Brenda Joyce’s THE GAME – Abducted on the High Seas by the Notorious Golden-haired Pirate… A Keeper!

Brenda Joyce has delivered a sweeping historical saga replete with the characters of the day who influenced Queen Elizabeth, a central figure in the story. It is complex richly woven tapestry of historical forces, brilliant minds and passion between a man and woman leading to love though everything conspiring against them.

Set in in 1562 in Queen Elizabeth's reign, it tells the story of Katherine FitzGerald, a beautiful Irish noblewoman who has lived the last six years of her life in a Norman convent due to her Irish lord father's reversals. Finally able to persuade the abbess to let her leave with her friend, Juliet, who has been called home to Cornwall, the two young women are abducted on the high seas by the notorious golden-haired pirate, Liam O'Neill, bastard son of a barbaric Irish clan chieftain who raped his mother, an English noblewoman.

 

The first time Liam sees Katherine on the deck of his ship, he knows he has to have her. But Katherine resists his seduction and insists he take her to her father. He agrees and in London she learns her father is impoverished, his titles and lands stripped from him and he is under house arrest, deposed by his cousin FitzMaurice who is a thorn in the side of Queen Elizabeth.

 

With her fortune gone and her dream of a noble marriage lost, it seems Katherine will become the pirate's prize. But Liam's plans are interrupted when they are captured and brought before a furious Queen Elizabeth. Katherine throws herself on Elizabeth's mercy and Lord Leicester and William Cecil urge the queen to keep Katherine as a lady in waiting, which the Queen does, jealous of the pirate's affections for the beauty.

 

The Queen arranges a marriage for Katherine that will take her away from Liam and the court, but the pirate, determined to keep her, has in mind "the Game" wherein he plays for high stakes that will keep Katherine his and see her father restored to his former title and lands in Ireland.

Katherine is a brave and beautiful woman who does not wait for others to determine her fate but acts even if somewhat impetuously. Liam is a pirate, yes, but he is also a man of noble intentions, great loyalties and capable of a great love. He tries to break the hold of his past and the legacy of his brutal chieftain father who took him from his mother when he was only seven even as all in Elizabeth's court would remind him of his parentage. Without a country or a home, he becomes the Master of the Seas.

 

This is a page-turner and will hold your interest. A keeper! I highly recommend it.

 

 

Brenda Joyce’s SPLENDOR - Unique Romance Between a Russian Prince and an English Girl

Another well-written story from Joyce but with a few ingredients that make it unique, including a trip to Russia!

Set in London and Russia in 1812, this is the story of a British commoner and a Russian prince. Carolyn Browne’s father is just a common bookseller but her mother left a noble heritage for love. Years later, her mother dead, Carolyn lives above the bookshop with her father. To make money and have her laughs on London society, she writes a gossip column under a man’s pen name, exposing the hypocrisy of the upper crust. But then she meets Prince Nicholas Sverayov, a colonel in the Russian army and friend of the tsar. He has come to London forge an alliance between his country and England. He is married to a beautiful princess he has never loved and who he has not slept with for 5 years because she cheated on him. Each has gone their separate ways in the bedroom. They have a young 7-year-old daughter, who Nickolas is not sure is even his.

The hero started to look rather unheroic when, as an older, experienced married man, he seduces the 18 year old virgin—(our heroine)—a woman he has no intention of marrying (not that he could). The heroine came across as a bit naïve, though she is an intellectual. Disguised as a young man (to sneak into society’s galas and gather her gossip, she fails to wonder why a much older, worldly Russian prince, known for his conquests with women, would spend an evening with someone who appears to be an 18 year old boy. Then, when as a female, that same Russian prince turns his attention on her, she thinks she can outsmart the rake. She desires true love but has no desire for passion (at least initially), and has no clue as to what attracts men and women. Then, despite her talk of morality, she sleeps with the married man. Adultery, she acknowledges, is wrong, but she still does it.

Several things were unrealistic. First, a young maiden of 18 would not be allowed to go alone anywhere with a man not a relative, not in 1812. Second, to take a ride in the park with a known, married rake would have condemned her in society’s eyes. (Unless he wanted to ruin her (which he eventually did anyway), he would have met her more discreetly. So there were some unbelievable parts.

However, having said all that, this is an exciting story, especially as the action moves from London to Russia. And the heroine seemed to grow a bit more realistic. She really gets lucky in the end. If you can handle that, this is a worthy read and you won’t want to put it down, I promise.

Brenda Joyce’s THE DARKEST HEART – Exciting Western with a Half-Apache Hero

I was really excited to read this story as I loved Joyce’s Fires of Paradise. In that book, the wonderful hero, Shoz Savage, who is part Apache, remembers his parents with great fondness and speaks of their continuing love for each other. Now we have their story.

