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Blow Me Down
In the Internet virtual reality game Buckling Swashes, Earless Erika and Black Corbin are two of the most deadly pirates to sail the online seas. And now they’ve met their matches: each other.
But fearless Earless Erika is really just Amy—a financial analyst with little time in her life for anything but work. And Corbin is none other than the man behind the game—the programmer and owner of the company. He’s intrigued by Amy, the only buccaneer to best him in this test of digital testosterone, while she just wants to take his arrogance down a peg. But soon the two find themselves comrades in arms against a merciless rival bent on Corbin’s destruction—both on the virtual high seas and in real life. Only by setting aside their differences can they locate the actual people behind the swaggering swashbucklers—and along the way find that love can tame even the most fearsome of pirates.
But fearless Earless Erika is really just Amy—a financial analyst with little time in her life for anything but work. And Corbin is none other than the man behind the game—the programmer and owner of the company. He’s intrigued by Amy, the only buccaneer to best him in this test of digital testosterone, while she just wants to take his arrogance down a peg. But soon the two find themselves comrades in arms against a merciless rival bent on Corbin’s destruction—both on the virtual high seas and in real life. Only by setting aside their differences can they locate the actual people behind the swaggering swashbucklers—and along the way find that love can tame even the most fearsome of pirates.
359 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
About the author
Katie MacAlister
102 books5,939 followersFor as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
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March 9, 2012
Blow Me Down, Katie MacAlister
Pirates and prosthetics...what's not to love?
This high seas adventure stars, Amy Stewart, a financial analyst with a repressed sense of fun and an overdeveloped sense of organization. So to save her from imminent death by work and boredom, and as only a teen can do, her daughter cajoles and guilts her into trying a virtual reality game called Buckling Swashes. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate game.) The game isn't quite finished yet and teen Tara has an advance copy to try before she interviews the game developer, P.C. Monroe.
With the promise to make officer before she quits and gives up on the game, Amy signs on as Earless Erika (you need a piratical name, right?), dons her VR glasses and gets ready to sail the seven seas. Once in the game, which was made to be as real as possible, from clothes to food, sights and smells, she begins to meet the various and sundry characters that make up this new world.
She's soon grabbed from behind and hauled into an inn by a very large man who wants to keep her seeing as she's such a "toothsome wench". This idea is shot down by Black Corbin, his captain, who then states she is probably a tart with french pox. Not one to take the insult lying down, as it were, Amy proceeds to threaten said captain with a wooden leg and then beat him in a duel with his own rapier. Nice. As her winnings, she claims one of his ships called the Saucy Wench. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate ship.)
It doesn't take long for Amy to realize something is amiss when she can't find the glasses on her face to log out of the game. A crying jag in the brothel and game of bondage Q and A later, lead her to understand that Black Corbin is actually the Corbin, the guy who invented the game. Now he is stuck in the game world as well as his friend and developer, Holder McReady. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate.)
The only explanation to their predicament isn't a good one. It seems, for some reason they aren't certain of, his ex-partner Paul Samuels has created some virus that traps the players in the game. They need to either find and kill Paul (in the game) and/or play the game out to whatever end scenario he has written the virus to. Easier said than done, as Paul will try to blend in with the other computer characters in the game.
High seas drama, wacky characters and hijinks ensue! Including, but not limited to, 401k plans for brothel workers, death and disease obsessed cabin boys, fun with food (a personal fave...wink, wink), drooling loonies and full scale naval battles.
Though I have only had the pleasure to read a few so far, I can't say enough about Katie MacAlister's books. Her characters are always engaging and the stories, entertaining. The peoples in her worlds are more real than most, and her humor is laugh-out-loud infectious. You care about Amy and Corbin, Holder and Bas, the working girls...and even Bran. Let us just mention that her romance writing skills inspired this Broad to have a sudden yen for pudding. Mysterious.
So, on my avid recommendation, avast me hearties to the nearest booking-type establishment and procure a copy to peruse. It will shiver your timbers in more ways than one!
~Mina
Pirates and prosthetics...what's not to love?
This high seas adventure stars, Amy Stewart, a financial analyst with a repressed sense of fun and an overdeveloped sense of organization. So to save her from imminent death by work and boredom, and as only a teen can do, her daughter cajoles and guilts her into trying a virtual reality game called Buckling Swashes. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate game.) The game isn't quite finished yet and teen Tara has an advance copy to try before she interviews the game developer, P.C. Monroe.
With the promise to make officer before she quits and gives up on the game, Amy signs on as Earless Erika (you need a piratical name, right?), dons her VR glasses and gets ready to sail the seven seas. Once in the game, which was made to be as real as possible, from clothes to food, sights and smells, she begins to meet the various and sundry characters that make up this new world.
She's soon grabbed from behind and hauled into an inn by a very large man who wants to keep her seeing as she's such a "toothsome wench". This idea is shot down by Black Corbin, his captain, who then states she is probably a tart with french pox. Not one to take the insult lying down, as it were, Amy proceeds to threaten said captain with a wooden leg and then beat him in a duel with his own rapier. Nice. As her winnings, she claims one of his ships called the Saucy Wench. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate ship.)
It doesn't take long for Amy to realize something is amiss when she can't find the glasses on her face to log out of the game. A crying jag in the brothel and game of bondage Q and A later, lead her to understand that Black Corbin is actually the Corbin, the guy who invented the game. Now he is stuck in the game world as well as his friend and developer, Holder McReady. (Which, I might add, is a great name for a pirate.)
The only explanation to their predicament isn't a good one. It seems, for some reason they aren't certain of, his ex-partner Paul Samuels has created some virus that traps the players in the game. They need to either find and kill Paul (in the game) and/or play the game out to whatever end scenario he has written the virus to. Easier said than done, as Paul will try to blend in with the other computer characters in the game.
High seas drama, wacky characters and hijinks ensue! Including, but not limited to, 401k plans for brothel workers, death and disease obsessed cabin boys, fun with food (a personal fave...wink, wink), drooling loonies and full scale naval battles.
Though I have only had the pleasure to read a few so far, I can't say enough about Katie MacAlister's books. Her characters are always engaging and the stories, entertaining. The peoples in her worlds are more real than most, and her humor is laugh-out-loud infectious. You care about Amy and Corbin, Holder and Bas, the working girls...and even Bran. Let us just mention that her romance writing skills inspired this Broad to have a sudden yen for pudding. Mysterious.
So, on my avid recommendation, avast me hearties to the nearest booking-type establishment and procure a copy to peruse. It will shiver your timbers in more ways than one!
~Mina
November 15, 2018
DNF - 153/350 pages
So let’s get one thing straight, the book summary is a lie. That bit about Erika being one of the most deadly pirates? Lie. She’s adamantly against killing. The “most” part is a lie, too. She’s a complete unknown and the story starts on the day that she makes her video game character. Speaking of which…
Has Katie MacAlister ever played a video game? Buckling Swashes – the multiplayer online game that this is all supposed to take place in – sounds god awful! Where were the quests? Fighting requires actual knowledge of fighting and doesn’t use some sort of in-game mechanic? Beginning players don’t get starting gear? No in-game menu? Who would play this?
Okay, let’s be fair, this is not a novel aimed at gamers. It’s a novel that uses gaming as a way to put modern people into a pirate world. Looked at from that lens, it works. Just be warned that anyone who knows anything about games is going to have a hard time believing that this all takes place in an actual, successful game. You’re also going to get really annoyed at Amy, the main character. She has no idea what she’s doing. The fact that she spends a good deal of time trying to get the in-game brothel to let her set up investments and 401Ks for its virtual workers should give you an idea of the kind of logic she uses and how well she understands MMOs.
I know, I’m harping on this video game thing, but I expect authors working in virtual worlds to at least follow the basic mechanics of how videogames work. Especially when there’s a wealth of excellent literary RPG novels (ex: Life Reset) that do this brilliantly.
I also expect characters to react appropriately to the idea of being trapped in a video game.
Appropriate reactions: horror, determination to get out, focus on planning what to do, tears, etc.
Inappropriate reactions: bemused whimsy or mild concern.
Guess which ones we get here?
And it’s not from Amy! It’s from the game’s creator! When he realizes he’s trapped in the game, his reaction is mild annoyance and then he goes right back to trying to get into Amy’s pants. That’s about as far from a realistic reaction as you can get! I can think of few mood-killers as good as “we are trapped in a virtual world with no clear way out and no ability to contact the outside world for help.” Especially when it also means this is true: anyone who logs in will also be trapped and that means that his company could be sued for quite a lot of money if they don’t figure this out ASAP.
While we’re on the topic of mood-killers… this is an adult romance novel and I know that means that adult things will happen, but can we try to make them a little less sexual assault-y? If a guy grabs me, forces me onto his ship, and then starts doing things to me after I tell him I’m not interested, then I’m screaming for help, not more! Especially since this isn’t some made-up, in-game pirate. It’s a modern man who should damn well know that’s not okay. Where’s the romance? Shouldn’t that come first in a romance novel? Two people who have only just met randomly making out and groping each other is hardly romantic.
I tried to keep going, but I just could not get through it. I tried half a dozen times to get through the supposed romance scene that I ended on, but it was just too awkward. Plus I was so sick of Amy being okay with her supposed romantic lead completely ignoring her stated wishes. He came across as frightening, not romantic. If I'd actually liked Amy as a character, I probably would have been yelling at her to run.
Clearly, this was not the book for me, but I am exceedingly picky when it comes to romance. If you’re a big fan of that genre, love pirates, and have no interest in video games, then it’s perfectly plausible that you’ll love this one.
So let’s get one thing straight, the book summary is a lie. That bit about Erika being one of the most deadly pirates? Lie. She’s adamantly against killing. The “most” part is a lie, too. She’s a complete unknown and the story starts on the day that she makes her video game character. Speaking of which…
Has Katie MacAlister ever played a video game? Buckling Swashes – the multiplayer online game that this is all supposed to take place in – sounds god awful! Where were the quests? Fighting requires actual knowledge of fighting and doesn’t use some sort of in-game mechanic? Beginning players don’t get starting gear? No in-game menu? Who would play this?
Okay, let’s be fair, this is not a novel aimed at gamers. It’s a novel that uses gaming as a way to put modern people into a pirate world. Looked at from that lens, it works. Just be warned that anyone who knows anything about games is going to have a hard time believing that this all takes place in an actual, successful game. You’re also going to get really annoyed at Amy, the main character. She has no idea what she’s doing. The fact that she spends a good deal of time trying to get the in-game brothel to let her set up investments and 401Ks for its virtual workers should give you an idea of the kind of logic she uses and how well she understands MMOs.
I know, I’m harping on this video game thing, but I expect authors working in virtual worlds to at least follow the basic mechanics of how videogames work. Especially when there’s a wealth of excellent literary RPG novels (ex: Life Reset) that do this brilliantly.
I also expect characters to react appropriately to the idea of being trapped in a video game.
Appropriate reactions: horror, determination to get out, focus on planning what to do, tears, etc.
Inappropriate reactions: bemused whimsy or mild concern.
Guess which ones we get here?
And it’s not from Amy! It’s from the game’s creator! When he realizes he’s trapped in the game, his reaction is mild annoyance and then he goes right back to trying to get into Amy’s pants. That’s about as far from a realistic reaction as you can get! I can think of few mood-killers as good as “we are trapped in a virtual world with no clear way out and no ability to contact the outside world for help.” Especially when it also means this is true: anyone who logs in will also be trapped and that means that his company could be sued for quite a lot of money if they don’t figure this out ASAP.
