“Beautiful, soul-shattering, and utterly delicious.” ~ Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today bestselling author Bennett Sharp is on the run.Wanted for piracy, she fears neither God nor death nor man.Except Priest Farrell.The unfaithful, stormy-eyed libertine hunts her with terrifying possessiveness. Nothing will stop him from coming for her. Not his unforgivable … stop him from coming for her. Not his unforgivable betrayal. Not when she’s captured by the ice-cold pirate hunter, Lord Ashley Cutler.
She must escape Ashley’s prison and Priest’s deceit. But can she walk away from their twisted desires?
Two gorgeous captains stand on opposite sides of the law. When they collide in a battle to protect her, the lines blur between enemies and lovers.
Passion heats, secrets unravel, and hearts entangle until they break.
Can love prevail in the sea of ruin?
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Since the day I seen the cover for Sea of Ruin I knew I needed to read it. This author did not disappoint.
The high seas and piracy has called to Bennett since she was a little girl. Flounces, ruffles and pretty dresses never held her attention like the briny scent of the sea. She never planned to fall in love so you can imagine her surprise when she falls for two men. Then like the winds upon the sea and the turning of the tides they are all at risk of impending doom. Can fates intervene and give her all she desires or will she have to choose between the two who have stolen her heart.
While I absolutely loved this book and feel that in all it’s raw unrestrained beauty it is most definitely not for everyone. There are many triggers so I caution everyone who may have concerns to know what you are getting into.
“Love isn’t a decision. It arrives unannounced, breeds madness, and leaves a sea of ruin in its wake.”
Bennett “Benedicta” Sharp – A strong, fierce heroine; a survivor.
The things she endured as a young woman are things no child should have gone through alone, but she did, and she did so with her head held high.
At age 14, betrothed to a man a decade older than her father and the death of both her parents. At age 18 – the thrust of a sword that would forever change her future. At age 19 – the betrayal of the man she loved more than the world itself. And then, at age 21 – the unfathomable.
“Giving up would’ve been so much easier. But I didn’t know how to do that.”
Priest Farrell – a true pirate by nature. Handsome and rugged. After everything they went through emotionally, he would always find her – that, she could forever count on. He loved her and she loved him.
Captured by Lord Ashley Cutler – a handsome, regal commodore. Even after the cruelness he inflicted on Bennett in the beginning, it was hard not to route for these two, to fall for their story.
The words of Pam Godwin were absolutely beautiful. This story is dark, don’t get me wrong – but, I can’t count the times on one hand that my skin erupted in goose bumps, or the times I cried. Her words were like poetry. I had so many emotions and this book broke my heart so many times over.
To fall, and have someone fall for you (not only once, but twice) and have those “real”, “raw” moments RIPPED from you again and again. It was so powerful.
And then, the plot TWIST I never saw coming! Wow, if you like dark romance – this book is for you!
I picked this one up on recommend by a dear friend, and I am so glad I listened!
This was heading more toward a 6 STAR read for me. I’ll be reading more of Pam Godwin. Bloody hell can she write!!! My top fave author she has moved into. Her words paint 3D everything. Extremely talented. Sea of Ruin would make a rather delicious movie but at the same time quite spectacular. Lawd she has a way with words. So much work has gone into this standalone.
This is my first pirate read and not at all what I thought I would be getting. Priest and Ashley (dude) and Bennett (funnily enough a girl) are the most amazing characters.
The King of Libertines is the novella and I think it is still FREE. I understand it is to be read after Sea of Ruin from what Pam wrote at front of Sea of Ruin.
I’m in writer love!
/5 +/5
TW: Sexual Assault, Violence, Torture, Rape, Polygamy, Foul Language, Dark themes, S&M.
Did I like this book? Yes. Do I also need therapy? Yes. Please refer to the trigger warnings before you read this one.
Wow. This caught me completely by surprise. I knew this was a steamy book but I had never read a dark romance novel before and I jumped into this without knowing what to expect. I’ll warn you beforehand: this is the sort of read you have to work your way to be able to stomach it. Don’t jump straight into this book if you haven’t read any other explicit novels before. I think you have to work on your tolerance to be able to enjoy a read like this one.
The cover is so innocent and pretty I could never have guessed this was such an intense read. Pam Godwin is an exceptional writer and I couldn’t put it down. She made me feel so many different things I never thought were possible to be conveyed through a book.
