When storming the prison of the Ottoman empire for the captures men of his crew, the hero stumbles upon a female prisoner as well. She's known for a while that he would be coming to free her yet she had no idea just how hansom her rescuer would be. But he is cold. He hides his feelings and desires very well and absolutely refuses to show any weakness when it comes to women but he fears this woman will be his downfall. They part ways after escaping but not before a searing kiss that leaves the hero starved for more. The start of the book was quite funny and it showed frequently the hero stumbling upon the heroine in a perilous situation, freeing her, then watching her vanish once again into the world. The heroine was so utterly confident in herself and it's honed her into a very independent woman to the point of frustration. I really don't like females who are arrogant with their safety and cause trouble for the hero. But I didn't so much mind this character whom the hero affectionately names her 'pest' because she's also lonely and completely ignorant of just how beautiful she is. The hero fights his desires very well and it comes to the point when the heroine is on the verge of giving up on him. He because so enraged with himself after showing affection or passion that the heroine refuses to indulge his self destruction anymore. It's then that he must take a leap of faith and give in and it's like he instantly becomes another person. He smiles, he teases and he doesn't have the black cloud over him anymore. The heroine helps him reconcile with his mother and in return the hero gives her a home and a family. I really liked this book despite the fact that it did drag at times and mostly depicted the hero and heroine at odds over something or another. But just as quickly the heroine's temper flared up, she was to forgive him and give another chance. Also, she's like a total sex kitten in the bedroom. She has no shyness or shame when it comes to her body or sharing it with the man she loves and you have to admire that in a woman from her time period. She's not whorish and she did go to him a virgin but she's open to her love and desires and free with her words and actions. ( )