Customer Reviews

Lord of Seduction

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
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Lady Tanon Risande is not exactly happy and she isn't exactly sad. She is happy that she doesn't have to wed her hateful betrothed but she is sad when she is told by her godfather, King William, that she is to wed Prince Gareth ap Owain. This has her in an uproar and she dreads leaving her family for the wilds of Wales. When she sees Gareth for the first time after meeting him as a young child, Tanon is not sure she understands why her heart is pounding and her lips yearn to feel his skin. When Gareth beats her betrothed in a fight fair and square for her hand, Tanon feels relief but is still anxious; especially since she can almost feel his arms around her and his touch sending her soaring into the stars.

Gareth has been enamored of Tanon since being her champion against her bully of an ex-betrothed when she was a young child. Fully anticipating his nuptials and wedding night, Gareth is unprepared for the feelings Tanon evokes in him. First he must prove to Tanon that he is not the bloodthirsty warrior she envisions, but a knight that can be loving and gentle. Gareth hopes against hope that though he can't provide for Tanon in ways of trappings and finery, he can convince her that she is the love of his life, forever.

Gareth ap Owain was a warrior first and foremost. Fully aware of Tanon's feelings, I found myself sighing at his quest to make Tanon realize that he could be a loving man as well. Tanon was the epitome of womanhood but for all of her ladylike qualities, I found her stubborn and brave and extremely well suited to be the mate of Gareth.

Paula Quinn has once again written a historical novel worthy of any reader. Lord of Seduction is the third book of this series and I found myself enjoying it just as much as the first two. The period of time in which this novel takes place happens to be my favorite historical time period to read about, but that withstanding, Lord of Seduction is an exquisite read. Full of nobles, princes, assassins, and just a great plot, I found myself immersed in this book and nothing was going to stand in my way with finishing it. Nothing. I look forward to her next book with bated breath!

Talia
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

The Risande family is loyal and true to King William and reluctantly agrees to give their beautiful daughter Lady Tanon to the Welsh in marriage in order to try and keep peace. Lady Tanon and Prince Gareth first meet as children one summer when he arrives with his uncle and eldest brother Cedric, who is supposed to her betrothed. Gareth finds Tannon to be a delight and they become good friends. As the years go by she grows into a beautiful young woman, and word arrives that the Welshmen have been killed in one of the numerous border and Welsh battles. As another marriage is arranged for Lady Tannon to the despicable Lord Roger deCourtenay, who only wants her for her dowry, she wonders about what might have been. But it is Gareth she has always wondered about, not Cedric. On the day her betrothal is to be announced to Roger, Gareth shows up reminding King William of the Welsh agreement, as he is now Prince Gareth ap Owain. A tournament to fight for the Lady's hand is arranged, which Gareth easily wins. Tanon cannot keep her eyes off the handsome Gareth wondering about his male beauty, but she believes he is marrying her only to have peace between the two countries, when she longs for the kind of love her parents have enjoyed. She does not recognize that what she is feeling is desire and passion because she is a true innocent and the scene where she is asking her dear godfather King William about female wiles and the wedding night is sweet and well-written. Gareth is handsome and sexy, but also a strong leader, warrior and hero. His men and people love and admire him, and are concerned when they see that their prince really married for love, not just as a peace agreement. Gareth realizes marrying Tannon will bring peace. He also realizes he is not only lusting for Tannon, but has been in love with her since his youth and is concerned the little girl he remembered, turned refined young beauty, will find it difficult to live in his wild Welsh land. Tanon is afraid to go into a strange land with people who are at war with the Normans, but she is not only beautiful, but strong and independent and her character as heroine does not suffer, as she never once whines about the completely different conditions in which she now lives. Gareth is so taken with her beauty, inner and out, and the desire and passion that builds between them is sexy, with a touch of sweetness. Gareth's people come to respect her and this makes Gareth love her even more. Tannon learns the secret behind why Gareth is such a good warrior - he dances well - and the scenes where he teaches his people are fun and with Tannon, sexy! With so much intrigue, deception, and some surprises at the end; blended with the developing seduction and passion between Tannon and Gareth, Lord of Seduction seduces the reader who will find it difficult to put the book down. Paula Quinn's writing style flows and her character and story development is near perfection. A good, solid, sexy romance that should not be overlooked by medieval romance fans.

