The Seducer [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Madeline Hunter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2005

A New York Times Bestselling Author

From the moment he arrived to rescue her, Diane Albret saw more in the darkly handsome Daniel St. John than just a guardian. Since then he had become the most dangerously irresistible man she had ever imagined - and Diane herself had changed from a bewildered orphan to a determined young woman of alluring charm and beauty. Now, she's returning from the cloistered life of school to Daniel's home with dreams of her own. But the legendary seducer seems to have other plans for Diane . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The roar of the discontented London mob and the edgy atmosphere of Paris following Napoleon's defeat can be felt throughout this darkly seductive, Regency-era romance between orphaned beauty Diane Albret and her mysterious guardian, notorious seducer Daniel St. John. Though an innocent, Diane knows enough upon leaving school in the company of her handsome benefactor to realize that only two paths are open to her: becoming a governess or becoming a mistress. When Daniel begins showering gowns and trips to the opera on her, she believes she's being groomed for the latter, perhaps even for Daniel himself. But Daniel is playing a more subtle game, using the fresh purity of Diane to lure an old enemy within striking distance. Like waltzers locked into the steps of a dance begun 15 years earlier, Diane and Daniel must discover if new love can triumph over old hate. Hunter (Lord of a Thousand Nights, etc.) sweeps both her readers and her characters up in the embrace of history. Lush in detail and thrumming with sensuality, this offering will thrill those looking for a tale as rich and satisfying as a multi-course gourmet meal.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Hunter's latest sensual historical features Diane Albret, who has spent most of her life in a dreary French boarding school where her curiosity about her lost family grows as she does. When her dashing benefactor is called to the school, she decides to travel to London and search for any trace of her roots. Daniel St. John has taken on the task of overseeing Diane's welfare. No matter what the political climate in France, he manages to visit her once a year. This time he sees that she's older than he thought, and when Diane asks him to take her to London, he decides that this is his chance to finally destroy his enemy by using Diane. He knows her history and keeps her in the dark, but as they spend time together, it becomes difficult to continue on a course that began long ago. Hunter portrays two lost souls whose need for love outweighs the need for vengeance in her latest intriguing and redemptive tale. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 471 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing; 1 edition (February 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587248948
• ISBN-13: 978-1587248948
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,039,316 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

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Darkly Sensual Page Turner 4-1/2*, April 22, 2004

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Seducer (Get Connected Romances) (Mass Market Paperback)

Setting - France and England, 1818 --- In this new series from Madeline Hunter, she has moved from the medieval age over to the Regency era in the period following the defeat of Napolean. Our heroine is the orphaned young girl, Diane Albret. She has been brought to the headmistress' office to be judged and punished for a school infraction. Brought to the school to witness this crime was, Daniel St. John, her mysterious guardian - a man who paid her tuition and made yearly visits to ask after her comfort - a man whose eyes were so dark and unfathomable that the child Diane had nicknamed `The Devil Man. As Daniel questioned her he realized that time had passed quickly when he wasn't looking and she was no longer a child, it was definitely time she left school.

For Diane, looking into his dark unfathomable eyes, the name Devil Man still had credence as he took her from the school, the only home she'd known for the last ten years. An innocent, warning from the headmistress rang in her head - that a men such as he would only be after one thing. Therefore, Diane was amazed when he brought her to the home in Paris he shared with his sister Jeanette. She couldn't fathom what he wanted from her but as he showered her with gowns and trips to the opera, her feelings of discomfort were rising to the surface - not realizing that the discomfort was really from an intense physical attraction to him and not just for his kindness to her.

Daniel St. John, was a notorious seducer yet while he was attracted to the beautiful young orphan, he fought his attraction knowing that he couldn't let himself get involved with Diane for she would be playing an important part in his plan of a revenge that he'd long awaited for. Daniel, traumatized as a young boy as he witnessed his mother's demise on the guillotine and his fathers complete breakdown had lived only for this revenge - fifteen years of waiting. Revenge upon the man who had stolen his sister's innocence, would be sweet, and Diane was just the bait to trap him. Unfortunately, human nature and the laws of attraction would plunge these two `orphans' both into danger and each other's arms as Daniel would learn that revenge at the cost of losing Diana, would not be sweet at all.

Madeline Hunter's newest offering has begun this series with a non-stop page-turning, darkly sensual and moody debut. Daniel is a very dark and moody hero, with more secrets than you can shake a stick at and Hunter keeps the suspense close to her chest as the reader is compelled to discover what those secrets are. The palatable sensuality is kept at an all time high as the two lead characters stir an ever-tangling web of seduction that leaves no passion unstirred...or heart untouched. With a wonderful cast of secondary characters promised to have their stories told in future novels, this new series written by the very talented Madeline Hunter is one in which I can't wait to follow up on! --- Marilyn Rondeau, Official Reviewer for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good or bad? Depends what you compare it to..., January 30, 2004

By 

Marcy L. Thompson (Sammamish, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Seducer (Get Connected Romances) (Mass Market Paperback)

I like a good escapist read as much as anyone else. Some time ago, I happened on Madeline Hunter's medieval novels. I liked a lot of things about them. Most important, they did not contain anachronisms. The people in them acted like people who lived then really acted. Women in her books acted like it was normal to be treated as pawns in political marriages, even if they did not like it. (Just as an aside, I always hate it when heroines are outraged at arranged marriages, when they grew up in a class and society where that is the norm -- anachronism destroys suspension of disbelief.) Within this setting, her medieval novels contained interesting characters who had true human depth. Those characters were not stereotypes. I found all her books well worth reading, and worth keeping. Engrossing, well-plotted and paced, with compelling characters, they provided me with wonderful escape reading.

But I am really a sucker for a good regency romance, so I was very excited when I heard that this same author had decided to write a series of books set in my favorite period. This is the first book in that series. While the book remains more true to its historical time than many set in this time period, it is in many ways a weaker book than her earlier efforts. The first thing I noticed is that the plotting was heavy-handed. It was obvious what was going on long before she revealed the details, which even made it easy to guess who some of the mystery characters would turn out to be. Moreover, I did not feel connected to the heroine. She struck me as alternately stupid and vapid, with occasional flashes of the kind of emotional strength required to lure a man away from a life focused on revenge. The plot is a well-worn enough one that the in this kind of book, the characters and writing have to carry the book, and these characters were not strong enough (nor was the writing graceful enough) to do that.

This was still far better a book than most historical romances set in this time period, and it was not a complete waste of my time to read it. However, compared to what she has done in the past, Madeline Hunter disappointed me this time around.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensual and Witty!!!!, July 30, 2004

By 

oatmellow - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Seducer (Get Connected Romances) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read all of the books in this series, but I read them out of order. So, when I picked up The Seducer it was more out of a sense of obligation to read the entire series and because I truly enjoy Ms. Hunter's writing style and voice. I didn't think I needed to read this book because I'd read all the others. I was so blown away by this story. It is humorous and sensual and is now my favorite of all the books in this series. It is a must read. If you haven't read it, buy it today. If you have, read it again!