The Rules of Seduction (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: Madeline Hunter, Miss Welbourne, Lord Hayden (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Early Victorian England is the setting for Hunter's newest romance. Alexia Welbourne, although virtually penniless and living with relatives, is, as her name suggests, wellborn. But hard times have made her pragmatic, so when Lord Hayden Rothwell arrives unexpectedly, she expects bad tidings, and, indeed, he claims that her cousin, Timothy, has been stealing money from investors at his bank. But Alexia believes Timothy when he says that Hayden has brought the family to ruin. Frustrated and feeling guilty, Hayden offers a job, then a relationship, then marriage to Alexia. She feels she has no choice, but she is honest enough to admit that the physical aspect of their relationship is enjoyable and finds it difficult to reconcile what she has been told about Hayden with what she sees. Hunter is masterful at drawing readers in and creating realistic characters and powerful emotions so that each of her romances both satisfies readers and leave them anxious for the next book. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

Dangerous. Sensual. Handsome as sin. Meet Hayden Rothwell, the shamelessly erotic hero of The Rules of Seduction and author Madeline Hunter’s most irresistible alpha male yet: a man of extraordinary passion and power, a man who can bring out the seductress in any woman.…

He enters her home without warning or invitation–a stranger of shadowy motives and commanding sensuality. Within hours, Alexia Welbourne is penniless, without any hope of marriage. Until Hayden Rothwell takes her to bed. When one impulsive act of passion forces Alexia to marry the very man who has ruined her, Hayden’s seduction of Alexia is nearly complete. What Alexia doesn’t know is that her irresistible new husband is driven by a secret purpose–and a debt of honor he will risk everything to repay. Alexia is the wild card. Reluctant to give up their nightly pleasures, Hayden must find a way to keep Alexia by his side...only to be utterly, thoroughly seduced by a woman who is now playing by her own rules.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Dell (October 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553587323
• ISBN-13: 978-0553587326
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,195 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful beginning for me, December 15, 2006

By	J. Lesley (Midsouth, United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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This is the first novel I have read by Madeline Hunter and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I am now looking forward to reading more of her works.

Miss Alexia Welbourne and Hayden Rothwell are two characters who have been presented to the reader by an author who obviously wanted us to have a thorough understanding of what their personalities and histories were like. Alexia retained her personality and ideals throughout the entire novel. I appreciate that. Too often I find that romance novelists start a heroine out with the appearance of ideals and then have her immediately throw them out the window in order to jump into bed with the hero. Alexia was a complex person and her life underwent a fantastic amount of change and yet she handled all the new challenges with the calm, logical thinking which life had made her develop. She did not want to be attracted to Hayden yet her innate honesty would not allow her to deny that attraction nor did she blame anyone or any situation with causing it. She simply dealt with it by trying to understand him better.

Hayden was a love. He was kind, generous, honorable and a man after my own heart. He had his demons to confront and Ms Hunter allowed him to do that in a slow, sure process that made him grow and become that man I wish to read more about, a man who was not afraid to tell Alexia that he loved her. It was a very moving experience to read about the coming together of these two characters.

The next book in this series will be about Hayden's younger brother Elliot and Alexia's friend Phaedra. I'm actually sorry about that. Phaedra figured quite prominently in this book and I did not like her character and cetainly not her name. It was very hard for me to get a pronounciation formulated in my mind and I had to stop each time to figure out how to say it. Elliot yes, Phaedra no. Now Christian, wow, I can't wait to read about him. Wonder what happened to cause his behavior? Alexia said it best, he seemed to be just waiting for something. What? Or should we say who? (Should that be whom?)

Maybe in the next book we can find out more about the ship that sailed. I find I am exceedingly bloodthirsty. I don't want innocent people to die but I wouldn't mind seeing something happen to that boat.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, the return of the Real Romance Novel, November 3, 2006

By	Janel Taueg (Indianapolis) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

No spoilers here. If you like Madeline Hunter, you'll love this. I think this is her most well-written novel. It wasn't her best story (that would be "By Arrangement"), but it was so well-told with great characterizations that I give it 5 stars. I appreciate the level that Ms. Hunter writes her books on. Lately, the historical romances I've been reading have been written at the 3rd grade level, but this one isn't dumbed-down at all.
This novel has no big misunderstandings--merely the honor-bound silence of a gentleman, no childish reactions--uncertainty and confusion founded on a budding relationship, and no overdramatization--just passion where it is merited. This book has a wonderful prosey style at times and an earthy realism at others, but I assure you, romance is written into every page. Thank you for restoring my faith in the romance novel, Ms. Hunter, Brava!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5-star material, without a doubt, May 6, 2007

By	Caine (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews

Also my first Madeline Hunter novel, and it slowly but surely sneaked up on me because it is the first "romance" novel I've read which I consider 5-star material.

