Customer Reviews

A Seduction in Scarlet

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

 

 

Lady Portia Ellerslie is a close companion of Queen Victoria at the end of the 1800's. Victoria had great admiration for Portia's late husband and that transferred to Portia herself after his death. As a result she is put on a pedestal by the Queen and the population alike. She is widely known as the Widow of the Nation's Hero. But she's is also a young woman who was married early to a much older man and now that he's gone she has...needs. Needs that won't be met unless she does something drastic. Which turns out to be a visit to Aphrodites, a high class bordello. She is lonely and only looking for a night of anonymous pleasure with no names and no consequences. Like that'll happen.

What a coincidence that the man who walks in the club and captures her attention is the man she used to be infatuated with when she was just the young shy vicars daughter. He doesn't recognize her of course, but she knows him. But after a wild night of passion they go their separate ways. If only it was that easy. They both find that they have such a burning need for each other that it obscures their common sense and they take one wild chance after another to be together.

Marcus starts off as an idle, good-for-not-much womanizer, but quickly begins growing up and eventually realizes he needs to do something with his life, especially if he's going to have a chance with Portia. He can't ask a national icon to come away with him if he has and is nothing. Watching him grow up was one of the best parts of this book and I loved the interaction between him and...everybody. He did have a tendency to act recklessly, but he was so filled with life and humor and love that I just fell in love with him. I can't blame Portia for falling head over heels for him too.

This was also a very Victorian story, about how repressed people felt and how Portia felt she was expected to adhere to a rigid set of rules. And it wasn't just a matter of her having her own fixed rules, but of society at large demanding the same thing. Breaking her out of that mind-set was tough going for Marcus, but ya gotta give him props for not giving up.

The sub-plot with Portia's sister-in-law and her traitorously evil husband, Arnold, wasn't strictly necessary, but they did give Portia a reason to run away with Marcus and it added some tension towards the end. I did have a bit of a problem imagining that Arnold could get the Queen of England to come to the wilds of Norfolk to talk with her lady in waiting and without that much security, but I'm willing to go with it since the outcome is satifactory indeed.

Lady Portia Ellerslie is a well-known figure in Victorian England. Her late husband was a renowned soldier and one of the queen's favorite men. Since his death, Portia has been seen by the country as a woman of virtue--their very own grieving angel in widow's weeds. She was just a young girl, the daughter of a vicar, when she married her much older husband and was cast into the spotlight. And though she is content with the public's admiration, she wants just one thing for herself. So Portia visits Aphrodite's Club, a place where a woman of quality can go to engage in one night of sin. Determined to have one night for herself, regardless of the consequences, Portia scans the available men before her gaze alights on Marcus Worthorne, a notorious rake, and an all-too-familiar reminder of her past. As a girl, Portia had been in love with Marcus, though he paid no attention to her then. When he sees her in Aphrodite's Club, face masked by a veil and dressed in a scandalous red dress, Marcus is attracted to her body and her attitude, though he has no idea who the woman behind the mask is. After indulging himself with her beautiful body, Marcus becomes determined to find out and to make the woman his forever, and not just for one night...

First of all, I have to say that I might have liked A Seduction in Scarlet better if I had not just read One Night with You by Sophie Jordan, which had more or less the same plot and handled it much better, much more fluidly, and was infinitely more engaging and enjoyable. Quite frankly, after reading that book, reading this one was like watching paint dry. I was almost bored to tears. First of all, the Victorian era is entirely too involved in appearances and propriety. I usually prefer Regency era historicals. Secondly, I found it hard to believe that this woman was so willing to sacrifice herself on the altar of martyrdom for a dead husband whom she may have admired, but it was very clear that she didn't love. Third, the hero was a dead bore. I couldn't have cared less about him. He didn't seem sexy, intriguing, or anything like someone who I'd be willing to stake my reputation on. And finally, as I said before, I'd just read another book with a very similar storyline that had kept me entertained, engaged, and indulged from start to finish. I can't recommend this book. I can't really find anything good to say about it at all. In fact, though I've just finished it, I know for a fact that I won't remember a word I've read a week from now, and that says more than any harshly worded review ever could.

this is my first read by sb. I felt it was a great read. I did enjoy the characters. The story line was interesting. I didnt get it that she could not have a life of her own bc of her dead husband. This is fiction. I will be reading more in this series. TA. SI.NY.

