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A Star to Sail By
Kidnapped by pirates, a naval officer is torn between duty and desire.
Billy knows no greater joy than the life of a pirate, where no man is his master and his destination is the horizon. Aboard the most beautiful ship to sail the seas, he revels in his freedom. But his world changes when his captain tasks him with an unexpected duty—guarding the naval officer they've compelled to join their crew. Billy’s hatred for the navy burns stronger than the Caribbean sun.
Crispin Merrick's deepest yearning has always been to command a vessel in the Royal Navy. Stripped of his duties after the war, he’s reduced to serving on a merchant ship. When marauding pirates board the vessel and abduct him, his dreams of naval glory have never seemed further away.
When disaster strikes the pirate ship, Billy and Crispin face a desperate fight for survival. They must set aside their animosity and join forces. But trust is a precious commodity, and it's in woefully short supply when they loathe everything the other stands for.
this book contains material that may be upsetting to some readers. A detailed list is on the author's website, with a clickable link available in Look Inside.
Billy knows no greater joy than the life of a pirate, where no man is his master and his destination is the horizon. Aboard the most beautiful ship to sail the seas, he revels in his freedom. But his world changes when his captain tasks him with an unexpected duty—guarding the naval officer they've compelled to join their crew. Billy’s hatred for the navy burns stronger than the Caribbean sun.
Crispin Merrick's deepest yearning has always been to command a vessel in the Royal Navy. Stripped of his duties after the war, he’s reduced to serving on a merchant ship. When marauding pirates board the vessel and abduct him, his dreams of naval glory have never seemed further away.
When disaster strikes the pirate ship, Billy and Crispin face a desperate fight for survival. They must set aside their animosity and join forces. But trust is a precious commodity, and it's in woefully short supply when they loathe everything the other stands for.
this book contains material that may be upsetting to some readers. A detailed list is on the author's website, with a clickable link available in Look Inside.
342 pages, ebook
Published August 30, 2023
14 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Joy Lynn Fielding
22 books60 followersJoy Lynn Fielding lives in a small English market town, where she nurtures passions for vintage aircraft, horses and gardening. An avid researcher for her books, she delights in uncovering unusual facts and sharing them with anyone within earshot. She insists this has never led to anyone hiding behind the furniture.
Joy writes at the pace her health allows, powered by enthusiasm, optimism and, above all, coffee. She hopes her books offer good company to anyone navigating their own winding paths.
Joy writes at the pace her health allows, powered by enthusiasm, optimism and, above all, coffee. She hopes her books offer good company to anyone navigating their own winding paths.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 31, 2023
~4.5~
The story is set in 1715 and begins when the Hermione, the pirate ship where Billy is a gunner, overtakes a merchant ship where Crispin is a sailing master. To spare his captain, Crispin volunteers to join the pirates, although he despises everything about them.
Billy hates Crispin on sight. He hates his condescending manner and his arrogant air, and he especially hates that Crispin is a former Second Lieutenant of His Majesty's Navy. Billy survived the cruelty of the Navy ship his father forced him to join when he was just a boy and thrives in the freedom and danger of piracy.
So follows an epic romance, with adventure and intrigue thrown in. Crispin cannot understand how Billy can love the pirate life, and Billy can't grasp why Crispin longs to return to the hell that is a Navy ship.
One of the reasons I love pirate stories is that pirates are truly morally ambiguous. They plunder and steal, but they're not always cruel and violent. The Hermione is a ship filled with mostly "good" pirates, while the Navy ship Billy was on sheltered a savage rapist who preyed on young boys.
Crispin must choose between his one chance to return to the Navy and the civilized life he's always known or Billy, who brings him so much joy but who will never leave the Hermione.
It took me a while to get used to this author's formal writing style, but the pacing was spot on, and I absolutely loved the complex MCs and well-rounded secondary characters, especially Moore, the Hermione's savvy captain, and George, a good-natured lad who's always getting himself into scrapes.
Once Billy and Crispin connect, their bond is beautiful and the heat between them could set the world on fire.
I highly recommend this story if you enjoy historical M/M romance.
The story is set in 1715 and begins when the Hermione, the pirate ship where Billy is a gunner, overtakes a merchant ship where Crispin is a sailing master. To spare his captain, Crispin volunteers to join the pirates, although he despises everything about them.
Billy hates Crispin on sight. He hates his condescending manner and his arrogant air, and he especially hates that Crispin is a former Second Lieutenant of His Majesty's Navy. Billy survived the cruelty of the Navy ship his father forced him to join when he was just a boy and thrives in the freedom and danger of piracy.
So follows an epic romance, with adventure and intrigue thrown in. Crispin cannot understand how Billy can love the pirate life, and Billy can't grasp why Crispin longs to return to the hell that is a Navy ship.
One of the reasons I love pirate stories is that pirates are truly morally ambiguous. They plunder and steal, but they're not always cruel and violent. The Hermione is a ship filled with mostly "good" pirates, while the Navy ship Billy was on sheltered a savage rapist who preyed on young boys.
Crispin must choose between his one chance to return to the Navy and the civilized life he's always known or Billy, who brings him so much joy but who will never leave the Hermione.
It took me a while to get used to this author's formal writing style, but the pacing was spot on, and I absolutely loved the complex MCs and well-rounded secondary characters, especially Moore, the Hermione's savvy captain, and George, a good-natured lad who's always getting himself into scrapes.
Once Billy and Crispin connect, their bond is beautiful and the heat between them could set the world on fire.
I highly recommend this story if you enjoy historical M/M romance.
September 3, 2023
5 stars
Wonderful slowburn historical romance where opposites attract
Crispin joins the Hermione as a navigator to save the rest of his merchant ship's crew after they're boarded by pirates. He was a loyal navy man and is still desperate to live up to his family's expectations for him. His surveillance is entrusted to Billy, the pirate ship's gunner, who's resentful of the man for invading his privacy but mostly because of Crispin's origins as a navy officer and obvious disdain for everything Billy holds dear.
The characters in this were both fabulous. They each had a good backstory with experiences which provided valid reasons for their attitudes and differing perspectives.
The setting was evocative and though I don't know much about 18th century maritime affairs everything seemed historically accurate. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of their brief time in Nassau and the stark contrast between that life and life in the cramped quarters onboard the frigate.
The pace and romantic development between Crispin and Billy was slow but purposeful and the scope of the plot was relatively small. There are no adventurous pirate escapades here, this is a story about them as characters.
Once they did settle as a couple, they were gorgeous together. Their communication was good and I thought it was realistic how they didn’t always find a resolution immediately at the end of every disagreement and how Crispin reassured Billy that this didn’t mean he loved him any less.
And oh, Billy. Poor Billy really deserved all the hugs and love Crispin gave him. He was a treasure. I think in the beginning I'd missed how young he still was (about 20) but I think it shows nicely when his protective shell starts to fall and he opens up to Crispin about his past.
I found the conclusion to be solid and believable and I thought it was the best outcome for them both. That being said, while it wasn't rushed, I would've preferred if it had all been pushed forward by 5% or so, just so we could get a bit more of the aftermath.
This is the first book I've read by this author, but I can promise it won't be the last. I highly recommend this to lovers of character-driven historical romances.
Wonderful slowburn historical romance where opposites attract
Crispin joins the Hermione as a navigator to save the rest of his merchant ship's crew after they're boarded by pirates. He was a loyal navy man and is still desperate to live up to his family's expectations for him. His surveillance is entrusted to Billy, the pirate ship's gunner, who's resentful of the man for invading his privacy but mostly because of Crispin's origins as a navy officer and obvious disdain for everything Billy holds dear.
The characters in this were both fabulous. They each had a good backstory with experiences which provided valid reasons for their attitudes and differing perspectives.
The setting was evocative and though I don't know much about 18th century maritime affairs everything seemed historically accurate. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of their brief time in Nassau and the stark contrast between that life and life in the cramped quarters onboard the frigate.
The pace and romantic development between Crispin and Billy was slow but purposeful and the scope of the plot was relatively small. There are no adventurous pirate escapades here, this is a story about them as characters.
Once they did settle as a couple, they were gorgeous together. Their communication was good and I thought it was realistic how they didn’t always find a resolution immediately at the end of every disagreement and how Crispin reassured Billy that this didn’t mean he loved him any less.
And oh, Billy. Poor Billy really deserved all the hugs and love Crispin gave him. He was a treasure. I think in the beginning I'd missed how young he still was (about 20) but I think it shows nicely when his protective shell starts to fall and he opens up to Crispin about his past.
I found the conclusion to be solid and believable and I thought it was the best outcome for them both. That being said, while it wasn't rushed, I would've preferred if it had all been pushed forward by 5% or so, just so we could get a bit more of the aftermath.
This is the first book I've read by this author, but I can promise it won't be the last. I highly recommend this to lovers of character-driven historical romances.
September 19, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Loved this!!! Please don’t let that bizarre cover dissuade you from reading this beautifully written pirate romance! Historically accurate with compelling MCs who find a connection together beyond their dreams. Both Billy and Crispin have complex backstories that realistically inform their actions, we get dual POVs and they feel completely different. Their chemistry felt honest and sex scenes were both hot and character driven. I could easily read 100 more pages of Crispin and Billy!
Highly recommend for anyone who loves a good pirate story, a well done MM historical romance, or anyone who likes to see two different people find their happiness in a way they never suspected!!
Loved this!!! Please don’t let that bizarre cover dissuade you from reading this beautifully written pirate romance! Historically accurate with compelling MCs who find a connection together beyond their dreams. Both Billy and Crispin have complex backstories that realistically inform their actions, we get dual POVs and they feel completely different. Their chemistry felt honest and sex scenes were both hot and character driven. I could easily read 100 more pages of Crispin and Billy!
Highly recommend for anyone who loves a good pirate story, a well done MM historical romance, or anyone who likes to see two different people find their happiness in a way they never suspected!!
December 29, 2023
Rating: 2.5 stars (rounded down)
I've read quite a few pirate themed MM romances by now and unfortunately, this one ended up being average. The historical details were great, I liked the MCs, the progression of the enemies to lovers relationship was done well but the story didn't have enough plot to justify it's nearly 350 page length, there was a lot of repetition and I didn't like the author's sanitized depiction of pirates and the simplistic examination of important topics (Royal Navy, capitalism, piracy etc).
First - the positives.
If you're new to historical naval fiction, this one would be a great place to start. The author does a wonderful job seamlessly incorporating things like naval terminology and ship routines in a way that felt natural and enjoyable while being educational. I also appreciated that the pirates who had serious jobs and responsibilities onboard the ship were always shown to do those jobs well. In particular, I liked that Billy was the Master Gunner and Crispin was one of the two Master Sailors (navigators). While we don't get to know many of the other pirates in depth, I liked that we got to know them in the context of their ship responsibilities (Captain Moore, Quartermaster Collins, Master Sailor Beaumont etc) and the author could use all of these roles to educate readers about the complexities involved in running a ship in the early 1700s.
The enemies to lovers progression was also done very well. When his merchant ship is boarded by the pirates, Crispin volunteers to join the pirate crew as a navigator in order to ensure that the pirates allow the merchant ship's captain to remain on the merchant ship and safely guide that crew home. Captain Moore assigns Billy to be Crispin's guard so they end up sharing a cabin and spending tons of time together, which slowly results in them getting to know each other, respect each other's skills and they eventually fall in love. The pacing of their changing relationship was done really well and I enjoyed it.
Lastly, I adored George. He's a 10 year old kid who had been serving on the merchant ship with Crispin and for reasons that make sense to 10 year olds, he eagerly volunteers to join the pirates when they're boarded.
Now for the negatives. Let's start where we left off:
George
George's presence on the pirate ship was hard to take seriously. His addition was cute and served an important role in the romance but it wasn't done realistically. I know young boys served on naval ships and had various duties that meant they contributed to the ship's ecosystem but that didn't happen with George. Billy decides to make him a gunner assistant but that's only referenced once and it's clear that George's age and general immaturity mean he's not suited for such a dangerous position. Then Crispin decides to teach George about navigation, but this also felt unrealistic. George barely has any education when Crispin starts teaching him, yet he's being taught trigonometry, other complex equations and how to use finicky instruments and reference tables. I don't mean to insult the kid's intelligence but it would be years before anybody would trust George to do any navigating. It would have made more sense for George to assist Captain Moore, the cook or even the quartermaster but the MCs were a gunner and a navigator so that's where George had to be used.
What's worse is that I didn't believe George would be treated so well by the entire crew. The kid spends a lot of his days running around, interacting with the rest of the pirates and he doesn't share meals or a cabin with the MCs. I didn't believe for a moment that every pirate on the crew was such a kind-hearted soul that they would treat George appropriately. And I don't just mean that he'd likely be abused by violent drunks or pedophiles, but in general - I don't believe the entire pirate crew had parental instincts towards George. Yet, that's what the author wants us to believe. George was inspired by real-life 10 year old John King who joined Black Sam Bellamy in 1716 and died a year later when their ship sank during a storm. There aren't any details about how John was treated by the pirate crew but I can't believe that he would have been treated as a serious member of the crew and given the same protections and considerations as a crewmember would.
Another issue I had with George was that the author conveniently had George stay behind when the crew left Nassau after their shoreleave. This happened at the midway point of the story and George only makes a final appearance at the very end of the story when the MCs return to Nassau but I missed George in the second half of the story and not having him present added to my next problem.
A Boring Second Half
I had such high hopes for this story because the author took the historical aspects seriously. Unfortunately, the author barely did anything interesting with the premise or the MCs. Throughout the first half, there are some interesting plotlines such as . There's also an interesting arc where . Since I love hurt/comfort scenarios, these were the two highlights of the book. There's also a political struggle between . Unfortunately, this power struggle was too brief and too simplistic.
I also liked having Billy .
Unfortunately, those few plotlines were't enough to keep the story interesting. When the MCs get together at the halfway mark, the story drifts (ha ha) into snooze-ville. There are repetitive smut scenes, the MCs are sappy and overly emotional with each other and they constantly angst over their respective emotional traumas. The shoreleave in Nassau is just one boring stretch of nothing and that continues while the crew return to the ship and go to Antigua. The Antigua arc was when things finally got interesting again, but that was the last 20% of the book.
I had way higher hopes for the plot. At the start of this book, I was thinking that it might dethrone my current favorite pirate MM romance - On A Lee Shore by Elin Gregory - but those hopes faded when I realized the author wasn't going to take advantage of the premise properly. On A Lee Shore included one plotline from basically every single aspect of naval storytelling that's available - . In Star To Sail By, we had a short and anticlimactic . There was also the storm, but that's it. Making a pirate book boring should be a literary crime. But that boredom was likely done on purpose because of another problem:
Romanticizing Piracy + Billy Is A Hypocrite
This is a book about pirates, which means I want to read about pirates being pirates. Historically, pirates did come from all walks of life and many joined piracy when society gave them no other option but they're not all kind-hearted, nice people. Based on what the author would have us believe, every single member of Captain Moore's crew is a kind, hard working individual who turned to piracy because of their Tragic Past but they don't engage in any of the negative behavior associated with those other kinds of pirates. Moore's crew is never violent towards each other or others, they never harm anybody on the ships they board and despite Billy constantly saying that Crispin won't be accepted by the crew because he's a former Navy officer, that ends up not being true. In fact, they . So basically, this entire crew could have been running a merchant ship and there wouldn't have been any difference in their behavior. That's not what I want when I read about pirates and it really annoys me when authors sanitize bad guys because they want to profit from the bad guys' labels but not actually showcase what these people are like.
But then there's the little fact that .
The other side of this coin was that the author was relentless in depicting the Royal Navy as being the most evil organization to ever exist. Everything to do with the Royal Navy throughout the entire book is depicted as being evil. . I agree with Billy and the author that a lot of the Royal Navy's treatment of others and their own crewmembers rank high on the list of 'worst human behavior in recorded history' but not only was the book's portrayal childishly simplistic and inaccurate but when paired with Billy's 'Piracy = Great Lifestyle Choice' attitude, it made things worse. I don't think the author meant to romanticize piracy in this book but that's exactly what happened. The entire thing was bizarre but in particular, I was annoyed because I hate such black and white examinations of big topics. It feels very YA to me.
And don't get me started on the author pushing the whole Capitalism = Evil thing, which made no sense. Billy is constantly saying that piracy is better for society than capitalism...yet . So I guess, it's fine for Billy to steal from others when he thinks they have 'too much', but he uses the capitalist system he claims to hate to protect his own goods, even though others would claim him having that rented room is 'too much' and he doesn't have a right to it. I hate hypocrites and that's what soured me on Billy throughout the story.
I'm sure the author didn't want me to notice any of this because Billy has a Tragic Past and that means everything he does is perfectly fine, but I noticed and I hated it. I'm also sure the author took this approach because Billy is supposed to be a Good Guy and it's hard to make a pirate a Good Guy so the author took the hilarious but unfortunate approach of saying Billy = Good Guy because Piracy = Good. If there's ever a point where an author should go back to square one during the story planning stage, it's when you end up with something like that.
Conclusion
The story was a good effort and if you're looking for a romanticized, sanitized pirate MM romance, this one is a good option. But if you're looking for something that takes these topics more seriously and isn't boring, check out On A Lee Shore instead.
I've read quite a few pirate themed MM romances by now and unfortunately, this one ended up being average. The historical details were great, I liked the MCs, the progression of the enemies to lovers relationship was done well but the story didn't have enough plot to justify it's nearly 350 page length, there was a lot of repetition and I didn't like the author's sanitized depiction of pirates and the simplistic examination of important topics (Royal Navy, capitalism, piracy etc).
First - the positives.
If you're new to historical naval fiction, this one would be a great place to start. The author does a wonderful job seamlessly incorporating things like naval terminology and ship routines in a way that felt natural and enjoyable while being educational. I also appreciated that the pirates who had serious jobs and responsibilities onboard the ship were always shown to do those jobs well. In particular, I liked that Billy was the Master Gunner and Crispin was one of the two Master Sailors (navigators). While we don't get to know many of the other pirates in depth, I liked that we got to know them in the context of their ship responsibilities (Captain Moore, Quartermaster Collins, Master Sailor Beaumont etc) and the author could use all of these roles to educate readers about the complexities involved in running a ship in the early 1700s.
