Marrying The Captain

By Carla Kelly

Ever since her father tried to sell her as a mistress to the highest bidder, Eleanor Massie has chosen to live in poverty. Her world changes overnight when Captain Oliver Worthy shows up at her struggling inn. Despite herself, Nana is drawn to her handsome guest .

Oliver planned to stay in Plymouth only long enough to report back to Lord Ratliffe about Nana. But he soon senses that Lord Ratliffe is up to something, and Oliver will do anything to keep this courageous, beautiful woman safe even marry her!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jul 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781460820346

Carla Kelly

Carla has always said that she only writes the books that she wants to read, which has made this whole writing business extra fun. She wrote her first book at age six. It was called The Old Mill, and she wrote it on her mother's Olivetti-Underwood typewriter. It had a cover (she spent more time on the cover than the narrative), and consisted of two sentences. But Carla said it had a plot. Carla was always writing something. She admits to going through that awkward, poetry-writing phase. Luckily, it passed. In high school (A.C. Jones High School, Beeville, Texas), she got involved in journalism, which was a great thing, since JHS had an exemplary journalism teacher, Jean Dugat (Miss D), the meanest teacher alive. To show how mean, she insisted that her students learn A LOT. She was the only teacher Carla ever knew who never needed a substitute when she was gone. "We wouldn't have dared not complete what she had assigned us," Carla said. Miss D was a wicked hard taskmaster, but it occurred to Carla that if she did what Miss D said, and paid attention, she'd be a writer someday. Brigham Young University was a great place to go to college. Papers were a breeze (refer to Miss D in the above paragraph), and Carla graduated with a degree in Latin American history. She was married by her senior year, and eventually Martin and Carla had five interesting children. Martin, retired now, was a university professor, teaching theatre courses, English courses and speech, plus directing plays. Carla says she began writing in earnest (i.e. selling stuff) when she lived in Ogden, Utah. She started out with short stories about the Indian Wars, reflecting academic interest, plus several years as a National Park Service ranger at Fort Laramie NHS. Great job. Carla said they paid her every two weeks for what she would have done for free… The result of those short stories were two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America and eventually the anthology Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army, which remains her personal favorite book of those she has written. In 1983 or 1984, Carla wrote her first novel, Daughter of Fortune (she called it Saintmaker), inspired by an incident in New Mexico history. After that, her then-agent suggested she might want to try her hand at Regency romance, which turned out to be a nice fit. Carla had written mainly for Signet and now Harlequin, with occasional academic works and state and Park Service–funded history projects thrown in to keep life interesting. She has two RITA® Awards for regencies, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews. She doesn't belong to any writing groups because they take up too much time, and she's too cheap to pay dues. Carla likes to write, but she does other stuff, too. More years in the Park Service meant a greater understanding of the American fur trade and Indians on the Northern Plains. She likes to read, focusing on police procedurals for her escape reading (John Harvey is her favorite such author) and whatever academic history interests her. She is currently researching coal mine history in Utah, because the Kellys moved to Wellington, Utah, in 2009, after Martin retired. Wellington is in Carbon County, well-known for coal mines. She has plans for a history of one 1900 mine disaster, and probably a novel on the same subject (she's a great one for using research many times—re: the Channel Fleet). Also in the works is a biography of Guy V. Henry, a well-known cavalry officer of the Indian Wars, Carla's primary history field. She's been known to present academic papers here and there, and never misses the Indian Wars Symposia at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. There will always be time for fiction, though. Carla recently sold a novel that reflects her years in southeast Wyoming and her Mormon background to a Utah publishing company. She anticipates more books in this vein, partly because she has always been a bit squeamish about bodice ripping, and she's always up for new ventures. Other than reading, Carla's only bona fide hobby is crocheting baby afghans. She does it while she watches television or rides shotgun in cars, and she's well on her way to making a gazillion. Years ago, one of Carla's friends and fellow authors made the perceptive observation that Carla is only writing herself in her books: someone practical, down-to-earth, not Too Stupid To Live, who solves her own problems. And she writes about stalwart, caring men and women because she personally knows a lot of stalwart, caring people. She was also told by a friend, a certified graphologist (handwriting analyst), that her handwriting indicates she hasn't a creative bone in her whole body. Sigh. So it goes.  

