Mariana Givens is in Afghanistan in 1841. She longs to return to Lahore, the home of Hassan Ali Khan, the man she loves and is still married to. Now she's exiled to the British cantonment in Kabul, where she faces family pressure to forget her estranged Indian Muslim husband and marry the British officer Lieutenant Harry Fitzgerald. She must know if Hassan still loves her, so she sends a message to him in hopes of hearing a reply soon.

Mariana is filled with much indecision. She's been having some very vivid dreams and visions. And Fitzgerald has asked for her hand in marriage. Without word from Hassan, she seeks guidance from a mystic in Kabul. He gives her a durood to recite everyday for several days that will hopefully provide the answers she needs to make that very important decision.

Meanwhile, the British occupation has angered the Afghan tribal chiefs. When they joined forces with the son of the deposed Afghan king and besieged the British cantonment, Mariana put herself at risk and asked for panah (asylum) for herself and her family so they can make it safely back to India. What will her family think of her actions? Did Hassan receive her message and will his answer be the one she wants to hear? How will she respond to Fitzgerald? After all, she's already hurt him once and he's been a very patient and honorable man.

COMPANIONS OF PARADISE by Thalassa Ali is the conclusion to the Mariana Givens adventure series. It started with A SINGULAR HOSTAGE and continued with A BEGGAR AT THE GATE. Having not read the first two installments left me feeling lost at times. I relied heavily on the glossary at the back of the book and the author's own expertise. The geographical and character details are excellent. It's a moving story with so much fighting and inner turmoil for everyone. Discovering who Mariana will spend the rest of her life with does not happen until the end, and believe me, it is well-worth finding out how it all comes together.