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Ascension Trilogy #1
The Pirate Prince
When Allegra Monteverdi, the daughter of Lazar's sworn enemy, throws herself on his mercy, the pirate prince Lazar di Fiori agrees to spare the lives of her family but only if she sails away with him.
Alone at sea with this dark, intriguing man, moving between seduction and fear, Allegra realizes it will take more than her growing love for this pirate prince to bring peace to her beloved home. For Lazar must face the demons of his shattered past - if he is to forge the destiny that is theirs to claim...
Alone at sea with this dark, intriguing man, moving between seduction and fear, Allegra realizes it will take more than her growing love for this pirate prince to bring peace to her beloved home. For Lazar must face the demons of his shattered past - if he is to forge the destiny that is theirs to claim...
407 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 29, 1998
138 people are currently reading
2446 people want to read
About the author
Gaelen Foley
44 books1,894 followersGaelen Foley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of twenty historical romances set in the glittering world of Regency England. Her books are available in sixteen languages and have won numerous genre awards, such as the Bookseller's Best, the NJRW Golden Leaf (three times), the CRW Award of Excellence, the National Reader's Choice Award, the Beacon, and the Holt Medallion.
A Pennsylvania native, Gaelen holds a B.A. in English literature with a minor in Philosophy from the State University of New York, College at Fredonia, a quaint lakeside village where Mark Twain once owned a home. It was here, while studying the Romantic poets, such as Wordsworth, Byron, and Keats that she first fell in love with the Regency period in which her novels are set. Gaelen lives in western Pennsylvania with her college-sweetheart husband, Eric, a schoolteacher, with whom she co-writes middle grade fantasy adventure novels under the pen-name, E.G. Foley. (See www.EGFoley.com.) She is hard at work on her next book.
A Pennsylvania native, Gaelen holds a B.A. in English literature with a minor in Philosophy from the State University of New York, College at Fredonia, a quaint lakeside village where Mark Twain once owned a home. It was here, while studying the Romantic poets, such as Wordsworth, Byron, and Keats that she first fell in love with the Regency period in which her novels are set. Gaelen lives in western Pennsylvania with her college-sweetheart husband, Eric, a schoolteacher, with whom she co-writes middle grade fantasy adventure novels under the pen-name, E.G. Foley. (See www.EGFoley.com.) She is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
May 19, 2010
After reading the Foley series "the Knight Miscellany", I have to say I had mixed reviews. Some of Foley's work is brilliant, and some of it just aggravates and disappoints. The problem is, you never know what you'll get until you read the book. I really contemplated not reading this series, because it was her first, and you'd think that an author's first is not her best. How wrong I was. Pirate Prince put all of her Knight Books, including my favorite "The Duke" to shame.
This is really more than just a romance book. It is about a man running from his past, and his journey back to fulfill his destiny....to rule the island of Ascention. This is not an easy journey. His family was betrayed and murdered by "a friend". He was held in captivity as a slave when he was only 13...beaten, abused, and purposefully given drugs to addict him. He is the definition of a tortured hero. His only reason for living and not suicide is for revenge against the man who killed his family.
Allegra is this man's daughter. Lazar plans to kill her and then kill her entire family to avenge his family's slaughter. All is well, until they meet. The attraction is immediate. Allegra is so lovable, spunky, gracious, and sweet that Lazar immediately wonders how he'll ever kill her. Anyway, he doesn't and they end up on a ship together....ahhh!
Allegra is Lazar's one "weakness". He cares for her...he cares what she thinks...he cares what she does....he cares what she feels. The contrast between his Pirate facade and his endearment of Allegra is so touchingly sweet. I loved how Lazar loves Allegra.
Allegra is a prize. She is really, in contrast to my previous paragraph, Lazar's strength. She compels him come to terms and deal with his past. She accepts and loves him as he is, and once she commits herself to him...has no selfish, stubborn pride. She loves him and will follow him wherever..even at her own expense. I know this sounds weak...but Foley allows her to have these charateristics in the midst of her strength. She is an unforgettable young lady.
This book moves along flawlessly..I can't believe it was this author's first work. After reading 8 books by this author...I can without a doubt say "This is her best work...by far!"
This is really more than just a romance book. It is about a man running from his past, and his journey back to fulfill his destiny....to rule the island of Ascention. This is not an easy journey. His family was betrayed and murdered by "a friend". He was held in captivity as a slave when he was only 13...beaten, abused, and purposefully given drugs to addict him. He is the definition of a tortured hero. His only reason for living and not suicide is for revenge against the man who killed his family.
Allegra is this man's daughter. Lazar plans to kill her and then kill her entire family to avenge his family's slaughter. All is well, until they meet. The attraction is immediate. Allegra is so lovable, spunky, gracious, and sweet that Lazar immediately wonders how he'll ever kill her. Anyway, he doesn't and they end up on a ship together....ahhh!
Allegra is Lazar's one "weakness". He cares for her...he cares what she thinks...he cares what she does....he cares what she feels. The contrast between his Pirate facade and his endearment of Allegra is so touchingly sweet. I loved how Lazar loves Allegra.
Allegra is a prize. She is really, in contrast to my previous paragraph, Lazar's strength. She compels him come to terms and deal with his past. She accepts and loves him as he is, and once she commits herself to him...has no selfish, stubborn pride. She loves him and will follow him wherever..even at her own expense. I know this sounds weak...but Foley allows her to have these charateristics in the midst of her strength. She is an unforgettable young lady.
This book moves along flawlessly..I can't believe it was this author's first work. After reading 8 books by this author...I can without a doubt say "This is her best work...by far!"
March 19, 2025
First rating: 3.5 stars
Second & third rating: 2 stars
Not sure why this book didn't meet my expectations during the first and second reread. Thrice I wanted to shake the hero and shout, "Make up your damn mind!" 🤦🏻♀️
Second & third rating: 2 stars
Not sure why this book didn't meet my expectations during the first and second reread. Thrice I wanted to shake the hero and shout, "Make up your damn mind!" 🤦🏻♀️
August 24, 2025
Not a bad read.
