Book Review: Blackhearts

Title - Blackhearts

Author - Nicole Castroman

Genre - YA Historical Retelling

Published - February 9th 2016

Publisher - Simon Pulse

Format - Kindle Review Copy

(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England? 

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

Review

I received Blackhearts in return for an honest review from the publisher. When Anne’s father dies she and her mother are tossed out onto the street forcing them to get whatever work they could. When her mother passes Anne is all alone her step brother sends her off to work for Master Drummond which is where she’s been for the last five months. On what should be a typical trip to the market she ends up not getting the venison he wanted and loses out on the shrimp not before having a dispute with the man who beat her to the shrimp. Only on returning home does Anne learn that the man in the market was her employer’s son return from a year on a ship.

All Anne wants is to get passage on a ship to sail to where her mother was born start a new life. However she didn’t plan to encounter Edward (Teach) Drummond nor find herself drawn to him in such a way that she would think about staying. However it’s clear that a maid doesn’t have what it takes to be with a high society plus Teach is already stuck marrying another of equal standing. While the pair spend more and more time together it’s harder for them to deny that attraction. Teach learns of her father and reveals the truth in turn to his father changing Anne’s life forever but even with that she will never be enough in his father’s eyes. When it’s clear that the only chance they have to be together is to run away will they follow their hearts of duty?

I like Anne she’s a stubborn strong willed girl living in a world that sees her as a second class citizen. While Anne has been treated like a second class citizen she actually deserves to be an equal but never good enough to be with Teach at least in his father’s eyes. I like Teach he’s a perfect complement for Anne they both dream of leaving the torturous lives they are forced to live. I like the sweet romance between the two they complement each other very well.

I’ve had this one on my kindle for a while but wanted to wait till closer to the publication date to give it a shot. I’ve not read a lot of books about Blackbeard so I was excited by the prospect of a story about him before he was the pirate I’m so familiar with. I found the concept unique it was interesting to see Teach before he’s the scary pirate. I found Anne and Teach’s story captivating it’s a whirl wind romance that sparked the imagination. I liked the characters they are easy to connect with and because we are given both stories I felt that I really got to know them well. I enjoyed Blackhearts while it’s not so much about the pirate but the man before it’s a beautifully written romance story. I enjoyed every page of Blackhearts it’s a quick paced novel that captures the heart. I can’t wait for another installment because I'm not ready for it to end like this.