Lord Of The Privateers
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Can true love die? Or, neglected, does it lie dormant until the object of true desire is again within reach? Denied, does passion smolder, like embers waiting for the right conditions to flare into an all–consuming conflagration?
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens delivers the thrilling conclusion to her acclaimed series, THE ADVENTURERS QUARTET, a passionate Regency–era drama played out on the high seas and in the sweltering heat of tropical jungles, ultimately reaching a scintillating climax in the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair.
The eldest of the Frobisher brothers and widely known as the lord of the privateers, Royd Frobisher expects to execute the final leg of the rescue mission his brothers have been pursuing. What he does not expect is to be pressured into taking his emotional nemesis, childhood sweetheart, ex–handfasted bride, and current business partner, Isobel Carmichael, with him. But is it Isobel doing the pressuring, or his own restless unfulfilled psyche?
Resolute, determined, and an all but unstoppable force of nature, Isobel has a mission of her own – find her cousin Katherine and bring her safely home. And if, along the way, she can rid herself of the lingering dreams of a life with Royd that still haunt her, well and good.
Neither expects the shock that awaits them as they set sail aboard Royd's ship, much less the new horizons that open before them as they call into London, then, armed with the necessary orders and all arrangements in place, embark on a full–scale rescue–assault on the mining compound buried in the jungle.
Yet even with the support of his brothers and their ladies and, once rescued, all the ex–captives, Royd and Isobel discover that freeing the captives is only half the battle. In order to identify and convict the backers behind the illicit enterprise – and protect the government from catastrophic destabilisation – they must return to the ballrooms of the haut ton, and with the help of a small army of supporters, hunt the villains on their home ground.
But having found each other again, having glimpsed the heaven that could be theirs again, how much are they willing to risk in the name of duty?
Learn the answer and revel in the action, drama, intrigue, and passion as the Frobishers – with help from Wolverstone, the Cynsters, and many familiar others – steer the adventure to a glorious end.
Praise for the works of Stephanie Laurens
“Stephanie Laurens' heroines are marvelous tributes to Georgette Heyer: feisty and strong.” Cathy Kelly
“Stephanie Laurens never fails to entertain and charm her readers with vibrant plots, snappy dialogue, and unforgettable characters.” Historical Romance Reviews
“Stephanie Laurens plays into readers' fantasies like a master and claims their hearts time and again.” Romantic Times Magazine
Stephanie Laurens
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science, a hobby that quickly became a career. Her novels set in Regency England have captivated readers around the globe, making her one of the romance world's most beloved and popular authors.
Read more from Stephanie Laurens
A Season for Scandal Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fair Juno Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Impetuous Innocent Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Wedding Planner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rose in Bloom: A Novella Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Melting Ice Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Return Engagement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Comfortable Wife Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tangled Reins Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Lady Of Expectations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Lord Of The Privateers
Related ebooks
Memoir of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu by Sheridan Le Fanu - Delphi Classics (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlien Mate - Scifi Alien Invasion Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wyrms of Pasandir, Box Set 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Evil Genius Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Evil Genius by Wilkie Collins - Delphi Classics (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHope, Hearts & Forever: Hope & Hearts from Swan Harbor, #6 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChance by Joseph Conrad (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOne Shot in the Storm Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMiss or Mrs. and Other Stories in Outline by Wilkie Collins - Delphi Classics (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Olatha Prophecy Book 1: Voyage to Olatha Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLeopard Rose Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI'll Go the Length of Meself: The Story of Newfoundland's Daring Rascal, Captain Guy Earle, North America's Youngest Master Mariner Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Scornful Lady: "Now Sir, this first part of your will is performed: what's the rest?" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDead Men Tell No Tales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMiss or Mrs.? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsArforth: Hope and Betrayal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Four Gifts of the King: A Novel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Defender Chronicles: Volume 4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Last Voyage of the Emir Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Reluctant King (The Kinsman Chronicles): Part 7 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Spy in the House of Fitzwalter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Oxford Book of Ballads Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Necessary Veil Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bokkaners of the North Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEmpire's Heir: Empire's Legacy, #7 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Last Reunion: Book No. 10 of the Wolde Family Saga Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Unwelcome Guest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Flying for Something: Fly Navy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Sea Stories Fiction For You
Life of Pi: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We, the Drowned Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tress of the Emerald Sea: Secret Projects, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Oxford Year: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Old Man and the Sea: The Hemingway Library Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: A new fantasy series set a thousand years before The City of Brass Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don Quixote Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Daughter In Law: A gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blonde Hair, Blue Eyes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pod: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sea Wolf: A Sea Tale of Men Against Nature and Each Other Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Best Short Stories of J. G. Ballard Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Shepherd Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Benito Cereno Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5King of Libertines Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wreck of the Titan Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Agartha: The Earth's Inner World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/520,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Illustrated and Annotated) (A to Z Classics) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTitanic's Last Secret Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Island: A heart-stopping psychological thriller that will keep you hooked Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5East Coast Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cinnamon and Gunpowder: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Silver Tongue Devil (Devil in the Deep Blue Sea #1) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Seize the Fire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dirt Music: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Lord Of The Privateers
