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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Why did I bother? This was un compelling in every way.
I thoroughly enjoyed Minvera Spencer’s début novel, [b:Dangerous|41551403|Dangerous (The Outcasts, #1)|Minerva Spencer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1535429769s/41551403.jpg|58015977], and have been looking forward to its follow-up Barbarous, which features the dashing privateer Hugh Redvers, who played an important secondary role in the earlier novel. I was engaged by the author’s sophisticated, witty writing, and her ability to create rounded and engaging characters who acted and spoke like adults rather than brattish teenagers; her prose and dialogue were definitely above average, and in some cases, well above it, and I was keen to read more of her work.
This second book in her The Outcasts series is somewhat different in tone to the first, and feels more like a traditional historical romance than the first one. Hugh Redvers, Baron Ramsay and nephew of the Earl of Davenport, has been believed dead for almost twenty years, so his sudden reappearance at his (now deceased) uncle’s Sussex home comes as something of a shock to its mistress. Banished by the earl because of his disgraceful behaviour, twenty-year-old Hugh left England and was captured by Barbary corsairs off the Gibraltar coast. Sold to the Sultan of Oran, he endured years of suffering and violence before, years later, he engineered his escape and became One-Eyed Standish, captain of the Batavia’s Ghost, King’s Privateer and scourge of the high-seas. He’s finally returned to England in response to a summons from his oldest friend, who has received letters threatening the lives of the late earl’s widow Daphne and her twin sons, Lucien – the young earl - and Richard. Hugh arrives at an opportune time; Daphne has just bloodied the nose of her smarmy cousin Malcolm Hastings who is attempting to force her into marriage (and force himself on her). Seeing her dishevelled state, Hugh quickly draws the boys away and plays with them while she tidies herself and then resumes the picnic they’d originally intended to have. She’s cool, composed and doesn’t freak out, which I really liked about her.
After Daphne gets over the shock of Hugh’s return she realises she’s got bigger problems than the fact that she’s as hopelessly infatuated with him as she was when she was a ten-year-old girl mooning over her handsome neighbour. We learn early on that she was raped when she was just seventeen (by the aforementioned smarmy cousin), and that she was left pregnant as a result. The Earl of Davenport – her mother’s oldest friend – although some fifty years Daphne’s senior, came to her rescue, married her (although they never lived as man and wife) and acknowledged the boys as his when they were born. But now Hugh has returned, Daphne believes she has deprived him of what is rightfully his (the earldom), and feels dreadfully guilty about it. Her intense attraction to him only makes things worse; she longs to spend time with him and, being honest with herself, to experience passion and the pleasure she’s sure he is capable of giving her; but knows she has to make plans to leave Lessing Hall as soon as she’s confessed the truth, as Lucien will no longer have any claim to it.
I have to take a quick tangential detour here, because this plot point bugged the hell outta me.
I don’t claim to be an expert on the laws of inheritance in the 19th century, but my understanding is that at this period, a child born to parents who were married at the time of his or her birth was legitimate, regardless of whether the woman’s husband actually provided the sperm. This means that Lucien is – perfectly legally – the Earl of Davenport. Would it cause gossip and scandal if there were rumours about Lucien’s true parentage? Undoubtedly. But would it make any actual difference to who held the title? Unlikely.
The problem, then, is that this makes a large part of the plot redundant. Daphne spends over half the book genuinely intending to tell Hugh the truth and finding reasons to put it off – but other than the fact that she feels terribly guilty, her fessing up wouldn’t actually change anything.
Anyway.
Hugh is a terrific hero. He’s handsome, funny, sexy and larger-than-life (as well as larger than pretty much everyone else around him!), but he’s also kind, honourable and thoughtful, qualities which show in his every interaction with Daphne’s sons as well as those with Daphne herself, and I loved that he was so self-aware and prepared to let himself show his softer side when it came to Daphne and the boys. He’s coming up on forty, and is finding his swashbuckling life on the high seas has palled somewhat; having a girl in every port was great for many years, but now, he wants more than just a warm body, he wants a companion, a woman he can enjoy out of bed as well as in it. The attraction between him and Daphne sparks and crackles, and while the ‘inexperienced widow’ figure is perhaps a little cliché, the author develops their relationship very well. Daphne gives as good as she gets when it comes to their verbal sparring, and Hugh has a major weakness for women who appear immune to his charm; he’s used to women throwing themselves at him, so having Daphne view him as a mere inconvenience only adds fuel to the fire on his part.
While I liked both principals and found their romance well-done, I had a couple of other issues with the story as a whole which prevent me from giving it a higher grade. Firstly, there’s the blackmail/kidnap plotline towards the end, in which Daphne has a bit of a personality transplant and the villains are barely two-dimensional. And then there’s the way the author deals with Daphne’s assault and her memories of it. I don’t want to give too much away, but it struck me that Ms. Spencer wanted to have her cake and eat it; to provide a reason for Daphne to have to marry the earl and eventually lead to all that guilt at stealing Hugh’s birthright, but make it so that it wouldn’t affect her desire for Hugh or her ability to have sex with him, and I found it rather jarring.
Having said all this, I did enjoy Barbarous, although I wasn’t quite as pulled in to it as I was by Dangerous. I found myself wondering if this book had been written before Dangerous, as there’s a pivotal scene in which Mia appears which obviously takes place before the events of that book. I also felt Barbarous was a little less … polished is the only word I can come up with, not so much in terms of the writing and characterisation, but definitely in the case of the plot. I may well be completely off the mark – it’s just a hunch.
Even with my reservations, I’m going to give Barbarous a cautious recommendation, because the romance is well done and Hugh is a hero to die for. The plotline is definitely wobbly, but I know I’m extra-picky about accuracy and that there are many for whom something like that will not be an issue. The writing is a cut above average, the characters are engaging - and the scarcity of decent historical romances this year means that even a flawed one by a talented author is worth checking out.
[One last thing – Ms. Spencer does address the fact that a marriage between an aunt and nephew – even though Hugh and Daphne are not related by blood – was forbidden by church law, even though it wasn’t illegal under the laws of the land. ]
This second book in her The Outcasts series is somewhat different in tone to the first, and feels more like a traditional historical romance than the first one. Hugh Redvers, Baron Ramsay and nephew of the Earl of Davenport, has been believed dead for almost twenty years, so his sudden reappearance at his (now deceased) uncle’s Sussex home comes as something of a shock to its mistress. Banished by the earl because of his disgraceful behaviour, twenty-year-old Hugh left England and was captured by Barbary corsairs off the Gibraltar coast. Sold to the Sultan of Oran, he endured years of suffering and violence before, years later, he engineered his escape and became One-Eyed Standish, captain of the Batavia’s Ghost, King’s Privateer and scourge of the high-seas. He’s finally returned to England in response to a summons from his oldest friend, who has received letters threatening the lives of the late earl’s widow Daphne and her twin sons, Lucien – the young earl - and Richard. Hugh arrives at an opportune time; Daphne has just bloodied the nose of her smarmy cousin Malcolm Hastings who is attempting to force her into marriage (and force himself on her). Seeing her dishevelled state, Hugh quickly draws the boys away and plays with them while she tidies herself and then resumes the picnic they’d originally intended to have. She’s cool, composed and doesn’t freak out, which I really liked about her.
After Daphne gets over the shock of Hugh’s return she realises she’s got bigger problems than the fact that she’s as hopelessly infatuated with him as she was when she was a ten-year-old girl mooning over her handsome neighbour. We learn early on that she was raped when she was just seventeen (by the aforementioned smarmy cousin), and that she was left pregnant as a result. The Earl of Davenport – her mother’s oldest friend – although some fifty years Daphne’s senior, came to her rescue, married her (although they never lived as man and wife) and acknowledged the boys as his when they were born. But now Hugh has returned, Daphne believes she has deprived him of what is rightfully his (the earldom), and feels dreadfully guilty about it. Her intense attraction to him only makes things worse; she longs to spend time with him and, being honest with herself, to experience passion and the pleasure she’s sure he is capable of giving her; but knows she has to make plans to leave Lessing Hall as soon as she’s confessed the truth, as Lucien will no longer have any claim to it.
I have to take a quick tangential detour here, because this plot point bugged the hell outta me.
I don’t claim to be an expert on the laws of inheritance in the 19th century, but my understanding is that at this period, a child born to parents who were married at the time of his or her birth was legitimate, regardless of whether the woman’s husband actually provided the sperm. This means that Lucien is – perfectly legally – the Earl of Davenport. Would it cause gossip and scandal if there were rumours about Lucien’s true parentage? Undoubtedly. But would it make any actual difference to who held the title? Unlikely.
The problem, then, is that this makes a large part of the plot redundant. Daphne spends over half the book genuinely intending to tell Hugh the truth and finding reasons to put it off – but other than the fact that she feels terribly guilty, her fessing up wouldn’t actually change anything.
Anyway.
Hugh is a terrific hero. He’s handsome, funny, sexy and larger-than-life (as well as larger than pretty much everyone else around him!), but he’s also kind, honourable and thoughtful, qualities which show in his every interaction with Daphne’s sons as well as those with Daphne herself, and I loved that he was so self-aware and prepared to let himself show his softer side when it came to Daphne and the boys. He’s coming up on forty, and is finding his swashbuckling life on the high seas has palled somewhat; having a girl in every port was great for many years, but now, he wants more than just a warm body, he wants a companion, a woman he can enjoy out of bed as well as in it. The attraction between him and Daphne sparks and crackles, and while the ‘inexperienced widow’ figure is perhaps a little cliché, the author develops their relationship very well. Daphne gives as good as she gets when it comes to their verbal sparring, and Hugh has a major weakness for women who appear immune to his charm; he’s used to women throwing themselves at him, so having Daphne view him as a mere inconvenience only adds fuel to the fire on his part.
While I liked both principals and found their romance well-done, I had a couple of other issues with the story as a whole which prevent me from giving it a higher grade. Firstly, there’s the blackmail/kidnap plotline towards the end, in which Daphne has a bit of a personality transplant and the villains are barely two-dimensional. And then there’s the way the author deals with Daphne’s assault and her memories of it. I don’t want to give too much away, but it struck me that Ms. Spencer wanted to have her cake and eat it; to provide a reason for Daphne to have to marry the earl and eventually lead to all that guilt at stealing Hugh’s birthright, but make it so that it wouldn’t affect her desire for Hugh or her ability to have sex with him, and I found it rather jarring.
Having said all this, I did enjoy Barbarous, although I wasn’t quite as pulled in to it as I was by Dangerous. I found myself wondering if this book had been written before Dangerous, as there’s a pivotal scene in which Mia appears which obviously takes place before the events of that book. I also felt Barbarous was a little less … polished is the only word I can come up with, not so much in terms of the writing and characterisation, but definitely in the case of the plot. I may well be completely off the mark – it’s just a hunch.
Even with my reservations, I’m going to give Barbarous a cautious recommendation, because the romance is well done and Hugh is a hero to die for. The plotline is definitely wobbly, but I know I’m extra-picky about accuracy and that there are many for whom something like that will not be an issue. The writing is a cut above average, the characters are engaging - and the scarcity of decent historical romances this year means that even a flawed one by a talented author is worth checking out.
[One last thing – Ms. Spencer does address the fact that a marriage between an aunt and nephew – even though Hugh and Daphne are not related by blood – was forbidden by church law, even though it wasn’t illegal under the laws of the land. ]
Barbarous by Minerva Spencer
The Outcasts #2
What a delight for me to return to a memory of a book read long ago – one written by Rafael Sabatini titled The Sea Hawk. Why did it take me back? Both main characters were captured and enslaved and both rose above what happened to them to become “more” than they might otherwise have been. AND, both were charming heroes that ended up with happiness and true love in their lives.
