Review: Skye O'Malley by Bertrice Small

Skye O'Malley by Bertrice Small
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis:

There has never been a woman like luscious, raven-haired, hot-tempered Skye O'Malley. She is the courageous seafaring captain of her own mighty fleet, and intelligent enough to win a battle of wits with Queen Elizabeth herself. Follow along as Skye O'Malley is swept up in a journey filled with romance and passion that takes her from glittering Ireland, to lush Algeria, to the heart of London in pursuit of a unique and eternal love.....

My Thoughts:

So I find myself wanting to review this book even though it has been a while since the last I read it. Bertrice Small has recently passed away and I find myself grieving the loss of a wonderful writer. She was known for writing historical romances that quite frankly got some mixed reviews because of the content. The characters didn't have boring lives nor were they 100% happy but who is really? She created depth in her characters that was built through their experiences, both good and bad. Yes, they experienced a lot of bad things but those things made the characters what they were.

Skye O'Malley has stuck in my mind since the first time I read this book. She was a strong, independent woman who faced every challenge thrown at her and overcame every one of them. There are many challenges that Skye and the men she loved had to overcome, including rape, incest, amnesia, kidnapping & sodomy. However, all things things are overcome and she manages to find love several times.

I love Skye's relationship with Queen Bess. When these two get along, they get along wonderfully but when they don't then the world knows they are feuding. LOL! Skye becomes a pirate and only captures ships that belong to Queen Bess in an effort to make Bess pay for interfering in her personal life. Who doesn't love a woman pirate?

I think the thing that stuck with me most was her spirit that couldn't be crushed, her independence, her strength and her intelligence. These are all the traits that I hope my daughter has and one of the many reasons I named her Skye.

Despite the many critics out there, this is still and always will be my favorite book. I will certainly miss the chance to see new Bertrice Small books but I will comfort myself by re-reading the many wonderful books she wrote in her lifetime. Ms. Small may be gone but she will never be forgotten as her books are her legacy.