Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "smee"

Queen Takes Hook by Kirsten S. Blacketer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The news of her father’s death devastates Princess Celeste and her older sister, Caroline. At least their uncle is safe and will help Caroline rule as queen. It’s not the best hand to play, but it is all the kingdom of Nevarro has. This is what Celeste assumes until she overhears her uncle and a stranger talking in the palace garden. Their secrets upend her world and she flees the safety of her home to seek the aid of someone willing to risk his life for Nevarro. But the only one likely to believe her is the worst possible individual – the infamous pirate James Hook.

All James wants to do is drown his sorrows and forget that half his crew is dead, his ship is lost, and he’s missing a hand. The tavern turns out not to be the haven he sought, for a stranger intrudes and offers him gold in return for his help. Being a pirate, he takes the money and instead of helping her, he kidnaps Princess Celeste. She can lead him to an even bigger treasure, in the caves beneath the palace.

Teamwork and trust are sorely lacking once the two board his new ship, Raven. Celeste will do whatever it takes to rescue her sister from her uncle’s clutches and save the kingdom. James will do whatever it takes to be the pirate he is and gain even more treasure. Bargains are made and broken. Stakes are raised. But the news First mate Smee delivers puts a wrinkle into their plans, and they agree to work together, even though their end goals are not the same. They collide as conscience wrangles with duty. Of course, outside influences have their own agendas, making for rude awakenings that further complicate the relationship between princess and pirate.

Queen Takes Hook is a fast-paced tale that intricately melds elements from Peter Pan with pirate lore. Readers seeking a sweet romance won’t find it here; Blacketer describes her writing as “steamy, swoony, and sweary.” She deftly portrays pirates as real pirates. Mapmaker makes for an interesting character, but his backstory and reason for inclusion aren’t provided. It’s hoped that his tale and James’s father will be more fully developed in future volumes of her new Pirates and Persuasion series. In the meantime, Queen Takes Hook is swashbuckling adventure with a lot of spice and heat.


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




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