Back to this book now and why I liked it.
Daphne has a secret…a HUGE secret that perhaps never would have been an issue if Hugh had not come back from the dead. Trying to figure out how to share this secret with Hugh was not easy for Daphne, especially since she was so very attracted to him. Her life and the lives of her twin sons could be upended and ended if the secret comes out. His reaction to her secret could have dire consequences. Add into the mix the fact that Daphne’s cousin Malcolm is out to create trouble, there is a woman to save in Oran, there is attraction between Daphne and Hugh that is socially taboo and a revenge issue that Hugh needs to deal with and you have a swashbuckling, action-packed, thrilling romance that had me riveted from beginning to end. I loved Hugh as a book boyfriend and I loved Daphne’s strength and character. The relationship that developed between the H/h took some time but was so delicious in the making.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing – Zebra Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
The Outcasts #2
What a delight for me to return to a memory of a book read long ago – one written by Rafael Sabatini titled The Sea Hawk. Why did it take me back? Both main characters were captured and enslaved and both rose above what happened to them to become “more” than they might otherwise have been. AND, both were charming heroes that ended up with happiness and true love in their lives.
Back to this book now and why I liked it.
Daphne has a secret…a HUGE secret that perhaps never would have been an issue if Hugh had not come back from the dead. Trying to figure out how to share this secret with Hugh was not easy for Daphne, especially since she was so very attracted to him. Her life and the lives of her twin sons could be upended and ended if the secret comes out. His reaction to her secret could have dire consequences. Add into the mix the fact that Daphne’s cousin Malcolm is out to create trouble, there is a woman to save in Oran, there is attraction between Daphne and Hugh that is socially taboo and a revenge issue that Hugh needs to deal with and you have a swashbuckling, action-packed, thrilling romance that had me riveted from beginning to end. I loved Hugh as a book boyfriend and I loved Daphne’s strength and character. The relationship that developed between the H/h took some time but was so delicious in the making.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing – Zebra Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An older romance with not everyone a Duke. Also privateers
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Slavery, Torture
The warnings listed are things that are part of the main characters backstory.
*I read this as part of my library system's Readers Choice long list nomination process.*
This book was GREAT! It was exciting and fun and I couldn't put it down! I am a suck for a good pirate story, particularly in the romance genre. And I love the idea of outsiders from society finding happiness, even when they still have to play by society's rules (or, at least, pretend to do so). So this series is probably going to hold a lot of appeal to me and I'm looking forward to reading the rest!
This book was GREAT! It was exciting and fun and I couldn't put it down! I am a suck for a good pirate story, particularly in the romance genre. And I love the idea of outsiders from society finding happiness, even when they still have to play by society's rules (or, at least, pretend to do so). So this series is probably going to hold a lot of appeal to me and I'm looking forward to reading the rest!
Unoriginal plot, predictable. Cringey sex scenes. “Pleasure palace” and other euphemisms abound. A swashbuckling, swaggering ladies man is suddenly ok with settling down on an estate. Chemistry barely there.
He fights with a 5 foot long broadsword pulled from what I understand to be a back scabbard in the year 1811.
The villain monologues about his sad past. Daphne remains a damsel in distress.
The only thing I enjoyed was Daphne’s personality, more in the beginning than the end.
He fights with a 5 foot long broadsword pulled from what I understand to be a back scabbard in the year 1811.
The villain monologues about his sad past. Daphne remains a damsel in distress.
The only thing I enjoyed was Daphne’s personality, more in the beginning than the end.
It's official: Minerva Spencer is my favourite debut author of 2018. Barbarous is the second book in The Outcasts series and it was even better than its predecessor, which I honestly didn't think was possible. Check out the first book in the series (her debut) Dangerous.
First of all, let's marvel at Barbarous's gorgeous cover! And that's exactly how the hero and heroine look like! Hugh is the main reason why I absolutely loved this book. Spencer has a way with writing heroes that make me weak in the knees. Adam from Dangerous was a cold and seemingly arrogant hero and I swear I saw rainbows and unicorns when he smiled for the first time. On the other hand, Hugh is free with his charm, smiles, laughs, and saucy winks. Two very different heroes, but equally loveable.
