Five Guns Blazing: romantic pirate adventures in the Caribbean

by Emma Rose Millar

"Never had she imagined she would be brought so low, and all for the love of a very bad man."

1710

Convict’s daughter, Laetitia Beedham, is set on an epic journey from the back streets of London, through transportation to Barbados and gruelling plantation life, into the clutches of notorious pirates John ‘Calico Jack’ Rackham, Mary Read and the treacherous Anne Bonny.

In a world of villainy and deceit, where black men are kept in chains and a woman will sell her daughter for a few gold coins, Laetitia can find no one in whom to place her trust.

As the King’s men close in on the pirates and the noose begins to tighten around their necks, who will win her loyalty and her heart?

188 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Emma Rose Millar was born in Birmingham - a child of the seventies. She is a single mum and lives with her young son who keeps her very busy and very happy. Emma left school at 16 and later studied for an Open University degree in Humanities with English Literature. She has done a variety of jobs including chocolatier, lab technician and editorial assistant for a magazine but now works part-time an interpreter.

Emma writes and edits historical fiction and children's picture books. Her first novel was shortlisted for the Chaucer Awards in 2013 and she won the Legend category of the Chaucer Awards with FIVE GUNS BLAZING in 2014. Her novella THE WOMEN FRIENDS: SELINA, based on the work of Gustav Klimt and co-written with author Miriam Drori will be published in 2017 by Crooked Cat Books.

Emma is an avid fan of live music and live comedy and enjoys skating, swimming and yoga.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 50%. Cover says romantic pirate adventure. Half way through: Not a single mention of anything remotely piratey. Zero romance. The only male-female relations thus far are prostitution and assault, and even that doesn't involve pirates! As for adventure, Five Guns is about how poor women, criminal and otherwise, in the UK were exported from work houses into slavery in the Caribbean colonies in the 1800s. If that's your definition of adventure, go for it. I was looking for fun. The first half of Five Guns is NOT romantic, NOT pirate, NO fun. One star for coolish cover.

[Susan Lodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book certainly takes you on an emotional roller coaster. Rich in historical detail and vibrant characters the story pulls you in and keeps you turning the pages. Laetitia, the main character shares her tough yet colourful journey from the workhouse to the pirate ships of the high seas. The added appeal of meeting real life legends such as Calico Jack and Anne Bonney along the way made it a fascinating read. I thoroughly enjoyed it

[LadyoftheForest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A future classic if ever there was! In the spirit of Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, this tale takes you on a trip through a person's lifetime. Well written, excellent characters and well researched landscapes. Kept me up several nights to continue reading and pulled me into the story right from page one. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by the publisher and author via Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an engrossing read from the outset- a well written, enjoyable adventure set in the early 1700s though it has darker aspects to it. The novel is packed with interesting historical details making the different settings come vibrantly alive. The gritty horrors of the workhouse, convict ships and plantation life aren’t glossed over, at least not too much since it’s for general readership. Laetitia Beedham is swept up into situations which seem almost farcical and yet the documented evidence proves that life in the workhouses of London; the convict and slave ships; and the Caribbean plantations was horrendous during that era.

I had a little trouble believing that her guise as Nathaniel could last so long but when needs must… pirates come in all shapes and sizes, some of whom are just a tad more wicked than others! You'd have to read yourself to find out just how wicked Pirate Jack Rackham is in Five Guns Blazing.

[Miriam Drori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being born into abject poverty with an uncaring mother, or perhaps because of it, Laetitia Beedham takes us on an exciting journey through strange but true historical facts and events. On this eighteenth-century journey, we live in a London workhouse, sail in a ship for convicts and slaves, watch the workers on a Caribbean plantation and sail on a pirate ship.

With my twenty-first-century mindset, I found it hard to believe that the girl and the women could live for so long without revealing their gender, but in those times, disguise must have been much easier and more necessary.

I enjoyed this novel very much.

[Ian Macfarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story

A very interesting read, could have had more about the pirates themselves, but otherwise well worth reading. Hopefully the authors will write other books.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely enthralling

This is by far the most historically accurate (in terms of lifestyle, not people) pirate novel I've read. It was definitely well-researched. The creative liberties with historical characters are used well and I'll be thinking of this book for a long time to come.