The Pirate Prince (Ascension Trilogy) [Mass Market Paperback]

Gaelen Foley (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ascension Trilogy | Publication Date: July 29, 1998

On a calm moonlit night, as the scent of jasmine and pine embraced the island of Ascension, the pirate prince Lazar di Fiori returns with lethal grace to avenge what was stolen from him: his kingdom, his birthright, his soul. . . .

Allegra Monteverdi, the daughter of Lazar's sworn enemy, proves an uncommonly powerful adversary. She throws herself on his mercy, her courage and beauty touching his cold, unforgiving heart. He agrees to spare the lives of her family--but only if Allegra sails away with him as his captive. For his quest for vengeance still burns fiercely, and he will settle for nothing less than Allegra's body and soul.

Alone at sea with this dark, intriguing man, moving between seduction and fear, Allegra gazes into eyes as deep and mysterious as the night and sees who this pirate really is. Lazar--the prince of her childhood dreams. Though he was rumored to be murdered years ago, she always believed someday he would return. But it will take more than her love for this pirate prince to bring peace to her beloved home. For Lazar must face the demons of his shattered past--if he is to forge the destiny that is theirs to claim. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This is a debut novel not to be missed! As an editor and an avid romance reader, I'm always on the hunt for fresh material that excites me, that takes me away, that reminds me why I started reading romance in the first place. The Pirate Prince by Gaelen Foley is definitely one of those books. She combines everything that is essential for a wonderful historical with a sweeping story full of adventure, passion and intrigue. I've read this book quite a few times as I've worked on it, but no matter how many times I go over it, even if it's just checking corrections on the page proofs, I'm drawn into the story of Allegra and Lazar all over again. These people really stay with you. Oh, and just a warning--be prepared for one of the sexiest heroes ever to grace the page! Shauna Summers, Senior Editor

From the Inside Flap

On a calm moonlit night, as the scent of jasmine and pine embraced the island of Ascension, the pirate prince Lazar di Fiori returns with lethal grace to avenge what was stolen from him: his kingdom, his birthright, his soul. . . .

Allegra Monteverdi, the daughter of Lazar's sworn enemy, proves an uncommonly powerful adversary. She throws herself on his mercy, her courage and beauty touching his cold, unforgiving heart. He agrees to spare the lives of her family--but only if Allegra sails away with him as his captive. For his quest for vengeance still burns fiercely, and he will settle for nothing less than Allegra's body and soul.

Alone at sea with this dark, intriguing man, moving between seduction and fear, Allegra gazes into eyes as deep and mysterious as the night and sees who this pirate really is. Lazar--the prince of her childhood dreams. Though he was rumored to be murdered years ago, she always believed someday he would return. But it will take more than her love for this pirate prince to bring peace to her beloved home. For Lazar must face the demons of his shattered past--if he is to forge the destiny that is theirs to claim. . . .

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 407 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (July 29, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449002470
• ISBN-13: 978-0449002476
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #275,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Noted for her 'complex, subtly shaded characters, richly sensual love scenes, and elegantly fluid prose' (Booklist), New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Gaelen Foley has written seventeen rich, bold historical romances set in Regency England and Napoleonic Europe. Her books are available in fifteen languages and have won numerous awards, including the National Readers' Choice Award, the Booksellers' Best, the Golden Leaf, the Award of Excellence, and the HOLT Medallion. To learn more about Gaelen, her novels, and the romantic Regency period in which her novels are set, visit her website at www.gaelenfoley.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, *Tortured* Hero!, January 16, 2005

By 

ellejir "ellejir" (Virginia, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pirate Prince (Ascension Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a sweeping tale of adventure and betrayal set in the 1780's on the (fictional) island kingdom of Ascencion--off the coast of Genoa, Italy, and on the high seas. I think that Gaelen Foley is a very talented writer, although at times her work is a bit uneven. I found the plot and setting of this story to be both unusual and engaging and the characters are well-drawn.

At 13 years of age, Prince Lazar di Fiore had miraculously escaped during the slaughter of his entire family by his father's political enemies by jumping off a 200 foot high cliff. Fifteen years later, Lazar, now the captain of a pirate ship, returns to Ascencion to exact his revenge upon his father's betrayer--Ottavio Monteverdi, the current Governor of Ascencion--and all of the Monteverdi family. But when Allegra Monteverdi, the Governor's lovely daughter, pleads with Lazar for the lives of her family and offers herself in return for his mercy, he relents and sails away with Allegra as his captive.

Lazar is a first-rate tortured hero. He feels guilty, guilty, guilty! about running away and surviving while the rest of his family was murdered. After his escape, he was pulled from the sea by Barbary corsairs who promptly sold him into two years of dehumanizing slavery with a sadistic master; then he escaped with the help of a cruel pirate captain into his life of piracy. Since everyone he has ever loved has died (even his dog got washed overboard!), Lazar believes himself to be cursed and avoids getting close to people. He feels unworthy of his birthright--the Kingdom of Ascencion.

Allegra is a good (but long-suffering) heroine. She has a very strong social conscience and is even willing to marry someone that she doesn't love for the good of the citizens of Ascencion. When she realizes that her pirate captor is really the lost Prince Lazar, she shames and bullies him into facing up to his responsibilities to his kingdom. She is a pretty plucky heroine and I liked her.

The plot is exciting and moves along for the most part. There is the usual "sexual tension on the pirate vessel" plotline (Will he be able to overcome her moral scruples with his practiced seduction???? Of course!!! But when?????) At one point a weary and confused Allegra asks, "Why don't you just rape me and get it over with?" Lazar tells her that he would never do that "Because I know how it feels." A good answer and good reason for the consumation of their relationship to be so drawn out, I think. The eventual love scenes are *very* steamy--a Gaelen Foley specialty it seems.

I have a few quibbles with the book:
The writing is generally very good, although I find the use of modern slang expressions to be very jarring in a historical romance (the characters say things like "Have at you", "Hello there, beautiful." and "Huh?") The public displays of affection in the book would have been scandalous in the time period of its setting. The secondary characters are mostly underdeveloped (with the exception of Darius) and the villains are flat. The love between Lazar and Allegra is very beautifully developed, but Lazar's treatment of the heroine is not always first rate (to put it mildly) and I am not sure that he did enough of a grovel at the end to warrant forgiveness.

In summary, this is a well-written historical romance with an unusual setting and engaging characters.
Recommended to historical romances lovers, especially those who like high adventure tales with tortured heroes.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPER SENSUAL! DELIGHTFULLY FUN FAIRY TALE ROMANCE, February 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Pirate Prince (Ascension Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I decided to read this book based on the reviews and it having won best first book by an author. I read at least one to 2 romances a week and I can honestly say I have never read a book I enjoyed more than this one. Lazar the hero is sweet tortured and absolutely gorgeous. The heroine, Allegra, is strong, compassionate and delightful. I loved this book and can't wait to read Princess and Prince Charming the second and third books in the series. Gaelen Foley is now on my list of favorite authors.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swashbuckling, wonderful romance and ummm so goood!, July 6, 2000

By 

Guppie - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pirate Prince (Ascension Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

The Pirate Prince..... how shall I review this book so that addict romance readers like me will go out and buy it? Well... BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT! IT'S SO GOOD, IT'S SO GREAT!

A reviewer/reader from South Africa titled her review "A Fairy Tale of a Romance", well she's right! From the start till the end the story is just so wonderful it will keep you reading till late in the wee hours of the morning.

There are author's who write romance novels and gives you the feeling of being in the book yourself... well Gaelen Foley is one of those authors and made me feel like I was part of the novel. Reading The Pirate Prince made me wish that Ascencion (a make believe island near Italy) really does exist and that Lazar and Allegra really are the rulers of the kingdom.

Anyway, what I really want to say is that this is truly a fairy tale romance, the characters are truly wonderful and believable. I wish they would make a movie out of this!

I already have the books Princess and Prince Charming and I have also finished reading them. Actually I bought all 3 books at once and boy am I glad I did because when I finished The Pirate Prince I started on Princess right away never wanting the story to end.

So buy the Pirate Prince, no not just the Pirate Prince, buy Princess and Prince Charming as well 'coz like me you won't want the story of the di Fiores to end. Enjoy!