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Men Of Fortune #2
Falling For The Pirate
London, 1820
After the deaths of his parents and a dark, troubled childhood, Captain Nate Bowen vowed he would have his revenge. But he never expected to have the tool of his revenge dropped so neatly into his lap. Juliana Hargate is not only the daughter of his enemy, but is destitute, very much alone - and exquisitely desirable. And now that Nate has saved her life, she's at his complete mercy...
Captive. All Juliana wanted was to clear her father's name. Instead, she's been struck with amnesia - unable to recall even her name - and imprisoned by a tall, imposing, and entirely unscrupulous pirate. A pirate whose eyes seem to look past her skirts and many petticoats, and whose touch sends delicious ripples of desire through her. With every passing day, she finds herself tempted to give him the very thing he's determined to take...
After the deaths of his parents and a dark, troubled childhood, Captain Nate Bowen vowed he would have his revenge. But he never expected to have the tool of his revenge dropped so neatly into his lap. Juliana Hargate is not only the daughter of his enemy, but is destitute, very much alone - and exquisitely desirable. And now that Nate has saved her life, she's at his complete mercy...
Captive. All Juliana wanted was to clear her father's name. Instead, she's been struck with amnesia - unable to recall even her name - and imprisoned by a tall, imposing, and entirely unscrupulous pirate. A pirate whose eyes seem to look past her skirts and many petticoats, and whose touch sends delicious ripples of desire through her. With every passing day, she finds herself tempted to give him the very thing he's determined to take...
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2014
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August 7, 2014
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book... for more, visit Punya Reviews...
I have to admit first that Amber Lin’s Falling For The Pirate, book 2 of Men of Fortune, had much potential to be superb. I really liked book 1, which is why I wanted to continue with the series. Sadly, all those potentials weren’t met to my liking. Instead, I had quite a confusing time trying to figure out the buildup of the H and h’s relationship.
In book 1, the company run by the Duke of Sinclair, Adrian with Nate, Hale and another buddy of theirs was mentioned, even if only a snippet of it. Letters at Christmas was Hale’s story, a ship’s captain, who returned home after a long time to win his childhood sweetheart, Sidony, back. It was very short yet sweet. There weren’t much about his friends in that installment, except that they attend Hale and Sidony’s marriage.
The company, related to shipping business because all the men were somehow linked to a ship or sailing (I gathered as much), was growing big and profitable. Nathaniel Bowen, or Nate as he goes by, is the current Captain of Nightingale. He has returned to England sometimes ago, driven by a mission for revenge. Born and brought up in a brothel, Nate’s life certainly hasn’t been the best, even ‘good’ if anyone wishes to contemplate on what he went through. Moreover, because of one man, he had to witness the death of his parents. As a young boy, because of that one man, Nate was put in a prison hulk and was forced to endure the unthinkable condition.
Many years have passed since. Through ups and downs and a drive to gather as much riches as he can, Nate has become richer than ever. He has been in ships most of his life, sailed and gathered whatever he could, afraid that those would be snatched away from him anytime. Such was Nate’s fear because he has endured so much.
Nate met Adrian and Hale on board. Adrian also has some history, bits and pieces of which were revealed here. They became friends but Adrian is his closest; as close as an elegant Duke can be to an unpolished Pirate. Nate has learned to read and write, nowadays, he also dresses as a gentleman, yet his natural rough side and years spend at the sea shows. No, he’s not abusive nor has bad temper. Nate’s just... a pirate-y looking guy with darkened skin and even darker hair. He hasn’t forgotten his roots, which is why he laughs at people trying to make a gentleman out of him. He also saves street kids, trying to give them a home or a place at his ship when it’s anchored. Most of all, he’s not a womanizer, prone to excess of any kind if he can help it. Overall I thought, Nate was amazingly honest about who he was and what driven him to exact revenge on Stephen Hargate, the man who was responsible for all his childhood sufferings.
When he returned, Nate ‘encouraged’ an investigation and found that Hargate has been stealing money from his own, quite prosperous, shipping company. He was being prosecuted, Hargate escaped. Nate is still on a hunt to find the man. He was vaguely aware that Hargate has a daughter; a nameless, faceless someone. At the time he bought the company, Nate had no idea that his actions have forced that girl to the street because her cowardly father left her destitute with nowhere else to go. Nate didn’t care all that much, until fate intervened and he finds himself forced to face the aftermaths.
Juliana has been looking for a way to clear her father’s name. She doesn’t believe her somewhat distant, yet caring father is a thief who has been accused of stealing from his own company! Just a week ago, she had all the prospects in the world- balls, gowns, shopping, even marriage when the time came. Today, she has nothing and no one to turn to for help. It hurt her how her father left her like this, but Juliana thinks if his name is cleared, he’d return and take back what used to be his. In desperation, she sales the only dress she had on her back in exchange of a boy’s clothes to venture out at night at the doc-side former office of her father’s company. She’s sure she can find some proof of his innocence in the papers kept there, enough to help him.
Unfortunately, Nightingale was nearby, and a soused Nate was watching over his new acquisition... only to find his fear coming true. Once again, someone was attempting steal from him! He finds the thief trying to break into his new office and runs there to apprehend him. When he finally faces him, Nate finds himself staring at a young boy. He decides the boy thought he can find something valuable in here. Nate possesses a caring streak, to reach out to the needy and poor young boys who always remind him of his own miserable childhood. He decides, even in his drunken state, that he’d help ‘Julian’, the name he gave Nate. But then, Julian tries to escape, running out, forcing Nate to follow. When the thief takes a wrong turn, he falls headlong into the dark and dirty water. Nate’s heart froze for a bit, thinking he has just killed the boy. But he becomes dizzy when his men fishes Julian out, only to find that it’s no boy but a young woman! Intrigued, and because he couldn’t leave her like this, Nate takes the girl home to have her taken care of.
Juliana wakes up in a strange room, feeling all bruised and battered, with a strange man sitting nearby... more like dosing on the chair. She tries to remember but her mind feels foggy. At length, the man wakes up and she takes a good look at him; tall, well-built, sun-tanned skin with dark hair and eyes. She’s attracted to him from the first moment. It’s when he started asking questions that she suddenly realizes she has no memory! She doesn’t remember a thing about who she is, where she came from... even her name! The man introduces himself as Nathaniel Bowen, but he doesn’t seem to believe in her, which makes her think that she must’ve done something bad. She’s instantly guilt ridden and starts apologizing. She also promises to return his generosity and whatever she has taken from him when she gets back her memory.
Her soft words and regrets soften Nate somewhat, who has already figured out who she is from the investigation files on Hargate. Not only the close match to the name she gave him, but also only Juliana would have the motive to break into his office to find something valuable to save her father. It’s much more logical, even if the attempt was rather insane. Nate doesn’t tell her anything though, to test her and see if she’s telling the truth. If she’s being honest about a memory loss. For now, Nate wants her to recuperate enough. He’s very nice to her, calling in doctors and bringing in whatever it is necessary to help her heal. Incredibly, though the whole falling thing was still rather confusing for me because of the length of their time together, apparently Nate has already started feeling something different for Juliana. He actually finds it commendable that she tried something to clear her father’s name. Nate still intends to exact revenge, but gradually, he also begins doubting his intentions. What will happen if she finds out that he’s the one behind her downfall?
This question eats Nate up every day. He wants to confess to Juliana, but he can’t. Moreover, though she healed well, she wasn’t getting back her memory. Their talks, even if it’s laced with distrust, somehow turns into something more. With the fast growing attracting, Juliana begins to think that the only way she can ever repay him would be to become Nate’s mistress. She’d be a willing participant too. Nate though, holds off, even after kisses and fondling. When Juliana begins asking the ‘why’s, Nate finally tells him that he has some... touch issues? This part was totally hazy cause I didn’t know what to make of his statement. So was he celibate? A virgin (I didn’t think so)? He tells her something like, he ‘can’t have sex because of what happened to him’ on the prison hulk. Did he not want to be touched? Nothing was elaborated further but he didn’t seem to have any problem touching Juliana at all, craving it actually; be it a kiss or a hug.
Then there was the pressing issue of her memory and his intentions. But now, he doesn’t want Juliana harmed at all. Protecting her was such a bone deep need that once, when Nate finds Hargate somewhere near the dock, waiting in the shadows for him, he beats the crap out of that man just for calling Juliana a ‘whore’ because she has been living with him. He also threatens him to never to try to get to her. Hargate, at first, doesn’t remember Nate from his childhood and what he has done to Nate’s parents. But when he does later in the story, he makes his foul move to get what he wants; the money that Nate now owns and escape.
Their shaky-at-best relationship takes more ups and downs, and somewhere along the way, Juliana’s memory returns in full force. I was glad that the author didn’t drag this out all through the story. Amnesia isn’t that much of a favorite theme of mine. I absolutely hate it when the main characters end up having sex when one doesn’t have his/her memory. This is where I also secretly thanked the author for saving me from shaking my head and rolling my eyes. Though Juliana wants to keep it to herself at first, very soon she decides she can’t hide this from him. It won’t be right, since he had been so good to her. Sadly, she still thinks Nate is just an employee to the people who ruined her father.
This revelation takes Nate by surprise. He’s still feeling the pressure to come clean, yet keeps putting it off, scared of Juliana’s reaction. When things are this way, one day, they end up having sex too, with Juliana being the instigator, assuring Nate she wants him that much. The next day, some trouble occurs at the ship and Nate is forced to be separated from her. They were at the Nightingale, so he asks her to leave for his home to keep her safe. While taking care of the mess on board, Nate also learns of some treachery by someone he trusted. At the same moment, he also decides that no matter what, he’d tell Juliana everything, giving her a chance to come to her own decision. She can leave if that’s what she wishes and he’d abide by it, even if it kills him. I could feel his vulnerability, of not having something he had finally desired with all his heart, something other than money and other materialistic possessions. He’s in love, he wants to have a family, yet this time he might lose what, or who matters the most to him.
While Nate was fighting his inner battles, Juliana was fighting her own with another person she thought she had loved, her very much mentally imbalanced father. And then it became very apparent that she must choose between the two men. But, can she?
Juliana saw Nate’s good sides and chooses to be with him. She even tells him she loves him too but I never really had the impression it was ‘love’ in real sense. It seemed more like a mixture of gratitude with a healthy dose of lust. The way she was quick to judge him and the amount of distrust she seemed to have for him, I couldn’t believe in it. She was forever thinking that every man in the world is out to take advantage of her. I won’t be quick to blame her, seeing how her father treated her but I also think Nate deserved much more than this half-hearted thing. He deserved a more mature and understanding heroine. Someone who would love him with gusto and wouldn’t shy away from showing it. I’d go as far as to say someone with a stronger personality. Nate was such a complete sweetheart and I adored him. His sense of judgment was that of an inherent honest man. And so, throughout the story, this is the one thing that bugged me. I truly believe I would’ve enjoyed more if things were different.
Thankfully, some very interesting secondary characters were introduced here, such as the Duke, Nate’s friend (of sort) Santiago and his obsession with Nate’s housekeeper Mrs. Wheaton... yah, I’ll be waiting to find out who is getting the next in the series. 3.5 stars.
This ARC was provided to me by Entangled Scandalous via netgalley which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.
I have to admit first that Amber Lin’s Falling For The Pirate, book 2 of Men of Fortune, had much potential to be superb. I really liked book 1, which is why I wanted to continue with the series. Sadly, all those potentials weren’t met to my liking. Instead, I had quite a confusing time trying to figure out the buildup of the H and h’s relationship.
In book 1, the company run by the Duke of Sinclair, Adrian with Nate, Hale and another buddy of theirs was mentioned, even if only a snippet of it. Letters at Christmas was Hale’s story, a ship’s captain, who returned home after a long time to win his childhood sweetheart, Sidony, back. It was very short yet sweet. There weren’t much about his friends in that installment, except that they attend Hale and Sidony’s marriage.
The company, related to shipping business because all the men were somehow linked to a ship or sailing (I gathered as much), was growing big and profitable. Nathaniel Bowen, or Nate as he goes by, is the current Captain of Nightingale. He has returned to England sometimes ago, driven by a mission for revenge. Born and brought up in a brothel, Nate’s life certainly hasn’t been the best, even ‘good’ if anyone wishes to contemplate on what he went through. Moreover, because of one man, he had to witness the death of his parents. As a young boy, because of that one man, Nate was put in a prison hulk and was forced to endure the unthinkable condition.
Many years have passed since. Through ups and downs and a drive to gather as much riches as he can, Nate has become richer than ever. He has been in ships most of his life, sailed and gathered whatever he could, afraid that those would be snatched away from him anytime. Such was Nate’s fear because he has endured so much.
Nate met Adrian and Hale on board. Adrian also has some history, bits and pieces of which were revealed here. They became friends but Adrian is his closest; as close as an elegant Duke can be to an unpolished Pirate. Nate has learned to read and write, nowadays, he also dresses as a gentleman, yet his natural rough side and years spend at the sea shows. No, he’s not abusive nor has bad temper. Nate’s just... a pirate-y looking guy with darkened skin and even darker hair. He hasn’t forgotten his roots, which is why he laughs at people trying to make a gentleman out of him. He also saves street kids, trying to give them a home or a place at his ship when it’s anchored. Most of all, he’s not a womanizer, prone to excess of any kind if he can help it. Overall I thought, Nate was amazingly honest about who he was and what driven him to exact revenge on Stephen Hargate, the man who was responsible for all his childhood sufferings.
When he returned, Nate ‘encouraged’ an investigation and found that Hargate has been stealing money from his own, quite prosperous, shipping company. He was being prosecuted, Hargate escaped. Nate is still on a hunt to find the man. He was vaguely aware that Hargate has a daughter; a nameless, faceless someone. At the time he bought the company, Nate had no idea that his actions have forced that girl to the street because her cowardly father left her destitute with nowhere else to go. Nate didn’t care all that much, until fate intervened and he finds himself forced to face the aftermaths.
Juliana has been looking for a way to clear her father’s name. She doesn’t believe her somewhat distant, yet caring father is a thief who has been accused of stealing from his own company! Just a week ago, she had all the prospects in the world- balls, gowns, shopping, even marriage when the time came. Today, she has nothing and no one to turn to for help. It hurt her how her father left her like this, but Juliana thinks if his name is cleared, he’d return and take back what used to be his. In desperation, she sales the only dress she had on her back in exchange of a boy’s clothes to venture out at night at the doc-side former office of her father’s company. She’s sure she can find some proof of his innocence in the papers kept there, enough to help him.
Unfortunately, Nightingale was nearby, and a soused Nate was watching over his new acquisition... only to find his fear coming true. Once again, someone was attempting steal from him! He finds the thief trying to break into his new office and runs there to apprehend him. When he finally faces him, Nate finds himself staring at a young boy. He decides the boy thought he can find something valuable in here. Nate possesses a caring streak, to reach out to the needy and poor young boys who always remind him of his own miserable childhood. He decides, even in his drunken state, that he’d help ‘Julian’, the name he gave Nate. But then, Julian tries to escape, running out, forcing Nate to follow. When the thief takes a wrong turn, he falls headlong into the dark and dirty water. Nate’s heart froze for a bit, thinking he has just killed the boy. But he becomes dizzy when his men fishes Julian out, only to find that it’s no boy but a young woman! Intrigued, and because he couldn’t leave her like this, Nate takes the girl home to have her taken care of.
Juliana wakes up in a strange room, feeling all bruised and battered, with a strange man sitting nearby... more like dosing on the chair. She tries to remember but her mind feels foggy. At length, the man wakes up and she takes a good look at him; tall, well-built, sun-tanned skin with dark hair and eyes. She’s attracted to him from the first moment. It’s when he started asking questions that she suddenly realizes she has no memory! She doesn’t remember a thing about who she is, where she came from... even her name! The man introduces himself as Nathaniel Bowen, but he doesn’t seem to believe in her, which makes her think that she must’ve done something bad. She’s instantly guilt ridden and starts apologizing. She also promises to return his generosity and whatever she has taken from him when she gets back her memory.
Her soft words and regrets soften Nate somewhat, who has already figured out who she is from the investigation files on Hargate. Not only the close match to the name she gave him, but also only Juliana would have the motive to break into his office to find something valuable to save her father. It’s much more logical, even if the attempt was rather insane. Nate doesn’t tell her anything though, to test her and see if she’s telling the truth. If she’s being honest about a memory loss. For now, Nate wants her to recuperate enough. He’s very nice to her, calling in doctors and bringing in whatever it is necessary to help her heal. Incredibly, though the whole falling thing was still rather confusing for me because of the length of their time together, apparently Nate has already started feeling something different for Juliana. He actually finds it commendable that she tried something to clear her father’s name. Nate still intends to exact revenge, but gradually, he also begins doubting his intentions. What will happen if she finds out that he’s the one behind her downfall?
This question eats Nate up every day. He wants to confess to Juliana, but he can’t. Moreover, though she healed well, she wasn’t getting back her memory. Their talks, even if it’s laced with distrust, somehow turns into something more. With the fast growing attracting, Juliana begins to think that the only way she can ever repay him would be to become Nate’s mistress. She’d be a willing participant too. Nate though, holds off, even after kisses and fondling. When Juliana begins asking the ‘why’s, Nate finally tells him that he has some... touch issues? This part was totally hazy cause I didn’t know what to make of his statement. So was he celibate? A virgin (I didn’t think so)? He tells her something like, he ‘can’t have sex because of what happened to him’ on the prison hulk. Did he not want to be touched? Nothing was elaborated further but he didn’t seem to have any problem touching Juliana at all, craving it actually; be it a kiss or a hug.
Then there was the pressing issue of her memory and his intentions. But now, he doesn’t want Juliana harmed at all. Protecting her was such a bone deep need that once, when Nate finds Hargate somewhere near the dock, waiting in the shadows for him, he beats the crap out of that man just for calling Juliana a ‘whore’ because she has been living with him. He also threatens him to never to try to get to her. Hargate, at first, doesn’t remember Nate from his childhood and what he has done to Nate’s parents. But when he does later in the story, he makes his foul move to get what he wants; the money that Nate now owns and escape.
Their shaky-at-best relationship takes more ups and downs, and somewhere along the way, Juliana’s memory returns in full force. I was glad that the author didn’t drag this out all through the story. Amnesia isn’t that much of a favorite theme of mine. I absolutely hate it when the main characters end up having sex when one doesn’t have his/her memory. This is where I also secretly thanked the author for saving me from shaking my head and rolling my eyes. Though Juliana wants to keep it to herself at first, very soon she decides she can’t hide this from him. It won’t be right, since he had been so good to her. Sadly, she still thinks Nate is just an employee to the people who ruined her father.
This revelation takes Nate by surprise. He’s still feeling the pressure to come clean, yet keeps putting it off, scared of Juliana’s reaction. When things are this way, one day, they end up having sex too, with Juliana being the instigator, assuring Nate she wants him that much. The next day, some trouble occurs at the ship and Nate is forced to be separated from her. They were at the Nightingale, so he asks her to leave for his home to keep her safe. While taking care of the mess on board, Nate also learns of some treachery by someone he trusted. At the same moment, he also decides that no matter what, he’d tell Juliana everything, giving her a chance to come to her own decision. She can leave if that’s what she wishes and he’d abide by it, even if it kills him. I could feel his vulnerability, of not having something he had finally desired with all his heart, something other than money and other materialistic possessions. He’s in love, he wants to have a family, yet this time he might lose what, or who matters the most to him.
While Nate was fighting his inner battles, Juliana was fighting her own with another person she thought she had loved, her very much mentally imbalanced father. And then it became very apparent that she must choose between the two men. But, can she?
Juliana saw Nate’s good sides and chooses to be with him. She even tells him she loves him too but I never really had the impression it was ‘love’ in real sense. It seemed more like a mixture of gratitude with a healthy dose of lust. The way she was quick to judge him and the amount of distrust she seemed to have for him, I couldn’t believe in it. She was forever thinking that every man in the world is out to take advantage of her. I won’t be quick to blame her, seeing how her father treated her but I also think Nate deserved much more than this half-hearted thing. He deserved a more mature and understanding heroine. Someone who would love him with gusto and wouldn’t shy away from showing it. I’d go as far as to say someone with a stronger personality. Nate was such a complete sweetheart and I adored him. His sense of judgment was that of an inherent honest man. And so, throughout the story, this is the one thing that bugged me. I truly believe I would’ve enjoyed more if things were different.
Thankfully, some very interesting secondary characters were introduced here, such as the Duke, Nate’s friend (of sort) Santiago and his obsession with Nate’s housekeeper Mrs. Wheaton... yah, I’ll be waiting to find out who is getting the next in the series. 3.5 stars.
This ARC was provided to me by Entangled Scandalous via netgalley which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2014
Captain Nate Bowen has had a difficult life. His father survived sailing most of his life, only to die at the hands of a murderer. This thrust Nate into the streets, where he barely survived. But Nate turned his life around. The captain of the Nightingale, he feels most at home on the sea. But he is also part owner of Fortune Investments, along with a few other men, most who more well off than Nate but all super ambitious. Nate never feels quite good enough or on the same level as the Duke of Sinclair that started Fortune Investments, or the other titled men, but he is proud of his accomplishments. He doesn’t do friendships, but Sinclair and the others are still a presence in his life. Nate also has another passion – keeping troubled boys off the street. He opens his ship to these boys and teaches them sailing skills so they have a chance at a successful future. His one goal in life though is to exact revenge on the man responsible for his father’s death. And that man’s daughter falls right into his lap.
Juliana Hargate is a well-bred lady, whose father abandons her when trouble falls on him. Penniless, Juliana decides to break into Hargate shipping company (recently acquired by Fortune Investments) to see if she can find any paperwork that clears her father’s name. She dresses as a chimney sweep, selling her last dress for a few coins. Nate happens to be relaxing on his ship when he sees a figure in the darkness entering his investment building. As he chases her, Juliana falls into the water. Nate drags her out and nurses her back to health – only to discover she has amnesia from the fall. Suspicious that Juliana has come on her father’s behalf to cause Nate harm, he doesn’t know what to do with her and thinks her amnesia is just an act.
I love a good pirate romance, and for the most part this story engaged me. Nate is a big, hulking pirate who carries around much anger with him. Sure he helps out troubled boys and is very good to his staff, but only those close to him see that side. Otherwise, he is surly and pushes everyone away. I enjoy this type of hero. The kind that doesn’t feel worthy of true love or feelings. But this also brings me to the one thing that bothered me in this story.
The amnesia plot doesn’t last too long as Juliana pretty quickly regains most memory. Nate knows she is the daughter of the man he has been trying to kill for the past ten years, but Juliana doesn’t know of Nate’s hatred for her family. She thinks Nate’s boss owns Fortune Investments, she has no idea that Nate is an actual owner. From the start, Juliana feels like she needs to repay Nate for his care of her after she fell in the water. He fed her, clothed her and housed her. Juliana feels like she has nothing else in her life to go back to, so she offers her body as payment. This is where things started to get tricky for me. It was hard for me to figure out when Juliana went from just offering her body, to actually falling in love with Nate. I felt a little weird each time they would start to have a physical romance because one: I wasn’t sure if Juliana was just doing it because she felt she owed Nate something, and two: Nate’s relationship with her father and keeping secrets from her rubbed me the wrong way. If he truly had feelings for her, he needed to come clean sooner.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, there was something that felt off with the way Juliana falls in love with Nate. Something was missing.
Otherwise, this one is fun and I hope we get more books set in this world.
Rating: C+
Juliana Hargate is a well-bred lady, whose father abandons her when trouble falls on him. Penniless, Juliana decides to break into Hargate shipping company (recently acquired by Fortune Investments) to see if she can find any paperwork that clears her father’s name. She dresses as a chimney sweep, selling her last dress for a few coins. Nate happens to be relaxing on his ship when he sees a figure in the darkness entering his investment building. As he chases her, Juliana falls into the water. Nate drags her out and nurses her back to health – only to discover she has amnesia from the fall. Suspicious that Juliana has come on her father’s behalf to cause Nate harm, he doesn’t know what to do with her and thinks her amnesia is just an act.
I love a good pirate romance, and for the most part this story engaged me. Nate is a big, hulking pirate who carries around much anger with him. Sure he helps out troubled boys and is very good to his staff, but only those close to him see that side. Otherwise, he is surly and pushes everyone away. I enjoy this type of hero. The kind that doesn’t feel worthy of true love or feelings. But this also brings me to the one thing that bothered me in this story.
The amnesia plot doesn’t last too long as Juliana pretty quickly regains most memory. Nate knows she is the daughter of the man he has been trying to kill for the past ten years, but Juliana doesn’t know of Nate’s hatred for her family. She thinks Nate’s boss owns Fortune Investments, she has no idea that Nate is an actual owner. From the start, Juliana feels like she needs to repay Nate for his care of her after she fell in the water. He fed her, clothed her and housed her. Juliana feels like she has nothing else in her life to go back to, so she offers her body as payment. This is where things started to get tricky for me. It was hard for me to figure out when Juliana went from just offering her body, to actually falling in love with Nate. I felt a little weird each time they would start to have a physical romance because one: I wasn’t sure if Juliana was just doing it because she felt she owed Nate something, and two: Nate’s relationship with her father and keeping secrets from her rubbed me the wrong way. If he truly had feelings for her, he needed to come clean sooner.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, there was something that felt off with the way Juliana falls in love with Nate. Something was missing.
Otherwise, this one is fun and I hope we get more books set in this world.
Rating: C+
September 14, 2020
3.75 out of 5 stars
Initial Reaction: Super fun read with a heart throbbing pirate and a beautiful girl. Beautiful story about redemption and love. Thanks so much to Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read/review this book.
Full Review:
Juliana Hargate was told that her father is bankrupt and they are financially ruined. To make matter's worse, her father's gone and presumed dead. In an attempt to find a way clear her father's name, she sneaks out into his former office and runs into Nate Bowen. Captain Nate Bowen has one goal in mind and that is to ruin Hargate for all the things he did. When Juliana literally falls into his hands, he's faced with the decision: to extract his revenge on his enemy's daughter or to focus solely on Hargate himself. Suspiciously, after tumbling into the frigid ocean, Juliana doesn't remember who she is and what she was doing when Nate found her; which makes her a perfect pawn for his game of revenge.
Falling for the Pirate is quite the pirate romance. I don't really know how much I agree with the term pirate in regards to Nate because I don't remember it talking a lot about him going out there and plundering other ships. He is just in a shipping company and he's a captain. I guess he wants to plunder Hargate's riches but I don't think that alone makes him a pirate. So on the topic of romance, I liked it, but I didn't love it. I wouldn't say that it was angsty love but Nate had his fair share of worrying over his feelings for Juliana. Also, it did seem a bit insta-love. Juliana doesn't remember anything and contrary to being terrified of this menacing man who rescued her, she believes that she's completely in his debt and must repay him. Even if that means becoming his mistress or a prostitute...yeah, I had a little trouble coming to terms with that. Despite my small problems with how the romance and chemistry was introduced, I did like how it progressed. We got to see Nate as a more vulnerable person when he faces the decision to use Juliana or to protect her. As for Juliana, while I still don't approve of her actions, her love for Nate did essentially make her a stronger character.
While romance played the biggest role in this book, there was also the underlying message of revenge. Hargate, Juliana's father, did some pretty horrible things to Nate when he was a kid and ever since then, he's been vying for vengeance. In the beginning, Nate's plan was to use Juliana as means to get to her father, but as the story progresses, he grows to realize that bringing Juliana into the picture is only involving an innocent girl and ruining her. As he starts to develop feelings for her, he begins to understand that getting revenge might not have been the only answer, instead maybe he has to let go of the past.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and if you're into historical romances, I definitely think you should give it a try. Falling For the Pirate was definitely interesting; it came out yesterday so don't forget to check it out! :)
Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com
Initial Reaction: Super fun read with a heart throbbing pirate and a beautiful girl. Beautiful story about redemption and love. Thanks so much to Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read/review this book.
Full Review:
Juliana Hargate was told that her father is bankrupt and they are financially ruined. To make matter's worse, her father's gone and presumed dead. In an attempt to find a way clear her father's name, she sneaks out into his former office and runs into Nate Bowen. Captain Nate Bowen has one goal in mind and that is to ruin Hargate for all the things he did. When Juliana literally falls into his hands, he's faced with the decision: to extract his revenge on his enemy's daughter or to focus solely on Hargate himself. Suspiciously, after tumbling into the frigid ocean, Juliana doesn't remember who she is and what she was doing when Nate found her; which makes her a perfect pawn for his game of revenge.
Falling for the Pirate is quite the pirate romance. I don't really know how much I agree with the term pirate in regards to Nate because I don't remember it talking a lot about him going out there and plundering other ships. He is just in a shipping company and he's a captain. I guess he wants to plunder Hargate's riches but I don't think that alone makes him a pirate. So on the topic of romance, I liked it, but I didn't love it. I wouldn't say that it was angsty love but Nate had his fair share of worrying over his feelings for Juliana. Also, it did seem a bit insta-love. Juliana doesn't remember anything and contrary to being terrified of this menacing man who rescued her, she believes that she's completely in his debt and must repay him. Even if that means becoming his mistress or a prostitute...yeah, I had a little trouble coming to terms with that. Despite my small problems with how the romance and chemistry was introduced, I did like how it progressed. We got to see Nate as a more vulnerable person when he faces the decision to use Juliana or to protect her. As for Juliana, while I still don't approve of her actions, her love for Nate did essentially make her a stronger character.
While romance played the biggest role in this book, there was also the underlying message of revenge. Hargate, Juliana's father, did some pretty horrible things to Nate when he was a kid and ever since then, he's been vying for vengeance. In the beginning, Nate's plan was to use Juliana as means to get to her father, but as the story progresses, he grows to realize that bringing Juliana into the picture is only involving an innocent girl and ruining her. As he starts to develop feelings for her, he begins to understand that getting revenge might not have been the only answer, instead maybe he has to let go of the past.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and if you're into historical romances, I definitely think you should give it a try. Falling For the Pirate was definitely interesting; it came out yesterday so don't forget to check it out! :)
Read my reviews at:
https://extreemeobsessed.blogspot.com
July 22, 2014
FALLING FOR THE PIRATE is the second book in Amber Lin’s Men of Fortune series, though it can easily be read stand-alone. I love steamy tales of revenge, and this one was well done, especially since it was sweet and romantic too. Ms. Lin (her alter-ego too!) is a talented storyteller with an engaging writing style I always enjoy.
I really loved the hero of this story. Nate was a tortured soul, hell bent on revenge against the man who ruined his life and destroyed his family. Even with all that emotional baggage, he was generous and kind, especially to those less fortunate or at his mercy – like the captured daughter of his enemy.
Juliana was a strong character too. She’s an upper class lady who lost it all when her father was charged with embezzlement. She was willing to risk her life to prove his innocence – even after he abandoned her. A botched attempt at breaking into her father’s old office lands her in the hands of a pirate and an unfortunate case of amnesia.
Nate and Juliana’s story was precarious at first, of course, but also sexy and sweet. I was rooting for Nate to make the right decision, and wanting to see how far he would take his revenge. The plot had a steady pace with a couple surprising twists along the way. My only gripes were that there were no high seas adventure and swashbuckling! Nate had a fabulous ship, but alas, it stayed by the shore.
FALLING FOR THE PIRATE is a sexy and exciting story, perfect for fans of Regency romance and revenge.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the book tour company in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved the hero of this story. Nate was a tortured soul, hell bent on revenge against the man who ruined his life and destroyed his family. Even with all that emotional baggage, he was generous and kind, especially to those less fortunate or at his mercy – like the captured daughter of his enemy.
Juliana was a strong character too. She’s an upper class lady who lost it all when her father was charged with embezzlement. She was willing to risk her life to prove his innocence – even after he abandoned her. A botched attempt at breaking into her father’s old office lands her in the hands of a pirate and an unfortunate case of amnesia.
