«Tortured Souls» by R.C. Matthews

Pirates, witches, curses, and voodoo form a thrilling backdrop for this sensual gothic series that “keeps readers absolutely riveted” (Library Journal).

Devil’s Cove: Captain Devlin Limmerick, the pirate feared as the Devil, eagerly takes ownership of the abandoned Devil Cove’s Manor in his quest for vengeance on his past. Only Grace, a beautiful, blind medium, can aid him with his nefarious plan. Yet even though she finds herself drawn to his darkness, she refuses to sacrifice her soul to set his revenge in motion. Plunged into the throes of passion and danger, they discover the only way free from the evil closing in on them is to summon the courage to believe in true love.

Blackburn Castle: An ancient curse violently claims the life of each Blackburn male on his twenty-seventh birthday, and Victor Blackburn’s only hope of survival is tied to a witch who vanished long ago. Mercy Seymour eagerly counts the days until Victor’s death will free her of the hatred and anger she harbors after watching him kill her mother years ago. Yet when fate throws them together, desire simmers between the handsome pirate and the spirited barkeeper’s niece…until they learn each other’s true identities. Desperate, Victor spirits her away to Blackburn Castle, where they discover that the only weapon powerful enough to destroy hate is love. But must they sacrifice their relationship to save each other?

River Road: An ancient curse has killed two of Charles Moore’s loves, and the pirate known as Hatchet blames New Orleans’s Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau herself, for the hex. Creole widow Hope Leblonc bristles under the city’s Black Codes that have forced her practice of voodoo underground. When Hatchet treats her like the respectable woman she is, she offers him a deal: she’ll lift the curse if he’ll steal back a family relic she needs. But they’re both holding secrets, and ghosts from the past reveal a connection between Hope and Hatchet that makes the curse more powerful than ever. Is love enough to survive the coming darkness?

Sensuality Level: Sensual