Temptation (Mass Market Paperback)

by Jude Deveraux (Author) "And in conclusion, ladies . . . and gentlemen . . ..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Deborah Madison, Melanie O'Neil (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
In 1909 New York City, Temperance O'Neil is an upper class intellectual exploring the few public forums allowed her: the campaign against the tenements and the emancipation of women. When her stepfather, Angus McCairn, demands that Temperance move to Scotland to begin a more proper life, she is stuck. Dependent on his control of her money, Temperance moves to Scotland but makes his life a circus of women's committees and good works. To distract her, Angus makes an irresistible offer--once she has found a wife for his reclusive nephew, James, she may return to New York with a modest stipend. Temperance agrees, and heads for the remote laird.

Once Temperance arrives, however, she realizes that the challenge of finding James a wife is equally as intimidating as the prospect of cleaning up a tenement. The house is in shambles, the local town depressed, and his welcome perfectly horrible. Faced with this task or the return to her stepfather, Temperance digs in and focuses all her energies on making James presentable and finding a willing bride. Impressed by her tenacity, James begins to care for her, and it looks like the search for a wife may be over, if Temperance agrees.

Temperance is the heroine we've been waiting for. The descendent of Jane Austen's women, she is smart, passionate, liberated, and true to her own ideals. While at the denouement of most stories the heroine melts into a slushy pile of self-contradictions, Deveraux's character stands strong in her convictions and wins the respect of the readers, if not her fellow characters. Just like the readers, romance heroines are securing the man, the fortune, and the good ending through the quality of their characters, and not by the leverage of their charms. Temperance is the hero that we all want to be, and Jude Deveraux's work is an entertaining medium for inspiration.--Nancy R.E. O'Brien --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Like many recent heroines of historical romance, Temperance O'Neil, turn-of-the-century New York women's rights activist, doesn't think she needs a man. The beautiful, resourceful 29-year-old has conquered politicians and audiences, even the mayor, but in 1909 men control the purse strings, so she must move to Scotland when her mother marries dour Angus McCairn. Angus soon cuts a deal with his willful stepdaughter: she can have her financial freedom and return to New York if she finds a wife for his nephew, James. Posing as James's new housekeeper, Temperance heads to his estate in the Highlands, not knowing that according to his father's will, James must marry for love before his fast-approaching 35th birthday. Other surprises await her, too. Beneath his rough exterior, James happens to be an attractive, educated, amusing, sensitive man. The Scottish Cold Comfort Farm where he tends sheep has fallen on hard times, but a treasure, hidden somewhere on the premises, promises riches galore. Fannie Farmer cookbook in hand, Temperance whips the old castle into shape, launches a millinery business for the town widow, delivers baby lambs and shares temper tantrums and passionate sex with the laird. Trouble threatens when James's ex-girlfriend reappears on the scene claiming to know where the treasure is hidden, but Temperance has handled bigger problems before. This is not the first time Deveraux (High Tide, etc.) has set a romance in the Highlands or found humor in the city slicker who tames the wilds. Here, too, she delights in the corny clashing of Temperance's modern professionalism and James's archaic near-feudal existence. Deveraux knows that the lively pace and happy endings she has delivered with relentless consistency since 1976 will keep loyal readers turning pages fast enough to overlook any lapses of accuracy, subtlety or freshness. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743410181
• ISBN-13: 978-0743410182
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #233,371 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This doesn't belong in the Romance genre, November 14, 2000

By	B. Walker (Wisconsin, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Temptation (Hardcover)

It goes against all of my instincts to give any Jude Devereaux book a less-than-stellar review, but I just can't recommend this book for the purpose it pretends to have.

This is not a romantic book, at least not in the traditional man-woman way. The storyline is enjoyable enough - an intelligent, attractive woman who is clearly ahead of her time meets a cranky, handsome man, who is clearly behind the times. As a story of personal growth, the book works. Temperence learns that in order to give, you have to take a little; James learns...well, I'm really not sure what James learned. He seems strangely dishonorable, disdainful and a whole lot of other "dis"-es I can't come up with right now. This is a book about Temperance and her journey, and James is almost an afterthought, more of a plot device to move Temperance along than anything else. I've rarely read a book where I wasn't remotely interested in the main male character, but this has the dubious distinction of being the most memorable example of that so far.

