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Luck Be a Lady Pirate
The most dangerous pirate in the skies might be the one who steals your heart.
Yvette Séverin has piracy in her blood. The only child of the vile Captain Redbeard, she has commandeered his name, his best smuggling routes, and a perfect airship. Now she’s determined to shove all her past failures aside and make herself the best possible captain. The new Captain Redbeard leaves no woman behind. If protecting her crew leads to kidnapping a prim and proper—and irresistible—psychologist… C’est la vie.
The last thing Catalina Navarro needs is an alluring and chaotic pirate upending her orderly life. The offer to join Redbeard’s crew of unconventional women is tempting, but Lina will only accept under her own terms: It’s a job, and it’s only for a few months. When her attraction to the pirate captain swells into something undeniable, Lina lays down the rules again: The affair will be casual, private, and temporary.
But when mechanical monsters attack the pirates and threaten civilians, Yvette and Lina will be flung headlong into an ocean-spanning whirlwind of danger and intrigue. With enemies on their heels, they must rely on old friends, new crewmates, and on one another. Teamwork means time together, and soon Yvette and Lina will question both their intimate arrangement and their long-held beliefs. Saving the world won’t be easy. But it might be possible if the captain and her mate can open their hearts and fight side-by-side.
Yvette Séverin has piracy in her blood. The only child of the vile Captain Redbeard, she has commandeered his name, his best smuggling routes, and a perfect airship. Now she’s determined to shove all her past failures aside and make herself the best possible captain. The new Captain Redbeard leaves no woman behind. If protecting her crew leads to kidnapping a prim and proper—and irresistible—psychologist… C’est la vie.
The last thing Catalina Navarro needs is an alluring and chaotic pirate upending her orderly life. The offer to join Redbeard’s crew of unconventional women is tempting, but Lina will only accept under her own terms: It’s a job, and it’s only for a few months. When her attraction to the pirate captain swells into something undeniable, Lina lays down the rules again: The affair will be casual, private, and temporary.
But when mechanical monsters attack the pirates and threaten civilians, Yvette and Lina will be flung headlong into an ocean-spanning whirlwind of danger and intrigue. With enemies on their heels, they must rely on old friends, new crewmates, and on one another. Teamwork means time together, and soon Yvette and Lina will question both their intimate arrangement and their long-held beliefs. Saving the world won’t be easy. But it might be possible if the captain and her mate can open their hearts and fight side-by-side.
Paperback
First published January 24, 2023
2 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Stein
28 books169 followersAward-winning author Catherine Stein believes that everyone deserves love and that Happily Ever After has the power to help, to heal, and to comfort. She writes sassy, sexy romance set during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Her books are full of action, adventure, magic, and fantastic technologies.
Catherine lives in Michigan with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She loves steampunk and Oxford commas, and can often be found dressed in Renaissance Festival clothing, drinking copious amounts of tea.
Catherine lives in Michigan with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She loves steampunk and Oxford commas, and can often be found dressed in Renaissance Festival clothing, drinking copious amounts of tea.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 14, 2023
”We are pirates and ladies. We defy the rules and claim our freedom. We fly and fight and do things women are told not to do.”
4 stars. I’m glad that I randomly came across this on Hoopla because what a ride! Such a fun pirate adventure. It’s well written with kickass characters and a swoony and sexy romance. I liked that it starts with Yvette kidnapping Lina and taking her upon her ship. Needless to say they don’t get off on the right foot but still the chemistry was bubbling under the surface right from the start. Once they got to know each other and got close it was wonderful to see them both be so open and vulnerable. Both women are such headstrong and determined women and I thought they balanced each other out really well. This was action packed and just such an entertaining read from beginning to end. I absolutely adored it.
4 stars. I’m glad that I randomly came across this on Hoopla because what a ride! Such a fun pirate adventure. It’s well written with kickass characters and a swoony and sexy romance. I liked that it starts with Yvette kidnapping Lina and taking her upon her ship. Needless to say they don’t get off on the right foot but still the chemistry was bubbling under the surface right from the start. Once they got to know each other and got close it was wonderful to see them both be so open and vulnerable. Both women are such headstrong and determined women and I thought they balanced each other out really well. This was action packed and just such an entertaining read from beginning to end. I absolutely adored it.
January 19, 2023
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I admit I was ecstatic when I saw the cover and premise of Luck Be a Lady Pirate. While Catherine Stein’s steampunk world has taken a while to grow on me, now that it has, I love the idea of pirates also running airships…and one of them happens to be a crew of badass women. It should be noted that this book does stand alone, and all connections to the previous books are tangential at best, so absolutely feel free to start here if it strikes your fancy the most. But I have more or less liked what the series has to offer so far, and would recommend them.
I love how Stein plays with recognizable character archetypes and tropes here, especially as she’s paying homage to classic pirate historicals. The spin on the abduction/kidnapping trope is particularly fun, turning a somewhat problematic trope on its head, with an explicit statement of the “abductee’s” agency.
Yvette and Lina are both engaging characters, opposites who play well off each other. Yvette is a pirate, born and bred, taking on her father’s mantle and legacy and Captain Redbeard, determined to prove herself in spite of past failures. Meanwhile, Lina is much more staid by comparison, pursuing a career as a psychologist, when she finds her life upended. Their initial spark was believable, despite their surface-level differences, and while they did initially agree to a temporary affair, I love how easily things translated into something deeper without a lot of waffling on either of their parts. There’s some deep, tender moments between them that really touched my heart.
