Congrats to Jennifer, who won Packing Leather (Sun, Sea & Submission #1) by Kim Dare!

Many thanks to Piper Vaughn and M.J. O’Shea for donating an ebook copy of the forthcoming m/m pirate romance anthology, Cross Bones, for a lucky commenter to win! Cross Bones will be released on August 15 by Dreamspinner Press.

Ahoy, me proud beauty, shiver me timbers! I ask ye to sail me jollyboat on the high seas, lubber, but will ye dare to accept? On offer be a pirate’s life full of danger and risk, and not just to yer neck, but to yer very virgin heart! There’s many a bodice to be ripped–or perhaps I should say many a codpiece to be snapped–and should ye be graced enough to cross bones with a corsair, don’t be an addlepate! Heave ho, lad, handsomely, and show him how ye bury yer treasure!

Pirates didn’t only sail the high seas in historical times. Modern-day renegades and futuristic rebels are just as ripe for adventure and plunder. No matter the time, place, or circumstances, bad boys steal affection as often as they salvage treasure, and in these stories of romance, a rogue’s black heart always conceals a center of gold.

Irish Red by M.J. O’Shea
Christopher, the barkeep at The Dagger, has always been wary of storms. Storms always bring trouble, washed in from the sea, right to his door. That night was no different. The rain and the wind brought with them Irish Red O’Malley – pirate king of the seas, captain of the famed Sargasso, a ruthless, cunning killer… and the love of Christopher’s life.

Black John by Piper Vaughn
Former pirate Juan “Black John” de Avila has found a home on Isla Sagrario, a safe haven for men who desire the touch of a man rather than a pretty woman. When Jacob, the lover he thought had died, washes ashore after a shipwreck, Juan believes he’s been given a second chance at love. But Jacob Bellamy thinks the safety of Sagrario is an illusion, one that will come to a brutal end should their enemies ever catch wind of their whereabouts.

Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen
When British Navy Captain Daniel Horton, set adrift by mutineers, is rescued by a pirate vessel, the most he hopes for is a quicker end than dying of thirst – especially when he learns the ship belongs to the infamous Captain Merric. The last thing he expects is to recognize the pirate as a face from his past – a man he’s spent his career trying to forget. Daniel needs to get back to a British port to regain his command and salvage his reputation, but Captain Merric is not about to let him go again without a fight.

Touched by the West Wind by Ellen Holiday
Aboard the pirate ship Bandit, Thomas Bay and the orphan known only as Bren share an unlikely friendship. Bren was raised a sea rat from the moment he was old enough to hoist a rigging, while Thomas ran off to sea to escape his overprotective mother. Thomas loves to lose himself in books, while words to Bren are only so many impractical scratchings. But when Bren is injured during a raid, they both discover that just because something can’t be seen doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

The Golden Galleon by K.R. Foster
Lovers Jason Lane and Flynn Olson run The Golden Galleon, a successful pirate-themed restaurant. As much as he loves his job, Flynn is looking forward to a relaxing Sunday off and the chance to read a new novel he’s been anticipating. But that’s before “Captain” Jason summons “First Mate” Flynn back to the restaurant, where Flynn is about to discover that work is the last thing on Jason’s mind.

My Hand in Yours by Emily Moreton
Peacekeeper Jack Tanner doesn’t ask too many questions when a stranger introducing himself only as Captain Roberts offers him a tumble. Though he suspects the man is a pirate, it’s been so long since he’s felt such attraction that Jack prefers not to inquire too closely. Everyone knows the tales of pirates, of how they take to sea and never return to stay on land, and only a fool would try to keep them. As long as Roberts doesn’t try raiding his town, Jack can live with the situation… though that’s about to change.

Ghost of Jupiter by Jana Denardo
Privateer Alessandro Bellimo raids unlicensed cargo vessels under the authority of the Confederation military-until he captures a ship filled with cryo-units containing chimerae. The transgenic beings, created to fight for the enjoyment of the rich and depraved, are illegal, and Al has no idea what the military might do with his purloined cargo. But once Al gets to know Telek, one of the engineered beings, he isn’t about to give Telek up to either the military or to his creators.

