Pirates are just so dashing, aren't they? And ones that truly love their wives are even more so, if you ask me.

Meh did not like this one and stopped reading it after 20% but maybe Iw ill try the other books by the Author

I really enjoyed this. The romance at sea is always a good theme and this was well done. There was a bit too much dialog and angst but great story overall.

Scandal forces Cassandra and Devlin to marry. They each have their own baggage. Hers is the death of her one true love 10 years prior. When Devlin suggests marriage to alleviate the scandal Cassandra only agrees to a marriage in name only. Fortunately for Devlin they will be on his ship for some time. He uses that time to woo his wife and they both use the time to unload some of their baggage from the past.
Such lovable characters and a truly happy ending.

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist Romance Reviews (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2020/07/27/her-seafaring-scoundrel-by-sophie-barnes/)

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library historical romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story. 



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Number of titles I have read by this author: 3

Love story speed: Medium burn

Relationship dynamics: The Highborn Ship's Captain (H) / The Highborn, Pining Single Mother (h)

Physical descriptions: Devlin is over 6 feet with dimples, broad shoulders and dark eyes (he is better described in the previous books); Cassandra is curvaceous and pretty with brown hair, green eyes, and a "lush mouth".


Sexual content: A smidge; not overly explicit

Triggers: Extended grief; historically accurate depictions of single motherhood; parental estrangement

Grammar/Editing: This ARC had some typos and word choice issues (e.g. amicable vs. amenable) 

Review: This quick-paced novel is vaguely set in mid-Georgian times - it is not explicitly stated to be Regency period, but could be. For those who have read the previous books in the series, this book is fairly similar to its predecessors in terms of setting, characterization, and style. 

Devlin and Cassandra are the main characters of this book. Their relationship is a fairly standard set up: neither one wants to marry, hot heads make it happen, and then understanding develops between them. I was expecting a different set up for these two, since they both seemed to be such reasonable people in the previous books,. However, what I found was that some of the tension seemed contrived and overdone and that, rather than real gradual character development, the characters had "light switch" changes of mind that seem a bit clunky, along with a lot of angst. The supporting characters were a mix of people from the previous novels, along with a few new faces. For those who are on the fence about books with children in them, Penelope (Cassandra's daughter) is not too involved in the story, and she is not a troublemaker, so she is not a very intrusive character.




Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Three and a half stars. This book was great in parts, and not quite so great in others. I enjoyed the different theme of a sea captain as a hero, and how much of the story takes place on the ship out a sea. I liked Devlin and Cassandra, and the issues they were each dealing with, although it just seemed like each of them were carrying around far deeper baggage than the situation warranted, neither one being able to let go of their guilt, even 13 years later. The action scenes were great, and very well-written. I could feel the wind and salt spray of the sea, particularly during the storm sequence. The romance was nicely paced as they worked through their attraction; the back and forth of their indecision building to love felt right. Mostly good, some parts a little weak. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my freely given, honest review.

This book caught me by surprise. Why?? Because of it's different plot. Put in it: triplets, scandal, pregnancy, courtship, marriage, romance and twist and you get an awesome medley of things all combined in one delightful book!

Thanks to Netgalley for another great book. I was unfamiliar with the author, but pleased to discover she competently portrays a depth of emotion not found in all books within this genre. Here, she addresses the issues of grief and guilt and how they can haunt a person (or persons) who stays stuck in the past and fails to face the possibility of a happy future. Cassandra lives in the past, devoted to a fiance who died on the day of their impending wedding, leaving her pregnant with a now-13-year-old “illegitimate” daughter. She lives in a state of perpetual grief, feeling as if she cannot even consider betraying the love she once pledged to Timothy. Devlin lives in a state of perpetual guilt for deaths he feels he caused, though of course, he is not ultimately responsible. As a result, neither feels deserving or capable of loving the other, though for different reasons. As we all know, the heart often has a will of its own and pursues love despite our mental gymnastics to prevent it.

Penelope, Cassandra’s daughter is exceptionally incisive and mature with observations like this one: “You want to hold on to the past, the present, and the future all at the same time. You want Papa to come back and for no other person to take his place...Except he’s not coming back. Not ever. So it’s time for you to let go and move on or you’ll never be truly happy. And I’d really like for you to be happy, Mama. I want it more than anything else in the world.” Although there aren’t many 13-year-olds with the level of maturity demonstrated by Penelope, there’s no reason not to believe she is exceptional, considering the circumstances of her life and upbringing. Luckily, Cassandra takes her words to heart.

