The Captain of Her Fate

The Other Bennet Sisters #1

by Nina Mason

Captain Theobald Raynalds lost his leg at the Battle of Trafalgar and with it, his belief any woman could find a cripple like him unobjectionable enough to love.

Louisa Bennet finds Theo incredibly attractive—both as a man in his own right and as an alternative to the odious cousin her heartless father has arranged for her to marry.

First, however, she must convince the Captain her interest in him stems from the man he is, scars and all, and not on his being the lesser of evils . . .

Genres: Historical, Romance, Regency, Historical Romance

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 20, 2018

About the author

Nina Mason is an incurable romantic with strong affinities for history, mythology, and the metaphysical. She strives to write the same kind of books she loves to read: those that entertain, edify, educate, and enlighten. Her genres include erotic paranormal and historical romance. She also has written a political thriller.

Born and raised in Southern California, she now lives in Woodstock, Georgia, with her husband, youngest daughter, two cats, and a Westie named Robert.

Reviews

[Mary Lou Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE CAPTAIN OF HER FATE is the first in The Other Bennet Sisters series. I believe they will need to be read in the order of release.

Read it one day – couldn’t keep away – kept sneaking away to read a bit more. I swear I was swooning in love with Captain Raynalds as much as Louisa was!

The history is well researched, as all of Ms. Mason’s books are, and the romance is both sweet and steamy. It is a perfect Regency Romance.

There are so many characters, each with their own personality, that bring the story to greater life. I want them all to find their HEA… with the possible exception of Cousin Charles. He is beyond hateful. I hope it’s not too much of a spoiler to say that I believe that the man is a psychopath and needs to be locked away!

I’m truly looking forward to who may be next in this series to find their true love.

Note: while I was given this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.


Title: THE CAPTAIN OF HER FATE
Series: The Other Bennet Sisters #1
Category /Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: ungraded – book received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: Nina Mason (as an ARC gifted copy)

[Lori D · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced story that brings a wounded hero and a desperate heroine together. This is my favorite trope of the scarred hero or heroine whether emotionally or physically because I am so happy when they find love and redemption. Louisa Bennet is being forced into a marriage by her father to her disgusting cousin and is desperately looking for a way out. She sets her sights on Capt. Theo Raynalds, who has returned from war having lost his leg. Theo, having recently been left by his betrothed due to her feeling repulsed by his disability, has no hope a woman would ever want to marry him. But Louisa is determined and having know only abuse growing up by her father, wants only to get away. This story has many twists and turns and heartfelt moments that it will have you turning the pages quickly. I loved the two souls who are really meant for each other, but have a hard time finding their way. Wonderfully written and with such engaging characters, this is a book not to be missed... Cannot wait for more books in this series!!

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all Nina Mason's books, The Captain of Her Fate is well-written and well-researched. The book's heroine is Louisa Bennet, the eldest of four sisters. Her father has arranged for her to marry her cousin, Charles, who she hates for good reason. Her only chance to escape the marriage is to elope with someone else before the wedding takes place--and that's where Capt. Theo Raynalds, the hero of the story, comes in. Even before she meets him, Louisa sets her sites on marrying him, sure he can't be worse than her cousin. There's just one catch: The Captain has no intention of marrying anyone--and is distrustful of women in general. After losing his leg at Trafalgar, his fiancee dumped him on the grounds that he repulsed her. This led him to conclude no woman worth having would ever find him desirable.

A lot goes on between these two. And Louisa's father as well. There are so many twists and heart-wrenching moments. Make sure to have plenty of Kleenex on hand. What will happen in the end? You'll have to read it for yourself to find out. You won't be sorry you did because this book is amazing and hot! I highly recommend it for all romance lovers, but especially those who can't resist an awesome historical romance set in the Regency period.

Mousey gives The Captain of Her Fate five mouse paws (5 stars) . MAKE SURE TO ADD THIS TO YOUR GOODREADS READING LIST, AND THEN RUN AND PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY. THIS BOOK COMES OUT MARCH 20TH!! GET IT NOW!!

[SOMDReigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Theobald has sworn off marriage while Louisa has her sights on marrying him before she has even met him.
Louisa is witty, beautiful and full of spunk. She is desperate to escape her situation (an abusive father as well as an abusive future husband). Theo has had his heart broken, finds himself repulsive and doesn’t trust women. He’s feeling pressured by Louisa to marry though her attraction to him is genuine.
“..it is the quality of his heart that makes him attractive, not how many legs he has or has not.”
The Captain of Her Fate is a well written, well researched, sweet and steamy romance. Full of interesting characters to love and hate; it’s an entertaining read.
This is the first book in a new series, which I hope will include Theo’s sister Winnifred, and Louisa’s sister Georgianna (with perhaps Theo’s close friend Churchill).

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina Mason has taken to writing regency romance as a duck to water. I adore her Knights fantasies and her bawdy tales, she even has me believing in mermen.
The Captain of her fate has a young woman from a family physically and verbally abused by father/husband falling in love with a naval captain who has recently become a neighbour. Unfortunately her father intends her to wed a cousin who is as much a sadistic psycopath as himself. The family name of Bennett will clue you in to which author Nina Mason pays homage.
The story is well told and, as always with Ms Mason, historically accurate. Not only are places and dates of battles correct but even the names of preachers, Inns and marriage rites over the anvil at Gretna Green, Scotland, are spot on.
This is a regency romance without the painful (IMO) language of that time period.

[Charmian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foremost and not least, The Captain of Her Fate came to my Kindle for an honest review. While I have no experience of previous books by this author I very much liked the author's credible expertise for her sharp, focused, plot driven narrative. The author drives the hero and the heroine on at a fast parallel course too, their inner desires and dreams hopelessly incompatible - as crossed my mind at first. Alas, inner pain, humiliations, and rejections of one sort or another hound their thoughts. All in all tension and desire builds nicely between them. But in getting ahead of the story, I must back-peddle to Louisa Bennet, who is seeking a way out of marriage to a hateful cousin.

Immediately on *news* of Captain Raynolds arrival in Derbyshire the poor man, is as a good as any man if Louisa can trap him to save her pretty neck. Nothing does she know of his circumstances and Louisa is not at all slow in offering herself up to the handsome captain, as she might have to any other man who leased Greystone Hall. The captain I thought was rather too nice for the likes of Louisa, and I can’t say I liked her all that much to begin with. However, my opinion of her improved as time went on, and to say more will spoil a story laced with unrequited love; imminent forced marriage; a good many shocking family secrets; family abduction; elopement to Gretna Green; and all sprinkled with a little coarse spicy language and hot sex in places.

Throughout this fast paced novel quotes and passages from Jane Austen’s tomes add delightful insights to the minds of fanciful misses who compared themselves and others with characters in romance novels. Though one notable incident seemed unlikely at best and I couldn’t envisage any ex naval officer retelling a case of near sodomy to his lady love. Added to which there were several research mishaps the author may want to revise. Footmen and gentlemen of the Regency didn’t wear Periwigs and Frockcoats which impressed upon me the author is unfamiliar with the Regency era. Perchance the mistakes were an oversight and Tailcoats and Peruke wigs escaped her notice.

Reviewer at Romantic Times, Romance Reviews, and Romance Reviews Magazine UK.

[h o l l i s · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've rated this a D- for AAR which is equal to 1.5 stars.

If, like me, The Captain of Her Fate intrigued you by way of the synopsis but it was the series name – The Other Bennet Sisters – that inspired you to pick it up, check it out, add it to your TBR, or all of the above, then please take this warning to heart : just go and reread Pride & Prejudice instead. In the course of two hundred and forty-one pages, Mason makes so many references to it that I honestly lost count (and was very glad I hadn't made a drinking game out of it). References that include a summary of the plot, throwing in repeated comparisons of her characters to the iconic personas from the classic romance, and all of the above for Sense & Sensibility, too. So frequently did Austen pepper the pages that I feel like this read should have earned me an additional checkmark on my Goodreads Challenge total.

The characters of Mason's own work, however, don't measure up to the originals. In consulting the checklist of requirements that send readers of this genre clamouring for a new release, the author has included a few of the more trendy elements in her novel. We have a scarred/wounded war hero, Captain Raynalds, who is dead set against love and marriage because he has been scorned by his previous intended after the loss of his leg and who, as a result, can never trust a woman with his heart ever again. And then we have a bright, witty, intelligent – and don't forget beautiful – heroine in Louisa Bennet who is looking to convince her newly arrived neighbour to marry her post-haste so she can dodge a union with her cruel and abusive cousin. Said cruel and abusive cousin also happens to mirror the behaviour of Louisa's own father, a baronet, who enjoys employing a variety of birch canes on his wife and daughters when they displease him. Naturally, having grown up in this less than stellar environment, Louisa is keen to avoid marrying a man like her father and is willing to escape such a fate in any way she can.

