Bloody Black

By: Rhiannon Hargadon

Narrated by: Nell Stevenson

He stole her throne, she's come back to reclaim it.

Anne was a reckless, arrogant royal who had never tasted defeat. After a brutal betrayal on her wedding night, Anne vanishes from the kingdom she was meant to rule. Years later, she returns from the grave—no longer a princess but a terror of the seas. Known only as Blackbeard, she’s hunting down the men who destroyed her, one by one.

But vengeance doesn’t come without a cost. Brutal bargains collar her, and bind her to a dark promise. She captures Lieutenant Robb Maynard—a too-handsome, too-calm officer loyal to her enemy—and Anne intends to trade him for leverage. Instead, she finds herself locked in a dangerous game of secrets and seduction, where the greatest threat isn’t a blade—but the way he looks at her.

Like she’s still a woman worth loving. And although she knows better than to believe in anything but pain, Anne must decide if love is worth the risk.

A full list of trigger warnings can be found on the author's website. Your mental health is important; listen at your own risk.

©2025 Rhiannon Hargadon (P)2025 Rhiannon Hargadon

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this retelling of Blackbeard. Interesting and unique storyline with some spice. Be sure to check the warnings before you jump in.

Fantastic!

I loved this Blackbeard retelling. It was perfectly done. Definitely check your triggers first as there are quite a few things that are very hard to listen to, but in the end, goodness wins the day. This was an extremely well done standalone!

Refreshingly Enjoyable

It was refreshing to have an enjoyable stand alone book and not have to emotionally invest in a trilogy or 5 book series. It was engaging. The FMC is likable. Doesn’t take half the book to get into it. It’s different enough. The twists are a little predictable but still enjoyable. I do genuinely like the narrator overall, but sometimes she lacks inflection and reads very monotone. Overall a nice change from the typical fairy/dragon/god romantasy.

This story was amazing

I absolutely adored this story. There were numerous moments in this story that made me highlight quotes. The story follows a young princess who is betrayed by her betrothed and seeks revenge on all who wronged her. She returns from the dead as Blackbeard, a feared pirate with intense feminine rage and power that is honed by justice. Tropes include pirates, betrayal, revenge, murder, and SA, so please check your trigger warnings. This book doesn’t hold back on the details. It has a heavy plot and a slow burn, but I feel like the narrator lacked the acting skills to convey the emotions effectively. There was no passion in moments that needed more emotional depth. It felt more like the story was read than performed. Despite this, the story itself was amazing.

Great nook

So I don't normally write reviews. If I like a book , I usually just give it five stars and that's it. But this book deserves a review.It's an amazing take on the story of black beard , the notorious pirate. I highly recommend this book.It is very well written and draws you in right away.