Monday, April 19, 2010

Recent ReRead

Once a Pirate by Susan Grant

Why this one: As you can tell, this is a reread. And as to why - it called to me. Really! It did. It was on the bed right out in plain sight in the computer room and I saw it every time I was in the room. I don't know how it got there - must have traveled up from 'the Library' late one night while I was sleeping. Every time I saw it, it whispered a little louder until I could no longer deny it's call.

Steam Level: Oh yea.

Blurb:
Once A Pirate
Andrew Spencer sailed the seas seeking revenge, and there were very few merchants' treasures that he hadn't given a jolly rogering. But on this particular voyage, he found his task harder than usual. As a brown-eyed beauty was hoisted from the waves, he found his pirate's soul plundered from without and a fiery need conjured up from within.

Forever Her Man
The freak storm that caused her plane to go down in the Atlantic sent fighter pilot Carly Callahan's life spinning out of control as well. Pulled from the freezing ocean, she found herself in the hot embrace of an Adonis. But his eyes were cold and hard, and the man's burning lips swore she was someone else before he claimed her as his own. Carly knew she had one chance to go home, but there was so much to see and feel here-and the best was yet to come.

My Thoughts: You say you can't buy a book by it's cover. Well, I'm shallow and I'll often buy a book if it has a good cover. But the opposite shouldn't hold true. Despite it's horrid man titty, wind blowing hair, this is one heck of a good read. I'd read a couple of Ms. Grant's later books and quite enjoyed them so I ordered this one.

As well as ignoring the cover, you might be best to kind of ignore the back cover blurb too. I mean seriously - " jolly rogering", "a brown-eyed beauty was hoisted from the waves", "his pirate's soul plundered from without and a fiery need conjured up from within". Shudder. Whoever wrote this should have been demoted.

Instead, this is a wonderful story with a great hero (and a nice ordinary name) and an equally great heroine.

I first blogged about this book in 2006 and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it just as much in 2010 as I did in 2006

10 comments:

Wendy said...

This one brings back memories. I reviewed it a billion years ago - back when I was still with TRR. Gave it the top 5-Heart rating as well. I also distinctly remember where I was when I finished reading this book. In a hospital waiting room. My mother was having back surgery.

I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, but I remember that. Geez.

Phyl said...

This remains one of my favorite Susan Grant books. I should pull out my copy to re-read, too!

Kristie (J) said...

Wendy: I just went back and read your review. Funny I never really noticed it until now. A good one it is and it's nice that you can remember a book so well so many years later.

Phyl: It's nice when a book stands the test of time - and this one did very well for me. So if it was one of your favourites, I'd say go for it :-)

~ames~ said...

That cover is...something else. LOL

And don't you love it when a book won't leave you alone? I was pleasantly surprised a few times this year already by books that couldn't be overlooked anymore. They demanded my attention. For true. :P

Leslie said...

What the heck is "jolly rogering"? Maybe I don't want to know cause it sounds dirty. LOL

I've got this on the tbr pile waiting for when I'm in a pirate kind of mood. Since it has yours and Wendy stamp of approval I'll move it to the top of the pile. :)

nath said...

I think it's the colors... Seriously, it just hmmm pop? Doesn't help the cover in the least, sigh.

LOL and the blurb sounds awful.

But seriously, it must be some good book!!

orannia said...

The colours on that cover...eye popping definitely :)

Kristie - was time period is this set in please? I read pirate (and looked at the cover) and though 18th century but then I read that the heroine was a fighter pilot and now I'm very confused...

Hilcia said...

Leslie asked the question I wanted to ask,lol! What the heck is that? "jolly roggering"... LOL!

Hmmm... I enjoy Susan Grant, but this is not one I've read & probably wouldn't pick up BECAUSE of the blurb (the cover doesn't help either-- geez!). I'll look for it, though. :D

Kristie (J) said...

Ames: I have so many of them calling me - old books, new books, red books, blue books! I just wish I had the time to answer all their calls

Leslie: ROTFL - I think it's what it means - heh heh heh - rogering is jolly :)
And not only do Wendy and I both love it, AAR also gave it a great review. Here's hoping you're in the mood for a good time travel/pirate book since I don't think you'll find any better than this one.

Nath - they do indeed pop - the green, the blue and the yellow. No wonder I couldn't miss it :-) And this is a real good case for ignoring both the cover and the blurb because the inside it wickedly good!

Orannia: It's a time travel where the heroine is a modern day fighter pilot who goes back in time when her plane goes down. She lands in the ocean back in the 18th century. Only the very beginning and the very end are in present day times.

Hilcia: This is her first published book and IMO the publishers didn't do her any favours with either cover or blurb. That's one reason why I wanted to blog about this one - twice. Because it really is a wonderful book. I know some of her earlier books are being reissued but I'm not sure about this one.
I strongly recommend it and say just ignore the outside and enjoy the inside *g*.

orannia said...

Thank you Kristie. Somehow I missed the time travel reference :) Weirdly, the only time travel book I've ever liked is an old children's book - A Traveller in Time by Allison Uttley.