While we’re on the topic of mood-killers… this is an adult romance novel and I know that means that adult things will happen, but can we try to make them a little less sexual assault-y? If a guy grabs me, forces me onto his ship, and then starts doing things to me after I tell him I’m not interested, then I’m screaming for help, not more! Especially since this isn’t some made-up, in-game pirate. It’s a modern man who should damn well know that’s not okay. Where’s the romance? Shouldn’t that come first in a romance novel? Two people who have only just met randomly making out and groping each other is hardly romantic.
I tried to keep going, but I just could not get through it. I tried half a dozen times to get through the supposed romance scene that I ended on, but it was just too awkward. Plus I was so sick of Amy being okay with her supposed romantic lead completely ignoring her stated wishes. He came across as frightening, not romantic. If I'd actually liked Amy as a character, I probably would have been yelling at her to run.
Clearly, this was not the book for me, but I am exceedingly picky when it comes to romance. If you’re a big fan of that genre, love pirates, and have no interest in video games, then it’s perfectly plausible that you’ll love this one.
December 6, 2017
This book just caused me to have an existential crisis.
How?
Well I bought it for like, .50c at a thrift store cause it looked terrible and my friend and I love terrible romance books.
And I started reading it and how pedantic it was...
-Every third word is straight out of thesaurus.com
-The single mom is 36, her daughter is 16, yet the mom has a HUGE house, 3 business degrees, a successful career, and her daughter is the interest of a famous youtube celebrity, and the school guidance counselor is named Free Spirit Blue and encourages kids to skip school to follow their passions.
-The mom is also EXTREMELY interested in the environment, like the whole first 3 pages are her listing off issues with companies and the environment..like I have no issue with that in itself but 3 pages?!
-Also on page 7 they misspelled "Counselor" as "Counsellor" and I will never let it go.
-A power outage caused the mom to go INTO the pirate game, Sword Art Online style.
-ALSO VR EXISTS.
-IN A WORLD WHERE VR IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME, THE MOM STILL BACKS UP HER SHIT ONTO CD'S.
Then I looked it up.
This book was published in 2005.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IN LIKE, 2015-2016 CAUSE YOUTUBE CELEBRITIES AND VR DIDN'TEXIST TO THAT EXTENT BACK IN 2005.
The author is a time traveler and MUST BE STOPPED.
How?
Well I bought it for like, .50c at a thrift store cause it looked terrible and my friend and I love terrible romance books.
And I started reading it and how pedantic it was...
-Every third word is straight out of thesaurus.com
-The single mom is 36, her daughter is 16, yet the mom has a HUGE house, 3 business degrees, a successful career, and her daughter is the interest of a famous youtube celebrity, and the school guidance counselor is named Free Spirit Blue and encourages kids to skip school to follow their passions.
-The mom is also EXTREMELY interested in the environment, like the whole first 3 pages are her listing off issues with companies and the environment..like I have no issue with that in itself but 3 pages?!
-Also on page 7 they misspelled "Counselor" as "Counsellor" and I will never let it go.
-A power outage caused the mom to go INTO the pirate game, Sword Art Online style.
-ALSO VR EXISTS.
-IN A WORLD WHERE VR IS A HOUSEHOLD NAME, THE MOM STILL BACKS UP HER SHIT ONTO CD'S.
Then I looked it up.
This book was published in 2005.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IN LIKE, 2015-2016 CAUSE YOUTUBE CELEBRITIES AND VR DIDN'TEXIST TO THAT EXTENT BACK IN 2005.
The author is a time traveler and MUST BE STOPPED.
November 3, 2014
By the description, this had all the potential to be like Vicki Lewis Thompson's Nerds series. Unfortunately, it fell victim to the need to shove an alpha hero mold onto its potential beta, thereby watering down a lot of character development that could've been so much more interesting.
Amy Stewart is a buttoned-up financial analyst when her daughter talks her into trying out a virtual reality pirate game. There, Amy meets Black Corbin, who's really PC Monroe, the game's creator. Not that she realizes it, at first. She takes him for just another computer character, and she's unimpressed. She beats him at a swordfighting, and he's smitten. Then they both realize they're locked in to their virtual reality headsets, thanks to a virus written in by an irate ex-employee. They need to work together to figure out which character the saboteur is hiding in, and stop his plans, if only they can quit boinking long enough to get to it.
The plot is fairly simple, though it has Amy running all over Corbin's creation to stall her progress. It takes no time for Amy and Corbin to wind up in bed together, and an embarrassingly short time for him to start spouting the L word. Even if their perception of time wasn't warped by the game, it would still be premature.
And Corbin's characterization has such potential. Instead, the game gives him the confidence to act the part of the alpha male jerk, who decides he wants Amy and can do whatever he wants to get her. And of course it feels so good she's swooning in no time. Interesting leaps in VR technology, there.
The concept of this book is interesting, but it is, at its core, romance. And, because I don't buy the romance between these two characters, especially not the way it unfolds, I wasn't on board with the rest of it. There are only two characters populating the world Corbin and Amy inhabit; the rest are constructs of the program. And yet, even the "real" people feel just as flat as the NPCs Amy interacts with. Corbin's best friend is only there to push Corbin and Amy together that much faster, and the bad guy is pure cardboard.
This story had potential, and maybe a more thoughtful author not determined to shoehorn her male love interest into an alpha male role and to hurry along the romance might've been up to the task. Overall, though, this was a disappointing read.
