many books to teach her. The romance was well played out and had twists that I had not expected. Ms. Hallock has a great understanding of the romance genre and of the Philippines and the Filipino people and I can't wait to see how it plays out in books 2 and 3.
    One person found this helpful
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  • sue
    4.0 out of 5 stars epic story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Under the Sugar Sun by by Jennifer Hallock was an intense epic story filled with tons of information, romance, suspense and angst. It started a bit slow, with lots of rich detail about the setting and deep history of the Phillippine region but once the actual story/romance got started, it pulled me in and wouldn't let go. The characters were unique and likable and the nice deep point of view helped us understand their actions and motives. The romance moved at a respectable pace for this time period but once it took off, it was full steam ahead. At the half way point there was no way I could even put the book down. At times I wanted to smack the main characters around and yell at them and other times I cheered and wished for the best. They made me care for them and yearn for more. I think we will see good things from this new author.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Ina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive debut novel!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Ms. Hallock has managed to bring 1902 Philippines to life in this gripping and fast-paced historical romance. It is impressive how she has captured the vibrant atmosphere of the time. She deftly paints the picture of a country in flux, caught in the midst of political, cultural and social changes. The author clearly cares about history, and this is apparent in her writing. She brings you to Manila and Bais of 1902, making the myriad sights, sounds, and even the smells of these places jump out of the page. She also skillfully portrays the racial and cultural tensions of the time.

    In addition to the historical aspects of the book, I appreciated how the story features several strong female characters, including its heroine, Georgina, a strong-willed schoolteacher. It was refreshing to read a romance novel featuring a spunky woman with a mind of her own. Of course, considering the time period in which the story is set, there are understandably some limitations to what she could believably do. Nevertheless, she was no damsel in distress, and most of the time, she took her fate in her own hands.

    All in all, this is an impressive debut novel! I highly recommend it to fans of historical romance and historical fiction.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Kristel V.
    3.0 out of 5 stars DNF but I still like it.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I honestly did not finish it (and had someone narrate what I missed), but it doesn't mean that it is bad. In fact, I love the mixture of Western historical romance vibe and the touch of Philippine culture in this novel. That was what made me buy this book. There was something about being it "close to home" (as some of my friends said after reading it) that made it intriguing and endearing. I enjoyed reading what life in the 1900s was like: how people go on about their days and how they interact with each other. The only stumbling block that I encountered was Georgina's actions late in the story. I got so frustrated with her attitude that I gave up on her quickly. Javier, on the other hand, was very easy to love. What's not to love on a hot sugar baron? He is charming, smart and confident. He knows what he wants and he gets it, no matter what. The minor characters are likeable, as well, (Andres!) and I wouldn't mind reading their own stories in the future. I'd still recommend this book, especially to the historical romance readers out there. Still swoon-worthy.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Chris
    5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed every page of this book.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed every page of this book, which follows an American woman as she struggles to track down her brother in remote islands of the Philippines in 1902. Rather than wander haphazardly about the islands, Georgina takes time to build a life for herself in this strange world so she can develop relationships with those who might help her. This naturally leads to fascinating moments of culture shock, compelling day-to-day challenges as an English teacher, and romantic twists and turns that I thoroughly enjoyed. As an added bonus, I learned a bit about the early days of American rule over the Philippines, as well as the later days of the Spanish rule. What a great book!
    One person found this helpful
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