Title: Seduction

Series: The Spymaster’s Men bk 1

Author: Brenda Joyce

Genre: Historical

Dominic Paget, the earl of Bedford, will do anything to resume spying upon Britain’s enemies. Badly wounded, he is put will do anything in the care of a beautiful gentlewoman, Julianne Greystone, only to discover that her sympathies lie with his enemies. Yet he can’t help but seduce the woman who saved his life—hoping she never learns of his betrayal.

Julianne is captivated by the wounded stranger she believes is a revolutionary hero. Until she discovers the truth…her “hero” is the privileged earl of Bedford. Devastated and determined to forget him, Julianne travels to London. But when she finds herself in danger, it is Bedford who comes to the rescue. Now Julianne must navigate the intrigues of a perilous city, the wild yearnings of her own heart and the explosion of their passion….

I LOVE, LOVE Brenda Joyce’s books, she’s my go to author for rereads on her De Warenne and Deadly series books.  This book is the start of a new series for her, so I jumped at the change to read it early and review it.

This book had some great “history” lessons in it.  I had to Google what a Jacobin was and other info on the French Revolution.  I eat this kind of stuff up, especially if it has hot romance in it.  My knowledge on French Revolution is next to null, and now I feel I could give a brief description of it if I have to.   This part of the book deserves an A+.

Ok, now on to why I can’t give this entire book an A.  The Heroine – why oh why does Brenda Joyce write some of the most annoying heroines?  She’s so innocent and naïve that she comes across as TSTL.  Joyce’s heroines have bothered me in other books, but her heroes are usually “To Die For” that it makes up for it.  Not in this book.   The hero Dominic Paget is an Earl, pretending to be a spy, pretending to be a French Soldier.  Ugg, the misunderstandings and lies between these two went on through the whole book.  I guess in my reading I’ve moved beyond the great misunderstanding that carries throughout romance books.  Another thing that bothered me was that Julianne’s two knuckled headed brothers left her and her sister alone at the estate with a man for weeks.  That was just unbelievable for the time.

I’m going to give this book a B-.  The reason, Joyce is still one of my favorite authors, who’s writing style is flawless at times and toward the end I was glued to my Kindle.  I will also continue and read the books in this new series.  Which I’m guessing are going to be around Julianne’s lovable but knuckled headed brothers.

Grade: B-

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