Nate and Juliana’s story was precarious at first, of course, but also sexy and sweet. I was rooting for Nate to make the right decision, and wanting to see how far he would take his revenge. The plot had a steady pace with a couple surprising twists along the way. My only gripes were that there were no high seas adventure and swashbuckling! Nate had a fabulous ship, but alas, it stayed by the shore.
FALLING FOR THE PIRATE is a sexy and exciting story, perfect for fans of Regency romance and revenge.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the book tour company in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2014
This is not a traditional pirate story. It doesn’t take place on the high seas and there are no sea battles. The pirate in the book’s title is more an allusion to its hero, Nate Bowen; he reminds Juliana, the heroine, of a pirate with his dark and sexy looks (and their profound effect on her), his love of the sea, his taste for revenge and success, and his elusive yet captivating nature. It’s also representative of how he steals her heart along with her father’s company.
Juliana Hargate has fallen on hard times, due to her father’s covert and suspicious activity in his company, Hargate Shipping. At the story’s beginning, he has disappeared without a trace, which has left her helpless and alone in explaining to their creditors and shunned by society. Yet she’s determined to find out what happened to him. All her fortune has been lost. In short, her father has abandoned her; she doesn’t know if he’s dead or alive.
For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/1Eop4F5
Juliana Hargate has fallen on hard times, due to her father’s covert and suspicious activity in his company, Hargate Shipping. At the story’s beginning, he has disappeared without a trace, which has left her helpless and alone in explaining to their creditors and shunned by society. Yet she’s determined to find out what happened to him. All her fortune has been lost. In short, her father has abandoned her; she doesn’t know if he’s dead or alive.
For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/1Eop4F5
July 22, 2016
**3.5 Stars**
Falling for the Pirate was a good read. I really enjoyed the characters, Juliana and Nate. From the blurb, I assumed that Nate was going to treat Juliana like a jerk because he had revenge on his mind. However, he was just a complete sweetheart to her from the beginning until the end. I just expected more tension between them.
In addition, I enjoyed the plot even though it wasn't anything original. The first half of the book was hard to put down, but as the story carried onto the second half it started to drag for me and so I had to skim some parts.
Overall, this was a good historical romance written by Amber Lin. I finished it in one sitting.
*I received an e-ARC from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
Falling for the Pirate was a good read. I really enjoyed the characters, Juliana and Nate. From the blurb, I assumed that Nate was going to treat Juliana like a jerk because he had revenge on his mind. However, he was just a complete sweetheart to her from the beginning until the end. I just expected more tension between them.
In addition, I enjoyed the plot even though it wasn't anything original. The first half of the book was hard to put down, but as the story carried onto the second half it started to drag for me and so I had to skim some parts.
Overall, this was a good historical romance written by Amber Lin. I finished it in one sitting.
*I received an e-ARC from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
August 29, 2014
3.5 stars. I like the way Amber Lin puts her words together. I like her writing, but I find the plot unsatisfying. Overall, the narrative is good, but there is something missing to take the book to the next level. It feels like with her beautiful prose, the story should also be something special. However, I did like the on-board scenes, the idea of giving "at-risk" youth a chance to earn a trade/living on a boat. I loved Nate's heart. Unfortunately, I did not find the relationship between Nate and Juliana quite as convincing. I really wanted to love this book as much as I loved the cover - It has one of the most attractive covers I've seen in a long time.
May 13, 2020
3.5 estrellas
Para no ser mi temática habitual ni preferida, no ha estado mal. Entretenido
Para no ser mi temática habitual ni preferida, no ha estado mal. Entretenido
July 31, 2014
A sexy hero with a pirate's heart meets his match in the pants wearing gooey hearted heroine! Can she tame his savage heart & heal his damaged soul?
Captain Nate Bowen has risen from prison aboard a barge to wealthy partner in the Fortune Investments & is more at peace at sea than land. REVENGE is a hard taskmaster, but it drives him thru his lonely life of no friends & no attachments to make his enemy pay for all the pain & hurt he has dealt out! Stephen Hargate stole his life & now he must pay with his shipping company, his fortune, his reputation & if possible, his life! Only his ship Nightingale makes him feel peaceful & free & as he looks out his porthole he sees a small boy dangling off the roof of the former Hargate Shipping building.
Juliana Hargate grew up privileged with wealth, schooling & social standing, but that all changes when her father is accused of embezzlement from his company, debt collectors come to collect, her home & all is put up for auction & her dad took off & abandoned her. Now all she has is her dress, corset, petticoats, fancy stocking & comfy leathers shoes to bargain with & sells it all for a dirty boy chimney sweep outfit, big coddle hoppers & a nasty cap to hide her hair. So now that she had a disguise, it was time to go to her dad's building, sneak in & found proof of his innocence. Easy, right? Juliana uses her brain & muscles to climb up crates, almost fall off the edge, pulls herself up to the roof, slides down he chimney (she does have the outfit) & begins to search thru the files until she is rudely interrupted by this yummy wide shoulder PIRATE!
Not a great way to meet, but Nate thinks she is a boy, she calls herself Julian, he threats the coopers, she freaks, climbs back (this outfit is paying for itself) up the chimney, Nate's on her tail as she jumps off the roof & runs straight into the Thames! Nate is shocked, dives in to pull the unconscious boy out & retrieves a wet, curvy & gorgeous female. That is how Julia woke up with no memory & Nate started to fall for this hellion in pants. He does figure out that she is his enemy's daughter & thinks he can use her & her body to get his revenge. When her memory comes back, Juliana discovers that he is cold & angry on land & carefree on the sea. She falls hard for her rogue pirate & he falls hard for her caring & loving heart! They trek through sexually landmines, Juliana (wearing new clean pants) bonds with Bennett, a kid sailor, climbs more chimneys & up to the crow nest of the Nightingale, Nate fights with his inner demons & questions his REVENGE, but most of all these 2 take a sensual ride from passions to ecstasy! Can Nate leave his REVENGE behind for the woman who holds his heart? What will Juliana do when she learns that he is the one destroying her father? How can they move forward when their past hold them hostage? Is her father innocent or is Nate wrong? Will they sail away together happily ever after or drift apart when the truth is revealed?
This is the 2nd book of the Men of Fortune series & I just read book #1 before it, but both books can stand alone. Ms. Lin had another hilarious intro for her hero & heroine in this book, too. Juliana grows up from a sheltered English lady to a gutsy & "takes want she wants" heroine in this book. She never loses her gooey heart & loves freely her man & all the sailor boys on the Nightingale. Now Nate was man who thinks he has no friends & he does because he earned his HONOR the hard way, with his blood, sweat, beatings & tears! He is a 1800s Special Ops to me & my heart, but Juliana melts his icy heart. Ms. Lin had so many "almost all the way" scenes that were wicked, spicy & utterly decadent, but when they did get down & dirty (HELLO can you say TABLETOP) it was naughty HOTNESS! I love the BROMANCE of Nate, Adrian the Duke & little Bennett, who was such a mini Nate! Ms. Lin did it again & gets my tope score of 5 fingers up & 10 toes for another romance full of hilariousness & pantie dropping aplenty!
NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
Captain Nate Bowen has risen from prison aboard a barge to wealthy partner in the Fortune Investments & is more at peace at sea than land. REVENGE is a hard taskmaster, but it drives him thru his lonely life of no friends & no attachments to make his enemy pay for all the pain & hurt he has dealt out! Stephen Hargate stole his life & now he must pay with his shipping company, his fortune, his reputation & if possible, his life! Only his ship Nightingale makes him feel peaceful & free & as he looks out his porthole he sees a small boy dangling off the roof of the former Hargate Shipping building.
Juliana Hargate grew up privileged with wealth, schooling & social standing, but that all changes when her father is accused of embezzlement from his company, debt collectors come to collect, her home & all is put up for auction & her dad took off & abandoned her. Now all she has is her dress, corset, petticoats, fancy stocking & comfy leathers shoes to bargain with & sells it all for a dirty boy chimney sweep outfit, big coddle hoppers & a nasty cap to hide her hair. So now that she had a disguise, it was time to go to her dad's building, sneak in & found proof of his innocence. Easy, right? Juliana uses her brain & muscles to climb up crates, almost fall off the edge, pulls herself up to the roof, slides down he chimney (she does have the outfit) & begins to search thru the files until she is rudely interrupted by this yummy wide shoulder PIRATE!
Not a great way to meet, but Nate thinks she is a boy, she calls herself Julian, he threats the coopers, she freaks, climbs back (this outfit is paying for itself) up the chimney, Nate's on her tail as she jumps off the roof & runs straight into the Thames! Nate is shocked, dives in to pull the unconscious boy out & retrieves a wet, curvy & gorgeous female. That is how Julia woke up with no memory & Nate started to fall for this hellion in pants. He does figure out that she is his enemy's daughter & thinks he can use her & her body to get his revenge. When her memory comes back, Juliana discovers that he is cold & angry on land & carefree on the sea. She falls hard for her rogue pirate & he falls hard for her caring & loving heart! They trek through sexually landmines, Juliana (wearing new clean pants) bonds with Bennett, a kid sailor, climbs more chimneys & up to the crow nest of the Nightingale, Nate fights with his inner demons & questions his REVENGE, but most of all these 2 take a sensual ride from passions to ecstasy! Can Nate leave his REVENGE behind for the woman who holds his heart? What will Juliana do when she learns that he is the one destroying her father? How can they move forward when their past hold them hostage? Is her father innocent or is Nate wrong? Will they sail away together happily ever after or drift apart when the truth is revealed?
This is the 2nd book of the Men of Fortune series & I just read book #1 before it, but both books can stand alone. Ms. Lin had another hilarious intro for her hero & heroine in this book, too. Juliana grows up from a sheltered English lady to a gutsy & "takes want she wants" heroine in this book. She never loses her gooey heart & loves freely her man & all the sailor boys on the Nightingale. Now Nate was man who thinks he has no friends & he does because he earned his HONOR the hard way, with his blood, sweat, beatings & tears! He is a 1800s Special Ops to me & my heart, but Juliana melts his icy heart. Ms. Lin had so many "almost all the way" scenes that were wicked, spicy & utterly decadent, but when they did get down & dirty (HELLO can you say TABLETOP) it was naughty HOTNESS! I love the BROMANCE of Nate, Adrian the Duke & little Bennett, who was such a mini Nate! Ms. Lin did it again & gets my tope score of 5 fingers up & 10 toes for another romance full of hilariousness & pantie dropping aplenty!
NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.
September 15, 2014
Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Publisher
Reviewer: Ariel
Falling for the Pirate is the second novel in the Men of Fortune series by Amber Lin, although you can read at as a standalone novel. A little bit of mystery, and a whole lot of romance, Falling for the Pirate is a great read for any romance novel lover.