Both the main characters were rather annoying at times. Then I would think that they were okay, then get annoyed again.
Talk about not being able to make your mind up. These two were both good at that one . Frustrating 🤔
Both the main characters were rather annoying at times. Then I would think that they were okay, then get annoyed again.
Talk about not being able to make your mind up. These two were both good at that one . Frustrating 🤔
August 31, 2017
HRBC BOTM: Revenge
Listened to audio from Hoopla.
The H in this book had some compellingly justified reasons to have tortured soul. Lazar was great, Allegra was annoying. I have read a later series by this author, Gaelen Foley (Knight Miscellany series) and she is adept at creating tortured heroes in HR. Her heroes are awesome dudes, but their love interest's are not always as compelling as they are.
Listened to audio from Hoopla.
The H in this book had some compellingly justified reasons to have tortured soul. Lazar was great, Allegra was annoying. I have read a later series by this author, Gaelen Foley (Knight Miscellany series) and she is adept at creating tortured heroes in HR. Her heroes are awesome dudes, but their love interest's are not always as compelling as they are.
March 2, 2016
I was in the mood for some big enemies-to-lovers drama and adding cold-hearted heroes and pirates to that, this book should have been the perfect recipe for me.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it that much. I reckon it had potential, but there were some things that just annoyed the hell out of him and made me lose interest and focus in the story.
First of all, Allegra's insistence that Lazar couldn't possibly be who he claimed to be was just aggravating.
He kept on insisting he was the long lost prince of Ascension, proving time and time again his claim by knowing things no one else could have known and still she said he was a charlatan.
I mean, forget the fact he's the spitting image of his dead father, the former king, and an obviously older version of the teenage prince Lazar. How would he know what prince Lazar did and said fifteen years ago if he was not Lazar himself? How would he know there were hidden passageways and tunnels under the kingdom?
I understand she didn't want to face the fact her father was a traitor and a murderer, but what was the point in denying what she knew deep down to be true?
I also hated how she was constantly undermining him, by calling him a coward or a fraud, forcing him to face extremely painful things she had no business putting her finger on.
Is it such a big crime that he didn't want to go back to the place where his entire family was killed like pigs in the slaughter? Is it such a big crime that he didn't want to go back to where he faced torture, humiliation and even rape?
I wouldn't want to go back either. Not in a million years. I was angry that she kept on ripping his wounds open when she didn't know a damn thing about what he had been through.
But Lazar wasn't a saint either. He also did some things that maddened me.
First of all, it is not okay to go on undressing a woman, caressing her and putting your fingers in certain places, when she is not conscious or rational enough to say whether she wants it or not.
Also, that 'curse' thing and the fact he was such a bastard to her because he believed everyone he loved would come to an untimely death was simply ridiculous.
Allegra wasn't one of my favourite heroines, far from it actually, but even I hurt for her. You can't say such things just because you're scared of losing people, so you're trying to drive them away first.
No, no, no. Be a man and do what makes you happy. God knows we're miserable enough already without deliberately doing things that will cause us tremendous pain.
Anyway, I did enjoy this book enough to keep reading the series, plus there were some loose ends which will be resolved in the next books, I believe.
And I can't wait to read about Darius and his beloved, who is going to be Lazar and Allegra's daughter, Serafina. Very interesting, indeed.
June 7, 2012
The heroine of this book is the new holder of the hotly contested Most Annoying Female Protagonist prize. Congratulations.
Endless orations, sanctimonious arguments, and the utter inability to listen. He should have killed her and found some hot pirate wench. I would have finished THAT book.
DNF
Endless orations, sanctimonious arguments, and the utter inability to listen. He should have killed her and found some hot pirate wench. I would have finished THAT book.
DNF
June 28, 2014
I was gifted this book from my book friend, Cristal when I decided I wanted to read a historical romance. I really enjoyed this story. Parts if this book had me crying like a baby. I will definitely read the other two books in this series, which are about other characters. Thanks, Cristal!!!
April 27, 2019
4.5 stars.
Bloody Gaelen Foley- I wanted to hate this book, especially after the way our hero behaved at one stage, but I just couldn't! This is a difficult book for me to review, because I did get very involved in the story, and it was not easy to deal with the hero's issues, but I am glad I finished it.
Our hero, Lazar, is a very conflicted individual who suffered a horribly traumatic adolescence, struggling under the weight of a huge burden of guilt, with strong suicidal tendencies. Yep, he is one complicated dude. And Foley knows how to write about these kinds of guys. It doesn't always work for me, and if my GF friend Dangermousie had not given this book a good rap, I might have skipped it, given some other friends hated it. As it was, and the layers were gradually peeled away, I did start to understand him a lot better and was able to make some allowances for his behaviour. That did not excuse some of the things he said to our heroine, Allegra, but knowing his motivation (even if believing in some ridiculous curse seems pretty lame, one has to remember how superstitious Italians could be, especially in those days) helped, if nothing else, to explain his actions.
Allegra started out as a bit TSTL for me- so naive and rather weak. She was very young, but having spent a number of years in Paris before she returned to the small Italian island of Ascension, you would think she had acquired a little sophistication and worldliness. But no - WAY too trusting. However, she also grew throughout the book and finally became tough enough and, most importantly, had enough self-respect (something the hero had done a good job of undermining, unfortunately- that is really not what love is all about) to make the hero beg. If he had not, I would have kicked this book across the room. Ok, maybe not- it is on my iPad, but MENTALLY, that is what I would have done. Of course, being the hard, unforgiving bee-ahtch that I am, I would have liked her to hold out longer and have him believing there was no hope, before she finally took pity on him. But maybe, Ms Foley felt he had suffered enough in his life (it was pretty fucking awful, actually) and had mercy on him.
