While I’m in the middle of writing my own seafaring adventure, I wanted to experience another author’s, and Becoming Lady Lockwood perfectly satisfied that craving. It was fun to experience a Regency romance on a ship setting, and I enjoyed reading about the various adventures our characters went through while sailing the high seas. Most of the story takes place on the voyage between Jamaica and England. I thoroughly enjoyed this setting, seeing what life was like on the ship, and reading about all of the sailing details. It was a wonderful backdrop for the deepening friendship and then romance between the captain and Amelia.
From the beginning, William and Amelia have interesting circumstances keeping them from being together. William resents Amelia’s marriage-by-proxy to his deceased brother robbing him of a portion of his inheritance. His assumptions she’s a gold digger initially keep him from forming a favorable impression of her, but he quickly finds himself softening as she continuously proves him wrong in his assumptions. Soon he finds himself losing his heart to her…only to realize their relationship is forbidden due to his being her brother in law, forcing him to find a way to dissolve her marriage to his brother so he’s free to pursue a relationship with her. It was an interesting circumstance that left me continuously wondering how everything would work out.
I loved William; he was a man of kindness, loyalty, and integrity. I loved watching him soften throughout the story as his feelings for Amelia slowly blossom. I also adored Amelia’s character; she was such a sweet, unselfish person, always willing to make the best of things and help those around her. She and William were the perfect match.
As with many sea-faring plots, this one was filled with action, scenes I didn’t enjoy as much as the unfolding relationship considering I’m quite sensitive to violence. While the ship battles weren’t overly graphic, I still struggled with them. Luckily they were only a small part of the story, and the aftermath of them provided some fantastic twists and turns that had me thoroughly engaged.
Overall, I found the plot interesting, the sea setting delightful, the characters likable, and the romance adorable, making Becoming Lady Lockwood an overall pleasant read.