Reviews for Marrying The Captain

[mlorio_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Captain Oliver Worthy has been requested by Lord Ratliffe to check on his illegitimate daughter living in Plymouth. When Oliver locates Eleanor Massie, called Nana, she is living in poverty at her grandmother’s inn. Oliver stays at the inn while his ship is being repaired. Although Oliver is only land locked for a few weeks Oliver and Nana begin to care very much for each other. Neither want to fall in love, Oliver has sworn never to marry and risk leaving a widow and Nana’s mother was taken advantaged of by a Navy officer. The story is not terribly exciting but is a tender quiet love story between two average people who you are really happy see get together. Enjoyed tremendously.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice. A very solid and well-thought-out setting, excellent characterization, nicely-done conflict. The sex scenes were scant and awkwardly-written - definite impression that an editor said 'But there have to be sex scenes in it!' 'pubic mound', indeed. Aside from that, well-written - she's living up to my expectations (from the short story of hers I read a little while ago). Hmm, I wonder if it's a series (or will be, this one is new). Her sisters could be two more stories...

[jenson_aka_dl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Eleanor (Nana) is the bastard daughter of a Lord who tried to sell her off to pay his debts. Now she acts as housekeeper and maid at her grandmother's inn, The Mulberry, in Portsmouth. Oliver Worthy is Captain of the good ship Tireless and at the request of the Lord he is supposed to report to he has agreed to stay at the Mulberry to report on the state of his daughter. Captain Worthy is a man who has always lived by his instincts and when he sees Nana he is immediately moved to protect her from both poverty and the unknown machinations of her underhanded father.Usually I like my romances a bit steamier and more adventurous. However, I was quite taken by the sweet romance and likeable characters. Nana was an interesting blend of biddability (they call her “biddable” so why not biddability?), compassion and strength that I really enjoyed. Typically the goody two shoes personality makes me cringe, but not in this case. It was the same with Oliver. Despite being a personality I usually take issue with, I really liked him. I was also taken by the nautical theme. I think I'll have to make a point of reading more ship faring stories because there is something about them that really strikes me. Overall I really enjoyed this romance and thought it was very appealing in a more low key way than most of what I read.

[onyx95_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Being a sea Captain, Oliver Worthy knew his responsibilities to his country, his crew and himself and he never had a port to call home. When Viscount Ratliffe of the Admiralty asked him to send a report of his daughters welfare, some thing in the Captain gave him reservations so he proceeded with caution. It was easy to find Eleanor ‘Nana’ Massie, everyone in the town of Plymouth admired her. The Mulberry wasn’t the nicest of Inns, but he thought it best to slightly mislead the Viscount. Harlequin Historicals have always been one of my favorite genres, this one is no exception. The emotions of this one got to me with the gentleness and ease that the two characters had with each other. I really enjoyed the slow progression of the love match. Not much in the way of action or adventure (a little but not a lot). The history lesson on Bonaparte was fun, but the calm consistency and gentle flow of the story kept me reading.

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As always, a top-notch Regency from Carla Kelly. While I liked Beau Crusoe somewhat better, this is still a notch above every other writer's regencies. Although Kelly doesn't write about the top layer of society, the regency feel, the romantic intimacy, the characters, the plot, more than compensate for the loss of the aristocratic fantasy that most regencies offer.

[xorscape · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. Carla Kelly is one of my all-time favorite writers and this one did not disappoint. This book is set in 1808 and the Napoleanic Wars figure prominently. Carla Kelly has an amazing ability to write what the main characters are thinking, without being tedious and annoying, giving us the chance to know them and like them. There is love, intrigue, spying, naval experience and heroism. Everything needed for a great read. I hated for it to end and the ending left room for a sequel. I hope so! Short outline: Eleanor Massie is the illegitimate daughter of a viscount who tried to sell her services to the highest bidder. She fled to live with her maternal grandmother, a fiercely loving innkeeper. Five years later, Captain Oliver Worthy comes to stay at their out-of-the-way inn in order to let Eleanor's father know how she is. The Captain doesn't know the back story and thinks the viscount is just concerned. Needless to say, they fall in love, she fighting the inequity in their stations and he not wanting to widow any woman (because of his dangerous career). There are spies, traitors, sailors and wonderful friends to add to a wonderful story.