Book Review: The Pirate and the Puritan by Mary Clayton

Title: The Pirate and the Puritan
Author: Mary Clayton
Genre: Fiction/Romance/Historical
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 1601541198
Format: e-book, 358 pages
List Price: $6.00US
Reviewed: August 20, 2009
Rating: 5 stars (4.6)
Warnings: None

Synopsis: Kidnapped by pirates, a mute Puritan finds herself drawn to the pirate captain, intrigued by his protection of her and his obvious dislike of his own lot in life. He is drawn to her by her innocence and strength, unable to forget her even though he knows he should.

My two cents: The Pirate and the Puritan is one of the best clean reads I've had the privilege to peruse this year. Taking place several years after the Salem witch trials, the heroine is Mercy Penhall, a young woman whose voice was lost after witnessing one of those horrific trials firsthand. I was immediately drawn to this woman, feeling the pain, frustration and fear that were a part of her daily life. I loved her overall calm demeanor that could quickly turn to fiery defense when those she cared about were threatened.

The hero is Edmund Gramercy, an unwilling pirate whose choice at one time was piracy or death. He was an interesting character and I would have liked to have had more glimpses into his mind as well as his background. I really liked him and wanted to know more. The story is told more from Mercy's POV with only a few forays into Edmund's.

The novel is very well-written, obviously well-researched and a beautiful romantic story. If you like action, adventure, sweet romance, and a history lesson that doesn't feel like homework, then this story is for you.

This is available in e-book form from The Wild Rose Press and trade paperback from Amazon.