Customer Reviews

The Seduction

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Seduction was such poignant writing! The first half of the book, which includes the one week seduction attempt from whence the title came, is a slow, nice read that suddenly changes tempo and becomes a fast paced, intriguing, can't-put-it-down book. Even the hero and heroine's characters begin to change as we experience each of their personalities rounding out to face new situations. During the first portion of the book, I liked neither of the leads very well. By the end, I thought they were both fantastic individuals.

Alden Granville-Strachen, the Viscount Gracechurch, is the hero of The Seduction. In the beginning, he seems a foolish sort of man. He has just lost all he owns in a game of cards to Lord Edward. Although he is a famous rake and gambler, he also is a viscount that has many obligations to his land tenants and his family. He cannot believe that he has lost it all and, in silent desperation, agrees to one final wager to win his property back. If he wins this final wager, not only will his property be returned, but he will also receive an additional 5,000 pounds. Should Alden lose this wager, his risk is that Lord Edward will add an unknown boon to Alden's loss. The wager: seduce a lovely young widow within one week and deliver her locket as proof of the win to Lord Edward. He names Juliet Seaton as the woman Alden must seduce. Alden travels to Juliet's small hometown and the seduction begins.

At this point in the book, I was not too taken with the hero. Not only has he gambled his home and other holdings away, he is now set to seduce an obviously private, proper widow. Alden is legendary for his way with the ladies and loves his lifestyle as a rake and lover of women. He has never been turned down by a lady and actually does not have to seduce the majority of the women he wants. They want Alden - after all, he is very handsome and what in today's words, we would call "very cool."

Juliet Seaton is an intelligent woman who leads a very secluded and peaceful life. Her upbringing as a lady is obvious yet she must work hard to make ends meet and is not bitter at all about her humble circumstances. When Alden shows up in her garden with a bee sting, she is suspicious and openly questions his reasons for being at her home.

Alden is not acquainted with the notion that a lady would actually refuse his advances. We see Juliet as very wise as she guards her heart and her body from such a man as Alden. He begins the seduction almost immediately after meeting her in her garden and openly admits that he wants her and informs her that he believes she will be his. In Alden's eyes, what could a short affair with no commitment hurt? After all, she is a widow. An affair between the two would certainly be an enjoyable pastime. Why not indulge and then say farewell? Alden has not a clue at the implied insults he dishes out to Juliet as he makes his advances. He was still, at this time, not warming himself further to my heart. I'll give him credit for one thing; he was truthful about his intentions although he was not truthful about his reasons for this attempted seduction.

Juliet is highly suspect of any reasons Alden gives her for his temporary presence in her very small town. She is tolerant, at best, of Alden's presence and actually hateful (or at least unkind) to him most of the time. This is the portion of the book that dragged for me somewhat. Gradually we understand that Juliet has very good reasons to object to any man's presence in her life and we begin to see hints of Alden's true underlying character. He is actually a kind man and has some honor to him. But Alden continues his seduction, attempting to work his way into Juliet's daily routine although she is objecting at every turn and knows his game.

As mentioned earlier, when the seduction period ends, the book swiftly changes pace and content. We are swept into a deep plot and find not one boring page. Ross's writing is so superb that we get lost in the story and the emerging characters of Alden and Juliet. Soon, we absolutely love Alden as we see him display true honor again and again and understand that he no longer desires his past rakish lifestyle. The interaction between the leads is deep and although a couple of misunderstandings occur to spur the plot along, these are quickly resolved. The sensuality in this book is a four out of five (see More About Me for rating guidelines). This author does not depend on these scenes to carry much of the book.

Alden rescues Juliet from a very dire situation (I was actually shocked at this horrible situation). Then we start to see the love developing between the leads as their relationship takes root. The love between Alden and Juliet is beautiful and we just love Alden more and more. He is such a darling man, really - no false pride and no problems with self-image. Although he fastidiously plots deathly revenge against Sir Edward, he still does not exhibit the dominant type A personality we usually see in these lead roles. He is genuinely funny, knows how to express his feelings and thoughts without lies, and kids about his own weaknesses. This only makes him appear as even a stronger character. Again, this man does not have a problem with self-image!

I will comment on one item that I had seen mentioned in more than one Amazon review. Alden wears all of this lace and it is profusely described over and over again. I could have done without this although I realize it was high style at the time. This story occurs in the late 1700s and that is a hard time to envision attractive clothing because it all seem atrocious to me. Also, all of his bows (which I also realize were true to this time period) and his use of his very lacy handkerchief were a little too much. But I just made my mind block out these images. They were not conducive to the success or enjoyment of this book.

But - all in all - this was a fantastic read. Please remember, if the first half of this book drags a little for you just hold on. This book gets better and better with each page. This is a book for my keeper shelf. It is my first Julia Ross book. She is a very interesting new author that I will eagerly read again.

I picked up this book on a whim... and found absolutely one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've had in a long time. I can't remember the last time I read a historical romance that merged character, plot and emotion into such a pleasing melange of a story.

I'm a longtime romance reader, but I've never purposely sought out historicals that take place in the Georgian period. I'm a little unused to heroes who tramp around in full lace and silk, with a sword at their side, looking prettier than the heroine... but Julia Ross points out the delightful contradiction between the hero's outer shell and the man inside.

Julia Ross has done it again. Her latest is another great story. Alden, Lord Gracechurch, has lost his fortune at cards and has once chance to redeem his folly. He must make love to a widow chosen by his opponent and bring back her locket as proof.
The lady is not what he expected but he begins his seduction...impossible not to succeed. Impossible not to fall in love either but is the lady who he thinks? Is the villain to be satisified with this task? Who is playing at what game and why?

Ross uses the artifice and glamour of the Georgian period to great effect. Under the paint, the lace, the silk the Georgian gentlemen is a deadly machine well versed in swordplay and deceipt. Ladies ply their fans with hidden messages, invite men to their bedchambers to help them dress yet protest their virtue. Who is the cheat and who is true?
The plot is complex and weaves the characters into situations where all is stripped and all revealed and all risked.
This book is fun and bold; well written and well plotted. One of Ross' triumphs.

I really want to give this book 5 stars (the prose blew me away; one of the best written romances I've read) but I can't. I'm giving it a 4 (when the story is really a 3) just because the language is so wonderful. I was a little put off by the heavy handed use of similes, and the last third of the book is--sadly--a travesty. I won't explain why (as it would ruin the story) but be aware: Things get extremely melodramatic and the dialogue (which up until then had seemed genuine) becomes over-blown. I would also like to have known more specifically when the book was set. Unlike lots of other reviewers I simply adored the silk and lace the hero wore (it's period, and well described; put me forcibly in mind of some of Heyer's Georgian heroes). The men's costumes (as described) could be anywhere from the 1730s-1770s, but the women seem to be wearing late 1780s-early 1790s (as her pannier are out of fashion). Also: corsets/stays of the period do NOT hook! They are spiral laced. This major fashion glitch is irritating (though at least the heroine is wearing a corset!). All in all, well worth the evening I spent reading it, and I will be buying the follow up book, "The Wicked Lover."

Alden Granville, Viscount Gracechurch, knows that he has nothing left to lose in one last wager with Lord Edward Vane. He already lost everything he owns to the man and his friend Sir Reginald Denby. This time, though, the odds are on his side, and so he accepts the unexpected bet that Vane suggests. Alden's reputation as a rake is well-known, and no woman has ever resisted him. So how can he fail to seduce the mysterious and beautiful Mistress Juliet Seton?

The seduction begins in the woman's beautiful garden, where Alden's schemes are destroyed by an unfortunate bee sting. Annoyed by the stranger's interruption of her peaceful life, but unable to miss his male attractiveness, Juliet nurses him and agrees to a game of chess to pass the time until he's fit to leave... When Alden suggests they play chess every night, she's tempted to refuse, but the weight of loneliness makes this unwelcome and yet so soothing companionship too tempting to deny.

Game after game, Alden sets out to seduce Juliet, who proves herself a difficult prey in love and worthy opponent in chess. Keeping in mind that he's trying to bed her only to save his estate and fortune becomes more and more difficult as nights of sweet and witty discussions bring their hearts closer...

This book had been recommended to me by friends, and so I was eager to discover Julia Ross' writing. Her style is indeed very romantic and refreshing; her characters are portrayed in a way that draws the reader's interest into what's happening to them, and her depicture of Alden and Juliet's daily game of chess is very enthralling. I could feel the proverbial noose tighten around the heart of both main characters, and I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout their mutual seduction.

Unfortunately, after the games ceased, the story took a melodramatic turn that I couldn't fully believe. Thankfully, the impeccable writing and very romantic love between Alden and Juliet helped me suspend disbelief even as Ms Ross piled up new developments that looked more and more forced to this reader. The revelations about Alden's characters and his motives to save his fortune managed to keep my interest fully awake, and so despite a few niggles about the not-always-believable plots to destroy Alden and Juliet, I still recommend The Seduction as a very good and enjoyable read.

Julia Ross is certainly an author I want to read more from!

Take an enchanting rake, a mysterious widow, and three playful cats. Mix together with a froth of lace, a billow of silk, the shimmer of gold, and a deft touch of humor. Shake thoroughly, season with romance, spice with mystery--the result is a joy to read.

I liked this book...sort of.

I liked the writing, a lot. I liked the premise. I even like the hero and heroine. But for some reason, I can't give it a full five stars.

To sum up the story, Alden Granville-Strachan, Viscount Gracechurch, has found himself in the dubious position of certain ruin unless he is able to seduce one widowed and apparently un-seduceable Juliet Seton within a week's time. Through carefully orchestrated machinations, Alden gets Juliet to agree to a week's worth of chess games, time spent together giving him opportunity to work his magic. At first Juliet does resist the notorious rake's charms, but before long, she finds herself drawn to him and unable to fight her growing attraction. For his part, Alden is shocked when Juliet proves impossible to forget as he has managed to do with all of his other conquests. Using her so coldly to regain his fortune and estates becomes not only undesirable but downright horrifying to him. Could this be true love?

Perhaps I'm a cynic, but I had a hard time with the verbal aspects of the seduction. The time Juliet and Alden spent in her garden, tossing bon mots back and forth with each other while their desires climbed seemed unrealistic to me. I may simply be too jaded to think that it would require physical involvement to invoke such responses. Or perhaps I've just never met a rake with the power to whip me into a frenzy simply by talking to me.

I didn't want Juliet to desire Alden, at least not so quickly. She responded immediately to his male beauty and virility, which is very natural. But for a woman known for her ability to resist seduction, her reaction to him was like every other woman he'd ever seduced. With only flashy clothes, a dazzling smile and sweet talk, he had her nearly quivering with desire. I guess I wanted her to discover something about Alden that made him different from other men - so different that it overcame her determination not to be seduced. In the end, I didn't see that Juliet saw much to Alden beyond his pretty face and stunning body.

As for Alden, I still don't quite understand how he ended up in the position he was in, having gambled away his entire estate and fortune. He seemed quite sensible, so to have gotten himself in that dire predicament was stretching believability for me.

I also had a hard time getting over my image of a man draped in scads and scads of lace and other peacock finery. I know that it was the fashion of the time, but with my modern sensibilities, I found it hard to imagine a very masculine, virile man who wore face paint. This, however, is my problem, not an indication that the story isn't well written or researched.

The story itself was quite interesting - the twists in the plot and the utter betrayal experienced by both of these characters is utterly heartbreaking as they are used as pawns in a game of revenge and greed. And I wanted these two to be together, so in that the book was quite satisfying.

I do recommend this book. Just can't quite put my finger on why I'm not raving about it.

i loved that the hero was such a dandy, even a pretend one. I mean what man could pull of wearing pink jackets, lace and high heels and still seem so rougish and charming?

"The Seduction" is a book that I have had for quite some time, but for one reason or another had never gotten around to reading....Im so glad that I came upon it the other day...what a treasure!! Funnily enough, the book didnt have me in its clutches until AFTER the initial successful "seduction" took place...I adored their first lovemaking scene..it wasnt the sex specifically, but all of the wonderfully intimate "pillow talk" that we were able to look in on...very different from other "sex scenes" that I have read...very romantic and tender. I was also pleasantly suprised to see that,at one point, this book took a turn in a totally unpredictable direction(Something that I think any lover of the romance genre would be hard pressed to say about the vast majority of other books.)There was also the mysterious character "Robert Dovenby" that I am hoping will have his own book!!!!This was really a wonderful story..DEFINITELY a MUST READ!!!

Having read her earlier novel - which I loved - I eagerly anticipated this latest novel and certainly have not been disappointed. The opening prologue did not endear me to the hero, Viscount Gracechurch, a rake and a gambler, who would be in total ruin if he did not win at least one final wager - bed the widow Mistriss Juliet Seton at designated place within five days and procure a locket she wore around her throat that she was never without. A nasty piece of work or positive ruin!

I am amazed at the reviewers who had trouble getting through this book as I found that once started, I couldn't put it down! Not only was I enthralled with the complex depth of characters and scintillating dialog, but I couldn't wait to find out what Mistriss Julia Seton's secret was. I was virtually on pins and needles wanting to know her secrets - why such a distrust and fear for males! For that matter, what were the motives behind the seemingly innocent wager put to Viscount Gracechurch by the devious Lord Edward?

Not only was `the seduction' so beautifully worded and enacted but there was so much more! Betrayal, treachery, romance, seduction and some very dark and deep secrets to discover. Might I ask what more could you ask for? Bravo Ms. Ross - this offering is a sure fire winner! Outstanding, I highly recommend this novel.