Sinful in Satin (The Rarest Blooms #3)

Nov 09, 2010 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, historical, romance, series, fiction-vixen-reviews, first-reads-arcs-won-a-copy, class-difference, crime-police-mystery-private-invest, illegitimate, prostitute-courtesan, read-2010

Review originally posted at Fiction Vixen.

I’m so glad that I ended up liking this book! I enjoyed the first book in the series, Ravishing in Red, but I was rather unimpressed with the second book, Provocative in Pearls. I had a deal with myself that this would be my tiebreaker on whether or not to continue the series. I was lying to myself, of course! How could I not read the fourth book when I heard it was about Castleford? I do have to admit that I am relieved that I’ve liked two out of three...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Rosario (http://rosario.blogspot.com/) rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Rarest Bloom series revolves around a group of four women who, until book 1, lived together very quietly in a property just outside London. That property belongs to one of them, Daphne, who took in the other three when they needed it. All four women clearly have secrets, and the reason they can live so peacefully together is that they have a pact not to ask questions. They each know the others are there to offer support if needed, but they won't be interrogated, whatever happens.

Celia Penni...more The Rarest Bloom series revolves around a group of four women who, until book 1, lived together very quietly in a property just outside London. That property belongs to one of them, Daphne, who took in the other three when they needed it. All four women clearly have secrets, and the reason they can live so peacefully together is that they have a pact not to ask questions. They each know the others are there to offer support if needed, but they won't be interrogated, whatever happens.

Celia Pennifold's secret is that she's the daughter of a notorious courtesan. All her life, as she was growing up, she knew she was supposed to follow in her mother's footsteps, and she was trained accordingly. But right before taking that last step and choosing her first protector, Celia changed her mind. She ran away, and was taken in by Daphne. She's been living there for the last five years, but now her mother is dead, and although she hasn't left her the answer to the question Celia has been asking since she was born, about her father, she has left her daughter a house.

What Celia doesn't know is that her mother had a tenant, who's still in the house. That tennant is Jonathan Albrighton, who works for the government and has been tasked with finding some Very Important papers which his employers believe Celia's mother might have had. Celia's arrival, and her decision to stay in the house, complicate matters slightly, as does the attraction between them.

I quite liked this book while I was reading it. It wasn't much of a page-turner, and there were a couple of slow bits I had to slog through, but Hunter's writing is a cut above the average romance writer, and Celia and Jonathan were interesting. Celia's someone who has had to become a pragmatist because of the way she was raised, which allowed for no illusions. That's not her nature, however, and meeting Jonathan makes her want to hope. I also liked Jonathan, a man who takes his job seriously, but whose growing feelings for Celia make him reluctant to do what's supposed to be his duty.

Much as I liked this at the time, however, it was a bit forgettable. I read it some time ago (yep, this was one review that fell through the cracks) and the only reason I remember what I liked about Celia and Jonathan is because I'd written a few notes which I've now shaped into this review. The characters and their relationship didn't make much of a lasting impression on me.

Also, there's a big niggle that has been there since the beginning of the series, and that is Castleford, a secondary character who tends to come in and save the day in this series. I keep getting the feeling with him that I'm supposed to find him incredibly sexy, but I find his brand of debauchery quite repulsive. Book 4 is about him and Daphne, and I'm really not sure I want to read it.

MY GRADE: A B-.(less)

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May 14, 2012 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars

A great addition to the series. Celia's mother, a courtesan has just died and Celia takes up residence in a house her mother has left to her. She is surprised to find Jonathan is a tenant there. They both have motives for searching through her mothers papers. Celia to try to find out who her father was, Jonathan is on a mission from the home office to find a list of the mothers clients to see if there was a traitor passing secrets.
Celia had lived with her mother for a year when she was 16 to...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Limau Nipis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, e-books-save-trees, historical-romance

I enjoyed this book, because I was thinking this novel might be the deal breaker for me, whether I should continue to read the series after reading the earlier books with 'marriage in convenience' premise, Ravishing in Red and Provocative in Pearls.

I find this story's premise is interesting, because Celia, the heroine is a courtesan's daughter. And Jonathan, the hero, is actually a tenant in Celia's mother's house, and a spy. I would thought after I read Ravishing in Red and another spy romance...more

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May 12, 2011 Ana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: z-read-in-2011, historical-regency

Celia spent the last couple of years trying to stay away from her past, namely her mother - a celebrated courtesan. She was trained to become one as well, but twhen a man she thought was going to propose marriage proposed something less honourable - she went away. She found sanctuary with Daphne and the rest of Rarest Blooms. But now her mother is dead and she inherited a house in London. A house she wants to use to help Daphne with the business, and a man.