The characterizations seemed poignant and strong, the plotting and romance meshed seamlessly, the prose was deliberate yet eloquent, the settings and imagery vivid almost dripping from the book into your room, the romance realistic, and of course true to the romance genre, the ending very satisfactory despite the real and gritty nature of the romance itself. The supporting cast of characters exhibited shades of gray, which I also appreciate. I have nothing but praise for Madeline Hunter's story and writing, which I consider top-notch, but interestingly enough, the characters, story, settings and imagery are all =captivating=, and overall, very =enjoyable=.

A rare combination: critically top-notch yet enjoyable at the same time.

The Story, possibly spoilers.

RULES OF SEDUCTION begins with our tall, dark and handsome Lord Hayden Rothwell casting a "shadow" on the Longworth home where a destitute yet strong-willed Alexia Welbourne lives, her Longworth cousins having taken her in after Alexia's own family is ruined. Hayden invades the Longworth home after Hayden discovers evidence of Timothy Longworth's embezzlement in the Darfield and Longworth Bank, a bank Hayden's wealthy family has invested in. Instead of removing his family's fortune from the bank and consequently thoroughly impoverishing the Longworths and destroying the bank, Hayden instead evicts Tim Longworth, his 2 sisters and Tim's cousin Alexia from their home and only partially ruins them. He doesn't disclose the embezzlement evidence which would take Timothy Longworth to the gallows, and leave his two sisters and cousin shamed, abandoned.

Timothy Longworth however is outraged at Hayden despite Hayden's leniency. Timothy Longworth prevaricates to his sisters and cousin Alexia that Hayden removed his family's fortune from the bank and Hayden is responsible for ruining the Longworths. Hayden is honor-bound not to refute Longworth's deception and bring to light Timothy's embezzlement which would not only kill Timothy but permanently shame his sisters and cousin. Alexia slowly but surely builds an unwarranted animosity towards Hayden because of Timothy's lies, and finds herself again without a home or protection as the Longworths can no longer support her. Alexia is very bitchy towards Hayden, but Hayden slowly but surely breaks down her defenses.

The story takes off there as Hayden honorably attempts to assuage Alexia's untenable position after the Longworth demise, while Alexia desperately tries to maintain her enmity towards Hayden. Hayden is intrigued by Alexia's quick mind, sharp tongue and brutal honesty. While Hayden is described as a rich, handsome man, Alexia is described as a very ordinary woman, plain-looking, not necessarily beautiful. Hayden however finds himself drawn to her and Alexia just can't seem to resist Hayden's advances.

Another character's shadow unfortunately haunts our leading pair forming the link between them: that of Benjamin Longworth, Timothy Longworth's older brother, Hayden's friend, Alexia's love. When Benjamin drowns on his way home from a war, Hayden blames himself that he couldn't do more since he was on the same ship and spoke to Ben last. Whereas Hayden is dark, austere and calculating, Benjamin is described as flamboyant, sanguine and smiling.

Benjamin & Hayden are polar opposites and Alexia's journey of love from the bright Benjamin to the dark Hayden comprises the crux of the story.

After a moment of weakness over reading Ben's love letters and discovering of another woman in Ben's life, Alexia grieves, and Hayden is there to lend a comforting hand. After Hayden's unintentional seduction, the rules of seduction are laid out, and Hayden propositions to marry a stunned Alexia, who only expects a status of mistress, not wife. Similar to Hayden, Alexia is very practical and cannot afford to flaunt her pride or wait for love, she accepts her relationship to Hayden for nothing more than a sexual desire and abandons her little girl's dreams of true love. Little does she know...

Even though most romance novels belong to the heroine and her plight, this novel belongs to the character of Lord Hayden Rothwell. Not to take away anything from Alexia, but a cold and calculating Hayden learning to love Alexia and fight for her at the end really represents the heart of the novel.

I only have one complaint: the love scenes are too often described as an analogy, very allegorical. Often the allegory supersedes who is doing what in the love scene.

Overall though, this book is 5-star material without a doubt, and I look forward to reading other Madeline Hunter novels.