Meanwhile, Devlin is realizing he loves Cassandra and is desperate to win her love. At one point, wracked by his guilt, he “needed at least three glasses of brandy in order to think straight. Or perhaps not to think at all, he decided while trying to figure out what he should do.” The confusion, and sometimes torment, experienced by those in love are on full display, the author describing such emotions in vivid and compassionate detail. It’s difficult not to become ensnared in the passions of the characters. I absolutely loved this book and I’m anxious to read more from this author.

This was ok. Not fantastic, but the characters were engaging enough and the dialog mostly worked. On the whole though there was just a lack of overall stakes in the conflict. The conflict is an emotional one, guilt of letting go of a dead lover to embrace the new, which gets complicated a bit by the new love's own complicity of some sort in the death of the other. This part feels quite forced. This is more a gentle story of learning to let go and love anew, but there's not much scoundrel like or excitement in it.

This was a good read! I haven't read the other two books in the series, but I didn't feel that I was lost when reading this one out of order.

Devlin is one of three brothers (triplets!), and he has been spending much of his adult life at sea and is a captain. Cassandra is a tragic figure... she was to be married on the same day her finance died... and she later discovered she was pregnant (the scandal!)! Neither are interested in marrying, but when Devlin defends the honor of Cassandra by proclaiming her to be his intended, they end up following through with his declaration. Ultimately, they find a way to heal themselves and one another as each battle demons of the past, and the HEA is all the sweeter for the struggle.

Enjoyable historical romance with a friends to lovers plot.

Lady Cassandra has borne a child out of wedlock more than ten years ago, when her husband to be was unexpectedly killed just before their wedding, she has suffered ostracism and estrangement from her parents, but has risen above this to start a school for orphaned children with her friends. Devlin and his brothers have known her for a long time, and his family have acknowledged and supported her.

When Devlin hears Cassandra being insulted and gossiped about at his brother’s ball he defends her, and then claims he is going to marry her. When he comes to confess and ask for her hand, she is convinced to say yes for the sake of her daughter, but she insists on a white (celibate) marriage, as she is determined to honour the memory of her fiancée.

Devlin is determined to woo her and break down her defences, as he scoops her and her daughter Penelope up to join him on his next voyage to Australia. He slowly but surely breaks down her defences one by one, ably assisted by the very mature and partisan Penelope.

A nice and light read, with some great character development and evolution, especially for Cassandra, who bit by bit let’s go of her baggage and angst about betraying the memory of Timothy. I was really pleasantly struck by how well this was done, as usually such lighthearted romances are short on believable character development.

Enjoyable.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads

Her Seafaring Scoundrel, is book three of the Crawfords series which is about three triplet brothers finding love without wanting to. Cpt. Devlin Crawford who is home from traveling the world, had good intentions but makes a faux pas which brings about big circumstances. While attending a ball, he overhears a baroness disrespecting his family friend, Lady Cassandra Moor. As we know in those times battles of words in polite society can often make the situation worst. Hence Devlin having to declare that Cassandra is his affianced. That was not the right move to silence the waging tongues of course. Devlin once calm does not think that marriage to Cassandra will be a horrendous task after all. Cassandra however who had been engaged to Timothy, whom she deemed her true love doesn’t want or leave room in her heart for falling in love again. To make matters worse, in anticipation of their vows they had not waited for marriage, when tragically, Timothy was killed in an accident on his way to the church on their wedding day. Cassandra’s grieves and finding out she was to have their child, eased her burden. Now, disowned by her parents it is her brother who has set her up with home and hearth, where she lives quietly with her daughter and several orphaned children. Her visits to town always has her being shunned and gossiped about but she’s content living away from society loving her child and caring for the children.
Devlin thinks that there’s always been a subtle attraction between them and he counts on that to form the basis of their union and the steps to finding love. However, boy oh boy does Cassandra make that hard? Throughout the book we have Devlin pressing his suit, but she remains unmoved until Penny states how much she likes Devlin, and that she’d love him as a father. The new family sets out on a voyage to see the world where one would think romance would bloom, but nope. Even though Devlin constantly shows her care and attention for his new wife and their daughter Penny she does not move towards letting herself love him. Seemingly due to the memory of her lost love and clinging to the idea of faithfulness, she can’t love Devlin and it becomes ridiculous. I started getting annoyed with her point blank. No one would want the person they love to wither away and be alone if love truly existed there. Once I settled into that mindset the rest of the book became highly annoying to me.
The book continues on with them going through struggles after struggles and her just running away it seems instead of grabbing at the possibility of happiness and love with both arms. It becomes clear that Sophie Barnes had in her heroine a damaged individual who has a lot of growing up to do and whose child held most of family’s wisdom for her tender age. Penny and Devlin are the reason that I give this book four stars instead of three as they make it worth reading.