What was great in this story was Allegra's faith in Lazar, in his essential goodness and desire to do the right thing. Her own sense of justice and passion for the future of her homeland dictated everything she did, indeed, she was a much more responsible, mature individual than he was, and by shaming him into questioning his own motives and values, she awakened the latent love Lazar had for his birthplace and had him questioning the direction his life had taken, once he was in a position to choose that direction himself. His selfish hedonism and obsession with revenge (initially, he was going to do something really awful to a lot of innocent people- it was very disturbing and put me in mind of the many acts of genocide that have taken place over the years in many parts of Europe, such as, more recently, the Balkans) gradually gave way to a sense of purpose and desire to do the right thing for others. Without Allegra, he would have beed dead within months, probably by his own hand.
I am no psychologist, and I am not sure severely depressed people who have already attempted suicide once and almost have a second shot at it can be turned around so quickly, but this is Romancelandia, where everything is possible - where love can perform apparent miracles (raises a sceptical eyebrow).
The fact that I had such strong responses means, I suppose, that the book was successful for me, in that I really cared about the outcome, and despite my occasional fury or disgust, I could not stop reading. When GF is on fire, boy, she is really on fire. A crazy, probably incredible, tale that somehow worked really well for me. I believe this was her first book. Bloody good effort, is all I can say:)
Bloody Gaelen Foley- I wanted to hate this book, especially after the way our hero behaved at one stage, but I just couldn't! This is a difficult book for me to review, because I did get very involved in the story, and it was not easy to deal with the hero's issues, but I am glad I finished it.
Our hero, Lazar, is a very conflicted individual who suffered a horribly traumatic adolescence, struggling under the weight of a huge burden of guilt, with strong suicidal tendencies. Yep, he is one complicated dude. And Foley knows how to write about these kinds of guys. It doesn't always work for me, and if my GF friend Dangermousie had not given this book a good rap, I might have skipped it, given some other friends hated it. As it was, and the layers were gradually peeled away, I did start to understand him a lot better and was able to make some allowances for his behaviour. That did not excuse some of the things he said to our heroine, Allegra, but knowing his motivation (even if believing in some ridiculous curse seems pretty lame, one has to remember how superstitious Italians could be, especially in those days) helped, if nothing else, to explain his actions.
Allegra started out as a bit TSTL for me- so naive and rather weak. She was very young, but having spent a number of years in Paris before she returned to the small Italian island of Ascension, you would think she had acquired a little sophistication and worldliness. But no - WAY too trusting. However, she also grew throughout the book and finally became tough enough and, most importantly, had enough self-respect (something the hero had done a good job of undermining, unfortunately- that is really not what love is all about) to make the hero beg. If he had not, I would have kicked this book across the room. Ok, maybe not- it is on my iPad, but MENTALLY, that is what I would have done. Of course, being the hard, unforgiving bee-ahtch that I am, I would have liked her to hold out longer and have him believing there was no hope, before she finally took pity on him. But maybe, Ms Foley felt he had suffered enough in his life (it was pretty fucking awful, actually) and had mercy on him.
What was great in this story was Allegra's faith in Lazar, in his essential goodness and desire to do the right thing. Her own sense of justice and passion for the future of her homeland dictated everything she did, indeed, she was a much more responsible, mature individual than he was, and by shaming him into questioning his own motives and values, she awakened the latent love Lazar had for his birthplace and had him questioning the direction his life had taken, once he was in a position to choose that direction himself. His selfish hedonism and obsession with revenge (initially, he was going to do something really awful to a lot of innocent people- it was very disturbing and put me in mind of the many acts of genocide that have taken place over the years in many parts of Europe, such as, more recently, the Balkans) gradually gave way to a sense of purpose and desire to do the right thing for others. Without Allegra, he would have beed dead within months, probably by his own hand.
I am no psychologist, and I am not sure severely depressed people who have already attempted suicide once and almost have a second shot at it can be turned around so quickly, but this is Romancelandia, where everything is possible - where love can perform apparent miracles (raises a sceptical eyebrow).
The fact that I had such strong responses means, I suppose, that the book was successful for me, in that I really cared about the outcome, and despite my occasional fury or disgust, I could not stop reading. When GF is on fire, boy, she is really on fire. A crazy, probably incredible, tale that somehow worked really well for me. I believe this was her first book. Bloody good effort, is all I can say:)
July 16, 2021
Ha sido una lectura adictiva y entretenida. El príncipe Lazar se convierte en pirata tras la muerte de su familia a manos de unos traidores del reino. Cuando vuelve a la isla de Ascensión dispuesto a vengarse de todos, Allegra, la hija de su enemigo, se cruza en su camino y cambia sus planes. A cambio de no llevar a cabo esa venganza, ella se ofrece a irse con él y dejar a los suyos vivir. Lazar que se ha encandilado con ella, acepta. A partir de ahí ha sido una película de aventuras de las antiguas, me ha tenido enganchada y encantada. Además la autora es una maestra a la hora de hacernos vivir los sentimientos, miedos, dudas y esperanzas de los protagonistas. Lazar me ha parecido un protagonista maravilloso. Me he enamorado de él. Ha sufrido mucho, tiene muchos miedos y rencores dentro de él. Pero Allegra, consigue, poco a poco, llegar hasta su corazón. Ella es lo que necesitaba, es buena, dulce, cariñosa, inteligente y muy decidida a ayudarle. Se da sin reservas sin esperar nada a cambio. Lazar, debajo de todo esa oscuridad que le cubre es un hombre tierno, cariñoso y apasionado. Pero las dudas y los miedos le tienen en un continuo mar de dudas. Me he emocionado mucho con los momentos entre ellos, llenos de ternura, amor, amistad y mucha pasión. El final ha sido precioso, aunque he sufrido en algunos momentos por las supersticiones y los miedos de él. Pero, como no podía ser de otra manera, todo queda en su lugar. La he disfrutado mucho y lo que más me gusta en estas historias, es que me he emocionado y me ha transmitido. Preciosa. Quiero leer el siguiente, que aparece un personaje que ya en este libro, promete 🥰.
September 14, 2014
3.5 stars. I did truly enjoy this. It's an interesting story and it kept me engaged.
