Fire Sword and Sea

The real Pirates of the Caribbean were Black,and women! From Vanessa Rileyacclaimed author of Queen of Exilescomes a sweepingimmersive saga based on the life of the legendary seventeenth-century pirate Jacquotte Delehaye. The Caribbean Sea1675. Jacquotte Delahaye is the mixed-race daughter of a wealthy tavern owner on the island of Tortuga. Instead of marriageJacquotte dreams of joining the seafarers and smugglers whose tall-masted ships cluster in the turquoise waters around Tortuga. She falls in love with a piratebut when he returns to the seaJacquotte decides to make her own way. In Haiti she becomes Jacquesa dockworkerearning the respect of those around her while hiding her gender. Jacquotte discovers that secret identities are fairly common in the chaotic world of seafaringwhich is full of outsiders and misfits. She forms a deep bond with Bahatian African-born woman who has escaped slavery and also disguises herself as a man to navigate the world. They join forces with Dirkje De Wulfa fearless adventurer who also lives as a man at sea. As JacquesJacquotte falls in love with Lizz├┤a d’Ervillea beautiful courtesan who deals in secrets and sex. While others see their work clothes as a disguiseLizz├┤a’s true self is as a woman. For the next twenty yearsJacquotte raids the Caribbeanmaking enemies and amassing a fortune in stolen gold. When her fellow pirates decide to increase their profits by entering the slave tradeJacquotte turns away from piracy and the pursuit of riches. Risking her life in one deadly skirmish after anothershe instead begins to plot a war of liberation.