Unwrapping: Review of THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen

I adore a good swashbuckler story! This is the one I was just finishing up when I asked you on Wacky Wednesday about what kind of heroine you would like to exchange places with if you could. I would love to step into Raeven Russell's shoes for even a short time and spend a day with Bastien Cutlass!
THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen is the third in the Sons of Revolution Trilogy. I'd read the first two and so when Shana first offered ARCs of this seriously awaited novel, I was clamouring for the opportunity but only recently was she able to send me one. I immediately started reading it even though I was already knee deep in another. It was well worth the late nights.

Blurb for THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE:

Revenge should be sweet, but it may cost him everything...

The Marquis de Valère escaped certain death in the French Revolution and is now an infamous privateer. Out to avenge the death of his mentor, Bastien discovers himself astonishingly out of his depth when confronted with a beautiful, daring young woman who is out for his blood...

Forgiveness is unthinkable, but it may be her only hope...

British Admiral's daughter Raeven Russell believes Bastien responsible for her fiancé's death. But once the fiery beauty crosses swords with Bastien, she's not so sure she really wants him to change his wicked ways...

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Raeven Russell is the daughter of an Admiral. She's lived nearly her entire life on the open seas. She fell in love with a captain in the Royal Navy but when that captain is murdered by a pirate that goes by the name of Captain Cutlass, she wants revenge and nothing will stop her from getting it - not even her father locking her in her cabin.

Bastien Cutlass is a privateer who has made the sea his mistress. Having lost his family to the atrocities committed under the name of freedom during the French Revolution, he has spent his life as a sailor and privateer. After his surrogate father is murdered by Jourdain, a once upon a time friend to him, he channels his every move toward hunting the man with the goal of exacting revenge.

Raeven and Bastien have more than the love of the sea in common. Raeven wants revenge on Bastien, Bastien wants revenge on Jourdain and both are trying to keep one step ahead of Admiral Russell. Raeven soon discovers that her fiancé's death was a mishap of battle and her desire for revenge on Bastien begins to wane as her attraction to him grows exponentially. Bastien's need for personal revenge on Jourdain remains steadfast but when the opportunity to see it through arrives, he makes the choice to save his ship and the woman who has begun to burrow her way into his heart instead. You'll soon find yourself asking the same questions Raeven puts to fate - will they find a way to stay together? Will Bastien find his family if they still survive? Will they ever admit their love for each other?

I thoroughly enjoyed the Sons of the Revolution Trilogy but I have to say that this final installment is by far the best and most adventurous. It brings the family together again which is touching and consoling for Bastien but sad for us, the readers. If you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy, please do but as much as I recommend you do, this one does very well as a stand alone. Of course, by the end, you'll be hunting down the others to learn their tales. 

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen is exciting, action-packed, thrilling, and a page turner from the very start. If you don't fall totally in love with Bastien then I'd definitely suggest you check to make sure your female card is up-to-date. I don't believe there is a woman alive who can resist this Charming Rogue Pirate!

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE is a swashbuckling adventure that takes historical romance to new heights. The heroine is tough, spirited and as skilled as any man yet soft and yielding to the only man who can fire the passions she never knew she had. The hero is a gentleman pirate who leads his men with loyalty, skill and a determination to meet his goals as well as bring them all home safely. Just as Raeven comes to admire Bastien for skills as a sea captain and defender of his ship and crew, so shall you. I highly recommend this wonderful historical romance that takes you on an ocean adventure that will have you cheering, swooning, and even shedding a tear as Raeven and Bastien experience pirate life together.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen, Sourcebooks Casablanca, available now in print and ebook format.