Amy Stewart is a buttoned-up financial analyst when her daughter talks her into trying out a virtual reality pirate game. There, Amy meets Black Corbin, who's really PC Monroe, the game's creator. Not that she realizes it, at first. She takes him for just another computer character, and she's unimpressed. She beats him at a swordfighting, and he's smitten. Then they both realize they're locked in to their virtual reality headsets, thanks to a virus written in by an irate ex-employee. They need to work together to figure out which character the saboteur is hiding in, and stop his plans, if only they can quit boinking long enough to get to it.
The plot is fairly simple, though it has Amy running all over Corbin's creation to stall her progress. It takes no time for Amy and Corbin to wind up in bed together, and an embarrassingly short time for him to start spouting the L word. Even if their perception of time wasn't warped by the game, it would still be premature.
And Corbin's characterization has such potential. Instead, the game gives him the confidence to act the part of the alpha male jerk, who decides he wants Amy and can do whatever he wants to get her. And of course it feels so good she's swooning in no time. Interesting leaps in VR technology, there.
The concept of this book is interesting, but it is, at its core, romance. And, because I don't buy the romance between these two characters, especially not the way it unfolds, I wasn't on board with the rest of it. There are only two characters populating the world Corbin and Amy inhabit; the rest are constructs of the program. And yet, even the "real" people feel just as flat as the NPCs Amy interacts with. Corbin's best friend is only there to push Corbin and Amy together that much faster, and the bad guy is pure cardboard.
This story had potential, and maybe a more thoughtful author not determined to shoehorn her male love interest into an alpha male role and to hurry along the romance might've been up to the task. Overall, though, this was a disappointing read.
July 11, 2011
The novel itself was ok but if you're expecting to read the story that is described on the back of the book, you'll be disappointed. This is the first time this is ever happened to me. The description on the back of the book is not the same as what the book actually is. The characters are the same but it makes you think the characters know each other when they don't. I would have much rather have read the story on the back of the book.
December 11, 2017
I'm a huge Katie MacAlister fan and when I discovered her book I bought them all up, when I need a good read I pick up one by her and just lose myself. Blow Me Down, was one in my MacAlister stash I hadn’t read yet, so I started it read for another funny, witty, stand apart read I have to admit as usual I was not disappointed. As has been mentioned by others, Blow Me Down is about a woman who gets trapped in a VR game, meets the game creator, and needs to get out of the game. And that's where the paranormal part comes in, so you really need to check your disbelief suspension before going further. She gets stuck in the game and can't get out. Furthermore, it's not just audiovisual--you feel everything that happens in the game as if it's real. And your character looks the way you see yourself. If anyone decides to not read this book on the summary alone that person is missing a lot of fun. Sure the mechanics of the game are a little loose, but it's a romance novel not a sci-fi novel. I rolled my eyes a bit at Amy's (to my mind) overdone insistence on there not being any killing in the game, and even more when Corbin agrees--hello? It's a pirate game. What do they think happens when they sink a ship? And what, then, is the point of the cannons and swords? But that was a small annoyance in a fun, delightful book. I enjoyed the puzzle aspect, and despite the unreal setting, the development of the relationship between Amy and Corbin was realistic and sexy. I particularly enjoyed what their character’s appearances said about them. It was a nice touch. So, on my avid recommendation, avast me hearties to the nearest booking-type establishment and procure a copy to peruse. It will shiver your timbers in more ways than one! Arg!!
October 30, 2012
This was such a fun read. It wasn't very serious and there weren't lots of issues to deal with. I'm okay with serious books but sometimes you just need a relaxing, fun read. As unrealistic as it is that you can go into the game, IT'S ALSO FRICKIN AWESOME!!!
I loved how the world was of pirates and all the rules within the game. It was great! And Corbin was fun too. I love how they met and how they get to know one another and interact through the game. I actually read this a long time ago and writing this review is making me want to reread it.
I like that time was different in the virtual world to the real world so a lot happened in the game but it was realistic that she 'played' for that long.
I really liked the whole storyline of the bad guy and enjoyed reading the suspense this created.
The ending was great and I'm glad we get to see the two of them interact outside of the game too.
Overall I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to read a happy, fun book with some great characters.
I loved how the world was of pirates and all the rules within the game. It was great! And Corbin was fun too. I love how they met and how they get to know one another and interact through the game. I actually read this a long time ago and writing this review is making me want to reread it.
I like that time was different in the virtual world to the real world so a lot happened in the game but it was realistic that she 'played' for that long.
I really liked the whole storyline of the bad guy and enjoyed reading the suspense this created.
The ending was great and I'm glad we get to see the two of them interact outside of the game too.
Overall I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to read a happy, fun book with some great characters.
February 12, 2021
Amy is a workaholic financial analyst who is asked by her daughter to play this new VR game. There she meets Black Corbin AKA PC Monroe (the game's creator). Corbin's impressed with her abilities. They get stuck in the game (literally) and have to work together to get back out.
This was more annoying than anything. I was bored and couldn't get into the romance. I also thought the storyline was just weird (trapped in a VR game). Skip this one.
This was more annoying than anything. I was bored and couldn't get into the romance. I also thought the storyline was just weird (trapped in a VR game). Skip this one.
November 6, 2019
Finally, a book that forces me to write a review! I'm obsessed with this book and cannot wait to recommend it to my dear mother. Such banter from these swashbuckling VR personas :) Heart eyeballs for days and I can't wait to read another Katie MacAlister book because this one was like a warm hug.
July 25, 2021
This was a fun read, although I didn't quite get a lot of the gaming stuff to be quite honest, but I enjoyed the romance, the action and the humour. 3.5 stars.
August 15, 2024
20% into this book and nothing had happened in addition to the main character feeling utterly senseless. Then I went to read it again and just didn’t want to. DNF
February 17, 2024
Blow Me Down by Katie MacAlister is a romantic comedy about a woman who finds herself trapped in a VR pirate game.
