Smitten by Books

The Pirate
Author: Katherine Garbera
Publisher: Brava / Kensington
Pub. Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0758232120
Retail: $14.00
Pages: 320

J.P. Lazarus is an ex-Navy Seal who’s parlayed his technical expertise into a lucrative career. His new assignment – capturing Somalian pirates – was risky to begin with, but with Dr. Daphne Barrett on board his tanker, it’s a matter of life, death, and off-the-charts desire.

Working in Africa seemed like a good way for Daphne to regroup after her divorce. But when her vessel is hijacked, Daphne’s status as a senator’s ex-wife makes her a perfect target for ransom. Laz is the one man equipped to protect her. But the more she learns about him, the more questions arise – about the secrets he’s hiding, the chemistry that feels too good to fight, and a future that neither of them can take for granted…

~*~*~

Fans of Cindy Gerard should like this book!

The Pirate in question is the hero, J.P (Jean -Pierre) Lazarus or ‘Laz’ for short, an ex-Navy Seal and now mercenary with the ‘Savage Seven’ Group. I haven’t read the first book in this Savage Seven series The Mercenary, but it wasn’t needed as this book stood on its own.

Laz is weary, sliding close to 40, feeling empty inside as he begins his undercover mission as a Captain of a Danish tanker in the Indian Ocean. He is starting to reassess his life after seeing two other team members now happily married. He is alone. Usually, he reveled in that feeling, that sense of isolation. But nothing gets him wondering if ‘alone’ is not all it is cracked up to be than after he meets Dr. Daphne Barrett.

Daphne is a passenger on the ship with a group of other medical personnel, ‘Doctors Across Waters’, heading for Somalia, which is why Laz and some of his team are on board. They are setting a trap for Somalian pirates. Daphne and Laz meet on deck, and the attraction is immediate between them. Daphne is no youngster herself, late thirties, two teenage sons, and licking her wounds from a recent, messy divorce from her cheating Senator husband. The last thing she is looking for is a tryst with a muscular, rugged tanker captain.

Daphne has some serious trust issues, and after seeing Laz on deck late at night letting some men on board in secret, she assumes the worst and thinks he is a pirate. Even after a heated sexcapade in the first aid room, where Laz sets her alight with his passion, she has her doubts about his role on the ship.

Her doubts all fly out the window when they are boarded by Somalian pirates. Laz springs into action, and so does the story, as crew and passengers are taken hostage. And held for ransom. Besides capturing the pirates, Laz finds himself in full-protective mode as far as Daphne is concerned, a foreign feeling. I loved the glimpses into Laz’s innermost thoughts. His doubts, his longing for a home and family, and here in all places, at all times, is a woman that is giving him a glimpse of what home could be like. It really made him a true hero in my book, like a knight of old.

Daphne also springs into action, using her doctor skills where needed, showing amazing resilience and courage, impressing the heck out of Laz, and still managing a few passionate kisses with Laz in darkened corridors.

When the villain boards the ship, the head pirate, Samatan, the story takes a bit of a dark turn, and when Daphne is found to be the ex-wife of a senator, she is taken by Samatan for a separate ransom, culminating with a high seas rescue that is exciting.

I wished, however, we got more background on the other Doctors and medical personnel. A little glimpse was not quite enough for me to feel any connection with the secondary characters. Some of the pirates however, where more deeply defined and interesting. Samatan in particular.

I really liked Laz. For a rough, GI-Joe type man, he shows surprising tenderness and compassion, and not just with Daphne. He really sold this for me. The adventure moves at a brisk pace and all in all a satisfying romance-suspense.

Rating: 7 (Good)

Heat-Level: 3 (Sensual)

[starrater tpl=10 style=’christmas’]