A Pirate's Love
by Johanna Lindsey
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Book Summary Information
Author: Johanna LindseyEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1978-10-01
ISBN: 0380400480
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Avon
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780380400485
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of A Pirate's Love
Book Review: "Turbulent seas are an adventure to ride, but I prefer to sail calm seas..."
Summary: 4 Stars
The time frame is in the 1600s when privateers were enlisted by England to raid Spanish ships. The French also participated. Privateers are basically pirates under the protection of England with permission to exact their piracy upon the Spanish.
Bettina is breathtakingly beautiful and has been essentially hidden away by her unloving father. Starved for attention from her father whom wished for a boy, she develops a growing temper. He sends her off to live and become educated in a convent. She has lived a very sheltered life and knows nothing of the ways of men. She has finally learned her place and it is time that her father arranges a marriage for her. He has selected Pierre Comte de Lambert, a young, handsome, and rich plantation owner in the Caribbean. While her mother has filled her heart with dreams of choosing a man of her own, the convent taught her to control her temper and accept her fate. She obeys her father and with her lifelong servant in tow boards a ship to be taken to her betrothed.
Tristan is a privateer under the protection of England. Ever since he was a young boy he has vowed to kill Don Miguel de Bastida. Unsuccessful at his deed, Tristan takes a break from seeking revenge and spotted Bettina from a distance while on her way to her betrothed. Tristan declares that he must have her. He disregards the fact that the ship is not a Spanish ship and boards her anyways. Apparently, Bettina had not lost her fiery temper after all. Tristan is spellbound by her beauty and keeps her to himself but this spirited lady also captures his heart.
This is the first Johanna Lindsey book that I have read. At first, I was distracted by Bettina's lack of response to certain things. For example, (spoiler alert) she handled learning the true identity of her father very well. For such a spirited young lady as the author tried to portray her, she did not really seem to live up to that image. The rape scenes in the beginning I thought were a little difficult to read too but not because of the rape itself. Her reaction and how the events unfolded didn't seem realistic to me. I almost wanted to put it down at that point but my mother-in-law said it ended well so I trudged on.
I was actually surprised at how the events unfolded after that. The story was complex and intertwined. There was a climax and a very happy ending. There were even a few little side stories so that the story wasn't entirely about Tristan and Bettina. Bettina's reactions started to become clearer and more realistic. By the ending, I felt good which is exactly how this genre is supposed to make you feel. I think I may read another one of her books.
Now to address the "elephant in the room:" the rape. I am not a fan of rape stories and in the beginning I felt like it was kind of an offense to women who had been raped. I think it was easier to get passed because in the beginning he had used trickery to get her to submit rather than brute force. Essentially, it is still about control though. But the moment in which I started liking Tristan was the moment he gave into Bettina's demand for a clean shaven face. Then when his prickles reddened her face, he decided to keep it cleaned shaved all the time. He would shave just before dinner so not to harm her. There were a few brutal moments but moments like when he stood up for her when someone said she was a whore makes the story acceptable. He exclaimed, "She is not a whore!" She did find enjoyment in the sexual acts, which is by no means an excuse, but I think if he had wooed her a little rather than exact certain control that Tristan would have found a way to her bed anyways.
In my opinion, it would have been better if there was no rape. I would have liked to have seen Bettina submit to him willingly because of the bond they shared outside the bed. I would have liked to have seen a growing relationship sort of like in Beauty and the Beast (sorry, that was the best I could think of at this moment). What makes me able to overlook the rape is the fact that in most cases he was gentle and cared for Bettina well. The fact that he truly seemed to care for her was also a factor and then ultimately Bettina was able to find love for her captor as well. This genre aims for happy thoughts and is known for the sex scenes. With these characters, as prideful as they were, the sex would have been cut down dramatically had Tristan needed to gain Bettina's approval before getting into her bed. Because of the rape, this book will not appeal to all readers. Either way, the ending was in fact good.
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