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Beneath Black Sails #1
Beneath Black Sails
Sometimes it takes a pirate to catch a pirate.
With weather magic on her side, Lady Vice is the bane of the high seas, but she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. If she can persuade her captain to give her a command, she’ll be in charge of her own fate.
To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice increases, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods.
Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes aboard their ship, they discover hints about a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems.
But treasure isn’t the only thing buried. Secrets best forgotten lie in wait that could blast them apart. And the closer Vice and Knigh grow, the greater the threat – to her freedom and to his family. Because for one to succeed, the other must fail.
If you love cunning heroes, feisty heroines, and enemies to lovers romance, you’ll love this new adult fantasy series that’s perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Miranda Honfleur.
As you might expect from pirates, these stories include mild cussing and spicy encounters.
• Book 0 – Across Dark Seas – Out now!
• Book 1 – Beneath Black Sails – Coming April 2020!
• Book 2 – Against Dark Tides – Coming 2020!
• Book 3 – Under Black Skies – Coming 2020!
• Book 4 – Through Dark Storms – Coming 2020!
With weather magic on her side, Lady Vice is the bane of the high seas, but she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. If she can persuade her captain to give her a command, she’ll be in charge of her own fate.
To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice increases, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods.
Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes aboard their ship, they discover hints about a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems.
But treasure isn’t the only thing buried. Secrets best forgotten lie in wait that could blast them apart. And the closer Vice and Knigh grow, the greater the threat – to her freedom and to his family. Because for one to succeed, the other must fail.
If you love cunning heroes, feisty heroines, and enemies to lovers romance, you’ll love this new adult fantasy series that’s perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Miranda Honfleur.
As you might expect from pirates, these stories include mild cussing and spicy encounters.
• Book 0 – Across Dark Seas – Out now!
• Book 1 – Beneath Black Sails – Coming April 2020!
• Book 2 – Against Dark Tides – Coming 2020!
• Book 3 – Under Black Skies – Coming 2020!
• Book 4 – Through Dark Storms – Coming 2020!
402 pages, ebook
First published March 30, 2020
1146 people are currently reading
17144 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
July 26, 2025
This book is free on Amazon (Canada) today (12/29/2022). 🙂
✅ Pirates
✅ Hidden identity and secrets
✅ Sexual tension and some explicit smut
✅ Fake-out make-out 😏
✅ Kind of hate-to-love
✅ Forced proximity
✅ Angst (mild) and betrayal
✅ Pace and plot
✅ There is a cute cat
This is a very entertaining pirate story with a hint of fae and magic in it. There is sexual tension, smut, and action, making this one a swashbuckling adventure with well-developed main characters.
Lady Vice is known as the Pirate Queen, and a hefty reward is promised for her capture, yet she is not even the captain of her own ship. She works under the command of Captain FitzRoy but knows that someday soon she will have her own ship because FitzRoy promised it. Having fae blood gives her power over the sea and weather, allowing her to control and shift tides and currents, and making her an invaluable member of the crew. Captain Knigh (I do not like his name) Blackwood works for the Royal Navy, and is the best pirate hunter there is. Knigh needs the bounty to help his family, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to bring the infamous Lady Vice to justice.
From their very first encounter, things between Vice and Knigh are intense. She makes him look like a fool and enjoyed it very much, making Knigh's hunt for Lady Vice a personal matter on top of it being a very well-paid job. Knigh is very driven and determined, but Vice is cunning and confident and has a lot of practice at using her charms and evading capture.
When Knigh and Vice are forced to work together, things get even more interesting as their mutual hatred gets mixed with a big dose of sexual tension. Knigh starts to realize that Vice might not be the cruel and cold-blooded killer the navy said she was, but once his plan to capture her is in motion, there is nothing he can do besides trying to stifle his guilt. I enjoyed Vice's sass and the mix of banter and sexual tension between her and Knigh. I also absolutely adored the angst and guilt involved in the last third of the book. It was well done and my angst-love side is satisfied (for now).
While I like Vice very much, she sometimes annoyed me with her recklessness and her tendency to put herself in dangerous situations, not caring about the safety of the rest of the crew. She kept on saying how she wanted her own ship and how she deserved it, but honestly, I have to agree with some of the secondary characters when they said that she was not ready and that she needed to think about the crew first and foremost. She always saved the day, but she also endangered the crew a few times with her rash decisions. I was happy to see that Perri did not hesitate to tell Vice when she was being selfish or acting like a brat.
FitzRoy is vain, narcissistic, and self-centered, and he does not like to be outshined by a member of his own crew, and especially not by a woman, and he is the type of character that we just can't like. He's a bastard, but we need a villain for the plot to progress so I'm okay with hating him, as long as he gets what he deserves before the end of this series.
The world-building is basic, but the pirate aspect of the story is well detailed. The pace is good enough to keep us interested until the end. I like how we discovered bits and pieces about Vice's and Knigh's past as the story unfurled, but clearly, there are still a lot of secrets between them. Knigh and Vice's adventure is far from being over, but the last part of this book set us up for the next book without having a cruel cliffhanger.
Overall, the writing is good and this book is very entertaining. I definitely recommend it to any fan of sexy pirates looking for their next adventure.
0.5 Across Dark Seas ⭐⭐⭐.5
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✅ Pirates
✅ Hidden identity and secrets
✅ Sexual tension and some explicit smut
✅ Fake-out make-out 😏
✅ Kind of hate-to-love
✅ Forced proximity
✅ Angst (mild) and betrayal
✅ Pace and plot
✅ There is a cute cat
This is a very entertaining pirate story with a hint of fae and magic in it. There is sexual tension, smut, and action, making this one a swashbuckling adventure with well-developed main characters.
The sea—the world was no place for dreamers or romance or love or any of it. Her only option had been to become Lady Vice. Who was strong. Who didn’t rely on anybody. Who didn’t love and so didn’t grieve and would not break.
Lady Vice is known as the Pirate Queen, and a hefty reward is promised for her capture, yet she is not even the captain of her own ship. She works under the command of Captain FitzRoy but knows that someday soon she will have her own ship because FitzRoy promised it. Having fae blood gives her power over the sea and weather, allowing her to control and shift tides and currents, and making her an invaluable member of the crew. Captain Knigh (I do not like his name) Blackwood works for the Royal Navy, and is the best pirate hunter there is. Knigh needs the bounty to help his family, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to bring the infamous Lady Vice to justice.