Juliana Hargate is the daughter of a man who used to own Hargate Shipping Company. When he was accused of embezzlement, he lost everything, and mysteriously vanished before he could be arrested. Now Juliana is determined to clear her father’s name, although when she loses her memory, things get a little more difficult.
Captain Nate Bowen is part owner of Hargate Shipping Company, after he pointed out to the police that Juliana’s father was embezzling funds. When he catches Juliana trying to steal from him, he has no idea who she is. When he finds out, will he still stay with her? And why does he have it out for her father anyway?
First of all, who doesn’t like a sexy pirate? And although Nate wasn’t a pirate so much in the traditional sense, that didn’t make me adore him any less. He’s had a troubled past, but he has a good heart. He tries to put on a tough guy persona, and in some ways he is tough. He detests people feeling sympathetic towards him, and he certainly doesn’t want anyone’s pity. But he has a soft side as well, especially when it comes to the young boys who help to crew his ship.
I didn’t expect to like Juliana as much as I did. She comes from some wealth, but she doesn’t seem to be stuck up and as proper as I expected her to be. She’s also loyal, but she’s also smart enough to know when she needs to turn away from those who would betray her. She’s also stubborn and very sure of what she wants, both qualities I love in a heroine.
The writing was done really well, another plus. There wasn’t a ton of action, but I never felt bored at any point in the story. Learning about Nate’s past, waiting for Juliana to regain her memory, and the chemistry between the two of them all kept me entertained. And the sexy scenes were sexy, sexy, sexy. The side characters were amusing as well, although I would have liked to hear more from them.
My only big complaint about this book is that while I did enjoy it, it wasn’t what I expected when I began the book. When I hear pirate, I tend to think more of the Captain Jack Sparrow sort, not the owner of a shipping company. There wasn’t even any sailing involved. There was talk of sailing, and plenty of the story took place on Nate’s ship while it was in port, but I was expecting sailing the high seas and more swashbuckling.
I am giving Falling for the Pirate 4 out of 5 controllers. I loved Juliana and Nate, and the chemistry between them. However, don’t go into it thinking that it’ll be a swashbuckling tale, because it’s a little different than that.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Publisher
Reviewer: Ariel
Falling for the Pirate is the second novel in the Men of Fortune series by Amber Lin, although you can read at as a standalone novel. A little bit of mystery, and a whole lot of romance, Falling for the Pirate is a great read for any romance novel lover.
Juliana Hargate is the daughter of a man who used to own Hargate Shipping Company. When he was accused of embezzlement, he lost everything, and mysteriously vanished before he could be arrested. Now Juliana is determined to clear her father’s name, although when she loses her memory, things get a little more difficult.
Captain Nate Bowen is part owner of Hargate Shipping Company, after he pointed out to the police that Juliana’s father was embezzling funds. When he catches Juliana trying to steal from him, he has no idea who she is. When he finds out, will he still stay with her? And why does he have it out for her father anyway?
First of all, who doesn’t like a sexy pirate? And although Nate wasn’t a pirate so much in the traditional sense, that didn’t make me adore him any less. He’s had a troubled past, but he has a good heart. He tries to put on a tough guy persona, and in some ways he is tough. He detests people feeling sympathetic towards him, and he certainly doesn’t want anyone’s pity. But he has a soft side as well, especially when it comes to the young boys who help to crew his ship.
I didn’t expect to like Juliana as much as I did. She comes from some wealth, but she doesn’t seem to be stuck up and as proper as I expected her to be. She’s also loyal, but she’s also smart enough to know when she needs to turn away from those who would betray her. She’s also stubborn and very sure of what she wants, both qualities I love in a heroine.
The writing was done really well, another plus. There wasn’t a ton of action, but I never felt bored at any point in the story. Learning about Nate’s past, waiting for Juliana to regain her memory, and the chemistry between the two of them all kept me entertained. And the sexy scenes were sexy, sexy, sexy. The side characters were amusing as well, although I would have liked to hear more from them.
My only big complaint about this book is that while I did enjoy it, it wasn’t what I expected when I began the book. When I hear pirate, I tend to think more of the Captain Jack Sparrow sort, not the owner of a shipping company. There wasn’t even any sailing involved. There was talk of sailing, and plenty of the story took place on Nate’s ship while it was in port, but I was expecting sailing the high seas and more swashbuckling.
I am giving Falling for the Pirate 4 out of 5 controllers. I loved Juliana and Nate, and the chemistry between them. However, don’t go into it thinking that it’ll be a swashbuckling tale, because it’s a little different than that.
December 29, 2014
Juliana Hargate, finds herself penniless and homeless when her father accused of embezzlement disappears. She trades her fancy dress for chimney-sweep’s clothes and few shillings (she knows she made a bad bargain) and sets off to try to clear her father’s name by sneaking into his offices at Hargate Shipping to steal files she hopes to use to clear his name. From the internal narration it is clear that Juliana is nearing some sort of psychotic break due to shock, distress and hunger but she still manages to climb on stacked shipping crates and sneak in to the building. It is a bad plan, but the only one she can think of. While Juliana was able to evade the guards, she does not escape the attention of Captain Nathaniel Bowen, who while impaired by having downed a bottle of brandy in celebration of having almost achieved his revenge, is not about to let anyone steal what he just won back. He rushes to the building and confronts Juliana, who after a brief exchange, is able to escape him, but almost dies when her escape route topples her into the water. Nate rescues her from drowning and comes to realize that the young pilfering chimney sweep is really is a woman in disguise.
By the time Juliana awakes without her memory, Nate has already become fascinated with her, trying to figure out who she is and why she was trying to steal from him. Juliana is doubly at his mercy, already vulnerable, without her home and her father missing, she doesn’t even know why she set out to steal from him and feels keenly guilty to receive some much from him. Capt. Bowen soon figures out who she is, further complicating his feeling for her. Will he ruin her out of vengeance or come to care for her and makes himself vulnerable to her when her memory could returns and she could betray him, or all of the above.
Juliana and Nate indulge in lots of hand-wringing,and wrestle with lots of angst as to the their identity, ambitions and relationship to each other as they spiral closer but it left me cold. On paper I should have liked both characters, Juliana is self-reliant, determined, despite being naively innocent about her father's guilt and Nate is darkly tortured by his past, but is a gruff guardian of poor and abused, but they simply felt like types, rather than people. I could intellectually follow their dismay and attraction I didn’t connect with either of the characters enough to care, about whether Nathan would ruin her in truth or if she would leave him if she knew the truth, especially when they rarely talked to each other about it, but instead mused to themselves or others about their feelings. And I have to admit to being disappointed that Capt. Bowen is not in fact a pirate, and the ship they spend the last half of the novel in never leaves the dock.
2 of 5 stars
A review copy of Falling for a Pirate was provided by Entangled via NetGalley for review purposes.
By the time Juliana awakes without her memory, Nate has already become fascinated with her, trying to figure out who she is and why she was trying to steal from him. Juliana is doubly at his mercy, already vulnerable, without her home and her father missing, she doesn’t even know why she set out to steal from him and feels keenly guilty to receive some much from him. Capt. Bowen soon figures out who she is, further complicating his feeling for her. Will he ruin her out of vengeance or come to care for her and makes himself vulnerable to her when her memory could returns and she could betray him, or all of the above.
Juliana and Nate indulge in lots of hand-wringing,and wrestle with lots of angst as to the their identity, ambitions and relationship to each other as they spiral closer but it left me cold. On paper I should have liked both characters, Juliana is self-reliant, determined, despite being naively innocent about her father's guilt and Nate is darkly tortured by his past, but is a gruff guardian of poor and abused, but they simply felt like types, rather than people. I could intellectually follow their dismay and attraction I didn’t connect with either of the characters enough to care, about whether Nathan would ruin her in truth or if she would leave him if she knew the truth, especially when they rarely talked to each other about it, but instead mused to themselves or others about their feelings. And I have to admit to being disappointed that Capt. Bowen is not in fact a pirate, and the ship they spend the last half of the novel in never leaves the dock.
2 of 5 stars
A review copy of Falling for a Pirate was provided by Entangled via NetGalley for review purposes.
December 15, 2014
I received an ARC through NetGalley.
Falling for the Pirate was simply dreadful. There is zero chemistry between Nate and Juliana. The relationship development makes absolutely no sense. And Nate is not a pirate. The opening chapter seemed promising, since Juliana traded her fancy dress and petticoats for a boy's chimney sweep outfit, and then broke into a shipping office. She's destitute after her father was arrested for embezzlement, and she's desperate to prove his innocence. Of course, she's caught by one of the new owners and ship captain. Then she falls into the ocean while trying to escape him and develops amnesia. I wasn't sure where the story would go from there, but I didn't expect it to go downhill so fast.
Juliana's lack of memory after Nate apprehends her really didn't add anything to the story. She has no idea who she is, but gathers that she might be a thief, since he did catch her stealing (or so he assumed). But then somehow her logic jumps to her maybe being a prostitute since she's attracted to him. Kind of a leap there! Regaining her memories also allowed for some random remembrance of girl on girl action from her school days, which was so random, and I felt like it was thrown in to be shocking. I didn't for a second believe that Juliana would do that, which made it more annoying.
The romance in Falling for the Pirate was absolutely terrible, which is unforgivable since this is a romance novel! I didn't feel any attraction between Nate and Juliana. Not even a flicker. It felt like they were just going through the motions. But what made it worse was that she offers to pay back his kindness by being his personal whore. I wouldn't have a problem with her giving herself to him, except that he already said he'd help her find a job if she really wanted to pay him back for the medical care, food, etc. And whenever she tries to offer him pleasure, it was so awkward and robotic. I think she was suppose to want it, which is why she offers under the guise of payment, but it really didn't seem that way at all. And somewhere in all that they fall in love. I definitely must have missed that moment, since they had no romantic scenes together at all.
Falling for the Pirate was just a huge disappointment. The romance was abysmal, and calling a man a pirate doesn't make him a pirate. So he's been in trouble with the law and loves the sea? That does not a pirate make! He's just a ship captain and a business man! The revenge plot also didn't hold my interest.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Falling for the Pirate was simply dreadful. There is zero chemistry between Nate and Juliana. The relationship development makes absolutely no sense. And Nate is not a pirate. The opening chapter seemed promising, since Juliana traded her fancy dress and petticoats for a boy's chimney sweep outfit, and then broke into a shipping office. She's destitute after her father was arrested for embezzlement, and she's desperate to prove his innocence. Of course, she's caught by one of the new owners and ship captain. Then she falls into the ocean while trying to escape him and develops amnesia. I wasn't sure where the story would go from there, but I didn't expect it to go downhill so fast.
Juliana's lack of memory after Nate apprehends her really didn't add anything to the story. She has no idea who she is, but gathers that she might be a thief, since he did catch her stealing (or so he assumed). But then somehow her logic jumps to her maybe being a prostitute since she's attracted to him. Kind of a leap there! Regaining her memories also allowed for some random remembrance of girl on girl action from her school days, which was so random, and I felt like it was thrown in to be shocking. I didn't for a second believe that Juliana would do that, which made it more annoying.
The romance in Falling for the Pirate was absolutely terrible, which is unforgivable since this is a romance novel! I didn't feel any attraction between Nate and Juliana. Not even a flicker. It felt like they were just going through the motions. But what made it worse was that she offers to pay back his kindness by being his personal whore. I wouldn't have a problem with her giving herself to him, except that he already said he'd help her find a job if she really wanted to pay him back for the medical care, food, etc. And whenever she tries to offer him pleasure, it was so awkward and robotic. I think she was suppose to want it, which is why she offers under the guise of payment, but it really didn't seem that way at all. And somewhere in all that they fall in love. I definitely must have missed that moment, since they had no romantic scenes together at all.
Falling for the Pirate was just a huge disappointment. The romance was abysmal, and calling a man a pirate doesn't make him a pirate. So he's been in trouble with the law and loves the sea? That does not a pirate make! He's just a ship captain and a business man! The revenge plot also didn't hold my interest.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
July 28, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Well-written, with a an easy-flowing pace, Falling For The Pirate is exactly what you want in a historical romance. But the characters are hardly cookie cutter. Juliana is a woman of society, which should mean balls and parties and gowns made of silk. Instead, she’s been betrayed and abandoned by her father, left destitute unless she can clear his name.
In a brazen attempt to reclaim her life of luxury, she breaks into her father’s former shipping warehouse, dressed as a chimney sweep and intent on stealing the evidence that will exonerate her father. But when she comes face to face with the shipping company’s new owner, things take a turn for the worse. The resulting pursuit ends with her falling head first off the docks, and being rescued by none other than her father’s enemy.
Captain Nathaniel Bowen takes Juliana in, unsure why he feels so drawn to her. He suspects she was sent by Hargate, a man he’s sworn to seek vengeance against, but he has no idea how connected she really is. Struck with amnesia and unable to remember anything about herself, Juliana leads him down a dance of intrigue that will ultimately force him to reconsider what’s more important — his past, or his future.
I will admit there were moments in the plot that felt contrived and a little too convenient for my tastes, but the author more than made up for that with her expert ability to capture the era’s voice. Each character is distinct, making the dual POV rich and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the inner turmoil and insecurities of each side. Juliana is feisty and rational, and everything a good romance heroine should be. And Nate is definitely sexy; his tortured past will pull on the heart strings of many. But it should be noted that the title is a tad misleading – Nate is not actually a pirate. He’s an entrepreneur, more than anything. Yes, he’s the captain of a ship, and there are some slight pirate-ish aspects to his behavior, but at the end of the day, he’s the captain of a shipping vessel. Which, for me, is very different from a true pirate.
But despite that small complaint (and it really is very small; I loved him as a character overall), I really enjoyed this book. Amber Lin is an interesting author, bringing a grittiness to the genre that I hadn’t run across before. I will most certainly be checking out her other works, and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun read with a darker edge. (I should also note that this is the second book in a series, but it definitely stands alone.)
**Disclosure Statement: I received an copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
In a brazen attempt to reclaim her life of luxury, she breaks into her father’s former shipping warehouse, dressed as a chimney sweep and intent on stealing the evidence that will exonerate her father. But when she comes face to face with the shipping company’s new owner, things take a turn for the worse. The resulting pursuit ends with her falling head first off the docks, and being rescued by none other than her father’s enemy.
Captain Nathaniel Bowen takes Juliana in, unsure why he feels so drawn to her. He suspects she was sent by Hargate, a man he’s sworn to seek vengeance against, but he has no idea how connected she really is. Struck with amnesia and unable to remember anything about herself, Juliana leads him down a dance of intrigue that will ultimately force him to reconsider what’s more important — his past, or his future.
I will admit there were moments in the plot that felt contrived and a little too convenient for my tastes, but the author more than made up for that with her expert ability to capture the era’s voice. Each character is distinct, making the dual POV rich and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the inner turmoil and insecurities of each side. Juliana is feisty and rational, and everything a good romance heroine should be. And Nate is definitely sexy; his tortured past will pull on the heart strings of many. But it should be noted that the title is a tad misleading – Nate is not actually a pirate. He’s an entrepreneur, more than anything. Yes, he’s the captain of a ship, and there are some slight pirate-ish aspects to his behavior, but at the end of the day, he’s the captain of a shipping vessel. Which, for me, is very different from a true pirate.
But despite that small complaint (and it really is very small; I loved him as a character overall), I really enjoyed this book. Amber Lin is an interesting author, bringing a grittiness to the genre that I hadn’t run across before. I will most certainly be checking out her other works, and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun read with a darker edge. (I should also note that this is the second book in a series, but it definitely stands alone.)
**Disclosure Statement: I received an copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
July 12, 2014
It's London 1820 (I know! That doesn't match the blurb), Juliana Hargate has lost everything: her father, her home, and even her reputation. All she has left is the well made dress she is wearing. But she has a plan! A plan to prove her father's innocence and regain all she has lost. First, she has to break into her father's former shipping office and steal the documents she expects will exonerate him. But her plan is thwarted by Captain Nathan Bowen when he catches her red-handed. The twist? When Juliana runs from Nate, an accident occurs and Nate finds himself with a thieving amnesiac who just happens to be they daughter of he most hated enemy...
This story was a lot of fun! The beginning started off so great…diving right into the perpetration of Juliana's crime and getting caught by a drunken Nate. Oh, man I was hooked! I loved the amnesia idea and Nate’s plan to get revenge on Juliana’s father by “ravishing” his only daughter. There was some good sexual tension there for a while, and Juliana has a surprising sexual history!
There is a good bit of humor and suspense…and the few smexy scenes were quite sexy. Nate could be my pirate any time! I will say that I liked “Julia” more than Juliana. Julia was much less reserved and didn’t cry during sex…of course she did think that she might have been a thieving prostitute, but still!!
It did start to drag there for a bit in the middle. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t any pirating and ship battles, but Nate is no longer a pirate: he’s the legitimate captain of the Nightingale, a ship who takes in orphaned boys and teaches them a trade.
I didn't realize this when I started the book, but this is actually the second book of the Men of Fortune series. I've since done a little research, and Letters At Christmas is the first book and tells the story of Nate's business partner Captain Hale Martin. Hale is mentioned here in Falling for the Pirate, but I do not remember him making an appearance. Anyway, I feel that I can safely say Falling for the Pirate can be read as a standalone, although I definitely plan to go back and read the first one...and will keep a look out for the rest of the books in this series.
Recommended
3.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
This story was a lot of fun! The beginning started off so great…diving right into the perpetration of Juliana's crime and getting caught by a drunken Nate. Oh, man I was hooked! I loved the amnesia idea and Nate’s plan to get revenge on Juliana’s father by “ravishing” his only daughter. There was some good sexual tension there for a while, and Juliana has a surprising sexual history!
There is a good bit of humor and suspense…and the few smexy scenes were quite sexy. Nate could be my pirate any time! I will say that I liked “Julia” more than Juliana. Julia was much less reserved and didn’t cry during sex…of course she did think that she might have been a thieving prostitute, but still!!
It did start to drag there for a bit in the middle. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t any pirating and ship battles, but Nate is no longer a pirate: he’s the legitimate captain of the Nightingale, a ship who takes in orphaned boys and teaches them a trade.
I didn't realize this when I started the book, but this is actually the second book of the Men of Fortune series. I've since done a little research, and Letters At Christmas is the first book and tells the story of Nate's business partner Captain Hale Martin. Hale is mentioned here in Falling for the Pirate, but I do not remember him making an appearance. Anyway, I feel that I can safely say Falling for the Pirate can be read as a standalone, although I definitely plan to go back and read the first one...and will keep a look out for the rest of the books in this series.
Recommended
3.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
July 21, 2014
Before this book the majority of the books I'd read of Ms. Lin's were contemporary in nature. Her latest historical read was entertaining with a memorably drool-worthy hero full of conflict and a heroine who left ME conflicted. Juliana Hargate's life has been turned upside down as everything she knows has been taken away from her. To make things right, and to clear her father's name, she sets off in disguise to find evidence but her plan goes drastically awry when she runs into the man bent on revenge against her family. From that moment on life changes dramatically as a case of amnesia has her forgetting who she is and her purpose, and he is enthralled by her against his better judgement and his hardened heart. Theirs is an unexpected relationship in a story that starts out strong but soon starts to drag but ultimately reaches a satisfying HEA.
Juliana is used to the finer things in life, but when that's all taken away she's willing to do whatever it takes to get her life back. She's a bit pristine but from the very start I was surprised by her strong will and determination. She's willing to sink to the very bottom if that means she can get back on top. Her Julia persona thinks the worst of herself though and her actions reflect a lower class which was surprisingly fun and carefree. This made for some very sensual delights and entertaining banter before she got her memory back. As Juliana though I found her to be more uptight and less fun.
Nate came from the lower class and is also willing to do what it takes to stay on top. He's a bit rough around the edges but throughout the story his heart slowly thaws in his dealings with the orphaned boys. He was conflicted in his feelings for Julia, desperate to make her talk about her midnight visit, but he was also protective. I loved seeing that side of him, as he put aside his vengeance for her love, and it made him very endearing even as he tried to remain domineering.
This story started out strong with a premise that was both familiar yet sweet and entertaining. The heroine was intriguing, especially after amnesia struck her, and didn't always do the expected. The hero was sexy and sweet though he fought it every step of the way. Though the latter half of the story dragged I still enjoyed the hero, as well as the other men he works with, and who I look forward to seeing more of. I once again enjoyed Ms. Lin's work and highly recommend her, particularly her contemporary books, to all lovers of romance!
Juliana is used to the finer things in life, but when that's all taken away she's willing to do whatever it takes to get her life back. She's a bit pristine but from the very start I was surprised by her strong will and determination. She's willing to sink to the very bottom if that means she can get back on top. Her Julia persona thinks the worst of herself though and her actions reflect a lower class which was surprisingly fun and carefree. This made for some very sensual delights and entertaining banter before she got her memory back. As Juliana though I found her to be more uptight and less fun.
Nate came from the lower class and is also willing to do what it takes to stay on top. He's a bit rough around the edges but throughout the story his heart slowly thaws in his dealings with the orphaned boys. He was conflicted in his feelings for Julia, desperate to make her talk about her midnight visit, but he was also protective. I loved seeing that side of him, as he put aside his vengeance for her love, and it made him very endearing even as he tried to remain domineering.
