MishyJo
After finishing my lit degree, I completely stopped reading. I had lost the ability to read for pleasure. But in early 2013 I discovered reading could be social. And in the autumn of 2013 I discovered MM romances and that reading could be downright HOT. I haven't stopped reading since!
I live on Goodreads but I promise to figure out Booklikes eventually.
 - Bey Deckard)
Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas (Baal's Heart, #1)
If this were Olympic ice skating, the base score for this read would be 4 stars. Unfortunately, the story had a few problems resulting in required deductions and leaving us with a final score of 3 stars.
Worthy of 4 Stars:
The pirates were really piratey. The were unapologetic in their plundering, pillaging, and murdering. There were no soft spots. There was no moment of realization where they decided that should change their ways and live a better life.
The story was nicely complex and layered without being convoluted or confusing.
Baltsaros was a big ol' liar and even though Jon (an empath) was really good at reading those around him, including Baltsaros, he was constantly being whipsawed as truths were discovered. Each secret that was revealed added a new twist to the story taking it in an unexpected direction. I loved that.
Jon's acceptance that the man he loved was far from perfect and his acceptance of those imperfections moved me. For a while I thought Jon would get sucked under by Baltsaros but eventually he found his voice and didn't lose himself.
I loved the writing.
The MCs and supporting characters were very well developed and credible. I was truly torn between whether I hated or loved Tom. And Baltsaros I really hated but so wanted to forgive.
The Mandatory Deductions:
This book was too long. Too long for me and my ADD or just flat out too long? I don't really know.
The BDSM scenes (there were only a few) seemed gratuitous and detracted from the relationship that was being built.
The book read a lot like [b:Broken Pieces|18874773|Broken Pieces|Riley Hart|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385998416s/18874773.jpg|26875233] in the way each of the three men were incomplete without the other two -- but it was not nearly as good as Broken Pieces which I loved
When it seemed that Tom was dead, the fact that his ghost might have been talking to Jon was okay, but Tom wasn't dead so what was that?
The deal with the hearts? I didn't get that. It added a bit of gruesomeness to the story that wasn't really needed.
Lots of flashbacks. I hate flashbacks. But again, that's just me.
And maybe I missed it but how was Tom still alive?
*******
Thanks to my buddy readers, Adam and Catherine. Here's the BR thread. I will post links to their reviews when they are done.
What happened to Sandra you ask? We made her walk the plank.