I will say, the blurb lies quite a bit to get you interested in the book. Our fearless pirate is not fearless, and she just talks about accounting and finance a lot. She's not deadly, or scary, and she won't kill. So... fearless and deadly? Not so much.
The video game aspect definitely sounds like it's written by someone who hasn't played a video game before, so it doesn't hold up from the time it was written to now. But also, let's consider that VR wasn't much of a thing way back when this was written... like 20 years ago... But it stood out to me and bugged me. It's something I found hard to get over as a reader, so I wanted to point it out. Clearly, this book is made for woman who just want to sneak away into a romance and not have the setting be as serious. It's a fun book, not a realistic book.
I honestly wasn't enjoying this book and it's mainly because of the way the above stood out. I adore Katie MacAlister's writing, but between the above issues and the written out pirate speak... It wasn't a winner. But, hey, that's okay! I finally found a Katie MacAlister book that wasn't my cup of tea, since most of hers I enjoy a lot. That's how reading is!
Overall, not my kind of book but I'll still be finding more Katie books to enjoy.
One out of five stars.
I will say, the blurb lies quite a bit to get you interested in the book. Our fearless pirate is not fearless, and she just talks about accounting and finance a lot. She's not deadly, or scary, and she won't kill. So... fearless and deadly? Not so much.
The video game aspect definitely sounds like it's written by someone who hasn't played a video game before, so it doesn't hold up from the time it was written to now. But also, let's consider that VR wasn't much of a thing way back when this was written... like 20 years ago... But it stood out to me and bugged me. It's something I found hard to get over as a reader, so I wanted to point it out. Clearly, this book is made for woman who just want to sneak away into a romance and not have the setting be as serious. It's a fun book, not a realistic book.
I honestly wasn't enjoying this book and it's mainly because of the way the above stood out. I adore Katie MacAlister's writing, but between the above issues and the written out pirate speak... It wasn't a winner. But, hey, that's okay! I finally found a Katie MacAlister book that wasn't my cup of tea, since most of hers I enjoy a lot. That's how reading is!
Overall, not my kind of book but I'll still be finding more Katie books to enjoy.
One out of five stars.
June 10, 2020
ughhh.... 2.5*
Great idea - getting stuck in a virtual reality game with a hot pirate, etc... However - the execution was really poor. No chemistry between the characters and then the plot itself just became ludicrous.... Took me forever to finish the book .
Great idea - getting stuck in a virtual reality game with a hot pirate, etc... However - the execution was really poor. No chemistry between the characters and then the plot itself just became ludicrous.... Took me forever to finish the book .
May 21, 2009
I usually like Macalister's books.. but this one just didn't rub me the right way. It seemed as if she was trying too hard to be funny, and frankly the concept of the book was not that appealing. For the first few chapters I had no idea what was going on, and then once I understood I kept thinking to myself how stupid the concept was.
I liked the character of Corbin, he was funny and a charming hero. The character of Holder was pretty funny and provided the majority of the comedy in the book. But I didn't like the main character Amy. She grated on my nerves with all her financial planning crap. What a pain in the ass.
Despite my opinion of this book, it won't stop me from reading others of Macalisters. But I definitely like her series books more.
I liked the character of Corbin, he was funny and a charming hero. The character of Holder was pretty funny and provided the majority of the comedy in the book. But I didn't like the main character Amy. She grated on my nerves with all her financial planning crap. What a pain in the ass.
Despite my opinion of this book, it won't stop me from reading others of Macalisters. But I definitely like her series books more.
July 28, 2011
Fantastic book about a dangerous and sensual life on the high seas. The romantic version of old fashioned pirate life combined with cutting edge technology. A very interesting concept and relavent for this day and age where RPGs and MMORPGs are hugely popular. Katie seamlessly blends the two worlds together and makes me wish I was playing Buckling Swashes with the dashing characters she has created. Bravo! Go get this novel if you haven't read it already.
October 15, 2016
This was recommended by a friend. It was ok but I found it confusing at times. I didn't care for Amy, too much financial planning, I liked Corbin and Holder was a hoot!
September 28, 2015
Blow Me Down (Signet Eclipse, 2005) by Katie MacAlister is a romance novel I picked up to read with my friend. We were searching for something sexy and chose this novel as our first two-person-book-club read. Blow Me Down is about Amy, a single mom who is all business, who agrees to play a virtual reality game her daughter loves to prove to her offspring that she will try new things. Once inside the game, Buckling Swashes, Amy tries to become an officer, but she has no idea how to go about it. In her attempts, she meets Renata, a kindly madam (the whorehouse kind) and Black Corbin, the most dreaded pirate on the Turtle’s Back island. When she tries to get out of the game, Amy finds there is a problem: her virtual reality glasses don’t seem to be on her face. Locked in the game, Amy must make alliances to get herself home before her physical body becomes a useless meat sack from sitting so long, and her daughter is orphaned as a result.
Around 2004 I read Katie MacAliser’s novel A Girl’s Guide to Vampires and loved that the leading lady wasn’t having any bullshit. Amy from Blow Me Down was a similar woman, which gives the book a much more realistic feel that other romances I’ve read. Amy doesn’t want to be saved, but from time to time it would be nice to see the man she falls in love with in the game–Black Corbin–when she’s in trouble, because she’s looking for support. It’s also Amy’s wits and standards that keep her from becoming smutty, though she is sexual. While Amy resides in Renata’s whorehouse, she grows to like the prostitutes and respects what they do, though Amy knows she’s a modest woman.
