The House of Baric Part One: Shields Down

Part Masterpiece Theatre-style storytelling / part 17th century soap opera, you are a fly-on-the-wall as this character-driven tale unpeels like an onion. Set in the Venetian Empire in 1649, "The House of Baric" is one continuous story told over three books. It follows the Baric family and their friends from colonial Croatia, to the Empire's capital of Venice, to Ottoman lands and beyond.

"Part One: Shields Down" introduces you to the Barics and their castle residents during a pivotal summer when their preordained roles in life collide with their growing desires for different futures.

This first book in the trilogy focuses on the many characters, their loves and losses, happiness and triumphs, and their relationships with each other in their confined, scripted world. The Venetians of the baroque period were an immodest, decadent group, so prepare for some scandalous romance and frank discussions.

There is humor, lots of romance and adventures that fill the pages, along with the many likeable characters that you will find yourself rooting for.