Pirate's Prey

This is by far the best pirate romance I've ever read. It is full of suspense, mystery, and passion that will curl your toes. I can't say enough good things about it. I read the first page and didn't want to put it down until the last. A Must Read For All Romance Readers! Ms. O'Connell, you are one of my favorite authors!

Shane Christian,otherwise known as the notorious pirate, Falcon lives for danger He is feared and respected on the seas. When he meets willful and spirited Maura Brent, his charm is on full alert. Maura is already in a marriage with a despicable land Baron. She must get out of the marriage to remain with Shane. Will Shane survive long enough to be with Maura or is hanging in his future? There's love, passion and betrayal. Pirates, oh the pirates!!!!!!Steamy scenes with hunky pirates. Love this book. I received this book from Net Galley and Wild Rose Press for a honest review.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Lots of adventure and romance as Maura's father has a pirate kidnap her from her wedding night. Since Maura was forced to marry to save her father from debtor's prison, she isn't unhappy that she is taken from her new husband.

I loved that while she had growing feelings for Shane/Falcon, she was not ready to just give in to those feelings and made him work for her affections!!

It was hard to put the book down as they were constantly trying to stay out of danger and keep Maura away from her husband. I did like that Maura had a taste of the violence of piracy and the life was not just romanticized.

The only thing that I didn't like and this is your notice that it is a spoiler so don't continue to read it you want the ending to be a surprise - **** when Shane returns after three months and Maura realizes that he isn't dead, she is ecstatic, while that is great, if it was me - I would also be really, really anger that I had been mourning the lose of my husband for that time and was not informed along the way that he survived! Other than that, I really enjoyed the book!

This was an exciting book to read. It kept me interested right up to the end, Thankfully it ended happily. The characters were interesting and the plot kept me wanting to know more. I do recommend this book to be read.

Pirate's Prey is more of a saga that spans a lot of time. So much happened in this book. It was a slow read for me so I could absorb everything written. I really enjoyed this book but I will say I had some questions at the end. All told I enjoyed it.

I was very excited to come across this book in Net Galley. I mean, who doesn't love pirates? This book started off with promise. I enjoyed the dynamics that were being put into play between the characters and I think the plot itself was pretty solid. The story starts with the main character basically being forced into an arranged marriage, but over the progression of the beginning of the novel, a secret plan is made and a pirate steals her away. I really loved the fact that it played with both the arranged marriage trope that I'm a sucker for, but that it also involved a different resolution than you usually see for that sort of plot. But around Chapter 9, I started to feel less pleased about the direction of the book. The main character from here on is pretty wishy-washy regarding her personality and it makes really difficult for me to get invested and stay invested in what is going on. One moment she was condemning characters for their choices and the next she was totally fine with it. In the end, the writing itself was okay and the author is great at painting a scene and writing out emotions without being overly descriptive but it wasn't one of my favorite reads.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a well written pirate romance. Maura is forced to marry a man she despises until a wicked pirate kidnaps her and puts her on his ship on route to America. I admired Maura spunk and rebellion. She puts Shan in his place but is no match for his dominance and trickery. I was not a big fan of Shan he is forceful and a bit demanding. He forces his advances on Maura even though she resist. It's almost like she exchanges one controlling man for another. Nevertheless, as the story progresses Shan and Maura find their way. Decent romance.

I just love a good pirate story!! I really enjoyed reading this one and you get to go on quite an adventure with Shane and Maura. Shane is the pirate known as the "Falcon" and Maura, who has been forced to marry a man she detests, is suddenly "kidnapped" by the Falcon on her wedding night. Her father had asked him to take her away to safety and it soon becomes apparent that Maura is as stubborn as Shane which makes for a very interesting sea voyage! Love sneaks up on both of them and their heated passion is all encompassing. Trouble follows, though, and they find themselves separated and wondering if they will ever have a future together!!

Nicely written with lots of adventure and action, heated scenes, betrayals, etc.... I was given an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Very entertaining read. Great plot and great characters. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Very soft pirate romance story. The book kept me entertained enough to investigate the author and read some more from her collection.

He took what he pleased and he pleased what he took.

Who doesn’t love a good pirate story? I enjoyed Shane’s confidence and fierceness. I loved Maura’s stubborn spirit. Being on the wrong side of the law never seemed so good. That ending! Wow! My heart was in my stomach the entire time. It was so intense and detailed. I couldn’t help but love Shane.

