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The Skull & Crossbone Romances #1
The Devil's Luck
Lust and discovery, betrayal and secrets in the age of sail.
Oh yes, and pirates. Dirty, dirty pirates.
Travel back to the Golden Age of Piracy where bodices were ripped, timbers were shivered, and we all pretend, for the sake of naughty books, that hygiene was a great deal better than it was.
Hannah Collingwood is ready to sail from Bristol on The Mourning Dove and start a new life in the colonies. A villainous doctor has other plans for her, though, and they begin with smuggling her aboard the ship of the notorious pirate, Black Edmund.
When Edmund Blackburn, captain of The Devil's Luck, and Benjamin Till, the ship’s quartermaster insist the widow "earn her keep", Hannah faces a new reality: this is a ship full of Very Bad Men. The sort who do Very Bad Things and expect to get away with it. Now she isn't sure what's more terrifying: the scandalous demands they make, or the way she begins to counter their knavery with advances of her own.
Watching the prim but lovely widow struggle with her own desires is entertaining for a time, but before Edmund and Benjamin know it, sport turns into distraction. Hannah Collingwood is having her own inconvenient effects on the men, and none they'd care to admit.
The waters grow more turbulent still when Edmund uncovers a sordid connection between his family and Hannah’s—one he can never let her know about.
All he needs to do to continue enjoying the pleasure of her company is guard this ugly little secret. The only things at stake are ten years’ worth of plans and his oldest friendship with Benjamin. What could possibly go wrong?
Literotica Reader's Choice Award winning author Eris Adderly transports you onto the decks of The Devil's Luck and into a dark, seductive world of scoundrels and forbidden desires. Leave your inhibitions ashore: a bounty of pleasure awaits!
Note: this story contains scenes of explicit sexual material, including MFM menage, and is intended for mature readers only.
Oh yes, and pirates. Dirty, dirty pirates.
Travel back to the Golden Age of Piracy where bodices were ripped, timbers were shivered, and we all pretend, for the sake of naughty books, that hygiene was a great deal better than it was.
Hannah Collingwood is ready to sail from Bristol on The Mourning Dove and start a new life in the colonies. A villainous doctor has other plans for her, though, and they begin with smuggling her aboard the ship of the notorious pirate, Black Edmund.
When Edmund Blackburn, captain of The Devil's Luck, and Benjamin Till, the ship’s quartermaster insist the widow "earn her keep", Hannah faces a new reality: this is a ship full of Very Bad Men. The sort who do Very Bad Things and expect to get away with it. Now she isn't sure what's more terrifying: the scandalous demands they make, or the way she begins to counter their knavery with advances of her own.
Watching the prim but lovely widow struggle with her own desires is entertaining for a time, but before Edmund and Benjamin know it, sport turns into distraction. Hannah Collingwood is having her own inconvenient effects on the men, and none they'd care to admit.
The waters grow more turbulent still when Edmund uncovers a sordid connection between his family and Hannah’s—one he can never let her know about.
All he needs to do to continue enjoying the pleasure of her company is guard this ugly little secret. The only things at stake are ten years’ worth of plans and his oldest friendship with Benjamin. What could possibly go wrong?
Literotica Reader's Choice Award winning author Eris Adderly transports you onto the decks of The Devil's Luck and into a dark, seductive world of scoundrels and forbidden desires. Leave your inhibitions ashore: a bounty of pleasure awaits!
Note: this story contains scenes of explicit sexual material, including MFM menage, and is intended for mature readers only.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2014
300 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
About the author
Eris Adderly
21 books580 followersEris writes dark, escape-from-reality romance full of criminals and outcasts. Her stories are the stomping grounds for bada** heroines, untameable alphas, a spectrum of sexuality, and a serious disregard for convention. Expect the decadent and filthy, the crude and sublime, sometimes all at once. Pick a safeword and grab a towel before reading. She is a complete nerd and possible crazy cat lady. She will annoy you with puns.
Eris posts updates with information about her latest works in progress and more on her facebook page and on her website.
Eris posts updates with information about her latest works in progress and more on her facebook page and on her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 21, 2022
3,5 stars
BR with Isabella. Thank you, lovely, for holding my hand through that beginning!
If you are not comfortable with non-con/dub-con scenarios, humiliation kink or/and polyamorous relationships, you may want to skip this book. Really, run away.
Stuff I liked.
The language was quiet and slow - made for long evenings or grey mornings - it made me happy for some reason. I loved the references to the times and lots of historical accuracies. I adored the way the heroine, Hannah, grew a backbone of steel by the end of the book, this lady became quite a badass - and it was done well.
- Unfortunately, it took AAAGES to get there, so this brings me to the ->
stuff I kinda disliked.
° Dragging. The story was dragging through the middle so badly, I wanted to skip all the repetitions, the back and forth, the mental struggles... It could really use some editing down.
° In a polyamorous story, I want to know ALL the sides of it - all of the POV's and their thoughts. Yet we mostly got the sides of the widow and the captain, Edmund; and barely anything from the quartermaster, Benjamin.
The last maybe 10% rocked and saved the book for me, it was suspenseful, fast and showed great character growth.
All in all, if one sees the story as an elaborate erotic fantasy, it works. (Even if the middle is maddening.)
PS. I adored the second book, The Maid and The Cook, though, maybe because the story and the characters were more up my speed.
BR with Isabella. Thank you, lovely, for holding my hand through that beginning!
If you are not comfortable with non-con/dub-con scenarios, humiliation kink or/and polyamorous relationships, you may want to skip this book. Really, run away.
Stuff I liked.
The language was quiet and slow - made for long evenings or grey mornings - it made me happy for some reason. I loved the references to the times and lots of historical accuracies. I adored the way the heroine, Hannah, grew a backbone of steel by the end of the book, this lady became quite a badass - and it was done well.
- Unfortunately, it took AAAGES to get there, so this brings me to the ->
stuff I kinda disliked.
° Dragging. The story was dragging through the middle so badly, I wanted to skip all the repetitions, the back and forth, the mental struggles... It could really use some editing down.
° In a polyamorous story, I want to know ALL the sides of it - all of the POV's and their thoughts. Yet we mostly got the sides of the widow and the captain, Edmund; and barely anything from the quartermaster, Benjamin.
The pair were as two halves of a single man, albeit halves that sometimes appeared to war with one another, but if the tide moved for one, it moved for both.
- Except I didn't see it!
And it was sad, because Benjamin was quite an interesting man, I definitely wanted to know more of his background and motivations. The couple of glimpses in his POV weren't enough, so he felt more like an afterthought or a plot twist, just for the kink.
The last maybe 10% rocked and saved the book for me, it was suspenseful, fast and showed great character growth.
All in all, if one sees the story as an elaborate erotic fantasy, it works. (Even if the middle is maddening.)
PS. I adored the second book, The Maid and The Cook, though, maybe because the story and the characters were more up my speed.
March 31, 2020
*** First read: 30th April, 2019 ***
Rating: 5 stars
*** Second read: 31st March, 2020 ***
Rating: 5+ stars
A bastard born pirate captain, Edmund Blankburn, an orphaned quatermaster, Benjamin Till and a primed widow, Hannah Collingwood. The threesomes take us on a historical based pirate ride of manipulation, erotism with few triggers which I doubt that ever existed during those times but I love this book beyond so I am not fussing. Few events feature true to historical era and few don't, I was distracted by the heroes and heroine even during this second read.
Hannah finds herself sailing on the wrong ship. She was duped into it. When she confronts the captain she finds herself in a predicament situation - earn her stay on the ship. The first impression of the heroes were not likeable and you may be stunned to the extend of humiliation is done. You will be enraged and indignant with the heroes treatment with the heroine. Thankfully, Hannah isn't meek or whinny, she is strong and feisty who deals with nasty tempered pirates. Hannah finds herself from a lady of dignity to enjoying the affections of the captain and the quartermaster.
I consider this a phenomenal read because no historical, bodice rippers of erotism could hold my attention thoroughly. This is the first book of The Skull & Crossborn Romances series. I have read all the books of this series. In the second book we know more about Rowland Graves - the person who conned Hannah into the ship, you will like him in this book, his background was tragic.
The heroes are not heroic and their flaws are open. The heroine with a blackbone in this fantastic plot setting was awesome. This book needs more recognition.
Rating: 5 stars
*** Second read: 31st March, 2020 ***
Rating: 5+ stars
A bastard born pirate captain, Edmund Blankburn, an orphaned quatermaster, Benjamin Till and a primed widow, Hannah Collingwood. The threesomes take us on a historical based pirate ride of manipulation, erotism with few triggers which I doubt that ever existed during those times but I love this book beyond so I am not fussing. Few events feature true to historical era and few don't, I was distracted by the heroes and heroine even during this second read.
Hannah finds herself sailing on the wrong ship. She was duped into it. When she confronts the captain she finds herself in a predicament situation - earn her stay on the ship. The first impression of the heroes were not likeable and you may be stunned to the extend of humiliation is done. You will be enraged and indignant with the heroes treatment with the heroine. Thankfully, Hannah isn't meek or whinny, she is strong and feisty who deals with nasty tempered pirates. Hannah finds herself from a lady of dignity to enjoying the affections of the captain and the quartermaster.
I consider this a phenomenal read because no historical, bodice rippers of erotism could hold my attention thoroughly. This is the first book of The Skull & Crossborn Romances series. I have read all the books of this series. In the second book we know more about Rowland Graves - the person who conned Hannah into the ship, you will like him in this book, his background was tragic.
The heroes are not heroic and their flaws are open. The heroine with a blackbone in this fantastic plot setting was awesome. This book needs more recognition.
May 30, 2022
I picked this up on KU just out of curiosity thinking I would maybe skim read, and ended up getting pulled right in. A pirate story about a woman held captive on a ship and shared by two pirates, it was dark, dirty, smokin hot, and well-written. I found a lot here that I didn’t expect… an interesting plot, characters with personality and depth and back stories, quality writing, a nasty scary villain, angst and feels. This story definitely isn’t for everyone but it might work for you if you like your pirate romance with an edge.
“Come now, Mrs Collingwood.” His words came low and persuasive between knee-weakening kisses as he began to walk her backward around the table. “Shall we do this … right and proper this time? Just you and I?” That voice. Dear Lord, a criminal should have no right to sound like that.
***
Surrender, she rationalised, or at least some measure of it, was far less upsetting than her initial struggles had been. If Hannah allowed worry to melt away, her reward was to find herself bounding through a sunlit meadow of sensory delights, led along first by one man, and then the other.
***
She sat on the edge of his bed, one knee to either side of his waist as he knelt on the floor in front of her. Hannah tilted her head into their lazy kiss and his arms circled her waist. “I want to taste you, Hannah,” he whispered, his shoulders moving beneath her palms. “Are you not … doing that … already?” she asked him in the intervals when she came up from his lips for breath. “Not as thoroughly as I’d like.”
***
Hannah. The name he preferred to call her, a sound ephemeral and free, a wind that filled sails, unseen.
(TW for non-consent and humiliation early in the story)
“Come now, Mrs Collingwood.” His words came low and persuasive between knee-weakening kisses as he began to walk her backward around the table. “Shall we do this … right and proper this time? Just you and I?” That voice. Dear Lord, a criminal should have no right to sound like that.
***
Surrender, she rationalised, or at least some measure of it, was far less upsetting than her initial struggles had been. If Hannah allowed worry to melt away, her reward was to find herself bounding through a sunlit meadow of sensory delights, led along first by one man, and then the other.
***
She sat on the edge of his bed, one knee to either side of his waist as he knelt on the floor in front of her. Hannah tilted her head into their lazy kiss and his arms circled her waist. “I want to taste you, Hannah,” he whispered, his shoulders moving beneath her palms. “Are you not … doing that … already?” she asked him in the intervals when she came up from his lips for breath. “Not as thoroughly as I’d like.”
***
Hannah. The name he preferred to call her, a sound ephemeral and free, a wind that filled sails, unseen.
(TW for non-consent and humiliation early in the story)
April 4, 2020
4.5 STARS!!
Triggers galore:
Plot: A widow and her maid find themselves fooled into boarding a pirate ship in Bristol instead of the respectable passenger vessel they were expecting. The ship's surgeon had no right to bring them aboard, but the captain and his quartermaster see nothing wrong with taking advantage of the situation.