There are a few characters in the game who know it’s a game: Amy, Black Corbin (who is the game’s creator), Holder (Corbin’s friend and co-creator), and someone else who has infiltrated the game like a virus to trap the three players within. I thought this plot point was a bit strange. The “virus” player has made it so the gamers can’t feel the glasses on their faces, causing their physical bodies to just sit in their chairs at home. If you overlook that the book is asking you to believe the virtual reality is so realistic that the players aren’t aware of their human bodies, however, it becomes a non issue.
Early on, Amy tries to fix the lives of the computer characters, taking their situations very seriously. Corbin realizes what Amy is doing and scolds her: “The problem is that you’re supposed to be a pirate—carefree, wild, and heedless, not organizing people’s lives and setting up eighteenth-century versions of 401(k) plans.” His character serves to remind readers that Amy is too work-oriented, which is the whole reason she’s in the game in the first place. Corbin is a normal (albeit nerdy) guy who has a sense of adventure about him, but also a realistic attitude for the game. At first, Corbin appears to Amy as a chiseled blond beefcake, but when Amy points out she would never go for a man who looks like him, Corbin changes his avatar to match his real body—which is a bit soft in places, but still handsome in a realistic way. Corbin can be a real-life hero because he isn’t fakey in looks or personality.
Because certain characters know it’s a game, the plot can get quite funny, and that is MacAlister’s best quality as a writer. The three gamers must follow the scenarios set up in the game in order to further the story along. In one instance, a blockade must happen, which would cut off supplies to the Turtle’s Back, the island on which Amy resides. If she marries Corbin in the game, they will create an alliance, and he can get supplies to her from his island of residence. They are married by Holder, who gives them their vows: “Do you promise to climb no masts other than his?” Holder is a rather goofy character who serves to reassure Amy that real-life Corbin is not a womanizer, and that Corbin genuinely likes her. All three gamers say and do funny things because they can take some assurance that it is a game, even if they are trapped within it.
In another funny moment, Amy is made captain, and she gets really into it. She even starts singing piratey songs to increase her spirits. One of her crew members (a computer character, not a gamer) asks, “Is the cap’n insultin’ us by sayin’ we’re pirates who don’t do anythin’?” His question is an allusion to the Veggie Tales song “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything.” Here, MacAlister reminds us that Amy is a mom who lives in a world where Veggie Tales exists, and I found it hilarious in the context of the game.
piratesThis is not to say that the computer characters aren’t funny, too. Bas (short for Bastard) is an orphan boy with a ratty pet parrot named Bran. Bas is fascinated with death and disease, and he hopes every scenario ends up with someone suffering or dying and that he gets to see the gory bits. He announces, “Tarts get the pox…. Me ma said they do. The pox eats away at ye until ye’re nothin’ but bloody pustlues and scabby sores and boils that erupt all over yer–” ( and then he is cut off by Amy). Even Bran is a cute character, one that squawks responses and always wants his head patted in greeting. He’s also made to take baths with his owner.
The characters are truly what make Blow Me Down a fun read. The last fifty pages (out of 359), though, seem like one big mistake. I got tired of the “my love” thing that kicks up:
“Corbin, my love, my darling…”
“Watch where you’re walking, love.”
“Come here, love…”
“Go ahead, love…”
In real life, the characters have been playing for about three hours. In the game, they’ve lived about two weeks. Either way, the deep love and cheesy language wore on me, and I just wanted Amy and Corbin to sound human. While some of the earlier plot points seem more for convenience than logic, and then ending was so poorly done that I felt embarrassed for the author. For one, it takes place in real life, meaning the reader expects a modicum of logic to prevail, but it doesn’t. The characters’ “gut feelings” about danger seemed premature, leading them to make decisions on instinct alone.
For instance, back in reality, Amy waits for Corbin to contact her. However, why is Amy so worried that Corbin doesn’t call her between midnight and the next morning after they got out of the game? It’s only been a few hours! Also, Holder now seems bossy. He talks to Amy for about three minutes in real life during which time she expresses some nerves about meeting Corbin before Holder’s decided she’s such “a woman” and a “wimp” that he needs to tell her to suck it up. Why wouldn’t she be nervous about meeting Corbin in real life? Holder also is also surprised that Corbin didn’t call Amy, but, again, a few hours. These few hours cause Amy and Holder to decide to go into some spy mode and rescue Corbin, and of course they take swords with them.
I can image the story ending with Amy about to knock on Corbin’s door, her stomach in knots, and when he opens the door, his eyes shine just like they did in the game, and that’s the end. The opening up of the relationship was the beauty of Amy and Corbin getting out of the game, not what the author did, which was essentially make real life like a game.
If I could erase the last fifty pages from my mind, I would without a doubt recommend Blow Me Down. But, because the ending was so disappointing, I would point readers to other Katie MacAlister novels—she has dozens.
*This review was written from my personal copy of the book. I have no personal, professional, nor familiar relationship to the author.
This review was originally published at Grab the Lapels
Around 2004 I read Katie MacAliser’s novel A Girl’s Guide to Vampires and loved that the leading lady wasn’t having any bullshit. Amy from Blow Me Down was a similar woman, which gives the book a much more realistic feel that other romances I’ve read. Amy doesn’t want to be saved, but from time to time it would be nice to see the man she falls in love with in the game–Black Corbin–when she’s in trouble, because she’s looking for support. It’s also Amy’s wits and standards that keep her from becoming smutty, though she is sexual. While Amy resides in Renata’s whorehouse, she grows to like the prostitutes and respects what they do, though Amy knows she’s a modest woman.
There are a few characters in the game who know it’s a game: Amy, Black Corbin (who is the game’s creator), Holder (Corbin’s friend and co-creator), and someone else who has infiltrated the game like a virus to trap the three players within. I thought this plot point was a bit strange. The “virus” player has made it so the gamers can’t feel the glasses on their faces, causing their physical bodies to just sit in their chairs at home. If you overlook that the book is asking you to believe the virtual reality is so realistic that the players aren’t aware of their human bodies, however, it becomes a non issue.