His skin burned. He’d only wanted to catch her for the handsome bounty but now… Barking hoarse orders, he gripped the rail, knuckles aching and white. Now, she’d made it personal.
From their very first encounter, things between Vice and Knigh are intense. She makes him look like a fool and enjoyed it very much, making Knigh's hunt for Lady Vice a personal matter on top of it being a very well-paid job. Knigh is very driven and determined, but Vice is cunning and confident and has a lot of practice at using her charms and evading capture.
When Knigh and Vice are forced to work together, things get even more interesting as their mutual hatred gets mixed with a big dose of sexual tension. Knigh starts to realize that Vice might not be the cruel and cold-blooded killer the navy said she was, but once his plan to capture her is in motion, there is nothing he can do besides trying to stifle his guilt. I enjoyed Vice's sass and the mix of banter and sexual tension between her and Knigh. I also absolutely adored the angst and guilt involved in the last third of the book. It was well done and my angst-love side is satisfied (for now).
While I like Vice very much, she sometimes annoyed me with her recklessness and her tendency to put herself in dangerous situations, not caring about the safety of the rest of the crew. She kept on saying how she wanted her own ship and how she deserved it, but honestly, I have to agree with some of the secondary characters when they said that she was not ready and that she needed to think about the crew first and foremost. She always saved the day, but she also endangered the crew a few times with her rash decisions. I was happy to see that Perri did not hesitate to tell Vice when she was being selfish or acting like a brat.
FitzRoy is vain, narcissistic, and self-centered, and he does not like to be outshined by a member of his own crew, and especially not by a woman, and he is the type of character that we just can't like. He's a bastard, but we need a villain for the plot to progress so I'm okay with hating him, as long as he gets what he deserves before the end of this series.
The world-building is basic, but the pirate aspect of the story is well detailed. The pace is good enough to keep us interested until the end. I like how we discovered bits and pieces about Vice's and Knigh's past as the story unfurled, but clearly, there are still a lot of secrets between them. Knigh and Vice's adventure is far from being over, but the last part of this book set us up for the next book without having a cruel cliffhanger.
Overall, the writing is good and this book is very entertaining. I definitely recommend it to any fan of sexy pirates looking for their next adventure.
0.5 Across Dark Seas ⭐⭐⭐.5
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May 16, 2023
“Captain Blackwood …” Somehow formality felt safer, but damn it, did she want to be safe? “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re looking at me like you want to kiss me.”
His fingers twitched against her. “I do.”
🏴☠️𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗦𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗦 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥🏴☠️
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝙱𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙷 𝙱𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙺 𝚂𝙰𝙸𝙻𝚂 #𝟷
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 - 𝙿𝙸𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂 - 𝙵𝙰𝙴 - 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 - 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙼𝙸𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃/𝙼𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙴𝙽 𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚂 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 (𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳𝙴𝚁) - 𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙳𝙰 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙼𝙴𝙰𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝙱𝙴 - 𝙶𝚁𝚄𝙼𝙿𝚈 𝚡 𝚂𝚄𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙴 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝚄𝙽𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/5
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/5
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜📜/5
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀/5 (𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙼𝚄𝚁𝙳𝙴𝚁 - 𝙸𝙼𝙿𝚁𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃 - 𝚂𝙻𝙰𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚈 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙾𝙶𝙸𝙽𝚈)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 (𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙾𝚁𝙰𝙻 𝚂𝙴𝚇 - 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝚈𝙴𝚃 𝚂𝙴𝚇)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🚒🚒🚒🚒/5 (𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝚄𝙸𝙻𝙳 𝚄𝙿 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙵'𝚂 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 💣💣/5 (*𝙱𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙽𝙴𝚈 𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂' 𝚅𝙾𝙸𝙲𝙴* 𝙶𝙸𝙼𝙼𝙴 𝙶𝙸𝙼𝙼𝙴 𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙴)
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - -𝚂𝙴𝙼𝙸-𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻🌻🌻/5
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/5 (𝙸 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙼 𝚂𝙾 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳 *𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚝 𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚓𝚘𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙𝚜*)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔💔/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ❌
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙸𝚂 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙵𝙸𝚁𝙼𝙴𝙳 𝙱𝙸
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤🖤🖤/5 - 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙲𝙷 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚃𝙻𝙴 𝚁𝚄𝚂𝙷𝙴𝙳 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝚆𝙴𝙻𝙻 𝙳𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝙰𝙻𝙻
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝘉𝘈𝘋 𝘏𝘈𝘉𝘐𝘛𝘚 - 𝘕𝘌𝘙𝘝🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
This was such a treat!
I had the best fun with it because it's the perfect mix of adventure, action, romance and fantasy, and I went into it without many expectations.
At first I thought the main character, Vice, was going to give me a hard time, because she's stubborn and reckless and she initially came off as very selfish and immature, but I was glad to find out that's just the outer shell of her character, and under all the bravado, she's actually complex and very likeable.
I like Knigh, as well, and I loved that he threw his beliefs out the window the moment he realized Vice needed him and wasn't his enemy, after all.
The romance was sexy and well done, with some light smut and steamy kisses here and there. I can't say I wasn't frustrated with how it ended, which is why I can't wait to read the next book and see what's going to happen between them, next.
Plotwise speaking, this was surprisingly very entertaining.
I'm not sure the fae aspect was that necessary, but it worked in the end. However, I hope the next books will gives us more info about this side of the story.
And I possibly would like to know more about Vice's past and family, too.
I love pirate novels, but I haven't read many, and some of the few I've read fell short for me because they didn't feel authentic enough.
Again, I'm no expert, but even I can detect accuracy, and I'm glad to claim BBS felt pretty accurate.
Plus, the author was so kind and considerate to add at the end of the book some details about the story and how she gathered her information and how she did her research.
I'm easily impressed by an author giving an insight into their job and stuff like this, so bonus points to Clare Sager for being so awesome and for letting the world know she's a Black Sails fan.
Same, sis!
"I'd say we still have some time to explore the reef if you like?"
His teeth flashed in a smile. "Oh, yes, there must still be more you can show me."
