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Daughters of the Seven Seas #3
Bound and Determined
Port Royal, Jamaica
1686
A wicked twist of fate—or perhaps the hand of God—has landed Captain Rina Bennet in the most precarious situation yet. When her husband and the father of her twin boys leaves at the behest of a family friend, she is left to take charge of the ship she has not sailed on in two years, alongside her two toddlers. She finds herself between a rock and a hard place when her first voyage drastically turns into a rescue mission, leaving her to the ghosts of her old life.
Daisy Sharow has risked it all by escaping from her owner’s tavern in search of her sister. Following God’s direction, she seeks out the only person she trusts to help her: Keaton Clarke. When Daisy stows away aboard the Rina, quartermaster Keaton is faced with a ghost from his past and a decision neither he nor Rina are prepared to make.
Rina has to make a judgment call when the ghosts come knocking, a call that could mean either life or death—for both an innocent girl and herself. Can Daisy, Keaton, and Rina band together to save Daisy’s sister...or is the risk too great?
1686
A wicked twist of fate—or perhaps the hand of God—has landed Captain Rina Bennet in the most precarious situation yet. When her husband and the father of her twin boys leaves at the behest of a family friend, she is left to take charge of the ship she has not sailed on in two years, alongside her two toddlers. She finds herself between a rock and a hard place when her first voyage drastically turns into a rescue mission, leaving her to the ghosts of her old life.
Daisy Sharow has risked it all by escaping from her owner’s tavern in search of her sister. Following God’s direction, she seeks out the only person she trusts to help her: Keaton Clarke. When Daisy stows away aboard the Rina, quartermaster Keaton is faced with a ghost from his past and a decision neither he nor Rina are prepared to make.
Rina has to make a judgment call when the ghosts come knocking, a call that could mean either life or death—for both an innocent girl and herself. Can Daisy, Keaton, and Rina band together to save Daisy’s sister...or is the risk too great?
- GenresRomanceChristian Fiction
690 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2022
6 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Grace A. Johnson
14Ìýbooks398ÌýfollowersGrace A. Johnson is a Christian indie authoress with a passion for crafting authentic and edifying stories to inspire readers and glorify God. Since 2019, she’s released several novels, short stories, and a devotional. She’s also a marketer and editor who loves helping young authors through her editing business S&J Editors and her small publishing company Sky’s the Limit Press. You can join her growing community of Kingdom-minded readers and writers on her blog Of Blades & Thorns and her podcast Spirit & Script!
For a free e-copy of the novel that made her an author, which she published at age thirteen,
For a free e-copy of the novel that made her an author, which she published at age thirteen,
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September 18, 2022CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNING
This is a dark, hard, gritty, painful, disturbing, scary book. I say all that because I experienced all that. I cried, I cringed, I asked myself (and God) why in the world I had to be writing this…but I know there’s a reason.
I also know I’ve got to give y’all a content/trigger warning. If y’all make it through the warning and y’all aren’t sure if you want to—or can—read the book, that’s absolutely fine. Please don’t force yourselves to read something you don’t feel comfortable with.
If, however, you think you can handle it…bless your soul, child!
Now, enough dallying. On to the warning. (I was gonna, like, list every individual instance, but we’d be here all day, and that would mean a considerable amount of spoilers, so I’m just gonna skim over all the big issues.)
First of all, this is a pirate book (I always have to say it). Because of that, there is violence. I don’t think it’s excessive or graphic, but it is there. I talk about murder. I talk about pain. I talk about piracy and thievery. More so, some characters endure/commit/consider those things. I’m also touching on slavery with this one quite a bit–from the African slave trade to sex slavery.
Because, yes, the heroine Daisy is a slave and a prositute. As such, she deals with a lot of—pardon my language�crap. From immoral thoughts to traumatic memories to immense guilt and shame. Some might think I’ve handled it all tastefully and not too graphically; others would say the opposite. Just be advised that it’s here, and if the presence of such offends you…yeah, ya might wanna move on.
I have two attempted seduction scenes (not graphic…just emotionally and mentally rough) and a miscarriage scene. The miscarriage scene is honestly the more graphic of the three, on top of being triggering for anyone who’s endured that. So, again, if that bothers you, you can either skip over these scenes or simply not read. I won’t mind.
I also use strong language at times (bastard, hell, damn, whore); however ONLY in the correct context. I don’t believe in, nor will I, use profanity in, well, a profane manner.
And, again, gotta say it because some people just don’t realize�this. is. a romance. If you absolutely abhor romances, please. don’t. read. More importantly, this is not a love story between two people who have got it all together and are doing it God’s way…no, this is the love story between two very broken people who struggle every day and are trying so hard to do things right in their own strength. (And, of course, the love story between them and the God who makes their brokenness something beautiful.) This book is not to be an example of how to live your life; it’s a lesson to be learned from someone else’s life.
Of course, there are kisses (lots of kisses XD). Half are between married couples (and I do insinuate certain things between said married couples…because they’re married), and the other half are between unmarried (at the time) couples. And y’all know me…the kisses go beyond “they kissed.� So there ya have it.
Also, I do have a couple who get pregnant outside of wedlock, but suffice to say that (1) they have serious repercussions, (2) me and Rina had tons of fun yelling at them, (3) they understand/realize what they did was wrong, and (4) they take the necessary measures to rectify (as much as they can) the situation.
And I think that covers all the bases…or at least the big, controversial ones.
OH! And y’all know I’m Pentecostal/Apostolic (and apparently Wesleyan-Holiness in terms of a great portion of my theology? Story for another day that I’d be glad to tell), so there are miracles. There are encounters with God. There is prophecy. There is healing. There are all the things that Paul describes as gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. To top it off, I threw in a crazy amount of confusing theological questions to inspire people to dig into the Word. (I hope it works; otherwise, I’m in a mess. XD)
ALSO, let it be noted that I began writing this novel at the age of 14, therefore, I am hesitant to put an age limit on this book. However, I personally wouldn’t recommend it for readers under the age of 16, because I’d give it a PG-13 rating.
Please keep in mind that my intention with Bound and Determined is not to be gratuitous, to traumatize readers, or to romanticize sin and the consequences thereof. My intentions are simply (1) to tell the story that God has laid on my heart, (2) to reach those who may be asking the same questions my characters are, (3) to inspire readers to see things the way God sees them, and (4) to portray the reality of our sinful world authentically but also graciously.
So there. That’s the brunt of my messed-up book here. Bon Appetit!
If you have any questions or concerns or any suggestions at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know!
UPDATE: August 28th, 2022 .
I feel like this has taken me years (*coughs* mainly because I'm an amazing procrastinator, and I've had several deadline projects over the summer), but I am FINALLY done with my beta edits - which means I only have a few small things I have to tweak in Bound and Determined before we move forward to release!!! Which means the official release date is on its way soon! Y'all keep your eyes peeled! :D
UPDATE: July 7th, 2022.
So, somebody is terrible at updating this...but THE COVER IS HERE!!! Of course, I won't be showing it off until July 11th, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you'll see the cover here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ change next week!!! (Or, y'know, watch for the influx of cover reveal posts on social media...that too. XD) I cannot wait to share it!!!
UPDATE: March 27th, 2022.
Y'all.
Y A L L.
Guess what just happened yesterday (March 27th, 2022)?
I finished it.
I legit did the seemingly impossible and finished writing Bound and Determined! That means I just ordered my cover from Roseanna White Designs (which I already can't wait to see), I'll be starting on editing this week, and I should have the first part of the beta copy ready and waiting for my readers next week!
This is crazy. I seriously cannot believe this is happening.
(Also, yes. We hit the 210k mark with 65 chapters, an epilogue + prologue, and a total of 805 pages. This is an epic. I'm serious.)
