The Gentleman’s Seduction by Lauren Smith

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Seduction #4
Publication Date: 1/7/19
Number of Pages: 222

This is an excellently told tale of romance, and revenge gone awry. I loved both the hero and the heroine. The poor hero started out trying to be a villain by ruining the man who had ruined his family eleven years ago. It didn’t take him long to come to understand that revenge wasn’t quite as sweet as he thought it would be.

Martin Banks is now a very, very, very rich man, but that wasn’t always the case. Eleven years ago, near Christmas, an evil man visited ruin and death upon his family. Martin would like nothing better than to find that man and bring that same loss and ruination to him. Finally, for the first time in eleven years, Martin has come across the villain. He certainly doesn’t resemble that formidable, evil man that brought the evil to young Martin’s home. So much the better for Martin because desperate men wager recklessly. It doesn’t take long for Martin to win everything the man owns. Ah! Revenge! Martin informs the man that he’ll call on him the next day to collect his winnings.

Lavinia (Livvy) Hartwell is in the midst of her first season, but she hasn’t seen any prospective husbands that appeal to her. Maybe she doesn’t attract suitors because her clothes are threadbare and several seasons out of style. Livvy also has a vice – yep – she reads gothic novels. As a matter of fact, she’s closeted in her room reading Lady Leticia and the Dark Duke, when she hears her father shouting, “Elizabeth! He’s here!” Livvy rushed from her room and ended up eavesdropping at the door of the drawing room. What she hears is astounding. They are to be turned out of their home tomorrow. Goodness – she just has to intervene – surely the man has some decency – so she burst into the room.

Martin hadn’t realized that Hartwell had a daughter. Ah! That sweet revenge again. He’d take Hartwell’s daughter from him since Hartwell had taken Martin’s mother from him. So, he tells Hartwell that he’ll take Livvy to be his mistress and that will cancel Hartwell’s debt. Hartwell declines, but eventually, to save her home, Livvy agrees.

It seems that Martin is a bit impulsive. He has absolutely no idea what he is now going to do with Livvy. He certainly hadn’t thought through all of the ramifications of he had done. He certainly isn’t going to force himself on her. We soon find that Martin isn’t half the villain he is trying to be and he is out of his depths in this situation.

It is lovely to see Livvy and Martin spend time together and to get the know each other – and yes – to love each other even though Martin adamantly denies it. He cannot – he absolutely refuses – to fall in love with the daughter of the man who caused his family’s ruin and ultimately cost him both of his parents. Believe me – Martin is one hard-headed fellow and it takes a near-tragedy to open his eyes to what he could have.

I definitely recommend this book.

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