Thief of Hearts

by Teresa Medeiros

From the storm-lashed decks of a pirate schooner to the elegant grounds of an English estate comes a spellbinding tale of love and deception...as only the remarkable bestselling author, Teresa Medeiros can tell it.

An Innocent Beauty
Prim and pampered, Lucinda Snow knew little of men and nothing of danger, until the fog-shrouded night she found herself abducted—and at the mercy of the legendary Captain Doom. Ruthless and mocking, tender and virile, the notorious pirate awakened all Lucy's passionate longings, then abandoned her with nothing but a kiss...

A Pirate's Prize
Now safely at home, the alluring waif is tormented by treacherous memories—and by the presence of Gerard Claremont, her mysterious new bodyguard. Everything about him, from his forbidding size to his impertinent manner, sparks her defiance. And even when Gerard's smile turns seductive, no one can make her forget Doom. Yet only when Lucy's path crosses the captain's once more, will she learn who is on a voyage of retribution, and who is out to steal her heart...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Pirates, Regency, Historical Fiction, Fiction

424 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

New York Times bestseller Teresa Medeiros wrote her first novel at the age of twenty-one and has since gone on to win the hearts of both readers and critics. All of her books have been national bestsellers, featured on the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She currently has over 10 million books in print.

She is a seven-time Rita finalist, two-time PRISM winner, and two-time recipient of the Waldenbooks Award for bestselling fiction.

GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART was released in January 2011 and her latest historical THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS is coming from Pocket Books in December 2011. Teresa lives in Kentucky with her husband and her cats, Buffy the Mouse Slayer and Willow Tum-Tum.

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me at hello, great beginning. When Captain Doom says with a hand flat over his chest. "Your mistake, man," he said softly. "The little wench damn near got my heart." I do believe folks this is called foreshadowing.
I delight in stories where the characters conflict with each other and you can literately see as you read the characters change, grow, and come together. I can already sense Lucy is going to have a lot of growing up to do and I can't wait to see how Gerard pushes her into it.
Medeiros does a spectacular job of showing how Gerard brings Lucy alive.
Oooh loved the scene where Gerard and Lucy have supper in the carriage and Gerard's game of teasing Lucy backfires and she tells him "Why Mr. Claremont your spectacles are fogging up."
Truly heartbreaking when Lucy is confided to her room and looks out her window to see Gerard watching her window leaning against a tree in the wind. She lays her palm against the window and simply says "Good morning Mr. Claremont"
The dancing around each other is so delightful to read. Lucy constantly pushing, poking, and trying Gerard's patience in subtle ways and Gerard's constant fight to stay diligent in avoidance of any feelings for her. This is where the story really comes alive for me; Lucy and Gerard's battle to stay apart and together.
The scene where Lucy tells Gerard she loves him is completely perfect, with the cheroot falling out of his mouth to him walking away, and finally with Lucy whispering "Was it something I said?" to herself. You want to laugh but strangely at the same time your heart is bleeding for this couple.
Sometimes I was restless at the stalemate Lucy and Gerard seemed to be at. I thought it was going to be cured by the addition of Gerard's brother Kevin, and what a delight he was, but he didn't end up playing a large enough role. (Did Medeiros ever make a sequel with Kevin?)
There did come a point were I groaned with frustration, how many times can a couple be interrupted when they keep waiting so long to get together?
I couldn't help thinking "oh shit" when Lucy's father kills Gerard's man sent over to negotiate a deal. Gerard has to retaliate, even Kevin steps in front of him but to no avail, but then when Gerard kicks the door down to get to Lucy I found myself holding my breath because maybe just maybe this could be a good thing and finally something can be resolved between these two.
Now this was a story! The kind where you read the last page then sigh and sit there for a couple seconds digesting what you just read. The first part of the book had a lot of bittersweet poignancy for me and was terrific. The second part of the book did get a little long. I would have liked the courtroom scene to have come about earlier. However, even with this small complaint, this is a book you experience and savor not just read, toss away, and forget. Can you say Keeper?

A

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok- so far fetched that I couldn't get into it. To me, pirates need to be assholes, not sympathetic wieners who fall in love instantly and take their women out for picnics in the park. Slit someone's throat for Pete's sake and then make love to me. Get with it, man.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

May 15 2016 Re-read: oh how I adore Gerard Claremont!!

