Diana Fletcher is on a mission to find her missing brother. She’s determined to find him and punish those responsible.
This wasn’t a bad story. It was pretty predictable and not too much vested in the emotions, but it told a complete story for being short and had plenty of hawt parts to it. I’ll probably read more from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This read was most definitely, without a question - out of my comfort zone. I have made it known that romance isn't my typical read. I don't mind reads with romance tossed is or it having an underlying theme but I don't tend to pick up reads where romance is the entrée. That said...
What I didn't care for was the amount of sex scenes in the book. It read as though you were rushing through a scene to get back to their bedroom. I don't care for a lot of sex in books as it is, and that may be the reason I tend to stay away from romance books...
It makes sense if the sex scene plays into the already-unfolding-scene or enhances the scene. My last negative thing about the book, I had to chuckle at some of the authors choice of words which I'm sure she may have meant to give the reader a smile aside from being descriptive (for example, the wording she used to describe his...man parts - trying to be PG here!).
What I enjoyed about the book...her writing is smooth and cohesive. She has a lot of potential, skill, and talent in her creativity and writing. Aside from all the steamy sex Diana and Tristan are having, there is a story-line and plot that was intriguing and I wish I got to read more about. I did get a good chuckle at how fast he decides he wants to marry her; especially with how he first comes to meeting her. The scorned-ex-lover thing is cliche, however, Donahue freshens it up a little with their unique personalities and the fun twist of Diana being there for her brother, not a man. Lastly, I haven't read any pirate style books that I recall until this one. Adding that gave the book a fun and exciting element!

Pirates, plantations, exotic locales, seduction and sensual delights are all in store for a reader in Ms. Donahue’s latest historical, First Comes Desire.

The premise of a sister looking for her brother and willing to do what needs to be done at all costs is a noble introduction to the conflict. Diana’s surprise comes from underestimating a pirate, especially if he’s highly intelligent, cunning, canny and astonishingly handsome. Tristan is all that plus more. The fact that he disconcerts, flusters and unnerves her makes Diana all the more determined to see Tristan hang for abducting her little brother. The fun comes from the hero’s point of view. Diana has no idea what plans he has for her and the lengths he’ll go to seduce her but, as a reader is seeing into both their heads, the outcome is quite apparent. The heroine is about to be delightfully and thoroughly compromised in a way only a pirate can get away with.

Erotic romance readers will find the usual array of sensual attacks on Diana’s senses effective, titillating and well written. There is some light bondage but I don’t classify it as BDSM, it’s just Tristan being a pirate and subduing the heroine’s feisty, contrary behavior. He utilizes every part of Diana’s body in an erotic attack that leaves the heroine breathless and awakened and aware of her body as never before. Readers know once that happens, once passion is unleashed, there’s no going back. Get ready to be satisfied.

Now comes the tough part, explaining the difference between me, a long time romance reader, and a newbie just dipping their toes into erotic romance. For new readers, this book should be a solid winner because it covers a favorite topic – pirates. It allows a woman to feel okay with a dominate man who does forceful and decadent things to get his way just because he is a pirate. The Dom/Sub aspect is definitely there even though this isn’t that kind of subgenre; it’s just Tristan’s nature to want to subdue a worthy opponent but wanting something far more, her trust and willingness to concede. There is an exciting conflict and a suspenseful, action filled conclusion that had a surprising resolution for some of the combatants. All of that works. However, from my perspective, I was disappointed because I recognized every pirate trope I’ve ever read crammed into this novel. I knew what was going to happen and who was going to cause trouble and how it was going to play out and a general idea as to who would get their comeuppance and even how it would happen just because of how those characters were written. In that, the book was predictable, formulaic and a trial to get through and I was disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, this novel is very well written and put together, and the erotic scenes definitely worked, but I’m too jaded by years of reading to be surprised at any of the plot/conflict points explored here because I had the feeling of been there/read that, and bought the book one too many times to get amazed by the turn of events. So please take this paragraph as an endorsement for fresh new eyes to the romance genre because I think they’ll enjoy First Comes Desire tremendously. For readers like me, unless you have a craving for manly pirates, and are in the mood for a predictable format, this might be a nice bit of sexy escapism to pass the time with but doesn’t come with any intriguing twists, shocks or unusual kinks.