Hugh swept both Daphne and me off our feet lol. What makes Hugh so loveable is that he has such a cheerful personality in spite of his demons. We are talking about a huge and hard privateer who's known as the fearsome One Eyed Standish. He strikes fear in the hearts of men and has survived many bloody battles. Yup. This is the man who's free with his smiles and laughs. I LOVE HIM. I also really enjoyed Daphne as a heroine, but Hugh stole my heart. What I love about Daphne is that she's a reader and a thinker. She analyzes things with logic and her train of thought makes perfect sense to me. But she ends up overanalyzing things in the process, which is the chink in her armour (and let's be real: most of us are probably over-analyzers as well lol).
Hugh and Daphne's romance was a slow burn. I love the playful banter between the two. I love how Hugh always tries to make Daphne laugh and how Daphne surprises Hugh with her own snarky comments. The fact that Hugh was legally Daphne's nephew initially plays a role in their resistance. But that slowly fades away. Hugh's uncertainty about his growing feelings and Daphne's overthinking mind are the main internal obstacles and both were handled deftly. You know what I love the most about their slow burn romance? They fall in love and confess their feelings before actually sleeping together. Their first time felt light (and steamy!!) because there were no elephants in the room. In fact, it's Hugh who confesses his love first and how rare is that in a romance novel??
Overall, I really enjoyed Barbarous. The epilogue was the cutest thing ever and made me laugh so much! I am so excited for Bouchard's book!
First of all, let's marvel at Barbarous's gorgeous cover! And that's exactly how the hero and heroine look like! Hugh is the main reason why I absolutely loved this book. Spencer has a way with writing heroes that make me weak in the knees. Adam from Dangerous was a cold and seemingly arrogant hero and I swear I saw rainbows and unicorns when he smiled for the first time. On the other hand, Hugh is free with his charm, smiles, laughs, and saucy winks. Two very different heroes, but equally loveable.
Hugh swept both Daphne and me off our feet lol. What makes Hugh so loveable is that he has such a cheerful personality in spite of his demons. We are talking about a huge and hard privateer who's known as the fearsome One Eyed Standish. He strikes fear in the hearts of men and has survived many bloody battles. Yup. This is the man who's free with his smiles and laughs. I LOVE HIM. I also really enjoyed Daphne as a heroine, but Hugh stole my heart. What I love about Daphne is that she's a reader and a thinker. She analyzes things with logic and her train of thought makes perfect sense to me. But she ends up overanalyzing things in the process, which is the chink in her armour (and let's be real: most of us are probably over-analyzers as well lol).
Hugh and Daphne's romance was a slow burn. I love the playful banter between the two. I love how Hugh always tries to make Daphne laugh and how Daphne surprises Hugh with her own snarky comments. The fact that Hugh was legally Daphne's nephew initially plays a role in their resistance. But that slowly fades away. Hugh's uncertainty about his growing feelings and Daphne's overthinking mind are the main internal obstacles and both were handled deftly. You know what I love the most about their slow burn romance? They fall in love and confess their feelings before actually sleeping together. Their first time felt light (and steamy!!) because there were no elephants in the room. In fact, it's Hugh who confesses his love first and how rare is that in a romance novel??
Overall, I really enjoyed Barbarous. The epilogue was the cutest thing ever and made me laugh so much! I am so excited for Bouchard's book!
The love story comes second to the story of rape victims taking back power from their victimizers, and ultimately their revenge. I do wish there was a little more of just the romance, but I did really enjoy this story regardless. Minerva Spencer is an incredibly compelling author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual harassment
While I enjoy the continuation of 'The Outcasts' series, this falls short of the first one. I love the male protagonist, but the female dithers too much at the beginning with keeping her secret. It can be a bit burdensome. At the final action is a bit too quick and out of left field. I look forward to a better third novel.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No