The Care And Feeding Of Pirates

Rating:
Summary: Good Effort. - ** Grade: B+ ** - 4 Big Stars.
Review: Gees, THE CARE & FEEDING OF PIRATES? Can we all scream "Cheesy Title?" After devouring this book, I am baffled, for THE CARE & FEEDING OF PIRATES is hardly a cheesy book. It is well-written and shows considerable artistic strength. So why the shoddy title?

Christopher Raine is a pirate - a rough, stormy, pirate. Not a pirate with a warm manner, not a pirate with a kind heart - no Christopher Raine is a rough, stormy pirate, and Christopher Raine is stimulating!

Honoria Ardmore is a southern belle. She is a proper lady in the parlor, and a shocking hussy in Raine's bed. And Honoria Ardmore is the sister of Raine's archenemy.

Honoria's big brother, James Ardmore, sent Christopher Raine to his death - via the hangman's noose. Four years later, the devious Raine turns up, in London, to claim his property - Honoria - his wife!

Open waters, passionate nights, and pirate treasure now await the reader.

Ashley does a good job with this book. Her hero is rousing, exhilarating, overbearing, and filled with the desire to possess Honoria. On the other hand, Honoria is a reading enigma - did I like this heroine or not? I'm still undecided, but I do know, I liked this book! It is steamy, but the author holds the line, and although the hero is controlling, I still found him refreshing.

The weak points: that title, an iffy plot, and an unsubstantial epilogue. Still, it is a page turner and this author displays a commanding writing style - certainly, she has piqued my interest! Grade: B+

MaryGrace Meloche
Reviewer for: www.romancedesigns.com

This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully surprised
Review: I really really liked this book. I found it to be fun and entertaining. I liked the battles that Christopher and Honoria had. They had a spark that lit and blew up with everything they did. From the deck to the bed, they ingnited. I almost lost hope after reading the first two books this author wrote, they fell flat in my opinion. No bad books, but nothing to get excited over. Not this book though.
I liked all the characters. I thought it was funny to watch Chris get high and mighty to be brought down by his lil 'o wife. Honora was a remarkable character. I liked Manda. She was a riot. I thought she had a very interesting intorduction into the story. All in all, I was pleasntly surprised with this book. I was not expecting it to be as good as it was. Not to mention its a pirate book. I have a sinful love for pirate books. This will go on my keeper shelf and I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: amusing gender war
Review: In 1809 Charleston, James Ardmore hung pirate Christopher Raine, but not before his sister Honora married the rogue. Now in London four years later, Honoria swears she saw Christopher on the streets and not long afterward he arrives in her bedroom to claim his spouse. Apparently her brother saved his life as he owed a debt to the pirate. She hid her marital status from her sibling who failed to inform her that her husband lived.

Christopher has another mission besides regaining his wife's love though he admits the passion still flows; he must rescue his sister from a devious enemy, which means crossing the Atlantic with a volunteer as a wife or a prisoner as a spouse. Christopher vows to leave London with Honoria with him. If he could have seen into the near future and what his actions do to her safety, he would have reconsidered though fighting, kissing and just being with Honoria is bliss.

This is an amusing gender war starring two equally powerful combatants whose retorts make for a fine witty tale. Honoria and Christopher are so good together in a second chance theme (although there was not much time the first time around), the subplot involving his foe seems almost unnecessary though that provides plenty of action that augments this terrific historical. Jennifer Ashley is the queen of the pirate romance with this high seas thriller and works like THE PIRATE HUNTER and THE PIRATE NEXT DOOR.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Ashely delivers!
Review: Jennifer Ashley is a talented writer. Not only does she pen great pirate romances under the name Jennifer Ashley (The Pirate Next Door; The Pirate Hunter), she has given us super Regency Mysteries under the penname Ashley Gardner (The Glass House; A Regimental Murder; The Hanover Square Affair; Sudbury School Murders). In her latest (and I think best) pirate tale, The Care and Feeding of Pirates, Ashley gives us a memorable hero, an enigmatic heroine and a full body tale of yo ho ho.

Christopher Raine is a Gamma Rogue hero who meets his match with Honoria Ardmore. A proper lady in the fine Southern Belle Tradition, she has the steel of Scarlett O'Hara. Honoria has a "connection" to Raine's view - she's his wife! She is also the sister of Raine's enemy. Brother James sent Christopher Raine to his death on the gallows. Before he did this, Honoria had become Mrs. Christopher Raine, though Honoria forgets to "mention" that fact to Brother Dearest.

Nearly four years have passed, and suddenly Christopher is in London wanting his wife. Hum, how does one explain a dead husband? hehehe. Well, Ashley does with her delicate craft, in a tale that is funny, sexy (I mean SEXY!) and enjoyable.

So get to Yo-ho-hoing and have a great time with Ashley's best pirate tale yet. You will adore Raine and Honoria from start to finish. Ashley has proven to be a subtle writer that gives depth and intelligence to her characters, leaving us eagerly awaiting more tales on the "care" of pirates.


Rating:
Summary: Another fun read from Jennifer Ashley
Review: The care and feeding of pirates was a fun read. I loved both Christopher and Honoria. It was nice to read about the characters from her other books too.