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Le Veq Family #3
Captured: Library Edition
A high-stakes historical romance from Beverly Jenkins, award-winning author of Night Song and Jewel, in which a stunning young slave and a roguish privateer share forbidden passion on the high seas.
She was the most irresistible treasure of all . . .
Dominic LeVeq, the most notorious privateer ever to command the high seas, has just captured a coveted a British frigate. On a dangerous mission against the Crown, Dominic should be thinking only of his ship's safety. But the rebel captain is utterly entranced by Clare Sullivan, the stunning slave on board. Consumed by desire, desperate to have her, Dominic offers Clare her freedom in exchange for a forbidden night in his bed--a night he assures her will be most pleasureable indeed.
Clare believes that Dominic is nothing more than a seductive rogue used to getting what he wants. But she too feels a tantalizing passion between them, and so she submits to just one night of bliss. She'll soon realize that Dominic has captured more than her body. He's captured her heart . . . and she doesn't want him to ever let go.
Audio CD
First published September 16, 2009
119 people are currently reading
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About the author
Beverly Jenkins
71 books4,842 followersBeverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for historical romance.
She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured both in the documentary “Love Between the Covers” and on CBS Sunday Morning.
Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for inclusive romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR. Her critically acclaimed Blessings series has been optioned for film by John Legend’s and Mike Jackson’s production company Get Lifted, and Hollywood and Broadway powerhouse Deborah Martin Chase.
To read more about Beverly and sign up for her newsletter, visit her at www.BeverlyJenkins.net.
She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured both in the documentary “Love Between the Covers” and on CBS Sunday Morning.
Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for inclusive romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR. Her critically acclaimed Blessings series has been optioned for film by John Legend’s and Mike Jackson’s production company Get Lifted, and Hollywood and Broadway powerhouse Deborah Martin Chase.
To read more about Beverly and sign up for her newsletter, visit her at www.BeverlyJenkins.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
January 8, 2026
➥ 3.5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
Well, this book is awfully difficult for me to rate. It really had some excellent aspects, but also some that I just couldn't help but be bothered by.
I was really excited to read another pirate book and the beginning of this book really was quite promising. Clare has been captured and is now on board with Dominic and they share so many tense, romantic moments.
I also must say that I was expecting their romance to be somewhat enemies-to-lovers but it was really just a friends-to-lovers, which was a bit disappointing when piled on top of the lack of tension.
But then, maybe 150 pages in, the boat stops at this island that Dominic has (which is an idea I love) but they were somehow already in love by then? And they spend day after day on the island waking up and making love and it really just got super boring. Due to a specific plotpoint, I knew that they would board the ship "Marie" again, but we did not get any more adventure, we just got told that they arrived at their destination the next day.
Regardless, this book has many strong, well-done aspects. Namely, the characters:
However, I didn't really like how BJ decided to write Sylvie. Like Cece mentioned in her review "In all four of her novels that I've read, an extremely sexually knowledgeable man is drawn to an equally sexually inexperienced woman and his attraction is heightened by her (superficial) resistance to his physical, social, or economic charms. After they begin having sex, the hero marvels at how the heroine is able to match him as an equal in lovemaking. And, in three of the four novels I've read, one of the hero's former lovers serves as a secondary villain who threatens the heroine .I don't like this because it suggests that the woman who denies her lust or attraction will be the one who is ultimately rewarded with sexual satisfaction." And I strongly, strongly agree.
The writing was also beautiful, descriptive, and flowed nicely. Really, Beverly Jenkins is an excellent writer.
Unfortunately, Clare and Dominic's relationship began to really bore me after about 150 pages. They just began to act like they were in love now so there was no further development. Also, the first (kinda) sex scene was quite good and swoony and Dominic calls an orgasm "le petit mort" (the little death) in French, right?
But then, after they got together, their relationship lost all its angst and the sex scenes were all quite short and not so explicit. Which is sad, because their banter at the beginning was just delicious.
The strongly reminded me of "we aim to please" LMAO. But they're just so cute.
Please, Dominic is so...he makes my heart fly away sometimes fr.
But Clare too!!! Ugh, they're such a power couple.
Although there isn't a miscommunication, the heroine is which I'm told is a common occurrence in HR, and honestly, I didn't mind the "action" but I also didn't particularly love it? It felt like a side story was strangely attached to the end but I was very happy with how this book ended but?? I'm still not quite sure how to feel about that aspect but there definitely wasn't any romantic development during that time. I was wondering if anyone else has any opinions on
Also please check TWs for this book because slavery is a very prevalent aspect of this book. It breaks my heart to see what these characters go through and how they are treated and sometimes how they even are not treated. It's definitely a very heavy and awful topic to read about and to see, so please be careful and know this going in.
"You are too bold, Captain."
He lifted her chin and fed his eyes on the soft curves of her smile. "Yes, I am."
"Modest, too, I see."
"Also arrogant, and very selfish when it comes to you." He pressed his mouth to hers. "Very selfish."
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
Well, this book is awfully difficult for me to rate. It really had some excellent aspects, but also some that I just couldn't help but be bothered by.
I was really excited to read another pirate book and the beginning of this book really was quite promising. Clare has been captured and is now on board with Dominic and they share so many tense, romantic moments.
I also must say that I was expecting their romance to be somewhat enemies-to-lovers but it was really just a friends-to-lovers, which was a bit disappointing when piled on top of the lack of tension.
But then, maybe 150 pages in, the boat stops at this island that Dominic has (which is an idea I love) but they were somehow already in love by then? And they spend day after day on the island waking up and making love and it really just got super boring. Due to a specific plotpoint, I knew that they would board the ship "Marie" again, but we did not get any more adventure, we just got told that they arrived at their destination the next day.
Regardless, this book has many strong, well-done aspects. Namely, the characters:
➺ Dominic was a pretty great hero and he was truly in love with Clare. I loved how he would do anything for her and
➺ Clare was an excellent fmc. She was strong, witty and was very mature. Often times female heroines end up acting like children so this fmc was so refreshing.
➺ Yves my baby boyyy. I love him so fucking much. I can't say much because he comes in later in the story but just know that he has my entire heart and that he deserves so much fucking better.
➺ Dot is my girll. She so strong <333 I wonder if she gets a book...I'll have to check.
➺ The crew. Ugh, how I love them. They treated Clare like a little sister. One wrote her a song. They all
➺ Violet, Sylvie, Vanweldt and Eduard, go rot in hell.
However, I didn't really like how BJ decided to write Sylvie. Like Cece mentioned in her review "In all four of her novels that I've read, an extremely sexually knowledgeable man is drawn to an equally sexually inexperienced woman and his attraction is heightened by her (superficial) resistance to his physical, social, or economic charms. After they begin having sex, the hero marvels at how the heroine is able to match him as an equal in lovemaking. And, in three of the four novels I've read, one of the hero's former lovers serves as a secondary villain who threatens the heroine .I don't like this because it suggests that the woman who denies her lust or attraction will be the one who is ultimately rewarded with sexual satisfaction." And I strongly, strongly agree.
The writing was also beautiful, descriptive, and flowed nicely. Really, Beverly Jenkins is an excellent writer.
Unfortunately, Clare and Dominic's relationship began to really bore me after about 150 pages. They just began to act like they were in love now so there was no further development. Also, the first (kinda) sex scene was quite good and swoony and Dominic calls an orgasm "le petit mort" (the little death) in French, right?
"Dominic..."
"Yes, ma chere?"
"I think I'm about to die again."
"Then let's make it memorable."
But then, after they got together, their relationship lost all its angst and the sex scenes were all quite short and not so explicit. Which is sad, because their banter at the beginning was just delicious.
Dominic lifted Clare's chin. Looking down into her eyes, he asked, "Now, where were we?"
"You were kissing me."
"Excellent memory, Miss Sullivan."
Echoing Gaspar, she said softly, "Perfection is a worthy goal."
The strongly reminded me of "we aim to please" LMAO. But they're just so cute.
"Shall we eat?"
"I thought you considered me too much of a distraction."
"You are, but I've decided to stop fighting a battle I will only lose."
Please, Dominic is so...he makes my heart fly away sometimes fr.
"You will keep yourself out of harm's way?" Clare asks.
His lips curved upward. "Anything for you."
But Clare too!!! Ugh, they're such a power couple.
Kissing her on the curve of her shoulder, he confessed with soft humour, "If we don't consummate this soon, I'm going to be crippled or death or both come sunrise."
She ran her hand down his strong dark chest. "And we can't have that, now can we?"
Although there isn't a miscommunication, the heroine is which I'm told is a common occurrence in HR, and honestly, I didn't mind the "action" but I also didn't particularly love it? It felt like a side story was strangely attached to the end but I was very happy with how this book ended but?? I'm still not quite sure how to feel about that aspect but there definitely wasn't any romantic development during that time. I was wondering if anyone else has any opinions on
Also please check TWs for this book because slavery is a very prevalent aspect of this book. It breaks my heart to see what these characters go through and how they are treated and sometimes how they even are not treated. It's definitely a very heavy and awful topic to read about and to see, so please be careful and know this going in.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
September 18, 2023
Delicious 💁♀️ waterfall sex and leaving a trail of broken and bloodied* enemies throughout your travels is so hot
*When I say broken and bloodied I mean dead. They’re very dead.
*When I say broken and bloodied I mean dead. They’re very dead.
July 11, 2020
Beverly Jenkins is one of my favorite historical romance authors, so I thought I was going to absolutely love this one. Pirates!? A forbidden romance!? Sign me up.
When this book started, I was enjoying it. As with all Beverly Jenkins books, there is so much history in her novels and I really appreciated her authors note at the end that explained the actual ship and captain that this story was based on. However, when it came to the romance, I just could not get into this book. I really felt bad for Clare and everything she had experienced in life, but the romance between her and Dominic felt a bit too sweet and insta-lovey to me. And as far as the plot, it really didn't pick up until about 60 pages until the end. In just the first 100 pages of this book, not a whole lot happened and Clare and Dominic just had this super sweet romance, which isn't always my favorite to read about.
For a majority of this book I was kind of bored and not really invested in the story. I wish we had more scenes of Dominic being a pirate and less of Clare sitting in his room on the ship and then just hanging out on his island. There was a lot of potential for this book, but the story and romance itself missed the mark for me.
