Pam's Review: How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling

How to Seduce a Scoundrel
~Vicky Dreiling

Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: July 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0446565385
ISBN-13: 978-0446565387
ASIN: B0047Y17PC

From the author's website:
SCOUNDRELS, RAKES, AND ROGUES BEWARE . . .

Lady Julianne Gatewick is in a pickle. It started when her brother’s best friend—for whom she’s long nursed a secret tendre—agreed to act as her guardian for the Season, only to seduce her with a risqué waltz.

But when the music stopped and the expectant ton waited for the Earl of Hawkfield to claim her as his own, he made his disinterest clear. Rather than succumb to humiliation, Julianne does what any recently discarded, wickedly witty young miss would do. She secretly pens a lady’s guide to enticing unrepentant rakes . . . and it becomes the hottest scandal in London.

Every honorable rake knows that friends’ sisters are forbidden. But suddenly Julianne has a spark of mischief in her eyes that Hawk can’t resist. Try as he might to push her away, he spends his days listening for her laughter and his nights dreaming of her kisses. He’s always avoided innocents and their marriage-minded mothers, but has the man least likely to wed finally met his match?

ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

This story takes place in England in the year 1817. Hawk is a carefree ladies man. He refuses to live at home with his family, has his own bachelor pad, and has quite the reputation as a rake. His best friend, Tristan, has asked him to watch over his sister for the season, and be her guardian. Hawk agrees though he hasn’t seen Julianne for some time, and when he does he is momentarily taken aback. This isn’t the girl that he teased growing up; this is a beautiful woman.

Julianne has loved Hawk for many years. She has always daydreamed about them having a ‘happily ever after.’ However, with growing up comes the understanding that fantasies are not always realistic. Julianne gets a wake up call when Hawk has a romantic moment dancing with her and after mentions that he thinks of her like a sister. She resolves that she is done letting the men take all the control in her relationships and decides to write an anonymous pamphlet on how to seduce the man you want to help all the other ladies in situations like herself. Will it help her seduce and win Hawk’s heart after all?

This book was a pleasant surprise; the story pulled me right in when Hawk was introduced; I felt as carefree as he was. It was like a breath of fresh air, and then I got lost in the story. You get to experience Hawk and Julianne struggle with their feelings and decisions and see them both grow.

The secondary characters are great. While Hawk is acting as Julianne’s guardian, Hawk’s aunt, Hester, is her sponsor. Aunt Hester speaks her mind about men very openly for that time, and she doesn’t care who it bothers. Julianne’s friends Amy and Georgette are always there for support, to offer their opinions, and even to get in trouble together. On one such escapade, the girls are at a party and hear some interesting noises behind a closed door…

The thumping turned into banging, and the man’s grunting grew louder. “Feel my mighty sword.”
“He has a sword?” Georgette asked.
The woman behind the door screamed.
Georgette gasped. “He killed her.”
How to Seduce a Scoundrel, page 51

How to Seduce a Scoundrel made me laugh, kept me up extra late, and kept me interested the whole time. I highly recommend this book.

My Rating:

Pam
This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.