To Catch a Pirate

By:  Jade Parker

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Pages: 230

Published: 2007

Told In: Third Person

 “Movie” Rating: PG

Compare to:

Anna and the Duke, Kate Locke

Victoria and the Rogue, Meg Cabot

A Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson

In a nutshell:

A year after the pirate, James Sterling, steals a kiss from Annalisa, she captains a ship to hunt him down. With his help she is determined to reclaim her father’s stolen treasure, even at the risk of Sterling stealing her heart.

What you may enjoy:

Short and fun little story. It has a Pirates of the Caribbean kind of feel. A casual, entertaining read when you want something quick.

What you may NOT enjoy:

Because it’s a short read, the characters and story lack depth. It’s a predictable story with many classic romantic tropes.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Knife held to a girl’s throat; dead bodies lay onboard a ship; man whipped; man punched; knife held to a man’s throat; man stabbed; two men shot.

Romance and Nudity:

Man kisses girl forcefully; man kisses woman (6 times); woman kisses man; man and woman kiss

Language and Profanity:

Hell (3xs), bastard, damn

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Blackmoore

By:  Julianne Donaldson

Genre: Proper Regency Romance

Pages: 286

Published: 2013

Told In: First Person

 “Movie” Rating: G

Compare to:

Becoming Lady Lockwood, Jennifer Moore

My Fair Gentleman, Nancy Allen

Frederica, Georgette Heyer

In a nutshell:

Kate dreams of going to India so she strikes a deal with her mother. Now she must receive and reject 3 proposals in one month. Her best friend, Henry, agrees to help but it changes their relationship.

What you may enjoy:

This is an enjoyable, lazy day read. If you want a clean romance and like Jane Austen era, look no further. This book is for you. The setting is quaint and the writing is a good fit for the genre.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The story is predictable. There are weak components in the book, such as the unbelievable characterization of Kate’s family, and Kate herself is often unbearably annoying.

Warnings:

Romance and Nudity:

Describes a man wearing nothing but wet pants; man and woman kiss (descriptive but not graphic, 3 times)

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The Wednesday Letters

By: Jason F. Wright

Genre: Romance

Pages: 280

Published: 2007

Told In: Third Person

 “Movie” Rating: PG

Compare to:

The Wedding, Nickolas Sparks

Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom

A Child Called It, Dave Pelzer

In a nutshell:

After their parents die, the 3 adult Cooper children gather for the funeral and are surprised to find boxes full of letters their father wrote each week to their mother. Even more surprising are the secrets the letters hold.

What you may enjoy:

If you’re a fan of Hallmark channel movies, this is one for you! An uplifting and clean romance. It’s a fast read with a great message. The romance is sweet and satisfying with elements of mystery and drama.

What you may NOT enjoy:

This book is heavy on the cheese factor, with a tendency to overdramatize. The characters are a little too cookie cutter. Although not generally categorized as a Christian novel, it certainly pushes Christian values.   

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Woman has a heart attack; man and woman found dead; man beaten and ribs broken; man’s tooth punched out; woman raped.

Sex and Nudity:

Man tries to tear woman’s shirt off

Language and Profanity:

God

Drugs and Alcohol

Alcoholic character, man high on drugs 

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Austenland

By: Shannon Hale

Genre: Romance (20-somethings)

Pages: 197

Published: 2007

Told in: Third Person

Compare to:

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, Laurie Viera Rigler

Bridget Jones’s Diary, Helen Fielding

Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella  

In a nutshell:

Jane has never had much luck with relationships, which is why she resorts to fantasies about her own “Mr. Darcy.” But when she inherits a trip for a full 1819 immersion experience in England she decides to get her Austen obsession out of her system. But as Jane encounters new romances, she begins to question what is real and what is just pretend.

What you may enjoy:

You don’t need to know or love Jane Austen books/movies to enjoy this. It is a fun, quirky romance that mixes past with present in a unique twist. The main character is relatable for women who were ever single in their twenties. It’s a cute story that will make you giggle.

What you may NOT enjoy:

This is not an Austen novel, it is not hot and steamy, and the main character is not very witty or snarky. If you are expecting these things, do not read this book. It reads like watching a romantic comedy. It is predictable and sometimes cheesy, with characters who think too much on love.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Two men fist fight

Sex and Nudity:

Woman mentions her past affairs; man has an affair; boy kisses a girl 7 times; mentions breasts (at least 9 times throughout the book); man and woman kiss passionately, mildly graphic (twice); man kisses woman’s neck (twice); boy talks about kissing; boy puts hand up a girl’s skirt; woman wraps her legs around a man; man asks to have sex; man tries to force himself on a woman; man kisses woman (at least 4 times throughout the book); man attempts to unhook a woman’s bra; man kisses a woman’s hand (twice).

Language and Profanity:

Dammit (twice), damn, jackass

Drugs and Alcohol Abuse:

Drunk man corners a woman 

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