Cross Bones

by Rebecca Cohen (Editor), Cooper West, Ellen Holiday

Ahoy, me proud beauty, shiver me timbers! I ask ye to sail me jollyboat on the high seas, lubber, but will ye dare to accept? On offer be a pirate's life full of danger and risk, and not just to yer neck, but to yer very virgin heart! There's many a bodice to be ripped--or perhaps I should say many a codpiece to be snapped--and should ye be graced enough to cross bones with a corsair, don't be an addlepate! Heave ho, lad, handsomely, and show him how ye bury yer treasure!

Pirates didn't only sail the high seas in historical times. Modern-day renegades and futuristic rebels are just as ripe for adventure and plunder. No matter the time, place, or circumstances, bad boys steal affection as often as they salvage treasure, and in these stories of romance, a rogue's black heart always conceals a center of gold.

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Romance, Historical, Pirates, Contemporary, Historical Fiction

356 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2011

About the author

REBECCA COHEN spends her days dreaming of living in a Tudor manor house, or a Georgian mansion. Alas, the closest she comes to this is through her characters in her historical romance novels. She also dreams of intergalactic adventures and fantasy realms, but because she’s not yet got her space or dimensional travel plans finalised, she lives happily in leafy Hertfordshire, England, with her husband and young son. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and sloe gin with lemon tonic in the other.

Reviews

[Portia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review was written for MM Good Book Reviews by Pixie.

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...

Pirates didn’t only sail the high seas in historical times. Modern-day renegades and futuristic rebels are just as ripe for adventure and plunder. No matter the time, place, or circumstances, bad boys steal affection as often as they salvage treasure, and in these stories of romance, a rogue’s black heart always conceals a center of gold.

Rebecca Cohen – Captain Merric Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (33pgs)

Review: Daniel is a captain in the Royal Navy when his crew forms a mutiny against him and finds himself adrift in a small boat and then picked up by pirates. James is the pirate Captain Merric. His crew fish out a Navy captain from the sea who turns out to be a childhood sweetheart.

This is a cute read where two childhood sweethearts are reunited after 16 years apart; only for one to be a Navy captain and the other a pirate captain. Daniel tries to fight his renewed feelings for James knowing he has to return to England and James decides that Daniel is his and will do anything to have him. An enjoyable short story.

Ellen Holiday – Touched by the West Wind Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (16pgs)

Review: Tom and Bren are part of a pirate crew. These two young men have been best friends for years when they realize that the way they feel has changed.

This is a sweet romance of two young men who discover their feelings have changed and what they feel for their friend is love. It is a sweet exploration of their feelings as they embark on an innocent physical exploration of each other. A sweet romantic story.

K.R. Foster – The Golden Galleon Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Contemporary Length: Short (12pgs)

Review: Flynn and Jason own the Golden Galleon restaurant together, as well as being life partners. Flynn is having a nice relaxing day off reading his favorite author’s latest novel when he gets a phone call from a desperate Jason begging him to come in on his day off.

Flynn is unhappy to arrive at the restaurant only to find that Jason lied to him, Jason asks him to go to the office where he makes it up to him in a hot and horny manner. A sweet, hot and sexy short.

Emily Moreton – My Hand in Yours Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½, Genre: Fantasy, Pirate Length: Short (10pgs)

Review: Jack is a peace keeper for a coastal town. Robert is a pirate. They come together for primal needs and continue to do so for over five years whenever Robert is in town.

For over five years Robert comes to Jack whenever he is in town, when he is offered work on the Nether Shore, he asks Jack to make a huge decision. This is a nice sweet short.

Jana Denardo – Ghost of Jupiter Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Science Fiction, Inter-species Length: Short (35pgs)

Review: Telek is a Chimera (genetically engineered species) having been sold to the highest bidder he is now being transported. Al is a privateer who has raided a space craft, what he finds on board is more than he could have ever expected.

Telek has been bred to fight and kill. Chimera’s are feared as many have no control over themselves; a few can control themselves. Telek is one of the few. He begins to trust the privateer captain and wants more from him. Al trusts Telek not to hurt or kill him but he doesn’t want Telek thinking that he has to offer himself up to stay safe. Between them is a want to protect the other and a relationship based on trust. A great read I would love to see more from this writer.

E.S. Douglas – Officer and a Gentleman Pirate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (16pgs)

Review: Geoffrey is a lieutenant in a British Colony; Captain Jones is a pirate he captured after bumping into him outside a tavern.

Jones uses his wiles to try to seduce the lieutenant so he can escape. Geoffrey tries to deny himself but fails; leading to the pirate escaping, but with instructions on how to contact him again. What will happen to these two men when they meet up again? A charming story which shows opposites attract.

K.J. Johnson – Objectivity Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3, Genre: Modern Pirate, Interracial Length: Short (27pgs)

Review: Matthew is a photo-journalist on assignment to get the dirt on African pirates. Achmed is the pirate leader who is trying to show Matthew why they have resorted to piracy.

Matthew battles his attraction to the pirate leader who has made it clear that he could kill him at any time. He also struggles to understand why these men have resorted to piracy. Meanwhile, Achmed is trying to make the photo-journalist understand why they rob the rich. When Matthew is injured on Achmed’s boat by an American soldier they both give in to the attraction. A nice story that could be built on for a future novella.

Cornelia Grey – Worth the Price Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (31pgs)

Review: Edward is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy who has been captured by pirate Captain James O’Shea. When the pirate captain visits him he attacks him with a passion which surprises even him.

Edward ends up risking his life to save James. James ends up giving himself up to save his crew but what will Edward do when his Commodore tries to go back on his word and just how far will Edward go to rescue his pirate. A great short with some intense passion and it was really well written.

Juan Kenobi – Peter and the Lost Boys Heart Rating: ♥1, Genre: ???? Length: Short (15pgs)

Review: Peter is approached in a bar by Kap. Kap takes him to his home to discuss a job and Peter meets the lost boys.

