Romancing the Pirate : All About Romance

Romancing the Pirate

Grade : C-

Once upon a time, it seemed like pirate romances were all the rage, but then they practically disappeared. When I picked up this one, I hoped for a warm reunion with a swashbuckling, daring romance. Much to my disappointment, the book started out incredibly strong, but fizzled completely toward the end.

Alicia Davidson can only remember her life from the age of twelve. As a child she was told by her parents that the loss of memory and the scar she carries on her face were the result of a fall. However, after their deaths she learns that her life isn’t at all that it seems and her family isn’t her natural family. Devastated by that blow alone, she then learns that she may have a sister who also survived the shipwreck. To help her in her quest for her surviving family, she turns to Blake Merritt for help.

From first sight, Black Merritt resents Alicia’s very existence for reasons she can’t explain and only begins to understand as the story develops. When she asks him for help in tracking her family, he answers with a definite no. As with any romance heroine, that answer simply will not do so she stows away on his privateer ship to force him to help. Of course, she’s discovered and must spend the remainder of the voyage inside his cabin.

What I enjoyed about this story is that it is a little outside the norm. First, It takes place on the islands of Caribbean, which isn’t done enough in my opinion. Second, Alicia’s a career woman – a blacksmith to be exact. Also, once they get over some initial issues, Alicia and Blake recognize their attraction immediately, something I find refreshing in romance.

However, there are major problems that kept me from enjoying the story. For starters, the hero and heroine are two of the most stubborn characters I’ve ever come across. Both keep secrets and are determined to set their own path. Alicia reaches the point of TSTL in my opinion towards the end of the book, although the author constantly tries to justify her actions – unfortunately, I couldn’t buy into the justifications. Blake’s character, sadly, is somewhat forgettable. Also, once Alicia discovers her long, lost sister and her husband, the hero and heroine of a previous novel, they dominate the action of the story much to its detriment for this reader.

I wish I could unabashedly recommend Romancing The Pirate, but, unfortunately, I can’t. Before I even finished it, I just wanted it to end.

Reviewed by Heather Brooks

Grade : C-

Book type : Historical Romance

Sensuality : Warm

Review Date : October 6, 2009

Published On : 2009