Troubled Waters

by Jane Burrelli

No one dares defy the Black Scot - except his own wife! Years ago Marie disappeared without a trace and Jack has searched for her ever since.Now a twist of fate brings them together, and this time she is not getting away. Nothing will stand between Jack and the answers he seeks. But Marie is not the same woman that Jack remembers and carries the scars to prove it. Hardened, wilful, she guards her secrets fiercely.They cross words and swords against the backdrop of the high seas. It’s time to remind Marie that a pirate never parts with his treasure.Publisher's Troubled Waters is a stand-alone novel which was originally part of the Pirates Passions & Plunder anthology. It has been revised and 14,000 words of new content added, though the main plot points remain unchanged. It includes simmering sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.

Genres: Historical

150 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2021

About the author

ABOUT ME

When I realised that the world was not hiring for a ‘sarcastic but benign Supreme Ruler of the Universe’ I’ve decided to focus on my passion. By day I work in a UK company’s finance department and by night I become my alter ego Scribble Girl. I have been writing never ending stories since the age of 11 and this all stemmed from my love of reading.

I love reading. Period.

I’m part of the Harry Potter generation and while waiting between books would literally devour any book I could get my hands on. Let’s put it this way J K Rowling has a lot to answer for. I adore that there is no end in sight to where your own imagination can take you. That between the pages of a book you are able to craft enchanted forests and castles, perilous quests, heroes and heroines from thin air. I will admit that I am a sucker for happy endings and will chalk that one up to my Mill & Boon phase.

Reviews

[H-e-l-e-n-a · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Hunter, capitán de un barco pirata heredado de su suegro, regresa a tierra después de un tiempo en altamar. Al llegar, se encuentra la casa de su esposa en ruinas y sin rastros de Marie.
Después de un tiempo, la encuentra y debe averiguar que ha pasado.

Esta historia me enganchó y la leí en lo que se sintió un parpadeo. Me gustó bastante.
Tiene el misterio de la desaparición, momentos spicy y varios momentos de acción. 👌🏻


📖
Marie glared at him and sneered, “You forget, mon capitaine, that you wed a pirate captain’s daughter not a meek and mild woman!” She gave a haughty toss of her head, freeing her from his control.
_
“I’ve made mistakes, Marie,” Jack said, a troubled expression on his face. “More than I care to admit, but my dearest wish is to start again with you. If you don’t think you are able to, I will put you ashore at a port of your choosing.”

[Vanessa Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gripping adventure is fast paced and action filled. It has a great story line which kept me reading to the end.
I love Marie's strength and determination and Jack's ability to read the woman he loves.
Jack and Marie’s characters are well developed and written with chemistry which leaps from the page.
Will these two stubbon characters get their HEA? Read the book and find out!
I read this book as an ARC copy and this is my own honest opinion of the story.

[Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Troubled waters by Jane Burrelli is an impressive combination of amazing storytelling skills and great penmanship. The author succeeds in portraying very likable and authentic characters with depths and background stories that made me feel them, and spinning and twisting a plot that had me on the edge of my seat while the pages kept turning. It is so well written that it had the scenes playing out like a film in my mind while I read. It is hot, emotional and suspenseful at the same time; I absolutely recommend you read this.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow the title sure fits the storyline it’s spans for years as Jack looks for his kidnapped wife. The storyline is well written and kept me entertained throughout the pages. Jack and Marie’s characters are engaging and well developed with plenty of chemistry throughout the pages. Their relationship has taken a beating but love will prevail.

I received a copy and am voluntary leaving my honest review.

