Lord of the Privateers

The Adventurers Quartet #4

by Stephanie Laurens

Can true love die? Or, neglected, does it lie dormant until the object of true desire is again within reach? Denied, does passion smolder, like embers waiting for the right conditions to flare into an all-consuming conflagration? #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens delivers the thrilling conclusion to her acclaimed series, THE ADVENTURERS QUARTET, a passionate Regency-era drama played out on the high seas and in the sweltering heat of tropical jungles, ultimately reaching a scintillating climax in the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair.The eldest of the Frobisher brothers and widely known as the lord of the privateers, Royd Frobisher expects to execute the final leg of the rescue mission his brothers have been pursuing. What he does not expect is to be pressured into taking his emotional nemesis, childhood sweetheart, ex-handfasted bride, and current business partner, Isobel Carmichael, with him. But is it Isobel doing the pressuring, or his own restless unfulfilled psyche?Resolute, determined, and an all but unstoppable force of nature, Isobel has a mission of her own—find her cousin Katherine and bring her safely home. And if, along the way, she can rid herself of the lingering dreams of a life with Royd that still haunt her, well and good.Neither expects the shock that awaits them as they set sail aboard Royd's ship, much less the new horizons that open before them as they call into London, then, armed with the necessary orders and all arrangements in place, embark on a full-scale rescue-assault on the mining compound buried in the jungle.Yet even with the support of his brothers and their ladies and, once rescued, all the ex-captives, Royd and Isobel discover that freeing the captives is only half the battle. In order to identify and convict the backers behind the illicit enterprise—and protect the government from catastrophic destabilization—they must return to the ballrooms of the haut ton, and with the help of a small army of supporters, hunt the villains on their home ground.But having found each other again, having glimpsed the heaven that could be theirs again, how much are they willing to risk in the name of duty?Learn the answer and revel in the action, drama, intrigue, and passion as the Frobishers—with help from Wolverstone, the Cynsters, and many familiar others—steer the adventure to a glorious end. Praise for the works of Stephanie Laurens "Stephanie Laurens' heroines are marvelous tributes to Georgette feisty and strong." Cathy Kelly "Stephanie Laurens never fails to entertain and charm her readers with vibrant plots, snappy dialogue, and unforgettable characters." Historical Romance Reviews "Stephanie Laurens plays into readers' fantasies like a master and claims their hearts time and again." Romantic Times Magazine

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Adventure

392 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 27, 2016

About the author

Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Stephanie and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.

Once in London, Stephanie and her husband both began work as research scientists in Kent. They lived in an area surrounded by history. Their own cottage was built in the 16th century, while next door were the protected ruins of an early Roman villa, and nearby was a 14th century castle.

After four years in England, Stephanie and her husband returned to Australia, where she continued to work in cancer research, eventually heading her own research laboratory. One evening Stephanie realized that she did not have any more of her favorite romance novels to read. After years of thinking about writing her own novel, during nights and weekends for the next several months, she began crafting her own story. That manuscript, Tangled Reins, was the first of her books to be published. After achieving a level of success with her novels, Stephanie "retired" from scientific research and became a full-time novelist. Her novels are primarily historical romances set in the Regency time period.

Stephanie and her husband live on peaceful acreage on the outskirts of Melbourne. If she isn't writing, she's reading, and if she's not reading, she's tending her garden.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lord of the Privateers
2.5 Stars

In the series finale, Royd Frobisher and the woman he was once handfasted to, Isobel Carmichael, are forced to join forces to rescue the imprisoned captives at the mine in Sierra Leone.

Oy vay!
I had such high hopes for this final installment and it started out so well with the details on Royd and Isobel's past relationship and the revelation of some painful truths. Unfortunately, it all falls flat once the two travel to Sierra Leone with the rescue force.

The actual liberation of the hostages is exciting, and it is satisfying to see the villains receive their just reward. However, this cannot compensate for the tedious writing and overly detailed descriptions that have characterized this entire series. Laurens can do much better.

While the romance between Royd and Isobel is the best in the series and they have fantastic chemistry, some of the details and reactions are ridiculously unrealistic. For instance, how exactly did Isobel manage to keep her son's existence secret for 8 solid years considering her close day-to-day interactions with Royd? The explanations provided simply do not make sense. Moreover, the reactions of Royd's family to the revelations are inauthentic. They simply accept that Isobel kept their grandson/nephew from them for years, and quickly put aside their anger and hurt. I don't think so!

Overall, this and the other books in the series are not a good example of Laurens' storytelling or writing. Read the Bastion Club instead!

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the challenging mental interplay between Royd and Isobel. Those stares they held between them are priceless and telling. Sends a shiver down the spine. More sensual than the actual bed play in my opinion.
Interestingly, I wasn't even a third of the way through before I realized that Kit Frobisher was part of the clan. Did a search to ascertain if I'd missed anything. But no!
Good to see the Cobra Quartet person in the wings.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord of the Privateers
There just aren’t enough great adjectives to describe this series and this book!! Exciting! Swashbuckling! Oh MY!!! Stephanie Laurens is a must buy author for me – I’ve never read a book by her that I didn’t love.

This is the fourth book in ‘The Adventurers Series’ and it wraps the entire adventure up. There are many threads from earlier books that have to be wrapped up and Ms. Laurens does that admirably while still giving us a romance with Royd and Isobel. I really love how she actually did wrap everything up and didn’t leave any loose ends hanging. We know what happened with the prisoners, the kidnappers, the backers, the people in the settlement who helped and, of course, the four couples who commanded the rescues.

I suppose you could read this as a stand-alone book, but you would really, really, really miss a lot if you do it that way. There are four books in the series and each book builds on the last in solving a mystery that goes through all four books. Each of the Frobisher brothers have a different leg of the mission – one after the other. So, missing any of the first three would take away from the final mission.

