Review: Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt

Scandalous Desires
Book 3 in the Maiden Lane series
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN:  9780446558938
Release date: 10/25/11
Author's website: Link

Can a pirate learn that the only true treasure lies in a woman's heart?

Widowed Silence Hollingbrook is impoverished, lovely, and kind—and nine months ago she made a horrible mistake. She went to a river pirate for help in saving her husband and in the process made a bargain that cost her her marriage. That night wounded her so terribly that she hides in the foundling home she helps run with her brother. Except now that same river pirate is back...and he's asking for her help.

"Charming" Mickey O'Connor is the most ruthless river pirate in London. Devastatingly handsome and fearsomely intelligent, he clawed his way up through London's criminal underworld. Mickey has no use for tender emotions like compassion and love, and he sees people as pawns to be manipulated. And yet he's never been able to forget the naive captain's wife who came to him for help and spent one memorable night in his bed...talking.

When his bastard baby girl was dumped in his lap—her mother having died—Mickey couldn't resist the Machiavellian urge to leave the baby on Silence's doorstep. The baby would be hidden from his enemies and he'd also bind Silence to him by her love for his daughter.

We meet the main character Mickey O'Connor and Silence Hollingbrook in book 2 of the series   Their first meeting was not an enjoyable one and let's just say that Silence would be very happy if she never saw Mickey ever again.  But that doesn't happen since they have a connection of sorts through the child that Silence has been taken care of and loves with all her heart. It's through this child, Mary Darling, that Mickey and Silence get to see each other in a different light.  Mickey may be a pirate, but after learning more about his past the reader comes to realize how he became one.  He didn't have the best upbringing and becoming a pirate was his way of getting out of poverty.  Silence on the other hand grew up in a modest household.  Her family may not have had everything, but they had plenty of love.  Their pasts have shaped who they are in the present and once they are able to get over their prejudices of each other, they come to realize that they are perfect for one another. She's very close to her siblings and we get the chance to learn more about them as well especially her brother Winter who is such a huge part of her life and would do anything to protect his sister.  I found his character very interesting and can't wait to read more about him in the next book in the series.

Scandalous Desires is the first book that I've read that has pirate speak so it took me a while to get used to it.  While reading it I could mostly hear the voices from pirates that I've seen on tv or in a movie.  But I got the hang of it eventually and was able to enjoy the story better when I did.  There is so much more to Mickey and his true character is slowly shown throughout the chapters that by the end of the book you are just as much in love with him than Silence is.  I can see how she feel for him because not only is he a very handsome man, but is loyal to those that he cares about.  He's learning throughout the book about how to care for a child as well as how to treat a woman.  Silence doesn't get along with him at first because of his ways but he slowly begins to realize that all woman are not the same.  Through Silence, Mickey is able to learn that respect and honesty is very important in any relationship.  Silence learns something as well as she realizes that there is much more in a marriage that what she previously thought.  There is true passion between Mickey and Silence, something that she didn't have with her husband.  She feels like she can truly be herself with him and I thought it was wonderful that she was able to experience that. 

I'm giving Scandalous Desires a rating of:

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series since it picks up where this book left off and I just know that it is going to be just as intriguing as this one!  Like I said above it focuses on her brother Winter and there is a lot more to him than what we know!  There is also another brother by the name of Asa who seems to have an air of mystery surrounding him.  I feel as if this series is just going to get better with each book so if you haven't read any of the books in it, your missing out on some really interesting characters.