What do you think?
Rate this book
His Piratical Harem #1
Cabin Boy
I’ve never been what I was supposed to be. Wealthy sons of Port Governors aren’t supposed to be ejected from the British Navy after less than a year, they’re not supposed to like pulp romances or daydream about the handsome heroes of the stories instead of the heroines.
When my Father issued me an order to marry a woman, I knew I had no choice but to make my own way in the world, and I found a berth on the first ship out of Jamaica.
I didn’t mean to join a pirate ship, and I certainly didn’t intend to find myself the cabin boy to an incredibly charming Pirate Captain. Or that I’d also be attracted to the mysterious First Mate, or that both of them would show me all sorts of unspeakable and salacious pleasures while on board. How can I choose just one of them when I want both?
In addition to confusion on board the ship, there’s also enchanting genderqueer merfolk, a cat which seems to understand a lot more than it should, an unseasonable storm and a sea witch with a serious grudge... and with all these complications, I am definitely in over my head.
--
Come and meet the crew:
Gideon: an innocent with a lot of forbidden desires and a lot of love to give
Tate: a huge, muscular ship’s captain with a sweet side
Ezra: a dominant and closed off first mate
Ora: a genderqueer, curious and affectionate merman
Cabin Boy is a male/male paranormal gay harem romance featuring forced proximity, bondage, a naive hero with a gigantic heart and anxiety and one very smart ship’s cat. First-person pov. This book is the first in a series and is not standalone. HFN, with a HEA at the end of the series No cheating, high heat, lots of love.
When my Father issued me an order to marry a woman, I knew I had no choice but to make my own way in the world, and I found a berth on the first ship out of Jamaica.
I didn’t mean to join a pirate ship, and I certainly didn’t intend to find myself the cabin boy to an incredibly charming Pirate Captain. Or that I’d also be attracted to the mysterious First Mate, or that both of them would show me all sorts of unspeakable and salacious pleasures while on board. How can I choose just one of them when I want both?
In addition to confusion on board the ship, there’s also enchanting genderqueer merfolk, a cat which seems to understand a lot more than it should, an unseasonable storm and a sea witch with a serious grudge... and with all these complications, I am definitely in over my head.
--
Come and meet the crew:
Gideon: an innocent with a lot of forbidden desires and a lot of love to give
Tate: a huge, muscular ship’s captain with a sweet side
Ezra: a dominant and closed off first mate
Ora: a genderqueer, curious and affectionate merman
Cabin Boy is a male/male paranormal gay harem romance featuring forced proximity, bondage, a naive hero with a gigantic heart and anxiety and one very smart ship’s cat. First-person pov. This book is the first in a series and is not standalone. HFN, with a HEA at the end of the series No cheating, high heat, lots of love.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 27, 2019
127 people are currently reading
545 people want to read
About the author
Drake LaMarque
19 books80 followersI'm a genderqueer NB author, writing steamy MM paranormal romances
(They/them pronouns)
(They/them pronouns)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 20, 2022
Character 1.
Gideon. A young man of 20, former officer of British Royal Navy. Gay. Virgin. Soft and squishy and delicate as a grape. Runs away from his father, a governor of Kingston, who is set on marrying him to any suitable woman available. One morning, out of desperation, Gideon boards the first boat out of port, where he meets...
Character 2.
...Tate, the easy-going captain of "Grey Kelpie". Mild spoiler: Tate is after Gideon's delicious ass. Which Gideon-the-virgin is too eager to provide.
Character 3.
Ezra. First mate. Also after Gideon. No need to force the young man, because Gideon is too eager to provide. Again. Two pounce on each other like no one's business. Tate? Who is Tate?
But no worries. After this new sampling, the threesome follows.
Character 4.
Solomon. He is the only character I feel for. He also almost fell for Gideon's sweet bottom, but resisted the temptation. Kudos to him! So far from what I could gather on Tate and Solomon I hope Solomon kicks Tate's selfish greedy ass in the future books.
Character 5.
Ora. An easy-going merfolk, who is ok with pronoun "he", but Gideon insists on "they". Whatevers. Gideon wants Ora's ass, Ora wants Gideon's. Both happily provide. Who is Tate? Who is Ezra?
Again, no worries. The foursome is not far behind.
Character 6.
Zeb the cat. Has hots for Gideon. Don't ask, you have to read. Pounces at the first chance. Gideon provides.
For those who are curious about Zeb:
Which all comes back to Gideon, a 20 year old virgin:
- in a span of just under 2 weeks he has sex with 4 men (wait, was it 5? I honestly lost track). From shy virgin to man-hoe in zero time,
- he has problems with pirates, but not when it comes to having sex with them. He is positive his dead mother is smiling with bliss upon him and blesses his new pirate life & approves shagging anything that moves,
- at the end of the 2 weeks he sits down everyone he's had sex with, professes his undying love to all of them and they all float into the sunset in one happy orgy.
Amen.
2 stars. Moving onto book two in hopes of Solomon kicking Tate's booty (ass, not treasure).
Gideon. A young man of 20, former officer of British Royal Navy. Gay. Virgin. Soft and squishy and delicate as a grape. Runs away from his father, a governor of Kingston, who is set on marrying him to any suitable woman available. One morning, out of desperation, Gideon boards the first boat out of port, where he meets...
Character 2.
