After reading the second book in this series, I immediately closed it and opened this one up. I couldn’t wait to read more about the Rokesby brothers and their romances. Andrew was my favorite brother from the first book and I was really looking forward to reading his romance. I was actually really surprised by this one, it went in directions I just wasn’t expecting.
Julia Quinn is the master of historical romances and after reading just a couple of pages, I had to remind myself of that fact. I definitely questioned some of this book initially, but by the end I was swooning right along with Poppy over Captain Andrew. This book offered a bit of a change in scenery from the usual Kent countryside or London that many of Quinn’s books are set in and instead takes us to the high seas and to Portugal.
If you have been reading historical romances for a while you will know how quality Julia Quinn’s books are—Jane Austen-esque but with tasteful sex. The focus is always on the more tender feelings between hero and heroine and every time I finish one of her books I am always left feeling content and happy about how things resolved. Once again I was not disappointed. If you haven’t read any of Quinn’s books before then you need to stop and go pick one up. The dialogue is witty, the heroes sexy and charming, and the heroines are realistic and fully realized. You will not be disappointed.
Summary
She was in the wrong place…
Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain’s bed…
He found her at the wrong time…
Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he’s stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real-and his duty to the Crown means he’s stuck with her.
Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?
When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal-though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew’s secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…? (summary from Goodreads)
Review
This one started out with the most unusual plot—-Poppy Bridgerton stumbles upon a pirate lair and gets kidnapped and taken aboard Captain Andrew ‘James’ pirate ship, bound for Portugal. At first I was like oh lord my least favorite troupe but again, I reassured myself that Quinn has never failed to deliver a solid romance yet so I had to trust the process. While this might not have been the story I was hoping for for Andrew or Poppy, I actually like it the best in the series. I think I liked it the most because Andrew and Poppy were so well suited. I loved Andrew’s mind and his desire to protect Poppy by also trusting her enough to save them both in the end. Plus Andrew was my favorite brother from the beginning so there’s that.
Poppy wasn’t quite the heroine I would have envisioned Andrew ending up with, however I loved seeing how well her personality and mind matched his. Their relationship grew more organically and while I am not a huge fan of the kidnapped heroine troupe, I think this one turned out charming and well done for me. In this book the dialogue really shines. Andrew and Poppy are both quick witted and snappy and that’s what is really on display here and probably another reason why I loved this one so much. Having a romance take place on a ship can be a little tedious simply because there is a lack of opportunities that are traditionally used in historical romances. Usually there would be a fancy ball, or a stroll through Hyde Park, or some other society event that the couple would come together at but on a ship there are less opportunities for that sort of thing which I think is the only reason why this troupe worked for me. The later more serious twist in the plot was a little surprising and I don’t know that I loved it but ultimately I thought it gave Poppy a chance to be the hero for Andrew and eventually brought them home. As I said earlier, this was probably my favorite in the series even if it was the most flawed in some ways. In the end I still went with a 4.5 star rating.
Book Info and Rating
Format 400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2018 by Piatkus
LanguageEnglish
Review copy provided by personal collection. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: historical romance
The Lit Bitch 