Head strong, but ever obedient, Lady Tanon Risande has just had the shock of her life. Not only is her beloved childhood (for one summer) playmate not dead, but he's become a fierce Welsh prince. Gareth has returned to England to claim Tanon (as signed by a peace treaty agreement by his uncle years ago) as his betrothed. Once he wins her hand against her current betrothed in a tournament, he takes her back to his war-torn, as well as divided, homeland Cymry and its people. Their they battle the outside forces trying to pull them apart and push England & Wales into war, while discovering that their friendship and love has never really faded and begins to grow. It all comes to a head when Gareth must decide between peace for his people and the love & life of his wife.

I really liked this book. While there isn't as much romance (and it takes a while for the love scenes to come) in this one as in Quinn's previous books, this didn't distract me at all because the writing was that good. I'm not a history buff, but I think that Quinn did a great job in helping to convey to the reader the policital & historical atmosphere of the times without going overboard. The romance was more subtle (maybe too subtle for some -were not talking pages of detailed body slapping love-making here) and more of a gentle variety with more kissing, hugging etc, which helped add to the sexual tension. And by the end of the book you can feel the deep love that these two have for each other.

There is some very good action too, which involved battle scenes and dancing! -you'll just have to read to figure that one out! And I must say that I really do enjoy the physical scenes where the hero gets to show off his warrior skills and defend his lady. I loved the secondary charcters, especially the gruff and emotionally remote warrior Madoc and his younger brother Cian (who happened to have a serious case of puppy-love for Tanon).

So if your looking for a sensual/sexy read, you might want to check out Quinn's previous two books instead (there the hero's have a more rake-ish quality to them and the romance is spicier). But if you like a a well written (dare I say reminds me of Garwood) historical story that just happens to have a very good romance at its center then you should check this one out.

Lady Tanon the daughter of Brynn and Brand Risande is all grown up and by royal decree she is to marry a welsh prince in order to help bring peace between the two countries. Her husband to be was once a charming young boy who she called friend. Now he is a raw and sensual man--a warrior who attracts her in ways that are frightening. But does he want to marry her for peace alone or could these two strangers find the love and contentment in their marriage that Tanon so desperately wants? Prince Gareth wants peace to come to his country. But will he be able to hold Tanon once they reach Wales and the conflict that has been burning finally explodes with ramifications neither could expect?

First off it goes without say that I automatically purchase anything Ms. Quinn writes. She always and I mean always manages to create larger then life characters with storylines to match their personalities and the romance that will grow between them. This story was highly entertaining. Tanon and Gareth are wonderfully paired protagonist. Right from the beginning the reader is drawn into their story simply because of the interaction between the two as children. The secondary characters and storylines are finally balanced with historical flavor and details. The sensual romance between Tanon and Gareth will enchant the reader until the last page is turned. Ms. Quinn is an author I highly recommend and I eagerly look forward to her next effort.

From the Book:

Reluctant Bride
By the king's order, Lady Tanon Risande is to be wed to a fierce Welsh prince. Headstrong Tanon has other ideas, and none of them involve submitting to Prince Gareth ab Owain. Yet she can't help but notice how the ladies of the court sigh at his mere glance. And when this rough warrior sets his penetrating gaze on her, Tanon, too, wonders what it would be like to bed a barbarian...

Lady of Desire
Gareth is determined to prove to his delectable new wife that he saves his savagery for the battlefield, not the bedchamber. He will use far more persuasive methods to lure this lady willingly into his arms--and he looks forward to trying them all. But though Gareth is a prince, he cannot offer Tanon the finery she is used to, nor can he make sure she stays safe in his untamed land. What he can guarantee her is a love unlike any she has ever known.