...Tate, the easy-going captain of "Grey Kelpie". Mild spoiler: Tate is after Gideon's delicious ass. Which Gideon-the-virgin is too eager to provide.
Character 3.
Ezra. First mate. Also after Gideon. No need to force the young man, because Gideon is too eager to provide. Again. Two pounce on each other like no one's business. Tate? Who is Tate?
But no worries. After this new sampling, the threesome follows.
Character 4.
Solomon. He is the only character I feel for. He also almost fell for Gideon's sweet bottom, but resisted the temptation. Kudos to him! So far from what I could gather on Tate and Solomon I hope Solomon kicks Tate's selfish greedy ass in the future books.
Character 5.
Ora. An easy-going merfolk, who is ok with pronoun "he", but Gideon insists on "they". Whatevers. Gideon wants Ora's ass, Ora wants Gideon's. Both happily provide. Who is Tate? Who is Ezra?
Again, no worries. The foursome is not far behind.
Character 6.
Zeb the cat. Has hots for Gideon. Don't ask, you have to read. Pounces at the first chance. Gideon provides.
For those who are curious about Zeb:
Which all comes back to Gideon, a 20 year old virgin:
- in a span of just under 2 weeks he has sex with 4 men (wait, was it 5? I honestly lost track). From shy virgin to man-hoe in zero time,
- he has problems with pirates, but not when it comes to having sex with them. He is positive his dead mother is smiling with bliss upon him and blesses his new pirate life & approves shagging anything that moves,
- at the end of the 2 weeks he sits down everyone he's had sex with, professes his undying love to all of them and they all float into the sunset in one happy orgy.
Amen.
2 stars. Moving onto book two in hopes of Solomon kicking Tate's booty (ass, not treasure).
February 28, 2026
Entretenido, divertido, erótico
Gideon lo único que siempre ha querido es encontrar a esa persona especial como en las novelas aquí lee, pero su padre quiere que consiga una chica, se case y ocupe su puesto como gobernador. Así que decide huir sin saber que le esperara. De esta forma se encuentra en un barco, con un par de hombres que lo atraen. Pero será capaz de elegir? O no tendrá que hacerlo?
Es una lectura sencilla, que resulta entretenida por momentos y súper erótica en otros. El prota me gustó mucho al inicio, pero cuando se volvió un compulsivo sexual, dejo de gustarme un poco.
En fin, la trama tiene sus momentos, pero me resulta demasiado exagerada para continuar leyendo la saga, ahí si lo dejaré hasta aquí.
Gideon lo único que siempre ha querido es encontrar a esa persona especial como en las novelas aquí lee, pero su padre quiere que consiga una chica, se case y ocupe su puesto como gobernador. Así que decide huir sin saber que le esperara. De esta forma se encuentra en un barco, con un par de hombres que lo atraen. Pero será capaz de elegir? O no tendrá que hacerlo?
Es una lectura sencilla, que resulta entretenida por momentos y súper erótica en otros. El prota me gustó mucho al inicio, pero cuando se volvió un compulsivo sexual, dejo de gustarme un poco.
En fin, la trama tiene sus momentos, pero me resulta demasiado exagerada para continuar leyendo la saga, ahí si lo dejaré hasta aquí.
September 27, 2019
I've been wanting to try a gay harem book for a while now, so when I came across this one I knew I had to read it. I actually read 2 of the author's book under another pen name first and by the time this one released I had quite high expectations, I bought my copy and it didn't take long before I opened my copy and started reading.
Cabin Boys is quite the unique read. It has a bit of a historical setting and it's set in this world, but there also is some magic, merfolk and more. Gideon doesn't want to marry a women and get kids, so he escapes to the sea. He accidentally joins a pirate ship and starts this adventure across the seas and his personal sexual adventure as well.
Let's start with what I did enjoy. For the most part I did enjoy the book. I liked the combination of historical setting and the paranormal aspect. The sex scenes were pretty hot for the most part, even though I couldn't really feel their feelings for each other. I also liked how open minded everyone on this ship seems, which seemed a bit weird for the time period, but it was nice to see. The pacing was well done, if a bit on the fast side.
The main thing that diminished my enjoyment of this book was the lack of connection and build-up in the romance, it reads more like erotic romance actually. The main focus of this book is on the romance, but mostly the physical side of things. There is a lot of lust, a lot of sex (5 sex scenes in a short book), but there is very little actual getting to know each other and becoming close mentally (there was enough of the getting close physically). Besides having sex, there aren't many scenes of Gideon and the others in the relationship doing anything else. The focus is very much on the romance, but there was very little actual build-up and the focus was more on the sex and seeing the bonds between the character develop.
The relationships all develop quite quickly. Often when Gideon meets someone he thinks about kissing them or how handsome they are. And they think the same. It just seemed a bit over the top/ ridiculous at times. Even more so as from what I understood Gideon actually never had sex before he joins the ship and ofcourse he is good at it almost immediately. There was just very little build-up to the sex. No burn, no tension, they cut to the chase quite quickly. The relationship with Ezra actually took the longest to develop I think as Gideon had some interactions with him before they had sex.
