Customer Reviews

A Hint of Seduction (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Everyone thinks Catherine Reynolds has come to London to make a match, but she's actually trying to find out which of three men mentioned in her deceased mother's journal is really her father. After three months of fittings for gowns in anticipation of the season, and no progress made in locating the three men who might be her father, Catherine needed to get out and ride to feel the wind in her face. When her groom's horse stumbled in a hole incapacitating him they decided that her sister and guardian, Victoria, would stay with the groom while Catherine would ride back to fetch a carriage. This would have worked out well if Catherine hadn't taken a spill when she ran into another rider. It was love at first sight for the stranger who was there to rescue her but as her later inquiries progressed, she discovered that there was a real possibility that he might just be her half brother!

John Wickenham-Thickenham-Fines, the Fifth Earl of Chatwin, was one of the more sought after bachelor nobles who had escaped being leg-shackled by the best of the matchmaking ton. He found himself clearly intrigued by the beguiling and cheeky miss that he'd almost run down. Her horse having run off, he endeavored to help her back to the stable to retrieve her carriage, but Catherine not wanting to take the chance of being seen before dawn in a gentleman's company had other ideas and ended up stealing his horse and leaving him stranded in the park. Catherine didn't know at the time that he'd been competing in a horse race and had all but forfeited the win to stop and help her. Furious, yet intrigued with the audacious chit who seemed immune to his charms, Chatwin was certain he would find her again along with his prize horse and regain his dignity if it were the last thing he'd do!

This was a pleasant read that had me thinking of another recent novel that uses the vehicle of a `gossip columnist' to fuel the protagonists actions. The search to locate Catherine's biological father in an effort to discover why he never married her mother, was interesting when it led to the door of the man who she fancied herself in love with, but then it seemed to fizzle out with no real joy or excitement generated over the ultimate discovery. The romance was sweet, if not earth shattering exciting, and the secondary characterizations, particularly Andrew (who I predict is soon to have his own story) and the lovely Lady Lynette who had a facial disfigurement, were interesting and well done along with the character of her older sister Victoria who would like a career as a ton matchmaker. While not an overly exciting read, it was somewhat predictable with a lovely romance that saved it with some very nice spicy scenes and cute dialogs. ---- Marilyn Rondeau, for www.historicromancewriters.com ----

After taking a spill from her horse on a dawn ride in the park, Catherine absconds with the horse that caused that spill. Although the horse's owner was less than copacetic regarding her version of borrowing, John, the Earl of Chatwin and one of the ton's most notorious bachleor's, is intrigued with the mystery lady. Soon, the gossip column is hinting at there being something more to the affair than it is, since the horse in question is John's most prized stallion. Though the earl never really wanted to marry, he begins to rethink things thanks to Catherine. There is just one tiny problem- he might be her brother.

*** Fans of Regency romance will find this a comfortable read with most conventions of the genre observed. For a light and pleasant read, this will not lead you wrong. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

Hint of Seduction is another charming winner from Amelia Grey. The story is a wonderful Regency romp with a hero who is both strong and kind, and a heroine who is courageous and headstrong. No silly miss here.

Catherine Reynolds is in a bit of a predicament. After riding in the park before sunrise with her half-sister; Victoria, their groom has fallen off of his horse and now Catherine must go for help. Racing back to the carriage, her path is cut off by a rider on another horse. Scaring her horse, she fell to the ground and in the process, got the wind knocked out of her. Mercy, what else could go wrong?!

John Wickenham-Thickenham-Fines, the Fifth Earl of Chatwin cannot believe what had just happened. Where the devil did this young woman come from and what was she doing in Hyde Park before sunrise? Jumping down from his mount, he helps her from the ground, concern clearly written on his face. Just what he needed, a damsel-in-distress! But what kind of distress...that's the question.

Ms. Grey brings us another delightful story of fun, mischief and romance. A Hint of Seduction is all that and more. Catherine and John are wonderful characters! You'll fall in love with their constant bickering, stubbornness and the bond that develops between them. Throw in a full cast of secondary characters, a ghost and a gossip columnist, that just won't give things a rest; and you have a soon-to-be classis Regency romp.

This story is a very easy read with a, "I just can't put it down" feel. This is a top pick for your fall reading and I highly recommend it. Happy reading!!

From the back cover:

A lie of convenience...

Having just passed her twenty-first birthday, Catherine Reynolds comes to London for the first time--on the pretense of having a season and making a match.

A whisper of scandal...

But Catherine is actually trying to find out who her real father is. She had three clues--three men listed in her mother's journall. One of them is her father--and the man who broke her mother's heart.

A spark of desire...

When Catherine takes a spill from her horse in Hyde Park, a handsome stranger is there to rescue her--a man who takes what little breath she has away. But when she learns her hero is John Wickenham-Thickenham-Fines, the Earl of Chatwin, she is aghast. He could be her half-brother. Now, her quest is much more urgent. For truth could trounce love in this dangerous game of chance...

And my review:

My first try of Amelia Grey, and it certainly won't be my last. Her writing is witty and fun, her dialogue snappy and engaging, her prose flowing, and her characterization excellent. While this wasn't a can't-put-it-down read, it kept me turning the pages. It is also obvious that this book is part of a series, yet I never felt lost while reading it. It works just fine as a stand-alone.