Said man, Johnathan is actually a spy w...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Goldie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, family, friendship, feud, historical-romance, love, romance, secrets

This review was originally posted on My Book Musings.

I just finished reading Madeline Hunter’s Sinful in Satin and of the three books I’ve read so far in the series, this one is definitely my favorite. I have to admit, Jonathan Albrighton’s character has teased me for the first two books and I’m glad he had his own story.

I really enjoyed the story for a number of reasons. One, the story was delicious and had a lot of good twists and turns. Two, Jonathan Albrighton is very appealing – he’s a self...more This review was originally posted on My Book Musings.

I just finished reading Madeline Hunter’s Sinful in Satin and of the three books I’ve read so far in the series, this one is definitely my favorite. I have to admit, Jonathan Albrighton’s character has teased me for the first two books and I’m glad he had his own story.

I really enjoyed the story for a number of reasons. One, the story was delicious and had a lot of good twists and turns. Two, Jonathan Albrighton is very appealing – he’s a self-made man, protective, and very capable. Three, I have always been very curious about Celia because she seemed to be so worldly because of her mother’s upbringing. Fourth, this is the first time I have read a book about the daughter of a courtesan, as usually the story centers on the courtesan herself.

The story started simple: Find the list of her mother’s protector, if any, and make sure it does not get out. Jonathan was assigned to do so by his uncle Edward, who was the only person in his ‘family’ who recognized him from the start. Apparently, it’s not that simple. All your thoughts from the start of the book will be challenged, or the truth will just come out and surprise you. I don’t know if I was just distracted but I did not suspect all the twists at all. Don’t you just love books that take you by surprise, especially when you start feeling that you’ve read the same plot over and over?

If a guy like Jonathan Albrighton existed, women would be running after him by now, especially if he’s single. Aside from being all that, he has a great physique and he’s mysterious. Man, makes me think of Johnny Depp and David Beckham combined @_@ The revelation in the end about him and her was just truly marvelous. I’m glad they did end up together, especially since Jonathan never seemed to view her as a budding courtesan, but just simply as a woman. The only negative thing I found with him is that he makes me wish such men still existed :)) Ah, life.

In the first two books of the series (Ravishing in Red and Provocative in Pearls), Celia has already been portrayed as worldly and knowledgeable about such things. I initially thought she was a courtesan in the past, but apparently, she just received a very thorough and unusual training from her mother. I cannot imagine having such conversations with my mom!

The plot itself is unusual. These stories usually revolve around the courtesan, and not the courtesan’s daughter expected to be a courtesan herself. She was even up for “bidding” years before she ran away, although when she came back, men awaited if she would take up her mother’s mantle. I’m very glad about her decision because…well, she doesn’t seem to be the type who can do it successfully. Plus, losing a man such as Jonathan Albrighton would be such a shame.

Another character that has grown on me is Castleford. Normally, I wouldn’t be attracted to a character who seems to be steadfastly resolute in his decision to be on the decline. However, aside from his preference for daily dallying, which seems to be the norm in those days anyway, is the fact that he has proved himself to be a real friend to the three men, despite their growing apart over the years. Furthermore, he seems to be on the lookout for their welfare, despite his seemingly lax life. Lastly, if there was one thing I have learned from reading historical romances, men like that usually have a reason for living a dissolute life, so I’m really curious as to why he’s like that. Thankfully, the next book, Dangerous in Diamonds, is about him and Daphne Joyes. Based on the plot teaser, I’m thinking Daphne is not what she seems and something delicious will be unearthed in the next book. Or that’s just my wishful thinking? I hope not!

I am so grateful that all the loose ends and twists of the book was resolved! Not all stories are like that and just leave me unsatisfied. If you have been reading my other reviews, you’d know what I’m talking about. The only thing left unfinished is what Jonathan’s future will be (which I will not state here) but then even if that doesn’t happen, the book still won’t leave you hanging. I’m guessing that more about that part will be mentioned in the next book. At least, I hope so, because I enjoyed Jonathan and Celia as a couple.