Set in the New Mexico Territory in 1860, beautiful blonde Candice Carter, a rancher's daughter, has made a foolish decision, eloping with one of her suitors against the wishes of her father and brothers. But the man has no intention of marrying her. He is a despicable cad out to take her virtue. When she realizes he intends to rape her, she shoots him and flees.

Dying in the desert, she is found by Jack Savage, a half-breed Apache, who brings her back to life. Though the attraction is immediate, Jack is honorable and intends to return her to her family unscathed. But when he is wounded, she steals his horse and leaves him. He will rescue her twice more before it's all over in this fast-paced romance that kept me up reading late into the night.

This is a great story of the American west where prejudices against Indians and children with Indian blood ran high. This tells the story of the Apache culture and the wars between Cochise and the white men who betrayed him. Our hero gets caught in the middle, neither white nor red. He is torn.

Joyce weaves a complex tale of love, lies and betrayal. I highly recommend this one.

The Darkest Heart is a prequel of sorts for Joyce's Bragg Saga:

Innocent Fire (Derek Bragg and Miranda)

Firestorm (Storm Bragg and Brett)

Violet Fire (Rathe Bragg and Grace)

Dark Fires (Nicholas Bragg and Jane)

The Fires of Paradise (Lucy Bragg and Shoz)

Scandalous Love (Nicole Bragg Shelton and Hadrian)

Secrets (Regina Bragg Shelton and Slade Delanza)

Brenda Joyce’s THE PRIZE – Arrogant Irish Hero Takes His Revenge

Set in 1812, this is the story of Devlin O’Neill, a daring sea captain in the British Royal Navy, who is Irish by birth and loyalty. He only for Ireland and taking revenge on the Earl of Eastleigh, the English soldier who brutally murdered his father when Devlin was only 10. Devlin becomes a success for the wealth it brings and the opportunity for revenge.

Devlin has risen to become a well-educated, successful officer, recently knighted. He frequently flies in the face of his orders, but the British need him for the coming war with America so they put up with his antics. Acting more the pirate than the officer, Devlin is ready for the final blow to Eastleigh, bankrupting him by requiring a ransom for his American niece.

American Virginia Hughes was born and raised on Sweet Briar, a tobacco plantation in Virginia. With her parents gone, she has one goal: to pay off her father’s debts and rebuild her beloved Sweet Briar. She sails to England, hoping to convince her uncle, the Earl of Eastleigh, to lend her the funds. On the way, Devlin abducts her.

For most of the book, Devlin is a man who has steeled himself against all emotion to accomplish his daring sea adventures and his revenge. Cold, uncaring and willing to use anyone he must to meet his ends (for 6 years, he takes the Earl of Eastleigh’s wife as his mistress, caring nothing for her). And, for most of the book, it’s a tug of war between Devlin, who shamelessly uses Virginia as well as others, and his captive.

At the end of it, Devlin finally realizes he has fallen in love with Virginia and wants a family, but it was a fairly abrupt turnaround. And Virginia just kept hanging in there through all his abuse (except for brief periods of sanity). It reminded me of Stormfire but lacked Monson’s fine touch or the angst of that story or a courageous heroine. Still, it held my attention.

It’s a part of the 13-book deWarenne Dynasty but you can read it as a stand alone. If you like bold, arrogant Irish heroes, you just might love it.

Review: Brenda Joyce’s THE DARKEST HEART – Exciting Western with a Half-Apache Hero

I was really excited to read this story as I loved Joyce’s Fires Of Paradise. In that book, the wonderful hero, Shoz Savage, who is part Apache, remembers his parents with great fondness and speaks of their continuing love for each other. Now we have their story.

Set in the New Mexico Territory in 1860, beautiful blonde Candice Carter, a rancher's daughter, has made a foolish decision, eloping with one of her suitors against the wishes of her father and brothers. But the man has no intention of marrying her. He is a despicable cad out to take her virtue. When she realizes he intends to rape her, she shoots him and flees.

Dying in the desert, she is found by Jack Savage, a half-breed Apache, who brings her back to life. Though the attraction is immediate, Jack is honorable and intends to return her to her family unscathed. But when he is wounded, she steals his horse and leaves him. He will rescue her twice more before it's all over in this fast-paced romance that kept me up reading late into the night.

This is a great story of the American west where prejudices against Indians and children with Indian blood ran high. This tells the story of the Apache culture and the wars between Cochise and the white men who betrayed him. Our hero gets caught in the middle, neither white nor red. He is torn.

Joyce weaves a complex tale of love, lies and betrayal. I highly recommend this one.