All that being said, the author took some time to write a lengthy, meaty plot to couch the sex within and I found that to be a strong plus for this novel. I also appreciated how Diana had to come to grips with all the changes in her little brother, who wasn’t little any longer. I liked the solid friendship between Tristan and his friend, James. I also think that the author did an excellent job of depicted the pirates as nasty villains and effective stirrers of the plot conflict. Ms. Donahue convinced me that they were decidedly distasteful beings.

On the whole, First Comes Desire has a lot to offer readers who adore saucy, virile pirate heroes who lust after women who eventually bring out the noble men inside of them, much to their astonishment and consternation. Diana smooths Tristan’s rough edges as much as he unleashes the sensual, wild and passionate woman inside of her. The two of them are good together and the novel does conclude with a satisfying happy-ever-after that ties into the book’s title quite cleverly. I suspect a lot of readers are going to really enjoy this story and be happy they read it.

Ever read a book, closed it and actually didn’t know how you were going to review it? Yep, that’s me right now. You are probably thinking that I didn’t like the book. Well, I did but it wasn’t what I expected. I expected more piracy or swashbuckling but instead was treated to a lush romantic story.

Tristian is/was a pirate but had decided to leave the life for good. Diana had been on the hunt for him for a year because she thought that he had kidnapped her younger brother. When they meet, I actually had to chuckle. I know, Ms. Donahue probably didn’t write it that way but I loved Diana’s spunk and feistiness when it came to Tristian. I also liked how Tristian treated her. He teased her, aroused her but it was never cruel. Unfortunately, Diana didn’t see it that way but that’s what makes the whole meeting that good. At least for me.

Tristian had a rough life and there were things that he had done in the past that he wasn’t proud of but he was proud of his home, the islanders, Peter, James and most of all, Diana. He never thought he would find a woman like her but he did. Diana was a bit too naive for me in the beginning. I liked how she grew into her role with Tristian. Of course, she still had to nag her brother, Peter, but he finally understood. Some of their scenes reminded me of the sully teenager and the “really, just really” things that modern teenagers say and do. LOL! One of the other things that I liked about Diana was that she was willing to adapt to her new way of life. Was it easy? Nope but sometimes it was funny.

The villains in this story are vile. I’m still trying to get over Canela and her deception. Poor Adamo. She made her bed and unfortunately, Tristian made sure that she would lie in it forever. As for the other villains…honestly, I wasn’t surprised. I figured that’s what would happen but I never saw Canela coming at all. I thought that she would fade into the background but her lies, deception and pure jealous overtook her and it wasn’t pretty.

I need to warn you that there is a bunch of sex in the book. But come on, it’s erotic, right? There is some kink, too and I felt like in the beginning it was instant love but overall, the love, respect, and friendship between Diana and Tristian grew and it was fun watching it blossom.

Overall, I really liked the erotic pirate’s tale. It was lush, romantic, emotional and sexy. Just what I needed right now. (Considering that I’m going on a cruise next month.)

This was a steamy entertaining read. Diana Fletcher wants to rescue her brother from pirates and will do anything to find him. Diana believes Tristan Kent is the reason her brother was in harm’s way but isn’t sure what to believe. The chemistry between Diana and Tristan is steamy, can she believe the words of a pirate? Fast paced read with a good story and great characters. Looking forward to the next in the series.

A few years ago I read Johanna Lindsay’s A Pirate’s Love and this had the same old fashion feel to it. Although similar it definitely has it’s own twists and turns. If you’re in the mood for a quickie read with swaggering pirates and feisty ladies, this one is an entertaining read that will while away a couple of hours.