I really think this book has potential to be even better than it is, even though it's a fantastic book as it is now. I would so love another chapter or two which tells us more about how Gerard and Lucy reunited. A few pages aren't enough!!

Still one of my favorite pirate stories. 5 stars all the way!

Original Review:

I have read quite a few books from Teresa Medeiros and liked most of them. So to begin the review I have to say she is my kind of writer. While most of her books do appeal to my liking, this book is OVER THE TOP enjoyable. I don't add a lot of books to my "keepers" shelf. When I do, it usually means the book has somehow managed to tug my heart with its ups and downs. I feel drawn to the the lead characters and I am happy when they are happy and I am sad when they are ad odds with each other. This is one of those books!!! I want to read faster because I want to see them happily together but I don't want to read faster because I do not want it to end.

A truly wonderful story, thumbs up, Ms. Medeiros.

I do however think, there are quite some story lines that could have been explored but left untouched, especially in the last part of the story. This book was already long and I can see why Ms. Medeiros wanted to wrap it up. But the reader in me longs to hear more. So I so wish that she would pick up this story and elaborate more on those unexplored themes. Alas this is unlikely to happen.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pirate romance for the win!

I'm a fan of revenge stories--love, love, love them. Why yes, I do hold grudges. And with a name like Captain Doom...*sigh* I wanted to be a pirate as a child, lurking in Drake's Passage and Blackbeard's Playground, but alas it's not really a modern "profession" neither is Valkyrie, growing up was very disappointing.

Lucy Snow, is the only child of Admiral Snow. She knows her way around a ship and isn't prone to the vapors. No nonsense and her life runs like clockwork, or rather Admiral Snow's does and everyone in his household follows orders. Lucy is amused by the tall tales sailors are telling in dark as she eavesdrops until... Captain Blood and his ghost ship appears out of the fog to attack.

"Oh, I've excellent aim," she confessed. "I just couldn't bear to stab you in the heart."

This is a delight. Not as much time on the pirate ship as I'd like, but Medeiros does a wonderful job giving the captain and crew a backstory and the resolution is perfect. Believable, too. Shocking, I know.

Wholeheartedly thrilled with this gem and again, Whiskey helped steer me to winner.

<<>>==<<>>==<<>>==<<>>==<<>>
Cheers to Cupid's BFF for the Valentine's gift.

(\_/)
(o.o)
c♥️

[Hannah B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need him

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thief of Hearts
5 Stars

Following an intense encounter with the notorious pirate known only as Captain Doom, prim and proper Lucinda Snow is unwillingly subject to the protection of her impertinent yet mysterious new bodyguard, Gerard Claremont. Despite their initial animosity, Lucy and Gerard cannot resist their mutual attraction. But a dangerous and destructive secret soon comes between them. Will Lucy and Gerard be able to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way?

I've never been a fan of pirate romances, but read this one for a challenge and it is very entertaining.

Although Lucy initially comes across as immature and weak willed, her strength of character quickly emerges, and she matures into a particularly engaging heroine. Gerard is quite typical of the dark and enigmatic hero with a traumatic past and a secret to hide. His internal conflict between his desire for revenge and his increasing attraction to and feelings for Lucy make him all the more compelling. Lucy and Gerard's chemistry and their snarky sparring are an absolute delight.

Medeiros's writing is excellent. Her descriptions, whether of the streets of London, the ballrooms of the ton or the decks of a schooner, are well-detailed and immersive. The secret keeping trope, which can be quite irritating, is handled well mainly because it is necessary for both plot and character development, and does not drag on unnecessarily.

All in all, this is a lovely romance with likable characters and a satisfying climax and resolution.

[HR-ML · Rating 1 out of 5]

Regency England & @ sea (paperback edition). I'd give
a zero rating if I could.

This featured Gerard, a pirate captain who wanted revenge
against retired Royal Navy Admiral Snow, who promised
to make Gerard a Royal Navy Captain. And then didn't make
good on his promise. Subsequently the H was otherwise en-
gaged & imprisoned by the French.

