A Pirate's Love

This is Lindsey's second novel ever written, and it shows how poor of a writer she was back then (makes you wonder how she EVER got published). The plot of the story is British privateer (pirate) Tristan spies the beautiful Bettina on her ship as she sails from France to St. Martin in the Caribbean to marry her betrothed. Tristan, of course, wants her for himself and steals her away. The rest of the story is rape, escape attempt, rape, escape attempt, rape, escape attempt, and then they fall in love. When I read this 10 years ago or so, I was pretty outraged by the whole thing and hated this book with a passion. So I was rather reluctant to re-read it, but since I'm now re-reading all my Lindsey's, I figured I'd suffer through this story, then move on to an outstanding JL romance, like "Savage Thunder." Little did I know that, instead of being upset all over again, I matured enough to realize this book is just a good example of poor writing and, quite honestly, it is so dumb and so bad it is actually quite funny to read. I mean, Bettina actually stomps her foot in anger -- like every five pages. Not only that, but how many times can she get her clothes ripped off her?!? Worse, every time she escapes, she runs into somebody who also wants to rape her (therefore, making Tristan the lesser evil among the rapists)! Throw in cheesy dialogue and overall ridiculous characterization (Bettina is so-o-o-o innocent she doesn't even know what "rape" or "making love" are at the beginning of the book), and you've got a great book to laugh at. The only thing good about "A Pirate's Love" is the urge it gives you to visit the Caribbean. If you want to read a seafaring JL romance, go with "Gentle Rogue" or "Magic of You." They are a trillion times better than "A Pirate's Love."

Seduction is acceptable, but rape? No. Thank you kindly, but I'll pass. This is one of Lindsey's worse books, but it truely makes you appreciate her later works. She is an astounding author, but the period in which _Pirate's Love_ was written tends to be a bit on the masochistic side of sexuality. I've read other books from the time that my grandmother swears by that leave _Pirate's Love_ looking clean and wholesome. Not for everyone, but try it anyway -- from the library.

I get everyone has their own thing. I sometimes find forced seduction books can be quite sexy. This was not. There was no seduction, there was just rape. You can't sugar coat this. For anyone who read 'Captive bride' by Lindsey, that was tame by comparison. Captive Bride was VERY borderline, but at least she gives in because she enjoys it. In this, it was just rape. How on earth are you supposed to like a hero who by his own admission painfully raped a woman repeatedly who VERY clearly was not keen, just because he wanted her? And then he only ends up marrying her because he's not allowed to have sex with her until he does.

The fact that the leading lady, Bettina, has a maid who doesn't seem to care she's being raped, and a mother who essentially shrugs her shoulders at it, means it's no wonder she ends up 'falling' for him. With zero support and everyone telling her she's being silly for resisting, what else is she supposed to do.

I also dislike the fact that the rape is all made out to be Bettina's fault because if she wasn't so 'stubborn' and would just give in then she'd apparently enjoy it. Her resistance is put down to a stubborn personality and that she's displaced her anger of her father on to her captor. Um, no. Pretty sure her resistance was because she didn't want to be raped.

Cue the ending, where somehow she magically falls in love in the last two pages. Ugh.

If you took all the rape out of this story, and maybe added in a gentle seduction instead, it might have made more sense and been quite likable. As it was, it wasn't.

i agree with the comment below about being a dark romance and then turning sour. This was one of the very first books I ever read by Lindsey, but I found the rest to be great. I didn't come away from this book feeling anything but irritation with Tristan and annoyance with Bettina. he treats her bad, but then loves him? And he still treats her bad until the end! And she still loves him! Make sure you are prepared for the rape scenes and violence, this book has plenty. I only gave this 3 stars because I love the author and am being nuetral, comparing her other work.

I found this book to be extremely unrealistic and even corny at times. It's not much more than a naughty pleasure to read if forced sex is one of your private fantasies. Everything else in the book is merely a frame for Tristan's constant one-sided sex life with Bettina, the main character.

One thing I found strange was how much Bettina enjoyed it. As soon as Tristan is fully in the act of forcing himself on her, she becomes his passionate and willing lover. She resumes her very passionate hatred of him after it is over, only to drop it once again the next time she is invaded.

One thing that amused me a little was the fact that Bettina is extremely beautiful and hates random features about herself as thought we're supposed to accept that they are as unattractive as she thinks them to be. Those features? Long legs, slender hips, straight blonde hair (knee length, I might add). Come on, let's be realistic here...

Of course, she has a fiery temper. Strike two for the Mary Sue.

My overall impression? It's far from one of my favorites, but I can understand the appeal for some... it's basically one long rape fantasy.

I am torn between liking this book and hating it, I did like some of the story line.
I DID NOT like how Tristan treated Bettina in the beginning of the book, telling her to remove all her clothing to take advantage of her was not cool and threatening her with the whip if she fights him when he forces himself on her, then I felt in the middle of the book when Tristan and Bettina are fighting and not speaking to each other but Bettina couldn't wait to be in his arms again or when his old lover(Gabby)shows up and stays with him Bettina is very jealous and shows it, Bettina explains that she misses being next to him in bed, misses waking up with him and how she wants Tristan to come get her from her mothers room to bring her back to his room and at the end of the book when Tristan finally realizes that he loves Bettina and has respect for her, their love felt real to me.
The raping part is what I hated the most. I think Lindsay should have toned it down a big notch. In reality a woman would NEVER fall in love with her rapist especially if he got her pregnant but this is a FICTIONAL book its coming from Johanna Lindsays imagination. I did delete this off my Kindle because I will not read it again, I will still continue to read Lindsays novels because she is an amazing author and I love her stories.

I don't think words can ever express how disappointed and disgusted I was in this novel by Johanna. I have read many of her books and enjoyed them, so there was no hesitation when I saw a new one I hadn't read. I really wish now, that I had put it back. I won't go into a full description as the people below me already outlined the book, but I will agree with their opinions. I was amazed that Johanna even tried to make continual rape seem romantic and that by fighting him, Johanna made Bettina, her lead girl, seem silly and naive. Johanna kept trying to write Bettina as a spirited and strong young woman, but seriously how strong can you be when you start having feelings for your rapist after the first night? When Bettina wasn't being raped, she was basically a full grown 5 year old that spent the rest of her time throwing tantrums. I was bouncing between hating her and pitying her ever other page. And Tristan? The "Hero"? A man that raped a 19 year old virgin because he decided he wanted her, then criticized her for not allowing him to give them both pleasure. Let me state this again...he rapes her then blames her for not enjoying it. I have disliked books before for not being in my style for taste but this is the first time I have ever truly HATED one. I would had killed both characters if it were possible, I stopped pitying Bettina as soon as she fell in love with Tristan and decided that she was just being silly for fighting such a "good" man. And Tristan? A rapist? I think the reason he should have been killed off would be quite obvious, at least to those who have read the books. Except to Ms. Lindsey, who either had a moment of madness when she wrote this, or who has always had a screw loose and is just now showing it in her writing. Either way, put this book down and step away. There is nothing to see here.

God this sucked... it sucked SO BAD.

Tristan... you saw your mother brutally raped by a pack of pillagers, and yet you constantly rape your "true love" and taunt her about it. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. Bettina... you say you have control of your temper yet you're lashing out at everyone, not to mention you fall in love with YOUR RAPIST. It irks the inner feminist in me and these two have absolutely no reason to love each other. So glad I rented this.

I cannot think of a less flattering, more misogynist view of awoman than what is portrayed in A Pirate's Love. I read it for thesake of being "read up" on the genre, and I am told that such instances of rape, violence, and general degradation do not occur in more recent romances. I'm very bothered that this book remains in print and available for purchase. Yes, it's THAT offensive!

The book starts with Bettina finding out of her betrothal. Soon after she is on a ship headed to her betrothed. The ship is attacked by pirates and she and her maid are taken prisoners on the pirate ship. Bettina is immediately brought to the Captain's cabin. The Captain is, of course, our "hero" Tristan. Tristan tells Bettina that they have taken many of her ship hostage and they will be slowly tortured to death unless she submits to him without physically fighting him....
Towards the end of the book, Tristan is fighting with the man who raped his mother and murdered his parents. When this man points out their similarities Tristan responds "I may have raped her,(Bettina) but I did not kill her husband in order to have her, nor did I share her with my crew or kill her afterward. I kept her, and she will bear my child and become my wife." Don't sentiments like that just make you all warm and gushy inside?
This is really a book I would have been much happier not reading. I've read other Lindsey book and enjoyed them. Now I'm hesitant to pick one up with her name on the cover. It surprises me that anyone would think that women want to read about a girl being continually raped and sexually assaulted as fun entertainment.

I have always enjoyed Johanna Lindsey books but this one was horrible. The hero was determined to find and kill the man that killed his father and raped and killed his mother. Yet, he doesn't think twice about continuously raping the heroine. I'm not sure where in between the raping they supposedly fell in love. But in the end they are together and the hero never apologizes for his horrible treatment of her or makes any mention to the fact that he shouldn't have acted that way. Has Ms. Lindsey ever known a rape victim? I can assure her they are not filled with a warm, fuzzy feeling when thinking of their rapists. The only way I can forgive this novel, is the fact that it was published in '78, and as far as I can figure, romance novels were different back then. (After all, that was the time of the famous love affair of Luke and Laura, and their relationship started out with his raping of her.) Needless to say, I am going to stick with modern romance novels from now on. And no matter how much I love an author's writings, I am not going to read her early works.

Lindsey, I realize must be a rape or abuse victim. She often has the hero abuse the heroine. While in some books, Fires of Winters for example it is upsetting but given the historical context and a sufficiently repentant hero one can kind of understand. In this book the hero raped the heroine repeatedly. It was sick. I can't even recall when she consented? So what if she enjoyed it, it is still rape. On top of that he had some serious issues, telling her he wanted to beat her constantly, including when she was pregnant! Seriously, this guy is terrible and there is NOTHING charming about him. Ugh. I bought this book for entertainment on my train ride down for Christmas to my parent's house, I will throw it away as I don't want anyone to believe I enjoy this rubbish.

I enjoy romance novels. I do not enjoy reading about a woman who is abducted, continually raped, impregnated, and then FALLS IN LOVE with her rapist. I kept reading hoping that he would get his just dessert. But he didn't. She falls in love with him and he gets "reformed." ????? The whole time all I could think was--this is called Stockholm Syndrome! I was horrified that this was considered a romance. The rape scenes were graphic and, in many cases, violent.

Johanna Lindsey should be ashamed of herself for making rape romantic. It is horrible. DO NOT READ!!!

Please someone tell me what is so romantic about a man who repeatedly rapes a woman? I was so discusted by the way that poor woman was treated that I will never read another one of this author's books. And to top it all off, her mother and maid tell her to make the best of it. If my daughter were being raped, I would not stand by and tell her to make the best of it. Is this author smoking weed? No one in this book is loyal to their spouse, everyone is trying to rape someone, and in the end the wretched woman thinks she is in love with her rapist. I am sure a pschologist would have a field day with that one. Really, if this poor author thinks rape is so romantic, I ask her to please get to know someone who has been through it. Pure filth!!!

The story of Tristan and Bettina, was most Unfulfilling. He treated her badly and I could not find any reason for love between the two of them. I belive the story had enormous potential and could have been handled a lot better. However, the plot somewhat redeemed itself towards the end. I love the author, so don't let this put you off.

Anyone who reads Johanna Lindsey's books know that the character are ignorant to the last minute. This is no different with Bettina. She is captured by a pirate who desires her. She claims she does not desire him but the way she describes him and express her feelings gives the readers another idea. All of Johanna Lindsey's book protray the characters as saying one thing but thinking another. She does call it rape but it is not rape. No rape victim gets sweep in the moment. The dialogue is good and story is very suspenseful. The ending is very sweet and you feel for Bettina and Tristen. Read the book and see if it is so call rape because it looks like ignorance and sexual chemistry to me.

I absolutely hate this book. I recently bought it as an example of pirate-related romance fiction for my own writing since I am not very familiar with the genre, but instead I found it to be an example of how NOT to write. I went to my local bookstore with a different book in mind to buy, which they did not have in stock, so I picked this one up instead. BIG mistake and waste of my money. I'll never again buy a book without reading the reviews first. I actually found myself laughing out loud because the plot is so ridiculous. I can't imagine how this book ever got published.

I cannot believe the amount of sexual assault is in this book and I have just passed 100 pages. I try to avoid such abusive scenes in my books and movies and I wish I'd read these reviews before I bought this at a major retailer. There should be a warning printed on books with so many rape scenes and the last one was so gruesome. Please spare yourself the cost of this one.

Ugh! I was gravely disappointed with this book.

Bettina Verlaine, heroine of "A Pirate's Love" can only be described in one word: annoying...or rather, two words, VASTLY annoying.

I was considerably patient with this Bettina character for the first half of the book, despite her troublesome and whinny nature, and love of tossing the word "rape" around.

She fought teeth and claw with the hero Captain Tristan when he tried to bed her, only having end up "raped" by the dashing English privateer when she refused.

Anyway, she kept her grudge...promised to kill him, blah, blah, blah, got angry when she started feeling "pleasure" from his constant violation of her body aka "rape", vowed vengeance, blah, blah, BLAH!

Ahem...anyhow, my patience snapped when she unwittingly told his worst enemy of his secret location. What a dumb broad!

At that point I tossed the book aside in disgust and couldn't help but agree with Jules, a minor character in the book: "Exactly. That's why I say she needs a good beating. (162)"

Not one of Lindsey's best. Period.

I don't typically leave reviews...but wow...I have never read such poorly written drivel or patheticly flat charactures from such a highly recommended and popular writer!! To say the story line or content was offensive could be debatable based on ones personal tastes, but to be soo badly written as to leave one speechless as to how this writer ever continued in success is beyond understanding.

The dialog was so humiliatingly bad I had a hard time not laughing at every horribly cliche and unrealistic statement from characters you are supposed to want to like...they could not have been less imaginative or stupid. Forced sex aside from the debate, I couldn't have cared less about any single character because they are in no way relatable or remotely realalistic. Their thoughts, actions and statement were clearly written in an attempt to put the heroine in as many "compromising" and unbelievably silly situations as possible while spending as little time developing truly believable personalities for you to appreciate and relate to.

Who cares about content when it's written so bad you can't believe in the actions or situations of the characters anyway...that is the point of reading, to get lost in a story...not make you wish you had bought a good cup of coffee instead...it would have been far more stimulating.

This book is disturbing and, frankly, dangerous. It is based on the premise that women really like to be raped, that if a man just rapes a woman well enough, and often enough, she will be really turned on. That a virgin is forceably raped on threat to others and herself is not the basis of a romance. And when a women "falls in love" with her captor, we call it the Stockholm syndrome and talk about the extensive therapy she will need. Here Lindsey, whose writing I usually like, has the "hero" repeatedly rape the heroine who secretly is turned on by what he is doing to her and eventually she falls in love with him. This book is offensive. I do not know that I will ever buy one of her books again.

I love Johanna Lindsey. In fact, I'm reading all her books and ranking them in my listmania list. This book was really bad. I would actually say that this is her worst book. Everything from plot, pace and characters. So many times, i wanted to give up and stop reading and actually throw this book.

I hated the heroine she was extremely bratty. I thought she needed a good beating. She made dumb decisions based on her temper. She desperately wants to get to her betrothed even if she's never met him. She doesn't seem to learn her lesson and escapes the hero's capture twice only to get in worse trouble. She hates the hero and fights him for 75% of the book then suddenly realizes she loves him?

The hero is gentle with the heroine despite how she treats him. So unbelieveable!

He rapes her repeatedly. I don't think she ever enjoyed the sex - she eventually did but the author just said that "her body betrayed her". We never got to share her enjoyment. There was no sexual tension between the leading couple. They just seemed to hate each other. You just want them to end the relationship somehow.

This is a fluke for Ms. Lindsey. It's one of her earlier works. Note that it was first published in 1978. It's not an excuse. All of her books are so much better!

How this could have been considered a romance is beyond me. I have read a Lindsey book before and enjoyed it very much. However, this book left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It certainly has me questioning the authors idea of a healthy relationship. Im all for the strong willed man seducing a woman but I am NOT for the continual rape of a woman. I hated this book and I would have it banned from bookstores if I could. Rape is not romance no matter how you write it. It is disgusting.

I'm a Johanna Lindsey fan, but after reading this novel, I found that I want my money and time back. The plot is stale, and the very idea that the main character was raped for the first half of the book THEN falls in love with her rapist is deplorable. I wish i had read the reviews before the book and saved myself both money and time.

Although this is one of Lindsey's oldest books, it is probably my favorite. Tristan is gorgeous, and though he is mean at times, he IS a pirate! Bettina is so funny and fiesty. Sometimes I miss the old Lindsey.

To be quite honest, the book had potential. The only thing that would have made this book a 4 or 5 star would have been if the hero didnt keep on raping the heroine. I didnt quite understand its purpose. I mean, people find rape repulsive, not sexy. This is definitly not a typical Lindsey book. Even though this book was much of a failure, I still continue to read her other books. We also have to keep in mind that this was one of her earlier books.

To anyone considering not buying this book because of people's reviews-don't listen to anyone's thoughts but your own when deciding to read a book. Read the back of the book, read an excerpt if one is available-if you like it, try it out. Also, people-loving the rest of her books then hating this one-published in the 70s-and stopping your buying of her future books because of this one? That makes no sense. I've noticed alot of terrible reviews for this book and it makes me angry. 1st of all, yes, as you can read in a lot of these reviews, there IS rape. NO, I do not appreciate that it happens in one of her books. That being said, Johanna Lindsey is my favorite author of all time-and for good reason. Her books are simply this-magic. The characters are the type that you don't forget and you keep them in your heart. Her books simply come to life, and the tales are something to truly treasure as well as the characters.

For this particular book, its actually one of my favorites. Yes, she sleeps with him after he says he'll harm her crew. Was he planning to? No, and if you read it properly, he also wouldn't physically harm her by (he mentions lashings) this way. This is a PIRATE book set in the 1600s!-but if you get proper feel of his character he wouldn't harm a hair on her head. This was written in the 70s and the style and wording of the book is different than something that would be written in these times of 2010. When they sleep together, each time she likes what she feels-but she is extremely stubborn about sleeping with him-and rightfully so! After all, she doesn't want to, he is physically stronger than her and as he touches her, he knows she likes his touch and isn't scared of him. Now there is one point where it mentions the "raping of her body." For me, again, I take into account the time this book was written and the style it was written in. I think about what time period it was written about and the situation and feelings between the characters. I take this as- he takes what he wants, yes, because she was (rightfully) unwilling to sleep with him even though she liked what feelings he was making her experience. And right afterwards she gave it back to him, retorting to him like she should. I take it as more he was taking the pleasure that he wanted from her but at the same time she, on one level, was not willing to admit and give what she wanted to him-and then again, she would have, had she admitted her real attraction for him.

Convoluted way of thinking? Maybe, but if you get the proper feel of the book and the characters (and take those things I mentioned above into consideration), you will realize that there is a real love story going on here and that this book isn't about horrific and graphic rape whatsoever. My thoughts, form your own after reading the book. Think about what Bettina thinks and says after he takes her against her wishes. Give the book a chance and read others from Johanna as well. Remember, again-this was written in the 70s, set in the 1600s, and RAPE IS NEVER LOVE or anything near it and I wished the wording had been different in that scene-but the characters romance is about stubbornness and Johanna captures that to perfection in the book. Believe me, I feel that rape is disgusting and evil and don't care to read about it, but this romance wasn't in that context. Give the book a real chance to see what I'm talking about and remember that this character, in this time period, is innocent and is unaware and stubborn as hell about her feelings for her pirate abductor. As is he, in his own stubborn way. Just read it 1st and give her books a chance, I promise you-you won't ever be sorry.

To anyone considering not buying this book because of people's reviews-don't listen to anyone's thoughts but your own when deciding to read a book. Read the back of the book, read an excerpt if one is available-if you like it, try it out. Also, people-loving the rest of her books then hating this one-published in the 70s-and stopping your buying of her future books because of this one? That makes no sense. I've noticed alot of terrible reviews for this book and it makes me angry. 1st of all, yes, as you can read in a lot of these reviews, there IS rape. NO, I do not appreciate that it happens in one of her books. That being said, Johanna Lindsey is my favorite author of all time-and for good reason. Her books are simply this-magic. The characters are the type that you don't forget and you keep them in your heart. Her books simply come to life, and the tales are something to truly treasure as well as the characters.

For this particular book, its actually one of my favorites. Yes, she sleeps with him after he says he'll harm her crew. Was he planning to? No, and if you read it properly, he also wouldn't physically harm her by (he mentions lashings) this way. This is a PIRATE book set in the 1600s!-but if you get proper feel of his character he wouldn't harm a hair on her head. This was written in the 70s and the style and wording of the book is different than something that would be written in these times of 2010. When they sleep together, each time she likes what she feels-but she is extremely stubborn about sleeping with him-and rightfully so! After all, she doesn't want to, he is physically stronger than her and as he touches her, he knows she likes his touch and isn't scared of him. Now there is one point where it mentions the "raping of her body." For me, again, I take into account the time this book was written and the style it was written in. I think about what time period it was written about and the situation and feelings between the characters. I take this as- he takes what he wants, yes, because she was (rightfully) unwilling to sleep with him even though she liked what feelings he was making her experience. And right afterwards she gave it back to him, retorting to him like she should. I take it as more he was taking the pleasure that he wanted from her but at the same time she, on one level, was not willing to admit and give what she wanted to him-and then again, she would have, had she admitted her real attraction for him.

Convoluted way of thinking? Maybe, but if you get the proper feel of the book and the characters (and take those things I mentioned above into consideration), you will realize that there is a real love story going on here and that this book isn't about horrific and graphic rape whatsoever. My thoughts, form your own after reading the book. Think about what Bettina thinks and says after he takes her against her wishes. Give the book a chance and read others from Johanna as well. Remember, again-this was written in the 70s, set in the 1600s, and RAPE IS NEVER LOVE or anything near it and I wished the wording had been different in that scene-but the characters romance is about stubbornness and Johanna captures that to perfection in the book. Believe me, I feel that rape is disgusting and evil and don't care to read about it, but this romance wasn't in that context. Give the book a real chance to see what I'm talking about and remember that this character, in this time period, is innocent and is unaware and stubborn as hell about her feelings for her pirate abductor. As is he, in his own stubborn way. Just read it 1st and give her books a chance, I promise you-you won't ever be sorry.

I love Johanna Lindsey, but I hated this book. If this had been the first of hers that I read, I wouldn't have read another. I was very uncomfortable with the continuous rape of the heroine by the supposed hero. This book should never have been re-issued. It needs to be forgotten as soon as possible!

I found this book very disturbing. I was very surprised. The word rape appreared thoughout the book. The women in her life we acting as if it was no big deal. I always finish I book I've started. That was the only reason I kept reading. However, I enjoy Lindsey's books. This is the only bad one in all that I have read. I hope that my fellow readers will not stop reading her books. She has written some great ones.

I reallly wish I would have read the reviews before wasting eight dollars on this piece of trash. Romantizing rape and stockholm syndrome with the "hero" as the pirate who rapes a 19 year old repeatedly. But all is well in the end because after he gives brth to heir child they realize they are in love and marry. This book is something I would expect to find on thr computer of an insane rapist not published by a renowned romace author.

Normally, I love books by Johanna Lindsey... until I picked up this one...When Tristan actually rapes Bettina(you can't call it anything other than that) I stopped right there , horrified.I just couldn't finish the book. To me, a romantic hero is someone who SAVES a woman from rape.I don't know what the hell Ms. Lindsey was thinking.

Vile...disgusting...degrading!!!

Need i say more??? The hero is a lowlife creepo who rapes virgins and feels no remorse!!!He is the villian! How can anyone fall in love with the creep?? Do you fall in love with a rapist just because he's a good looking idiot??

Take my advise, please don't read this book!

I believe that this story didn't receive such great reviews, but I have to say for me that this story has incorporated EVERYTHING that I LOVE about love. I love that she is a girl that is a spitfire but is also a lady at heart, that she is forced into some form of relationship with a gentleman that seems to be cold heartened and unloving. They find that through tough turmoils they are wanting more and more of each other. And then when they are faced with what they both desire, they continue to be in denial of what they really feel. In the end the story gives off a great ending. I find myself wanting to reread this story again and again. I guess it is one of those that you may love it, or you may hate it. But MOST definitely don't underestimate the message that this AMAZING book is putting out.