After all these years that he’d been presumed dead, Hugh Redvers, the true Lord Davenport, was alive! That dreadful shock could not have come at a worse time for Lady Daphne Davenport, right after an altercation with Sir Malcolm Hastings, would was becoming too persistent. Had Hugh discovered Daphne’s secrets? What would happen to her and her ten-year-old sons? And why did Hugh have to look so impossibly gorgeous, even with his eye patch, his scars, and his missing finger!

Dangerous, the first book of The Outcasts, was very good, but BARBAROUS is fantastic! Although it takes place in the same timeline as Dangerous, BARBAROUS stands perfectly on its own. The luscious cover is partly to blame for my decision to read this book, and what a delight that the contents are just as scrumptious! BARBAROUS is fabulously intriguing right from the beginning when Hugh arrives, accompanied by his colourful entourage, and Daphne displays her fortitude and strength of character. Minerva Spencer’s prose is impossibly gorgeous, and her eloquence paints stunning and unforgettable visuals; it’s also very witty, and I laughed several times. The secondary characters are amazing: Rowena, Daphne’s cantankerous maid; Kemal, Hugh’s valet; Hugh’s aunts: the eccentric and forgetful Amelia or the formidable Letitia. I can hardly wait – hopefully not in vain – for Two Canoes’ story; let’s just say he made an impression on me. The villains are stupendously horrid, and outstandingly complex – crafted with as much care as the principals.

Hugh and Daphne are both fascinating characters who have enthralling backstories, and their chemistry jumps off the page. The privateer-bad boy Hugh is a softie at heart, and a man I would like to have on my side any day. Daphne is magnificent! She is a proper widow, a serious philosopher, and nothing leaves her discombobulated. Well, actually Hugh does just a little bit. What a superb couple they are, exchanging witty and flirtatious banter; the dialogues throughout are positively stellar! BARBAROUS has it all: kidnappings, murder attempts, smouldering passion, a grand romance, spectacular adventures, and writing that will make you swoon! I am giddy at the thought of the SCANDALOUS story of Martín Bouchard, which will be the next instalment in the series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After being presumed dead for 20 years, Hugh Redvers returns home. Not to take over the baroncy he stood to inherit though. He has returned to protect his late uncle’s wife and family who have been threatened by an unknown source. Lady Daphne Davenport is unaware of Hugh’s reasons for returning. She only knows that with his arrival, her secret will be exposed and the lives of her and her sons will be changed forever.
Neither is prepared for the reactions they have to one another. Hugh vaguely remembered the little neighbor girl, Daphne. This was no girl though. She was stunning, smart, and aloof. She was also the widow of his uncle. Though not related by blood, she was the mother to his uncle’s sons. Pursuing her would be scandalous. Besides, she seemed immune to his charm. A rarity, but that intrigued him even more. He had no experience denying his passion but he must remember he was there to protect her without bedding her.
As a girl, Daphne, had idolized Hugh. He was now the mysterious One Eyed Standish, captain of the Batavia’s Ghost. In spite of his eye patch and scars, he was gorgeous. His confidence, danger, and animal magnetism intrigued her. He was far from the young man she remembered from her youth. But his piercing gaze and caressing smile still reduced her to an awkward adolescent. His flirting and teasing drove her to distraction but she couldn’t deny the way she responded to him. Never in her life had she possessed so little self-control. But she could not lose control in this. Even if Hugh did care for her, he wouldn’t when he learned the truth.
I loved watching these two banter, flirt, tease, and tantalize each other. Their chemistry was strong and added a lot of sizzle to the story. As did Hugh’s naughty sense of humor. I enjoyed his relationship with Daphne’s sons as well. It, like Hugh’s protective nature with Daphne, showed a softer side to this fierce pirate. The mystery of the letters, the added danger to Hugh, and the two nasty villains kept me captivated and turning the pages. I’ll be reading more of this new-to-me-author. The intriguing plot line, flirtatious banter, and sizzling sexual chemistry of this story are stellar. I’m definitely going to read the first book in this series and am anxious for whatever comes next.

This book tells us the story Daphne Davenport, a widow with twin sons, and of Hugh Redvers, the nephew of Daphne late husband.

In the beggining of the book, Daphne is being blackmailed by a man of her past when Hugh, who has been gone for nearly two decades and presumed dead, appears and saves her. And then the problem starts, because Daphne's secret involves Hugh directly, even if he doesn't know it (yet).