I won't bother to go over the plot, that has been already been handled by past reviewers. First of all, I have to say I usually love Sara Bennett. I especially loved here "Aphrodite" series Rules of Passion Mistress of Scandal Lessons in Seduction and when I started ASIS and saw it involved Aphrodite's "extended" family I was sure it was going to be another winner. Unfortunatley, I found myself annoyed by the heroine's inability to stand up for herself and the hero just seemed to lack depth. I really cared about all of Aphrodite's daughters from past books but I just didn't care if the h/h ever got together in this one. And although the h/h seemed to spend a lot of time in bed the love scenes lacked the description and magic of past books. I've come to expect a bit more "spice" from Ms. Bennett. I didn't dislike her latest effort, I was just a bit disapponted. It only gets 3 1/2 stars from me. Read the other "Aphrodite" books if you want to get the true flavor of SB's books.

Lady Portia Ellerslie is bored with living virtuously on a pedestal; however, much of the country admires the widow of "the country's hero" and besides she is a key advisor to Queen Victoria. Thus any scandal she embroils in could harm Her Royal Highness.

Ellerslie needs release so she wears a veil and visits the notorious Aphrodite's Club. The brothel's owner asks Lord Marcus Worthorne to pleasure her new client. Marcus agrees, but Ellerslie is stunned to have this rogue attend to her. When she was seventeen, she wanted him, but he ignored her. However, following their tryst he wants more; so does she, but she must consider her friend the Queen before her desires.

The latest Aphrodite's Victorian romance (see MISTRESS IN SCANDAL and LESSONS IN SEDUCTIONS) is a delightful tale starring two likable protagonists falling in love, but first he must find out who his secret lover is. The story line is fast-paced as the couple cannot resist one another. Although a late spin involving a plot against the Queen is unnecessary but well written, sub-genre fans will appreciate Sara Bennett escorting readers back to the brothel that hopefully has many more nineteenth century romantic scandals to tell fans.

Harriet Klausner

This was an ok read for me. The plot was pretty good except for the fact that the heroine is viewed as a goddess. It starts out good and then dies down a little. I enjoy Sara Bennett's books but her sex scenes are not hot enough for me. However, this was still an enjoyable read.

This book had such promise, but really failed to deliver. The book just seemed to drag and drag with the same scenes repeated. The prim and proper widow thing got old really quick!

I really enjoy Sara Bennett and she does not let you down a good read

Lady Portia Ellerslie is the widow of a famous war hero, a confidante of Queen Victoria and a woman with vast responsibilities because of her husband's memory. However she is also a woman of 28 with her own needs now that her elderly husband has died. When she decides to spend a night with a man she doesn't realise what difficulties will arise.

Marcus Worthorne was Portia's childhood infatuation. He's grown into a feckless rake but when Portia chooses him for her night of passion she begins to uncover a slightly different Marcus, one who is learning to fight for what he wants. But the barriers between them are enormous with Marcus a Nobody and Portia someone who the British nation loves because of her dead husband. Is there any way they can be together?

This was a pleasant enough read with significant focus on the love affair but also a small assassination plot on the side. Portia was well portrayed as a rather Victorian-seeming woman whose emotions are mostly kept in check and who considers her sense of duty important. Marcus was sometimes a little difficult to like as he did seem rather feckless and self-indulgent. The villains of the book were rather pantomime-evil in their portrayal but overall it was a good read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were brought to live with vivid description and the dialogue was engaging. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Bennett's work.