This is a dark, hard, gritty, painful, disturbing, scary book. I say all that because I experienced all that. I cried, I cringed, I asked myself (and God) why in the world I had to be writing this…but I know there’s a reason.
I also know I’ve got to give y’all a content/trigger warning. If y’all make it through the warning and y’all aren’t sure if you want to—or can—read the book, that’s absolutely fine. Please don’t force yourselves to read something you don’t feel comfortable with.
If, however, you think you can handle it…bless your soul, child!
Now, enough dallying. On to the warning. (I was gonna, like, list every individual instance, but we’d be here all day, and that would mean a considerable amount of spoilers, so I’m just gonna skim over all the big issues.)
First of all, this is a pirate book (I always have to say it). Because of that, there is violence. I don’t think it’s excessive or graphic, but it is there. I talk about murder. I talk about pain. I talk about piracy and thievery. More so, some characters endure/commit/consider those things. I’m also touching on slavery with this one quite a bit–from the African slave trade to sex slavery.
Because, yes, the heroine Daisy is a slave and a prositute. As such, she deals with a lot of—pardon my language�crap. From immoral thoughts to traumatic memories to immense guilt and shame. Some might think I’ve handled it all tastefully and not too graphically; others would say the opposite. Just be advised that it’s here, and if the presence of such offends you…yeah, ya might wanna move on.
I have two attempted seduction scenes (not graphic…just emotionally and mentally rough) and a miscarriage scene. The miscarriage scene is honestly the more graphic of the three, on top of being triggering for anyone who’s endured that. So, again, if that bothers you, you can either skip over these scenes or simply not read. I won’t mind.
I also use strong language at times (bastard, hell, damn, whore); however ONLY in the correct context. I don’t believe in, nor will I, use profanity in, well, a profane manner.
And, again, gotta say it because some people just don’t realize�this. is. a romance. If you absolutely abhor romances, please. don’t. read. More importantly, this is not a love story between two people who have got it all together and are doing it God’s way…no, this is the love story between two very broken people who struggle every day and are trying so hard to do things right in their own strength. (And, of course, the love story between them and the God who makes their brokenness something beautiful.) This book is not to be an example of how to live your life; it’s a lesson to be learned from someone else’s life.
Of course, there are kisses (lots of kisses XD). Half are between married couples (and I do insinuate certain things between said married couples…because they’re married), and the other half are between unmarried (at the time) couples. And y’all know me…the kisses go beyond “they kissed.� So there ya have it.
Also, I do have a couple who get pregnant outside of wedlock, but suffice to say that (1) they have serious repercussions, (2) me and Rina had tons of fun yelling at them, (3) they understand/realize what they did was wrong, and (4) they take the necessary measures to rectify (as much as they can) the situation.
And I think that covers all the bases…or at least the big, controversial ones.
OH! And y’all know I’m Pentecostal/Apostolic (and apparently Wesleyan-Holiness in terms of a great portion of my theology? Story for another day that I’d be glad to tell), so there are miracles. There are encounters with God. There is prophecy. There is healing. There are all the things that Paul describes as gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. To top it off, I threw in a crazy amount of confusing theological questions to inspire people to dig into the Word. (I hope it works; otherwise, I’m in a mess. XD)
ALSO, let it be noted that I began writing this novel at the age of 14, therefore, I am hesitant to put an age limit on this book. However, I personally wouldn’t recommend it for readers under the age of 16, because I’d give it a PG-13 rating.
Please keep in mind that my intention with Bound and Determined is not to be gratuitous, to traumatize readers, or to romanticize sin and the consequences thereof. My intentions are simply (1) to tell the story that God has laid on my heart, (2) to reach those who may be asking the same questions my characters are, (3) to inspire readers to see things the way God sees them, and (4) to portray the reality of our sinful world authentically but also graciously.
So there. That’s the brunt of my messed-up book here. Bon Appetit!
If you have any questions or concerns or any suggestions at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know!
UPDATE: August 28th, 2022 .
I feel like this has taken me years (*coughs* mainly because I'm an amazing procrastinator, and I've had several deadline projects over the summer), but I am FINALLY done with my beta edits - which means I only have a few small things I have to tweak in Bound and Determined before we move forward to release!!! Which means the official release date is on its way soon! Y'all keep your eyes peeled! :D
UPDATE: July 7th, 2022.
So, somebody is terrible at updating this...but THE COVER IS HERE!!! Of course, I won't be showing it off until July 11th, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you'll see the cover here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ change next week!!! (Or, y'know, watch for the influx of cover reveal posts on social media...that too. XD) I cannot wait to share it!!!
UPDATE: March 27th, 2022.
Y'all.
Y A L L.
Guess what just happened yesterday (March 27th, 2022)?
I finished it.
I legit did the seemingly impossible and finished writing Bound and Determined! That means I just ordered my cover from Roseanna White Designs (which I already can't wait to see), I'll be starting on editing this week, and I should have the first part of the beta copy ready and waiting for my readers next week!
This is crazy. I seriously cannot believe this is happening.
(Also, yes. We hit the 210k mark with 65 chapters, an epilogue + prologue, and a total of 805 pages. This is an epic. I'm serious.)
November 20, 2022
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Characters: The characters were one of my favorite parts of Bound and Determined. I loved seeing Rina again. Her character arc was epic, and I just love her! Poor Daisy was another of my favorites. She had such a rough time, but she grew a ton of the course of the book. I wasn't a fan of Keaton for the first two-thirds of the book, but I liked how he turned out in the final third. I also enjoyed the appearances of characters from the first two books in the series.
Language: Clean.
Plot: Adventure, suspense, cliffhangers, romance ... this novel has it all. And I need the next book now!
Random comments: Bound and Determined tackles some tough topics (prostitution, miscarriage, and depression), but they're handled tactfully.
Romance: Clean-ish. The romance got a little intense for me at times.
Themes: This novel featured lots of great themes: grace, eternal security, forgiveness, faith, and many more. I did have a few theological disagreements, most relating to the doctrinal influence being primarily Pentecostal.
Writing: Grace Johnson's poetic, detailed writing worked well for this novel.
Overall: Bound and Determined was an entertaining read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy Christian fiction, historical romances, and pirate novels.
Characters: The characters were one of my favorite parts of Bound and Determined. I loved seeing Rina again. Her character arc was epic, and I just love her! Poor Daisy was another of my favorites. She had such a rough time, but she grew a ton of the course of the book. I wasn't a fan of Keaton for the first two-thirds of the book, but I liked how he turned out in the final third. I also enjoyed the appearances of characters from the first two books in the series.
Language: Clean.
Plot: Adventure, suspense, cliffhangers, romance ... this novel has it all. And I need the next book now!
Random comments: Bound and Determined tackles some tough topics (prostitution, miscarriage, and depression), but they're handled tactfully.
Romance: Clean-ish. The romance got a little intense for me at times.
Themes: This novel featured lots of great themes: grace, eternal security, forgiveness, faith, and many more. I did have a few theological disagreements, most relating to the doctrinal influence being primarily Pentecostal.
Writing: Grace Johnson's poetic, detailed writing worked well for this novel.
Overall: Bound and Determined was an entertaining read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy Christian fiction, historical romances, and pirate novels.
September 23, 2022
I'm astounded...that was so good and I literally don't know what to say tonight now...wow! Okay, here goes nothing.
Characters:
Daisy was a sweet girl and her inner turmoil with dealing with the sinful things she had been forced to do and had done was so well done. Her character was well rounded and her arc so beautifully navigated.
Keaton was great! He's gruff and grouchy but underneath he's just so sweet! Reminds me of my Papaw, most people would look at him and be scared because of the glare he wears but underneath he's sweet.
Rina was so great in his book! Her humor is always much needed and great. The way she handled all the circumstances was well done! Loved her!
