Beautiful Tempest - Johanna Lindsey (Gallery Books - July 2017)

Series: Malory-Anderson (Book 12)

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?"

The Other Miss Bridgerton - Julia Quinn (Avon - Nov 2018)

Series: Bridgerton Prequels/Rokesbys (Book 3)

She was in the wrong place...

Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers' hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain's bed…

He found her at the wrong time...

Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he's stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real -- and his duty to the Crown means he's stuck with her.

Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?

When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal -- though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew's secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…?

Good continuation of the adventures of the Rokesby and Bridgerton families. In this book, third son Andrew meets his match in the form of Poppy Bridgerton. Andrew appeared in the first book (Because of Miss Bridgerton) as a rogue and a flirt. He's light-hearted and cheerful, and no one in his family suspects that he is a spy/courier working for the British government. In this book, Andrew has a time-sensitive mission to Portugal. Beneath the cheerful exterior is a man who is deadly serious about carrying out his duties. There is also a small part of him that is weary of the demands that keep him away from his family, and he ponders the idea of giving it up and moving on to a more settled life.

Poppy Bridgerton is a woman who knows her own mind. She is independent and a bit impulsive, intelligent and forthright. She's had two Seasons, but none of the men she met have lived up to her exacting expectations. She escapes for a while to visit a friend, where she can take long walks and think about her future. On one walk she stumbles across a smugglers' cave filled with booty. Unfortunately for her, it also contained two pirates who were determined to keep her from revealing what she knows. They tie her up and take her aboard ship, where they leave her on the captain's bed for him to deal with.

I thoroughly enjoyed Poppy's encounter with Brown and Green, the two pirates in the cave. She talked rings around them, but it still wasn't enough to keep them from kidnapping her. Andrew's shock at finding her in his cabin was nothing compared to the shock he got when he found out who she was. He knew he was fortunate that they had never met, considering how close their families are - especially with her cousin Billie married to his brother George. I'm not sure why he didn't tell her who he was from the start, but it certainly made for some entertaining moments. He also knows that there is a good chance he will have to marry her to prevent a scandal.

I loved the development of the relationship between Poppy and Andrew. Poppy is, of course, upset about her abduction and worried about the effect it would have on her family, friends, and reputation. However, nothing she says convinces the captain to set her free, though he does allow her to send a letter to her friend with a story that will keep her family in the dark. I loved the back-and-forth between Poppy and Andrew as she pleads her case, and he counters every argument. I was impressed with her acceptance of her confinement, intelligent enough to realize that it was for her safety. I could also feel her frustration at being on an "adventure" and yet bored out of her mind. The only bright spots were meals with Andrew when their conversations ran the gamut of subjects. Andrew was impressed and intrigued by her intelligence and curiosity and finds that he wants to find ways to counter that boredom. Poppy responds as she realizes that he is a kind and decent man despite being a pirate and kidnapper. I loved watching them grow closer over that week.

Things look fairly promising between them since Andrew at least knows that they are a suitable match. But things go sideways when they reach Portugal. Andrew's attempt to give Poppy a pleasant interlude off the ship ends up with them both as captives. The situation is intense as Andrew bargains for Poppy's release, tells her the truth of why he is there, and sends her off to his contact for help. That scene was pretty funny as Poppy's stubbornness was no match for the needs of King and Country. I ached for Poppy, who was returned to England, not knowing if Andrew was safe or not. As a reader, you know very well that trouble is just around the corner when Andrew arrives at his parents' home, determined to stay only long enough to discover where Poppy is, not knowing that she and her family are coming to dinner that very night. That dinner scene was fantastic, with the soup incident being one of my favorites in the whole book. I loved Andrew's big moment and how they came together. The epilogue was terrific, too.