This post may include affiliate links. See my full disclosure.
Ahoy, romance readers! 🏴☠️
If you’ve ever dreamed of being swept away by the salty sea breeze, your heart pounding as the sails billow overhead and a mysterious figure watches you from across the deck with a devilish grin. Then these are your kind of books. We’re setting sail into the thrilling, wind-tossed world of historical pirate romance books, where danger and desire collide on the high seas.
There’s just something utterly irresistible about a pirate hero. Maybe it’s the swagger, the rogue charm, or the fact that he answers to no one but the sea herself. Pirates have always held a certain dark allure. Outlaws with hearts of gold (or at least silver), guided by freedom, passion, and their own brand of honor. And when a bold heroine crosses their path? Sparks fly like cannon fire.
Historical pirate romances offer the perfect storm: forbidden love, high-stakes adventure, steamy slow burns, and an escape into a world where every crashing wave might bring a kiss or a betrayal. These stories whisk us away to the golden age of piracy, where fearless women meet untamed men aboard creaking ships under starry skies—and fall headfirst into the kind of romance that feels as wild and uncharted as the oceans themselves.
Here you’ll find swoonworthy tales of pirates who kidnap hearts as easily as they raid treasure ships. From Scottish lairds turned sea captains to lady pirates in disguise, these books are packed with delicious tropes. Enemies-to-lovers, secret identities, captives turned lovers, and more. Whether you’re craving an old-school classic full of angsty pining or a newer tale with sizzling chemistry and feminist flair, these historical pirate romance books will steal your heart and leave you yearning for more.
⚓ So grab your compass (or your Kindle). Wrap up in a cozy blanket, and prepare to be whisked off to a world of stolen kisses. Stormy nights, and seductive pirates who might just be the best kind of trouble. These high-seas romances are anything but calm waters—and trust me, you won’t want them to be.
Historical pirate romances with loads of spice!
No Rest for the Wicked by Lauren Smith
Roberta finds herself the unwilling guest of sinfully handsome Captain Dominic Grey. He gives her two choices: to share his bed and maintain her life as a lady. Or she can sleep on the floor of his cabin and live the life of a cabin boy until he decides to set her free. Refusing to be seduced by a pirate, she begins to wonder if letting him kiss her again might be a rule worth breaking.
Lady Pirate by Lynsay Sands
Valoree no longer has to masquerade as her murdered brother and scourge the oceans as Captain Red. She no longer has to command his pirate band in a quest to regain his birthright. She has been named heir to Ainsley Castle. And the will distinctly states that in order to inherit, Valoree must be married to a nobleman . . . and pregnant.
Captured by the Pirate Laird by Amy Jarecki
Laird Calum MacLeod has a reason for plundering the ship—and it’s not a stunning English lass. With no other choice, he takes Anne to his crumbling keep on the isle of Raasay and sends a letter of ransom to her husband. In time, Anne grows to understand MacLeod’s plight and finds it increasingly difficult to resist Calum’s unsettling charm. Until the baron sends a reply agreeing to terms.
The Pirate’s Purchase by Elva Cobb Martin
Captain Ethan Becket, a former Charles Town minister, sails the seas as a privateer, leaving behind the God who took everything from him. When his sister is taken by his enemies, he sets off to Cartagena in pursuit. Little does he expect his new Spanish governess to stow away on his ship. Yet her offer of help to free his sister is too tempting to pass up.
A Pirate’s Love by Johanna Lindsey
Bettina Verlaine obediently sets out to fulfill the promise made by her father. A prearranged marriage destined not to be once the notorious Captain Tristan’s pirate ship appears on the horizon. Abducted by the bold and handsome brigand, the pale-haired beauty surrenders her innocence in the warm caress of the tropical winds detesting her virile captor for enslaving her.
The Pirate and the Pagan by Virginia Henley
Wild as a pagan goddess, Lady Summer galloped her stallion along the Cornish coast. She had dabbled in the smuggler’s game to save her family estate, but a wealthy marriage would better serve her purpose now. Lord Ruark Helford seemed the answer to her reckless prayers. But as his hot, hungry kisses drew her toward deception and irresistible acts of love, she had to hesitate.
A Pirate’s Pleasure by Heather Graham
With her flame gold-hair and azure eyes, Skye Kinsdale was a prize beyond compare. Betrothed to a lord she’d never met, she set sail for America sworn to reject him on sight until the infamous pirate Silver Hawk seized her ship and banished all other men from her life. Burning with rage and passion, she was determined to destroy the arrogant buccaneer, to be free at any cost.
Savage of the Sea by Eliza Knight
Shaw’s life is perfect. Whisky, women and mayhem. He wants for nothing—until Lady Jane presents a treasure he’d never considered possessing. Is he willing to risk his lethal reputation in order to save a lass he barely knows, again? Will she trust a pirate to see their arrangement through to the end? And what happens when perilous battles turn to sinful kisses?
A Pirate’s Tantalizing Passion by Lucy Langton
When James, a pirate who has travelled from the Barbary Coast to the British Islands, sees Maria he can’t help but think that he’s never seen a more beautiful creature ever in his life. His tanned skin, long brown hair and his mysterious green eyes make him the most wanted pirate in town. But from the moment he spotted her, he knew she should be his, at any cost.
Once a Pirate by Susan Grant
Outlaw nobleman and pirate Andrew Spencer has one goal: to ruin the duke who destroyed his life. He’ll start by kidnapping the man’s niece for ransom. But the strangely garbed blonde not only refuses to admit she’s his highborn target, she insists she’s from another century entirely, babbling on about flying machines and the future.
Stolen by a Pirate by Cynthia Wright
Heartbroken Antonia Varyshkova, who has lost her parents and her home in a St. Petersburg fire, stops in London en route to a new life with her brother in Colonial America. When her arrogant ship’s captain, Tobias Ormond, insists that she attend a ball with him, Antonia reluctantly agrees. The instant connection between Jean-Philippe and Antonia is soul-deep, but it seems that there cannot be a future for them.
And there you have it, matey—eleven irresistible historical pirate romance books that will sweep you off your feet and straight into the heart of a stormy, seductive sea adventure.
These swashbuckling love stories remind us why we fall for pirates in the first place. It’s not just the rugged good looks or the rakish smiles (though let’s be honest, those help). And it’s the promise of passion in the most unexpected places. It’s the thrill of stolen moments beneath moonlit sails. The allure of freedom, danger, and the fierce, unwavering kind of love that defies the rules of both society and the sea.
Whether you’ve just discovered the genre or you’re a longtime fan of historical pirate romance books, there’s always something magical about diving into a story where the heroine finds herself caught between the barrel of a flintlock and the arms of a man who should be her enemy—but just might be her destiny.
These books deliver that rare combination of swoon and suspense, sweeping readers into a world where love is a battle, passion is a weapon, and every kiss feels like a victory. So the next time you’re longing for an escape from the everyday, hoist the sails, lose yourself in a steamy pirate romance, and let the sea carry you far, far away.
Until next time, happy reading—and may your romances always be wind-tossed and wild.
