The Blue Diamond was a surprise of a read. I didn’t really know what to expect when reading a Historical Adventure Romance. The balance of adventure to romance was just right to keep me interested. As a writer and a historian, I was a History Teacher, I felt the period touches given were just enough for the story and not so much to get in the way of the read. Very nicely done. I am very glad I gave this book a chance.

Ivory Shepard and Maddox Carbonale, the conflicting romantic pirate leads of this novel reminded me a bit of Scarlett and Rhett’s relationship in Gone with the Wind. Both strong willed and leaders of their own particular worlds. When a large bounty brings to the two pirate captains clashing together the tension is believable and undeniable.

PS Bartlett brings historical pirate elements to the story without the corny stereotypes I was afraid I would find. With a change of setting, this story could translate into modern day, albeit with a touch of language update. The words and phrasings used made for an easy read.

The author does a very good job of setting atmosphere but there a very few times I wanted to get to the next part and be done with a few passages that seemed to get in my way. This may have just been my wanting to get onto the next part that told me something I really wanted to know.

There are no wasted scenes in the book as each one builds to an understanding of characters and leaves you wanting just a touch more knowledge. I was very impressed with the handling of back story in flashback scenes, very few, and a nice scene explaining a detail of Ivory’s past.

Also I liked the surprises at times but really Bartlett leads you along so that at times you do expect certain things, sometimes you are disappointed but sometimes you get what you want. I will say this, even though at times I knew what must happen, I didn’t know it would happen the way it did.

I connected with Carbonale in how his approach to his feelings and reactions to Ivory and her words and actions.

The reason I liked the book is because it gave a balance of both Ivory and Maddox and a few other characters and made me want to know what happens, and I was never allowed to be comfortable in what was occurring because I learned quickly anything was bound to happen to mess up what I thought would happen.

Bartlett left us wanting more at the end. I am hoping for a follow up to The Blue Diamond. She has created a world with a lot of possibilities for further adventure with various characters created.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars for writing, readability, character development, and the environment one is made to feel.

This is a great story of love, loss, and redemption. It is not your ordinary bodice-ripper. Ivory Shepard is a strong, yet flawed, character whose greatest struggle is taking care of her beloved cousins while keeping her vulnerability in check. Female pirates such as these are a rarity in romantic fiction, and P.S. Bartlett deftly handles the feminine psyche while providing her characters with a core of steel will and determination. This is a fun and satisfying read for those looking for love, adventure, and great female characters.