This one will make you squirm with discomfort in the best possible way! 😈
And for me, I was pleasantly surprised that the author didn't take things too far for me to enjoy the depraved nature of the story. It's rare that a book like this lives up to its potential and doesn't devolve into an OTT mess.
Somehow the author managed to walk the fine line between a Hero that's irredeemable and one that's pushing boundaries, not to mention to portray a believable heroine who's put in Hannah's situation.
My only complaint was the lack of a few nitty-gritty details that I was left wondering about, but overall it was a big winner for me. Thank you, Birjis for bringing this one to my attention!
There were a great many bruises in place to mar this whole affair, but there was also possibility.Total smut with a great dark plot and fabulous writing . . . loved it!
Triggers galore:
Plot: A widow and her maid find themselves fooled into boarding a pirate ship in Bristol instead of the respectable passenger vessel they were expecting. The ship's surgeon had no right to bring them aboard, but the captain and his quartermaster see nothing wrong with taking advantage of the situation.
This one will make you squirm with discomfort in the best possible way! 😈
And for me, I was pleasantly surprised that the author didn't take things too far for me to enjoy the depraved nature of the story. It's rare that a book like this lives up to its potential and doesn't devolve into an OTT mess.
Somehow the author managed to walk the fine line between a Hero that's irredeemable and one that's pushing boundaries, not to mention to portray a believable heroine who's put in Hannah's situation.
He wanted to see her confusion again. To watch her struggle with what society had taught her was right and proper as it played against the sensations he knew he could rouse from her body.Many times I'm left rolling my eyes because the heroine is shown to be an idiot who swoons over her abuser . . . and yes, there was a tiny bit of that here, but I thought Eris Adderly handled it so well.
My only complaint was the lack of a few nitty-gritty details that I was left wondering about, but overall it was a big winner for me. Thank you, Birjis for bringing this one to my attention!
January 5, 2021
4,20 Stars
CHARACTERS
Hannah Collingwood: The Widow, 28 blue eyes, dark blonde
Edmund Blackburn: Bastard Pirate Captain, 36, brown eyes, dark hair
Benjamin Till: Orphaned Quartermaster, green eyes, blonde/bald + tattoos
YOU DAMN FILTHY PIRATES, HOW WILL I EVER FORGIVE YOU?
Also, what would I really expect from a pirate, eh?
“I hate everything you’ve done to me, pirate.”
FOOTNOTES
*It’s a M F M, but It felt more like a main couple + 1 (I am not actually complaining because I like the balance between the three (Edmund and Till's brother-like relationship also), but I am not sure about the main feeling wanted to be given in here, I feel like Hannah is mainly in love with Edmund and she deeply cares (also loves) for Till, but Edmund comes first.)
*It has been so long that I had read a historical romance; oh, did I not miss that. My main problem with HR is that I have a hard time relating to the intimacy between the couples, and the sexual intercourses feel a bit foreign, unusual, and less charming than modern romances. But here, this lyrical storytelling made sexual scenes actually appealing. I truly felt the steam and enjoyed it.
*I seriously have some issues with hygiene values in this book. (I did my best to ignore it, I am happy that they are all healthy and safe)
PROS
*The storytelling
*The sex scenes and the MFM elements; that particular scene: Wuhuu that was a threesome I was waiting for!
*Ah God, her first oral! Hannah, baby, you are so lovely.
She’d had no idea that men and women got up to such things. Such remarkable, sinful things …
*Hannah's inner monologues
My goodness, woman! Can you think of nothing else?
You’re impossible, Hannah Collingwood.
You have no idea what you want, do you, Hannah?
My special appreciation for Hannah:
*I can relate to her struggles and admire her strength.
*She had been through cruel abuse and treatment, but she was a true survivor.
*She managed to tame a Beast + taught him kindness and goodness.
*She discovered her desires and passions and shaped herself as a woman against the horrible society rules given on how women should be.
*There are times that I got angry with her and wanted her to fight more, but that was also her knowing how to kill it with kindness.
*And at the end, didn’t she become the bad-ass/powerful woman, eh?
“I assure you it will be of my own choosing, and for my own benefit. Today will be the last I wait on the whims of men. For good or ill, I am Fortune’s fool no longer.”
OVERALL
*I really enjoyed this book. If It weren't for some horrible acts, I would vote full stars for this book as a romance.
*I love dark so much. I love romance so much, but together? That line is too thin for me. It should either be dark or romantic. But considering the events and the worldbuilding, this book surprisingly manages this irredeemable act to turn into something to be moved on with, so I appreciate it.
*This book includes many dark aspects, non-consent, dub-consent, abuse, humiliation /degradation on h irremediable acts from Hs, and killing on the page.
*The storytelling is so lovely and lyrical; it captures you right from the beginning. I never skimmed and truly enjoyed how everything played out in the end.
*Bah! I hate that I am considering giving a second chance to those damn filthy pirates, But thinking about the date and era (around 1700), Edmund actually became the best of himself in the end. And it's fiction, so yeah...
*As long as you make my dear woman Hannah happy ''always and forever'' from now on, I will close my eyes to your horrible/irredeemable/irreversible/unforgivable acts before, dear Edmund and Till.
“Admit it, Hannah. This is where you belong.”
Thank you for the recommendation, Birjis!!
CHARACTERS
Hannah Collingwood: The Widow, 28 blue eyes, dark blonde
Edmund Blackburn: Bastard Pirate Captain, 36, brown eyes, dark hair
Benjamin Till: Orphaned Quartermaster, green eyes, blonde/bald + tattoos
YOU DAMN FILTHY PIRATES, HOW WILL I EVER FORGIVE YOU?
Also, what would I really expect from a pirate, eh?
“I hate everything you’ve done to me, pirate.”
FOOTNOTES
*It’s a M F M, but It felt more like a main couple + 1 (I am not actually complaining because I like the balance between the three (Edmund and Till's brother-like relationship also), but I am not sure about the main feeling wanted to be given in here, I feel like Hannah is mainly in love with Edmund and she deeply cares (also loves) for Till, but Edmund comes first.)
