Barbarous

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

After all these years that he’d been presumed dead, Hugh Redvers, the true Lord Davenport, was alive! That dreadful shock could not have come at a worse time for Lady Daphne Davenport, right after an altercation with Sir Malcolm Hastings, would was becoming too persistent. Had Hugh discovered Daphne’s secrets? What would happen to her and her ten year-old sons? And why did Hugh have to look so impossibly gorgeous, even with his eye patch, his scars, and his missing finger! Dangerous, the first book of The Outcasts, was very good, but BARABAROUS is fantastic! Although it takes place in the same timeline as Dangerous, BARBAROUS stands perfectly on its own. The luscious cover is partly to blame for my decision to read this book, and what a delight that the contents is just as scrumptious! BARBAROUS is fabulously intriguing right from the beginning when Hugh arrives, accompanied by his colourful entourage, and Daphne displays her fortitude and strength of character. Minerva Spencer’s prose is impossibly gorgeous, and her eloquence paints stunning and unforgettable visuals; it’s also very witty, and I laughed several times. The secondary characters are amazing: Rowena, Daphne’s cantankerous maid; Kemal, Hugh’s valet; Hugh’s aunts: the eccentric and forgetful Amelia or the formidable Letitia. I can hardly wait – hopefully not in vain – for Two Canoes’ story; let’s just say he made an impression on me. The villains are stupendously horrid, and outstandingly complex – crafted with as much care as the principals. Hugh and Daphne are both fascinating characters who have enthralling backstories, and their chemistry jumps off the page. The privateer-bad boy Hugh is a softie at heart, and a man I would like to have on my side any day. Daphne is magnificent! She is a proper widow, a serious philosopher, and nothing leaves her discombobulated. Well, actually Hugh does just a little bit. What a superb couple they are, exchanging witty and flirtatious banter; the dialogues throughout are positively stellar! BARBAROUS has it all: kidnappings, murder attempts, smouldering passion, a grand romance, spectacular adventures, and writing that will make you swoon! I am giddy at the thought of the SCANDALOUS story of Martín Bouchard, which will be the next instalment in the series!