She and Raynalds circle each other for a time before giving in to the inevitable, all the while tossing out statements of belief that later turn out to be hypocritical, details that are repetitious, and, in the case of Louisa, just being totally over the top. The reader is supposed to feel sorry for a heroine who has been subjected to cruelty and yet is also trying to hurry a man to the altar, a man who owes her nothing, by the by, and who resorts to stomping her foot and throwing tantrums when he is more than understandably hesitant to shackle himself to a woman who barely knows him and might never truly love him “but hopes one day she might.”

If that isn't bad enough, this same heroine shows a startling lack of enthusiasm towards her intended groom when, finally guaranteed her happily ever after and in the aftermath of her dramatic rescue from Cruel Cousin Charles, she snarks out a response about being reluctant to be married over an anvil in Scotland (the standard Gretna Green elopement package). Raynalds is understandably miffed about her snotty behaviour – did he not just move heaven and earth, suffer injury and more, to rescue her so they might be together? And Louisa is concerned about her white dress getting a little dirty and how this doesn't match up with her dream of being married in a lavish church ceremony?

Honestly, this might have been a tolerable – if simple – story had Louisa just been a little more agreeable. She's touted as being a reasonable, intelligent, rational woman, and yet in a moment of despair and depression, thinking her Captain will never find her, she not only contemplates suicide but also considers living a life as a hoity-toity whip-wielding pleasure worker. This scenario is apparently a totally realistic option because, believing herself to be pregnant, she doesn't know what other options life might afford her if she ends up alone and childless without the support of her family.

There were so many times I had to set my Kindle aside because the temptation to chuck it against a wall was often hard to resist.

While Louisa was definitely more checked out of reality than her counterpart – a man whose only sins were to be too forgiving, have completely valid reasons to be cautious with his already-damaged heart, and yet also be really unkind to his sister for no reason at all – I do have to wonder at some of the choices the author makes along the way. There are so many scenes of mistreatment and unkindness but there are no corresponding reactions from those who are witness to it. Charles grabs, pinches, and hurls hateful commentary at Louisa – in one case all at once when they, and two others, are in a carriage together – and no one reacts. Louisa herself, even, is punched in the stomach by Charles in an attempt to help her miscarry, on the off chance she's with child, and just.. nothing. I don't know about you but if someone punched me in the stomach I would a) cry ‘ow!’, b) slap my assailant, c) puke, or d) all of the above. Instead she just walks away and worries about the state of her maybe-baby. I’m just at such a loss.

The Captain of Her Fate might feature many of the things I love about this genre, but instead of making those elements appealing or interesting, they just feel one-dimensional. The book is over-the-top and too ridiculous to be taken seriously – but without any humour that might otherwise have made it bearable; and it doesn't even feel like an historical novel; no matter how many relevant events in history regarding the war or Bonaparte are included (often out of nowhere, too). Ultimately, the abundance of villainous, or unfeeling, characters overwhelms the story in an attempt to disguise the weak, or questionable, personalities and choices made by our leads. As a result, the whole story either plods along or careens out of control; there's no middle ground here.

Despite my love of Austen, or maybe because of it, this is not a series I will be continuing to read, and I have no interest in reading anything further by this author.

Full review can also be found at AAR.

[Meaghan Royce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I don’t read many historical romance books, besides Nina Mason’s books. This one in particular had great characters and an entertaining storyline. It keep me interested from the beginning until the end. I love that her characters aren’t what you would call conventional. The main characters are very relatable, especially because they are somewhat flawed. I feel the best characters are. I can’t wait to read more books by Nina Mason.

[SBee Reviews]

Review Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

"A great start to her new Regency romance series!"

I received an Advance Reader Copy for The Captain of Her Fate (The Other Bennet Sisters, Book #1) written by Nina Mason and voluntarily reviewed this book. This is well-told romance of an unconventional woman and a Captain newly settled to their town. Louise Bennet has her heart set on a marriage based on love, and that did NOT involve being wedded to her cousin who has always shown her a sadistic side of himself growing up. However, her father, equally abusive to his wife and four daughters with birch rods and the like, is insistent on this good match with her cousin. Unbeknownst to her parents, she has tentatively made her growing feelings of attraction to Theo known, but his physical handicap as well as a regretful love affair in his past has him doubting her real feelings for him, other than as a means out of her impending marriage to her cousin.

I enjoyed Louise’s character, her curiosity and her frankness as well as the secondary characters, well depicted in times when women were used as mere chattel for their parents’ intentions. Sweetly steamy yet innocent still with her "exploration" of Theo.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Captain of Her Fate by Nina Mason is both a sweet, and sexy historical romance. I loved that the hero of this book, Captain Theobald Raynalds wasn’t physically perfect; he lost a leg in the war. So many heroes in many romances are perfect physically (or at least portrayed that way) and flawed emotionally, so this was a refreshing change! Plus, it makes it more realistic because no one is physically perfect, and certainly no one ever has been.