Early on, Amy tries to fix the lives of the computer characters, taking their situations very seriously. Corbin realizes what Amy is doing and scolds her: “The problem is that you’re supposed to be a pirate—carefree, wild, and heedless, not organizing people’s lives and setting up eighteenth-century versions of 401(k) plans.” His character serves to remind readers that Amy is too work-oriented, which is the whole reason she’s in the game in the first place. Corbin is a normal (albeit nerdy) guy who has a sense of adventure about him, but also a realistic attitude for the game. At first, Corbin appears to Amy as a chiseled blond beefcake, but when Amy points out she would never go for a man who looks like him, Corbin changes his avatar to match his real body—which is a bit soft in places, but still handsome in a realistic way. Corbin can be a real-life hero because he isn’t fakey in looks or personality.
Because certain characters know it’s a game, the plot can get quite funny, and that is MacAlister’s best quality as a writer. The three gamers must follow the scenarios set up in the game in order to further the story along. In one instance, a blockade must happen, which would cut off supplies to the Turtle’s Back, the island on which Amy resides. If she marries Corbin in the game, they will create an alliance, and he can get supplies to her from his island of residence. They are married by Holder, who gives them their vows: “Do you promise to climb no masts other than his?” Holder is a rather goofy character who serves to reassure Amy that real-life Corbin is not a womanizer, and that Corbin genuinely likes her. All three gamers say and do funny things because they can take some assurance that it is a game, even if they are trapped within it.
In another funny moment, Amy is made captain, and she gets really into it. She even starts singing piratey songs to increase her spirits. One of her crew members (a computer character, not a gamer) asks, “Is the cap’n insultin’ us by sayin’ we’re pirates who don’t do anythin’?” His question is an allusion to the Veggie Tales song “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything.” Here, MacAlister reminds us that Amy is a mom who lives in a world where Veggie Tales exists, and I found it hilarious in the context of the game.
piratesThis is not to say that the computer characters aren’t funny, too. Bas (short for Bastard) is an orphan boy with a ratty pet parrot named Bran. Bas is fascinated with death and disease, and he hopes every scenario ends up with someone suffering or dying and that he gets to see the gory bits. He announces, “Tarts get the pox…. Me ma said they do. The pox eats away at ye until ye’re nothin’ but bloody pustlues and scabby sores and boils that erupt all over yer–” ( and then he is cut off by Amy). Even Bran is a cute character, one that squawks responses and always wants his head patted in greeting. He’s also made to take baths with his owner.
The characters are truly what make Blow Me Down a fun read. The last fifty pages (out of 359), though, seem like one big mistake. I got tired of the “my love” thing that kicks up:
“Corbin, my love, my darling…”
“Watch where you’re walking, love.”
“Come here, love…”
“Go ahead, love…”
In real life, the characters have been playing for about three hours. In the game, they’ve lived about two weeks. Either way, the deep love and cheesy language wore on me, and I just wanted Amy and Corbin to sound human. While some of the earlier plot points seem more for convenience than logic, and then ending was so poorly done that I felt embarrassed for the author. For one, it takes place in real life, meaning the reader expects a modicum of logic to prevail, but it doesn’t. The characters’ “gut feelings” about danger seemed premature, leading them to make decisions on instinct alone.
For instance, back in reality, Amy waits for Corbin to contact her. However, why is Amy so worried that Corbin doesn’t call her between midnight and the next morning after they got out of the game? It’s only been a few hours! Also, Holder now seems bossy. He talks to Amy for about three minutes in real life during which time she expresses some nerves about meeting Corbin before Holder’s decided she’s such “a woman” and a “wimp” that he needs to tell her to suck it up. Why wouldn’t she be nervous about meeting Corbin in real life? Holder also is also surprised that Corbin didn’t call Amy, but, again, a few hours. These few hours cause Amy and Holder to decide to go into some spy mode and rescue Corbin, and of course they take swords with them.
I can image the story ending with Amy about to knock on Corbin’s door, her stomach in knots, and when he opens the door, his eyes shine just like they did in the game, and that’s the end. The opening up of the relationship was the beauty of Amy and Corbin getting out of the game, not what the author did, which was essentially make real life like a game.
If I could erase the last fifty pages from my mind, I would without a doubt recommend Blow Me Down. But, because the ending was so disappointing, I would point readers to other Katie MacAlister novels—she has dozens.
*This review was written from my personal copy of the book. I have no personal, professional, nor familiar relationship to the author.
This review was originally published at Grab the Lapels
June 6, 2020
It's fine. The writing itself is of good quality, and the mystery and action elements are well-done enough to keep me engaged. Unfortunately for a romance novel, the romance aspect was the weakest part overall.
I can suspend disbelief over the sci-fi aspects of the book's fiction-in-fiction VR game (even if the time dilation aspect opens up so many "what if?" scenarios about its potential applications), but I find it very hard to set aside disbelief over the idea of two people falling in love within a few weeks, at best, when they spend much of that time separated with no contact, and any contact they had falls into but a few categories:
1. Having sex.
2. Talking about the sex they just had.
3. Talking about the sex they want to have.
4. Being antagonistic toward one another.
My take on the ending:
Anyway, I know it's a fantasy, yada yada. It was still a fun ride even if I couldn't really get behind the love story part of it.
My favorite character, hands-down, was Bas. I hope that kid grows up to become a coroner, he'd be great at it.
