Review: Tempting The Marquess by Sara Lindsey

July 12, 2010 By Pearl 8 Comments

Tempting the Marquess
by Sara Lindsey
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: June 1, 2010
Available: Signet
Genre: Historical Romance
Book received from: Penguin

While Olivia Weston loves matchmaking and romantic novels, she intends to make a suitable match. But first she wants an adventure, and when given the opportunity to visit a reclusive widower living in a haunted castle, Livvy can’t possibly resist.

After his wife’s death, Jason Traherne, Marquess of Sheldon, shut his heart to everyone but his son, and until now he has succeeded in maintaining his distance. But there’s something about Livy; her unique blend of sweetness and sensuality that tempts him beyond all reason.

Though there’s nothing suitable about the feelings he inspires in her, Livvy can’t help falling for the marquess. But can she persuade him to let go of the past and risk his heart again?

The foundation for Olivia Weston’s story was laid in PROMISE ME TONIGHT, book 1 in this series and Sara Lindsey’s debut historical romance that came out in the beginning of 2010. I bought PROMISE ME TONIGHT upon release but it ended up on my insurmountable Mt. TBR and despite that the premise of the series was very much to my liking…so when FV offered me a chance to review the follow-up TEMPTINGT THE MARQUESS (Olivia’s story) I grabbed the chance to finally read PROMISE me tonight and when I turned the last page of that book, having read an excerpt of TEMPTING THE MARQUESS I was very curious about how things were going to pan out for Olivia and her quest to save the blackened soul of a man who had unconsciously wooed her through poems and hidden gifts for his now deceased wife and teach him how to live again.

Olivia “Livvy” Weston is the third child of 7 and the second daughter of the Weston family. Though she may have the reputation of being the “good” child, a lot of mischief and naughtiness hides beneath that veneer. She is stubborn, tenacious and saucy. Romantic in a bookish sense but doesn’t want to fall in love as she suspects real life love and marriage will never be as the HEAs she reads in her books and isn’t opposed to settle for a marriage of convenience.

Though I was charmed by Livvy’s innocence and impulsiveness she was too young a heroine too completely win me over. This had nothing to do with the writing or the characterization and everything with my preference for heroines who are a bit older and more mature than an 18 or 19 year-old.

Jason Traherne is the cynic and ornery Marquess of Sheldon. He’s a widower and father to a 7 year-old son, Edward. He’s gruff, a bit rude, dark and brooding and keeps his emotions in check. He also has a need for order and control and whirlwind Livvy does not fit into that need. He’s shut himself off for love and desire after the death of his wife and cares deeply only for his son.

There weren’t very many secondary characters as the book focused on Livvy, Jason and their romance. No mysteries or suspense plots, just the story of two people learning to love (again). The most prominent secondary characters were Livvy’s aunt and Jason’s stepmother, Katherine and Jason’s brother-in-law (his late wife’s younger brother). There was lots of humor, I loved Charles’ sense of humor and his brotherly teasing of Livvy and I also loved the enchanting adorableness of the children Charlotte and Edward. As known I like children in my romance reads and these two are among my favorites.

What stuck out for me most in TEMPTING THE MARQUESS was the banter and battles of wit between Livvy and Jason but also thought the first third of the book wasn’t strongly focused on romance as it’s predecessor was and I kind of missed that. After about a third, Jason and Livvy started to admit to their growing feelings, though initially only to themselves and reluctantly. After their first kiss, things progressed quickly and the romance and passion took a more prominent place in the story. In the first third the pace was kind of slow and it felt like an extended introduction/prologue but the middle part of the book was charming and endearing and kept a firm hold of my attention.

There were a few scenes that formed a lump in my throat; there were scenes that made me laugh and scenes that were very hot. All things I love in (historical) romance, however it wasn’t a book that blew me away or wowed my socks of. Still, it was entertaining and endearing and I really enjoyed reading it.