This was unlike anything I have ever read before. She writes things so beautifully and creatively, even the scenes that were really hard to stomach, scenes that made me lose touch with my own reality, this was like watching a cruel, intense, shocking and beautiful dark movie. I am a horror movie fan, it is basically the only kind of movie I ADORE watching on my free time. Gruesome scenes and violent sexual scenes are always looming behind horror movies scripts, so my tolerance is pretty high. I am glad because it allowed me to enjoy this for what it is.
I felt everything. I felt uncomfortable, thorn, shaken, confused. Every emotion this portrayed was so raw. Some were hard to stomach and I think that’s exactly what makes a good book. My reactions were raw and organic, the same way this story was raw and organic. There was also love, pain, loss, suffering, loyalty, I can’t stress this enough: I have never felt such an array of emotions like this. This was my first dark romance read but it certainly won’t be the last. Pam Godwin is really good at this and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
Ok, so I probably would not have picked this book up and read it if I had just seen it on a shelf. However, someone who’s opinion on books that I value very much raved about it so I picked up a copy. Then it sat on my shelf for a few months until I finally picked it up and decided to read it, and boy am I glad that I did! I love these characters so much and really enjoyed learning more about them. Also Bennett may be one my favorite female characters. She’s confident and fierce and not afraid to take on problems even when it seems that there is no way out.
The story starts with Bennett as a young girl and within 5 chapters her would is turned upside down. Her father is a notorious pirate and is captured when he visits her. Her mother follows to where they are holding Bennett’s father and she watches as they hang him, which causes her to throw herself off a cliff. Bennett is found by her fathers quartermaster Charles Vane and taken aboard the ship Jade. He looks out for her and captains the ship until Bennett is old enough to to do it herself.
We then jump forward in time and Bennett is captaining the ship Jade. Bennett goes to Port Royal to pay her respects to Vane who had been captured and hanged. It’s here that we find out that Bennett has been on the run from the pirate Priest for the past 2 years and it’s also where he finally catches up to her. Priest steals a compass from Bennett that her father had given her and which is suppose to hold a map to a treasure. In order to get the compass back she must allow Priest aboard her ship and this is when we learn that they are actually married. Bennett ran from Priest 2 years earlier when she found out that Priest had cheated on her right after their marriage. Without giving away too many details we learn that Priest in fact loves this other person and in order to protect them refuses to tell Bennett who they are but he also loves Bennett is determined to get her back.
While Bennett is trying to figure out how to get her compass back from Priest and Priest is trying to get Bennett to give him another chance the ship is happened upon by the pirate hunter Ashley Cutler. In order to save her men, and make sure that Cutler doesn’t find out that Priest, who is a notorious pirate himself, is aboard she devises a plan to make it seem that the crew mutinied and threw her overboard. Cutler has Bennett fished from the sea and takes her into custody so that he can take her to be tried and hanged for piracy. Now of course you know what happens next, they spend more and more time together and become more and more attracted to each other.
Then the shenanigans begin! I won’t go into what else happens because I don’t want to give everything away but boy is this a whirlwind of a story. There is so much that happens and so much that you find out. Now I will say that I figured out pretty early on who this other person that Priest loves is but it didn’t take away from the story, in fact it made me excited to see how this whole thing would work out.
I flew through this book and loved it so much. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had to work the next day I would have stayed up all night to finish it. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and damn is HOT! Not to mention that reading it made me want to go watch Pirates of the Caribbean and Black Sails. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and now I’m definitely going to have to go find more books by her!
This book Rocked. My. World.
Wowza … finished it three days ago and still thinking about it.
6 beautiful stars
This story was so much more than I expected! First let me say I am not a Pirate or historical book connoisseur but this tale was so spectacularly written, the characters so easily taken into you psyche, that the reader feels all the emotions that the characters endure.
I loved Bennett but she endured so much in her life, heartache, death, and attacks and abuse, and that was just by the time she was 14. As the story proceeds, and Priest and Ashley enter her life, she devastatingly is attacked so much worse and its painful to read at times but she becomes the strong, unbreakable heroine that I love to read about.
Sea of Ruin is highly recommended!
So good! Honestly who doesn’t want to read about pirates, pirate hunters and a LOT of sex. Deals with some sensitive issues and not for the faint hearted. But it also has some twists and turns you won’t expect.
Go back in time and get lost in an age where pirates ruled the sea, meet a special Captain who is the Queen of the sea. She’s fierce loyal and protector of the weaker.
Ms Godwin brings historical novel to a new level, this tale is filled with passion, darkness so many twists and turns, edge of your seat anticipation, you won’t be able to put it down.
Pirates of the world, please step aside, make room for the new ruler Captain Bennet Sharp. The world needed a Pirate like her, I’m so glad Pam Godwin gave her life and then went on conjure such a magical story.
