Series: Rogues Redeemed (Book 3)
An outcast on the high seas...
The son of a proud naval dynasty, Gabriel Hawkins was
born to command the sea, until he leaves the Royal Navy in disgrace and is
disowned by his family. As captain of his own ship, he's earned his living in
ways both legal and illegal, and his experience makes him the best choice to
ransom an aristocratic beauty captured by Barbary pirates.
Having avoided the traps of convention and marriage, Lady
Aurora Lawrence is horrified by the prospect of spending her life as a harem
slave. Her only hope of escape is a quiet, steely captain who has a history
with her captor -- and who will do anything to free Rory. Together they
undertake a dangerous mission through troubled waters -- and encounter another
kind of danger as attraction burns hot within the close confines of his ship.
But even if they endure the perils of the sea and enemy lands, can their love
survive a return to England, where the distance between a disgraced captain and
an earl's daughter is wider than the ocean?
Excellent book with plenty of action to go along with the
romance. Aurora, aka Rory or "Roaring Rory" was touring the world
with her cousin Constance, avoiding marriage and satisfying her need for
adventure. They were on the way home from Greece when their ship was attacked
by Barbary pirates, and they were taken hostage. A demand for a huge ransom was
sent to Rory's family. Unable to pay the ransom, Rory's father washes his hands
of his troublesome daughter, but Rory's mother doesn't give up so easily. She
calls upon a friend who helps her find someone to negotiate Rory's release.
Gabriel is the captain of his own life and boat. A humane
gesture caused him to be booted out of the Royal Navy and disowned by his
family. Since then, he made his own way in the world doing things that were
both legal and illegal. He played a significant role in the previous book, Oncea Rebel, using his skills to assist in the rescue of a British woman. Now his
experience along the Barbary coast is called on to rescue another woman. His
memories of the coast are not good ones, and he is reluctant to accept the
charge until he sees a miniature of Rory. Something about her draws him in.
I liked both Rory and Gabriel. Rory is unconventional,
independent, and intelligent. Knowing that she was not ready to get married,
she used an inheritance to travel the world. She and her cousin Constance use
their adventures to write stories about intrepid female explorers. When they
are captured by the pirates, Rory's sense of honor makes her insist that any
ransom include her cousin and the crew of their ship. Rory is also practical in
that she knows she must cooperate with their captors until they are ransomed.
Gabriel was also fantastic. He is determined, honorable and cunning. He will do
whatever he must to return Rory safely home. I loved seeing him use his experiences to get
them out of trouble.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Rory and Gabriel. There were sparks between them from the moment they met. I
was very impressed with Gabriel and the way he kept his focus in spite of
Rory's state of undress. Beyond the sparks, there was also a deeper connection
that was immediately apparent. I loved the way they spoke honestly of what was
developing between them, and also realized that there was a chance that things
would not go their way. The scenes on the ship from Algiers to Constantinople were
sweet and sexy as they used the time to get to know each other. The attraction between
them also grew. Gabriel's strength and honor were in full force as he resisted
the pull in order to protect Rory in case everything went wrong. The resolution
was exciting, and I loved how they came together at the end. There was a
satisfying wrap-up with both Rory's family and Gabriel's that brought the book
to a wonderful conclusion.
The story was packed full of action from beginning to
end. The descriptions of the time in the two harems were vivid, and I could effortlessly
picture what Rory and Constance experienced. Their fears and frustrations were
easily understood. The tension mounted when Gabriel arrived to find that he had
a history with Rory's captor. Malek became a slightly more sympathetic
character as his reasons for the vast ransom were revealed, but his intentions
remained unchanged. I was wholly invested in the story as it moved from Algiers
to Constantinople. The pirate attack was vividly described and kept the tension
high as they dealt with the unexpected complication. Their arrival in
Constantinople was met with treachery and deceit, putting them all in extreme
danger. I was on the edge of my seat as Gabriel worked from his side to effect
a rescue, and Rory and the others declined to play the victim and fought back. There
were exciting twists and turns and an unexpected surprise for Gabriel.
There was also a secondary romance between Constance and
Gabriel's second-in-command, Jason. I enjoyed seeing the quieter and more
practical Constance emerge from a bit of a shell and find a love she had given
up on. I liked Jason's steadfast support of Constance and acceptance of her
past. I especially enjoyed the scene as Constance sketched Jason with the
goats; it was fun and sweet with an underlying simmer of attraction.
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