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Wanton Dairymaid Series

A Lady of Persuasion by Tess Dare

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ISBN: 978-0-345-50688-7
Publisher: Ballantine/Del Ray

Source: I purchased this book to read

A Lady of Persuasion is the third book in Tessa Dare’s debut trilogy. Both Goddess of the Hunt and Surrender to a Siren have been a delight to read! I eagerly picked up A Lady of Persuasion to finish the trilogy. Then I looked at the back cover and wondered why I would want to read what would obviously be a “suitor scorned and got revenge on an innocent maiden” story line. Amazing how first impressions are wrong!!

Most of the characters of this book we have met before but we will see them in a new light! Isabel Grayson, sister of Gray Grayson of Surrender to a Siren, has freshly arrived from the West Indies with the intent to marry someone with a title and money. She wants to make a difference to the lives of the less fortunate – to fight social injustice, and has decided that a title, voting at some level of government and lots of money are what are required to make this difference. Sir Toby we met in both of the previous books as the fiance and then abandoned fiance of Sophia.

Toby played the noble, upstanding abandoned fiance when Sophia took off; repeating the concocted story faithfully, but now Sophia is back and is happily married. Our story starts with Toby at a ball observing Sophia and Gray. The gloves are off and Toby is pouting like a little boy who isn’t getting his way! He is determined to get even with Sophia, but his attention is grabbed by s beautiful woman whom he has never seen before. She seems to be spending time with Gray, and although Toby doesn’t know who she is, he decides to steal her from Gray. The woman that has Toby obsessed is Isabel, Gray’s sister. The interactions between Toby and Isabel are wonderful. Toby is determined to have her and will do anything, promise anything to achieve that goal. Isabel comes across as righteous, but certainly warms up in Toby’s arms! ?

I found Toby to be a wonderful character. His development throughout the book moved him from a superficial rake to a man determined to win his true love and cherish her. Isabel comes from a damaged background, but doesn’t really seem to redeem herself. She seems to be searching for something that doesn’t really exist. It was wonderful to meet the future wife of Gray’s brother Joss and the child-birth scene was riveting and very well written! Although I really enjoy Tessa Dare’s writing, I was somewhat disappointed with the characters in this, the final book to her first trilogy.  They seemed to take a long time to get a clue!  But the overall book was wonderful!

A Romance Reader says: A Lady of Persuasion is the third book in new author Tessa Dare’s very promising introduction to the romance world.  Ballantine’s decision to publish the novels in three successive months has done its work.  Dare is getting good reviews and there is much chatter about her talent.  I am happy to say that her latest book meets the high standard she has already set for herself.  A Lady of Persuasion is a most enjoyable read.

Surrender of a Siren by Tessa Dare

By

ISBN: 978-0-345-50687-0
Publisher: Ballentine/Del Ray

Source: I purchased this book to read

Surrender of a Siren is the second book in the debut series carefully crafted by Tessa Dare. I’ve read and loved the first book, Goddess of the Hunt, by this author!  Surrender tells the story of Sophia Hathaway whom we met in Goddess, and Gray Grayson, a ship’s owner. (and a man who is trying to change his life from being a rogue to an upstanding gentleman)  In the first book, Goddess of the Hunt, Sophia has Lucy write a letter to her imaginary art tutor, Grevais. The handsome, sensual man who did more than tutor her in watercolors was a product of her imagination – as we found out at the end of Goddess. When Lucy (in Surrender) receives a letter telling her that Sophia has eloped with Grevais, she knows that something is not right! Sophia is desperate to escape what she feels, will be a duty bound, loveless marriage to Sir Toby. So, she packs up her paints, assumes a new name and pretend future job as a governess, steals money from her trust, and purchases a ticket on a ship to Tortula. She wants to be free of society’s constrains and wants to live a passion-filled life that she feels she will be more comfortable with.

Gray has recently decided to turn his life around and turn into a gentleman that his sister would be proud to introduce her to society. What timing! Here he is, trying to be the masculine version of virtuous and he falls totally in lust (and then love) with the lovely Sophia. I’ll leave the rest up to you to read!

The interaction between Gray and Sophia is outstanding! Tessa Dare is one of the best writers, I think, for crispness of dialogue and characters. The characters of Gray and Sophia, as well as the various secondary characters come alive from the pages of the book. It was like I was watching a movie as I was reading this book. The scenes played out in my mind. Oh yes, about the fact that this series is call the “Wanton Dairymaid Series”; I’ll let you discover that thread yourself!

Romance Reader at Heart gives this book 4 stars and says the following: “Tessa Dare’s proves her writing talent by taking what came across as a vapid, self-absorbed, not very liked secondary character from a previous book and turning her into a fun, adventurous-spirited, likeable leading lady with a huge, romantic imagination and even bigger heart. That’s exactly what happens to Sophia Hathaway’s character in SURRENDER OF A SIREN.”

The Romance Reader reviewer seems surprised to have enjoyed Surrender of a Siren. She gives the book 4 hearts and says the following: “Tessa Dare has an elegant writing style. Her descriptions of the sea voyage, of the seaman who serve on the ship, of the feelings of her characters are almost lyrical. She is perhaps the most promising new historical romance author I have encountered in quite a while.”

RT Book Reviews give this book 4 and 1/2 stars and says the following: “Dare’s second novel cements her place as a “not to be missed” author. Her gift is for creating stories that are filled with adventure, three-dimensional characters and exciting plots, yet she maintains the purest form of romance. Dare is the siren who lures you to surrender to her delicious story.”

Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare

By

ISBN: 978-0-345-50686-3

Publisher: Ballentine/DelRay

Tomboy Lucy Waltham has imagined herself in love with her older brother’s friend, Sir Toby ,since she was 11 years old and he crowned her “Diana, Goddess of the Hunt” with a crown of ivy.  Like many younger sisters, she bidded her time until she was older and the object of her affections would take her seriously.  Our story starts 8 years later when Lucy is all grown and her brother and his friends arrive for their annual hunt.  For the first time, Sir Toby is interested in another woman.  The gossip is, that Sir Toby is going to ask this other woman to marry him.  Lucy feels she has no option but to seduce him before he becomes engaged. She has a instructional book, but no practical knowledge. So she turns to her brother’s friend, Jeremy Trescott, Earl of Kendall, to practice kissing and other seduction techniques.

Jeremy has always treasured his visits to Waltham Manor and his time with his friends.  He has grown up in a home where his parents show no love for him or each other and because of this he has shut his emotions off.  The only person who has been able to get a rise out of him over the years has been Lucy.  Imagine his surprise when he opens his bedroom door one evening to a kiss from Lucy followed by the request to help her practice seduction techniques.

The story that follows leaps from the pages.  The characters are wonderfully written.  I can absolutely imagine Lucy as a tag along little sister, trying desperately to be taken seriously.  This book is  a “fall in love with brother’s best friend” story, but no where is it mundane or seemingly following a formula.

I found the following review on Amazon and it sums up my feelings of this book. “Every year there seems to be one debut author who bursts upon the scene and absolutely knocks my socks off with her superb writing skill.  This year, that author is Tessa Dare.  …Dare showcases her command of the English language with exquisite prose that sings across the pages with a lyrical quality that is a joy to read.  Her characters are so vividly drawn that they practically leap from the pages and her story unerringly hits all the right notes.”

Tessa Dare is a relatively new author, with Goddess of the Hunt being her first book.  It was well received and reviewed: “A daring debut….Dare is on the path to stardom.” Romantic Times

“Debut author Tessa Dare bursts upon the scene with a high-energy and high-drama romance.  She tells the story with provocative words and feverish action.  Her cast of secondary characters is unforgettable and set the stage for  the next book in this back-to-back series.” Fresh Fiction

“Highly original…Tessa Dare is an author to watch!” Romance Reader’s Connection

“It’s been a long while since I’ve enjoyed a debut novel as much as Goddess of the Hunt. With a cast of refreshingly realistic characters, a spicy love story, an irreverent sense of humor, and some truly funny dialogue, this is a book certain to cheer up jaded readers of historical romance.”  The Romance Reader

I also, am looking forward to reading not only the next books in this series, but some of the other books she has written.  She is currently on my ‘must buy’ list!