Innocent Lucinda "Lucy" Snow had to conform to her Da's
regimented schedule. He treated her like a sailor under his
command. She mostly acted meek around him. Gerard
arranged to kidnap Lucy to embarress her Da who wanted
no taint of family scandal. Lucy wore a blindfold & never
saw the H. Ger literally threw her off the ship. What a guy!
Not!! Upon Lucy's return home, the H used faux references
to be hired as Lucy's bodyguard. But he needed to be more
vigilant.

Ger was too angry for much of this story. He chose several
noble actions. Yet he remainad tactiturn, even toward his
loyal crew. The leads ea. had tempers. The romance seemed
to take a back-seat to revenge & the sea going adventures.
Not what I expected from this author.

[Ursula · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable 3.5 stars.
This was an interesting story, quite long, with some changes of scene (on sea/on land/on sea) and lots of action. I particularly liked all the bits on the ship- TM definitely evoked the feel of a sailing ship with her vivid descriptions.
Sometimes the heroine annoyed me with some very silly choices, but I guess she did do a bit of growing up in the course of the book and that was nice to see. The hero was also likeable, even when he was nasty, and I could understand a lot of his motivation-some truly awful shit happened to him.

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed this book: the hero remained a decent bloke, the heroine developed into a worthwhile person, there were some cool (hot) scenes of passion and the villains got their comeuppance. Just what I needed:)

I will definitely be looking at more by this author!

[Addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts with doom. Well kind of.

Captain Doom kidnaps Lucinda Snow, daughter of his bitterest enemy. Captain Doom is a rapscallion.



Their first interaction is quite brief, shrouded in mystery (she is kept blindfolded), but delicious. There is an instant battle of wills.

At first, Capt Doom tries to prove how scary he is.

- "They say you've been known to ravish ten virgins in one night." As soon as the words were out, she cringed, wondering what had possessed her to confess such a shocking thing.
Instead of laughing as she expected, he framed her delicate jaw in his splayed fingers and tilted her head back.
His voice was both tender and solemn, mocking them both. "Ah, but then one scrawny virgin such as yourself would only whet my appetite."



But to his delight, he also seems to bring out Lucy’s claws.

- His footsteps ceased just behind her. "So he sent you in his stead. Poor, sweet Lucy."
Lucy wasn't sure what jarred her most—the rueful note of empathy in his voice or hearing her Christian name caressed by his devilish tongue.
"If you're going to murder me, do get on with it," she snapped. "You can eulogize me after I'm gone."

- She heard nothing but the ghostly wail of the wind and Doom's boots pounding along the deck.
"Your crew?" she dared to shout over the wind. "Where are they? I can't hear them."
"I fear you've caught us making do with a skeleton crew."
"Rather appropriate for a demon captain, is it not?"



Before they have the chance to banter more, he chucks Lucy in the ocean. (Yes, he really does this!)


(Full disclosure, he makes sure not only that she can swim, but also that she is near a rescue vessel)

Then shortly after, hellbent on revenge against Lucy’s father, Captain Doom infiltrates their nautical themed household in disguise as Lucy’s new bodyguard, Gerard Claremont.



- Lucy's father perused his references. He shot Claremont an approving look. "Former Bow Street Runner, eh? Admirable calling. Done a lot to make the streets of London safer. Don't suppose you've had any military experience? Army perhaps?"
Then more hopefully. "Merchant marines? Royal Navy?"
"I'm afraid not, sir," he confessed, the very picture of sheepish charm. "I fear I'm prone to seasickness." He flattened his palms on the desk and favored her father with a conspiratorial whisper audible throughout the drawing room.
"Why, just walking into this house almost made me ill."



In the Snow household everything runs on a schedule and it does not take long until Gerard sees what a controlling a**hole Lucy’s father is. And how the spitfire he had onboard his vessel turns meek under her father’s mean thumb.

- He had held his breath in anticipation, waiting for that spark to ignite beneath the flame of her father's bullying. But it had remained banked as she sprang up like a well-trained terrier to stand before the Admiral. She had dutifully described her impending death at the hands of Captain Doom as if she were reciting her multiplication tables. He could almost see her jotting it onto her schedule: 0800—Resist torture. 0830—Throw self overboard. 0900—Be eaten by sharks. No sacrifice too great for the noble Admiral and His Majesty's Royal Navy!



To our delight (and Gerard’s but he won’t admit it), when Lucy is beyond reach of her father’s ire, Gerard’s presence is enough to make her spit nails.

- As the coach rolled into motion, she blurted out, "Wouldn't you be better able to protect me if you rode outside the carriage with the coachman? What if we were set upon by highwaymen? Or pirates? Or… or… Indians?"
He lifted an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware there'd been a rash of Indian attacks in Chelsea."



Lucy loves making Gerard do the most menial tasks for her to wind him up.

- (Demands he gets rid of a spider) She fanned her fingers at her throat. "You are my bodyguard. You're supposed to protect me from things that might do me harm."
A devilish sense of peace washed over him. "Very well, miss." He reached inside his coat to draw out a pistol and fixed the hapless creature in his sights.
Lucy's gasp of alarm was genuine.
She stole a glance at the pistol, remembering with brutal clarity the various indignities she'd inflicted on him in the past week.
The muzzle bobbed as she swallowed. "My father may very well lower your wages if you shoot me."



She finds him suspicious, but can’t find proof of any wrongdoing, even when she finds him "loitering" in the dark library.

- "It's my job," he replied coolly. "I check the security of the house every night. Doors. Windows."
She arched a skeptical eyebrow. "The library?"
"You've caught me, Miss Snow. I confess."
She leaned backward as he leaned forward and said in a sinister whisper, "I like to read."



Predictably, but still deliciously, their forced proximity cultivates reluctant friendship and nurtures their undeniably chemistry.

- She eyed the string of sausages longingly. "Those aren't cat meat by any chance?"
"Of course not," he promised, breaking off one and handing it to her.
She bit into it, savoring its succulent flavor. He grinned. "Only the finest spaniel for Admiral Snow's daughter."
Lucy choked. Claremont handed her his handkerchief and thumped her on the back. "I was only joking. Did it put you in mind of a childhood pet?"
She dabbed her watering eyes. "Oh, no. Father doesn't approve of pets."
"Not even for supper?"
Lucy choked again, this time with laughter.



There is a drunk incident, where Gerard is forced to pick Lucy up and throw her over his shoulder.

- He gave her bottom a sharp whack, keeping his palm molded over her delectable curves. She kicked her feet in protest, setting up a flurry of silk.
"Dammit, Lucy, stop wiggling," he commanded, more out of self-preservation than genuine annoyance.
His hands seemed to have a life of their own. He could feel the right one creeping up her stocking beneath her skirt, intent on some devilish mischief beyond his control.
"How dare you!" she gasped out as he started across the lawn, bouncing her unceremoniously with each step. "My father never spanked me."
"He should have. Daily. With great vigor."
Her injured sniff was ruined by a giggle. "I gave him no excuse. I was a good girl. Don't you find me a good girl, Mr. Claremont?"
"Delicious," he replied as his questing fingertips came into contact with the smooth, bare skin above her garter.
"Sylvie's oldest brother taught me a new song while we were dancing. Would you care to hear it?"
"No."
Undaunted, she threw back her head and roared:
Across the midnight sea sails Cap'n Doom.
Yer noble birth he'll make ye rue.
He'll snatch yer lady's heart right from her bosom
Then rob her of her virtue.
Gerard winced and gritted his teeth.



Half of the book is an utter delight, I laughed out loud, there were several aww moments, and I was ….



Then.

Gerard is sort of forced to make a rash decision, he kidnaps Lucy again onto his ship, where he also has to come clean. The relationship-fun is sucked into a vortex as he becomes Captain Brood.


(If you think John Snow sucks the life out of the party, you haven’t met Captain Brood)

And what was once fun, becomes just mean, sad, and a little depressing.

- She tipped her head back, boldly exposing the delicate appendages in question. "Don't cheat your reputation, Captain. You've left off turning your victims to stone with a glance and ravishing ten virgins in a single night."
"Before midnight," he shot back. "Although I suppose ravishing one virgin ten times would suffice. What time is it, Apollo?"
Lucy shrank back in her chair, conceding the effectiveness of his parry. She had foolishly forgotten the risk in baiting him.



Maybe I am over reacting, but the mood of the book just changed while I was reading the second half. There were a lot of obstacles left, and some of the stuff really just bummed me out, despite the happy ending.



