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Isla Sagrario #1
Black John
Former pirate Juan “Black John” de Avila has found a home on Isla Sagrario, a safe haven for men who desire other men. When Jacob, the lover he thought had died, washes ashore after a shipwreck, Juan believes he’s been given a second chance at love. But Jacob Bellamy thinks the safety of Sagrario is an illusion, one that will come to a brutal end should their enemies ever catch wind of their whereabouts.
Juan doesn’t want to lose Jacob again, but neither does he want to leave his home behind for a lifetime of hiding and secrecy. When the island comes under attack, Jacob is forced to decide what means more to him—spending the rest of his life safe but alone, or risking it all to be with the man he loves.
Second edition. Previously published as part of the "Cross Bones" anthology from Dreamspinner Press.
Juan doesn’t want to lose Jacob again, but neither does he want to leave his home behind for a lifetime of hiding and secrecy. When the island comes under attack, Jacob is forced to decide what means more to him—spending the rest of his life safe but alone, or risking it all to be with the man he loves.
Second edition. Previously published as part of the "Cross Bones" anthology from Dreamspinner Press.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 28, 2017
2 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Piper Vaughn
46 books1,153 followersPiper Vaughn is a romance author and lifelong fan of the genre. Since writing their first love story at age eleven, they’ve known writing in some form was exactly what they wanted to do. A reader to the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book.
Piper is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. They love putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
Sign up for Piper's newsletter: https://www.pipervaughn.com/newsletter
Piper is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. They love putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
Sign up for Piper's newsletter: https://www.pipervaughn.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 24, 2024
Pirate love! A gay island near Columbia. A pirate fight!
Super short story (22 pages), but it did the job.
Spanish pet name querido (beloved.)
“What does that word mean?” he asked abruptly. “That one you say to me.”
“Querido?”
“Yes.”
I had never once admitted my feelings to him. I thought that knowing might scare him, drive him away. But he planned to leave me anyway. There was no purpose in keeping it a secret any longer. “Beloved,” I answered without taking my eyes from his.
Super short story (22 pages), but it did the job.
Spanish pet name querido (beloved.)
“What does that word mean?” he asked abruptly. “That one you say to me.”
“Querido?”
“Yes.”
I had never once admitted my feelings to him. I thought that knowing might scare him, drive him away. But he planned to leave me anyway. There was no purpose in keeping it a secret any longer. “Beloved,” I answered without taking my eyes from his.
March 31, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶/5
TW - torture / captivity (past, mentioned), violence, fear of death for being in a same sex relationship
Tropes - second chance, pirates, novella
Representation - MM
Short and cute, the MMCs get a second chance after thinking they'll never see each other again and in the haven of this island, they can be their true selves in the open
Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List
TW - torture / captivity (past, mentioned), violence, fear of death for being in a same sex relationship
Tropes - second chance, pirates, novella
Representation - MM
Short and cute, the MMCs get a second chance after thinking they'll never see each other again and in the haven of this island, they can be their true selves in the open
Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List
November 11, 2020
3.5
It's short and more like an introduction to the world of Isla Sagrario where pirates are able to live their live peacefully and love whoever they love but it's still more than a mere appetizer and seeing that book 2 is introducing merfolk it might even be no proper introduction because book 1 is without any paranormal element ... going to be interessting how both books are linked.
It's short and more like an introduction to the world of Isla Sagrario where pirates are able to live their live peacefully and love whoever they love but it's still more than a mere appetizer and seeing that book 2 is introducing merfolk it might even be no proper introduction because book 1 is without any paranormal element ... going to be interessting how both books are linked.
February 2, 2017
I am so happy Piper Vaughn re-published this story, I missed it when it was first released in the Cross Bones anthology. Althought Black John is very short, I have to say it conqueered me and I liked it very much. Of course I'm curious and I would love to know more about the MCs and the second one too. I'm going to read the next book in the Isla Sagrario series, Love Rising now.
June 1, 2022
Good!
I wish this was longer, but for what it is it was pretty good.
The writing was phenomenal and I loved how even though it was so short, it somehow was able to pack a bit of a punch.
I wish this was longer, but for what it is it was pretty good.
The writing was phenomenal and I loved how even though it was so short, it somehow was able to pack a bit of a punch.
August 7, 2021
BLACK JOHN was a quick read but it didn't leave a huge impression on me. I think this story just needed more page time and it was a lot to make fit into so little pages. There's a lot of emotion between Jacob and John but there isn't really enough time to explore it. Overall, this had a lot of potential but it never quite got there.
February 6, 2020
Even though Juan “Black John” de Avila, of ‘Black John by Piper Vaughn’, thinks he is dead, he still yearns for his lover, Jacob. It is almost beyond belief when Jacob washes up on the shores of Sagrario, in bad shape, but alive.
Juan hopes that he and Jacob can pick up where they left off, but Jacob says that what they had was just a passing thing and he is over it. He does not believe that any place where they can be free to express their love can last for any length of time. For Juan, it is much more than physical coupling. He loves Jacob, but has never told him for fear that he will drive him away or, worse yet, not believe him. As much as Juan wants to be with Jacob, he has no intention of pushing him. With sadness in his heart, Juan watches and waits, hoping for the day that Jacob will realize that it is possible for them to be together; Jacob has other ideas. Even though he knows the world outside of this sanctuary is cold and cruel, he has every intention of leaving at the first opportunity. Unless something drastic happens, Juan is destined to lose Jacob; this time it will be forever.
This is a short but emotion-filled story about the power of love, along with some help from the fates, to overcome any obstacles. Thanks, Piper, I love pirate stories.
Juan hopes that he and Jacob can pick up where they left off, but Jacob says that what they had was just a passing thing and he is over it. He does not believe that any place where they can be free to express their love can last for any length of time. For Juan, it is much more than physical coupling. He loves Jacob, but has never told him for fear that he will drive him away or, worse yet, not believe him. As much as Juan wants to be with Jacob, he has no intention of pushing him. With sadness in his heart, Juan watches and waits, hoping for the day that Jacob will realize that it is possible for them to be together; Jacob has other ideas. Even though he knows the world outside of this sanctuary is cold and cruel, he has every intention of leaving at the first opportunity. Unless something drastic happens, Juan is destined to lose Jacob; this time it will be forever.
This is a short but emotion-filled story about the power of love, along with some help from the fates, to overcome any obstacles. Thanks, Piper, I love pirate stories.
June 12, 2023
Beautiful storytelling
This was such a lovely read!! In such little words, we got a beautifully described world with such emotion and angst. I really, really enjoyed the writing style. My only complaint was that it was way too short!! 💕💖
This was such a lovely read!! In such little words, we got a beautifully described world with such emotion and angst. I really, really enjoyed the writing style. My only complaint was that it was way too short!! 💕💖
July 1, 2017
Awesome Story
Another short masterpiece from Piper Vaughn, this time with pirates. I loved this lost love's being reunited, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Another short masterpiece from Piper Vaughn, this time with pirates. I loved this lost love's being reunited, thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 25, 2019
3.75 stars
March 27, 2024
what the hell! i never expected such a short book to be so angsty and romantic! loved it ❤️
warnings - homophobia, violence
warnings - homophobia, violence
October 15, 2020
Cute and sweet nutshell-sized story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews