The last thing she wants is a husband… is drawn to Devlin, she refuses to dishonor the memory of her one true love.
Devlin knows he’s made a mess, but now that it’s done, marrying Cassandra doesn’t seem like the worst idea in the world. Far from it, though it will take serious effort on his part to convince her of this. Especially since she’s never stopped mourning the man she was meant to marry over a decade ago. So once they set off on a grand ocean voyage, Devlin embarks on his greatest adventure yet – the wooing of his wife.
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I have read and reviewed a LOT of books, but I don’t think I have ever given a 5-star rating to every book in a series – until now. The Crawford brothers have been some of the best heroes I’ve ever read and their ladies match them in every way. The writing is excellent, the characters are fully developed, and the epilogues – OMGoodness. These books have some of the best epilogues I’ve ever read!
The brother we know the least about is Devlin Crawford because he’s a sea captain and spends nine months at sea and only one month at home in England before he leaves again. Devlin loves the sea and the freedom it offers and at the same time, he hates being land-bound in England. There are too many bad memories there and he’s never comfortable. He knows he’ll never marry because he couldn’t be married and be at sea all the time – not to mention the horrible example his own parents set. His father was an awful, awful, awful man and drove all three of the triplet brothers away.
Devlin’s ship arrived in London and he headed straight for his brother’s home. His brother, Caleb, Duke of Camberly (No Ordinary Duke), married six years ago and has several children on whom Devlin dotes. Devlin doesn’t expect his brother to be in residence, but he is. He also doesn’t expect that his mother is there along with his sister-in-law’s good friend Cassandra Moor. Devlin has always liked and admired Cassandra who, along with the wives of his brothers, Caleb and Griffin (More Than a Rogue), run a home for children. He admires Cassandra’s intelligence and strength. Almost as soon as Devlin’s mother finds out he’s there, she announces that Caleb and Mary are giving a ball and insists that Devlin is required to attend. And that, dear friends, is where all of the trouble begins…
We’ve met and grown to love Cassandra in the first two books and now, we get to learn more of her and her backstory – and what a story it is. We knew she was ruined and that she had an illegitimate child, but now we know how that happened and how it has affected the last thirteen years of her life. She is an admirable woman and you will absolutely adore her. She is a very, very busy woman and certainly doesn’t have time to be attending a ball – even one given by her very best friend, Mary. She agrees to attend even though she knows it will cause quite a stir given her ‘ruined’ status. She’ll attend for a bit and then sneak out early – but as she tries to leave, she encounters Devlin who insists on a dance. Oh dear, why did he have to bring attention to her?
As Devlin, Caleb and another friend are speaking out on the terrace, a vile and nasty woman nearby begins to make unsavory comments about Cassandra. Devlin listens and grows angrier and angrier – until the anger gets the better of him. The next thing he knows, he’s announcing to the old biddy that Cassandra is to become his wife. Uh-Oh. Now what?
Now, Devlin has to convince a woman who has absolutely no desire to marry, that she needs to marry him. Then he has to convince her that they can make a good match. You’ll love their journey into their HEA and it really was a hard-won battle. For a while, I began to wonder if it really was going to happen.
I absolutely adored Penelope, Cassandra’s daughter. She is a delightful twelve-year-old with a very sharp mind and an adventurous spirit. The best part is, she adores Devlin and does her part to help him win her mother.
You will absolutely adore this book and this series. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I will say that I got a bit tired of hearing about Timothy – I think that went on a bit too long and Cassandra’s reactions to a number of things were just too over-the-top. It didn’t keep me from loving the book and the characters, but it was somewhat annoying.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really had mixed feelings on this one. On the upside I liked both Devlin and Cassandra and even Cassandra’s daughter Penelope. There were times though that I thought that Penelope (Penny) just might have been a bit more grown up than the other two.
There was more than one time when I just wanted to shake Cassandra until her teeth rattled. Yes, I know that she lost so much at such a young age and that Timothy was a friend of longstanding before he became her future husband. But over a decade of faithfulness to a dead lover?? I did like though that she didn’t bend to the will of her family and society when it came to living her life their way. It was something that Devlin had in common with her.
Devlin’s father was so controlling and tried to force Devlin and his brother’s into the life that he thought was worthy and acceptable. His father’s attitude was my way or the highway. Devlin chose the highway of the sea which he absolutely loved. I really liked Devlin and his quirky, humorous approach to life. But he is also a responsible person as well especially when it came to being the captain of his ship.
