Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "ransom"

An Imperfect Scoundrel by Alyssa Drake

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Going to America isn’t Alana Flannery Dubois’s idea. Her brother deems it the safest way to keep her from harm as her family hunts for their uncle’s killer. She agrees only on the condition that should she find a new husband – her first beloved died – then her brother must wed too. But just as there are dangers on land, so they exist at sea and Alana has the misfortune to cross paths with an infamous pirate who attacks ships off the eastern seaboard of the United States. Since her family can’t afford to pay her ransom, Captain Shaw will make her swim to shore. Except she doesn’t know how to swim and doesn’t want to die. That leaves only one option: assume her late husband’s persona and pass herself off as Sebastian Dubois. Sometimes, though, her spirited temper has unforeseen consequences.

Newspapers in America and England decry the fiendish exploits of Cedric Shaw. The hype may be overblown, but it suits his needs. Just not enough. The price on his head must be higher. Perhaps taking the Crescent Rose and murdering one passenger, a man who deserves to die, will finally achieve that goal. Then Cedric can claim the reward for himself, retire with a new identity, and help his sister escape a forced marriage. What Cedric doesn’t bargain on is the puny man who attacks and defies him. He offers Sebastian Dubois a choice: become his cabin boy and do whatever he’s told, or die.

Despite all that she endures, Alana discovers Cedric isn’t quite as merciless as rumors suggest. Nor is he the pirate she should fear most. After a rendezvous to collect a ransom nearly goes awry, the navy appears more quickly than expected, and something goes wrong with his secret weapon, Cedric discovers there are those aboard who are determined to thwart his carefully laid plans. Not to mention that the heart has a habit of wanting what it should not.

An Imperfect Scoundrel is the fourth book in the Wiltshire Chronicles. Readers unfamiliar with the series will have no problems following this tale, but Drake warns her readers upfront that this tale is rife with graphic violence, torture, and abuse, making this historical romance suitable only for adults. If you dare venture past this warning, An Imperfect Scoundrel unfolds from two points of view (Alana’s and Cedric’s) and takes place during the Victorian Era when steam is a relatively new means of powering maritime ships. Although piracy is rare in this time period, it does occur and Drake’s portrayal of the pirates shows why they are not heroes or role models. The action, which includes ships afire and sea battles, is riveting and spine-tingling.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-roma...)




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