Pirate's Prey

Colleen O'Connell

Aug 2019 · The Wild Rose Press Inc

About this ebook

Shane Christian scorns danger as the notorious pirate, Falcon. Feared and respected for his realm over the sea, his exploits are only surpassed by his devilish charm. No battle waged or venture dared is as great as the ploy he devises to protect Maura Brent - a spirited beauty whose willful nature captures his heart. His strategy to thwart the law risks exposure and potential introduction to the hangman's noose. If he succeeds in safeguarding their love, will he live long enough to treasure the victory? Maura Brent agrees to a contrived marriage with a manipulative English land baron in exchange for sparing her father imprisonment. A chance encounter with Shane Christian sets the course for a voyage of discovery awakening her passion, broadening her knowledge and strengthening her resolve to guard Shane's identity from his nemesis. Determined to dissolve her marriage to remain with Shane, has her decision ensured his demise?

Ratings and reviews

---4.5 Stars--- This book was intriguing, engaging, perplexing, and gratifying!! Wow!! This book took me on such an emotional roller-coaster ride!! As some moments I was laughing and cheering on the characters, then was on the edge of my seat biting my nails nervous while they were in battle, then was in tears over those consequences and outcomes of the fights, then excited with butterflies in my tummy during the flirting and romantic scenes, and then curious and mystified about what was going to happen next. So many feelings over just 323 eBook pages!!! I really liked that this book had so many plot points and that they were so well executed. This kept the story interesting, fresh, and engaging. I honestly wasn’t sure if this runaway bride story line could hold up for the long length of this book, but the author added in a vindictive husband willing to go to any lengths to get his “property,” aka “wife,” back, a vengeful private investigator willing to help that malevolent husband track down his wife while also tending to his own secretive agenda of getting payback for a past indiscretion, and a hostile former pirate crew member seeking vengeance and retribution for his loss. There really is sooooo much to this book!!! I really liked the main characters, Maura and Shane. Maura was sweet, sensible, loyal, devoted, honest, simple, innocent, caring, and compassionate. But she is a bit naïve and too trustworthy at times. I also liked Shane, aka Falcon. He was strong, adventurous, daring, bold, brave, reckless, nomadic, and a bit of a Casanova. However, it is also later shown that he has a strong protective, supportive, benevolent, loving side as well. I loved Maura and Shane’s interaction together – especially in the beginning!! It was hilarious when Maura first finds out that Shane and the ship crew are all pirates and she keeps going on about it and asking questions like did her dad know that they were pirates when they made the deal to whisk her out of the country? And how could she be stranded on the ship with pirates on a long journey to America? And so many other silly realizations. But over time, Maura and Shane’s relationship grew and I enjoyed watching their character arc develop and become something deeper and more mature and meaningful than either of them saw coming. I also really liked the supporting cast in this book! There were quite a few characters in this book, but each one felt important and unique to the story line. I especially enjoyed Maggie, Alex, Clancy, Rivers, Celia, Lydia, Finola, and Maura’s dad, James – just to name a few. I must also admit I enjoyed despising Harold Mansbry, Maura’s husband, and David Trent, the private investigator. They were terrible, awful men, and worthy adversaries!! This book has a creative story line with well executed plot points, fantastic writing style with detailed scenes, relatable characters, is evenly paced, and keeps you fully engaged and entertained. There are some predictable scenes. However, there are still many unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming! This book is technically not part of a book series and can be read as a standalone. All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it! I think all historical romance readers and pirate fans will like this book too! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed! **Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

About the author

Colleen O'Connell is dedicated to giving her readers fast-paced, page-turning journeys into the historical world of romance. Writing romance was inevitable with a Theatre Arts major in college and an affinity for reading with a desire to rewrite the storyline as her mind's eye visualized. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, she currently lives in Northern Kentucky and has a background in Human Resource Management. When not crafting her next historical adventure, she spends her time enjoying other writers' works, watching classic 'Old Hollywood' movies and attempting to moderate overly indulging in chocolate. Is there such a thing?If you want to know more about or connect with Colleen, visit her webpage at https://www.colleenoconnell.org