Invitation to Seduction, An

Rating:
Summary: An Invitation to Seduction
Review: I really enjoyed To Marry an Heiress and naturally thought I would like this book but I didn't. Robert and Kitty character were hard to connect.
I found Robert a little to arrogant and shallow. Althought Kitty was a kind and sweet person, she worried about society and mother past too much.

Was this review helpful?

Rating:
Summary: Another Great book by Lorraine Heath
Review: I've enjoyed all of Lorraine Heath's books. I've not been disappointed yet. I think "Invitation to Seduction" was another great success. She really outdone herself with the characters in this book. Both Richard and Kitty share a strong attraction for each other, as well as having a strong determination in following their plans. Richard is determined to have Kitty in his life, yet Kitty who is betrothed before meeting Richard is fighting to ignore her attraction and go along with her wedding plans with her fiance. I enjoyed reading and watching their contest of wills, and seeing how it would develop from beginning to end. There's a twist in there, and you wouldn't have thought of it earlier til the end of the book, don't cheat now! I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance story.

Rating:
Summary: The hero is one of those characters I wish were real.
Review: Lorraine Heath has a gift for creating the most wonderful heroes. The kind I wish were real instead of just a character of a novel. The hero of her previous book "Love with a Scandalous Lord" Rhys Rhodes is one of my all time favorites, therefore, I was coming to this book with great expectations about the male character. Well, I'm glad to say that I was not dissapointed in the least. Richard is a fantastic hero.

Unfortunately I can not say the same thing about the heroine "Kitty". I got tired of her rejection of Richard in favor of Farthingham. Her fears and worries do seem rather foolish, and somewhat annoying, but to be fair, she is quite young, inexperienced and raised in a society that had very rigid moral standars, so I guess her position is understandable. It is just that I fell in love with Richard since the moment he sends her the 1000 flowers that he had grown himself. Talk about a romantic gesture! I admit that the logical side of my mind thinks it was a little exagerated, but the romantic side thinks that is precisely what makes it more endearing.

The story is engaging and entertainning. The first chapter had a surreal quality to it. As if it were something out of a dream. I don't know if I was the only one that got that impression, but the dawn, the desserted beach and the nature of their encounters seem just the stuff romantic dreams are made of. The sex scenes passionate and well written.

What else can I say? The book is great all around. I just hope Loraine Heath keeps writting about Victorian England, because as much as I like her writting, I'm not really into cowboy stories.

Rating:
Summary: American heiress in Victorian England--overbaked, familiar
Review: Mary Ellen "Kitty" Robertson, the adopted daughter of an American tycoon, wants to be an elegant and respected lady like her adopted mother. Well travelled and supposedly sophisticated, Kitty is engaged to a handsome, impoverished English lord. Having selected her betrothed because he is charming, a good friend, and seems a "safe" (you won't be able to forget that term, believe me) choice for a husband, Kitty is surprised to find herself passionately drawn to the dark and serious Duke of Weddington.

The duke, a close friend of Kitty's fiancé, is instantly taken with the beautiful red headed American heiress after he encounters her near his home on the coast of Cornwall. Knowing that Kitty's fiancé has a dark secret, Weddington is convinced that Kitty will never be happy with the man she has chosen and decides to pursue her himself.

At the beginning of "An Invitation to Seduction" I liked Weddington. His character showed some hints of depth regarding a tragedy in his past and some lingering physical ailments, but any interesting character development is lost in the overwrought plot of this story--though I did like the fact that he had his own money and didn't need Kitty's, but liked her for herself.

I find Kitty to be a very grating character, with little to recommend her beside the facts that she is beautiful, rich, and American (in that order). The primary issue driving her life choices is so silly and immature that even the author ends up brushing it off as an over-complicated hang-up toward the end. I must say that she did seem to have grown up a bit by the end of the book, but it wasn't enough to make her sympathetic or likeable.

One of the redeeming points of this story is that Kitty's fiancé is a relatively three dimensional character and is not conveniently vilified as is so often done in the romance genre. His secret, however, is painfully apparent from the beginning.

There are occasional hints at what the story could have been if it had been drawn out with a more subtle hand, but that's not enough to make "An Invitation to Seduction" a good read. It does pick up a bit toward the middle, but by the last thirty pages it was so ridiculous that I put it down for a week, only bothering to finish it when I got sick of seeing the book on my night stand.

If this is your first Lorraine Heath book, I'd encourage you to try some of her others, like the very good "The Outlaw and The Lady" or even "To Marry an Heiress".

Rating:
Summary: Passion = Soul Mates. 4.5 Stars.
Review: Positively, Lorraine Heath is on my preferred author list. Whenever this talented author releases a new book, I automatically buy it. AN INVITATION TO SEDUCTION offers solid support for my buying obsession.

Kitty Robertson is an American heiress enjoying her tame, uncomplicated life. Her future is bright and harmless. Nicholas Glenville, the Marquess of Farthingham will be a good husband. Kitty feels secure and safe in his company . . . Kitty Robertson is hiding from her passion.

Richard Stanbury, the Duke of Weddington is a passionate, controlling man - a man who wants Kitty. Richard Stanbury just happens to be Nicholas Glenville's best friend!

Skillfully, Lorraine Heath draws a Victorian courting game. The writer presents a fascinating dilemma. While indulging in Nicholas Glenville's charm, the reader still wants Richard Stanbury to win Kitty's affections. This is page turner material. Although the reader senses the direction Heath will take, the journey is still irresistible.

A good story but there is a stumbling block! Jessye (Kane) Bainbridge is the heroine from NEVER LOVE A COWBOY. At seventeen, Jessye Kane fell in love with the wrong guy. Jessye Kane is Kitty's birth mother! As an unmarried saloon girl, she regrettably gave Kitty away. For Jessye, not a day goes by that she doesn't mourn that difficult decision.

Raised by two people who adored her; Kitty Robertson's life was filled with privilege. But hatred also filled Kitty Robertson's life. Kitty despised her birth mother. However, all is good in the end. Kitty does forgive Jessye. She forgives her -- for her moment of weakness!

Forgives her! Oh, this reader wanted to cry for Jessye again. As a sequel reader, this was difficult ground to cover.

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.