When this book started, I was enjoying it. As with all Beverly Jenkins books, there is so much history in her novels and I really appreciated her authors note at the end that explained the actual ship and captain that this story was based on. However, when it came to the romance, I just could not get into this book. I really felt bad for Clare and everything she had experienced in life, but the romance between her and Dominic felt a bit too sweet and insta-lovey to me. And as far as the plot, it really didn't pick up until about 60 pages until the end. In just the first 100 pages of this book, not a whole lot happened and Clare and Dominic just had this super sweet romance, which isn't always my favorite to read about.
For a majority of this book I was kind of bored and not really invested in the story. I wish we had more scenes of Dominic being a pirate and less of Clare sitting in his room on the ship and then just hanging out on his island. There was a lot of potential for this book, but the story and romance itself missed the mark for me.
October 13, 2019
Interesting history as always.
You know the author is onto something when white women reviewers have hurt feelings, lol.
Keep going sweetie, you're doing great!
You know the author is onto something when white women reviewers have hurt feelings, lol.
Keep going sweetie, you're doing great!
February 15, 2023
Oh Dominic. How swoony are you. Ms. Beverly smashes it again—entertaining us while educating every time. I love Claire was a single mother trying to get her children back that were sold. As hard as this subject matter is to read at times, this is how it was. Dominic is a privateer who kidnaps Claire only to fall head over feet in love with her. He vows to help her find her children. Their love scenes were 😮💨. He showed her how to enjoy s*x and I am always down with a hero that loves to educate.
April 10, 2025
illicit substances lined these pages like whooaaaa. a fantastic start to my Beverly Jenkins journey. Dominic had such a smart mouth but Clare was just as quick
with it, and their back and forth was fun from the beginning.
I do wish that the final confrontations went differently, and that might be a bit of my fault because I just had this clear vision in my head of how it would all go down and it didn’t go that way, like, at all, so I was a little bit disappointed. but overall this was a really great introduction to Beverly Jenkins’ work and I’m glad I scooped this up.
-SPOILERS-
now I must say, I’m curious as to why they went with what they did as the premise, because I kind of walked into this a little bit like hmmmm….that’s sketch, but that’s actually not what happened…like at all? Dominic definitely didn’t hide the fact that he was down horrendous, and absolutely teased her with “i’d like a kiss for this” and “a night in my bed will be the best you ever had” but unless I blanked the during the few days that I read this, I really don’t remember him offering her freedom in exchange for sex? It was very much like “i’d love to have sex with you BAD” and him being a tease and a flirt and her falling for his charms but it never gave give me that puss and I’ll free you, you know? And it’s only because so many people were like I promise you’ll enjoy this that I pushed through and gave the book a chance at all so shout out to Black women once again for putting me on to bangin literature.
like girl Dominic is a flirt but he’s not no scoundrel like justice for him 😭
ANYWAY!!!
what a great read!!!!
with it, and their back and forth was fun from the beginning.
I do wish that the final confrontations went differently, and that might be a bit of my fault because I just had this clear vision in my head of how it would all go down and it didn’t go that way, like, at all, so I was a little bit disappointed. but overall this was a really great introduction to Beverly Jenkins’ work and I’m glad I scooped this up.
-SPOILERS-
now I must say, I’m curious as to why they went with what they did as the premise, because I kind of walked into this a little bit like hmmmm….that’s sketch, but that’s actually not what happened…like at all? Dominic definitely didn’t hide the fact that he was down horrendous, and absolutely teased her with “i’d like a kiss for this” and “a night in my bed will be the best you ever had” but unless I blanked the during the few days that I read this, I really don’t remember him offering her freedom in exchange for sex? It was very much like “i’d love to have sex with you BAD” and him being a tease and a flirt and her falling for his charms but it never gave give me that puss and I’ll free you, you know? And it’s only because so many people were like I promise you’ll enjoy this that I pushed through and gave the book a chance at all so shout out to Black women once again for putting me on to bangin literature.
like girl Dominic is a flirt but he’s not no scoundrel like justice for him 😭
ANYWAY!!!
what a great read!!!!
March 25, 2016
Not a review, just a comment on the cover. Clare was taken from her African home at the age of seven and is described as having cropped short hair. Dominic is the son of a Black mother and a white father and has hair long enough to tie back in a queue. Neither of the models on the cover reflect the descriptions of the characters found within the pages of the book. I enjoyed the novel quite a bit, but this discrepancy bothered the bejeezus out of me the entire time.
April 16, 2012
Beverly Jenkins appears to be a well-loved author, and I have heard really good things about her book Indigo from people whose opinions I trust. So even though pirates aren't usually my thing, and the back cover blurb didn't sound promising (when does it ever?), I had reasonably high hopes for Captured. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the simplistic writing style, the cardboard characters, and the uneven plot.
Take away the sexual content, and this book could easily have been written with fifth graders or even younger readers in mind. The writing felt like it had been dumbed down for a young audience. Everything from major plot points to character motivations to minor details were explained outright - all telling, no showing. The miniature history lessons that peppered the story, most of which served no apparent purpose other than to be informative, added to the sense that I was reading a novel meant for school children.
Perhaps it was that juvenile fiction vibe I got from this book that made the sexual content feel so out of place. On the other hand, Jenkins's bizarre choices of metaphors to describe the characters' sexual experiences didn't help. For instance, after one encounter with Dominic, we were told that "Clare doubted she'd ever be the same after such a novel experience. Even now her breasts were whispering his name." Later on in the book, Clare's nipples started "pleading" with Dominic, so apparently her boobs are pretty vocal. This particular paragraph summed up a lot of my problems with Jenkins's writing style:
Above her, Dominic smiled malely. His manhood was as hard as a ship's mast, and Poseidon knew he wanted to raise her skirts and push his way into paradise but he forced himself to hold off. It wasn't time yet.
The mixture of Greek pagan and Christian metaphors is bad enough, but seeing "male" turned into an adverb annoyed me even more. What does that even mean, to "smile malely?" Of course he smiled malely. He's male. Descriptions should convey a mental image, but I don't know how to picture that one. It just came across as lazy writing.
There was basically no tension in the romantic story line. Dominic abducted Clare and forced her aboard his ship, and within a few days they were in love and never had another disagreement for the rest of the novel. So since the romance was all neatly tied up within the first third of the book, all conflict from there on out was from external forces. In fact, the middle of the book contained virtually no conflict at all. For more than 100 pages, Dominic and Clare just sort of hung out on Dominic's home island, met Dominic's friends and followers, and had lots of really unsexy sex. Then the author suddenly seemed to remember what she was doing before she got sidetracked with Dominic's idyllic island life, and the plot picked back up. Unfortunately, the conclusion of the conflict was so contrived - relying on highly improbable actions on the part of the villains, as well as some unlikely coincidences - that I felt like my intelligence had been grossly insulted.
Although there were a lot of characters in Captured, none of them were fleshed out very well. The villains in particular were so uniformly evil (to the point where they would risk their own interests just for the sake of being jerks) that they weren't convincing. Their motives needed to be more nuanced, or at least better explained. Every character in this book was either good or bad. There were no shades of gray, no delicate handling of the extremely complex issues involved.
This book has, unfortunately, put me off of Beverly Jenkins's writing. Although I've heard very positive things about Indigo, I am very reluctant to try it now that I've read Captured.
Take away the sexual content, and this book could easily have been written with fifth graders or even younger readers in mind. The writing felt like it had been dumbed down for a young audience. Everything from major plot points to character motivations to minor details were explained outright - all telling, no showing. The miniature history lessons that peppered the story, most of which served no apparent purpose other than to be informative, added to the sense that I was reading a novel meant for school children.
Perhaps it was that juvenile fiction vibe I got from this book that made the sexual content feel so out of place. On the other hand, Jenkins's bizarre choices of metaphors to describe the characters' sexual experiences didn't help. For instance, after one encounter with Dominic, we were told that "Clare doubted she'd ever be the same after such a novel experience. Even now her breasts were whispering his name." Later on in the book, Clare's nipples started "pleading" with Dominic, so apparently her boobs are pretty vocal. This particular paragraph summed up a lot of my problems with Jenkins's writing style:
Above her, Dominic smiled malely. His manhood was as hard as a ship's mast, and Poseidon knew he wanted to raise her skirts and push his way into paradise but he forced himself to hold off. It wasn't time yet.
The mixture of Greek pagan and Christian metaphors is bad enough, but seeing "male" turned into an adverb annoyed me even more. What does that even mean, to "smile malely?" Of course he smiled malely. He's male. Descriptions should convey a mental image, but I don't know how to picture that one. It just came across as lazy writing.
There was basically no tension in the romantic story line. Dominic abducted Clare and forced her aboard his ship, and within a few days they were in love and never had another disagreement for the rest of the novel. So since the romance was all neatly tied up within the first third of the book, all conflict from there on out was from external forces. In fact, the middle of the book contained virtually no conflict at all. For more than 100 pages, Dominic and Clare just sort of hung out on Dominic's home island, met Dominic's friends and followers, and had lots of really unsexy sex. Then the author suddenly seemed to remember what she was doing before she got sidetracked with Dominic's idyllic island life, and the plot picked back up. Unfortunately, the conclusion of the conflict was so contrived - relying on highly improbable actions on the part of the villains, as well as some unlikely coincidences - that I felt like my intelligence had been grossly insulted.
Although there were a lot of characters in Captured, none of them were fleshed out very well. The villains in particular were so uniformly evil (to the point where they would risk their own interests just for the sake of being jerks) that they weren't convincing. Their motives needed to be more nuanced, or at least better explained. Every character in this book was either good or bad. There were no shades of gray, no delicate handling of the extremely complex issues involved.
This book has, unfortunately, put me off of Beverly Jenkins's writing. Although I've heard very positive things about Indigo, I am very reluctant to try it now that I've read Captured.
September 12, 2011
4.5 stars. A great pirate historical romance. My first by this author, and I am impressed! I listened to this on audio, and the reader did a great job. Overall, a very enjoyable listen/read. Jenkins clearly made great effort to spin a fascinating tale that included a wealth of historical details about slavery and the cost of freedom.
November 20, 2021
I've read quite a few of Beverly Jenkins books and it's often a safe bet to have a good read. Love the romance and the couples and the mix of the very serious content. Have many romantic elements but is not all fluff
February 17, 2025
This is the third book in the LeVeq series, and it takes us back to the 1770s with Dominic LeVeq, a privateer/pirate who relishes sinking slave ships. He kidnaps Clare, an enslaved woman, and proceeds to make her come multiple times through n!pple play alone. He could free her, but her two children, who her enslavers sold, are still in Georgia, so she needs to go back.
This is a horny book with plenty of high-seas adventure and a serious look at the hideousness of slavery both on the mainland and on island plantations. Dominic is a ruthless hero, single-minded in both his anti-slavery missions and his quest to keep Clare free and safe. As always, I learned a lot. Loved this one.
4.5 stars
This is a horny book with plenty of high-seas adventure and a serious look at the hideousness of slavery both on the mainland and on island plantations. Dominic is a ruthless hero, single-minded in both his anti-slavery missions and his quest to keep Clare free and safe. As always, I learned a lot. Loved this one.
4.5 stars
December 19, 2022
3.5 stars! Captured is the 3rd book in the Le Veq family series and one of the last Beverly Jenkins historical romances I had left to get to. I love the Le Veq family, they are featured often in Bev’s books.
Dominic is a privateer (which he prefers over pirate 😆) and has been targeting slave ships. He and his crew end up taking over a ship that has set sail from Britain to America and on board is Clare, an enslaved woman headed home to Savannah. Dominic ends up instantly drawn to Clare and wants her to give herself over to him. I loved seeing these two fall for one another on the high seas while headed to his private island. He loves how feisty, smart, and intriguing Clare is from the start. Lots of banter and fun between them on the ship and then back at his island. I liked seeing all the romantic times between them and seeing him treat her to her first bath.
Dominic wants to help Clare and her two children gain their freedom. Clare has 2 children, her 10 year old daughter and 12 year old son who she only sees on Sundays as they are captives too. They do go back to Savannah and Dominic helps Clare and her children. This one wasn’t my favorite of the Le Veq series I’ve read, but it was still good! As always, Beverly’s books always have so much history and slice of life moments and this was no different!
Dominic is a privateer (which he prefers over pirate 😆) and has been targeting slave ships. He and his crew end up taking over a ship that has set sail from Britain to America and on board is Clare, an enslaved woman headed home to Savannah. Dominic ends up instantly drawn to Clare and wants her to give herself over to him. I loved seeing these two fall for one another on the high seas while headed to his private island. He loves how feisty, smart, and intriguing Clare is from the start. Lots of banter and fun between them on the ship and then back at his island. I liked seeing all the romantic times between them and seeing him treat her to her first bath.
Dominic wants to help Clare and her two children gain their freedom. Clare has 2 children, her 10 year old daughter and 12 year old son who she only sees on Sundays as they are captives too. They do go back to Savannah and Dominic helps Clare and her children. This one wasn’t my favorite of the Le Veq series I’ve read, but it was still good! As always, Beverly’s books always have so much history and slice of life moments and this was no different!
September 9, 2025
Maybe I’m into pirates?
October 8, 2020
3.25 stars
Really hoping will get all the other LeVeq brothers books. I believe this is their grandfather's story.
Trigger Warnings: slavery, breeding, children taken away, violence, and kidnapping
Really hoping will get all the other LeVeq brothers books. I believe this is their grandfather's story.
Trigger Warnings: slavery, breeding, children taken away, violence, and kidnapping
October 15, 2025
OH EM GEEEEEEEEE
MY HEART!!!!!!
ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY!!!!
MY HEART!!!!!!
ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY!!!!
February 18, 2020
Give me all the sexy pirate heroes!
Dominic is the bastard son of a French lord and his former slave. When his father dies, the estranged wife and legitimate son claim Dominic gets nothing in the will and they now own all of the people living on the island of Martinique even though his father freed them years ago. In defiance of his half-brother, Dominic hides everyone and becomes a pirate who targets slave ships.
Clare, our heroine, is the well-educated slave of a Savannah debutante traveling from Britain to America. When Dominic and co. board their ship, he abducts Clare who absolutely captivates him. They get to know one another on the journey to Dominic's island safe-haven. The sexual tension is on point and there's tons of drama toward the last quarter of the story.
The only thing that frustrated me was the way that some of the villains were kept on the playing field even though Dominic had an opportunity to do away with at least one (the slave trader).
Dominic is the bastard son of a French lord and his former slave. When his father dies, the estranged wife and legitimate son claim Dominic gets nothing in the will and they now own all of the people living on the island of Martinique even though his father freed them years ago. In defiance of his half-brother, Dominic hides everyone and becomes a pirate who targets slave ships.
Clare, our heroine, is the well-educated slave of a Savannah debutante traveling from Britain to America. When Dominic and co. board their ship, he abducts Clare who absolutely captivates him. They get to know one another on the journey to Dominic's island safe-haven. The sexual tension is on point and there's tons of drama toward the last quarter of the story.
The only thing that frustrated me was the way that some of the villains were kept on the playing field even though Dominic had an opportunity to do away with at least one (the slave trader).
January 14, 2023
3,5 stars
June 25, 2023
I ’ve loved the LeVeqs since they were introduced to me. The LeVeq family is filled with dynamic characters and I remember them mentioned “the old pirate” but I didn’t put two & two together until I started reading Captured
Beverly Jenkins has a brilliant way of weaving beautiful tapestries of love and history in her historical Black Romance Novels.
