WOWZA! I truly wished there were more stories like this one. The inevitable and bittersweet painful nature of the characters' romance is an apt description. Our hero, the third son of Adare, left home at age 14 to carve out a place for himself in the world. He was lusty by nature, having fathered two bastards with different mothers, and had an unconventional father who adored them. Normally, I'm not overly partial to heroes with kids, but Cliff's children were adorable and kind. Cliff never expected to be La Sauvage's knight in shining armor. In fact, he was helpless in the face of her beauty, combined innocence, and glaring naivete. He described our heroine as another child in his family because she was so lost after her father's death. Cliff is not difficult to like. Overall, he's a good man, but he can be stupidly blind and stubborn. He's practically in denial throughout the whole story, even though his actions and jealousy-prone outbursts speak volumes. Indefinitely, he treats our heroine with great respect and care. Not to mention, he cherishes her thoughts, and their shared love for the ocean is a bonus.
Our heroine was just too adorable, and I loved reading about her. She's as harmless as a babe and was raised by a pirate, so she's desperately lacking in the social and ethical departments. She swears like a sailor and charms like a whore, yet she's still a virgin. When her father was sentenced to hang for piracy, she did everything she could to rescue him, but his fate was inevitable. This led to her meeting Cliff, finding a champion in him, and eventually falling hopelessly in love with him. You can't really blame the girl. Despite her innocence, what made her charming was her brazen spirit and good-natured determination, especially when she learned to read English and tried to behave like a lady.
Overall, this was one absolutely endearing story. Mind you, the characters had their flaws, but they didn't deter from the story. In fact, I believe they made the story more raw, a bit angsty, and exciting.
2.5 stars. While this was an okay read, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped to. A historical romance with a pirate theme sounded like a winning premise for me. I was really excited to dive into this story, imagining the thrilling adventures on the high seas and the passionate romance between the characters. However, as I started reading, I found that it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The plot was a bit predictable, and the characters didn't have as much depth as I would have liked. The romance felt rushed at times, and I didn't really connect with the main characters on an emotional level. Overall, it was just an okay read. It had its moments, but it didn't leave a lasting impression on me.
Amanda Carre's words, "I need to have a rolling deck under my feet and a good wind in my hair," set the tone for this captivating story.
This book is truly like a warm, cozy hug, straight to the favorites list. It's filled with so many highlights, heartwarming moments, charm, and compelling情节. The troupe with its Pygmalion pirate theme is simply amazing. I can't fathom anything better. Cliff saves Amanda from a mob at her father's hanging, and a strange need to protect her stirs within him. Her father's dying wish is for her to be reunited with her mother in England, so they embark on a wonderful journey.
"You are trying to transform a pirate's child into a lady?"Amanda is a remarkable heroine. She is courageous, beautiful, and fun. She can handle a sword and captain a ship. Cliff is smitten with her but refuses to admit it, trying to remain a gentleman.
"It seemed the obvious course of action."
"My charming, rakehell, conscienceless brother, infamous for his seductions of courtesans and countesses, is now champion of a pirate's daughter. This will be a very interesting Season, I think."
"Papa likes you, too," Ariella said abruptly.Cliff is an awesome hero, and he's a father! His kids are adorable. He's strong, arrogant, caring, powerful, and kind.
Amanda tripped. "What?"
Ariella smiled at her. "He stares at you all the time and he turns red. He never blushes, except when you are in the room."
She felt as if she was in a fairy tale with her own Prince Charming. She had to pinch herself to remind her that she was hardly her prince. But somehow, he had become her champion.The journey from beautiful Jamaica over the seas to England and then the introduction to the ton was so lovely. Cliff's family was the best, and I adored every single one of them. I didn't even mind the small separation because everything that happened was so exciting!