Okay, I loved everyone...mostly, so here's my honorable mentions Xavier, Jules, Crimson, Billy, Charlie, Scarlette, Elliott, and all the kids they were sooooooo cute!
Themes:
This book was full of themes of love and forgiveness and the message that we are never to far gone, have never done too much to place us outside the grace and love of our Heavenly Father. If only we repent and seek Him we shall be saved! Beautiful!
Romance:
Okay, so this book got 5 stars from me which is saying a lot...but everything was so good! Romance wise there are kisses, two scenes of subduction tastefully done with not too much. All in all Miss Johnson knows how to write a romance and also when to shade a scene to black and move to the next part. It makes everything very tasteful and just enjoyable.
Language:
N/A
Overall:
I loved this book! It was so good! When I heard how long it was I was kid of thinking surely something could have been done to make it shorter...but ever word is gold, every scene perfect, and I didn't even realize how long it was at all...it was pure gold! I loved this so much!
Sensitive readers:
As said their are two scenes of subduction, mentions of being raped, and a miscarriage. Nothing too detailed but thought I'd let ya know...though the author has included a content warning in the front of the book. :)
*I received copy of this book from the author but was in no way required to leave a review. Thoughts and opinion expressed in this review are entirely my own.*
Characters:
Daisy was a sweet girl and her inner turmoil with dealing with the sinful things she had been forced to do and had done was so well done. Her character was well rounded and her arc so beautifully navigated.
Keaton was great! He's gruff and grouchy but underneath he's just so sweet! Reminds me of my Papaw, most people would look at him and be scared because of the glare he wears but underneath he's sweet.
Rina was so great in his book! Her humor is always much needed and great. The way she handled all the circumstances was well done! Loved her!
Okay, I loved everyone...mostly, so here's my honorable mentions Xavier, Jules, Crimson, Billy, Charlie, Scarlette, Elliott, and all the kids they were sooooooo cute!
Themes:
This book was full of themes of love and forgiveness and the message that we are never to far gone, have never done too much to place us outside the grace and love of our Heavenly Father. If only we repent and seek Him we shall be saved! Beautiful!
Romance:
Okay, so this book got 5 stars from me which is saying a lot...but everything was so good! Romance wise there are kisses, two scenes of subduction tastefully done with not too much. All in all Miss Johnson knows how to write a romance and also when to shade a scene to black and move to the next part. It makes everything very tasteful and just enjoyable.
Language:
N/A
Overall:
I loved this book! It was so good! When I heard how long it was I was kid of thinking surely something could have been done to make it shorter...but ever word is gold, every scene perfect, and I didn't even realize how long it was at all...it was pure gold! I loved this so much!
Sensitive readers:
As said their are two scenes of subduction, mentions of being raped, and a miscarriage. Nothing too detailed but thought I'd let ya know...though the author has included a content warning in the front of the book. :)
*I received copy of this book from the author but was in no way required to leave a review. Thoughts and opinion expressed in this review are entirely my own.*
November 30, 2022
THIS BOOK. Almost 800 pages…and every one worth it. I love it all, the drama, the wild ride, the emotional rollercoaster that gave me a serious book hangover. Honestly, I never paid attention to its epic length because I was so captivated. It's raw and heavy, yet also epic and healing, and I absorbed every moment of these characters I’ve grown to love.
The author is a queen at character emotions and such, at slowly reeling you in until you feel like the characters are literal real people you know and talk to and just…ahhh!!! It’s so GOOD. Not to mention her prose, which I absolutely love! It’s lush and poetic, beautiful and strong, wordy yet rich with depth. The imagery and metaphors were beautifully vivid and I really enjoyed how it engaged my brain. It’s not an easy read, at least, not if you’re in a rush. But again, I loved that. (That isn’t to say I don’t like simpler, to-the-point writing - I so enjoy that too! It’s just that this writing style fit BAD like a glove.)
Also, the historical research that went into this must’ve been a beast to tackle! Grace A. Johnson did an incredible job bringing the setting to life and making every detail as period-appropriate as possible, including the phrases. I obviously didn't live in the 1600s, but nothing really jumped out to me as being out of place. I always have SO much respect for these authors who tackle historical fiction. It’s hard, guys. (*shakes head at my younger November 2021 self for choosing to write a historical fiction* I was naive to think it’d be manageable enough. But it’s worth it.)
So, I’ve already brought up the characters. Each one is distinct, feels realistic, and is so wonderfully complex. I love how they each have little quirks too, things you subconsciously take note of and only help to round them out. (Like Keaton’s imperceptible smirk. That is just…SO HIM.)
I love Rina. Her ramblings, her resilient nature, her Rina-ness, all of it. She went through soul-crushing, life-changing things in this book (like, really. Even more so than Held Captive and Prisoner At Heart. The latter of which I must needs review sometime. It’s awesome.). Her character arc came to an epic conclusion in this third installment in the Daughters of the Seven Seas series, as Grace A. Johnson wrote about in a series of blog posts. After having been so strong, she’s finally brought to her knees and faces off with the fact that she can’t control it all. And all she can do is trust God. (Chapter 48 is one of the most powerful things I’ve ever read. I start to cry every time I read it.) Rina brought us on a journey that showed who she truly was as a person, and was simply so satisfying.
Keaton is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve met. He’s so enigmatic and deep and poetic, but also gruff and toughened and has something of an explosive temper despite his stoicness. (His personality is just fascinating.) I LOVE the guy. No, I’m not excusing the foolish, jerky things he did at times, but augh, he was also so broken, had so much going on under the surface. Dear fellow. I cried for him more than once. His character arc was amazing and so impactful.
Daisy� *drops everything I’m holding and bundles her in hugs* Precious Daisy. She was so tormented by her past and spent so much time running, again and again and again and again, into the same brick wall. Even though the horrors of what she went through aren't something I have, I still related so much with her. Maybe because life is a battle against sin. Her arc was so very powerful and incredibly done.
I’d like to mention every character, but this review is getting so long. I’ll just shout out ELLIOT. My boy. Forever love him. He’s just perfect. He makes every scene he’s in fun, brings it a new level of excitement and awesomeness. His interactions with Keaton crack me up. As for our boy Xavier... *beams* We got a much deeper, closer look at him in this book, and I loved e v e r y minute of it. (Please give us more, Grace!) Crimson, Billy, Mav and Dick…I’d love to talk about them all, but I really need to cut this short before it turns into a novel of its own! XD (Oh, nearly forgot about JULIUS!!! I LOVE HIM.)
In terms of the villains, I don't view Scarlette as an antagonist... actually, I guess she is, but the potential in her is so strong!!! Same with Tomas. Either way, I think they can be redeemed. And I SOOO want for that to happen. Quinn broke my heart. I was getting ready to deeply like him. Never mind about that. Both Crofton and Foxe have great enemy chemistry with Rina, weird as that is to say, and I love to hate them both, though I'm very interested in the bits of humanity I see peeking through Foxe sometimes.
Bound and Determined featured the wildest of action/adventure scenes! Y’all, I can’t describe how annoyingly invested I was in those last several action sequences…I felt like it was a movie I was watching - better yet, a movie I was in. Some minor details confused me, but, well, I was reading s u p e r fast to find out what was going to happen, so I really don’t fault the author for that.
The suspense. The battles. The action. Impeccable. I love writing a solid action sequence, but it’s tricky for me to choreograph the fights and picture it playing in my mind realistically. The author did an AMAZING job with that in this book. Like, the actions flowed into each other and were dynamic, ever moving, every shifting. Super fun to read. (Okay, more like torturous, but that’s what I’m here for, m’kay? I like reading a book and getting lost in its pages. And if you read this book, I know you like the same thing. *beams*)
I’m just half-way glad I didn’t read this book at night because, dude, I can’t promise I wouldn’t have stayed up till the morning reading it. (The only reason I wish I had read it at night would be because then I’d be by myself and I could feel free to weep at any moment I wished. I did tear up at several moments - couldn’t help it - but when there are other people in the room, it’s awkward.)
I know I’m going on and on about how well-written it was, but I have to at least mention one more thing in that regard� THE DIALOGUE. It was positively delicious. Such as when Keaton says “You’re good, Daisy. Eleven years ago, you couldn’t keep up� to a serious statement she makes. It all really flows from the characters� personalities, dreams, fears, etc., if you know what I mean. Just really good.
The whole plot was just epic. So many twists and turns. I don’t think I predicted much, but if I did, the suspense made it even more intriguing. As you probably know, the content was very heavy since it dealt with prostitution and just all the darkness that goes along with that, not to mention a miscarriage that broke my heart. But then the healing found after those awful things was so beautiful. The author included a content/trigger warning in the book for you to read, but the short of it is, it’s not for young or sensitive readers.
As for the romance (which said category I almost forgot about reviewing? How could that happen?!!), I LOVED IT. I'm in awe of how she was able to create a three-dimensional romance so strongly character-driven and colored by each character's individual backstory and motivations, and how she had them grow closer to each other by growing closer to Christ. Just beautifully done. Although there were many sweet moments that melted my heart, it did get uncomfortably intense at times, during the attempted seduction scenes. The romance was one of the aspects of the story that surprised me by how deep and dark and real it got, but that only emphasized the light and healing.
The themes lingered with me long after I’d first read this book. Despite some theological differences, the heart of the messages really touched me and were expressed beautifully through the characters� struggles, dark moments, and moments of awakening.
Some of the numerous themes that stuck out most were as follows: (1) It doesn't matter what our past is, God's forgiveness still covers it, His mercy is still for all who will repent and accept Him, His grace is always enough. (2) Despite all our failures, we are enough through Christ. (3) Sometimes the Lord takes precious things away from us, and sometimes He throws us into the middle of chaos and the enemy's lies fill our minds...all we can do is trust Him. There is nothing He can't control, nothing He doesn't have a reason for. (4) Just because someone isn't showing it doesn't mean they're not falling apart inside, not dealing with more darkness than we could imagine. (5) ACCEPT HELP FROM THOSE WHO LOVE YOU (6) True. Love. Is. Real. It involves sacrifice and though you may never feel worthy of that sacrifice on the other person's part, you are. (7) The power of prayer.
There ya have it. Obviously I took away a lot from this book. (And technically, I could go on. *chuckles*) I SO appreciate the author’s passion for Christ and how she unashamedly weaves that into her books. Hats off.
Epic is the word that keeps coming to mind when I scavenge for good descriptors of this book. Epic and beautiful. Yes, it has heavy, dark, soul-crushing moments. Things get uncomfortably intense sometimes. But it also has moments of healing, hope, and redemption. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, I highly recommend it.
*collapses onto a couch after writing this review* (It is so hard to capture everything I thought about it in only a few thousand words. But I did my best. Just rest assured there’s a lot more I could say about it, and ignore any typos you might catch. Tally ho.)
A FEW FAVORITE QUOTES
"Grace for tomorrow, mercy for yesterday, and strength for today."
"Sometimes you must acknowledge what you are before you can change who you are."
"In the end, He was Lord over all the if onlys and all the endless possibilities, and He knew which path was the best to take. Even if it were the most painful."
DISCLOSURE: I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The author is a queen at character emotions and such, at slowly reeling you in until you feel like the characters are literal real people you know and talk to and just…ahhh!!! It’s so GOOD. Not to mention her prose, which I absolutely love! It’s lush and poetic, beautiful and strong, wordy yet rich with depth. The imagery and metaphors were beautifully vivid and I really enjoyed how it engaged my brain. It’s not an easy read, at least, not if you’re in a rush. But again, I loved that. (That isn’t to say I don’t like simpler, to-the-point writing - I so enjoy that too! It’s just that this writing style fit BAD like a glove.)
Also, the historical research that went into this must’ve been a beast to tackle! Grace A. Johnson did an incredible job bringing the setting to life and making every detail as period-appropriate as possible, including the phrases. I obviously didn't live in the 1600s, but nothing really jumped out to me as being out of place. I always have SO much respect for these authors who tackle historical fiction. It’s hard, guys. (*shakes head at my younger November 2021 self for choosing to write a historical fiction* I was naive to think it’d be manageable enough. But it’s worth it.)
So, I’ve already brought up the characters. Each one is distinct, feels realistic, and is so wonderfully complex. I love how they each have little quirks too, things you subconsciously take note of and only help to round them out. (Like Keaton’s imperceptible smirk. That is just…SO HIM.)
I love Rina. Her ramblings, her resilient nature, her Rina-ness, all of it. She went through soul-crushing, life-changing things in this book (like, really. Even more so than Held Captive and Prisoner At Heart. The latter of which I must needs review sometime. It’s awesome.). Her character arc came to an epic conclusion in this third installment in the Daughters of the Seven Seas series, as Grace A. Johnson wrote about in a series of blog posts. After having been so strong, she’s finally brought to her knees and faces off with the fact that she can’t control it all. And all she can do is trust God. (Chapter 48 is one of the most powerful things I’ve ever read. I start to cry every time I read it.) Rina brought us on a journey that showed who she truly was as a person, and was simply so satisfying.
Keaton is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve met. He’s so enigmatic and deep and poetic, but also gruff and toughened and has something of an explosive temper despite his stoicness. (His personality is just fascinating.) I LOVE the guy. No, I’m not excusing the foolish, jerky things he did at times, but augh, he was also so broken, had so much going on under the surface. Dear fellow. I cried for him more than once. His character arc was amazing and so impactful.
Daisy� *drops everything I’m holding and bundles her in hugs* Precious Daisy. She was so tormented by her past and spent so much time running, again and again and again and again, into the same brick wall. Even though the horrors of what she went through aren't something I have, I still related so much with her. Maybe because life is a battle against sin. Her arc was so very powerful and incredibly done.
I’d like to mention every character, but this review is getting so long. I’ll just shout out ELLIOT. My boy. Forever love him. He’s just perfect. He makes every scene he’s in fun, brings it a new level of excitement and awesomeness. His interactions with Keaton crack me up. As for our boy Xavier... *beams* We got a much deeper, closer look at him in this book, and I loved e v e r y minute of it. (Please give us more, Grace!) Crimson, Billy, Mav and Dick…I’d love to talk about them all, but I really need to cut this short before it turns into a novel of its own! XD (Oh, nearly forgot about JULIUS!!! I LOVE HIM.)
In terms of the villains, I don't view Scarlette as an antagonist... actually, I guess she is, but the potential in her is so strong!!! Same with Tomas. Either way, I think they can be redeemed. And I SOOO want for that to happen. Quinn broke my heart. I was getting ready to deeply like him. Never mind about that. Both Crofton and Foxe have great enemy chemistry with Rina, weird as that is to say, and I love to hate them both, though I'm very interested in the bits of humanity I see peeking through Foxe sometimes.
Bound and Determined featured the wildest of action/adventure scenes! Y’all, I can’t describe how annoyingly invested I was in those last several action sequences…I felt like it was a movie I was watching - better yet, a movie I was in. Some minor details confused me, but, well, I was reading s u p e r fast to find out what was going to happen, so I really don’t fault the author for that.
The suspense. The battles. The action. Impeccable. I love writing a solid action sequence, but it’s tricky for me to choreograph the fights and picture it playing in my mind realistically. The author did an AMAZING job with that in this book. Like, the actions flowed into each other and were dynamic, ever moving, every shifting. Super fun to read. (Okay, more like torturous, but that’s what I’m here for, m’kay? I like reading a book and getting lost in its pages. And if you read this book, I know you like the same thing. *beams*)
I’m just half-way glad I didn’t read this book at night because, dude, I can’t promise I wouldn’t have stayed up till the morning reading it. (The only reason I wish I had read it at night would be because then I’d be by myself and I could feel free to weep at any moment I wished. I did tear up at several moments - couldn’t help it - but when there are other people in the room, it’s awkward.)
I know I’m going on and on about how well-written it was, but I have to at least mention one more thing in that regard� THE DIALOGUE. It was positively delicious. Such as when Keaton says “You’re good, Daisy. Eleven years ago, you couldn’t keep up� to a serious statement she makes. It all really flows from the characters� personalities, dreams, fears, etc., if you know what I mean. Just really good.
The whole plot was just epic. So many twists and turns. I don’t think I predicted much, but if I did, the suspense made it even more intriguing. As you probably know, the content was very heavy since it dealt with prostitution and just all the darkness that goes along with that, not to mention a miscarriage that broke my heart. But then the healing found after those awful things was so beautiful. The author included a content/trigger warning in the book for you to read, but the short of it is, it’s not for young or sensitive readers.
As for the romance (which said category I almost forgot about reviewing? How could that happen?!!), I LOVED IT. I'm in awe of how she was able to create a three-dimensional romance so strongly character-driven and colored by each character's individual backstory and motivations, and how she had them grow closer to each other by growing closer to Christ. Just beautifully done. Although there were many sweet moments that melted my heart, it did get uncomfortably intense at times, during the attempted seduction scenes. The romance was one of the aspects of the story that surprised me by how deep and dark and real it got, but that only emphasized the light and healing.
The themes lingered with me long after I’d first read this book. Despite some theological differences, the heart of the messages really touched me and were expressed beautifully through the characters� struggles, dark moments, and moments of awakening.
Some of the numerous themes that stuck out most were as follows: (1) It doesn't matter what our past is, God's forgiveness still covers it, His mercy is still for all who will repent and accept Him, His grace is always enough. (2) Despite all our failures, we are enough through Christ. (3) Sometimes the Lord takes precious things away from us, and sometimes He throws us into the middle of chaos and the enemy's lies fill our minds...all we can do is trust Him. There is nothing He can't control, nothing He doesn't have a reason for. (4) Just because someone isn't showing it doesn't mean they're not falling apart inside, not dealing with more darkness than we could imagine. (5) ACCEPT HELP FROM THOSE WHO LOVE YOU (6) True. Love. Is. Real. It involves sacrifice and though you may never feel worthy of that sacrifice on the other person's part, you are. (7) The power of prayer.
There ya have it. Obviously I took away a lot from this book. (And technically, I could go on. *chuckles*) I SO appreciate the author’s passion for Christ and how she unashamedly weaves that into her books. Hats off.
Epic is the word that keeps coming to mind when I scavenge for good descriptors of this book. Epic and beautiful. Yes, it has heavy, dark, soul-crushing moments. Things get uncomfortably intense sometimes. But it also has moments of healing, hope, and redemption. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, I highly recommend it.
*collapses onto a couch after writing this review* (It is so hard to capture everything I thought about it in only a few thousand words. But I did my best. Just rest assured there’s a lot more I could say about it, and ignore any typos you might catch. Tally ho.)
A FEW FAVORITE QUOTES
"Grace for tomorrow, mercy for yesterday, and strength for today."
"Sometimes you must acknowledge what you are before you can change who you are."
"In the end, He was Lord over all the if onlys and all the endless possibilities, and He knew which path was the best to take. Even if it were the most painful."
DISCLOSURE: I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
November 25, 2022
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
There's just something special about series with long-standing characters, and it's even more special when the series expands to include literal epics about said characters. And that's what this book is - the long-awaited, epic installment of the Daughters of the Seven Seas that includes all the amazing, dramatic pirate action!
Characters: Let's just start off here with our old favorites, Rina and Xavier. Of course, Rina is one of my favorite characters - girl is a legend - and I loved seeing her again! I especially enjoyed watching her grow and change throughout all the trials (which were heartbreaking, to say the least), but so much of Rina's humanity was uncloaked during this book. And seeing her as a mother was also so precious. Then there was Xavier, who truly came into his own here. The author did a great job digging more into his character, and my only complaint is that I needed more of him! Then came the newer characters - Keaton and Daisy. (Although Keaton was in the earlier books, he wasn't an MC.) Daisy was such a broken, hurt girl, and I just needed to protect her! However, even though her struggles and situation are far different from mine, she was still relatable. I loved her determination to find her sister, no matter the cost. Oh, and that reminds me, Lissy! Such a sweet girl. And then there was Keaton. Dear Keaton. I personally had a lot of issues with his character throughout the first part of the book (especially how he treated Daisy), but by the end of the book, I had accepted him more or less. And then there were all the sides characters - can I just mention Julius? That guy needs a book of his own. And the rest of the side characters added to the story and rounded out the cast.
Plot/Writing Style/Setting: Overall, since this book is so massively long, it reads exactly like a historical. Sometimes a bit wandering, and I didn't know where things were going, but perfectly paced for this genre. Even though it was so long, I didn't feel like it dragged on. There was just so much going on, and while there are lots of words - thousands and thousands - the author just sucks you into the story, and you just keep reading! As for the writing style ... wow, there were such beautiful lines and moments. Again, the writing truly fit the historical genre so well - poetic and descriptive and lush. So lovely. And then the setting - yay for pirate ships and islands and all sorts of interesting settings! The author did a wonderful job of descriptions, not overloading the reader with too much, but giving us plenty to envision what was happening.
Romance: This is the section where things got a little dicey for me. I personally don't mind a few kisses/hugs etc., and some of the romance scenes truly were quite sweet. (Yay for Rina and Xavier being happy.) But I will say some of the romance went beyond what I would choose, and the way Keaton treated Daisy was definitely not okay in some situations. So if you're sensitive to romantic content, just beware. However, there was nothing explicit.
Theme: There were all sorts of lovely themes woven throughout this book! Dependence on the Lord, grace, and mercy were just a few of the themes that worked through each of these characters' lives. I love when authors are not afraid of speaking the truth, and those are some of the most powerful scenes in this book. There were a few instances where I disagree theologically with the author, but that didn't really upset my view of the book.
Overall, this was one epic pirate adventure. Although some parts are not an easy read, this book contains much that historical Christian fiction readers will love! (Do beware there are heavy aspects of this book; the author has so graciously provided a detailed list of all the thing addressed.)
There's just something special about series with long-standing characters, and it's even more special when the series expands to include literal epics about said characters. And that's what this book is - the long-awaited, epic installment of the Daughters of the Seven Seas that includes all the amazing, dramatic pirate action!
Characters: Let's just start off here with our old favorites, Rina and Xavier. Of course, Rina is one of my favorite characters - girl is a legend - and I loved seeing her again! I especially enjoyed watching her grow and change throughout all the trials (which were heartbreaking, to say the least), but so much of Rina's humanity was uncloaked during this book. And seeing her as a mother was also so precious. Then there was Xavier, who truly came into his own here. The author did a great job digging more into his character, and my only complaint is that I needed more of him! Then came the newer characters - Keaton and Daisy. (Although Keaton was in the earlier books, he wasn't an MC.) Daisy was such a broken, hurt girl, and I just needed to protect her! However, even though her struggles and situation are far different from mine, she was still relatable. I loved her determination to find her sister, no matter the cost. Oh, and that reminds me, Lissy! Such a sweet girl. And then there was Keaton. Dear Keaton. I personally had a lot of issues with his character throughout the first part of the book (especially how he treated Daisy), but by the end of the book, I had accepted him more or less. And then there were all the sides characters - can I just mention Julius? That guy needs a book of his own. And the rest of the side characters added to the story and rounded out the cast.
Plot/Writing Style/Setting: Overall, since this book is so massively long, it reads exactly like a historical. Sometimes a bit wandering, and I didn't know where things were going, but perfectly paced for this genre. Even though it was so long, I didn't feel like it dragged on. There was just so much going on, and while there are lots of words - thousands and thousands - the author just sucks you into the story, and you just keep reading! As for the writing style ... wow, there were such beautiful lines and moments. Again, the writing truly fit the historical genre so well - poetic and descriptive and lush. So lovely. And then the setting - yay for pirate ships and islands and all sorts of interesting settings! The author did a wonderful job of descriptions, not overloading the reader with too much, but giving us plenty to envision what was happening.
Romance: This is the section where things got a little dicey for me. I personally don't mind a few kisses/hugs etc., and some of the romance scenes truly were quite sweet. (Yay for Rina and Xavier being happy.) But I will say some of the romance went beyond what I would choose, and the way Keaton treated Daisy was definitely not okay in some situations. So if you're sensitive to romantic content, just beware. However, there was nothing explicit.
Theme: There were all sorts of lovely themes woven throughout this book! Dependence on the Lord, grace, and mercy were just a few of the themes that worked through each of these characters' lives. I love when authors are not afraid of speaking the truth, and those are some of the most powerful scenes in this book. There were a few instances where I disagree theologically with the author, but that didn't really upset my view of the book.
Overall, this was one epic pirate adventure. Although some parts are not an easy read, this book contains much that historical Christian fiction readers will love! (Do beware there are heavy aspects of this book; the author has so graciously provided a detailed list of all the thing addressed.)
tbr-2
December 19, 2022Free on Amazon 19.12.22!
November 11, 2022
First off, this book will not be for everyone. It is gritty and it is hard, and it delves into the darkest parts of humanity. Not everyone wants to read about that. But it is also redeeming, forgiving, healing, and showing the love and light of God throughout.
I just want to give Daisy the biggest hug and never let go. She is an absolute darling. My heart aches for her and rejoices with her. Grace wrote her character so well. I loved how she was technically already "on stage" in the second book but we don't realize her significance until here.
Frankly, Keaton needs a hug too, although he would probably deny it. He's been through a lot and seen a lot. But his character was just amazing. I loved how he cared for Daisy all along, but his fears held him back; then, when he let himself love her, her loved her completely and without reserve.
I loved the Billy and Scarlette subplot. Although I did, of course, want to yell at them at the top of my lungs, but that is another story for another day. I liked seeing how Billy had matured of the course of the three books and look forward to how the two of them will grow together.
Plotwise, it was a lot. I mean, it is just under 800 pages. But it is the perfect length for what needs to happen. Just like the previous two books, things are happening right and left but we are given time to reflect and to process. At no point was I bored with the story. In fact, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
I already said a bit about the themes in the beginning, but I want to add that the God's light and love and redemption are put in the spotlight throughout. Nowhere is it tacked on as an afterthought. Yes, the world is evil, and we are all fallen beings, but God is always there to pick us up and set us back on the right path and that is what Grace has shown. It's beautiful.
That's all I have to say for now (I could probably go on if you asked me to. Did I mention 800 pages worth of stuff happening?) I am super excited for this book's release and highly encourage you to get yourself a copy to experience this story for yourself.
Note: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for a honest review
I just want to give Daisy the biggest hug and never let go. She is an absolute darling. My heart aches for her and rejoices with her. Grace wrote her character so well. I loved how she was technically already "on stage" in the second book but we don't realize her significance until here.
Frankly, Keaton needs a hug too, although he would probably deny it. He's been through a lot and seen a lot. But his character was just amazing. I loved how he cared for Daisy all along, but his fears held him back; then, when he let himself love her, her loved her completely and without reserve.
I loved the Billy and Scarlette subplot. Although I did, of course, want to yell at them at the top of my lungs, but that is another story for another day. I liked seeing how Billy had matured of the course of the three books and look forward to how the two of them will grow together.
Plotwise, it was a lot. I mean, it is just under 800 pages. But it is the perfect length for what needs to happen. Just like the previous two books, things are happening right and left but we are given time to reflect and to process. At no point was I bored with the story. In fact, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
I already said a bit about the themes in the beginning, but I want to add that the God's light and love and redemption are put in the spotlight throughout. Nowhere is it tacked on as an afterthought. Yes, the world is evil, and we are all fallen beings, but God is always there to pick us up and set us back on the right path and that is what Grace has shown. It's beautiful.
That's all I have to say for now (I could probably go on if you asked me to. Did I mention 800 pages worth of stuff happening?) I am super excited for this book's release and highly encourage you to get yourself a copy to experience this story for yourself.
Note: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for a honest review
January 1, 2023
I loved this long and dramatic book so much! The characters are so well-written, relatable, and realistic. I can't wait for the next one!
August 28, 2023
Wow. What a magnificent monster of a book.
No really, it's a monster. With over 200,000 words and about 750 pages, this is a story of epic proportions. It tackles deep, hard themes with oodles of grace, delving into uncomfortable territory but never leaving us without hope. Most importantly, it shines the light of Christ into the deepest of darkness, reminding us that no sin is too great for God to overcome.
Characters: There are a lot of POVs in this book, with new heroine Daisy Sharrow sharing center stage with the much-loved Rina Bennett from the earlier books in the series. Daisy is such a beautifully conflicted protagonist, with many gaping flaws made all the more heartbreaking by her sweet spirit. She is so very, uncomfortably human.
Rina is still Rina, trying to carry the weight of the world in addition to her twin toddlers. She undergoes some great character growth (or is it character regression?) in this book, wrestling with some tough topics. She's always been such a fun character, and this book is no different!
Keaton Clarke, Rina's quartermaster, is the hero in this book, and what a hero he is! He too is terribly flawed but so lovable and kind and generally just a solid guy. I had mixed feelings about him coming into this one (if you've read Prisoner at Heart, you'll understand, but he quickly swept my doubts aside and took his place among the ranks of my favorite male protagonists.
(Also, as a side note, I think we need a book about Julius. Pretty please?)
Content: Ah. The content. This will be fun...
This is a romance, so naturally, there is romance. A lot of it. And couple that with the fact that the heroine has just escaped prostitution, and you get... well, some interesting situations.
Because the author is too good at her craft to write about an ex-prostitute and just brush aside the implications of that. Selling herself to the next man who comes along is the only life Daisy's known for years. She's free of it now, but she doesn't know how to live without it. That comes up a lot in the story, especially early on. Her thoughts travel down immoral trails (she sometimes tries to stop them, sometimes not), and she attempts seduction a couple of times (though nothing happens).
There are lots of kisses, most going into lots of detail. These characters are all pretty morally grey, so they tend to put themselves into situations that are... questionable at best. (But let me add here that Johnson does a fantastic job of showing what the characters do without lauding their actions. She's writing a story about sinful people, but that does not at all mean she approves of their behavior or expects her readers to.)
Honestly, it's an uncomfy read, and I think that's the point. None of these situations are ones we want to be in. But it is reality, and we have to recognize how desperately wicked we are before we can truly understand how great God's grace towards us is. All the uncomfortable content in this book is there for this purpose: not to linger on our depravity, but to point us to the God who stands ready to save us from it.
In terms of other content, there's some violence, with ships blowing each other up (in true Pirates of the Caribbean style), people getting into fights, and the like. A character drowned in the past. A character dreams of being hanged. During a time of deep depression, a character briefly considers self-harm and suicide (but instantly shoves those thoughts away as ungodly).
Slavery plays a big part in this story, both sex-slavery and the enslavement of Africans.
Two unmarried characters conceive a child (which makes everyone around them frightfully angry). It's implied that married couples do married-couple things.
In a particularly tough sequence, a character has a miscarriage. This is described in fairly graphic terms and might be triggering to those who have experienced this.
Writing: Johnson's skill has skyrocketed since her last installment in this series. She's become the author we always knew she could be, weaving an ugly, powerful tale of how God steps into the hideous muck of our lives and pulls us out when we cry to Him for help. This book is massive, but it never feels too long. Every scene deserves to be here. Every theme has earned its place. It's a magnificent story that points so beautifully to God!
Summary: This is not an easy book, and that's not just because of the 750 pages. You will be uncomfortable as you read it. Some parts might even make you a bit sick. But like the story of the two harlot sisters in Ezekiel 23, this is at its heart a parable. It's a story of how we can never live up to God's perfect standard. It's a story of how we ruin our lives by our own decisions.
It's a story of how God loves us anyway.
So if you can handle it, read it. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 18, but it truly is a fantastic story.
No really, it's a monster. With over 200,000 words and about 750 pages, this is a story of epic proportions. It tackles deep, hard themes with oodles of grace, delving into uncomfortable territory but never leaving us without hope. Most importantly, it shines the light of Christ into the deepest of darkness, reminding us that no sin is too great for God to overcome.
Characters: There are a lot of POVs in this book, with new heroine Daisy Sharrow sharing center stage with the much-loved Rina Bennett from the earlier books in the series. Daisy is such a beautifully conflicted protagonist, with many gaping flaws made all the more heartbreaking by her sweet spirit. She is so very, uncomfortably human.
Rina is still Rina, trying to carry the weight of the world in addition to her twin toddlers. She undergoes some great character growth (or is it character regression?) in this book, wrestling with some tough topics. She's always been such a fun character, and this book is no different!
Keaton Clarke, Rina's quartermaster, is the hero in this book, and what a hero he is! He too is terribly flawed but so lovable and kind and generally just a solid guy. I had mixed feelings about him coming into this one (if you've read Prisoner at Heart, you'll understand, but he quickly swept my doubts aside and took his place among the ranks of my favorite male protagonists.
(Also, as a side note, I think we need a book about Julius. Pretty please?)
Content: Ah. The content. This will be fun...
This is a romance, so naturally, there is romance. A lot of it. And couple that with the fact that the heroine has just escaped prostitution, and you get... well, some interesting situations.
Because the author is too good at her craft to write about an ex-prostitute and just brush aside the implications of that. Selling herself to the next man who comes along is the only life Daisy's known for years. She's free of it now, but she doesn't know how to live without it. That comes up a lot in the story, especially early on. Her thoughts travel down immoral trails (she sometimes tries to stop them, sometimes not), and she attempts seduction a couple of times (though nothing happens).
There are lots of kisses, most going into lots of detail. These characters are all pretty morally grey, so they tend to put themselves into situations that are... questionable at best. (But let me add here that Johnson does a fantastic job of showing what the characters do without lauding their actions. She's writing a story about sinful people, but that does not at all mean she approves of their behavior or expects her readers to.)
Honestly, it's an uncomfy read, and I think that's the point. None of these situations are ones we want to be in. But it is reality, and we have to recognize how desperately wicked we are before we can truly understand how great God's grace towards us is. All the uncomfortable content in this book is there for this purpose: not to linger on our depravity, but to point us to the God who stands ready to save us from it.
In terms of other content, there's some violence, with ships blowing each other up (in true Pirates of the Caribbean style), people getting into fights, and the like. A character drowned in the past. A character dreams of being hanged. During a time of deep depression, a character briefly considers self-harm and suicide (but instantly shoves those thoughts away as ungodly).
Slavery plays a big part in this story, both sex-slavery and the enslavement of Africans.
Two unmarried characters conceive a child (which makes everyone around them frightfully angry). It's implied that married couples do married-couple things.
In a particularly tough sequence, a character has a miscarriage. This is described in fairly graphic terms and might be triggering to those who have experienced this.
Writing: Johnson's skill has skyrocketed since her last installment in this series. She's become the author we always knew she could be, weaving an ugly, powerful tale of how God steps into the hideous muck of our lives and pulls us out when we cry to Him for help. This book is massive, but it never feels too long. Every scene deserves to be here. Every theme has earned its place. It's a magnificent story that points so beautifully to God!
Summary: This is not an easy book, and that's not just because of the 750 pages. You will be uncomfortable as you read it. Some parts might even make you a bit sick. But like the story of the two harlot sisters in Ezekiel 23, this is at its heart a parable. It's a story of how we can never live up to God's perfect standard. It's a story of how we ruin our lives by our own decisions.
It's a story of how God loves us anyway.
So if you can handle it, read it. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 18, but it truly is a fantastic story.
October 7, 2022
What the what? I never wrote a review for this?? 😮😮
This is a problem because I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK, and I need everyone to know about it.
It's been a minute since I read it, which means that details are fuzzy unfortunately, so I'll keep this brief. This book is such an important thing. Rarely do I say that about a book (When even was the last Important book I read before this one? 🤔🤔).
This brought back all of my favorite characters - Crimson and Elliot *incoherent noises*, Rina of-hekkin-course, Elliott, Xavier, Julius, Billy, the children (adorable as always), Keaton, and Daisy, a new addition to the crew. And friends: I loved Daisy and Keaton more than Crimson and Elliot. MORE. This is a feat, people. I wouldn't have believed if myself if I didn't watch it happen before my very eyes.
Keaton and Daisy were just so gooddd
*actual footage of me while reading the Keaton/Daisy scenes
This is the only way to write a miscommunication trope, people. They both make assumptions and make decisions for the other person before getting around to actually talking about things. And look at all the communicating they do afterwards!! This was realistically done; it wasn't drawn out obnoxiously, and never once did I feel the need to suspend my belief.
Even though I am now very emotionally attached to Daisy, getting to see Crimson again was wonderful. She is off living the life with her beautiful family, and I just had all the squishy feelings.
I'd like to add that there is some Catholic representation here, and it was respectfully done. There were two brief character appearances, and the priest character was one of my favorites (as was the scene he appeared in). As a Catholic reader, it's always nerve-wracking when my faith is mentioned (even by other Christians), and while there were definitely some character thoughts that I didn't agree with, they made sense for the individuals and the mindset they were in at the time; this is something I feel very passionate about, and it was really nice to see. Side thought: I also felt like it made sense for where the characters were geographically and historically, they'd be bound to run into some Catholics eventually.
In the author's note, Johnson notes that there was a reason she was writing this book. She also says it is "dark, hard, gritty, painful, disturbing, [and] scary..." I defer to her authority as the author in this situation, and acknowledge that the themes she has her characters wrestle with are not easy by far. But I would argue that this story is also incredibly healing, joyful, and hopeful in the extreme. She has a list of content warnings (here), and they are not to be taken lightly. But I genuinely feel this was healing for parts of my soul.
This is in fact an important book. I encourage all of you to read it.
Many thanks to the author for an e-arc of this book. I look forward to purchasing a hard copy as soon as they're available!
This is a problem because I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK, and I need everyone to know about it.
It's been a minute since I read it, which means that details are fuzzy unfortunately, so I'll keep this brief. This book is such an important thing. Rarely do I say that about a book (When even was the last Important book I read before this one? 🤔🤔).
This brought back all of my favorite characters - Crimson and Elliot *incoherent noises*, Rina of-hekkin-course, Elliott, Xavier, Julius, Billy, the children (adorable as always), Keaton, and Daisy, a new addition to the crew. And friends: I loved Daisy and Keaton more than Crimson and Elliot. MORE. This is a feat, people. I wouldn't have believed if myself if I didn't watch it happen before my very eyes.
Keaton and Daisy were just so gooddd
*actual footage of me while reading the Keaton/Daisy scenes
This is the only way to write a miscommunication trope, people. They both make assumptions and make decisions for the other person before getting around to actually talking about things. And look at all the communicating they do afterwards!! This was realistically done; it wasn't drawn out obnoxiously, and never once did I feel the need to suspend my belief.
Even though I am now very emotionally attached to Daisy, getting to see Crimson again was wonderful. She is off living the life with her beautiful family, and I just had all the squishy feelings.
I'd like to add that there is some Catholic representation here, and it was respectfully done. There were two brief character appearances, and the priest character was one of my favorites (as was the scene he appeared in). As a Catholic reader, it's always nerve-wracking when my faith is mentioned (even by other Christians), and while there were definitely some character thoughts that I didn't agree with, they made sense for the individuals and the mindset they were in at the time; this is something I feel very passionate about, and it was really nice to see. Side thought: I also felt like it made sense for where the characters were geographically and historically, they'd be bound to run into some Catholics eventually.
In the author's note, Johnson notes that there was a reason she was writing this book. She also says it is "dark, hard, gritty, painful, disturbing, [and] scary..." I defer to her authority as the author in this situation, and acknowledge that the themes she has her characters wrestle with are not easy by far. But I would argue that this story is also incredibly healing, joyful, and hopeful in the extreme. She has a list of content warnings (here), and they are not to be taken lightly. But I genuinely feel this was healing for parts of my soul.
This is in fact an important book. I encourage all of you to read it.
Many thanks to the author for an e-arc of this book. I look forward to purchasing a hard copy as soon as they're available!
ebook-own-toread
December 19, 2022**free on kindle**
dec 19, 2022
#ad
dec 19, 2022
#ad
December 6, 2022
This book is a whopper. Though I started it in November, it took me three WHOLE days to finish it. Like, I’m a fast reader, but this was a monster to finish.
But it was worth it.
CONTENT:
It was heavy. Dark thoughts, real struggles, prostitution, and miscarriage� but all crafted towards a beautiful redemption and it is all written in the perspective of Christianity.
No profanity.
STORY:
Grace wove this book to tell a story greater than any story. She is telling His story through the hardships, struggles, and mishaps of her characters.
CHARACTERS:
I found myself constantly enraptured by the different journeys each of the characters went through. I could honestly feel what they felt.
Her characters are imperfect, messy, and sorta annoying at times� but aren’t we all?
LETDOWNS:
When the author switches POVs, she only changes the fonts and I sometimes couldn’t differentiate them.
I thought the romance was sweet and beautiful, but for me it did get a tiny bit too spicy at times. Everyone has different thresholds of how they can handle it. Easily can be skipped over if you don’t want to read it, but this book IS a romance.
I received this as an ARC.
But it was worth it.
CONTENT:
It was heavy. Dark thoughts, real struggles, prostitution, and miscarriage� but all crafted towards a beautiful redemption and it is all written in the perspective of Christianity.
No profanity.
STORY:
Grace wove this book to tell a story greater than any story. She is telling His story through the hardships, struggles, and mishaps of her characters.
CHARACTERS:
I found myself constantly enraptured by the different journeys each of the characters went through. I could honestly feel what they felt.
Her characters are imperfect, messy, and sorta annoying at times� but aren’t we all?
LETDOWNS:
When the author switches POVs, she only changes the fonts and I sometimes couldn’t differentiate them.
I thought the romance was sweet and beautiful, but for me it did get a tiny bit too spicy at times. Everyone has different thresholds of how they can handle it. Easily can be skipped over if you don’t want to read it, but this book IS a romance.
I received this as an ARC.
February 19, 2023
The author handled a very difficult subject matter, but one so prevalent, that it really needed to be addressed. She did an excellent job. In fact, I wish this author would consider ( after she finishes this series, to write a novel, based on the 60's 'hippies....where young women believed the lie, that even a one night stands ( hundreds of them) was 'love'..free love ( but in fact, they had become unpaid prostitutes!) That was NOT love, nor was it FREE! (Well no money exchanged hands but the cost to the soul was very expensive) And things in the 60's only went down hill from there to things like porn... comes to mind, sex with young children etc.
But back to this novel....it had some beautiful uplifting moments for sinners, with great scriptures! I love that!
I do get that she was dealing with such a hard sin, and those caught in the sin whether by choice or not...
and I know it is certainly 'realistic'.... but sometimes it was just a bit too much 'info' on the sexual attractions ( both the good kind and the bad kind). It's kind of like ( in my opinion) when a Christian author writes out swear words...when I would just rather they say; "so and so swore", and leave it at that!
It is not the content of the subject matter, it was just a little too much visuals etc.
Still the novel made me cry several times. I needed to hear God's word about the situations and she did such an amazing job! It was something that had to be written about...
in another way, I wish she had gone even deeper...because women, who either by choice ( kind of) or force, once they have been so sexually used, and abused etc. may begin to find that seems like the ONLY way sex works.... and it keeps invading their minds ( having lived evil, and had evil done to them, and never much of anything else ( like true love, love of God etc.).... it will begin to seem the only way)! She did kind of touch on it...but not fully! What I mean is if that verson of sex, becomes an invasion of your mind, a fantasy that plays over and over, no matter how hard one fights it....
how to fight that and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, becomes a question. of how to do that ( every day the fight is on) That it is a major major battle for men and women ( especially today with porn etc.)
The battle is fierce, and even main stream media, cartoons etc. are getting darker and darker! Children in public school are truly getting terrible images shoved at them!
Thankfully, that was not the whole novel yeah! And there were funny spots, sweet endearing ones...all in all I highly recommend it....
except.....grrrrr ...............book #4 is NOT out!!!!!!!!
Hello authoress! Reader here is having a lie down kicking feet upseted-ness going on! Hurry Hurry!
But back to this novel....it had some beautiful uplifting moments for sinners, with great scriptures! I love that!
I do get that she was dealing with such a hard sin, and those caught in the sin whether by choice or not...
and I know it is certainly 'realistic'.... but sometimes it was just a bit too much 'info' on the sexual attractions ( both the good kind and the bad kind). It's kind of like ( in my opinion) when a Christian author writes out swear words...when I would just rather they say; "so and so swore", and leave it at that!
It is not the content of the subject matter, it was just a little too much visuals etc.
Still the novel made me cry several times. I needed to hear God's word about the situations and she did such an amazing job! It was something that had to be written about...
in another way, I wish she had gone even deeper...because women, who either by choice ( kind of) or force, once they have been so sexually used, and abused etc. may begin to find that seems like the ONLY way sex works.... and it keeps invading their minds ( having lived evil, and had evil done to them, and never much of anything else ( like true love, love of God etc.).... it will begin to seem the only way)! She did kind of touch on it...but not fully! What I mean is if that verson of sex, becomes an invasion of your mind, a fantasy that plays over and over, no matter how hard one fights it....
how to fight that and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, becomes a question. of how to do that ( every day the fight is on) That it is a major major battle for men and women ( especially today with porn etc.)
The battle is fierce, and even main stream media, cartoons etc. are getting darker and darker! Children in public school are truly getting terrible images shoved at them!
Thankfully, that was not the whole novel yeah! And there were funny spots, sweet endearing ones...all in all I highly recommend it....
except.....grrrrr ...............book #4 is NOT out!!!!!!!!
Hello authoress! Reader here is having a lie down kicking feet upseted-ness going on! Hurry Hurry!
April 1, 2025
Fantastic conclusion to the Historical Christian Pirate Fiction Saga!
This was a fantastic conclusion to the Historical Christian Pirate Fiction Saga! The story was believable and the characters were heartwarming. Parent Guide: due to some situations, I would encourage you to pre read this book before sharing with your older teens and above.
This was a fantastic conclusion to the Historical Christian Pirate Fiction Saga! The story was believable and the characters were heartwarming. Parent Guide: due to some situations, I would encourage you to pre read this book before sharing with your older teens and above.
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