| |
Reviews for
The Last
Pirates
A Romance Anthology
by Cynthia Breeding
"THE LAST PIRATES has imaginatively
believable circumstances which could have conceivably transpired."
Historical facts and notable individuals are skillfully interwoven
into compelling fictional romances, and every second seems as though
it most likely did occur as stated. Cynthia Breeding has a gift for
making her stories come across as authentic, and all three tales
about boldly enterprising pirates and the women who come to love
them are ingeniously entertaining. THE LAST PIRATES lets the reader
experience history through factual events entwined with cleverly
imagined developments.
“The Bayou Prince”
With Britain and America warring, the area around New Orleans may
possibly be under attack soon. Jean Lafitte is willing to fight
along with his privateers but fears being arrested, as his brother
is now in prison and has been labeled a pirate. He needs one of his
captains, Christian Picard, to attain beneficial information from
Fiona Gordon whose uncle is governor in order for all those working
with him to be forgiven of any crimes. He manages to talk with her
at a dance and they are both intrigued by the other. When they meet
again, she believes he really likes her direct way of speaking and
does not see her conduct as peculiar. Christian is well on his way
to gaining her trust, yet gradually finds what started out as an
order is turning into more when his feelings become involved.
Christian and Fiona are soon caught up in political struggles and
actual warfare, where their own emotions are also in turmoil.
The Battle of New Orleans is shown through the actions of two
fictional characters, yet the dramatics leading up to and during the
fighting are vividly described with an accuracy that is
extraordinary. With countless historical figures playing rather
large roles, the scenes always give the impression of having
actually taken place. Christian and Fiona are spirited and full of
passion, and their zest for life and even each other is expressed
with fervent determination. Cynthia Breeding has crafted a
remarkable story about finding love when least expected. “The Bayou
Prince” has inventive scenarios and a multitude of engaging
characters.
“Treasure of Campeche”
When a storm wrecked the ship that was bringing Germans to a Spanish
territory, Ilsa Drescher finds herself stranded along the coast of
Texas without any family. After venturing back to where the ship is
located, she sees men who appear to be pirates retrieving items from
the ocean. Suddenly, she is taken by surprise when a fierce looking
Indian grabs her, and then she is equally astonished when one of the
pirates saves her. The man says he is Captain Marc Rochelle and is a
privateer for Jean Lafitte, but Ilsa feels certain he is a smuggler.
With no place safe to take her, she ends up travelling with him back
to Campeche, the hidden locale of Lafitte. When a number of
misfortunes occur and Ilsa is blamed, Marc must decide who is being
truthful and who is lying.
Past actual incidences once again keep the reader enthralled as
history meets romance. The love story in this novella would never
have happened if the heroine had not been inquisitive and the hero
was not a man of honor. Marc may have chosen to be a privateer, but
his principles when it comes to Ilsa are very respectable and make
him an admirable man. They both have standards by which they live,
and quite a few situations arise to test their values and let the
reader see how they really think. Ms. Breeding gives these two
individuals much to ponder, and what they decide is conveyed with
skillful writing. There is plenty of emotion in “Treasure of
Campeche”, as the characters respond to their inner desires and live
through harsh realities.
“A Pirate of Her Own”
Upon seeing a distinctive ship come into the harbor of Charleston,
SC, the mind of Emily Clayton turns to a daydream of pirates. She
has always wanted more adventure in her life and has never liked
adhering to the boringly dull rules she must follow. One of the men
getting off the ship catches her interest, and Andre Dubois comes to
her aid during a threatening predicament shortly thereafter. Both
keep thinking about the other, yet he knows their views are much
different and these beliefs will keep them from ever having a proper
relationship. There are more than a few accidental meetings between
them, and Emily’s caring nature comes through loud and clear. This
concern for others may just result in her having a grand adventure.
Cynthia Breeding adds an intriguing touch of the paranormal to her
insightful tale about pirates and slavery. There are a multitude of
emotions in this story, and each one is expressed with an intense
profoundness and lets the reader know exactly what a character is
thinking. Andre and Emily take on several weighty problems whose
solutions cause them emotional complications, and how they resolve
these obstacles make for an exciting read. A southern city and its
opinions in 1823 are powerfully explained in this lively story. “A
Pirate of Her Own” has daring exploits, colorful characters and
heartfelt emotional issues.
~ Amelia Richard, Single Title
4.5 Stars
 |
|