One thing I did think was that the distance that Cassandra put between Devlin and herself went on a bit too long. Although the challenges they faced was well shown, it just seemed to slow the story down for me.
I did enjoy how Devlin and Penelope interacted and the affection that he had for her. He accepted her 100%. Another relationship that added depth to the story was his best friend and shipmate, Montgomery (Monty) Quinn. And Cassandra had some loyal friends of her own.
There is an unexpected twist in the story that adds more drama but the story does come to a good end. A H.E.A. and a good Epilogue. So all and all it gets a 3.5 star rating when it opens for review on Amazon.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Wow! This book was amazing. I loved it from beginning to end. The many turns and emotional rides that I was taking with Devlin and Cassandra was powerful. I did not expect the story to take a sharp turn like this. The writer threw a curve ball that came out of nowhere.
After Devlin and Cassandra over come so much, the news that he’s about to to tell her, even I think there is no coming back from. From the beginning Devlin shows Cassandra how much love that he has for her and her daughter. My heart melted and I wanted to cry on a few occasions. I mean, during that era and time, I’m sure that it was hard for your intended to except someone else’s child as yours. The voyage on the boat was well written.
As I read each chapter, I visualized it as if I was there, those parts where well written. I loved the characters. The banter between Devlin and Cassandra was on point. The flow of the book was great. I didn’t have to say wait, what happened or go back a few pages.
My fellow readers, I recommend this book to read.
Her Seafaring Scoundrel
By Sophie Barns was a delectable read. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was so good!! Devlin puts his foot in his mouth and to right it, he convinces lady Cassandra to marry him but only if they don’t consummate the marriage. Cassandra feels disloyal to her deceased one true love and can’t bare to give her love to another man. Devlin is an amazing character I couldn’t help but love him. He is hardworking, loving, strong, and a great captain. With all that how is Cassandra to stay loyal to Timothy? Cassandra is also a great and complex character. I felt sad for her , she had fought for herself and her child for so long with very little help along the way and to get through it all she put Timothy on a pedestal. It was a treasure to watch these two characters grow and change through the book to the end. Thank you for a great book!!
01/15/2021 Lives are intertwined in unexpected ways in “Her Searfaring Scoundrel” (nook). Devlin and Cassandra have been friends for years and their unexpected marriage leads to emotional turmoil. They have their ups and downs and encounter danger on a journey by sea. I enjoyed the HEA.
Little did I know this was part of a series! YAY! And I’ve learned another thing: communication is soooo very important. It’s amazing how many things could be solved if people would just be open. But the romance is so worth it at the end. My favorite character is Penelope — a secondary character, but not a secondary character. You’ll have to read to find out just exactly what I mean by that. Loved it.
Her Seafaring Scoundrel by Sophie Barnes.
Lady Cassandra Moor and Devlin Crawford
Lady Cassandra is running the orphanage and is friends with Devlins sister in law.
Lady Cassandra has an illegitimate daughter named Penelope, Devlin proposes marriage to help stop a scandal and to give Cassandra and Penelope a name that would stop the scandals from happening again. Cassandra fights him on wanting to be married. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend to anyone looking for a good book to read.
I absolutely adored this story as much if not more than the first two in this series. Once I began I was drawn in quickly and could not wait to see what would happen with Devlin and Cassandra.
Devlin, the Captain of his ship, loved the life on the water and being at sea. He felt that marriage was not for him because he did not want to give it up. Deep inside he is scarred from his father’s treatment, but he truly cares for his crew and his family. Loves his nieces and nephews and he really pulled at my heart!
Cassandra is a friend of his sister in laws and has helped develop and run the orphanage they have together. She cannot get past the loss of the man she loved, who had tragically been killed before their wedding. but had left her with a child of their anticipated wedding day. That had been over twelve years ago and she still let it drive her life.
But fate steps in and brings the two together, as they travel a winding journey for them both to heal and find that true love can happen no matter how much you resist!
I adore this author’s writing and look forward to each brilliant book she creates! Wonderful!
I’ve always enjoyed the books at sea, it always adds an extra layer of intrigue to historical romances, and takes you away from the stuffy ton for a time. When Devlin returns home from his travels at sea for a short time, he’s roped into going to a ball by his mother, who is doing her utmost best to get him married, which is definitely not anything that interests Devlin. But when he’s talking to his brothers – he overhears a stodgy lady of the ton gossiping about Cass, a woman who has been scorned by society by having a child out of wedlock and a longtime friend of Devlin and his family. He confronts the gossiper and puts himself and Cass, into a situation.
