Nightsong (Song, Book 3)

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

VALERIE SHERWOOD

Synopsis from Goodreads: Living in exile on the island of Jamaica, Rye Evistock, better known as Captain Kells, and his beautiful wife, Carolina Lightfoot, are waiting for Kells to be cleared of a trumped-up treason charge in England. Kells decides to return to buccaneering one last time in order to gain enough money to settle down in peace. After anxious months of waiting for her husband to return, Carolina finally sights his ship on the horizon, but at that moment, catastrophe strikes in the form of an earthquake that destroys the harbor town and leaves Kells and his ship nowhere to be found.

Devastated, Carolina leaves for England, but her ship is captured by the Spanish at Havana and she is given to the governor's aide as a slave. To her utter amazement, the “aide” is none other than Kells, suffering from amnesia, and believing himself to be Spanish. Desperate to regain his love and convince him of his true identity before their hated enemies discover it, Carolina hatches a dangerous plot that could free them both...or seal their death warrants...

Stats for my copy: Hardback, Pocket Books, 1986.

How acquired: Via Book Mooch.

First line: Beneath a pale moon that shed its light upon Jamaica's southern coast, a slender curving sandspit cut like a scimitar into the deep dark sapphire of a night-silvered sea.

My thoughts:  I loved the first two books in this trilogy (LOVESONG and WINDSONG), so I was very much looking forward to NIGHTSONG. The first two books both started out slow for me, and took a little while for me to get caught up in. NIGHTSONG was the opposite. I was caught up right away. When the earthquake struck I was completely mesmerized. And then Carolina, believing Kells dead, finds herself in Havana, with her sister Penny, and from that point on I struggled to stay interested.

In Havana, Carolina is reunited with a very much alive Kells. As a slave bought by the governor and gifted to his friend Kells, who everyone, including Kells himself, believes is Don Diego Vivar. Normally I love an amnesia plot (Sandra Brown, THE WITNESS!). But this one just got ridiculous. Carolina tries to convince “Diego” that he is really Kells. He's insulted and angered that she would dare to compare him to a notorious buccaneer. Carolina suddenly seems convinced that he's not Kells, he's really Diego, and just looks like Kells. At which point I almost threw the book across the room. Then she realizes that he is indeed Kells, and if anyone else in Havana recognizes who he really is his life will be in danger.

Penny. In the second book I was thrilled to get to know their sister Virginia. I did not care for Penny nearly as much. And Robin Tyrell...ugh. He and Penny deserve each other.

Toward the end I seriously wondered if Carolina and Kells would ever have an HEA. And I didn't even really care. I just wanted it to be over.

Will I read this author again? Yes. But maybe not for awhile. 

Windsong (Song, Book 2)

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED SPOILERS. 

VALERIE SHERWOOD

Synopsis from Goodreads: ADRIFT UPON THE SURGING TIDES OF LOVE...the incandescent beauty Carolina and her dashing buccaneer, Kells, sail from his Caribbean stronghold to her native Virginia there to await his royal pardon and their glorious wedding. But when an imposter masquerades as Kells, savaging British ships, he is once again outlawed. Fleeing to England, the lovers are swept into a torrent of danger, treachery and desire. Their vows are doubly threatened by the rich ransom for Kells' capture and by a sultry Spanish duchess who claims him as her own. Carolina, wed in her heart and wed forever, embarks on a desperate voyage that may cost her Kells' love and his life and cast into the raging seas the shimmering promise of their WINDSONG.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Pocket Books, 1986.

How acquired: Via BookMooch.

My thoughts:  When I read the first book in this trilogy, LOVESONG, it took me awhile to get into the story. The beginning was good but not fantastic. WINDSONG started out the same way, and while it took a bit longer to pick up, I did eventually get completely sucked in and mesmerized. I do really like the author's writing, so I'm not sure why it took so long to get invested in the story.

...England's king had offered a general amnesty to the buccaneers, but a king's word was the wind's word and easily blown away...

The first part of the book follows Carolina and Rye as they travel to Virginia and her family's home. While they've already married in a buccaneer ceremony on board Rye's ship, they keep that from Carolina's family and announce their betrothal, letting Carolina's mother plan the wedding. But a group of men, posing as the buccaneer and his crew, begin attacking ships, and our lovebirds are forced to flee Virginia so Rye can avoid capture and try to clear his name.

I've just realized something both books have in common. The point where the story really picked up for me in both books is when Carolina leaves America and goes to England. From there many adventures follow. Carolina's sister, Virginia, travels with them, and I really enjoyed her parts of the story and getting to know her better, and especially watching her character's growth once she's out from under her mother's thumb. We also meet Rye's brother, and are reunited with Carolina's schoolmate, Reba.

Home was the Tidewater – no, it was not there either. Home was a man's arms, held wide and welcoming.

Of course there needs to be conflict, which arrives in the form of a Spanish duchess whose appearance throws Rye for a loop. And then he sets sail with the Spanish lady, leaving Carolina behind to continue her travels with his brother and her sister. We soon learn that the Spanish lady is Rye's first wife, whom he believed to be dead. And upon being reunited, he promptly falls into bed with her, which angered me something fierce! It took me quite awhile to get over his betrayal of Carolina, and when she went off half-cocked looking for revenge I hurt for her while cheering her on. 

Fortunately everything comes right in the end, and I'm eager to read the next book, NIGHTSONG.