No matter what your preferences in romance are this is a must read, it is a wet dream for any greedy readers with a thirst for forbidden such as myself.
HOT… HOT….HOT… BOOK.
I’m huge fan of Pam since I read “Trails of Sin” last year. When she released this book I bought it quickly. Unfortunately I decided to read before Christmas and new year’s and I regret it so much.
I’m mad at myself. This is an amazing book and it took me so long to read it. Pam made an amazing story for Bennett and Priest, but Ashley was the cherry on the Top of the cake she made.
Priest is full of strength and the love he has for Bennett is beautiful to read, but he made a big mistake a year after he met Bennett. That mistake took Bennett from him for two years.
Bennett was a strong woman. I love a pirate woman. Full of strength and passion. Sadly Priest took her heart two years ago and she was never the same.
Ashley is a hot commodore that never thought he would hunt one of the most “Wanted Pirates”. I loved this Lord so much, he has a sinful body and soul.
He never thought his life would change so much when he captured Edric Sharp’s daughter.
Bennett life will not be the same when her path meet Priest again and Ashley for the first time. Dark things will happen but will she survive to all of them?
This is a 5 star book of me and it will be in my TOP favorite book of 2021.
It’s dark, dirty, and action packed with sexy pirates, mystery treasure, and treacherous seas. I loved the characters, especially Bennett, she’s amazing, as is the storyline. Historical romance isn’t my usual go to but Pam Godwin is so of course I had to read it; and I’m so happy that I did. I highly recommend it.
Just perfection! A magnificent portrayal of power, seduction, passion and brutality. It’s pirates in the hands of this author so you should know you will get a story that will gut you with its intense and savagery. I’ve had a love affair with pirates from a young age and this story hits all the marks with the beautiful pirate queen Bennett and her lovers, the swaggering pirate feral Priest and the commanding British naval commodore Ashley. While the Royal Navy’s hunts the rebel queen of the sea, Bennett hunts for her father’s legacy and raids ships for their bounty and to free slaves. Both lead to some gut wrenching, cringe worthy encounters as danger finds Bennett and she fighting for her life. On the flip side is the panty wetting romance with her too sexy pirate mate and her stern commodore. Priest is a sex on legs, hot-blooded hunk while Ashley is a cold, dominant brute. Lucky girl! Priest is a dream hero as the feral beast but I’m team Ashley even with his bad behavior. There were just a few elements that didn’t ring true with me but for the most part this is what I expected from a hard hitting, sexy portrayal of the life of maundering savages at the height of the Caribbean pirates era. Some scenes reminded me of the spectacular TV series Black Sails, especially the connection between Priest and Ashley. Full of heart pounding danger, heart stopping brutality and heart melting romance. This is one to read for a realistic tale of pirates and Brits on the high seas. Absolutely terrific!
Sea of Ruin completely RUINED me. I’m speechless right now. Why, why, WHY hadn’t I read this book before? And more importantly, WHY hasn’t this book been turned into a Netflix series yet? Seriously…. The action, the incredible imagery, the sensual moments between the protagonists— it would be a badass series and I stand by my statement.
This is the first historical romance I’ve ever read, and dare I say I now want a pirate *hunter* for myself?! Priest, sorry my dear (I love you) but I desperately want an Ashley Cutler in my life. Pretty please.
Love triangle -type romance books are generally not my preference, not because I have anything against them, but because I like obsessing over one character at a time. Reading about two completely different but equally charming men felt quite overwhelming, I’m not going to lie, but I loved every second of it.
I can say without a hint of doubt that captain Bennett Sharp is one of the most fascinating and strong female characters I’ve ever read. I truly admire her courage and how, despite everything she’d been through, she never lost her spirit. She’s a badass captain, a woman stronger than men double her size and it was a joy to read her journey.
Bennett Sharp doesn’t want to be a lady. Being the daughter of the infamous pirate Edric Sharp, she wants nothing more in life than to follow her father’s steps and command a ship. Even from the age of fourteen, she new that this would be the path she would follow. Just not alongside her father. It takes only one moment for her to lose everything she holds dear. She witnesses first-hand her father being hanged, and then her mother commit suicide, at the same day no less. The only thing that she has left from her father is an encrypted compass. A compass that she’s tried hard to open for years, but never succeeded so far.
At the age of twenty one, Bennett has already been through situations most people her age wouldn’t even dare to think of. She’s married to a pirate, Priest Farell — also known as the King of Libertines. He is the one person Bennett loves the most in the world, the only man she could never hurt no matter what he did to her. Even after he betrays her and breaks her heart, she’s still unable to hurt him. She simply left him and never looked back, until they meet again. Priest has her dear compass in his hold, and he’s not giving it back unless Bennett forgives him. Tough task. She’s determined to find out where he hid the compass, without his help.
This mission of hers is interrupted when Jade, the ship her father gifted to her before his death, is nearly attacked by the commodore of HMS Blitz. To avoid a fatal attack on her ship, Bennett willingly surrenders herself to Ashley Cutler to be brought to England to stand trial for her crimes. So, in other words, to face the same fate as her father.
She knows her husband will hunt her to the ends of the world, so the only thing she has to do is wait. And try to make the strikingly handsome commodore, her captor, fall in love with her. Gaining his love might be a hard task, but it’s her only chance at survival if her husband doesn’t find her in time.
She didn’t expect to fall hopelessly in love with him as well.
This book is not a light read, I just want to point that out. Abuse, rape, suicide, violence are included. I generally don’t have any trigger warnings, but even I felt my belly tightening at times. But you know what? It’s pirates we’re talking about, so in all honesty I would’ve been disappointed if the book turned out to be light and happy.
Pam Godwin really outdid herself with this book. It had been so long since a book made me cry so much. I enjoyed every second of it, and if you don’t have a problem with the trigger mentioned above, I highly recommend reading this book.
I started reading books like this when I was in 5th grade and borrowed them from my mother’s collection. I floved the piratey, fight the English, save the slaves, Caribbean stores the most. This is probably the best book I’ve even read of the genre. This is the pinnacle. What’s not to love about a female pirate captain finding true love and buried traysure? I have had this book on my Kindle for a while because I wanted it to live up to my expectations so badly and I didn’t want to be disappointed. This was so so SO good!
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Where do I even begin with reviewing this book? I am completely and utterly RUINED by it. Pam Godwin is a literal magician. I do not like historical fiction and I don’t care for pirates… how does this author have the ability to take two things I don’t care about, put it in a novel and make me fall absolutely head over heels for it???? HOWWWWWW.
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It took me a couple chapters to get a handle on the language and the world, but once I did, I was FULLY immersed in the story. This book is about Bennett Sharp, Captain of a pirate ship and wanted criminal. This story also involves two delicious handsome men, the pirate Priest and the pirate hunter, Ashley. These three embark on a journey of love, hate, heartache, and chaos. I won’t say anything else about the plot because I believe its one of those stories where you should learn the bare minimum and enjoy the ride.
This story is so beautifully written and was the perfect mix of banter, action, steam and romance. I absolutely adored our main character, Bennett. Priest and Ashley were also fantastic characters and sexy as hell alpha men. I think I might be a little bit obsessed with Ashley…
To anyone who doesn’t like historical fiction, I highly suggest that you give this book a shot.
“Love isn’t a decision. It arrives unannounced, breeds madness, and leaves a sea of ruin in its wake. Hate him or love him. Either way, he’s in certain hell.”
Bennett Sharp. Benedicta Leighton. Two sides of the same coin and two very different women. Only one was ever true to herself, and that is Captain Bennett Sharp. Pirate. Daughter of Captain Edric Sharp and Lady Abigail Leighton.
Torn between who she gave her life to and who she was never destined to share a bed with, Bennett finds herself torn between two. A Pirate that will search all hell and high water for her, Priest Farrell – and then the one she never saw coming… her captor, Lord Ashley Cutler. Commodore of the HMS Blitz of the English Royal Navy.
“Sea of Ruin”, by Pam Godwin is a historical romance set in the 1700s. It deals with some darker themes that were deemed appropriate and were set during that time period. If you are not a fan of historical romance, then you should start with this one. I would read anything Pam Godwin makes up. If it had fairy wings, dragons and wizards – as long as Pam is writing it, I am there. I felt like I was LIVING in this book. I. Was. Bennett. I wasn’t lost in the translation of the 17th century grammar. It was used so proficiently that it flowed so flawlessly, I didn’t have to stop to try and figure out what was happening. This book was raw and full of so many heightened emotions, you could only sit back and try and binge this as much as possible. Well done. Five stars all the way. What a beautifully tragic and wonderfully written story.
Sea of Ruin is a masterful adventure like no other. What Pam Godwin has created with this glorious pirate tale is nothing short of magnificent. A book that takes your heart and soul and conquers it from the very first pages. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such an extraordinary reading experience such as this one but I’m here to say that this story will be one I go back to often, when I need to be reminded that a book can truly make everything that much better.