Well there is no sex, no kissing, no nothing; just some sexual innuendo and a job offer. This short story felt more like a small clip from a much longer book.

M.J. O’Shea – Irish Red Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Historical 1713 Length: Short (11pgs)

Review: Chris is a tavern owner and Brian is the pirate captain, Irish Red. they have to keep their love a secret and Brian has promised that this will be his last trip.

Chris is waiting for Brian to return. He’s been waiting months and months when he hears the rumor that Irish Red has been killed. He struggles to go on with his life after that; until one night when an intruder enters the tavern. A wonderful short story that has a lot of emotion.

Piper Vaughn – Black John Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Historical 1715 Length: Short (15pgs)

Review: Juan thought the love of his life had died 5 years before. That is until he is washed up on the beach. He thinks this is his second chance, but Jacob has other ideas.

Jacob can’t believe that there are men living and loving openly together on this Island and even though he has found Juan again the fear is too deep. He will be leaving on the next cargo ship. It isn’t until Juan suffers a life threatening injury that Jacob realizes just what he could have lost.

Cooper West - Rough Trade Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Science Fiction, Pirates Length: Short (29pgs)

Review: Audacity is kinda like the captain of the Helos A.I. Battleship Carthage which turned to piracy before Audacity joined her. He’s trying to bail out one of his crew when he bumps into a desperate doctor who needs to get off the space port fast. Sag is a doctor and is pretty shocked that the space craft he is on is a pirate ship but he’s so glad to be off the space port.

This is a great read, I loved the story-line and plot and thought Audacity and Sag were great together.

B. Snow – From a Simmer to a Burn Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3, Genre: Historical, Interracial Length: Short (31pgs)

Review: Sule was a slave who escaped his Dutch owners. He has an anger that is so great that it burns constantly no matter how many fights he’s in and he hates all things Dutch. Olaf is Norwegian but can only communicate with the other crew in Dutch. Sule hates him for reminding him of the Dutch.

This is a good story about overcoming your anger to accept something that much better; if only you can accept what is offered and stop fighting the present and to start forgetting the past.

Riley Shane – On the Wings of Lir Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Steam punk, Pirate Length: Short (17pgs)

Review: Hugh is determined to capture the pirate Patrick Kelly. Kelly is raiding air-ships that are carrying children that are heading for the whore houses. When Hugh finds this out he has a choice to make.

This is a great story that I would really love to see made into a much, much longer story. Hugh is shocked when he finds out the truth behind the raids and he also finds Kelly to be extremely attractive. Kelly thinks Hugh looks like an angel and goes about persuading Hugh to look deeper.

Maggie Lee – The Winds of Change Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Historical 1717, Pirates Length: Short (33pgs)

Review: Cook and Seb have been friends for a year; Cook is firm in his belief that Seb will remain faithful even when Cook sleeps around. That conviction is shaken when they find berth on Edward Teach’s ships.

I found this to be a great story, where one man finally realizes that he can’t have his cake and eat it, too.

Overall Review: I have to say that I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, as always with an anthology you have your gems and then you have the plastic beads. I have to say that the gems are definitely worth reading in this anthology. There is some hot sex in some of the stories but in quite a few there are other sex acts and sometimes it’s just thoughts of sex. A lot of the pairings are good and quite a few of the stories are well written. So I would recommend this if you love pirates…or not.

[Catherine]

Irish Red by MJ O'Shea ~ 2.5 Stars

I loved that Brian and Chris were a long-established couple - utterly devoted to one another from the time they were young boys kidnapped into the Royal Navy. In a handful of sentences, O'Shea was able to make clear that no matter the distance that often separated these two men, they lived for the moments that they could spend together. I could feel how rock solid their relationship was and it made me feel so GOOD!

The thing that I struggled most with in this story was that Irish Red/Brian disappeared for more than a YEAR and when he returned, the details of what he had been doing and why he had HAD to do it that way were completely absent. Some readers might find those lack of details to be a necessity of short stories (too few pages to properly explain everything), but I found that without those critical details, the fact that he had abandoned the love of his life and let him believe that he was DEAD for part of that time seemed cruel and far too easily forgiven by Chris.

[Cornelia Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, usually when I read anthologies I find that a very few stories are good while most of them are, let's face it, kinda lame. I'm not sure why: maybe it's because short stories are actually much harder to write than what it looks like, maybe because anthologies are training ground for newbies such as myself. Whatever the reason, that was my expectation when I started reading this anthology... and what a wonderful surprise I had! The quality is much higher than most other anthologies I read. I fell completely in love with so many of the stories I couldn't even believe it. Since I really want to gush about my favourite pieces, I just had to write a review :).

So, in no particular order, my comments on my favourite stories:



Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday.
First of all, I LOVE the opening of the story: Ask me again why I love the sea. I'll give you a different answer each time. I have a million of them. And then, throughout the story, the theme is maintained with the narrator every now and then coming up with a new reason. And they're gorgeous reasons, never clichéd, always phrased in such a delightful way it makes me want to frame them. when I look over the railing, I see froth over dark beer, I can't even begin to say how much I love this image.
And I love the character of Bren, the sea rat. I love the theme of the story, the thread of the stories read aloud in the dark nights below deck, and how Bren reacts. The atmosphere Ellen created is enchanting. Oh, and the dragons banter at the end, that's just priceless.

Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo.
Now, whenevr I see Jana's name, I already know I can expect an awesome story. She's always original and unexpected, and as a plus she sometimes inserts Italian elements in her stories (never in the clichéd way Italian references are usually used) and that makes me happy. So I loved Alessandro and Arianna Bellomi. Then I loved the whole concept of the chimerae, how they are created and used, and I loved what description was given of them. I was endlessly fascinated by Telek - love the detail of the blue hair coming from a specific race's genes, and the great detail of the texture of his penis. The sex scenes were utterly droolworthy, and dealt with Telek's issues with great realism. The blossoming of the feelings between Telek and Al was very well written and plausible (often in short stories it feels like the characters are getting together just because the author decide they have to.)

Objectivity by K.J. Johnson.
I never read anything by K.J. before, but this short story made me decide I definitely want to. I don't even know where to start to say just how much I enjoyed it.
First of all, the realistic setting, in a very harsh and compelling situation. I suck at reality, which is why my stories are usually set in imaginary settings, therefore I have endless admiration for authors who can tackle pressing contemporary issues and effectively portray them in their stories. I loved the dynamics between Matthew and Achmed, how they were conditioned and influenced by the dangerous, tense, unstable situation (I can all too easily imagine an instance in which a standard love story might have been pasted on the realistic setting without actually interacting with it: this is certainly not the case with this story!). I loved the detail of the picture of the food near the ammo. And the scenes with Achmed and Matthew in the city. I can't even say how much I love the last sentences that Achmed and Matthew exchange: no cheesy standard ending was possible, and it wouldn't have fit if K.J. had tried to shove it in. Somehow, those last words are perfect and heartbreaking and gorgeous at the same time. Really impressive.

Rough Trade by Cooper West.
I just LOVE Carthage, her personality and what little history we have of her. I'd love to know exactly what happened to the Colonial crew on her, and why she decided to change sides. I also loved the bit about hobbies - when I read about Audacity knitting the hat, it was just too epic for words.

From a simmer to a burn by B. Snow.
This is another author that I'd never read before, and that now I definitely want to get to know better. I love how the thread of Sule's anger is weaved into the story, and how the calm and emptiness that comes after terrifies him. I loved the fact that, for once, the main character isn't immediately likeable - he's flawed, the way he's behaving is wrong (and, deep down, he knows it), and yet it makes me love him even more: he's all the more strikingly human for it. A very complex, layered and realistic character - probably the most full-fleshed and realistic out of the whole anthology. I was very impressed by him.
I also loved Olaf, who I found very sexy and attractive, his character a great contrast to Sule's, and the dynamics between him and Sule were just amazing. The ending was everything I was hoping it would be.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun collection of swashbuckling heroes across the ages. I really enjoyed that this wasn't entirely historical shorts but there was a lot creativity taken with the idea of "pirates." There were insta-love stories, friend to lovers stories, and everything in between. A lot of this book really made me smile. I particularly enjoyed a number of the sci-fi space pirate stories.

[Jana Denardo]

I chose not to give it a star rating because I'm one of the authors in the anthology. I'm uncomfortable with that. Heck, I'm uncomfortable with even commenting about the anthology in general but, while obviously biased, I thought it had a good range of solid stories.

Naturally there are the stories you really expect with a pirate anthology, the typical swashbuckling stories that I've loved for years. Cornelia Grey's story in particular stayed with me. I really enjoyed it.

I also loved that my story wasn't the only SF one in the group. There was another SF and one steampunk story in the collection, both with strong world building. There were modern day pirates and some stories that took the pirate idea and twisted it a bit. The story with the pirate-themed restaurant was one of those and that one stuck with me.

If you like pirates and m/m love, you'll enjoy this anthology.

[☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ask me again why I love the sea. I'll give you a different answer each time. I have a million of them.
-Ellen Holiday

Captain Merric - Rebecca Cohen
3.5/5 -- Tropes: "I thought you were dead", second chance
A little spice would've gone a long way! But I did like the fresh writing and characters. I would have read a more in depth version happily.

Touched by the West Wind - Ellen Holiday
5/5 -- Tropes: friends to lovers
The prose here was absolutely lovely, I ate this story right up!

The Golden Galleon - KR Foster
3/5 -- Tropes: Contemporary, dirty pirate talk
The restaurant setting was super OTT but also fun. A+ for creative use of pirate themed decor..

My Hand in Yours - Emily Moreton
3/5 -- Tropes: FR/fantasy, spanning years. "Come with me"
Very sweet HEA. I liked the ambiguity of their identities and the hints of worldbuilding.

The night was dark, sweltering, and heavy, air tangy with salt from a crashing sea and loud startling crackles every so often when lightning slapped the horizon. It was the kind of night that made men restless, mean, eager for a fight - something about the lightning, I always thought. I was on edge waiting for trouble to be washed in with the rain. Trouble always seemed to come when it stormed.
-M.J. O'Shea

The Ghost of Jupiter - Jana Denardo
5/5 -- Tropes: space pirates, genetic mutation
I really enjoyed the shift to a sci-fi story in this anthology! Loved how Al brought Telek on and trusted him despite the obvious reasons not to.

Officer and a Gentleman - E.S. Douglas
3.5/5 -- Tropes: "savvy", Jack Sparrow/Will Turner vibes
This felt like a 'classic' pirate setting - and very POTC-esque

Objectivity - K.J. Johnson
4/5 -- Tropes: contemporary, journalist x pirate, 'i want to make wild, violent love to you'
Why can't I get past the names... Jeff Dunham haunts me. But I did like the more contemporary pirate setting!

Worth the Price - Cornelia Grey
4/5 -- Tropes: enemies to lovers, gallows
All I could think of was "Pull the lever, Kronk!" towards the end there... hehe

"I've never worked a spacefaring vessel before, of course, but we had the same protocols at Sector General. Everyone is mapped and tracked, so any health anomalies can be discovered early and dealth with. Deep in the voice is not the time or place to develop high blood pressure or appendicitis." He shrugged and looked back at the board. "Carthage has been doing it by herself, but she's not a trained physician [...] The numbers might look similar, but there is a huge medical difference between a heart attack and masturbation."
-Cooper West

Peter and the Lost Boys - Juan Kenobi
3/5 -- Tropes: peter pan reimagining, contemporary, sex industry
What the fuck did I just read. I threw in an extra star just for the comic relief! So weird. Such a shame this author isn't yet listed on GR with any other works to check out.

