To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Nicole Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 2008

Nicole Jordan spins a delectable tale of wit and exquisite sensuality in this mesmerizing Regency romance, the captivating first in a dazzling new trilogy, The Courtship Wars.

Marcus Pierce, a strikingly handsome aristocrat with a wicked reputation, inherits guardianship of Arabella Loring and her two younger sisters–and immediately declares his intention to marry them off. But gorgeously defiant Arabella sparks frustration–and something deeply erotic–in Marcus. After matching both wits and swords with her, Marcus concludes that this beautiful and formidable foe must be his.

Having sworn off marriage and men, Arabella wishes to be left alone to run her finishing school for young ladies. To that end, she boldly accepts Marcus’s intimate challenge: If he can woo and win her within two weeks, she’ll take her place in his bed as his wife. However, if she can resist his considerable charms, the Loring sisters will be granted their independence. Thus an extraordinary game of seduction begins. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Nicole Jordan puts the steam in steamy. A smoldering hero and delightful heroine make this a sizzling read. Don't miss it!" -- New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries

About the Author

Nicole Jordan is the nationally bestselling author of fifteen historical romances. She recently moved with her real-life hero to the Rocky Mountains of Utah, where she is at work on the next book of her scorching Notorious series–tales of dangerous rakes and bold adventurers during the Regency era.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345494598
• ISBN-13: 978-0345494597
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"One of my all time favorite writers, Nicole Jordan delivers romance like no one else. Captivating, enticing, and irresistible, her books are always on my must buy list."--Sherrilyn Kenyon, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Nicole Jordan charms and captivates."--Jillian Hunter, New York Times bestselling author

New York Times bestselling author Nicole Jordan spins delightful tales that simmer with passion and sensuality. In her former life, Nicole grew up as an Army brat, moving frequently and attending high school in Germany. She later earned a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech and spent eight years as a manufacturing manager making disposable diapers and toilet tissue! Currently Nicole lives in the Rocky Mountains of Utah with her real-life hero (her husband) and beloved kids (her horses).

With over two-dozen historical romances to her credit and five million books in print, set in numerous eras and locales, Nicole now enjoys chronicling the sparks that fly when Regency lovers play the matrimonial mating game.

One of her novels had the dubious honor of being humorously spotlighted by Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show." On a more serious note, Nicole's romances regularly appear on numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today, and have earned such honors as RITA finalist, RWA's Favorite Book of the Year, theRomantic Times Career Achievement Award for Historical Romance, and the Dorothy Parker Award of Excellence, presented by a group of over one hundred romance reviewers.

Contact Nicole via her website www.NicoleJordanauthor.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies, January 29, 2008

By 

C. Dionne "Chrissy Dionne" (Cloverdale, OREGON USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Arabella and her sisters have worked hard to make a life for themselves since their parents' arranged marriage ended in a scandal that left the girls ostracized from society. They run and teach at their finishing school for young ladies. None of them have any desire to enter into a marriage like their parents had and are perfectly content to remain spinsters; unfortunately their new guardian has other plans for them. He intends to fulfill his obligation and find them each a suitable husband - he just hadn't counted on Arabella turning out to be such a worthy opponent - or such an enchanting one.

Marcus Pierce, the new Earl of Danvers, is well aware that finding the Loring sisters' spouses isn't going to be an easy task. He hasn't even met them yet and already he's butting heads with the eldest, Arabella. She insists that he release them from his guardianship and allow them to take care of themselves - like they've done for years. He has no intention of honoring her request, after all they are his responsibility and he does not shirk his duties.

Marcus isn't sure where he'll find suitable spouses for Arabella, Roslyn and Lillian. It would be very helpful if his friends and fellow escapees from the Marriage Mart, Andrew and Drew would be agreeable to consider marriage. He's having no luck convincing them to change their minds and certainly isn't about to get leg shackled himself. However, an unexpected appearance in his home by none other than the obstinate Arabella has him reconsidering his position. No woman has ever excited him the way Arabella does but she's determined not to marry and no amount of reasoning on Marcus's part is going to convince her otherwise.

Marcus is determined to persuade her to his way of thinking and so he issues a challenge. For two weeks he'll court Arabella and try to get her to accept his proposal. If he doesn't succeed then he'll release the sisters from his guardianship. Marcus isn't above using every technique in his sensual arsenal to show Arabella exactly what she'll be missing if she insists on remaining a spinster and he's very skilled in ways TO PLEASURE A LADY.

I just spent the whole day immersed in this story and don't regret a single second of the time I spent reading. TO PLEASURE A LADY beautifully showcases Nicole Jordan's talent as a writer. Readers will find themselves craving Marcus's seductive techniques, laughing at Arabella's attempts at evasion, and even gasping at the unladylike audacity of one of the students Arabella teaches. This book has so many enchanting characteristics that I simply didn't want to put it down and leave my `newfound friends.' TO PLEASURE A LADY is a book sure to be treasured by Regency romance lovers and a wonderful first book to what promises to be a delightful series.

Be sure to pick up copies of the next two books in the COURTSHIP WARS trilogy - TO BED A BEAUTY and TO SEDUCE A BRIDE which will consecutively available in March and April 2008.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anticipating the next in the series, February 2, 2008

By 

Carisma Tucker - See all my reviews
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This review is from: To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Nicole Jordan's latest was very interesting, i couldn't put it down. From the story opens up you get sucked in and you instantly fall in love with characters. Arabella is fiercly independent and vows to never get married but Marcus is pesistent and eventually wears her down. I also loved the other two sisters and I can't wait until their stories are published (I would love to see Drew, Marcus' friend, taken down a notch and sincerely hope that Roslyn does it).
I'll admit that this novel isn't quite as passionate as other books by Nicole Jordan which is why i gave it 4 stars instead of 5

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Forgettable, January 31, 2008

By 

Viv (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

What could have been a steamy tension-filled guardian/ward romance fell far from its mark with Jordan's latest offering.

The main protags were one dimensional with no substance. The 'courtship' read like a itinerary in its day-by-day description. The characters didn't do anything. The tension was meant to be hot, however, it was extremely tepid. Love scenes, which Jordan is known for, were ho hum.

I kept reading and hoping with every page the book would improve; it did not. Nicole Jordan has written some stellar novels. This was not one of them.