REVIEW: Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie

Pirate of My Heart (a novel)
by Jamie Carie
Publisher: B&H Books
Release Date: September 1, 2011
Genres: Christian, Historical, Romance
Pages: 307
Buy at: Amazon, B&N, CBD
Add on: Goodreads
Find the author at: website, Facebook, Twitter
Rating: ★★★★ (4 out of 5 stars)

She gave up everything for a chance at true love…

When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her uncle’s choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives. Armed with the faith that God has a plan for her, Kendra boards a cargo ship and soon finds herself swept away by the rugged American sea captain Dorian Colburn. But this adventurous man has been wounded by love before and now guards his independent life. He wasn’t prepared to give up anything for anyone… No swashbuckling man needs an English heiress with violet-hued eyes to make him feel again or challenge his faith with probing questions—or so he thinks. It is not until Dorian must save Kendra from the dark forces surrounding her that he decides she may be worth the risk.

My Review:

Thanks to her unscrupulous uncle’s gambling debts, Lady Kendra Townsend and her father are left financially ruined. After a year of living frugally yet happily content since they are together, Kendra is devastated when her loving father suddenly and tragically dies in a carriage accident. Not six months after her uncle pushes her to marry a man three times her age. When Kendra refuses, he leaves her with only one other choice: move to America to live with her aunt and uncle. Not knowing what to expect from the family she’s never met—but still keeping faith that God is watching over her—she soon sets off on an unforgettable journey. Meet Captain Dorian Colburn, a man who’s sworn off women for life but can’t help feel his heart stir every time his beautiful, violet-eyed passenger is around. But not all is as it seems—will Dorian be able to save Kendra from dangerous enemies targeting her?

Ever since I read one of her books years ago, I’ve known that Jamie Carie is an exceptionally talented storyteller. She writes historical fiction like none else, bringing together a truly interesting historical setting with thrilling romance and heart-racing plot. Pirate of My Heart was no exception. It was a truly riveting story…filled with those cute “aw” romantic moments that made me smile constantly. At first, I thought I wasn’t going to like Kendra. But as the story progressed, she went from being kind of spoiled and too naive to a genuine, beautiful, kindhearted woman and it was a great example of good character development. I grew to care for Dorian too, his standoffish attitude quickly melting into a humor-filled and joyful personality. I loved the character’s banter and interactions with each other. The story had depth as well—the message that no matter how hard you try to be good, the difficult truth is that we all fall sometimes was on point. If I had anything unfavorable to say about this book, it was be that that it kind off flitted abruptly from one subplot to the next, making it almost seem like five stories in one and a little rushed. Nitpicking aside, the action did keep me constantly wondering what was going to happen next!

If you enjoy christian historical fiction (MaryLu Tyndall, Laurie Alice Eakes, and Lori Benton come to mind when thinking of similar authors!), then I would definitely recommend trying out Pirate of My Heart…and all of Jamie Carie’s books, for that matter! Characters with depth, a heartfelt love story, and exciting adventure are just a few things to look forward to diving into this beauty. This book left me with only one question—which Jamie Carie novel shall I read next?! 😉

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Check out Jamie Carie’s site for some fun book extras!