Irish Red - M.J. O'Shea
3/5 -- Tropes: Perceived main character death, historical
Short and sweet, though it didn't really 'stand out' from the others set in the same era!

Black John - Piper Vaughn
4/5 -- Tropes: historical, 'querido'
I fully appreciated that this one tied into the previous story! Fun

Rough Trade -Cooper West
5/5 -- Tropes: sci-fi, sentient ship
I've been digging the space pirates, and this one didn't let me down! The ship was fun and a little sassy and I would definitely read a full length version of this one.

On the boy's finger was what looked like a signet ring. Had Kelly not been watching the lad out of the corner of his eye, he might have missed the almost imperceptible movement of the metal mechanism on the top of the ring when the stranger brushed his hand. Unwillingly, Kelly felt a pulse of despite for his would-be murderer, even as powder fell out of the ring and into his whiskey glass.
-Riley Shane

From a Simmer to a Burn - B. Snow
2/5 -- Tropes: contemporary, diverse character cast
With its more serious subject matter, this one took me out of the 'pirate fantasy' a bit.

On the Wings of Lir - Riley Shane
4/5 -- Tropes: space pirate, pirate good guy, steampunk
I liked the gadgets in this world, and the connection between the two MCs was surprisingly strong for such a short story!

The Winds of Change - Maggie Lee
3.5/5 -- Tropes: friends to lovers, historical
We ended this anthology on a bit of a nostalgic, sad note.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of pirate short stories, I would love to see some of these made into longer books.

Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen: 5 Stars. I loved this one and I look forward for more stories by this author.

Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday: 3.5 Stars. Short and sweet.

The Golden Galleon by K.R. Foster: 3.5 Stars. Cute story.

My Hand in Yours by Emily Moreton: 3.5 Stars. I wish this was a bit longer.

Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo: 4 Stars. Fun futuristic read.

Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas: 4.5 Stars. I would love to read a full book on these two men, maybe with a little more background and their future at sea together.

Objectivity by K.J. Johnson: 4 Stars. I really enjoyed this one. It had an interesting take on the pirate theme, very original.

Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey: 5 Stars. Great read.

Peter and the Lost Boys by Juan Kenobi: 3.5 Stars. Very silly but still a cute read.

Irish Red by M.J. O'Shea: 5 Stars. Great story. This could maybe be made into a book on its own, I liked the MC's.

Black John by Piper Vaughn: 5 Stars. I liked how it continued off of Irish Red.

Rough Trade by Cooper West: 3 Stars. I'm picky about my futuristic themes.

From a Simmer to a burn by B. Snow: 3.5 Stars. Enjoyed the story but wasn't sure about the writing.

On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane: 4 Stars. I think this is what you call a steampunk but I am not sure, anyways I realy liked it.

The Winds of Change by Maggie Lee: 4 Stars. Good story to end the book with. I especially liked the ending, perfect.

[Cornerofmadness · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always go into anthologies with high hopes. I’m not much of a short story reader and like most anthologies this was a mixed bag but I found more hits than misses.

Naturally there are many ‘sailing the high seas’ pirate stories circa the 1700-1800’s. That’s expected. We’d have been disappointed if there weren’t any. The one I enjoyed most was Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey. There are also two that go hand in hand Irish Red and Black John.

There were modern day pirates, which I enjoyed a little less, not because the writing was bad but because, let’s face it, I’m not much of a mainstream reader. That’s not the sort of thing that hooks me but these were good.

There were three in my favorite genres of SF and steampunk and had some of the very best world building in the whole anthology, Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo, Rough Trade by Cooper West and Winds of Lir by Riley Shane.

There are even a few that made inventive use of the idea of ‘pirates’ including a pirate themed restaurant and another with a porno making crew.

Overall the quality is good and if it’s not immediately clear by the blurb this is m/m erotica. If that’s not your cup of tea, you will not like this collection. I enjoyed it.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irish Red by M.J. O'Shea

Beautiful short love story in times where the love between two men was punishable by death. A ruthless pirate and a quiet barkeep, what's not to like.

Black John by Piper Vaughn

A few years after Irish Red this book is about a love that was thought to be dead, but when faith delivers the love of your live on a silver platter, one has to make sure this time it would be different. And different it was, even if the love had to be threatened again in order to wake up and live fully.

[SheReadsALot]

ARGH!!! MULTIPLE PIRATES!!



This pirate lover has hit the buried treasure jackpot! Yar!



I want booties plundered, ya savvy?

"Cross Bones," with B. Snow is part of our free November Tweetaways! Available for an hour.
http://t.co/a5oTJNV4Im

Ends 9:45pm EST 11/23/13

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for MJ O'Shea and Piper Vaughn, but I was so impressed with the whole anthology. I loved all of the stories... But I fear I have a pirate fetish now.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

SlashReaders: Having read a number of anthologies over the years and a number of DreamSpinner ones, I have one big problem with them. Lol, and yes I know that my problem with them is actually what they are trying to do. However by the time I get to the end of one of these anthologies I'm usually sexed out. The stories are often good and interesting but they always end in one way--or begin there--and that's hot and heavy.

As far as that goes, this anthology was actually very good. There was a lot more plot to many of these stories than just throwing people together for sex--as some of the others tend to be. So all in all, this collection rates higher than some of the others. Sometimes before I write these I like to look and see what other people said. One of the things I found funny was that the last review I read for this anthology. The other reader disliked all of my favorite stories in this anthology.

Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen, while fun. This story was one of those, 'but I thought you were dead', chance meetings at sea. Set historically (yeah for the high seas), it's about getting a second chance with the person you loved. Ultimately it was rather obvious what was going to happen.

Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday, once more set in the past. This adventure takes place on the high seas. While this story might be somewhat simple and obvious, I actually really liked it. Ellen Holiday did a wonderful job of writing this piece. There is a lyrical quality to the writing that made me want to keep reading it. I also really liked the way she framed the story.

The Golden Galleon by KR Foster. Set during modern times this story is about a couple who own a pirate themed restaurant. I must admit that I wasn't sure where exactly this story was going. Finishing up with a slight bit of bondage, I liked the twist on the pirate idea.

My hand in yours by Emily Moreton is a little bit of a couple of things. While it is roughly set during the high seas, there are some elements of fantasy in here as well. This story features a peacekeeper with leanings towards other men. One day he finds a man waiting for him. Their relationship continues on and off again as the seas brings Roberts to shore. In the end Jack is faced with a choice. It would be fun to see something more with this pair and what happens to them afterwards.

Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo, is one of those space pirate stories that both intrigue and annoy me. This story was good; it's about a captain who picks up a cargo that is more than he bargained for. Al meets genetically altered 'alien' slave who unlike many of his kin does not want to make use of his violent nature. In other words this is a boy meets alien and falls in love story. It's cute, it's fun and it has a happy ending. It would make for a nice longer series since in the end the situation on a larger scale really isn't resolved.

Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas. So officer captures a polite pirate stumbling drunk out of a bar. This story was both interesting and a little on the long winded side. While it was fun to watch the two characters banter back and forth...

Objectivity by K.J. Johnson was a story that I really liked. The whole time I wasn't sure where it was going and though I found the end somewhat disappointing, it was a good story because it didn't end like all the others. Matthew is a journalist in Africa doing research to try and get the story from the pirate’s point of view. In a precarious position, he none the less finds himself attracted to Achmed. This was an interesting story and definitely a different concept.

Worth The Price by Cornelia Grey was fun as I've found Grey's other works to be. I think that there are a few moments in this story that wouldn't have happened but it is plausible. More or less take naval officer meet attractive pirate... throw in a big story, eventual capture and eventual rescue. Over all this story was a lot of fun a good mix of plot, sex and angst. :)

Peter and The Lost Boys by Juan Knobi was a very different story than all the rest. In truth I don't really think that this short story belonged in this anthology. It's about a man in a bar having a drink who starts talking to a guy dressed like a pirate. The man offers him a job; he agrees... said job turns out to be helping to run a porn studio featuring the Lost Boys...

Irish Red by M.J. O'shea, is a story about love, lose and love found again. While somewhat angsty, I liked the connection between these two characters. I also really liked M.J. O'Shea's writing. In fact I've picked up a couple of her longer works, though I haven't yet read them.

Black John by Piper Vaughn is linked to the last story by M.J. O'Shea. I personally found this story somewhat annoying. The typically male character who can't except that he's in love with his best friend and continually denies the relationship until of course something happens. One of them almost dyes and the one in denial is forced to face the truth of his feelings.

Rough trade by Cooper West another space pirate themed story. I don't know the names and the way this story was written just annoyed me. I know that realistically if there were space pirates out there, they would have names like ours etc. But in this work names seemed choice for profession and character and absurdity. I found it kept breaking the flow of the story for me.

From a Simmer to a Burn by B. Snow, was a good story about emotions and human connections. This story featured a freed Dutch slave turned pirate named Sule. Sule has been hanging onto his anger for years he doesn't know how to feel or be anything else. That is until Olaf comes into his life... though nothing is that easy. While there are some problems and generalizations in this story was with some of the others--specifics about Sule's past and such--in this anthology. For a short work like this I'm willing to look past that. I actually did look for other works by this author and have been able to find anything.

On the Wing of Lir by Riley Shane. Pirates meet steam punk. A young officer sets out to catch a pirate at a gentleman's club for men who prefer men. Instead the young officer find himself drugged and tied to a bed. The gentleman pirate let's him go and the young man spends a lot of time remembering what 'might' have happened. Of course they meet again and the young officer discovers that the pirates cause is actually the right one, etc. It was a fun story.

The Winds of Change by Maggie Lee is a historical work about the early 1700's when things on the high seas are beginning to change. This story features Seb and Cook two characters on the fringes of Edward Teach's rampage. While about the numbered days of pirates this story is more about the relationship between Seb and Cook than anything else. There was a different tone and pace to this work than the others.

On the whole, I enjoyed more and disliked less. :)

[ttg · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Cross Bones is a pirate-themed anthology, and like many anthologies, is a mixed-bag. Some stories were great, some were just okay, some I couldn’t wait until they were over.

Rather than do my breakdown of each story as they appeared, I’m going to do it in the order that I liked them.

Objectivity by K.J. Johnson – 4.5 stars: Very well-written and tense contemporary story about a journalist who is shadowing/tagging along with a pirate who plunders ships off the African coast. Great chemistry and back-and-forth as Matthew and Achmed disagree over Achmed’s raids, and Matthew worries if he’ll survive his expose. Really well done story that balances characters, story, and yes, even sex.

Rough Trade by Cooper West – 4.5 stars: I really enjoyed this sci-fi space story about a gunner on his sentient ship who makes a deal to rescue an imperiled doctor from a dicey space port job. Great chemistry, fun dialogue, and neat world-building. The short story format worked, but I could have read a full novel of these guys. Fans of shows like Firefly would especially like this one.

On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane – 4.5 stars: Steampunk Pirates! Yay! Very fun adventure romance story set an AU Victorian times as young Hugh takes it upon himself to capture the famed air pirate Captain Kelly, but as usual, not everything is as it seems. I <3 steampunk adventure romance, and this was a very fun ride with great character chemistry, and I liked how the author switched POVs between the MCs. Good times.

Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen - 4 stars: Nice short story about two men who were once lovers and are reunited fifteen years later at sea—one now a pirate, and the other a British Navy Captain who was left adrift by his mutinous crew. Good atmosphere and enjoyable character interaction. I’m always a fan of the reunited lovers trope.

My Hand in Yours by Emily Moreton - 4 stars: I liked this one a lot. Set in an AU world where magic exists, this story tells of an affair between a young peacekeeper and a pirate who visits him every few months. The world-building was minimal, but the hints were enough to be interesting. It was a good read, and I wouldn’t have minded following along for further adventures with them.

From a Simmer to a Burn by B. Snow – 4 Stars: Well-written as well as an interesting historical story of Sule, an escaped slave who works on a pirate ship, and who directs his never-ending anger at the large, young Norwegian carpenter working on the ship. Sule was a very interesting character, especially as he battles within himself over his feelings for sweet, open Olaf.

Irish Red by M.J. O'Shea – 4 stars Although too short for much development, and the plot didn’t blow me away, a tale of a barkeep on a faraway island and his gentleman pirate caller that comes around every few months, I did like the characters and the romance between them, so this was an enjoyable read.

Black John by Piper Vaughn – 3.5 stars: A companion story to O’Shea’s Irish Red that is set two years later with a different MC. (Irish Red’s MCs are in the background though.) I wasn’t as attached to the main couple in this one, but it was a nice read.

I did like how O’Shea and Vaughn played in the same world though and made me wish that they had taken that concept further, maybe have more writers work with “the island” that these two had created.

Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo – 3.5 stars: Interesting sci-fi story of a privateer raiding a ship, only to find a group of enslaved chimera fighters as part of the cargo. There was some good sci-fi world building, but the short story format didn’t lend a lot of time to build the relationship between the captain and one of the freed fighters. I think this would have worked better as a longer story with more development, but I liked Talek, the chimera, and his fascination with new things, especially freedom.

The Winds of Change by Maggie Lee – 3 stars: The last story in the anthology is another traditional historical, this one about two longtime friends who take a commission on a pirate ship. The characters were nice, as is the writing, but I’m not always a fan of multiple liaisons with other people in order to understand who your one true love is.

Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday. 3 stars: A pleasant read about two young men on a pirate ship who grow from fast friends to something deeper. Nice, but a little emo with the internal struggle over all the feelings the narrator was going through.

Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey – 3 stars: Another traditional pirates story. This one of a British Navy Lieutenant who is captured by an infamous pirate that he’s been chasing, only to be swayed by that pirate, and then when the tables turn, is faced with a hard choice. Even though I like swashbuckling stories, this one just didn’t reel me in, and I started to skim to finish it.

The Golden Galleon by K.R. Foster – 2.5 stars: A short contemporary romance about a couple who run a pirate-themed restaurant together. The writing was fine, but it felt like everything, characters included, was mostly there to build up to the sex scene at the end. So, just an okay read.

Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas – 2.5 stars: Very over-narrated historical story about a soldier who captures a wily and charming pirate. Wasn’t too drawn in to this one.

Peter and the Lost Boys by Juan Kenobi – 2 stars: This contemporary story isn’t really a romance, and accomplished the feat of creeping me out as I waited for the eventual shoe to drop. Peter is looking for work; the bearded and cheery “Kap” is looking for assistance at his film company that he bases at his house boat. Even though the tone of the story wasn’t at all dark, “Stranger Danger!” kept blinking in my head. And yes, it’s easy to figure out Kap’s business. Gay porn with his gaggle of lost boys that live at his house boat. No worries, kids! They’re all above 18! Even though it read like the beginning of a stereotypical porn film with all its poly possibilities (just need the pizza boy to knock on the door), things fade out before any possibility of a porn can began. I was so thankful.

Anyways, very much a mixed-bag, which was sometimes disappointing since I really do love adventure stories, and the lack of consistency made this book somewhat a slog to get through.

But with that said, the stories that I liked, I REALLY liked, and I did find a few new authors to look out for, so that's a plus.

[Elise Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I still enjoyed reading Cross Bones, it didn't capture me so well as Steamed Up, which I finished a few days ago. My preference in this anthology was definitely for the historical pieces. Not to say the more modern tales were not well written; I simply preferred the more traditional pirate. Some of my favourites in this collection were: Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen, Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas, Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey, and On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane. 3.5 stars.

[OkayKim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Merric/Rebecca Cohen ****
Touched by the West Wind/Elle Holiday ****
The Golden Galleon/K.R. Foster
My Hand in Yours/Emily Moreton
Ghost of Jupiter/Jana Denardo
Officer and a Gentle man Pirate/E.S. Douglas ****
Objectivity/K.J. Johnson
Worth the Price/Cornelia Grey ****
Peter and the Lost Boys/Juan Kenobi
Irish Red/ M.J. O'Shea ****
Black John/Piper Vaughn. ****
Rough Trade/Cooper West
From a Simmer to a Burn/B Snow ****
On the Wings of Lir/Riley Shane ****
The Winds of Change/Maggie Lee ****

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I now truly get the discourse about (straight?) cis women writing m/m romance. With one or two exceptions (this anthology contains a couple of good stories), borderline offensive and fetishising clichés abound. The settings and the characters are often fun, but most authors' extremely transparent views on queer men spoil the fun.

[CraftyBirdies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun. I don’t have a thing for pirates, but this book made them fun and appealing and sexy! There was really only one story I didn’t like, and that’s rare for me in an anthology!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy, pleasant pirate-themed romance anthology. I read it over about two years, when I wanted something short and not-too-taxing to read for ten minutes before bed. It fit the bill perfectly. No complaints, but no particularly strong feelings either.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I liked most of them, loved a few and disliked one in particular. Pirate tales that ran from historical, fantasy, steampunk, contemporary, and scifi.

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ 2.5 stars ⭐️

[Kate Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen
3* Decent story let down by the characters' motivations being unclear, or maybe the chemistry was lacking. Either way took something away from what should have been a sweet tale of lovers reunited.

Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday
3.5* Wasn't keen on the author's style in the beginning, but the story was sweet, if maybe a little too rose-tinted.

The Golden Galleon by K.R. Foster
1.5* PWP and not particularly good. I didn't buy that a pirate-themed burger joint attracted rich and famous clientele, nor that the owner would get away with punishing patrons who looked at his lover in a way he didn't like. I guess he was supposed to be all domly and butch but it seemed overbearing. Hated the two female employees as well.

My Hand in Yours by Emily Moreton
2* Poor worldbuilding in this one. It was supposed to be some kind of fantasy AU but the details were never explained (the MC magically warded his house but how? And why?). Pirate captain randomly turns up at his door, they spend the night fucking, he goes away for two months then turns up again. This goes on for five years then suddenly there's some big political upheaval which is only mentioned as a reason the pirate has to leave, inviting the lover he's barely spoken more than two words to with him. Said lover is the town's peacekeeper but gets over the moral quandary of joining a pirate crew in a single sentence.

Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo
3.5* Sci-fi with an interesting premise, nicely executed if a little rushed at the end. Again with the poor worldbuilding though. Sentences like "...the ship was a Gioahm style," thrown in like that's supposed to mean something to the reader. All the characters have two or three names plus titles, then there are different species mentioned without explaining what they are or why it's significant. Particularly poor editing /proofing in this one, e.g. these two sentences written together: "The thing snarled, its muscles bunching. Snarling, the thing's muscles bunched." Still the story itself was entertaining, and kudos for the alien genitalia.

Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas
4* A sweet opposites attract story.

Objectivity by K.J. Johnson
3* Interesting take on modern piracy, although let down by the ending. Loved the realism of no HEA, but the sex scene itself was pedestrian and felt like it had been shoe-horned in for the sake of the genre, and the attack by the US troops wasn't well executed.

Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey
2.5* Anachronisms abound, from the minute the navy lieutenant thinks of himself as a "moron" approximately 150 years before anyone else ever used the word. I know DSP doesn't stipulate historical accuracy in its publications, but ugh. I also didn't buy the love story, nothing about the characterisations rang true. Not the navy veteran who abandoned everything based on a single encounter, nor the noble pirate who gave himself up to the gallows in order to save his crew.

Peter and the Lost Boys by Juan Kenobi
1* Where to start. From the guy letting some random pick him up in a bar and drive him to a mystery destination based on some way-too-convenient job offer, to Peter Pan and co. being reimagined as actors in a gay porn studio that specialises in barely-legals, I just... cannot.

Irish Red by MJ O'Shea
3* Not a bad story, although the crisis felt contrived. Why didn't Red just tell Chris he was leaving to fake his own death, rather than disappear for over a year without word and have Chris go through the torment of hearing he'd died?

Black John by Piper Vaughn
4* Nice tie-in with Red, entertaining story, although a fair amount of suspended disbelief required the island populated entirely by gay men; a man surviving a sword through his stomach via his back with relative ease in 1715

Rough Trade by Cooper West
4* Fun scifi romp. Loved the sentient ship :)

From a Simmer to a Burn by B. Snow
4* When this opened, I was worried it was going to be a slave-falls-for-his-master narrative, but instead I was pleasantly surprised by something different.

On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane
2.5* Steampunk story with potential, let down by the saccharine, trite love angle and too many loose ends.

The Winds of Change by Maggie Lee
4.5* Well researched and written. Probably not everyone's cup of tea given the MCs aren't monogamous, but that made it more realistic and enjoyable IMO.

[Gwengwel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very good anthology. The majority of the stories are 4 stars or more.

1. Captain Merric (Rebecca Cohen)
3 stars
Tag: Historical, Armee, Second chance
None of the personages has a personality that fit their profession.

2. West wind (Ellen Holiday)
3 stars
Tag: Historical, friends
Too simplist.

3. The golden galleon (KR Foster)
4 stars
Tag: Contemporain, resto, coworker, very light Ds, very light bd
Very good.

4. My hand in yours (Emily Moreton)
3 stars
Tag: Historical, fantasy(?)
Bof

5. Ghost of Jupiter (Jana Denardo)
Tag: Scifi, other world, alien, slavery, rape past
I demand, need a sequel.

6. Officer and a gentleman pirate (E.S. Douglas)
4 stars
Tag: Historical, armee
Very good

7. Objectivity (K.J. Johnson)
2 stars
Tag: Contempt, journalism, interracial
Writer talk about Africa as if it's one country. Not a HEA.

8. Worth the price (Cornelia Grey)
4 stars
Tag: Historical, armee
Very good.

9. Peter and the lost boys (Juan Knobi)
1stars
Tag: Contempt, porn star, actor, no rom, no sex
You meet a guy in a bank that offer you an obscur job ans you say yes immediately?! Do not like the ending. No real story, ridiculous parody of Peter pan.

10. Irish red (M.J. Oshea)
2 stars
Tag: Historical, resto
I don't like this kind of lover, the egoist-egocentric that decides everything by themself. He only did all that for him. I would have liked that the MC came too late.

11. Black John (Piper Vaughn)
3 stars
Tag: Historical, second chance
Link to No.10. I would a like to read more about this story.

12. Rough trade (Cooper West)
4 stars
Tag: Scifi, other world, medical
Used of name with signification was interesting.

13. From a summer to a burn (B. Snow)
5 stars
Tag: Historical, slavery, interracial, second chance, mm rom(?)
My prefered in this anthology. Again a writer that talk about Africa as if it's a country and not a continent.

14. On the wing of Lir (Riley Shane)
4 stars
Tag: Historical, scifi
Really love it.

15. The winds of change (Maggie Lee)
4 stars
Tag: Historical, friends, second chance, coworkers
Very good. Longest story of the book.

[Julesmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was immediately hooked by the theme of this anthology. Who wouldn't love a book of m/m pirate short stories? And for the most part, I wasn't let down.

As with any anthology, there were stories I loved and stories I didn't care for as much. But this is the first one I've spent money on in which there were stories I didn't even bother finishing. Which makes me sad. Overall, however, I thought the pirate theme was delightfully thoroughly explored. I was expecting the classic 1700's-1800's stories, and for the most part loved those. I was delighted by the stories that took the theme and added a twist: the present-day Robin Hood pirates, the futuristic space pirates, and the unexpected restaurant owners. Great good fun.

My favorites:

Captain Merric--possibly my favorite of the whole anthology. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.

Touched by the West Wind--A spectacularly beautiful friends-to-lovers story!

Irish Red and Black John--lovely stories about overcoming obstacles and the way love triumphs over all.

On the Wings of Lir--this was perhaps the most unexpected of the anthology, and I adored that. A steampunk pirate m/m short story! Of course I loved it! This, more than any other, is a story I'd like to see made into a longer work or have more stories set in this world.

The ones I didn't finish:

The Winds of Change--it's sad that this is the last story in the anthology. It left me wanting to give the entire set a lower rating. I got far enough into the story to read about two friends who have been fuck-buddies. The narrator, at least, is bisexual, and his "friend" is obviously in love with him. Yet the narrator goes off and spends some of their last money to have sex with a (female!) prostitute--only after making sure that the friend who's in love with him knows exactly what he's about to do. Ugh. So much wrong there!

From a Simmer to a Burn--too much whiny. Not enough interesting.

Because this had stories I couldn't bring myself to finish, I don't feel like I can rate it as highly as I've rated other anthologies. But because it had some spectacularly beautiful stories, I have to settle on 3.5 stars.

[Christina]

I agreed to read this book so that I might do a review. I was kind of excited about it, because I hadn't read any pirate books before, and thought it would be nice to try something different. Unfortunately, it was TOO different. Each story was, of course, written by a different author and was a completely different story, with two exceptions--they were all in some way pirate-related and male/male "romance".

Because I had agreed to read the book, I gave it my best shot. However, I admit I only read three stories; the first three, and I just could not read any more. As for writing style, story-telling, I suppose they were all OK. The first one had several errors, and the whole book had a lot of formatting errors (on my Kindle), but that isn't the fault of the authors, of course. The first story struck me as just silly, and not in a good way. The second & third stories were well written, subject matter aside, and I imagine a lot of the other stories were too. This is the best I can do for giving it a review, since I did not expect, nor do I enjoy, male gay erotica. If you like that kind of thing then this book may be for you, but all others...stay away.

I give credit to any author that finishes a story, so good for you, and I hope you all make it in the industry. I just wish the book description had been more...informative.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great Anthology :)
Loved the Pirate theme to it! It had a lot of really great short stories -


I'm not going to get into each and every story - they were all equally fun to read in their own ways - lots of great action -

Who would have known there were so many different ways to read/write about Pirates :) Loved them all!

I think I really liked third story best. It was a little more modern, Flynn, trying to enjoy a new book on his day off got called into work at the Golden Galleon . His and Jason's resturant. Because it was his day off, he wasn't happy about going in.. until he saw WHY Jason had called him in :)

I liked this story - it was really short, but cute, and I loved the role play from the Wrenches to the captin and his first mate :)


I love how those that are OUT are able to help those that are too shy to do anything about, or those that know what they want, but don't know how to approach the other. The Alpha Male of the Pirates can't be topped - especially when the Captain is involved :)

Great advice and fun stories :)

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had a wide range of stories in it (there were a bunch so I am not going to individually rate them here). Some of them I LOVED, some of the were good and some of them I didn't like. I was not particularly fond of the final story and I think that has left me a bit annoyed with the whole thing at this moment BUT I can remember liking many of the stories. So I am going to give this a 4 star rating. Enough 5 star stories to balance out the 2-3 star stories while most were in the 4 star range. Sorry if that was a bit long winded and didn't really say in anything in particular about the book. :/

[BTina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Merric - Rebecca Cohen - 3.3 stars
Touched by the West Wind - by Ellen Holiday - 3.6 stars
The Golden Galleon - K.R. Foster - 2.2 stars
My Hand in Yours - Emily Moreton - 3 stars
Ghost of Jupiter - Jana Denardo - 3.4
Officer and a Gentleman Pirate - E.S. Douglas - 3.1
Objectivity - K.J. Johnson - 3.4
Worth the Price - Cornelia Grey
Peter and the Lost Boys - Juan Kenobi
Irish Red - M.J. O’Shea
Black John - Piper Vaughn
Rough Trade - by Cooper West
From a Simmer to a Burn - B. Snow - 4 stars
On the Wings of Lir - Riley Shane
The Winds of Change - Maggie Lee - 3.5 stars

[Marlobo ♥ epilogues · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen - DNF
Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday - 3,5 stars stars
The Golden Galleon by K.R. Foster - 3 stars
My Hand in Yours by Emily Moreton - 3 stars
Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo - 2 stars
Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas - DNF
Objectivity by K.J. Johnson - 3 stars
Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey - 2.5 stars
Peter and the Lost Boys by Juan Kenobi - 2 stars
Irish Red by M.J. O'Shea - 3 stars
Black John by Piper Vaughn - 2,5 stars
Rough Trade by Cooper West - 2,5 stars
From a Simmer to a burn by B. Snow - 3 stars
On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane - 2,5 stars
The Winds of Change by Maggie Lee - DNF

[小さな N (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Merric ~ four stars

Touched by the West Wind ~ four stars

The Golden Galleon ~ two stars

My Hand in Yours ~ two stars

Ghost of Juniper ~ five stars and I demand a sequel

Officer and a Gentleman Pirate ~ three point five stars

Objectivity ~ two stars

Worth the Price ~ four stars

Peter and the Lost Boys ~ two stars

Irish Red ~ three point five stars

Black John ~ three stars

Rough Trade ~ three point five stars

From a Simmer to a Burn ~ one star

One the Wings of Lir ~ three stars

The Winds of Change ~ two stars

[Nicki Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I still enjoyed reading Cross Bones, it didn't capture me so well as Steamed Up, which I finished a few days ago. My preference in this anthology was definitely for the historical pieces. Not to say the more modern tales were not well written; I simply preferred the more traditional pirate. Some of my favourites in this collection were: Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen, Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas, Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey, and On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane. 3.5 stars.