The Pirate and the Puritan

Nov 07, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-gold-star-award-winner, trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

THE PIRATE AND THE PURITAN follows 23-year-old Mistress Mercy Purnell, a Puritan whose ships gets ransacked by pirates. Captain Edmund Gramercy protects the young woman by hiding her away in his cabin, letting his shipmates think he is "taking her," while he in fact is not.

Mercy quickly sees the kindness in Edmund, and quickly falls in love with him. The two go through many trials -- each always trying to protect the other, even if that means bringing pain...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Shakespearean romance set at sea and in the North American colonies rather than in an English forest. Mercy and Edmund meet and separate several times under a variety of circumstances--problems--death encountering issues. Their supporting cast Soulange and Richard appear when needed about as often as a kind sprite appears in a Shakespearean woods. All this set against the rich context of American history of the early 1700s.

Well written? All I can say is that I stayed up over an hour past my cu...more

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May 23, 2012 Kym McNabney rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Pirate and the Puritan is an amazing story written by an amazing writer. I happened across this book, not being the typical book I would have picked to read, and having never heard of, Mary Clayton. I feel truly blessed to have come across her writing.

The Pirate and the Puritan was written, in my eyes, with no flaws. As an inspiriting writer, I was in awe of Ms. Clayton's writing and story telling. Not only was the story of one to be believed, it also kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Marion Marchetto rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-england

Do the sins of our ancestors affect how we live? This is the question set forth in this period drama from author Mary Clayton.

I like reading about the romanticized pirate life that has been in the forefront of late so I thought it would be rather nice to see how a swashbuckling rogue of the high seas dealt with a Puritan instead of an English lass of the privileged class. Yes, I expected another of the historical romances that seem to populate bookshelves everywhere. What I found was a story of...more Do the sins of our ancestors affect how we live? This is the question set forth in this period drama from author Mary Clayton.

I like reading about the romanticized pirate life that has been in the forefront of late so I thought it would be rather nice to see how a swashbuckling rogue of the high seas dealt with a Puritan instead of an English lass of the privileged class. Yes, I expected another of the historical romances that seem to populate bookshelves everywhere. What I found was a story of depth and intelligence.

The Puritan, Mercy Penhall, is not your typical romantic heroine. She is a mute who has been shuffled between the homes of various family members since the age of eleven when she witnessed her mother being hung for a crime she did not commit. This is a cross that Mercy feels she will bear her entire life. As she is being transported to the home of a step-brother in New England after having lived with an aunt who is being married, the ship she is on is captured by a pirate ship and she is taken prisoner. Again, as in most historical romances our heroine is bound with ropes and forced into the captain's cabin. In terror she waits for the arrival of the fierce looking man she met on the deck.

Enter our hero, Captain Edmund Grammercy. Not the flamboyant pirate of the Caribbean that one would expect but a tired, compassionate man who heads up the crew only because he knows how to navigate. Indeed, his only claim to staying alive is the fact that he has led the mangy lot of men who crew his ship to capturing lots of booty. When at last he spies Mercy cowering in a corner of his cabin (having forgotten entirely that she was there), he hastens to assure her that she will come to no harm if she does as she is bid. He tells her that he does not like to take women prisoners and will see that she is sent home, untouched by him or his crew, if she agrees to stay hidden in his cabin. True to his word, Edmund does eventually see to her release.

During their short time together, however, a bond is formed between Mercy and Edmund that each tries several times, albeit unsuccessfully, to break. Author Clayton draws two fully rounded characters in Mercy and Edmund showing us the depths of despair that each reaches while combating their personal demons. Indeed, at times I felt that these two would succumb to those demons and never reach the happy ending that they so richly deserved.

Worth mentioning are the supporting characters of Soulange and Richard. Their story of unrequited love forms a rich backdrop to the main story of Mercy and Edmund.

This is a well researched book providing many details in Puritan lives in the early New England Colony as well as life in the early settlements along the eastern coast of the United States. Although Ms. Clayton is native to Australia she does a wonderful job in giving the reader a feel for the New England area. It made this native New Englander feel right at home.

I give this book five stars for the quality of the characters, the originality of the plot, and the fact that I really cared about these characters. Great work Mary.(less)

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Aug 23, 2009 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you’re looking for a clean, historical romance filled with adventure, action and history, this one is a fantastic read. We’re taken to 1704 when England’s Navy ships roamed the sea along with pirate ships, one of which seizes a passenger ship and takes captive Mercy Penhall, a mute Puritan.

