Posted on by Maureen

Kidnapped by the Pirate by Keira Andrews

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Kidnapped by the Pirate was written by Keira Andrews. I found this m/m historical romance novel on Kindle Unlimited.

Nathaniel Bainbridge is sailing from England to the Caribbean, where will reunite with his father, the governor of a small island, and marry the woman his father has chosen for him. Nathaniel is not particularly excited about this, but things take a turn for the worse when their ship is intercepted by a band of pirates who harbor (pardon the pun) a personal grudge against Governor Bainbridge. They kidnap Nathaniel with the intention of holding him for ransom as revenge against the man who wronged him.

The captain, a man named Hawk, insists upon keeping Nathaniel locked in the captain’s quarters to protect him from the crew. At first, Hawk has nothing but contempt for Nathaniel, who he sees as pampered and useless. Likewise, Nathaniel is afraid of Hawk. But slowly, something begins to develop between the two men- despite their age difference, despite their different upbringings, despite everything against them. This is all fine and pleasant, but can they sustain what they have cultivated, especially since the crew expects Hawk to kill Nathaniel if Bainbridge refuses to pay the ransom? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara

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The Unbinding of Mary Reade is a young adult novel written by Miriam McNamara. I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book because I love historical fiction; I don’t read as much Georgian fiction as Regency, but its still an era that I enjoy. In addition to one of my favorite settings, the premise sounded fascinating.

Circumstance has forced Mary Reade to live as a boy named Mark for almost her entire life. As the story begins, Mary’s ship has been attacked by pirates. She chooses to align herself with the pirates, mostly because she sees a girl pirate and imagines being able to go through life as who she is, not who she has to present herself as. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Never Trust a Pirate by Valerie Bowman

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I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read many of the books in Valerie Bowman’s Playful Brides series, so I was looking forward to reading the latest entry- Never Trust a Pirate. This book features Rafe Cavendish’s twin brother Cade, who is paired with the mysterious Danielle LaCrosse.

Now, Rafe and Daphne’s book is one of the only books in the series that I haven’t read, but I feel like I “know” them from their secondary role in the other books in the series. That said, I knew very little of Cade, who spent years abroad and was presumed dead.

Danielle is working in the Cavendish house as a maid, but there is more to her story than appears. When she first encounters Cade, she thinks that he is the master of the house, and is relieved to find out that he is a different person- just one who happens to look like her employer! Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters by Kara LaReau

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I always appreciate the opportunity to read advanced copies of middle grade novels because I have three girls in elementary school. We read the books together, and their feedback helps me with my book reviews.

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina  is the first book in a new series by Kara LaReau. Jaundice and Kale Bland live by themselves. Their parents left on an errand several years ago, and never returned. This does not bother Jaundice and Kale; they are perfectly content to sit at home, darn socks, and eat cheese sandwiches. If there is a question that they can’t answer, they consult their beloved children’s dictionary. Their lives are simple and predictable. But one day, a mysterious visitor arrives, and Jaundice and Kale are carried off (quite literally) on an unintentional adventure featuring a ferocious crew of female pirates. Along the way, they will make friends, and more importantly, they will learn that they are intelligent and capable.   Read more