She chuckled. "Oh, the things I could show you, Knigh."
March 11, 2025
Didn't love it as much as the 0.5 but it was good and I'm interested in going on to the next one.
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I just knew if I waited long enough, this would be made into an audio. It will be an audible exclusive and will be out on the 21st of January 2025. The only question is, how long do I have to wait for the other 3 to be out in audio as well 🤔
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I just knew if I waited long enough, this would be made into an audio. It will be an audible exclusive and will be out on the 21st of January 2025. The only question is, how long do I have to wait for the other 3 to be out in audio as well 🤔
September 23, 2022
I thought this was a good pirate+fantasy+romance book and it will definitely be an exciting series
✅ I LOVE A GOOD PIRATE story and I felt like there were definitely parts of this that gave my Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, which was great because I loveee that franchise 🥰 I also enjoyed how there were some other fantasy/magic elements brought into this world and it wasn't only pirates
❌ MY BIGGEST ANNOYANCE in this book was the main character, Lady Vice. Her swagger and cockiness felt a little childish. I actually agreed with some of the other characters when they pointed out her flaws and how she wasn't ready, so it was a bit annoying being in her head sometimes because she thought a little too highly of herself
✅ THE ROMANCE HAD a lot of fun tropes to read about... enemies-to-lovers, hidden identities, forced proximity, to name a few. It was also spicy so if you want something a little more explicit that isn't fade-to-black then this is a good option!
🆗 THE STORY AND HOW everything came together was a little predictable and could have been prevented with clearer communication between characters, but nonetheless, it was still highly entertaining! Especially towards the end - there was so much drama that unfolded 😅
Overall, I think this was a good introduction to a fun new series. Even though it was a little predictable, it sets the story up really well for what I'm hoping is going to be some entertaining redemption and revenge arcs 🤞🤞 I recommend this if you're looking for a good balance between pirate+fantasy adventures and spicy romance.
✅ I LOVE A GOOD PIRATE story and I felt like there were definitely parts of this that gave my Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, which was great because I loveee that franchise 🥰 I also enjoyed how there were some other fantasy/magic elements brought into this world and it wasn't only pirates
❌ MY BIGGEST ANNOYANCE in this book was the main character, Lady Vice. Her swagger and cockiness felt a little childish. I actually agreed with some of the other characters when they pointed out her flaws and how she wasn't ready, so it was a bit annoying being in her head sometimes because she thought a little too highly of herself
✅ THE ROMANCE HAD a lot of fun tropes to read about... enemies-to-lovers, hidden identities, forced proximity, to name a few. It was also spicy so if you want something a little more explicit that isn't fade-to-black then this is a good option!
🆗 THE STORY AND HOW everything came together was a little predictable and could have been prevented with clearer communication between characters, but nonetheless, it was still highly entertaining! Especially towards the end - there was so much drama that unfolded 😅
Overall, I think this was a good introduction to a fun new series. Even though it was a little predictable, it sets the story up really well for what I'm hoping is going to be some entertaining redemption and revenge arcs 🤞🤞 I recommend this if you're looking for a good balance between pirate+fantasy adventures and spicy romance.
July 29, 2020
A swashbuckling pirate romance complete with thumping adventure, devilish charm, a cocky Pirate Queen and a rakish pirate hunter; simmering heat and bitter heartache included.
'Well-behaved women seldom make history.' - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
And this is exactly what Lady Vice seems to be doing. With weather magic on her side, she is the bane of the high seas. Songs are written about the famous Pirate Queen and the reward on her head would tempt even the rich. But she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. And persuading her captain to give her a command, seems to be increasingly difficult to do. After all, a member of crew wasn't meant to outshine her captain in the tales of victory and adventure. And that is bound to sting. But Lady Vice is set on getting that captain-ship and going her own way. And if that involves a job that not even a lunatic pirate would consider, so be it. Lady Vice will see it done!
To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice increases, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods. But Lady Vice not only makes him look the fool at their first encounter, but she does it in style and even has the nerve to wink and blow him a kiss.
He'd only wanted to catch her for the handsome bounty but the cocky show-off stung real bad. And turned it all personal.
Sometimes it takes a pirate to catch a pirate.
Knigh Blackwood is now determined to catch the infuriating vixen. But she's cunning enough to evade capture or escape and her charm will allow her to even talk her way out of chains. So he crafts a trap she won't even see coming. He's determined to do whatever it takes to do the job done but even the best laid plans go wrong. And to say his plan backfired would be a huge understatement. Because the infamous Lady Vice is just like something puzzling he'd found wrapped around an anchor. And trying to figure her out seems to be downright impossible.
Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes aboard their ship, Vice and Knigh keep growing closer. But secrets best forgotten threaten to blast them apart and danger lies in wait to both Vice's freedom and Knigh's family. For one to succeed, the other must fail. And the victory will be so painful, that it will make one's heart clench in agony.
Fast paced and full of both fun and feeling, Beneath Black Sails s is a downright irresistible read that will have you turning pages long into the night.
The Lady is a mix of cocky and gentle that will make you adore her from the very first page and her hunter one of those fine specimens that manage to be oh so tempting through both their gruffness and brokenness.
Vivid and intense, thrilling and addictive, this is one of those books in the pages of which you can easily get lost. Charismatic characters starring in a vibrant story set on a superb background will practically make you see the tale unfold before your eyes. Sass and witty banter will compete with heartache and sorrow to give you one of those memorable romances perfect for the big screen.
If you're a fan of all things pirate and long for a sizzling hot pirate love, Beneath Black Sails would be the perfect fit.
It's swashbuckling!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
'Well-behaved women seldom make history.' - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
And this is exactly what Lady Vice seems to be doing. With weather magic on her side, she is the bane of the high seas. Songs are written about the famous Pirate Queen and the reward on her head would tempt even the rich. But she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. And persuading her captain to give her a command, seems to be increasingly difficult to do. After all, a member of crew wasn't meant to outshine her captain in the tales of victory and adventure. And that is bound to sting. But Lady Vice is set on getting that captain-ship and going her own way. And if that involves a job that not even a lunatic pirate would consider, so be it. Lady Vice will see it done!
