When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her cold, money-grubbing uncle's choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives. Armed with the faith that God has a plan for her, Kendra boards a cargo ship and meets American sea captain Dorian Colburn. But the captain has been wounded by a woman before and guards his independent life. A swashbuckling man doesn't need an English heiress to make him slow down, feel again, or be challenged with questions about his faith-or so he thinks. It is not until Dorian must save Kendra from the dark forces surrounding her that he decides she may be worth the risk.
Born and raised in Vincennes, Indiana, Jamie is a preacher’s daughter. Road trips with her dad—to and from Bible studies across Indiana—were filled with talks of things beyond earth’s bounds – creation and the fall, God and Jesus and the rapture, the earthly walk compared to the spiritual walk, and how we are born for more than what we can see or touch. The highlight of those nights was stopping at a truck stop in the middle of the night where her dad spent a little of the offering basket on two slices of pie and a couple of Cokes.
And nothing could stop the writing pouring out of her.
Piles of poems, short stories, skits and song lyrics later, Jamie grew up and married. When her eldest son turned five she decided to try her hand at novels. Eight years and lots of rejection letters later, Snow Angel was published and won ForeWord Magazine’s Romance Book of the Year, a USA Book News “Best Books 2007” Awards winner, and 2008 RITA® Awards Best First Book finalist. In 2010 Wind Dancer was a finalist in the Indiana State Library Best Books of Indiana. It was the beginning of her dream career.
With seven books currently in circulation and her first three book series coming in 2012, Jamie has made an impressive contribution to the inspirational, historical romance genre featuring heroines who are fierce in their beliefs and love. Romantic Times exclaimed, "Carie is a welcome new voice in the inspirational fiction market." And, "Carie writes with her heart on every page of her books." Jamie has a passion for history and believes in the power of love stories. She lives with her husband and three boys in Indianapolis, Indiana.
If she could only say one thing to her readers it would be, “Live the dreams God has destined you for!”
Books:
Snow Angel The Duchess and the Dragon Wind Dancer Love's First Light Angel's Den Pirate of my Heart The Snowflake (a Christmas novella)
Coming in 2012: The Forgotten Castles Series (A continuous series to be read in order) The Guardian Duke The Forgiven Duke A Duke's Promise
I'm a sucker for great covers and pirate stories (I owe that to MaryLu Tyndall and her swashbuckling stories) so when I read Katie's review of Pirate of My Heart, it went on my Christmas list. I finished the book in about a day and overall, found it a very interesting read. With locations as widespread as Yorktown, America, a merchant ship, and Arundel, England, Pirate of My Heart paints an enticing picture of America and England just after the Revolutionary War.
I immediately liked Kendra and Dorian, who come across as very sincere. I laughed at how they "fell in love at first sight" -- my, oh, my did the sparks fly. It was hysterical at times and heartwarming at others.
The element of intrigue and danger was definitely there (another thing I'm a big fan of). Though I felt like Kendra and Dorian were headstrong, reckless, and hasty half the time, they complimented each other well and the spiritual lessons they learned in this story are relevant and encouraging.
What I Didn't Like As Much
I have to agree with Katie that this is probably not Jamie Carie's best work. The beginning starts off very slowly and I had a hard time getting into it.
I found the scene breaks very confusing as sometimes the point-of-view changed at the end of a page and I got whiplash trying to figure out which character's head I was in. (And one time head-hopping was going on and I was very confused.) Also I felt like one character with villainous potential wasn't entirely developed. Finally, the ending left me with some unanswered questions.
Overall, this was an entertaining read that has convinced me I need to check out more of Jamie Carie's books.
With only a small introduction to Jamie Carie’s work in the past (I reviewed her book, The Snowflake), I was looking forward to reading more by here. I admit I was a bit disappointed in Pirate of My Heart—I felt it wasn’t one of Jamie’s best works. From reading The Snowflake, I know that this author has talent not only in her writing style, but in making the scene, setting, and plot believable and come alive. Sadly, I found those areas lacking somewhat in this newest release, Pirate of My Heart.
