Scan barcode
saradavcamp's review
3.0
I'm a little on the fence about this book. I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't my favorite, either. The writing style was very regency, which I struggle with a bit. The main character, Sophie, was a bit air headed at times, which is something I dislike personally in my main characters, but others might not be bothered by at all.
I guess it comes down to preference. The book wasn't badly written, just not my preference. The story was very clean and had very little heat to it which isn't bad, but I think I prefer a little more romance to my romances. I still like them clean, just not quite so squeaky clean.
Yeah, on the fence. There were some really great parts--just not a ton of them. Oh well, rambling review, eh?
I guess it comes down to preference. The book wasn't badly written, just not my preference. The story was very clean and had very little heat to it which isn't bad, but I think I prefer a little more romance to my romances. I still like them clean, just not quite so squeaky clean.
Yeah, on the fence. There were some really great parts--just not a ton of them. Oh well, rambling review, eh?
clarkecorner's review
5.0
Sophie is young and very adventurous. She also had a family who is not much help in finding a husband.
Capt. Murdoch is a man of mystery to everyone in town. He also has a past that is dark but not in the way everyone thinks.
Sophie is very interested in Capt. Murdoch. She wants to get to know him more and find out if the roamers are true!!! She also feels a pull towards him. So when they both end up at a party she is excited when she sees him there. Her feelings for him keep growing at the party and after.
It is a fun read. I really enjoyed this book!!
{ I received a free copy in return for my honest opinion. All options are my own.}
Capt. Murdoch is a man of mystery to everyone in town. He also has a past that is dark but not in the way everyone thinks.
Sophie is very interested in Capt. Murdoch. She wants to get to know him more and find out if the roamers are true!!! She also feels a pull towards him. So when they both end up at a party she is excited when she sees him there. Her feelings for him keep growing at the party and after.
It is a fun read. I really enjoyed this book!!
{ I received a free copy in return for my honest opinion. All options are my own.}
ghumpherys's review
4.0
This was a fun Regency story with some lovable and quirky characters and a little bit of mystery as well. The heroine, Sophie, was sweet and kind but a little unsure of what she wanted out of life. Over the course of the story, we see her grow and mature and learn that there is more depth to people than what is on the surface, that you can't believe everything you hear, and that standing up for yourself is important. The story felt a little slow in parts, but the second half picked up the pace. There were times when I wished we could get a chapter or two from Captain Murdock's perspective, but then I also liked unraveling the mystery of his character along with Sophie. Sophie's family was a little eccentric but lovable all the same. Overall, an enjoyable read!
Note: I received a free ebook version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received a free ebook version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
bellesmoma2021's review
5.0
A Pirate at Pembroke (2018) is an excellent standalone novel by Danielle Thorne. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 433 pages in length. With a full-time job and a busy six-year old, this book took me two days to read. I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Kathy at I Am a Reader. In no way has this influenced my opinion of the story. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give A Pirate at Pembroke 5 STARS. This book is a Clean Historical Romance.
A Pirate at Pembroke is a FANTASTIC story. It is very much in the style of Jane Austen with its wonderfully detailed descriptions, poignant inner monologues, and a palpable tension between the hero and heroine that lasts until the final chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book, and I am very sorry my time with Sophie and Captain Murdock is over. This is a novel that will stick with me long after finishing the last page.
Told from a first-person perspective, the reader follows Sophie as she encounters her new, mysterious neighbor, the dashing Captain Murdock of Pembroke. Intrigue and rumor surrounds Murdock — some say he is nothing but a villainous pirate while others say he is a first-rate Navy man who protected British interests against pirates and the French. Regardless, when the reader first meets Murdock he is a surly, brooding, and injured man who makes sure to keep all — even the reader — at arms length. Of course, this just makes Sophie, and the reader, more and more curious about the handsome and captivating neighbor.
Sophie is an excellently written character. She is kind, generous, and compassionate. She is beautiful, but doesn’t seem to know it because of her humble nature. She always attempts to stand a minute in someone else’s shoes before coming to any sort of judgement or conclusion, which is a fantastic reminder for all of us today where conclusions about someone or something are drawn based on emotion in the moment rather than on actual fact. While others sit in gossip groups talking about someone they don’t really know, Sophie is the first to stand up against the meanness and hatred in defense of the one being spoken against. Reading about a character willing to stand up for what is right was, to me, a breath of fresh air!
Because of parental machinations and the considerate meddling of one very wealthy aunt, it is desired and expected that Sophie will marry a character named Henry. But neither Henry nor Sophie feel anything more than friendship towards one another. There is a fabulous discussion about practicality versus love. Henry wants to do what will make his family happy, but his heart belongs elsewhere. Sophie, too, wants to please her family, but she is holding out for true love. She makes the best comment when she says to Henry, “It is better to sacrifice a little for true love than to settle only for sensibility.” I adore this line of thinking, and can 100% relate. My family was not on board when my husband and I married. I hate to say it but my happiness was not important enough to my family. What was important was my bottom line, and my future husband didn’t look like he could help improve my financial life in any real way. BUT, I married him anyway because I am in love with my husband. And guess what?! God takes care of us just fine! My parents didn’t understand that I don’t put my trust in a human to take care of my daily/personal/financial needs. My trust resides in God. And, like Sophie, I held out for true love not for practicality, which has made all the difference in my life. God blessed me with my husband — a blessing I wouldn’t have if I had chosen to be practical and worldly focused.
