The sea witch

Fleeing her puritanical New England town to escape persecution for witchcraft, Alys Tanner recruits a rebellious crew of fellow women and witches to sail the high seas. The British navy is out to quash all pirates; with their own mages' power over magical sea beasts, the navy is now set to control the seas. Naval navigator Ben Priestley, who wants to avenge his father's murder by pirates, doggedly chases after Alys, following her aboard her ship. They immediately forge a magical bond that unwillingly ties them to each other. Ben hates that the navy forces sea creatures to do its bidding, but he's reluctant to share this with Alys. As Alys and her crew rescue other witches and women from enslavement, Ben realizes that not all pirates are villains. Alys and Ben must learn to trust each other to discover the fail-safe and prevent the navy from subjugating more sea creatures. VERDICT Too many characters and high-stakes exploits occasionally detract from Leigh's (A Rogue's Rules for Seduction) romance, but the story moves quickly. Full of sorcery and unceasing adventure, this is a winning new series for readers who love Pam Godwin's and Shannon Drake's pirate romances.--Eve Stano