I liked the characters, they were well matched, and secondary characters were spot on. There is a slow building romance and some humor to keep the reader smiling. The sex scenes were a bit lackluster, but for readers that prefer a cleaner romance, this one will fit that bill well. I also really enjoyed the epilogue that neatly wraps up this adventure. 4.5 Stars
Devlin Crawford has sailed back to London after a 10-month voyage. He loves his life visiting foreign countries and bringing back exotic items to sell.
Devlin is brother to Caleb, the Duke of Camberly, with whom he stays when in port. His mother is always after him to get married and settle down, but he is adamant that he loves this life. At her request, he attends a soiree where his old friend, Cassandra, is attending. When an older woman makes disparaging remarks about her, Devlin is incensed and tells the woman that she is going to be his wife. Afterward, he realizes that he will now need to propose to her.
Cassandra had become pregnant by her fiancé who was killed just before their wedding. Her daughter, Penelope, is now 12-years-old and Cassandra has been ostracized by her family and many of her friends. Some members of the Crawford family, along with Cassandra, formed an orphanage on a large estate outside town. Here is where Cassandra flees and Devlin follows her. Now, he must convince her to marry him.
They do marry and Devlin, Cassandra, and Penelope all agree to go on a 10-month voyage aboard Devlin’s ship. There, they face some typical and unfortunate events onboard the ship. In addition, the enforced togetherness of this couple results in some changes. I’ll leave that to your imagination.
I found this to be an interesting story with some great descriptions. I compliment the author on the enormous amount of research she must have done to write this book. I liked Devlin and found him possessing much more patience that I would have. Penelope is also a sweetheart. Cassandra, on the other hand, came across as a shrew during most of the story. I simply did not like her character.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
=The third book in The Crawfords series a well written Regency story. Lady Cassandra and Captain Devlin Crawford’s story kept me turning pages. I was not putting this book down until I had finished reading. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Neither Cass nor Dev has any intention of marrying anyone much less each other. De Lin has just returned from another successful voyage when he he is coerced into attending a ball by his mother. Cassandra has been an outcast of the Ton for the past 12 years since her fiancé died on the day of their wedding and then she later found she was with child. The two have been friends since they met. When Devlin defends her honor in her absence at the ball they find themselves marrying. Both are tortured by mistakes they have made in the past but it takes a 12 year old girl and a good friend to set them on the path to healing. This is a great love story that shows the depth we will go from the ones we truly love. The series is about three brothers who are triplets and they fall in love with three best friends. Romance is guaranteed and hearts will melt.
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1dc
Captain Devlin Crawford is briefly at home between his around the world, commercial sea voyages. While attending a ball, he overhears a shrewish baroness disrespecting family friend, Cassandra. When the self righteous woman won’t back down, even when directly confronted by Devlin, he boldly declares that Cassandra is to become his wife. While this statement has the desired effect of silencing the gossiping harpy, it also stuns his family and friends, many of whom were watching the scene unfold. As Devlin starts to calm down, he begins to think that marriage with Cassandra might not be so bad after all. She’s a dear friend, lovely, and there’s always been a subtle undertone of attraction between them. He knows, though, that he has an uphill battle to convince his “fiancée.”
Many years ago, Cassandra Moor was engaged to Timothy, a man she loved deeply. Their love just couldn’t wait for marriage, and they anticipated their vows. Tragically, Timothy was killed in an accident while on his way to the church for the wedding. Cassandra’s pain and grief eased somewhat, as she found out she was to have a child. Her parents, however, were not overjoyed, and disowned her. Cassandra’s brother set her up with a home, where she lived quietly with her daughter, as well as several orphaned children she housed there. Her infrequent visits to town always had her being shunned by her parents, and gossiped about. Cassandra is content to live away from society, mourning her lost love, and caring for the children.
When Cassandra learns of her “engagement,” she is stunned, and can’t imagine what Devlin was thinking, and doesn’t hesitate to let him know her feelings. Devlin presses his suit, emphasizing how beneficial the marriage would be for her illegitimate daughter, Penelope. When Penny enters the discussion, stating how fond she is of Devlin, and how she’d love him as a father, Cassandra is defeated. She does, however, have terms of her own. This will be a marriage in name only with no intimacy. Surprisingly, Devlin agrees, and the couple marries. The new family sets out on a voyage to see the world.
