Miranda Neville

 

Never Resist Temptation

Author: Miranda Neville

ISBN: 978-0061715914

Genre: Regency

 

4 Hearts

 

Description:

A woman on the run

 

Beautiful, spirited Jacobin de Chastelux would have been the perfect prize for any man -- but she never imagined one would win her at a game of cards! When she learns that her dissolute, dastardly uncle and guardian had wagered her virtue—and lost­—she flees. A cunning disguise and her culinary talents land her in the royal kitchen as a chef. All is well until her uncle is poisoned by one of her desserts. Jacobin must escape again -- to the home of the very man who won her in that infamous game!

 

Lord Storrington knows nothing of Jacobin's true identity. All he knows is that things are heating up­—and the sparks aren't coming from the stove. A delicious ecstasy tempts the scoundrel and the chef . . . one that can only end with sweet, sweet surrender.

 

From the Authors Website:

I grew up in beautiful Wiltshire in southwest England. During my misspent youth I devoured the works of Georgette Heyer, Jean Plaidy and any other historical novels I could lay hands on. As a result I attended the University of Oxford to study history, ignoring all hints that economics might be a more practical subject. I spent several years writing catalogues of rare books and original letters and manuscripts for Sotheby's auction house in London and New York. Much of my time in this job was spent reading the personal correspondence of the famous. This confirmed my suspicion that the most interesting thing about history is people. I'm also a sucker for a happy ending: I howled in the back of geography class when I was supposed to be learning about German coalfields because I hated --HATED -- the end of Gone With The Wind. I still haven't forgiven Margaret Mitchell

 

My View:

After being told that she had been won in a card game Jacobin runs away from her uncle's estate. Relying on the one thing she has learned to make money while fleeing. Disguising herself as a man, she takes on the job as a pasty chef. When her uncle is poisoned at the estate where she is working, Jacobin must run again, this time to the man who won her in the card game. Figuring staying in plain sight, she doesn't bother with disguising herself and again takes on the position as pastry chef.

 

Lord Anthony of Storrington, doesn't recognize Jacobin at first. He had never really met the young woman he won in the card game. When he realizes that the woman, who is now his pastry chef and who he is extremely attracted to, is the niece of the man he feels is responsible for making his father's life miserable, he decides to use her to exact revenge.

 

This Regency era historical brings together a strong duo, each with their own set of issues. Anthony, although a bit misguided, is a strong hero in the story. He does some pretty unforgivable things throughout the story, but in the end realizes the errors of his ways. Jacobin has a few issues of her own. Although she has a strong character, I'm not sure I would be so quick to forget that Anthony tried to collect winning her in card game. All and all Never Resist Temptation is a good read for Regency era fans with an interesting mystery and a sensual love affair.