Rating: 
Summary: Simon is one hot Cynster!
Review: The tenth novel in the Cynster series both lives up to the expectations built by its predecessors, and also brings along something a little different. I love the Cynster family and have enjoyed watching them match up with their mates. Here, some years after the events of 'On a Wicked Dawn' Simon Cynster is going to a house party attended by, amongst others, his brother-in-laws sister (i.e. no blood relation) Portia Ashford. Simon and Portia have known each other for 10 years, and have spent the time challenging each other at every turn. Unknown to the other, both of them have recently resolved to investigate the potential of marriage. The intelligent, cerebral and at the same time beautiful Portia vows to seriously consider all at the house party. Simon has already decided, the way Cynster males invariably do come to eventually, that it is time for him to find his own branch of his family 'to have and to hold'.Both Simon and Portia know themselves and each other pretty well. They come to recognise the latent attraction, which bursts into passion (phew, nearly sets the pages alight!) as Simon tutors Portia in the ways of physical love, while also trying to win her over emotionally. Portia is definitely a thinking woman. She's always leaving the house to go off and think, or pacing the library (or drawing room, or her bedroom'.) and pondering on her situation. This often slows the action down, and there's action aplenty to be had because this is also a strong murder mystery book. The murder and resulting investigation naturally moves the story along, and I think it needed it. Portia is an interesting woman, but once she's thought about her situation, assessed it and come to a decision ' get on with it already! This is a small moan, for the main part I found her thought process to be fascinating, especially where she and Simon were thinking the same, and where they think differently. At one point Simon ruefully realises that Portia knows what drives him more than he does himself! I wasn't keen on was how class conscious Portia appears. Social class is often in Portia's thoughts and although realistic for a member of the ton, I didn't find it attractive. Nonetheless, overall this book is a great addition to the series ' well written, intelligent, passionate, evocative. I'm not one for murder mysteries in general, but here Laurens has blended the two genres with great skill and capability.
Rating: 
Summary: Perfectly awful in places, not at all romantic
Review: The two characters have very little emotional commitment to make us feel they are really falling in love. It is just a mutual satiation of needs.
He wants a wife.
She wants a child.
Both decide to use the other to get what they want.
She wants to explore sexuality, he offers himself as a volunteer to 'help' her, but all he does in the end is help himself. After promising he will never hurt her or move anything forward without clear verbal signals from her, he gets angry and 'predatory' when she tried to change her mind that things have gone too far, holds her down by the wrists and body and waits until she eventually gives up struggling mentally and physically. When she complains losing her virginity hurt, he says well it only hurt for a minute as if he couldn't care less. Two black eyes is the least this character deserves. Instead she accepts her fate meekly, though she is supposed to be anything but. What is with these publishing houses that think rape is acceptable as a sign of sexual chemistry and commitment??? In the end she 'gives' herself to him, telling him he can do whatever he likes with her body, and some rather mundane sex with her on her front bowed down with her arms up in the air like some kneeling harem slave is supposed to be his ultimate fantasy. He spends most of the rest of the other sex scenes looking at her backside so this is no real surprise, but it is pretty lame for a man who is supposed to be the king of sexual predators. Plus I really wonder how this supposedly feisty heroine who has always quarrelled with him and is supposed to possess a great intellect/bluestocking just accepts him so readily, and becomes this mindless sex toy. Most of the characters are stereotypes, esp Kitty, and the whodunit aspect is predictable. If you can't figure out who and why, well, all I can say is, you weren't paying attention! After ten books, it is good to see she is throwing in the towel on this series-enough really is enough.
Rating: 
Summary: The Next Generation of Cynsters.
Review: This book is part of the brilliant Cynster series by Stephanie Laurens, but in a way it is different. Instead of dealing with one of the 6 members of the 'Bar Cynster', this book instead focuses on a much younger cousin of the group, who was but a child in Devil's Bride. I enjoyed seeing Simon Cynster grown up, battling with the curse of love that felled his much older cousins, and Portia was more than a match for him. Simon and Portia have known each other all their lives and have never truly gotten on, there was always something between them that made their being around each other difficult. But at a house party out in the country, where Portia has made a rather stunning decision, feelings between our two lead characters change, and all of Simon's protective feelings have taken a new direction. Throw in a villian who is determined to kill all those in his way and the result is a brilliant book. Definitely a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE THE CYNSTERS...