Written in 1997, this is one where you see the clear shift from the old skool to the new skool alpha. In fact this hero could be the poster boy. Don't get me wrong, I like him. He was sexy, but I think I'm still more attracted to the old skool type (in books anyway).
The new skool alpha is (in my opinion) more of a woobie (see http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php...). He feels his tortured past. This one even went so far as to . If you're a Supernatural fan, you may be put in mind of one of the Winchester boys (I'm a Dean girl, so I'm reminded of him). Basically, your big, tough-as-nails hero with a horribly traumatic past who hates himself and cries the one perfect tear (tm) at least once a season.
The heroine was a bit of self-sacrificing Mary Sue IMHO. At least she did get angry/bitter toward the end. Otherwise, I'd have been unable to like her.
Written in 1997, this is one where you see the clear shift from the old skool to the new skool alpha. In fact this hero could be the poster boy. Don't get me wrong, I like him. He was sexy, but I think I'm still more attracted to the old skool type (in books anyway).
The new skool alpha is (in my opinion) more of a woobie (see http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php...). He feels his tortured past. This one even went so far as to . If you're a Supernatural fan, you may be put in mind of one of the Winchester boys (I'm a Dean girl, so I'm reminded of him). Basically, your big, tough-as-nails hero with a horribly traumatic past who hates himself and cries the one perfect tear (tm) at least once a season.
The heroine was a bit of self-sacrificing Mary Sue IMHO. At least she did get angry/bitter toward the end. Otherwise, I'd have been unable to like her.
May 13, 2022
Re read of an old sentimental fave. The narrator was uneven for me with her Italian accent veering from Spanish to eastern European but the story saved it by serving plenty angsty goodness.
Lazar is a lost pirate Prince. His royal family was slain and he was the only survivor. He's consumed by thoughts of revenge and goes back kidnaps the daughter of the man responsible for his family's murders. This book has old school vibes and since it was pubbed in the nineties I guess it can be considered OS now. While there's some dub con at first, it's not prevalent throughout the rest of the story. This is a very hero centric book which is the way I like it. It's Lazar's story, and Allegra is the making of him. He's ridiculously tortured (for good reasons) and suicidal and she's the sunshine to his tortured grump. Besides angsty romance, there's also high seas swashbuckling, suspense, royal shenanigans and sexy sexy sex. I'd recommend this for fans of Grace Callaway or old school books
Tropes:
Fake identity
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Lazar is a lost pirate Prince. His royal family was slain and he was the only survivor. He's consumed by thoughts of revenge and goes back kidnaps the daughter of the man responsible for his family's murders. This book has old school vibes and since it was pubbed in the nineties I guess it can be considered OS now. While there's some dub con at first, it's not prevalent throughout the rest of the story. This is a very hero centric book which is the way I like it. It's Lazar's story, and Allegra is the making of him. He's ridiculously tortured (for good reasons) and suicidal and she's the sunshine to his tortured grump. Besides angsty romance, there's also high seas swashbuckling, suspense, royal shenanigans and sexy sexy sex. I'd recommend this for fans of Grace Callaway or old school books
Tropes:
Fake identity
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
December 29, 2011
I'm either having very bad luck with books or I'm just in another extra picky phase. I'm only going to list out all the things I didn't like about the book because I can honestly say that the only thing I liked was the promise it held on the book jacket summary.
Cons:
-No spark between hero and heroine.
-Story/conflict took away too much from the romance.
-Took almost half the book for them to get on the boat and for the getting-to-know-each-other part to start, which is the whole reason why I'm reading the book.
-Did not like the whole story about the prince. It didn't make me feel anything for him.
-Boring.
-The heroine (I don't even remember her name anymore) had no reason not to believe that the hero was the prince. Her excuses were pathetic.
Not recommended. I didn't finish it.
Cons:
-No spark between hero and heroine.
-Story/conflict took away too much from the romance.
-Took almost half the book for them to get on the boat and for the getting-to-know-each-other part to start, which is the whole reason why I'm reading the book.
-Did not like the whole story about the prince. It didn't make me feel anything for him.
-Boring.
-The heroine (I don't even remember her name anymore) had no reason not to believe that the hero was the prince. Her excuses were pathetic.
Not recommended. I didn't finish it.
August 5, 2022
Lazar di Fiori es un hombre en busca de venganza. Era príncipe heredero, pero asesinaron a su familia y tuvo que largarse. Ahora lo que pretende es exterminar a todos los Monteverdi, familia traidora. Empieza secuestrando a Allegra Monteverdi, a quien pretende matar. Sus planes chocan con la realidad de una muchacha de buen corazón, guapetona, y con sus propios sueños sobre el príncipe desaparecido.
Esta novela es una curiosa mezcla de la old skool y la new skool en romántica histórica. De lo antiguo tiene cosas como la extensión, la venganza, un pirata, el héroe como un peligro para esta heroína, muy joven y muy virginal. Pocas escenas sexis, y mucha tensión sexual no resuelta.
Pero hay rasgos más modernos, como incluir el punto de vista del héroe que es, además, el personaje más atractivo de la historia.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
Esta novela es una curiosa mezcla de la old skool y la new skool en romántica histórica. De lo antiguo tiene cosas como la extensión, la venganza, un pirata, el héroe como un peligro para esta heroína, muy joven y muy virginal. Pocas escenas sexis, y mucha tensión sexual no resuelta.
Pero hay rasgos más modernos, como incluir el punto de vista del héroe que es, además, el personaje más atractivo de la historia.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
October 7, 2015
I think I got my hopes up again.
I really wish I hadn't though. Most reviews raved about how magical and fairytale-like this book was and I was excited to read something fun and silly. The beginning was fun at least; I was engrossed in the story and I was rooting for the characters, but I quickly lost interest after they left the city.
If this book truly had been silly and fun, then I think I would've enjoyed it more. But the whole story was riddled with over-the-top cliches and overused romance tropes that I mostly felt like throwing it across my room. And Allegra made it so much worse! She just really really wanted people to do what she wanted them to do and literally could not leave anyone alone. My main example: Lazar was a pretty abused human being and there were a lot of things that he need to discover on his own before he could move on. Except, Allegra just pushed and pushed and pushed until he did what she wanted him to do. And then she'd cry if it backfired. I'm pretty sure he made ZERO decisions for himself past 40% of this story.
