The Pirate Next Door

Starred review from September 15, 2003
Pirates add a dash of outlaw excitement and irresistible allure to two smart and lively new romances.

Alexandra Alastair's new next-door neighbor, Grayson Finley, is nothing like the other men on her list of potential second husbands. Rescuing Grayson from ruffians, and then discovering that he not only has a young daughter but a pirate past, further convinces Alexandra that Grayson is far too different from the other respectable, suitable men on her list to ever be considered as proper husband material. But despite her best intentions, Alexandra discovers she can't stay away from the distractingly sexy nobleman, even if it means helping him battle a long-standing rival and find the whereabouts of a missing French king. Ashley begins with a perfect pair of protagonists who are equally matched when it comes to cleverness and courage, adds some wickedly fun secondary characters who occasionally threaten to steal the book, and then mixes in lots of intrigue and some richly sensual love scenes to create a witty and splendidly magical romance.

Felicity Kendall leaves her home in Boston for Barbados to help her father keep his business afloat only to find that neither he nor his new business partner is happy to see her. The infamous pirate El Diablo recently murdered her father's previous business partner and his wife, so both men want Felicity as far away from the Caribbean and danger as possible. Suspicious of her father's new partner, Felicity sets out to find evidence of his wrongdoing, but when she sneaks on board his ship, she winds up becoming the willing captive of a notoriously sexy pirate. A prim and proper Puritan miss (who regrets her one run-in with a notorious rake) discovers just how irresistible passion can be in this delightfully entertaining romance. Howe skillfully uses Felicity's Puritan upbringing to build strong sensual tension between her and the devilishly seductive hero, and her bold writing and bracing mix of adventure and passion are captivating. For other romance titles set on the high seas, see the Read-alikes column on the opposite page. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)