I had a few complaints: I felt that the hero took too long to come around to the idea of marriage. The way he was so dead-set against the whole idea got a little tiresome, especially when he didn't really have much of a reason to feel that way. It wasn't like he'd had a broken heart or that his parents had a miserable marriage. His continued clinging to bachelorhood without a good reason, long after he was obviously in love with the heroine, really got on my nerves towards the end of the book. I was left with the feeling that she loved him more than he loved her.

I also felt that the subplot of the heroine's search for her father could have been better developed. As it was, it felt like a bit of a plot device. When I found out who Catherine's father was, I felt a little let-down. What should have been a climax point to the story was over too quickly, and left no real emotional impact.

One other complaint: I'm not an expert on the Regency period, but it didn't seem right that Catherine's sister and sponsor would have allowed Catherine and John to go on an outing together without at least a maid to chaperone. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this struck me as a mistake. Wouldn't a woman on the marriage mart be ruined if she went on an unchaparoned outing with a man who was not a relative? And most especially if it was with a man who was courting her?

However, this author shows so much promise. Her characterization is wonderfully done, and you really feel like you know the characters by the end of the story. And not just the main character either. The secondary characters were well-drawn, and many were very likeable (I predict that some will have books of their own). I hope that Lady Lynette gets her own story, as she was a lovely secondary character. The story had a wonderful flow to it, and didn't get bogged down with the details. Yet the reader feels like she's really there. A difficult balance to strike, so I applaud the author for a job well done.

If you are looking for a nice light Regency romance to pass a few hours, this will do the trick. I will be on the lookout for more books by this author. With a little more time spent developing her secondary plot, her books could easily be keepers.

Catherine Reynolds has lived her entire life in the country, delaying her season for two years while the man she has called father dies. During this time period, she discovers her mother's journals that state that the man Catherine has always called father, is not. There are three names of possible men. While she goes to London for her introduction into society, with the pretext of finding a suitable mate, Catherine determines she will discover the identity of her father.

John Wickenham-Thickenham-Fines (you'll get over it) is a handsome rogue, part of the Terrible Threesome, and consummate ladies man.

On an early morning outing, Catherine's horse nearly collides with John's award winning racing gelding, The General. He's in the middle of a race with a young man who feels slighted because John turned down the opportunity to marry his sister. Catherine is unseated, and when she makes sense of her situation, she "borrows" John's horse to finish her mission.

The incident is blown out of proportion in the scandal sheets. John becomes the laughing stock of the Ton at the mysterious woman seen riding his mount. Surprisingly John lost more than his horse, he finds he's also lost his wayward heart.

The cover of this novel stated that if you like Amanda Quick, Amelia Grey was the next author for you. I'll admit, I was leery of such a claim. Amanda Quick is one of my favorites, and I truly doubted Amelia Grey would contend. Much to my delight, I was mistaken. I loved this book. The characters are warm and genuine. I found several hours past and I was at the end of a fantastic read. I will be buying her backlist (I'll keep you posted if they all match up so well). This is definitely a Recommended Read!

Catherine Reynolds is in London with her much older sister Victoria allegedly seeking a match. Pont in fact Catherine is in town to learn the identity of her real father, as the late kind Sir Patrick Reynolds was not. Instead one of three men rejected by her mother two decades ago is that rogue.

Due to a couple of misfortunate incidents, Catherine cons Earl John Fine out of his horse. He already was attracted to her boldness and plans to not only get his steed back but to teach the angelic looking thief a lesson. When they meet again and again, they begin to fall in love and he agrees to help her with her quest. However, he and another suitor Lord Westerland agree to race with the stakes being her hand, something she refuses to accept so she takes control by entering the contest too.

The obsession and courage of the lead heroine makes Catherine an intriguing Regency protagonist; on the other hand the lead male is the typical sub-genre aristocratic John Doe with an unsavory reputation falling for a unique bold woman. The story line contains an historical amateur sleuth feel to the fine romantic plot while the support cast especially Victoria and General the thoroughbred impart insight into the lead couple. Amelia Grey provides her audience with another "A" novel.

Harriet Klausner

I have really enjoyed Amelia Grey's other books but this one just did not have enough story to keep me interested. It was a constant repetition just to fill the pages and the story was so boring that I cannot tell you how frustrated reading the part where she stole the Earl's horse over and over again all through the whole book! I tried very hard to work my way through this book but finally went to the last 15 pages and was glad when it was over!

The characters are easily likable and I found that quickly I was interested in what would happen to them next. The settings are elegantly described. When the writing is that good you want to turn the page. Also read Dash of Scandal, Never a Bride and A Little Mischief by the same author.

This was the first time I've ever read anything by Ms. Grey and I found this read to be enjoyable but it did lack some charm revolving around various plot engines that had potential but fell short on delivery. The idea of using a "gossip column" to further a storyline is not a new one and Ms. Grey had fun with this aspect of the story. The problem that I had with the story was the storyline regarding Catherine (our heroine) and her search for her father. This story had great potential and did bring Catherine and John together but then fell flat and the outcome was less then satisfactory. This was truly the only part of the story that was a let down and the characters and the chemistry between the two was nice.

Secondary characters add to the telling of the story and I look forward to reading Lord Dugdale's story and recommend this one as a nice way to spend an evening.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com