The enemies to lovers progression was also done very well. When his merchant ship is boarded by the pirates, Crispin volunteers to join the pirate crew as a navigator in order to ensure that the pirates allow the merchant ship's captain to remain on the merchant ship and safely guide that crew home. Captain Moore assigns Billy to be Crispin's guard so they end up sharing a cabin and spending tons of time together, which slowly results in them getting to know each other, respect each other's skills and they eventually fall in love. The pacing of their changing relationship was done really well and I enjoyed it.
Lastly, I adored George. He's a 10 year old kid who had been serving on the merchant ship with Crispin and for reasons that make sense to 10 year olds, he eagerly volunteers to join the pirates when they're boarded.
Now for the negatives. Let's start where we left off:
George
George's presence on the pirate ship was hard to take seriously. His addition was cute and served an important role in the romance but it wasn't done realistically. I know young boys served on naval ships and had various duties that meant they contributed to the ship's ecosystem but that didn't happen with George. Billy decides to make him a gunner assistant but that's only referenced once and it's clear that George's age and general immaturity mean he's not suited for such a dangerous position. Then Crispin decides to teach George about navigation, but this also felt unrealistic. George barely has any education when Crispin starts teaching him, yet he's being taught trigonometry, other complex equations and how to use finicky instruments and reference tables. I don't mean to insult the kid's intelligence but it would be years before anybody would trust George to do any navigating. It would have made more sense for George to assist Captain Moore, the cook or even the quartermaster but the MCs were a gunner and a navigator so that's where George had to be used.
What's worse is that I didn't believe George would be treated so well by the entire crew. The kid spends a lot of his days running around, interacting with the rest of the pirates and he doesn't share meals or a cabin with the MCs. I didn't believe for a moment that every pirate on the crew was such a kind-hearted soul that they would treat George appropriately. And I don't just mean that he'd likely be abused by violent drunks or pedophiles, but in general - I don't believe the entire pirate crew had parental instincts towards George. Yet, that's what the author wants us to believe. George was inspired by real-life 10 year old John King who joined Black Sam Bellamy in 1716 and died a year later when their ship sank during a storm. There aren't any details about how John was treated by the pirate crew but I can't believe that he would have been treated as a serious member of the crew and given the same protections and considerations as a crewmember would.
Another issue I had with George was that the author conveniently had George stay behind when the crew left Nassau after their shoreleave. This happened at the midway point of the story and George only makes a final appearance at the very end of the story when the MCs return to Nassau but I missed George in the second half of the story and not having him present added to my next problem.
A Boring Second Half
I had such high hopes for this story because the author took the historical aspects seriously. Unfortunately, the author barely did anything interesting with the premise or the MCs. Throughout the first half, there are some interesting plotlines such as . There's also an interesting arc where . Since I love hurt/comfort scenarios, these were the two highlights of the book. There's also a political struggle between . Unfortunately, this power struggle was too brief and too simplistic.
I also liked having Billy .
Unfortunately, those few plotlines were't enough to keep the story interesting. When the MCs get together at the halfway mark, the story drifts (ha ha) into snooze-ville. There are repetitive smut scenes, the MCs are sappy and overly emotional with each other and they constantly angst over their respective emotional traumas. The shoreleave in Nassau is just one boring stretch of nothing and that continues while the crew return to the ship and go to Antigua. The Antigua arc was when things finally got interesting again, but that was the last 20% of the book.
I had way higher hopes for the plot. At the start of this book, I was thinking that it might dethrone my current favorite pirate MM romance - On A Lee Shore by Elin Gregory - but those hopes faded when I realized the author wasn't going to take advantage of the premise properly. On A Lee Shore included one plotline from basically every single aspect of naval storytelling that's available - . In Star To Sail By, we had a short and anticlimactic . There was also the storm, but that's it. Making a pirate book boring should be a literary crime. But that boredom was likely done on purpose because of another problem:
Romanticizing Piracy + Billy Is A Hypocrite
This is a book about pirates, which means I want to read about pirates being pirates. Historically, pirates did come from all walks of life and many joined piracy when society gave them no other option but they're not all kind-hearted, nice people. Based on what the author would have us believe, every single member of Captain Moore's crew is a kind, hard working individual who turned to piracy because of their Tragic Past but they don't engage in any of the negative behavior associated with those other kinds of pirates. Moore's crew is never violent towards each other or others, they never harm anybody on the ships they board and despite Billy constantly saying that Crispin won't be accepted by the crew because he's a former Navy officer, that ends up not being true. In fact, they . So basically, this entire crew could have been running a merchant ship and there wouldn't have been any difference in their behavior. That's not what I want when I read about pirates and it really annoys me when authors sanitize bad guys because they want to profit from the bad guys' labels but not actually showcase what these people are like.
But then there's the little fact that .
The other side of this coin was that the author was relentless in depicting the Royal Navy as being the most evil organization to ever exist. Everything to do with the Royal Navy throughout the entire book is depicted as being evil. . I agree with Billy and the author that a lot of the Royal Navy's treatment of others and their own crewmembers rank high on the list of 'worst human behavior in recorded history' but not only was the book's portrayal childishly simplistic and inaccurate but when paired with Billy's 'Piracy = Great Lifestyle Choice' attitude, it made things worse. I don't think the author meant to romanticize piracy in this book but that's exactly what happened. The entire thing was bizarre but in particular, I was annoyed because I hate such black and white examinations of big topics. It feels very YA to me.
And don't get me started on the author pushing the whole Capitalism = Evil thing, which made no sense. Billy is constantly saying that piracy is better for society than capitalism...yet . So I guess, it's fine for Billy to steal from others when he thinks they have 'too much', but he uses the capitalist system he claims to hate to protect his own goods, even though others would claim him having that rented room is 'too much' and he doesn't have a right to it. I hate hypocrites and that's what soured me on Billy throughout the story.
I'm sure the author didn't want me to notice any of this because Billy has a Tragic Past and that means everything he does is perfectly fine, but I noticed and I hated it. I'm also sure the author took this approach because Billy is supposed to be a Good Guy and it's hard to make a pirate a Good Guy so the author took the hilarious but unfortunate approach of saying Billy = Good Guy because Piracy = Good. If there's ever a point where an author should go back to square one during the story planning stage, it's when you end up with something like that.