The first three books have very strong heroines and this one does as well. Isobel and Royd were handfasted eight years ago and then he disappeared for thirteen months without any explanation to her. When he came back, she refused to have anything to do with him (I wonder why ). So, this is a wonderful romance of second chances.

BTW - there is a scene in the book that makes me think we might have a couple more related books later on. Kit and Lachlan could sure get a book AND Kit caught Isobel's wedding bouquet. Maybe we'll get another look at the Frobishers later on.

We get to see a number of characters from previous series as well -- the Cynsters for example. They are minor roles, but they are there and it is always good to see a friendly face.

I won’t go over the plot item-by-item because you can read the synopsis on the back cover and I wouldn’t want to add anything that would spoil this great read for you. So, I’ll just say that this is an absolutely great book, great series, great romance – it has it all – and I just know you’ll love it!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

This was a bit different from the other HRs I've read because it concentrated heavily on a mission but it was such a satisfying read. There was so much respect between the hero and heroine, they never stood in each others way or tried to suppress opinions or actions. They sometimes had opposition to certain actions but wouldn't let personal feelings affect decisions that were the best in the situation.

I loved that any misunderstanding was resolved by talking as soon as they could and didn't let sentiments fester (lol ok after 10 years and Isobel hiding that they had a son).

Also, it was amazing to see how they work together both professionally (she's a designer and engineer!!) and personally.

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord of the Privateers is the fourth book in 'The Adventurers Quartet' series by Stephanie Laurens. I haven't read the previous books in the series but this one was easily read as a stand alone story. That said, I have read other reviews that say that the first three books involve the other brothers each taking part in their own parts in the mission which has it's grand finale in this fourth book. So if you want to really build up to what has been done in order to get to the final stages of this adventure, then please do read the other three books first. I for one found that even on it's own this book was an exciting adventure and I didn't feel as if I was missing out by not reading the other books.

So...in this book we read about the eldest Frobisher brother, Royd, who is also known as the Lord of the Privateers. It's now his turn to bring all his brothers together and to hopefully bring to a successful conclusion the rescue of many people who are being held captive and used as slaves in a diamond mining camp in Africa. Amongst one of those captives is Kate, the cousin of Isobel Carmichael.

Isobel was Royd's sweetheart and 9 years ago they were hand fasted Scottish style. They only got to spend a few weeks in bliss before Royd had to go off to sea. He said he would be back within a month, but he didn't return, and he didn't write to Isobel either. Unknown to her he couldn't get in touch, and as the months passed she decided that he had had his fun, and didn't love her enough to come back to her. So when he does return over a year later thinking they could take up where they left off, she slams the door on him and refuses to see him.

Their personal relationship ended there, but as they were business partners as well they still had to spend time together working on their ships. Isobel kept her distance and was very formal with him at all times, making sure Royd understood any time spent together was purely business.

That is until she realised that her cousin was missing in Africa. She knew only one person who would be able to sail her there and as much as she hated asking a favour of him, she had to ask Royd. Fortunately for her he had plans to go there anyway because of his mission, and he agreed to take her along.

The story then goes on to tell how they rediscover their passion for each other, and yet both are concerned about any future they might have because neither are secure in the other persons love. Romance kind of takes a back seat the more the story develops because then we get to concentrate on the daring rescue mission that Royd and his brothers, and their WIVES, are taking part in.

Can they rescue the captives, can they do it without anybody getting killed, and can they bring the ring leaders of the operation into custody to receive the punishment they deserve?

This book was a very exciting read. The romance and passion between the main couple was breathtaking. Their passionate moments were at times very intimate, tender and sweet, and other times absolutely steamy hot. Then of course there was the rescue mission to read, the suspense in wondering if all the pieces will fall into place as planned and the rescue be a success, or if something, or someone will throw a screw in the works. Even having read just this one book I was holding my breath in some scenes and waiting to see what happened next. I can only imagine if I had read the first three books with the huge build up to the climax I would have been even more in awe of this author's work. I loved this book and recommend it 100%.

[Pravana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book and the series is one big rollicking adventure story.
In fact it’s a culmination of the book series, and brings together all the other couples from the previous books. Though I haven’t read the previous books in the series, it would be better to read this book series in order, because the background and the world building that she’s done with this series is just amazing.
Stephanie Laurens is an author whose writing style I greatly appreciate and admire. That being said, as with every author’s writing, there are some books which are very good, some which are no-so-good and books that fall somewhere in between. Then there are some books of hers which have a great appeal and makes you want to read them again and again. This book is one of them for me.

What stopped this book from being a solid 5 stars 🌟 is
The fact that the Hero was not celibate during their separation.
My rant...... I don’t understand...... how is it that when the Hero thinks that the Heroine is the only one for him and acknowledges that there’s a sense of completeness and deep satisfaction which he finds only with her, he is not celibate during their separation!!!!!!!!

The Heroine went on to have their child and (I agree she kept it secret for whatever reasons) was celibate all that time too, so why couldn’t the Hero?

[BJ Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good resolution to the ongoing rescue efforts and the catching of the masterminds, bringing in all the heroes/heroines from the first 3 books in the quartet, as well as some characters from other series. With all that, it should be 4*, but the best I could one up with was 3.5* and just didn't make that leap to a 4, I think perhaps because I started this quartet with far more interest than I ended it.

[Sheila Melo · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINAL DECISION:  Exciting and adventurous conclusion to the Adventurers Quartet, this is a second chance at love story. The focus here is more on the adventure than the romance, but I enjoyed both.  The only negative is that I didn't like that the entire set up was because the two characters didn't talk to one another for important things for years.

THE STORY: Royd Frobisher, the eldest brother, is prepared to take on the final leg of the rescue mission that his brothers have been participating in.  The brothers are working for the English government to try and find out what is happening to people going missing in the West African town. Royd's younger brothers have discovered that the people going missing have been captured by slavers and taken to work in a diamond mine. Now it is time for the rescue to happen. Just at this moment, Isobel Carmichael comes to Royd and insists that he take her to search for her missing cousin Katherine (whose story is told in Book 3 of the series). Isobel is Royd's childhood sweetheart, the woman who was Royd's handfasted bride until she broke off with him. Isobel is also Royd's current business partner. Royd ends up agreeing with Isobel's demand in order to discover what if anything still exists between them.  When the two find a surprise aboard Royd's ship, everything changes.

