Review: Scandalous Desires

Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pirates!

So, in book 1, for reasons, Silence (the youngest sister of the main character) went to beg the local crime boss, I mean pirate because it is the mid 18th century, to do something for her husband.

The pirate was handsome so I knew of course somehow they'd end up together.

This is that book.

I have to say, part of me was "ugh" because of his earlier treatment and manipulation of her. How was he redeemed? Well, partly because he's a self made man in a time when there are little options for someone born into poverty, with all that involves. Partly because his manipulation was to the wider world: he made it appear as if he'd slept with her, but did not, and said to her: if your family and husband love you, they'll believe you when we say we didn't have sex.

Guess what? They don't believe her.

So, yeah, he's pretty much redeemed, but I'm a bit torn on how this series is treating women who are sex workers. Many are shown as being pushed into it, because of poverty, because of the men in their life, because they are children without choices. But, even then, there is so much dismissive talk of the women who are free with their favors and sell themselves -- maybe a future book will take that type of woman as a main character and I'll see a more nuanced view.








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