3 ½ Stars

Seduction is book one in the new series The Spymaster’s Men by Brenda Joyce.

I have mix feelings about this book, there were parts I really enjoyed and others than… you get the idea. The blurb describes pretty well what this book is about, the only thing that leaves out is that when Julianne discovers that Dominic is the Earl of Bedford she realizes he is an English spy, and what does she do, “deceived and scorned Julianne” goes to his enemies and gives them this information, putting Dominic’s life and his family in danger; after she does this she feels a “little” remorse but doesn’t do anything to correct her actions.

I didn’t like Dominic on the beginning, I thought he took unnecessary advantage of Julianne, but later in the story I can say I started to like him. I understood his actions (not the advantage of Julianne’s part) and his way of thinking. He does what he does for his country, his family and his friends. Actually his way of thinking is a noble one.

Going back to Julianne she was a character I disliked more than like, watching her is almost watching a train-wreck, one bad decision after another. She thinks she can handle a world she doesn’t understand, instead of being honest and ask for help her naïveté puts everyone around her in peril.

The attraction between Julianne and Dominic is there since the first day, it progresses slowly as they share more time together, developing in something else. The sexual tension builds up slowly until the moment they decided to be together. I was expecting a very nice, romantic scene for Julianne’s first time but I was very disappointed when her first “special time” was against a door. I even thought I read something wrong, I missed a part or something, so I read the scene twice and yes, it was against a door, like a strumpet, not an innocent and virgin heroine.

The secondary characters are all a mystery, they all are hiding something and I guess to discover what is they are hiding we will have to read the following books in this series. I’m looking forward to Julianne’s brothers Jack and Lucas stories.

The first part of the book was a bit slow, after the hundred pages mark it starts to pick up the pace. The romance is believable, but there were other things, as some of Julianne actions that were far fetched for a single young woman during those times.
And there were other things a bit contradictory, like when Julianne gets in trouble in London, she is supposed to be staying in a big house with servants (that’s her description when she arrives to the house) and when the police comes for her at night they make a lot of noise, they even take the door down but nobody comes to her aid or hear the commotion… mmm what can I say? Mmm…

The strong point of this book is the accurate historical facts. It is clear Mrs. Joyce did an excellent job researching the times when this novel takes place, and further more she did a great job intermingling the story with the facts of the time.
If you liked your historical romance strong in the facts this is a book for you. ( )

I wanted to love this book. It takes place during the French Revolution, a time period that has always fascinated me. It's about spies, a topic I've loved since "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" days. It's a historical romance, currently one of my favorite genres. However, even with all of that in it's favor, it was...okay.

The history of the book was well-written, and the pacing was decent. For the most part I really liked the hero, Dom; though at the end he does make an awfully abrupt turn-around, it wasn't completely unbelievable, just a bit quick. The heroine's brothers--Jack and Lucas--have real promise, and I hope future books will be about one or both of them.

The heroine, though--different story. Juliette just seemed to make one poor choice after another, tended toward the overdramatic, and was often naive to the point of ridiculousness. I'm still not convinced that the thing that made Dom's mother see her in a better light really would have done so...not that she was wrong to warm up to Juliette, really, but that's not the deal clincher that would have done it for me had I been in her situation.

I'm willing to give the next book in the series a try; even though this one wasn't one of my favorites the series definitely has promise. ( )

Radical idealist Julianne Greystone welcomed the revolution that created the Republic of France where all men would be acknowledged as equals. But in 1793, with England and France at war, being a radical isn't far from being a traitor in some of her neighbor's eyes. When her brothers bring a wounded man in need of care, Julianne of course tends him. She quickly assumes the man is a wounded French officer who shares her political ideals. Unsure of his surroundings, Dominic Paget doesn't correct her assumptions. But in fact, Dominic is an English spy against the French and the Earl of Bedford. When reality destroys Julianne's illusions, she must rethink her entire world view before she can follow her heart.

Set during the French Revolution, Dominic Paget is a British lord masquerading as a French peasant so he can spy. Wounded, he is sent to recover at Greystone Manor where Julianne Grey cares for him as she slowly falls in love with who she thinks he is. ( )

Review:Seduction by Brenda Joyce
4 STARS
The setting of this book is France & England 1793. I seesawed my point of view on what side to take. I was on one hand supporting freedoms but not all the violence. I was even rooting for the tories some of the time too. So I could see how easy it woud be torn about what side you are on.
Dominic was shot in the back in France he was their as a spy for England. He was taken by a boat to England but had no idea at the time he was close to death. Dominic is a rich titled half english & French. His identity in France was a printer and in the French army.
Julianne Greystone was supporting the French revolution and met with others in her village in Penzance, Cornwall. In fact she helped start her group like others in England and France. Julianne is the youngest of four and the only one who supported the group. Her brothers Lucas and Jack brought a stranger who was ill for her to nurse better saying Jack found him when he was smuggling and had no idea who he was.
While Dominic was out of his mind he spoke French and about the war so Julianne figured out that he was a French army. So let him know that she would keep his secrets and she was a Jacobean follower too. She fell in love and was taken in by his alias.
Their is a lot of spying and lying around that time. While Julianne thought she had a lot in common with Charles. She really didn't have with Dominic who was a rich titled spy for England a Tory.
It was a good plot. You never knew who to trust or if anyone. I would read more of Brenda Joyce's books. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
01/31/2012 Harlequin HQN Books ( )