I think my rating would have been a tad higher if the pacing of their romance hadn’t been so speedy. At times it felt that they hated each other passionately and then in the next breath they were taking back all these accusations and declaring their undying love for each other. It left me with whiplash how quick they were willing to settle down with what was essentially, a perfect stranger. (view spoiler)

There were also a few things that I felt were added without much thought. The skeevey family friend, Bishop who helps Diana locate her missing brother for the price of her (un)willing body – he was mentioned but we never hear or see him. Then there was the spiteful ex-lover of Tristan’s – she was definitely one dimensional and I was pissed that Tristan is willing to expose this woman to his wife. He knows she’s out to get Diana but still makes a deal to let her live in his house?!? That’s a huge fat no for me. Like this is something maybe, MAYBE someone completely confidence in her husband (and not even then, because that would just not fly with me!) would be able to accept but not your wife of only days, who is literally a stranger. And last but not least, Diana risks life and limb to try and get her brother back and instead of understanding her choices and reasons, he is so ungrateful and Diana keeps allowing him to act that way. He was a frustrating character that I just couldn’t understand.

There were a few instances where the writer’s choice of words seemed a bit off. I’m talking about the moments several times Tristan’s man business is referred to as “meaty” and “beefy” which doesn’t do anything for me personally (except startle a guilty laugh out of me). Not only that but it seemed like the wrong words for the time period of the story.

Overall an okay read, it takes a little getting used to the writers tone and style but if you can suspend disbelief, you'll enjoy this one.

'First Comes Desire' by Tina Donahue is the First book in the "Pirate's Prize" series. This is the story of Diana Fletcher and Tristan Kent. Diana has traveled to find her brother Peter, who she thinks is in danger and goes to find him. Diana is lead to Tristan who has assigned Peter as his cabin boy. There she surprises him in his with a knife to locate her brother. Once Tristan gets a good look at Diana he finds that he wants to marry her. From there we are lead into a lot of sex, scorned ex lover and them just try to work things out. Ms. Donahue is one of my favorite authors and for me this book was really good. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."

Really good story! Loved this book. Have read author before this has been my favorite.

Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for this ARC.

You will want to read this one at night in bed with a lot of privacy. Love, passion, and a lot of heat

Diana Fletcher is worried sick about her brother Peter who ran away, boarded a ship and is now in the hands of pirates. She decided to search for missing brother Peter. She believes the pirate Tristan Kent pushed her brother into a life of piracy. She travels to a tropical island off Madagascar on a mission to find her brother with a borrowed ship from her deceased father’s lecherous friend, Benedict Bishop, who agrees if she becomes his mistress after she finds her brother. Tristian is not quite what she’s expected, he rescues her and saves their lives. She is instantly attracted to him, she longs to believe his truths that he tried to save him from another ruthless captain. Tristian knows he must protect Diana, but first he must get her to trust him. They learn and grow in friendship, love and trust with as the story progresses.
I received an ARC copy from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

There was so much potential for this story that I'm actually quite sad at the way it turned out. A spurned ex-mistress hell bent on revenge? A ruthless band of pirates looking for the person who wronged them? Reunited siblings? Why with all of these wonderful story-lines did the author spend more time focusing on Tristan and Diana having sex repeatedly than exploring one of those? Especially when Diana has taken the time to go to such lengths to save her brother as she did. Shouldn't we have gotten to see their relationship blossom?

Anyone that knows me knows that sex doesn't bother me. When it is used to progress the story-line. And unfortunately this time it did not. In fact, Diana lost much of what made her a strong character by willfully bending to his will. In fact, I felt she completely lost her character and what made her likable by doing whatever, and I do mean whatever, Tristan wanted.

Even when the story came to a head, with all the intriguing story-lines merging into one, I felt that it still fell short. There didn't seem to be any real punishment for anyone, and except for a mention or two here and there, the man who funded Diana's whole excursion, a man she promised herself to, isn't involved. I find it extremely hard to believe he wouldn't be out there searching, or at the very least have people out looking for her.