The way the relationships developed also didn't fully work for me. In no time at all Gideon's having sex with one guy, then gets a bit of a shock he doesn't know how to deal with and before you know it, he lands in bed (or actually against the wall) with the next guy. Then after the relationship with the 3 of them is established Gideon goes out and has sex with another person, without consulting any of them first. And everyone was totally fine with that even though they never discussed whether this was okay. I did find the lack of drama refreshing, but at the same time everything almost went a bit too easy now. I did like how at the end Gideon talks with everyone to make sure they are on the same page as it was nice to see a bit of communication about their relationship. And by the end they do seem to develop some feelings.
Gideon is a nice enough character, but I felt like I didn't get to know him as much as I would've liked. And after the first time they sails away he hardly ever thinks of what he left behind. The love interest are all interesting enough and I like how they have a clear personality so it was easy to remember who was who.
I had some trouble understanding why everyone liked Gideon so much. Mostly because they just go to the sex and the build-up is skipped so I didn't quite feel the connections between. And then there's everyone's emotions toward the other members of the relationship, everyone just seemed okay with adding more people and having sex with everyone else and there was very little communication or struggles. I guess they really were very open and low on the drama, but it just felt off somehow. I also wanted to clarify that I think Cabin Boy is a more a polyamory book than a harem in my opinion, all the men (and folk) that are part of this relationship all interact with one another instead of only with Gideon. There are some one on one scenes, but also group scenes.
Then there is the issue that Gideon struggles with after his first sexual encounter with Tate, which never really gets addressed again and sort of turn into a non-issue. Which was just strange as I wanted to know what changes and why Gideon decided it was okay after first really struggling with this. I am just not sure what changed. He got quite the shock and changed his opinion and then later on that changed again without very little to address why.
While there are some side characters, most of those are either essential for the plot or become part of the relationship. There seemed to be very few side characters to fill other tasks or make the world come alive. It just felt a bit empty at times. I did like Zeb the cat, he was a nice addition. Not sure what to think of the twist at the end though. There was another twist that I think would've worked better if we knew more of that character. I also would've liked to get a better feel for the ship and the people on it to make it come alive more.
While the world is quite interesting, there isn't as much world building. With the main focus being on the romance, I think that will develop over the course of the series. But I had still hoped for a bit more. The pirates didn't really do much pirate stuff in this book, but that's mostly because they just sail around. There was a mention of a witch somewhere later in the book and only by then I realized there were even things like witches and by Gideon's lack of surprise I guess most people knew. But it was hard to figure out how common magic and witches were in this world and how much normal people knew of it. Then later there are some merfolk there, which was done better as there were multiple mentions about that beforehand and it quickly becomes clear most people don't know a lot about them. I am curious what more exists in this world.
To summarize: Cabin Boy is a very steamy gay polyamory book set in a historical time period, but then with magic. It was quit the unique read. The pace was well done and I enjoyed reading the book. There were plenty of hot scenes, but very little focus on the sweet part or the build-up. The relationships all develop very quickly and become physical very quickly, there is no or very little build-up. I would've liked to see a bit more build-up and see them do anything other than sex. There were some other issues I had with the book, like how some things seemed a bit too easy, very little world building, an issue that Gideon has that sort of disappears without a good resolution, very few side characters and how the ship and the people on it didn't fully came alive. If you're looking for a steamy gay polyamory read, I would recommend this one.
Cabin Boys is quite the unique read. It has a bit of a historical setting and it's set in this world, but there also is some magic, merfolk and more. Gideon doesn't want to marry a women and get kids, so he escapes to the sea. He accidentally joins a pirate ship and starts this adventure across the seas and his personal sexual adventure as well.
Let's start with what I did enjoy. For the most part I did enjoy the book. I liked the combination of historical setting and the paranormal aspect. The sex scenes were pretty hot for the most part, even though I couldn't really feel their feelings for each other. I also liked how open minded everyone on this ship seems, which seemed a bit weird for the time period, but it was nice to see. The pacing was well done, if a bit on the fast side.
The main thing that diminished my enjoyment of this book was the lack of connection and build-up in the romance, it reads more like erotic romance actually. The main focus of this book is on the romance, but mostly the physical side of things. There is a lot of lust, a lot of sex (5 sex scenes in a short book), but there is very little actual getting to know each other and becoming close mentally (there was enough of the getting close physically). Besides having sex, there aren't many scenes of Gideon and the others in the relationship doing anything else. The focus is very much on the romance, but there was very little actual build-up and the focus was more on the sex and seeing the bonds between the character develop.
The relationships all develop quite quickly. Often when Gideon meets someone he thinks about kissing them or how handsome they are. And they think the same. It just seemed a bit over the top/ ridiculous at times. Even more so as from what I understood Gideon actually never had sex before he joins the ship and ofcourse he is good at it almost immediately. There was just very little build-up to the sex. No burn, no tension, they cut to the chase quite quickly. The relationship with Ezra actually took the longest to develop I think as Gideon had some interactions with him before they had sex.
The way the relationships developed also didn't fully work for me. In no time at all Gideon's having sex with one guy, then gets a bit of a shock he doesn't know how to deal with and before you know it, he lands in bed (or actually against the wall) with the next guy. Then after the relationship with the 3 of them is established Gideon goes out and has sex with another person, without consulting any of them first. And everyone was totally fine with that even though they never discussed whether this was okay. I did find the lack of drama refreshing, but at the same time everything almost went a bit too easy now. I did like how at the end Gideon talks with everyone to make sure they are on the same page as it was nice to see a bit of communication about their relationship. And by the end they do seem to develop some feelings.
Gideon is a nice enough character, but I felt like I didn't get to know him as much as I would've liked. And after the first time they sails away he hardly ever thinks of what he left behind. The love interest are all interesting enough and I like how they have a clear personality so it was easy to remember who was who.
I had some trouble understanding why everyone liked Gideon so much. Mostly because they just go to the sex and the build-up is skipped so I didn't quite feel the connections between. And then there's everyone's emotions toward the other members of the relationship, everyone just seemed okay with adding more people and having sex with everyone else and there was very little communication or struggles. I guess they really were very open and low on the drama, but it just felt off somehow. I also wanted to clarify that I think Cabin Boy is a more a polyamory book than a harem in my opinion, all the men (and folk) that are part of this relationship all interact with one another instead of only with Gideon. There are some one on one scenes, but also group scenes.
Then there is the issue that Gideon struggles with after his first sexual encounter with Tate, which never really gets addressed again and sort of turn into a non-issue. Which was just strange as I wanted to know what changes and why Gideon decided it was okay after first really struggling with this. I am just not sure what changed. He got quite the shock and changed his opinion and then later on that changed again without very little to address why.
While there are some side characters, most of those are either essential for the plot or become part of the relationship. There seemed to be very few side characters to fill other tasks or make the world come alive. It just felt a bit empty at times. I did like Zeb the cat, he was a nice addition. Not sure what to think of the twist at the end though. There was another twist that I think would've worked better if we knew more of that character. I also would've liked to get a better feel for the ship and the people on it to make it come alive more.
While the world is quite interesting, there isn't as much world building. With the main focus being on the romance, I think that will develop over the course of the series. But I had still hoped for a bit more. The pirates didn't really do much pirate stuff in this book, but that's mostly because they just sail around. There was a mention of a witch somewhere later in the book and only by then I realized there were even things like witches and by Gideon's lack of surprise I guess most people knew. But it was hard to figure out how common magic and witches were in this world and how much normal people knew of it. Then later there are some merfolk there, which was done better as there were multiple mentions about that beforehand and it quickly becomes clear most people don't know a lot about them. I am curious what more exists in this world.
To summarize: Cabin Boy is a very steamy gay polyamory book set in a historical time period, but then with magic. It was quit the unique read. The pace was well done and I enjoyed reading the book. There were plenty of hot scenes, but very little focus on the sweet part or the build-up. The relationships all develop very quickly and become physical very quickly, there is no or very little build-up. I would've liked to see a bit more build-up and see them do anything other than sex. There were some other issues I had with the book, like how some things seemed a bit too easy, very little world building, an issue that Gideon has that sort of disappears without a good resolution, very few side characters and how the ship and the people on it didn't fully came alive. If you're looking for a steamy gay polyamory read, I would recommend this one.
November 10, 2019
This book was a whole smorgasbord full of things I love... twinks, pirates, magic, merfolk, and a grumpy shifter house cat... the smutty plot line was fantastic.
Unfortunately the actually story and plot line read like an inexperienced writer. There were some editing errors, the “connection” in the “romance” was a very stiff, flat and practically non existent. And even after all that I couldn’t put this down yesterday. It just happened to be the exact mindless entertainment I was looking for... I even read book 2 right after this one. So while I think this was a rough debut novel (at least I hope it was a debut... you never know these days while authors changing names and writing under pens) I still ended up enjoying it greatly.
Would I recommend it if you were looking for some beautiful in-depth writing? No.
Would I recommend it if your looking something that takes little effort and is little smutty break from reality? Yes, although I do believe book 2 to be much better and less awkward.
Unfortunately the actually story and plot line read like an inexperienced writer. There were some editing errors, the “connection” in the “romance” was a very stiff, flat and practically non existent. And even after all that I couldn’t put this down yesterday. It just happened to be the exact mindless entertainment I was looking for... I even read book 2 right after this one. So while I think this was a rough debut novel (at least I hope it was a debut... you never know these days while authors changing names and writing under pens) I still ended up enjoying it greatly.
Would I recommend it if you were looking for some beautiful in-depth writing? No.
Would I recommend it if your looking something that takes little effort and is little smutty break from reality? Yes, although I do believe book 2 to be much better and less awkward.
May 31, 2020
This kind of thing isn’t my usual style – I mostly go for M/M only, and then that tends to be more serious/angsty/hurtcomfort-centric fare. Occasionally though, I’m in the mood for something fun and not too complex that’ll just take my mind off things, and Cabin Boy worked perfectly for that. It’s a harem (MMMM…M?) book so it definitely won’t be for everyone, but I actually found it very easy to get through. I also appreciated the short chapter length, which is a huge bonus for me for those times where I just find it difficult to focus for long periods. Give it a try if you’re looking for something different but reasonably light-hearted.
March 29, 2020
Gideon is the most Mary Sue character I have ever read in mm fiction. But if your looking for a piece of fluff with a lot of sex, then this will do beautifully. Despite how annoying alluring and perfect Gideon appeared to be to all the men he meets, his men were fascinating and hot. Lol
February 18, 2021
A pirate harem story that doesn't rely on coercion or threats of violence? Sign 👏 me 👏 the 👏 fuck 👏 up!!
Honestly, this was delightful and it built each relationship in quite a short amount of time so kudos for that. I'm probably least excited about Ezra but oh well, lots of other hot guys to get excited about :3
Honestly, this was delightful and it built each relationship in quite a short amount of time so kudos for that. I'm probably least excited about Ezra but oh well, lots of other hot guys to get excited about :3
August 18, 2020
This was over the top, there is no romance here, only the classic “all the men wants to sleep with the M.C for some reasons”. I am not a fan of multiple partners and should have see this coming since it a “harem” book.
Gideon wants to escape his father and an arrange mariage with a unknow woman. He enroll on a ship to become a cabin boy.
He sleep with the Captain, then realize he's a pirate and freak out. Trying to avoid him, he end up having sex with Ezra, the second in command. Then, since he cannot make up his mind, have a threesome with those two. The naive boy get kidnap by a sea witch and is save by a merman. Oh a new male character, why not have his way with him too, and why not all of them at the same time?
Gideon read way to much romance novels and think he love them after only two weeks on the ship. He was really getting on my nerve. The guy was so horny and wanted to kiss/touch every guy he meet. Just stop!!
I learn my lesson, I am not picking up another book of this series.
Gideon wants to escape his father and an arrange mariage with a unknow woman. He enroll on a ship to become a cabin boy.
He sleep with the Captain, then realize he's a pirate and freak out. Trying to avoid him, he end up having sex with Ezra, the second in command. Then, since he cannot make up his mind, have a threesome with those two. The naive boy get kidnap by a sea witch and is save by a merman. Oh a new male character, why not have his way with him too, and why not all of them at the same time?
Gideon read way to much romance novels and think he love them after only two weeks on the ship. He was really getting on my nerve. The guy was so horny and wanted to kiss/touch every guy he meet. Just stop!!
I learn my lesson, I am not picking up another book of this series.
May 24, 2020
I normally avoid harem because I never understand what's so special about the protagonist, this one looked interesting though.
I liked Ora the merfolk and Solomon the sea witch more than the pirates, maybe because tall and broad is far from my type, Tate's description reminded me of Captain Hook and I had trouble finding it sexy.
Gideon doesn't seem to have particular standards about what kind of man he likes, he's also rather quick at professing his love. I'm not sure how he could not know it was a pirate ship, but the sex seemed to make him forget wathever issue he ever had with it.
This is a fun book with lots of casual sex, most of the plot isn't serious. I would have liked learning more about Solomon.
A quick and nice read but nothing memorable.
I liked Ora the merfolk and Solomon the sea witch more than the pirates, maybe because tall and broad is far from my type, Tate's description reminded me of Captain Hook and I had trouble finding it sexy.
Gideon doesn't seem to have particular standards about what kind of man he likes, he's also rather quick at professing his love. I'm not sure how he could not know it was a pirate ship, but the sex seemed to make him forget wathever issue he ever had with it.
I couldn't believe my luck, I had asked for what I wanted and they had all agreed. I was the luckiest boy on the seven seas.
This is a fun book with lots of casual sex, most of the plot isn't serious. I would have liked learning more about Solomon.
A quick and nice read but nothing memorable.
August 5, 2020
DNF I made it through 50 or so pages. I didn’t like Aaron/Gideon. He was stupid and I couldn’t stand the way he acted. When the virgin twink topped the big butch Captain. It just ruined it for me. I’m sending this back to Amazon
November 17, 2020
3.5 stars
So, this book was a trip, and it is very much about the sexual exploration that Gideon goes on now that he has run away from home. He gets a job as the cabin boy on this pirate ship, though he doesn't know it's a pirate ship.
He then proceeds to lose his virginity to the captain, sleep with the first mate, and then both of them at the same time, then gets kidnapped by a spurned lover of the captain, sleeps with a member of the merfolk who happens to be gender fluid, (but does have a penis in this situation) brings him back to the ship, and then they all do it! After that, the cat that he bore his soul to inbetween all of the banging ends up cursed with a human form, and wants Gideon for his own.
Needless to say, the sexual scenes were interesting, and I think I'm going to try out the next one!
So, this book was a trip, and it is very much about the sexual exploration that Gideon goes on now that he has run away from home. He gets a job as the cabin boy on this pirate ship, though he doesn't know it's a pirate ship.
He then proceeds to lose his virginity to the captain, sleep with the first mate, and then both of them at the same time, then gets kidnapped by a spurned lover of the captain, sleeps with a member of the merfolk who happens to be gender fluid, (but does have a penis in this situation) brings him back to the ship, and then they all do it! After that, the cat that he bore his soul to inbetween all of the banging ends up cursed with a human form, and wants Gideon for his own.
Needless to say, the sexual scenes were interesting, and I think I'm going to try out the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2021
This book does exactly what it sets out to do: entertain. I really feel like the author wrote this book full of what they wanted to see, and wanted to read, and I loved that; it all felt so much purer and honest. (Pure definitely isn't the word to use for this book however ahaha.) It was wild, it was fun, and it was a quick read. The attraction was definitely there between the main characters, however I would have liked some more actual romantic scenes to add to this. My favourite thing of this book has to be the atmosphere and world- you don't really get much world building- but everything still seems so intriguing.
"Under the sea they call me they. They and them."
"They and them. I'll remember. I want to use what makes you most comfortable. I'm a he and him."
"Under the sea they call me they. They and them."
"They and them. I'll remember. I want to use what makes you most comfortable. I'm a he and him."
