This is a wonderful novel
from a winner of the Romantic Time
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Set in New Orleans and
environs beginning in 1811, this is the story of Nicolette Vernet, a beautiful
Creole girl, who falls in love with Jean Laffite, the gentleman pirate. I
thought it was very brave of Weyrich to choose a real person for her hero, but she
did it well and the story is absorbing.
Nicolette dreamed of a
handsome husband and a family of her own, but it seemed fate conspired against
her. Her first betrothed was killed in a sword fight and, to avoid scandal, her
father sent away to Paris to visit her Aunt Gabrielle. On her way home two
years later, her ship is attacked by pirates. She is rescued by Jean Lafitte
who assumes she was raped. And thus begins an adventure that takes Nikki on a
very different course than she’d imagined for her life.
Weyrich writes well and the
story will keep you turning pages. It’s obvious she has done much research into
the enigmatic figure of the pirate Jean Laffite. Her other characters are
richly drawn, too, including Aunt Gabi and Jean’s two older brothers. I loved
the romance that developed between Nikki and Jean and hated the bad guy that
her father wanted her to marry. (Weyrich does a good villain!) If I had any
negatives it would be Nikki herself, who at times seemed weak, yet at other
times was brave and defiant.
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| Original cover |
I love this description Nikki
gave of Jean’s hair:
“I’ll always remember the
texture of his hair, how wonderfully warm it feels against my palms, how fresh
and clean it smells, like sea air and Spanish limes.”
A great story from old New
Orleans in the time of the War of 1812. I recommend it.
Note: This is a bodice ripper
but it’s not the hero doing the bodice ripping.
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