While both Kendra and Dorian were endearing characters that I did grow to care for by the end of the book, they weren’t as in-depth as I generally like to see in the books I read. I did enjoy reading their story and how they slowly began to acknowledge that they were falling in love. Jamie did do a great job at making the reader dislike Angelene—I could not stand that girl! She needed a good slap on the face to wake her up to reality, and I wouldn’t have mind giving it to her if I could.
There are many twists to the plot in Pirate of My Heart that really surprised me. Normally, a historical romance like this ends at the wedding, and the couple lives ‘happily ever after’…but such is not the case for Kendra and Dorian! I really liked how it showed their rocky start together and yet how they overcame their differences. At the beginning of the book I felt the story was a bit rushed, but once Kendra was on her way to America, it slowed down considerably.
As I mentioned, the writing left a bit to be desired. I’d experienced Jamie Carie bring Alaska to life through The Snowflake, so was surprised and a tad disappointed in this book. But it wasn’t all a letdown, as Jamie’s historical knowledge shone through in her vivid description of the time period, clothing, and life style.
I’m sure fans of Jamie Carie’s work will be thrilled to read this new addition to her books. Jamie does a wonderful job at keeping her plots unique; bring you a fresh and exciting adventure every time she comes out with a new book. While I admit Pirate of My Heart wasn’t my favorite, I will still be keeping an eye on Jamie Carie’s books in the future.
You know its a good book when you stay up & pull an all-nighter because the first few chapters are absolutely flawless & breath taking. Just as when Dorian & Kendra first meet each other, I knew I was a goner & I had to finish this book then & there.
Kendra isn't your typical frivolous girl of the 18th century. She is independent, witty, & strong willed. But she has a bad habit of assuming things.
Dorian shares the same flaw, jumping to conclusions. He also has a bad past with marriage & women, causing him to fight against his feelings for Kendra throughout the book. But he is charming, adventurous, mischievous, & dashing, not to mention he's a captain. Then again, any handsome man that calls me love is a keeper.
The story had two arcs, the romance arc & the mystery arc, with the mystery being the stronger of the two. I saw part of the outcome in the beginning, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless, but I do wish there was more of the romance. I love most about their relationship with each other is that it has a fiery start, they both can't stand each other & tease the other constantly, though never meaning it. They challenge each other & are never boring, & when something difficult does arise they eventually find their way back together to sort it out as a pair.
The lesson to all those females out there that do this (& the occasional few men who assume), assume stuff or hear gossip from other jealous women, is to stop jumping to conclusions & just ask him if its true or not. The best relationships have the best communication. It'll save you a lot of trouble in the long run & spare your relationship if you just ask & talk it out.
I only hope I'm as lucky to find the man for me like Kendra did. I won't get over this book for a good couple of months, the downsides of reading romance novels, you fall in love with fictional characters & then feel like they've died. Sucks sometimes.
This story if a heart wrenching journey of a young woman (Lady Kendra) orphaned, abandoned and sent away to live with an Aunt and Uncle she'd never met. Along the way she finds love; but also that love is not easy or simple. I enjoyed following Kendra on her journey to discover love, her own determination and her steadfast faith even in the midst of attack and kidnap. This unique romance has many twists and turns that keep the reader interested from the first word to the last.
I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more by author Jamie Carie. I must say though, that due to some of the content I would not recommend this book for younger readers. There is mention of intimacy and hints at relationship/marital issues that I don't think younger readers would understand. I personally would suggest ages 16 and up.
And for those of my followers who are sensitive to religious books, this book does contain Faith in God and Bible scriptures throughout. Though I would not consider it to be "preachy" in any manner.
I received a digital copy of this book through Netgalley.com for this review - please see my FTC disclosure on my blog: B'Tween Prose (btweenprose.blogspot.com)
FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE PUBLISHER THROUGH NET GALLEY. HOWEVER, I DID NOT READ IT PRIOR TO THE BOOK BEING ARCHIVED AND REMOVED FROM MY KINDLE, SO I CHECKED A COPY OUT FROM MY LOCAL LIBRARY AND READ IT THAT WAY. I VOLUNTARILY OFFER MY HONEST REVIEW OF THE BOOK, THOUGH IT IS NOT EXPECTED OF ME! RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!
I've moved away from Historical Romances in recent years, but since they came up for a challenge for me this month, I decided to look this one back up and give it a go. Sadly, it was a disappointing read for me.
The book had an interesting premise, but they wound up in the insta-love trope entirely too quickly, so that soured me on the whole story. They also constantly jumped to conclusions, which made me feel as if they didn't trust each other. The plot was jumpy, and everything felt underdeveloped overall.
Pirate of My Heart is a riveting tale filled with charm, adventure, comedy, and romance!
After the death of Lady Kendra Townsend's father, she is left in the care of her ruthless uncle. He gives her the choice to marry the man he chooses for her or leave England to live with relatives she has never met, in the land called America. Believing God has a plan, she boards a cargo ship to start a new life. On the voyage, she meets American sea captain Dorian Colburn. Dorian felt an attraction to the Englishwoman the second she stepped on the ship . . . but he's not about to let some heiress slow him down from his sea adventures. He's been wounded by women before and he enjoys his single life. When Kendra is threatened, will he change his mind and take a risk on her?
Pirate of My Heart is a charming story that sparks with romantic tension. Jamie Carie creates delightful characters full of wit and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the hero and heroine spar with each other. Even when they aren't arguing, their humor and quick wit around one another is just as amusing. There are moments in this story that are priceless!
The writing in this novel is absolutely stunning and brilliant. Jamie Carie pens clever descriptions of characters and their moods.
The historical approach in this novel is also very accurate from the early English point of view. It is in this historical accuracy that we find the title of the novel. While the cover, title, and back-cover description may lead one to believe this story is about pirates, the truth is that pirates make a brief appearance in this story. While at first I felt as though the misleading information should have decreased my rating, I truly found the reason behind the title too clever and endearing to do so.
I found an instance when I disagreed with one of the heroine's decisions. That being said, this story is not about me or anyone else. It's about this character. Though the author gives us good enough motivation to justify the decision, from a biblical perspective, it's not one I'd feel comfortable with if a real-life friend made that same choice. I do, however, believe the varying feelings on this decision would make an excellent discussion in book clubs!
This is the first book I've ever read by Jamie Carie. After reading Pirate of My Heart, not only do I look forward to her next title, but I'm ready to go out and purchase all her other books. I loved every moment of this novel and highly recommend Pirate of My Heart.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from B & H Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Pirate of my heart is captivating story filled with romance and adventure around every corner!! Jamie Carie has become an author that I truly love and Pirate of My Heart was probably one of my favorites that she has written!
The cover to Pirate of My Heart was a little deceiving because I had this idea in my head before I even read it that the main character was going to be a pirate and they were going to fall in love, etc etc. When in fact the main character is not a pirate at all, but just a captain of his own ship. However, they do run in to pirates briefly and there is meaning behind the title (I won't give that part away) so it all works out good!
In Pirate of My Heart the main character Lady Kendra has her life turned upside-down when tragedy strikes her family and after some consideration and prayer she decides that heading to America is the right choice for her! On her trip to America she meets the wild American rogue Captain Dorian and sparks start flying!
I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Dorian and Kendra!! They would just have the greatest comebacks and wit and I found myself just enthralled in their story! Jamie Carie is a talented writer of dialogue and I loved it!!
I really admired Lady Kendra. She was strong in her faith and her attitude with every situation she faced was honorable. There was a moment in the book where she could have easily decided to fall the level of one of the characters but instead she decides to honor God with her words and decisions! This book would make a great book club discussion!!
Pirate of My Heart was book that I had been keeping my eye on for release for a long while because I've read other books by Carie and have really enjoyed them. If I could say one negative thing about this book it would be that some of the scenes ended too quickly. One minute there is a tense moment and the next second it's over with and I would have enjoyed a bit more detail. I also think the same about the ending, while I felt the ending was great and I was satisfied, I just felt like there could have been more to the story!! Overall though, none of this really deterred me from LOVING this book and I'm glad I have it and I will be reading more by this great author!!
