A Lady of Persuasion [Mass Market Paperback]

Tessa Dare (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2009

Tessa Dare spins a witty, wanton tale of passion and conquest, as a reformer and a rake find unexpected love.

Only one thing could convince Sir Tobias Aldridge, an incorrigible libertine, to profess undying fidelity to a woman he’s just met. Revenge. What better way to get back at an enemy than by stealing the scoundrel’s sister? Not that Toby finds it a chore, seducing a beguiling, sultry beauty freshly arrived from the West Indies. When the prize is Isabel Grayson, vengeance is doubly rewarding.

Isabel is determined to marry a wealthy, powerful lord and become a lady of influence, using her rank and fortune to fight social injustice. Sir Toby, with his paltry title and infamous reputation, is unsuitable husband material–but he makes her blood race, her heart pound, and her long-buried passions come to the surface. If she can reform the charming devil, she’ll get exactly what she craves: society’s respect. But it’s a dangerous gamble. For if Toby wins this battle of persuasion, Isabel could lose her heart.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Prepare to fall in love.”—Julia Quinn

“The sweetest, sexiest romance you’ll read all year.”—Eloisa James

About the Author

Tessa Dare a part-time librarian, full-time mommy, and swing-shift writer. She makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a dog.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; Original edition (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034550688X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345506887
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #721,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tessa Dare is a part-time librarian, full-time mommy and swing-shift author of historical romance. She makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children and a big brown dog.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Admit - read half, skimmed rest, October 16, 2009

By 

Mademoiselle Osa - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Lady of Persuasion (Mass Market Paperback)

I bought this book eagerly despite not enjoying 'surrender of a siren' (but loving Goddess of the Hunt). The book is well written enough - but, it is the heroine, lord help me, that was so over-the-top priggish that I simply could not finish it! I felt sorry for the hero to have to be saddled with her - yuck. It's one thing to believe in justice or have a religion - it's another to subject others to misery because of it....ironic, really. She could not find love if it hit her over the head. After reading almost half of it trying to decide if I'd finish it, I skimmed the final half to see if there was any redemption for her. Much later she sort of gives a mea culpa. But, I couldn't bring myself to subject myself to her brand of misery for however many hour(s) it'd steal from my life to get to it. I didn't feel interested in the tension/issues that the novel revolved around - because it entirely revolves around the heroine being a stubborn, absorbed unloving whelp. She's so obessed with being 'perfect' she can't even be nice. So - the one star is not just the heroine but the effect her personality has on the entire story. Too bad, too - I did like Toby, but only pitied him in this one (he is in Goddess of the Hunt & is jilted in 'surrender of a siren'). Tessa Dare is a great writer (in the romance genre) & I will buy her next book (next year, I think) - but, this heroine was just awful!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars First 2 were amazing...this one is so-so, October 20, 2009

By 

L. Perrault "RegencyLover" (WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Lady of Persuasion (Mass Market Paperback)

I would be curious to see a review from someone who did not read the 2 books before this one. I'm wondering if I just didn't like this book because I loved Tessa's first 2 so much...it was hard for this one to live up to the others?

I found Toby to be BORING. He was such a shallow character to me. I get it...he was the perfect gentleman but lazy and now his wife wants to make him a better man and he wants to try for her. And then the wife who is too perfect and giving and loving and shy but encouraging in bed. (YAWN)

I read the first 2 books in 2 days. It took me almost 2 weeks to finish this book. The plot was boring and the characters were almost like afterthoughts..."I have to write a trilogy, I have plot for 2 books...guess I'll throw the sister and the jilted groom together and see what happens." The end was a bit redemptive and the reason it got 3 stars instead of 2.

The best parts were revisiting the characters from the first 2 books. Loved hearing about Lucy's pregnancy and how Sophia and Gray were doing together in London.

I HIGHLY recommend Surrender to a Siren and Goddess of the Hunt. But you can probably skip this one.

***In response to comment***
I agree. The last chapter was great for getting to know how everyone is doing in the future. So...go ahead and open the book and read the last chapter.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Points for trying something interesting..., July 28, 2010

By 

B. Proczko "clandestine penguin" (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Lady of Persuasion (Kindle Edition)

I feel that Ms. Dare had a great idea for a heroine, but had a hard time wrestling that idea into submission, while at the same time feeling pressure to bring back all the main characters from the previous two books in the series (sometimes plausibly, sometimes not - see also: final scene). Toby is great to laugh with and at, falling prey to what many of us have a habit of doing in idealizing the object of one's attraction. Isabel, however... well, she was nearly interesting. I liked "Surrender of a Siren" better, and "Goddess of the Hunt" was a solid start. Go back to those, if you haven't read them yet.