First half 5 stars, 2nd half gets a 2, so I give it a 3.5

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teresa Medeiros is a wonderful storyteller and her characters are very compelling.

I did feel like this story had a lot of moving parts and I got lost a few times. But it was an enjoyable read over all!

4 stars
1.5 on the spice scale

[GigiReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best opening chapters I've read. Super cinematic start that then kind of plods along for the first half. The book is divided into two parts and although I really appreciated the build up of the romantic tension of part one, I still wanted to go back to swashbuckler shenanigans in the prologue. Soooo part 2 is where the book picks up and our pirate hero goes back to his ship The Retribution *swoons* I love a good pirate ship name and I adore a good pirate name and Captain Doom is up there with Blackbeard tbh 😂 Sweet heroine with a spine of steel and a hero who is bent on revenge until he finds love. If that ain't the recipe for a great pirate romance I don't know what is. Sea battles, sex on the beach and cinematic courtroom finale made this a great pirate romp.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥/5

Tropes
Kidnapping
Forced proximity
Revenge
Fake identity

[ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...] · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book. This one's got 5 parts.


Just read 2 chps or so. Couldn't read more today, was busy. The basic of the novel I understand, nothing so uncommon but the prologue was very heart wrenching. Let's see how this one goes. :)
**************

I'm not exactly unhappy with this one since I really like TM's writing but I'm not exactly excited about it yet. The plot is good but nothing new, the whole bodyguard thing with the dash of pirates here and there ... Don't know if that makes sense but this is what it's all about.

I find Lucy a bit less fiery than I would like heroines to be but with a father like her, don't know ... I sympathize Lucy, I hate your dad. One has to read to see what he's about, how he cowers, patronizes her, always blaming her mother (I mean really, I wanna kick his bloody arse!!). She lacks the confidence, the fire, don't know if/how she'll change. But, her naivete I find, kinda interesting. I don't know why but I do. She's already in love with Gerard (not the great GB aka Gerard Butler ;p), the bodyguard. I know he is that pirate captain Doom! lolz :p

Now, Gerard is interesting. I wasn't really excited about him as well but his possessiveness and protective attitudes towards Lucy warms my heart. That's when I think they actually need each-other. Lucy needs someone to protect her, shelter her, love/touch her (yes people, that SOB of a father of her is an arrogant boor who thinks this kind of attention to children is unnecessary, I feel this anger every time this guy opens his mouth and berates Lucy, just like Gerard does on her behalf) and Gerard needs someone to love, to cherish and to protect, even if he is an oaf and yet to get this!

Overall, it's nice ... I'm only on chp 12/13 so still a long way to go.

BTW: I would love to see Lucy's friend Sylvie getting a love interest. Although she doesn't have a lot of scenes, I like whatever I read. Don't know Gerard's bro (there's supposed to be one) will be the guy for her ... Hmm, just a thought.
*************

Hmm, few things happened and it's not going the way I thought, which is good because now I'm finding it more intriguing. More abductions, revelations and betrayals ... Lucy and Gerard's banters ... My correct guesses etc. etc. etc. :p

I won't go into details but I hope Lucy becomes a little more fiery (she is already showing signs, I know she may never be what I expected her to be but it's good to see her reacting!). I'm not liking the way Gerard's been treating her now, whatever the reason is, I wanted to kick him for Lucy quite a few times actually. :/

I like Apollo. :)
**************

Hmm ... Now, things are moving pretty fast. Lots of things happened, we found Kevin (the aforementioned blond, green eyed dude), Gerard's bro; a rake of the worst order. Then again, who isn't? :/ Never mind. Lucy and he shared a kiss. He actually kissed her while she was asleep, Gerard saw that ... Jealousy, more misunderstandings and betrayals, more anger ... Mention of whores (Really Lucy? You wouldn't wear the gown thinkin' it belonged to Gerard's whore but when you knew it was actually Kevin's, you wore the gown anyway! What was that?? *rolls eyes*) ... Most of all, they finally did it, after 27 chapters (pheww!). It was worth the wait, loved that scene ... However it started out, it ended marvelously! Gerard is a babe!! ;)

BTW: did I mention that he was celibate for 6 yrs.? There is a reason though ... lolz