To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice increases, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods. But Lady Vice not only makes him look the fool at their first encounter, but she does it in style and even has the nerve to wink and blow him a kiss.
He'd only wanted to catch her for the handsome bounty but the cocky show-off stung real bad. And turned it all personal.
Sometimes it takes a pirate to catch a pirate.
Knigh Blackwood is now determined to catch the infuriating vixen. But she's cunning enough to evade capture or escape and her charm will allow her to even talk her way out of chains. So he crafts a trap she won't even see coming. He's determined to do whatever it takes to do the job done but even the best laid plans go wrong. And to say his plan backfired would be a huge understatement. Because the infamous Lady Vice is just like something puzzling he'd found wrapped around an anchor. And trying to figure her out seems to be downright impossible.
Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes aboard their ship, Vice and Knigh keep growing closer. But secrets best forgotten threaten to blast them apart and danger lies in wait to both Vice's freedom and Knigh's family. For one to succeed, the other must fail. And the victory will be so painful, that it will make one's heart clench in agony.
Fast paced and full of both fun and feeling, Beneath Black Sails s is a downright irresistible read that will have you turning pages long into the night.
The Lady is a mix of cocky and gentle that will make you adore her from the very first page and her hunter one of those fine specimens that manage to be oh so tempting through both their gruffness and brokenness.
Vivid and intense, thrilling and addictive, this is one of those books in the pages of which you can easily get lost. Charismatic characters starring in a vibrant story set on a superb background will practically make you see the tale unfold before your eyes. Sass and witty banter will compete with heartache and sorrow to give you one of those memorable romances perfect for the big screen.
If you're a fan of all things pirate and long for a sizzling hot pirate love, Beneath Black Sails would be the perfect fit.
It's swashbuckling!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
November 6, 2023
Stand-out tropes:
-PIRATES
-Enemies to lovers to enemies
-Cave scene 😏
-Scheming/betrayal
-🌶️🌶 / 5
PSA: Read the prequel novella, Across Dark Seas, before starting this. It will make a world of difference!
This book really snuck up on me in terms of how much I liked it. The romance is paced well with such a satisfying pay-off and then snatched away right when you think everything is going to work out happily 😭
I love Vice and her spunky pirate self. She's kind and cutthroat all at the same time. Really looking forward to seeing how her character grows throughout the series. She's got some work to do with expressing her emotions and letting herself feel.
And then, there's Knigh Blackwood 😍 He's just the best. Even when he's being an idiot, I still love him. Can't wait to see him grovel in the next book. Also, looking forward to some forced proximity, only one bed, and pretending to be married that's going to take place in book 2. GAH how will I survive all those delicious tropes?!
-PIRATES
-Enemies to lovers to enemies
-Cave scene 😏
-Scheming/betrayal
-🌶️🌶 / 5
PSA: Read the prequel novella, Across Dark Seas, before starting this. It will make a world of difference!
This book really snuck up on me in terms of how much I liked it. The romance is paced well with such a satisfying pay-off and then snatched away right when you think everything is going to work out happily 😭
I love Vice and her spunky pirate self. She's kind and cutthroat all at the same time. Really looking forward to seeing how her character grows throughout the series. She's got some work to do with expressing her emotions and letting herself feel.
And then, there's Knigh Blackwood 😍 He's just the best. Even when he's being an idiot, I still love him. Can't wait to see him grovel in the next book. Also, looking forward to some forced proximity, only one bed, and pretending to be married that's going to take place in book 2. GAH how will I survive all those delicious tropes?!
September 26, 2020
Finally! A pirate fantasy romance thats actually detailed about the pirating part!
Lady Vice is noble gentlewoman turned pirate who's made quite the reputation for herself. Stories say she's a soulless, murdering sea witch. No boat is safe from Lady Vice and her crew! In reality, that is definitely not the case. She's more of a confident, crew loving sea witch. Vice has fairy blood which grants her the ability to control the sea when she's near it. So she's able to steer a boat quicker and through many obstacles. While in port she decides to attend a ball to find out about the large bounty that was placed on her head and to get more details about the pirate hunter from the Navy who has a reputation for capturing the most cunning pirates. Knigh, however, was not prepared, at first, for Vice.
Knigh Blackwood is a Navy serviceman who is looking to hunt and arrest Lady Vice. The bounty would go a long way towards helping his sister, mom and aunt out of their dire situation they inherited from his deceased father. He meets an intriguing woman at the ball only realizing after that it was Lady Vice. He essentially ends being tasked with going undercover on The Morrigan, the ship Lady Vice is on, and coordinates with a crew member to take her down. Things do not exactly go as plan though because the longer he sails with the crew, the more he learns that there is much more to Lady Vice than what the stories say and everything is not as it seems.
I want to start by saying that I was a little skeptical going into this story because I was worried how the romance portion would play out. I also wasn't sure if this would end up being one of those fade to black situations even though this is adult romance. I definitely lucked out this time because the romance in this book is steamy and explicit, just how I like it. In fact, Clare talks about why she went this direction in the afterword among other things. So off the bat, this is 100% steamy, on page, explicit, enemies to lovers hot romance.
Vice and Knigh each have their own deeply buried pasts they prefer not to talk about but also has a huge effect on their personalities. Vice is very confident in the fact that she doesn't want or need help from anyone even because every time she lets someone in, they leave her. Knigh on the other hand committed one heinous act and he thinks he's a monster that's hunting another monster. I enjoyed watching this come to play because it's not as straight forward as you would think. There are a lot of side characters involved in the story as well that drive a lot of good and bad decisions in the plot. The story ends pretty well. It sets you up for the next adventure with Vice and Knigh that's not necessarily a cliffhanger. I definitely look forward to continuing and I definitely recommend this story if you're wanting a serious pirate fantasy romance.
Be sure to read the afterword all the way through because the author gives really great insight into how she decided to write this story!
Lady Vice is noble gentlewoman turned pirate who's made quite the reputation for herself. Stories say she's a soulless, murdering sea witch. No boat is safe from Lady Vice and her crew! In reality, that is definitely not the case. She's more of a confident, crew loving sea witch. Vice has fairy blood which grants her the ability to control the sea when she's near it. So she's able to steer a boat quicker and through many obstacles. While in port she decides to attend a ball to find out about the large bounty that was placed on her head and to get more details about the pirate hunter from the Navy who has a reputation for capturing the most cunning pirates. Knigh, however, was not prepared, at first, for Vice.
