‘Lord of the Privateers’ Is An Unforgettable Swashbuckling Epic [REVIEW]

A governess has gone missing in the wilds of Africa and now one woman will do whatever it takes to snatch her out of harm’s way. Yet the biggest obstacle isn’t sailing to a distant colony, but summoning the courage to face a man from her past and the unresolved tension between them. Love and danger lie before her in Stephanie Laurens’ last installment in “The Adventurers Quartet,” Lord of the Privateers.

Royd Frobisher and Isobel Carmichael have the sea in their bones. As children, they were inseparable as they dreamed of taking over each of their families’ nautical endeavors. Then, on the cusp of adulthood, their relationship blossomed and Royd took her as his handfasted bride, until a classified mission separated them for good.

Eight years later, family dynamics and long-buried secrets continue to keep Royd and Isobel at arms length, until a new mission and a missing governess have them traveling the high seas to Freetown and a compound deep in the jungle. But will they be able to reach Africa in time to rescue Isobel’s cousin? And will their time together allow them to bridge the gap between them and mend their wounded hearts?

With Lord of the Privateers, Laurens has undertaken an epic adventure that only she could tell. She does such an exceptional job of breathing life into Royd and Isobel that readers will undoubtedly find themselves cheering for the couple as they struggle to understand their feelings, rescript their long-entrenched beliefs, and valiantly hunt down the conspirators who have taken their countrymen captive.

Royd is dynamic and strong, yet compassionate and kind, and he will do anything to win back the heart of the only woman he has ever loved. Isobel is his equal on many fronts, and yet her fierce determination wavers, making her seem like a Regency period Scarlet O’Hara, a woman who loves as hard as she fights, and who must decide what it is she really wants in life before she can seize the future she desires.

Laurens also excels at writing scenes that transport us back in time, so much so that readers will swear they can feel the ship move beneath their feet, the wind blowing through their hair as it fills the sails, and the salty sea spray damp against their faces. By the novel’s end, it may even take them a while to regain their land legs again. Thus it isn’t a stretch to say that readers may soon be looking for their own adventure at sea before all is said and done. This book beautifully captures the magic and romance of the period, and makes us long for the freedom and possibilities that the wide open sea provides.

Here, Laurens continues the long tradition of classic love stories, and her writing is reminiscent of those written by the likes of Victoria Holt, Rosemary Rogers and Sabrina Jeffries. If you’re looking for a historical novel that is rife with emotion, fraught with danger, and holds true to the period, you’ll love Lord of the Privateers. It’s a compelling read that will keep you turning the pages, holding your breath, gripping the cover, and believing in the power of love once more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Laurens is the number one New York Times bestselling author of The Daredevil Snared, A Buccaneer at Heart, The Lady’s Command, and more than 60 other titles of historical romance.

Her novels, set in Regency England, have captivated readers the world over, making her one of the most beloved authors of romantic fiction writing today. She is the recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award for Best Romance Novella in 2008 for The Fall of Rogue Gerrard. 

With a Ph.D. in biochemistry, Laurens worked as a research scientist in London for four years before moving to Australia to continue her work in the field of cancer research. Eventually she escaped the dry world of professional science and wrote her first book, Tangled Reins. 

Born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), she grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where she lives today with her husband and two cats. Visit her home on the Web, like her on Facebook, and sign up for her private email newsletter.

LORD OF THE PRIVATEERS
By Stephanie Laurens
512 pgs. Mira. $7.99