When Lady Kendra's father dies she is left in the care of her scheming Uncle. He insists that she marry the man of his choosing or go to America to live with an Aunt and Uncle that she has never met. Choosing what she hopes is the lesser of two evils Kendra boards the Angelina to set sail for America.
Captain Dorian Colburn is not very happy about taking on a passenger. He is even less happy when he finds that his new passenger is a woman. From the moment Kendra and Dorian meet sparks fly. He is determined to never let another woman into his heart. But there is something about Kendra that touches his very soul.
When Kendra reaches her Aunt and Uncle she is surprised to see how low they have become since settling in America. From being nobility in England to poor farmers in America, all because of her Uncle's penchant for gambling everything away.
From the moment Kendra arrives this Uncle too plots to marry her off to a scoundrel. What he doesn't count on is the interference of Dorian and his family who live close by.
Pirate Of My Heart is an exciting romance filled with romantic tension and suspense. Also, who can resist the amazing cover of the book? I would have picked it up just for that, but thanks to B&H Publishers I received my copy free. It is well worth the read!
This is my first book from Jamie and it won't be my last. As I have mentioned before I do love history and this era is one I enjoy. It is set after the revolutionary war when America is still in its infancy. Kendra is a great character who had a loving father, when her uncle comes on the scene he gives her two choices go to America or marry a man she doesn't love. She chooses America. Dorian is the captain of the ship that transports Kendra to America and I have to say I do enjoy drama on the high seas. Dorian isn't happy having a passenger and particularly a female. Once in America all is not as it seems either. Dorian delivers Kendra to her relatives in America but its not the last he will see of her. This book deals with issues of trust, acceptance, assumptions. This is a riveting read and although I was sick while reading I couldn't wait to read more as soon as I was feeling up to reading. If not for illness I would have read this alot faster. I was sad to finish the book I wanted more.
I had high hopes for this book, the cover looks so exciting, and the title sounds like a great adventure as well. However, this book read more like an outline or very first draft of an exciting story. The plot and characters were pretty interesting, but they just weren't developed. Everything happened really abruptly, without a lot of explanation. Also, the book was written in an elementary fashion, there wasn't a lot happening below the surface.
The plot that held my attention the most had to do with Angelene (I've never seen the name spelled this way before), the other woman vying for Dorian's attentions. I liked seeing Kendra's jealousy come out, and right fully so, haha! But it was never taken too far, you could always tell Dorian saw Angelene only as a hassle and never as any threat to his relationship with Kendra.
This book has the bare bones of a good story, but needs to be developed a lot more to make it great.
ARC sent by publisher in exchange for honest review
I love pirate stories, especially if the girl happens to be the adventurer.. as soon as I saw the title of this book, I was interested in reading the r'r'r'rest of the story. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. I felt the plot line was un-clear, the story seemed to jump from point to point, rather than flow.
Not to mention, the one encounter with pirates was very.... boring to say the least. I felt that the story was a bit predictable, the mother was dead, and with in a couple of pages, the father had passed on, the Uncle turned evil, and the main character is shipped off, meets her true love on board said ship...but decides to continue onto her (surprise!) evil relatives.
To be honest I had to force myself to continue reading the book, as after a certain point it wasn't a "good read" anymore.
I wish there was a little more depth to the story, something to make me connect with the character and want her to succeed.
When I first saw the trailer of this book, I was automactically hooked to read it! I got it on sale a Christian book store and was super excited dive in. By I got to the third chapter I was ready to move on to another book. I think it was because the characters just fell in love too quickly for me. It had a good message within the plot, yet I wish it was more. Maybe if it was more about pirates or on the ocean I would have been more interested in the book. I really expected more. But I really love this author and I love her style and tone of writing.
Jamie's books are always a fun read. This is a clean Christain themed book. I like that we get to know the couple well and they get to know one another, there is instant attraction but the love story develops well. There is always some danger and good movement in her stories and this one was fun to read. Her endings always last a long time, every time I think the book is ending and it keeps going. This could be a good or a bad thing, but in this book it was well done.
