Sea of Ruin

"<strong>Stockholm syndrome </strong><br/><br/>Spoilers and trigger warnings:<br/><br/>Besides finding out about Bennett and her husband's fidelity this plot was highly predictable. I knew the parents would die instantly opening the way for Bennett to do her own thing. But didn't understand the mother at all. She was going to marry her daughter off to some disgusting sicko, then all the sudden she is a hero, wait a minute she kills herself and leaves her daughter alone. A lot of wrong doing people were prized in this story. (No kidding pirates, yeah I know)<br/><br/>I did like to see Bennett's strength in how she commanded a ship. Standing toe to toe with her crew and using that defiant sailor talk. I wouldn't think it easy for a woman to stand her ground but she did. But her morals are highly misguided.<br/><br/>Ash and Priest. I wouldn't have picked either one. This story needed a third wheel to swoop in and save this poor girl. Bennett's husband cheats on her he is out. Ash does nonconsensual stuff to her........he should be dead. Cue the half brother who doesn't get but a couple chapters....and does nothing wrong.<br/><br/>There was way to much Stockholm syndrome going on with Ashley Culter. He literally watches her get raped, raped her then the author wants you to feel sorry for him no that's not happening. I don't care how much you dumb down the dialogue when a woman says "No" and then "Stop" anything after that is not consensual. I was shocked to find that this merely was a passing thought in her head before she threw it out the window. Bennett even goes on to believe she is beneath Ashley because he is a Naval officer I guess and proceeds to call her "*****" while he is crudely rubbing on her. I'm going to try and stop there because I cannot get past this fact.<br/><br/>At the beginning Bennett is a strong character and she does get through a lot of trauma without breaking which I admire. But no matter what your station in life you are not beneath a man. And to me there is no excuse for forcing yourself on someone. I don't care if your hot with a traumatic past. <br/><br/>And I'm really trying to be nice here but omg Bennett your killing me. Her husband Priest cheats on her. But still there are EXCUSES. No no no. That's not how life works."

"Hot! HOT! HOTT!!!"

"SUCH A GOOD PLOT TWIST AHHHHH"

"Great story, lots of unexpected twists and just the right amount of spice"

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5"

"Yep"

"It’s so hot in the way of being so wrong I don’t want to be right. That *one* scene will stay with me forever. Unexpectedly intense and heartfelt, with twists I never saw coming. I am a changed woman. "

"Absolutely loved this book. Gave me Bloody Jack by LA Meyer vibes but with heated love triangle. "

"This was a wild stay-up-till-6am-because-i-can't-put-it-down ride. I read this in two sittings, with an eensy weensy break for sleep. Heed the trigger warnings, because this is gritty af and our FMC goes through some real ******** before she comes out the other side. <br/><br/>The only criticism I have is that this book has a hefty little helping of white savior complex. I appreciated that it didn't shy away from acknowledging the horrors white people inflicted on Africans in the slave trade, but like... couldn't she have given them a stronger role in <spoiler> their own rescue here? Surely not everyone was just cooling their jets waiting for an enlightened white man to swoop in? Once the rescue was on, couldn't we have seen them fighting back and eviscerating the slavers? That would have been hella satisfying and I would have loved to see them get their own revenge instead of having it exacted for them. </spoiler> Given the time period and location, I guess there's a bit of grace with the lack of liberated POC if one is trying to be realistic and not exploring an alternate reality, but idk.. I would have loved seeing more than one singular strong Black character who doesn't even get that much page time. Am I expecting too much? Eh, maybe, but I don't really think so. <br/><br/>But I'll stop bitching now because this book was gripping, well written, captivating, compelling, blah blah blah I enjoyed the hell out of it and I loved the dichotomy of our two MMCs. <br/>Pam Godwin, <i> please </i> write some spinoffs in this world. I'd love to see the stories of Reynolds, Jobah, and maybe a prequel of Edric??? Please???"