Please know that I am so serious when I say this book had me searching for the LeVeq family tree lol
Dominic is one of my favorites because he showcases such bravery, resistance, and selfless care for his people. I am drawn to stories that courageously portray the rebellions of enslaved black people, dismantling the stereotype of their meekness. These narratives challenge the false narrative that enslaved individuals quietly accepted their fate, instead showcasing their resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit.
Beverly Jenkins has a brilliant way of weaving beautiful tapestries of love and history in her historical Black Romance Novels.
Please know that I am so serious when I say this book had me searching for the LeVeq family tree lol
Dominic is one of my favorites because he showcases such bravery, resistance, and selfless care for his people. I am drawn to stories that courageously portray the rebellions of enslaved black people, dismantling the stereotype of their meekness. These narratives challenge the false narrative that enslaved individuals quietly accepted their fate, instead showcasing their resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit.
July 19, 2024
It's not perfect but I gulped it down in two sittings. It was nice to read some real high-stakes conflict in a historical romance again. It does feature some of my least favorite tropes (Insta-Love, Evil Other Woman, with shades of Not Like Other Girls...) but I enjoyed the era (Colonial! High Seas! Pirates!) and thought the settings were lush and romantic (yes, the island scenes are slower but Jenkins has always excelled at writing communities and she's in form here). Also, plenty of action in the final third and a satisfying HEA. Enjoyable.
April 24, 2021
It took me way too long to finish this...
March 22, 2024
4.5⭐️
Beverly’s brain is so remarkable, wow. I love how interconnected her books are, it’s SO cool. Clare and Dominic are such strong characters, and I adored them as a couple. I especially loved the setting of this, most of it is set in the Caribbean! I was hoping for some more tension between our main couple, but other than it being a bit instalovey for my liking, I truly enjoyed this.
Beverly’s brain is so remarkable, wow. I love how interconnected her books are, it’s SO cool. Clare and Dominic are such strong characters, and I adored them as a couple. I especially loved the setting of this, most of it is set in the Caribbean! I was hoping for some more tension between our main couple, but other than it being a bit instalovey for my liking, I truly enjoyed this.
September 5, 2025
4.5 stars! Another winner from Miss Bev. I just love how her stories play out like movies in my head!
January 6, 2020
As is typical of Jenkins' novels, Captured is a history-rich tale, lead by a unique cast of characters. Set during the American Revolutionary War, Captured artfully encompasses both slavery's horror and love's catharsis.
Clare, the story's smart and courageous heroine, is a slave and mother-of-two "captured" by pirates on a return trip from England with her mistress. Finding herself amidst a diverse crew of honorable pirates and slaver-hunters, Clare for the first time since childhood is free to decide her fate.
The novel examines self-worth, as Clare weighs her own freedom against the need to see and safeguard her children. Jenkins' depicts colonial atrocities from various affected people's perspectives, but also highlights her characters' healing and retribution.
My qualm with some of Jenkins' other novels is that their plots lack serious conflict--such is not the case in Captured. While a happy conclusion is inevitable--it's romance--this novel's plot was refreshingly unpredictable and gripping.
Plus, the hero is a sexy pirate captain--amazing.
Clare, the story's smart and courageous heroine, is a slave and mother-of-two "captured" by pirates on a return trip from England with her mistress. Finding herself amidst a diverse crew of honorable pirates and slaver-hunters, Clare for the first time since childhood is free to decide her fate.
The novel examines self-worth, as Clare weighs her own freedom against the need to see and safeguard her children. Jenkins' depicts colonial atrocities from various affected people's perspectives, but also highlights her characters' healing and retribution.
My qualm with some of Jenkins' other novels is that their plots lack serious conflict--such is not the case in Captured. While a happy conclusion is inevitable--it's romance--this novel's plot was refreshingly unpredictable and gripping.
Plus, the hero is a sexy pirate captain--amazing.
November 24, 2020
When I first started reading this book months ago I misjudged it. But revisiting months later made me fall in love with the book and the characters as per usual with BJ. I loved reading about Clare and Dominic knowing they’re from the Leveq family tree.
July 18, 2011
You'll be ready to go back to the days of pirates! Sexy, hot!
February 16, 2025
Classic Beverly Jenkins with an iconic clinch!
Dominic LeVeq is left out of his father's will, which he doesn't care as much about except for his half-brother inheriting the property and re-enslaving the people his father previously freed. He's turned to a life of Robin Hood-esque piracy, looting ships, but particularly Slavers and redistributing the wealth. Claire Sullivan is an enslaved woman on board one of those ships, and he is captivated by her beauty and spirit. Claire is an educated woman who can read and speak several languages, but whose children were sold when they were young and who has never slept in a bed in her life. Her passion for life drives LeVeq to make a pivotal decision: rescue and free her enslaved children.
The best Beverly Jenkins books are ones like this that dig into lesser explored parts of history than we typically see in historical romances, like 1770s Caribbean and the legacy of free Blacks. She's also at her best when the plot goes bonkers, and this one is high on the melodrama and action.
