The Marauder (Pirates of Britannia #11)

Capitán Santiago Velázquez, heir to a large and prosperous shipping company and fugitive of the Spanish Inquisition, never thought he would ever trust a woman again, after a disgruntled lover accused him of sexual tendencies illegal in Spain. Forced into piracy like his famous ancestor, to survive in the Americas he finds contentment squirreling away the wealth of other Spanish ships. However, the new Spanish governor of Florida is desperate to bolster the Spanish defenses and agrees to grant Santiago a Letters of Marque. Turning privateer should be easy enough, except the war is coming to a close, and Valentina Melchor, the seductive governor’s daughter is in danger.  Avoiding British troops and getting the Governor and his daughter to safety should not be too difficult, but there is a traitor in their midst, and being discovered as pirates might be the least of their problems.

A high seas adventure set in the political mire that was the end of the Seven Years War in the Americas, “The Marauder” is a fast-paced stand-alone adventure full of action, intrigue, and passion. Written with quite a few historical events fueling the setting and plot, this tale nicely balances the instant passion felt by the lead characters with the action-packed tension of the war ending, despite the unoriginal romance and conclusion. Still, Valentina actually has more depth of character, Santiago drives the plot as his decisions and Valentina’s beauty and stubbornness cause the plot to flow and engages the reader from beginning to end. Overall, fans of pirates, intrigue, and page burning attraction will want to give this book a glance.

Sarah E Bradley