Lord of Seduction

Rating:
Summary: Highly seductive
Review: A friend passed this book to me and I was excited to read something by a new author. I really liked this book. The island of Cyrene adds an interesting new touch to the typically London based regency romance novel.I am eager to read more from Ms.Jordan and the others in thsi series.
The plot is fairly typical or regency romance. She agrees to pose as his fiance to get his family off his back and help him find his friend's killer. The interesting twists in this novel include: the immediate sensuality (I feel like more and more often we are waiting until page 200 for more than a kiss), Diana's artistic talent seems more thought out than other characters I have read in the past who mearly like to paint, and his interesting ties with the Guardians (a secret group of men who work together for the good of humanity). I have to admit that I wasn't that excited about the Guardians and felt the ened to roll my eyes, but it wasn't over done!
I would like to read more of her works!

Rating:
Summary: Nicole Jordan At Her Finest
Review: Christopher, Viscount Thorne, is one of England's most elusive bachelors, willing to do most anything to thwart his father's efforts to marry him off for the sake of providing an heir - including a fake betrothal.

Diana Sheridan, a beautiful and talented, but undiscovered, artist, burned by betrayal in love and shunned by society because of it, seeks Christopher Thorne's aid to avert a similar scandal for her young cousin, and Thorne's ward, Amy, whose mistaken infatuation with a fortune hunter could prove disastrous.

If this all sounds too familiar, think again - it's not. This story will spark your interest from page one and will not let you go until it's done. It is Nicole Jordan at her finest, and those who have been reading the divine Ms. J since forever KNOW what happens when she lets go and writes from her heart - fireworks, intrigue, humor, and excellent secondary characters.

An honest-to-goodness "hero to die for" (one of her BEST ever) who is innately, scorchingly sensual. A heroine who, while innocent to the ways of sex, is not a bit of fluff or a simpering "Miss", but a strong, independent woman with her own goals in a world not ready or willing to accept her for what she is.

One of the things (among many!) that I loved about this book was the great humor in Christopher's total denial of his love for Diana - carrying out the "charade" of their betrothal is a chuckle to the reader for sure. There is intrigue, HOT SEX that you will not wait three-quarters of the way through the book to get to, and charming characters - main and secondary. But best of all, I adore that this book is ROMANCE driven, as all books in this genre should be but sometimes lose track of. This is romance at its BEST, and if you're a purest and your heart lies in the "roots" of what it's all about, I say if you haven't bought this book yet - do it NOW. I put it at the top of my "Best of the Year" list.




Rating:
Summary: My first Nicole Jordan book
Review: I don't know what I was expecting, but I was in for a surprise.

I liked Diana very much, but I thought she was too stubborn on the not marrying. Then again, Christopher never told her he loved her--it took him forever to figure it out. And for someone who was SO concerned about scandal, she sure did court it...and oddly enough, repeatedly recover from it (after having been devasted by it years earlier).

I didn't like Christopher as much; he seemed like a user to me. And why did he never make clear his sincerity about marrying her? I also found him a bit domineering. But I loved his place on Cyrene.

The mystery was well done, I thought--plenty of pieces kept in play and resolved at the right moment. As for the sex...there was definitely plenty of it. In fact, there was so much, that it got really old, and I found myself groaning, "Again?" This relationship was more about lust than love, in my opinion.

Rating:
Summary: Nicole Jordan delivers! A scintillating, slow burn....
Review: I had high hopes for LORD OF SEDUCTION, having been enthralled by her earlier romances, and my hopes were not only met, but exceeded! It's steamy, scorching romance, intense, esalating excitement, and a beautiful love story. In fact, Ms. Jordan always establishes a firm foundation for the love between her hero and heroine, and LORD OF SEDUCTION is no different. By the time you reach the hot, relentless and stunning love scenes, you believe the love between Thorne and Diana is real and true. As a result , the love scenes have much more depth than in many other romance novels I've read.

I love Thorne, the hero, both for his alpha-maleness and his tenderness. They live side-by-side within him, and make his beauty literally much more than skin deep. His relationship with Diana builds very slowly.... Ms. Jordan gives us a torturous drawing-out of their ever-increasing desire (and love); reading it, the image of a tightrope artist came to mind. The author keeps the characters, and us, on a high wire for chapter after chapter, feeding us delicious appetizers of sensuality before we finally reach the main course, and then she really rewards the readers with an amazing feast of loving, passionate scenes... so satisfying that I was holding my breath during them, and afterwards sighing shamelessly (with a huge happy grin on my face).

But Ms. J doesn't make us wait for hundreds of pages for
something steamy... no! As is her trademark, she delivers something scorching within the first three pages of the book. Just to get us hooked!! :) And boy, does she ever. I love this about her books. I want great sex and a great love story, and she always makes sure the readers get both.

Thorne's growing intererest in Diana, an accomplished oil painter (at a time [the Napoleonic era] when female painters were not recognized as legit in the art world), is very plausible. He's a man accustomed to living on the edge, loving danger, and as one of the elite Guardians, a secret society of protectors, he cannot love just anyone. He requires a challenge, and he's met his match in Diana.

Quite believably, however, Diana does NOT fall at Thorne's feet in a dead faint, as have other females before her. She is strong, but never mean, nor bitter, despite having a sorrowful
episode of failed love in her past. It has not ruined her spirit. She still has her art, she is extremely gifted, and she knows it. She's not puffed up about it, but she realizes she has a talent, and does not apologize for it, which is very refreshing. Thorne finds her refreshing as well, and certainly unique. Of course Diana is beautiful (this is romance!), but her love for her art is strong and real, making her so very attractive to Thorne. Ms. J has a great gift of her own, that of conveying Thorne's growing love and desire for Diana, and hers for him. This is the tightrope act I referred to above. She keeps your emotions engaged, keeps your heart on that fine line, right along with the two lovers. By the time they truly get together (past the physical love), you're just about panting with want for the two of them. But the events which lead up to this are very plausible. For instance, the attack by the highwaymen, and Thorne's subsequent rescue
(he has to stop a runaway team of coach-horses) is amazingly detailed and dramatic. I didn't even know half the equestrian terms being used, but I could still get a great visual in my head, and the authenticity in the details simply made it more believable, not less so.

Ms. J also employs the loveliest prose to describe the delights of the isle of Cyrene, where part of the novel takes place. She paints word-pictures, every bit as much as Diana paints with brushes and oils. It's meant to be breathtaking, and it is.
(By the way, so are the parts where Thorne *paints* Diana, and then removes the *paint*, in a most erotic fashion...WHEW!!!! ... I've still got THOSE scenes running around in my head!!)

I loved Yates, the second male lead, who assists Thorne in his crime-fighting/investigation. It took me a while to begin to like Amy (Thorne's recently-named ward, and Diana's cousin)... she starts out quite a spoiled young woman. But Amy is put through the wringer a few times, and comes out better for it on the other side. I was dying for Amy and Yates to get together! I won't give away the details, but let's just say I was smiling at the end...

Nicole Jordan takes full advantage of the intricate and dizzying rules of Regency England , with its suffocating strictures and mores, and manages to weave plotlines just as intricate throughout the tiny cracks within those same rules, like a lovely flower finding its way to the sun despite great odds: defying them, and winning. Brava, Ms. Jordan!
I cannot wait for her next romance!

Rating:
Summary: Quite frankly, I'm bored with it.
Review: I've read many of Nicole Jordan's other books and wasn't really impressed with the story telling but I struggled through because they were very sensual and 'hot'. This one is not. I generally read a book or two a week and I've been reading this one for a week now. I'm not even half way done. This book is just a rehash of half a dozen other books which were all more interesting. He's got a tortured past and a secret he can't share. She's an artist, also with a tortured past, but she's an open book. They pretend to be engaged. There's some sort of nebulous danger. Boring. Deadly dull and I really wish I had another book to read. I have given up on this author and highly doubt I'll purchase the next book in this series. If I wanted to read bad romance I'd read Barbara Cartland. I'm certainly not willing to pay nearly $8/book to an author who's obviously not even trying.

Rating:
Summary: Another Sensual Tale By Ms. Jordan
Review: Ms. Jordan's latest in her new "Paradise" series is a much better read than the previous with a little more depth and storyline. This is not to say that this story was flawless because it did at time drag and at times the storyline seemed a bit contrived.

All in all Diana was a strong heroine that knew her mind and had her dreams. She also found love where she least likely thought she would find it. In the arms of Viscount Thorn. Christopher is a member of a secret organization that protects those that are unable to. One of their members is killed and it is thought to have been the bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. One year later Nat's sister and cousin come to find Christopher in order to obtain his help in launching Amy so she can find a suitable husband. Thorn agrees to do this as long as Diana posses as his fiancee. What starts off as an act swifty becomes a reality. But will their new love be threatened by an enemy before they realize how deep it actually is?

As I stated in the beginning of this review the chemistry between Diana and Thorn was very sensual and immediate. The whole "let's pretend that we love each other...than they find they do" is not a new story vehicle and Ms. Jordan has truly not done anything to change that. What saved this story from being too...uninspiring is the collection of characters such as Amy, John Yates, and the Duke. Ms. Jordan is without a doubt one of the queens of the sensual romance and this story is no exception. I look forward to continuing with this series and recommend the this latest effort by Ms. Jordan.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

Rating:
Summary: 1/2* Sensual meltdown lacks depth
Review: Nicole Jordan's latest sensual meltdown Lord of Seduction continues from The Master of Temptation and draws its intrigue from the Guardians - an espionage group dedicated to protect the British from the French and crushing smuggling syndicates. We last saw the leader of the pack Sir Gawain Olsen being hunted by a mysterious sabotager on the peaceful isle of Cyrene. Viscount Christopher Thorne, who is a member of the group, pledges to find out the cause of death of his best friend Nathaniel who died during an investigation. Nat's cousin, Lady Diana Sheridan pays him a visit to discuss about Amy's (Nat's sister) season and her fortune hunter.