March 30, 2020
I've been busy this week, but today was free, and I was lent this book, so I read it in basically one sitting. It's some good, kind of ridiculous fun. Admittedly the plot is about 80% "a bunch of hot pirate men and one hot genderqueer merfolk are really into Gideon the cabin boy, and he is into all of them as well" but there was also some fun kidnapping--a favorite trope of mine--and it was very lighthearted, all the characters were fairly nice, and that one genderqueer merfolk (Ora) was bae. Apparently in the next book the ship's cat has also turned into a hot guy. I kind of want to read that.
January 17, 2024
For those of us suffering in the wake of the cancellation of Our Flag Means Death this is like a balm to soothe the soul!!!! Not only does this story have a fancy rich boy running away and meeting a very handsome pirate captain, his all black wearing surly first mate, and their colorful crew, it also has a nonbinary merperson!!!! GO READ THIS BOOK CREW! It is everything I wanted it to be and so much more!!! 🌈🏴☠️🌈🏴☠️😍😍😍
December 3, 2024
This is what I call a fun little bop. After reading the description I went into this book not taking it too seriously. The plot is…something but we weren’t focused on that were we? Lol it’s about a young man who leaves his home bc he doesn’t want to marry a woman and discovers his sexual prowess with men on a boat 😂🤣 it’s a fun and easy read!
August 7, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the start to this series. It’s quirky and entertaining. A little too much sex but that is to be expected in a harem romance.
I really enjoyed the start to this series. It’s quirky and entertaining. A little too much sex but that is to be expected in a harem romance.
March 28, 2021
I just read this in one sittingit was that good! I just adore Gideon!! And I spotted a Princess Bride reference!
June 7, 2020
3.5 of 5 - Entertaining Diverse & Sex-Filled Pirate Romp
I love gay pirate adventures, and this turned out to be a fun one focused more on the romance and, a bit disappointingly for me, not as much on the pirating. Along the same lines, the historical and ship settings weren't described in any great detail, but Drake LaMargue's descriptions still created fine visuals that easily took me to the time and place.
What did have the details were the hot sex scenes, which essentially made up the plot. Like a kid in a candy store, the young, virgin titular character acquired a love each time he made love. So much so it turned out to be an MMMMM romance. Not that I minded; all the men were likable and distinct characters. Even though some of their aspects and actions seemed a little implausible, especially that of the Cabin Boy, they were quite an appealing cast.
And diverse, too, which I applaud, including the genderqueer inclusion. Add to this the nice paranormal twists of magic and merfolk, and it made for an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
I love gay pirate adventures, and this turned out to be a fun one focused more on the romance and, a bit disappointingly for me, not as much on the pirating. Along the same lines, the historical and ship settings weren't described in any great detail, but Drake LaMargue's descriptions still created fine visuals that easily took me to the time and place.
What did have the details were the hot sex scenes, which essentially made up the plot. Like a kid in a candy store, the young, virgin titular character acquired a love each time he made love. So much so it turned out to be an MMMMM romance. Not that I minded; all the men were likable and distinct characters. Even though some of their aspects and actions seemed a little implausible, especially that of the Cabin Boy, they were quite an appealing cast.
And diverse, too, which I applaud, including the genderqueer inclusion. Add to this the nice paranormal twists of magic and merfolk, and it made for an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
September 30, 2022
This was a fun read, but...
It did take more than a little suspension of disbelief to enjoy. How quickly everyone slept with everyone else was too abrupt for my tastes. Gideon has never been with anyone and thinks of it as salacious on more than one occasion, sometimes even during the activity. In some instances, it was barely a few hours after meeting them whilst in harrowing conditions. But this is also my first MM+ book, so ymmv.
Even with that and all the magic, the merfolk and mentions of other fantastical creatures, the piece I found the hardest to swallow was Gideon being the captain's greatest treasure after they'd only known each other a few weeks.
That being said, I do plan to read the next book. I enjoyed several of the characters and I'm interested in what's up with Zeb.
It did take more than a little suspension of disbelief to enjoy. How quickly everyone slept with everyone else was too abrupt for my tastes. Gideon has never been with anyone and thinks of it as salacious on more than one occasion, sometimes even during the activity. In some instances, it was barely a few hours after meeting them whilst in harrowing conditions. But this is also my first MM+ book, so ymmv.
Even with that and all the magic, the merfolk and mentions of other fantastical creatures, the piece I found the hardest to swallow was Gideon being the captain's greatest treasure after they'd only known each other a few weeks.
That being said, I do plan to read the next book. I enjoyed several of the characters and I'm interested in what's up with Zeb.
September 18, 2019
Fun to read and absorbing
Such a fun book, a really interesting world with magic and merfolk and pirates. Gideon Keene, Jamaican Governor’s son, doesn’t want to marry a woman and take over as governor, so instead he seeks a way off the island. The ship he ends up on is intriguing, with the attractive captain, darkly compelling first mate, unusual and interesting quartermaster, and a ship’s cat who seems to understand everything he says. But there’s also a story about a witch set for vengeance against the captain, and Gideon gets caught up in all of it. So much fun, very simple to follow but so absorbing I swore when I got to the end!! (There’s a cliffhanger, be warned).
Such a fun book, a really interesting world with magic and merfolk and pirates. Gideon Keene, Jamaican Governor’s son, doesn’t want to marry a woman and take over as governor, so instead he seeks a way off the island. The ship he ends up on is intriguing, with the attractive captain, darkly compelling first mate, unusual and interesting quartermaster, and a ship’s cat who seems to understand everything he says. But there’s also a story about a witch set for vengeance against the captain, and Gideon gets caught up in all of it. So much fun, very simple to follow but so absorbing I swore when I got to the end!! (There’s a cliffhanger, be warned).
January 3, 2020
I could not be more thrilled, I thought this book was SO fun and sexy and was exactly what I wanted when I decided I wanted to read a pirate romance. I'll be honest when I say I expected him to get through more of the crew, but Gideon's lovers are all so lovely and wonderful, both to him and to one another.
Some unexpected elements towards the end made me EXTREMELY happy, and the "villain", if he can be called that, is sympathetic and interesting and I can't wait to get to the next book for more of the plot.
Definitely recommend, please pick up if you want a low (or at least not heavy) drama, super sexy, very enjoyable read!
Some unexpected elements towards the end made me EXTREMELY happy, and the "villain", if he can be called that, is sympathetic and interesting and I can't wait to get to the next book for more of the plot.
Definitely recommend, please pick up if you want a low (or at least not heavy) drama, super sexy, very enjoyable read!
August 31, 2019
A magical book
Fun, loving, silly, magical all of these things and pirates too. What a great book for a new author. Nothing is sacred everything is light hearted even the sex. A young man who feels that he doesn’t fit in with his society (and how many of us have felt that way) leaves home and during his adventures he gathers up friends, lovers and enemies. I can’t wait for the sequel.
Fun, loving, silly, magical all of these things and pirates too. What a great book for a new author. Nothing is sacred everything is light hearted even the sex. A young man who feels that he doesn’t fit in with his society (and how many of us have felt that way) leaves home and during his adventures he gathers up friends, lovers and enemies. I can’t wait for the sequel.
September 9, 2019
What a fun & sexy read
This was a really fun read. I like the pirate storyline and the magic aspect. I wish there had been a little more character development. While I like Ezra, Tate and Ora they felt a little flat. Still it doesn't take away from the story and I'm thinking as the series develops we'll get to dive into all the characters in depth. Can't wait to see what Gideon gets up to in the next installment.
This was a really fun read. I like the pirate storyline and the magic aspect. I wish there had been a little more character development. While I like Ezra, Tate and Ora they felt a little flat. Still it doesn't take away from the story and I'm thinking as the series develops we'll get to dive into all the characters in depth. Can't wait to see what Gideon gets up to in the next installment.
June 6, 2020
DNF bed hopping
Harem stories can be fun but there has to be some substance to the match. There really wasn’t any clear understanding why these characters first jumped into bed together. It wasn’t believable and often really jarring.
Harem stories can be fun but there has to be some substance to the match. There really wasn’t any clear understanding why these characters first jumped into bed together. It wasn’t believable and often really jarring.
June 7, 2024
I actually laughed many times, and not because it was funny on purpose. TBH it is a trashy book but not a trashy PWP (it was less porny than anticipated), but this twink Gideon turning from a blushing maiden to the most wanted twink on the ship and thinking about sex 24/7 was too laughable.
I mean, good for him that he sleeps around (loses 1st virginity with Tate, back virginity with Ezra) but leave your romantic notions aside. He thinks himself in love with these 2 guys, has threesome. Then there is a male witch that used to be Tate's lover and they share a kiss. But the witch is evil, Gideon escapes and finds this merfolk, who is so beautiful they have a quickie. So Gideon finds himself again in love, with a 3rd person **laughs maniacally**. And when the foursome starts, I was giggling because it was just too stupid.
Sorry I don't believe in being in love with multiple people at the same time, and having a poly relationship especially after knowing each other sexually only (tbh, Gideon and his lovers never ever have a meaningful conversation. But sure, all of them are in love). And to end things, turns out Gideon's cat is also a man, who also wants Gideon **laughs maniacally**.
So lovely Gideon is starting to collect handsome guys, and he thinks he is in love with all of them **bahahahaha***
I mean, good for him that he sleeps around (loses 1st virginity with Tate, back virginity with Ezra) but leave your romantic notions aside. He thinks himself in love with these 2 guys, has threesome. Then there is a male witch that used to be Tate's lover and they share a kiss. But the witch is evil, Gideon escapes and finds this merfolk, who is so beautiful they have a quickie. So Gideon finds himself again in love, with a 3rd person **laughs maniacally**. And when the foursome starts, I was giggling because it was just too stupid.
Sorry I don't believe in being in love with multiple people at the same time, and having a poly relationship especially after knowing each other sexually only (tbh, Gideon and his lovers never ever have a meaningful conversation. But sure, all of them are in love). And to end things, turns out Gideon's cat is also a man, who also wants Gideon **laughs maniacally**.
So lovely Gideon is starting to collect handsome guys, and he thinks he is in love with all of them **bahahahaha***
February 13, 2026
Very silly, but very sexy!
Gideon is the Governor's son in Jamaica, and when his father demands he marry a nice girl, he runs away to sea where he gets involved with a pirate captain & first mate before even realising he's on a pirate ship!
There's intrigue as the captain's previous 'partner', a sea witch on the Splintered Isles, tries to lure his spurned lover back for a confrontation, and Gideon meets an attractive member of the merfolk.
The subtitle is a clue of how it all ends up, and as there are several sequels, I'm fairly sure any unanswered attractions & mysteries will be broached then, but for me this one book was enough.
