The Study of Seduction (Sinful Suitors, #2)

by Sabrina Jeffries

When a too-persistent suitor forces her into a marriage of convenience with Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough, the unexpected passion that Lady Clarissa Lindsey finds with her husband is threatened by her stalker.

• ISBN10: 1476786070
• ISBN13: 9781476786070
• Publish Date: 22 March 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Imprint: Pocket Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[stacey_is_sassy]

I’ll take the Reward…and Edwin too.

Romance readers…Historical Romance fans…lovers of LOVE…let me welcome to the stage…Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough, also known as my Hero of the Day!!! Yep, The Study of Seduction is going on my Favourites of 2016 list. This book…geez…I struggle to explain it…but this book is EXACTLY why I love historical romance. The hero is a stuffy, arrogant, know-it-all (think Mr Darcy) who acts like he is surrounded by buffoons. The heroine is an intelligent, quirky and beautiful woman who knows how to keep men in their place. When the two of them are together…the sparks fly. He can’t control his emotions and she loses her ability to control…HIM.

The start of the story sees Edwin and Clarissa butting heads and slinging insults…but there is an attraction that neither can deny.

Clarissa has no plans to marry ever, but unfortunately, some of the men of the ton didn’t get the memo. One, in particular, won’t take no for an answer and has made it very clear that he wants her…and will do ANYTHING to get her. Clarissa, at first, thought she could handle it, but Count Durand’s threats get worse and worse. Her cousin Warren was taking the threat seriously and was very worried about her safety. Unfortunately, Warren can’t be in two places at once and Clarissa’s brother Niall is having some problems overseas and he must go and help him. Warren asks his best friend Edwin to take his place in protecting Clarissa.

Edwin couldn’t think of anything worse. This woman makes him feel…things. Edwin has a reputation for being a little stuffy and very honest. He says things exactly as he sees them which hasn’t exactly helped him when it comes to the ladies. He is thinking about finding a wife and plans to spend a season in town when his friend asks him to watch over Clarissa. Edwin is worried. Clarissa makes him feel a lot. Lust, anger, amusement and frustration are emotions he feels regularly in her company. Clarissa has been his little sister’s best friend for many years, so he knows her very well. Or, he thinks he does.

The Study of Seduction sucked me in from the very beginning. I loved Edwin and Clarissa and enjoyed seeing them together. The emotions they bring out in each other vary from anger to humour to passion. Edwin is my favourite type of Historical Romance hero where you can see his bottled-up passions desperate to come out but suppressed because of his gentleman like ways. This guy…I loved seeing him come out of his shell. He thought he wanted a certain type of woman (boring) but the woman he ended up with (exciting), was the exact opposite.

Clarissa and Edwin have dealt with a lot in their past, but what made them perfect for each other was their ability to look past the surface and see what was hiding inside. Edwin was stuffy but with Clarissa’s help learnt to show emotions and feelings. Clarissa had lived through a horrible experience which made her give the outward appearance of happiness, but really hid her loneliness. Edwin gives her the strength to face her past, deal with it and move on a stronger woman.

A story without fault…well pretty damn close. I loved The Study of Seduction and Sabrina Jeffries has done a superb job. She has created a wonderful story with a hero that you can't help but love and a heroine that you can't help but admire. I will definitely be reading this story again and again.

I received a complimentary copy of The Study of Seduction via Netgalley for an honest review.

I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[Amanda]

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

Sabrina Jeffries has always been an author whose books I enjoy... but never totally love. The Study of Seduction seemed to fit that pattern, although I did like that Edwin had ties to the Duke's Men series (where he was supposed to marry Jane, who ultimately ended up with Dom... but it would have been cooler, had I remembered more of him in THAT story).

Anyway.

It's clear (almost painfully so) that despite Edwin's and Clarissa's barbs, they like each other. Like like each other, if you know what I mean. Which is complicated from their point of view, because they don't realize their barbs are really just sexual tension in disguise. I think maybe this would have been more tension-filled for me as a reader if it hadn't been so easy to see beyond the barbs.

But I did like the back and forth. It's always fun when characters can get beneath the other's skin. The fireworks! There was more than this "You don't like me, oh wait maybe you do" misunderstanding between the characters, though, including a French diplomat of a stalker. Or "stalker"? He was threatening physically until he was threatening with secrets, which is an entirely different type of tension.

Some of the happenings in the story were predictable... and some were not. The reason why her brother was exiled? Knew it. The stuff in Edwin's father's past? Figured it out. Regardless, it was fun to watch Clarissa and Edwin discover the other for who they really were and how well they worked together as a couple.

The Study of Seduction tackles some heavy topics too (which I won't say what they are specifically, but it's pretty easy to guess based on many of Clarissa's reactions), which I appreciated, especially given the time period and how people react to that type of situation. Even though I wish Clarissa would have told Edwin sooner, although I totally understand why she didn't.

The Study of Seduction is a solid historical romance from Sabrina Jeffries, and I'm curious to see where this series goes next. (And maybe even what happened in book 1.)

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
*I received a free copy of [title] from [publisher] via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *The Study of Seduction is filled with romance - albeit quite reluctant on both the male and the female part - danger, delight, despair, and heartfelt love.

Story:

Jeffries really has a knack for creating relatable characters, a bit unconventional, and able to reel the readers in. The Study of Seduction definitely reeled me in! I love friends to lovers stories, and that is what I got here. Edwin and Clarissa have known each other for as long as they can remember. And so, when Warren needs to leave England - but thinks it's too dangerous to leave Clarissa open to the advances of a French suitor - he asks Edwin to look out for her.

The Study of Seduction has a little bit of all I love in historical romance novels. There are balls, with beautiful gowns, dances, and blushing debutantes. Of course, there are also some rogues, some rakes, and some incredibly gentlemen. This story has more than that, though, with the sinister French diplomat who just won't leave Clarissa alone. With that suspense element, the story becomes mysterious and filled with danger as well.

There are quite a few humorous elements in The Study of Seduction as well - both Clarissa and Edwin have their moments where their dry wit made me laugh. That, plus the red hot chemistry between them made their story very enjoyable.

If you haven't read about these Sinful Suitors yet, but are a fan of historical romance, you should get to it. The romance and the suspense elements are outstandingly well done.

Characters:

Edwin is seen by society as a rather strict man, with no funny-bones in his body. He wants to find a suitable wife, someone meek and quiet, to help him produce an heir, and take care of his estates.

Clarissa is a bit outrageous, she flirts a bit, but as soon as a more serious suitor comes along, she rebuffs him. Her back story is tough to read, and some readers might be triggered.

Warren is Clarissa's cousin and Edwin's best friend. He has taken care of his aunt and Clarissa ever since Clarissa's brother had to leave England.

Writing style :

The Study of Seduction is written in close third person point of view, where the readers get to know Edwin's and Clarissa's thoughts. The dialogues are well executed, and bring knowledge about other characters as well as the main characters.

Feels :

Oh, I had plenty of feels with The Study of Seduction. I felt the heart beats of the protagonists when they finally let themselves feel them. I felt the danger and the fear. And I felt the humor that certain situations brought to the story.



Warren was Edwin's closest friend. Really, his only friend, aside from his sister's new husband, Jeremy Keane. Edwin didn't make friends easily, probably because he didn't suffer fools easily. And society was full of fools.

Ignore Clarissa? Impossible. He'd spent the past few years trying unsuccessfully to unwrap the mystery that was Lady Clarissa Lindsey. Her barbed wit fired his temper, her provocative smile inflamed him, and her shadowed eyes haunted his sleep. He could no more ignore her than he could ignore a rainbowed sunset... or a savage storm.

And broad shoulders and a regal bearing and slate-gray eyes as coldly beautiful as a Russian night spangled with stars. Clarissa scowled at herself. She must be addled to be thinking of Edwin so poetically.