*It has been so long that I had read a historical romance; oh, did I not miss that. My main problem with HR is that I have a hard time relating to the intimacy between the couples, and the sexual intercourses feel a bit foreign, unusual, and less charming than modern romances. But here, this lyrical storytelling made sexual scenes actually appealing. I truly felt the steam and enjoyed it.
*I seriously have some issues with hygiene values in this book. (I did my best to ignore it, I am happy that they are all healthy and safe)
PROS
*The storytelling
*The sex scenes and the MFM elements; that particular scene: Wuhuu that was a threesome I was waiting for!
*Ah God, her first oral! Hannah, baby, you are so lovely.
She’d had no idea that men and women got up to such things. Such remarkable, sinful things …
*Hannah's inner monologues
My goodness, woman! Can you think of nothing else?
You’re impossible, Hannah Collingwood.
You have no idea what you want, do you, Hannah?
My special appreciation for Hannah:
*I can relate to her struggles and admire her strength.
*She had been through cruel abuse and treatment, but she was a true survivor.
*She managed to tame a Beast + taught him kindness and goodness.
*She discovered her desires and passions and shaped herself as a woman against the horrible society rules given on how women should be.
*There are times that I got angry with her and wanted her to fight more, but that was also her knowing how to kill it with kindness.
*And at the end, didn’t she become the bad-ass/powerful woman, eh?
“I assure you it will be of my own choosing, and for my own benefit. Today will be the last I wait on the whims of men. For good or ill, I am Fortune’s fool no longer.”
OVERALL
*I really enjoyed this book. If It weren't for some horrible acts, I would vote full stars for this book as a romance.
*I love dark so much. I love romance so much, but together? That line is too thin for me. It should either be dark or romantic. But considering the events and the worldbuilding, this book surprisingly manages this irredeemable act to turn into something to be moved on with, so I appreciate it.
*This book includes many dark aspects, non-consent, dub-consent, abuse, humiliation /degradation on h irremediable acts from Hs, and killing on the page.
*The storytelling is so lovely and lyrical; it captures you right from the beginning. I never skimmed and truly enjoyed how everything played out in the end.
*Bah! I hate that I am considering giving a second chance to those damn filthy pirates, But thinking about the date and era (around 1700), Edmund actually became the best of himself in the end. And it's fiction, so yeah...
*As long as you make my dear woman Hannah happy ''always and forever'' from now on, I will close my eyes to your horrible/irredeemable/irreversible/unforgivable acts before, dear Edmund and Till.
“Admit it, Hannah. This is where you belong.”
Thank you for the recommendation, Birjis!!
April 26, 2022
To make a long story short— I just couldn't suspend disbelief. Too many behaviors that weren't consistent with the characters' established personalities. Too many conveniences. It didn't have that sharp perceptiveness that I'm used to from EA's writing. It was also oddly boring for a story involving pirates and polyamory and action and angst. With that said, I didn't hate it. I liked it. Sometimes you give a book 2 stars because you hated it and sometimes it was just a 2 star-worthy, fine read.
—
This didn't affect my rating, but I found certain elements of non-consent and allusions to slavery and other norms of the time to be pretty off-putting and hard to reconcile within the context of a romance novel where I'm supposed to like and root for these characters. The pro-slavery/anti-rebellion nature of Edmund's (the main love interest) central narrative totally rubbed me the wrong way. The blatant rape (let me call a spade a spade and not temper it by saying 'non-consent') was not sexy to me, regardless of how our heroine felt about it. It all felt realistic to the time, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And, like I said, these things didn't affect my rating, just sharing in case it's useful information for anyone else.
—
This didn't affect my rating, but I found certain elements of non-consent and allusions to slavery and other norms of the time to be pretty off-putting and hard to reconcile within the context of a romance novel where I'm supposed to like and root for these characters. The pro-slavery/anti-rebellion nature of Edmund's (the main love interest) central narrative totally rubbed me the wrong way. The blatant rape (let me call a spade a spade and not temper it by saying 'non-consent') was not sexy to me, regardless of how our heroine felt about it. It all felt realistic to the time, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And, like I said, these things didn't affect my rating, just sharing in case it's useful information for anyone else.
dnf
April 6, 2023DNF @ 40% - oddly boring considering it’s a historical mfm pirate book with noncon and dubcon. It’s missing passion- loads of smex and not much emotion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2022
“It is a revenge the Devil sometimes takes upon the virtuous, that he entraps them by the force of the very passion they have suppressed and think themselves superior to.”
– George Santayana”
Hannah, Ned and Till.
This is dark menage rapey 'romance'.
Lots of forced and uncomfortable scenes where the h has zero control.
Based in Georgian times, the widowed h is traveling from England to Boston to be with her uncle when a vile man sees her and lures her to the wrong ship. A pirate ship.
The h escapes the first villain (the ship doctor actually) only to have to contend with the captain who makes it clear that no one travels on his ship free. She, of course refuses - and is punished.
The very first day, the h is put through horrible humiliation, degradation and is then raped.
The H and his first mate play the bad cop, good cop. Till maybe the 'nice guy' here but never lets go of a chance to have sex with her.
There's a backstory about the H, Ned's origin and we learn that it's tied up with the h. He's the illegitimate son of a wealthy Jamaican plantation owner who may have raised him, educated him but never accepts him as his son. Ned met Till, an orphan as teenagers and they became inseparable. When his father finally disowns him because of his friendship with Till, the two leave Kingston and a decade later have become pirates.
Hannah has had a tepid and disappointing marriage to a gay man.
She slowly falls for both of them and when she starts to dream of a future with them, she learns of Ned's duplicity - She's just a pawn to him and while they are at sea, he has used her as his convenient sex slave. She breaks down and later tries to sway him but he's unmoved.
“Alone, alone, all, all alone,
Alone on a wide wide sea!
And never a saint took pity on
My soul in agony.
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
They reach Boston, the villain strikes again and ...
Hannah's maid has a book, a novella and surprisingly, the vile doctor has one too - about his formative years and his decline to madness.
– George Santayana”
Hannah, Ned and Till.
This is dark menage rapey 'romance'.
Lots of forced and uncomfortable scenes where the h has zero control.
Based in Georgian times, the widowed h is traveling from England to Boston to be with her uncle when a vile man sees her and lures her to the wrong ship. A pirate ship.