The Darkest Heart is a prequel of sorts for Joyce's Bragg Saga:

Innocent Fire (Derek Bragg and Miranda)

Firestorm (Storm Bragg and Brett)

Violet Fire (Rathe Bragg and Grace)

Dark Fires (Nicholas Bragg and Jane)

The Fires of Paradise (Lucy Bragg and Shoz)

Scandalous Love (Nicole Bragg Shelton and Hadrian)

Secrets (Regina Bragg Shelton and Slade Delanza)

New Review: Brenda Joyce’s THE GAME – Elizabethan Pirate Romance! A Keeper!

Brenda Joyce has delivered a sweeping historical saga replete with the characters of the day who influenced Queen Elizabeth, a central figure in the story. It is complex richly woven tapestry of historical forces, brilliant minds and passion between a man and woman leading to love though everything conspiring against them.

Set in in 1562 in Queen Elizabeth's reign, it tells the story of Katherine FitzGerald, a beautiful Irish noblewoman who has lived the last six years of her life in a Norman convent due to her Irish lord father's reversals. Finally able to persuade the Abbess to let her leave with her friend, Juliet, who has been called home to Cornwall, the two young women are abducted on the high seas by the notorious golden-haired pirate, Liam O'Neill, bastard son of a barbaric Irish clan chieftain who raped his mother, an English noblewoman.

The first time Liam sees Katherine on the deck of his ship, he knows he has to have her. But Katherine resists his seduction and insists he take her to her father. He agrees and in London she learns her father is impoverished, his titles and lands stripped from him and he is under house arrest, deposed by his cousin FitzMaurice who is a thorn in the side of Queen Elizabeth.

With her fortune gone and her dream of a noble marriage lost, it seems Katherine will become the pirate's prize. But Liam's plans are interrupted when they are captured and brought before a furious Queen Elizabeth. Katherine throws herself on Elizabeth's mercy and Lord Leicester and William Cecil urge the queen to keep Katherine as a lady in waiting, which the Queen does, jealous of the pirate's affections for the beauty.

The Queen arranges a marriage for Katherine that will take her away from Liam and the court, but the pirate, determined to keep her, has in mind "the Game" wherein he plays for high stakes that will keep Katherine his and see her father restored to his former title and lands in Ireland.

Katherine is a brave and beautiful woman who does not wait for others to determine her fate but acts even if somewhat impetuously. Liam is a pirate, yes, but he is also a man of noble intentions, great loyalties and capable of a great love. He tries to break the hold of his past and the legacy of his brutal chieftain father who took him from his mother when he was only seven even as all in Elizabeth's court would remind him of his parentage. Without a country or a home, he becomes the Master of the Seas.

This is a page-turner and will hold your interest. A keeper! I highly recommend it.

On Amazon

New Review: Brenda Joyce’s THE PRIZE – Arrogant Irish Hero Takes His Revenge

Set in 1812, this is the story of Devlin O’Neill, a daring sea captain in the British Royal Navy, who is Irish by birth and loyalty. He cares nothing for England, only for Ireland and taking revenge on the Earl of Eastleigh, the English soldier who brutally murdered his father when Devlin was only 10. Devlin becomes a success for the wealth it brings and the opportunity for revenge.

Devlin has risen to become a well-educated, successful officer, recently knighted. He frequently flies in the face of his orders, but the British need him for the coming war with America so they put up with his antics. Acting more the pirate than the officer, Devlin is ready for the final blow to Eastleigh, bankrupting him by requiring a ransom for his American niece.

American Virginia Hughes was born and raised on Sweet Briar, a tobacco plantation in Virginia. With her parents gone, she has one goal: to pay off her father’s debts and rebuild her beloved Sweet Briar. She sails to England, hoping to convince her uncle, the Earl of Eastleigh, to lend her the funds. On the way, Devlin abducts her.

For most of the book, Devlin is a man who has steeled himself against all emotion to accomplish his daring sea adventures and his revenge. Cold, uncaring and willing to use anyone he must to meet his ends (for 6 years, he takes the Earl of Eastleigh’s wife as his mistress, caring nothing for her). And, for most of the book, it’s a tug of war between Devlin, who shamelessly uses Virginia as well as others, and his captive.

At the end of it, Devlin finally realizes he has fallen in love with Virginia and wants a family, but it was a fairly abrupt turnaround. And Virginia just kept hanging in there through all his abuse (except for brief periods of sanity). It reminded me of Stormfire but lacked Monson’s fine touch, the angst of that story and a courageous heroine. Still, it was not dull and held my attention.

It’s a part of the 13-book deWarenne Dynasty but you can read it as a stand alone. If you like bold, arrogant Irish heroes, you just might love it.

Buy on Amazon