Seduced by a Pirate by Eloisa James
My rating: 4 of 5 flames
***Some Spoilers-Ye be warned***
Don’t laugh, but I read this book because it’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I felt the day wasn’t complete without a Pirate Romance.
Quick summary. Phoebe and Griffin are married as soon as Griffin is old enough. So he’s 17, but she’s 20. He’s slightly intimidated by the gorgeous siren he has for a wife and can’t do the deed *wink wink*
His solution is to run off and get drunk. Sadly, he’s scrawny and drunk and can’t defend himself when some horrible men kidnap him into slavery aboard a pirate ship. Thus begins his life as a pirate.
14 years later he comes home and he can’t wait to meet his darling wife Poppy (after whom he’s named his ships, and even gotten a blue poppy tattooed beneath his eye). He is nervous she’ll be upset he’s home, but he truly is excited to see her again. But he isn’t greeted by his wife. He’s greeted by a 5 year old boy who says his mama is outside. Umm, say what? He’d never thought she’d be as unfaithful to their wedding vows as he was.
But their first meeting is actually quite fun. She is still thinking of the short scrawny boy she’d married, not the large, broad-shouldered man sitting before her. She doesn’t recognize him. It doesn’t help he keeps calling her Poppy, because it’s not her name! I about died laughing when he realized he had her name wrong all these years.
Their romance was sweet, but everything was very fast. I loved the hero. Griffin was absolutely wonderful even when he thought something that wasn’t true. I think Phoebe went from trying to annul their marriage to wanting to seduce him way too quickly. I think the I Love Yous were also a wee bit too quick, but I did like the side plot with Griffin’s father quite a bit.
***Spoilers ahead, mateys***
My biggest complaint is that for a novella to deal with an absentee husband of 14 years, I do understand you have to gloss over the 14 years at sea, but it was hardly mentioned. I’d not be so forgiving. And while I liked the adopted children, I really wish that the heroine hadn’t been a virgin and that she had taken a lover. Not just because he did, but because it would have been a nice change. But instead she’s a 34 year old married virgin.
This story has the trademark Eloisa James witty banter and likeable characters, and I recommend it for when you’re in the mood for something sweet and sexy. Just be prepared to ignore the husband’s past 14 years, the heroine apparently is.
***ARC courtesy of edelweiss and Avon
That doesn’t sound very promising. 🙁 Am following you right now!
I didn’t read the “spoiler” part, but it sounds kind of fun. I have not yet read a book by this author, but maybe I will give this one a try. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
mmm… I don’t think I could forget 14 years at sea, but it sounds fun.
Omg! That’s so funny that he had her name wrong all those years. I really like Eloisa’s writing style. I’m a big fan of her Fairy Tale series. I am slowly working my way through her backlist. I’ve added this one. Arrr…
Nice sidenote about Eloisa James….I was recently going to go to an author signing she was attending but the book store that was hosting wouldn’t let me bring my already owned books to be signed. (If you wanted books signed, yo have to buy from them). So I decided not to go & posted on her page the reason for me not attending & how sad I was. She private messaged me & offered to meet me for tea before her signing so she could sign my books. Sooo nice! How awesome is she!!!!
-Selena Mc
Hi Maja! thanks for the follow 🙂
Tina, you should absolutely read this author, I’d suggest starting with A Kiss at Midnight-one of my favorites, and the first book in thsi series
Nae-Right?! I’d be so mad! but other than that, I think it’s a fun read.
Selena- He named his pirate ship the Flying Poppy lol
That is really sweet of her! Authors seriously are the coolest people 🙂
I went to a Sherrilyn Kenyon signing last spring and we were allowed to bring our own books, BUT they tagged them with these giant orange stickers so they’d know.