[Rhonda Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie was the daughter of a pirate captain and the Black Scot began his journey as a mate of one of her father's ships. Initially, the marriage was a bargain made but then turned into a love match. But wait until you read the personalities Jane Burrelli has given our hero and heroine! Both headstrong and full of fire, things will have to get worse before they get better and the plot will take you on a rollercoaster of events that will keep you mesmerized. What a terrific story!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie is the daughter of a pirate she also married a pirate. She loves Jack, but they do not communicate very well as Jack does not listen to what she has to say.He goes leaves on another trip leaving her alone, she is attacked by the governor of Bermuda. Jack searches for her for years. They will have a lot to overcome as they get back together.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie is the daughter of a pirate and a whore. She married a pirate as well. She loves Jack, but he doesn't listen to her. When he leaves on another trip and leaves her, she is attacked by the governor of Bermuda. Jack searches for her for years, but he finds her randomly when he attacks the ship she is on. They come back together, but there is a lot of hate and rage on Marie's part. There is a HEA, but Jack has to work for it.

[JD (on semi-hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an expanded version of the novella found in Pirates, Passion and Plunder: seventeen wicked tales. I didn't read that anthology, but did like Ms. Burrelli's Bjorn so thought I'd read this. The story follows Pirate Jack and his wife, Marie. Two years before the bulk of this story takes place, he had returned from one of his "plunders" to find their house burned down and his wife gone. He searches for her in vain until he comes upon her accidentally when capturing the ship she'd been working on. The rest of the book details their second-chance, "DD" romance.

Overall, I didn't like this book. Now, usually I say that what bothers me may not bother you, but here I don't understand how anyone can like Jack or root for the couple's HEA. In BDSM romances, usually the dominant protects and looks after the submissive. Even when the submissive is strong -- as Marie, the only good part of this book, is -- the dominant still fulfills her needs and puts them first. Here, however, I spent the entire book wondering what exactly Marie needed Jack for. At every juncture, he puts the ship, his men, and the sea before her. He doesn't listen to her concerns about his illegal business or the man he's doing illegal business with (and both will come back to bite him). When he sees her for the first time after a long separation, the first thing he does is whip her with his belt because...god knows. Maybe nothing says "I love you" like "You're alive. Cool. Now bend over, I have to punish you now?" She gets herself out of every dangerous situation without his help, saving his a** multiple times. Yet, we're supposed to believe that this man who can't even protect himself -- much less his wife -- is some great feared pirate.

Now, don't get me wrong: a strong and resourceful heroine is my raison d'être. Nothing makes me love a book more than that character type. But if she's not well-matched, then I can't root for the couple. I could not, for the life of me, see what Marie saw in Jack. Perhaps if he had redeemed himself, but he didn't. Not once, other some lame "Sorry, babe, should have done things differently," did he ever make up for what he had put her through and Marie forgave him far too easily. Since this is a romance, lack of investment in the couple seriously affects my enjoyment of the book.

There were other problems. The narrative contains several plot holes (why, for example, did Jack not ask anyone on the island what happened to his wife? The prose is too modern given the era in which it's set. Finally, given the non-consensual "discipline," this should have come with a trigger warning (though at least Jack doesn't rape her).

2 1/2 stars. I liked Marie. I appreciated that she had agency; that Jack didn't slut shame her; and the ethnic diversity. When I looked at the reviews for the anthology, I noticed that many reviewers liked Marie, but didn't mention Jack. Too bad Ms. Burrelli didn't notice that too; this might have been a much better book.

[Cindy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be swept away on the high seas in this battle of wills between Marie and Jack known as the pirate Black Scot! Troubled Waters will hold you spellbound as it comes to life with all intrigue, suspense and sizzling passion. Jane Burrelli has written a unforgettable romance that brims with tension-building twists and turns, remarkable emotions, characters that are so well developed you feel every emotion that they are feeling through out the story, a fantastic plot, with setting descriptions and action sequences that are wonderfully vivid which brings this read together perfectly. Raging feelings and tempers swirl like a tumultuous storm between Marie and Jack as they both find themselves trying to come to terms with the past.

[Beachbaby]

In boxed set - "Pirates, Passion and Plunder: seventeen wicked tales"

[Eva Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirate historical romance

Originally part of an anthology this story is full of action and steamy scenes. This is a standalone with a HEA.