"fine Regency"

In 1814 London, Nigel Boscastle jilts his bride Jane Welsham who stands stoic at the altar by herself. As Nigel's cousin, host Grayson Sedgecroft knows he must do something to make this right as he admires Jane's butt that he has had a delightful look at for hours and her strength of character. Grayson offers his sympathy to Jane who knows that Nigel has eloped with his governess Esther. Grayson vows to make this right.

While he sends his brother Heath to find the hiding groom, Grayson vows to make Jane acceptable in polite society by escorting her around town and fake a courtship so that others will follow his example. Still he cannot resist kissing her and both lose some control. Grayson begins escorting Jane not just because of noble intentions as he finds her intelligent and desirable. She reciprocates but worries once he learns the truth of her involvement with her fiancé's elopement.

The cast of this fine Regency make for a delightful romance as the lead couple is a strong duo and the superb support characters, mostly their respective families, bring depth and insight to the protagonists as well as fun to the tale. To Jillian Hunter's credit, the entertaining story line contains no phony pretensions of late suspense, but instead satirizes that technique. More information about Esther would have clarified her age as she seems much older than he since she was his governess. Still that is minor while THE SEDUCTION OF AN ENGLISH SCOUNDREL is a straightforward pleasant story.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 19, 2005

Summary

Award-winning author Jillian Hunter pens a delightful romp of passion and tantalizing trickery proving all is fair in matters of love.

It would have been the wedding of the year—had the groom, Sir Nigel Boscastle, bothered to put in an appearance. To the shock of her distinguished guests, the respectable Lady Jane Welsham is left humiliated at the altar. Yet truth be told, although outwardly ruined she is elated to have escaped marriage to a man she does not love.

Enter Grayson Boscastle, the irresistible Marquess of Sedgecroft (and cousin to Nigel). Grayson's duty is clear: salvage the young lady's pride and reestablish the family's good name, while repairing his own tarnished reputation as one of London's most notorious scoundrels. Their whirlwind affair is the talk of the ton. Yet nothing is as it seems between the bewitching Lady Jane, who knows that her wedding was cleverly sabotaged, and her charming rogue, as they are drawn into an amusing game of seduction and secrets.