The cover is gorgeous. The characters enjoyable. I never knew what was going to happen next, especially as Mansbry and Shane kept trying to best each other. I definitely recommend this book if you love a good pirate romance.

I love a steamy pirate story and Pirate's Prey delivered! Maura is rescued from an unwanted marriage by the Falcon pirate. The book is full of witty banter, desire, constant excitement, and exotic locations. The author did a fantastic job of keeping the momentum high throughout the story. I highly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down until finished. You won't be disappointed!

***REVIEW WRITTEN FOR NETGALLEY IN RETURN FOR GETTING TO READ THE NOVEL***

‘Pirate’s Prey’ is one of those books you just need to keep reading to find out what happens next. It focuses on an Irish noble girl called Maura Brent who is being forced to marry a gentleman (if you could even call him that) Harold Masbry who is threatening to throw her father in debtors gaol. To escape this, Maura’s father plots with the notorious pirate ‘Falcon’ to get Maura away from Harold. On their wedding night, Maura is taken and shipped off to Charles Towne, America. However Falcon is being pursued by London sheriff David Trent, who arrested and almost had Falcon hung, 5 years previously.

I am desperate to find out more about Shane (Falcon) and Maura’s story! The novel ended on such a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to find out more!

I got this book from NetGalley and the publisher for a honest review
I loved this book. More than I expected. I don’t know what I expected from a pirate love story, but it was not this. Nor did I expect to love this so much. I will definitely read more pirate stories in the future. This story went places where I did not expect it to go as well. We start the book out as the main character is being forced into a marriage. Then the pirate Falcon, also known as Shane, comes to the rescue and brings her to America. Drama follows from there. I loved Shawn. A lot. I would totally fall for him if I was in Maura’s shoes. I did think that the pacing was a bit off. The romance could be dragged out a bit more in my opinion. I wanted them to be together for more of the book as well, because they were apart most of the time they were a couple. It also got really dark at times. Especially with the selling of women. That part came as a total surprise, and I am glad that it’s addressed. It’s an important topic to discuss in my opinion. I did not expect there to be as much death as there was. I expected maybe 1 death, but there were a lot of them. Way more then expected. Those parts were dark. But that made this book better, as it was not just the romance.

I received a free copy of Pirates Prey in exchange for an honest review. I always prefer a good pirate romance over a stuffy English ton novel, and this book definitely delivered. It was a quick and easy read, and kept me entertained throughout. I thought it was a fresh twist to the plot when Maura couldn't be saved from marrying her husband before Shane could save her. Overall, this was a great read and I would recommend to friends and family.

Oh my, this is a tear jerker. Forced marriage, kidnappings, pirates, deaths, hanging, it never stops even when you think it ends. Who can you trust? Always the pirate known as Falcon. A new author for me. Fast paced and never a dull moment.

Oh my goodness! This book was a whirlwind of action, adventure, kidnapping, violence and romance. Shane is a pirate who whisks Maura away on the night of her wedding to save her from what would have been a very unpleasant marriage to a scheming manipulative man. I loved Maura's spunky personality and Shane is the perfect pirate. I just wish there had been a little more of their relationship revealed (more feels, conversations, etc) since so much of the book they spent apart. All the swashbuckling adventure in between their time together definitely kept me on the edge of my seat! I definitely wish there had been a epilogue with a glimpse of their life together in the future. Overall, a really good pirate book that is full of nail biting action!

*I was given a copy of this book through netgalley and this is my honest review.

Pirate's Prey is a great story if you love pirates, insta love, and an overall sweet romance. Shane and Maura meet at her engagement ball to another man. They share a kiss and then he kidnaps her soon after. From there, it's one adventure after another. Sadly though, for as deeply in love as they are, they can can never marry until an enemy has been dealt with.

My thanks to NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press, Inc for the opportunity to read and review Pirate's Prey by Colleen O'Connell.

Enjoyed the story. It is well written, entertaining and full of action. In order to save his daughter from a disastrous marriage, James planned for her to be kidnapped and taken to America. Things do not go as planned and she is not taken until after the wedding has ended but she is finally on her way to America on board a pirate ship. As the trip proceeds, Mauren and Shane fall in love and he takes her to his home. Because Shane is a pirate life is full of danger, especially when he is captured and stands trial. There is a lot going on in this story and it makes for a great story. There is a HEA but a lot happens first.

Pirate’s Prey by Colleen O’Connell captured my attention from the first page. I haven’t read anything by her, but will be checking this author out. We start by meeting Maura Brent and her father meeting Harold Mansbry who now owns her father’s bank note and is forcing (blackmailing) her into a marriage that she doesn’t want. Harold is not a nice fellow, but Maura feels she has no choice so she signs the contract. Several days, at her “engagement” part she goes off by herself and Shane Christian finds her in the garden alone. He is intrigued by her, but finds that she is the person the party is for. That doesn’t stop him from dancing the waltz with her (which is scandalous!). Fast forward to the wedding and it happens even though someone is to kidnap Maura BEFORE the nuptials. Then the wedding night. Unfortunately for Harold, he drinks a glass of wine and then passes out. Hmm, something doesn’t seem right. Maura is then kidnapped by, you guessed it, Shane. But he isn’t who she thinks he is. He is actually the pirate Falcon. What happens after all of this is an adventure for both Shane and Maura. But remember, Maura is married. Will they get her out of the marriage? Who is David Trent? These and other adventures are answered by the end. Very good story and well written.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

3-1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it, either. I found the pace to be somewhat uneven and didn't really connect with any of the characters. I think part of the reason for that was because I never got a clear picture of what they looked like. I know that sounds superficial, but I like to get a clear vision in my head of their features. I know that Falcon had dark hair, was tall, but other than that, I didn't "see" him. I didn't get a description of Maura at all...at least not one that I remember. It made it hard for me to care about them. In my opinion, you can get away with that in thrillers or mysteries, but not romances. That's just me. It may not bother others.

As for the story, it was pretty darn good. Shane Christian (Falcon) and Maura met in a pretty unique way and after that, he wanted her forever. I appreciated that part. But she had to marry another man who was a master manipulator and just an overall jerk. It worked for everything. I grasped that David Trent, who was some sort of police officer, and her husband were trying to apprehend Falcon and David Trent seemed to make it his life's work. I wasn't sure just how Maura's husband fit into the equation other than financially. But he is an important part of the story and not to be minimized.

There were some super feel-good scenes toward the end that had me choked up and the end had me jumping for joy. The last quarter of the book was the best part of the whole thing. I wasn't bored with the what led up to it necessarily, but if this book was an ice cream sundae, the end would be the cherry on top. I'll probably remember it for a long time.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Pirate's Prey was a little hard to follow. Not that it was confusing, but that it almost seemed like a rough draft. The writing was quick and jumpy.
The characters were hard to get to know. Maura had no introduction. It just jumped right in to the story. And when faces with a fiance her father hated all he said was "i need a drink" and let her go.
Overall the story was a good story and once it got going it was not a bad story.

Loved it! Maura Brent is being forced to marry Harold Mansbry, a very manipulative and power-hungry man. He wants to send her father to prison if she will not marry him. Her father has been fighting against this man for a year or more. Her father is now broke and not sure what to do about it. Maura loathes him but agreed, she could not let anything happen to her father. on the night before her wedding, there is a ball to celebrate and she meets two men one is Alexander Steele. The other is Shane Christian, he dances with her, goes into her father's office and talks for a few minutes. Then he leaves.
Shane Christian AKA "The Falcon" is a pirate and made a deal with her father to get her out of there before the wedding. He came to get her the night of the marriage. He was very notorious and had been a pirate since he was fairly young. He loved the sea, it kept him calm, it made him rich as well. He was very successful.

3.5 ⭐️
A pirate tale of adventure, kidnapping, bribes, slave trade, death, and my favorite, romance. An easy read with a full story of events that I just mentioned. I enjoyed it, but didn’t care for the title or the cover.
In some places it felt one dimensional and I longed for more interaction with the h and H. I also had a hard time believing the insta love. Having said that, there was quite a tale being told.
This would be a fun, summer read in my opinion. As my husband always says, “a mental bag of potato chips.”

Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Pirate's Prey follows Maura Brent, the daughter of a man down on his luck with fortune. Facing a marriage arranged to keep her father's home, Maura does what is needed to protect her family's interest. Her fate takes a turn for the more adventurous when the pirate captain Falcon (Shane Christian) kidnaps her on her father's orders to rescue her. Despite countless warnings and Maura's best intentions, she finds herself falling for the pirate despite all that stands in their way.

This was a fun concept to explore! It did feel a bit rushed at times in the writing, but it fit a lot into the story. I liked the characters of Maura and Shane, they felt well-developed and had great chemistry. Other characters could have been described a bit stronger to make them more memorable, but with a leading couple like this it wasn't super distracting that the other characters were a bit basic.

Pirate's Prey is a fun romance to get immersed in, I loved the storyline and the settings of the pirate ship, Ireland, and America in the 18th century.

I loved this book. I enjoyed the story line from beginning to end. It had its predictable moments but not in the way that you would expect. The book had equal amounts of drama, adventure, suspense and for me a moment where I was biting my nails hoping for a certain outcome. I 100% recommend this book to anyone. No matter what your reading preference is. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have

I read about 2/3rds of this tale. I love pirate stories but couldn't enjoy this one. Shane is ok, but Maura is just a loose woman. She jumps into bed in a second! Young women in those days tended NOT to. Plus she's a nag. Sorry didn't love it.

This had everything one could hope from an historical romance about a pirate - adventure, drama, corruption, a mutiny, and love.

Shane Christian is a confident man with means, who happens to be in Ireland for Maura Brent's engagement ball. Maura is being blackmailed into marrying a truly despicable man. She is spared the wedding night, but awakens on a pirate ship headed to America.

The romance between Shane and Maura was a bit rushed, but I liked his cocky playfulness, and felt they were a great match. Extra points for expressive steamy scenes that complimented the tone of the story. As the story progresses, you really can't help but root for them.

I also adored all of the supporting characters, especially Alex Steele. Well, adored the GOOD supporting characters. They helped to really flesh out the world. The evilness of David Trent and Harold Mansbry was never in doubt, either, and every villain played his role perfectly (though not unpredictable).

There was a lot going on in this story, and I really enjoyed it! The ending wasn't quite what I expected, but I loved it!

4 Stars
3.5 Heat

A standard pirate romance that makes for a good guilty pleasure read on a weekend afternoon. Full of tasty tropes it is enjoyable, the plot is well paced and there is a little steam and spice.

The steam level left me wanting a little more but Shane and Maura’s love was a sweet story to dive into. It was also full of turmoil from the start, as is often the case with pirates. At first, it seemed a little too much like insta-love on Shane’s part, but that got sorted out later on in the book and it made me like him and the book more once I understood his motives.

Maura was always torn between damsel in distress needing a rescue and a strong willed woman who didn’t take any bull. She was a likable character but the poor author really put her through the wringer. The lady couldn’t catch a break.

Fortunately, as all good classic romances should, the lady and her pirate had an HEA, which just pages before the end didn’t seem possible. A romance worth a read if you’re into pirates.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.

This was an interesting read. Maura is forced to marry a man she despises, until she is 'kidnapped' by a pirate Shane (while in actual fact, it was her father that had orchestrated this), and finds herself in the care of said pirate, on route to America. Like many other historical romances, the female lead is spunky and rebellious who manages to put the male lead in his place.

I liked the ending a little but wished that there was more justice served.

Overall the story was a good story and once it got going it was not a bad story.

Shane Christian scorns danger as the notorious pirate, Falcon. Feared and respected for his realm over the sea, his exploits are only surpassed by his devilish charm.
When I started reading I couldn't put it down. Colleen O'Connell is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this books.Can't wait for the next book ...

Shane is a wonderful character as the pirate Falcon. Maura took a bit longer to like as she was somewhat shrewish, with kind of loose morals, but she did grow on me as the story unfolded. The book was well-written and enjoyable. I will definitely be recommending.
Thank you Colleen O'Connell, The Wild Rose Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

I typically don’t read pirate books but I am so glad I gave this story and new to me author a chance! This story quickly draws you into a world of intrigue and the characters are multifaceted which is always nice. The romance between Hero & heroine is written in such a way you can’t help but hope for their HEA and the chemistry & sizzle factor is hot!

If you enjoy pirates or if you are looking for something different to read I encourage you to give this book a try!

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 4 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥 — Come get lost in this voyage ⛵️

A sweeping tale between two continents, PIRATE’S PREY grabbed hold of me from the first chapter. Young Maura Brent has a strong, independent spirit, never backing down from a challenge (even a forced marriage). Pirate Shane Christian is decisive and unwavering in his beliefs about love, loyalty, and honor. The story takes the reader through an intricately woven plot, and emotion is always close to the surface. The romance between Maura and Shane is passionate, and I loved watching it evolve through hardship. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Wild Rose Press, and Colleen O’Connell. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Who wouldn't want to be with a pirate. That is what sold me and that was it for me. I had to read and hooked on it. Enjoyed this alot.

Intriguing and a great escape read.
Many thanks to The Wild Rose Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.