An exciting tale of smugglers, pirates, and unexpected love that is sure to delight the reader…

This second book in the Rogues of the Sea series is a fun tale with some unexpected twists that even I didn’t see coming. I like the characters, the plot kept me tied up tightly in anticipation for the most part, and the ending gave me the excitement that I had been waiting for. But something is missing between the main characters emotionally and that took away from the overall feeling I got from this book. The love story is a nice one but I wanted to feel closer to the lead characters and, no matter how hard the author tries, I just didn’t quite feel it.

Alex, the Earl of Savege has been at sea for a good portion of his adult life. When not tearing up the seas he is making his way through the bed chambers of the women of the ton. But on his latest return he receives and unexpected offer of marriage from his neighbor. A shy, biddable girl is presented to him but he can’t take his eyes off her sister whom he has just finished kissing in a dark corner, unbeknownst to either of them. This starts an interesting cat and mouse game between Alex and his spinster neighbor Serena. Alex kissing strangers in the dark did not really appeal to me at first but, as a character, he grows on you as the book develops. You discover he is a Robin Hood style pirate, robbing the wealthy to help feed and take care of the poor. I found Alex to be a sexy, strong hero who matches our heroine Serena well.

Serena is a smart, independent girl who is stuck under her evil stepmother’s control. I like that she stands up for herself and tries to protect her younger siblings. Her kind heart and unselfish attitude endures her to the reader easily. On the other hand, she bothered me at times with her insistence on finding a group of smugglers who have been terrorizing the local people. She wants to find her younger sister who was kidnapped 15 years before. This part of the plot confused me slightly as I kept wondering why she would want to find the smugglers right away to help solve the mystery of her sister’s disappearance – one had nothing to do with the other.

That is just one of the many plot items that confused me throughout the book. Another instance, where a girl from the village goes to the smugglers and is reported kidnapped, you find out that maybe she went there as a spy or maybe she just went for fun but you never really know and I just ended up confused by it all. The plot has several key parts that drag on and the reader just waits too long for the resolution and loses interest. Several other plot items that were far more interesting took a backseat to other things and I found myself wanting to know more about those than some of the ones the author focused on. There was just so much going on at all times that the book keeps you on the edge of your seat and not always in a good way.

I found the emotion between the main characters to be a bit bland and I can’t put my finger on what the author missed that left me wanting. She does a really good job of showing the perspective of both Alex and Serena and you get a good understanding of their emotions throughout the book but I just couldn’t feel it. The other characters are well written as well; you strongly dislike the villains, are annoyed by the simpering misses, and want to jump on board the ship with the hero from the previous book. Overall, the dynamic characters made the book.

The love scenes are warm and loving with a good bite when necessary. They are well written and fit the tone of the book.

Overall, this book is one I would recommend to historical fans who like the pirate theme and who like their romance a little rocky. I suggest reading Swept Away by a Kiss, the first in the series, as it is a great read as well.

Reviewed by: Danielle