OPINION:  This was a very enjoyable conclusion to the Adventurers Quartet.  There is a lot of action in this book and readers of the series are rewarded with a full cast of characters from the series.  The only criticism is that this book is more focused on the adventure than the romance.  The romance is there, but it is less developed on a page to page basis than one might expect.

Isobel is a strong woman. She is a ship designer and in charge of her family's shipbuilding business.  She and Royd have been connected to one another since childhood.  She also has a big secret that she has been hiding.

One of my favorite parts of Laurens's books is that she has such tough heroines. Strong willed, smart, unwilling to be pushed aside or protected, they make their own decisions and take their own risks. Isobel and the other Frobisher women quickly build a bond. There is something special about the power of women working together. A companionship. A joint effort that shows the power that women can have working together.

Royd is a man who lost the woman he loved and is determined to not make the same mistakes again. He is a natural leader and wants to protect Isobel but recognizes that he cannot smother her. I loved the maturity of Royd. The willingness to make concessions to get what he wants -- Isobel.

The biggest weakness of this book is the reason that Isobel and Royd fell apart years ago. I'm not a fan of people failing to talk and that causing problems for a couple. I really have a hard time believing that these two could have allowed so many years to go by without addressing their past. However, that is something that I could reluctantly accept in order to set the stage for this story.

I thought the strength of this story was the adventure story.  The pacing of the rescue of the captives and the revelation of the people in charge worked very well.  Using a large cast of characters from the series, Laurens neatly wrapped up all the loose ends.

WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of Stephanie Laurens will be treated to appearances by characters from the Bastion Club series and the Cynsters themselves.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is the fourth and final book in the Adventurers Quartet.  The book assumes knowledge of the prior books in the series and should be read in order.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com

[Tracy Emro · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

What a great end to the series, it perfectly wrapped up the ongoing story and still provided a truly touching love story.

Royd (really unfortunate name) and Isobel have a past, eight years ago they were madly in love and handfasted. They spent 3 weeks together when Royd was called away on a mission. A mission he said would only be a couple of weeks, a month at most. He ended up being gone for over a year with no word whatsoever to Isobel. When he returned, she refused to see him and their relationship ended.

Years later, they began a working relationship, but they never discussed their shared past (which honestly I found unbelievable) and neither has married.

Now 8 years later, Isobel comes to Royd and demands that he take her to Freetown, she has gotten word that her cousin Katherine (aka Kate) is missing and she needs to go there and find her. This works for Royd because he has been tasked with rescuing the captives (which Kate is one of). He has also decided that it is time for he and Isobel to settle the past. He knows what outcome he wants and hopes to convince Isobel that she belongs with him.

The first day of their journey, a huge secret that Isobel has been keeping comes to light and the truth about their separation is finally confessed. They decide together that they both made mistakes and that the feelings they once had are still there and agree to explore the possibility of a future together - but first, they must rescue the captives, catch the bad guys and shut down the mine.

The first stop is London, where they hook up with Royd's brothers and their ladies. They plot and plan and then set off to Freetown.

Once there, they enact their plan and are partially successful - they have rescued the captives and shut down the mine, but they only have captured 2 of the 6 backers for the mine.

They return to England and plot some more and come up with another plan to draw out the remaining bad guys.

The story was well told and flows nicely, it is a bit steamier than the other books in the series (no complaints from me), has a lot of action, a few twists and turns and finally closure to the ongoing storyline as well as a hard earned HEA.

The reason for only 4 stars? The book is a bit wordy and even though everyone seemed to accept, forgive and understand Isobel's reasons for keeping her secret - I could not, what she did was pretty much unforgivable in my eyes.

I would definitely recommend reading this series in order, because, I would not recommend this as a stand alone title.

[lorii (Loriidae) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A satisfactory end to a rather disappointing (3 star) series. Unfortunately the over reaching plot, which I mostly enjoyed outshone the individual chemistry and resulting HEA of each couple in the quartet. I always enjoy how SL weaves in characters not only from previous books, but also earlier series.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I read was 503 pages of pure delight. The story evolves around Royd and Isobel. They were hand-fasted but broke apart. Eight years later the love they had for each other flickers amid secrets and distrust. Can they find their way back to each other? Are they willing to take the risk?

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord of the Privateers is an adventure saga set on the dangerous high seas as well as fine English parlors. The tempestuous romance between Isobel Carmichael and Royd Frobisher is as changeable as the tide and as powerful. After a failed hand-fast marriage when they were younger, both Isobel and Royd are determined that their future will not include more heartbreak.

This book is certainly an adventure. From the prologue to the very last line, Isobel and Royd's somewhat unconventional tale is quite a ride! I'll admit, I was somewhat unsure of how I would like the book just because there are so many characters to keep track of! When there's a list of characters at the front of a book, I mentally prepare myself for the task of keeping each character straight in my head. Thankfully, the Isobel and Royd remain front and center, and the secondary characters weren't too much of a distraction! Having read the previous books in the series, I was a little more prepared for this story!

If you love passionate romance or shipboard stories, give this, the last story in the Adventurers Quartet, a read. This isn't your typical regency romance! It's my favorite of the series by far!

*I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“Lord of the Privateers” by Stephanie Laurens is a historical romance that also has elements of suspense. The story centers around the intrepid Isobel Carmichael, who no longer is the self-effacing female who inexplicably rejected Royd Frobisher’s handfasting when he failed to return when he’d promised. Royd Frobisher and his siblings are determined to rescue their brother and the other denizens from captivity, but find that others are planning to help them achieve their three goals, invited or not. There are unexpected developments, but fortunately, no shortage of romantic entanglements and plenty of opportunities to display courage, ingenuity, and perseverance, as love does indeed conquer all.