Review: This book is true to all of the Cynster stories...The determined Cynster (Simon) and the just as determined opponet???(Portia) It was a little slow getting to the meat of the story but once it got there I couln't put the book down. I didn't enjoy "On a Wicked Dawn", had a difficult time reading so ended up not finishing it. But I am sooo hooked on this series that I know I will get back to it soon. I hate having to wait for another year for more from this series but wait I will. Also, I am looking forward to the Bastion Club series. I LOVE Stephanie Laurens
Rating: 
Summary: Leaves little to the imagination
Review: This is definitely an "either you like it or you don't" kind of book. The sensuality rating should be way, way up there. I am one whom wished it had more story and less sex. There's lots and lots of that in it. A neighbor's summer garden party is getting ready to take place. On his way there Simon stops to reflect on his past childhood realizing he is ready to settle down with a wife for looks only- no commitment. At the same time a childhood friend of Simon's, Portia stops nearby to reflect on her past deciding she is ready to have a child of her own without the commitment of marriage to anyone. But how can she when she never experienced such a relationship? Well, she will pick a male at the party to be her "partner of love" or should we say "lust" with no commitment. Ending up at the party together- Portia and Simon truly "discover each other" after knowing each other all their lives and never haven gotten along. My, my how they have grown up. Portia decides on Simon to "teach her". And boy does he, while she teaches him a few unexpected things. Simon was always the protective "big brother type" and still is but now is possessive, too. In the end will there be a commitment because of love discovered? It's another one to read for yourself, if you are not offend by all of the sex scenes- the other reviews are true, there is sex on just about every other page.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing and Formulaic
Review: This story is not up to the standards of previous books in the Cynster series. I found it repetitive and ultimately boring. I might not have been so disappointed if it had been issued as a paperback, but I feel that the publisher lured me into buying an inferior product at more than twice the cost of previous books. I just hope that she returns to previous form in her new series, The Bastion Club.
Rating:
Summary: Well I liked it!
Review: What a range of reviews! Looking through them, it's a wonder we all read the same book. I thought this was a terrific addition to the Cynster series. Simon is tender and patient when Portia asks him to help educate her on the physical happenings between men and women, and it is clear that he truly cares for her. It is fun watching Portia get in over her head with what was supposed to be an "academic" experiment that quickly has her getting emotionally involved. I was also pulled into the murder mystery, and it doesn't distract from the developing relationship of the couple. And if you like hot, tender love scenes without a lot of flowery dialogue in the way, this is a book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Nice, But Not Perfect
Review: While this book was on balance a satisfying read, it did stretch my credulity a bit with all of the 20th Century introspection of the characters. If one is going to write a period piece, then I think that the motivations of the characters should be consistent with the times and not have a modern-day feminist bent. For example, I found it quite a stretch that the hero, not knowing whether or not the heroine could swim, would just wait to find out if she's drowning because he didn't want to impinge upon her independence. Worse yet was the implication that the heroine would applaud his inaction as a tribute to her ability to take care of herself. And if he were wrong, and she drowned because her clothes got snagged on a tree, oh, well, ooops! I also found the almost every-other-page sex scenes a little excessive. More dialogue and a stronger development of the secondary characters would have made for a much better novel. We barely get to know the ultimate murderer because we are too busy peeping in the bedroom. These complaints aside, this is still a worthwhile novel, and a decent conclusion to the excellent Cynster series. Personally, I can't wait for her next series to begin, because she is a good writer.
Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Lover
Review: With the history of the Cynster's behind this book, I knew it was going to be excellent. I was not disappointed.. I loved the Mystery as to "Who done it!"...I never would have figured this one out and I'm very good at that... I was captured from the first page to the very last. The Romance of Simon and Portia is awesome.. I was spell bound.
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