I could count on one hand the romantic or intimate scenes between the two characters, and even those felt stilted and awkward. Temperence and James would make good friends (or heaven forbid, brother and sister), but lovers? Not that I could see. After reading the book twice, I still don't have a clue why either of them are supposedly attracted to the other. There was no build-up, no feeling that these two had any passion for each other. When they do get together, it's forgettable (apparently for them too), uncomfortable and unsettling and James is insulting. It just felt wrong, for reasons I can't articulate.

I agree wholeheartedly with the reviewer who felt the ending was jarring and unsatisfying - none of the characters act remotely like they did throughout the rest of the book. I won't spoil it, but when I saw the date written on the last chapter, I actually said, "HUH?" out loud. I still don't get it, and plan on dumping this book off at the nearest reseller to make sure I don't read it again by mistake.

Buy this book if you are interested in one woman's experience in the early days of the women's equality movement, but save your money if you are looking for a passionate or tender romance with characters you know are destined to be together. You won't find it here.

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Without the Montgomerys and the Taggerts..., October 7, 2000

By	delta (Memphis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temptation (Hardcover)

...we are very happy to have Jude Devearux back with another great wonderful book. Ms. Deveraux cut back on her writing schedule in order to spend more time with her new son. I wish her every happiness, even though I have missed seeing as much of her wonderful books of late.

Apparently, Ms. Deveraux has decided to not include the wonderful Montgomery/Taggert family in her sagas. They were the people who she built all her novels around until a couple of years ago. I kept waiting and hoping she would spring them out at the last minute or we would at least see a Montgomery across a crowded room. Who knows, maybe Agnes was a Taggert... anyway, on to the story.

Temperance was a woman with a cause and purpose. To help women in need get away from their worthless husbands and build new lives for themselves. She was a woman in 1909 who had built her own independant life after her father died. Imagine Temperance's surprise when her mother comes back from holiday with a real Scotsman in tow, Angus, who says she is to become a dutiful daughter and go live in the highlands. Temperance is a bit long in the tooth, but perhaps he can pursuade some man to marry her so she can take her proper place in society and do the only thing a well-brought up woman is supposed to do-marry and have children and be happy with her lot in life.

Temperance is understandably very annoyed with the high-handed attitudes of her new papa and sets out to get her own way in the end. Go she must to Scotland, after all, she doesn't have her own money. But Temperance manages to make Angus eat his words about what a dutiful daughter should be. After several months of her dutiful daughter routine drives him close to the brink of sanity, Angus decides to pack her off to his nephew's house to become his housekeeper and find him a bride. And here is where the fun begins.

Temperance must learn some lessons of living she did not get in New York salvaging women's lives. Temperance thinks she knows everything about what happens between men and women. A woman must stand firm and resist a man's foolish ways. But Temperance has never met a man like James.

Read this book if you are a fan of Jude Deveraux's works over the years. Read this book if you are a lover of romances and have yet to discover Jude Deveraux's wonderful sense of humor and of the absurd. Then go back and read all of Ms. Deveraux's other wonderful books-for the first or fiftieth time.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jude's Temptation is Irresistible!, October 6, 2000

By	N. Timmons (Kingston, NH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Temptation (Hardcover)

Booklist is quoted as saying Jude's latest "Temptation" is "typically formulaic but nonetheless satisfying story..." When I read "typically formulaic," I worried it really meant, "boring." After reading Temptation, I think a more apt description would have been --classic Jude Devereaux! Her latest novel is a wonderful, rich historical romance that is sure to please. Her characters walk out of the book and in to your head. I wanted to kick Agnus, shake hands with Temperance, and jump James (what woman wouldn't want to?).

Like many others, I'm enjoying the latest outpouring of romantic suspense novels. However, it seems like that's all the popular authors are writing these days. I enjoy reading them, but I also like having a romance to turn to that's not filled with twisted minds, blood, horror, and hate. Personally, I'm glad there are still talented and popular authors willing to write the classic romance. Thank you Jude for your latest "temptation!"