Always the High Seas (Pirates of Britannia Connected World)

Being a woman in 1814 was hard enough, but being a young female captain of a pirate ship was even harder. At just twenty years of age, Esmeralda must prove herself time and time again in order to keep her position - and her ship. When she finds Javier, a stowaway, in her chambers, she is shocked to find that he is from a rival ship. Esmeralda’s indecision leads to mutiny, leaving her with a half-staffed crew so she must make the decision to trust Javier and bring him out of the brig to help get them to the next port. What she doesn’t expect is how Javier will make her feel while working beside her.  Javier is also shocked as he has never seen a captain lead by respect instead of fear, which makes him question his decision to leave the seas altogether.

Ms. Murdoch’s “Always the High Seas” is a quick read, but one worth picking up. While pirates are usually portrayed as murdering thieves, Esmeralda holds her crew to higher standards, calling for loyalty and respect which is both refreshing and delightful. While the romantic storyline is predictable, it doesn’t take away from being able to fully connect to the character’s personalities. Being such a short story means that the storyline felt slightly rushed as points needed to be made quickly, however, if a reader is looking to find a book that will leave them dreaming of their own swashbuckling pirate and rollicking adventures on the high seas, then this is definitely the book for them!

Marie Sanderson