This story started out strong with a premise that was both familiar yet sweet and entertaining. The heroine was intriguing, especially after amnesia struck her, and didn't always do the expected. The hero was sexy and sweet though he fought it every step of the way. Though the latter half of the story dragged I still enjoyed the hero, as well as the other men he works with, and who I look forward to seeing more of. I once again enjoyed Ms. Lin's work and highly recommend her, particularly her contemporary books, to all lovers of romance!
July 28, 2014
Rating 4 1/2 Stars
Posted on What I'm Reading
Argh there! Too bad this isn't a swashbuckling tale, but it's still a fabulous read from Amber Lin. Today I bring you a tale of revenge, captivity, amnesia, a pirate-like hero, and a young woman caught in the middle of this in Falling of the Pirate. Amber brings us the second story in Men of Fortune novels.
We meet are young heroine, Juliana Hargate, who wants to find proof that her father is innocent from wrong doing. However, she ends up getting caught by Nate Bowmen. Nate assumes that she's been sent by Hargate to weasel out information. Juliana gets scared and she ends up almost drowning. Fortunately, she survives, but she's unable to remember a thing. Of course, Nate thinks this is a scheme, and being a ruthless kind of guy he almost does some despicable things. I was a little worry he was going to rape Juliana, but I had nothing to worry.
Anyway, Juliana eventually gets her memory back. Now you are wondering where the revenge fits into the story. Well, Nate has this detail revenge plot against Juliana's father. First off, her father is not a nice man, and he did terrible things, especially to Nate. I completely understand why Nate would want to extract revenge on the man.
Falling for the Pirate is a captivating story with the revenge plot. I enjoyed the characters. You have Juliana who has been shelter from her father's deplorable behavior. In a way he did protector, but at the same time let her down. It was painful to see what his actions had done to her. Nate a ruthless man so set on revenge (probably the only pirate-like attribute in the story), but realizes the damage it does to those around. Eventually he realizes that it's not as satisfying as he thought it would be. Overall, a pretty good read. Even though the story is a book two, you can read this story without worrying about missing something from the first story. So, if you are looking for a tale, you might be interested in Falling for the Pirate.
Copy provided by publisher via RockStar PR
Posted on What I'm Reading
Argh there! Too bad this isn't a swashbuckling tale, but it's still a fabulous read from Amber Lin. Today I bring you a tale of revenge, captivity, amnesia, a pirate-like hero, and a young woman caught in the middle of this in Falling of the Pirate. Amber brings us the second story in Men of Fortune novels.
We meet are young heroine, Juliana Hargate, who wants to find proof that her father is innocent from wrong doing. However, she ends up getting caught by Nate Bowmen. Nate assumes that she's been sent by Hargate to weasel out information. Juliana gets scared and she ends up almost drowning. Fortunately, she survives, but she's unable to remember a thing. Of course, Nate thinks this is a scheme, and being a ruthless kind of guy he almost does some despicable things. I was a little worry he was going to rape Juliana, but I had nothing to worry.
Anyway, Juliana eventually gets her memory back. Now you are wondering where the revenge fits into the story. Well, Nate has this detail revenge plot against Juliana's father. First off, her father is not a nice man, and he did terrible things, especially to Nate. I completely understand why Nate would want to extract revenge on the man.
Falling for the Pirate is a captivating story with the revenge plot. I enjoyed the characters. You have Juliana who has been shelter from her father's deplorable behavior. In a way he did protector, but at the same time let her down. It was painful to see what his actions had done to her. Nate a ruthless man so set on revenge (probably the only pirate-like attribute in the story), but realizes the damage it does to those around. Eventually he realizes that it's not as satisfying as he thought it would be. Overall, a pretty good read. Even though the story is a book two, you can read this story without worrying about missing something from the first story. So, if you are looking for a tale, you might be interested in Falling for the Pirate.
Copy provided by publisher via RockStar PR
August 1, 2014
Falling for the Pirate by Amber Lin is the second book in the Men of Fortune series and an unusual Regency romance in that it is not spent in drawing rooms, ballrooms, and salons. Juliana Hargate has lived her life in luxury, though not at the top of Society. When her father loses his company after accusations of embezzlement, she is left confused, alone, friendless, destitute, and rather helpless. Her one hope is to prove her father's innocence. She hatches an ill-conceived plan to sneak into the shipping company's warehouse to find papers to prove his innocence. She is foiled by the arrival of Nate Bowen, one of the new owners, and soon finds herself at his mercy, even more alone and helpless than before.
What I especially liked about Juliana was her understanding of how Society worked. She understood that being alone with Nate was a problem and accepted that she wasn't going to be making a good marriage. She was pragmatic without the drama. More than enough drama was provided by her father. Juliana isn't some society miss without a clue as to how the world works and she is willing to accept a good enough rather than a perfect.
Nate is broken. His lack of trust in the humanity and his hatred for Juliana's father lead him to make choices he might otherwise not have made. His friends (and other investors in the company) are tempering agents in his quest for revenge and help him to make better choices.
The best thing about this book is that it is not a traditional historical populated by endless dukes, earls, balls, drives in the park, etc. It was interesting and felt much more real. While the book deals with people just one step lower than the aristocracy, it also shows the lives of people far removed from the aristocracy in a realistic and gritty way. With all that, it never felt preachy or screamed "look how awful they had it". There was no unbelievable "save the puppies" campaign, just people trying to make better lives for themselves and others like them.
RATING: 4
Heat Rating: Hot
REVIEWED BY: Monique Neaves
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
What I especially liked about Juliana was her understanding of how Society worked. She understood that being alone with Nate was a problem and accepted that she wasn't going to be making a good marriage. She was pragmatic without the drama. More than enough drama was provided by her father. Juliana isn't some society miss without a clue as to how the world works and she is willing to accept a good enough rather than a perfect.
Nate is broken. His lack of trust in the humanity and his hatred for Juliana's father lead him to make choices he might otherwise not have made. His friends (and other investors in the company) are tempering agents in his quest for revenge and help him to make better choices.
The best thing about this book is that it is not a traditional historical populated by endless dukes, earls, balls, drives in the park, etc. It was interesting and felt much more real. While the book deals with people just one step lower than the aristocracy, it also shows the lives of people far removed from the aristocracy in a realistic and gritty way. With all that, it never felt preachy or screamed "look how awful they had it". There was no unbelievable "save the puppies" campaign, just people trying to make better lives for themselves and others like them.
RATING: 4
Heat Rating: Hot
REVIEWED BY: Monique Neaves
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
July 30, 2014
London, 1820
After the deaths of his parents and a dark, troubled childhood, Captain Nate Bowen vowed he would have his revenge. But he never expected to have the tool of his revenge dropped so neatly into his lap. Juliana Hargate is not only the daughter of his enemy, but is destitute, very much alone - and exquisitely desirable. And now that Nate has saved her life, she's at his complete mercy...
Captive. All Juliana wanted was to clear her father's name. Instead, she's been struck with amnesia - unable to recall even her name - and imprisoned by a tall, imposing, and entirely unscrupulous pirate. A pirate whose eyes seem to look past her skirts and many petticoats, and whose touch sends delicious ripples of desire through her. With every passing day, she finds herself tempted to give him the very thing he's determined to take...
Review:
Before this book I had only read one other story by Ms. Lin and it was a contemporary, so I was interested in reading her historical.
While I enjoyed the story and I think that the author is a great writer. I found I was more attached to the hero Nate in this book and lesser so to Juliana, the heroine. I liked that Nate was set out for revenge and found redemption instead. Though I don't know if I would call him a pirate, maybe in Juliana's eyes but I did not feel it. While I thought Nate was a good hero, Juliana fell flat for me. There were sparks of fire in her personality once in a while but she seemed to just take whatever was thrown at her. I wanted her to be stronger.
Now, if you are expecting a lot of ravishing because of the whole pirate deal, they dance around each other a bit. Juliana does offer to be Nate's mistress thinking she has no other choices left for her. As for the sexy scenes there are a couple and they are relatively low key, if you are not into those types of scenes.
This was an enjoyable read and will definitely continue to read more of this Authors work.
3.5Stars
After the deaths of his parents and a dark, troubled childhood, Captain Nate Bowen vowed he would have his revenge. But he never expected to have the tool of his revenge dropped so neatly into his lap. Juliana Hargate is not only the daughter of his enemy, but is destitute, very much alone - and exquisitely desirable. And now that Nate has saved her life, she's at his complete mercy...
Captive. All Juliana wanted was to clear her father's name. Instead, she's been struck with amnesia - unable to recall even her name - and imprisoned by a tall, imposing, and entirely unscrupulous pirate. A pirate whose eyes seem to look past her skirts and many petticoats, and whose touch sends delicious ripples of desire through her. With every passing day, she finds herself tempted to give him the very thing he's determined to take...
Review:
Before this book I had only read one other story by Ms. Lin and it was a contemporary, so I was interested in reading her historical.
While I enjoyed the story and I think that the author is a great writer. I found I was more attached to the hero Nate in this book and lesser so to Juliana, the heroine. I liked that Nate was set out for revenge and found redemption instead. Though I don't know if I would call him a pirate, maybe in Juliana's eyes but I did not feel it. While I thought Nate was a good hero, Juliana fell flat for me. There were sparks of fire in her personality once in a while but she seemed to just take whatever was thrown at her. I wanted her to be stronger.
Now, if you are expecting a lot of ravishing because of the whole pirate deal, they dance around each other a bit. Juliana does offer to be Nate's mistress thinking she has no other choices left for her. As for the sexy scenes there are a couple and they are relatively low key, if you are not into those types of scenes.
This was an enjoyable read and will definitely continue to read more of this Authors work.
3.5Stars
July 10, 2014
A delightfully romantic read, Falling for the Pirate was a wonderful historical romance. It was sweet, enjoyable from start to finish, and I really liked it.
Juliana was a great heroine. She was loyal to those she loved and willing to do anything for them. And, she was strong enough to survive complete ruin and continue on. I thought she was lovely and I liked her.
Nate was wonderful. He was raised at the very bottom rung of society, but, rather than make him bitter, it made him determined to fight his way to the top and, once there, help as many people who were once in his situation that he could. He was sweet, kinder than he let on, and just adorable.
The romance was very sweet. Juliana and Nate were lovely together. I thought it was sweet how Nate was willing to do anything, even leave behind his plans for revenge, for the woman he loved. And, I appreciated that they didn't fall prey to petty misunderstandings and melodrama. Rather, they listened to and accepted each other as they were. I thought they were a perfect couple.
The plot went along quickly and I was hooked the entire way through. There were a few betrayals in store that I never saw coming. I really enjoyed the story and I loved the sweet ending.