This review was given on the ARC copy received from the Publisher via NetGallery in return for my honest opinion.

Devlin has no plans to marry, but when he ends up at a ball and someone criticizes Cassandra, he won't let it go. He stands up to the woman and announces that Cassandra is his fiancée. When he informs Cassandra about what transpired, she is not happy and travels to her home. What is Devlin to do, but follow her...

After being shunned by society for having a child out of wedlock, Cassandra never imagined that she would get married. But when Devlin announces to the biggest gossip that they are to be married she eventually rethinks the idea. Her daughter already loved Devlin and he makes a good case for the marriage, so she agrees to wed him. But she has conditions for their marriage...

Neither wanted this marriage, but Devlin soon realizes that he wants it to be a marriage in truth. Can he woo his wife to his way of thinking?

I loved Devlin and Cassandra's story!! I loved how Devlin interacted with Cassandra's daughter. He was so good with her!! I think that kind of helped Cassandra change her mind about Devlin and start to see him in a new light. It was a nice change of pace to have the man really want the marriage to work and he try to convince the woman to give it a go. I like watching Devlin "give chase" to Cassandra.

This was a great ending to a wonderful series!! If you've not read it, do so now!!

I just loved this book. Having met Cass and Dev in previous books in the series, I was happy to see them finally get their own story. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and will definitely be recommending it.
Thank you Sophie Barnes and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

Lady Cassandra has no desire to marry. She's still wedded to the idea of her one true love, Timothy, who died on the morning of their wedding before the ceremony but after the night of passion that left her pregnant. That means she's outcast from the Ton. When Devlin defends her reputation publicly, they end up more or less having to marry, but Cassandra's stipulation is that there will be no sex as she remains faithful to her first (dead) love. Dev thinks he'll be able to change her mind and this is more or less what the book's all about. It's lightweight but readable – and, of course, predictable. Devlin is a seafarer, but he isn't really a scoundrel, so it's a pity about the title.

I absolutely adored this story as much if not more than the first two in this series. Once I began I was drawn in quickly and could not wait to see what would happen with Devlin and Cassandra.
Devlin, the Captain of his ship, loved the life on the water and being at sea. He felt that marriage was not for him because he did not want to give it up. Deep inside he is scarred from his father's treatment, but he truly cares for his crew and his family. Loves his nieces and nephews and he really pulled at my heart!
Cassandra is a friend of his sister in laws and has helped develop and run the orphanage they have together. She cannot get past the loss of the man she loved, who had tragically been killed before their wedding. but had left her with a child of their anticipated wedding day. That had been over twelve years ago and she still let it drive her life.
But fate steps in and brings the two together, as they travel a winding journey for them both to heal and find that true love can happen no matter how much you resist!
I adore this author's writing and look forward to each brilliant book she creates! Wonderful!

Cassandra and Devlin enter into a marriage of convenience. She holds on to her first love and husband and is unwilling to let go. But Devlin decides to win her and their story is a joy to read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. Devlin and Cassandra were perfect for each other. This was a great conclusion to the series.
Thank you for the ARC. This was my honest review.

WOW! Loved this story..Will have to get the entire series and read it. Love the books that draw you in like this one.

Her Seafaring Scandal is an enjoyable romance novel that had me sucked in from start to finish.
Devlin Crawford is the captain of a ship that sails around the world for 9 months at a time before returning to England for 1 month. On his return he accidentally declares that he wants to marry Cassandra after a Baroness talks badly of her at a ball and he wants to defend her honour.
Cassandra is a mother with an illegitimate daughter after she had indiscretions with her fiance the day before their wedding. Unfortunately her fiance died on the way to the church so she has been left to raise her daughter Penelope with the mirth of society on her for 12 years. And she vows to never be with another man as she loved him too much.
At first Cassandra doesn't want to marry Devlin but she soon comes to the conclusion it's the right thing to do for her daughter. After their wedding Devlin, Cassandra and Penelope head off on a 9 month journey to Australia and back where they really find out what it's like to be married with issues involving love, loss and life choices.
The book does jump in time quite a bit especially towards the end so you can see how their relationship turns out.l which can leave you a little wanting. Their is also very little lovemaking in this book and what their is skips over any saucy bits anyway so it's extremely tame in that regard.
Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the 2 previous books in the Crawford series.
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Sophie Barnes for providing me with this digital review copy.