Once a Pirate

Fans of high-sea adventures will enjoy Grant's debut time-travel romance. Grant's background as a U.S. Air Force pilot brings authenticity to her heroine, Carly Callahan, who ejects into the sea 1,200 miles off the coast of Spain after her plane malfunctions. When she is rescued, she finds herself in the early 1800s. Her savior is pirate Andrew Spencer, who mistakes her for Lady Amanda Paxton--his intended kidnap victim in a plan for exacting revenge against the man who destroyed his family. While not strictly accurate, Grant's descriptions of life on the high seas give a taste of the buccaneer's life, good and bad. Carly's assimilation into the 19th century is evocatively portrayed, as are the strong chemistry between the two and Andrew's reluctant acceptance of Carly's true identity. The subplot of those trying to retrieve ""Lady Amanda"" ties in with the drama in the opening gambit: Will Carly return to the future, and, if she does, what will happen to her and Andrew's love? Grant's novel creates a satisfying ending that, with a little suspension of disbelief, holds up to scrutiny. (Feb)