ARC Review: Seduced by a Pirate by Eloisa James

 

Seduced by a Pirate

by Eloisa James

Fairy Tales #4.5

 

2.5 Feathers

Sir Griffin Barry has come home to England after over decade of being a pirate, his first though to see the wife he left on their wedding night when he was nothing but a scrawny 17 year old boy and hasn't seen since. When he sees her, he knows he will do anything he can to win her after years of neglect.

This is a novella in Elosie James' Fairy Tales series, and in Seduced by a Pirate it looks as though she has taken The Ugly Duckling and given it a twist! The duckling in question, Griffin, has grown from a scrawny man-boy in to a large, gorgeous and imposing pirate. I thought this was a fabulous idea; however, I did have a few problems with this novella.

The biggest issue I had with this novella was how quickly they went from having just met to Phoebe saying she wants an anullment to ohmygosh-i-love-yous, it happened far to quickly, literally in the space of hours. I understand that this is a novella so it isn't going to have the longer drawn out love story, but for me it seemed a bit forced and out of the blue. The other point I didn't like about this novella was that the hero was a bit of a hypocrite, and although he did own this, it still bugged me, he was angry when he thought his wife might not have been virgin, even though he left her unsatisfied) on their wedding night and gallivanted off to the sea for over ten years and was he celibate and faithful...NO! I wish she had had a love affair, I think I would have liked the heroine a lot more for it.

But despite these things, it was still a quick enjoyable read, especially if you are a fan of the series, it had some great funny moments in it, as well as a few tender ones.   

*ARC provided by publisher

ARC Review: The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James

3.5 Stars

The Ugly Duchess

by Eloisa James

(Fairy Tales # 4)

Theodora Saxby and James Ryburn, Earl of Islay and next in line for a Dukedom are the match of the season, no one expected the ugly and mannish Theo to bring the handsome James up to scratch, with such a romantic proposal, not even Theo. But she falls in love and they marry...only to be separated two days later when she throws him out after discovering that James, her oldest friend and the man she loves only married her for her dowry.

I find myself a little uncertain if how to rate this book,  there were things I really liked about it, but other aspects that didn't sit very well, overall I think it was good, but for me not the kind of book I will remember long are I have finished it.  However, I love the idea rewriting fairy tales, something this series is based on, and the story of the ugly duckling who then blossoms into a beautiful swan is something that appeals  to me as someone who loves a plain Jane kind of story.

The problem I had with this book wasn't the characters who I did really like, especially the Theo she was a strong, funny heroine who I enjoyed reading about, and James and Theo had great chemistry, not only sexually but I felt that the love they had for each other, even when they were angry, shone through.

It was the pacing, it was very odd and I didn't like it. It started off really well, introducing the characters and their relationship with one another, but then when they get separated it really slows down and skips through 7 years of time giving you brief glimpses into their lives, then at the very end when they are reunited it picks up again, but it seems to end rather quickly. It was almost like a really long novella, and I think it would have almost been better off as one, starting from when they were reunited and maybe telling the story of how they came to be married in flashbacks, it wouldn't have had this large and slightly tedious section in the middle then.

It was an enjoyable read though, the characters were likeable and the love story was sweet but full of some really good steamy sensuous scenes.   

*ARC provided by publisher

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