Knigh Blackwood is a Navy serviceman who is looking to hunt and arrest Lady Vice. The bounty would go a long way towards helping his sister, mom and aunt out of their dire situation they inherited from his deceased father. He meets an intriguing woman at the ball only realizing after that it was Lady Vice. He essentially ends being tasked with going undercover on The Morrigan, the ship Lady Vice is on, and coordinates with a crew member to take her down. Things do not exactly go as plan though because the longer he sails with the crew, the more he learns that there is much more to Lady Vice than what the stories say and everything is not as it seems.
I want to start by saying that I was a little skeptical going into this story because I was worried how the romance portion would play out. I also wasn't sure if this would end up being one of those fade to black situations even though this is adult romance. I definitely lucked out this time because the romance in this book is steamy and explicit, just how I like it. In fact, Clare talks about why she went this direction in the afterword among other things. So off the bat, this is 100% steamy, on page, explicit, enemies to lovers hot romance.
Vice and Knigh each have their own deeply buried pasts they prefer not to talk about but also has a huge effect on their personalities. Vice is very confident in the fact that she doesn't want or need help from anyone even because every time she lets someone in, they leave her. Knigh on the other hand committed one heinous act and he thinks he's a monster that's hunting another monster. I enjoyed watching this come to play because it's not as straight forward as you would think. There are a lot of side characters involved in the story as well that drive a lot of good and bad decisions in the plot. The story ends pretty well. It sets you up for the next adventure with Vice and Knigh that's not necessarily a cliffhanger. I definitely look forward to continuing and I definitely recommend this story if you're wanting a serious pirate fantasy romance.
Be sure to read the afterword all the way through because the author gives really great insight into how she decided to write this story!
June 30, 2024
Knigh was just too vanilla and not cunning enough for me. To quote an iconic vine: *He’s just like every other bitchhhh like??? Nothing about him stood out and with his opposite being Vice who was fun and flirty it just wasn’t enough for me. I also wished this was a true dual POV with two first person perspectives instead of a third person narration because it got confusing at times. I think personally I would’ve connected better with that strategy.
November 4, 2021
DNF due to boredom and irritation at 15%. Irritation was due to Mary Sue heroine and apparent inability of naval personnel to recognise ships🙄
July 3, 2024
I liked but wanted to love this. The pirate setting is so fun and I think done well. I like Vice, but she could come across a bit immature at times. Knigh was just a little too soft for my preferred MMC. I also wish there had been more treasure. I think that will come in the next book, but we spent soooo much time on the
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfhxr...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfhxr...
July 1, 2021
This was a solid pirate story with a bit of fae magic thrown in. Not too much, but just enough to help things along. A moderate amount of smexy times, and some real emotion between the MCs. Some parts were a bit slow, but overall, it was enjoyable.
I will read the next one.
I will read the next one.
May 29, 2021
DNF’ed 23% through. The characters are so immature, nothing makes sense, I cringed so many times that I just couldn’t take the cringing anymore.
December 27, 2022
5 Stars
What a hidden gem!!! I've been feeling like a shitty reader lately because I've found issues with every single book I picked up. If it wasn't the pacing then it was the characters. The plot was either too convenient or it was so predictable I could DNF it and still write up an accurate summary.
It got to the point where I thought two or three misses in a row might be the books' problem, but close to five or more? Shit... maybe I'M the problem.
I was thinking maybe I've grown out of my love of reading (yes like wtf!!!) when I randomly came across this book that advertised the following:
💎 a Sea WITCH
💎 a Pirate Hunter
💎 Battles at sea
💎 Scheming crew mates
💎 Tension that crackles
Daaaaamn was I sold.
I did notice that the little goodreads blurb mentions "perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas" and usually I straight up RUN when I see those dreaded words—not because I hate SJM or anything but because 9 times out of 10 when a fantasy book brings up fans of SJM I know I'm about to experience the most crusty, dried up, three times reduce reuse recycled plot of my life.
But no this historical pirate romance really took me by surprise. I expected it to land at a 3 and it ended up being a 5 star read for me. I liked the characters, the imagery of life out at sea, the tension during the riskier excursions, and the whole atmosphere of the book really.
I see some reviews describing the FMC (lady vice) as a Mary Sue, and while she does have some pretty intense capabilities, I think there's enough to her background and character development throughout the book that she's well beyond the Mary Sue category. She's a pirate and a damn good one, honestly I was a huge fan 🤷🏻♀️
The plot had elements of romance we (aka my goodreads friends and I) love so much without dominating the entire book. There's a lot of focus on pirate life—sailing the sea, finding hidden treasure, attacking merchant ships. All exciting stuff.
Fingers crossed the rest of the series keeps my undivided attention the way this one did 🤞🏼
What a hidden gem!!! I've been feeling like a shitty reader lately because I've found issues with every single book I picked up. If it wasn't the pacing then it was the characters. The plot was either too convenient or it was so predictable I could DNF it and still write up an accurate summary.
It got to the point where I thought two or three misses in a row might be the books' problem, but close to five or more? Shit... maybe I'M the problem.
I was thinking maybe I've grown out of my love of reading (yes like wtf!!!) when I randomly came across this book that advertised the following:
💎 a Sea WITCH
💎 a Pirate Hunter
💎 Battles at sea
💎 Scheming crew mates
💎 Tension that crackles
Daaaaamn was I sold.
I did notice that the little goodreads blurb mentions "perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas" and usually I straight up RUN when I see those dreaded words—not because I hate SJM or anything but because 9 times out of 10 when a fantasy book brings up fans of SJM I know I'm about to experience the most crusty, dried up, three times reduce reuse recycled plot of my life.
But no this historical pirate romance really took me by surprise. I expected it to land at a 3 and it ended up being a 5 star read for me. I liked the characters, the imagery of life out at sea, the tension during the riskier excursions, and the whole atmosphere of the book really.
