Charity Goswick thinks she is escaping an arranged marriage to a brute when she slips onto a ship unnoticed. Little does she realize that this is no honorable vessel of the King's Navy—it is a pirate ship. It's just a matter of time before she is discovered by a handsome rake of a pirate, who locks her in his cabin. And while she should be scared, her captor sparks the most unladylike feelings within her…

James Lamont is on the ship for one reason, and one reason only: to track down his brother. However, his spirited little stowaway certainly affords plenty of distraction with her many (failed) attempts to escape. And each time, the unspoken—and unbidden—passion between them grows stronger. But as violence and danger mount on the high seas, Charity will have to put all of her trust in the most untrustworthy of men... the arrogant pirate who just might steal her heart.

Tamara Hughes, I knew I recognised the name at first and then I actually remembered that my bff Lady Entropy wrote a review on her Once upon a masquerade novel. 

What got me interested in this book? Everything! Women on pirate ships equals bad luck, also the James journey to find his missing brother was supposed to be a nice subplot just to avoid having too much “romancy” (that is not even a word) type of novel and of course the romance itself (just not too much). Let me be honest I have spent the last two years reading a LOT of romance novels because I can’t write romance. So I have been reading tons of different romance in order to analyse them. How the author develops the romance, how the characters get along, how does the romance emerge. That kind of thing. And Tempting the pirate had some nice things and some predictable things, namely the plot. Which is funny because it is all there, the traditional five act plot is all there in the right time, so the pace was nice, there was a lack of plot twists, maybe things went too right and too wrong and with no or few surprises. 

It is all very neat and polished and it kind of weakens how amazing the novel could be.  Even the first and only twist that there is that kind of changes the plot a little bit it is delivered with such cold feelings. I definitely felt the need of something that could rock my world or remove the earth from beneath my feet once or twice (don’t do it often or you will become Moffat).

The characters all have motives and it is very easy to sympathize with Charity, as she is sort of a damsel in distress but the initial incident is kind of comical as she wakes up on a pirate ship after escaping from her abusive uncle who drugged her to marry some captain of the navy. As usual it is very easy to feel sorry for a woman who has been abused and had the strength to escape and wanting to start a life far away. Also has the plot rises she changes and becomes bolder. Maybe she is not a character that you instantly fall in love with, but she deserves our attention and she has it. James works as the stereotypical male hero: strong, bold, kind of devilish and seductive and as usual he has to respect ladies. As a couple they work, mainly the dialogues are what keeps the reader entertained. 

Alas, Tempting the pirate is entertainment and I regret nothing! Not all books need to have symbolisms or themes and this keeps what is promises a romance with pirates and some action. It keeps the reader focused on the story and it is that kind of novel where you can read anywhere, anytime you want or wish to grab a quick novel that will not let you down. 

I can see that there will probably be a novel on James brother so I am hoping to see more action and more twists or feelings on that one.