The Pirate and I: A Novella (Devil's Duke)

This short story is packed with adventure with Charlie trying to find a dog that he had originally stolen to pay for his release from a pirate but now he wants to steal it back for the dear old lady who is desolate without her dog - Esme has the nose a good perfumer needs to blend fragrance but for Charlie who she has loved for years she will bend all the rules to help him - loved the plot and the characters of the young boys who Charlie had taken under his wing

The Pirate and I is a sweet, little novella that has elements of adventure, self-discovery, and love, with the added bonus that it can be read as a stand alone.This story is most closely related to Ashe's other series novella, The Scoundrel and I. It revolves around a printer's younger son and a young woman with a "nose" for perfume, which is refreshing since neither is a part of the nobility. Esme Astell was in love with Charlie Brittle for years when she worked across the street from his printing office in her perfume shop, but she always thought he loved her friend, Gabrielle Flood. When Gabrielle falls for a naval captain (see The Scoundrel and I), Esme thinks she may have a chance, but Charlie leaves and Esme's heart is crushed to pieces. The Pirate and I takes place a year after The Scoundrel and I, with both Charlie and Esme being totally different people. Charlie has been at sea, while Esme has finally decided to pursue her dream of a perfume apprenticeship in France.The strength of this novella was the pacing and the description of the shift in feelings between the two leads. Despite its shortened length, the story was a potent mix of adventure, humor, angst, and romance. Both leads had their crosses to bear, and they were at times vulnerable, sexy, and easy to relate to. I also liked seeing more of what Charlie thought since in Scoundrel and I, only Esme's perspective is presented. His thoughts and motivations were not what I expected at all!Anyway, I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it for anyone looking for a nice read, even if you haven't been following the series. It was a delightful escape and one of my favorites of Ashe's work in some time (this reminded me more of the tone/style from her Rogues of the Sea or her Prince Catchers series than her Falcon Club series). Highly recommend!I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

All her life, Esme has desired exactly 2 things: becoming a master perfumer and Charles brittle. While pursuing her first dream of becoming a master perfumer at a conference in Edinburgh, she Almost literally runs into Charlie. The ones former bookbinder has a surprise for her, he’s a pirate. Not only that he needs her help.—This is a fun short novel, it’s a little too long for a novella at 165 pages, That features two working class protagonists. The book follows the quest for Charlie to free himself from his servitude aboard the pirate ship as well as Esme’s pursuit of becoming a master perfumer. I particularly liked the sections that discussed the different perfumes and scents.Esme was not the heroine I expected. She was delightfully practical but at the same time also a dreamer. Ever optimistic and lighthearted even when circumstances were at their lowest.Charles is an interesting mix of alpha hero and beta hero. He is a bushman. But Life aboard a pirate ship has hardened him mentally as well as pardon his body. He’s intelligent but he also knows when to back away and let Esme shine. Frankly I liked him. I also liked that he didn’t assume that his dream was worth more than hers. And that’s quite frankly way to rare in romance.It’s a fun light book.Four Stars

Despite the name of the book there wasn’t really any swashbuckling or much presence of pirates yet the story included a bit of adventure and plenty of romance.I had trouble following the storyline when it started and it wasn’t until way past the middle part of the book that everything started to make sense. I think some of that had to do with the fact that this novella is part of a series and that to fully enjoy it other books in the series will need to be read first.All in all it was still entertaining and different what with Esme’s unique talent, the theft of a dog, and a rogue trying not to fall again for the woman he once thought lost to him.

*4.5 stars*Sparkling, fun Regency romance set in Edinburgh (one of my favorite cities in the world!) and involving the hunt for a stolen dog, a smart, independent heroine who's determined to pursue her career no matter what it costs her (and doesn't have to change her mind about that to get a happy ending), a hero who really just wants to quietly look after books but has been forced into becoming a reluctant pirate against his will, fabulous banter between them, and a love scene in an exquisitely described library. It stands perfectly well on its own, but the moment I finished it, I bought the linked novella that's set beforehand with a different couple (The Scoundrel and I). It was just the right kind of frothy, fun, light read for me to discover on a stressed-out, tired week! I'm going to be hunting down all of Katharine Ashe's other Regencies afterward. :)