The tempestuous story of Jacqueline Malory whose furious
desire for revenge leads to a confrontation with the handsome pirate who
abducted her and sparks a much steamier kind of desire.
For the first time, James Malory and his Anderson in-laws
agree on something: It's payback time for the culprit who kidnapped James and
Georgina's beloved daughter Jack from her American debutante party and whisked
her away to the Caribbean, no matter that she escaped unscathed. James figured
out who masterminded the dastardly plot and is leading a fleet of ships to the
West Indies to deliver some Malory-style retribution.
More interested in revenge than in finding a husband
during her first London Season, Jack is furious that her father left her
behind. Then an intriguing stranger leads her and her older brother Jeremy to
her mysterious abductor. But instead of capturing him, the Malory siblings wind
up as his guests on a ship sailing away from England. As Jack re-engages in a
battle of wills with her all too attentive captor, she realizes he is no
ordinary pirate, perhaps no pirate at all, but a nobleman determined to settle
a score that dates back to the days when her father was known as Captain Hawke
and what endangers her most is the increasingly passionate attraction they feel
for each other.
Terrific book. I am heartbroken at the knowledge there
will be no more Malory books (RIP Johanna Lindsey). They are always full of
emotion, fun, heat, and the importance of family. This book is the follow-on to
Stormy Persuasion, in which Jack was kidnapped as part of a revenge plot. She
escaped unharmed and now harbors an intense desire to get revenge of her own on
the man who captured her.
As this book opens, James Malory prepares to set off with
his fleet to settle the score with the old nemesis who was behind Jack's
kidnapping. In typical Malory fashion, he looks forward to the confrontation.
What he doesn't enjoy is being pestered by Jack, who feels it's also her right
to go along and doesn't take well to being told no. An intriguing masked
stranger gives Jack something else to concentrate on until she figures out why
he fascinates her. Convinced he is the man she dubbed "Bastard," she
and Jeremy and their friend Derek plot to capture him and bring him to justice.
Their plans go awry when he captures them instead, and they find themselves headed
back to the Caribbean.
This was a fast start to the book, and the pace didn't
change much throughout the story. I loved the encounter between Jack and the masked
man at the ball. The sparks between them were undeniable, and I was surprised
that Jack didn't immediately suspect who he was. But then again, her anger over
the whole kidnapping was just as intense as it had been, and likely overwhelmed
the attraction. I loved what it was that gave it away and wasn't surprised that
she threw herself into revenge mode. I was glad that she was smart enough to
enlist Jeremy and Derek to help her. I was unsurprised that he was prepared for
them, though that didn't lessen the intensity of the scene at the docks. Jack's
fury is just as hot this time, and she doesn't give in easily. She certainly
gets "Bastard's" attention with her impromptu swim, even though it
didn't last long. She quickly realizes that she is stuck on board until they
reach the islands and plans accordingly.
"Bastard," aka Damon Ross, has no intention of
bringing any harm to Jack. She is a pawn in an elaborate game. Damon was forced
into this kidnapping, but also uses it for his own ends. He has a score to
settle with Jack's father and is willing to use her to make it happen. The
problem is that she still fascinates and captivates him.
I loved watching their relationship develop. Jack is
angry and delights in trying to push Damon's buttons. It's frustrating for her
when she only gets amusement in return. Meanwhile, Damon's fascination with
Jack continues to grow. He is also fairly blatant about his attraction to her
and uses that to his advantage. It was fun to see Jack's attitude undergo a
slow change as she began to realize that there were things that didn't add up. Though
she calls him a pirate, he doesn't behave like one. He's let slip a few things
that lead her to believe that there is more to her kidnapping than she knows. It
isn't long before Jack's fascination with Damon matches his for her.
However, the growing feelings between Damon and Jack aren't
all that is going on. The tensions on the ship are high because the crew is
split between Damon's men and actual pirates. They were forced on him by the
man behind Jack's kidnapping. There are quite a few intense scenes where Damon
is all that stands between the pirates and Jack. As they draw closer to the
islands, Damon finally reveals the truth to Jack, Jeremy, and Derek, as they
seek a way to move the odds in their favor. And let's not forget James Malory,
who is not happy (to put it mildly) to find out about Jack's abduction. The initial
meeting between James and Damon was everything I expected and more. There are
some exciting twists and turns as James and Damon have to work together to
bring down their common enemy. That still doesn't help Damon get his heart's
desire, as James whisks Jack back to England.
Damon isn't about to give up and follows as quickly as he
can. The obstacles remain; however, the biggest being Jack's father. While hoping
to let time soften the resistance (hah!), Damon visits his grandmother's home,
where he receives one shock after another. In the meantime, Jack's mother plans
another ball, which Jack requests to be a masquerade. I loved the feeling of
closing a circle. There were some hilarious moments at the ball, as both
Georgina and James get their licks in, but it's Jack who wins the day. I loved
the ending as she and Damon get what they want. I also loved the last line,
which went to James, "Where do they keep the bloody brandy here?"
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