There is so much to love about Devlin. He showers care and attention on his new wife and stepdaughter, teaching them about his life on the sea. Though he will never force the issue, Devlin has confidence that his charm will win over Cass, and that she’ll come to share his bed. He never realized how deeply ingrained her devotion to Timothy still is. Whenever Dev makes progress, any desire Cass feels sends her whirling in a cloud of guilt. At first I admired her steadfastness, but it quickly got old, and I was thoroughly irritated with her. I wanted to urge her not to bury herself with Timothy while she still had many years of life to live.
As I got to know Cass better, I learned that she is a logical woman, as well as one who feels deeply. She needs to work things through at her own pace, and look at the facts behind the emotions. When Cass finally allows herself to feel passion again, I was so thrilled for this couple, thinking the happy ever after was forthcoming. But it was not to be. Hurdle after hurdle appears for this couple every time it seems that there issues and problems are resolved. It almost seems like fate is conspiring against them.
I became totally engrossed in HER SEAFARING SCOUNDREL and its main characters. I love Devlin for being such an upstanding, honest, caring man. His relationship with Penny is truly beautiful, and I admire his strength in standing up against a bigoted society whose rules of conduct ensure that anyone who crosses a toe over the line is a pariah. Cass is definitely stubborn, but she can be reasoned with, and her care of her daughter is stellar. You know that once you win her love, you will have it forever. As for Penny, this young lady is wise beyond her young years. She played a major part in this story, and is truly delightful. HER SEAFARING SCOUNDREL will appeal to readers who love a slow building romance which has to overcome many obstacles along the way.
Thanks go to the author and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of Her Seafaring Scoundrel for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. A Regency romance and book 3 The Crawfords. My opinions are my own and no one has influenced me in any way.
Her Seafaring Scoundrel is an emotionally charged reading experience with engaging character and an intriguing plot. The pacing is fantastic and kept me enmeshed in the story from start to finish.
Lady Cassandra’s character is endearing. She stole my heart from the start. She has not had an easy time. Her betrothed died days before their marriage and she found out she carried his child. Her parents and society cast her off. Her brother buys her cottage where she takes in orphans and other women who find themselves in a similar situation to her. She spends her life running her orphanage and her daughter. She will do anything to ensure Penelope’s happiness.
Devlin Crawford is our hero and is a great character. He’s spent years roaming the high seas, never spending more than a few weeks in England. When he arrives at his brother’s ducal residence, he agrees to attend his ball. He defends Lady Cassandra’s honor and informs the gossip they are betrothed. Although he has no plans to live in England, he does want to protect Cassandra. He has admired her from afar for years.
The romance between Cassandra and Devlin is a rocky road with plenty of emotions going on between them. Cassandra has mourned her Timothy and doesn’t want a true marriage, but the attraction between her and Devlin is too strong to ignore. There’s fantastic sexual tension between them. There’s a totally unexpected twist, which makes this a fantastic read!
If you enjoy Regency romance with amazing characters and an emotionally charged plot, then you will love Her Seafaring Scoundrel as much as I. Ms. Barnes is a talented author, and I’m so glad I agreed to read this. It had been some time since I’d read one of her books. I will be reading the prior books in this great series. Happy reading!
Great Book! This is the story of Lady Cassandra who has a daughter with a man she has vowed to love forever even though they were never married. Until Captain Devlin Crawford puts her in a compromising position and she has to marry him, she has vowed to never marry. Together they and Lady Cassandra’s daughter Penny, set sail around the world. Devlin is determined to win Lady Cassandra’s heart, but it will not be easy. This is a very good book. There are many twists and turns throughout the book to keep you turning pages. You just can’t put it down!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Her Seafaring Scoundrel by Sophie Barnes is book Three in The Crawfords Series. This is the story of Devlin Crawford and Cassandra Moor. This book can be a standalone book, but this is such a great series you might not want to miss the previous books. Cassandra seemed to have had one great love about 13 years ago but he died before they could be married leaving her with a daughter. Cassandra has went on to raise her daughter and work with her friends to help women in children in need. Now with Penelope around 12 years old, Cassandra still has not moved on from her past relationship. Devlin life is on the sea but comes home to his family when he can to has short visits. This time when he comes home he finds at his brother’s house his mother along with Cassandra. Devlin’s mother wants a party while he is in town. Cassandra of course is a ruined women, so she doesn’t attend parties but is talked into this one given by her friend. Devlin has always admired Cassandra, so when he overhears some old biddies talking about about Cassandra he informs them she is to be his wife. Of course that sets in motion for them to marry but now Devlin’s biggest challenge is winning over Cassandra. Luckily, Devlin has a helping hand with Penelope. The cherry on top of this great read was the epilogue. Loved their story!