Officer and a Gentleman Pirate by E.S. Douglas
Rheinallt Jones may be a successful pirate, but his luck seems to run out when he’s captured after literally stumbling over a British Navy lieutenant when leaving a dockside tavern. While not above taking advantage of the chance to arrest the blackguard, the lieutenant finds himself in danger of falling under the influence of Jones’s silver tongue and not inconsiderable charm. At least, until he hears the sound of gunfire outside the prison….

Objectivity by K.J. Johnson
American reporter Matthew has travelled to Africa to write a feature about modern piracy. There he meets the handsome pirate leader Achmed, who seems to enjoy putting him on the wrong foot at every opportunity. In the space of twenty-four hours, Matthew discovers there’s more to Achmed than meets the eye, and that the world may not be as black and white as he assumed.

Worth the Price by Cornelia Grey
Lieutenant Edward Moon has been chasing the infamous Captain O’Shea for longer than he can remember. When he falls into the pirate’s hands, however, things take a turn he’d never imagined. Edward finds himself torn between his duty and a dangerous loyalty to O’Shea. When the captain faces the gallows, Edward must take the hardest decision of his life-but will it be worth the price?

Peter and the Lost Boys by Juan Kenobi
Peter’s thinking of leaving his job working for a non-profit independent filmmaker when he runs into a colorful stranger named Kap at a local bar. As luck would have it, Kap runs a film company himself, and offers Peter a job-though he warns him the duties may be different than he’s used to. Once Peter sees the houseboat that doubles as Kap’s home and office, he’s sure this is the beginning of a whole new adventure for both of them.

Rough Trade by Cooper West
Audacity Gunner isn’t officially captain of the pirate vessel Carthage. As a fully-AI ship, Carthage doesn’t actually need a captain, but her human complement looks to Audacity’s leadership in their raids against the Colonial Federation. After a shore leave gone bad leaves a crewman locked up without bail, Audacity’s ready to take help wherever he can get it, even from a handsome but desperate-looking stranger who claims he can get their engineer out of the brig in exchange for passage off the spaceport. Dr. Sagittarius Diefenbaker ‘s credentials are far too impressive for a ship as disreputable as Carthage, but Sag will prove to have a surprising affinity for rough trade.

From a Simmer to a Burn by B. Snow
“We want something, we take it!” – That’s what pirates do, but even five years of getting what he wants hasn’t extinguished the spark of anger that constantly simmers in Sule, a former slave who escaped from a Dutch plantation. That anger threatens to burn out of control when Olaf, a Dutch-speaking carpenter, joins the crew. Olaf, used to coldness, finds himself drawn to Sule’s heat, but the fire that rages in Sule may end up destroying them both.

On the Wings of Lir by Riley Shane
In the time of Queen Victoria, the invention of airships has brought about a resurgence in piracy. Of all the buccaneers who sail the skies pillaging merchant airships, the worst is Patrick Kelly, captain of the Wings of Lir. When fate lands Captain Kelly in Hugh Edwards’s path, the young lieutenant can’t believe his luck. He’s determined to capture the pirate… but finds himself caught instead.

The Winds of Change by Maggie Lee
After weeks stuck in Nassau, watching their meager resources dwindle away, Theo Cook and Sebastiano Cortez are glad to sign on with the pirate captain Edward Teach, whose growing reputation seems to ensure a lucrative voyage. But sailing with the increasingly erratic Teach comes with a price, and the attentions of the Revenge’s master gunner, Philip Morton, challenge the assumptions Theo has always made about Seb. Their world is changing, and Seb and Theo will need to adapt or be swept under.

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“Arrrrgh, me mateys! Shiver me timbers!” -Mayhem

And… how about a musical pirate break, with Cosmo Jarvis’ song, Gay Pirates?