The Heiress at Sea by Christi Caldwell book review

Lady Cassia McQuoid is about to be a spinster. She has suffered through three seasons and no one has noticed her. She decides it’s time to set off for some adventure that she has always dreamed about, but never been allowed to explore. Her brother's friend has a ship and she thinks it would be a good idea to stow away on it. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong ship and the wrong captain. Captain Nathaniel is about to be Duke of Roxburghe, but he is going to go on one more secret mission against the French before taking over ducal duties. Because this is a last minute mission, Nathaniel has to hire some temporary crew that he doesn’t know as well as his usual crew. Cassia has disguised herself as a boy and Nathaniel quickly recognizes this deception. He tries to keep her safe, but he also has to keep up the show because of various sailing superstitions. 

Cassia was extremely naïve about life on a ship and outside of the ton. The author makes that painfully clear in how many mistakes she makes and how she talks to the captain and crew. She gets a bit more serious once her life is threatened and realizes that it’s not a game and that it is, in fact, a dangerous mission. As you can imagine, feelings start to develop between Nathanial and Cassia. They start to realize that a life together might not be so bad. The chemistry between the two really starts to heat up. Overall, this is a great summer read, especially if you have a lake or ocean nearby to read at. This story is fun. It has some action, suspense, mystery and romance. If you are looking for a high seas adventure, this is a great choice.  I'm also loving the cover.  It's a great color palette and it reminds me of vintage romance covers.