16 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fantastic conclusion to the series. At the end of the previous book, A Daredevil Snared, Royd had just arrived in London, to begin his part of the mission to rescue the captives. He was accompanied by Isobel Carmichael, a woman from his past, deemed "Trouble" by Roy's brothers. As this book opens, we get the background of why Isobel is with him. Isobel has been tasked by her grandmother to go to Freetown and discover the whereabouts of a missing cousin. Royd is the only person she trusts to get her there, in spite of, or maybe because of, their history.Royd and Isobel grew up together, haunting the shipyards of Aberdeen. He is the oldest of shipping family, and she the likely heir to her family's shipyards. As they grew older, they realized that they were each other's perfect match. Isobel's grandmother didn't believe Royd was good enough for Isobel and insisted on a year's handfasting before they could marry. They'd been handfasted for three weeks when Royd left on a voyage, expecting to be gone one or two months. What Isobel didn't know was that Royd undertook secret missions for the Crown, and this was one of those. Months went by without hearing from him, and no one would tell her where he was. When he finally returned, after thirteen months away, she was so furious and hurt she slammed the door in his face and refused to see him, declaring their handfasting over. When repeated attempts got him nowhere, Royd accepted it. Their personal relationship may have been over, but their professional one remained, so they saw each other frequently over the next eight years.I enjoyed Royd's reaction to Isobel's appearance. He has come to realize that his feelings for her have never died and is determined to win her back. He looks at the voyage to Africa as the perfect way to make a start on that. Isobel is more interested in trying to root out her feelings for Royd and move on. But the first leg of the journey (early in the book, so not a spoiler) brings a shock to them both. Stowing away on board was Isobel's almost eight year old son - the son Royd knows nothing about. He is, of course, shocked and angry, but he is a mature and controlled man. I loved how he waits for Isobel's explanation of what had happened. Both of them agree that they have made mistakes that led to those actions, and the best thing to do is to accept and move on. However, it only reinforces Royd's determination to win Isobel back to his life.I really liked Isobel. She is tall, beautiful, stron-willed, capable, and just as determined as Royd. She is a talented ships' designer and has had a successful business relationship with Royd in spite of their past. However, she does suffer from some insecurity, in believing that a man wouldn't want her for herself, just for her inheritance. This is part of what played into the ending of their relationship years earlier. She's also honest enough with herself to know that her feelings for him haven't gone away.Their relationship throughout the book is one of getting to know each other again. Royd has to learn to accept that trying to protect Isobel by keeping things secret is a bad idea. I loved watching him go from protector to partner, discovering that sharing it all makes their relationship so much richer. Isobel has to learn to trust Royd again, and believe that he won't shut her out of any part of his life. That trust becomes easier as the mission continues and Isobel is fully included. Not that it comes easy for Royd. His internal battles are obvious, but so is his knowledge that it is the only way to win the battle for her heart. Isobel fought it longer, more hesitant to risk her heart again, until she could no longer deny her feelings for him. It does take a crisis for her to finally let go of her fears, but the rewards were worth it.The main story is the mission to rescue the captives, shut down the mine, and find a way to bring the backers to justice. As such, it is more than just Royd's mission. He is the leader, but others must also be involved. Caleb and Katherine were still among the captives, waiting and planning for their rescuers to arrive. Declan and Edwina, and Robert and Aileen, are also part of the rescue mission, along with others from the Frobisher fleet. Their planning is painstakingly detailed, with success depending on everything going right, and everyone doing their parts. There is a terrific scene between Royd, Isobel, and Admiral Decker that had me laughing out loud and feeling a teeny bit (but not too much) sorry for Decker. I also loved seeing the power of the Frobisher women as they worked together.The lead up to and rescue itself were an exciting read. The increasing tension as all the parts moved into place had me turning the pages as fast as I could read. As is likely in any kind of confrontation, there's always something that could go wrong, and there are several places where all could fall apart. When all was said and done, the rescue went amazingly well. The first two objectives were achieved: captives rescued and mine shut down. They even managed to catch some of the ones they needed. But the biggest fish are still back in London, and there our adventurers must go to bring their mission to a successful close.This was also an exciting part of the book. Traps must be prepared and every contingency planned for. I loved that the bait in the trap was thought of by the ladies, and Isobel was the perfect person to do it. I loved seeing not only the Frobishers and their ladies, and the Wolverstones, but so many others from previous stories. Having Devil and some of the other Cynsters, as well as members of the Bastion Club and those from the Black Cobra mission involved increased the intensity as the final confrontation neared. The resolution was extremely satisfying after another heartstopping encounter.The epilogue was marvelous, wrapping up the series perfectly for each couple. There is also a hint that we may not be entirely done with the Frobishers, and I can't wait to see what's in store.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Lord of the Privateers
2.5 Stars
In the series finale, Royd Frobisher and the woman he was once handfasted to, Isobel Carmichael, are forced to join forces to rescue the imprisoned captives at the mine in Sierra Leone.
Oy vay!
I had such high hopes for this final installment and it started out so well with the details on Royd and Isobel's past relationship and the revelation of some painful truths. Unfortunately, it all falls flat once the two travel to Sierra Leone with the rescue force.
The actual liberation of the hostages is exciting, and it is satisfying to see the villains receive their just reward. However, this cannot compensate for the tedious writing and overly detailed descriptions that have characterized this entire series. Laurens can do much better.
While the romance between Royd and Isobel is the best in the series and they have fantastic chemistry, some of the details and reactions are ridiculously unrealistic. For instance, how exactly did Isobel manage to keep her son's existence secret for 8 solid years considering her close day-to-day interactions with Royd? The explanations provided simply do not make sense. Moreover, the reactions of Royd's family to the revelations are inauthentic. They simply accept that Isobel kept their grandson/nephew from them for years, and quickly put aside their anger and hurt. I don't think so!
Overall, this and the other books in the series are not a good example of Laurens' storytelling or writing. Read the Bastion Club instead!