Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Sabrina Jeffries - The Pirate Lord

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Some say he is the devil himself, some say that horns grow out of his head, but one thing is sure, Captain Gideon Horn of the Satyr, also known as the Pirate Lord, is the most notorious pirate of the seven seas. He loathes the nobility and they are his favourite target at sea to loot and humiliate. But through the years he and his crew have collected enough loot to last them a lifetime and they want to retire with wives on this beautiful virginal island they have discovered. There is just one problem, they don’t have wives, so when they come across a ship full of convicted women they decide to rescue them from a harsh life in a penal colony and take them to their island. What woman in her right mind would not be grateful? Yet this bold, feisty redhead fights Gideon with all she got, but all she achieves is to get under Gideon’s skin and now he is more determined then ever to make her his own...

Lady Sara Willis is a reformer, she is always looking for new ways to make the world a better place, especially for the poor. She has boarded a convict ship full of women to write about the condition on board these ships. But things are not going as planned for they are abducted by pirates and now she is at the mercy of the disreputable Pirate Lord, Gideon. She has to negotiate with this handsome pirate to protect the women on board the ship, but the more Sara demands for the women the more Gideon asks of her in return. Now she has a hard time convincing herself that she is fighting for her freedom, because every time she looks at him she craves for his touch and his passionate kisses...

This is the first part of the Lord trilogy and it certainly is not your average pirate story, it is a pirate story with a twist! The first few chapters I had trouble getting into the story, but then the story pulled me in and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. Sabrina Jeffries ingeniously created an original plot by using a historical fact, namely that of convicted women getting transported to penal colonies, and interlaced it with a lush and passionate romance.

Miss Jeffries sure writes convincingly because when she paints a picture of a damp and rainy London, you immediately get the inclination to grab your umbrella, and when the story moves on to a more tropical setting you want to grab your parasol and drink your own tropical cocktail! The supporting cast of characters is very various, all the characters are very different from one another but they all have a turbulent past and they all have their own story to tell, they are charming and necessary for the story.

But in principle this story is all about the relationship between Captain Gideon and Sara, the reformer. Gideon is emotionally scarred by his past, both his parents did not want him and they both betrayed him. He now has a hard time trusting others, still he is an honourable man but a lonely one. Up to now Sara has had a comfortable and sheltered life, as an innocent girl she got scorned by love and after that she has resigned herself in becoming an old spinster and dedicated her life to reform the world.

Gradually you see their relationship change and before they realise it, their affections for one another blossom into something so much more. They want to believe in each other, but in the thick of the fight doubt and trust issues always pop up again. Their interactions are witty and are interlaced with passion and emotions.

Sara to Gideon and vice versa:

“Stop that,” she whispered, and gasped when he stroked one finger along her neck. “It’s not ... proper.” That made him smile. “Proper? You’re on a pirate ship, remember? You’re alone in a cabin with a notorious pirate captain... and I’m about to kiss you.”

The Pirate Lord is a delightful story, it is a witty and fast-paced read, sprinkled with a charming cast of supporting characters and a hero and heroine who heat up the story with their lush and passionate romance. I truly enjoyed the journey, so if you are looking for a pirate story with a twist, this is the one to read!

3,5 stars

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