Dominic is a hard man, and like many of Jenkins's heroes, he's caught off guard by how fast he falls for Claire, and will move heaven and earth to make her happy. I find i am more intellectually than emotionally invested in the romance in a Jenkins book, and yet they sit with me. Her heroines are incredible - fierce women held back by the circumstances of their time and fighting for their place in society and in the heroes hearts.
Dominic LeVeq is left out of his father's will, which he doesn't care as much about except for his half-brother inheriting the property and re-enslaving the people his father previously freed. He's turned to a life of Robin Hood-esque piracy, looting ships, but particularly Slavers and redistributing the wealth. Claire Sullivan is an enslaved woman on board one of those ships, and he is captivated by her beauty and spirit. Claire is an educated woman who can read and speak several languages, but whose children were sold when they were young and who has never slept in a bed in her life. Her passion for life drives LeVeq to make a pivotal decision: rescue and free her enslaved children.
The best Beverly Jenkins books are ones like this that dig into lesser explored parts of history than we typically see in historical romances, like 1770s Caribbean and the legacy of free Blacks. She's also at her best when the plot goes bonkers, and this one is high on the melodrama and action.
Dominic is a hard man, and like many of Jenkins's heroes, he's caught off guard by how fast he falls for Claire, and will move heaven and earth to make her happy. I find i am more intellectually than emotionally invested in the romance in a Jenkins book, and yet they sit with me. Her heroines are incredible - fierce women held back by the circumstances of their time and fighting for their place in society and in the heroes hearts.
March 30, 2022
Rating & Review: 4.5 stars
Beverly Jenkins is an author who doesn’t disappoint with her work. Talk about educating while entertaining. I learned about Powder Boys from this book. Never heard of them before.
Dominique Le Veq is one from that storied family but he’s a “privateer” who roam the seas where he came upon the ship that held Clare. He liberated their jewels and money…and then Clare. Clare told Dom that she would rather be when her white mistress because it’s easier to be with the Devil you know.
But Dominique was determined Clare will never be at the whims of her slave mistress again.
So he decided to show her what life was like for a freedwoman (and man)
I am so thankful to have an author who clearly uplifts women and gives them agency even in harsh circumstances. She writes stories that makes me proud and entertains me.
Beverly Jenkins is an author who doesn’t disappoint with her work. Talk about educating while entertaining. I learned about Powder Boys from this book. Never heard of them before.
Dominique Le Veq is one from that storied family but he’s a “privateer” who roam the seas where he came upon the ship that held Clare. He liberated their jewels and money…and then Clare. Clare told Dom that she would rather be when her white mistress because it’s easier to be with the Devil you know.
But Dominique was determined Clare will never be at the whims of her slave mistress again.
So he decided to show her what life was like for a freedwoman (and man)
I am so thankful to have an author who clearly uplifts women and gives them agency even in harsh circumstances. She writes stories that makes me proud and entertains me.
January 11, 2021
CAPTURED is the third book in the "LeVeq Family" series from Beverly Jenkins. Instead of continuing with the Civil War/Reconstruction Era setting in the previous two novels, Jenkins takes the unusual step of moving the story back several generations to the family's founding in 1778.
Dominic LeVeq is the beloved yet illegitimate son of a French duke and his Black mistress. When his father suddenly dies and his holdings go to his legitimate white heir, Dominic rushes to the family estate in Martinique to evacuate the workers who are facing a return to slavery under his half-brother's rule. After establishing them safely on an uninhabited island off Cuba's mainland, Dominic and his crew turn to privacy, which is where he encounters 30-year-old slave woman, Clare Sullivan. When he sees her captive status, he abducts her to guarantee her freedom and once onboard his ship, they begin to fall in love. However, before they can contemplate a committed relationship, they need to retrieve Clare's two children, who are still being held as slaves back in the colonies.
Of the four Jenkins novels I've read so far, CAPTURED spends the greatest amount of time inhabiting it's heroine's experiences of slavery. When the novel opens, Clare is working as a slave, she's initially reluctant to embrace her freedom because it further separates her from her two children left behind in Georgia, and eventually, she returns to captivity in order to save them. Jenkins uses these scenes to explore the ways in which slavery was grotesque for being such an intimate, family business. Clare has grown up alongside the woman who owns her. The man who once had a childhood crush on her is the same person who sold her children away from her to pay his taxes. By examining Clare's relationships and daily experiences in captivity, CAPTURED carried an extra emotional punch which also gave Dominic's rescue efforts an added layer of urgency.
Although CAPTURED deals with an entirely new time period (the Revolutionary War) and geographical setting (the Caribbean), Jenkins cuts out a lot of her usual background information to make room for the swashbuckling adventure. Luckily, her professorial additions haven't disappeared entirely, but there are far fewer of them overall. The seafaring setting, pirate theme, and decision to prioritize the faster-paced plot all came together to create a more immediate, immersive story. I definitely had a much easier time staying engaged with CAPTURED than I did with
Indigo, Through the Storm, or Winds of the Storm.
At the same time, CAPTURED is where I lost my patience with the romance dynamic that Jenkins relies on. In all four of her novels that I've read, an extremely sexually knowledgeable man is drawn to an equally sexually inexperienced woman and his attraction is heightened by her (superficial) resistance to his physical, social, or economic charms. After they begin having sex, the hero marvels at how the heroine is able to match him as an equal in lovemaking. And, in three of the four novels I've read, one of the hero's former lovers serves as a secondary villain who threatens the heroine.
