The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator, #1) by Jillian Stone

Mar 24, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-obsess-over, dark-and-gritty, demons, favorites, holy-hawt-sexiness, kick-ass-heroines, magic, multi-pov, psych-powers, series-i-can-t-wait-to-continue, unbelievably-sexy-heros

Originally posted at http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2012...

ARC provided by Kensington

The Seduction of Phaeton Black takes place in Victorian England in 1889. When trying to describe Phaeton Black and this book, in my mind I imagined a combination of Sherlock Holmes, The Mummy movies and Indiana Jones all rolled up into an imaginative and clever book. The cover for this book does not do it justice.

Phaeton Black is a paranormal detective for Scotland Yard. He can sense all sorts of paranormal b...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Lori {Romancing the Dark Side} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, books-read-in-2012, victorian-paranormal, steampunk, my-favorites, blog-tour-review, my-reviews

A seductive supernatural mystery!

Phaeton Black is an investigator for Scotland Yard with many talents. He can sense the paranormal and has a way with the ladies, a real Victorian Casanova. An outsider among his fellow detectives after working on the Jack the Ripper case, Phaeton takes up residence in a brothel's basement, where he indulges his sexual appetites to the fullest. While investigating a new paranormal case on the streets of London, he encounters an exotic beauty who seeks his help in...more A seductive supernatural mystery!

Phaeton Black is an investigator for Scotland Yard with many talents. He can sense the paranormal and has a way with the ladies, a real Victorian Casanova. An outsider among his fellow detectives after working on the Jack the Ripper case, Phaeton takes up residence in a brothel's basement, where he indulges his sexual appetites to the fullest. While investigating a new paranormal case on the streets of London, he encounters an exotic beauty who seeks his help in warding off a band of pirates chasing her with a most unusual demand. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman, Phaeton complies with the beautiful Ms. Jones' request. America Jones is not your common damsel in distress, the daughter of a Cajun witch and British sea captain, she shares Phaeton's gift to sense the supernatural and has a few abilities of her own. The real seduction begins soon after this encounter for America Jones and Phaeton Black when the two come together for two different causes that will thrust them into mysterious and dark adventure on the sinister streets of London.

When I first saw the cover of this book I immediately thought steampunk, but The Seduction of Phaeton Black is so much more. In essence it's a romance novel with a bit of mystery, paranormal and a great dose of steam (and I'm not talking hot-air balloons!). The setting of dark, Victorian London lends a gothic eeriness to the story that sets the mood. The author fluidly intertwines two intriguing story lines into one sexy page turner. Initially, the two characters come to an agreement which works to their own benefit, Phaeton plans on using America's bloodline as an opportunity to attract the spirit he's after, while America uses Black's connections in Scottland Yard to bring down the pirate thieves who stole her father's shipping company. Neither anticipates the game of seduction would lead to their salvation.

The hero and heroine in The Seduction of Phaeton Black do not fit the common roles we're used to seeing in romance. Phaeton is more of an anti-hero with his nonchalant attitude and rakish ways, to some he can be a turn off, but something about this charming philanderer had me wanting more. He's very charismatic and reveals a tender side with America that wins you over...he's a sheep in wolf's clothing! America Jones is a refreshing new leading lady, she's witty, fearless and flirty in a time where being a proper lady is a woman's top priority. The tension between America and Phaeton is stellar and I couldn't get enough of their sexy banter and Black's sexual innuendos! This pair of unconventional lovers adds a lightheartedness to the ongoing supernatural plot. Both have sworn off love and are brought together by fate for this very reason under some unusual circumstances.

What good book is complete without a villain and friends? Well, Ms. Stone covers that with the addition of the villain Goddess Quadesh, Dr. Exeter and Pin Jing, friends of Black who help Phaeton and America with their own knowledge of the supernatural. Ms. Stone pens a thrilling tale of romance and the supernatural that is sure to keep you reading till the wee hours of the morning. With a little magic, spirits, pirates, danger, sex and a salacious version of Sherlock Holmes as a hero, The Seduction of Phaeton Black is a sure hit for readers who want a little extra excitement with their romance!

Whether you like a good crime solving mystery or a love story...you'll love America Jones and Phaeton Black's voracious appetite for adventure in and out of the bedroom!

{I received a copy of this book for an honest review, as part of a blog tour.}

Original Romancing the Darkside Review:
http://romancingthedarkside.blogspot....(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 MISS VAIN rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, sizzling-pnr

"Do not fall in love with me, Miss Jones. And please do not come knocking at all hours of the day and night requesting my services." She snorted. "You are safe with me, for I do not believe in such affection. Men take love for granted; they do not prize it." He released her hands. "You claim to be a woman with no heart?" "A girl gives away the secrets of her heart, and a man is off down the lane for a toss up the neighbors skirt."

