When the dastardly Baron Dorchester kidnaps Little Bo Peep from a costume ball and carries her onto a ship bound for France, the captain of the Molly, Blake Russell, must take on the guise of a pirate to rescue his booty in this delightful tale of a chase on the Channel. Can a tumble on the Thames be far behind?
Although Captain Blake Russell captains a sometimes pirate ship, he does in fact work for the Crown, tracking down pirates, smugglers, and other miscreants. Given a mission to keep a watch on Lord Dorchester at a masquerade, who is rumoured to be planning a substantial theft, his attention is waylaid by a buxom young woman in a bo-peep costume. He is instantly enamoured by Miss Barbara Wycliff, not realising that she is the target of Dorchester’s plot. The plot of this novelette is amusing and romantic with high adventure. It is also well written and Blake’s mission is successfully completed. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
A well written short story that kept me turning pages. The captain of the Molly, Blake Russell and Miss Barbara Wycliff’s story there is suspense, drama, danger, kidnapping, twists, turns, a villain and romance. I enjoyed seeing this story come together.
I enjoyed this story. It was a quick read, and I loved the atmosphere. Pirates, sailors, kidnapping, daring young ladies, and more made this worth reading. The connection between Barbara and Blake was quick and strong, and sensual.
I received a copy of this story through CBR Services, and this is my unsolicited review.
As the captain of a ship that pursues pirates and privateers, smugglers and other unusual assignments, Blake Russell could not understand how matters of the heart could change his judgment that, until he was struck by Miss Barbara Wycliff charms. The miss wasn’t a beauty but with a wealthy father she was a temptation for those in need of money. When Miss Wycliff was kidnapped Blake’s current Foreign Office mission changed. A romantic adventure with intriguing situations, some suspense, amusing descriptions and narrations, romance and passion. LI like when we got stories from characters from previous books.
The Pleasure of a Pirate by Linda Rae Sande
Reviewed for Candid Book Reviews
I came for the romance and lost my heart to the adventure. Prepare to be swept away by the thrill of it all. The Pleasure of a Pirate will ride off into the sunset with more than just your heart. Sande is masterful at taking emotions on the sweetest of escapes. All you need is vivid imagination and an open heart to enjoy the ride.
This is one of the best I’ve ever read by this author. I love the plot focus and the characters are down to earth with a bit of a spark of attraction from the start. Just enough of everything. I received a free copy without obligation and am voluntarily reviewing.
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
I originally wrote a review for “The Pleasure Of A Pirate” as part of an overarching review that I did for the anthology “Once Upon A Pirate”. Since Sande has chosen to break this story out and publish it as a standalone, I decided to post my review, but not the original. Oh the original makes up the skeleton of my review, but it’s expanded a bit now.
In “The Pleasure Of A Pirate” Sande brings back two characters from “Epiphany Of An Explorer”. The H.M.S. Molly and Blake Russell, now her captain. Yes, I said two characters and one of them is a ship, as the various iterations of the “Star Trek” TV series have shown, a ship can be just as much a character as a human. Or as the T.A.R.D.I.S. is very much a character in the long running BBC’s “Doctor Who”serial. I really enjoyed the world building and character development that the author did in this tale to flesh out more fully the bones of the skeleton that Sande introduced to us in “Epiphany Of An Explorer”. While this was a fine and entertaining tale. I was left feeling that there’s a whole lot left of the meat of the story of Blake and Althea and I would encourage the author to bring that story to life in a full length novel featuring Blake and Althea and, as is her habit, another couple. I’ve yet to be disappointed when I have read any of Sande’s work and I recommend this book, or any of her work.
In the interest of transparency: I was given a review copy of this book ( Well, novella ) and I am voluntarily sharing this review.
It is my own honest opinion.
More sweet than steam but you get the idea anyway;-)
Blake Russell acts as Captain of a pirate ship for His Majesty on clandestine missions and as such he went to a masquerade ball where he meets a most delectable curvy woman, Barbara Wycliff. Her father is “new” money in the merchant class and a baronet. Blake has become enamored of this sweet confection but she gets away from him as does the man he was sent to spy on. Things begin to happen quickly from this point on and I couldn’t read fast enough to find out if they get their HEA after much tribulation and angst. Truly enjoyed this clever plot. Just enough sweet steam but not too much.
I received the ARC of the anthology ONCE UPON A PIRATE and reviewed this particular story then. Still enjoyably remembered. It comes highly recommended for readers who like the suggestion of steam and a sweet story.
(All of this is based on the version from ONCE UPON A PIRATE)