Barbarous

Daphne Redvers was raped by her cousin Malcolm, who was also her legal guardian, eight years ago. Pregnant and alone she could have been disgraced but an elderly family friend, Lord Davenport was kind enough to marry her and claim her twin sons as his own. Now her husband is dead and her cousin has come sniffing around, trying to blackmail her into marrying him and handing over all her wealth. Then a blast from the past arrives, Hugh Redvers, her husband's adopted son, has been thought dead for many years, in fact he was hidden in plain sight as the privateer One-Eyed Standish, a notorious pirate. Daphne and Hugh have an immediate physical attraction but Daphne is well aware that her son has inherited what rightfully belongs to Hugh, can she bring herself to disinherit her son? Hugh might be a giant of a man, with good looks only enhanced by the patch over his blind eye. But the scars of his imprisonment and slavery at the hands of Sultan Babba Hussan haunt him still, leaving a pathological need to destroy each of the men who betrayed him and participated in his torture. He has returned to his old home reluctantly because he has received a number of anonymous letters warning that his step-mother (although he calls her auntie) is in danger. There's pirates, cute twins, evil cousins, talented horses, faithful retainers, kidnapping, swords and delicious frocks - what more could you want from an historical romance? Loved it. Edit: forgot to add, most of this book takes place before the events in the first book.

Barbarous by Minerva Spencer The Outcasts #2 What a delight for me to return to a memory of a book read long ago – one written by Rafael Sabatini titled The Sea Hawk. Why did it take me back? Both main characters were captured and enslaved and both rose above what happened to them to become “more” than they might otherwise have been. AND, both were charming heroes that ended up with happiness and true love in their lives. Back to this book now and why I liked it. Daphne has a secret…a HUGE secret that perhaps never would have been an issue if Huge had not come back from the dead. Trying to figure out how to share this secret with Hugh was not easy for Daphne, especially since she was so very attracted to him. Her life and the lives of her twin sons could be upended and ended if the secret comes out. His reaction to her secret could have dire consequences. Add into the mix the fact that Daphne’s cousin Malcolm is out to create trouble, there is a woman to save in Oran, there is attraction between Daphne and Hugh that is socially taboo and a revenge issue that Hugh needs to deal with and you have a swashbuckling, action-packed, thrilling romance that had me riveted from beginning to end. I loved Hugh as a book boyfriend and I loved Daphne’s strength and character. The relationship that developed between the H/h took some time but was so delicious in the making. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing – Zebra Press for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

Hugh Redvers is supposed to be dead. So the appearance of the sun-bronzed giant with the piratical black eye patch is deeply disturbing to Lady Daphne Davenport. Daphne Redvers’ distant, untouchable beauty and eminently touchable body are hard enough to resist. But the prim, almost severe, way she looks at him suggests this might be the one woman who can make him forget all the others. This is the second book in the series & only the author’s second book. It could easily be read on its own. Another very accomplished book that drew me in from the first page & had me hooked until the last. The characters are very well portrayed & have great depth. I particularly loved that both Hugh & Daphne were at first attracted to each other, then liked each other before falling in love but they both thought the other wasn’t interested it led so some delightful scenarios & conversations. The secondary characters were also well fleshed, the twins delightful & Martin needs a woman to bring him to his knees! The pace of the book is so good & it's certainly not a book to start late at night if you want to sleep. I look forward to more books from this new author who is on my must read list My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read