I can’t speak for other book bloggers but my work load of reviewing books is quite extensive and it leaves me little time to start book series. Starting one up is a big commitment but there are times one stumbles across a series that looks too good to pass up. The question is when to find the time to read them. Having said that, I will just have to get creative because The Journals of Matthew Quinton Series looks intriguing. Though my main focus right now is American History, I still like to explore European history as well. There is also the fact that I am on the lookout for stories with male protagonists.

The history surrounding Cromwell’s death and the restoration of England is a subject I’d like to further explore. I want to become stronger in that era. Like avid historical fiction loves I start with this genre and work my way through non-fiction. The Journals of Matthew Quinton Series is a pretty big, so my goal it is read at least two books from the series once a year. What if I really like the series and don’t want to wait for the next year to come? Well, then somehow, my goal will have to change- however hard that might be. I am seriously overloaded with book reviews-as always. I have listed the first three books in the series. You can find the others on Amazon or goodreads. Enjoy!

Gentleman Captain (The Journals of Matthew Quinton #1) by J.D. Davies

Paperback, 328 pages

Published April 6th 2010 by Old Street Publishing (first published 2009)

1662: Restoration England. Cromwell is dead, and King Charles II has reclaimed the throne after years of civil war. It is a time of divided allegiances, intrigue, and outright treachery. With rebellion stirring in the Scottish Isles, the hard-pressed sovereign needs men he can trust to sail north and defuse this new threat. Matthew Quinton is such a man—the second son of a noble royalist family, he is loyal, if inexperienced. Having sunk the first man-of-war under his command within weeks, Matthew is determined to complete his second mission without loss of life or honor. Upon taking command of His Majesty’s Ship the Jupiter, the young “gentleman captain” is faced with a resentful crew and has but few on whom he can rely: Kit Farrell, an illiterate commoner with vast seafaring experience, and Phineas Musk, a roguish but steadfast family retainer. As they approach the wild coast of Scotland, Matthew begins to learn the ropes and win the respect of his fellow officers and sailors. But he has other difficulties on the voyage north: a suspicion that the previous captain of the Jupiter was murdered, a feeling that many among his crew have something to hide, and the growing conviction that betrayal lies closer to home than he had thought. With cannon fire by sea and swordplay by land, Gentleman Captain is a rousing high-seas adventure in the finest nautical tradition.

The Mountain of Gold (The Journals of Matthew Quinton #2) by J.D. Davies

Paperback, 362 pages

Published August 18th 2016 by Endeavour Press (first published March 1st 2011)

1663, the Mediterranean Sea…

Captain Mathew Quinton, heir to Ravensden and his Dutch wife Cornelia tragically struggle to have children of their own. The Ravensden line is under increasing strain, as his older Brother, the tenth earl of Ravensden doesn’t have a son either.

The earl is forced into marrying the Countess Louise, and with vicious rumours circulating that she murdered her previous husbands, Captain Matthew is deeply concerned for his brother’s wellbeing.

What is the truth surrounding the beauty?

How can he stop the marriage before it is too late?

Whilst on-board his majesty’s ship The Wessex, Quinton captures a corsair pirate, who goes by the name of Omar Ibrahim of Oran right from under the nose of the ferocious Montnoir, a Maltese Knight.

Omar Ibrahim of Oran is a false identity for the notorious adventurer O’Dwyer who tells the King about ‘a mountain of gold’ to save himself from the noose.

Quinton is ordered by King Charles II to accompany the prisoner O’Dwyer to the mountain in Gambia and retrieve his riches.

The journey is anything but smooth, filled with terror, murder and betrayal…
and the question in everyone’s minds: ‘Does this mountain even exist?’

The Blast that Tears the Skies (The Journals of Matthew Quinton #3) by J.D. Davies

Paperback, 368 pages

Published May 15th 2012 by Old Street Publishing

1665. The land is at war and plague stalks London, but conspiracies against King Charles II are rife. Captain Matthew Quinton finds himself thrust unexpectedly into the midst of the deadliest of them when he is given command of a vast and ancient man-of-war.

Forced to contend with scheming ministers of state, a raw, rebellious crew and an alleged curse on his ship, Quinton sails against the might of the Dutch fleet. The shattering climax sees captain and crew fight for their lives at the heart of the Battle of Lowestoft, one of the greatest sea-fights in the entire age of sail, before Matthew returns home to face the disturbing truth about his own and his family’s past.