Falling for the Pirate was an absolutely wonderful historical romance. I enjoyed every bit of it, from the sweet romance, to the unexpected twists. Romance lovers, this is a book you'll definitely want to check out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Juliana was a great heroine. She was loyal to those she loved and willing to do anything for them. And, she was strong enough to survive complete ruin and continue on. I thought she was lovely and I liked her.
Nate was wonderful. He was raised at the very bottom rung of society, but, rather than make him bitter, it made him determined to fight his way to the top and, once there, help as many people who were once in his situation that he could. He was sweet, kinder than he let on, and just adorable.
The romance was very sweet. Juliana and Nate were lovely together. I thought it was sweet how Nate was willing to do anything, even leave behind his plans for revenge, for the woman he loved. And, I appreciated that they didn't fall prey to petty misunderstandings and melodrama. Rather, they listened to and accepted each other as they were. I thought they were a perfect couple.
The plot went along quickly and I was hooked the entire way through. There were a few betrayals in store that I never saw coming. I really enjoyed the story and I loved the sweet ending.
Falling for the Pirate was an absolutely wonderful historical romance. I enjoyed every bit of it, from the sweet romance, to the unexpected twists. Romance lovers, this is a book you'll definitely want to check out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
July 8, 2014
Firstly I would like to thank the author for kindly providing me with a copy of "Falling For The Pirate" to read and review.
This was a great read and I look forward to reading more from author Amber Linn.
What better to read than of a hunky pirate out for revenge, but un-behold to his his revenges is going to be landing straight on his doorstep....will Captain Nate be able to keep up to what he set out to do?
I was expecting Nate to be hateful and hold a grudge against Juliana, but he was completely the opposite.
He was just a complete sweetheart to from the beginning until the end, he never could let any harm come to anyone under his care, which says a lot about a man, especially a pirate with revenge on his brain.
Juliana had been struck with amnesia, how did she get on this ship?
Where did she come from?
Who is she?
With Juliana not knowing any information about her fathers deeds and whereabouts Nate is hitting a brickwall not only with his revenge quest but also with his heart....he starts to get feelings, feeling that he shouldn't have.
I liked that Nate kept things at bay between him and Juliana at the beginning but as both of their feelings grow his desperation for Juliana not to find out the truth seems to be coming to a head...
Will Juliana ever regain her memory?
Will she find out the truth about her father?
Will she finally put things together and figure out Nate's secrets?
Will she listen to her heart and not her mind?
This was a great read and I look forward to reading more from author Amber Linn.
What better to read than of a hunky pirate out for revenge, but un-behold to his his revenges is going to be landing straight on his doorstep....will Captain Nate be able to keep up to what he set out to do?
I was expecting Nate to be hateful and hold a grudge against Juliana, but he was completely the opposite.
He was just a complete sweetheart to from the beginning until the end, he never could let any harm come to anyone under his care, which says a lot about a man, especially a pirate with revenge on his brain.
Juliana had been struck with amnesia, how did she get on this ship?
Where did she come from?
Who is she?
With Juliana not knowing any information about her fathers deeds and whereabouts Nate is hitting a brickwall not only with his revenge quest but also with his heart....he starts to get feelings, feeling that he shouldn't have.
I liked that Nate kept things at bay between him and Juliana at the beginning but as both of their feelings grow his desperation for Juliana not to find out the truth seems to be coming to a head...
Will Juliana ever regain her memory?
Will she find out the truth about her father?
Will she finally put things together and figure out Nate's secrets?
Will she listen to her heart and not her mind?
July 21, 2014
The story I got when I read the blurb for this book was not what I expected. I thought it would have read about dashing pirates on the high seas and so forth. Nothing like that but it was still thoroughly enjoyable.
I love revenge tropes and this one was done well. I loved the emotions this book roused in me, especially when I dipped into our hero Nate’s head. He was a tortured hero bent on revenge against the man that was a party to killing his parents and destroying his life. More by fate than anything else his paths happened to be cross with the object of his vengeance daughter, Julianna.
I loved the instant attraction Nate felt for our heroine and how he became enraptured in her charms. There were moments that befuddled me however. I was not fully clear what about her that made Nate doubt his path to vengeance. Yes he was attracted to her, but I wanted to feel more the depth of connection that shook him from a decade long revenge plan.
Julianna herself was no wilting flower and I liked her character. I was not as invested in her as how I was in our hero, but I still found her likable and was not bored by her.
Overall it was a good romance story, fast pace with satisfying sex scenes for me ( I love my books hot and this was not bad) I would recommend.
January 31, 2015
I wasn’t expecting to love this short story of 189 pgs. From an independent publishing company so much. But I did. And not just because of the size of the book; but because it was set mostly on the high seas. Although, as I read further I realized they never left port during the entire story. So that could account for how much I liked it.
But I have to say, I loved it so much more because of the passion sparking off page after page. I was so engrossed that before I knew it they had both confessed their love for each other and that was that.
Falling for a Pirate was so well written that I consumed the entirety in the space of one rainy afternoon!
Was I supposed to be working? Probably.
But the passion the main characters had for each other fairly lept off the page! And there was only one sex scene!
Albeit, it was very steamy. And very…I don’t know. It was like Lin wanted you to feel everything the characters were feeling.
But not just the main characters, but the secondary as well tugged at my heart strings. I would be interested in reading more of this series and of this author.
But I have to say, I loved it so much more because of the passion sparking off page after page. I was so engrossed that before I knew it they had both confessed their love for each other and that was that.
Falling for a Pirate was so well written that I consumed the entirety in the space of one rainy afternoon!
Was I supposed to be working? Probably.
But the passion the main characters had for each other fairly lept off the page! And there was only one sex scene!
Albeit, it was very steamy. And very…I don’t know. It was like Lin wanted you to feel everything the characters were feeling.
But not just the main characters, but the secondary as well tugged at my heart strings. I would be interested in reading more of this series and of this author.
July 22, 2014
Will revenge give you the satisfaction that you want? Captain Nate Bowen is going to find out. He's determined to get payback against the man responsible for murdering his parents and sending him to prison. The perfect opportunity presents itself when Juliana Hargate, his enemy's daughter, is caught trying to find evidence that her father is innocent. She becomes his houseguest when she is hurt trying to escape. The problem is that Nate is strongly attracted to Juliana. He wants to protect her. As their attraction becomes more intense, Nate wonders if they have a chance at happiness. I enjoyed Falling for the Pirate. The story has it all - revenge, redemption and romance. This couple has a passionate relationship that binds them together. I cared for Nate and Juliana. I wanted them to find a HEA. The secondary characters were fascinating and captured my interest. I hope that we learn more about Adrian Sinclair. This story is well plotted and has some surprising twists. I enjoyed Amber Lin's writing. She's right. Everyone deserves a happy ending.
August 3, 2014
Falling for the Pirate is a historical romance with the usual trope but again in the hands of the talented Amber Lin adds a touch of realism in the story. A story of revenge and redemption, we find Juliana Hargate in the direst or circumstances trying to find evidence to clear her father's name. She comes upon the dark and mysterious Capt. Nate Bowen who unintentionally rescued her. Nate has spent nearly all his life trying to find the one man who ruined his family and his life. His revenge is almost complete until he finds that his little thief can further his agenda. Although every inch the sensual romance, the darker tones set in the novel seems to drive the fact that both Juliana and Nate's circumstances can never really have that almost fairy tale like ending but in many ways it works. More character driven rather than plot, the shorter length seems just right for it.
*ARC provided by the publisher thru NetGalley in return for an honest review*
*ARC provided by the publisher thru NetGalley in return for an honest review*
July 20, 2014
This is the second book of the Men of Fortune series by Amber Lin, Letters At Christmas being the first and telling the story of Captain Hale Martin who is our hero’s business partner and you should get it ASAP as it’s FREE [Amazon / B&N] only until July 21st, 2014.
Let me tell you. I hate revenge stories, and pirates are not my favorite trope. It takes me forever to forgive the person that’s seeking revenge, and a plot sometimes tends to be a bit tedious with all of it playing out on a ship. That’s why I dreaded reading this story, but I do like this authors voice, so on I went with both, my eyes and ears open and guess what? Amber Lin did ... thanks for jumping to b2b to finish reading my review ...
http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.co...
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
Let me tell you. I hate revenge stories, and pirates are not my favorite trope. It takes me forever to forgive the person that’s seeking revenge, and a plot sometimes tends to be a bit tedious with all of it playing out on a ship. That’s why I dreaded reading this story, but I do like this authors voice, so on I went with both, my eyes and ears open and guess what? Amber Lin did ... thanks for jumping to b2b to finish reading my review ...
http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.co...
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
December 2, 2014
I received this book free in exchange for a review.
I really enjoyed this book. The reason for this is simple...there was very little bulls%&@!. When I don't feel my eyes rolling to the back of my head at the stupidity of the main characters at every turn of the book, my opinion goes up.
The main theme I found in the book was that everyone deserves a second chance. Both of the main characters have lived through tough times, and both have come out scarred, but these scars do not define them. They persevere, move on and become better people because of them.
This review would have been a 4 star if the ending was stronger. An epilogue would have rocked this book. I know that the author tied most everything up in the last chapters, but i feel that it was lacking.
This is a contender for a reread status.
September 10, 2014
Juliana is left with nothing and has to find a way to get by on her own after her father leaves and she's thrown out of her house. Trying to clear her father's name she comes across Nate. He has been looking to get revenge against Juliana's father and now he has the perfect opportunity. Juliana was a very strong character, and Nate was surprisingly tender. Juliana helps him find emotions he didn't realize he had. An enjoyable read. I finished it in a day because I needed to know how it would turn out.
August 28, 2014
I like this story. Juliana and Captain Nate work through their feelings of abandonment together. The young boys that train on the ship are adorable. (Well, usually!) The housekeeper, Mrs. Wheaton, and Santiago are quite a pair! The great characters and just enough suspense keep the plot rolling along. Be sure to read this for yourself!
*** I was given this book as a gift in exchange for my honest review. ***
Reviewed by Laura
*** I was given this book as a gift in exchange for my honest review. ***
Reviewed by Laura
July 15, 2014
I like this story. Juliana and Captain Nate work through their feelings of abandonment together. The young boys that train on the ship are adorable. (Well, usually!) The housekeeper, Mrs. Wheaton, and Santiago are quite a pair! The great characters and just enough suspense keep the plot rolling along. Be sure to read this for yourself!
*** I was given this book as a gift in exchange for my honest review. ***
*** I was given this book as a gift in exchange for my honest review. ***
December 27, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Revenge, justice and romance all in one book. I enjoyed this book, and read it in one sitting. The story was very well written, the characters made you like them and want to see them together, and the ending was satisfying for me. I'll have to read more books from this author.
Revenge, justice and romance all in one book. I enjoyed this book, and read it in one sitting. The story was very well written, the characters made you like them and want to see them together, and the ending was satisfying for me. I'll have to read more books from this author.
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