Blackhearts

Ironically, I picked this book up because I was more interested in reading the sequel and I thought that the sequel was the first book. I wasn’t sure if I’d like the first book since it was the prologue to the actual story I wanted to read. But, it was vital to read the first book otherwise I’d be lost in the second.

With the release of Daughter of the Siren Queen dropping February 27th, 2018, I needed to get in the nautical, pirate spirit. I decided to start with Blackhearts. It didn’t have any pirates per say, but it had that Victorian era by the sea like in Pirates of the Caribbean. Although this book didn’t have any sword fights or treasure, it did have charm and suspense.

Anne Barrett is a maid in the Drummond household who dreams of a life elsewhere, and Edward “Teach” Drummond is the merchant’s son who dreams of adventure out at sea. At first, they start off as the boss and employee dynamic, gradually develop into mutual understanding of each other, then grow to become friends with questionable feelings towards the other.

What I loved about this book was Anne’s and Teach’s relationship. Teach was betrothed to a baroness who was going to provide his family with a respectable title and her family money for their estate. In the beginning, Teach and Anne constantly butted heads ever since the first meet at the market. Their relationship slowly developed into admiration and then to forbidden love. Forbidden because he had a title and reputation to maintain, and she needed the money from Teach’s father to set sail for a new life. Their relationship was unique in terms of how they interacted with each other. Anne was witty, caring, and clever. Teach was charismatic, playful, and at times thick headed. Although their two years apart, they suit each other well. They’re not annoyingly in love by the end either. They have a sophisticated love by the end which intrigues me to read the sequel.

What I enjoyed most about the book was the atmosphere. Each scene was well described, and I could feel the surroundings. Historical fiction is all about atmosphere. The reader needs to feel like they are in the middle of a historical event even if it’s fiction.

For a book mostly based on drama, I was intrigued the whole way through because each chapter ended with suspenseful news or a task. Each chapter was also written in a different perspective.

I’m highly curious to learn where the sequel will lead especially since this is only the beginning of the legend of Blackbeard and is upbringing.

#NicoleCastroman #Blackhearts #Blackbeard