A fun, exciting read! Even though it's not about pirates as the cover and title would indicate, it is well worth your time. Adventurous, heart-warming, and romantic.. complete with a lovely heroine who you pull for with all your heart, a manly, honorable hero who takes your breath away and a sinister villian trying to destroy their lives.
When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her cold, money-grubbing uncle's choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives. Armed with the faith that God has a plan for her, Kendra boards a cargo ship and meets American sea captain Dorian Colburn. But the captain has been wounded by a woman before and guards his independent life. A swashbuckling man doesn't need an English heiress to make him slow down, feel again, or be challenged with questions about his faith-or so he thinks. It is not until Dorian must save Kendra from the dark forces surrounding her that he decides she may be worth the risk
Our Review
First off I love Jamie' s books and style of writing. She puts so much emotion into her books one minute she has you laughing hysterical and the other bawling your eyes out .Once I read her book the Angels Den I was hooked.I enjoyed this book immensely. 10 pages into the book I was bawling and 40 pages in I was laughing so hard that I woke my husband out of a sound sleep ! LOL Kendra was my favorite character in this book she kept me entertained the whole time.
Kendra was a strong character in this story. Her mother died giving birthday to her and it was just her father and herself. They were a close family considering they were aristocrats that is out of the ordinary. Her father was loving and caring Earl and when he died she was lost.Her Uncle steps into the picture and tries to marry her off to a 70 year old Earl and when she refuses her Uncle ships her off to the Americas.Being the strong person she is Kendra is up for the challenge.
Her voyage on a ship to America lead to many things. The start of a budding romance with the ships captain and pirates attacking the ship and they lived to tell the tell.Kendra is a sweet and loving person and your heart breaks the whole time for her loss and also the misery her wretch of an Uncle is causing her.And things are not looking up once she get to her Aunt and Uncle house either.
While working on her romance with Dorian the ships Captain making new friends and adjusting to a new life becomes a challenge.She has walked right into a hornets nest as she just left one in England and her future is not looking like a bright one.
This book was full of adventure for Kendra .She needs to be strong as danger is afoot someones out to kill her and dispose of her suitor.She needs to keep her whits to stay alive to see if she will be able to find true love after all and have the kind of marriage her parents had.This Christian Romance had a little bit of everything laughs, tears ,heart ache, betrayal at every turn and danger keeping you in suspense to see what happens next. Couldn't put the book down once I started love it!
This is a Recommended Read for all! And her other book Angels Dens was wonderful to. Working on the Guardian Duke right now as we speak.
Since some people are bound to have a strong reaction to the title, I’ll start with the Jesus – Messiah connection.
This book is not an allegory that is trying to teach theology. It is not a re-telling of the Biblical Story. (If I had thought it was I would have been uncomfortable with the fact that the authors talked about sacrifice and change in general terms and didn’t totally flush out the specifics of the one and only sacrifice that could bring lasting change and redemption, but I don’t believe that this was the point of the novel.)
In fact, I don’t believe the authors were trying to teach anything about specific about Christianity, but were instead raising questions that could take a person beyond the scope of the novel. Is there absolute truth? Is there one God over all the universe? Does he interact with people? How would another culture or religious society react to a divine Messiah? And how will individuals (as illustrated by the characters in novel) personally respond?
The authors never make absolute statements about Jesus of K’turia and while there are striking parallels with Jesus Christ, the authors are creating their own interpretation of Jesus in another setting. So I found myself comfortable with the way Jesus of K’Turia was portrayed, especially in light of how the author skillfully wove the themes of the book to highlight the question of whether society created a messiah or whether a Messiah came to a society and even to specific individuals.
I enjoyed the novel, especially its deeper meanings, questions and allusions, all of which were set in the midst of an excellent story. I expected that the book might be a little dry or even preachy, but it was neither.
Main characters Win and Prentiss are unwillingly trapped in the middle of a galactic battle and a race to save an alliance that could be the only solution to keep their empire from falling to the enemies’ schemes.
What they don’t realize is that there are significant events set into play, which will change the course of their lives. (I can’t expound on them without giving too much away, but the overlapping story lines are very well written!)
Win is of a race whose highest goal is seeking, but he has lost his way in a sea of pain and buried what is most real about himself. Prentiss has a scientific theory that no one will accept. Exiled and ridiculed she longs for the opportunity to prove that she is right. On K’Turia both Win and Prentiss come to an intersection of decision.
I was quickly drawn into a fascinating story and I absolutely loved the paradoxical question that ended the novel.
Inspirationals have provided fertile soil from which a delightful, engaging crop of reads continue to grow and Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie is yet another that combines English aristocracy, the colonies and sea going ventures with faith, love and hope in a new world. Carie has crafted a rich novel filled with a vast array of emotions and human freewill run amok across two continents that is perfectly channeled into a story that is ultimately about faith and love and the young woman who brings it about. A stunning web of deceit ensnares a bereft Lady Kendra Townsend when her nefarious uncle Andrew barters her into marriage to an old man in order to secure the future of his newly inherited castle and lands. Refusing to marry, she chooses instead her uncle’s alternative – to live with her kin in the colonies. Shipped off aboard the cargo ship Angelina, Kendra is now under the care of hardened Captain Dorian Colburn and their accord is a bitter one to start. As the passage provides each with a chance to understand the other and Kendra to put her faith to the test, an attack by pirates cements their uneasy alliance. Dorian burned once in a false marriage, learns of Kendra’s plight and begins to soften toward his strong-willed passenger whose faith unnerves him even as he admires her for it. Delivering her to a run-down farm and bitter aunt and uncle, Dorian’s unease at Kendra’s situation is further tested when his sister Faith befriends her, the couple become social acquaintances and Kendra learns of a marriage plot by her bankrupt uncle to marry her off to a devious gambler, Martin. Determined to survive the economic difficulties of her family, Kendra doggedly begins planting their farm and trying to win her kin by creating a home. As she dodges Martin, accepts social invitations by Dorian and his loving family, feelings blossom between the couple as Dorian reconciles his previous marriage and works to restore his faith in God. Carie brings readers along the couple’s emotional and spiritual development nicely peppering in subplots to keep pages turning and bridge the ocean between two lands and stories. As things seem headed for a happy conclusion for the newly married couple who have thwarted a kidnapping and entrapment, an unexpected turn seeds doubt enough to send Kendra back to England and into the clutches and eventual captivity of her deranged uncle from whom Kendra must now escape or hope to be rescued. Pirate of My Heart is a very good read filled with a host of well-drawn characters and clever subplots wound into an overall story that is illustrated by faith thanks to one special lady.
1796 - Lady Kendra is her father's love and joy, the Earl of Arundel, but when a tragic accident leaves her parentless, her father's twin brother takes over the estate. He is the one that has greedily gambled away most of the Townsend money and possessions and insists that his niece marry a wealthy man of his choosing. When she refuses, her uncle sends her away to America on a boat to live with her mother's only relatives whom she had never met.
Dorian has finally become captain of his own cargo ship and is very perturbed to discover that one of his officers has accepted payment for the boarding of a woman. Not knowing what to do with her, he allows her to stay in his own quarters and bids her to stay put. It doesn't take long for Dorian to really enjoy Kendra's company and promises to escort her to her aunt and uncle's place.
The only thing I found annoying was that Lady Kendra really puts the phrase damsel in distress to work! I think Dorian literally saved her life at least 5 times. I really enjoyed all the plot elements and the banter between the main characters, but toward the end, it seemed a bit farfetched and on the side of ridiculous. So many were out to get Kendra, but with her ever faith in God's will, Kendra seems to find a way.
From pirates trying to board Dorian's ship, to a woman who won't leave him alone, to finding Kendra's aunt and uncle, the action is nonstop. Even though she was raised in privileged circumstances, she is not above working for her keep and always believes that God has a plan for her life. How will Lady Kendra be received once she meets her long lost relatives? Will they love her or use her? And how will Dorian use her social stature to rescue her will she allow her "pirate" to capture her heart after all?
