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A Rake's Guide to Seduction

by Caroline Linden

reviewed by Valarie Pelissero

June 2008, 352 pages, Publisher: Zebra, ISBN: 0821780514

When I received Caroline Linden's newest book to review, I was a bit apprehensive because her previous books had yet to really spark my interest. I am happy to report that with A Rake's Guide to Seduction Ms. Linden has hit her stride and brought readers a wonderfully written book that, at its heart, has a hero and heroine who touched a chord within me. Unfortunately the back cover blurb makes Anthony's actions seem base and underhanded, which is so far off the mark.

There are rumors surrounding Anthony's birth that he is not really the Earl of Lynley's son, even though the earl never admitted to it. These rumors caused Anthony a lot of grief while he was growing up and he was thrown out of more than one school for fighting, as well as for cheating a math tutor at cards, causing the earl to banish him from his house, and Anthony to disown his title. With no funds to support him, Anthony uses the only talent at his disposal to support himself: he gambles. You see, Anthony is a math wiz, and he has an uncanny knack for counting cards. Unfortunately his luck at the tables causes most to believe him a cheat. Combine that with rumors about his numerous dalliances and Anthony becomes quite notorious.

During Celia Reece's first London season Anthony stepped in to save her from an unwanted proposal, sparking their re-acquaintance. Celia let Anthony know that she believes he is not half as bad as he pretends to be. Anthony would have never thought that the young girl who used to trail around after her brother and him would grow up to be the woman for him. When Anthony finally gets up his nerve to approach Celia's brother for permission to call on her, he is informed that Celia has just become betrothed to another.

The intervening four years of Celia's marriage are told through Celia's journal entries which show a bride passionately in love with her husband Bertie, slowly fade into a woman disappointed in love and life. Bertie becomes more and more distant, leaving Celia to look after his father, until his reckless behavior kills him. When Celia finally returns home, her family is stunned by her pallor and her melancholy, and hopes that a house party will enliven her. Yet it is only Anthony Hamilton who brightens her spirits, much to the vexation of her mother.

What I loved in A Rake's Guide to Seduction is that Anthony never tried to physically seduce Celia to bring her out of her depression, instead he writes her anonymous notes meant to brighten her spirits, but they become the vessel for Anthony to pour out his feelings to her. When Celia first receives these notes she is thrown, but as the notes become more romantic, she quickly figures out that it is Anthony writing them, but she doesn't want to make another mistake. In her first marriage, she was so caught up in the romance of the courtship that she never really knew her husband. Unfortunately, her mother continually conspires against Anthony but thankfully Celia doesn't let that stop her.

Anthony however, does bring out his bag of tricks when he gives advice to the husbands on how to keep their ladies from straying into the arms of men like Anthony, the results of which made me laugh. Celia was not the only one who suffered during those years, Anthony lost everything, only getting back on his feet when the Cornish tin mines boomed. It was refreshing to see both main characters' trials and tribulations, and their much deserved happiness with each other.

The conflict was very well done, I could see each of their journeys to overcome previous mistakes and hang on to the love they deserve. Ms. Linden brings back characters from the first two books in the series and it was nice to catch up with them again. I hope Ms. Linden brings us more books filled with emotion, depth and wonderful characters like those in A Rake's Guide to Seduction. This one is a definite must read.