So if this book had been more satirical and light, not so heavy on the dramatic cliches or so serious then I think it would have been way, way better.
I really wish I hadn't though. Most reviews raved about how magical and fairytale-like this book was and I was excited to read something fun and silly. The beginning was fun at least; I was engrossed in the story and I was rooting for the characters, but I quickly lost interest after they left the city.
If this book truly had been silly and fun, then I think I would've enjoyed it more. But the whole story was riddled with over-the-top cliches and overused romance tropes that I mostly felt like throwing it across my room. And Allegra made it so much worse! She just really really wanted people to do what she wanted them to do and literally could not leave anyone alone. My main example: Lazar was a pretty abused human being and there were a lot of things that he need to discover on his own before he could move on. Except, Allegra just pushed and pushed and pushed until he did what she wanted him to do. And then she'd cry if it backfired. I'm pretty sure he made ZERO decisions for himself past 40% of this story.
So if this book had been more satirical and light, not so heavy on the dramatic cliches or so serious then I think it would have been way, way better.
January 5, 2021
Ha sido la primera vez que leo a la autora y me ha encantado, su pluma es ágil y su forma de transmitir es encantadora, la super recomiendo y si quieren conocer mi opinión completa sobre este pirata y su encantadora joven cautiva pueden leer mi reseña completa en...
https://librosalaluzdelalunaperu.blog...
https://librosalaluzdelalunaperu.blog...
March 20, 2019
Great audio book. I love Gaelen Foley's descriptions. This is where she shines.
October 7, 2015
What a shallow book!?
I will summarize my frustration in a few points:
1. What is so great about a man who just wants to sleep with you??
2. What is so great about a woman who falls in love with a painting and accuses the man in said painting of falling short of her expectations??
3. No feelings whatsover between lead characters. Heroine appeals to hero's moral ideals. But I do not feel that she is fair herself either.
I think overall the plot is not so bad, but I just do not believe that the heroin is moral incarnate who wants to "turn" the hero into a prince that he was born to be. And the only thing that is pirate-y about the story is that it happened on a boat.
I cannot stomach superficial characters. You want to paint a picture of virtuous female character, you do not just say that she is. Somehow the heroine is just too superficial for me. The hero....i hardly noticed anything special about him.
Just a book of 2 very boring characters with boring family backgrounds. Plot was not a bad idea but not enough substance for me.
I will summarize my frustration in a few points:
1. What is so great about a man who just wants to sleep with you??
2. What is so great about a woman who falls in love with a painting and accuses the man in said painting of falling short of her expectations??
3. No feelings whatsover between lead characters. Heroine appeals to hero's moral ideals. But I do not feel that she is fair herself either.
I think overall the plot is not so bad, but I just do not believe that the heroin is moral incarnate who wants to "turn" the hero into a prince that he was born to be. And the only thing that is pirate-y about the story is that it happened on a boat.
I cannot stomach superficial characters. You want to paint a picture of virtuous female character, you do not just say that she is. Somehow the heroine is just too superficial for me. The hero....i hardly noticed anything special about him.
Just a book of 2 very boring characters with boring family backgrounds. Plot was not a bad idea but not enough substance for me.
July 26, 2010
Lazar, is a missing prince, who returns home vowing revenge against the upsurpers that killed his family. Allegra, throws a wrench in his plans. She is the daughter of his sworn enemy and he kidnaps her and takes her off with his pirate crew.
Why I picked it up: Pirates, kidnapping and storming the castle... this had elements of my favorite movies.
Why I finished it: I keep hoping that Foley could pull it all together. Her pacing was static, and the characters spent more time explaining their actions than doing them. Not my cup of tea.
Why I picked it up: Pirates, kidnapping and storming the castle... this had elements of my favorite movies.
Why I finished it: I keep hoping that Foley could pull it all together. Her pacing was static, and the characters spent more time explaining their actions than doing them. Not my cup of tea.
September 22, 2017
I read this for Historical Romance Book Club BOTM.
I agree with the general consensus of "The Mean and Awful Prince" and his Doormat. Please read Ally's review.
I do not see more books by this author on my horizon.
I agree with the general consensus of "The Mean and Awful Prince" and his Doormat. Please read Ally's review.
I do not see more books by this author on my horizon.
August 7, 2009
Prince Lazar di Fiore of the island nation of Ascension was driven away from his homeland at the age of 13 when his father's government was overthrown and his family was executed. Living the life of a pirate, he longed for the day that he could return to the island and avenge his family's deaths. After 15 years, that day finally came. His plan was simple. He would steal the daughter of the corrupt governor and execute her while he forced her father to watch. When he was finished, he would loot the castle and take what was rightfully his. He didn't want to be king, he wanted to settle a vendetta 15 years in the making.
That was the plan...until he met Allegra Monteverdi, the daughter of the current governor and the man responsible for his family's deaths. Once he met Allegra, killing her wasn't so simple. Hating himself for showing weakness but helpless to do anything else, he took her as a prisoner aboard his pirate ship. He planned to use the honey-eyed beauty until he got her out of his system. She foiled his plan to murder her entire family, so the least she could do was pleasure him until he grew tired of her.
Lazar is truly a tortured hero. He witnessed the death of his entire family and he suffered unfathomable abuse at the hands of a man who held him as a slave while he was a teenager. He spent much of the book in a suicidal frame of mind and seriously considered pulling the trigger at one point. He would draw Allegra toward him emotionally and push her away. This took place time and time again throughout the book until I finally wanted her to be done with him for good. When he came begging back at the end, I wanted to scream "Oh, hell no!" lol!
Allegra is a strong heroine in some respects. Her number one goal was to help Lazar reclaim his throne. The problem was, he didn't want it. She cajoled, badgered, insulted, and begged him until he finally gave in and decided to fight for Ascension. Allegra's main flaw was that she was too self-sacrificing. She was willing to give up everything that she wanted in life to return Lazar to the throne. She would fight for him, but she wouldn't fight for herself.
