Proper Attire

REGENCY:  “Proper Attire” is a historic romance set during the times pirates roamed the seas and the mighty British Navy dealt with them. Julia Scott decides to escape marriage to an elderly man and the tyranny of her stepmother by fleeing to her Uncle’s estate in the West Indies. Before she can reach her tropical destination, pirates set upon her ship. She escapes with the help of the not-so-villainous pirate, John Smith. 

The young would-be adventurer finds herself the object of more than one man’s ardor. The problem is, she can’t decide who would be best for her. There is the noble captain who would woo her appropriately under the watchful eye of her uncle, and then there’s John Smith, man of mystery with no real history and possibly a bogus name. 

“Proper Attire” is cute, clean high seas adventure with a gutsy heroine. The detailed settings give the reader the feeling of almost being there amidst the smell of sea air and the audible cry of the gulls. The familiar plot with the heroine fleeing an unwanted marriage only to conveniently lose her travel companion and fall into the arms of a handsome pirate should please many traditional romance readers.

While a likable book, issues with POV, transitions, and the lack of backstory for the hero hobbled its potential. Another fifty pages would have created a deeper connection between Julia and John. On the upside, it is a lovely quick read for an evening or an afternoon.

Morgan Stamm