This is one of my favorite Catherine Stein books to date, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a sapphic steampunk pirate romance.
I admit I was ecstatic when I saw the cover and premise of Luck Be a Lady Pirate. While Catherine Stein’s steampunk world has taken a while to grow on me, now that it has, I love the idea of pirates also running airships…and one of them happens to be a crew of badass women. It should be noted that this book does stand alone, and all connections to the previous books are tangential at best, so absolutely feel free to start here if it strikes your fancy the most. But I have more or less liked what the series has to offer so far, and would recommend them.
I love how Stein plays with recognizable character archetypes and tropes here, especially as she’s paying homage to classic pirate historicals. The spin on the abduction/kidnapping trope is particularly fun, turning a somewhat problematic trope on its head, with an explicit statement of the “abductee’s” agency.
Yvette and Lina are both engaging characters, opposites who play well off each other. Yvette is a pirate, born and bred, taking on her father’s mantle and legacy and Captain Redbeard, determined to prove herself in spite of past failures. Meanwhile, Lina is much more staid by comparison, pursuing a career as a psychologist, when she finds her life upended. Their initial spark was believable, despite their surface-level differences, and while they did initially agree to a temporary affair, I love how easily things translated into something deeper without a lot of waffling on either of their parts. There’s some deep, tender moments between them that really touched my heart.
This is one of my favorite Catherine Stein books to date, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a sapphic steampunk pirate romance.
June 23, 2023
i am going to put a real quick disclaimer here because the reason my rating is so low is entirely my own fault like the authors writing is great, but every issue i had with the book comes from things that are my own fault.
my main issue was this book wasn’t high stakes enough but this book is meant to be lighthearted so that’s entirely my fault for thinking that “lighthearted” in a pirate setting would be slightly darker than an average book, but alas it was not. the book was very much a comedy and therefore did not meet my pirate angst requirements.
the second issue i had is that even though this book can be read as a standalone it doesn’t feel like a standalone. it feels like the author does a lot of assumptions that we have read the other books in the series and therefore know how all the interpersonal relationships work but alas for me i went in straight to this one and then was confused when previous characters were mentioned and how they had affected the world previously was just glossed over.
apart from that this book is enjoyable, it just wasn’t for me, so please take my review with a pinch of salt.
my main issue was this book wasn’t high stakes enough but this book is meant to be lighthearted so that’s entirely my fault for thinking that “lighthearted” in a pirate setting would be slightly darker than an average book, but alas it was not. the book was very much a comedy and therefore did not meet my pirate angst requirements.
the second issue i had is that even though this book can be read as a standalone it doesn’t feel like a standalone. it feels like the author does a lot of assumptions that we have read the other books in the series and therefore know how all the interpersonal relationships work but alas for me i went in straight to this one and then was confused when previous characters were mentioned and how they had affected the world previously was just glossed over.
apart from that this book is enjoyable, it just wasn’t for me, so please take my review with a pinch of salt.
February 1, 2025
A fun steampunk pirate read. Lots of communication between the two leads.
The story moved a bit quickly, but it was the right speed, considering the lightness.
Highly recommend if you are into steampunk fantasy and pirate adventures.
The story moved a bit quickly, but it was the right speed, considering the lightness.
Highly recommend if you are into steampunk fantasy and pirate adventures.
Read
March 9, 2023Heat Factor: It’s a sweet and sassy kind of steamy—not too many scenes, but you’re not left hanging.
Character Chemistry: These two are fantastically well-matched. It makes absolute sense almost immediately, even when they’re butting heads.
Plot: A pirate and a therapist fly around in an airship and take down an evil bad guy, fool around, and fall in love.
Overall: This was a sweeping, adventurous romance with heavy hints the rest of the series is worth catching.
Read our full review at The Smut Report
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
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Character Chemistry: These two are fantastically well-matched. It makes absolute sense almost immediately, even when they’re butting heads.
Plot: A pirate and a therapist fly around in an airship and take down an evil bad guy, fool around, and fall in love.
Overall: This was a sweeping, adventurous romance with heavy hints the rest of the series is worth catching.
Read our full review at The Smut Report
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
February 13, 2023
I absolutely loved this, the two heroines are a delight, their love story enchanting, the back story fascinating and I adore the lady pirates, I want to be part of the crew!
Normally I speed over the spicy scenes but here they were written so well, I dwelt on them.
Just all around so gut!
Normally I speed over the spicy scenes but here they were written so well, I dwelt on them.
Just all around so gut!
June 19, 2023
Fun adventurous romp with pirate ship that flies.. loved the settings of Paris, Savannah, St Louis, and NYC.. all that adventure also meant lots of post danger bangs 🔥🔥🔥 especially with the bon bons! So great to see both Lina and Yvette unwind in their own ways and fall in love!
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July 3, 2023dnf @ 34%
the book is tad too overwritten for my taste, but I'm probably not the right person for it. happens!
the book is tad too overwritten for my taste, but I'm probably not the right person for it. happens!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews