A SEDUCTION AT CHRISTMAS

Author: Cathy Maxwell ISBN: 9780061350986 11/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Regency, 1809

She never expected it would come to this Desperation and an empty stomach forced Fiona Lachlan to agree to a plan that ended up luring the wickedly notorious Duke of Holburn into trouble. Everything went terribly wrong, and now she has found herself posing as his ward! And while she swore nothing could make her desire a scoundrel, even if he was a duke, she is now drawing ever closer to the one man she cannot have . . . "Beware of innocence!" The Duke of Holburn had spent years heeding this warning, and in doing so, managed to avoid the virginal young ladies who had been put in his path. But now his wild ways have gotten him into real danger. There are killers at the door and a temptingly beautiful woman in his arms. He is about to find himself seduced . . . and he isn't quite sure he wants to resist this time.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

A SEDUCTION AT CHRISTMAS by Cathy Maxwell is charming, a fun holiday story that is almost magical. It weaves together all the elements of a good holiday romance: engaging characters, happenstance to put the reader in a mindset appropriate to the season, and a resolution that feels as sublimely perfect as the opening of a much-desired gift. The wrappings, the details that make this story come alive, are rich and detailed and pull the reader right into the story.

Fiona begins her journey by playing a part for money. She is to go to an assigned spot, deliver her lines and get paid. Nothing more. It should be simple, but when Fiona arrives she finds someone other than who she expects and what happens is definitely not part of the script. A killing, then a breathless flight, begin her story and that fast, frantic pace never ends for the unsuspecting heroine.

There are parts of this tale that made me laugh out loud. Fiona's wit and sarcasm bring her right off the page. When she "poisons" a man, her response to his distress is both heartwarming and amusing. All the traits she displays during her time with the duke are ones any woman would be proud to call her own. She is proud, intelligent and unafraid of anything—or anyone. What begins as a miscalculated ambush turns into a tender love story, one that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

A SEDUCTION AT CHRISTMAS is a delight!

Kay James