The Secret to Seduction by Julie Anne Long
Naughty poetry in Regency England by a nobleman named the Libertine can make for a steamy romance novel. That is, if this were not the third part of a series about three sisters trying to find each other and their mother after nearly two decades of separation.
Sabrina Fairlegh is the model vicar’s daughter. Dedicated to her father’s parish, caring and always willing to be helpful, she knows that life as a vicar’s wife is what she should expect out of life. She has feelings for her father’s curate and her fondest dream is to go on a mission with him to far away places to be truly helpful to those who are in the greatest need.
Sabrina makes her way to her beau’s cousin, Rhys Gillray, Earl of Rawden, to hopefully meet said beau and plead for their common cause of a mission. But Rhys is known as The Libertine for his scandalous book of poetry called The Secret to Seduction. Rhys has had one scandal too many himself and fled to his country estate to wait for the fervor to die down before returning to his life in London.
Being bored in the country is something Rhys expected so he decides to prove to the prim and proper Sabrina she has passion hidden within her, as a way to entertain himself. What he comes to realize is the fact that he wants Sabrina’s passion for himself.
Having not read the first two books in this series can be a bit confusing when the action switches from the countryside to London. Sabrina and Rhys have surprising chemistry from the beginning, especially as he pulls her out of her curiosity for his poetry and to demonstrate some of the naughty things he wrote about.
There seems to be two books put together in one. The first one is Sabrina and Rhys falling in love, the second is Sabrina meeting and getting to know her two sisters and putting the past behind them after all. Rhys ties into their story with their mother, but the events of the past make the two lovers separated for the last quarter of the book.
Though this could stand alone, it is part of a series, so if you haven’t read the first two yet check into those first before starting this one.
Grade: C
Hard book to review. I LOVED it while reading it but by the end… I didn’t like the long separation even though it made sense. And could never really figure out what the mistress was there for.
Love the author and highly recommend her first novel The Runaway Duke. And I am looking forward to her next novel The Perils Of Pleasure, which lawson my dear you should be thrilled to hear is her first from Avon.
Of course it isn’t out until Feb 2008 but I like to plan ahead *g*.
Oh you can find her blogging here. There have been some mentions of the next book… just saying *g*
I enjoyed this trilogy but I think I like the other two books better than this one. I think they flowed better. But she is one of my favorite new historical authors.