I can suspend disbelief over the sci-fi aspects of the book's fiction-in-fiction VR game (even if the time dilation aspect opens up so many "what if?" scenarios about its potential applications), but I find it very hard to set aside disbelief over the idea of two people falling in love within a few weeks, at best, when they spend much of that time separated with no contact, and any contact they had falls into but a few categories:
1. Having sex.
2. Talking about the sex they just had.
3. Talking about the sex they want to have.
4. Being antagonistic toward one another.
My take on the ending:
Anyway, I know it's a fantasy, yada yada. It was still a fun ride even if I couldn't really get behind the love story part of it.
My favorite character, hands-down, was Bas. I hope that kid grows up to become a coroner, he'd be great at it.
March 14, 2023
I really tried with this one. I loved the premise and the idea behind the story. Loved the idea of a single mom finding herself in a virtual game. She was supposed to be a strong 'pirate' in her story who battled verbally and via sword with Captain Corbin, the owner of the gaming company. This sounded so much fun!
what I read was completely different. Admittedly, Amy started out in her vurtual pirate world going toe to toe with Corbin and winning a sloop off him. She then proceeded to ingratiate herself with a harem and Corbin's nemesis as well as 'adopting' the care of a young cabin boy, Bas. To this point i was all for the story and enjoying it! But then Corbin kidnaps her and she goes all goey-eyed and moony and they marry and make love and she's his completely. No more battle scenes, no virbal sparring and no controversy between Corbin and Amy. And she talked non-stop during their sex scene that it became just awkward and cringeworthy! After that, it went downhill and I just couldn't stay interested. There wasn't the strong heroine trapped in a virtual pirate world that I'd been expecting at all!
Too bad, it had lots of potential!
what I read was completely different. Admittedly, Amy started out in her vurtual pirate world going toe to toe with Corbin and winning a sloop off him. She then proceeded to ingratiate herself with a harem and Corbin's nemesis as well as 'adopting' the care of a young cabin boy, Bas. To this point i was all for the story and enjoying it! But then Corbin kidnaps her and she goes all goey-eyed and moony and they marry and make love and she's his completely. No more battle scenes, no virbal sparring and no controversy between Corbin and Amy. And she talked non-stop during their sex scene that it became just awkward and cringeworthy! After that, it went downhill and I just couldn't stay interested. There wasn't the strong heroine trapped in a virtual pirate world that I'd been expecting at all!
Too bad, it had lots of potential!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2017
Sex, pirates...and a virtual reality game? Okay, wasn't expecting that last one but they kind of made it work. I wish I could have given this 3.5 stars but I had to go with 3. It took me longer to read this book than I would have liked it to take me because I couldn't really get into it. At least not until halfway through when I was about to give up in it. It's definitely a romantic comedy with its sexy, but not to raunchy, moments and it's funny moments. I guess it was a little hard to follow sometimes with the all the pirate garb but overall fun even though it took me a month to read.
March 3, 2020
Closer to 2.5 but rounding up because I finished it quickly I guess.
Was this romance? fantasy? action? mystery/suspense? It really couldn't decide and it was just a bit too much for me. I think I need to be a bit more careful about what I pick through Audible Escape because I go to romance for a "clean slate" read and this one just had way too much going on for me to enjoy.
This is my second Katie MacAlister novel that disappointed me so I think I just give up.
Was this romance? fantasy? action? mystery/suspense? It really couldn't decide and it was just a bit too much for me. I think I need to be a bit more careful about what I pick through Audible Escape because I go to romance for a "clean slate" read and this one just had way too much going on for me to enjoy.
This is my second Katie MacAlister novel that disappointed me so I think I just give up.
May 12, 2024
Love this book so much. It’s such a guilty pleasure for me. If you’re expecting real-world game mechanics, clever tech-speak and accurate business jargon this is not for you. This is primarily a guilty-pleasure romance, so think ordinary woman gets swept into a fun, guilty-pleasure romance with a rich tech billionaire. I’m more finance, trust fund, 6’5, blue eyes these days, but way back when this was written, it was fun to imagine!
August 2, 2017
This book is what made me a fan of Katie MacAlister. It was such a different twist to what I normally read, that I had to see if it was a one time thing.
I recently reread the book and I found it to be slow for the first couple of chapters. It made me question why I'd liked it so much 10 years or so ago; but let me tell you, after reading a bit more, I got sucked in again.
I recently reread the book and I found it to be slow for the first couple of chapters. It made me question why I'd liked it so much 10 years or so ago; but let me tell you, after reading a bit more, I got sucked in again.
November 11, 2017
Wow...shiver me timbers!
Great characters...loved the concept of the story...truly enjoyed the 'twist' and turns of the plot...I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes an original read that offers action, adventure, mystery, romance, with a dollop of comedy. Well done!!!...
Great characters...loved the concept of the story...truly enjoyed the 'twist' and turns of the plot...I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes an original read that offers action, adventure, mystery, romance, with a dollop of comedy. Well done!!!...
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January 5, 2019
A fun re-read, and it counts as a book set around a game for my 2019 reading challenge.
This book is ridiculous, sure. But it's the fun kind of ridiculous. The "so ridiculous it's amazing" type of insanity that I enjoy.
This book is ridiculous, sure. But it's the fun kind of ridiculous. The "so ridiculous it's amazing" type of insanity that I enjoy.
March 3, 2019
This was such a cute read! It was filled with moments that made me laugh out loud and appealed to the pirate lover in me, the video game lover in me, and the lover of good romances. I can't recommend this book enough if you like any, or all, of those things!
July 18, 2024
Every book has an audience. I am not the audience this book was written for originally. I am ok with video games (when my husband plays them), pirates (when they invade Tampa aka Gasparilla), and spicy romance. I quickly found out that I am very uninterested when you combine those 3 topics.
May 13, 2018
Very fun, and a clever concept. Well done audiobook, too.
November 8, 2019
Really REALLY funny.
December 4, 2019
Could not finish this book. In fact, I only got about 20 pages in before abandoning it for a different one. I sorta hated it.
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