What a fantastic beginning to an exciting and sexy new trilogy in...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Mara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: jumped-my-shark, meh, rakes-hoes-and-other-tools, romance, sex-vs-plot, supernatural, this-hero-suuuuux, why-must-you-frustrate-me-so

This was one of those books where nothing really makes sense. World-building: everything and the kitchen sink. It was like everything that happened, happened only so that the two leads could have sex. The whole thing veered between frustrating and hilarious, because just when you'd think something interesting was about to happen... NOPE! There would be an exploration of the Kama Sutra, that the hero bragging-ly gave to the heroine (the book, that is) and then told her: "Pick a pose, and I'll sat...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Carien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr

This book is marketed as Steampunk, but I would call this a Historical Paranormal Romance. A Victorian setting and one airship aren't enough for me to call a book Steampunk.

That being said:

This is a surprisingly hot and enjoyable read.

I must say I was a bit flabbergasted by the first encounter between Phaeton and America, even though I was warned this book was heavy on the steamy scenes. It was a highly unusual first meeting I can tell you.

Phaeton is a hero who had to grow on me, but I liked Am...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Roxanne Rhoads rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sexy, steamy, and enthralling.

From the first page I knew this was going to be a naughty frolic I was going to enjoy.

Phaeton is a lovable rogue and a pain in the ass. Gorgeous, charming, intelligent...a member of Scotland Yard...and he sees things no one else does. He is connected to the other realm- he uses this ability to solve crimes that a little different from the norm. Crimes that some of his colleagues think are total crap.

We learn a tad bit about the hows and whys of Phaeton's abilities...more

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Nov 03, 2012 The Black Pearl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, interracial, paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy

The Seduction of Phaeton Black by Jillian Stone is a delightful romp through historical London with a dashing rogue of a hero, a bright and beautiful heroine and a motley crew of secondary characters all in pursuit of a lusty Egyptian goddess who leaves a trail of bodies in her wake.

I wasn't quite sure how to classify this novel: paranormal romance or urban fantasy. In my opinion, a paranormal romance is largely based around the romance between the hero and the heroine and their tale is usually...more The Seduction of Phaeton Black by Jillian Stone is a delightful romp through historical London with a dashing rogue of a hero, a bright and beautiful heroine and a motley crew of secondary characters all in pursuit of a lusty Egyptian goddess who leaves a trail of bodies in her wake.

I wasn't quite sure how to classify this novel: paranormal romance or urban fantasy. In my opinion, a paranormal romance is largely based around the romance between the hero and the heroine and their tale is usually summed up on one book. An urban fantasy is largely based on the story surrounding the hero and heroine and their romance usually takes a backseat and more often than not, there is a series of books where the reader watches the romance between the two evolve. I could be wrong but that's how I normally distinguish between the two. With that said, The Seduction of Phaeton Black could easily fall in to both categories.

When we meet Mr. Black, he's taken up residence in a brothel of all places having recently been dismissed from Scotland Yards for his declarations that the Ripper murders were of a supernatural nature. Phaeton is a clairvoyant of sorts and while hot on the tail of a phantom, he runs into the delectable Miss America Jones who promptly holds a knife to his throat and demands he ravish her. A Cassanova of the worst kind, Phaeton is all too eager to oblige Miss Jones who it turns out is actually running away from pirates. Once Phaeton is assured of Miss Jones' safety from the pirates, he releases her only to narrowly miss being decked by the outraged Miss Jones for taking his liberties with her a bit too far. Miss Jones fails to hit her mark and instead knocks herself unconscious and is taken back to Phaeton's flat so that he can get to know more about the mysterious miss.

I adored Phaeton Black! There was no telling what would come out of his mouth!

"I'm too angry for chit chat. In fact, I cannot bare to listen to the sound of your voice." America pressed her lips together, hoping to hide the amusement. He growled, or was it a grunt? "I have never roomed with a woman. I am sure I will dislike it immensely." he said. "It seems to me you live with a houseful." she said. "Clever, Miss Jones, but incorrect. I do not room with the ladies. I fuck them."

That's just one of many of the quotes by Mr. Phaeton Black that had me either laughing or quirking a brow. Another favorite of mine:

"I mean to taste you tonight, Miss Jones. I wish to savor all of your spice, your tang, your sugar."

AAAHHH!!! Could he BE any sexier?!? I normally can not stand the usage of "sugar" used in any form of love talk but Mr. Black knows just how to use it! Phaeton Black, paranormal investigator, is indeed an intriguing character that this reader could not seem to get enough of.

America Jones was a breath of fresh air to me! A femme fatale who knew how to use her wits and her womanly charms to get what she wanted. Known as a 'high yellow Cajun' back in her home of Louisiana, America also has 'the gift' passed on to her by her Cajun mother. I really enjoyed reading about a woman of color in this time setting as most historical romances are sorely lacking in this area. I also liked that the issue of discrimination that America faced due to her "coppery complexion" was addressed. Bravo on both counts to the author! American Jones was no simpering maid in the bedroom. No. Her curiosity and lack of inhibitions led to some veeery hot and steamy scenes between her and the ever eager, Mr. Black.

On a final note, I love names that are different yet have an issue with names that are so different that I can't pronounce them thus taking away from my reading enjoyment. Not only were the characters in this book all so different in appearance and stories but the names - I loved em! America, Phaeton, Layla, Ping, Jin, Qadesh! So original yet I loved the way they rolled off my tongue.

I can't wait to get more of Phaeton Black and America Jones in the second installment of this series, 'The Moonstone and Miss Jones'!

CHECK OUT THE REST OF MY REVIEWS AT NOT NOW...MOMMY'S READING (http://www.mommysreading.com)!!!(less)

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Aug 29, 2012 Mariachiara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Titolo: The seduction of Phaeton Black

Autore: Jillian Stone

Inedito in italiano

Primo di una serie

Trama: Siamo in una Londra vittoriana un po’ speciale dove la magia e gli esseri soprannaturali sono di casa, anche se non tutti possono vederli. Uno dei pochi fortunati col dono della vista è Phaeton Black, non che lui e gli altri lo ritengano una fortuna sia chiaro. I più lo credono pazzo qualcuno solo strano, e Scotland Yard lo utilizza per le sue capacità e conoscenze sul soprannaturale, ma solo d...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Jean rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, paranormal-romance, romance, england, steampunk

I torn between giving this a 2 star or 3 star. I think it's better than okay but I didn't really like it either - not my personal preference though an enjoyable diversion.

The author has great cinematographic style of writing. The book is written as a series of stylized scenes and abrupt transitions (cutaways) typically seen in movies. A lot of slick dialogue and action as well. The plot line was very engrossing.

While the action and plot is engrossing, the character development was superficial a...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Hannah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, urban-paranormal

Another instance where false advertisement causes readers a lot of grief. That cover promised me gaslight fantasy with a gritty Victorian England setting, steampunk elements (airships!) and romance. The description promises me that and more - supernatural hijinks, a paranormal fantasy version of Sherlock Holmes, Egyptian mummies and Jack the Ripper! The mishmash in there should have been the first warning sign, but I figured it could work.

Yeah, well. All of those elements were there, but it loo...more Another instance where false advertisement causes readers a lot of grief. That cover promised me gaslight fantasy with a gritty Victorian England setting, steampunk elements (airships!) and romance. The description promises me that and more - supernatural hijinks, a paranormal fantasy version of Sherlock Holmes, Egyptian mummies and Jack the Ripper! The mishmash in there should have been the first warning sign, but I figured it could work.

Yeah, well. All of those elements were there, but it looks like someone put them through a grinder and then watered down the remains. Oh, the things I would do to get my 2.5 hours back.

Everything was a rushed, jumbled mess. Things just happen without any context, characters walk in without decent introduction before disappearing when they've served their purpose, the plot meanders and is constantly interrupted by unnecessary sex scenes. The sex scenes made up for 99.5% of the book, actually; I don't think Phaeton, America or anyone else in this damn book thinks about or does anything else. Yes, that includes the Egyptian deities.

I honestly can't even explain what happened in this book. Something's afoot in... town (the world-building here is non-existent, so just go with me); people getting killed Jack the Ripper style, vampire sightings, etc. Phaeton is apparently the man for the job - we know this because the plot describes him as a paranormal investigator - but in writing he's basically a sex-crazed guy who lives in a brothel and happens to wander into this mess. Oh, we're told that he has an interest in this stuff, but why? No idea, his backstory is nil. Before we can get a handle on everything, America Jones is thrown in and we're "treated" to Phaeton and America's first meeting: she is on the run from pirates(!), asks him to pretend to make love to her in a back alley as a disguise, and he takes it as an invitation and does it for real. In typical alpha hero fashion, he then tells her that she clearly wanted it anyway, because she would've stabbed him with that knife if she hadn't! Uh, okay. And how is this supposed to be romantic or sexy? Honestly ridiculous circumstances then "force" America to beg him to hire her as his live-in caretaker (and we all know where that's going). The two of them spend the rest of the novel exploring the Kama Sutra (literally - he gives her a copy) at home, on trains, on ships, at other people's houses, etc. I should be fair to the author, though. Other things do happen at those locations, like Phaeton being attacked by an Egyptian goddess... which leads to comfort sex. They also end up at the docks to solve America's pirate issue... which leads to more sex. See the pattern here?

Oh, did I mention that the Egyptian thing is tied to the pirates somehow and it's also related to the Ripper killings? And a guy called Dr. Exeter who has history with Phaeton turns up to lend him a helping hand? Just don't expect it to make sense, because it was basically slapped together on the storyboard with sticky-tape and expected to hold. But never mind those, those are just unnecessary PLOT POINTS used as gap-fillers because America and Phaeton's stamina do run out, however rarely. Every time you feel like you can remember what the story's actually about, you run into a brick wall full of sex scenes.

If I had to summarize my experience with this book, I'd say it's like you're watching a movie, but every 5 minutes your brother switches the channel to a porno and it takes you 20 minutes to wrestle the remote back. Then you kick his ass and briefly return to your movie, only you have to figure out what's going on all over again. Finally, your suffering's at an end and you've reached the grand finale. You hold your breath in anticipation, hoping it'd finally all make sense... and then you realize that the movie ends with no questions answered and everyone skipping off into the sunset, hand in hand.

Hey, at least the airship makes an appearance for that purpose, right? The idiotic hero has to be air-dropped to his loving America!(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally published at Reading Reality

The Seduction of Phaeton Black is just that, an extremely seductive story. And not just for the steamy sex. What seduces about Jillian Stone's first foray into this cross between paranormal and steampunk is the way in which she mixes the darkly decadent underbelly of London during what we think of as the prim and proper Victorian era with evil spirits, misplaced Egyptian gods, and steam-powered wonders.

And the very, steamy sex. Lots of it.

Phaeton Black begi...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Isa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, paranormal, romance, steampunk, urban-fantasy, political-intrigue, boring, read-2012

The bare plot held promise but everything felt so muddled and rushed. It really seemed like this was the second book of a series and everything was confusing because we didn't have enough backstory.

The writing was awkward but it did seem to improve as the book progressed - the beginning is littered with bad puns, and quite a few times the reader is left without knowing who exactly is being described or who said what exactly. But I suppose that's more the editor's fault than the writer's...

Also,...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Naomi Bellina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book starts out with a bang, literally. By the beginning of chapter two, our hero, Phaeton Black, and heroine, America Jones, are doing the wild thing, and they proceed to enjoy a variety of unusual sexual escapades, including an experiment with poses from the Kama Sutra. I wouldn't, however, call this an erotic romance, and the author doesn't appear to be marketing it as such. Just be aware, there is explicit sex in the book, which I found enjoyable and well written, though the first encou...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Anne rated it 1 of 5 stars

I was eagering awaiting this book. I like action, paranormal elements and interesting hero and heroines. This book provided little of any.

The blurb leads you to believe America Jones has special powers and is a kick ass action type heroine who fights mummies, etc. Not the case. There was one time she tried to use minor voodoo which the other character laughs off. That's it from our Cajun princess.

Phaeton Black was totally unlikeable and not in a fun, smarmy way. He's just a pig. (What's with the...more

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May 30, 2012 Elisa Beatty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh, this is a good one! If you like truly intense and fascinating characters and an intense level of sensuality (plus a delicious frisson of steampunk), it's a find! Jillian Stone has a terrific voice, and the dialogue between the characters is fabulous and genuinely smart.

Phaeton Black is a kind of paranormal, supremely libidinous Sherlock Holmes, and I just loved watching him at work (and play). The book is set in Victorian London, all moody and foggy and atmospheric, and full of sinister but...more

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May 23, 2012 Meagan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this one; there were a lot of points at the beginning of the book where I was tempted to stop reading. For example, I didn't realize that this was an erotic paranormal romance novel. Thus a lot of the (what seemed to me like extraneous) sexual references bothered me - until I realized that it was just a different genre. I also found the heroine's behaviour in the beginning of the book to be extremely questionable - a lot of the decisions America makes, while not endin...more

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Apr 23, 2012 TE Garden Of Books Garden rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reviews by Charlayne

A disgraced investigator for Scotland Yard, Phaeton Black lives in the basement of a brothel in London of 1889. He rescues a woman on the run from pirates who want to kill her; a rescue she’s not sure is a real rescue since he tells her to pretend to be a prostitute and has sex with her in an alley to hide her while the pirates run past, still hunting her. America Jones has lost her father’s shipping fleet to the pirates and is trying to prove who took it and get it back. She...more Reviews by Charlayne

A disgraced investigator for Scotland Yard, Phaeton Black lives in the basement of a brothel in London of 1889. He rescues a woman on the run from pirates who want to kill her; a rescue she’s not sure is a real rescue since he tells her to pretend to be a prostitute and has sex with her in an alley to hide her while the pirates run past, still hunting her. America Jones has lost her father’s shipping fleet to the pirates and is trying to prove who took it and get it back. She is taken in as a housekeeper to Phaeton Black, giving her a place to live as he seeks a paranormal entity that is killing in London. They take up with a mysterious doctor named Exeter who knows more about things than he lets on.

Will America find her father’s ships? Will Scotland Yard find the man who took her livelihood? Will Phaeton Black find the beast who is doing the killing? Will he be able to regain his honor and finally prove the killer of the case he lost? Will he quit being such a libertine and finally become somewhat of a gentleman? And who is Exeter and what does he know?

The Seduction of Phaeton Black is one part steam punk and two parts paranormal romance and totally hot. Jillian Stone pulls no punches in her descriptions of Phaeton’s appetites for women and what he does with them. The amount of sexual scenes in the book almost takes over the story in the first third of the book, until the killings get going and Exeter shows up. Phaeton still finds time to have sex, but the search for the empusa, the fighting of the pirates, and the search for the sarcophagus all try to distract him from his pursuit of America Jones.

I had a hard time getting into the book at first. Phaeton Black was very hard to get into as a sympathetic character. America Jones was interesting as a character but I really thought she should have smacked Phaeton a few times in the beginning. But, I am not the storyteller, and it’s a good thing because Jillian Stone ended up telling a ripping good yarn, to borrow a phrase from the book.
I would caution that this is definitely for mature audiences because of the sexual scenes. The book has prostitutes, pirates, Egyptian gods, Scotland Yard agents, and rich English nobility all caught up in a three-ring story complete with Jack the Ripper and flying boats. It is well worth the read and Stone is working on a second volume, titled The Moonstone and Miss Jones, due out in October 2012 and starring Phaeton Black and America Jones. There is a preview at the end of The Seduction of Phaeton Black and I have it on my to-be-read list already.
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Apr 14, 2012 Cassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: done

*Paranormal Investigator.

So I’ve been reading this book for a couple weeks, and although it is a really great story, I just can’t seem to get interested in it.

Normally when I read a book, I can read it in 5-10 hours, depending on how well the plot interests me, and while this book has a unique plot, It just doesn’t seem to be keeping my interest- but as I said, the book is still really good, so I’m going to go ahead and give it a 5 star, because my lack of interest should not judge the book.

S...more *Paranormal Investigator.

So I’ve been reading this book for a couple weeks, and although it is a really great story, I just can’t seem to get interested in it.

Normally when I read a book, I can read it in 5-10 hours, depending on how well the plot interests me, and while this book has a unique plot, It just doesn’t seem to be keeping my interest- but as I said, the book is still really good, so I’m going to go ahead and give it a 5 star, because my lack of interest should not judge the book.

So, The Seduction of Phaeton Black, is kinda like a steam punk, in that it is in an unusual time frame- One that I do not immediately recognize. Phaeton Black is an on again-off again employee of Scotland Yard who lives in what I understand to be the basement of a pleasure house.

He is good at his job, but his unique ability to see things that should not exist have gotten him a couple eye-rolls from his fellow employees, and so they don’t completely trust him, but a series of grisly murders forces them to hire him back- because while they do not necessarily like, or trust him, there is no doubt that he is good at what he does.

In one instance of the book, it seems like the ‘normal’ characters do not really know about the ‘other’ things that exist in their world; but a few pages later, it seems that maybe they do. So I was a little confused as to why Phaeton black was such an outcast. –That being said, Ms. Stone was able to develop a new world for me, which is somewhat difficult for an avid read such as myself, so I definitely give her props for that.

Now, of course this is a romance, and as our leading lady we have, America Jones. She is sort of an odd character, with little to no known background, other than her father’s shipping business. She too is a bit unusual in that she can sense ‘others’ and how they feel. Together the two should make a wonderful team, and you would expect them to fall madly in love, but I feel at times as if they are repelling each other, more than attracting. Now that is not to say that there weren’t plenty of times when the love was clear, so maybe it is just my understanding that clouds my judgment on that particular score.
Don’t get me wrong, the book was great, the plot was new, something different that I have not come across before; the characters believable, if a bit challenging to understand- to be clear, this is one of those books you really have to follow along to understand. This book deserves a lot more focus than I, a young mother of a 3 yr old can really give, so perhaps the fault is not with the book, but with me as a reader.

This book is going on my shelves, as I would like to read it again another time where hopefully I will be able to have a better understanding of what’s going on. I recommend this book to someone with a lot of time on their hands, who can give it the attention it deserves.

To be completely honest, I didn’t always know exactly what was going on, so maybe that is why the book couldn’t hold my interest. I don’t know, but give the book a try anyway, as I’m sure our tastes differ, and this is just my opinion, so you might have a better chance at it than I did.
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Apr 06, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Romantica meets Scotland Yard and supernatural skullduggery. I wish I'd known going into it that this title was as raunchy as it is (fair warning, Phaeton Black is a man of *enormous*... appetites). Phaeton's endless cavorting was kind of fun, though (to me, it began to feel like a particularly naughty running gag), and he's very forthright about it all. (And the innuendos are HILARIOUS.) It fit in surprisingly well with the (other kind of) action-- Phaeton's proclivities even wind up tying into...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

I didn’t like the first few chapters–frankly, I was a little put off by the enthusiasm and speed with which all the characters jump into bed (so to speak) with one another, as well as the casual drug use–but then I sort of got into the rhythm of it once I started thinking of it as a burlesque version of a steampunk Victorian England. If you can get past the constant references to the hero’s incredibly large penis, which, of course, he knows just how to use to best advantage, and the fact that he...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 pour la surprise, et la petite touche d'originalité.

Moi qui m'attendais à du steampunk de base, j'ai été piégée par le côté érotique de ce roman (Stone ne fait pas dans la finesse, et c'est parfois un peu cru), qui s'établit clairement dès les 1ères pages. Cela m'a fortement prise au dépourvu, mais intriguée, j'ai continué sur ma lancée. Il serait dommage de le réduire à cet aspect un brin tapageur car derrière cette orientation se cachent des intrigues intéressantes (dont 2 principales), et d...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dream-reader-dreamer2229-blo

Oh my… Phaeton is a naughty combination of Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. He drinks absinthe, seduces women, and investigates paranormal problems for Scotland Yard. Then he meets Miss America Jones, daughter of a Cajun witch with powers of her own. They must work together or perish.

This is definitely the adult only version of this kind of story. The naughty bits are very graphic. The story however is delightful; just keep this one on the top shelf away from young ones hands. For all the adult...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, erotic-romance, kinky-fuckery, magic, mythology-gods-and-goddesses, pdf-kindle, rake-man-whore, romance, scandalous-woman, historical-romance

Phaeton Black was ousted from Scotland Yard after the Jack the Ripper murders for his believe that the perpetrator was in fact not entirely of this world. But now bodies are turning up drained of blood and Scotland Yard are knocking on his door seeking his assistance. But Phaeton isn't a normal detective, he is well known not only for his outlandish believes, but also for his appetite for women, whiskey and opium.

America Jones has just lost everything, her father, her shipping business and soon...more Phaeton Black was ousted from Scotland Yard after the Jack the Ripper murders for his believe that the perpetrator was in fact not entirely of this world. But now bodies are turning up drained of blood and Scotland Yard are knocking on his door seeking his assistance. But Phaeton isn't a normal detective, he is well known not only for his outlandish believes, but also for his appetite for women, whiskey and opium.

America Jones has just lost everything, her father, her shipping business and soon her life if the pirates chasing her get their hands on her. But America is a resourcefull woman and when the opportunity to flee arrives she takes it, using a passerby to unwillingly assist her. The passerby happens to be Phaeton Black, now their paths have crossed they are drawn to one another as danger closes in on both of them.

This book is a hard one to classify, part historical romance, part adventure story, part erotica and all with a supernatural twist to keep it that much more interesting. It is all set in Victorian London, which helped create a rather sinister and suspenseful atmosphere. Butu despite the many elements of the story I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would from reading the blurb.

But there were elements I did enjoy, the main characters Phaeton and America were interesting and I loved their relationship and watching it develop. I liked that America was a strong female character who wasn't afraid to say what she wanted and Phaeton had all the appeal of a rake and a rogue, seductive, witty and the aura of a bad boy that a good girl like me couldn't help but love. They were also hot. Very hot. This book was steamy and the sex scenes were some of my favourite parts!

The mystery however, although interesting I thought ended rather abruptly and strangely and was actually a bit anti climatic, I expected more. The story itself didn't exactly grip me either, although I was interested, I found I was reading to see what was going to happen between Phaeton and America rather then what would happen next with the murders.

It was an enjoyable read though, it had well rounded characters and plenty of steam.(less)

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Aug 05, 2012 Melliane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I still haven’t read a lot of Steampunk books and I was therefore very curious to start this one. I confess I was expecting a big interesting investigation and a nice romance between our two protagonists. Yes, I had my great investigation, and even more than that! For the second aspect of the story, I was very surprised at first because I didn’t expect so many hot scenes but we get used to them as soon as we get to know the characters.

America is a young woman...more Mon avis en Français

My English review

I still haven’t read a lot of Steampunk books and I was therefore very curious to start this one. I confess I was expecting a big interesting investigation and a nice romance between our two protagonists. Yes, I had my great investigation, and even more than that! For the second aspect of the story, I was very surprised at first because I didn’t expect so many hot scenes but we get used to them as soon as we get to know the characters.

America is a young woman who finds herself thrown into the street overnight at the death of her father. Her possessions, some cargo vessels, stolen by pirates, deprive her of the money she could have. And when she meets Phaeton, a Scotland Yard investigator, a really intriguing man, she thinks he can help her to solve her problems. But this man is far from the gentleman she thinks he is. He is libertine, lives with a few prostitutes and doesn’t care about what the others think about him. But when America manages to have a job at his home as a housekeeper, her life is turned upside down.

In addition of an investigation about people drained of their blood, we can approach the story of Jack The Ripper and even some notions about the Egyptian mythology. What more can I ask for? I confess it’s always for me a really good point, I love to discover more about these topics and I didn’t expect the introduction of these kinds of ideas.

The America/Phaeton couple is a pleasure to follow all along the book. America is an idealistic woman who doesn’t really notice the cruelty around her but Phaeton will make her understand that the world is very different from what she first had thought. She will evolve with the chapters and Phaeton with her as well. Many responsibilities will fall suddenly on him without warning, and it will be difficult for him to deal with them. I really enjoyed their distant interactions that ultimately bring them closer. It’s also touching to see their complicity despite our hero tries to hide it.

It’s a good book with two great investigations that I really enjoyed. I really loved the characters and the world we have here, it's the reason why I’m now very curious to see what Jillian stone will present us in the second novel.(less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Stephanie Ward rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: will-trade, owned, for-review

'The Seduction of Phaeton Black' is an interesting supernatural mystery novel intertwined with a steamy paranormal romance. The main plot deals with Phaeton Black, a Scotland Yard detective who happens to have some paranormal abilities. He helps out with cases surrounding the occult and unexplained occurrences. In this case, he must figure out what bloodsucking fiend is torturing the good people of London before things get too out of hand. Along the way he meets America Jones and begins torrid l...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Jessie Potts rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance, sci-fi-fantasy, vampire

First let me start off by saying Phaeton is a dirty manwhore. I didn't like him at first, but soon thought him dashing.

n the gaslit streets of Victorian London, phantoms rule the night, demons dance till dawn, and one supernatural detective dares to be seduced by the greatest power of all …
Jillian Stone introduces her new Gothic paranormal romance novel with deduction, seduction and a sense of humor. Phaeton Black is reminiscent of the latest Sherlock Holmes character. Mr. Black is quite good a...more First let me start off by saying Phaeton is a dirty manwhore. I didn't like him at first, but soon thought him dashing.

n the gaslit streets of Victorian London, phantoms rule the night, demons dance till dawn, and one supernatural detective dares to be seduced by the greatest power of all …
Jillian Stone introduces her new Gothic paranormal romance novel with deduction, seduction and a sense of humor. Phaeton Black is reminiscent of the latest Sherlock Holmes character. Mr. Black is quite good at what he does, has an addiction to absinthe and is a notorious skirt-chaser … especially when it comes to "wicked women." In fact, when we meet the heroine, Mr. Black tells her not to fall in love with him, to which she replies, "A girl gives away the secrets of her heart, and a man is off down the lane for a toss up the neighbor's skirt." This is exactly the type of banter you can expect between Mr. Black and Miss Jones. Their repartee not only enhances the characters but the storyline as well.
OK, let me backtrack. Phaeton Black is a wild card for Scotland Yard. He's the one who deals with all the dark things that go bump in the night. Did I mention he also rents a place below a brothel? And is not only quite content with the setup but is also a regular client? His character is saved from being a dirty man whore by not only his wits, but his good qualities … and, oh my, does he have some good ones. I do not usually like a hero who is this much of a skirt-chaser, but it's hard not to fall for Phaeton Black. He's charming, heroic, seductive and, I dare say, quite dashing (swoon).

Miss America Jones, on the other hand, is what I would call a pistol. She's very feisty, extremely brave, and her sharp tongue matches Mr. Black's … who wouldn't fall for her? When we first meet Miss Jones, she is being chased by pirates. Instead of thanking Phaeton for her rescue, she holds him up at knife point, disgusted that he pretended to be a client and she a prostitute to throw off the pirates.

Stone continues to push even further by adding a solid and interesting plotline. America's ship is stolen by the above-mentioned pirates, and she is left homeless. Phaeton doesn't truly understand just how attracted to her he is and asks her to be his concubine and live with him. She immediately turns down his proposition but "accepts" the position of his housekeeper.

To read more check out the HEA Blog on USA Today http://books.usatoday.com/happyeveraf... (less)

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Apr 27, 2012 Charlayne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, victorian-era

A disgraced investigator for Scotland Yard, Phaeton Black lives in the basement of a brothel in London of 1889. He rescues a woman on the run from pirates who want to kill her; a rescue she’s not sure is a real rescue since he tells her to pretend to be a prostitute and has sex with her in an alley to hide her while the pirates run past, still hunting her. America Jones has lost her father’s shipping fleet to the pirates and is trying to prove who took it and get it back. She is taken in as a ho...more A disgraced investigator for Scotland Yard, Phaeton Black lives in the basement of a brothel in London of 1889. He rescues a woman on the run from pirates who want to kill her; a rescue she’s not sure is a real rescue since he tells her to pretend to be a prostitute and has sex with her in an alley to hide her while the pirates run past, still hunting her. America Jones has lost her father’s shipping fleet to the pirates and is trying to prove who took it and get it back. She is taken in as a housekeeper to Phaeton Black, giving her a place to live as he seeks a paranormal entity that is killing in London. They take up with a mysterious doctor named Exeter who knows more about things than he lets on.

Will America find her father’s ships? Will Scotland Yard find the man who took her livelihood? Will Phaeton Black find the beast who is doing the killing? Will he be able to regain his honor and finally prove the killer of the case he lost? Will he quit being such a libertine and finally become somewhat of a gentleman? And who is Exeter and what does he know?

The Seduction of Phaeton Black is one part steam punk and two parts paranormal romance and totally hot. Jillian Stone pulls no punches in her descriptions of Phaeton’s appetites for women and what he does with them. The amount of sexual scenes in the book almost takes over the story in the first third of the book, until the killings get going and Exeter shows up. Phaeton still finds time to have sex, but the search for the empusa, the fighting of the pirates, and the search for the sarcophagus all try to distract him from his pursuit of America Jones.

I had a hard time getting into the book at first. Phaeton Black was very hard to get into as a sympathetic character. America Jones was interesting as a character but I really thought she should have smacked Phaeton a few times in the beginning. But, I am not the storyteller, and it’s a good thing because Jillian Stone ended up telling a ripping good yarn, to borrow a phrase from the book.

