Book Review-The Rogue Pirate’s Bride

The Rogue Pirate’s Bride
Sons of the Revolution (3)
Shana Galen
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Mass Market Paperback
Published February 2012
339 Pages
Pirate Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-1-4022-6555-6
Author’s Website

Synopsis (Goodreads)
This passionate, action-packed Regency romance by RT Reviewer’s Choice award-winning author Shana Galen features the swashbuckling Sebastien Harcourt, Marquis de Valère, and the nautical genius heroine destined to best him.

After escaping France on a privateer’s ship, Sebastien becomes the notorious privateer, Captain Cutlass. His reputation as a rogue precedes him, and he’s undefeated in battle . . . until he crosses swords with the beautiful daughter of a British admiral.

Raeven Russell is out for revenge, but now she’s not so sure she wants the dashing captain to change his wicked ways.

My Thoughts

Summary 
Raeven is burning with the desire to get her revenge for her fiancee’s death by Captain Cutlass a pirate she has been searching for. She finally finds him, and vows to kill him here and now. Only she never expects to be faced with such a opponet that makes her burn with desire, a passion she has never known. Raeven doesn’t expect to feel the desire to kill him to weaken and her desire for him to strengthen. She see’s a side to him, a part of him, that she knows she could never harm or maim or kill. Bastien has practically lived on the seas for many years, ever since he lost his family as a young boy. Now he is well known as Captain Cutlass, also known as a pirate. Bastien is out to find the man who murdered the man who raised him and taught him everything he knew. Who was more like a father to him, and now he is hunting him. He doesn’t expect to find a woman thirsting for his blood, and it only makes him want her even more. He finds her irresistible and before he knows it he finds himself falling  in love with her, and more than anything wants her in his life, but knows she would have to choose between her father and a pirate. Will their love be enough?

The Hero (Bastien Harcourt)
Bastien, was once raised to be a aristocrat. But then his family was murdered in France by peasants, and barely escaped with his life. He found himself on a ship, learning the ins and outs of being a sailor. Now he is a privateer, and has recently lost a man he considered a father to him. So he has made a vow to revenge the death of murdered, a fellow pirate who betrayed a friend. Bastien has a unexpected surprise in Raeven. At first he didn’t even know she was a woman, but once she was revealed to him, he wants to to show her passion and the delights of his bed. He didn’t realize that he would end up falling in the love with her and wanting to marry her but knowing it would never be possible.

The Heroine (Raeven Russell)
Raeven, grew up on the seas. Her mother died giving birth to her, so her father, an admiral in the British Navy, raised her on his ship. Raeven knows everything about a ship, and could do everything a sailor does. Its like breath to her living on the sea. She falls in love with a fellow captain in the navy, but when he dies and she hears that a certain pirate kills him, she wants his blood. When she goes out searching for him though, she doesn’t expect to fall in love with the man. But from the first moment she crosses swords with him, she knows that everything is going to change, because he is unlike anything she has ever met.

My Thoughts 
Finally, I have gotten my hands on the final in the series, that I have just fallen in love with. There was so much that I liked about this story. After reading the first two, I was looking forward to reading Bastien’s story. I just love a good pirate romance though, and this definitely won my heart over. Bastien, has made a life for himself as a pirate, but has slowly started trade. Currently he is on a road for revenge, but as his enemy eludes him, he starts to seduce Raeven, a woman who, we see, he starts to really care for. Raeven, is a fighter and has fiery spirit. Their first meeting, totally had my attention. She tries to kill him at first, which was very entertaining. I do love a good sword fight LOL. But it was even more fun seeing these two go at it, and see their story progress. There was a sense of fun and playfulness throughout the story. It definitely fit the bill for a swashbuckling adventure. There was sizzling romance, spirited adventure and enough danger to blow you out of the water. Such vivid portrayal of a intense love story that had me laughing one moment, and crying the next. There was such a display of emotion that was able to be felt by the reader, it could be very intense at times. But I do revel in a emotional provocative story that only warmed by heart. A story to be read by anyone who loves a good adventure with a perfect balance of sensuality and intrigue.

First Line 
“That’s him,” Percy whispered. “I’m almost certain of it.”

Favorite Quote 
Merde, but you are exasperating.”
” I resent–”
He closed his mouth over hers, effectively silencing her. She tasted surprisingly sweet. If her hair had smelled like cherries, her mouth was more the same. Ripe. Dark. And a little tart. No surprise, as she had spirit, what the English called pluck. It maddened and drew him. even now, as she fought his kiss, he alternately wanted to tame and free her.