The captain pirate, Edmund Gramercy, spares her, but not before a bond forms between them. What makes the story so compelling is that a flourishing romance between a pirate and a Puritan is so improbable, w...more If you’re looking for a clean, historical romance filled with adventure, action and history, this one is a fantastic read. We’re taken to 1704 when England’s Navy ships roamed the sea along with pirate ships, one of which seizes a passenger ship and takes captive Mercy Penhall, a mute Puritan.

The captain pirate, Edmund Gramercy, spares her, but not before a bond forms between them. What makes the story so compelling is that a flourishing romance between a pirate and a Puritan is so improbable, with so many obstacles to overcome, that we keep turning the pages to discern how it’s all going to come about.

As the plot thickens and the characters move in and out of each other’s lives, we understand that both must face their past before any life together is possible for them. Gramercy who was forced into piracy and learns to survive using his skills and wits, needs to find a way out, whereas Mercy, who has to endure ostracism, loneliness and the stigma of her mother’s reputation—exposing the cruel ways religious leaders sometimes adopt in the name of religion—must decide if she will allow a traumatizing incident from her childhood to dictate her future happiness.

The strength of this novel is with its characters. Their depth is explored through action and dialogue making this book different from the typical romance where explicit sex replaces character development. The main characters as well as the secondary ones are well developed, and I could easily see them with my reader’s imagination as they are portrayed realistically. The main character is unusual (rendering her remarkable) and her muteness added an interesting element to the story that intensified the plot. I truly liked her and her story.

I would have liked to have known more about Gramercy’s family and why he felt he could not reconnect with any of them. There is also an escape scene whose details were not totally clear to me; however, this in no way detracts from the storyline.

The author weaves a unique tale, well-written, with historical details interwoven in its story and vivid descriptions that bring the reader right in the midst of a Puritan town in the winter of 1704, on the high seas chasing a pirate ship before a brewing storm, and on a new plantation colony in the heat of Virginia.

I loved reading this novel. And I want to thank the author for sending me a copy of her book.
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Jan 11, 2010 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

While reading this book I had a really hard time deciding how much I liked it. The thing that makes keeps this being a book I love is simply the fact that it was just a little too serious. That is totally a matter of tastes. I tend to enjoy romance books that have a healthy dose of humor. This book would have been odd if it had much humor in it (the subject matter is of necessity serious). I know a book is a little too serious and less then funny, when I give a list of the troubles the hero and...more

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Dec 24, 2010 Barb rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: colonial-life, hf-1700s, read-in-2010

I thought this novel started off well enough, it seemed like it might be interesting, the writing wasn't horrid and I didn't find anything so annoying in the first hundred pages that it put me off reading it...

But by the end of this book I was plenty annoyed. The storyline was ridiculous and the characters were cardboard cut outs. I thought this might be an interesting and well written historical fiction but it's just a romance novel full of the unrealistic and clichéd events that lovers of roma...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Virginia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, historical-romance

I have just read "The Pirate and the Puritan", and I feel as though I was given a gift by the author, Mary Clayton. A sweeping, swashbuckling, enthralling romance! Thrilling battle scenes, rich historical detail, a reminder of the horrific Salem "witch hunts", and a sweetly sensual, deeply devoted romance. Second chances and a hard-fought-for hope of a happily ever after life! This is a "true" historical romance. Set sail with the Pirate Captain and his Puritan for one of the most romantic adven...more

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May 04, 2010 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, pirates-or-mariners, romance-green

This wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I suppose I thought it would be similar to the book I just read, Guise of the Gentleman, with a pirate tale and high-sea adventure, and of course romance. While this does have the pirate and romance angle, it was very different from that book. It is definitely a historical fiction, with a heavy emphasis on history. The history lessons were woven into the story, which I liked, but at times it felt a little bogged down. So much happens throughout the story b...more This wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I suppose I thought it would be similar to the book I just read, Guise of the Gentleman, with a pirate tale and high-sea adventure, and of course romance. While this does have the pirate and romance angle, it was very different from that book. It is definitely a historical fiction, with a heavy emphasis on history. The history lessons were woven into the story, which I liked, but at times it felt a little bogged down. So much happens throughout the story between Mercy and Edmund; being pushed together and torn apart so many times I lost count. By the end I was just plain frustrated with Mercy (I’ll explain more later). I was a little skeptical of how the story would play out with Mercy being mute; it only added another level to the story and surprisingly for me didn’t take away too much, although I am huge fan of conversation and dialog in books. Mercy was a good heroine, I liked that she had strong convictions, but trusted herself to make her own way. I liked Edmund as well and that he kept her strong and thought they were a good couple. Although, I still have a hard time with people that “fall in love” when they’ve barely said two sentences between them, I think their relationship grew throughout and ended where I believed them as a couple. It is a fairly clean romance, but some of their intimate times get a little heated, mostly just kissing, but kind of pushes the limit a little.

