This was a fun and comical adventure! It had fantasy, pirate action and even a little romance. It's been described as “Pirates of Penzance meets Princess Bride”. My family and I love the movie Princess Bride, having seen it dozens of times. I even read the book. So I was eager to read Swept Up by the Sea, which I enjoyed very much. Best of all, it's a clean book appropriate for family reading, filled with tongue-in-cheek humour.

Percival Taylor wants adventure in his life and not the marriage that is being arranged for him to Vestia, a pretty village girl. So he leaves his town, escapes really, and finds himself in Blackshore, where he embarks on a quest to become a pirate and win the heart of the beautiful and determined Tuppence Magrathia-Paddock, the governor's daughter. As a slew of characters join him on his adventure, each with their own quests, they must all pull together to survive the stormy seas and rethink their motives.

Authors Tracy and Laura Hickman have a way of introducing characters so that each have their own unique stories which all come together when the characters join up for the sea voyage. This kept things fresh and unpredictable for me, and I wondered throughout about how things would connect and how it would all end. The characters were unique. I liked Vestia's fiery disposition, Percival's clumsy but wholehearted attempts, Professor Nick-Knack's devotion, and famous Captain Swash's way of keeping his real treasure hidden.

This story has fantastical creatures found in fairy-tales such as minotaurs, mermaids and mermen, and water nymphs. They play minor parts but make for fun reading. Actually, if this book were to be made into a movie, it would be visually appealing and entertaining. Lovers of fantasy movies would enjoy it.

I don't read too much fantasy but this one really appealed to me because it wasn't filled with black magic or sorcery but rather interesting characters with very unique dilemmas in a comical fantasy setting. It was an entertaining book with chivalrous male characters and strong female ones. The perfect combination for a romantic fairy tale.

Note: This book is rated C = clean read.

Reviewed by Laura

Disclosure: Thanks to the publisher for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

SIMILAR ARTICLES