Ciao! :)(less)

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Jun 08, 2011 Kasey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, period-pieces-historical-romances, library, regency

Another great book in the Rarest Blooms series. Hunter did a great job with Celia and her background. She was a combination of a worldly woman and an innocent. And although I didn't always agree with her or her choices I felt that Hunter maintained Celia's character throughout the book. The problems felt real. Hunter made them real without harping on them to much to take away from the romance in the story. I loved Jonathan. He made a great hero. I wasn't thrilled with his secret keeping, but I w...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Rose May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, a-minus

Note: This review, and ally my reviews, comes from my blog - Romantic Rose's Bookshelf (http://romantic-rosesblog.blogspot.com)

Book 3 in The Rarest Blooms series -(is this not the most beautiful cover you’ve ever seen?)

Miss Celia Pennifold is the daughter of famed courtesan Alessandra Northrope. Her mother, hoping to provide Celia with a future of riches and luxury, tutored her throughout her young life on how to be the best courtesan London had ever seen. Unfortunately for Alessandra, Celia ran...more
Note: This review, and ally my reviews, comes from my blog - Romantic Rose's Bookshelf (http://romantic-rosesblog.blogspot.com)

Book 3 in The Rarest Blooms series -(is this not the most beautiful cover you’ve ever seen?)

Miss Celia Pennifold is the daughter of famed courtesan Alessandra Northrope. Her mother, hoping to provide Celia with a future of riches and luxury, tutored her throughout her young life on how to be the best courtesan London had ever seen. Unfortunately for Alessandra, Celia ran away at 17, wishing a different life for herself. Now, several years hence, Celia has come back to London to settle her mother’s piddling, debt-ridden estate and attend the funeral when she discovers that - along with inheriting a house, she’s inherited a tenant, Mr. Jonathan Albrighton. Jonathan has his own reasons for staying at the house (though he is truly a tenant) that regard an investigation Alessandra’s past.

The writing in this book was fabulous. The dialogue, which can be especially difficult, was flawless. Each character had their own voice, and if you gave me a line from the story I could tell you who wrote it from the tone and syntax alone. Hunter moved herself straight onto my auto-buy list with this work. Good dialogue and prose is hard to write, and this book was exceedingly well written.

Celia is such a beautiful character. I was with her, sympathizing with her struggles, every step of the way. Although at times I felt her a bit too selfless for my tastes (she was practically saintly at times), I liked how realistic she was. It was sad but understandable that she never allowed herself to hope for much. I did love that she held high hopes for meeting her father (showed her last innocence), and wanted to cry with her when they met. I loved her passion for all she did, her realism, her pragmatic nature, and her thoughtfulness. Celia is definitely not rash in her decision making. I also liked that she considered becoming a courtesan when faced with a debt she cannot repay and the man offers to make her his mistress to repay it. I liked that she wasn’t one of those women who refused to even consider selling her body to put clothes on her back, a roof over her head, and food in her mouth. I could sympathize with that too, though I’ve read reviews where the reviewer hated that she would even considered selling her body. Especially since she grew up in a household where that wasn’t wrong, I thought it was consistent with her character. To me she was strong in a quiet, rather than fierce, way and she was very intelligent.

Jonathan is so sexy. From the moment Celia sees him in the attic (by far my favorite scene. Just picturing his naked back, shoulder muscles stretched taught, so defined, with the effort... *drools*) he is an enigma, and a really super hot one. I liked how guarded he was about his job, but how open he could be with her about his feelings. I loved how firm he was with the level of their intimacy. His internal battles made a lot of sense to me and I enjoyed reading about them. I liked that he didn’t make a huge deal about Celia’s virginity. He was understanding, a guiding force and support system for her in her times of trouble. I also loved how he defended her and stuck up for her, but wasn’t overbearing.

The plot that revolved around Jonathan and his heritage, and to a lesser extent Celia and her heritage, was intriguing but didn’t detract from the main romance. It lent an air of mystery to the piece, kept the story going, and gave the character’s purpose while they went about their daily lives. The secondary characters - Castleford, Daphne, Hawkeswell, Marian, etc, - were all amusing and they intruded often enough to remind us that there were more than two characters, but not so often as to be constantly interfering. They also each had excellent development and voice. Hunter does a great job with character development, and this book left me well satisfied. I can’t wait to read all the other books in the series, Dangerous in Diamonds especially. Castleford’s story is going to be a hoot and a half!

