PIRATE'S PRICE

Author: Darlene Marshall ISBN: 1553160606 1/2005 (Reissue) HISTORICAL Publisher: LTDBooks
Time Period: East Florida, 1820

Christine Sanders of St. Augustine in Territorial Florida is a runaway wife who believes the best way to live comfortably on her own is to turn pirate and rob a man with money. And the perfect man to rob is her own husband, Justin Delerue, Lord Smithton, especially since he got rich by marrying her against her will and taking her inheritance! With the help of her godfather Julius Davies, himself a retired pirate with a fondness for young sailors, Christine puts together a gay, er, jolly crew and takes to the seas as Captain Christopher Daniels. It doesn't take long for the dread pirate Daniels to become a force to be reckoned with in Florida's sealanes, especially for ships owned by Delerue-Sanders Shipping. But when Smithton himself is taken captive and held hostage by Daniels and the crew of the Tigress he has a different plan for his runaway pirate bride, and could very well end up stealing something from her--her heart.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

PIRATE'S PRICE is the kind of book that makes a person wonder about their love life, makes a person wish and dream. This is the kind of romance novel that gives romance a good name, makes young girls fantasize and older woman fall hopelessly in love.

Let me tell you a little secret about my enthralling time spent readingPIRATE'S PRICE. I did not put it down. Not once. Not for any reason.

To tell you the truth, I would have been hard put to find a reason good enough to make me put this masterpiece down. Justin and Christine literally sizzle their way through this book. Any scene including the both of them leaves you breathless and waiting for more.

Justin is beautiful, he is funny and charming, and had me laughing out loud from page one. He is not at all threatened by Christine's assertive nature—it seems like it just makes him want to have her all the more, not to mention that he has a very assertive nature himself. It is totally captivating watching Christine make this god of a man fall head over heels for her. Justin is a good, strong man who just picks the wrong girl to try and pull one over on. Christine has a very strong spirit, and after deciding that she is not going down without a fight, the gloves are off.

Christine is just as strong willed as Justin, if not more so, because she believes that she has more to fight for. She doesn't want to be someone's property. She wants someone to love her, someone who is not going to take her for granted. It is so great to watch the heroine kick butt for a change! Christine manages to be a strong, assertive woman, without being overbearing and while still allowing Justin to be the slightly domineering partner. It's a wonderful balance and really makes this couple shine. Do yourself a favor and grab PIRATE'S PRICE. Read it once, and then read it again. I know that is exactly what I plan to do!

Kristal Gorman