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Reviewed by Christina H Benchoff for Readers' Favorite
Author E. H. Casteele’s The Prince of Pirates: A Tale of Love, Loss, and Lots o'Loot is the kind of pirate tale that makes you want to grab a bottle of rum and set sail—minus the actual danger, of course. The story within a story kicks off with Samuel Bellamy, a former Royal Navy sailor, who lands in America and immediately falls head over heels for Maria Hallett a young woman who’s unfortunately already promised to a rich neighbor. But love doesn’t care about arranged marriages. After a steamy romance that leads to an unplanned pregnancy, Samuel scrambles to find a way to secure the fortune needed to marry Maria. First, he tries to salvage a Spanish shipwreck. It doesn’t work. So, he does what any desperate man would do—he turns to piracy. He tells Maria he’ll be back in six months, but pirate life is very exciting, so he doesn’t show up for over a year. When he finally returns now as pirate Black Samuel Bellamy with his loot and a fancy ship, the Whydah Gally, a storm takes it all away, leaving him missing in action. Did he go down with the ship, or did he sneak off with Maria for a secret happy ending? It’s up to you to decide.
E. H. Casteele’s pirate story checks all the boxes—romance, adventure, a quest for riches, and a mysterious ending. The novel is engaging—a pirate captain trying to get back to the love of his life and the clever narration with the whole story-within-a-story concept breaking up the action just when you need a breather. The characters are very likable—you can’t help but root for Bellamy and his crew. Who doesn’t love a group of misfits sailing the high seas and trying to do the impossible? The author packs the story with lots of adventure, storms, pirate battles, and forbidden love. The colonial English feels authentic but it doesn’t make your brain hurt. For fans of young adult adventures and historical fiction readers, this novel is everything you want in a pirate adventure. Great plot, impressive characters, tons of action, and dialogue that sounds like it belongs in the 1700s with real history woven in. If you’re a fan of The Princess Bride or Pirates of the Caribbean, this book will definitely scratch that adventure itch. This would also make a fantastic audiobook with the right voice actors. I highly recommend this swashbuckling tale.