I don't like this.
I don't like this because it suggests that the woman who denies her lust or attraction will be the one who is ultimately rewarded with sexual satisfaction. I don't like this because it places the hero, who is already wealthier and more socially influential, in yet another powerful position as the person with more sexual knowledge and experience. I don't like this because the hero values the heroine for her enthusiastic sexual response (despite her sexual ignorance) even though the lack of sexually responsive women is a by-product of the patriarchy which intentionally keeps women sexually ignorant. The heroine isn't special in this way; she's just like every other woman on Earth, if the patriarchy didn't mangle expectations of gender and agency. Finally, I don't like this because it creates a false dichotomy between the "bad" woman who, despite no longer providing novelty to the hero's life, continues to lust after his wealth, social position, sexual ability, or emotional interest and the "good" heroine who has captured the hero's current attention, but denies her latent attachment to those same qualities.
As much as these tropes bother me, I'm not going to stop reading Beverly Jenkins because her contributions to the romance genre are huge and her work shines such an important spotlight on Black history. I'm also optimistic that I'll eventually encounter a different type of hero or heroine as I work my way through her extensive oeuvre. CAPTURED just wasn't that book.
CAPTURED was an energetic, fresh, and fun romance that isn't afraid to tackle America's original sin. It's also a particularly frustrating example of Jenkins's virgin/rake standard. Grade: B.
Dominic LeVeq is the beloved yet illegitimate son of a French duke and his Black mistress. When his father suddenly dies and his holdings go to his legitimate white heir, Dominic rushes to the family estate in Martinique to evacuate the workers who are facing a return to slavery under his half-brother's rule. After establishing them safely on an uninhabited island off Cuba's mainland, Dominic and his crew turn to privacy, which is where he encounters 30-year-old slave woman, Clare Sullivan. When he sees her captive status, he abducts her to guarantee her freedom and once onboard his ship, they begin to fall in love. However, before they can contemplate a committed relationship, they need to retrieve Clare's two children, who are still being held as slaves back in the colonies.
Of the four Jenkins novels I've read so far, CAPTURED spends the greatest amount of time inhabiting it's heroine's experiences of slavery. When the novel opens, Clare is working as a slave, she's initially reluctant to embrace her freedom because it further separates her from her two children left behind in Georgia, and eventually, she returns to captivity in order to save them. Jenkins uses these scenes to explore the ways in which slavery was grotesque for being such an intimate, family business. Clare has grown up alongside the woman who owns her. The man who once had a childhood crush on her is the same person who sold her children away from her to pay his taxes. By examining Clare's relationships and daily experiences in captivity, CAPTURED carried an extra emotional punch which also gave Dominic's rescue efforts an added layer of urgency.
Although CAPTURED deals with an entirely new time period (the Revolutionary War) and geographical setting (the Caribbean), Jenkins cuts out a lot of her usual background information to make room for the swashbuckling adventure. Luckily, her professorial additions haven't disappeared entirely, but there are far fewer of them overall. The seafaring setting, pirate theme, and decision to prioritize the faster-paced plot all came together to create a more immediate, immersive story. I definitely had a much easier time staying engaged with CAPTURED than I did with
Indigo, Through the Storm, or Winds of the Storm.
At the same time, CAPTURED is where I lost my patience with the romance dynamic that Jenkins relies on. In all four of her novels that I've read, an extremely sexually knowledgeable man is drawn to an equally sexually inexperienced woman and his attraction is heightened by her (superficial) resistance to his physical, social, or economic charms. After they begin having sex, the hero marvels at how the heroine is able to match him as an equal in lovemaking. And, in three of the four novels I've read, one of the hero's former lovers serves as a secondary villain who threatens the heroine.
I don't like this.
I don't like this because it suggests that the woman who denies her lust or attraction will be the one who is ultimately rewarded with sexual satisfaction. I don't like this because it places the hero, who is already wealthier and more socially influential, in yet another powerful position as the person with more sexual knowledge and experience. I don't like this because the hero values the heroine for her enthusiastic sexual response (despite her sexual ignorance) even though the lack of sexually responsive women is a by-product of the patriarchy which intentionally keeps women sexually ignorant. The heroine isn't special in this way; she's just like every other woman on Earth, if the patriarchy didn't mangle expectations of gender and agency. Finally, I don't like this because it creates a false dichotomy between the "bad" woman who, despite no longer providing novelty to the hero's life, continues to lust after his wealth, social position, sexual ability, or emotional interest and the "good" heroine who has captured the hero's current attention, but denies her latent attachment to those same qualities.
As much as these tropes bother me, I'm not going to stop reading Beverly Jenkins because her contributions to the romance genre are huge and her work shines such an important spotlight on Black history. I'm also optimistic that I'll eventually encounter a different type of hero or heroine as I work my way through her extensive oeuvre. CAPTURED just wasn't that book.
CAPTURED was an energetic, fresh, and fun romance that isn't afraid to tackle America's original sin. It's also a particularly frustrating example of Jenkins's virgin/rake standard. Grade: B.
January 18, 2021
Absolutely great book!! I am so glad I’m reading though her backlist. I would so recommend this
September 3, 2025
Loved it! 💜🏴☠️
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