Book review: ‘Beneath Black Sails' by Clare Sager (kindle unlimited pirate romance at its finest)
Welcome to my new obsession. ‘Beneath Black Sails’ by Clare Sager is the first in a series of 4 (I think?) books that feature pirates and big plot and big feelings. But mostly, pirates. And if you also are in the market for a strong female lead then you have found her in Lady Vice.
The summary on Goodreads is as follows:
“She’s a sea witch wanted for murder. He’s a pirate hunter determined to capture her. But in a world of hidden treasures and deadly secrets, their attraction may be the most dangerous thing of all.
With weather magic on her side, Vice is the bane of the high seas, but she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. If she can prove herself and get a command, she’ll be in charge of her own fate at last.
To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. When the bounty on Lady Vice grows, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means beating her at her own game.
Forced to work closely, neither can deny the tension that crackles every time they’re together. As they face battles at sea and scheming crewmates, they find hints of a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems.
But treasure isn’t the only thing buried. Secrets best-forgotten lie in wait that could blast them apart forever. And the closer Vice and Knigh grow, the greater the threat—to her life and to his family. Because for one to succeed, the other must fail.”
“New adult pirate romance” was not on my bingo card for 2023 but here we are. Sometimes, when you're a a week or so deep into a reading slump you start begging Kindle Unlimited to give you a cure. I would normally say “you can always rely on smut” but in this instance, I played a wild card.
That's not to say there isn't a satsifying level of spiciness to ‘Beneath Black Sails' but it's not the main focus. The plot is complex, the characters have real depth, and the narrative was carefully wrought. This book blew me out of the water (pun intended).
Lady Vice is such a fantastic lead. And even thought the summary describes her first and foremost as a sea witch, don't let it skew your judegment with preconceptions because Vice will throw them all overbaord.
Told in dual POV, I actually enjoyed seeing through the eyes of both pirate, and pirate hunter. Knigh is a really fun character to sit with, and witnessing the absolute carnage at the end of the book (and by carnage I mean my broken heart cos damn) from both sides just added to the intense immersion.
I loved this book, and for it to be on KU feels criminal. I will 100% be buying the paperback at some point, maybe once I've read book 2, just to be doubly-doubly sure that I'm head over heels for the series as a whole.
For me, this is up there with the best romantasy adventure books. Think something like ‘Winterkeep’ by Kristen Cashore, or even ‘Poison Study' by Maria V Snyder, but with more seafaring and PIRATES. Think ‘Black Sails' but the women are front and centre.
What this book does so well is turn convention on its head. Lady Vice is the kind of character to stick it to the patriarchy time and time again, for better and for worse, and I loved that about her.
Such a strong series starter. I can't wait to read book 2 (in fact, by the time this post goes live I might have already finished it).
Give it a go. It's so, so good.
Written by Sarah
