This HaBO comes from Trisha, who’s trying to remember this historical romance:
I am trying to remember a historical romance novel. I know the heroine and hero are sailing across the ocean and and get waylaid by pirates. The heroine tries to climb away from one of said pirates and takes a cutlass (knife) to the arm and receives a good sized gash.
I can’t remember if this is also the book, where in an effort to be helpful, the heroine tries to help out the ship’s cook and ends up accidentally food poisoning most of the crew.
If both of these things happen in the same book, this poor heroine just can’t catch a break.
This sounds very Julie Garwood. Was it The Gift?
Ah, @Lauren, you beat me to it but yeah, first thing I thought of was The Gift
Hmmm…i think that happens in Voyager, the third book in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.
The cutlass thing def happens in the third outlander book, but not the food poisoning
I’m pretty sure the food poisoning (and a fire!) happened in The Gift.
It is not Julie Garwood’s The Gift – I actually read it recently thinking it could be the book I was looking for. I think it may be Diana Gabaldon’s Voyager! Although neither heroine, Sarah or Claire, seem to be able to catch a break in these books.
I know I’ve read the part about the food poisoning, maybe even horrible rock hard biscuits, too? I think she mixes up the flour for something else? (might be really wrong about the flour thing), then I think they get attacked and she’s told to stay under but goes up to help and gets caught and used as hostage for a few minutes. I think she’s also locked in the brig for going against orders. I’m also pretty sure it’s not to old, as in older than 2000 (cause you know that was only a few years ago).
@Olivia that sounds so familiar! Definitely pre 2000 and I think the wound gets infected or something because I remember the heroine tossing and sweating in sheets. The hero feels bad and helps take care of her. Sigh. If only I could remember the title.
It has been years since I read this but could it be The Windflower by Laura London (actually writing duo Sharon and Tom Curtis)? h stows away, or maybe is kidnapped, on H boat, thinks he is pirate, she is injured somehow, gets very sick and recooperates on secret island ship’s crew uses as homebase. She is very young, set in 1812. h is Merry and American, H is Devon and is British noble hiding as pirate for spying work. I think was published in 1984 and was the 1st book to get a 5 star review from Romantic Times magazine (which sadly and very suddenly closed down earlier this year). The book where the h food poisons the crew and causes fire on board husband’s ship is The Gift by Julie Garwood.
@Olivia… yes, that is a pretty much a spot on description of the book I am looking for! Bad cooking and although told to hide during pirate attack, is chased out of hiding/held hostage and gets injured. I am no longer thinking that Voyager is correct.
@Sally T – I will look into the The Windflower, but I don’t think that is the one. Neither the name or author rings bell.