"seductive read"

In 1819 though both are aristocrats sharing some commonality in terms of invites, Lucien St. Aubyn and Elizabeth Montgomery detest each other. Elizabeth believes that Lucien is a "murdering whoremonger" living up to his reputation as the Duke of Death; while he figures that in spite of her being the granddaughter of a cobbler she is the queen of snobbery.

A bored Lucien decides to seduce Elizabeth because she seems so unattainable. He tricks her with a phony note from a friend, but nosy Lady Derby catches them together without a chaperone. Shockingly, Lucien does the right thing by marrying the nay saying Elizabeth. As they become acquainted she realizes that his image as the king of rakes is a fake and that he feels guilt over killing his brother in a duel. He is shocked by how down to earth she is with the servants and farmers. As they fall in love, he is sent to Newgate to be tried for killing his sibling, and to her dismay he wants to die.

Regency romance readers will agree that Pamela Britton's latest tale is a pleasant experience. The story line hooks the audience who will want to see how Elizabeth and Lucien overcome the mind-sets of intense dislike for one another. Though their respective public images seem unreal when the audience observes how caring and nurturing the lead couple is, SEDUCED is a seductive read that the sub-genre crowd will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 3, 2003

Summary

Lucien St. Aubyn and Elizabeth Montclair hate each other- well, perhaps not hate, but something akin to a strong loathing. Lucien sees Elizabeth as the biggest snob who ever danced upon Society's floors. She is proud, arrogant, the epitome of everything he despises-and the only woman who has ever resisted his charms. He devises a plan to seduce her, only to have it backfire.

Elizabeth feels that Lucien might well be the Anti-Christ. Suspected of killing his brother for the ducal title and known for charming every woman he meets out of her skirts, Elizabeth only sees Lucien for the degenerate and rake that he is and would rather cut off her limbs than to have anything to do with such a hateful man. When the two are caught alone by a woman who wastes no time in telling Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth's worse fear comes true-she must marry a rake.