It was sexy yet sweet, full of interesting characters but a simple read I managed in 3 sittings over 3 days (what I would describe as a 2 hour read if I'd had time on one afternoon), with a few weird bits of punctuation scattered far enough apart not to detract from the overall quick & simple read.
Not to be taken seriously, but humorous and reasonably well-written for what it is. Oh, and if the author's name isn't made up from pirate dreams, then I'm a sea witch too!
Gideon is the Governor's son in Jamaica, and when his father demands he marry a nice girl, he runs away to sea where he gets involved with a pirate captain & first mate before even realising he's on a pirate ship!
There's intrigue as the captain's previous 'partner', a sea witch on the Splintered Isles, tries to lure his spurned lover back for a confrontation, and Gideon meets an attractive member of the merfolk.
The subtitle is a clue of how it all ends up, and as there are several sequels, I'm fairly sure any unanswered attractions & mysteries will be broached then, but for me this one book was enough.
It was sexy yet sweet, full of interesting characters but a simple read I managed in 3 sittings over 3 days (what I would describe as a 2 hour read if I'd had time on one afternoon), with a few weird bits of punctuation scattered far enough apart not to detract from the overall quick & simple read.
Not to be taken seriously, but humorous and reasonably well-written for what it is. Oh, and if the author's name isn't made up from pirate dreams, then I'm a sea witch too!
February 8, 2022
So, I really liked the adventure parts a lot better than the romance/sex bits. The action is campy and unbelievable, but entertaining and fun nonetheless. Though everything in this book feels too short and a bit rushed.
I was mostly reading it for the romance though, and in that regard the book falls flat. Gideon just randomly falls in lust with most people he sees, mostly they just tumble into bed (wall, glade) and fuck, and afterwards he's in love and invites everyone into a big foursome. There's just no depth, no getting to know time at all, which makes it so frustration. Because with just a few more chapters to get to know the people this would be a pretty great book. As it is, I just find it mediocre. The sex scenes are plentiful, but not all that creative or well written.
Though if you just read it for the sex there's rather too much adventure in between. If you read if for the plot there is too much sex and if you read it for the romance, there is just a very thin veneer of it.
I was mostly reading it for the romance though, and in that regard the book falls flat. Gideon just randomly falls in lust with most people he sees, mostly they just tumble into bed (wall, glade) and fuck, and afterwards he's in love and invites everyone into a big foursome. There's just no depth, no getting to know time at all, which makes it so frustration. Because with just a few more chapters to get to know the people this would be a pretty great book. As it is, I just find it mediocre. The sex scenes are plentiful, but not all that creative or well written.
Though if you just read it for the sex there's rather too much adventure in between. If you read if for the plot there is too much sex and if you read it for the romance, there is just a very thin veneer of it.
December 23, 2020
Cabin Boy is the first book in the His Piratical Harem series which is a polyamory gay romance set within a fantasy pirate setting. The worldbuilding is really interesting and I liked how magic is part of the daily life of this world. The main character, Gideon, is not the most well-developed character, BUT, despite all his flaws, I still really liked him. From the moment I started this book I realized it was going to be a wild ride. This isn’t a book that the reader is supposed to think deeply about, but to indulge themselves and enjoy the ride and fantasy. There is a ton of sex—which is all hot—and enough action to keep the plot moving fast. There are some technical mistakes with the writing, but overall, I found the characters and plot entertaining enough that all the flaws were easy to ignore.
December 22, 2023
Smut through and through, though I commend LaMarque on gloriously capturing the desire of a young gay man to run away and have your entire life changed for the better with most decisions out of your hands.
As Gideon joins a pirate ship to escape the gilded cage his father expects him to stay in and be satisfied with. Running can be fun and you can meet fun people but also dangerous people as Gideon learns after he's washed overboard by a storm conjured by his captain-lover's ex boyfriend the witch Solomon. Gideon even meets a merman and brings him on board the ship to explore with him and the pirates to eventually find himself in a polyamourous relationship of 5 by the end of this short book.
As Gideon joins a pirate ship to escape the gilded cage his father expects him to stay in and be satisfied with. Running can be fun and you can meet fun people but also dangerous people as Gideon learns after he's washed overboard by a storm conjured by his captain-lover's ex boyfriend the witch Solomon. Gideon even meets a merman and brings him on board the ship to explore with him and the pirates to eventually find himself in a polyamourous relationship of 5 by the end of this short book.
January 16, 2021
Escaping with pirates without knowing they're pirates!
Fun, yet with a profound reflection on acceptance and diversity. The very special young protagonist is a catalyst, for unknown reasons, of affection that blossoms into sexual awareness with more than one individual. The playful naivety and open innocence of the youthful main character captures and enchants the reader as well as a couple of pirates, a cat, and even a member of the merfolk, and his sweet optimism allows him to see the possible good even in the bad or villainous characters.
First book of what looks to be a captivating series.
Fun, yet with a profound reflection on acceptance and diversity. The very special young protagonist is a catalyst, for unknown reasons, of affection that blossoms into sexual awareness with more than one individual. The playful naivety and open innocence of the youthful main character captures and enchants the reader as well as a couple of pirates, a cat, and even a member of the merfolk, and his sweet optimism allows him to see the possible good even in the bad or villainous characters.
First book of what looks to be a captivating series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews