The Captain's Rebel surprised me in a very good way. This is the first book by the author that I have read and it was fast paced, entertaining, and scorching hot! So hot, that I thought my kindle might melt from the heat at various points in the book!

I really liked both Captain Grant and Mary. Both are strong individuals that haven't had the easiest lives and have fought and worked for everything they have. Although Mary's motives are honorable, I did have a little bit of a hard time liking her as she plotted and schemed to achieve her goals. She definitely grows as a character though, and I enjoyed her emotional and sexual discovery journey. Captain Grant also isn't all he seems to be, and I loved peeling back his gruff, alpha exterior to find a very caring and vulnerable man. The characters are multi-layered and their insecurities and anxieties only made them more endearing.

Although very hot, I honestly thought that the BDSM elements took center stage a little too much which is why this isn't a 5 star read for me. I wished that there were more scenes of Captain Grant and Mary developing their relationship or even an epilogue giving us a little peek into the future. I'm probably in the minority on that, but that's most likely because this is my first book with any BDSM. The writing is excellent though and I really felt like the author did her research. The ending brought everything full circle and even without an epilogue was very satisfying. The only other thing I would have wished for were some chapters from Captain Grant's point of view. The Captain's Rebel was an action packed, sexually charged romance that will keep you entertained until the very end!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

I was completely caught off guard by the heat level in this book. It was total catnip for me, and I can't wait for more from this author.

He challenged me, made me want to break him, too.

Mary O’Malley has big dreams. After the Irish Rebellion in 1798, the English rule Ireland with an iron fist. The land and its people are suffering. Mary wants to change this. She plans to marry the lord of their corner—Johnny Brighton—and use her new status to bring food and shelter to the people of Ireland. She must. But Johnny soon enlists in the Navy and with Mary in a tight spot, she takes off after him. She finds herself aboard the Elizabeth, dressed as a cabin boy and serving the commanding Captain Richard Grant.

This blurb reeled me in. I am a huge sucker for pirate romances, and when I learned there was a cross-dressing heroine topped (ha!) with a sexual submissive plotline, I was sold! Absolute catnip. Oh, what a pickle our Mary gets into right off the bat. She is very determined and intelligent, but she also has a very sharp tongue which gets her into trouble—both the kind she should avoid and the kind she desires. She has gumption and courage out to the wazoo, and I admired her for it. Mary is unbelievably devoted to her cause—the vision of her homeland back to its former glory without British rule. This vision truly defines her.

Freed of my petticoats and pretty manners…the desire to prove myself as equal, as good and strong as any man, sent sparks of anticipation through me.

But she also never acts with outright foolishness. I think that is one of the things I was concerned about. A waspish tongue sometimes leads to the character’s sense being overridden, but that’s not the case for Mary. She does the best she can with what she’s been given. There were moments I laughed, others I gasped, and some I outright fist-pumped at Mary’s audacity.

The action scenes are also real and gritty. I felt the story did a good job of not shying away from the dirtier aspects. It shows murder and gore and the treachery that surrounded seafaring life.

Onto the captain! I really liked him! When Mary masquerades as a cabin boy upon his ship, Grant sees through her disguise. He offers to keep her secret and stay safe aboard his ship, but there’s punishments in store if she steps out of line. Let’s just say, Mary steps out of line a lot—intentionally and unintentionally. There are a lot of submissive scenes. LOTS. It ties in well, and it helps that the captain is such a good man. He truly cares for her. They have a lot in common, neither one having an easy go of it, and these brief snippets and moments together enforce their connection. The story is told in first person from Mary's POV, however, and I would have liked to see into Grant's head some.

Also, fair warning: there are BDSM elements as well as F/F action. The scenes are detailed and often. I imagine lovers of historical romance who like an edge of heat edged with even more blazing heat will love this one. A rabblerousing 4.5 stars!

This book was different than what I was expecting it to be. It contains adventure, action, romance, and betrayal.
Mary O’Malley is Irish and wants to get back her ancestral home that was stolen from her family. She is friendly with the current heir who desires her. After Johnny leaves to be part of the British navy, Mary goes after him because a letter was destroyed that claimed Mary to be Johnny's fiancee and heir in case something happened to him.
Captain Richard Grant has a strict protocol and most of his crew respect him. Mary sneaks aboard his ship as his cabin boy but he sees through her right away. Both are attracted to one another. The "punishments" Mary receives from the Captain make her desire him even more and Richard wants her in his bed. Mary is keeping secrets from Richard but he knows she is looking for her captured fiancee but does not love him. However, there is a traitor aboard the ship that will use Mary for his own purposes. Mary does not want her secret to be revealed but there are consequences to her actions. Richard tries to help Mary, but she is afraid to reveal all her secrets. As they grow closer, Mary begins to love Richard and tells him the truth. However, a spy still remains and the punishment is severe. Will Mary find Johnny and save her home or will she choose the man she loves?