The h escapes the first villain (the ship doctor actually) only to have to contend with the captain who makes it clear that no one travels on his ship free. She, of course refuses - and is punished.
The very first day, the h is put through horrible humiliation, degradation and is then raped.
The H and his first mate play the bad cop, good cop. Till maybe the 'nice guy' here but never lets go of a chance to have sex with her.
There's a backstory about the H, Ned's origin and we learn that it's tied up with the h. He's the illegitimate son of a wealthy Jamaican plantation owner who may have raised him, educated him but never accepts him as his son. Ned met Till, an orphan as teenagers and they became inseparable. When his father finally disowns him because of his friendship with Till, the two leave Kingston and a decade later have become pirates.
Hannah has had a tepid and disappointing marriage to a gay man.
She slowly falls for both of them and when she starts to dream of a future with them, she learns of Ned's duplicity - She's just a pawn to him and while they are at sea, he has used her as his convenient sex slave. She breaks down and later tries to sway him but he's unmoved.
“Alone, alone, all, all alone,
Alone on a wide wide sea!
And never a saint took pity on
My soul in agony.
— Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
They reach Boston, the villain strikes again and ...
Hannah's maid has a book, a novella and surprisingly, the vile doctor has one too - about his formative years and his decline to madness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2022
Lovely writing, but I thought the relationship dynamics weren't so great. It felt as if Benjamin is the 3rd wheel in the relationship. We also don't see Benjamin's POV, only Edmund's and Hannah's. Ménage à trois isn't my thing, but this one's okay as far as this trope goes. It isn't pure smut; there's a nice backstory on the three main characters. I've been terribly impressed with Ms. Adderley since I read Gallows Pole (hey, who would have thought the romance between a hangman and a thief would be what I needed?). Unfortunately, she hasn't written a lot of historicals, so there's that. A lot of TWs (non-con) here, so sensitive readers beware.
August 7, 2022
These books are great. Very brutal and dirty, I don’t know how she didn’t get pregnant but we will just ignore that. These are very much bodice rippers so if that’s not your thing, I would not read this. Also a friend,y reminder that writing about something doesn’t mean it’s condoning it, and for all you morality police out there, fantasy and real life sex are not the same thing. Consent is always required in real life, and i as the adult woman reading this, knows that. 😊
December 16, 2022
Intriguing and emotional *spoilers*
Eris Adderly is an exceptional author. This book is a departure from some of her other works. There is rape, emotional manipulation, physical abuse and many triggers. The romance was somewhat unbelievable as the dynamic between the two men didn’t really make sense to me. What did they gain out of sharing Hannah? They never touched each other, just partook in her. There was no jealousy. Did they REALLY love her? One of the men seemed almost apathetic and had no backbone, the other was always at war with himself. I could believe how the Captain developed feelings for Hannah however it was really hard to find any redemption for his character as he was never truly remorseful. I guess there was a happy ending? Hannah deserved better! Still it was a well-researched and an entertaining story!
Edited: ***changed to 5 stars because it’s a damn good story and it stayed with me
Eris Adderly is an exceptional author. This book is a departure from some of her other works. There is rape, emotional manipulation, physical abuse and many triggers. The romance was somewhat unbelievable as the dynamic between the two men didn’t really make sense to me. What did they gain out of sharing Hannah? They never touched each other, just partook in her. There was no jealousy. Did they REALLY love her? One of the men seemed almost apathetic and had no backbone, the other was always at war with himself. I could believe how the Captain developed feelings for Hannah however it was really hard to find any redemption for his character as he was never truly remorseful. I guess there was a happy ending? Hannah deserved better! Still it was a well-researched and an entertaining story!
Edited: ***changed to 5 stars because it’s a damn good story and it stayed with me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2021
Gross gross gross
_________________________________
Triggers: rape, physical, mental and emotional abuse, heroine being ok with rape, everyone making excuses for rape and all the other abuse
_________________________________
I read a lot of bodice rippers and other stuff with questionable content, but I do have hard limits.
Hannah, a respectable upper class widow, wants to sail to the colonies to see her uncle and help him with stuff. Instead, she is tricked by a serial killer rapist surgeon (who may or may not possess medical skills) clandestinely onboard a pirate ship, where he intends to rape, torture and dismember her and toss her remains in the sea.
Problem: the captain of the ship, Edmund Blackwater knew nothing of it. So of course, when he spots Hannah, he drags her to see his quatermaster Mr. Till, who he likes to share his women with (#nohomo though). They don't rape her yet, but they come close and when Hannah bites Edmund he has her tied to a mast, naked, for 5 hours with no water, while the crew leers at her (I guess Hannah should be grateful they don't a get a pass at her for her failed attempts at protecting herself).
Till takes pity on her, sort of, and negotiates a few hours of rest for Hannah before they both rape her after the mast episode. Hannah is betrayed by her body and absolutely LOVES it, but I really want to stress that in terms of rapey heroes, these two are particularily bad. Edmund is violent, and though Till isn't, he is still a selfish animal. In the entire book, neither make any attempt to make amends, or try to make more than small talk conversation with their prey.
It takes Hannah maybe a month to slutten up and just enjoy these two wonderful men and then whoo boy does she never insist on an apology. In fact, her monologues focus on shame and how much she loves being raped, so ... we never see the blame land where it belongs.
Edmund, the vile scum, regularly feels some sort of regret, but it quickly diffuses once he grabs a breast. He can barely keep himself from raping Hannah in public, EVEN AFTER she already decided to consent to fucking him all times of the day. She has to PLEAD for the curtesy of not being raped on deck. That is insane!
And Till, the nasty lil weasel, never takes a stand for her. Sure, he never rapes her in front of others like Edmund or beats her or chains her to his desk (she's chained for more than a week after she found out Edmund's plan to deliver her uncle to a certain death and vocally objects to it. The fun part is, she also thinks he might throw her overboard once he has her uncle). But Till doesn't really object to any of it, either. At some point he sees Hannah beaten and crying and when Edmund tells him to take the belt and have a go at her too for her disrespect, Till does say no. But he leaves then and lets her get raped again and avoids her for weeks, instead of ... idk. Consoling her, apologizing, or preventing Edmund from abusing her might have been options. But no.
It's the pitilessness that struck me. Till, unlike Edmund, appears to have some moral compass that, once he started liking Hannah, which was soonish, he was no longer interested in raping her and he also made no other moves to hurt her or imprison and humiliate her publicly. But he just gives Edmund the free pass to do what he must and then gives Hannah advice that Edmund doesn't have to be so bad (except he is).
It's like Edmund is one of these boys who torture cats and roasts them alive over a fire, and although Till likes cats and especially this one, he chooses to avoid Edmund and the cat rather than to defend the cat and take his chances against the nasty boy.
Hannah, by contrast, is betrayed so thoroughly by her body that no matter how much rape and violence is heaped upon her, she still pleads with Edmund to halt his evil scheme to get her uncle killed so he can get his estranged father's love and respect. She even offers herself in the bargain and tells him that she will stick it out with him and Till forever if he'll just pick her and stops raping her.
He doesn't pick her.
In fact, he drags her to see her uncle, who is of course unwilling to get on a pirate ship to sail to his death in Jamaica (but does it anyway bdcause he doesn't want Hannah to be gangraped for the rest of her life). Hannah tells her uncle she's sorry about him dying (she isn't, though. Just sorry Edmund didn't love her). It boggles the mind.
While Edmund takes Uncle to the ship, of course Hannah gets trapped and assaulted by the serial killer surgeon (who attempted to rape and kill Hannah on the ship several times, but Edmund decided not to kill him every time). Hannah offs him, thank god, as Edmund rushes to save her. At that point he had had 3 chances and reasons to kill that surgeon. So thanks for the attempt of saving her, I guess????????
Hannah isn't that upset, all she wants is a new dress, so she buys one and then saves Edmund and his ship from the navy by being a RICH LADY.
Till is injured, so she becomes SUPER DOCTOR HANNAH and saves his life too. Their gratitude for her help (and for her staying with their sorry asses) does not mean they apologize for their atrocious behavior.
I was livid
I am still livid
I hate this book so much
Edmund is probably in my top ten of all time vilest scum heroes of romance.
If I was given the choice between him and a t-rex, I would take my chances with the t-rex.
The only thing that sets Edmund off from the evil surgeon is the fact that at the end of the ordeal he leaves Hannah alive so he can rape and abuse her again. Other than that, he's just as bad.
_________________________________
Triggers: rape, physical, mental and emotional abuse, heroine being ok with rape, everyone making excuses for rape and all the other abuse
_________________________________
I read a lot of bodice rippers and other stuff with questionable content, but I do have hard limits.
Hannah, a respectable upper class widow, wants to sail to the colonies to see her uncle and help him with stuff. Instead, she is tricked by a serial killer rapist surgeon (who may or may not possess medical skills) clandestinely onboard a pirate ship, where he intends to rape, torture and dismember her and toss her remains in the sea.
Problem: the captain of the ship, Edmund Blackwater knew nothing of it. So of course, when he spots Hannah, he drags her to see his quatermaster Mr. Till, who he likes to share his women with (#nohomo though). They don't rape her yet, but they come close and when Hannah bites Edmund he has her tied to a mast, naked, for 5 hours with no water, while the crew leers at her (I guess Hannah should be grateful they don't a get a pass at her for her failed attempts at protecting herself).
Till takes pity on her, sort of, and negotiates a few hours of rest for Hannah before they both rape her after the mast episode. Hannah is betrayed by her body and absolutely LOVES it, but I really want to stress that in terms of rapey heroes, these two are particularily bad. Edmund is violent, and though Till isn't, he is still a selfish animal. In the entire book, neither make any attempt to make amends, or try to make more than small talk conversation with their prey.
It takes Hannah maybe a month to slutten up and just enjoy these two wonderful men and then whoo boy does she never insist on an apology. In fact, her monologues focus on shame and how much she loves being raped, so ... we never see the blame land where it belongs.
Edmund, the vile scum, regularly feels some sort of regret, but it quickly diffuses once he grabs a breast. He can barely keep himself from raping Hannah in public, EVEN AFTER she already decided to consent to fucking him all times of the day. She has to PLEAD for the curtesy of not being raped on deck. That is insane!
And Till, the nasty lil weasel, never takes a stand for her. Sure, he never rapes her in front of others like Edmund or beats her or chains her to his desk (she's chained for more than a week after she found out Edmund's plan to deliver her uncle to a certain death and vocally objects to it. The fun part is, she also thinks he might throw her overboard once he has her uncle). But Till doesn't really object to any of it, either. At some point he sees Hannah beaten and crying and when Edmund tells him to take the belt and have a go at her too for her disrespect, Till does say no. But he leaves then and lets her get raped again and avoids her for weeks, instead of ... idk. Consoling her, apologizing, or preventing Edmund from abusing her might have been options. But no.
It's the pitilessness that struck me. Till, unlike Edmund, appears to have some moral compass that, once he started liking Hannah, which was soonish, he was no longer interested in raping her and he also made no other moves to hurt her or imprison and humiliate her publicly. But he just gives Edmund the free pass to do what he must and then gives Hannah advice that Edmund doesn't have to be so bad (except he is).
It's like Edmund is one of these boys who torture cats and roasts them alive over a fire, and although Till likes cats and especially this one, he chooses to avoid Edmund and the cat rather than to defend the cat and take his chances against the nasty boy.
Hannah, by contrast, is betrayed so thoroughly by her body that no matter how much rape and violence is heaped upon her, she still pleads with Edmund to halt his evil scheme to get her uncle killed so he can get his estranged father's love and respect. She even offers herself in the bargain and tells him that she will stick it out with him and Till forever if he'll just pick her and stops raping her.
He doesn't pick her.
In fact, he drags her to see her uncle, who is of course unwilling to get on a pirate ship to sail to his death in Jamaica (but does it anyway bdcause he doesn't want Hannah to be gangraped for the rest of her life). Hannah tells her uncle she's sorry about him dying (she isn't, though. Just sorry Edmund didn't love her). It boggles the mind.
While Edmund takes Uncle to the ship, of course Hannah gets trapped and assaulted by the serial killer surgeon (who attempted to rape and kill Hannah on the ship several times, but Edmund decided not to kill him every time). Hannah offs him, thank god, as Edmund rushes to save her. At that point he had had 3 chances and reasons to kill that surgeon. So thanks for the attempt of saving her, I guess????????
Hannah isn't that upset, all she wants is a new dress, so she buys one and then saves Edmund and his ship from the navy by being a RICH LADY.
Till is injured, so she becomes SUPER DOCTOR HANNAH and saves his life too. Their gratitude for her help (and for her staying with their sorry asses) does not mean they apologize for their atrocious behavior.
I was livid
I am still livid
I hate this book so much
Edmund is probably in my top ten of all time vilest scum heroes of romance.
If I was given the choice between him and a t-rex, I would take my chances with the t-rex.
The only thing that sets Edmund off from the evil surgeon is the fact that at the end of the ordeal he leaves Hannah alive so he can rape and abuse her again. Other than that, he's just as bad.
March 30, 2025
2 Stars for a Shifting Overton Window
✔️ Dual POVs (Edmund x Hannah)
✔️ Set in 1700s across the Atlantic Ocean
✔️ Open-door historical romance (5/5 🌶️)
✔️ Tropes: Pirates?; Non-con
🚫 Read all the content warnings!
I agree with other, more recent reviews that the Overton window for accepting these non-con situations has passed. This 2015 book is now about 10 years old, and felt way more dated. I felt nothing even with the high heat and attempted suspense.
Better reads include “The Bootlegger’s Bounty” by Adriana Herrera or “Gentle Rogue” by Johanna Lindsey.
✔️ Dual POVs (Edmund x Hannah)
✔️ Set in 1700s across the Atlantic Ocean
✔️ Open-door historical romance (5/5 🌶️)
✔️ Tropes: Pirates?; Non-con
🚫 Read all the content warnings!
I agree with other, more recent reviews that the Overton window for accepting these non-con situations has passed. This 2015 book is now about 10 years old, and felt way more dated. I felt nothing even with the high heat and attempted suspense.
Better reads include “The Bootlegger’s Bounty” by Adriana Herrera or “Gentle Rogue” by Johanna Lindsey.
dnf
September 19, 2019Was hoping for a pirate romance but this is rape.
February 5, 2025
Where to begin? With rape? Because that’s where we begin! I get that this is meant to be a bodice ripper tribute but, you know, there is no soft focus non-con here. What follows is a lot of deep penetration accompanied by shallow characterization; I did not care who was railing who because it was utterly lacking in tension. I had no idea a pirate threesome book could be so goddamn boring. One third of the threesome just sort of...disappears for a considerable portion of the book. The heroine is a dishrag for far too long. There is a plot that is dull and resolves with a wet fart sound. I love Eris Adderly but this ain’t it, me hearties.
February 11, 2017
This was an interesting story line with the dignified widow, who happens to be the daughter of a well know British dignitary, who finds herself conned onto a Pirate ship instead of passenger ship bound for the states. When she meets the Captain of the Pirate ship, she finds out she was conned and endures some humiliating punishments and is forced to pay her way. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it she has no money and they aren't interested in any skills other than what she can do with her body. This lady of society soon finds herself enjoying the affections of the Captain and his Quartermaster.
It was a bit of a slow read for me, probably because I am not a big fan of historical stories but I enjoyed reading it and the sex scenes were pretty hot!
It was a bit of a slow read for me, probably because I am not a big fan of historical stories but I enjoyed reading it and the sex scenes were pretty hot!
October 21, 2019
I did enjoy this book but like a lot of mfm relationships one connection is focused on much more than the other. My other pet peeve was that we don't get to see a little more of them all together. Pros for this book was that it was a fun pirate book and I really dug all the angst/drama.
October 2, 2015
Hard, hot, dirty-talking pirates with questionable morals, dark secrets and no problem sharing?
Oh yeah, there’s all that AND a captivating story as well. It’s like your grandmother’s bodice ripper but with threesomes, dark moments and tattoos.
Prim widow Hannah is naive to most worldly pleasures, but pirate captain Edmund Blackburn and his handy quartermaster Benjamin Till are more than happy to broaden her horizons. They might have a few things to learn from Hannah, as well. It isn't all fun and frolicking, though. Blackburn and Mr. Till have a plan, and it looks like Hannah could either be the key to their success or their downfall.
The book is a dark-ish erotic romance that’s really well written, full of incredibly hot scenes, has great characters and an even better story. Hannah's not Too Stupid To Live, and you don't keep thinking, "well, that wouldn’t happen.”
Best of all, this book is just fun to read.
Oh yeah, there’s all that AND a captivating story as well. It’s like your grandmother’s bodice ripper but with threesomes, dark moments and tattoos.
Prim widow Hannah is naive to most worldly pleasures, but pirate captain Edmund Blackburn and his handy quartermaster Benjamin Till are more than happy to broaden her horizons. They might have a few things to learn from Hannah, as well. It isn't all fun and frolicking, though. Blackburn and Mr. Till have a plan, and it looks like Hannah could either be the key to their success or their downfall.
The book is a dark-ish erotic romance that’s really well written, full of incredibly hot scenes, has great characters and an even better story. Hannah's not Too Stupid To Live, and you don't keep thinking, "well, that wouldn’t happen.”
Best of all, this book is just fun to read.
May 9, 2020
Nope
I liked the story but I didn’t like the encounter. I didn’t look at the release date on this book. The writing style is not so well as the other books I’ve read of Eris.
I’m sorry but what killed it for me was where they pretty much raped her at their first encounter.
I liked the story but I didn’t like the encounter. I didn’t look at the release date on this book. The writing style is not so well as the other books I’ve read of Eris.
I’m sorry but what killed it for me was where they pretty much raped her at their first encounter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2020
Hot as Hell
Too freaking hot for words. Pirates. Wonderful sexy pirates. I love it! Read only when you are alone or with someone you love!
Too freaking hot for words. Pirates. Wonderful sexy pirates. I love it! Read only when you are alone or with someone you love!
September 23, 2021
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good pirate bodice ripper, but nothing Eris Adderly writes is so straight forward or standard. This set of three stories are filled with it all, from wonderfully naughty pirates doing bad things to good ladies in The Devils Luck to a more gothic sort of erotic tale in Decline and Fall of Rowland Graves and finally gives us a peek at an unusual and unlikely pair in The Maid and the Cook.
