Yet again, I have chosen a book with a cover that leads me in the wrong direction. I assumed it was a periodical, pirate theme, much like Karen Robards first 'series'. But no.
And again, such as
BEGIN WITH GOODBYE, the cover on Amazon is
not the cover I have on my Kindle app. Both covers are lovely, though (the first cover is the one on Amazon, the second is 'mine').
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| (Re-?)Publication Date: October 12, 2014 |
ENSLAVED BY THE OCEAN takes place in 2011/2013. ...but I did get the pirate theme right.
This story is told in first person, through Indigo's eyes and thoughts. Again, I moaned and groaned and almost didn't read the book because it was in first person; however I should know better because I have had phenomenal luck in the first person genre.
The book opens in an prologue in which Indi's father is leaving; the first chapter, set in 2011, brings the reader right into the intensity of her life, as she's hiding from her abusive boyfriend), gun in hand, terrified she's going to have to use it.
Months later, in 2013, the boyfriend starts making threats to her. When he's released from prison, Indi does the only thing she thinks she can do to stay safe -- leave the country. And what better way to make the trip from the States to the UK than by yacht? However, the yacht catches fire, Indi and her best friend, Eric, end up on life boats, and days later, run into pirates.
"This is like a nightmare, except I can’t wake up. I can’t do anything but pray to God these pirates aren’t awful.
'We should jump over,' Eric whispers.
'And die?' I hiss. 'We’re going to die if they get hold of us!'
'We can’t be sure of that.'
'It’s too dangerous!' he growls. I can’t answer, because the light swings our way and falls directly on our boat as the large ship stops beside us. I can’t see a damn thing; all I can see is the blinding light. I hear voices, and then I hear the sounds of ladders rolling down. I whimper, and clutch Eric closer. I clamp my eyes closed, wanting to drown it all out, wanting to take myself away from this fear. I feel Eric flinch, and then I hear the ragged, angry voice fill my ears.
'Get on the ship.' The raspy, deadly voice causes ice to run through my veins. I open my eyes and see a man hanging off the ladder, glaring at us.
'Please, we don’t want any trouble,' Eric whispers.
'Shut up. Get on the fuckin’ ship.'
'Just leave us here, we’re just . . .'
The man pulls out a long, rusty sword and thrusts it toward Eric’s face. He yelps and leaps backward, knocking me over. I cry out as my sunburned back hits the side of the boat. 'Get on the fuckin’ ship. Now.'"
The captain of the ship is surprisingly younger than Indi expects. Hendrix, she learns, is his name. He's loud, abbrassive, and crude -- at least in my initial opinion of him. But he's a pirate, so why wouldn't he be any of those adjectives?
"'How old are you, girl?'
'My name is Indigo,' I snap, lifting my head to meet his glare.
'Don’t fuckin’ care what your name is; it don’t matter to me. I asked how old you are.'
'What does it matter?' I whisper. 'If you’re going to rape me, I don’t imagine you’ll care.”
He snorts. “No, I suppose I won’t. Answer me anyway.” My body goes stiff. “Now,” he growls. '
'I’m twenty-four.'
He narrows his eyes, and nods his head. 'You fucked many men?'
Oh. My. God. 'Fuck you,' I spit. He lifts his hand, and he slaps me so hard I see stars. My body stiffens, and just like that I crumble. My moment of strength crawls back to my inner depths and stays there.
'Answer my fuckin’ question, or I’ll chain you up in the cell with the rats.'
'No,' I croak.
'No you haven’t fucked a lot, or no you won’t answer my question?'
'No I haven’t fucked a lot.'
'Good.'
Good? I raise my head, meeting his gaze with a powerful glare. 'Who are you?' I rasp.
'Someone you don’t want to fuck with.'
'W . . . w . . . w . . . what do you want with me?' I say in a small voice. He grins, and it’s not nice. His eyes are so full of threat. I shudder, but when he speaks, my entire world stops.
'I want to sell you.'"
Even I, figure-it-out extraordinaire, didnt see that one. I should have, of course. Pirates want money, and the sex trade is (sadly) profitable. *side note: re-reading that particular scene leaves me a bit baffled -- reading the story, I've grown very fond of Hendrix and the Hendrix that Indi begins to know and fall for is not that same cold-minded bastard, pardon the French, she meets in the beginning.
However, there's a crack in Hendrix's armour when it comes to Indi, and she realizes it when he tells her he doesn't want to kill her. And when Indi decides to befriend Hendrix so that she ends up with a better fate... Well, let's just say it works in both their favors. Even though Hendrix makes rules for their being together, he ends up being the one who wants to break those rules.
As they get closer emotionally, he mistakes her emotions for trying to play him to getting off the boat. And the more he pushes her away, the more she feels that he doesn't want her.
I rather, surprisingly, enjoyed this story. I wasn't sure that I would. I love how hard Hendrix is, and as his cracks toward Indi widen, I love him even more.
I love how strong Indi is. She's strong willed and fierce, even if it gets her into trouble a time or two. At times she forgets, but for the most part she keeps a strong head on herself and she takes a lot of what's dished at her -- from Senny to the old teasing pirates.
...I also love that Jess, a girl on ship that Indi befriends, is certain that by her choosing this life, while she'll be safe, she will never marry or have kids. Man, I can't wait for her story next..!