I did like this book, but at times I felt like I was riding a see-saw. The constant back and forth between the hero and heroine wore on my nerves after a while. This book could have been 100 pages shorter and achieved the same objective. As always, Gaelen Foley's writing was good, but the plot dragged in sections. Toward the end, although I recognized Lazar's reasons for pushing Allegra away (illogical though they were), I didn't particularly want her to give in and take him back. I guess that's the mark of a good writer if she could make me be that pissed off at the hero!
I'm giving it a 4, but it's more of a 3.5 for me.
That was the plan...until he met Allegra Monteverdi, the daughter of the current governor and the man responsible for his family's deaths. Once he met Allegra, killing her wasn't so simple. Hating himself for showing weakness but helpless to do anything else, he took her as a prisoner aboard his pirate ship. He planned to use the honey-eyed beauty until he got her out of his system. She foiled his plan to murder her entire family, so the least she could do was pleasure him until he grew tired of her.
Lazar is truly a tortured hero. He witnessed the death of his entire family and he suffered unfathomable abuse at the hands of a man who held him as a slave while he was a teenager. He spent much of the book in a suicidal frame of mind and seriously considered pulling the trigger at one point. He would draw Allegra toward him emotionally and push her away. This took place time and time again throughout the book until I finally wanted her to be done with him for good. When he came begging back at the end, I wanted to scream "Oh, hell no!" lol!
Allegra is a strong heroine in some respects. Her number one goal was to help Lazar reclaim his throne. The problem was, he didn't want it. She cajoled, badgered, insulted, and begged him until he finally gave in and decided to fight for Ascension. Allegra's main flaw was that she was too self-sacrificing. She was willing to give up everything that she wanted in life to return Lazar to the throne. She would fight for him, but she wouldn't fight for herself.
I did like this book, but at times I felt like I was riding a see-saw. The constant back and forth between the hero and heroine wore on my nerves after a while. This book could have been 100 pages shorter and achieved the same objective. As always, Gaelen Foley's writing was good, but the plot dragged in sections. Toward the end, although I recognized Lazar's reasons for pushing Allegra away (illogical though they were), I didn't particularly want her to give in and take him back. I guess that's the mark of a good writer if she could make me be that pissed off at the hero!
I'm giving it a 4, but it's more of a 3.5 for me.
wish-list
March 9, 2009From KarenH @ Ami:
'Pirate Prince by Gaelen Foley - excellent. This was her debut novel and IMO is just as good, if not better, than all of the books she has written since (including The Duke, a keeper for me). The poor hero is such a tortured soul but the heroine loves him unconditionally, and their story is one of those "fairy tale romances" that when it's over you just want to kiss the book it's so sweet. (Ok, maybe you don't want to kiss the book but you know what I mean.)'
**********
Sounds insteresting. Gotta check it out!
'Pirate Prince by Gaelen Foley - excellent. This was her debut novel and IMO is just as good, if not better, than all of the books she has written since (including The Duke, a keeper for me). The poor hero is such a tortured soul but the heroine loves him unconditionally, and their story is one of those "fairy tale romances" that when it's over you just want to kiss the book it's so sweet. (Ok, maybe you don't want to kiss the book but you know what I mean.)'
**********
Sounds insteresting. Gotta check it out!
March 19, 2025
3.5 stars. Allegra and Lazar. Epic tale. Allegra kind of old school "Mary Sue" type. Lazar old school tortured type, but with a good reason since his whole family was killed years ago. Though he is in the tough guy role somethings his decision process seems wimpy. Steamy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2025
First book of the year! 3.5 stars.
Pirate lost Prince hero and daughter of the usurper heroine.
Soooo much traveling. I thought the pacing was a little odd. Overall I enjoyed!!! The prose was a little purple (especially during 🌶️) but I kind of like that :)
Pirate lost Prince hero and daughter of the usurper heroine.
Soooo much traveling. I thought the pacing was a little odd. Overall I enjoyed!!! The prose was a little purple (especially during 🌶️) but I kind of like that :)
September 3, 2021
3.5, this was good. A Pirate who was a prince but didnt want to accept it. His past had him believing he was cursed and unworthy of love. He tried so hard to act like a nasty pirate until Allegra comes along and sacrifices herself for her father. Their relationship endures many challenges.
August 9, 2023
I’m not sure what it was but I did not love this book. I honestly wanted to DNF from the first 10% but pushed through because I heard it wasn’t bad. But the narrator was awful. I just disliked her so much that I had a hard time with the entire book. At the same time, every time I tried to listen to this one, I was constantly interrupted by my family so it made it even harder for me to pay attention. Overall, it wasn’t my favorite read and I’d recommend not listening to the audiobook.
October 3, 2011
After a discussion on Twitter some weeks back, I decided to pick this up for a re-read. Although it's been years, I remember this as a rich, fulfilling story of love and redemption. It's always been my favorite of all Foley's books.
Fifteen years ago, Prince Lazar di Fiore's entire family was murdered right in front of him. He escaped by throwing himself off a cliff into the ocean. The intervening years have been anything but kind to him. Now he's a ruthless pirate, and he's back on Ascension with plans to wipe out the entire family of the man responsible for what happened to his family. A man who was once a trusted friend and adviser to his father. His plan is to kill Monteverdi's daughter right in front of him, then execute the rest of his family - including all the women and children.
Allegra Monteverdi loves the people of Ascension. She wants nothing more than for the kingdom to prosper. Unfortunately, her father and fiance have different ideas. They don't have the best interests of the people at heart. Allegra figures she can change that once she's married and her husband becomes the governor of the land. Which is the only reason she's agreed to go through with the wedding. The villagers are getting restless, however. As taxes go up and they starve, their anger and hatred toward her family increases. A full rebellion is on it's way.