About the characters, Daphne was an ok heroine. I actually expected more of her, because of some though things in her past, but in the most part she just couldn't stop thinking about how she was boring and plain to a guy like Hugh to pay attention to, and then, how she must resist Hugh.

Hugh, on the other side, was a more interesting characther. He lived as a (very famous) pirate and suffered a lot in the time he spent away from England. So, probably mainly because of that, he was a more open minded (especially about misconcepcions and prejudice) than we usually find in historical romances.

And while I didn't enjoy the romance very much (it was a little too much insta love for my liking), I really liked the aspect of the book which talked about slavery, prejudices and other civilizations (like african), and I'm looking foward to the sequel, ''Scandalous'', which will have a biracial character as the main hero.

Publisher's Description:

He could be her ruin

Hugh Redvers is supposed to be dead. So the appearance of the sun-bronzed giant with the piratical black eye patch is deeply disturbing to Lady Daphne Davenport. And her instant attraction to the notorious privateer is not only wildly inappropriate for a proper widow but potentially disastrous. Because he is also the man Daphne has secretly cheated of title, lands, and fortune.

She could be his salvation

Daphne Redvers’ distant, untouchable beauty and eminently touchable body are hard enough to resist. But the prim, almost severe, way she looks at him suggests this might be the one woman who can make him forget all the others. His only challenge? Unearthing the enemy who threatens her life . . . and uncovering the secrets in her cool blue eyes.

My Thoughts:

Hugh Redvers is thought to be dead for some twenty years so when he suddenly makes an appearance Daphne is certain it is to claim the inheritance that she has claimed for her twin boys.
Not wanting the inheritance is one of the reasons that Hugh let almost everyone think him dead. That and the fact that he has become an infamous privateer for the king.

Daphne has claimed that inheritance for her ten year old twin boys. Certain he will uncover her deception of the identity of her sons' father it becomes imperative to her that she comes clean.

She knew Hugh when they were children and in spite of the expanse of years since she last saw him knows almost immediately that this man is no imposter.

I very much liked book one of this series and although there are characters that tie them together each of these two books can easily be read as a standalone.

This is another winner from Minerva Spencer who has created a story with believable characters, a plot that draws you in and never lets go and sizzling burn up the pages romance. I particularly loved the scenes with the boys with their impetuous nature. Hugh is just what they need since they have no father figure.
Like in book #1, Dangerous we have danger, a villain and a much needed HEA.

I gave this book 4.8 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development. There are laugh out loud moments, times that make you catch your breath and steamy intimate moments.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I promised a fair and honest review in return for being allowed to read this ARC. What a perfect title for this book! Amazing and terrifying tale. Awesome characters who are beyond brave and determined. Loved it.

Widow Countess Daphne Redvers is the mother of ten year old twin when all of a sudden her husband’s previous heir Hugh Redvers returns from the dead. He’s been assumed dead for twenty years and now all of a sudden he reappears at her estate. Hugh is the notorious privateer One-eyed Standish, the King’s privateer, who’s been hunting another pirate who wronged when he was held prisoner as a slave of the sultan’s. He’s quite the ruggedly handsome pirate with an eye patch and his sexy charisma to match his personality too. He enjoys witty banter with the widowed aunt, and you can help but see the sparks fly as the passion smolders and the attraction continues to grow. There has been threatening notes left and Hugh soon discovers Daphne and her sons maybe in danger. This was quite the adventurous story filled with mystery, intrigue and a romance for a lifetime for two people who never expected to find true happiness in their lifetime. This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

I must preface this review with how much I loved the first book in the series ‘Dangerous’. It is one of my favourite books! However, I really enjoyed the two main characters of Hugh Redvers and Lady Daphne Davenport in 'Barbarous' who as it turns out are nephew and aunt by marriage. If this didn’t make for an interesting start to the book, then the notion that Daphne’s cousin was involved in some underhanded way, got this book off to a great start. I particularly enjoyed the character of Mia appearing again in this book, making a connection to Hugh, and causing some jealousy for Daphne. Minerva Spencer is so very clever in weaving an intricate plot whilst maintaining clarity for readers in what is a stand-alone book.
Hugh’s past is not left behind in this story, making for an interesting read. Whilst these were two great characters, the connection between the two was not as strong after their initial attraction and it was hard to recognise how they transitioned from attraction to such intense feelings.
This was still such a great read that I can’t wait to read the third in the series, and just hope that Hugh and Daphne make another appearance!
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I did a Pandora's Box of Barbarous for All About Romance with two other reviewers. Our discussion (I'm EBW) are below.

EBW: Well ladies, I straight up loved this and would rate it a DIK. I picked it up early on a Sunday morning and couldn’t put it down until I finished it later that night. I had a bit of trepidation after Ms. Spencer’s first novel, Dangerous (which I enjoyed, but thought had one too many twists), but this time there’s just enough happening outside of the romance to keep readers engrossed and engaged from start to finish. The principal characters – especially the naughty and wonderful Hugh – are particularly well-realized, and the story itself is compelling, romantic and wholly entertaining. Did you like Barbarous?

LF: I found it to be fun in general, nicely twisty, with a good and slow-burning romance, but there were spots when it was a little bit genre-typical; an interesting combination between old school romance (Wicked, greedy cousins! Prodigal sons returning to the nest! Rogues who are wounded boys in need of redeeming! Pirates! Switched lives! Smart, punchy heroine! A whiff of the incestual!) and the modern (Daphne is a mother, a glasses-wearing nerd type, but she’s tough as hell).

SD: I really enjoyed it, but didn’t find it quite worthy of DIK status. I sometimes thought the author was trying too hard to include a ton of unnecessary tropes rather than allowing her story to stand on its own. Still, I’m glad I read it, and I definitely plan to read something else by her at some point.

LF: What did you think of Daphne? Did you find her the right kind of spunky? I loved that she actually loved her late husband and was good with her kids. I was pleased by how tough she was, and how smart. But I wasn’t into her turning into something of a helpless damsel in the last quarter of the book (she redeems herself by the skin of her teeth at the very end but it was one heck of a thoughtless choice that led to it), and the whole sexual education part of her relationship with Hugh… eh, been there, seen it. She was sometimes another scholarly heroine whose intellect failed at the most crucial of times.

EBW: I liked her, and her constant frustration over her lust for Hugh. It was a nice contrast to her gentle affection for her late husband, her boys, and the life she managed to cobble together after her disastrous teenage years. I thought Ms. Spencer did a great job showing all the contrasting parts of her and how love (and lust) and simply overwhelm all of our best intentions.

I find that this author doesn’t really do anything by halves and after enjoying the first book despite so many things going on, she’s managed to scale back the more, more, more, this time out. I didn’t mind the wicked, greedy cousin! The prodigal son returning home! The tender rogue or the pirates… it all clicked for me. I just loved the dynamic between Daphne and Hugh – and I liked them individually as well – and that allowed me to just go with the flow.

SD: Daphne was a likable enough heroine, but she doesn’t stand out all that well from countless others I’ve encountered over the years. I always love a scholarly heroine, but the last portion of the story made me question her intelligence. She didn’t use her brain when it counted, and I found that frustrating.

LF: How did you like Hugh? I loved his undercover honorability – his secret core of kindness and guilt beneath the wild hellion exterior and playful sexuality, how very into Daphne he was, and how he was swept away by falling into the family, and in the end loving her boys as much as he loved her. And he’s fun and smooth and macho and alluring in the correct places as well.

EBW: I could probably rhapsodize for quite a while about how much I liked Hugh; he’s a wonderful romance hero and he absolutely elevates this story. He’s making my shortlist of favorite characters. I usually dislike children in romance novels, but witnessing Hugh’s affection for Daphne’s boys and his tender/gruff interactions with them tugged at my heart. I loved those relationships too.

SD: Hugh is everything I love in a hero. He knows how to be strong and assertive when he needs to, but he’s not afraid to show his softer side either. I’m constantly dismayed by these men who are determined not to show even a speck of vulnerability, so Hugh gets extra points from me for being so willing to show how he really felt. We need more men like him in today’s romance novels.

LF: The romance was interesting, and does follow some of the usual genre beats but twists them; Daphne has loved Hugh since she was a child, he is lustfully attracted to her even though it’s wrong, Hugh sprouts pounding woodys just thinking of Daphne, etc. – they banter and hate until they actually know each other, and the chemistry is nicely crackling. But by the time they get together the relationship is wonderfully evenly balanced especially the level of banter and give and take. How did you feel about the romance?

SD: Ms. Spencer definitely knows how to write a believable romance. Sure, it fell prey to a few overused tropes, but by and large, it worked for me. Daphne and Hugh managed to balance each other out incredibly well, and I loved watching their relationship deepen over the course of the story. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I never felt like Ms. Spencer was working too hard to convince me of the feelings these two had for one another.

LF: Did you like any of the minor characters? I found Rowena particularly amusing, and I liked Will’s roguishness. And I enjoyed the way the family of servants, children and Daphne and Hugh slowly coalesced into something beautiful.

EBW: I definitely thought the secondary characters enhanced the story (especially the boys) and the principal relationship. Unfortunately, the villains were a bit underdeveloped. I didn’t understand the dynamic between Calitain and Jean-Paul. Were they a couple or just partners or master and servant? Trying to figure them out distracted me from their dastardly plot… which wasn’t very dastardly or evil at all. The lead up was exciting and I feared for Daphne, but then the final confrontation wasn’t nearly as explosive or thrilling as I hoped it would be. That was the biggest disappointment for me.

LF: I think the end of the book is definitely what pulls my grade down from an A and what weakens its overall impact for me; the Calitain/Jean-Paul part of things, Daphne going from spunky to soggy, just everything about it left me cold. The epilogue shored things up but ugh, I wish the ending had been rewritten.

SD: The supporting characters were… okay. I felt like I’d seen most of them before, albeit in different guises. Rowena did make me laugh a time or two, and the children were quite delightful, but none of them felt very memorable. I’m a sucker for stories with a ‘found family’ element, and Ms. Spencer does a fairly good job of showing me that the characters really were a family unit, but I still came away needing a bit more to make me fully invested.

LF: What did you think about the historical setting? This seemed to me to be a ‘wallpaper’ historical, where things weren’t completely period accurate; did you find everything well set and researched? Were there any other flaws?

EBW: My biggest problem with the book was her treatment of Daphne’s assault and her memory of the event. Ms. Spencer seemed to want it both ways – a darkly horrifying event in Daphne’s past that informed her relationship to her cousin, but not enough to traumatize her in a new relationship because she was (well, I don’t want to spoil this detail for anyone so I’ll simply allude to what you already know) during it. I know why she did this – but it doesn’t quite work.

SD: I’m kind of on the fence about the research. Obviously, authors take certain liberties when writing historical novels, so I don’t feel I can fault her too much for the ones she chose to take here. On the other hand, some things just felt glaringly incongruous, and I honestly think some more in-depth study of British history could have been helpful to her.

LF: What of the plot in general? Did you find it gripping enough?

SD: The beginning didn’t hook me in at all, but things got more interesting once I was about a quarter way through the book. I got a little tired of what felt like a constant need to take the reader by surprise, and I think I would have liked it better if it hadn’t been quite so twisty. I have yet to read Dangerous, so I’m not sure how it compares, but it did seem twistier than most romances I’ve read.

LF: What about the style in general? Did you like it? Was it smooth?

SD: I did enjoy the author’s writing and general narrative style. I didn’t notice anything particularly jarring about her craft, but neither did it wow me. There are a ton of really fabulous historical authors out there, and while Ms. Spencer is talented, she doesn’t yet compare to some of the greats.

LF: What’s your final grade? I’m going with a B+; a fine novel, mildly flawed, but the ending just pulls it out of pure DIK territory for me.

EBW: I was totally engaged in this story from start to finish; I liked the principal and secondary characters (well, I liked the ‘good’ guys), and aside from the author’s dodge on Daphne’s traumatic past with her cousin, I enjoyed pretty much everything about it. It’s an A- for me.

SD: I’m giving this one a B. The hero was swoon worthy, and the romance itself was extremely well-drawn, but there were some aspects of the story that fell flat.

Spencer has done it again. Barbarous is a very enjoyable read with an intriguing plot, relatable characters, and a steamy romance. It's also a love story between two characters who are a little older than the norm, have survived a difficult past, and behave like adults. I loved Hugh and Daphne's story and rooted for their HEA throughout the book. Can't wait for the next book!

Lucky for us that Minerva Spencer, author of the “Outcasts” series, took up romance novels after a career as a lawyer. “Barbarous" is another colorful entry in the series that started with “Dangerous” (Mia’s story if you are following along!)

“Barbarous” tells the story of Hugh Redvers, the infamous “One-eyed Standish” who has returned from the dead to find Daphne, his uncle’s widow and her children being threatened by her cousin Malcolm, a genre-appropriate slimy villain. Redvers and his pirate crew are an over-the-top swashbuckling band, and the whole story is quite dramatic and fun.

I can’t wait for #3 in the series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hugh Redvers is supposed to be dead. So the appearance of the sun-bronzed giant with the piratical black eye patch is deeply disturbing to Lady Daphne Davenport. Daphne Redvers’ distant, untouchable beauty and eminently touchable body are hard enough to resist. But the prim, almost severe, way she looks at him suggests this might be the one woman who can make him forget all the others.
This is the second book in the series & only the author’s second book. It could easily be read on its own. Another very accomplished book that drew me in from the first page & had me hooked until the last. The characters are very well portrayed & have great depth. I particularly loved that both Hugh & Daphne were at first attracted to each other, then liked each other before falling in love but they both thought the other wasn’t interested it led so some delightful scenarios & conversations. The secondary characters were also well fleshed, the twins delightful & Martin needs a woman to bring him to his knees! The pace of the book is so good & it's certainly not a book to start late at night if you want to sleep. I look forward to more books from this new author who is on my must read list

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Barbarous is book two in The Outcasts series by Minerva Spencer. I hardly know how to review this absolutely breathtaking story. I was spellbound almost from the beginning. Spencer weaves the tale of Hugh Redvers, the Baron Ramsay also known as One-eyed Standish from the first book in the series “Dangerous”. Several of the characters from the first book appear in this one. Although it can be read as a stand alone, it is much richer if one reads the series in order.
What happens when a man long thought dead is suddenly resurrected? “This man was tall - remarkably so - golden, and devastatingly attractive. Not even almost two decades, brutal scarring, and the black patch over his eye could obscure the truth. He was, without doubt, Hugh Redvers, her dead husband’s true heir: a man everyone had believed dead for almost twenty years.”
There are a number of triggers in this book, and by that I mean issues that some may struggle through. Rape and slavery are themes that run throughout. Both are seen as the evil that they are and are not glorified in anyway. There are several intimate sex scenes. If they bother the reader, then just read the dialogue.
I hated coming to the end of this story and am looking forward to the third book in the series “Scandalous”.

4 stars

I enjoyed this book. I saw it recommended by Elizabeth Hoyt and as I liked her books thought I might like this one. Plenty of passion and adventure.

The Heroine was interesting and the Heroine a little different to the usual.. I liked the build up and the pace of the book was good. I realised that this second book must run on a similar time scale to the first book which is an innovative move. I haven't read the first in the series but now I'm intrigued and will probably search it out. Hugh was a big personality and I was concerned that Daphne would get swamped. I wasn't that keen on Daphne's back story with the villain, I really couldn't see how she'd want to be in the same room as him ever again. The boys were entertaining and I might have liked more of them. I love new nuggets of interesting historical information and the idea of a voidable marraige set me onto several new trails.

I'd definitely recommend this book.

I was given this book by Netgallery for my honest review.

“Life is fleeting and precious…seize every opportunity to enjoy it. Never take even one day for granted.”

Lady Daphne Davenport finds herself in quite a predicament. While picnicking with her twin 10 year old sons, she’s once again attacked by Sir Malcolm Hastings. Daphne is determined to no longer cringe at the face of danger, and takes matters into her own hands…literally, by bashing Sir Malcolm in the nose. In rides our mysterious hero, Hugh Redvers, the long lost heir to the Davenport name. So many secrets and twists revolve around Daphne and Hugh, and with each passing day, they grow closer to discovering a truth about one another…and realizing that perhaps love can overcome their dark past and bring with it a brighter future.

Barbarous has everything a pirate loving romance reader enjoys—A lady in distress, a hero riding in to save the day, a devilish villain, and of course, a happily ever after. This is the first story I have read from Minerva Spencer, and I look forward to reading more. Highly recommend to fans of historical romance.

If you read the previous book, [book:Dangerous|36337268], then you already have met Hugh and Daphne - the story begins a short time before that book and runs concurrently.

Daphne Redvers, Lady Davenport is fending off an attack by her vile cousin Sir Malcolm when her late husband's nephew, Hugh Redvers, Baron Ramsey returns from the dead. The man from whom she has stolen everything from.

Hugh has returned to England (and from the dead) for one reason, to protect Daphne and her sons. He was sent away by his uncle almost 20 years ago and when he was captured by corsairs and enslaved, he let everyone believe he had died. The stablemaster and Hugh's childhood friend Will is the only one who knew the truth - he contacted Hugh because he has been receiving anonymous letters saying Daphne and her boys are in danger. Hugh is surprised by his immediate attraction to Daphne, but tries to fight it - there can be nothing between them, not only because she is technically his aunt and forbidden by ecclesiastical law but because he has no plans on staying in England - he will leave once the threat to her is taken care of and continue on his quest for vengeance against the man that betrayed him - Emile Calitain. Calitain was a slave with Hugh and turned on him, costing Hugh his eye, freedom and the lives of his friends. Hugh escaped and became the privateer "One Eyed Standish", and for the last 15 years he has been roaming the seas in search of Calitain.

Daphne is being blackmailed by Sir Malcolm, her marriage to Hugh's uncle Thomas was in name only - she was raped by her cousin at 17 and Thomas married her to protect her. Sir Malcolm threatens to expose the truth of the boys birth if she doesn't marry him. But now that Hugh is back, she knows that she must tell him the truth - her sons Lucien and Richard are not Thomas', so Hugh is really the new Earl of Davenport - she is sure he will think that she duped his uncle and wishes she had proof that he was aware that the boys were not his. For this reason, she holds off telling him. She needs to make plans for herself and the twins before she confesses.

They grow closer after an attempt on Hugh's life and she is on the verge of telling him the truth when an unexpected visitor arrives and Daphne catches Hugh with the woman in his arms. Unable to tell her the truth about Mia, he leaves her a vague note and takes Mia to London. Daphne believes the worst about Hugh and Mia, which motivates her to step up her plans to move to Yorkshire. She takes the boys and goes to London. They are reunited with Hugh and she gets the proof she needs to confess to Hugh. When Hugh saves her from an attack by Malcolm, she knows she has run out of time and confesses. Hugh assures her that he doesn't want the earldom and that Thomas' considered the boys his and Hugh will never challenge Lucien's right to the title. He is in love with Daphne and asks her to marry him. She agrees and it seems like a HEA is within sight. But ghosts from both their pasts will return and threaten their newfound happiness.

I loved this story, it has a bit of everything, mystery, action, pirates, secrets, steamy love scenes, likable characters, betrayal, blackmail, laugh out loud moments, really nasty and demented villains and finally a very hard earned HEA. My only complaint would be that while this story seems to run concurrently with Mia's story, major scenes involving Hugh from her story are not in this story, which I found a little odd - but not enough to diminish my enjoyment. This is the second book in the Outcast series and while there is a connection to the first book, this title can easily be read as a standalone. I would happily recommend this book and am eagerly awaiting the next book!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Oh that we all could have a pirate in our lives! Life seems all mapped out for widow Lady Daphne... keep the truth from privateer Hugh while keeping another member of the ton at bay.
Loved the chemistry between all the characters, which shows a good balance in the author’s writing. Yet at times was a little bored with the storyline and thought it moved more slowly than it needed to. Overall, a pretty good book.
I received an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Lady Daphne is a widow with two young sons, and a very big secret. Lord Hugh is the nephew of her deceased husband, who has just made his triumphant return to England after years of working for the king as his privateer. He has garnered the nickname and reputation of the One eyed Standish, a fearsome pirate who has never lost a fight, and takes what he wants when he desires it. Hugh has a little secret of his own, he came back to England only to protect his uncle’s widow, but he didn’t know she’d be so young, or so lovely.
The two become involved in a plot filled with intrigue, blackmail, and danger all the while their heated attraction to each other threatens to burst into flame.
It’s a terrific story from start to finish, and one that’s difficult to put down. It has a cast of characters that are colorful and complex, and I am definitely looking forward to the next in this series of books. I highly recommend it.

Just a so so read.
I didn’t connect with either Hugh or Daphne. Daphne in particular was harder for me to like.

Daphne is his aunt by marriage to his uncle Thomas. Okay, I did like Hugh’s monkey, and of course, a pirate needs a parrot, but the eye patch was a bit much. Guess it was better than a peg leg!

This is the first book that I've read by Minerva Spencer and I loved it. I plan on reading "Dangerous" (The Outcasts #1) next. I had no problem reading the book out of sequence. Hugh Redvers with his pirate's eye patch has returned from the dead. He is a riveting hero with an indomitable spirit. Daphne is an appropriate counterpart for Hugh. They have a shared history of violence in their past. I highly recommend "Barbarous."

He could be her ruin

Hugh Redvers is supposed to be dead. So the appearance of the sun-bronzed giant with the piratical black eye patch is deeply disturbing to Lady Daphne Davenport. And her instant attraction to the notorious privateer is not only wildly inappropriate for a proper widow but potentially disastrous. Because he is also the man Daphne has secretly cheated of title, lands, and fortune.

She could be his salvation

Daphne Redvers' distant, untouchable beauty and eminently touchable body are hard enough to resist. But the prim, almost severe, way she looks at him suggests this might be the one woman who can make him forget all the others. His only challenge? Unearthing the enemy who threatens her life . . . and uncovering the secrets in her cool blue eyes.

AAR staffers Shannon Dyer, Lisa Fernandes and Em Wittmann read Minerva Spencer's Barbarous and got together to share their thoughts on the novel.

EBW:  Well ladies, I straight up loved this and would rate it a DIK.  I picked it up early on a Sunday morning and couldn’t put it down until I finished it later that night.  I had a bit of trepidation after Ms. Spencer’s first novel, Dangerous (which I enjoyed, but thought had one too many twists), but this time there’s just enough happening outside of the romance to keep readers engrossed and engaged from start to finish.  The principal characters - especially the naughty and wonderful Hugh - are particularly well-realized, and the story itself is compelling, romantic and wholly entertaining.  Did you like Barbarous?

LF: I found it to be fun in general, nicely twisty, with a good and slow-burning romance, but there were spots when it was a little bit genre-typical; an interesting combination between old school romance (Wicked, greedy cousins!  Prodigal sons returning to the nest!  Rogues who are wounded boys in need of redeeming!  Pirates!   Switched lives!  Smart, punchy heroine!  A whiff of the incestual!) and the modern (Daphne is a mother, a glasses-wearing nerd type, but she’s tough as hell).

SD: I really enjoyed it, but didn’t find it quite worthy of DIK status. I sometimes thought the author was trying too hard to include a ton of unnecessary tropes rather than allowing her story to stand on its own. Still, I'm glad I read it, and I definitely plan to read something else by her at some point.

LF: What did you think of Daphne?  Did you find her the right kind of spunky?  I loved that she actually loved her late husband and was good with her kids.  I was pleased by how tough she was, and how smart.  But I wasn’t into her turning into something of a helpless damsel in the last quarter of the book (she redeems herself by the skin of her teeth at the very end but it was one heck of a thoughtless choice that led to it), and the whole sexual education part of her relationship with Hugh… eh, been there, seen it.  She was sometimes another scholarly heroine whose intellect failed at the most crucial of times.

EBW:  I liked her, and her constant frustration over her lust for Hugh.  It was a nice contrast to her gentle affection for her late husband, her boys, and the life she managed to cobble together after her disastrous teenage years.  I thought Ms. Spencer did a great job showing all the contrasting parts of her and how love (and lust) and simply overwhelm all of our best intentions.

I find that this author doesn’t really do anything by halves and after enjoying the first book despite so many things going on, she’s managed to scale back the more, more, more, this time out.  I didn’t mind the wicked, greedy cousin! The prodigal son returning home! The tender rogue or the pirates... it all clicked for me.  I just loved the dynamic between Daphne and Hugh - and I liked them individually as well - and that allowed me to just go with the flow.

SD: Daphne was a likable enough heroine, but she doesn't stand out all that well from countless others I've encountered over the years. I always love a scholarly heroine, but the last portion of the story made me question her intelligence. She didn't use her brain when it counted, and I found that frustrating.

LF: How did you like Hugh?  I loved his undercover honorability – his secret core of kindness and guilt beneath the wild hellion exterior and playful sexuality, how very into Daphne he was, and how he was swept away by falling into the family, and in the end loving her boys as much as he loved her.  And he’s fun and smooth and macho and alluring in the correct places as well.

EBW:  I could probably rhapsodize for quite a while about how much I liked Hugh; he’s a wonderful romance hero and he absolutely elevates this story.  He’s making my shortlist of favorite characters.  I usually dislike children in romance novels, but witnessing Hugh’s affection for Daphne’s boys and his tender/gruff interactions with them tugged at my heart.  I loved those relationships too.

SD: Hugh is everything I love in a hero. He knows how to be strong and assertive when he needs to, but he's not afraid to show his softer side either. I'm constantly dismayed by these men who are determined not to show even a speck of vulnerability, so Hugh gets extra points from me for being so willing to show how he really felt. We need more men like him in today's romance novels.

LF: The romance was interesting, and does follow some of the usual genre beats but twists them; Daphne has loved Hugh since she was a child, he is lustfully attracted to her even though it’s wrong, Hugh sprouts pounding woodys just thinking of Daphne, etc. -  they banter and hate until they actually know each other, and the chemistry is nicely crackling.   But by the time they get together the relationship is wonderfully evenly balanced especially the level of banter and give and take.  How did you feel about the romance?

SD: Ms. Spencer definitely knows how to write a believable romance. Sure, it fell prey to a few overused tropes, but by and large, it worked for me. Daphne and Hugh managed to balance each other out incredibly well, and I loved watching their relationship deepen over the course of the story. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I never felt like Ms. Spencer was working too hard to convince me of the feelings these two had for one another.

LF: Did you like any of the minor characters?  I found Rowena particularly amusing, and I liked Will’s roguishness.  And I enjoyed the way the family of servants, children and Daphne and Hugh slowly coalesced into something beautiful.

EBW:  I definitely thought the secondary characters enhanced the story (especially the boys) and the principal relationship.  Unfortunately, the villains were a bit underdeveloped.  I didn’t understand the dynamic between Calitain and Jean-Paul.  Were they a couple or just partners or master and servant?  Trying to figure them out distracted me from their dastardly plot... which wasn’t very dastardly or evil at all.  The lead up was exciting and I feared for Daphne, but then the final confrontation wasn’t nearly as explosive or thrilling as I hoped it would be.  That was the biggest disappointment for me.

LF: I think the end of the book is definitely what pulls my grade down from an A and what weakens its overall impact for me; the Calitain/Jean-Paul part of things, Daphne going from spunky to soggy, just everything about it left me cold.  The epilogue shored things up but ugh, I wish the ending had been rewritten.

SD: The supporting characters were… okay.  I felt like I'd seen most of them before, albeit in different guises. Rowena did make me laugh a time or two, and the children were quite delightful, but none of them felt very memorable. I'm a sucker for stories with a ‘found family’ element, and Ms. Spencer does a fairly good job of showing me that the characters really were a family unit, but I still came away needing a bit more to make me fully invested.

LF: What did you think about the historical setting?  This seemed to me to be a ‘wallpaper’ historical, where things weren’t completely period accurate; did you find everything well set and researched?  Were there any other flaws?

EBW:  My biggest problem with the book was her treatment of Daphne’s assault and her memory of the event.  Ms. Spencer seemed to want it both ways - a darkly horrifying event in Daphne’s past that informed her relationship to her cousin, but not enough to traumatize her in a new relationship because she was (well, I don’t want to spoil this detail for anyone so I’ll simply allude to what you already know) during it.  I know why she did this - but it doesn’t quite work.

SD: I'm kind of on the fence about the research. Obviously, authors take certain liberties when writing historical novels, so I don't feel I can fault her too much for the ones she chose to take here. On the other hand, some things just felt glaringly incongruous, and I honestly think some more in-depth study of British history could have been helpful to her.

LF: What of the plot in general?  Did you find it gripping enough?

SD: The beginning didn't hook me in at all, but things got more interesting once I was about a quarter way through the book. I got a little tired of what felt like a constant need to take the reader by surprise, and I think I would have liked it better if it hadn't been quite so twisty. I have yet to read Dangerous, so I'm not sure how it compares, but it did seem twistier than most romances I've read.

LF: What about the style in general?  Did you like it?  Was it smooth?

SD: I did enjoy the author's writing and general narrative style. I didn't notice anything particularly jarring about her craft, but neither did it wow me. There are a ton of really fabulous historical authors out there, and while Ms. Spencer is talented, she doesn't yet compare to some of the greats.

LF: What’s your final grade?  I’m going with a B+; a fine novel, mildly flawed, but the ending just pulls it out of pure DIK territory for me.

EBW:  I was totally engaged in this story from start to finish; I liked the principal and secondary characters (well, I liked the ‘good’ guys), and aside from the author’s dodge on Daphne’s traumatic past with her cousin, I enjoyed pretty much everything about it.  It’s an A- for me.

SD: I'm giving this one a B. The hero was swoon worthy, and the romance itself was extremely well-drawn, but there were some aspects of the story that fell flat.

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