Genre: Historical
Romance
Publication
Date: September 28, 2012
Pages: 251
Published By:
Lara
Zierke
Website: http://www.larahays.com
My Review Copy: E-copy provided by the
author in exchange for an honest review.
Where To Get:
Blurb:
The sway of playful palm trees and
never-ending sunshine seem like a fantasy compared to the smog and filth of
18th century London. Thrilled for a new life in the exotic West Indies,
privileged seventeen-year-old Tessa Monroe eagerly embraces her father’s
reassignment to the fledgling Caribbean colony of St. Kitts where she can stake
her claim as an up-and-coming socialite.
But that dream unravels when a
hurricane downs their ship on the passage from England, leaving Tessa as the
sole survivor. Rescued by a passing ship, Tessa’s grief soon turns to terror as
she realizes she isn’t a passenger—she’s a captive.
With a future of slavery in
the offing, Tessa joins forces with Nicholas Holladay, a charismatic sailor
ready to break free from a life of piracy. Mutiny is in the air. Tessa and
Nicholas will either win their freedom or earn a spot at the gallows.
Quotes:
“I thought I had seen green
before. As a child I had run freely across rolling hills so green they put
emeralds to shame. But this…this was something else entirely.”
“I had never been kissed.
Not like that. My lips felt as if they were on fire. I touched them to be sure
they weren’t.”
“Being near Nicholas
altered my judgment the way a vein of ore upsets a compass.”
“Cruel and severe, the
early-morning stars mocked me. A billion stars in the sky, staring down at me,
telling me how alone I was. Speaking a celestial language of their own that I
could not understand. I was always surrounded, but forever alone.”
“What is it with you
pirates? Why all this vengeance? Aren’t you all supposed to be mesmerized by
piles of gold?”
“I saw Nicholas differently
now. He took pleasure in killing. It was his craft. If I were smart, I would
sever ties with him. But I knew I never would. I loved him. Knowing that I
could so easily dismiss his own darkness made me acknowledge my own.”
“’I’m not quite sure who I
am anymore, or where I belong. But I think I might belong in the sun and the
wind too.’ I looked into his face. ‘I think I might belong with you’.”
My Thoughts:
Must-read, outstanding first novel for anyone who loves pirates,
or is willing to be swept off their feet by one!
I
was given an opportunity to read and review Oceanswept
by a fellow book club member who knew the author and asked if we’d be
interested in reading and giving honest reviews about the book as a group. I’m
so glad she did! This was a fun, whirlwind, pirate romance on the high seas. I
definitely felt the adventure as I read the book on a trip to Florida over the
long weekend. I basically devoured the book in-between spending time with my
friends I was visiting, and stayed up late every night to read some more! I
finished it on the flight home, where coincidentally, I found an article about
St. Kitts and other Caribbean islands in the in-flight magazine.
Oceanswept keeps up a swift pace, and
kept me guessing. This is Lara Hays’ first novel, and I am eagerly anticipating
the sequel. Not only were there emotional twists and turns throughout the
story, but also the story left off with a cliffhanger, albeit an optimistic
one. Even though I usually prefer stories to tie up any and ALL loose ends,
with series, I’m a bit more forgiving, and I feel like enough of the plot lines
were resolved by the end of the book to keep me happy, while still continuing
to build suspense for the sequel where everything else will be resolved (and
new exciting conflicts will arise, I’m sure).
The
point is, Lara needs to keep writing, and write fast! I need to know what
happens next for Nicholas and Tessa. They have a romance that will leave you
breathless, and leave you wanting more, but is still appropriate for everyone.
I can see this book being made into a movie, especially with the pirate-shaped
hole that Pirates of the Caribbean has left us with. I thoroughly enjoyed this
book, and highly recommend this book, and the sequel Undertow (being written as I type this) to anyone looking for a
fun, fast, adventurous read that will put you on the lookout for dashing
pirates.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment