Margaret C. (cherryblossommj) reviewed The Blue Enchantress (Charles Towne Belles, Bk 2) on + 157 more book reviews
As the pages turn I can hear the metal clanging of sword and the roar of a wave and smell the sea spray. I can hear gulls cry and picture the fish swimming beneath the aquamarine glass of water. Imagery is fabulously portrayed in this second book of the Charles Towne Belles trilogy following a second sister Hope. In the first book, readers were introduced to Faith, a proper lady of Charles Towne, who also happens to be a red haired pirate known as the Red Siren and her two sisters Hope and Grace. Grace is the pious, yet seemly zealous sister who appears to know all when it comes to God and I look forward to her story in the third novel.
Hope is one of those characters who grates on your nerves. She happens to do the most ignorant things and get into the most compromising situations and you just want to wash your hands of her. This story of the "Blue Enchantress" is the telling of Hope and how she can have a future if she reaches for it. This is one of those stories where a reader can really relate to Hope and her situation. Who among us has not done something in their past that they felt was unforgivable and that they were too terrible for God to really love. Through out the pages of this pirate adventure, many characters are brought together and show the various elements of realistic people. The missionary, the average Christian male, the pompous jerk with an authority position, and the broken woman and more.
It is a reminder and a vivid picture of how each person we come in contact with changes us, as we do to them as well. Some for the good, some for the bad. This is part of a trilogy, but could easily be read as a stand alone novel and enjoyed. Just as the epilogue in the first novel left you thirsting for this one, this epilogue makes you impatient for the third.
Highly recommended. One that makes you smile secretly to yourself as well as almost throw it down with angry emotion - this book is a page turner of adventure.
Hope is one of those characters who grates on your nerves. She happens to do the most ignorant things and get into the most compromising situations and you just want to wash your hands of her. This story of the "Blue Enchantress" is the telling of Hope and how she can have a future if she reaches for it. This is one of those stories where a reader can really relate to Hope and her situation. Who among us has not done something in their past that they felt was unforgivable and that they were too terrible for God to really love. Through out the pages of this pirate adventure, many characters are brought together and show the various elements of realistic people. The missionary, the average Christian male, the pompous jerk with an authority position, and the broken woman and more.
It is a reminder and a vivid picture of how each person we come in contact with changes us, as we do to them as well. Some for the good, some for the bad. This is part of a trilogy, but could easily be read as a stand alone novel and enjoyed. Just as the epilogue in the first novel left you thirsting for this one, this epilogue makes you impatient for the third.
Highly recommended. One that makes you smile secretly to yourself as well as almost throw it down with angry emotion - this book is a page turner of adventure.
The book is set in 1718. Though this is not an era that I usually read, I enjoyed the book. It is a light-reading novel about pirates and sailing ships in the Caribbean - a little far-fetched plot, but fun. This is the second in a series of three books - the Charles Towne Belles series. This one is easily read as a stand-alone, however I would now like to read the other two books in the series. The author, M.L. Tyndall, also has another series on this topic - Legacy of the King's Pirates.
This book grabbed me from the second I started reading it. Tyndall does an absolutely amazing job at making you really care about what happens to the characters. Hope Westcott is a spoiled young woman, but deep down all she really wants is to be loved. She is abandoned by the man she loves and left to be sold as a slave.
Nathaniel Mason is a dashing sea captain. He is handsome and God-fearing and rescues Hope from a fate worse than death. However, he has had enough of women like Hope. Women set on destroying themselves.
What ensues is an enchanting story of two people with very different views on life. Will Nathaniel continue to follow God's call upon his life? Will Hope find what she is truly needing and looking for? Will they both find the love they desire?
Find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed!
Nathaniel Mason is a dashing sea captain. He is handsome and God-fearing and rescues Hope from a fate worse than death. However, he has had enough of women like Hope. Women set on destroying themselves.
What ensues is an enchanting story of two people with very different views on life. Will Nathaniel continue to follow God's call upon his life? Will Hope find what she is truly needing and looking for? Will they both find the love they desire?
Find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed!
Lori S. (sugarandgrits) -
For some reason, I just could not immerse myself in Hope and Nathaniel's story. I was really looking forward to it, because I enjoyed The Red Siren immensely. Maybe I just wasn't in a "pirate" mood at the time, but I was about two-thirds of the way through the book before I became emotionally involved with the characters. If the characters are hard for me to relate to, it's harder to get wrapped up in the story. I did finally reach that point, which was a huge relief! Normally, when reading Mary Lu's "pirate" books, I'm hooked from page one....such as with her Legacy of the King's Pirates series, which I couldn't read fast enough. =)
I think Hope was part of my problem. She was really hard to like at times, much less feel compassion for. Once God got His hands on her though, I started to like her more and more! As we come to discover, she has a reason for acting the way she does, and it all stems from a horrible tragedy that she has kept a secret for many years. In no way does this excuse her actions, but it does explain a lot. This is when I started to become emotionally involved with her, and began to understand what she was going through. Mary Lu's unique brand of writing shines through in certain parts of the story, which I'm always happy to see.
It was a pleasure getting to know Nathaniel better. It's amazing what all he endures to keep Hope safe, though at times he practically despises her. He is a true gentleman in every sense of the word, and does his best to defend her honor, even when it seems she doesn't deserve it. Growing up, Nathaniel was practically an orphan, but he is determined to make something of himself, even if it mean's ignoring God's call for his life.
As it turns out, both Hope and Nathaniel discover that when God has a plan for you, He works it out however He sees fit. The Blue Enchantress is full of adventure, sacrifice, painful memories, and forgiveness. I thought the most important lesson of all was, learning to accept yourself as God sees you.
If you haven't had a chance to enjoy any of Mary Lu's books, please visit her at her website to find out more about her, and them...you'll be glad you did!
I think Hope was part of my problem. She was really hard to like at times, much less feel compassion for. Once God got His hands on her though, I started to like her more and more! As we come to discover, she has a reason for acting the way she does, and it all stems from a horrible tragedy that she has kept a secret for many years. In no way does this excuse her actions, but it does explain a lot. This is when I started to become emotionally involved with her, and began to understand what she was going through. Mary Lu's unique brand of writing shines through in certain parts of the story, which I'm always happy to see.
It was a pleasure getting to know Nathaniel better. It's amazing what all he endures to keep Hope safe, though at times he practically despises her. He is a true gentleman in every sense of the word, and does his best to defend her honor, even when it seems she doesn't deserve it. Growing up, Nathaniel was practically an orphan, but he is determined to make something of himself, even if it mean's ignoring God's call for his life.
As it turns out, both Hope and Nathaniel discover that when God has a plan for you, He works it out however He sees fit. The Blue Enchantress is full of adventure, sacrifice, painful memories, and forgiveness. I thought the most important lesson of all was, learning to accept yourself as God sees you.
If you haven't had a chance to enjoy any of Mary Lu's books, please visit her at her website to find out more about her, and them...you'll be glad you did!
Cheryl E. (Cheryl74) reviewed The Blue Enchantress (Charles Towne Belles, Bk 2) on + 40 more book reviews
I won this in the Goodreads.com first reads giveaway.
This book was just ok for me. It took until about halfway through before it started getting even a little bit interesting. There were too many "miracles", which made it unbelievable.
This book was just ok for me. It took until about halfway through before it started getting even a little bit interesting. There were too many "miracles", which made it unbelievable.
Shelley A. (shell6834) reviewed The Blue Enchantress (Charles Towne Belles, Bk 2) on + 95 more book reviews
I absolutely love this series and this one is my favorite. The descriptions are so real, I was able to see the story unfold in my mind.
Cyn F. (Cyn-Sama) -
Nope, just can't do Christian romance. The two words just kind of seem like an oxymoron to me.
I'm sure this is someones cup of tea, but it's surely not mine.
I'm sure this is someones cup of tea, but it's surely not mine.
Kay M. (maydayzee) reviewed The Blue Enchantress (Charles Towne Belles, Bk 2) on + 748 more book reviews
The Blue Enchantress is a captivating novel with complex and interesting characters. I love pirate stories and I found this one to be especially enjoyable. There are many twists and turns in the story and I didn't really want to put the book down. I wanted to see what adventures were in store for the characters. Although the first book in the series wasn't as much to my liking as this second book, I am glad I read it, as it helped me to understand the characters and what motivated them. I'm looking forward to reading Book 3 in the Charles Towne Belles Trilogy.
