Started reading the Kindle book while in hospital

...but it was so much better than expected that I just had to get the Audible whispersync.

Yeah, I read the negative reviews about Cornell Collin's reading of "Kidnapped by the Pirate"... but it didn't bother me. And I'm glad I got it.

The story and character development were much better than expected when I bought the Kindle on a lark. And later on in the book there were some parts where the pirate and his captive had some -- um -- interesting times together. (Please don't tell my wife I enjoyed reading this!) The way it was all told was in an old-fashioned time period kind of way so it made it all feel so authentic.

"Kidnapped by the Pirate" was a great find and I recommend it. It's one I'll quite likely read again. Just hope I don't find myself back in the hospital when I do

P.S. I'm fine.
And can you, maybe, read more of my reviews so that writing them won't feel like a waster of time. Thanks :-)

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44 people found this helpful

Fantastic!

Another Keira Andrews masterpiece. Adventure and action. Love and super hot smexy times!
It’s been awhile since I listened to a book narrated by Cornell Collins and I’d forgotten how spectacular he is. All the voices were different and distinct, including the female voices. You never had to guess at who was speaking. Add to that his amazing ability to express passion and emotion, and you have a fantastic story that I know will go on my listen over and over again list.

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11 people found this helpful

Disappointing voice choice!

I liked the book. Great M/M romance adventure novel. However, the Pirate's voice was wholly inappropriate. The pirate on the cover art is a young attractive man but the voice chosen for this character puts one in the mindset of Blue Beard. The voice conjures images of a dirty, old, long beard, foul breath vagabond. I struggled to push this image out of my mind through out the entire story.

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9 people found this helpful

Really good pirate m/m story :)

4 stars

This was a very good story. I liked both Nathaniel and Hawk and enjoyed their story and how they came together in the end.

Nathaniel is the son of a Governor over an island colony in the new world. He grew up in England and had schooling but always had issues with reading and always prefered a more physical lifestyle than what was considered proper for someone of his station. Nathaniel has always had a longing for men but kept his preference hidden because it's considered a sin (as well as a crime punishable by death).

Hawk used to be a good man and Captain of a Privateer ship, legally operating under contract from the crown. Hawk and his crew were screwed over by a evil man (Nathaniel's father) that wrongly invalidated his contract and proclaimed him a criminal to steal his bounty. Hawk and his crew were forced to become pirates because of this treachery.

The book description gives a pretty good rundown of how the story begins so I wont give more details that might spoil the story. I will say that although Nathaniel was Hawk's prisoner, he wasn't forced into anything...it was more a matter of him deciding take advantage of his situation before he is ransomed back to his father and forced to marry a woman for her dowry. Hawk is tough but it is partially an act because of his position and he has a soft side that Nathaniel brings out. There's some angst because of the fact that Nathaniel is a bounty and Hawk's crew want their share of the ransom but that plays out well, if a bit suspenseful. In the end, things turn out well all around and Nathaniel and Hawk are able to find a place they can be together and have their HEA.

This was a very enjoyable story. Nathaniel was a very good MC and I liked him a lot. Hawk was gruff and I didn't always like his actions but I liked him as a character. Together, Hawk and Nathaniel made a great couple and I was happy with how things worked out. Overall, I really liked the characters and I though the story was very good and engaging so I'd recommend it. :)

* note - I did find the narration a bit slow though so I turned the playback speed up to 1.20% and it worked really well.

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6 people found this helpful

CAPTAIN NEEDS A NEW VOICE

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it was enjoyable except for the Captain's voice.

What other book might you compare Kidnapped by the Pirate to and why?

Can't say

What about Cornell Collins’s performance did you like?

As a narrator Cornell Collins is excellent. However, in the case of the Captian's voice, he was disappointing. One of the things that attract a reader to a particular book is the book jacket. One this book jacket is the picture of two YOUNG VIRIL MEN who appear to be about ten years apart in age. Thus you get a mindset of now only how old the characters are, but also how they look. However, OMG, when I first heard the voice of Captain Hawk, all I could envision was the pirate Blue Beard speaking from his nursing home bed. The voice and the picture of the captain are years apart in age. This bothered me through the entire book. For this reason, I give this book my "Four Stars.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

If you are going to picture the main character(s) on the book jacket, PLEASE USE AN AGE APPROPRIATE VOICE.

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6 people found this helpful

reasonably fun

I've enjoyed Cornell Collins work on some of KJ Charles' novels, so I thought this might be a fun listen. I ended up sticking through it more on the strength of his narration than anything. The plot isn't bad, but there was quite a bit of back and forth with the emotional drama that sort of dragged. Pirate captain Hawk spends a lot of time catching feels, denying them, trying to act like a hardass, and then catching feels again. I think the story might've benefited from some other form of conflict, maybe, or just by being a bit shorter.

It was funny to me to see other reviewers say they felt the voices didn't match the characters. They might not match up to the cover art, but the characters themselves are 18 and 41. There's 20+ years between our leads, no matter what the cover might lead you to believe, and the story itself certainly makes that clear enough more than once. Caveat lector (or caveat audiens, I guess): if the phrase "barely legal" doesn't do it for you, maybe give this one a miss.

That said, Cornell Collins' narration is worthwhile for me; his normal speaking voice is low and soothing, with Hawk's voice even lower and with a West Country accent that I found pretty charming. and the sex is SPICY - his breathy take on Nathaniel's voice when things get steamy is honestly a blessing. He's got the range to make the characters distinct, which makes this a pleasure to listen to, though probably not one that will merit a relisten from me.

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5 people found this helpful

great m/m spin on the “Kidnapped” theme!

This was so much fun! Leave it to Keira Andrews to put an m/m spin on the “Kidnapped” theme.

I really loved the self-actualization and personal growth as well as the smexy times and SUPER romantic story lines.

This felt time appropriate and seemed to be something that – given the high seas- could happen.

Cornell Collins is the perfect narrator for this and he did a tremendous job – as always. Definitely the best way to appreciate this story. He gives everyone unique voices and managed to be convincing even for the women!

Highly Recommended!



5 of 5 stars

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5 people found this helpful

4.5 Stars

In the year 1710 Nathaniel Bainbridge and his pregnant sister, Susanna, are traveling to a Caribbean island outpost called Primrose Isle where their father is Governor to reunite Susanna with her husband and introduce Nathaniel to his betrothed.

Before the ship can reach its destination though it's attacked by the Damned Manta, a pirate ship ruled with an iron fist by the infamous Captain Hawk.

Things go south for the Bainbridge siblings when Captain Hawk realizes who's aboard. He quickly devises a plan to hold Nathaniel for ransom and revenge on Nathaniel's corrupt father, Walter Bainbridge, who lied and is directly responsible for Hawk and his crew losing their letter of mark as a Privateer which forced them into a life of piracy.

The plan is simple: if Nathaniel's father doesn't pay 100,000 pounds ransom Nathaniel will die.

While initially they are enemies, as time and circumstances change the two begin a sexual exploration. Nathaniel is 18 and Hawk is 41, but their age gap doesn't impede the closeness that grows between them.
He was going to hell for his sinful desires regardless, so the journey might as well be worth it.

However, their strengthening relationship presents a real dilemma for Hawk - regardless of how much his heart may be engaged by Nathaniel - if Bainbridge doesn't pay the ransom Hawk will have to keep his promise to his crew to kill Nathaniel.

Kidnapped by the Pirate is a terrific May-December, old-fashioned-bodice-ripper-style historical romance. I enjoyed the dual POV, the story paces quickly, and I loved seeing the tough as nails alpha male pirate fall for his plucky virgin captive. And let me tell you, the sex scenes are SUPER HOT.

Cornell Collins gives an exceptional performance. His timing, pacing, and emotional performance are all on point. He brings out the innocence in Nathaniel's character without making him a shrinking violet, and the softer side of alpha pirate, Hawk, and makes sure the large cast of characters have easily distinguishable character voices.

Kidnapped by the Pirate is a sexy, sweet captivating listen with some twists and turns and a lovely, and believable, happy ending.

Fantastic narration, lovely story, great ending. *sighs* This made me a very happy listener. Recommended!

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5 people found this helpful

Wonderful Story With an Even Better Performance

Kidnapped by the Pirate is a bit of a throwback to my early romance reading days filled with 'bodice rippers' fresh from Half Price Books. Keira Andrews, one of my favorites, brings all the fun romance novel tropes and turns them on their heads in this story. Hawk & Nathaniel are much more than meets the eye and the relationship that develops between them is based on their realities, not the faces they show the world. Which just makes the story that much better.

Cornell Collins gives an amazing performance, slipping between multiple iterations of English, as well as Irish brogue, pirate, and a few other dialects seamlessly. At one point, he performs a conversation between 7 characters, each with a different voice and accent, and does so without missing a beat. I'm absolutely enthralled with his voice.

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3 people found this helpful

Hear this book and deepen your dreams of love

the audio book outlived my imagination reading the ebook. The reader was perfect just perfect.

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2 people found this helpful