Ms. Jordan's read might have been a sizzle in the bedroom but the characters lack depth. Readers who are smitten with Jordan's titillating dialogues and chemistry in the Seduction are not going to find them here in her latest. We see how Thorne uses his power to get Diana a place in the Royal Academy and manipulates her to marriage; Diana mourns about her past folly and because of her insecurities - agrees to Thorne's hiring of a Cyprian to seduce away Amy's love interest. The chemistry between the leads borders on eager prurience and lust - and carries forward to make Jordan's latest book a disappointment. The adventure and intrigue is more of the same formulaic setting in The Master of Temptation without much extension and details. Lord of Seduction captures and titillates but apparently this is not enough to hold our hearts.

Rating:
Summary: Much Improved. ** Grade: B **
Review: Oh, Nicole, this is so much better! Nicole Jordan continues with her `Paradise series' and capitalizes on attraction and lust to enhance LORD OF SEDUCTION. This is what I admire about Ms. Jordan, this author CAN write erotic ROMANCE, which she DID NOT do in the first book, MASTER OF TEMPTATION! Well done Ms. Jordan -- this is a stunning recovery.

Christopher, Viscount Thorne is a dashing member of the English upper class who just happens to be a member of the Guardians. The Guardians is a secret society which protects the world! Think of the CIA two hundred years ago!

Diana Sheridan is a pioneer in the English art world. This once-scandalous lady seeks admission to the famed British Academy for the Fine Arts. If successful, Diana would be the first female artist accepted! However, before thinking of herself, Diana must secure her young cousin's place in society - the young cousin happens to be Viscount Thorne's ward.

Immediately, Christopher and Diana are hot for each other. Shrewdly, Jordan delays the sexual fulfillment, and in doing so creates a richer, more developed romance. This is where LORD OF SEDUCTION masterfully outshines its predecessor!

Of course, this is book two for the "Guardians of the Sword" and duty calls our members to assignment. Predictably, Diana Sheridan becomes a willing participant. Actually, I found this subplot and the ending anticlimactic and cliché. Nevertheless, this is the book's direction . . . Still Ms. Jordan has recovered nicely from her previous venture. Book three of the `Paradise series' is expected during the summer of 2005 and I have my dollars ready. Grade: B

JUST A NOTE: the author refers to the hero as the Viscount Thorne, Lord Thorne, and as Christopher Thorne. He would not be Christopher Thorne! Example: In extreme casual circles, they address England's Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, as Andrew Windsor. They casually know his brother Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, as Edward Windsor. Windsor IS the royal family's surname. Therefore, the hero would be - Viscount Thorne, Lord Thorne, or just plain Thorne - but not Christopher Thorne -- unless the family surname was Thorne, which is most unlikely. Ok this is silly, but it is fact!

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Set in 1815. Viscount Thorne "Chris" finds his father's matchmaking tiresome. Chris is not ready to settle down and produce an heir. He is a member of a secret league of protectors known as the Guardians. A fellow member, Nate Lunsford, has been murdered and Chris is determined to find the person responsible so he can deliver justice, not to mention a bit of revenge. Nate has dubbed Chris as his sister's guardian. Her name is Amy.

Artist Diana Sheridan is worried about her cousin's, Amy, affections toward a possible fortune hunter. Therefore, she takes Amy to Chris for help. Chris was on the Isle of Cyrene. He agrees to return to London and secure Amy's place in Society. In exchange, Diana must pretend to be his betrothed. This should satisfy his father. Diana is reluctant since she had been part of a scandal before. Yet for Amy's sake she agrees. Soon Chris wants to make the marriage real. But that is the LAST thing Diana wants! Chris begins his master plan of seducing the lovely Diana into his arms.

**** A scorching hot regency romance filled with love, mystery, danger, and scandal. This story will take your mind off your day-to-day worries and fling you head long into a romantic adventure between two passionate people. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Rating:
Summary: Sensuality at its best.
Review: This has been a long awaited read. As the second book in the new series, it is good. And leads the way for more books in the series. Diana was a wonderful heroine. Strong and funny and able to hold her own against Thorne. Thorne is a strong male character. But he does not run over Diana. They build up a touching love story and I like how Thorne decides to get Diana. I found it interesting that in this book it was the woman who did not want marriage. I like the twist. It was fun to see how Thorne was going to work with that and how he was going to prove himself. There is tension from the plot to uncover the Guardians and Nate's murder. Guesing who is behind the spying and watching it all come together. It was not a huge mystery. But it fit in well. There was enough to keep you guessing while you got to watch the two sets of characters fall in love. I thought it was worth it. It was sweet, sensual and well worth the wait. Cant wait for the next book in the set. Looking foreward to it.