The characters of this book, most notably the exceptional trio that is Bennett Sharp, Priest Farrell and Ashley Cutler are beyond wonderful. And that’s putting things mildly. Bennett as the goddess of the sea, she is my new girl crush. The way she survives immense brutality, the way she commandeers her ship, her loyalty to those who serve her well, I understood fully why two men were forever under her spell. She’s brash, wild, determined and can outmaneuver any member of the opposite sex with just a look. Truly the perfect combination of her elegant mother and her swashbuckling father, I couldn’t help but fall for her and all that she endures, no matter how horrific.
And then there are her men. The carefree and rough around the edges feral Priest, up against the proper and dignified Ashley, oh how I would love a chance to be between those two. Very different in their upbringing yet just as voracious and embolden behind closed doors. It’s no wonder Bennett’s heart was seemingly cut in two over who she adored more. I didn’t know how that part of the story would transpire since Bennett’s overall survival at the hands of the vile Madwulf was such a huge component of this book. But the way Godwin seamlessly combines Bennett’s sheer will with the search for her father’s treasure together with the worry over her errant husband and the new love she found with Ashley, I was floored time and again with just how each page blended perfectly with the one before.
There is so much at play in this book but at the very heart of it is a spirit that can’t be dampened no matter what. There are times of torture too horrifying to comprehend. There are erotic trysts that make a person squirm happily. There are tender and touching moments that should feel out of place amongst a band of merry pirates and yet they don’t. And then there are the moments of reflection and melancholy with respect to parents who had more love than was first thought. Yet through it all, Benedicta Leighton, aka Bennett Sharp, survives. She makes whatever is thrown at her, her biatch and oh my goodness, how lucky I felt that I got to witness every spectacular moment.
Believe the hype. This book is exquisite. It is all-consuming. A story to be savored much like a fine wine, Sea of Ruin will seize your very being and trust me, you’ll devour every drop. As a side note, I started reading this book back when it first came out but then other obligations had me putting it down. I must’ve started and stopped almost 5 times. And not because it wasn’t capturing my attention. On the contrary: I didn’t want to miss a single word! And I knew I had to give it my full regard.
As my last book for 2020, nothing could have been more perfect than a story about perseverance in a year when it was tested over and over again.
Bravo to a must-read book that I will never forget, I happily give Sea of Ruin a HUGE 5+++++++ stars!
I was wary of this book as I thought it would be a love triangle, until I looked into the reviews to say it wasn’t. I went straight for it.
Sea of Ruins is a pirate historical romance story.
Bennett has been through a traumatic passed losing both parents. Bennett is a wanted pirate, also on the run from someone she loves who has her heartbroken. She also meets someone else when captured… Can she love more than once?
This story is filled with heartwrenching moments, a fiesty strong independent women, steamy scenes and actionpacked.
I loved how this story panned out, It was great to see Bennett be put in the middle of a similar situation she was angry at a certain individual with.
Bennett is a great captain and it was great to see her interaction with the other pirates on board, to see them respect her for who she is and how she runs things aboard.
This book did take me a while to start reading, I don’t know why it took so long considering once I picked it up it was a page turner.
I did wish we could see more scenes and interaction with Farrell and Cutler, considering the whole plot was about them.
A warning, this is an MMF/MFM mainly focused on the girl. This isn’t a reverse harem I saw someone mention it was. Just to clarify.
Historical Romance with love threading on dangerous path.
If you would have asked me , have I ever read an Historical Romance then my answer would have been no…I am more of a Contemporary Romance lover but man! Author Godwin have changed my mind as well my taste in genres.
No one can even compete the story and how well its written here…a total masterpiece…
When I say this was dark Read, don’t take it lightly…because it was really dark in some parts but erotic and fun too.
It will whisk you away on a adventure on sea in another time where there are fierce strong woman and gorgeous, hotness loaded Pirates who thread the wrong side of the law…
I finished this book with a satisfying sigh…even though it was a long read , I needed every word here.
The author has played very smart with this story and the execution was spotless…
I can’t believe I took so long to take up this book but better late than never…
This book deserves so many more than five stars. If you are like me and don’t normally read historical romance, PLEASE give this one a chance. Godwin’s writing is poetic, magical. The plot was woven together in a seamless beauty that has blown my mind. Full of action, suspense, and raw, dark heat, I could not put it down. I found myself much like the figure on the cover, tumbling deeper into the world of gritty debauchery that Godwin created and I never wanted to leave. The characters stole my heart, just like the pirates they were and I didn’t want to let them go. This just may be my top book of 2020. Read it right now. You won’t be sorry.