Liberty's Lady is a ship-an American frigate converted to a war vessel in the fight for the Colonies independence. Thomas Britton is the ship's captain, determined to capture as many British ships as he can and claim them as 'prizes'. On board, serving under him, is a crew of loyal able-bodied men. His second in command, William Binck, is newly married, his wife expecting their first child. On the their last night together she has a premonition of danger for her husband but can do little but let him return to his post. The ship's surgeon Doctor Falmouth is a mysterious crewmember, unwilling to talk about his past.

The saga unfolds as Liberty's Lady overtakes a British vessel and ferocious fighting ensues. The British ship is captured and the surviving crewmembers taken prisoner. Also traveling on the British vessel is Lady Patricia Merston, who is on her way to England to meet her fiancé, a man she has never met but her father feels would be a beneficial match. Captured along with Lady Merston is her servant woman Mei.

Neither Patricia Merston nor Mei are new to the pleasures of the flesh, having a more than healthy appetite for sex, with men or even with each other. Their lives become meshed with Captain Britton's and Dr. Falmouth, as Lady Merston requires a man who gives no quarter and Mei wants someone who respects her knowledge, not just wants her body. With the backdrop of the war, the story unfolds in a romantic tale of courage and tragedy with the unknown quantity being Patricia's fiancé and how far he will go to get her back.

I found the story richly detailed with facts, especially in relation to the era and the ships. There is no doubt the author has a great deal of intricate knowledge into the time period and sailing vessels. The drawback to the story was it seemed caught between the indecision of being a romance with euphemisms and flowery phrases for the sensual scenes, rather than an erotic story. As a romance it is fine and dandy but the sex was written very purple prose and the terms that tried for erotic didn't quite translate. It was as if the romance was written first and flowed but then the extra bit that tried for erotic inserted later. As a romance I highly recommend the book, but for the reader who wants erotic scenes, this story doesn't quite reach that far.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Torie West
November 24, 2004