Category: Fairytale Retelling

Queen Takes Hook by Kirsten S. Blacketer

On By TracyIn Fairytale Retelling, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Movie / Story Retelling, Part of a Series, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Queen Takes Hook (Pirates and Persuasion Book 1)Queen Takes Hook by Kirsten S. Blacketer

Tracy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Pirates and Persuasion, #1

Release Date: April 23, 2024

When Princess Celeste of Nevarro learns of her father’s death, she is heartbroken and a bit suspicious of her Uncle’s story. She tries to ignore her instincts and be supportive of her sister Caroline, who will now be Queen. But when she overhears her Uncle plotting to kill her and her sister, she knows she can’t fight him alone and only knows of one man who can help her. The notorious Captain James Hook, a pirate with no allegiances and even fewer morals. She strikes a deal with Hook – but is certain she can’t trust him and has another plan just in case. The problem is, she never anticipated being attracted to the scoundrel or falling in love.

Captain James Hook’s luck seems to have deserted him, he lost his ship the Jolly Roger, ticked off his father Admiral Tiberius Hook, and lost his hand to a crocodile. He is drowning his sorrows in a tavern in Port Royale when the last person he ever expected to see approaches him and requests his help offering a treasure that would set any pirate’s heart aflutter. Princess Celeste is not what he expected, not only is she beautiful, but she is clever and devious to boot! With a bounty on her head and his father demanding he turn her in, James will have to play this just right to get the treasure really he wants.

I absolutely loved this book; it is a fun and sexy read with a twist that turns the villainous Captain Hook into a dark anti-hero. The book is non-stop action from the first page and delighted this reader with steamy love scenes, witty banter, a heroine who can save herself, betrayal, treason, shocking revelations, more betrayal, hard choices and finally a well-deserved HEA complete with the promise of more adventures to come! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an anti-hero or storybook retellings or steamy romances –read it, you won’t be disappointed!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

On By TracyIn Fairytale Retelling, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Marry Me by Midnight (Once Upon the East End #1)Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Once Upon the East End, #1

Release Date: August 8, 2023

After the death of her father, heiress Isabelle Lira finds herself being pushed out of the family business, the only way to maintain her position is to marry a man who she can control. But she can’t marry just anyone, she needs a respectable, well-placed Jewish man from a good family. She decides to host some events and invites several eligible Jewish men to attend, but she needs someone to check out these men to determine who will be the best man to fulfill her requirements or at least dig up some dirt on him making him easier to control. Enter Aaron Ellenberg, a custodian at the synagogue.

Aaron is a poor orphan who dreams of a better life, a life with a happy family. He is a genuinely nice person who just happens to be smoking hot too. He agrees to check out Isabelle’s suitors and report back to her. Falling in love was never part of the plan and clearly could never be, but the more time they spend together, the deeper they fall and the more hopeless it appears. But the heart wants what it wants, the question is, will they be brave enough to defy expectations and follow their hearts or will they stay true to social strictures and give up on any hope of a HEA together?

This was a well-written, nicely paced novel with a reverse Cinderella twist, featuring wonderful characters, steamyish love scenes, hard choices, and ending with HEA! I need to point out that this book is the reason I love reading historical romance, I love learning about the differences people dealt with in the past, and it gives me hope that we as a society will eventually learn to live without prejudice. I am not Jewish, and therefore cannot asset to the accuracy of the traditions, etc, but I thought the information given was interesting and I felt the author did an excellent job of explaining the issues that the Jewish communities faced in a predominately Christian society, including the prejudice, discrimination, and hatred they faced because of their faith, as well as the laws that affected their everyday lives and their business dealings. I had never read this author before, but this was the first book in new series, so I will certainly look forward to reading more from her in the future.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*