Coming in at just over 400 pages, there is clearly a billion more things I could talk about with this story. There is Sophie’s little brother, Jack, who is quite the rapscallion. There is an interesting love/like square (there are three men vying for Sophie!) that creates some serious mishaps and tension. And, there is the mystery surrounding the handsome hero, Captain Murdock, that makes the reader turn page after page in want of answers. Plus, so much more! If you are looking for an excellent Regency novel to sink your reading teeth into, then I cannot recommend A Pirate at Pembroke enough. Get a copy of this awesome book! You will not be disappointed.
A Pirate at Pembroke is a FANTASTIC story. It is very much in the style of Jane Austen with its wonderfully detailed descriptions, poignant inner monologues, and a palpable tension between the hero and heroine that lasts until the final chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book, and I am very sorry my time with Sophie and Captain Murdock is over. This is a novel that will stick with me long after finishing the last page.
Told from a first-person perspective, the reader follows Sophie as she encounters her new, mysterious neighbor, the dashing Captain Murdock of Pembroke. Intrigue and rumor surrounds Murdock — some say he is nothing but a villainous pirate while others say he is a first-rate Navy man who protected British interests against pirates and the French. Regardless, when the reader first meets Murdock he is a surly, brooding, and injured man who makes sure to keep all — even the reader — at arms length. Of course, this just makes Sophie, and the reader, more and more curious about the handsome and captivating neighbor.
Sophie is an excellently written character. She is kind, generous, and compassionate. She is beautiful, but doesn’t seem to know it because of her humble nature. She always attempts to stand a minute in someone else’s shoes before coming to any sort of judgement or conclusion, which is a fantastic reminder for all of us today where conclusions about someone or something are drawn based on emotion in the moment rather than on actual fact. While others sit in gossip groups talking about someone they don’t really know, Sophie is the first to stand up against the meanness and hatred in defense of the one being spoken against. Reading about a character willing to stand up for what is right was, to me, a breath of fresh air!
Because of parental machinations and the considerate meddling of one very wealthy aunt, it is desired and expected that Sophie will marry a character named Henry. But neither Henry nor Sophie feel anything more than friendship towards one another. There is a fabulous discussion about practicality versus love. Henry wants to do what will make his family happy, but his heart belongs elsewhere. Sophie, too, wants to please her family, but she is holding out for true love. She makes the best comment when she says to Henry, “It is better to sacrifice a little for true love than to settle only for sensibility.” I adore this line of thinking, and can 100% relate. My family was not on board when my husband and I married. I hate to say it but my happiness was not important enough to my family. What was important was my bottom line, and my future husband didn’t look like he could help improve my financial life in any real way. BUT, I married him anyway because I am in love with my husband. And guess what?! God takes care of us just fine! My parents didn’t understand that I don’t put my trust in a human to take care of my daily/personal/financial needs. My trust resides in God. And, like Sophie, I held out for true love not for practicality, which has made all the difference in my life. God blessed me with my husband — a blessing I wouldn’t have if I had chosen to be practical and worldly focused.
Coming in at just over 400 pages, there is clearly a billion more things I could talk about with this story. There is Sophie’s little brother, Jack, who is quite the rapscallion. There is an interesting love/like square (there are three men vying for Sophie!) that creates some serious mishaps and tension. And, there is the mystery surrounding the handsome hero, Captain Murdock, that makes the reader turn page after page in want of answers. Plus, so much more! If you are looking for an excellent Regency novel to sink your reading teeth into, then I cannot recommend A Pirate at Pembroke enough. Get a copy of this awesome book! You will not be disappointed.
brbsmith's review
4.0
See my full review at: PerfectlyTolerable.com
This book was not what I expected.
I was expecting sexy pirates, seductions, steamy romance, sexy pirates, stolen kisses, swashbuckling rogues, and sexy pirates. Did I mention sexy pirates?
If that is what you are looking for, this is not the book for you. It was Clean with a capital “Sea” ok thats it for the bad puns
But just because it was not what I was expecting does not mean it was bad. I actually really enjoyed it! Right on the cover it says its a “classic regency romance” and it was just that. The romance was slow burn, with no annoying tropes (i.e. no love triangles and no insta love!) It captured the classic regency setting yet the characters were still interesting!
The plot was engaging and I was never bored waiting to find out what happened next. It kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end. It was a cute story that still gave me butterflies in my stomach even without physical romance. Or maybe because there was no physical romance. sometimes romances are so much more real when there is so much tension and propriety.
Overall it was a good cute clean romance, and it was an easy read. I would suggest this if you like regency romances and aren’t expecting swashbuckling rouges.
This book was not what I expected.
I was expecting sexy pirates, seductions, steamy romance, sexy pirates, stolen kisses, swashbuckling rogues, and sexy pirates. Did I mention sexy pirates?
If that is what you are looking for, this is not the book for you. It was Clean with a capital “Sea” ok thats it for the bad puns
But just because it was not what I was expecting does not mean it was bad. I actually really enjoyed it! Right on the cover it says its a “classic regency romance” and it was just that. The romance was slow burn, with no annoying tropes (i.e. no love triangles and no insta love!) It captured the classic regency setting yet the characters were still interesting!
The plot was engaging and I was never bored waiting to find out what happened next. It kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end. It was a cute story that still gave me butterflies in my stomach even without physical romance. Or maybe because there was no physical romance. sometimes romances are so much more real when there is so much tension and propriety.
Overall it was a good cute clean romance, and it was an easy read. I would suggest this if you like regency romances and aren’t expecting swashbuckling rouges.
More...