Now back to Lucy's SOB of a father, who turned out to be not ... her ... father (thx to her mother's diary), and I had to stop reading there cause I had to close my eyes, otherwise I knew I'll wake up with a headache (no, not because of the novel guys, I just had to :/) ... I hate that man, even hate isn't enough to express what I feel ... Shallow, crass, an arrogant boor ... Just pathetic! :@

I hope Smythe turns out to be her real father, he's shown her more love than that piece of sh*t!!
**************

Finished it last night. Loved the finishing; specially the way Lucy defended Gerard while he was being tried for various accusations, both false and true. I wouldn't have expect any less from her but it was Gerard's attitude towards her kinda pissed me off ... I never thought he'd be so damned confused over stupid things! There are a few things, again, left unresolved. And sadly (for me), Smythe wasn't Lucy's father, no answer to that question. Didn't see a hint of anything between happening Sylvie and Kevin ... Actually Sylvie had no more scenes after Lucy was abducted again by Gerard. Pity! Could've been something sweet and funny between her and Kevin. I was so very disappointed, almost as I was when nothing was resolved between Blaine and Marlys from "Shadows and Lace". I would've given it a 4.5, now it's little less than 4. :(

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When notorious pirate Captain Doom tries to capture his enemy Admiral Snow, he winds up with Snow's daughter, Lucy. Lucy is kept blindfolded throughout her ordeal and eventually returned to safety. On her arrival home, her father hires Gerard Claremont to act as her bodyguard. Everything about him sparks her defiance. Lucy just wants him out of her life so she can gain some independence. Gerard just wants to find proof that Admiral Snow tricked him into a life of piracy and killed his crew.

I usually don't care for pirate books, but I liked this one. The story moved from a kidnapping, to a bodyguard falling for his charge, to a high-seas adventure. The dialogue between Gerard and Lucy kept me entertained. My rating: 4 Stars.

[Missy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I've always liked the romance between a bodyguard and his protectee (for a lack of a better word). However, this is probably only second book that I've read with this trope (i need to read more!). I enjoyed the first half of the book way more than the second half. The second half kind of dragged.

[Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy shit this book has a way with words. My forever comfort read, the prose is just so beautiful and lush. 5+ stars I re-read this every month.

[Jackie]

DNF for now ...just not in the humor for this.

[Romance_reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story about a 19th century pirate who falls in love with the daughter of his enemy (after much resistance).

The H Gerard and the h Lucy; both have tragic back stories and were quite relatable and human. Gerard is a former street urchin turned naval officer who eventually becomes a pirate because of a betrayal and is out for revenge for most of this story. He also believes Lucy to be a hindrance to his plans for retribution and fights his feelings for her rather convincingly.

Lucy, on the other hand, is a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde; as in; she craves her father's love ( love that's not returned) but also has this urge to defy him when possible - her true fiery personality shining through. She has a great need to be loved and falls for the H relatively early on and doesn't really hide it.

Together, Lucy and Gerard made an awesome couple with their complex characters and emotions; and their coming together was sweet and natural and quite heartfelt. The plot itself was funny and romantic with a lot of depth and I was never bored with it. This also qualifies as one of my favourite pirate tales with some very likeable secondary characters (especially the pirate ship crew) - so I would totally recommend it! four stars!

[Crista · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this might be the most difficult review that I've ever written. I want to say so much, but to avoid any spoilers, I'll have to say very little.

I found it a bit difficult to originally get in to this book because Lucy's love interest changes from her pirate abductor to her bodyguard within the first four chapters. I found it difficult to change gears.

This book is laced with action and mystery. I never knew exactly what was going on, who was good, and who was evil. Lucy was a spirited heroine that I admired and Gerard was guarded but so protective and careful with Lucy. Another bonus is that Medeiros wrote this book. She is a wonderful talent and I have enjoyed everything that I've ever read that was hers.

I recommend this book for those who enjoy a change of scenery....London to the open seas, and a plot that is not always as it seems.

[Christy Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book, the twists were predictable but interesting none the less. The problem I have with it is, now that the book is over I have a feeling that within a boring week with each other the couple would become bored and restless and split up.

Good thing the book ended when it did.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slayeddd

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read in a while. The double settings were really refreshing and I couldn’t put it down.

[Sarah Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I don't know what else to say. This book had everything I love about HR. The writing was amazing, the characters were perfect and the story line was exciting and unpredictable. Well not totally unpredictable, but I still enjoyed wondering what was coming next! I need to make a separate shelf of my all time favorite romances and this will be on it for sure!

I think I have finally come to the conclusion that I'm an early 90s HR fanatic haha! Meaning that all my favorite books so far were published during that time period. I couldn't be happier to have discovered ToH thanks to Kat and Zoe :). I'm so in love with Gerard!! He is one of my top favorite heroes. I also loved Lucy and I loved them together. Their chemistry was insane! I can't stop smiling thinking about all the beautiful moments they shared. My favorite times they were together was when he was her bodyguard.

I'm being nitpicky but the end of the book could have been stronger and not so rushed!! I felt like as soon as they escaped from the Argonaut, the book was a complete whirlwind. TM slowly built up this beautiful story and then the whole pace of the book changed. Let's be honest, sex on the beach sucks, so TM had me at a loss there. Then, they started getting themselves into even more trouble and I'm like, how is she going to wrap this up in so few pages! I was about to have a heart attack thinking they might not get their HEA. And where were the "I love yous"!!! Gerard barely said it to her so that she could hear and she told him once towards the end, but not even in the best way. It was just strange because they said so many other beautiful things to each other and then dropped the ball here. I'm not gonna lie, I'm glad the trial was fast and I didn't have to sit through the healing process from the gunshot wound, but really only reunited for 2 pages?!? Wahhhh, so disappointing. Like, TM go back and give us readers a freaking Epilogue at least!!! Ugh. But I digress. My favorite book of all time which I judge all other books by, Keeper of the Dream, had a similar sort of ending so I guess I can't complain. All great books keep you wanting more!

And so, it is with a heavy heart, that I have finished this book. I will miss Gerard and Lucy and their amazing love story. I'm so emotional right now lol! This will be a reread for sure! I can't wait till I'm ready to do so again, I miss it already ;)

[Amanda Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucina Snow has her world turned upside down when her voyage, of which she went in place of her father, is interrupted by the notorious Captain Doom. When she's kidnapped she fears the worst. But when Doom, a young and bearded man, shows restraint and, gasp!, even gentlemanly treatment, she's intrigued. When she stabs him in the shoulder she leaves a lasting impression. He forces her overboard to be rescued by the navy with the point of taking a message to her father: Captain Doom is coming to collect his debt.

Lucy is rescued and returned home, once more under her father's ever disapproving gaze. The Admiral takes it upon himself to hire a bodyguard to stick with Lucy at all times, convinced that the notorious pirate will try to go after her again. Lucy is skeptical. When Gerard Claremont is hired for the job, she finds him more than tedious. They go out of each others's way to irritate one another, up until the point where they both realize there's a certain...attraction. Lucy has romantic notions remaining from her time with Doom, and she finds herself realizing the folly of it the more time she spends with Claremont.

Meanwhile Claremont, who is actually a cleaned up Captain Doom, is having a hell of a time keeping his priorities straight. Years ago the Admiral betrayed him and framed him as a pirate, and he's intent on finding the proof of his innocence. Lucy is a distraction, one he finds himself struggling to want himself to be rid of.

This was a fun read. It's a fantastic example of a classic, sweeping romance. Claremont/Doom is a fairly honest guy, though he revels in his bad boy image from time to time. He cares for his crew and gradually comes to care for Lucy as well. Lucy is a down to earth heroine, one that manages to be a strong woman without coming across as abrasive. Her father is a complete and total prick, and it's fun watching him slowly and painfully get his comeuppance.

If you're looking for a sweet and epic romance with a mix of maritime and urban fun, definitely check this one out. This makes for a fantastic beach book. It's hard to go wrong with Teresa Medeiros.

Thief of Hearts by Teresa Medeiros

Rating: B

Romance: 3/5 Raunch: 2/5

[Chi · Rating 5 out of 5]

After young Lucy Snow was kidnapped from the safety of her ship, onto the dread pirate ship Retribution and into the arms of Captain Doom, her life would never again be the same.

I love, LOVED this book so, so much. There were so many moments of pure joy, and just as many silly moments - but who cares?! It was such a rollicking adventure, filled with truths, half-truths and lies. There was a great deal of smouldering tension between Lucy and the hero of our piece (best I not name him, lest I give away a good chunk of the story), and Teresa Medeiros peppered their interactions with a lot of spice, banter, and fire.

The final chapter was maybe a bit unnecessary, but really, when the resolution was beautiful, I guess it made sense why Lucy was where she was. This book was corny, and oh so tropey, but I just didn't give a damn about it one bit. It was far too enjoyable to really ponder on some of the contrivances for too long.

[Carol Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't put this book up with the very greatest of Teresa Medeiros' books -- it's not as innovative and entertaining as BREATH OF MAGIC or TOUCH OF ENCHANTMENT, and it's not as intense as SHADOWS AND LACE. But it's still one of her best early novels. The prologue, where the girl sees a phantom pirate ship bearing down on her with tyrannical intent, is some of the best writing I've ever seen in a romance novel -- incredibly seductive and yet very subtle.

Once the main plot starts, things get rather silly -- something about thieves stealing the family fortune, and Lucina needs bodyguards, or something -- but the high point is definitely in the eerie beauty of the dream-like prologue!

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A historical romance about pirates?? Yes, please! This is my second book by Teresa Medeiros, and I can already tell you that it will not be my last. I honestly think I have found a new favorite author. This was so beautifully written and so so good. It did take about 15 or so chapters before it really picked up, but once it did, I was all in! I highly suggest checking this one out, especially if you love pirates.

[Yakhdoor (Daios’s Version༄) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5⭐️

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

da www.sognipensieriparole.com

Non avevo dubbi sul fatto che anche questo libro della Medeiros mi sarebbe piaciuto.
Che scriva romance oppure paranormal (le favolose sorelle Cabot e i loro vampiri...), quest'autrice riesce a conciliare azione e passione, con tanta e tanta ironia, e pure un pizzico di malinconia.
Lucy è deliziosa, lei e il suo parasole d'assalto!
I suoi tentativi di fiaccare il suo tenebroso bodyguard sono spassosi, e Carpenter non le rende a sua volta le cose facili, innescando una girandola di battute, tranelli e reciproci sgambetti.
L'ammiraglio è una figura odiosa, innamorato di se stesso, che si staglia per la sua giusta dose di meschinità, e che fa da contraltare ai membri della ciurma della Vendetta.
Confesso che ogni tanto tornavo indietro a rileggermi certe scenette per gustarmi di nuovo la comicità oppure la sottile sensualità (nota per il futuro guardaroba: procurarsi un vestito castigato, ma di mussola trasparente) delle situazioni. Ma anche la tenerezza dei due innamorati, racchiusa in certi piccoli dettagli.
L'intrigo ha il suo spazio e pure la rivincita del topolino (leggere per sapere!).
Voto senza esitazioni per Capitan Sventura, anche se avrei preferito una scena più lunga nell'epilogo (si capisce che non volevo separarmi dal libro?).

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't typically review the romances I read (although I read a lot of them!), but this one is an exception. The author is a recent discovery for me, and I've enjoyed reading all of her books so far, but this one was a cut above the rest. It's difficult to say why, although I think it's because the hero and heroine are both so well fleshed out in this book. The hero is handsome (of course!) but with a conflicted past, a thirst for (justifiable) revenge, and dark corners in his soul. The heroine is beautiful (naturally!) but has a distant parent, a repressed upbringing, and a spirit that has somehow flourished nonetheless. They make for a lovely couple. Add into that the choices each makes at different points in the book (revenge over compassion? principle over love? loyalty over truth?), and this book consists of a multi-layered, complex plot and characters. It is a book to soothe and nourish the romance in your soul (assuming you have some). :)
If historical romances are your thing, this is a must-read!

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did give it an overall rating of 4.5 but the book was a solid 5/5. The only reason I didn't give it the 5/5 it deserved was because I felt the ending was a bit too abrupt. I would've liked a bit more about their HEA or a epilogue but apart from that it was simply wonderful!
Teresa Medeiros is an amazing author and there isn't a single book of hers that I've read which I haven't enjoyed immensely. She is definitely on my auto-buy list :)