Tom Curtis

Laura London

Sharon Curtis

The Windflower

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
  

 
  
    Summary 
  
 
Merry Wilding, is a lady of leisure and espionage. She spends her free time with her aunt, in the countryside of the Colonies in North American. Drawing, painting, spending time in the gardens and when she can sneak out with her brother, drawing images of traitors and British spies in order to aid her brother's cause. She is very proud of being able to contribute someway to fight the English, even if it's just doing some drawings. Merry agrees when her brother comes for a visit, to go to a tavern, posing as a pregnant woman in order to draw certain faces of men that her brother desperately needs. Upon arrival however, their plans go awry. When a band of pirates come into the tavern, she manages to sneak out but is caught by one of them, Devon Crandall. They share a passionate embrace, and then Devon leaves her to her devices and now its been months. Her aunt is determined to go back to her home in London, and Merry can't let her go alone, so she reluctantly agrees to accompany her aunt. However upon boarding, she is taken by ruffians and she is brought into the hands on none other than Devon and his band of pirates or (Privateers for the British she later learns). At first there is much suspicion surrounding Merry. In Devon's mind, she is somehow linked to his enemy. But he can't seem to figure out why or how. She seems to be too innocent to have been his leman or mistress. Merry attempts escape from the dangerous Devon, but she soon craves him, and the family she has gained while aboard their ship. His fellow pirates become close friends, but right when everything seems to be going smoothly for Merry and Devon, a mix of truths and lies come about pertaining to Merry, and Devon will have to decide if his love for her is enough....

 
  
    The Hero 
  
 
Devon Crandall, is a privateer but many would assume he is a pirate. Devon however, is the last man on earth you would expect to be a lord of the Ton. He was raised to be a Duke. But he fights for his country, and his half brother Rand Morgan who is the captain for the Black Joke. Devon and Rand, are brothers but were never able to be raised together. But now they work together and fight together. Devon is a hero you crave more of and I can't honestly say I have read a hero like Devon. Devon is very mysterious for a major part of the book and that quality is what makes his character so intriguing. He definitely has some hidden depths that are slowly revealed with each chapter or so. He seems like a dangerous and sexy pirate at the beginning, but by the end....he is the type of man a woman would want to marry. He is honorable and loyal, dedicated and affectionate. He is charming of course, but he also is genuine too.

 
  
    The Heroine 
  
 
Merry Wilding, is a heroine I felt like I could be friends with. She is outspoken and independent and very opioniated. She is also a bit dramatic at times, but I believe that is what makes her such a good match for our Devon here. She isn't shy or reserved, although you do think that about her in the beginning. She does portray those qualities in certain moments. But she can also be high strung (probably due to her overactive imagination and being raised by a highly dramatic aunt). What I liked about her, was her spirit. She is a fighter, and even though she is starting to enjoy the friends she is making on the Black Joke, she wants to return home. And keeps trying to escape. It always seemed so funny to me, because the moments she attempts, well they aren't successful and not planned out at ALL!! They are the spur of the moment. But Merry is not a planner really...she tends to convey a more spontaneous nature that I found very contagious.

 
  
    Plot and Story Line 
  
 
I had heard about Laura London, a couple writing team years ago but never picked them up. And after reading Windflower, I am wondering how I could be so idiotic as to delay reading this book for so long. I was browsing through audible, when I saw this book pop up. One of the thing I noticed was that it was a longer book (which I go for, its seems worth my credit to get a book that is over 15 hours long). So I immediately started listening to this book and with each hour I grew more and more hooked on this spell binding story that captivated me.
First off, I love love LOVE pirate themed romances. They are so enchanting and full of passion and adventure and its definitely different from the typical regency romances that are so popular. But this story, won me over from the beginning. At first, I had no idea where this author was heading with this story. They really made me curious about the plot line, and it seemed to be very engaging. There were so many wonderful aspects of this story that made this book a spectacular adventure for me.
I want to talk about the secondary characters first. Now there were quite a few that I loved but I want to mention them. The brother, he was fun. He is a patriot and a fighter and loves his sister. He is very protective of her, and even though we only see him in the beginning and the end of the story, we see how devoted he is to family and country. We also see how much Merry adores him and the lengths she goes to protect him. Then we have the Aunt, now she was a riot. I loved her to death probably because she was so outspoken and passionate about her standing on  England. She loved everything about England, and I love how she is so accepting of certain people you wouldn't expect. Then we have the crew of the Black Joke. Now they rocked and I am endeared to them forever. We first have Rand Morgan...now at first I didn't know what to make of his character. But I really wish he had a story. Rand is dangerous, a pirate and has a weakness for children. Rand is a bit of a matchmaker for Merry and Devon. But you don't see that at first....it isn't until the end you realize his machinations were for a greater purpose. But he tends to be a bit of a romantic. Then we have Cat or Kat (Not sure how his name is spelled since I was on Audio format). But he is captivated by Merry. He takes care of her needs, protects her and befriends her. But there isn't any desire or anything between them. Its more of a fast friendship that forms. Then we have Raven. Now he is my favorite. The narrator did a great job in his character. He is barely a man, pretty young kid we have here, but experienced. He also forms a strong bond with Merry, but we see the lengths he will go to in order to protect and defend her. He was very amusing and outrageous and extremely fun to know in this story.
Now for our stars of the show....Devon and Merry were such a wonderful pair and they complimented each other quite well. I think what I found most intriguing about them, was seeing their journey. From a bumpy road to smooth sailing when they learn the matter of trust. Now despite appearances....this is a pretty tame story in the physical intimacy department. It shocked me, because I was expecting some bed scenes happening way sooner than they did. But in a way I was so glad to see a couple where they don't immediately jump into bed together once they figure out they have great chemistry.


  

  
    
      It’s at your most lunatic moments that I can resist you least
    
    

  

Their relationship is built more on building affection and trust before they can get to the "whipped cream" of the relationship. I like how Devon takes things slow with Merry, even though he realizes how much he loves her early on in the story, he doesn't act on it. The moments between these two are beautifully woven into a captivating story of adventure on the high seas from the shores of the Colonies to the city of London.

 
  
    The Cover 
  
 
What a beautiful cover....I love the island like theme to the cover with the sunset beaming between the almost kiss. I love the added accent of a flower in the heroine's hair....and man I love the scuff on our hero.

 
  
    Overall View 
  
 
The Windflower is a breathtaking romance that will be heartfelt and utterly captivating from page one!! You won't be able to resist the sensuality, the in depth characters or a memorable romance that will make you crave to be a part of it!! SENSATIONAL

The Windflower

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