My Grade 
4 Blossoms

Heat Rating 
Steamy

Other Books  In Series 
The Making of a Duchess
The Making of a Gentleman

Book Review-The Making Of A Gentleman

The Making of a Gentleman
The Son’s of the Revolution (2)
Shana Galen
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Mass Market Paperback
Published October 2010
373 Pages
Regency Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-1-4022-3866-6
Author’s Website

Synopsis (Goodreads)
Twelve years in prison has stripped him of his humanity…

Armand, Comte de Valère has lost the ability to interact with polite society, until his family hires him a beautiful tutor, and he starts to come alive again…

Saving him is her only chance to escape a terrible fate…

Felicity Bennett vows she’ll do whatever it takes to help Armand fight back the demons that have held him captive for so long…

With Felicity’s help, Armand begins to heal, until a buried secret threatens to destroy their growing passion…

My Review
Summary 
Armand, has recently been rescued from twelve years in prison by his brother that he barely recognizes. Armand, can’t stand another’s touch, and he doesn’t understand most of what is going on around him. He can understand some of that which his family speaks of, but he has yet been able to communicate with them. After continually suffering from nightmares, his brother and sister in law decide to hire a tutor for him, to bring out his speech. Felicity, needs this job desperately. Her father has just passed away, and unless she can come up with the funds, she will be forced to marry someone she despises more than anything. She is shocked to learn that she won’t be a governess for a child, but a tutor for a grown man that has a wild look about it, but for some reason she doesn’t fear him. She senses something more about him, she feels drawn to him. Armand is shocked to find that for the first time in his life, he can touch someone and not be overridden with pain. He knows he must have her, he doesn’t understand his attraction to her, but he starts to feel love and will do anything to protect her from those that would destroy him.

The Hero (Armand, Compte De Valere)
Armand, doesn’t remember much from his past. He just remembers pain and torture, and being forgotten in a prison in France. He has nightmares of fire and heat and burning. Armand was able to barely escape the chateau before it was burned. Which led him to being alone as a young boy, with no food, no home, and no family. But then he ended up eventually being in a prison, held in a tower, where he was only fed once or twice a week, enough to keep him alive. He hasn’t been able to speak to anyone for years, but within a day of being around Felicity he has been able to force himself to speak. He knows she is his destiny.

The Heroine (Felicity Bennett)
Felicity, is forced to become a tutor for the Valere’s. When her father is sick and dying, she finds out that he has had her betrothed to a man with a hidden agenda, who only wants money. Felicity knows her father had good intentions, but she finds herself embroiled in a scheme that she doesn’t know how to get out of. When she first meets Armand, she knows he is not normal. He has a fierce look about it, but she feels a connection with him, where she discovers a fierce desire for Armand. Armand needs her, and she needs him even more. She just hopes that her past won’t destroy the love and trust he has for her.

My Thoughts 
After reading The Making of a Duchess, I had heard some average things about “The Making of a Gentleman”, so I wasn’t expecting a great and fabulous story. I just love it when I am wrong though. The circumstances of the story are exactly what I love about a good book. The hero is different, the kind that we don’t see too often. He is a very tortured hero, he can’t even speak, has never felt desire for anything, and can’t abide another’s touch. Armand has a strong will though, stubborn to a fault, and defends fiercely. Armand is a virgin hero. Which is one of the things I enjoyed about this story. Its rare to find a virgin hero, and I enjoyed seeing Armand and Felicity grow together in a intimate way. It was such a delight to see these two fall in love, it was very heart wrenching at times. Felicity, has a difficult past, grieves for her father, but is determined to help Armand, even though her life is about to crumble. I did feel like Felicity could have had a bit more backbone though, but eventually we see her finally have one toward the end. I did like how Felicity is able to reach a part of Armand that no one else is able to, there were many sweet and tender moments of the story that totally captured my heart. Overall a entertaining read, that had such vivid descriptions and such a delicious story that is unforgettable. Full of intensity, passion, intrigue that turns into a wonderful tale.

First Line 
Eleven year old Armand Harcourt, the Comte de Valere, should have been asleep.

Favorite Quote 
She couldn’t remember ever being so drawn to a man, had certainly never been drawn to Charles like this. but this man–this aristocrat, whom she had expected to abhor–drew her like no other. The comte said more with his eyes than most men did with a lifetime of words. 