Paula Quinn has even more firmly established herself as an auto-buy for me! The stories that come from her finger-tips are beyond compare. Overflowing with all the majesty and intrigue of medieval days, and brimming with drama, the characters quickly come to life and draw you into their tale. When forced to put this book down, I couldn't wait to get back to it! Another engaging tale told with all the lyricism found in fabulous romance!

I think that the story has a good story line and I considered that the male character was very sexy but I feel that I didn't get to know the characters. In my opinion she was very inmature and not very realistic. This is specially outstanding when she arrived into her new home and got inmediatly comfortable with everything despite she had always had a very spoiled life... Furthermore, for a person that had always had servants around her she nows how to cook, how to sweep and clean a chimney. A really remarkable young lady for that time, indeed!! I could have forgotten all this odd facts if the characters had behaved in accordance with their situation but they neither did. If my husband, the person that I love with all my heart, endangered conciously my life I would had more than one thing to say...

I just love this book. It is also how I gotten familiar with the Authors other works. I went back and read the other two previous books which are also wonderfully told. I love her ability to bring alive the characters.
Her characters whom you fall in love with, stay long with you after the story is told. I think this book is the perfect romance book. You feel the connection and love the characters "Tanon" and "Garth" have for each other. And the other characters Madoc, Tomas, Cian, Hereward, Alweyn, and Rebecca. They are beautiful told throughout the story and keep you entertained with the main Characters. And yes Brande, Dante, and William also are woven through the story(from the previous books).

Lady Tanon and Prince garth were at one time childhood friends, though they were from different countries that were split by war. Tanon grew up as a refined lady, while Garth grew up a warrior fighting against Tanon's countrymen. Though Garth had nothing but Hatred for the Normans, he finds himself proposing an alliance for peace in the marriage to Lady Tanon. Lady Tanon on the other hand bound by duty to her King William will honor the marriage, but is fearful of the barbaric prince she once knew. She wishes for the love her parents have for herself but fears she is just a peace offering to garths people.

Garth one of the greatest warriors in all of wales, has his greatest battle ahead of him. Though they loved each other has children " and still do" they are unaccustomed to each others up bringing. Garth use to ruling men and protecting his people and Tanon a refined yet spirited young woman, make for some interesting and comical clashes. Of course,
Garths sworn friends and Tanon's guardians make the story absolutely fun and romantic.

I love this book and you would not be disappointed with it. It is the only book I can read over and over again. It is exactly what I look for in a romance book-(ROMANCE).

this is a part of a trilogy. the first two books are LORD OF DESIRE followed by LORD OF TEMPTATION. it works well as a stand alone book, but i think the secondary characters and their motivations will not be as easily understandable without reading the first two books.

LORD OF SEDUCTION's heroine is the daughter of the couple from LORD OF DESIRE. lady tanon risande first meets prince gareth ap owain when she is six and he ten. he saves her after she's being bullied and becomes her champion. they spend the rest of the summer together and a deep friendship is formed. during this time she has been promised by the king to gareth's older brother cedric in order to forge peace between their countries.

twelve years later cedric has been exiled, gareth is presumed dead, and tanon is betrothed to the same mean-spirited guy who gareth saved her from all those years ago. gareth shows up the night the betrothal is to be announced and demands tanon's hand in his exiled brother's stead. he ends up having to fight the bully for the right to marry tanon and wins.

from there the story is primarily about gareth trying to maintain peace for his lands and the part tanon plays in making this happen.

what i enjoyed about the story was the chemistry between the gareth and tanon. quinn is very good at the building of sexual tension, although i have to admit to getting frustrated with all of the interruptions and mishaps that prevented the consummation from taking place until late in the book. with the constant delays i expected the consummation to be long and exquisitely detailed. unfortunately, quinn was woefully short with the first coupling as well as the subsequent one (the only two depicted with any level of detail in the whole book) if you've read quinn's two previous offerings you are spoiled by just how detailed and drawn out quinn can be when it comes to depicting her intimate scenes, so you will feel cheated if you read this one expecting the same.

tanon develops from quiet and dutiful to mouthy and spirited, which i liked. however, there was just something about her that made her seem immature. it wasn't until the very end that i saw maturity from her. gareth was sensual and self-assured and wanted tanon from the very beginning.

one conflict involved tanon not wanting to fall for gareth if he didn't love her, but his actions show the reader he's in love with her from chapter one, so if you're looking for that love/hate conflict or a hero who is emotionally distant and thaws over the course of the book, you won't get that here.

the reason this book gets only three stars though is the combination of a number of things. the aborted love scenes which made me feel cheated because quinn depicts gareth as this extremely sensual and sexual being, tanon's knowledge of domestic things despite her being raised as a lady who really shouldn't know anything about it (and no explanation was given for why she knew), and quinn makes it to where the reader would have to be daft not to realize the strategy involving gareth's attempt to stave off war, even before it's revealed in the story. finally, the ending was neatly tied up so quickly i had to re-read it to make sure i didn't miss something. considering the fact that gareth is so conflicted about the fact that tanon has been placed in the middle of his plan to keep the peace, i was surprised at just how easy the hea came about. no one really suffers here.

overall, it's not a bad read. however, it's the weakest of the trilogy in my opinion. i think because there wasn't any truly deep conflict here the characters lack the depth necessary for me to be emotionally invested in this story, which is a pity because i really liked both gareth and tanon and expected to get to know them better.

Lady Tanon is the refined daughter of a high-ranking Norman (English) noble. For the sake of peace with Wales, she must wed the less-refined Welsh prince Gareth, whom she barely knows. Tanon dreads leaving her comfortable home in England for her new life in wild and war-ravaged Wales. Even more, she fears her wild and warrior-like future husband. Yet she is inexorably drawn to him, mesmerized by his confidence and strength and overt sensuality, still holding fond memories of their brief friendship as children. She dares not admit to caring for him, even to herself. She is afraid her affection might be misplaced or - worse - not returned. Gareth also keeps his feelings to himself, clinging to his macho façade. He refuses to acknowledge that this marriage is for more than just duty and is more than just physical, even though he has pined after Tanon since he was a boy. The couple is soon immersed in a perilous cross-border trek, beset with enemy attacks, hardship and betrayal. As they grow closer with each passing day, will they let down their defenses and finally admit their love?

This was an interesting read with a good storyline and good historical elements. The hero was very appealing, showing patience and understanding for his young bride and yet remaining true to the expected male behavior of the time period. The heroine was a little difficult and behaved immaturely at times, but not to the point where it hurt the love story. She could also be gutsy and sweet by turns, and she and Gareth made a cute couple. Their story was told in a straightforward fashion, but without the subtleties or the emotional highs and lows that would have made it something more. It was nonetheless a worthwhile read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I reviewed the first in this trilogy (Lord of Desire) and loved it. The second book is Lord of Temptation. All three are wonderful and complete a single story, but I think this one may be the best. The first story tells of the love between Lord Brand Risande, the Norman warrior, and Lady Brynnafar Dumont, who in this third book are now close friends to William the Conqueor, King of England. Lady Tanon, their oldest child, has been raised with summers at court and her once free spirit subdued by the life and expectations of a lady there. She is about to be wed to a mean philandering nobleman (who was a bully in her childhood) when another arrives just in time to claim a superior right--her hand promised long ago to a Welsh prince. Gareth had once been her childhood champion...could there be anything between them now or is this just to be another of the arranged, loveless marriages? She wants the passion her parents share. The Welsh prince is a mysterious man, a seasoned warrior from a the wild country of Wales. Ah but there is magic in his smile. It's a grand story, enriched by a reading of the first two in the trilogy. I just love the way Paula Quinn writes and will gobble up all her books. You won't be sorry if you read these!