Tempting [Paperback]

Susan Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2002

Her trust and love shattered by public humiliation and private indifference from a man who cared nothing for her happiness - or her pleasure - Princess Christina was a woman trapped in a lonely and passionless marriage. If she was not precisely resigned to her fate, she was not tempted to change it, until she met an American marquis - and temptation took on a new, solidly male form.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in the decadent, upper-class world of late 19th-century England, Johnson's latest romantic caper (after Golden Paradise) features Princess Christina, a woman of formerly modest means who is trapped in a loveless though lucrative marriage to the ruthless, womanizing Hans, prince of Zeiss. Thirty-year-old Christina is a proper wife and mother, devoted to her two sons and loyal to her husband, despite his many infidelities over their 12 years of marriage. She is inspired to cheat on him first when his philandering is thrown in her face during a country outing, and then when she accidentally walks in on the renowned American stud Maxwell Falconer, the marquis of Vale, in flagrante delicto with one of her married friends, who urges her to give Max a try. After quickly overcoming his reluctance to take on the responsibility of providing Christina with her first extramarital affair, the experienced Max awakens (and proceeds to satisfy) her newfound sexual desire, but Christina's transformation into an aggressive temptress is not convincing. Johnson, known for her erotic historical romances, focuses on the many passionate encounters between these two lovers, who come to believe they must defy convention and become a married couple. For all the numerous and explosive sex scenes, Johnson's writing lacks passion, and the sexual tension that readers have come to expect from the author is minimal. Suspenseful aspects of the plot involving the cruel Hans's comeuppance may be enough to satisfy Johnson's fans, but readers seeking true spice in their romance will have to go elsewhere. (Mar.)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Princess Christina of Zeiss is an anomaly for a woman of her class in 1892. Although her husband, Prince Hans, is flagrant with his many affairs, she refuses to have any herself. But enough is enough. After Prince Hans openly consorts with his latest mistress, Christina listens when her friend Lulu encourages her to sample Lulu's latest lover, Max, the marquis of Vale. At first Max vows to leave the innocent Christina alone, but he finds her irresistible, and they quickly fall in a passionate love that makes Christina realize all that she has missed in her miserable marriage. But an outraged Prince Hans threatens to take away her children, then sends her back to Germany. Max follows and puts all his resources into getting Christina a divorce that enables her to retain custody of her two young sons, while Christina deals with Hans' cruel machinations. Johnson's unique erotic historical romance leaves the reader panting for more. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575668041
• ISBN-13: 978-1575668048
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,718,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A steaming, izzling , spicey, and hot work of erotica, February 15, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tempting (Paperback)

In 1892 England, Princess Christina Gray is angry with her spouse Prince Hans of the Germanic principality of Selisia for his blatant love affair. When visiting American Max Falconer, Lord Vale asks Christina to go horseback riding, she accepts, mostly out of anger with her philandering husband.

However, to her shock, Max and Christine make love. They soon disappear from sight by hiding at his English estate for two weeks of sex and love. When they finally return to London, an outraged Hans threatens Christine using their two boys as a blackmailing weapon to make her tow the mark. Hans and Christine return to Selisia with Max, in love with her, following them. Max worries about her safety even as he knows that she will never leave Hans without her two beloved children.

Multiple award winner and best selling author Susan Johnson shows why many readers consider her the "queen of erotic romance" with TEMPTING, a novel that requires asbestos gloves. The story line is loaded with two types of action: sexual and adventurous. Though Hans appears more like a nineteenth century villainous Grinch, Christina is a wonderful caring heroine and Max cuts quite the figure as a scrumptious hunk. The excessive use of profanity will turn off some readers, but those fans of the triple XXX ultra torrid tale will gain much pleasure (in a wide sense) from Ms. Johnson's latest treasure.

Harriet Klausner

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Susan Johnson at her best!, April 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Tempting (Paperback)

Worry no more for SJ can still deliver as always. If you're a SJ fan, Tempting is a must. I have read every single one of her books and Tempting is now my favorite. My favorite books before Tempting were Brazen and Legendary Lover and since Tempting reminds me of both, SJ could not have failed to please me.

This is a love story with graphic sex in the erotica style. But unlike the erotica that is out there now, there is nothing dark, disgusting or sick to poison this lovely euphoric dream that SJ is so skilled at creating. Sure the husband is a bad guy but he gets his due.

This is a book for adults and has adult themes and situations all through out the book. Therefore, if reading a few F words here and there is going to ruin it for you, then maybe this book isn't for you. Try her book Golden Paradise. It's a little milder since it is a Harlequin book. But you still get all the good steamy toe curling intimate scenes and passionate love. * SIGH * Yeah, you'll be sighing after Max too after you read Tempting. It's a definite keeper.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, April 8, 2001

By 

Tina "tinaellorascave" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tempting (Paperback)

Using a nineteenth century backdrop, Susan Johnson's latest erotic effort pairs an unhappily married princess with a wealthy American bachelor. Tempting is, without a doubt, one of her best works to date.

English-born Christina Grey, the beautiful Princess of Zeiss, was married off at seventeen to a German prince. At such a tender age she had thought her husband dashing and charming, unaware of what a monster -- not to mention adulterer -- he would turn out to be. Nevertheless, Christina learns to endure Hans over the years, taking solace in being a mother to their two sons. Unlike her philandering royal husband, she doesn't care very much for sex and therefore has no desire to take a lover. Until, that is, she meets Max.

English born and American bred Max Falconer, the new Marquis of Vale, is looking for a bit of fun at the country party he is attending. Never married and not particularly inclined to take himself off the bachelor market, he is shaken by the depth of his feelings concerning Christina. When Max had befriended the beautiful, lonely princess he hadn't anticipated falling in love with her. But now that he has he will stop at nothing to make her belong to him.

Susan Johnson fans are accustomed to her philandering-until-he-meets-the-heroine heroes. In her past few books they have also become accustomed to male protagonists that don't stray at all once they fall for the females in question. None of her fans, however, are accustomed to a hero like Max. This is a man so besotted with his heroine that he doesn't even think about straying, let alone actually do it. Max's love for Christina borders on the obsessive...a fact some readers might find unnerving but I found endearing.

Another strong attribute for Tempting lies in the friendship and mutual respect that the protagonists feel for each other. It is common in erotic literature to find a bonding of the flesh (else it wouldn't be erotic!), but not necessarily a bonding of the hearts. As the reader you have no doubts that Max and Christina are in love, and better yet, you've been given enough depth into their characters to understand why.

What brings this book into four heart range for me, however, is the well developed and at times quite suspenseful plot. Christina is not a free woman. Max wants to be with her forever. In order to come together and stay that way the heroine must go through some pretty heady stuff. I found that once I reached the last half of the book I simply couldn't put it down.

The only complaint I have with the novel as a whole is that during the book's first half the sex scenes began to drag a bit. If one is going to read back to back lovemaking escapades it helps the pacing tremendously if there is a tad bit more variety than what Tempting offers. Conversely, however, I didn't find this to be the case later on as Johnson delves into everything from light bondage to the we-could-be-caught-at-any-moment-so-let's-make-this-count scenario.

Overall, Tempting is a great erotic read. Don't miss this one!