A Captain for Caroline Gray

The Proper Romance Regency Series, Book 4

By: Julie Wright

Narrated by: Heather Wilds

Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Regency London. Caroline Gray’s third season in London society ends as badly as her first two - no marriage proposal, no suitor, not even a glimmer of an interested prospect. She suspects it’s because she is far too quick to speak her mind to men who are put off by her forthright opinions, her eager intellect backed by a formal education, and her unconventional ideas about the future. She is far more daring than demure to suit the taste of her class. Besides, Caroline thinks there will always be next season to find a husband.

However, her family’s dwindling income leaves Caroline with only one choice to secure her future: a one-way ticket to sail with the fishing fleet to India, where the son of a family friend waits. If the match doesn’t work, Caroline cannot return home.

Captain Thomas Scott loves the thrill of the open sea, and as commander of one of the ships of the fishing feet, he ferries scores of young English girls to the shores of India to find husbands. The voyages pay well, but he struggles to understand why families would allow young women to be matched with total strangers so far away.

The trips have always been routine and uneventful - until this trip’s first night’s dinner with one Miss Caroline Gray. She engages in a lively political conversation, presenting opposing viewpoints to the conventionally opinionated gentlemen at her table. Captain Scott is secretly amused and delighted at her boldness, not to mention quite drawn to her beauty.

The rest of the passengers are shocked by her behavior, and Caroline finds herself an outcast, suffering harsh judgments from the other passengers. However, she finds an unlikely ally in Captain Scott, which quickly draws them closer.

Both know an arranged marriage awaits Caroline at the end of their voyage, yet the attraction between them is undeniable. Caroline will have to decide if she will honor her mother’s wishes and marry a man in India whom she has never met - thus securing a future for her and her mother - or be brave enough to throw convention to the wind and commit to love a sea captain. He may be enchanted by her bold and unconventional ways, but will his love and admiration last?

©2021 Julie Wright (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

Narration

I absolutely loved the story and narrator. I listened to this book in a day.

Quite enjoyable

Finally a blue stocking heroine that isn’t completely unbelievable! She has several allies in finally landing her Captain- thankfully, not the one she was intended to have. Also nice that the intended captain wasn’t immediately repulsive to our heroine.

Interesting story, but the narration...

This story, overall, was a decent one but I fear the narrator’s rendition made it seem quite dull. Her voice sounded almost like an AI/automaton voice with absolutely no “life” put into the dialogue. I would often find my thoughts drifting to other mundane things, which doesn’t happen as a rule. I had about an hour and a half left and just skipped to the end. I couldn’t bear it any longer. Pity...lots of potential in this book.

I’m torn

Loved the storyline but the reader was difficult for me. She has a pretty voice but has a repetitive cadence—ending most sentences with a drop in her voice. It was so distracting that I’d find it hard to concentrate on what was being said. I’ll need to get this one in print.

loved it!

I loved it! Light, heartfelt, sweet romance. Couldn't put it down! Loved the narrator as well.

Lovely story

An interesting story: a voyage from England to India. Intriguing insight into colonial India. I wasn't in love with the narration. She sounded very severe and emotionless.

The flow of the storyline

This story grabbed my attention from the start. I loved the characters and the history. Thus is the first time I’ve read anything by Julie Wright and look forward to more of her stories

Nonstop entertainment.

Well written with interesting characters who are very well portrayed by team effort of author and narrator.

Awesome listen

This book was so vibrant and full of feelings. I felt like I was on the ship as well. This book is a pleasant surprise!

Great Story…Terrible Narrator

I can’t even begin to say how hard it was to listen to the slow narrator with the constantly downward tone at the end of every sentence. Some sentences were broken up in places that did not make sense. She did decently well with narrating voices of people she was reading, but everything in between was painful. If you put the pace of the book at 1.5 instead of standard then it helps.

The story was adorable. Clean, cute, lovely. I would listen to it again… if I could figure out how to get used to the narrator.