Seduction

Rating:
Summary: Captures your attention until the end!
Review: A friend introduced me to Amanda Quick's books and historical romances on a whole. Since then she has become my favourite. I have read the 3 Ds, Ms, Rs, Ss, and 1 A. Above all, "Seduction" was my favourite. There is so much there to appeal to the readers. Any sequels on the horizon for Lord Daregate and Ann? Surely hope so!

Rating:
Summary: simply the best
Review: After reading all of Quick's books, I'm convinced that this is her masterpiece. The only other ones that measure up are Surrender -- with a very original plotline -- and Scandal. I fell in love with the characters in Seduction -- Sophy was spunky, warm, and so unconventional that she amazed me and caused me to laugh aloud at several points. Julian was simply the essence of masculinity -- strong, extremely arrogant, often dense, but always a safe haven. Forget about Quick's later books -- they get progressively repetitive and dull after the sixth one.

Rating:
Summary: A Perfect "10"
Review: Amanda Quick develops themes in her historical novels that carry over. Almost always there is the young, independent woman, spearheading rights for women, and acting more like a modern-day woman. In this book, her heroine, Sophy, has radical notions for her time that constantly conflict with those of her husband's. One such issue is the question of how honor differs for a man and for a woman. That forms the basis for the conflicts in the book, and it is handled in a very interesting manner. Ms. Quick forces us to look at things through different eyes and perspectives.

This may be my favorite Amanda Quick. It is a totally charming book. The love story between the 2 characters is one of her best. The mystery is well-done. It is an amusing story that holds the reader enthralled to the end. HIGHLY recommended.

Rating:
Summary: They both needed a healing of the heart . . .
Review: And Sophy Dorring and Julian, Earl of Ravenwood, find that the healing power they needed could only be found through their love in Amanda Quick's, _Seduction_. Betrayed long ago by a faithless wife, Julian wanted a second Countess who would bear him an heir and cause him no trouble. He vowed to never trust a woman again. Having watched her innocent sister be seduced and discarded, Sophy wished to never marry. Though she'd loved Julian for years, the haunting memory of her sister's ill fate would stand in the way of her trusting him. Married for convenience, these two fashion a love that will touch your heart and fill you with warm, fuzzy feelings. Once again, Amanda Quick has done an excellent job of shaping two characters that are humorous, well-rounded and charming. Julian is overconfident, dynamic, and commanding, yet you are drawn to him because you can see that his first wife, Elizabeth, has caused him to harden and change into a man scared to love. Sophy is the very picture of early feminism at it's best. She is smart, headstrong, daring and honorable while retaining the qualities that make her a woman. Watching these two match wits is entertaining and delightful. Not only are the main characters first-rate, the secondary characters are enchanting. Julian's aunt and her companion are adorable and Sophy's friends are the perfect compliment to the story. Unlike other books by Amanda Quick, the mystery is not the driving force and although it is intriguing, it does not come into play until almost the very end of the book. The essence of this story is the love between Sophy and Julian. Watching them grow and change is extraordinary and poignant and when the book is finally over, you're left with a smile on your face. This is a fine example of Amanda Quick at her all-time best.

Rating:
Summary: 'Seduction' Guaranteed
Review: Be warned! My comments are not focus on this book's content.
I was 'seduced' by Amanda Quick's writing style since that day I read this book years ago. If you have never read Amanda Quick before, this is the right book to start with. It is the first historial novel that Jayne Ann Krentz (JAK) written as Amanda Quick (AQ). It was with 'Seduction' that I came to know that AQ is actually JAK and since then I have been trying to get hold of every historical or contemporary romance she has written. Although AQ is one of my all-time favourite romance authors, I must say that her recent works are not as fascinating as those single-word titled ones--the 'S' series, the 'R' series, the 'D' series, the 'M' series, 'Affair' and 'With This Ring'. I have re-read those books from time to time and they never fail to amuse me. AQ's style has changed in some degree in her recent books--lesser romance and the writing seemed somewhat dry. Nevertheless, you can always find her trade-mark writing in her works--witty dialogues, absorbing plot, compelling suspense, genuine and truthful emotion between the main characters--there is no silly heroine nor overbearing/insufferable hero that annoy you; there is no big misunderstanding between the main characters resulting in heartach or separation. AQ never writes an exorbitant emotional scene nor an excessive word or repetitive phrases that distract and drive you crazy. Her writing is always fluent and fast-paced, never vulgar, very in command of the language. All in all, very entertaining and enjoyable, worth your time and money.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I "quick"ly became a fan. I agree with a previous reviewer that a book about Lord Daregate and Anne Silverthorne would be interesting. I love Ms. Quick's sense of humor and the very "proper" language. I love a book that makes me laugh out loud and these books do. I do not know when Ms. Quick's last book was published but I hope to see more...soon.

Rating:
Summary: Hated it and here's why:
Review: I hated Sophy most of the book. She was a liar and a nag. She never behaved as if she loved Julian. She had no honor. She was always deceiving him or sneaking around. I was totally disgusted when she drugged him. All male bashing was annoying. I didn't like the ex-prostitute Charlotte either. Instead of blackmailing her former paramours, she would have been better off saving her money or pawning the jewelry they gave her. Those men owed her nothing. That's akin to paying for a dinner twice--once when you eat it and again a year later.

Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Review: I have not yet read this book in English, but I will as soon as I get my hands on a copy in NYC next month.

The book is absolutely marvelous. I have read and reread it so many times, it is all worn out. Julian is a strong leading male, and Sophy can match that, which means that sparks fly. It is filled with passion and love. It is also funny, especially the duel-scene and the secondary characters. A must read for any Amanda Quick fan.

Rating:
Summary: A Perfect "10"
Review: Seduction was one of those books that I just couldn't put down- even though, at the time, I'd just finished my third Quick of the night and it was four in the morning. After all, I had saved the best for last. And of the ones I had just read, I have to say, I found Seduction riveting.

From the first moment you meet her, Sophy is audicious and quite amusing; the idea of a wife of an important member of the ton talking about sheep-farming and proscribing cures for ailiments in the middle of a ball was deliciously funny; and then there's the scene when Julian and Sophy first meet. Of all the conditions she might demand for her marriage, I find the first two sensible: 1) that she doesn't want to be left in the country 2)that Julian not force himself on her or rush her into childbed. It is, however, her third condition that I like the best of all, and, surprisingly enough, the one that they come into conflict over most often. 3) That he allow her to buy and read whatever material she likes. On the whole, Sophy is truly delightful, and, like many of Quick's characters, very human; her reactions to Julians'-um- rather precipitous attempts to bed her is most human; I know I certainly would have reacted much the same way, and her guilt was most convincing. But of the two main characters, I think it was Julian who won me over. He's almost adorably control-freakish. (And yes, I know that's not a word)but the point is that he's autocratic, arrogant, and patrician- and very, very stubborn. After all, a blind man could see that Sophy's too free-spirited to let him control her like a horse. (note, the dueling scene, reading Charlotte's Memoirs, persisting in her friendship with Anne despite her husband's objections. . . .) Yet Julian tries to do just that- spur her into behaving the way he wants with arguments but rational and irrational while trying to pretend that the only reason he's behaving like a mother hen is because he doesn't want her to humiliate him- when he's actually more concerned about Sophy than his reputation. In fact, Julian persists in denying his love until the very, very end of the book- all the while manipulating Sophy with what she feels for him.

On the whole, I enjoyed Sophy's determination and her singleminded pursuit of Julian's love- and the ending of this book left me smiling; Of all of Quick's heroines, I think Sophy deserves the biggest round of applause for putting up with the (probably) most stubborn and obnoxious man in the entire cast. Now. . . . for a sequel, do something about Anne and Daregate.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Seduction was one of those books that I just couldn't put down- even though, at the time, I'd just finished my third Quick of the night and it was four in the morning. After all, I had saved the best for last. And of the ones I had just read, I have to say, I found Seduction riveting.

From the first moment you meet her, Sophy is audicious and quite amusing; the idea of a wife of an important member of the ton talking about sheep-farming and proscribing cures for ailiments in the middle of a ball was deliciously funny; and then there's the scene when Julian and Sophy first meet. Of all the conditions she might demand for her marriage, I find the first two sensible: 1) that she doesn't want to be left in the country 2)that Julian not force himself on her or rush her into childbed. It is, however, her third condition that I like the best of all, and, surprisingly enough, the one that they come into conflict over most often. 3) That he allow her to buy and read whatever material she likes. On the whole, Sophy is truly delightful, and, like many of Quick's characters, very human; her reactions to Julians'-um- rather precipitous attempts to bed her is most human; I know I certainly would have reacted much the same way, and her guilt was most convincing. But of the two main characters, I think it was Julian who won me over. He's almost adorably control-freakish. (And yes, I know that's not a word)but the point is that he's autocratic, arrogant, and patrician- and very, very stubborn. After all, a blind man could see that Sophy's too free-spirited to let him control her like a horse. (note, the dueling scene, reading Charlotte's Memoirs, persisting in her friendship with Anne despite her husband's objections. . . .) Yet Julian tries to do just that- spur her into behaving the way he wants with arguments but rational and irrational while trying to pretend that the only reason he's behaving like a mother hen is because he doesn't want her to humiliate him- when he's actually more concerned about Sophy than his reputation. In fact, Julian persists in denying his love until the very, very end of the book- all the while manipulating Sophy with what she feels for him.

On the whole, I enjoyed Sophy's determination and her singleminded pursuit of Julian's love- and the ending of this book left me smiling; Of all of Quick's heroines, I think Sophy deserves the biggest round of applause for putting up with the (probably) most stubborn and obnoxious man in the entire cast. Now. . . . for a sequel, do something about Anne and Daregate.