Lord of Sin [Large Print] [Library Binding]

Madeline Hunter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2005

A New York Times Bestselling Author
A USA Today Bestseller

When carefree rake Ewan McLean inherits an earldom, his plans for his new fortune are entirely in keeping with his lifestyle: to expand his collection of erotic art and expensive mistresses. Then he meets his most intriguing new responsibility: Bride Cameron is beautiful, unmarried, and sole caretaker of her three younger sisters. Now it's Ewan's duty to see that she is provided for.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When notorious seducer Ewan McLean reluctantly accepts the Scottish earldom left to him after a triple tragedy, he quickly learns that not all his new duties are onerous. Keeping an eye on the welfare of lovely if stubborn Bride Cameron and her three sisters is a pleasure, especially when he's kissing Bride, and his government-backed investigation into a banknote counterfeiting ring proves quite intriguing. But Bride knows one important thing about the counterfeiting ring that Ewan does not: the fake banknote plates can be traced back to her dead father—and to her family, which would earn them forced transportation to Australia. And while she and Ewan can find common ground in each other arms, she well knows an earl wouldn't sully his reputation by marrying a criminal. Fortunately for her, Ewan still possesses a strong disdain for respectability. Snappily paced and bone-deep satisfying, Hunter's books are so addictive they should come with a surgeon general's warning. Each seems to grow a little more lighthearted than the last, yet Hunter (The Charmer) doesn't neglect the absorbing historical details that set her apart from most of her counterparts, engaging the reader's mind even as she deftly captures the heart.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

"Snappily paced and bone-deep satisfying, Hunter's books are so addictive they should come with a surgeon general's warning."
-- Publishers Weekly (Publisher's Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 496 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing; 1 edition (September 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597220345
• ISBN-13: 978-1597220347
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,250,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a published novelist, a mother and wife, an art historian and a teacher. My first historical romance was published in 2000 and my bibliography shows the list of books since then. My books have been on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly (where I have also had two starred reviews.) I have won the RITA award twice and been a finalist seven times. My novels combine strong romances between layered and complex characters with plots that include mysteries or intrigues.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pure delight...thoughtful, sensual and very satisfying, April 8, 2006

By 

statengirl (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord of Sin (Seducer) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a smart, well written, and satisfying story with interesting leads, a good romance and a compelling mystery. Ewan McLean, carefree lover and man-about-town, promises his uncle the earl, on his deathbed, that he will help the family of a man whom the uncle ruined years before. This takes Ewan, now the new earl, to a remote part of Scotland where he learns that the man has died and left behind four daughters. Ewan and the eldest daughter Bride, a passionate and self-reliant Scottish beauty, are immediately and intensely attracted to one another. They have several intimate encounters, but Ewan does not allow things to go too far because he feels responsible for Bride - responsibility being a rather new concept for Ewan. The sisters are barely making ends meet, so Ewan offers to move them to a comfortable home in Glasgow, but they stubbornly refuse. They insist they can get by on the money they earn from engraving prints from templates, a trade learned from their father. Ewan nonetheless arranges for generous trusts for the three younger sisters (Bride refuses one for herself), and reluctantly returns to London, afraid that he will compromise Bride if he stays.

Weeks pass and Ewan cannot get Bride out of his mind. Then suddenly she appears on his doorstep, sisters in tow, having been evicted from their home. What Ewan does not know is that Bride has another reason for coming to London. She is trying to find out who stole her late father's templates for forged banknotes, before she and her sisters can be implicated. What Bride does not know is that Ewan, an expert on engravings, is investigating reports of forged banknotes on behalf of the government. With deception and intrigue swirling around them, can true love prevail for this passionate pair?

This appealing story is well-paced and held my interest from start to finish. Ewan and Bride are an unusual and refreshing couple, for each has a background that is somewhat imperfect, and yet they are clearly perfect for one another. Ewan is a collector of erotic art and has a liking for all things sensual; Bride does not reject out of hand his rather unconventional hobby, but instead has a healthy curiosity about it. Both have great appreciation for the other's qualities, and they truly connect as soul mates on a physical, emotional and intellectual level. The story has many funny moments as Ewan tries to hide his irregular activities from the prying eyes of Bride's sisters and chaperone, all while they are living under his roof. The dialogue is thoughtful and intelligent, and the romance sensual and satisfying. Highly recommended.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I really liked this book!, June 21, 2005

By 

Regency Reader (Plano, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lord of Sin (Seducer) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was really suprised by some of the other reviews, especially the woman who said she had to take a shower after reading the book. Based on their opinions, I guess I am an immoral pervert because I had no objections to the hero, he was no worse than some of the other male leads in books that have gotten rave reviews. Madeline Hunt is one of the best writers I have read in a long time. Her 'bad' books are way better than the average historical or regency books out there.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A LITTLE ROMANCE DILUTED IN A LOT OF FILLER . . ., June 3, 2005

By 

Lolita (PR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord of Sin (Seducer) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was extremely dissapointed with this novel. Madeline Hunter and Liz Carlyle are my favorite historical romance authors, so I was really looking forward to Lord of Sin. I disregarded the less than glowing reviews, thinking I was safe with Ms. Hunter. That was a mistake, and I have seen for myself that this was an uninspired effort by the author. I did not like the hero nor the heroine, I could not get close to them, and I did not believe in their relationship. These are other issues I have with the novel:

1. I can appreciate a hero who is a rake, but I found Ewan disgusting and shallow. Someone who gets excited by having sex in front of others, who is (in)famous for organizing and participating in orgies, who collects expensive erotic art that cannot be displayed freely, who abhors responsibility, and who is completely amoral is not hero material for me. Eeewww! And then the reader is supposed to believe that this "hero" will be content in a regular, monogamous relationship, ugh!

2. The heroine didn't fare much better. She held on to her secrets for way too long, trying my patience. It seemed to me that the conflict was too contrived and took over the romance to the point where it overwhelmed the development of the characters and their relationship.

3. The setting of the story and the information about engraving and forgery was interesting, but extremely detailed. This was another element that only served to dilute the romance that was supposed to be the central part of the story.

4. The "efforts" of the h/h to be discreet about their relationship seemed pointless and useless. How did Bride expect her sisters to be virtuous when she was carrying on a sexual relationship under their noses for the second time? Was she excused because of her age from the expectations society had for unmarried ladies of her time?

5. For a novel whose h/h were supposed to be so sensual, I found the love scenes cold, superficial, and uninspired. Very different from the author's other novels.

6. Unbelievable coincidences and a lot of telling instead of showing make me think that Ms. Hunter was trying to meet a deadline while busy with a lot of projects that didn't leave her enough time to write in the way to which we have become accustomed. This kept me detached from the story and for the first time I skimmed through pages of this author's writing.

I really, really, really, hope that Ms. Hunter will go back to writing medievals and I really, really, really hope that her next work shows she has recovered from whatever impaired her undeniable story telling skills this time.