How the Scoundrel Seduces (Duke's Men, #3)

by Sabrina Jeffries

While trying to ensure that his half-brother George can never ruin his life again, investigator Tristan Bonnaud, one of the Duke's Men, is hired by Lady Zoe Keane to find a gypsy woman who knows all of her family's secrets.

• ISBN10: 1410473066
• ISBN13: 9781410473066
• Publish Date: 1 November 2014 (first published 19 August 2014)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 1 July 2021
• Imprint: Thorndike Press
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 509
• Language: English

Reviews

[Amanda]

3.5

I have a brief moment of "Wait a second, I KNOW THIS STORY!" then realized (after a quick Goodreads check to confirm) that I read the first book in the series and the hero of THIS book and the heroine of the first book are siblings.

That made a lot of sense. It also made me more excited for Tristan's story, because the way he was portrayed was kind of... hardheaded? Driven to revenge? The down side: Zoe and Tristan met in book 2 (which I did not read) and there was some obvious history I missed.

I never felt lost in this story, but I did feel like something was missing for me. It was mostly the initial build up of tension because Tristan and Zoe when they first met (in book 2), they don't like each other -- and that doesn't change for this book. (They don't end up that way, though, and that's the way we like it.)

This was actually the third book I picked up to read when I read it. The first one had too many -ly adverbs with dialogue tags (which ACK! got on my nerves), the second one was too difficult to get into, so I landed on this one, kind of by default. Like the other book I've read by Sabrina Jeffries, it was a solid historical romance.

Tristan's driven to get revenge on his half-brother (because his half-brother is an ass and deserves it) to save his own family. Like Lisette, his sister, says, he blusters when he doesn't want people to get close. He doesn't believe in love -- or if he does, he sees only its destructive power.


Zoe's family has a deep, dark secret that messes with her inheritance. She wants to marry for love (who doesn't?!), but also wants to make sure she secures her inheritance and is able to take care of the people who depend on her. (And now that I type that out, it sounds like a lot of historical romance heroines. Like, a lot.) Tristan takes on her case and BOOM! her carefully orchestrated life unravels.

I like when lives unravel. You get INTRIGUE! and ROMANCE! and STEAMY SCENES! All good things. Zoe's deep, dark secret was well-done, especially since it kept me guessing until it was revealed, though certain parts of it seemed convenient as how it intersected with Tristan's goal.

Still, the ultimate showdown between bad guys was excellent, and I was satisfied with the ending. Curious what does down between Dom and Jane, though. Thirteen years of awkward history? That'll be fun to read about. Probably.

[Cocktails and Books]

How The Scoundrel Seduces is the third installment in the Duke's Men series. This was the first novel that I have read by this author. This book is part of a series, but I had no trouble at all following the storyline without having read the previous books. I immediately fell in love with the characters and the storyline. This book was a delight from start to finish.

Tristan Bonnaud, is his father’s illegitimate son. Tristan’s family is forced to move to France after his father’s death. While Tristan is in France he picks up skills that come in handy when he moves back to England and becomes part of an investigative agency. Tristan’s world changes forever when Zoe Keane walks into his agency’s office in desperate need of help. Tristan isn’t the only one that feels the sparks that fly between he and Zoe. Zoe is dead set against having Tristan handle her case. However, Zoe’s case fits tidily into Tristan’s plans to get revenge on the brother that betrayed him. And Tristan is the only one of the “Duke’s Men” that has the knowledge and background to help Zoe. Tristan and Zoe fight the desire that flows between them, but real love will not be denied. The passion blazes so hot that just reading a scene about a kiss sends the flames bursting off the pages. I loved the way the author described Zoe’s feelings in the heat of passion. It was humorous, but so realistic.

I loved, loved, loved all of the characters. Tristan appeared to be arrogant and self-centered, but he was really a little boy that learned to protect himself from rejection. Zoe is very intelligent, adventurous, and spirited. She took risks and wasn’t afraid to go against the conventional expectations for women. Tristan’s partner in the investigative agency is his other half-brother, Dom. Dom loves Tristan, and he is loyal to him regardless of the personal cost to him. Each of the characters was very complex and a joy to read. I even found myself feeling pity for the villain in the story. As the storyline developed you could easily see how the sins of the parents caused an array of difficulties for their children. I was totally vested in the characters and their storylines. The only sad moment was finally putting the book down. It was so good I took it to work with me because I couldn’t bear being separated from my characters until I knew that everything worked out for them.

I confess that this book took me on a roller coaster ride. It tugged on all my emotions, and by the end of it I felt like I actually knew the characters. I am definitely going to read the rest of the books in this series. Sabrina Jeffries has officially made it to my favorite author list.

Reviewed by Michelle for Cocktails and Books

[Linda]

*I received a free ARC of How the Scoundrel Seduces from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*

How the Scoundrel Seduces made me so happy! The whole Duke's Men series is so well done, and I really loved Tristan and Zoe! Their attraction was so well done, and the mystery Zoe had hired the Duke's Men to solve was great!

This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Five reasons to grab an iced coffee and lose yourself in How the Scoundrel Seduces

1. The Duke’s Men run an investigative agency on Bow-street and they are all yummy, unique, complicated, noble and totally swoon-worthy! Jeffries has fleshed them out with interesting histories and plenty of snark and wit.

2. Lady Zoe Keane is feisty, and daring. I love how independent and persistent she is. On more than one occasion she made me giggle, and I loved her gypsy spirit. The passion shown towards her family's estate and tenants made her a heroine admire.

3. Tristan Bonnaud is complicated, and sweet even if he denies it. Born a bastard, and mistreated by his brother the rightful heir you cannot help but have a soft spot for him. He made a youthful mistake for the love of his mother and sister and has dearly paid. Tristan has been a favorite since the beginning of this series and I delighted in learning all of his secrets.

4. The mystery of Zoe’s family secret was fascinating and well plotted. Danger and twists kept me thoroughly engaged as I rooted for both characters. Jeffries weaved in characters from Tristan's own past into Zoe's secrets which notched up the suspense and satisfied readers of the series.

5. The romance is wonderful from the banter to the heated kisses. Zoe is brazen and I loved how it undid Tristan. From the beginning these two aggravated each other even as they were drawn together.  The spark felt genuine and each enhanced the other.

Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer