Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Today I’m posting a review for a book that I got from the publisher. Always a Temptress was supposed to be part of a blog tour, but I didn’t get the book until 12 hours before the review was to be posted and I never did get the interview questions/answers. I was pretty sad about the last part! This is the first book that I’ve read by Eileen Dreyer and I was amazed! I loved it! Ms. Dreyer is certainly on my must buy list! I really would have been interested in finding out more about this wonderful author!
If you return tomorrow, I’ll be giving away my copy of this outstanding book in the latest Giveaway hop that I’m entering.
Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer
ISBN: 978-0-446-54205-0
Publisher: Forever Romance
Release: October 2011
Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to read and review
His greatest battle is just beginning…..
Major Sir Harry Lidge has done his duty. After losing too many good men in battle he’s ready to live a life free of care. But first he has one last mission: kidnap the same woman who betrayed him nearly a decade earlier – and find out what she’s concealing before her secrets take down the crown.Her heart is the only thing she won’t risk…
Surrounded by ardent admirers and a few loyal friends, Lady Kate Seaton glides through the ton armed with nothing but couture gowns and bon mots. No one suspects that beneath her lighthearted facade lies a sorrow so scandalous she’ll do anything to keep it hidden. But only when she trusts Harry with the truth can she begin to heal. And only when Harry trusts her with his heart can he protect both his country and the woman he loves.
Always a Temptress is the first book of Eileen Dreyer’s that I have read. I was thoroughly delighted by it! There is nothing better than a Regency romance and this one had some outstanding characters to recommend it!
Always a Temptress is the third book in the Drakes Rakes Series. I would suggest that readers read the books in order. I spent the first couple of chapters trying to figure out what had gone on before. Major Sir Harry Lidge is a man beset with nightmares from time served in the war. He has a loyal group of friends and servants that take care of him. All he longs for is to get away – to travel to distant places – ones that will help him heal from the horrors of war. It seems, though he has one more job to perform for king and country before he can escape. Someone or a group of someones is trying to overthrow the crown. A secret group only known as the Lions are trying to kill certain key members and put their people in charge. This seems to be something that has been a theme in the other books of this series. Harry has been given orders to kidnap Lady Kate Seaton as she has been identified as a person who has an important code. He and Lady Kate have an old history. They were once almost lovers until she was married off to the Duke of Mathers. He left to join the military and was unaware of what has happened in the intervening 10 or so years. Lady Kate is still the bright, beautiful woman he almost married, but she seems brittle, somehow. More private, somehow. But it is his job to determine if she has the code and then it becomes his job to keep her alive after yet another attempt on her life.
I don’t want to give away any of this story! Once I got the hang of the story and sort of figured out who the characters were and settled in to read, I was thoroughly engrossed in the telling of this story. The main characters are outstanding. Harry and Kate are both thoroughly tortured characters and have alot of healing to do. They have to wade through all the lies and misinformation that is now years old. They have to help each other heal from the damage decisions from years ago did to both of them. As the story unfolds, more and more layers are revealed, putting more and more pieces in the puzzle that is their history.
The huge cast of secondary characters are what push this story from being a delightful, engrossing read to a thoroughly outstanding one. There are so many to talk about, but I’ll mention a few, Thrasher is Kate’s long time servant and serves as her tiger. He speaks in a thick Cockney accent and is totally devoted to her. It’s insinuated that she rescued him from the streets after he lost his whole family in a fire in the slums of England. He is frequently referring to Kate as “Y’r Graciousness” and “Y’r Worship”. He has a quick sense of humor, but is probably the most protective of her servants while being just a child. Kate’s butler Finney was also rescued from the street and makes an unlikely but loyal butler with his thick accent and his absolute devotion to Kate. When he first meets Harry, Finney makes it clear that he doesn’t tolerate anyone messing with his Katie.
This story is beautifully written with more and more layers of detail being revealed as the pages turn. The action scenes are well written. They allow the reader to picture the activity without being overly descriptive. The chemistry between the main characters sizzles and pops. The scenes between them are hot enough to steam your glasses!
My only complaint is not a true complaint. I read the third book first and I feel that this series really needs to be read in order. This is a situation of my own making as I agreed to read and review this book without having read the first 2 books. This is the first book that I have read of Ms. Dreyer’s and I will be searching out more of her work! I highly recommend this series!
For more information on Ms Dreyer’s work, have a look at her blog, her website, or Facebook.