Thief of Hearts
5 Stars

Following an intense encounter with the notorious pirate known only as Captain Doom, prim and proper Lucinda Snow is unwillingly subject to the protection of her impertinent yet mysterious new bodyguard, Gerard Claremont. Despite their initial animosity, Lucy and Gerard cannot resist their mutual attraction. But a dangerous and destructive secret soon comes between them. Will Lucy and Gerard be able to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way?

I've never been a fan of pirate romances, but read this one for a challenge and it is very entertaining.

Although Lucy initially comes across as immature and weak willed, her strength of character quickly emerges, and she matures into a particularly engaging heroine. Gerard is quite typical of the dark and enigmatic hero with a traumatic past and a secret to hide. His internal conflict between his desire for revenge and his increasing attraction to and feelings for Lucy make him all the more compelling. Lucy and Gerard's chemistry and their snarky sparring are an absolute delight.

Medeiros's writing is excellent. Her descriptions, whether of the streets of London, the ballrooms of the ton or the decks of a schooner, are well-detailed and immersive. The secret keeping trope, which can be quite irritating, is handled well mainly because it is necessary for both plot and character development, and does not drag on unnecessarily.

All in all, this is a lovely romance with likable characters and a satisfying climax and resolution. ( )

This book had me at hello, great beginning. When Captain Doom says with a hand flat over his chest. "Your mistake, man," he said softly. "The little wench damn near got my heart." I do believe folks this is called foreshadowing.
I delight in stories where the characters conflict with each other and you can literately see as you read the characters change, grow, and come together. I can already sense Lucy is going to have a lot of growing up to do and I can't wait to see how Gerard pushes her into it.
Medeiros does a spectacular job of showing how Gerard brings Lucy alive.
Oooh loved the scene where Gerard and Lucy have supper in the carriage and Gerard's game of teasing Lucy backfires and she tells him "Why Mr. Claremont your spectacles are fogging up."
Truly heartbreaking when Lucy is confided to her room and looks out her window to see Gerard watching her window leaning against a tree in the wind. She lays her palm against the window and simply says "Good morning Mr. Claremont"
The dancing around each other is so delightful to read. Lucy constantly pushing, poking, and trying Gerard's patience in subtle ways and Gerard's constant fight to stay diligent in avoidance of any feelings for her. This is where the story really comes alive for me; Lucy and Gerard's battle to stay apart and together.
The scene where Lucy tells Gerard she loves him is completely perfect, with the cheroot falling out of his mouth to him walking away, and finally with Lucy whispering "Was it something I said?" to herself. You want to laugh but strangely at the same time your heart is bleeding for this couple.
Sometimes I was restless at the stalemate Lucy and Gerard seemed to be at. I thought it was going to be cured by the addition of Gerard's brother Kevin, and what a delight he was, but he didn't end up playing a large enough role. (Did Medeiros ever make a sequel with Kevin?)
There did come a point were I groaned with frustration, how many times can a couple be interrupted when they keep waiting so long to get together?
I couldn't help thinking "oh shit" when Lucy's father kills Gerard's man sent over to negotiate a deal. Gerard has to retaliate, even Kevin steps in front of him but to no avail, but then when Gerard kicks the door down to get to Lucy I found myself holding my breath because maybe just maybe this could be a good thing and finally something can be resolved between these two.
Now this was a story! The kind where you read the last page then sigh and sit there for a couple seconds digesting what you just read. The first part of the book had a lot of bittersweet poignancy for me and was terrific. The second part of the book did get a little long. I would have liked the courtroom scene to have come about earlier. However, even with this small complaint, this is a book you experience and savor not just read, toss away, and forget. Can you say Keeper?

A ( )

The plot is good and the relationship between Lucinda and Gerard develops in a very believable way. It's set in 1802, also nice for a change. Only negative is that I found it a little bit slow at times, but that might just be me. Still recommend this. ( )

Cute, even if it does strain credulity no small amount. It's different enough from your typical Regency romance to be worth the read. ( )

Not on a par with Medeiros' two vampire stories, but very readable nonetheless.

The book tells the story of Lucy Snow, enamoured by the dread pirate, Captain Doom. Yet, when her father hires Gerard Claremont as her bodyguard, there is an instant attraction between them.

A fun romp, although nothing remarkable in terms of plot or characters. ( )