Sandy M’s review of To Taste Temptation (The Legend of Four Soldiers, Book 1) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical romance released by Forever 1 May 08

I’m still trying to figure out why I didn’t just totally love this book. I’m known in these parts for loving practically everything I read. So while love is not the right word for me this time, I did like this book very much. I like the storyline, the characters, the romance, the mystery. But for some reason it stopped just short of me closing the book after reading the last page and having stars in my eyes while thinking, “Wow!”

The best part of the book is the hero. Samuel Hartley is a man who is haunted by demons from his past. During the French and Indian War his regiment is ambushed by Wyandot Indians and all but a few men perish. Sam has been branded a coward during the intervening years because of his seemingly hasty retreat as the fighting began. He’s never defended himself against these accusations, deciding instead to live a simple woodsman life in America until he receives information he and his men had been betrayed. He goes to England to ferret out the culprit and uses the ruse of introducing his sister Rebecca into society as a cover. Killing two birds with one stone, Sam goes to Emeline Gordon, a beautiful widow who teaches young ladies proper etiquette and whose brother died in the attack, thus giving Sam his own entree into society.

Lady Emeline is not impressed with the coarse and tactless American. But she certainly is attracted to him. Every single thing different about Samuel should rub her the wrong way, but it’s those very things that keep her thinking about him even when he’s not around. Emeline tries her darnedest to keep him at arm’s length with her cool hauteur and uppity attitude, but Sam relentlessly pursues her. It took me a bit to warm up to Emeline. She takes herself a little too seriously and definitely lives by the rules of society. But when she finally gives in and lets Samuel love her, the sparks fly like crazy. She still tries to push him away, though, and she nearly loses him. Silly woman. I’m glad she finally wised up and realized what she could have. I do like her relationship with her son. He’s definitely a “little man” and her love for him is quite palpable.

The emotion Samuel goes through is heart-wrenching. He literally has physical symptoms to fight when he encounters anything that triggers memories of the ambush. The scene between he and Emmie when he returns from his harrowing run after an especially frustrating time for him in his investigation is simply wonderful when she ministers first aid to his injuries, and the consequences of such actions and closeness is all consuming. Each and every intimate scene between these two characters is fraught with every emotion imaginable.

My second favorite character is Rebecca. She’s an engaging young woman on the cusp of experincing everything thrilling and frightening in life, but she faces it all with grace and intellect. I’m hoping the third book in the series, To Beguile a Beauty, due out in May of next year, is her book, and I look forward to her budding romance with O’Hare. I also enjoyed the parallel fairytale at the beginning of each chapter throughout the book; a different story but with the same moral as the book itself.

As much as I’ve gone on about the book here, there’s still something that holds me back from putting this one on my keeper shelf. I will definitely continue the series and I know I will enjoy them all. Maybe I just need to work my way up to “Wow!”

Grade: B+

Read Shannon C’s review here and Lawson’s here.

From the back cover:

EVEN THE MOST REFINED LADY
Lady Emeline Gordon is the model of sophistication in London’s elite social circles, always fashionable and flawlessly appropriate. As such, she is the perfect chaperone for Rebecca, the young sister of a successful Boston businessman and former Colonial soldier.

CRAVES AN UNTAMED MAN
Samuel Hartley may be wealthy, but his manners are as uncivilized as the American wilderness he was raised in. Who wears moccasins to a grand ball? His arrogant disregard for propriety infuriates Emeline, even as his boldness excites her.

TO RELEASE HER PASSION…
But beneath Samuel’s rakish manner, he is haunted by tragedy. He has come to London to settle a score, not to fall in love. And as desperately as Emeline longs to feel this shameless man’s hands upon her, to taste those same lips he uses to tease her, she must restrain herself. She is not free. But some things are beyond a lady’s control…

Read an excerpt.