Lazar is surprised at the feelings Allegra stirs up inside of him. He's there to exact revenge on his old enemy, but the more time he spends with Allegra the harder it becomes for him go through with the first part of his plan. Instead of killing her as he originally planned, Lazar whisks her away on his ship. What ensues is an epic saga, filled with angst, betrayal and...redemption?
As I said, I remember this book fondly. I got many hours of enjoyment out of Lazar and Allegra's tale. Sadly, I didn't enjoy it as much this time around. The first half of the book is emotional and heart-wrenching. Lazar's struggle to go through with his revenge plot despite his extreme attraction and connection to Allegra is very touching. His internal angst comes across so well, I was fully immersed in it. When Allegra offers herself up in place of her family, my stomach literally clenched.
As the story wore on I found myself becoming more and more frustrated with both Lazar and Allegra. Allegra is a very progressive female. She thinks women should have rights and fights for the peasants of Ascension. While this is very admirable, at times it seemed she was more concerned with the cause than with Lazar himself. She continually pushed him to go back and take his rightful place, but didn't consider if that was the best thing for him. She often came across as self-righteous and a martyr for the cause. She was even willing to sacrifice herself - in becoming Lazar's mistress - so that he could make an advantageous marriage. All without consulting Lazar, of course. In the beginning her zeal and independence were refreshing. Over time they became too much.
For all that, there were flashes of brilliance in the storytelling. Foley did manage to establish a strong emotional connection to her characters that kept me turning the pages. I just wish the story had ended 200 pages sooner.
While I still have fond memories of this story, I have to say it didn't hold up as well as I'd hoped it would.
3.5 out of 5
Fifteen years ago, Prince Lazar di Fiore's entire family was murdered right in front of him. He escaped by throwing himself off a cliff into the ocean. The intervening years have been anything but kind to him. Now he's a ruthless pirate, and he's back on Ascension with plans to wipe out the entire family of the man responsible for what happened to his family. A man who was once a trusted friend and adviser to his father. His plan is to kill Monteverdi's daughter right in front of him, then execute the rest of his family - including all the women and children.
Allegra Monteverdi loves the people of Ascension. She wants nothing more than for the kingdom to prosper. Unfortunately, her father and fiance have different ideas. They don't have the best interests of the people at heart. Allegra figures she can change that once she's married and her husband becomes the governor of the land. Which is the only reason she's agreed to go through with the wedding. The villagers are getting restless, however. As taxes go up and they starve, their anger and hatred toward her family increases. A full rebellion is on it's way.
Lazar is surprised at the feelings Allegra stirs up inside of him. He's there to exact revenge on his old enemy, but the more time he spends with Allegra the harder it becomes for him go through with the first part of his plan. Instead of killing her as he originally planned, Lazar whisks her away on his ship. What ensues is an epic saga, filled with angst, betrayal and...redemption?
As I said, I remember this book fondly. I got many hours of enjoyment out of Lazar and Allegra's tale. Sadly, I didn't enjoy it as much this time around. The first half of the book is emotional and heart-wrenching. Lazar's struggle to go through with his revenge plot despite his extreme attraction and connection to Allegra is very touching. His internal angst comes across so well, I was fully immersed in it. When Allegra offers herself up in place of her family, my stomach literally clenched.
As the story wore on I found myself becoming more and more frustrated with both Lazar and Allegra. Allegra is a very progressive female. She thinks women should have rights and fights for the peasants of Ascension. While this is very admirable, at times it seemed she was more concerned with the cause than with Lazar himself. She continually pushed him to go back and take his rightful place, but didn't consider if that was the best thing for him. She often came across as self-righteous and a martyr for the cause. She was even willing to sacrifice herself - in becoming Lazar's mistress - so that he could make an advantageous marriage. All without consulting Lazar, of course. In the beginning her zeal and independence were refreshing. Over time they became too much.
For all that, there were flashes of brilliance in the storytelling. Foley did manage to establish a strong emotional connection to her characters that kept me turning the pages. I just wish the story had ended 200 pages sooner.
While I still have fond memories of this story, I have to say it didn't hold up as well as I'd hoped it would.
3.5 out of 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2010
This is an excellent novel, full of adventure, riled with emotion, and morality issues. I'm a fan of this author and she didn't disappoint. I read the Knight Miscellany series before this and I loved them, my favorite was Jack Knight's story, all that built up mystery about him in the previous books were justly explained in "His Wicked Kiss". From then on I admired her excellent writing skills, her masterful storytelling, and the way she brings characters to life.
This novel is a breath of fresh air, it has a different setting (Italy), not England, and it reminds me of "His Wicked Kiss" because the happenings were mostly at sea, the only difference is the heroine Allegra wasn't a stowaway. The hero, Lazar di Fiori turns out to be a pirate, respected among his peers, and revered by his subordinates. He was a man on a mission, and he carried out his mission well with a few adjustments because of Allegra.
Their story was really complicated in beginning, it reminds me of Katie Perry's song "Hot and Cold", because that song best describes their relationship. Lazar is fighting an internal battle, his soul is scarred, his tragic past haunts him, and he is afraid of his own self, and a certain curse, which later he disregarded. Allegra was the only one he confided his deepest desires and feelings, after all, "every ship needs its compass", and Allegra is his compass. Because of his fear of losing her, he pushed her away and said hurtful words, and it was a flashback which made him realize that they're all going to die anyway in the future, might as well be happy. That was my favorite quote, and it's about counting one's blessings, and just being happy that one is alive.
I liked the tragedy in this novel, it balanced well with the action, the romance, and the victory. It's not too heavy, flashbacks really helped, and there were some similarities of character perceptions here I could compare to her other novels in the Knight series. An example is Allegra's ideal of Lazar, her prince, a perfect figure she put in a pedestal, and Lizzie Carlyle's ideal of Alec Knight (The Devil Takes a Bride), and be frustrated by the reality.
I'm looking forward to reading "Princess", the next in the Ascension trilogy.
This novel is a breath of fresh air, it has a different setting (Italy), not England, and it reminds me of "His Wicked Kiss" because the happenings were mostly at sea, the only difference is the heroine Allegra wasn't a stowaway. The hero, Lazar di Fiori turns out to be a pirate, respected among his peers, and revered by his subordinates. He was a man on a mission, and he carried out his mission well with a few adjustments because of Allegra.
Their story was really complicated in beginning, it reminds me of Katie Perry's song "Hot and Cold", because that song best describes their relationship. Lazar is fighting an internal battle, his soul is scarred, his tragic past haunts him, and he is afraid of his own self, and a certain curse, which later he disregarded. Allegra was the only one he confided his deepest desires and feelings, after all, "every ship needs its compass", and Allegra is his compass. Because of his fear of losing her, he pushed her away and said hurtful words, and it was a flashback which made him realize that they're all going to die anyway in the future, might as well be happy. That was my favorite quote, and it's about counting one's blessings, and just being happy that one is alive.
I liked the tragedy in this novel, it balanced well with the action, the romance, and the victory. It's not too heavy, flashbacks really helped, and there were some similarities of character perceptions here I could compare to her other novels in the Knight series. An example is Allegra's ideal of Lazar, her prince, a perfect figure she put in a pedestal, and Lizzie Carlyle's ideal of Alec Knight (The Devil Takes a Bride), and be frustrated by the reality.
I'm looking forward to reading "Princess", the next in the Ascension trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2016
I thought I’d like The Pirate Prince. I love pirates. Ok, I love Highlander’s too. *sigh* Set on the island of Ascension, pirate prince Lazar di Fiore plans the perfect revenge against the man who had taken everything from him. He plans to kill the daughter of his enemy and will kill him too, but first, he will make him watch his daughter as she is murdered.
However, things don’t go his way when he meets Allegra Monteverdi. He just can’t find it in him to kill her. She’s beautiful, spirited and he just can’t do it. As he embarks on the slaughter of her father and his political team members, she throws herself at his mercy. He agrees to spare the lives of her family. But only if Allegra sails away with him as his captive.
Alone at sea with the dark prince, Allegra comes to realize that he is the man of her childhood dreams, the prince of Ascension. Though he was rumored to be murdered, she always believed that someday he would return. However, he is not interested in returning to Ascension to rule and he’s got a lot of baggage regarding his past. And rightfully so. But Allegra has other ideas for her hero. She urges him come to terms and deal with his past. It becomes a love match of a great amount of respect and devotion.
I liked this book. A lot. It kept me up much too late reading which is always a sign that I’m enjoying the read. And, really, I would go in a crappy little rowboat if I could have time with Lazar.
However, things don’t go his way when he meets Allegra Monteverdi. He just can’t find it in him to kill her. She’s beautiful, spirited and he just can’t do it. As he embarks on the slaughter of her father and his political team members, she throws herself at his mercy. He agrees to spare the lives of her family. But only if Allegra sails away with him as his captive.
Alone at sea with the dark prince, Allegra comes to realize that he is the man of her childhood dreams, the prince of Ascension. Though he was rumored to be murdered, she always believed that someday he would return. However, he is not interested in returning to Ascension to rule and he’s got a lot of baggage regarding his past. And rightfully so. But Allegra has other ideas for her hero. She urges him come to terms and deal with his past. It becomes a love match of a great amount of respect and devotion.
I liked this book. A lot. It kept me up much too late reading which is always a sign that I’m enjoying the read. And, really, I would go in a crappy little rowboat if I could have time with Lazar.
November 5, 2018
Someone recently mentioned this book to
me and told me how good it was. Well,
it happened to be in my top 5 historical
books of all times. I have re-read this
book many times, and saw that I had actually
never rated it.
I can't even say how much I love Lazar.
Every. Single. Thing. About. Him.
I love his strength, I love his determination,
I love his soft side, and I FLOVE how
he treats Allegra.
Simply put, Lazar and Allegra just fit.
They absolutely belong together. I
loved the build-up of their relation-
ship. Long standing family enemies,
but one look at Allegra, and Lazar
is done....it just takes him a bit to
realize it :)
The Pirate Prince is exceptionally
written, every word well thought out
and I devour it every time I read it.
The characters are developed so well
that I felt I was in the story with these
two, not just reading about them.
I usually find that authors can't write
internal dialogue well. We usually
get too much, or we don't know what
the character is thinking at all. Well,
I have to say that Ms. Foley hits that
on the head. I knew exactly what Lazar
was thinking, and feeling and I ab-
solutely knew what he wanted in both
thoughts and actions.
Lazar is one of my all time favorites,
and Lazar and Allegra together is
IMO just perfection.
me and told me how good it was. Well,
it happened to be in my top 5 historical
books of all times. I have re-read this
book many times, and saw that I had actually
never rated it.
I can't even say how much I love Lazar.
Every. Single. Thing. About. Him.
I love his strength, I love his determination,
I love his soft side, and I FLOVE how
he treats Allegra.
Simply put, Lazar and Allegra just fit.
They absolutely belong together. I
loved the build-up of their relation-
ship. Long standing family enemies,
but one look at Allegra, and Lazar
is done....it just takes him a bit to
realize it :)
The Pirate Prince is exceptionally
written, every word well thought out
and I devour it every time I read it.
The characters are developed so well
that I felt I was in the story with these
two, not just reading about them.
I usually find that authors can't write
internal dialogue well. We usually
get too much, or we don't know what
the character is thinking at all. Well,
I have to say that Ms. Foley hits that
on the head. I knew exactly what Lazar
was thinking, and feeling and I ab-
solutely knew what he wanted in both
thoughts and actions.
Lazar is one of my all time favorites,
and Lazar and Allegra together is
IMO just perfection.
February 18, 2010
I wont go into the plot because Karen has done it justice in her review.I did not know until i read the reviews that this was Gaelen Foley's debut novel and what a start.I love pirates and this book lived up to expectations.This is a great book, but have to add that it took Allegra and Lazar far too long to get together, plus she took him back too quickly at the end and that stopped me from giving it the 5 stars. Looking forward to "The Princess" the next in the series then "Prince Charming" is the final book
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