I see some reviews describing the FMC (lady vice) as a Mary Sue, and while she does have some pretty intense capabilities, I think there's enough to her background and character development throughout the book that she's well beyond the Mary Sue category. She's a pirate and a damn good one, honestly I was a huge fan 🤷🏻♀️
The plot had elements of romance we (aka my goodreads friends and I) love so much without dominating the entire book. There's a lot of focus on pirate life—sailing the sea, finding hidden treasure, attacking merchant ships. All exciting stuff.
Fingers crossed the rest of the series keeps my undivided attention the way this one did 🤞🏼
November 6, 2024
3 stars🌟🌟🌟 This book was so incredibly VIBEY. I wanted an enemies-to-lovers pirate aesthetic set on the high seas and that is exactly what I got! I loved the ocean adventure side of things. It was so fun to secondhand experience life on a ship. I also loved Barnacle the cat🫶🏻
Unfortunately I was never able to feel fully immersed in the story. The writing felt a little choppy at times and up until the very end I could not get myself to like Vice, our FMC. She focused entirely on herself and never really got the character arc I was hoping for. I did like Knigh a lot better, but their levels of miscommunication had me STRESSIN.
Overall it was a fun time! I am learning that I really do love a good pirate romantasy⚓️🏴☠️🌊
Unfortunately I was never able to feel fully immersed in the story. The writing felt a little choppy at times and up until the very end I could not get myself to like Vice, our FMC. She focused entirely on herself and never really got the character arc I was hoping for. I did like Knigh a lot better, but their levels of miscommunication had me STRESSIN.
Overall it was a fun time! I am learning that I really do love a good pirate romantasy⚓️🏴☠️🌊
Read
June 3, 2021I love a good pirate story and I love it even more if it has a feisty lady pirate. Add in some Fae magic, steamy enemies to lovers, and betrayal and I’m a happy gal. Can’t wait to read more about Vice and Knigh!
July 3, 2024
(3.5 stars.)
I'm such a sucker for pirates, man.
Beneath Black Sails is the first book in Clare Sager's NA pirate adventure of badasses. Here, we meet Vice, a sea witch (which is such a cool title btw), who has waited long enough to become captain of her own pirate ship. She has earned herself a killer reputation, has saved her crew from numerous storms and attacks, and has proven herself time and time again. Yet, her current captain keeps telling her, "Not yet." Vice is obviously annoyed by this. Just a she is obviously intrigued when she finds out Ni, famous pirate hunter, is currently on her trail. Yet, what happens when Ni and Vice have a bit more chemistry than they anticipate?
Here's the thing. The story/plot? I love. We basically have a pirate chess game, where Ni has a secret plan to bring Vice in for arrest, and Vice is using Ni to get what she wants. Neither are aware of the others plan, just as they are not aware of how quickly they are falling for the other. Add in some ship battles, some classic treasure hunting intrigue, and some spice, and I'm completely content. That, however, means it's time to move over to characters.
First off, I love Ni. I will always be here for a stiff, carefully controlled man learning how to loosen up, crack some jokes, and learn to reevaluate his past and emotions. We love Ni. I also love how his chemistry with Vice is what enables this arc. Yet, Vice herself?
Vice is a deeply flawed character, and at first, I really liked that about her. In a few words, she is reckless, stubborn, emotionally repressed, flippant, and surprisingly charming when she chooses to be. There is a lot of trauma in her past, and she has hardened her heart as a result. She has learned to keep people at a distance, and she is a master of self-sabotage when people get too close anyways. I love all of this, especially as a starting point for a character arc. Yet, I don't know how much Vice has really grown in these areas.
By the end, Vice is definitely more mature, and her walls have inched down a couple times. I think I was just wishing there was a little more growth than I got. Like, her major blow-up fight with Ni kinda gave me the ick. I know that fight needed to happen for plot and character reasons, but it felt like something early book Vice would have done. I get how these defense mechanisms aren't something we just shrug off and never see again, but I think I was hoping for an acknowledgement of... remorse? Regret? Something that shows the behavior might be the same, but the way she views it is not. There was a little acknowledgment of her drinking and working away the hollow feeling she got as a result, but I feel like that was just her avoiding the feeling like she usually would... unless the growth was that she had those feelings whereas she wouldn't have reacted at all in the beginning? I don't know. I'm definitely intrigued to see how she evolves in the next three books, though.
The only other comment I have is the backstory explanation. For context, I read the prequal, Across Dark Seas, before I read this book. Consequently, I already knew everything being discussed. Yet, ADS was written two years or so after BBS. That being said, I don't know how well I would have been able to keep up with everything in BBS if I hadn't read ADS first. To be fair, I wasn't paying too much attention because I already knew everything, so I could be harping on something that isn't that big of a deal. I just thought I would mention that.
Ultimately, the plot, setting, and romance in Beneath Black Sails is impeccable. Ni is also impeccable. I really liked Avice from Across Dark Seas, which helped me keep liking Vice here. Yet, sometimes Vice wasn't really my cup of tea, but I see the direction Clare is going with her arc. I'm hopeful.
Across Dark Seas review - 4
Against Dark Tides review - 4
Under Black Skies review - 4.5
Through Dark Storms review - 5
I'm such a sucker for pirates, man.
Beneath Black Sails is the first book in Clare Sager's NA pirate adventure of badasses. Here, we meet Vice, a sea witch (which is such a cool title btw), who has waited long enough to become captain of her own pirate ship. She has earned herself a killer reputation, has saved her crew from numerous storms and attacks, and has proven herself time and time again. Yet, her current captain keeps telling her, "Not yet." Vice is obviously annoyed by this. Just a she is obviously intrigued when she finds out Ni, famous pirate hunter, is currently on her trail. Yet, what happens when Ni and Vice have a bit more chemistry than they anticipate?
Here's the thing. The story/plot? I love. We basically have a pirate chess game, where Ni has a secret plan to bring Vice in for arrest, and Vice is using Ni to get what she wants. Neither are aware of the others plan, just as they are not aware of how quickly they are falling for the other. Add in some ship battles, some classic treasure hunting intrigue, and some spice, and I'm completely content. That, however, means it's time to move over to characters.
First off, I love Ni. I will always be here for a stiff, carefully controlled man learning how to loosen up, crack some jokes, and learn to reevaluate his past and emotions. We love Ni. I also love how his chemistry with Vice is what enables this arc. Yet, Vice herself?
Vice is a deeply flawed character, and at first, I really liked that about her. In a few words, she is reckless, stubborn, emotionally repressed, flippant, and surprisingly charming when she chooses to be. There is a lot of trauma in her past, and she has hardened her heart as a result. She has learned to keep people at a distance, and she is a master of self-sabotage when people get too close anyways. I love all of this, especially as a starting point for a character arc. Yet, I don't know how much Vice has really grown in these areas.
By the end, Vice is definitely more mature, and her walls have inched down a couple times. I think I was just wishing there was a little more growth than I got. Like, her major blow-up fight with Ni kinda gave me the ick. I know that fight needed to happen for plot and character reasons, but it felt like something early book Vice would have done. I get how these defense mechanisms aren't something we just shrug off and never see again, but I think I was hoping for an acknowledgement of... remorse? Regret? Something that shows the behavior might be the same, but the way she views it is not. There was a little acknowledgment of her drinking and working away the hollow feeling she got as a result, but I feel like that was just her avoiding the feeling like she usually would... unless the growth was that she had those feelings whereas she wouldn't have reacted at all in the beginning? I don't know. I'm definitely intrigued to see how she evolves in the next three books, though.
The only other comment I have is the backstory explanation. For context, I read the prequal, Across Dark Seas, before I read this book. Consequently, I already knew everything being discussed. Yet, ADS was written two years or so after BBS. That being said, I don't know how well I would have been able to keep up with everything in BBS if I hadn't read ADS first. To be fair, I wasn't paying too much attention because I already knew everything, so I could be harping on something that isn't that big of a deal. I just thought I would mention that.
Ultimately, the plot, setting, and romance in Beneath Black Sails is impeccable. Ni is also impeccable. I really liked Avice from Across Dark Seas, which helped me keep liking Vice here. Yet, sometimes Vice wasn't really my cup of tea, but I see the direction Clare is going with her arc. I'm hopeful.
Across Dark Seas review - 4
Against Dark Tides review - 4
Under Black Skies review - 4.5
Through Dark Storms review - 5
June 2, 2021
Say helloooo to my new fave bounty hunter! If I'm honest, he's also probably gonna make it onto the book boyfriend shelf, cause he's well... Delicious. No jokes, this book kept me up WAY too late for several nights in a row cause I just couldn't stop. I also held my breath to the point of turning blue multiple times 😬😵. The adventure, the romance 🔥, the DRAMA! Top notch! Not sure I've ever wanted to shake two characters so much in my life and at first, I thought that was a negative thing but on second thought... Well played Clare !!! You have me right where you probably want me 😂. Needless to say, I can't wait to see how these characters grow from here on and where the story leads! (YES, I've totally started the sequel already... Pft, if you think any of you can resist and not binge it... 😂😂😂)
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Book of Matches Media, thank you for introducing me to Clare Sager and her books and thank you both for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. I am obviously loving it!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Book of Matches Media, thank you for introducing me to Clare Sager and her books and thank you both for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. I am obviously loving it!
April 19, 2022
I’ve read a lot of pirate books.
At this point I’m pretty sure I can be a convincing pirate myself! So for me to say this was one of the best ones I’ve read while they weren’t actual willing pirates, ugh this was amazing.
Vice was an incredibly flawed character, and I absolutely loved her for it. Most flaws came to be because of pain of being hurt again, which makes it the start of a journey instead the end of one. I’m spotting a lot of character development on the rise! (haha do you get it?? pirate joke?)
Knigh was so, uh, Knigh. HAHA.
He is stuck in his ways, lost the ability to loosen up, but luckily he has a very fun pirate to chase so it’s fine *wink wink*
No, Knigh was awesome. The way he is so soft under all the masks he uses to hide himself, ugh, yes.
But the real star of the show is of course Barnacle, the cat. How could I not.
If you like pirates, and a bit of spice, and a lot of banter, and sexual tension, and a cat named Barnacle. Go read this book.
At this point I’m pretty sure I can be a convincing pirate myself! So for me to say this was one of the best ones I’ve read while they weren’t actual willing pirates, ugh this was amazing.
Vice was an incredibly flawed character, and I absolutely loved her for it. Most flaws came to be because of pain of being hurt again, which makes it the start of a journey instead the end of one. I’m spotting a lot of character development on the rise! (haha do you get it?? pirate joke?)
Knigh was so, uh, Knigh. HAHA.
He is stuck in his ways, lost the ability to loosen up, but luckily he has a very fun pirate to chase so it’s fine *wink wink*
No, Knigh was awesome. The way he is so soft under all the masks he uses to hide himself, ugh, yes.
But the real star of the show is of course Barnacle, the cat. How could I not.
If you like pirates, and a bit of spice, and a lot of banter, and sexual tension, and a cat named Barnacle. Go read this book.
February 23, 2023
Miscommunication on the High Seas would have been a better title. I was excited for the pirate setting of this and I did enjoy the first half but all of the major drama stemmed from a stupid misunderstanding that could have been cleared up with a simple one sentence conversation. Way too emo also. So much internal dialogue about feeeeeeelings. From both sides. Made me gag. I don’t want to feel like the MCs’ therapist.
November 3, 2020
Beneath Black Sails was a lot of fun, falling in the pirate fantasy romance genre. One of the better pirate fantasy romances I have read with a really likeable sassy and clever heroine and the hero was also great.
Knigh (I’m sorry but I don’t like this name) is a pirate hunter out to capture the notorious Lady Vice, who has a rather large bounty on her head, one of which he hopes to use to pay off some family debts incurred by his father (who pretty much drove their family to ruin because of them) so, when the opportunity presents itself to broker a deal with the Captain of her ship, Knigh uses the opportunity to his advantage.
I had a blast in the first part of this book especially, as she outsmarted him several times and the play off each other was just great and full of humorous moments. I especially loved the scene in dock and her salute. She had a great voice- managed to be self-assured fun-loving imp while keeping that don’t get to close to me vibe in the mix.
There were also a few ship battles- enough to satisfy my love of them, and a few good side characters (Barnacle stole most the scenes she was in and I adored Perry) but on the whole the cast feels somewhat small and more focused on just the two main leads.
A few minor quibbles. Some of the sentences felt awkward and at times, I had to reread them to be clear on what was being said or who was talking.
The eventual break-up was abrupt. This might be a little bit because we never see the connection between his ex-fiancé and himself and he seemed rather blasé about the whole thing until this moment when he wasn’t anymore. I am trying to stay vague on the details because of spoilers which btw 9 times out of 10 there is a break-up in the romance formula so that part wasn’t a spoiler even if it sounds like one.
I am still not a fan of in-world cuss words and probably never will be. Even when they work as a double purpose to remind you that the Fae are involved in this world. I found the numerous “by the wild hunt” a bit distracting by the time the book ended.
The end is satisfying, it doesn’t close all the pages but leaves you in a spot where even if you didn’t move on, you’d be happy enough.
I enjoyed this and would love to continue on with the series.
spfbo score 8/10 or 4 stars
Go here to find out more about SPFBO contest and to find links to all the participating bloggers/authors and reviews.
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
finalist board-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
RockStarlit BookAsylum Team reviews-
https://starlitbook.com/2020/09/30/sp...
Knigh (I’m sorry but I don’t like this name) is a pirate hunter out to capture the notorious Lady Vice, who has a rather large bounty on her head, one of which he hopes to use to pay off some family debts incurred by his father (who pretty much drove their family to ruin because of them) so, when the opportunity presents itself to broker a deal with the Captain of her ship, Knigh uses the opportunity to his advantage.
I had a blast in the first part of this book especially, as she outsmarted him several times and the play off each other was just great and full of humorous moments. I especially loved the scene in dock and her salute. She had a great voice- managed to be self-assured fun-loving imp while keeping that don’t get to close to me vibe in the mix.
There were also a few ship battles- enough to satisfy my love of them, and a few good side characters (Barnacle stole most the scenes she was in and I adored Perry) but on the whole the cast feels somewhat small and more focused on just the two main leads.
A few minor quibbles. Some of the sentences felt awkward and at times, I had to reread them to be clear on what was being said or who was talking.
The eventual break-up was abrupt. This might be a little bit because we never see the connection between his ex-fiancé and himself and he seemed rather blasé about the whole thing until this moment when he wasn’t anymore. I am trying to stay vague on the details because of spoilers which btw 9 times out of 10 there is a break-up in the romance formula so that part wasn’t a spoiler even if it sounds like one.
I am still not a fan of in-world cuss words and probably never will be. Even when they work as a double purpose to remind you that the Fae are involved in this world. I found the numerous “by the wild hunt” a bit distracting by the time the book ended.
The end is satisfying, it doesn’t close all the pages but leaves you in a spot where even if you didn’t move on, you’d be happy enough.
I enjoyed this and would love to continue on with the series.
spfbo score 8/10 or 4 stars
Go here to find out more about SPFBO contest and to find links to all the participating bloggers/authors and reviews.
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
finalist board-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
RockStarlit BookAsylum Team reviews-
https://starlitbook.com/2020/09/30/sp...
August 20, 2023
Clare Sager is a seriously underrated fantasy author.
I haven’t read a pirates fantasy book in years but I really enjoyed this. It is set in a human world where fae also reside and the FMC is fae touched giving her powers to wield the ocean/weather. I really liked the FMC. She is determined, flawed, a bit self destructive but still a queen. I’m looking forward to the next few books!
I haven’t read a pirates fantasy book in years but I really enjoyed this. It is set in a human world where fae also reside and the FMC is fae touched giving her powers to wield the ocean/weather. I really liked the FMC. She is determined, flawed, a bit self destructive but still a queen. I’m looking forward to the next few books!
April 30, 2025
This book was fun. She's a pirate, and he's a pirate hunter, so there's definitely an enemies-to-lovers vibe. I loved the dynamic between Vice and Knigh. It reminded me so much of Celaena and Chaol from Throne of Glass. There’s scheming, betrayal, and a touch of magic, with great tension and plenty of banter. That said, the characters did feel a bit naive, and by the end, they started to annoy tf out of me. Still, I had a fun time reading this.
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October 15, 2023Dnfing but no rating because I MAY pick this again..
The heroine was a little cocky for my taste bjt I liked the love interest. He was smart and one step ahead of her.
The heroine was a little cocky for my taste bjt I liked the love interest. He was smart and one step ahead of her.
May 18, 2020
God, this book was fantastic. It marries two of my great loves: adventure/exploration and romance.
Reading this historic, adventure, enemies-to-lovers romance was like being there. You can see the ship and its crew, smell and hear the sea, cut the tension between Vice and Knigh with a sabre. Add the fae element and you get, quite literally, a story woven of magic.
Vice is an intensely likable heroine and Knigh, well. I love a man of conviction and real heart.
I will absolutely be reading this one again and again, and can't wait to devour the rest of the series!!
Reading this historic, adventure, enemies-to-lovers romance was like being there. You can see the ship and its crew, smell and hear the sea, cut the tension between Vice and Knigh with a sabre. Add the fae element and you get, quite literally, a story woven of magic.
Vice is an intensely likable heroine and Knigh, well. I love a man of conviction and real heart.
I will absolutely be reading this one again and again, and can't wait to devour the rest of the series!!
September 7, 2023
I didn't know what to expect when I read this, but by god, this was so much fun! it's not an HEA until the last one, apparently, but I still loved the high-stakes, pirates, and enemies to lovers vibes! So much fun to read!
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December 27, 202227th Dec 2022 – To celebrate the end of the year, you can get BBS for FREE for the next couple of days. Happy reading! 🖤
March 13, 2022
4.5 because I was stressed tf out
August 18, 2022
This book had everything I loved pirates, spicy, violence but there were somethings I didn’t like for example the miscommunication troupe that was in the book was soooooo dumb like it made no sense and just made me hate the male love interest a little bit. I will be reading the second one though because I might not be the biggest fan of Knighton Blackwood but I loved Lady Vice she was an amazing pirate queen!!!! Also no one can stop me if I have a baby girl one day her name will be Avice.
July 16, 2024
The angst during the betrayal was *chef's kiss*
November 24, 2020
I flipping love pirates, I forget how much when I’m not reading a swashbuckling tale but heck, I adore them!
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