This final volume in ‘The Adventurers Quartet’ is the exciting conclusion to a series that gave a glimpse of an exotic land and some of the dangers that can arise when greed overrides common decency. The Frobisher siblings and their partners marshal their resources and allies to mount the rescue mission, but the race against time provides that increasing tension to make one rush through the book to make sure there aren’t fatal consequences to any setbacks. I love that the females are just as important an element as the males and adore the way they can still surprise those around them by being both subtle and forthright. The various strings that have been laid down in the previous three books are nicely tied off as the investigation closes in on not only the perpetrators of the heinous crimes but starts revealing those behind the operation.

I thought things slowed down quite a bit while plans are made to catch the backers who are ultimately responsible for the mine, but it certainly was fun to see the Cynsters again. I hadn’t realized how much I was missing the pageantry and elegance of the society soirees until I got to this section of the story, although I enjoyed the vivid portrayal of life on the ship, and the unexpected passenger definitely added a poignant twist. The romance, danger, and excitement continued to mount, and I was gratified to have another wonderfully satisfying ending from one of my favorite authors. I think it is much better if one reads the stories in this series in order, the better to savor all of the Frobisher siblings, and it will be far more gratifying now that one doesn’t have to wait for subsequent installments!


A copy of this title was provided for review, a version of which has been submitted to Night Owl Reviews.

[Catherine (The Sassy Bookster) · Rating 5 out of 5]

LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is the best of Stephanie Laurens! If I could give it more than 5 stars, I happily would. Words like exciting, engrossing, thrilling fail to do justice to this book, but they'll do in a pinch. I have read previous series - the Cynster series, the Black Cobra and Bastion Club books and in my opinion LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS wraps everything up with a big bow, with action, drama and romance as only this author can write.

Two lovers reunited in service to the Crown. Greed and treachery. Danger and intrigue. Adventurous and honorable men dedicated to the cause of the Crown and the independent and strong women that stand tall beside them, as well as the passion that blooms between them and their hard-won happy endings are a hallmark of Ms. Lauren's writing and Royd and Isobel are no different.

Isobel is very smart and strong-willed, determined to forge her own path and take her chances. Royd is a protector through and through, but mature enough to know that Isobel was her own woman and would not tolerate being treated like delicate china and also to respect her abilities. Even though there was a lot to settle between them, their no-drama approach to handling what was between them was my favorite part of their romance.

This story is the climax of a mission that has spanned several books and as expected was filled with a lot of intrigue, suspense and action, the kind that must be experienced by the reader. The rekindled relationship between Royd and Isobel was very enjoyable, along with the revelations of their past and combined with the mission they were undertaking made for really great reading. I loved that the characters from previous series were brought in to help with taking down the villains and I'm itching to dive back into those previous books again.

LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is a really great conclusion to the series and if you're going to read one historical romance this year, then make it this one!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

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[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

The finale of The Adventurers' Quartet sees the eldest of the Frobisher brothers, Royd, take the helm of the last leg of the mission to rescue the captives.

When Isobel Carmichael, his ex-handfasted bride and current shipyard owner, turns up asking him for passage to Freetown, looking for her missing cousin Katherine (Caleb's nanny), Royd knows that this is his opportunity to find out what went wrong all those years ago. What he discovers is a secret that Isobel has kept from him for over 8 years.

This last book brings together many couples from other series. There's quite a bit of derring-dos during the rescue and then we get the glitters of London's grand balls as Royd and the others set up plans to uncover the mysterious backers of the enterprise. All in all, a reasonably satisfactory ending to the series.

[CheerfullRain · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted this book to be better and was disappointed that it wasn’t. It easily could have been 100 pages shorter and it would have made for a better book. The characters spent so much time planning and planning and planning that the story became redundant and boring.

[Andrea Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been following this series from the the beginning. This is the final book in the Adventurers Quartet. I've enjoyed this series, but all of the books could stand some trimming. This book, like the other three clocks in at over 500 pages.

I have no problem with chunky books except when they plod along. This has been an ongoing problem in this series. I think if each book were closer to 350 pages, the reads would be more satisfying. I also think if romance played more of a role in the stories, the books would be more enjoyable.

In this book we see Isobel and Royd who were handfasted 8 years prior, but one of Royd's missions caused the relationship to falter. When they meet again, Royd discovers he's a father and instantly wants to resume their relationship. (Not just for the child, he still loves Isobel)

The story is stagnant from this point until they actually start their journey to Africa too the settlement.

The plus to this book, is that there is much going on with all the characters from the previous books. Its nice that this book brings everyone together.

The best part of this story is when they are in Africa freeing the captives. There's a lot going on and it holds your interest, which is more than can be said for most of the rest of the book.

Stephanie Laurens is very good at writing adventure stories. That's the best part of this series. The romance has been pretty much on the back burner on all the stories in the series. The first book focuses on the married Frobishers, which was very different, but it allowed the story to focus on the adventure, so that was the strongest book in the series.

Isobel and Royd sort of fell back into their relationship comfortably without any conflict, which would have spiced things up. If Duncan would have been more prominent in the story maybe things could have had some spice or some arguments, or anything.

I wanted a spectacular finale for this series, but it sort of fizzled, especially as the ending was so drawn out. I mean really drawn out. The last bit of drama before things wrapped up just went totally against how smart Isobel was throughout the novel.

I really wanted something more out of a series I've been reading for a year.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord of the Privateers by Stephanie Laurens is an interesting and vivid sea romance and adventure on board ship, on the high seas and on land.

But, what happens out on the high seas? It will intrigue you.

From the exotic tropical jungles of Africa to mines filled with stones and blue diamonds to the glittering ballrooms of London this story will
hold your interest from beginning to end.