Thanks to netGalley and B&H Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
PIRATE OF MY HEART was an exciting and thrilling read. One of my favorite genres is the world of pirates, and Jamie Carie carved out a great story, intriguing characters, and romance that kept me turning the page.
Lady Kendra Townsend is devastated by the loss of her father. Never knowing her mother, her father was the center of her world. Not thinking her life could get any worse, Kendra is appalled to find out her uncle is setting her up to marry a horrific man. He has given her an ultimatum. Marry or leave England to live with relatives in America. Knowing she cannot give her heart to someone she doesn’t love, Kendra chooses to take her chances and leave for America.
Boarding a cargo ship to America, Kendra meets Captain Dorian Colburn, and for the first time, her heart beats for a man. But Captain Colburn quickly brushes her aside to be the responsibility of his first mate. Kendra knows it is best that she not fill her head with thoughts of the dashing captain, but she shares enough stolen glances with him to know interest lies in his eyes as well. Captain Dorian Colburn is flummoxed by the beautiful Lady Kendra. His heart has already been crushed by a woman, but his intentions towards bachelorhood are put to the test when he finds his every waking moment filled with thoughts of the English enchantress.
Watching the push and pull of the relationship that unfolds between Kendra and Dorian at times was frustrating and painful, but only because you wanted nothing more than to see them together. Though there were a few scenarios I found hard to swallow or ended too abruptly, it didn’t deter me one iota. I was so in love with the characters I would’ve been willing to follow them through any obstacle to finally see them together.
Great pseudo pirate tale, I will look for more books in this vane from Jamie Carie.
Kendra Townsend is the only child of Edward and his late wife Eileen In a era where future spouses are chosen by parents or caregivers she is content in the reality of that she will have a choice. Her uncle Andrew pays a most unexpected visit to her father Edward with an urgent matter that must be addressed.Dorian Colburn, American captain of the sea falcon Angelina on shore in England is looking to command his own fleet in the future and is quite eager to get back to the sea. With his first mate John by his side and an able bodied crew sea missions go very smooth for him. His love and heart lie at sea and he does not want anyone to be held accountable to. Will the longings of another melt his reserve?When Edward Townsend dies, Kendra's uncle Andrew gives her two choices: Either marriage to an undesirable man of his choosing or travel and live with her uncle and aunt in America. As she prepares on the journey of her life to America her heart is filled with sorrow. She is to travel on the Angelina in the care of John first mate. What she finds when she arrives on the American shore is not what she has expected. She is looking for love but will love be hers to claim? Finally, an original novel that expertly blends swashbucking and sea adventure with the grounding and excitement of the shore! I was drawn into this book from the beginning and admit I could not put it down! This book offers it all: Romance, Deception, Humor, Valor and everything in between. Lots of adventure and action will hold you captive to your seat right up until the very end! Excellent character development, dialogue and scenery come together in this highly entertaining and inspiring read. You will want to make sure and grab this novel and become a part of history! I highly recommend this book! Thanks to B&H Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC copy for my review.
Having read and loved two of Jamie Carie's novels: The Guardian Duke and The Forgiven Duke, I jumped at the chance to read one of her stand alone novels. There's just something about knowing how everything ends up that appeals to me.
I enjoyed Pirate of My Heart even more than Carie's other novels. The characters appealed to me so much, especially Kendra's situation. Her beloved father dies, leaving her an orphan. Her uncle, who is secretly out for all of her father's money, gives Kendra the choice of either marrying an old man (for money) or leaving her home to go to America with her aunt and uncle (whom she has never met). Kendra refuses to marry unless it is someone of her choosing, so she decides to go to America and live with her aunt and uncle. Kendra travels to America as the sole female passenger on a cargo ship, and is under the protection of the captain. Captain Dorian Colburn has decided he will never love again, after a disastrous first marriage. There is an instant attraction between he and Kendra, but he tries to ignore it. He is set on staying single and enjoying his fast-paced life of travel and excitement.
