Niki (mustreadalltheromance)'s Reviews > The Black Lion

Since he was taken by a British Navy press gang, Captain Andrew Reeves was forced to make his own way in the world. Piracy was the answer for him and now he has more power and riches than most men could fathom. But his conquest is incomplete until he seeks his revenge against those who betrayed him, most especially the love of his life, Arabella Baines.

Bella and Drew made promises to each other once, but now she is on the cusp of marrying another. Drew won’t stand for it and kidnaps her on her wedding day, intending to act on every fantasy he’s ever had of her. Bella has only ever wanted Drew and with him returned to her at last, she submits to his possessiveness. As he learns the truth of what truly happened before, during, and after their separation, Drew begins to wonder if they can have a true second chance at happiness.

This was an excellent, actiony story. I was nervous about the kidnapping aspect and afraid it would make the hero too villainous, but it worked out just fine here. Drew’s whole-hearted devotion to Bella was spectacular even as his possessiveness gave him an air of danger. This was ridiculously steamy (in the best way) and the reunion between Bella and Drew was surprisingly romantic and sweet. There was angst but it was minimized by the fact that they were both open and honest with one another, so it wound up being just the right amount of tension. The setting was wonderful and very different from most of the historicals being published right now. I was drawn straight into this lush, tropical setting and into the storyline by the excellent descriptions and Darcy Stark’s fabulous narration. The action and the dash of suspense, as well as the steam and romance kept me engrossed in the story and I’d highly recommend giving it a try.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an audio advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...