Carrie Fancett Pagels Reviews Lena Nelson Dooley's "Pirate's Prize"

Lena Nelson Dooley
Pirate's Prize (audiobook)

Heartsong Presents romance, Barbour Publishing, 2006

I listened to the unabridged audiobook. Lena offered me this audiobook when I told her I saw it listed at $96 new on Amazon!  Her husband was kind enough to mail it to me, which is so sweet.

This is a memorable book. I loved the character Angelina de la Fuente Delgado. A wealthy businessman's daughter, she is returning to Florida from Spain with her aunt. A young man on board, Brian O'Doule finds himself distracted by the beautiful young lady. He blames himself when her father's ship is boarded by French-speaking pirates. They take Angelina her and her aunt hostage and the cargo as booty. It was really sad when her father's faithful crew are forced to walk the plank. I hate stuff like that in books but Lena handled it well. The scumbags send the boat to the bottom of the ocean.

Brian, who understands multiple languages, survives because Angelina pretends to only understand Spanish, and hence cannot communicate with Etienne Badeau, the pirate captain who wants to make her his wife.  Brian shelters the women and seeks to help them get free. Meanwhile her father searches for them. Lena did a great job of using the language barrier as a plot device for Brian to develop his relationship  with Angelina while foiling Etienne’s plot to marry her.

There are few Christian fiction books set in Spanish America, especially during the colonial period. Add in the French pirate and I haven't seen anything like this in Christian fiction. The unique story line, setting, and time frame really set this book apart in a big way.

Heartsongs seem to be showing up more and more in Kindle. Maybe this excellent story will also become a Kindle book. 

Loved the hero's godly character. Lena is known for creating amazing heroes who are strong Christian men. And Lena didn't make Etienne Badeau too creepy, although she could have - just enough to give you the start of the willies but no more. 


If you can get your hands on this audiobook, it is a wonderful listen! I would consider it a backlist favorite with sticking power.  The narrator was very good, too.