Overall, I am sure this story may still appeal to those who enjoy a lot of steamy sexual scenes, however it just was not for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

i'm always up for a romance novel that takes place in an exotic locale, because nine times out of ten they take place in america or the british isles. first comes desire takes place in madagascar, so interesting location is definitely a box it checks.

unfortunately, it also checks the ridiculous purple prose box--actual phrases include "meaty balls" and "beefy rod," which, um, are not sexy. i personally prefer not to think of raw meat when sex is happening. and even more unfortunate, the way this love story develops is totally schizophrenic.

diana has hunted tristan down because she thinks he kidnapped her brother--he didn't. when he gets the better of her, he locks himself in her bedroom, and tells her she wants him, kisses her when she says no, and informs her that the children she will bear him will not be bastards because they are getting married.

then when his crew demands a turn with her, he seemingly acquiesces without a fight, lets her think his quartermaster is going to rape her, only haha, it turns out he wasn't actually going to do that. it's all a ruse to allow them to escape to tristan's private island. during the boat ride over diana suffers some sort of thought transplant because instead of being pissed at him for all of the above actions, she wants him to commit to her for love and not desire. and doesn't fight marrying him on the beach when they land on the island.

the push and pull between the leads continues this way until they solve their main issue with the left behind crew and the evil canela, the token native girl in love/lust with our hero, the original villian of the piece, benedict bishop earns barely a mention, which is super bizarre, but oh well. with diana spouting so many misogynistic ideas about being a wife that as a modern woman and a feminist it's all a bit hard to take. i don't mind an alpha hero, i don't mind a dominant either because usually behind the dominance and alpha-hole attitudes there is an underlying respect for women. but tristan wasn't written consistently for this to be true. and diana swings between badass and ninny too many times to count. and this is such a shame because i thought there was a good idea here. it just suffers terribly in the execution.

Diana Fletcher was sick with worry over her younger brother’s welfare. He ran away, boarded a ship and was now in the hands of pirates. Benedict Bishop offered Diana a ship, with several armed guards to bring the kidnapping pirates, back to England for justice, and return her brother to safety; if she became his mistress. Although the thought of being intimate with a man her father’s age, made Diana nauseous, she agreed.

Diana was relieved to find her brother. She was also glad to see that her guards had tied up the pirate’s captain, Tristan Kent, and his crew. Tristan had no intention of dying at the end of a rope or returning to England. He did, however, intend to keep the beautiful Miss Fletcher near him. He was intrigued by the attractive courageous woman and decided that she was to be his wife.

Diana’s life was never the same after meeting the cunning pirate, Tristan Kent. She wasn’t supposed to like him, but she did. He confused her. Tristan was intelligent, educated and kind, yet he was a pirate. Her quiet, unassuming life was about to take a dangerous turn.

First Comes Desire is a well-written, compelling and enjoyable romance.

I struggled to finish this book, it was not what I was expecting and the first half of the book read like a really bad script for a low budget porn film. It does get marginally better in the second half of the book, but the nicest thing I can say about this book is that the cover is lovely.

If you have ever read any of my reviews, you know I don't mind sex, even graphic sex in the books I read, in fact I love a steamy book, but in those books, the sex enhances the story - it isn't the story. In this book I felt like it was all about the sex, with some other stuff happening. There was so much potential; a jealous ex-lover, exotic location, pirates, reunited siblings, but none of these really came to the forefront. I found the "relationship" between Tristian and Diana to be totally unbelievable, the writing lacking and the "plot" basically non existent.

I gave this book two stars, one for the cover (which is awesome) and one because some of the prose actually made me laugh out loud (which I am sure was NOT the author's intent) but really "his meaty balls"? "his beefy rod"? I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face.

Based on the other reviews, I am in the minority here and that is fine, to each his own, but this book was not for me and I doubt I will read another by this author.