Dancing with a Pirate: book 1

by Hope Beckett

521 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2026

Reviews

[Alecia (aleciareadsitall)]

Thank you to the author, Hope Beckett, for the ARC to read and review!

Liam and Rick are two pirates who find themselves posing as merchants after they escape from prison. During their time in disguise, they stumble upon Princess Ines who invites them into her home, and the three of them end up on an adventure to rival all other adventures.

There’s a lot to love in this historical romance debut from Beckett! The twists and turns are never-ending, you never know who to trust, and there’s great tension built up between characters with lots of push and pull. The author really understands and has obviously researched that time period and there are some very specific descriptions and prose that really add to the setting.

There’s humor, action, a bit of romance, and lots of entertainment overall. Beckett has a great debut here.

[Josie]

~~ARC Review ~~

Two friends embark on a quest to escape the king's prison. A secret letter states they need to steal the princess and find a hidden necklace to be free. Caught up in a night of luxury, the two men must make quick decisions at the risk of their lives. Oh did I mention these two men are Pirates?

The princess has been locked in her castle her whole life. She has wanted to taste freedom and see the world. One night might change that fate forever.

This book from the getgo puts us in the middle of Liam and Rick's story, escaping from prison and locating the necklace. Although we do get a little bit of history throughout, I do wish we could have started with more of their pirating exploits. I feel as though them being pirates is a background story and it could be interchanged with any other criminalish job. We then meet our FMC who is a princess locked in her palace until she is married off. Due to this she is a little niave and maybe not so seasoned.

I thought the premise of the book was intriguing however I felt the execution was not necessarily for me. The writing was good, and the story kind of flowed, I just felt there was a disconnect for me personally.
I think if you are new to Romantasy, this is a great way to dip your toes.
I may have enjoyed this more if it was a why choose 😅.

All in all, I would give this 3.5 stars, however goodreads doesn't allow for halfsies, so I've settled on 3 rather than 4.

Thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy for my review. Please keep writing this series, although book 1 wasn't amazing for me, I do feel like this series could be fleshed out incredibly.

[Lettie Grant]

The Princess Bride meets the Pirates of the Caribbean

“I received a complimentary or free Advance Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.”

This first installment has some wording and phrases eerily similar to quotes from The Princess Bride. The plot is also likened to the love child of that movie crossed with Pirates of the Caribbean. HOWEVER, the plot twists keep it interesting and suspenseful enough to keep the reader engaged and from being cringey.

The story does not end with this book. And the HEA is not here. It is a continuing story with a fierce FMC, and so far two romantic interests. Definitely a slow-burn, tension-filled, secret-keeping story. Unpredictable enough to keep you on your toes and second-guessing the interactions of the MMCs.

Is it worth it? Yes
Will I continue the series? Yes
Do I recommend it? Also, yes.

[Hulls Lila]

Beckett delivers a captivating historical romance debut filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and compelling intrigue. The story keeps you guessing from start to finish, making it difficult to know who can truly be trusted. The chemistry between the characters is wonderfully written, with plenty of tension and emotional push and pull that keeps the romance engaging. It's also clear the author invested significant time in researching the historical setting, as the rich details and vivid prose bring the era to life in an immersive and authentic way. A thoroughly enjoyable read for fans of historical romance with a touch of mystery.

[Audra Drew]

Thank you Hope Beckett for the ARC to read and review

Dacing With a Pirate tells the adventures of Ines, Liam and Rick. This went from having a good pace to kicking things up like ten notches when the twists and turns start coming. And they don’t stop.
The political intrigue, action, forbidden love and the banter was so fun, Ines is feisty.
There were several times I thought for sure I knew what was going to happen but then another twist.
Hope did a beautiful job at the historical world building.
The way the story ended I was definitely left wanting that second book. I gave this four stars.

[Hope Beckett]

I am reviewing this book as the author. Mainly because I have reread it multiple times. Being a slow burn low spice book (don’t worry it has a sequel spice to come). I wanted to see the characters develop and explore the craft of writing. This book will keep you on your toes. Between two pirate friends trying to escape prison to the princess trying to get out of a wedding arrangement. I hope you enjoy the book. Thank you all who have taken the time to read and review.

[Cherie Deck]

This story is about the adventure that Liam and Rick take . Along the way there is a slow burn romance, action and intrigue. So many twists and turns too. Let’s not forget humor, suspense, and secrets too. I enjoyed this read.

[Annette]

This book was full of action. There’s some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. It kept me interested from page one. Definitely recommend!

[Adelina Hehe]

I think the premise of the book will be very interesting and fun for some readers, I DNFed only because I do not think that this is the type of book I will enjoy but I'm so excited for others to experience this book and fall in love with the characters. I thought the backstory for Ines was interesting and very thought out. I hope you all love Becketts writing

[Amber Chamberlain]

This review is an honest review of an advanced copy received from the author.

Hope Beckett certainly is making a ‘splash’ with her very first novel. I was excited to read the tales of Rick and Liam and Ines - I was not expecting all the twists that had me at the edge of my seat for that last half of the book.

I enjoyed the world and character building. The romance part of this romantasy is a slow burn for certain, the author dips our toes into the romance. (I know who I am routing for in book two.)

I have so many questions (in a good way), I was left wishing I could continue the journey with these characters. I can’t wait to see how the author and her characters grow in the next book.

[Julie Mcmurray-knope]

Dancing with a Pirate is an interesting story with many twists and turns, ending on a huge cliffhanger. It’s a clean fantasy romance about a princess who gets abducted by two pirates. The story takes off from there.

While there were many parts of the story I enjoyed, it wasn’t really for me. I gave it a three star rating.