Starting right after Jacky is taken off the deck of the Dolphin, she is sent to Boston’s Peabody Lawson’s School for Young Ladies. The proper place for a female, but not the proper place for Jacky. Even though she’s determined to become a proper lady for her dear midshipman, Jaimy, our favorite sailor is meant for the sea and sometimes. . . the jail.

Jacky is still as enjoyable as ever with her very distinctive voice, and she continues to find scnadal wherever she goes. Especially in Puritanical Boston where flashing a ankle while playing on her flute sends her to jail with the other ladies of the night. Yep, only two days there, and she’s been demoted from lady in training to servant girl.

Now to say anything more after that would be a spoiler as Jacky gets into a lot and I do mean a lot of adventures and troubles, but being the clever girl she is, she manages to get out of it the nick of time with the help of her friends. What was very enjoyable about this book is that Jacky begins to find out one of her major flaws is her impulsivity. After spending years surviving on her own, she tends to believe she knows what’s best. But in some circumstances she does not. Her fists do not solve her problems when sparring with slave-owning, pampered plantation daughter, Clarissa Howe. Her knowledge of rough sailor men do not prepare her for the smooth charms of educated rich men. The streets of London are not the same playing field as the Americas, mentioning the tension with the upcoming War of 1812. Plus there is her tendency to let her emotions run away with her, and not allow anyone to help her solve her own problems. At times its frustrating as a reader knowing that she’s being so naieve and putting herself in danger. But she is so endearing, and so honest, you got to love her anyway and several people feel throughout the book.

Meyer once again makes a compelling supporting cast of servant girls, esteemed ladies, and bad men. One of the main villains being especially skin-crawling heinous in true Puritan form. Plus it has some welcome old friends from the previous book. Meyer also gets to indulge in even more of his favorite folk songs and sea shanties as, in an attempt to make money so she can go home to England, Jacky takes up singing and playing flute at the local pub, The Pig.

Again, this book is very much for high schoolers, and period accurate as it frequently references brothels, rape, sin, drinking, gore and murder as one would expect in such a rough place as the high seas.

Very continuation of Jacky’s adventures that will leave readers wanting more.

4 stars