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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Goes down as another off my 2016 Bookworm Bingo Challenge – A book with a pirate in it. I love highlander books and this one had an extra twist that he was a pirate to boot – brilliant!
Anne has been wed by proxy on the word of her uncle to Lord Wharton, a man old enough to be her grandfather. She may have caught his eye at the Queens coronation, not the she remembers, but he couldn’t be bothered to collect her himself when she is sent to him. Instead he sends her alone out on a ship so she can be delivered almost like cargo. It might look bleak to begin with but that’s just the start as pirates soon take over the ship and all its cargo – her included.
Calum MacLeod, pirate captain of the Sea Dragon and Laired of Raasay, gets a bit of a shock when he comes across English lass Anne hiding in a room on the ship he just concurred. Unsure what to do with her at first his plan is to take her back with him until he knows more about who she really is. When he finds out that she is wed to Lord Wharton he knows the only outcome is to ransom her to the English Lord. A fight is brewing between the English and the Scots and it seems this meeting by chance is the catalyst that starts it all again.
Anne may not have thought her life had much of a bright outcome on the start of her journey but she soon learns that meeting Calum could be the best thing that ever happened to her. Especially if he keeps looking at her the way he does. Passion is brewing, more than she really knows what to do with, so it’s a good thing that Calum does. She thinks she always has to do the right thing for her family but can Calum show her another way? They both need a little faith in each other to get what they really want.
There are lots of other key players throughout that play a part in creating an interesting world. Too many to mention them all but with Bran, the young squire, you get a feeling he is going to be key to the future of Calum’s land. Good way to set the scene for the rest of the series. It almost has a Robin Hood feel to it with the fact that Calum only steals from the wealthy so he can feed his people – you even have a Friar, though he’s called Pat not Tuck. Anne may not condone what he does but she can see why he would need to. Its not just Calum’s friends and family that make up the interesting group but the people along the way that help Anne get back to where she really belongs. Lets hope they are all strong enough to band together against the danger that follows them in the form of Lord Wharton, his henchman Denton and the army he has claimed along the way.
https://readingnook84.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/book-review-captured-by-the-pirate-laird-by-amy-jarecki/
Anne has been wed by proxy on the word of her uncle to Lord Wharton, a man old enough to be her grandfather. She may have caught his eye at the Queens coronation, not the she remembers, but he couldn’t be bothered to collect her himself when she is sent to him. Instead he sends her alone out on a ship so she can be delivered almost like cargo. It might look bleak to begin with but that’s just the start as pirates soon take over the ship and all its cargo – her included.
Calum MacLeod, pirate captain of the Sea Dragon and Laired of Raasay, gets a bit of a shock when he comes across English lass Anne hiding in a room on the ship he just concurred. Unsure what to do with her at first his plan is to take her back with him until he knows more about who she really is. When he finds out that she is wed to Lord Wharton he knows the only outcome is to ransom her to the English Lord. A fight is brewing between the English and the Scots and it seems this meeting by chance is the catalyst that starts it all again.
Anne may not have thought her life had much of a bright outcome on the start of her journey but she soon learns that meeting Calum could be the best thing that ever happened to her. Especially if he keeps looking at her the way he does. Passion is brewing, more than she really knows what to do with, so it’s a good thing that Calum does. She thinks she always has to do the right thing for her family but can Calum show her another way? They both need a little faith in each other to get what they really want.
There are lots of other key players throughout that play a part in creating an interesting world. Too many to mention them all but with Bran, the young squire, you get a feeling he is going to be key to the future of Calum’s land. Good way to set the scene for the rest of the series. It almost has a Robin Hood feel to it with the fact that Calum only steals from the wealthy so he can feed his people – you even have a Friar, though he’s called Pat not Tuck. Anne may not condone what he does but she can see why he would need to. Its not just Calum’s friends and family that make up the interesting group but the people along the way that help Anne get back to where she really belongs. Lets hope they are all strong enough to band together against the danger that follows them in the form of Lord Wharton, his henchman Denton and the army he has claimed along the way.
https://readingnook84.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/book-review-captured-by-the-pirate-laird-by-amy-jarecki/
This is a Scottish Highlander book set in 1559. The only other men-in-kilts book that I’ve read is Outlander, and that was mumblemumble years ago, so I want you to know that I’m reviewing this book as pretty much a novice to the genre. Why did I read it, then? Because the title was such a blunt statement of the plot, and because of the cover. Have you looked at it enough?
So, the setup is this: Lady Anne has been married by proxy to a 58-year-old bad guy because her custodial uncle doesn’t want to bother with her. Her new husband is a baron and he lives near Scotland, where he has battled a few Scots and burnt their castles because he’s evil. Anne is unceremoniously put onto a ship that will take her to meet the old geezer, and she’s not happy about anything.
Calum is a fairly new laird of a small Scottish island. His father gave him the title and the island as compensation for being a less-important second son. The trouble is, the people on the island are starving, and their living quarters are falling apart. Calum does what he can, but he also decides to plunder a British supply ship to help his new civilization flourish. His motives are noble, you see.
Calum’s ship of pirates quickly captures the British ship, and the crew members are sent off in rowboats. Anne, unfortunately, has been hiding in her cabin, and Calum is shocked to find such a delicate English lass with such a heaving bosom on his new ship. He can’t put her in a rowboat, and he can’t take her back to England, so he decides to bring her back to his island and then send a ransom note to her husband.
I was disappointed with the captor/hostage relationship, because there wasn’t one. Anne sees Calum as this tall, strong, noble giant who is much more young and virile than her husband. Calum thinks Anne is the most beautiful woman ever, and he imagines that his large hands could span her waist. They spend their time on the ship staring at each other longingly. Back at the castle, Calum keeps obsessing about Anne’s straining breasts. Anne glimpses “the white alabaster of [Calum’s] rock-solid bum cheek” when he dances at a Scottish festival (because real Scotsmen go commando underneath their kilts) and she wants to love him the way a woman loves a man. They kiss a few times, and feel guilty about it afterwards. There wasn’t any sense of Anne being captured, because the life that she was captured away from was so much worse.
The first half of the book moved slowly for me, maybe because it was a lot of castle life and inner longing. Calum kept thinking about ravishing Anne, which began to worry me because he sounded like a guy who’d never had to restrain himself before. I also worried about his lovely island home — after a night of dining and dancing, Calum didn’t think Anne would be safe walking alone back to her room because she was so pretty and the menfolk had drunk a lot of whisky. Is that the clan culture, then? A girl can’t walk up the stairs by herself because the men are drunk and will take advantage of her? Is this showing the rough, rugged, Highlander lifestyle?
Things picked up in the second half once the ransom plot kicked in. The villain had several scenes from his perspective so I could really understand how wicked he was, as if his large belly and flaccid penis weren’t enough clues. The climax had a lot of action, and Calum got to prove that he was pretty much indestructible.
This felt like an old-fashioned book to me, but maybe the super-human Scot plus English maiden trope is just how Highlander books are done. Calum was good, strong, and noble. Anne was sweet, beautiful, and smarter than the average villager. The bad guy was bad. There weren’t any modern twists or shades of grey in the characters. Kilts were worn, logs were thrown, virtue was protected. It was a little bit exciting, and then they lived happily ever after.
Rating: B-
This review was originally posted on Red Hot Books at: http://redhotbooks.com/2014/03/review-captured-by-the-pirate-laird-by-amy-jarecki.html
So, the setup is this: Lady Anne has been married by proxy to a 58-year-old bad guy because her custodial uncle doesn’t want to bother with her. Her new husband is a baron and he lives near Scotland, where he has battled a few Scots and burnt their castles because he’s evil. Anne is unceremoniously put onto a ship that will take her to meet the old geezer, and she’s not happy about anything.
Calum is a fairly new laird of a small Scottish island. His father gave him the title and the island as compensation for being a less-important second son. The trouble is, the people on the island are starving, and their living quarters are falling apart. Calum does what he can, but he also decides to plunder a British supply ship to help his new civilization flourish. His motives are noble, you see.
Calum’s ship of pirates quickly captures the British ship, and the crew members are sent off in rowboats. Anne, unfortunately, has been hiding in her cabin, and Calum is shocked to find such a delicate English lass with such a heaving bosom on his new ship. He can’t put her in a rowboat, and he can’t take her back to England, so he decides to bring her back to his island and then send a ransom note to her husband.
I was disappointed with the captor/hostage relationship, because there wasn’t one. Anne sees Calum as this tall, strong, noble giant who is much more young and virile than her husband. Calum thinks Anne is the most beautiful woman ever, and he imagines that his large hands could span her waist. They spend their time on the ship staring at each other longingly. Back at the castle, Calum keeps obsessing about Anne’s straining breasts. Anne glimpses “the white alabaster of [Calum’s] rock-solid bum cheek” when he dances at a Scottish festival (because real Scotsmen go commando underneath their kilts) and she wants to love him the way a woman loves a man. They kiss a few times, and feel guilty about it afterwards. There wasn’t any sense of Anne being captured, because the life that she was captured away from was so much worse.
The first half of the book moved slowly for me, maybe because it was a lot of castle life and inner longing. Calum kept thinking about ravishing Anne, which began to worry me because he sounded like a guy who’d never had to restrain himself before. I also worried about his lovely island home — after a night of dining and dancing, Calum didn’t think Anne would be safe walking alone back to her room because she was so pretty and the menfolk had drunk a lot of whisky. Is that the clan culture, then? A girl can’t walk up the stairs by herself because the men are drunk and will take advantage of her? Is this showing the rough, rugged, Highlander lifestyle?
Things picked up in the second half once the ransom plot kicked in. The villain had several scenes from his perspective so I could really understand how wicked he was, as if his large belly and flaccid penis weren’t enough clues. The climax had a lot of action, and Calum got to prove that he was pretty much indestructible.
This felt like an old-fashioned book to me, but maybe the super-human Scot plus English maiden trope is just how Highlander books are done. Calum was good, strong, and noble. Anne was sweet, beautiful, and smarter than the average villager. The bad guy was bad. There weren’t any modern twists or shades of grey in the characters. Kilts were worn, logs were thrown, virtue was protected. It was a little bit exciting, and then they lived happily ever after.
Rating: B-
This review was originally posted on Red Hot Books at: http://redhotbooks.com/2014/03/review-captured-by-the-pirate-laird-by-amy-jarecki.html
Originally published at Rookie Romance.
I won't lie, this book had me at pirate Laird. I wanted to read it, just based on the title. He's a pirate and a highlander Laird, for heaven's sake- is there a better combination?!? It was a very good choice though, because I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I found both Calum and Anne to be brilliant characters. I immediately empathised with Anne and her undesirable situation. She's very unhappy about marrying a man so much older than her who she doesn't even remember meeting, but she has been raised to be a dutiful daughter and so she goes to meet her fate. I loved Anne's development through the book, she finds her backbone and the strength to choose her own fate.
Calum is a wonderful hero. He can be absolutely adorable sometimes, but he's also a powerful alpha male. He's just such a good man, he's very honourable and is trying to do the best for his people. He is torn between his attraction to Anne and the knowledge that she is married to his nemesis, Lord Wharton, but he (almost) always acts like a true gentleman.
I say almost because sometimes Anne and Calum could not help but give in to their blisteringly hot attraction! I loved their chemistry and the way it develops and becomes more intimate as they spend more time together. They know they shouldn't allow themselves to feel so strongly about each other, but a passion that strong can't be denied.
There's a great, forbidden romance between Calum and Anne but the rest of the plot keeps the momentum building at a a good pace. I found the first half of the book enjoyable, but the second half was even better. You can feel the tension building as Lord Wharton plots his revenge for his wife's kidnapping, whilst Calum and Anne's feelings for each other intensify. Of course there's action and thrills aplenty as the story builds to its climax, and I couldn't stop reading.
This is a fabulous pirate romance with a strong, yet sweet pirate Laird and a resourceful heroine who just can't resist each other. It's my first read from Amy Jarecki, but it won't be my last and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
*I received a review copy for my honest opinion. Thank you!
I won't lie, this book had me at pirate Laird. I wanted to read it, just based on the title. He's a pirate and a highlander Laird, for heaven's sake- is there a better combination?!? It was a very good choice though, because I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I found both Calum and Anne to be brilliant characters. I immediately empathised with Anne and her undesirable situation. She's very unhappy about marrying a man so much older than her who she doesn't even remember meeting, but she has been raised to be a dutiful daughter and so she goes to meet her fate. I loved Anne's development through the book, she finds her backbone and the strength to choose her own fate.
Calum is a wonderful hero. He can be absolutely adorable sometimes, but he's also a powerful alpha male. He's just such a good man, he's very honourable and is trying to do the best for his people. He is torn between his attraction to Anne and the knowledge that she is married to his nemesis, Lord Wharton, but he (almost) always acts like a true gentleman.
I say almost because sometimes Anne and Calum could not help but give in to their blisteringly hot attraction! I loved their chemistry and the way it develops and becomes more intimate as they spend more time together. They know they shouldn't allow themselves to feel so strongly about each other, but a passion that strong can't be denied.
There's a great, forbidden romance between Calum and Anne but the rest of the plot keeps the momentum building at a a good pace. I found the first half of the book enjoyable, but the second half was even better. You can feel the tension building as Lord Wharton plots his revenge for his wife's kidnapping, whilst Calum and Anne's feelings for each other intensify. Of course there's action and thrills aplenty as the story builds to its climax, and I couldn't stop reading.
This is a fabulous pirate romance with a strong, yet sweet pirate Laird and a resourceful heroine who just can't resist each other. It's my first read from Amy Jarecki, but it won't be my last and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
*I received a review copy for my honest opinion. Thank you!
I had to give it three stars... it was a bodice ripper style novel which just isn't my preferred flavor. It was alright for what it was.
I really liked this story, the only thing that let me down in the version I had was the editing, or lack thereof. Ms Amy Jarecki - if ever you want someone to proof read your books, let me know. I'd be more than willing!!
Calum was a worthy lead male; honourable and sweet but still macho and rugged Scottish laird, and I loved that Anne didn't just leap into his arms, honour be damned. This was exactly the story I've been looking for. I will be reading more of Amy's stuff in the hope of finding more gems..
Calum was a worthy lead male; honourable and sweet but still macho and rugged Scottish laird, and I loved that Anne didn't just leap into his arms, honour be damned. This was exactly the story I've been looking for. I will be reading more of Amy's stuff in the hope of finding more gems..
I have three words for you: Adorable, adorable, adorable!
This has got to be my favourite début in this genre for quite some time. I simply loved both main characters and their irresistible, star-crossed romance!
You might be forgiven for being unsure about Calum MacLeod at first. He is, after all, a marauding pirate. But is he also ruthless, wicked, depraved, corrupt, and all other words that might usually go with pirate? Absolutely not. He's an exceptionally honourable man just trying to feed his starving clan any way he can.
And what about Anne? Well she was a delightful heroine. Not valued as she should be by her family, we join her just as she's being parcelled off to marry someone old enough to be her grandfather to further her family's fortune and status. Could it be that being attacked by pirates was the best thing that could have ever happened to her? Well, if it means you get a Calum, then my answer to that is yes!
Of course, Calum, being an honourable man, and Anne, being a dutiful daughter, don't see themselves as free to act on their growing feelings, and instead, Calum plans to ransom her off - just as any good pirate would - to the husband she married by proxy. Even though it's becoming increasingly obvious that's not what either of them really want. This all leads to an exiting, action-filled conclusion that was highly entertaining to read.
The relationship that developed between Calum and Anne was absolutely delightful. Not just sensual, but truly romantic. I loved it! If you're a fan of Scottish Romance, then this is absolutely one to add to your TBR. I can't wait to read whatever's next from this author.
4.5 Stars ★★★★1/2
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This has got to be my favourite début in this genre for quite some time. I simply loved both main characters and their irresistible, star-crossed romance!
You might be forgiven for being unsure about Calum MacLeod at first. He is, after all, a marauding pirate. But is he also ruthless, wicked, depraved, corrupt, and all other words that might usually go with pirate? Absolutely not. He's an exceptionally honourable man just trying to feed his starving clan any way he can.
And what about Anne? Well she was a delightful heroine. Not valued as she should be by her family, we join her just as she's being parcelled off to marry someone old enough to be her grandfather to further her family's fortune and status. Could it be that being attacked by pirates was the best thing that could have ever happened to her? Well, if it means you get a Calum, then my answer to that is yes!
Of course, Calum, being an honourable man, and Anne, being a dutiful daughter, don't see themselves as free to act on their growing feelings, and instead, Calum plans to ransom her off - just as any good pirate would - to the husband she married by proxy. Even though it's becoming increasingly obvious that's not what either of them really want. This all leads to an exiting, action-filled conclusion that was highly entertaining to read.
The relationship that developed between Calum and Anne was absolutely delightful. Not just sensual, but truly romantic. I loved it! If you're a fan of Scottish Romance, then this is absolutely one to add to your TBR. I can't wait to read whatever's next from this author.
4.5 Stars ★★★★1/2
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I am a sucker for a man in a kilt! When I read the description of the book from NetGalley, I knew had to read it. It is a historical romance, set in 16th Century Scotland. Lady Anne is on her way to meet her new, much older husband (whom she has never met) when the ship is pirated. She is taken "captive" and soon discovers the pirate captain is nothing she imagined. While on his small island in Scotland, she begins to find a real sense of belonging and love. Yet, she must return to England and her new husband after she is ransomed. She could cost Calum and his people their lives if she does not. Do you walk away from a chance at true love to save your family and friends?
This was the first book I read from Amy Jarecki but it will not be my last! It had the perfect balance of angst, without being over the top. While Anne and Calum began developing true feelings for each other, they were torn over family and sense of duty. Anne was a strong willed, likable heroine. Calum was the Scottish laird, every romance lover dreams about! He was fiercely loyal and passionate. I liked the third person POV for this book; it allowed me to see what both characters are thinking and feeling.
I highly recommend this book to any traditional romance fan!
***I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
This was the first book I read from Amy Jarecki but it will not be my last! It had the perfect balance of angst, without being over the top. While Anne and Calum began developing true feelings for each other, they were torn over family and sense of duty. Anne was a strong willed, likable heroine. Calum was the Scottish laird, every romance lover dreams about! He was fiercely loyal and passionate. I liked the third person POV for this book; it allowed me to see what both characters are thinking and feeling.
I highly recommend this book to any traditional romance fan!
***I was provided a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Captured by the Pirate Laird was a very fun, lightly-spiced Scottish/pirate historical romance.
There was action, drama, suspense and despite the romance giving very much ✨*insta-love✨ it was still a cute read. Alongside smutty romance we got some excellent battle scenes that were well written and honestly kind of exciting. The whole story was honestly just a fun time but because I'm not Scottish I wasn't sure if it was stereotypical/cheesy (as Irish romance books often are) but I enjoyed it, accent and all!
Can’t say I paid much heed to the side characters so I'm not all that invested in the series but I liked the authors writing style and it’s one of those books you could read in an afternoon.
*Booooo 👎 For the love of God, make them hate each other first
There was action, drama, suspense and despite the romance giving very much ✨*insta-love✨ it was still a cute read. Alongside smutty romance we got some excellent battle scenes that were well written and honestly kind of exciting. The whole story was honestly just a fun time but because I'm not Scottish I wasn't sure if it was stereotypical/cheesy (as Irish romance books often are) but I enjoyed it, accent and all!
Can’t say I paid much heed to the side characters so I'm not all that invested in the series but I liked the authors writing style and it’s one of those books you could read in an afternoon.
*Booooo 👎 For the love of God, make them hate each other first