Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Sea of Ruin

1721. Bennett Sharp is a pirate. She’s always felt more comfortable with a deck below her feet than dry land. She is the captain of the Jade, a gift from her father, a notorious pirate himself, and she’s worked to earn her reputation as a fair captain among her crew and a fearsome pirate on the seas. She’s tied herself to another pirate named Priest, who she can’t escape and yet can’t get enough of…until she meets Commodore Ashley Cutler, pirate hunter of the Royal Navy, who captures her with the intent to take her to England to see her hanged. Something electric connects her to Ashley, though, and she’ll fight through the trials of the seas to save him.

First of all, if you haven’t seen this from others yet PLEASE CHECK CONTENT WARNINGS before picking this book up. There are some moments that are very difficult to read, ranging from death to abuse to slavery to assault. If you have concerns, I am happy to chat with you about them. That said, this was easier for me to read than some of the antihero books this spring, as the majority of CWs were from external sources rather than hero against heroine, and read instead like gritty fantasy.

That said, this book was a surprising favorite for me this month. I’ve been obsessed with pirates since I was a child (let’s start by blaming Hook as a seminal childhood movie), and as I told the group on Discord “I’ll do anything for pirates.” In Sea of Ruin, Godwin captures a beautiful balance between the grit and glamor and the adventure and danger of the high seas. It blends adventure and romance in all the ways I crave when I open a book like this: fierce and sensitive characters facing every challenge head on.

Thanks to @reads.by.rae for getting this on my radar in the first place and to our still unnamed romance book club for reading this together! I cannot wait to discuss!

Content Warnings

snowwhite02's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Content Warnings

valentinaap's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

this book is violent. very very very violent. and usually dark romance is not my cup of tea, but gods, this book had me hooked.

there were moments when it was too much and i just wanted to scream, but at the same time i couldn't stop reading it.

bennet was such a bad bitch. we love a girlboss. she was not afraid, she always held her head high, even when shit was ugly.

the pace was superb. amazing. i would read 70 pages without even realizing. i love books like that. read the trigger warnings tho

I LOVE A THROUPLE. i am a sucker for throuples, so i am so so so happy about how that went down. and also that they had a happy ending<spoiler/>

Content Warnings

mal_bookedatfirstsight's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

THIS BOOK GAVE ME WHIPLASH! I loved so much of this book even though it was graphic and rough to read, but I couldn’t get over the ending. It took a turn I thought was too coincidental and too easily accepted, I just couldn’t get onboard with it. However, the pacing is perfection and the plot keeps you on your toes.

Bennett is a fierce fabulous female heroine and honestly I loved her so much. BUT THESE MEN YALL…. BIGGEST TRASH PILE DUMPSTER FIRES omg I wanted them to go away and leave her in peace.

HUGE TW for Rape and Sexual Assault

Content Warnings

amyjessop's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

reads_by_rae's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

BEST BOOK OF 2022 I'VE READ FIGHT ME

Content Warnings

adhme2714's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Alright, things you should know. This book is fantastic. Going into this I didn't know very much other than what is on the back of the book and that there was some sexual violence perpetrated by the hero.

I think the characters in this book are amazing. I think the romance is amazing. I think the action scenes are amazing. and while there is some dubious consent with the hero the real big glaring thing that needs to be said is that there is a rape scene. I had a very hard time reading it and had to repeatedly take breaks during that chapter. That being said, the author does a good job of not making it overly detailed while also not having it be an off screen situation where we are left to infer something. I feel it was handled well and much of the difficulty comes from my own personal history. While I usually am of the stand point that there is never a need for an on page rape scene, I do feel that I can accept this one, not necessarily as a necessity. But I do see that in the over arcing narrative it fits and makes sense. I feel it was handles well in the fact that it wasn't placed there for the shock factor and played a roll in the over all plot.

For those that make it to the end there is some very special amazing surprises for you. I did not have them spoiled for me and I will not spoil them for you.

Content Warnings

lea_talisa's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I love this so much.

Historical fiction isn’t something I read a lot but let me tell you it was just that good. This is like Pirates of the Caribbean with kind of a love triangle and way more explicit scenes (sexual as well as torturing ones). So please check the trigger warnings on this one !

At 8% of the story (attempted) rape made me reconsider continuing but I pushed through and I was absolutely captured by the book.

After the first half I was very very conflicted about this story. I love the setting and everything. But it hurt my heart to read some of those sex or rather rape scenes.

As problematic as this is for me, the story was still captivating and fortunately I continued reading.

I like Bennett’s character. She’s a strong and intelligent but savage female main character. She earned her respect and has everything it takes to lead but she also has a vulnerable side.

Some quotes:

„I’d never been a woman who depended on a man to save her. This wasn’t their fight. It was mine.“

„I forgave the two men I loved, completely and unconditionally. Not for their sakes. I did it for me. A final gift to myself“

I couldn’t put this book down. Some parts made my heart ache and my stomach sick but it just felt so real and then there were the happy scenes full of hope, trust and love. This book broke my heart quite a few times but never failed to put it back together.

At about 75% I knew this book is going to be a highlight of mine. I just didn’t want this story to end and loved everything about it.

This book isn’t for the lighthearted or for those who are triggered by mostly rape but a lot of other points to. So this time really check the trigger warnings and be sure going into the book that it isn’t going to be pretty.

For everybody who can handle all the featured triggers you’re in for a ride and I hope with my whole heart that you will love this book as much as I did by the end.

Some more quotes:

„And we shall be blinded by our love for life and beyond the ends of the sea.“

„Love had hunted me, captured me, bred madness, and yes, it left a sea of ruin in its wake“

„I was a pirate captain, a rebel queen of the sea, fighting against the conformities of society and the oppressive laws of man.“

Content Warnings

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