A sea captain who does not wish to marry (Devlin) and a disgraced lady (Cassandra) who feels she can not marry. The story-telling that leads to their HEA is great. I enjoyed this final book in the Crawfords series. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Since losing the love of her life just before their wedding, Lady Cassandra has had no desire to marry. Her daughter and the orphanage she helps run are enough for her. But when a family friend, Captain Lord Devlin Crawford, causes another scandal involving her and offers to marry her, she knows she must accept for her daughter’s sake. Cassandra’s agreement comes with the caveat that she and Devlin will never have a true marriage and she makes sure he understands that. Though she’s unwittingly attracted to him, Cassandra is determined to be faithful to her first love.
Devlin can’t believe the mess he’s made of things in the short time he’s been on shore. But the more he thinks about it, the more marrying Cassandra actually seems like a good idea. He just has to convince her of that, a task made all the more difficult by the fact that even after 13 years she still mourns her first love. Luckily Devlin has a months-long ocean voyage to attempt to woo his wife.
I enjoyed this book on the whole, but I’ve got some mixed feelings. I liked Devlin immensely. Far from being a scoundrel, he was a truly good man who always seemed to be doing his best to do the right thing. I’m not sure Cassandra deserved him or the enormous amount of patience and persistence he gave her. There were many times she just needed a good shake and a reality check. I can appreciate her trying to stay loyal to the memory of her first love, but once she said vows to Devlin I expected her to at least start showing some loyalty to them and I found the fact that she really didn’t to be rather hypocritical. As hard as Devlin tried to make things work between them, it was like she was working twice as hard to keep them apart. Her reactions to Devlin’s attempts to foster closeness were a bit over the top and I think she drew out her grieving to an extent that it lost some of its meaning. Cassandra kept distancing herself from Devlin for too long and it became a bit tedious in a story that’s already a slow burn and her unwillingness to help Devlin with his own struggles with guilt made me dislike her and made her come off as self-centered and focused solely on her own issues. Although she does admit to this selfishness a bit, it was a case of too little too late for me. I did love the fact that both Cassandra and Devlin marched to the beat of their own drums despite the censure of their parents and society. Devlin’s relationship with and acceptance of Penelope was lovely, in fact I think at times he accepted her more than her own mother did. This was a sensual, not quite steamy read, but it worked here. Overall, I did enjoy this story and found it to be a satisfying end to the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
ONE TITILLATING ADVENTURE!!!
Ah snap! Sophie hit the ground running with this brilliantly composed delight, presenting one impressive storyline and gripping plot, wrapping this baby up sleek, shiny and tight. Anarchy, escapades and havoc run amuck, kicking this bad boy into a roaring tempest, catapulting it into a tailspin with an explosive culmination. Vexing mishaps and happenstance, thrusts those churning emotions into play, hooking you from the start and reeling you in for the duration. Sophie’s cunning and insight, know no bounds as she knocks the regency ton off kilter with this jaw dropping wild ride. A tumultuous vortex of intimidating trials and challenging tribulations rock this baby to the core, along with a slew of explosive twists and wicked turns, tests our characters in ways they could have never envisioned. The characters are genuine, original and so realistic with depth and qualities that blend and play off one another perfectly. The scenes are so graphic and detailed it paints a fantastic backdrop that really makes the storyline pop. Incredible job Sophie, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
Unmarried and with a girl, Lady Cassandra was tied to a ghost from the past that had her trapped and did not allow her to see beyond. Captain Devlin Crawford was living tortured by guilt and regrets, but a moment of anger and not thinking before speaking, led him to an unexpected but not rejected situation, which turned his life around. First book that I read from this author and liked this lovely story about these two characters that had denied themselves a second chance while they continued facing and struggling with their past. Lady Cassandra and Devlin were punishing themselves blind to the voice of reason. Interesting how Penelope could understand and voice what really mattered.