Something else that I really enjoyed is that there is more than one conflict going on. Louisa is being forced to marry against her will; she’s trying to convince Theo that she really does like him, false leg and all, plus her father is just horrible. And the secondary characters such as both Theo and Louisa’s sisters were great. Maybe they’ll have their own stories in upcoming books?

Lastly, something fun that goes on in the book, is that Louisa is a Jane Austen fan. It was fun to see her fan-girling a bit (the way they would have back in the day) over a new book.

So if you’re looking for a new historical romance to read, give The Captain of Her Fate by Nina Mason a try!



***I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.***

[Regan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Forward Regency Woman Gets Her Man

Set in England in 1815, this is the story of Louisa Bennet (yes, same name as the heroine in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen), who, along with the hero’s sister reads Jane Austen’s stories. There are many references to Austen’s books. Some lines even seemed to mirror those in her stories.

Louisa is desperate to find a husband so she can avoid marrying her cousin, the man her father has picked out for her. Her father is a wicked man who beats his wife and Louisa and her sister. Louisa’s cousin is also an abuser.

When she hears Captain Theobald Raynalds has moved into her Shropshire neighborhood, Louisa decides he would make a good husband, even though she has yet to meet him.

One of Theo’s neighbors tells him about Louisa and promotes her as a most eligible young woman. Theo is fascinated, despite the fact he has no intention of seeking a wife having lost his leg at the Battle of Trafalgar and has been rejected by one woman already. He thinks often of Louisa despite the fact he’s never seen her.

The two meet at a local ball and engage in a conversation where Louisa, in a very forward manner, lets him know of her interest. He indicates he’s not interested but she is undaunted and proceeds to get him.

A well written story that follows Theo’s and Louisa’s attempt to be together as her father and fiancé repeatedly interfere. The love scenes are graphic and there are other scenes that add to the spicy nature of the book. Sprinkled throughout are historical references to people and places that add authenticity to the tale.

[JoRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

As soon as Theo arrives in town, he’s viewed as the most eligible bachelor. Unfortunately for all the single ladies, marriage for him is out of the question due to what he considers a disability.
Loisa’s father is forcing her to marry her cruel cousin, someone that she knows will never love her or at the very least respect her; so as soon as she hears of Theo’s arrival she makes it her mission to convince him she will be the right partner for him.
This author never fails to amaze me with her particular attention to detail and historical accuracy. She weaved a heartfelt and emotive tale of heartache, lost love, family expectations, and the prospect of new beginnings. What I had trouble getting past was Louisa’s character at the beginning. To me it felt as she was forcing the relationship. It all worked out in the end but her eagerness to get out of her engagement to her cousin made it sound as if she didn’t really care about love, only herself.

All in all it was a sweet, slow-burning story of love that will provide enjoyment to those who read it.

*** I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.***

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, torture, erotic, exciting - all of these words can be used to describe Nina Mason's newest masterpiece "The Captain of Her Fate".

Our heroine, Louisa Bennet, is being forced to marry a cousin she does not love, or trust, by her overly abusive father. Not if she has anything to say about it. She sets her sights on Captain Theobald Raynalds, new to the Much Wenlock, but living with his own ghosts. He lost a leg at sea and has a broken heart from a previous love.

They begin courting in private. What can possibly go wrong? Will they find bliss in each others arms, or be pulled apart by her father?

Ms. Mason's wonderful writing and meticulous historical research brings this book to life and I highly recommend it.

[Sherri Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb read!!

[Kathy Wideman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several of Nina’s books and I always enjoy them. This one was no different. Louisa Bennet is the oldest of four sisters. Her father has arranged for her to marry her cousin who will inherit from her father. This way the fortune stays close but the family will be taken care of. The only problem, Louise would rather die than marry her cousin. He is horrible to her. Captain Theobold Raynalds has recently moved into the same village. Maybe the Captain will be interested in Louisa. She can only hope. Captain Reynolds has burned by love before and isn’t interested in it happening again. He is skeptical that any woman let alone a woman like Louisa would be interested in him. He is attracted to her but worried about her reason for her interest in him. Will Louisa be able to prove that her interests in him are real before she is forced to marry her cousin? Louisa and the Captain have an almost instant connection. They have lots in common. While most men in this time would not care for Louisa’s spunk and personality. The Captain likes her more for it. Louisa, her sisters, the Captain, and his sister are all great characters. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Congrats on another great book Nina.
I was given this book in return for an honest review.

