The Rules of Being a Proper Lady

1) Never take steps greater than six inches apart.
2) Never look boldly at a gentleman.
3) And never, ever, kiss a man who is not your fiancÉ.

But beautiful, bold Viola Carlyle doesn't care about the rules. And she desperately wants to kiss the notoriously tempting Captain Jin Seton, the man who brought her kicking and fighting back to English society. Kidnapped as a child, now she longs to return to that life of freedom where she was able to live—and love—as she wished.

Having hunted Viola for two years, Jin Seton has finally found his good luck—for, by finding Viola, his oldest, deepest debt will at last be paid. And although he has vowed not to let her win his heart, this very improper lady might finally be the one who tames him.

Review

If skirts were breeches then we’d want to go to beaches…

At least in my mind that’s what Ashe’s newest heroine, Viola, would say if faced between choosing a pair of pants over a skirt. Now this doesn’t mean a woman doesn’t like to feel like a woman sometimes… she does, but when having to choose between comfort and fashion, comfort always wins. In Viola’s world comfort would win too, not just the present day. She’s the captain of the April Storm, and the sailor responsible for taking down the Pharaoh of the Seas and his ship the Cavalier.

The Pharaoh, Jinan Seton is on a mission of redemption. He plans to locate the missing sister of one Serena Carlyle in the hopes of repaying the debt he owes to Serena’s husband. Viola is the sister he seeks, but she’s not inclined to come easily. A couple of months, a trip to the tropics, and a few pirate battles later has Viola agreeing to return to the land of her birth, but it also has more feelings and desires simmering between the two of them.

Viola is the uncommon heroine. The ultimate tomboy, who wants to forge her own way in the world, be the adventurous person she’s always dreamed of being, and bow to no man. She’s the unlikely woman to come out on top, but a perfect fit of brash, outlandish behavior coupled with embarrassment at not being the typical lady.  Jinan is the brooding hero, and a bit of an alpha. Surprisingly his alpha tendencies are put in check by the force that is Viola, but only briefly. Jin definitely has respect for her, and sees how easily she endears others to her causes or dreams. Regardless of this woman’s allure, he is stuck and bound by his own vows to reunite Viola with her family.

I found the plot intriguing; the idea of a female ship captain was something different and fun. Ashe has a unique way of making Viola likeable, and appeal to every male that crosses her path; except for the super stuffy ones who can’t appreciate a modern woman (there’s a couple of them in the story). With plenty of intrigue on ‘the high seas’ this is more like a pirate adventure, filled with a bit ‘o angst; which surprised me as the cover blurb led me to believe most of the story happens in England. I’m glad it didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love the dear English shores, but the idea of traipsing alongside Viola on her ship April Storm was very appealing.

Viola and Jinan have a ton of internal struggles to deal with in this story, and not much to overcome outside of those internal issues. Their fears of rejection and dejection bring them together in more ways than one; as neither character enjoys being bound to one spot for long. I do wish there had been more of challenge for them. The conflicts and villains presented didn’t really liven things up. The moment I thought they would the potential villains were taken out of the running. Action scenes, on the other hand, were lovely. Ashe does know her way around a good battle, whether with fists, swords, or ships. There’s a bit of all 3 involved and some thievery too. I certainly enjoyed that.

Overall, this book is great in terms of interesting primary and secondary characters, action and adventure. The external conflict and challenges for the H/H were a bit lacking. But if you like the allure of the high seas, internal conflict out the ying-yang, and enough sexual tension to light fire to a forest then this book may still peak your interest.

Reviewed by Landra

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