Nothing is as it seems but everything is exciting and fun.
All three books are a series and build on each other in different ways, whether it's fleshing out various character stories or simply occupying the pirate ship The Devil's Luck and you'll find yourself going through them quickly if pirate romance is in your wheelhouse. The fact they have Eris' skill and unique voice behind them just makes it all deeper and more intriguing. She's a gifted writer when it comes to creating unique settings out of well known or recognizable tropes and tales. I highly recommend them but certainly not for the faint of heart.
Nothing is as it seems but everything is exciting and fun.
All three books are a series and build on each other in different ways, whether it's fleshing out various character stories or simply occupying the pirate ship The Devil's Luck and you'll find yourself going through them quickly if pirate romance is in your wheelhouse. The fact they have Eris' skill and unique voice behind them just makes it all deeper and more intriguing. She's a gifted writer when it comes to creating unique settings out of well known or recognizable tropes and tales. I highly recommend them but certainly not for the faint of heart.
October 2, 2019
Two pirates are twice the naughty fun!
I loved this spicy pirate romance. Hannah, Edmund and Benjamin are a perfect trio, bringing out the best in each other as the story progresses.
Hannah begins the story very much as a woman of her time: defined by her relationships with her father, deceased husband and uncle. I loved watching her grow and discover her own self-worth in the most unlikely of settings. Edmund and Benjamin are delicious heroes, even when they're not acting very heroic, and perfect foils for each other.
The author knows her way around the time-period; nothing felt anachronistic, and I loved the colourful descriptions of the pirate ports.
Highly recommended and I'll look forward to reading more of this series!
I loved this spicy pirate romance. Hannah, Edmund and Benjamin are a perfect trio, bringing out the best in each other as the story progresses.
Hannah begins the story very much as a woman of her time: defined by her relationships with her father, deceased husband and uncle. I loved watching her grow and discover her own self-worth in the most unlikely of settings. Edmund and Benjamin are delicious heroes, even when they're not acting very heroic, and perfect foils for each other.
The author knows her way around the time-period; nothing felt anachronistic, and I loved the colourful descriptions of the pirate ports.
Highly recommended and I'll look forward to reading more of this series!
May 26, 2024
MMF pirate bodice ripper delivers with two caveats: 1) the relationship mostly focuses on one leg of the triangle, and 2) unfortunately for that leg, a 36-year old man trying to impress his daddy (by capturing an abolitionist no less) is profoundly unsexy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2024
What can I say? This is a MMF pirate romance with a bunch of stuff that might be off putting to some but it gave me everything I wanted. Extremely sexy and fun, only minor complaint is there could’ve been more piratey activities sprinkled in but let’s be real if you’re reading this it’s for the smut, which was top tier IMO. Check out trigger warnings before reading.
Read
August 3, 2020DNF at 26%
Just didn't grab my attention unfortunately
Just didn't grab my attention unfortunately
Read
January 9, 2020Updated. I removed my rating. This isn’t for me for the reasons below ~ but this IS what the author writes and what it’s intended to be, so I’m just going with “not my cuppa”.
****
This couldn’t even classify as “dubious consent”. It’s flat out rape.
Both the male MC’s rape the female MC within the first 15% of the book. I only read that far because I kept thinking the author might give *some* minor indication that she was remotely interested. Nope. They try to rape her despite her protests, her kicking & screaming, and when she fights back by biting they strip her and tie her to a mast to be ogled by the entire crew. Then after 5 hours baking in the sun with no water they proceed to take her back inside and rape her. Any time she tries to fight back they either threaten to tie her to the mast again or throw her overboard. Acquiescence at that point does NOT equal consent.
****
This couldn’t even classify as “dubious consent”. It’s flat out rape.
Both the male MC’s rape the female MC within the first 15% of the book. I only read that far because I kept thinking the author might give *some* minor indication that she was remotely interested. Nope. They try to rape her despite her protests, her kicking & screaming, and when she fights back by biting they strip her and tie her to a mast to be ogled by the entire crew. Then after 5 hours baking in the sun with no water they proceed to take her back inside and rape her. Any time she tries to fight back they either threaten to tie her to the mast again or throw her overboard. Acquiescence at that point does NOT equal consent.
October 13, 2018
I really liked this! I understand some of the < 3* reviews, but I also really enjoy the not-so-lovable male protagonists. I feel Mr. Till fulfilled that obligatory Nice Guy role well enough, while still maintaining an edge of dastardly, villainous pirate. Not every hero is a knight in pristine white armor, and there's something to be said about the guy in the dingy, torn rags who maaaaybe eventually learns that he doesn't have to be a complete a** the *whole* time. I also enjoyed the fact that our female protagonist grew a spine and a mind of her own at the end. And while there is technically an off into the sunset HEA, it wasn't candy-coated and she wasn't swooning all over herself to please them. Choosing your own fate, making your own way, is by far the better course of action!
December 8, 2021
Widow gets tricked into boarding a pirate ship. I thought Hannah's struggle between propriety and wanting to not give a f*ck was well-written and believable. I also liked how she
Edmund was every inch a disreputable pirate -- selfish, scandalous, mocking, and dangerously sexy. I wish Benjamin's character had been developed more deeply. He was absent from a lot of the most important scenes in the novel, and we didn't get many parts from his POV.
Edmund was every inch a disreputable pirate -- selfish, scandalous, mocking, and dangerously sexy. I wish Benjamin's character had been developed more deeply. He was absent from a lot of the most important scenes in the novel, and we didn't get many parts from his POV.
January 29, 2023
Solid 2.5 stars. Would I recommend this book to anybody? Probably not. But I just read another book by this author, and this one is a pirate romance with three people and it was in KU. So I gave it a try. I’m going to be perfectly honest and say there was a little *too much* plot in this book. If that gives you an indication of where my head was at. Anyway, I actually loved the three main characters and their growth and wish there had been more interactions between the three of them. Caution, if you do pick this up it is a little rapey in the beginning.
September 2, 2022
Pirates
MFM
Non consent issues
Kidnapping
Ocean backdrop
Widow/pirate/First mate tryst
MFM
Non consent issues
Kidnapping
Ocean backdrop
Widow/pirate/First mate tryst
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews