Ames‘ review of Privateer’s Treasure by Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks.
Under a steamy Barbados sun, Nathaniel makes an impulse purchase that will change the course of his entire life as a privateer. Pierced to the core by the sad blue eyes of the young man on the auction block, he buys Adlai, thinking to erase the slave’s sorrow and protect him from a less-pleasant fate in the fields or brothels.
At first, Adlai dares not trust the pirate who now owns his body, but time and proximity, need and care, change Adlai’s suspicions to respect—and Nathaniel’s respect to love. Together, they brave all the sea can throw at them, including Nathaniel’s former captain and rival, Thomas Harrison.
Harrison will stop at nothing to have Nathaniel and his ship back. And Adlai, Nathaniel’s most prized treasure, becomes one more weapon in their ongoing war.
I love naval themed novels (thanks to Mr Crow and Mr Bethany from Master and Commander LOL) and Privateer’s Treasure was no exception.
Nathaniel Collins captains the Lost Horizon and he’s on shore getting supplies. He decides to check out the auction going on for an estate where the owner died without heirs. He’s struck immediately by Adlai’s blue eyes and has to have him. Also bidding on Adlai is Captain Thomas Harrison, Nathaniel’s former captain and lover, now enemy. Nathaniel outbids him and takes his prize to his ship.
Adlai was his owner’s favorite slave because he was also his son. He is unsure about his new lot in life and he is wary of Nathaniel’s obvious sexual interest in him. But his new owner is kind and thoughtful and doesn’t force himself on anyone so he let’s Adlai be.
Eventually, Adlai gives into the desire he feels for Nathaniel. But Nathaniel has unfinished business with Captain Harrison and Harrison wants Nathaniel back under his command and back in his bed. So with Adlai at his side, Collins begins a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Adlai is a very soft-spoken man and he knows he’s a slave. At first he was afraid to have to deny Collins in bed, but it never came to that. But I have to admit, the power dynamics between Adlai and Collins made me a bit uneasy when they first starting sleeping together. But Collins was always very good (and so the authors since that’s how they wrote him) about making sure Adlai wanted what was happening between the two of them. That lends a gravity to their interactions that makes what goes on between them have that much more meaning.
On the flip side to the love and tenderness between Collins and Adlai was the relationship between Captain Harrison and Collins and Samir. Samir is Harrison’s “pet.” A young Moroccan lad who is very feline, feminine and NASTY. Samir is jealous of Harrison and wants all his attention – but he knows Harrison still wants Collins. So Samir’s jealousy takes form in his hatred over Adlai. He wants Adlai’s blue eyes as earrings and he tries at every opportunity to hurt Adlai. I hate to say this, but at one point he does. Samir and Harrison are truly despicable villains but at the same time, the reader still had a wee itty bit of pity for Harrison because he still loved Collins and all he did was in an effort to get him back.
Overall, I enjoyed Privateer’s Treasure. Adlai and Collins were great characters and I liked what happened between the two of them. There was also plenty of naval action going on and if you like that kind of thing, this book is for you. 4 out of 5!
This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.
You can read from ~ames~ at Thrifty Reader.