Conclusion
The story was a good effort and if you're looking for a romanticized, sanitized pirate MM romance, this one is a good option. But if you're looking for something that takes these topics more seriously and isn't boring, check out On A Lee Shore instead.
September 4, 2023
3.5 rounded up
I thought this was good fun! Historical pirate & navy man, that doesn't shy away from the negatives of either, though perhaps the piratical life is somewhat glamorized, as expected. I enjoyed the characters and the relationship, and the ending was satisfying, if overly brief--I do wish we'd had a bit more of a conclusion after the climax, which felt a bit rushed, both in terms of time and emotions (Crispin gets over his loss way too quickly to feel realistically satisfying). A bit long, and a few places where a stronger editor could have been utilized, but on the whole quite enjoyable!
I thought this was good fun! Historical pirate & navy man, that doesn't shy away from the negatives of either, though perhaps the piratical life is somewhat glamorized, as expected. I enjoyed the characters and the relationship, and the ending was satisfying, if overly brief--I do wish we'd had a bit more of a conclusion after the climax, which felt a bit rushed, both in terms of time and emotions (Crispin gets over his loss way too quickly to feel realistically satisfying). A bit long, and a few places where a stronger editor could have been utilized, but on the whole quite enjoyable!
August 6, 2023
A Star to Sail By is my first book from Joy Lynn Fielding so she was a new-to-me author and I hadn’t known what to expect. But I really enjoyed her writing and the characters. She had great character development that are very deep and realistic.
August 11, 2025
Update: I read some reviews which convinced me to try again, and ended up really enjoying it! I just wasn’t far enough in. Loved the relationship aspects.
_____
(After 2 chapters) No fault DNF, just not catching my interest right now after trying for a few weeks.
_____
(After 2 chapters) No fault DNF, just not catching my interest right now after trying for a few weeks.
September 17, 2023
What a delightful romance! Not only are there the sexy parts (well written!) but the historical setting is top notch!
Crispin Merrick is somewhat down on his luck. During the war (I'm guessing the book takes place in the early 1700s), Crispin had risen to the rank of lieutenant on a top of the line frigate. When the war ends, Crispin finds himself cashiered and has to take a much lower job (third mate!) on a slow, stodgy merchant ship. They get separated from their fleet, and are wandering alone in the sea. Of course they are ripe for takeover by pirates.
Surprisingly, the pirates are merciful (for pirates) and, besides the cargo, only ask for the captain as a prisoner. Crispin admires the captain and knows he has a family, so he volunteers to take the captain's place. He is placed under the care of the gunner, Billy, who appears to Crispin as beautiful as an angel, but as wicked as, well, a pirate.
The author takes the time to set up this romance, and it is so charming to see each man begin to soften towards the other. The author clearly has done her homework: the technical descriptions of sailing and the wonderful supporting characters are charming and illuminating. The dialog between Crispin and Billy is superb.
My one, tiny criticism is the cover. I've read a couple of this author's books, and the cover work does NOT do justice to her work. The pirate on the cover looks more like an extra from Pirates of the Caribbean than Billy!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Crispin Merrick is somewhat down on his luck. During the war (I'm guessing the book takes place in the early 1700s), Crispin had risen to the rank of lieutenant on a top of the line frigate. When the war ends, Crispin finds himself cashiered and has to take a much lower job (third mate!) on a slow, stodgy merchant ship. They get separated from their fleet, and are wandering alone in the sea. Of course they are ripe for takeover by pirates.
Surprisingly, the pirates are merciful (for pirates) and, besides the cargo, only ask for the captain as a prisoner. Crispin admires the captain and knows he has a family, so he volunteers to take the captain's place. He is placed under the care of the gunner, Billy, who appears to Crispin as beautiful as an angel, but as wicked as, well, a pirate.
The author takes the time to set up this romance, and it is so charming to see each man begin to soften towards the other. The author clearly has done her homework: the technical descriptions of sailing and the wonderful supporting characters are charming and illuminating. The dialog between Crispin and Billy is superb.
My one, tiny criticism is the cover. I've read a couple of this author's books, and the cover work does NOT do justice to her work. The pirate on the cover looks more like an extra from Pirates of the Caribbean than Billy!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 5, 2023
Character driven slow burn romance. Don't expect epic pirate adventure and derring do. This is a lovely opposites attract, enemies to lovers tale. Gorgeous main characters and the irrepressible George made this an enjoyable read.
Is it a little on the long side? Maybe. And I can't vouch to the accuracy of the historical information but it read as though it was well researched and era correct.
Highly recommended.
Is it a little on the long side? Maybe. And I can't vouch to the accuracy of the historical information but it read as though it was well researched and era correct.
Highly recommended.
June 7, 2024
How can I give this anything less than 5 stars? Crispin and Billy were ADORABLE. I loved them both so much, and the way they loved each other was so tender and caring and precious.
I also loved the pirate theme, although I do wish some of the more tense moments had actually led to somewhere. Walker’s revolt, the chasing of the East India ships that overpowered the Hermione. I wanted a bit more action.
But honestly, this was the most loving thing and I’m so glad I read it. I want to go to Nassau now though.
I also loved the pirate theme, although I do wish some of the more tense moments had actually led to somewhere. Walker’s revolt, the chasing of the East India ships that overpowered the Hermione. I wanted a bit more action.
But honestly, this was the most loving thing and I’m so glad I read it. I want to go to Nassau now though.
August 10, 2023
4.5 stars An historical ⚓️⛵️🏴☠️ship romance that is not all smooth sailing.
A new author for me with this book.
A good beginning to the book as Crispin 26 yrs was second mate of the merchant ship encountering a stormy seas. They had 6 days to make it back to harbour praying no pirate’s find them.
Yeah there found and raided of its rum by Moore’s orders. Pirate Billy, knew Crispin would be trouble for him, especially when hes placed into Billy’s care.
Its not long before troubles begin with the crew which Billy didnt like.
The dangers at sea would sure test their sea legs as mother nature did her best. The story progresses and Billy sees another side of Crispin that he maybe have a change of opinion of the man. Tough times ahead as the story continues.
I really liked this book as I didnt know what would happen next.
