SEDUCTIVE WAGER

Author: Leigh Greenwood ISBN:0505525291 2/2004 HISTORICAL Publisher: LOVE SPELL
Time Period: 1830 - England, then France, and on to Africa

A BROTHER'S BETRAYAL... Brett Westbrook knew he wanted Kate from the moment she stumbled into the room, her nightgown barely concealing her stunning curves. Kate's youthful innocence and womanly sensuality awoke a passion within him, which only intensified when he witnessed her brother's callous treatment. Horribly betrayed by her brother, Kate was offered to Brett as payment for his gambling debts. Brett accepted the golden-haired beauty with good intentions, but soon found himself under the spell of her sapphire eyes, wondering if they may truly belong together. A LOVER'S TOUCH... Kate believed that Brett was her savior, sweeping her away from her brother's torment. While her headstrong nature fought against the idea of belonging to a man, her body was slowly won over by his gentle touch, awakening new desires she had never dreamed of. Rather than protest Brett's advances, Kate became more than willing to fulfill the...SEDUCTIVE WAGER.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Okay. Ever liked bits and pieces of a book but just couldn't get into the whole thing? Ever felt like a book could have ended several chapters before it did? Well, that is how I feel about Leigh Greenwood's latest, SEDUCTIVE WAGER. Something about it is just too much (the heroine) and yet not enough, mainly the plot.

Incomparable beauty Kate Vareyan, our helpless-in-the-beginning heroine, finds herself a prisoner of her brother for four years. One fateful evening, that same brother rolls the dice and loses Kate and their home to the arrogant, yet dashing, Brett Westbrook. At this point, Kate is weeping and begging for help from Brett and his cronies. What a misleading moment that turns out to be, for despite all those tears, Brett is in for the shock of his life once Kate lets loose her tongue.

I find my ears are still ringing from the chewing out Brett receives nearly every moment Kate opens her mouth. Seems to me that Brett rescues her from a very bad situation and intends to help her as best he can. Granted, he is not without some serious faults (uncontrollable lust for one) and selfish to the extreme. But, with a shrew like Kate I believe I would lose my temper, too. I find her a very unlikable heroine, and if her "extraordinary loveliness" was mentioned just one more time, I think I would have thrown the book across the room. I got it. She's drop your mouth to the floor beautiful. Enough already.

Kate's rascal brother Martin wants to cause some more mischief so with the sheriff hot on the trail of "kidnapped" Kate, Brett is forced to take her with him out of the country. With all the fighting and yelling those two do on the ship there really is no need for what I consider the additional plot line of Brett's secret mission. By the time Brett and Kate finally admit they love each other, she is kidnapped and a war nearly breaks out. That was just too much for me. The book should have ended when Martin did.

Perhaps this review is a bit harsh, but as much as I like a strong heroine, I cannot stand a witchy one. If you do, feel free to put this in your to-be-read pile.

Shannon johnson