So this next section contains spoilers. I was somewhat confused at the very end when Mercy became convinced that she could not marry Edmund because she thought of herself as a witch. Of course we know throughout the entire story that her mother had been hanged during the Salem witch trials and that others worried that Mercy may also be a witch, but Mercy never thought of herself as a witch and until the end never thought of her mother as one either. Maybe I misremember what happened earlier in the book, but with everything they had gone through you’d think she would feel comfortable enough to tell him about her past. AND, when she leaves I was stunned that he just let her go so easily. Of course, another situation arose and things played out a little better, but I just had a hard time believing he would just let her go like that. Just too many partings and reuniting for my taste.

Anyway, I did enjoy the story. I learned a lot about the time period that I didn’t really know and although it was a bit too serious it still kept me entertained and was happy with how everything ended up.

Bookworm Rating: 3.5
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Aug 24, 2009 Jaimey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-historical, keepers, clean-romance, buy-hardcopy

Synopsis: Kidnapped by pirates, a mute Puritan finds herself drawn to the pirate captain, intrigued by his protection of her and his obvious dislike of his own lot in life. He is drawn to her by her innocence and strength, unable to forget her even though he knows he should.

My two cents: The Pirate and the Puritan is one of the best clean reads I've had the privilege to peruse this year. Taking place several years after the Salem witch trials, the heroine is Mercy Penhall, a young woman whose vo...more

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Jun 12, 2008 Christy rated it 5 of 5 stars

At a young age, Mercy Penhall witnessed her mother’s hanging and has not spoken in thirteen years. While sailing from Virginia to Massachusetts, her ship is destroyed by pirates and she is taken captive. Edmund Gramercy, forced by the pirates to be a captain, remains alive only because he knows how to navigate the seas. A compassionate man, Edmund protects Mercy from the other pirates, and is intrigued by her courage. Although attracted to Mercy, he realizes he can never have any sort of life wi...more

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Aug 08, 2009 Bill rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like unusual romances. This one features a mute heroine. I was afraid she would regain her voice when the hero made love to her the first time, or in some other corny fashion. But not to worry. She does regain her voice, but it happens in a horrific scene. I am fine with no sex in a book. (Some are not.) This one has no more than some passionate kisses and fondeling. It has plenty of action, believable characters, and several villians. It kept me up when I should have been sleeping.

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Feb 03, 2012 Cheryl Mclaws rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was surprised at how much I loved this book! The history major in me had a fun time visiting the American Colonies at the beginning of the 18th century, and the hopeless romantic in me couldn't help but fall for Edmund. The writing was great, the story line was very well thought out. It did get a little long winded in parts a little wordy when it came to descriptions, but I couldn't put it down!!

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Jan 17, 2009 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book could have been so much more. It was quite interesting, but the kissing and description of said kissing was just too much. It moved the book from a good adventure with a bit of romance to just a lousy romance. They did only kiss, but the writing was tasteless and overly informative. Really a bit of a shame for the whole book. Entire writing style could be better as well.

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Aug 01, 2012 Lisa added it

This was a decent book. I enjoyed that I couldn't foresee the plot. There're several twists and turns that are not expected. It was also kind of cool to read this book because I just visited Charleston South Carolina, and part of this story takes place in Charles Town. I don't know how historically accurate this book is, but I thought it was a good read. Also, i like pirate stories!

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May 29, 2010 Cheri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Pirates are really not my thing, they are generally smelly and dirty and I wasn't sure if I would like this book but after a few pages I was drawn into the story. Edmund is a clean shaven pirate and instead of a periwig wears his own long brown hair. Mercy is a mute puritan and is captured by Edmund and his crew. This book was a little racy in places.
But a good read overall if you like pirates.

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Jul 30, 2012 Vivian Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you just want to enjoy a sweet story with more than one adventure and a few plot twists and one seemingly dirty secret that has torn Mercy to pieces in her last 12 years of life..Then enjoy the read as I did.

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Jul 26, 2012 Terri Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I love pirate stories, but it's hard to find good clean stories that are entertaining. This one was great and is for sure going on my favorites shelves. I wish there were more books by this author.

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Oct 21, 2010 Sasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

3.5 stars really...
Sweet and interesting. Not raunchy, but has enough sexual tension. It was obvious how their love grew and their romance was believable.

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Jul 23, 2011 Highland-dreamer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I loved this book from the start! Great book and great writing.

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Mar 12, 2011 Pattiwan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I loved this book from the start! Great book and great writing.

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May 05, 2010 MaryLu Tyndall rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you're looking for a good, clean pirate romance then this is the book for you! Take it from a pirate fanatic and pirate author myself, I'm really picky about pirate stories. Ms. Clayton did her homework on this book. I found her characters fascinating and the storyline very interesting. It lagged in a few spots, but there were lots of unexpected twists and a happy ending. For those of you who've enjoyed my Legacy of the King's Pirate series, I know you'll enjoy this book too.

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May 26, 2011 Jennie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this book! I really liked how there seemed to be different storylines throughout the book and yet were still cohesive. There was only one part towards the end when I was slightly irritated that a character was brought back unnecessarily; however it didn't last too long and ended up working well. I was sad when I finished because I wanted it to keep going, but am completely happy with how it ended.

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Apr 30, 2011 Penny Gunther rated it 1 of 5 stars

did not like this book, the couple spent way too much time apart to feel the love between them. Just plain boring.

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Nov 24, 2010 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book starts out extremely corny, and it was slow in parts, but overall it was very enjoyable to read. I loved it!

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May 06, 2012 Francesca rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am such a sucker for romances and absolutely loved this one. I have it a four because some of their scenes together were a bit steamy for me but besides that I loved it:)

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Aug 21, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, chick-flicks, historical-fiction

This was very well written and exciting! However, I was very disappointed in the characters' morals. Also, it was not the clean romance I was expecting.

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Jun 18, 2009 Marion rated it 5 of 5 stars

Do the sins of our ancestors affect how we live? This is the question set forth in this period drama from author Mary Clayton.

I like reading about the romanticized pirate life that has been in the forefront of late so I thought it would be rather nice to see how a swashbuckling rogue of the high seas dealt with a Puritan instead of an English lass of the privileged class. Yes, I expected another of the historical romances that seem to populate bookshelves everywhere. What I found was a story of...more Do the sins of our ancestors affect how we live? This is the question set forth in this period drama from author Mary Clayton.

I like reading about the romanticized pirate life that has been in the forefront of late so I thought it would be rather nice to see how a swashbuckling rogue of the high seas dealt with a Puritan instead of an English lass of the privileged class. Yes, I expected another of the historical romances that seem to populate bookshelves everywhere. What I found was a story of depth and intelligence.

The Puritan, Mercy Penhall, is not your typical romantic heroine. She is a mute who has been shuffled between the homes of various family members since the age of eleven when she witnessed her mother being hung for a crime she did not commit. This is a cross that Mercy feels she will bear her entire life. As she is being transported to the home of a step-brother in New England after having lived with an aunt who is being married, the ship she is on is captured by a pirate ship and she is taken prisoner. Again, as in most historical romances our heroine is bound with ropes and forced into the captain's cabin. In terror she waits for the arrival of the fierce looking man she met on the deck.

Enter our hero, Captain Edmund Grammercy. Not the flamboyant pirate of the Caribbean that one would expect but a tired, compassionate man who heads up the crew only because he knows how to navigate. Indeed, his only claim to staying alive is the fact that he has led the mangy lot of men who crew his ship to capturing lots of booty. When at last he spies Mercy cowering in a corner of his cabin (having forgotten entirely that she was there), he hastens to assure her that she will come to no harm if she does as she is bid. He tells her that he does not like to take women prisoners and will see that she is sent home, untouched by him or his crew, if she agrees to stay hidden in his cabin. True to his word, Edmund does eventually see to her release.

During their short time together, however, a bond is formed between Mercy and Edmund that each tries several times, albeit unsuccessfully, to break. Author Clayton draws two fully rounded characters in Mercy and Edmund showing us the depths of despair that each reaches while combating their personal demons. Indeed, at times I felt that these two would succumb to those demons and never reach the happy ending that they so richly deserved.

Worth mentioning are the supporting characters of Soulange and Richard. Their story of unrequited love forms a rich backdrop to the main story of Mercy and Edmund.

This is a well researched book providing many details in Puritan lives in the early New England Colony as well as life in the early settlements along the eastern coast of the United States. Although Ms. Clayton is native to Australia she does a wonderful job in giving the reader a feel for the New England area. It made this native New Englander feel right at home.

I give this book five stars for the quality of the characters, the originality of the plot, and the fact that I really cared about these characters. (less)

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May 08, 2013 Pam marked it as to-read

May 07, 2013 Daniela marked it as to-read

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