Every time I swear I’m going to slow down on reviews, I find a book like Beloved Castaway by Kathleen Y’Barbo. I hadn’t read any of Kathleen’s books prior to this one, and I wasn’t sure I’d like another pirate series, but decided to give it a chance anyway. I was not disappointed.

Isabelle Gayarre is a desperate woman who is willing to stake her life and freedom on a man she’s never met. Josiah Carter is trying to prove something to his earthly father while running from his heavenly father. Their lives collide in the Florida Keys, and neither is the same afterwards.

This books has the flavor of a swashbuckler without duplicating M.L. Tyndall’s pirate series from the same publisher. There is all kinds of emotional tension in this book, and it is heightened by the spiritual thread. Isabelle has a quiet but steadfast faith…and that faith collides firmly with the intentional skepticism that Josiah has pulled around himself. Yet he doesn’t suddenly have an epiphany that commands him back to faith. It is a realistic transformation as he has to confront the events in his life.

There are several twists and turns in the plot and characters that kept me flipping the pages. Anytime I thought it could slide into routine, the author threw a new twist. This book was a very enjoyable read — I commend it to you — especially if you enjoy historical romance, but want to try something different.