Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Excellent book with plenty of action to go along with the romance. Aurora, aka Rory or "Roaring Rory" was touring the world with her cousin Constance, avoiding marriage and satisfying her need for adventure. They were on the way home from Greece when their ship was attacked by Barbary pirates, and they were taken hostage. A demand for a huge ransom was sent to Rory's family. Unable to pay the ransom, Rory's father washes his hands of his troublesome daughter, but Rory's mother doesn't give up so easily. She calls upon a friend who helps her find someone to negotiate Rory's release.
Gabriel is the captain of his own life and boat. A humane gesture caused him to be booted out of the Royal Navy and disowned by his family. Since then, he made his own way in the world doing things that were both legal and illegal. He played a significant role in the previous book, Oncea Rebel, using his skills to assist in the rescue of a British woman. Now his experience along the Barbary coast is called on to rescue another woman. His memories of the coast are not good ones, and he is reluctant to accept the charge until he sees a miniature of Rory. Something about her draws him in.
I liked both Rory and Gabriel. Rory is unconventional, independent, and intelligent. Knowing that she was not ready to get married, she used an inheritance to travel the world. She and her cousin Constance use their adventures to write stories about intrepid female explorers. When they are captured by the pirates, Rory's sense of honor makes her insist that any ransom include her cousin and the crew of their ship. Rory is also practical in that she knows she must cooperate with their captors until they are ransomed. Gabriel was also fantastic. He is determined, honorable and cunning. He will do whatever he must to return Rory safely home. I loved seeing him use his experiences to get them out of trouble.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Rory and Gabriel. There were sparks between them from the moment they met. I was very impressed with Gabriel and the way he kept his focus in spite of Rory's state of undress. Beyond the sparks, there was also a deeper connection that was immediately apparent. I loved the way they spoke honestly of what was developing between them, and also realized that there was a chance that things would not go their way. The scenes on the ship from Algiers to Constantinople were sweet and sexy as they used the time to get to know each other. The attraction between them also grew. Gabriel's strength and honor were in full force as he resisted the pull in order to protect Rory in case everything went wrong. The resolution was exciting, and I loved how they came together at the end. There was a satisfying wrap-up with both Rory's family and Gabriel's that brought the book to a wonderful conclusion.
The story was packed full of action from beginning to end. The descriptions of the time in the two harems were vivid, and I could effortlessly picture what Rory and Constance experienced. Their fears and frustrations were easily understood. The tension mounted when Gabriel arrived to find that he had a history with Rory's captor. Malek became a slightly more sympathetic character as his reasons for the vast ransom were revealed, but his intentions remained unchanged. I was wholly invested in the story as it moved from Algiers to Constantinople. The pirate attack was vividly described and kept the tension high as they dealt with the unexpected complication. Their arrival in Constantinople was met with treachery and deceit, putting them all in extreme danger. I was on the edge of my seat as Gabriel worked from his side to effect a rescue, and Rory and the others declined to play the victim and fought back. There were exciting twists and turns and an unexpected surprise for Gabriel.
There was also a secondary romance between Constance and Gabriel's second-in-command, Jason. I enjoyed seeing the quieter and more practical Constance emerge from a bit of a shell and find a love she had given up on. I liked Jason's steadfast support of Constance and acceptance of her past. I especially enjoyed the scene as Constance sketched Jason with the goats; it was fun and sweet with an underlying simmer of attraction.
Gabriel is the captain of his own life and boat. A humane gesture caused him to be booted out of the Royal Navy and disowned by his family. Since then, he made his own way in the world doing things that were both legal and illegal. He played a significant role in the previous book, Oncea Rebel, using his skills to assist in the rescue of a British woman. Now his experience along the Barbary coast is called on to rescue another woman. His memories of the coast are not good ones, and he is reluctant to accept the charge until he sees a miniature of Rory. Something about her draws him in.
I liked both Rory and Gabriel. Rory is unconventional, independent, and intelligent. Knowing that she was not ready to get married, she used an inheritance to travel the world. She and her cousin Constance use their adventures to write stories about intrepid female explorers. When they are captured by the pirates, Rory's sense of honor makes her insist that any ransom include her cousin and the crew of their ship. Rory is also practical in that she knows she must cooperate with their captors until they are ransomed. Gabriel was also fantastic. He is determined, honorable and cunning. He will do whatever he must to return Rory safely home. I loved seeing him use his experiences to get them out of trouble.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Rory and Gabriel. There were sparks between them from the moment they met. I was very impressed with Gabriel and the way he kept his focus in spite of Rory's state of undress. Beyond the sparks, there was also a deeper connection that was immediately apparent. I loved the way they spoke honestly of what was developing between them, and also realized that there was a chance that things would not go their way. The scenes on the ship from Algiers to Constantinople were sweet and sexy as they used the time to get to know each other. The attraction between them also grew. Gabriel's strength and honor were in full force as he resisted the pull in order to protect Rory in case everything went wrong. The resolution was exciting, and I loved how they came together at the end. There was a satisfying wrap-up with both Rory's family and Gabriel's that brought the book to a wonderful conclusion.
The story was packed full of action from beginning to end. The descriptions of the time in the two harems were vivid, and I could effortlessly picture what Rory and Constance experienced. Their fears and frustrations were easily understood. The tension mounted when Gabriel arrived to find that he had a history with Rory's captor. Malek became a slightly more sympathetic character as his reasons for the vast ransom were revealed, but his intentions remained unchanged. I was wholly invested in the story as it moved from Algiers to Constantinople. The pirate attack was vividly described and kept the tension high as they dealt with the unexpected complication. Their arrival in Constantinople was met with treachery and deceit, putting them all in extreme danger. I was on the edge of my seat as Gabriel worked from his side to effect a rescue, and Rory and the others declined to play the victim and fought back. There were exciting twists and turns and an unexpected surprise for Gabriel.
There was also a secondary romance between Constance and Gabriel's second-in-command, Jason. I enjoyed seeing the quieter and more practical Constance emerge from a bit of a shell and find a love she had given up on. I liked Jason's steadfast support of Constance and acceptance of her past. I especially enjoyed the scene as Constance sketched Jason with the goats; it was fun and sweet with an underlying simmer of attraction.