Unfortunately, this is the last of the series in The Adventurer's Quartet.

It's been a fun and enjoyable ride over the high seas with Stephanie Laurens in The Adventurers Quartet.

I was glad to see it had a beautiful ending in Lord of the Privateers.

This book was given to me. What a lovely gift to receive.

Read and enjoy.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a satisfactory conclusion to the quartet. It was quite long as an audiobook (17 hours) though.

I listened to three of the four and recommend that route. The narrator does a fine job, and the rhythm is well-suited to listening.

The entire series is not the kind I could not put down. However, the overall adventure story arcs through from the beginnig of the first book through the end of this one. That intrigue is what kept me reading after the first story. However, each respective romance is wrapped up within each book.

This is a series about four brothers who go on covert missions for the government. However, instead of the typical high action, non-stop Bond type of story, it is very experiential. There is very descriptive imagery, thoughts and planning, and plenty of pauses. It makes the entire story feel very plausible.

[Amanda Winkworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brings the story to a good conclusion

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library copy.

Enjoyable quartet, strong characters

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 27,2016

Revel in the action, drama, intrigue and passion as the Frobishers— with help from Wolverstone, the Cynsters and many familiar others— steer the adventure to a glorious end.

Unstoppable determination

Widely known as the lord of the privateers, Royd Frobisher expects to execute the final stage of the rescue mission his brothers have begun. What he does not expect is to be pressured into taking Isobel Carmichael—his childhood sweetheart, former handfasted bride and current business partner—with him. A force of nature, Isobel has a mission of her own: to find and bring a young cousin safely home. And along the way, she hopes to rid herself of the dreams of a life with Royd that still haunt her.

Unfinished business

Neither expects the shock that awaits them as they set sail, much less the new horizons that open before them as they embark on a full-scale rescue-assault on the compound deep in the jungle. Yet despite the support of his brothers and their ladies, Royd and Isobel discover that freeing the captives is only half the battle. To identify and convict the conspirators behind the illicit enterprise—and save England from political disaster—they must return to the ballrooms of the haut ton and hunt the villains on their home ground.

Unforgettable love

But having found each other again, having glimpsed the heaven that could yet be theirs, how much are Royd and Isobel willing to risk in the name of duty?

••••••••••

REVIEWL LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is the fourth and final installment in Stephanie Laurens’s THE ADVENTURER’S QUARTER historical, romantic adventure series focusing on the Frobisher brothers and their search for several missing women, children and military personnel in Freetown, South Africa. This is eldest brother Captain Royd Frobisher, and his childhood sweetheart Isobel Carmichael’s story line. LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS an be read as a stand alone although I recommend reading the series in order as each installment builds upon the events of the previous story lines, and the ongoing ARC throughout.

Told from several third person perspectives including Royd and Isobel, LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is the culmination of four story lines that followed a trail of missing and kidnapped children, women and men in Freetown, South Africa, and the realization that some very powerful people with money and connections were backing the exhumation of illegal diamonds in the mines of South Africa. With their youngest brother enslaved in the mining camp Royd, Declan and Caleb Froubisher, along with their crews embark on a journey to free the prisoners and uncover the identity of those behind the mines. Enter Isobel Carmichael, Royd’s former sweetheart, who demands passage on the journey , in search of her cousin Miss Katherine Fortescue. What ensues is the rekindling relationship between Royd and Isobel; the detailed rescue mission to free the slaves; and a secret revealed that will change Royd’s relationship with the woman he has always loved.

LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is a detailed and complex story line with a multi-layered premise with a large number of secondary and supporting characters that cross over between series and story lines. A mission to rescue loved ones finds Royd and Isobel rediscovering what once was, and what is meant to be. But freeing the captives is only part of their mission; returning home it was time to reveal the people involved. LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS is a grand finale that brings together family and friends in a multi-faceted conclusion where happily ever afters make way for future adventurers on the high seas.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frobisher ships and crews have performed many missions for the British government under letters of marque. In this final installment of The Adventurers Quartet, oldest brother Royd Frobisher is recruited to finish the mission his brothers have started. Conspirators (wealthy backers in London society and men on the ground in West Africa) have occupied a diamond mine, kidnapped men to work the mine and women and children to use as hostages to keep the men in line.

Royd has been commissioned to rescue the hostages and bring in the conspirators. Recent scandals in which society toffs escaped punishment have angered the British populace. This time it is imperative that the perpetrators are brought to justice publically and finally, regardless of their social status.

As Royd prepares to set sail, Isobel Carmody Carmichael demands to go along. Her cousin has disappeared from Freetown, and she insists she be allowed to go find her. Royd and Isobel were childhood companions and hand fasted 8 years before. Several misunderstandings have kept them apart until the journey to Freetown pushes them together, unveiling some pretty significant secrets.

Lots of swashbuckling adventure, spunky women, all the Frobisher brothers, and a battle before dawn will appeal to many readers of historical romance. There is enough backstory to let this volume stand on its own. As always, Laurens is a reliable, engaging author. Recommended.

Readalikes:
Elizabeth Essex’s Reckless Brides novels; Elizabeth Hoyt’s Princes’ Trilogy and To Seduce a Sinner; Caroline Linden’s Bow Street agents series; Mary Balogh – Beyond the Sunrise; Jo Beverley – The Secret Duke; Sabrina Jeffries – The Pleasures of Passion; Katherine Ashe - The Rogue; Gale Callen – The Groom Wore Plaid.

Pace: fast
Characters: likeable; large cast of characters; strong females
Story: plot-driven
Writing style: engaging; richly detailed
Tone: steamy
Frame: Aberdeen; London; Freetown W. Africa; 1824

Includes maps, list of characters

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic conclusion to the series. At the end of the previous book, A Daredevil Snared, Royd had just arrived in London, to begin his part of the mission to rescue the captives. He was accompanied by Isobel Carmichael, a woman from his past, deemed "Trouble" by Roy's brothers. As this book opens, we get the background of why Isobel is with him. Isobel has been tasked by her grandmother to go to Freetown and discover the whereabouts of a missing cousin. Royd is the only person she trusts to get her there, in spite of, or maybe because of, their history.

Royd and Isobel grew up together, haunting the shipyards of Aberdeen. He is the oldest of shipping family, and she the likely heir to her family's shipyards. As they grew older, they realized that they were each other's perfect match. Isobel's grandmother didn't believe Royd was good enough for Isobel and insisted on a year's handfasting before they could marry. They'd been handfasted for three weeks when Royd left on a voyage, expecting to be gone one or two months. What Isobel didn't know was that Royd undertook secret missions for the Crown, and this was one of those. Months went by without hearing from him, and no one would tell her where he was. When he finally returned, after thirteen months away, she was so furious and hurt she slammed the door in his face and refused to see him, declaring their handfasting over. When repeated attempts got him nowhere, Royd accepted it. Their personal relationship may have been over, but their professional one remained, so they saw each other frequently over the next eight years.

I enjoyed Royd's reaction to Isobel's appearance. He has come to realize that his feelings for her have never died and is determined to win her back. He looks at the voyage to Africa as the perfect way to make a start on that. Isobel is more interested in trying to root out her feelings for Royd and move on. But the first leg of the journey (early in the book, so not a spoiler) brings a shock to them both. Stowing away on board was Isobel's almost eight year old son - the son Royd knows nothing about. He is, of course, shocked and angry, but he is a mature and controlled man. I loved how he waits for Isobel's explanation of what had happened. Both of them agree that they have made mistakes that led to those actions, and the best thing to do is to accept and move on. However, it only reinforces Royd's determination to win Isobel back to his life.

I really liked Isobel. She is tall, beautiful, stron-willed, capable, and just as determined as Royd. She is a talented ships' designer and has had a successful business relationship with Royd in spite of their past. However, she does suffer from some insecurity, in believing that a man wouldn't want her for herself, just for her inheritance. This is part of what played into the ending of their relationship years earlier. She's also honest enough with herself to know that her feelings for him haven't gone away.

Their relationship throughout the book is one of getting to know each other again. Royd has to learn to accept that trying to protect Isobel by keeping things secret is a bad idea. I loved watching him go from protector to partner, discovering that sharing it all makes their relationship so much richer. Isobel has to learn to trust Royd again, and believe that he won't shut her out of any part of his life. That trust becomes easier as the mission continues and Isobel is fully included. Not that it comes easy for Royd. His internal battles are obvious, but so is his knowledge that it is the only way to win the battle for her heart. Isobel fought it longer, more hesitant to risk her heart again, until she could no longer deny her feelings for him. It does take a crisis for her to finally let go of her fears, but the rewards were worth it.

The main story is the mission to rescue the captives, shut down the mine, and find a way to bring the backers to justice. As such, it is more than just Royd's mission. He is the leader, but others must also be involved. Caleb and Katherine were still among the captives, waiting and planning for their rescuers to arrive. Declan and Edwina, and Robert and Aileen, are also part of the rescue mission, along with others from the Frobisher fleet. Their planning is painstakingly detailed, with success depending on everything going right, and everyone doing their parts. There is a terrific scene between Royd, Isobel, and Admiral Decker that had me laughing out loud and feeling a teeny bit (but not too much) sorry for Decker. I also loved seeing the power of the Frobisher women as they worked together.

The lead up to and rescue itself were an exciting read. The increasing tension as all the parts moved into place had me turning the pages as fast as I could read. As is likely in any kind of confrontation, there's always something that could go wrong, and there are several places where all could fall apart. When all was said and done, the rescue went amazingly well. The first two objectives were achieved: captives rescued and mine shut down. They even managed to catch some of the ones they needed. But the biggest fish are still back in London, and there our adventurers must go to bring their mission to a successful close.

This was also an exciting part of the book. Traps must be prepared and every contingency planned for. I loved that the bait in the trap was thought of by the ladies, and Isobel was the perfect person to do it. I loved seeing not only the Frobishers and their ladies, and the Wolverstones, but so many others from previous stories. Having Devil and some of the other Cynsters, as well as members of the Bastion Club and those from the Black Cobra mission involved increased the intensity as the final confrontation neared. The resolution was extremely satisfying after another heartstopping encounter.

The epilogue was marvelous, wrapping up the series perfectly for each couple. There is also a hint that we may not be entirely done with the Frobishers, and I can't wait to see what's in store.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

Lord of the Privateers is an adventure romp with a romance attached – or a romance with an adventure attached. There be two plot threads here, and they are both compelling, if not equally so.

This book is the culmination of The Adventurers Quartet, and as such wraps up all of the many plot threads that were started all the way back in The Lady's Command, and built up and added to in A Buccaneer at Heart and The Daredevil Snared.

The story would not be a pretty one if it weren’t for the inevitable happy ending. Far from England, in the English colony of Freeport in South Africa, someone is operating an illicit diamond mine. Not only is the mine unlicensed, and therefore not under government scrutiny of any kind, but the backers of the mine decided to maximize their profit by using slave labor.

They think they are so far above the law that they can kidnap colonists from Freeport, and that no one will care. And even if they are eventually caught, they will be able to walk away.

But the people they take are missed. Not just the children, but also the adults. Especially when they do stupid things like kidnap the military men who are sent to investigate, one after another. The government contracts with the Frobisher shipping clan to find out where everyone has gone, and that’s where the fun of this series begin.

Each one of the Frobisher children (sons AND daughter) is captain of his or her own ship. One by one, the oldest four sons go down to Freeport, put their share of the pieces together, and come back with a bride who is not willing to stay at home and wait while their men sail into danger.

It’s all been leading up to this book, Lord of the Privateers. That “lord” is Royd, the oldest brother and captain of their fleet. It’s up to him to lead the military operation to rescue the prisoners and gather as much evidence as possible on those mysterious and nefarious backers. In that order.