What follows is a tender love story set amongst an exciting tale of betrayal and revenge. I could not believe the lengths Kendra's uncle went to in order to ensure his own gain. He was truly evil! The minor characters were very well-written. I especially liked Dorian's family. I loved the resolution of the story and was totally satisfied with the ending.
Overall, Pirate of My Heart was a great read. Jamie Carie is a new favorite for me, having read and loved three of her books now. Fans of Christian fiction and historical fiction will really enjoy it.
Lady Kendra Townsend is left in a dire situation when her greedy uncle takes over her father's estate. Given the choice between being married off to a husband twice her age or being shipped off to live with relatives in America, Kendra chooses an unknown life overseas.
Captain Dorian Colburn has his own plans for the running of his new cargo ship and escorting Lady Kendra as a passenger to America was not one of them. At first he is annoyed by the inconvenience of the heiress aboard his ship but soon he finds his attraction to her an even larger distraction from his duties.
Set upon by pirates during their voyage and facing family conflicts and burdens of the past once they reach their destination, the relationship between Kendra and Dorian is far from simple. She is a woman of faith and turns to God during all her difficulties, and she is unsure if the ship captain fits into God's designs for her life. Though the element of Christianity is a turn-off for some, I thought it was dealt with really well as an aspect of Kendra's personality.
Yet, I would have preferred the book more had Kendra been a stronger heroine and relied less on Dorian to come to her rescue. I also thought more of the story was going to take place at sea, with pirates playing into a larger part of the plot. Nevertheless, this was still an enjoyable novel and I'd be willing to check out future works by Jamie Carie.
Is it just me, or does the chick on the front cover TOTALLY look like Hayden Panettiere?
The cover and title of this book make it sound like an adventure to the tune of Pirates of the Caribbean, and while there is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing across the Atlantic. Kendra is a young girl who has lost everything, but still clings to her deep faith in God. She meets Dorian, captain of the ship taking her to America to meet an Aunt and Uncle she has never met. Dorian was tricked into marriage at 18, and has since foresworn anything to do with women…until he meets Kendra, who he doesn’t know what to do with. The story was interesting enough, with threads of being forced into marriage, kidnapping, betrayal, lies, and things that make stories like this interesting. It felt a little elemental, the character of Dorian had a change of heart/faith, but it felt a little out of the blue—part of the story because that’s what a Christian book should have, rather than the natural progression of the story. The copy I received from Netgalley had several instances of quotation marks missing, blending narrative into dialogue so I had to figure out that someone had started talking. Also I found a ‘you’re’ that should have been ‘your’. I would hope these errors were cleared up before the book was finally published. I’m interested to see what Jamie Carie brings us next, and feel that she has room to grow immensely as a writer (as we all do) and am looking forward to what that might entail.
Lady Kendra Townsend is grieving the loss of her beloved father when her uncle (who happens to be her father’s twin brother) decides its time for her to marry. His suitor of choice turns Kendra’s stomach and she behaves so badly that she nearly scares off her future husband. Furious, Uncle Andrew offers an ultimatum: marry frail, old Lord Barrymore or go to America. Repulsed by the thought of being married to an old man, Kendra decides to take her chances and agrees to leave the only home she’s ever known.
Author Jamie Carie takes readers on a romantic adventure complete with page-turning action, toe curling romance, lively wit and humor. Kendra Townsend and Captain Dorian Colburn are like oil and water and keep readers entertained with their playful banter and verbal sparring. Their attraction to each other is irresistible and Kendra is the one woman who makes Dorian rethink his bachelorhood, in spite of past hurts and betrayals by other women. The journey is long and hard and makes Kendra question her decision at times; but overall her faith in God pulls her through the harrowing experience.
I have to be honest and say that while Pirate of My Heart is certainly entertaining, I enjoyed The Snowflake much more. You can read my review of that here: http://redlilycafe.blogspot.com/2010/...
Thanks to Julie Gwinn at B&H Publishing Group for sending me a review copy.