The Heart of the Corsair

by Alyssa Romeo

From a gilded cage to a brutal prison — escape is her only choice.
He never chose the life of a pirate, but now it's all he knows.

For three harrowing years, Lily Mearas has been trapped in the clutches of Shryke, a ruthless naval commander and slave trader with a vendetta. She finally seizes her chance to escape, only to fall into the hands of Jack Teague, corsair captain of the Savage Sea, the most revered pirate ship to ever sail.

Hunted by Shryke’s cruel captain, Antony Staunton, Lily has no choice but to place her trust in Jack. Together, they must uncover the memories Shryke stole from her - the key to hopefully unlocking the mystery of why she was taken in the first place. What starts as an uneasy alliance turns into something far more dangerous, a love neither of them expected, in a world where they should have never met.

Whether by fate or fortune, their worlds have collided — and neither Jack nor Lily will ever be the same.

Content This is a low spice book, but contains content that some readers may find triggering, and may not be suitable for all audiences. Please review the content warning page in the preview prior to purchasing.

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 17, 2025

About the author

Alyssa Romeo is a self-published author with a lifelong love of storytelling. As a child, she often filled her diary with imaginative tales rather than daily events - a habit that evolved into a passion for writing fiction. Her debut two-part novel series, The Wish (2013) and Always (2014), marked her first foray into the world of publishing.

Alyssa writes whenever she can find the time and travels as often as possible, always gathering inspiration for her next story. She also enjoys spending time with her dog (a perfect companion for those long writing sessions), and making memories with her family and friends.

Follow Alyssa on Instagram and TikTok @alyssaromeoauthor

Reviews

[Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know for a short book it had me bawling my eyes out!! It wasn't freaking fair. I literally SCREAMED and almost threw my phone!! Ugh! My heart was so devastated and still not put back together!! For the shortness of the book, it packed a gut punch and then some. Both Jack and Lily were fully developed and even their back stories. That is some serious talent to be able to accomplish that! Not only the good characters but the villians were despicable and gross and vile! Everything a villian needed to be. I hate how certain things played out. No one should suffer like that. Not all the betrayals suffered but my goodness that ending. Very bittersweet 😭😭😭😭😭

[Millie Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Pirate Romance I’ve ever read. But it wasn’t your average romantic, high-sea adventure story. It was a story about survival, healing, love, and what it means to truly find yourself.

The emotional depth was so well crafted. There were scenes that made me stop reading just to soak it all in, and lines I highlighted even though I find it hard to believe I’ll ever forget them. By the end I was wiping tears! And I cannot rave enough about the character development. It is phenomenally built in the first half, and it makes the second half hit like a ton of bricks straight to the soul!

The MMC gives off that classic “touch her and die” energy, but after everything the FMC survived, he also had a deep respect for her reclaiming her autonomy. Kind of like “touch her and die… unless she beats me to it”. Their dynamic never felt one sided tho, they healed each other. It was a relationship that ached in the kind of way that sticks with you for a long time.

If you like strong FMCs, MMCs that are book husband worthy, found family, mystery, action, tenderness, and the kind of heartbreak that absolutely guts you, this is definitely a must-read.

[Elizabeth Soady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gripping, wild adventure had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! This novel has everything you need for a great adventure: kidnappers, magic, a love story, and hot pirates. Our FMC, Lily, is spunky and loyal to a fault, and I would easily read another 200 pages of the loveable side characters. Beyond the fun and the excitement, this novel addresses some heavy topics (read the TWs!) with care. I can't wait to read more from this incredible local author!

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a delight to read, I devoured it in a day! I kept turning the page wanting to know what happened next. I definitely recommend it!

[Gail Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent read from Alyssa!

Alyssa is an excellent storyteller. You become wrapped up in her characters from the beginning. Once I start reading, I can 't stop.

[Brian Rudolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of the Corsair is a captivating tale with its high seas adventure, romance, and thrilling pirate escapades that will keep you enthralled until the very last page. I was holding my breath with anticipation throughout and was pleasantly surprised by the ending, even shedding a few tears. This is an exciting read filled with unexpected plot twists and turns. At the heart of this book is a story filled with intense and raw emotions that inspires you to root for the main characters Lily and Jack. This is a breathtaking story both intimate and epic.

[Sara Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started and finished The Heart Of the Corsair yesterday and This was fun pirate romance. 3rd person POV. Strong female main character and delectable male main character. She was captured 3 years ago and has no memory of it. Does she discover why she was captured? It was fun to read the storyline as it unfolded. This is a HEA, warning though there are some scenes that may be difficult to handle. But there is a list of warnings at the beginning.

[Leanne Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. The story arc was satisfying and the characters were surprisingly 3D and well developed to me considering this is not a long book. I definitely can see myself rereading this.