I would caution that this is definitely for mature audiences because of the sexual scenes. The book has prostitutes, pirates, Egyptian gods, Scotland Yard agents, and rich English nobility all caught up in a three-ring story complete with Jack the Ripper and flying boats. It is well worth the read and Stone is working on a second volume, titled The Moonstone and Miss Jones, due out in October 2012 and starring Phaeton Black and America Jones. There is a preview at the end of The Seduction of Phaeton Black and I have it on my to-be-read list already.
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Apr 03, 2013 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

เรื่องนี้เป็นเล่มแรกในชุด Paranormal Investigator เข้าใจว่า ทั้งสามเล่มในชุดเรื่องน่าจะโฟกัสที่พระเอกนางเอกคู่เดิมค่ะ อย่างไรก็ตามไม่ต้องกลัวนะคะว่า อ่านเรื่องนี้แล้ว เรื่องราวความรักจะยังไม่ลงตัว ตอนจบของเล่มนี้ถือว่าดีกว่าที่เราคิดเยอะ แต่ในขณะเดียวกันก็ทำให้เกิดความรู้สึกว่า ต้องตามอ่านเล่มสองต่อ เพราะมันน่าจะมีอะไรในความสัมพันธ์ที่มากกว่านี้อีก

เฟย์ตัน แบล็ก อดีตนักสืบแห่งกรมตำรวจสก๊อตแลนด์ยาร์ด ถูกไล่ออกเพราะดันไปเสนอความเห็นที่แหวกแนวเกี่ยวกับคดีฆาตกรรมของฆาตกรต่อเนื่องที่ถูกเรียกขนานว่าแ...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Christen *Goldilox And The Three Weres* rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Seduction of Phaeton Black is a sexy romp in the late 1880's London. With a bit of a Sherlock Holmes feel and some serious heat, this one is a historical paranormal romance keeper.

The characters in Phaeton Black really drive the story, which is how I prefer my PNR. The title character, Phaeton, is an infamous lover, loner, and solver of the oddest of crimes. He is a detective for Scotland Yard, but on on a bit of a leave since the Yard disagreed with his beliefs about the Jack the Ripper cas...more The Seduction of Phaeton Black is a sexy romp in the late 1880's London. With a bit of a Sherlock Holmes feel and some serious heat, this one is a historical paranormal romance keeper.

The characters in Phaeton Black really drive the story, which is how I prefer my PNR. The title character, Phaeton, is an infamous lover, loner, and solver of the oddest of crimes. He is a detective for Scotland Yard, but on on a bit of a leave since the Yard disagreed with his beliefs about the Jack the Ripper case. Phaeton has been plagued by the paranormal since he was little - gargoyles, demons, vampires, etc. Phaeton and America meet under extremely unusual circumstances one night while America is trying to outrun a group of pirates chasing her. Her father has recently died and his ships have been stolen by these pirates. America comes to live with Phaeton after her home is burnt down ...and so it begins.

Phaeton and America have many hot sexual encounters, but keep their feelings for each other at arm's length for different reasons. The story is told from the alternating points of view of each, which sometimes bothers me in books but works well here. I loved reading what was going on inside each of their heads about each other and seeing their steamier moments from the different points of view was certainly fun.

Meanwhile, there is an actual paranormal mystery taking place here. Murders have been taking place around town and Phaeton knows that something paranormal is behind them. One complaint I had about this book was that the author, Jillian Stone, kept referring to this entity by all kinds of different terms (Is it a vampire? Empusa? Goddess?) and I felt myself getting a little lost sometimes, thinking the narrator was referring to a new creature. I also felt that the paranormal aspect of the story was not completely developed since the focus was really more on the relationship between Phaeton and America. I am hoping that we will get more into the paranormal world as the series continues since this is a trilogy.

A third important character is developed as Phaeton gets deeper into the murder mystery - the very enigmatic Dr. Exeter. He is a paranormal genius who is after the same 'bad guy' as Phaeton, and they eventually team up and become an entertaining pair. Dr. Exeter is sort of the more magical and eccentric version of Holmes' Dr. Watson. He has some 'powers' and all sorts of interesting gadgets and inventions.

A secondary plot is taking place while Phaeton investigates these murders. America is trying to track down her late father's missing ships and the band of pirates that took them. At first I didn't think I would be interested in this, but I actually enjoyed the fact that she had her own thing going on and wasn't just assisting Phaeton the whole time. The hunt for these pirates actually lead to some great parts of the story.

Make no mistake, this PNR is heavy on the romance. Phaeton and America's trysts often had me fanning myself. Fans of PNR and "bodice rippers" should really get into Phaeton and America's story! This is the first in a trilogy about the two, with the next book coming in October and the final one releasing next Spring.

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Jun 28, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story, but was a little disappointed in Phaeton Black. Although he was an interesting and unusual character, his obsession with sex was a bit over the top and I wasn’t too happy with the way he treated America Jones or really most of the women in the story. Some of the language as well as Phaeton’s actions are coarse and somewhat obnoxious, but he did have some redeeming qualities that I could appreciate, such as his helping America and placing himself in danger to do so. That bei...more

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The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Paranormal Investigator #1)

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