Siren: 6

I took me a long time to get around to reading Siren. I can't think of anything less appealing than a pirate romance. I purchased it primarily because Sawyer's literary agent is Kristen Nelson and I've learned to read everything Kristen reps. But still... A pirate romance? It took me about two pages to get past that bias and fall in love. The blurb on the back cover is really, really mis-representative of what this book is about. I'd classify Siren as a historical adventure based around a romantic relationship. It is fabulous. It is a huge, lavish, beautifully written novel full of historically accurate details and clever, fascinating (often real) characters. I can't say enough good things about it. In essence it is the story of a intelligent, clever, independent woman forced to privateering in order to save her island home and its people. It is also the story of a long-time (and hugely successful) smuggler/pirate who protects his family, business, and the woman he loves as the tides of their world shift between France, Spain, England, and the U.S. The story covers the years leading to and including the Battle of New Orleans. The hero, Jean Laffite, was a real person. Leonore was not, although she fits beautifully into the story. This is not a pirate-ravishing-the-virgin type novel (Thank goodness). It is a historical more along the lines of Dorothy Dunnett or Diana Gabaldon (not that it mimics either of those writers. It definitely has its own flavor). Thank you Cheryl Sawyer for this wonderful gift of a book. It earns a spot on my very small 'keeper' shelf.

I stayed up until almost 3:00 AM to finish this book. This is a wonderful novel rich with vibrant characters and a vivid historical setting. The hero and heroine are perfectly matched to each other and each of their encounters is flawlessly written; by turns humorous, sensual, poignant and tender. If you enjoy pirates, a bold hero, a resourceful heroine, and an in depth potrayal of the 19th century, you will love this novel. I am certainly a fan of Cheryl Sawyers' writing and can't wait to read her other books.

In 1812 in Haiti, Jean Lafitte questions one of his ship captains, Curtis of the Raleigh, about what he learned from meeting three days ago in Port-au-Prince with Roncival's daughter. Curtis says that "the whore of San Stefan" is recruiting crewmembers. Concerned that the daughter of his deceased rival is hiring sailors after a year of no Roncival at sea, Jean leads his fleet to San Stefan. There he abducts Leonore Roncival to insure she poses no threat to his activities. The infamous pirate quickly learns she is defiantly not a chip off the old block as he finds he desires her with every inch of his heart. With the Napoleonic Wars in Europe about to overwhelm the Western Hemisphere especially the United States and the Caribbean, Jean and Leonore choose sides, but will they be together when the hostilities erupt? This is a terrific historical romance that gives strong focus to early nineteenth century events, almost as much as the love subplot between two strong characters. Jean Lafitte as usual is a fascinating protagonist though it is difficult to separate the romanticized fiction from the reality. Leonore is his perfect counterpoint, but this reviewer could not find information to verify if she was his real soulmate. However, no one except historical fiction purists will care beyond curiosity as she makes his perfect counterpoint in Cheryl Sawyer's sweeping epic tale. SIRENS is a novel that wonderfully brings to life a bygone era in international relations when communications were too slow to stop the Battle of New Orleans even though the peace treaty was already signed. Harriet Klausner

Leonore Roncival, a pirates daughter, was rumored to be, among many things, a `siren' who lived her life on a private island paradise, surrounded by treasure, and who picked only the most handsomest men as her lovers. So it was with this knowledge that Jean Lafitte, the legendary pirate, came to conquer her domain and steal her treasures. - Only he found that her legendary beauty was nothing compared to the reality and, as such, it would be she, his Lionheart, who conquered him in a passion that would be beyond anything either had ever known. From the very first pages of this impressive novel the reader is treated to a colorful tapestry of sights and impressions set amongst the vivid streets of New Orleans to the colorful beaches of the Caribbean as the author takes you on a high seas adventure blending fiction with actual historical fact. In highlighting the political struggles during this time the author captures the flavor of the period in keeping the reader entertained as she cleverly weaves in the tumultuous love affair between Leonore and the pirate, Jean Lafitte. As a lover of history, I certainly enjoyed the factual (I looked up several of the mentioned names and events) references to the people and of course, to Jean Lafitte himself. Although little is truly known of Lafitte's origins, the legends surrounding his life certainly made him a truly fascinating character study. Leonore, was fictionalized although one could truly believe she just might have been real, or at the very least, it would have taken someone with her strengths and beauty to have finally captured the attention and the heart of the very elusive Jean Lafitte. Though attracted and loving each other as much as they did, her secret ancestry itself was as much an impediment as the foolish pride that kept them apart. While I truly enjoyed the total historical aspect of the novel, it was not as heavily loaded with as much passionate sensuality as I personally like to see in a romance. The love affair and the dialogs were much more captivating than any actual sexual episodes which were generally summed up in a paragraph or two. Consequently, for those looking for hot, steamy and passionately descriptive episodes, you won't find them here. In spite of the lack of heavy sensuality, this was a most entertaining novel highlighting the trials and tribulations two star-crossed lovers had to overcome to be together. --- Marilyn, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---