[Carlene Michalk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely needs more praise!

This is my first book by this author. And I must say she did a real stand-up job. I highly enjoyed this book from beginning to end as I fell in love with the characters!

This book had made me both cry and chuckle with laughter. The couple of this book were utterly adorable and, it made me wish I could find a captain of my own that was just like Theo.

Theo is wounded from war. He believes that no one could ever love him because of his lack of a leg. He wears a false wooden one and, he rejects the idea of marriage that until he meets the one for him. I just love how he developed over the story just learning how to trust the heroine. And also I adored his sister hopefully we'll get a Side Story with her someday. I just love his relationship with his sister. His relationship with Louisa was quite genuine in special indeed.

Lousia,ah, where to start with her. I highly enjoyed her enthusiasm to fall in love with him. Even though she was supposed to be married off to her horrid cousin. (Grr.. the cousin is quite despicable. But, you must read for yourself) I had many laughs with her expecially when she was reading the erotic book that she found. It was utterly hilarious that scene with the captain with her newly found words. I was reading it and laughing out loud. I could picture the characters faces as that seen rolled out, and it was one of my most favorite moments of the book! She was quite the strong character. I'm surprised that she made it through all those years with a abusive father. But her relationship with Theo was absolutely heartwarming!♡

There is also quite a bit of suspense in this book. But you'll have to figure it out once you get to it. If you love historical romance you will absolutely love this book. It has things that will make you laugh, cry, and also make your heart melt into a puddle. And the cover of the book is beautiful to boot!
This will not be my last book from this author because I highly enjoyed this. Brava!

[Leena Aluru · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not a Pride and Prejudice variant as I had mistaken. Its just very loosely inspired by it. However, this is a very disturbing book. Most historicals are very gentle and most abused is indicated. Here, both her father and her bethroted are extremely abusive men with graphic descriptions of it.
Another great book that has fallen flat. What happened to the Cutburthons who ratted out on Louisa and Theo? What was the purpose if they didn't sweep in to get Theo marry their daughter? The author's completely forgotten about them.

Overall, a decent one time read. Hopefully, the sister's hea may be better.

Recommended : 🤷‍♀️ why not?

[Sarah Fisher]

This was an awesome book! It was just so down to earth with a disability and a woman who didn't see it that way. Even back then it was a no no just like today in some people's minds. But this woman wanted to love him no matter what! It was a good heartfelt story!!

[Candace N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this story pretty quickly, from beginning to end it had my attention.  Louisa and Theo are pretty captivating characters. Louisa at one point gets a little over dramatic and I wanted to shake some sense into her but other than that she was an incredibly likeable character. I really liked Theo, he seems real in how he think, speaks and acts. The book was very well written and I am looking forward to reading more books by Nina Mason

[S.M. Lowry · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an advanced review copy, but I also purchased a copy.

The Captain of Her Fate by Nina Mason is a historical romance set in 1800s England, a time when a woman married for security and status rather than love. In the case of poor Louisa, she must marry a man she doesn’t love because that is who her father has chosen for her. But like many of Mason’s female leads, Louisa has no intention of following the path someone else has chosen for her. One of the reasons I love Mason’s books is because her female characters are intelligent and follow their own minds and hearts, yet they are still able to love fully without losing themselves. Captain Theobald Raynalds is a man who has been hurt both physically and emotionally, and he is hesitant to fall in love. Despite that, he is a man who cares deeply about others, especially his sister. Theo is the kind of male character I love to read in this setting because he’s ahead of his time in wanting a woman to be happy based on what she wants and not what a man wants for her. The love scenes are passionate, and there’s just the right amount for the story. The descriptions of the setting brought the time period to life for me. The Captain of her Fate is a great historical romance, and I highly recommend reading it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5*

Oh my gosh, I so loved this read. Historical romance is not usually my thing but I was tempted in by the synopsis. So Captain Theobald Reynolds is our hero who lost a leg during battle. Given the times, he does not make a great prospect for a husband but Louisa Bennet sees him as a way out of her arranged marriage to an abusive man. He just convincing of this especially as he is distrustful of women.

The women in this book are reading the latest romance release, 'Pride & Prejudice'. There are parallels between the events and characters in both books with Nina Mason's offering a grittier read.

I found myself devouring every word, swooning throughout whilst alternating between biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat urging Theo and Louisa to end up together.

I loved the writing here. It completely pulled me in and kept me hooked on every word. I loved how Nina Mason was able to create a very sexy read, given the conventions at the time and the many societal rules. I will be back for more from this author and I now have a taste for historical romance.

***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***