The dramas play out as they get to know each other. Both characters had things in common in this which includes a hurt and comfort theme. There is heavy baggage that I couldn’t help to feel with them and what they had gone through which still haunts them both.
Written with both povs which concludes in an HEA.
A new author for me with this book.
A good beginning to the book as Crispin 26 yrs was second mate of the merchant ship encountering a stormy seas. They had 6 days to make it back to harbour praying no pirate’s find them.
Yeah there found and raided of its rum by Moore’s orders. Pirate Billy, knew Crispin would be trouble for him, especially when hes placed into Billy’s care.
Its not long before troubles begin with the crew which Billy didnt like.
The dangers at sea would sure test their sea legs as mother nature did her best. The story progresses and Billy sees another side of Crispin that he maybe have a change of opinion of the man. Tough times ahead as the story continues.
I really liked this book as I didnt know what would happen next.
The dramas play out as they get to know each other. Both characters had things in common in this which includes a hurt and comfort theme. There is heavy baggage that I couldn’t help to feel with them and what they had gone through which still haunts them both.
Written with both povs which concludes in an HEA.
September 1, 2023
Reviewed for Love Bytes – 3.5 hearts
When pirates board his merchant ship, Crispin is taken aboard the enemy vessel. But he is no pirate and refuses to sign the pirate charter, as he is determined to escape. Under suspicion, the pirate captain assigned Billy as his guard – the man who looked like he was born from the angels. Though, Billy's actions suggested otherwise. Billy hated his assignment, and he wasn't sure he wouldn't kill Crispin before they made land. On board, Crispin noticed Billy's interactions with other crew members. Crispin, too, desired other men but never acted upon it – it wasn’t acceptable in regular society – indeed, it was outlawed on merchant and navy ships. There was no such law on a pirate ship.
It's been a while since I read a pirate story, and I was eager to get stuck in. The story was sweet and all, with an array of characters among some dramatic and loving moments. But it didn't live up to my personal expectations of a high-seas pirate adventure with love won, lost, and affirmed by the edge of a cutlass.
Set in the mid-17th century, the story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Billy and Crispin. Most worldbuilding surrounds life aboard a ship, and there is good imagery throughout the novel. Life on a pirate ship includes challenges for Captain, injuries, pirate punishments, disasters, and more.
Billy and Crispin are lovely men who have a well-do-do heritage, but their reasons for going to sea, their lives since joining a ship, and eventually ending up on a pirate vessel are entirely different. Going forward, their expectations are different, too. Both men must reconcile the past and survive the present before planning a future. Somewhere amid all that, they find love.
Among other things, I found A Star To Sail By, a mixture of soul searching, trauma, drama, and realization with some hot experimentation. Crispin’s adventure was a journey of self-discovery, while Billy discovered that his dream of having someone special could come true. There were some tragic and beautiful moments, but overall, the story was too amicable for me, with more anticipation than high-octane action.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
When pirates board his merchant ship, Crispin is taken aboard the enemy vessel. But he is no pirate and refuses to sign the pirate charter, as he is determined to escape. Under suspicion, the pirate captain assigned Billy as his guard – the man who looked like he was born from the angels. Though, Billy's actions suggested otherwise. Billy hated his assignment, and he wasn't sure he wouldn't kill Crispin before they made land. On board, Crispin noticed Billy's interactions with other crew members. Crispin, too, desired other men but never acted upon it – it wasn’t acceptable in regular society – indeed, it was outlawed on merchant and navy ships. There was no such law on a pirate ship.
It's been a while since I read a pirate story, and I was eager to get stuck in. The story was sweet and all, with an array of characters among some dramatic and loving moments. But it didn't live up to my personal expectations of a high-seas pirate adventure with love won, lost, and affirmed by the edge of a cutlass.
Set in the mid-17th century, the story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Billy and Crispin. Most worldbuilding surrounds life aboard a ship, and there is good imagery throughout the novel. Life on a pirate ship includes challenges for Captain, injuries, pirate punishments, disasters, and more.
Billy and Crispin are lovely men who have a well-do-do heritage, but their reasons for going to sea, their lives since joining a ship, and eventually ending up on a pirate vessel are entirely different. Going forward, their expectations are different, too. Both men must reconcile the past and survive the present before planning a future. Somewhere amid all that, they find love.
Among other things, I found A Star To Sail By, a mixture of soul searching, trauma, drama, and realization with some hot experimentation. Crispin’s adventure was a journey of self-discovery, while Billy discovered that his dream of having someone special could come true. There were some tragic and beautiful moments, but overall, the story was too amicable for me, with more anticipation than high-octane action.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
March 17, 2024
4,5 stars
Absolutely fabulous pirate romance!
This new-to-me author delivered big time in a historical setting.
I really got to know both men, Billy and Crispin, in detail and in depth. I understood why they did what they did and felt for and with them. But most of all … I LOVED the character development here.
Crispin is a very straightforward ex-naval officer with a clear view on why pirates are vile scoundrels that need to be eradicated from this earth. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a good man, he simply exemplifies what any naval officer of the time would have thought and what his upbringing told him.
It is no surprise that he is deeply closeted.
Billy has been a pirate for (I think) 9 years and loves the freedom of this life. And naval officers are like a red flag to him (there are reasons, of course, as we find out later). He can live his life without fear and, as gay relationships are accepted amongst pirates, enjoy his pleasure with men.
From this starting point both men, but particularly Crispin, gradually change their viewpoints, the better they get to know each other and the more they re-evaluate their opinions of the world.
I loved how their relationship blossoms, despite Billy’s hateful enemy vibes, from mere attraction and a strict guard/prisoner situation to gentle bonding, friendship and love. Very well done!
And all those tender and steamy moments just made it for me.
Well researched and beautifully written, with rich details on piracy, geography and history, this is one of the nicest books I’ve read recently.
I’m certainly going to check out more by this author!
Absolutely fabulous pirate romance!
This new-to-me author delivered big time in a historical setting.
I really got to know both men, Billy and Crispin, in detail and in depth. I understood why they did what they did and felt for and with them. But most of all … I LOVED the character development here.
Crispin is a very straightforward ex-naval officer with a clear view on why pirates are vile scoundrels that need to be eradicated from this earth. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a good man, he simply exemplifies what any naval officer of the time would have thought and what his upbringing told him.
