REVIEWS
Pirate's Prize
Review by Laura V. Hilton
Angelina de la Feunte Delgado is the pampered only child of a wealthy merchant. On her way home from a visit to Spain her ship is attacked by pirates. She and her aunt are captured, as well as all the merchandise on the ship. The pirate plans to marry Angelina. All the sailors are killed, save one, to be used as an interpreter since Angelina does not speak French, and the pirate doesn’t speak Spanish.
Brian O’Doule has been in love with Angelina since he can remember. Except for the women, he is the soul survivor of the pirate attack and has made it his mission to help Angelina and her aunt return home to Spanish Florida. His situation seems hopeless. He is locked up in a cell except for meal times when he joins Angelina and the pirate for meals to act as interpreter. Will he be able to help the women escape? Or is Angelina doomed to marry the pirate?
Lena Nelson Dooley has done it again. PIRATE’S PRIZE is a prize. The characters are realistic and I could relate well to them. The setting was unique, and it kept my interest to the end. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
Pick up PIRATE’S PRIZE for a quick, adorable read that is sure to help the reader escape to what would be a pleasant mansion in Louisiana.
Review by Sandra Thayer
From a life of privilege and security, Angelina de la Fuente Delgado is plunged into the darkness and horror of a pirate's prison. Only fellow captive, Brian O'Doule, stands between her and the dread pirate, Badeau, who plans to make her his captive bride.
Both Brian's deep faith in God and secret love of Angelina grow as he acts as translator between her and her captor and prays for safety and a way of escape. The reader is thrust into the gruesome capture at sea and experiences the fear and uncertainty of the characters.
The story is engaging, the spiritual message clear in words and actions, and the suspense keeps the reader turning pages to find Angelina's fate. Will she find her freedom or become part of THE PIRATE'S PRIZE? This is an enjoyable read. (Used by permission) --AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS http://come.to/bookreviews
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Reviewed by Barbara Warren, Blue Mountain Backroads newsletter, February 2006
Angelina de la Fuente Delgado has been visiting her grandparents in Barcelona Spain. Now she is on her way home to St. Augustine in Spanish Florida. Arturo de la Fuente, Angelina’s father, has sent his favorite ship, the Estrella Angelina or Angelina Star to fetch her. Brian O’Doule, a dependable employee of Aurturo’s company has been assigned the responsibility of escorting Angelina and her aunt, Tia Elena safely home.
Unfortunately, pirates attack the ship and the two women and Brian are taken captive. Etienne Badeau, the captain of the pirate ship wants to turn respectable. He owns a plantation in Florida, and he plans to marry Angelina in spite of her protests and settle down as a prominent landowner. Etienne’s plantation is luxurious, a magnificient two story mansion with a broad veranda and a balcony the same width decorating the second story. Etienne gives Angelina gifts of beautiful dresses and jewels, but she refuses to wear them, knowing they have probably been stolen. The pirate captain is upset at her stubbornness and Etienne Badeau is not a man it is safe to anger. He is determined to force her to marry him, one way or another.
Brian, who loves Angelina, promises he will never let that happen. He manages to escape, but will he be able to return in time to save the woman he loves?
Lena Nelson Dooley’s Pirate Prize is set in 1805 when Pirates prowled our southernmost coastline. It is a tale of fear and greed, a story of courageous love and trust in a God big enough to take care of His own. It will make a good addition to your Need to Read list.
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Reviewed by: Vickie McDonough
In PIRATE’S PRIZE, Angelina leaves North America a spoiled girl but returns a woman. Through her adversities, she learns to lean on Brian’s God and eventually accepts Him into her heart, even though she remains a captive with a doubtful future. Brian is an inspiring hero. Though he’s merely a merchant’s assistant, he digs deep and finds the courage, with God’s help, to stand up to the pirates and help Angelina. Though times are desperate, he never loses hope or his faith. The only thing I thought was a bit of a stretch was how patient the pirate was with Angelina, when he had little patience with others.
Lena Nelson Dooley does and excellent job bringing to life the days of Spanish Florida and fierce pirates. Her detailed research and vivid descriptions made me feel as if I were right there aboard ship. PIRATE’S PRIZE is a suspenseful and interesting journey back to a time when daily life was harder and more dangerous. It is a heart-tugging, faith-challenging romance that you’ll find difficult to put down.
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Reviewed by Michelle Therese
Pirate's Prize kept me reading and held my interest to the end. A beautiful love story set in the 1800's, the story also included sound biblical techniques for coping under difficult circumstances, which I found inspiring. The characters memorized scripture when they felt they had no hope.
The pirates were brutal in their attack on the heroine's father's ship. Etienne (the villain and pirate overseeing the attacks) was pretty creepy and showed no mercy except to the heroine and her beloved aunt. No wonder Angelina was afraid of him. Fortunately for the heroine, the villain had enough decency to not force her into marriage and needed the hero to translate for him. I'm sure the hero appreciated that because it saved his neck. :)
Overall, Pirate's Prize was a riveting story. It included action, adventure and intrigue and plunged the reader into a time when Spanish Florida was still developing. I really enjoyed the ride and am glad I didn't live during those trying times.
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READER COMMENTS:
I just finished Pirate’s Prize. It was great. One of your best. You do really well with suspense.
E. R.
In Pirate’s Prize, author Lena Nelson Dooley has created a treasure trove of swashbuckling pirate, determined hero, and spunky heroine. She added a protective aunt, a wealthy father, and piracy off the coast of Florida in days gone by to giver her readers an enjoyable adventure of a read. Well done, Lena Nelson Dooley!
Dorothy Clark
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Yesterday was one of those days when I was restless, out of sorts and ill at ease. Neither the morning or evening church service helped or the afternoon shopping. By midnight I was still out of sorts and decided to "start" reading Lena Nelson Dooley's Pirate's Prize, to unwind.
I am a very particular and often critical reader. I can even find boo boos, typos or discrepancies in the books of our most popular, well-pubbed authors. Well I found none of the above in Pirate's Prize and finished it at 3 a.m. Am really grateful it is not a 300 pager or I wouldn't have gotten the six hours of sleep I managed. Instead of putting me to sleep, it kept me awake because I wanted to read one more chapter, then one more, then the rest of the story.
I just enjoyed it.
Blessings,
Donna Inge
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I ordered Pirate's Prize and am reading it. I'm enjoying it. You are a great writer! I like your vivid detail, and the way you create the setting, and your characters, and their emotions, and their reliance on God, etc. Very good. Interestingly, in some ways, Lena, your writing reminds me of mine. I'm really enjoying reading Pirate's Prize.
Blessings!
Kristy Dykes
"Fiction you can feel...lights, camera, heart!"
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