THE SEDUCTION OF AN UNKNOWN LADY

Author: Samantha James ISBN: 9780060896492 4/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Victorian 1854

Seduction is something Fionna Hawkes knows nothing about. So when she encounters a sexy stranger on a moonlit street, her first instinct is to defend herself against her darkly handsome suitor. But letting go of suspicion and allowing herself to fall for Lord Aidan McBride brings even greater danger. In his eyes, she glimpses a powerful passion she longs to fulfill. In his arms, she aches with the secret she longs to unburden. A secret that could cost her livelihood—and her life. Aidan could never resist a mvstery, especially one as mesmerizing as the lovely Miss Hawkes! Drawing her into the shelter of his embrace, he won't rest until he convinces her to reveal everything. Braving the danger that stalks Fionna at every turn, Aidan is determined to defend her—and just as determined to claim her as his own.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE SEDUCTION OF AN UNKNOWN LADY by Samantha James, is the second book of James' McBride family trilogy. Featuring Aiden, brother of Alec and Anne McBride, this book is not as intense of a page turner as I found THE SECRET PASSION OF SIMON BLACKWELL to be.

THE SECRET PASSION OF SIMON BLACKWELL was such a compelling and emotional in-depth read, but this book doesn't follow that path. I think we, as readers, expect and judge the standards of a book pretty much against the author's previous works, more so if they are part of a series. Unfortunately and more often than not, that's a pretty hard standard to live up to, no matter how seasoned or accomplished an author happens to be. To be honest, I can't think of any other time when I've read a book by Samantha James that has ever left me so disappointed. But disappointed in this one, I am.

I could sit and nitpick all day about just what went wrong here, but the bottom line is that the characters of Aiden and Fiona and their romantic connection just didn't click at all for me. Also, I found some parts of the suspenseful angles of the story rather unbelievable. James' prose is still great though, and the little secondary storyline that runs with extracts from Fionna's newest book at the start of each chapter I thought was novel and interesting as well—sometimes more interesting than the main storyline, unfortunately. But the emotional depth that I so love in Ms. James' works is sadly lacking in this one, and therein lies my biggest problem with it.

THE SEDUCTION OF AN UNKNOWN LADY isn't a bad book at all, but it's just average and not as good of a book that I know Ms. James is capable of writing.

Nancy Davis