It is no surprise that he is deeply closeted.
Billy has been a pirate for (I think) 9 years and loves the freedom of this life. And naval officers are like a red flag to him (there are reasons, of course, as we find out later). He can live his life without fear and, as gay relationships are accepted amongst pirates, enjoy his pleasure with men.
From this starting point both men, but particularly Crispin, gradually change their viewpoints, the better they get to know each other and the more they re-evaluate their opinions of the world.
I loved how their relationship blossoms, despite Billy’s hateful enemy vibes, from mere attraction and a strict guard/prisoner situation to gentle bonding, friendship and love. Very well done!
And all those tender and steamy moments just made it for me.
Well researched and beautifully written, with rich details on piracy, geography and history, this is one of the nicest books I’ve read recently.
I’m certainly going to check out more by this author!
May 29, 2024
"A Star to Sail by" is a third person, dual alternating pov, age of sail story set on a pirate ship. The plot sounds quite like a classic "guy kidnapped by pirates" but the dynamic is amazingly complex, not the usual one and also quite set in its slow burn.
I truly adored this novel. The author takes a lot of care in introducing the ship, describing the democratic way of choosing a captain, and adding a lot of flavor in the way of interesting secondary characters even if the focus is always on Billy and Crispin. And I truly truly appreciate slow burn novels especially if there is conflict between the characters. Here there is an initial immediate "enemies" given that Crispin despises pirates, and Bully doesn't trust any navy officer (because of the abuse he suffered in the navy). It slowly softens with Crispin and Billy knowing more about each other's and recognizing each other's as human beings, and then it further evolves the more Crispin ends up involved with the ship. Said this, the focus was always on Crispin and Billy, and the plot never took the reader away from their characters and their progress with each other's.
And the ending!! ,
I truly adored this novel. The author takes a lot of care in introducing the ship, describing the democratic way of choosing a captain, and adding a lot of flavor in the way of interesting secondary characters even if the focus is always on Billy and Crispin. And I truly truly appreciate slow burn novels especially if there is conflict between the characters. Here there is an initial immediate "enemies" given that Crispin despises pirates, and Bully doesn't trust any navy officer (because of the abuse he suffered in the navy). It slowly softens with Crispin and Billy knowing more about each other's and recognizing each other's as human beings, and then it further evolves the more Crispin ends up involved with the ship. Said this, the focus was always on Crispin and Billy, and the plot never took the reader away from their characters and their progress with each other's.
And the ending!! ,
September 19, 2023
5++ Stars! It's not so often that I am reading a book and am legitimately annoyed when I have to put it down, but this was one of those books. This is a tale of adventure, of acceptance, hurt/comfort, slow burn romance, and true love told from a dual POV.
To be honest, I truly don't think the cover or the blurb do the book justice. It's so much more than either. Crispin and Billy are engaging, wonderful characters, the sort you think about long after the book is finished. The storytelling was amazing (I am not sure of the historical accuracy, but it read realistically) and the author knows how to build up scenes well.
The development of the romance was stellar. And the level of feeling in the intimate moments was so well done. There was certainly a level of hotness, but it was more about the closeness, the trust, the affection and yes, the love-making that made them stand out.
There are trigger warnings. If you are not sensitive to such things, I recommend not looking at them in order to experience the story fully as it unfolds. If you are, just know that all of them are handled sensitively, tastefully and are not overly graphic or detailed.
Whether or not you like MM romance, I have to recommend this book, not because it's MM (although incredibly well done) but because it's an epic romance. I would definitely read more by the author and highly suggest reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
To be honest, I truly don't think the cover or the blurb do the book justice. It's so much more than either. Crispin and Billy are engaging, wonderful characters, the sort you think about long after the book is finished. The storytelling was amazing (I am not sure of the historical accuracy, but it read realistically) and the author knows how to build up scenes well.
The development of the romance was stellar. And the level of feeling in the intimate moments was so well done. There was certainly a level of hotness, but it was more about the closeness, the trust, the affection and yes, the love-making that made them stand out.
There are trigger warnings. If you are not sensitive to such things, I recommend not looking at them in order to experience the story fully as it unfolds. If you are, just know that all of them are handled sensitively, tastefully and are not overly graphic or detailed.
Whether or not you like MM romance, I have to recommend this book, not because it's MM (although incredibly well done) but because it's an epic romance. I would definitely read more by the author and highly suggest reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 20, 2023
Oh dear. I feel like a callous cow because everyone else seems to have adored this, and I was just. So. Bored. It took me ages to finish and I was genuinely tempted to DNF around 90% because I just didn’t care. I’m not even conclusively sure why; the writing’s fine, the story’s fine, but I felt nothing for these people. I found Crispin a crashing bore – judgemental, humourless, constantly jumping to conclusions, lacking profile. Billy was ok but honestly deserved better? IDEK. Perhaps it’s just time to finally admit that I don’t seem to gel with pirate stories. Technically, they should be right up my alley and I think I’ve subconsciously tried to make myself love them for a long time but something doesn’t work. (Our Flag Means Death? It’s fine but tbh I don’t really get the hype. Black Sails? Loved the characters and relationship arcs but was largely indifferent to the setting.) Maybe it’s the fact that – unlike with plenty of other historicals – I can never quite suspend disbelief for physical realities aboard ships. Maybe I just don’t like ships, period? Maybe it’s simpler than that and Robin Hobb broke the mould with The Liveship Traders Trilogy, ruining me for any pirate story ever after. Whatever it is, I look forward to forgetting this immediately.
August 12, 2023
Standalone. Historical. Enemies to lovers. Slow burn. Crispin is a former naval officer forced to join a pirate ship to save others; he has only contempt for pirates and their ways. The master gunner of the pirate ship is a young and beautiful man named Billy, who despises all navy officers, and he has his reasons. Forced to work and live together, Billy and Crispin slowly find themselves learning to understand and accept each other, while growing to appreciate the underlying loyalty, kindness and intelligence they discover within the other. This was a compelling story, with interesting characters, and it was easy to understand and empathize with both Billy and Crispin’s attitudes about piracy and the navy. Entertaining with some action and danger, hurt/comfort, and some real emotional growth from Crispin. Both men are admirable, and once in love they are committed and honest about their feelings and communicate about how important they are to each other but also the problems they face if they want to stay together. An unexpectedly wonderful read. 4.5 rounded up
September 8, 2023
As a huge fan of the C.S. Forester's Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, I'm always up for a nautical/pirate m/m romance. This one by Joy Lynn Fielding is a winner. The shipboard settings are well developed for both the pirate and the merchant ship. It makes perfect sense that Billy deeply resents this "regular" seaman he's been tasked with guarding and that Crispin would be looking to thwart his captors so there's a great enemies dynamic established. When these two are forced to work together, that forced proximity leads to understanding, comradeship and eventually much more. Would definitely read more if Fielding decides to let some of her other pirates find their HEA.
August 27, 2023
Billy is a pirate that captures Crispin's ship. Crispin is taken onto the ship to help navigate. Billy has contempt for Crispin until Crispin is hurt saving a young boy. Crispin is honorable, principled and accepts he is attracted to Billy. Billy is kind, compassionate and so hot for Crispin as he introduces him to the ways of love. This book is well written and puts most of the pirates in a good light. maybe too good to be true. It was an interesting book that held my attention. I received a copy of this book through BookSirens and this is my voluntary opinion.
September 5, 2023
The blurb got me. Pirates? M/M? Historical? An author I previously read and reviewed? Count me in. I love a good pirate read, and if it’s two handsome guys, all the better.
First off, this book is impeccably researched. The author did a superb job of bringing me on board the ship, detailing the duties and laws of pirates, the Royal Navy, and merchants. And she accomplished this by weaving in her knowledge for each scene, never going overboard (pun intended!) to bore me, but instead intrigue me.
Read more here: https://wp.me/p12iNR-aeO
First off, this book is impeccably researched. The author did a superb job of bringing me on board the ship, detailing the duties and laws of pirates, the Royal Navy, and merchants. And she accomplished this by weaving in her knowledge for each scene, never going overboard (pun intended!) to bore me, but instead intrigue me.
Read more here: https://wp.me/p12iNR-aeO
August 29, 2023
A wonderful MM story that was a slow burn. Billy and Crispin were extremely engaging characters and I loved how their relationship developed so beautifully. Lots of emotion, passion and trauma in this. My first book by this author and I loved it.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 27, 2023
This is the first book I’ve read by this new to me author , so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I have to say i enjoyed reading this slow burn historical romance, the story was well written and kept my attention from beginning to end, the characters were good and the story is worth a read.
September 2, 2023
I've not read many pirate romances, so I wanted to give it a try. I liked it. I liked the heroes (and young George) and and was swept up in their story. I thought the book was a little long, but otherwise, I really liked it.
August 2, 2024
A joy to read.
I felt myself brought back in time to the Age of Sail. Even though I don’t read a lot of swashbuckling adventures, I could follow the plot and understood the technical/nautical terms organically.
I felt myself brought back in time to the Age of Sail. Even though I don’t read a lot of swashbuckling adventures, I could follow the plot and understood the technical/nautical terms organically.
August 21, 2025
Well that was fucking awesome. Engaging pirate story without all the terminology that you don’t understand. The love story was beautiful and romantic as hell and I maybe teared up. Great story and will probably read again in the future.
November 3, 2023
4.25 stars
October 4, 2025
4.5 estrellas ⭐️
Este libro es muy bueno, me gustó mucho como se fue desarrollando la dinámica entre Billy y Crispin durante todo el libro y el amor que se tienen es simplemente hermoso 🤍
Este libro es muy bueno, me gustó mucho como se fue desarrollando la dinámica entre Billy y Crispin durante todo el libro y el amor que se tienen es simplemente hermoso 🤍
September 9, 2023
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Crispin wanted to be in the Navy, and now he finds himself on a pirate ship, helping them. But these pirates aren't like anything he heard about and Billy, especially, calls to him for reasons he can't figure out. Billy knows though, and it takes a storm to bring them finally to admit to each other what they could be.
What I especially liked about this, was being kept on my toes!
We are aware that something happened to Crispin to mean he is surviving on a merchant ship, and is no longer in the Royal Navy, but not WHY. We know Billy hates Naval officers, but not WHY. And we get the answers to both almost at the same time. Very different reasons, but equally devastating to them. I'm not going to go into it, for spoilers, but difficult reading, Billy's especially. Be mindful of the trigger warnings on this book.
It's not especially explicit, but I didn't mind that here. It's more about the feeling these two men have for each other, and knowing that they can be together, in this time, and be safe.
It is, however, quite violent. These pirates are ...reasonable...in their behaviours, but things happen and then Crispin and Billy are dealt a nasty blow. The level of violence is not graphic, though it does carry some detailed descriptions of punishments and the aftermath. Also, the reason Billy hates Naval officers is described in some detail.
It's not a complicated read, and I found I read it faster than I normally would for a book of this length, some 370 pages.
First I've read of this author, I like the way she spins her tales. I'll certainly read more by this author.
A very enjoyable, 4 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Crispin wanted to be in the Navy, and now he finds himself on a pirate ship, helping them. But these pirates aren't like anything he heard about and Billy, especially, calls to him for reasons he can't figure out. Billy knows though, and it takes a storm to bring them finally to admit to each other what they could be.
What I especially liked about this, was being kept on my toes!
We are aware that something happened to Crispin to mean he is surviving on a merchant ship, and is no longer in the Royal Navy, but not WHY. We know Billy hates Naval officers, but not WHY. And we get the answers to both almost at the same time. Very different reasons, but equally devastating to them. I'm not going to go into it, for spoilers, but difficult reading, Billy's especially. Be mindful of the trigger warnings on this book.
It's not especially explicit, but I didn't mind that here. It's more about the feeling these two men have for each other, and knowing that they can be together, in this time, and be safe.
It is, however, quite violent. These pirates are ...reasonable...in their behaviours, but things happen and then Crispin and Billy are dealt a nasty blow. The level of violence is not graphic, though it does carry some detailed descriptions of punishments and the aftermath. Also, the reason Billy hates Naval officers is described in some detail.
It's not a complicated read, and I found I read it faster than I normally would for a book of this length, some 370 pages.
First I've read of this author, I like the way she spins her tales. I'll certainly read more by this author.
A very enjoyable, 4 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
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