The Jade Lioness

Kumashiro Saga #3

by Christina Courtenay

Can an impossible love become possible?



Nagasaki, 1648

Temperance Marston longs to escape war-torn England and explore the exotic empire of Japan. When offered the chance to accompany her cousin and Captain Noordholt on a trading expedition to Nagasaki, she jumps at the opportunity. However, she soon finds the country’s strict laws for foreigners curtail her freedom.

On a dangerous and foolhardy venture she meets Kazuo, a ronin. Kazuo is fascinated by her blonde hair and blue eyes, but he has a mission to complete and he cannot be distracted. Long ago, his father was accused of a crime he didn’t commit – stealing a valuable jade lioness ornament from the Shogun – and Kazuo must restore his family's honour.



But when Temperance is kidnapped and sold as a concubine, he has to make a decision – can he save her and keep the promise he made to his father?

Genres: Historical, Historical Romance, Romance, Historical Fiction, Japan

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2015

About the author

Christina Courtenay writes historical romance, time slip and time travel stories, and lives in Herefordshire (near the Welsh border) in the UK. Although born in England, she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden – hence her abiding interest in the Vikings. Christina is a former chairman of the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association and has won several awards, including the RoNA for Best Historical Romantic Novel twice with Highland Storms (2012) and The Gilded Fan (2014) and the RNA Fantasy Romantic Novel of the year 2021 with Echoes of the Runes. Christina is a keen amateur genealogist and loves history and archaeology (the armchair variety).

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 estrellas.
Recuerdo el primer volumen de esta trilogía muchísimo mejor. :_)
La protagonista ni fu ni fa y el maromo ni fu ni fa. En general los personajes son super planos, los malos son muy malos y los buenos muy buenos y el único con algo de trasfondo y crecimiento personal ha sido un secundario que aparece en momentos muy puntuales del libro.
Otra cosa a mencionar es que si bien la autora se esfuerza en retratarte una sociedad japonesa lo más fielmente posible a través de los ojos de una extranjera a principios de la era Edo me parece que hay ciertos momentos en los que cae en bastante estereotipos y le da al libro un tono de que todo es "atrezzo" un poco raro.
Lo bueno del libro es que es una lectura sencilla, pero vamos, ahí terminan sus virtudes. Bajo mi punto de vista una lectura totalmente prescindible. Si queréis darle una oportunidad a la saga leed el kimono escarlata, el primer libro de esta saga... *chef kiss*

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

First reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf


The Jade Lioness is a story that completely took me away from my everyday life. Perhaps it was the unique setting. Or the excellent world building. Maybe it was the strong relationship between Kazuo and Temperance, almost completely unheard of for the time of this novel. For a rare moment for me, I cannot truly tell you exactly what made this story touch me so much. Yet it drew me in, changed how I saw things and touched my heart in ways I didn’t expect when I started to read this novel.

When I think of Japan of this time period, my mind automatically goes to the novel and then the mini-series Shogun. I’m not making a comparison between the two novels – but doing that gave me a mental picture to use during this novel. With what I already had in mind, add the additional world building for these two characters and what they experienced just made such a clear picture, for me, of the surroundings of the story.

Did Temperance and Kazuo get their happily ever after? Not telling, you need to read this one.

If you enjoy stepping back in time to a totally unique time in history. If you love an opposites truly attract love story. If you can root for the underdog couple to find their happy ending. Then this is a novel you would enjoy.

Mystery, danger, rescues, love that will fight against cultures to survive. – yeah, this is one that I’d recommend to anyone who is willing to take chances in their reading, who loves experiencing the unexpected. This one is worth the time.

*I received an e-ARC of The Jade Lioness from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

~What you, the reader, always must remember is this simple truth. Any review is just one person’s opinion. You might feel the same or totally different. The only way to know for certain if any novel is right for you – is for you to read it. This was my opinion of this particular book.~

[Sorcha O'Dowd · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I realised that 'The Jade Lioness' was another book in the 'Kumashiro Saga' I squealed with anticipation. This series by Christina Courtenay is what made me discover my love for Japan!

Temperance was a character that I really connected to in 'The Gilded Fan' so I was excited to see the rest of her story. It was enlightening to her change from a young girl who was held back by her family's strong religious beliefs, to becoming a woman who craves adventure and is romantic to the bone. Her relationship with Midori and Nikko was such a joy to read, as they were such special characters to me in the previous book.

I loved the pace of this story, and how she meets Kazuo early on in the novel, but it takes a while for them to find each other again after she is kidnapped. In every step of her journey, Christina Courtenay describes the scenery, objects, and way of life of 1600s Japan, which makes you feel as though you are living the story, and not just reading it. From Temi's experiences in the brothel to her adventures across land with Kazuo, you can just feel yourself there with her.

Along with some brilliantly crafted secondary characters, and the storyline of the mystery of the Jade Lioness, Christina Courtenay has delivered a fantastic addition to the 'Kumashiro Saga' which is definitely not to be missed.

GORGEOUS! 5 Stars! <3

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review**
It's 1648 and Temperance Marston has been living on an isolated island in Japan with her cousins. Because of customs, she must stay disguised as a young man. Rather than stay in war-torn England, this was fine with her. One day, she finds out that one of her cousin's workers has found out her secret and is trying to blackmail her into marrying him. This spurs her to sneak onto mainland Japan, where she eventually ends up in trouble.
I had a lot of problems with this book. The biggest one being that I really didn't like Temperance. Especially considering the time period, she was set on doing everything she's not supposed to do, even though she knows there will be dire consequences if she is caught.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amwf

This book moved kind of slowly for as far as the romance between the main characters. That being said, I really enjoyed it. I haven't been able to find much in the amwf world. I wish there was more out there like this.

[Catharina Moh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book in the saga but a nice story. There was just one point in the book I felt there was a little too much coincidence even for a fiction. However the third book neatly ties up the 3 books again which I liked.

[mrs L ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Made Lionness

Just finished this book number 3 I have really enjoyed this in fact all 3 have been excellent they have many twists and turns the characters are believable I may even read them again something I don't do very often .

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this!

[Gingercat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Choc Lit, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

My interest was immediately piqued on reading the blurb as I have not previously read anything involvinghistorical Japanese culture (even if from a fictional point of view). I was therefore eager to read more.

The story follows English girl Temperance ("Temi"), living in 17th century Japan, an era when the Shogun distrusted foreigners and had banished them all from the country, with the exception of a few Dutch men allowed to stay on a Japanese island, Dejima, for trade purposes. Temi travelled to the country with her half-Japanese cousin Midori and Midori's husband Nico, and is living under the pretence of being a man so that she can stay in Japan. However, she is disappointed not to be able to experience the country and culture. Her frustration leads her to make a decision which proves to be dangerous and disastrous for both her and her family.

The author is obviously very conversant with Japanese history and culture. Whilst I am aware that the book only gives a brief peek into that world, I found it to be fascinating and I have since read more online about Japan in that particular era.

The location of the story is captivating and I almost wish that I could see pictures of the amazing vistas and landscapes that Temi experienced during her travels. Courtenay manages to build an entire world around Temi and Kazuo's story, one in which I found myself absorbed as I travelled with them across Japan and through one adventure/mishap after another.

The characters were interesting. Temi seems very forward-thinking and bold for a lady of that time, it is difficult to imagine a girl in that era having such a sense of adventure and such a need for freedom, particularly one with a puritanical upbringing. Kazuo is the good looking hero, a man from another culture and a source of fascination for Temi. He is brave, loyal and practical - a perfect foil for Temi's more impetuous, and sometimes foolhardy, character. Temi finds herself torn between her Puritan upbringing and her attraction for Kazuo. There are a number of supporting characters, including the dastardly Haag, her supportive cousins Nico and Midori, and kidnapper-turned-friend Ryo. The supporting characters, with the exception of Haag, are fairly two-dimensional, however that is all that is required in a story of this length. I did not feel that I had missed anything by not knowing those characters better.

First and foremost, this is a love story. A tale of an impossible romance, a forbidden love that crosses cultural divides. We experience respect, friendship and love develop between two people who simply cannot be together.

Overall, I found this to be an entertaining and interesting story - a historical romance with a difference.

Whilst The Jade Lioness is the third book in Courtenay's Kumashio series, it is a stand alone novel. I have not read the earlier two books and yet I did not realise this was one of a series until after I had finished reading. I am interested in reading the earlier books now.

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 5 out of 5]

 
The Jade Lioness (Choc Lit)
by Christina Courtenay
Genre:  Romance, Women’s Fiction
I love books that show an insight into other cultures, especially historical ones. I’m also fascinated by Japan and China, so I was really pleased to receive this for review.
Its a fascinating read, and with some realistic characters. Even in the West in this time period women were chattels subject to their male relatives, so seeing how they were treated in Japan wasn’t a surprise. Temi (Temperance) felt restricted after so many months stuck with the others on a tiny island, the closest the Shogun will allow the traders to get to Japan itself. Feeling stifled  she sneaked out one evening to swim and there met Kazuo. He told her he was an outlaw, but they struck up an unlikely friendship anyway. I loved the rapport between them, right from the first meeting it felt like they had something special.
Temi is unusual for a female in that age, fearless to have undertaken the journey to Japan from England, educated and intelligent, and she somehow just trusts Kazuo. She’s picked up the language and is able to converse with him ( and later other Japanese natives). He tells her about his mission to clear his family's name and honour, though its a precarious journey with no promise of success. Honour is very strong to the Japanese though, and his family were important and close to the Shogun until his father was framed for theft. He’s trying to find out and prove the truth.
You get a real sense of the poverty in the country, contrasting with the riches for the top few, a feeling of how dire times were for some families, how they had no other option, and oddly how often the children just accepted their fate being sold at a young age. Its as if it’s so common they seem to feel its normal – and to a degree it is. In the 1600’s  here in the UK kids were being used as child labour, and families struggled to feed them so they were sold or hired out when very young.
 I loved too the description of the houses, of the wooden frames and rice paper walls and windows, of the beautiful decorations the wealthy had in their homes, and how different life was for them from those at the bottom of society. Like that everywhere in a way, even now, but still interesting to read about life then.  We see some of the underside of the country in this story. Life from the view point of those at the base, along with seeing the beautiful countryside even though its harsh on them.
 Its a hard journey and a fascinating read, and a story I really enjoyed. Its got the perfect ending too, wraps things up with a feeling of satisfaction for me.
 
Stars:Five, a fabulous, engrossing read and I’ll look out for more from Christina.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers.
If you enjoyed my review I'd love it if you would please click “Like” and if you didn't I'd love to know why, in case I've inadvertently added a spoiler and need to edit.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author continues to impress me with her setting and world-building skills. It’s clearly evident that she knows Japanese history, culture, and landscape like nobody’s business. The reader is literally experiencing the book on a visceral level that most historical romances can’t even dream of. Maybe it’s because the setting is so unusual for a novel geared towards a Western audience, I don’t know. But dang I was transported!

The characters this time round I’m a bit ambivalent on. This is the second book I’ve read by the author, and I found some of the faults with that book in this volume as well. Some secondary characters still suffer from stereotypes and two-dimensional characterization, mainly thinking Haag and Tanaka here. Even the main characters seem to suffer a bit. There were times where Temi acted with such little forethought and impetuousness, I was beginning to wonder about her sanity and common sense.

Yet, I found myself drawn into Kazuo’s and Temi’s story faster than I anticipated, despite the characterization flaws. I really like these two together and like how they play off each other. They seem to respect each other and the other’s different goals in life, not something I could see happening easily in two individuals occupying such a society and time. I liked their romantic interludes and emotional ties, and what better compliment can be paid to a historical romance?

A great talent at world building and a sweet, respect-filled romance make this an enjoyable read. There are hiccups and falls with secondary characterization, even hitting the main heroine at times. But still not a bad read to spend a day or afternoon with, especially if you’re looking for a different flavor of historical romance.

Note: Book received for free from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

[Anne Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third novel in the Kumashiro series and again we are transported back to 17th century Japan. I’ve said before in other reviews that I enjoy reading about other cultures and this added to my knowledge. I know the author has spent some time in Japan and, even though the novel is historical, she has captured the spirit, the culture, the scenery, beautifully. Temperance Marston has escaped the horrors of the English Civil War by travelling with her half-cousin Midori (the heroine in The Gilded Fan,) and her husband to Japan. One day, she escapes the confines of the island where the foreigners are forced to live and meets Kazuo, an outlaw, who has a mission to absolve his family’s honour by recovering the eponymous Jade Lioness. Temperance is captured by outlaws and sold as a concubine to a powerful lord. Can Kazuo save her and still complete his mission? The pair’s adventures give a roller-coaster of a ride all through the book and kept me to the edge of my seat. I was rooting for this lovely couple all the way through, wondering if, given the strict rule about not consorting with foreigners, they would be allowed to be together. If you want to find out, you’ll have to read it. You won’t regret it!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

After living through the civil war and her parents' deaths in England, Temperance Marston is eager to see a different part of the world. For years, she has listened to her cousin Midori's tales of her home in Japan, and when Midori and her husband Nico are headed back there so Nico can take over the Chief Factor's office on Dejima, Temperance persuades them to take her along. What she doesn't realise is that foreigners are not allowed to enter the mainland, and after what feels like an eternity stuck on a tiny island with the rest of the country she's been yearning to explore just out of reach, Temperance makes a foolhardy choice to sneak off the Dejima on her own. The adventure she finds is a whole lot more than she bargained for - as is the love it brings her.

The third part of the Kumashiro Saga is the first of the books that is completely set in Japan and explores some more of the country than we've seen so far. I liked both Temperance and Kazuo a lot, so I found it easy to enjoy their romance. Another quick, enjoyable read.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

17th Century Japan is not a place and time I am very familiar with but after reading The Jade Lioness, I feel I know more about the culture and lifestyles of that era. Christina Courtenay brings to life the sights, sounds and smells of Japan. Temperance and Kazuo are both likeable, very believable characters and their growing attraction to each other is obvious. This book is primarily about forbidden love which grows across a cultural divide and in unlikely circumstances. But it's not just a romance: there is danger for both characters as Temperance is sold as a courtesan. Kazuo aids her escape putting himself in danger too. There follows a series of incidents when just as all seems safe, another dangerous situation presents itself. I like books where love conquers all: whether it does it The Jade Lioness is up to you to find out by reading it for yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley and ChocLot for the review copy.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book transports you to another place and time- Japan in a different world! The scenes were so well described that you can imagine the people and settings.

Temperance travels to relations in Japan in search of adventure. She learns Japanese fairly easily. She has travelled as a boy and needs to keep her identity secret. She feels a bit`restricted and meets Kazuo when she manages to sneak out one day.

Japan is a dangerous place to be for foreigners during this time and if found she could be in severe trouble.

We go on a tense journey with the pair later in the book- and you keep turning the pages wondering whether everything can be resolved.

With many thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a few days to get into this book but once it got going I couldn't put it down. Temi was looking for an adventure and boy did she find one. I love the flow of the writing and the descriptions of where the characters were in Japan. I felt as though I could actually see the scenery at times!

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in a trilogy which i read, quite happily, as a stand alone novel. However, I enjoyed the wonderful characters and historical description of Japanese life so much that I've put The Scarlet Kimono and The Gilded Fan on my Christmas wish list. Looking forward to reading more Christina Courtenay.

[Verity W · Rating 2 out of 5]

****Copy from NetGalley in return for a (belated) review*****

Didn't work for me - but I can see that for other people it would tick a lot of boxes. I haven't read any of the other books in the series, so I don't know if that would have affected my grade. Perhaps it was my nightshift brain, but I just found this a bit melodramatic and old school for my tastes. Hey ho.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

This is an exciting book, full of rich detail about 17th Century Japan.

Read full review in the 2015 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Julie Round · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, gripping and almost impossible to put down. I found this book one of the most enjoyable reads this year. I was transported to Japan in 1648 and stayed there until the final page. Brilliant.

[Lexie]

DNF'ed at 15% - I tried so hard, so many times, to read this over the last few years. It sounds like it would be right up my alley, with everything needed to be a book (and series) I'd enjoy...but I just couldn't get into it.