In Jamestown 1785, Emeline Winthrop dreams of marrying a dashing groom… partnering with the unsavory Captain Crawley is the only way to complete his dangerous mission. When a young lady sneaks aboard The Black Rose, his cover is nearly blown, but the quick-thinking commander saves their skins by pretending to be her husband.
A façade as newlyweds during a dangerous, whirlwind voyage to the Caribbean is bound to convince not only the pirate crew of the couple’s affections, but possibly each other. Yet the mystifying Virginia belle is hiding something from him…
And what, exactly, is Commander Redding’s mysterious mission?
These secrets could end their love, their mission—and their lives.
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Romance and Adventure on the High Seas
This is not a pirate romance in the truest sense, although there are pirates! Much of the story takes place on a pirate ship. Our heroine is fleeing her home because she does not want to marry the man her parents have promised her to. He’s a bad guy much older than her, so we can’t blame her. She is certainly one tough cookie and a very strong heroine, which I always love and historical romance. But she unknowingly flees onto a pirate ship! When our hero discovers her, he pretends she is his wife so he can protect her from the pirates. He himself is on the ship as a part of a secret mission. I like this twist on the fake marriage trope, and of course, it provides a great way for a couple to actually get to know each other and develop actual feelings. The author actually did surprise me, which doesn’t happen often since I read a lot of fiction. His secret mission is one that I did not imagine. These are outstanding characters thrown into a bizarre circumstance, making the story fun to watch unfold.
NOTE: The first part of the story takes place in the American South in the 1700s, and the author does show us some scenes of the heroine’s life before she left. That does include slaves, which is historically accurate. This becomes a moot point once our heroine is on the pirate ship. But if you don’t like reading stories that include slavery, you might want to bypass this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
A swash buckling romance. Emeline followed her brother-in-law’s friend on board a ship. She was destined to marry an abusive, murderous, unscrupulous man and could not bear it. So, she ran away. Emeline for being nineteen had guts and despite her fear got away. When Miers Redding found her stowed away, he told the captain she was his bride. This kept her safe from the pirates aboard ship. Miers was on a secret mission and now was complicated with Emeline’s arrival. I enjoyed how they got to know each other and grew to care for each other. But danger was lurking around every corner when on a pirate ship. A very good read. I only wished there had been an epilogue showing the future for these two.
In 1785, Emaline Winthrop is about to be wed to an objectionable older man when she stows away on a rigger with Miers Redding, who has secrets of his own. Commanding His Heart is a well written romance with characters I enjoyed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Who is in command?
I just finished this book and I was so looking forward to it. I must say I was not disappointed in any respect. This book was a splendid addition to the author’s series. It is 1785 and Emeline runs away and becomes a stow-a-way. Commander Miers Redding is in a bit of a bind when Emeline is found and what does this gentleman do but pretends to be her husband to save their skins. Why is the commander on a pirate ship? There are secrets and dangers in this gem of a tale and I loved every minute I spent reading it. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
The Winthrop family has fallen on hard times. But they have managed to stay afloat with Em making and selling soap. Being of age to marry, her family has arranged for her to marry a neighbor. Unhappy with the situation, Em runs away. Taking a chance on a stranger, she sneaks away on a ship. Only this lands her in more trouble than she thought possible.
A wonderful tale on how running away from a bad situation turns into a chance of happiness. Witty and romantic. Loved how the characters develop and hide their true nature. Read it in 2 days. Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.