William “Bump” Quinn is now the Captain of the infamous pirate ship the Scarlet Night that he grew up on. Jian Jun is Captain of a vast pirate army in China. When Bump unexpectedly finds himself the soul survivor of his ship, after a vicious storm destroys all that he holds dear, he finds himself a guest of Jian Jun. Surrounded in danger Bump is presented with a treasure beyond his wildest dreams but is it worth risking his soul?

The heroes and heroines of Lisa Olech's Captains of the Scarlet Night series are given a swan song worthy of the conclusion of this extraordinary series in Within A Captain's Soul. Book five told the story of a beloved secondary character in this series, William "Bump" Quinn, a deaf, mute orphan adopted by previous Captains Gavin and Alice "Tupper" Quinn. Ms. Olech nurtured Bump through numerous books into the kind of man to be admired and looked up to and in doing so made the ideal romance hero. Bump was a unique and multifaceted character that withstood the test of this series as they both matured. Jian Jun was a great surprise and a fabulous heroine with her challenging past and empowered persona. In the merciless world of pirates Bump and Jun were strong when needed as well as tender, giving them a beautiful contrast in their roles. This author reached far and took chances on characters that many writers might pass over as being too different yet in giving them center stage made memorable and finely crafted portrayals. Within A Captain's Soul is the kind of book that lingers as old friends move on to their well-deserved happy endings and embark on their new beginnings, a standout read!

loved the cover! the book was interesting too, though some parts left me unengaged

Sadly I was enjoying this book but I DNFed because of this:
- It exoticizes Asian woman, here we are talking about the main protagonist, the Chinese pirate queen, and how the main hero when he describes her he calls her eyes "almond shaped" and how exotic some stuff were as well. And for me for a white author to write these words or anything related to this, just rubs me the bad way.

I'm sorry but I feel like I cannot continue because if this is in barely the very first chapters, I dont know what I will find in the next ones.

I'm happy to see Caribbean rep in a pirate historical romance because we don't get that at all. I am happy to see deaf rep, but I cannot comment on how good the rep was because I am not deaf or hard of hearing. As well as the cultures rep-ed here. But I was happy for a bit to see this story + the black man on the cover!

There’s something very special and romantic about Lisa A. Olech’s Captains of the Scarlet Night series. I didn’t get into it until the fourth story, but when I saw Within a Captain’s Soul I was really excited to read it. Bump, also known as William Quinn, was born deaf and eventually became a pirate captain. His background really intrigued me, and I loved every single heart-wrenching moment of his journey.

Will’s caught in a storm that shipwrecks The Scarlet Night and he ends up ashore alone, disoriented, and before pirate queen, Jian Jun. He thinks he’s done for, but the Jian Jun before him is a quiet soul and her beauty and kindness blow his mind. On guard, Will’s determined to leave and find his fellow crew. If they’re even still alive. Jian Jun has been without a husband for years and takes over his impressive pirate fleet. Her rule is legendary and her punishments brutal. She doesn’t know who Will is or what danger he poses…

What she does know? She hasn’t wanted anyone more since.

This story has so much beauty and depth of feeling to it. It’s not just set in the pirate world, it really uses the setting and allows these particular characters to shine. I have so much respect and admiration for William Quinn. The crew of the Scarlet Night is his family, and there’s nothing worse than them all being cast out to sea with no knowledge of their whereabouts or if they’re alive. There’s also the matter of how Will needs to communicate through signing, and he ends up in a place where no one can understand him. Bump stole my heart in the previous installment to this series, but here? We get a taste of all that he has gone through.

Jian Jun may have a reputation of punishment and pain, but she also has this streak of kindness that washes over Will. She’s reluctant to cast him as an enemy so quickly like her people have, and there’s something about how he stands and his confidence and his actions that enthralls Jian. Her life hasn’t been easy either, and what she needs is someone with Will’s patience. But both of them don’t know if they can trust the other, and communication keeps tearing them apart.

That’s before another part of the plot opens up, and I got caught up in this adventure. It’s thrilling, while still giving us soft and sweet, and there’s so much longing and desperation. The secondary characters rounded everything out, and Qi was my absolute favorite!

Within a Captain's Soul brings everything I look for in a romance. Characters with high stakes, a blooming romance that at a drop of the hat could shatter, subplots and high-seas mystery. A great final installment in this series, it’s not to be missed. 4 stars!