But Royd’s mission is compromised. Not by betrayal, but by his own unfinished business coming back to haunt him. Isobel Carmody, his childhood best friend and the love of his life, turned him away eight years ago. One of the captives is Isobel’s cousin, and she insists on accompanying him to Freeport. They have unfinished business between them to work out on this journey. They need to decide once and for all whether to try again, or to finally move on.

Royd thinks he has all the time in the world to woo Isobel again. Isobel thinks the voyage will be long enough for her to figure out whether she can trust Royd with her heart again, after he broke it eight years ago.

And they have a colony to save. And in the process, all their secrets will come out, and all the truths will finally come to light.

Escape Rating B: There are two plots here, the second chance at love story, and more importantly, the military operation to rescue the enslaved workers at the mine.

Unlike most second-chance love stories, this one feels resolved fairly early on. They are back together almost instantly, so most of the rest of the romance angle seems a bit anti-climactic. Also, their inevitable marriage is a foregone conclusion from the outset. Eight years ago, Royd and Isobel were handfasted, an old Scottish form of trial marriage. But if a child is born of the handfasting, the couple must automatically marry, or the child must be given up to the father. (Yes, I know it’s terribly misogynistic, etc., but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t the law of the time).

Isobel gave birth to Royd’s son eight years ago, while he was away on a secret mission that he chose not to tell her about. She’s kept the boy a secret ever since, at least until he stows away aboard their ship to Freeport. Once that “cat” is out of its bag, an eventual wedding is the only possible conclusion.

But the military operation and the subsequent clean up of the gentleman backers is a romp from beginning to end. And if it weren’t for the fact that this is historical romance and therefore must lead to a happy ending, the clean-up operation feels like it might teeter towards disaster at any moment. That was the part of the story that had me on the edge of my seat.

It was wonderful not just to see all the dirty bastards finally get their just desserts, but to have those desserts handed to them by a combined delegation of the Frobishers, the Cynsters and the Bastion Club was a special treat for those who have read any of the author’s previous series.

But speaking of series, The Adventurers’ Quartet is one where you probably need to have read at least some of the previous entries. I read books 1, 3 and 4, and didn’t feel as if I missed anything except a good story by accidentally skipping A Buccaneer at Heart. Because Lord is the payoff for all the previous books, I think it looses its punch if you start with it.

Because the romantic side of the plot was resolved early on, those scenes that “furthered” the romance were furthering something that already felt completely developed. To say they became anticlimactic makes for a very bad pun that nevertheless was true for this reader. Your mileage (measured in knots in this case) may vary. But the rescue operation makes for a cracking good yarn.

[Romanticamente Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voto - 4.5
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"Iona aveva sempre visto e il suo legame con la nipote con sospetto. Certo, non poteva negare di essere il primo a essere desideroso di ottenere il controllo del cantiere. Tuttavia quel fattore non aveva mia contribuito alla sua scelta di sposare Isobel. Poteva forse convincerla che già a vent’anni si era trasformata in una splendida creatura, ma quello era solo una metà del problema. Negli anni, l’altra metà, ovvero il suo comportamento poco femminile e la sua passione per la costruzione navale, era diventata più reale, una parte di lei. Tuttavia lui non l’avrebbe mai spinta a cambiare quel suo impegno nei cantieri. Lei e il suo talento erano troppo vitali per il futuro della Frobishen Shipping."

Con quest’ultimo lungo e molto dinamico capitolo, si chiudono almeno per il momento le vicende dei fratelli Frobisher e della loro rischiosa missione in Africa. Il libro precedente ci aveva lasciati con il fratello minore Caleb, prigioniero nella miniera di diamanti in attesa dei soccorsi, mentre tenta di organizzare e di mantenere alto il morale dei tanti prigionieri e dei bambini rapiti che da mesi sono costretti ad estrarre i preziosi diamanti blu. Ora che tutte le informazioni possibili sono state mandate a Londra, sarà Royd il primo capitano della flotta Frobisher e loro fratello maggiore ad avere il comando della missione di salvataggio, aiutato però, da tutti i loro migliori capitani e dai fratelli, che non intendono perdersi la fine di questa avventura. Ma alla riunione di Wolverstone, Royd non si presenta solo, e i due fratelli se in un primo momento sono molto sorpresi dalla donna che lo accompagna, nello stesso tempo non possono impedirsi di essere preoccupati. Isobel infatti non è un estranea per loro, tanti anni prima Royd e lei sono stati legati alla vecchia maniera Scozzese con la legatura delle mani, un contratto che dopo un anno può diventare un matrimonio definitivo. Ma il loro, non è stato un legame felice, Royd è stato chiamato ad intraprendere una missione segreta per la corona dopo solo due mesi, e quella che doveva essere una breve missione è durata invece quasi un anno, Isobel all’oscuro di dove fosse il compagno, ha invano cercato di sapere come mettersi in contatto con lui, nessuno della sua nuova famiglia ha potuto aiutarla e quando Royd è tornato, si è visto sbattere la porta in faccia dalla donna che voleva chiedere in moglie in modo permanente. Da allora, i loro rapporti sono stati sempre improntati al lavoro e agli affari, la donna infatti è l’erede e la progettista del cantiere navale da cui escono le navi della flotta Frobisher. Nonostante in un primo tempo Royd abbia tentato di parlare con lei, Isobel non gli ha mai permesso di spiegare la lunga assenza, ma ora, ha bisogno di un passaggio per l’Africa dove una delle sue cugine Katherine Fortescue è sparita improvvisamente da Freetown, e lei intende scoprire dove sia finita. Il capitano grazie all’elenco del fratello, sa bene che Katherine si trova nell’accampamento della miniera, e nonostante voglia tenere Isobel al sicuro è perfettamente cosciente che il suo carattere irruento la porterà in Africa, che lui lo voglia o no, e questo lungo viaggio può essere la sua ultima occasione per riavere nella sua vita la donna che non ha mai dimenticato, l’unica che ha sempre pensato al suo fianco. Ed una volta sulla nave, avrà anche una delle più grosse sorprese della sua vita, e scoprirà un segreto che lo cambierà per sempre.