My Grade 
4 Blossoms

Heat Rating 
Steamy

Other Books In The Series 
The Making of a Duchess
The Rogue Pirate’s Bride

Book Review-The Making Of A Duchess

The Making Of A Duchess
The Son’s Of The Revolution (1)
Shana Galen
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Paperback
Published June 2010
377 Pages
Regency Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-1-4022-3865-9
Author’s Website

Synopsis
A very dangerous attraction…

Julien Harcourt, Duc de Valère, is more than willing to marry the lovely young lady his mother has chosen. Little does he know, she’s been sent to prove him a spy and a traitor…

And an even more dangerous secret…

Sarah Smith’s mission is to find out whether the Duc’s trips to the Continent are as innocent as he claims, but the way he looks at her is far from innocent…

Their risky game of cat and mouse propels them from the ballrooms of London to the prisons of Paris, and into a fragile love that may not survive their deceptions…

My Review

Summary 
Julien, at age thirteen, was changed forever when french revolutionaries and peasants stormed his family’s home, killed his brothers and father, and with his mother along his side, barely escaping with their very lives. Now in England, Julien has rebuilt his family’s fortune and wealth, enough to make sure his mother is taken care of the rest of her life. But there is another reason, he believes that at least one of his brothers, Armand, is still alive and being held somewhere in France, and he must find a way to get there, even with a war going on. In the midst of making his plans, a family friend of her mothers has sent her daughter to be courted by Julien and even to have him marry her. Julien, doesn’t have much belief or faith in love, even though his parents deeply cared for each other. But out of respect for his mother, he agrees, only Lady Serafina is not what he ever expected. Sarah Smith, has been enlisted, not by her own choice, to be a spy within three days. She is told she must find as much information on the Duc de Valere as possible since he is suspected of being a traitor and a spy due to his recent visits to France. However, she never thought Julien would be so irresistible or this task would be more challenging than she ever imagined. Because she is starting to fall in love with this man, suspected traitor, but one who she feels herself losing her heart to.

The Hero (Julien Harcourt)
Julien, was very young when he lost his younger brothers and his father, and his own home. He and his parents knew it was dangerous, but they treated their servants fair, but in the end they turned on him and his family. Having to travel to England, Julien had to rebuild everything, and now that he has, he has a new duty…find one of his brothers that may have survived. He knows he must get to France soon, but he also has another problem….a young woman he is suppose to marry …who doesn’t necessarily want to be courted. Julien finds her endearing but he suspects that she is hiding something…and he must get to the bottom of it.

The Hero (Sara Smith)
Sara, is a orphan, dropped on the porch of a establishment, and has no family to call her own. Sara has never felt wanted or needed. She is now a respectable governess, but while on a job, tutoring children, she is brought into the Foreign Office employment. Her boss, has instructed her that she must become a spy in three days or be thrown out into the street with no reference and no where to go. Sara knows she has no choice, but hates that she will have to become someone else. As she finds herself being courted by Julien Harcourt, she finds him breathtaking, and has no idea how she is suppose to prove his guilt as a traitor; when she doesn’t even believe him to be one. But she is determined to get to the heart of the matter, before she does something foolish as fall in love with a man so above her it could be funny.

My Thoughts 
The Making of the Duchess is the first in the series…which doesn’t happen very often. Most oftentimes I read a series out of order, but I decided to read this one in order. After recently reading from this author I was just about jumping up and down in my seat, excited to read this. It was a whole different style of story than others that I have read from this author. For one, its plot has a more serious tone to it. There were only a few times I laughed, when I usually I am just cracking myself up in her books. For those of you who have read this one, you know what I am talking about. I was expecting a story that would just be so full of witty humor and silly yet fun scenes…boy was I wrong. Don’t get me wrong….I did love this one, and I would recommend it to anyone that loves a good spy romance. However you need to expect it to be more serious, not as carefree. Let me lay out some of the few things that I just loved about The Making Of  A Duchess. First, I loved the fast and smooth flow of the plot and story. It was like floating on a river, so smooth and steady. It had its breakneck pace, that is common with this author, that keeps a reader fully enthralled. I also loved the depth of each character, there was so much personality and spirit that I was endeared to them from the beginning. There were many surprises at various times throughout the book, that it keeps you shaking with anticipation. I also loved the mystery and intrigue element to the plot, that had me guessing and I ended shocked at certain times. I loved the way the story is so beautiful woven in detail and the imagery is so vivid I felt like I was there in the story, and I was flipping through the pages as fast as I could read them. Another winner for this author!!! A story that will have you from the first page. I just dare you to put it down. LOL I can hardly wait to read Armand’s story. 🙂

The First Line 
Julien woke suddenly, his eyes wide and focused on the ceiling above his bed.

My Favorite Quote 
“Tu es si belle” With a groan, he took her in his arms. Enveloped in his strength and warmth, she melted into him. His lips caressed hers so gently and tenderly that she moaned. She wanted more. She ached to feel wanted. Ached to feel beautiful

My Grade On This Book 
4.5 Blossoms 

Heat Rating
Steamy

Other Books In The Series 
The Making Of A Gentleman
The Rogue Pirate’s Bride