You should read Marisol ~ Spanish Rose if you:
– Enjoy historical settings that really come to life and are full of adventure
– Know pirates aren’t always the bad guys, just sometimes
– Love epic adventures but prefer to skip the stuff between action scenes
My full review for Marisol ~ Spanish Rose
Marisol ~ Spanish Rose starts out as a bit of a tragic story. Forced to flee her home after killing a nobleman in self-defense, Marisol’s luck just keeps getting worse. Captured and forced into basically the slave trade as an indentured servant. But, she has no idea how her life will change after English privateers capture the Spanish ship she is being transported on. The Captain of the ship, Ethan Becket, is in for quite a surprise as he learns about Marisol’s past as she slowly thaws his heart and allows him to love again.
Marisol ~ Spanish Rose had all the aspects of a great historical fiction adventure. High seas adventure – check. Dashing historical figures and lively, memorable places – check. The one thing it was missing was the romance. I feel like Marisol and Ethan just didn’t spend any time together at all and suddenly they were in love. Time passed off the pages, but I couldn’t watch their relationship grow and build over time, it almost seemed like it wasn’t there. I loved the well-developed characters, but I didn’t see them together as a couple. They just weren’t there.
The drama, adventure, and excitement were definitely there. The beautifully written scenes on the ship were told in a way that I understood. Even though I know nothing about ships. I would have liked to learn more about some of the side characters, but perhaps they develop as the series goes along. They all seemed to be very interesting, and I wanted to know more.
More about Marisol ~ Spanish Rose by Elva Cobb Martin
Escaping to the New World is her only option…Rescuing her will wrap the chains of the Inquisition around his neck.
Marisol Valentin flees Spain after murdering the nobleman who molested her. She ends up for sale on the indentured servants’ block at Charles Town harbor—dirty, angry, and with child. Her hopes are shattered, but she must find a refuge for herself and the child she carries. Can this new land offer her the grace, love, and security she craves? Or must she escape again to her only living relative in Cartagena?
Captain Ethan Becket, once a Charles Town minister, now sails the seas as a privateer, grieving his deceased wife. But when he takes captive a ship full of indentured servants, he’s intrigued by the woman whose manners seem much more refined than the average Spanish serving girl. Perfect to become governess for his young son. But when he sets out on a quest to find his captured sister, said to be in Cartagena, little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship with her six-month-old son. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up. And her beauty, both inside and out, is too attractive for his heart to protect itself against—until he learns she is a wanted murderess.
As their paths intertwine on a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and romance, only love and the grace of God can overcome the past and ignite a new beginning for Marisol and Ethan.
Do not read this book if you:
– Want a really solid romance-forward story, the romance is more of a sub-plot
– Want an epic historical adventure told in epic format, as Marisol jumps around skipping details.
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**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