L’intraprendente Mr Frobisher è un capitolo pieno di azione e anche molto divertente, dato che nessuno dei fratelli riuscirà a lasciare a casa la propria moglie, e queste donne indomite si riveleranno estremamente preziose e molto in gamba. Sarà infatti Isobel che riuscirà a trovare il modo di entrare dentro la palizzata in cui vengono tenuti i prigionieri, ma del resto, le eroine della Laurens sono sempre piene di iniziativa, donne che sanno perfettamente ciò che vogliono dal loro compagno e come ottenere il loro rispetto. E saranno ancora le intrepide dame che finiranno un duello troppo lungo per i loro gusti, grazie ad una provvidenziale padella. Ma la liberazione dei prigionieri non basterà per individuare tutti i nobili che hanno partecipato al delittuoso progetto, e perciò, ritroveremo tutti i nostri intrepidi combattenti alle prese con un pericolo ben maggiore, i balli del ton. Grazie, infatti, ad alcune nostre vecchie conoscenze, fra cui Devil Cynster e la sua Duchessa, Wolverston e Minerva e la terribile ed energica Iona la nonna di Isobel, i fratelli Frobisher e le loro mogli tesseranno una trappola ingegnosa per fare in modo che i finanziatori si tradiscano.

È stato molto piacevole leggere questo libro, che è sicuramente il più bello e il più completo di questa serie. Tante le coppie che partecipano a quest’ultima avventura, ed ho amato ritrovare personaggi della serie Black Cobra o Bastion Club nonché i cugini Cynster che non ho mai dimenticato, ora non più in attività ma sempre pronti a partecipare ad una missione per aiutare vecchi amici. Una storia d’amore fra due persone volitive, intelligenti e mature, che non si sono mai dimenticati ma non sono stati in grado di perdonarsi, ognuno in attesa che l’altro si rifacesse una vita per poter mettere una pietra sopra ad un amore che in realtà non si è mai spento, ma che ha covato sotto la cenere del rancore e della rabbia, custodendo un segreto. Ancora una volta Stephanie Laurens si conferma una delle mie autrici preferite.
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Lucia63 - per RFS

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific adventure. Part 4 of 4 part Adventurers Quartet involving blood diamond mine, Africa in Regency England, and a seafaring aristocratic family. Must read full series in order as truly interconnect with story arc moving from one to the next, the adventure growing from one to the next as well.

[Clarice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved them all.

[Kristina Deluise · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a really good series.
and I like that all the brothers got together for the last book,
please see my reviews of this book on the deluise book series you tube channel

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Lord of the Privateers Stephanie Laurens brings us the conclusion of the adventure that began back in book 1, The Lady’s Command. Royd Frobisher and friends head back down to Africa to execute the mission to free the captives at the mine and then follow that up with exposing those in England who are backing the entire mission and bring them to justice. The action/adventure has been an element that I have repeatedly thought that Laurens does well in this series. I found myself looking forward to those parts and I believe that is why I found that I enjoyed books 2 and 3 the most. Those two books were primarily all action, all the time. If you look at this quartet it really covers one story arc throughout and thus the first book provides exposition and the last the conclusion, so they do get a little bogged down with more quiet elements.

While each new book brings the reader a new couple to root for and love, I found that it took a lot longer for me to get behind Royd and Isobel than I have the other couples. These two have SO much baggage and hurdles to get over. However, I loved that this was a second chance story, as they had been nearly married several years ago. Laurens has brought us couples in very different situations and relationships status throughout this series which I found refreshing.

I felt that this novel took a long time to get moving and could have used some paring down (and a second look at the page count reaffirms my belief of this). There is always a period of getting to know the characters, but this was primarily accomplished through internal dialogue here and made me wish for something, anything, to happen. I know they have a lot that they need to digest dealing with each other again after 8 years, but this was definitely a case of too much telling, and not enough showing. It would go on for pages and then we would go through even more from the other character’s perspective and all that has happened is they are standing in the cabin looking at each other. I didn’t notice this issue in any of the proceeding novels in the series, so this was even more out of character here. I also felt that the novel could have easily resolved a few chapters earlier than it actually did, specifically on the boat trip home from Africa. There was a really nice beat where the relationship story and the bulk of the action story nicely had a pause. I get that the author wanted to bring us back into England and discover who the backers of the illegal mining activity were, but I didn’t feel like I needed it and it would have helped with the length issue.

By this point, we have quite the cast of characters, and for once I am actually glad for one of those cheat sheets at the beginning of the book. We now have not only all four of the Frobisher brothers, but the women that have come into their lives throughout the series, and also some friends and family who have made appearances in other Laurens novels, especially when they are plotting to catch the backers toward the end. It was a lot to handle, but it was easy to keep track of the main characters and I just let the others become fluff. I can say that I am interested in looking into The Black Cobra Quartet whose events are mentioned in passing quite often and the multiple series that involve the Cynster family members, so the author did a good job of linking interest with her other series.

As a whole I enjoyed the series. I like the action and romance element and appreciated that Laurens relies more heavily on the adventure story and uses the romance to build the characters and the story. My biggest gripe with the series overall is that each book is not self contained; there is no sense of resolution at the end of each novel. They aren’t exactly cliffhangers, but you certainly HAVE to read them in order and I wouldn’t be able to have just read the first and felt ok to move on. I had to know what happened to the captives even though I didn’t enjoy the first book enough to normally have picked up the next in the series. While this certainly works for the author as it keeps a reader acquiring the books, it doesn’t leave me with a good feeling because I almost felt strong-armed into having to finish the series.

This review was previously posted on The Maiden's Court blog and a copy of the book was received for review consideration.