Ravishing in Red [Mass Market Paperback]

Madeline Hunter (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 26, 2010

The first novel in a magnificent new quartet of historical romance

Audrianna Kelmsleigh is unattached, independent-and armed. Her adversary is Lord Sebastian Sommerhays. What they have in common is Audrianna's father, who died in a scandalous conspiracy-a deserved death in Sebastian's eyes. Audrianna vows to clear her father's name, never expecting to fall in love with the man devoted to destroying it...

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest from veteran Regency romance writer Hunter (Provocative in Pearls) begins a new series with the brave Audrianna Kelmsleigh who, while attempting to exonerate her father's death, ends up drawn to one of his persecutors, handsome Lord Sebastian Summerhays, after they're both lured to a Brighton inn by the same mysterious advertisement. When Audrianna momentarily lets down her guard for a kiss with Lord Sebastian, a mysterious figure known as Domino appears; after shots are fired, the escalating controversy further threatens Audrianna's family's name. Hunt pays little attention to period custom and language, apparently more concerned with future storylines-taking special care to introduce Audriana's three beautiful friends and Summerhays's matching trio (an injured brother and two handsome friends). It should be no surprise, then, that the novel is most enjoyable in its leads' moments of passion.
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* Audrianna Kelmsleigh had no intention of shooting Sebastian Summerhays; it was an accident. The only reason Audrianna even brought a weapon with her was because she thought she might need some protection when she met the man who held the key to clearing her father’s name: the mysterious “Domino.” Much to Audrianna’s disappointment, the man who turns up is Sebastian, one of the government officials whose accusations of treason drove Audrianna’s father to suicide. When Domino finally arrives, he quickly flees once he discovers that Audrianna is not alone. In the confusion, the gun goes off, Sebastian is wounded, and the resulting scandal threatens to destroy what’s left of Audrianna’s reputation. Of course, there is a solution, but the very idea of marrying Sebastian is enough to make Audrianna seriously consider picking up the pistol and finishing off what she started. Richly spiced with wicked wit and masterfully threaded with danger and desire, the superbly sexy first book in Hunter’s new Regency historical quartet is irresistible and wonderfully entertaining. --John Charles

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Jove; 1 edition (January 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515147540
• ISBN-13: 978-0515147544
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #536,871 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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely January 27, 2010

By NM Reader

Format:Kindle Edition

What a thoroughly enjoyable book. Good, even by Madeline Hunter standards. The plot is solid, the characters are fully developed.

Audrianna is the daughter of a government official who committed suicide. He was implicated in a scandal resulting in the deaths of soldiers on the battlefield. Sebastian is the brother of a marquess, an MP, and Audrianna's father's accuser. They encounter each other as the result of a newspaper advertisement soliciting a meeting with Audrianna's father. The result is Audrianna and Sebastian being caught in a compromising situation and their eventual marriage. The understanding and love between them grows gradually, hampered by their adversarial history.

Well-written, great attention to detail. I always appreciate an author who can get the titles and addresses of British aristoracy right. A breath of fresh air in a genre crowded with poorly written dreck.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasure to read! January 30, 2010

By K. Reinke

Format:Mass Market Paperback

After reading many forgettable historical romances over the past few months, it was a true pleasure to pick up Madeline Hunter's latest. She has always been one of my favorite authors, but lately even that usually safe method of selecting investments had not always paid off. How relieved and happy I was to find that this book was a delight!

This first installment of a planned quartet involving "The Rarest Blooms" - a group of women who live together in a country house raising flowers, hiding their pasts and attempting to forge their independent futures- did a good job of introducing a series of interesting and compelling characters. "Ravishing in Red" focused on Audrianna, a not-so-young women seeking to clear her father's name in a war-time scandal. I found her characterization, motivations, thoughts, and dialog particularly believable and sympathetic for a woman of her time. From details regarding her relationships with her mother & sister, to her sometimes awkward yet beautifully poignant confessions to Sebastian, I felt I truly understood and respected her as a character and a Woman. Sebastien is a gentleman and a rake, forced to give up his wild times, in order to look into the war-time scandal for his disabled brother, a Marquess and an influential member of the Commons. The brothers' relationship is a refreshing and pivotal plot point of the story, underscoring Sebastien's character and motivations.

Though I have read this type of story before, Ms. Hunter's characters are fresh, honest, and compellingly mature. I can't wait to read the next in the series.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A historical romance that's romantic and historical. January 26, 2010

By Old Latin teacher TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

After a few weeks of reading historical romance releases that everybody but me seems to like I finally found a winner. I buy without reservation any book written by Madeline Hunter. For me, even the ones others say are bad, are good. She puts me back into the historical period her characters are living in, whether it be Victorian, Regency or medieval, and gives me a good romance at the same time. I don't skim or skip pages but rather savor the whole reading experience and don't want the book to end. In contrast to the characters found in many other romances, her characters speak and behave much more closely to the way I imagine people would at that particular time. If we do find a heroine doing something inconsistent with what is expected it is not an annoying, cutesy, immature action, but rather something circumstances have forced her to do in spite of customs of the times. Because of this, the dialogue in a Hunter book is not full of contemporary American speech patterns and vocabulary and may sometimes sound a bit stilted to the fans of certain other historical romance authors whose characters speak and act in a way that makes me feel as if modern-day people had time-traveled back in history. So, this review is not a summary of the plot. That can be found here online or on the back of the book. Suffice it to say that this is a great Regency romance with an interesting plotline and a great cast of characters in addition to our heroine and hero. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series which will develop the love story of two of the secondary characters we meet in this one.