Destiny’s Captive

When Pilar Banderas steals Noah Yates’s ship for gunrunning, and then promptly sinks it, she never expects Noah to come after her. After much searching, Noah finds Pilar at a ball and crosses swords with her. After the sword fight, Noah is so entranced that he half-blackmails, half-coerces Pilar to marry him.

While Destiny’s Captive captivates the reader with an action-packed beginning, the book soon calms into typical historical romance fare. Noah and Pilar are married to protect Pilar from being prosecuted for stealing Noah’s ship and smuggling weapons to rebels. The pair travels to California, and Pilar settles into life as a happily married woman. It’s at this point that the story loses much of the fire and excitement that kept it going at the beginning. While Noah struggles with some of his inner demons, the story lacks tangible conflict.

Despite the plot running out of steam, the sweetness and dedication the characters display toward one another is the best part of the book. Pilar’s closeness with her mother and sister is heartwarming, and the book has a happy ending, leaving the reader satisfied.