“Sexy”ness rating: Sexy and sinfully hot. What else would you expect from a courtesan’s daughter and her handsome, shmexy lover. With muscles. *drools*

Overall Rating: A-

Bottom Line: This book, and I’m guess the entire series, is a must read. Put Madeline Hunter on your ‘auto-buy’ list, Sinful in Satin was hot and deep, with internal and external conflicts that were realistic and impeccably written. Sinful in Satin was so good I couldn’t put it down - it was delightfully enchanting and wickedly sexy. A fantastic read!(less)

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Sep 30, 2010 Laylah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

The third in the Rarest Blooms quartet, Sinful in Satin features a virtuous, virginal courtesan's daughter (if you can believe there is one) and a spy (of course there's a spy, every historical romance must have one these days). If this is not Madeline Hunter's, I'll probably pass. Under her skillful writing, it becomes quite enjoyable reading. The romance itself is sweet, sometimes goose-bumplingly hot. The tension wanes a bit a bit after their first coupling, but I can still go on and finish t...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure how I felt about this story at first. I was not a huge Celia fan from the first book. As I came to understand her character I sorta fell for her too. All of the Rarest Bloom girls have captured my attention.

In Provocative in Pearls I started to really like Castleford and this book only made me anxious for his story. His attitude, approach to things, and dedication to his friends make me keep reading. I do like Jonathan and enjoyed the story but for some reason I could not wait for...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Andrea Jackson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, great-covers

So good, I read it in one day and then wanted to read it again immediately! I hated saying goodbye to Celia and Jonathan. Wonderful, multi-faceted, strong characters. Hot sex. A strong plot. Hot sex. LOL! It wasn't graphic but it was HOT.

Okay, technically I could see several things wrong with it. There were some anachronisms in speech and character. At times it was hard to think of these people as English, let alone Regency period. And a couple of times there were plot contrivances that made me...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Judith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Love the series, and really, really loved this addition to the series. Madeline Hunter is an exceptional writer and this story is one of her best. Characters are delightful--the interaction of all the women who have resided at "The Rarest Bloom" are still around and very much a part of one another's lives. I like that a lot. It is also an interesting look into the prejudices and difficulties someone like Celia faces--honest, upright, good reputation, intelligent and beautiful--just because her m...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Brianne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance

After reading the first book in this series, Ravishing in Red, I skipped ahead to book three and I'm so glad I did. One of my favorite things about Madeline Hunter is the way she takes normal romance situations and twists them just enough to make them interesting. In Sinful, both the hero and heroine are atypical.

Celia, daughter of a courtesan, is trying out life on her own after her mother dies and she inherits a small townhouse (and by small, I mean, of course, three floors). She also inherit...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Kat Latham rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Even though this is the third in the series, it was the last one I read. I loved all of the Rarest Blooms novels, and this was no different.

After a fairly slow start, I began to appreciate the more relaxed pace and Hunter's beautiful language and descriptions. It's steaming hot, but I felt more removed from those scenes than from sex scenes in other books in the series, probably because the heroine was trained to be a courtesan. That made her actions feel quite deliberate, even though she appar...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Lil' Grogan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, 2, audio-annoying

Wasn't expecting much, so it was fine. Nice surprise that Celia was actually sensible. Main reason I listened to this was I wanted to see if it would be weird to listen to a romance audiobook. It was far funnier than I thought it would be. The narrator's male voices were..not good, but adding to that her choice of speaking slooooowly, Anthony ended up sounding like he was possibly...developmentally challenged shall we say. I ended up laughing through parts which I wasn't meant to. Narration was...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Shoshana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, romance

Kept me engaged - I appreciated the totally different kind of hero and heroine than is usual in a Regency, and the less sacred-first-times-blow-your-freaking-mind treatment of sex - and I liked the ability of the hero and heroine to resolve their conflicts in normal person ways rather than having the author draw them out for purposes of melodrama (although I also sort of missed the melodrama). It didn't actually stand out to me in any particular way that made me want to read it again later or an...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Keri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, 2010-read, madeline-hunter, romance-historical

Once the death of her mother has been settled. Most in polite society assume that Celia is going to take her mother's place as a premier courtesan of the rich and secret. But once Celia learns that her mother had a secret house that was untouched by her sordid house, she makes plans of her own that have nothing to do with that life.

Things don't go quite as smoothly as Celia anticipates as the house comes with a sexy tall and dark border in her attic who has no plans to let his ties to the littl...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Letitia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review

This book was hard for me to decide on a rating. When I first started it, I had a hard time adjusting to the author's style of writing. It just didn't flow quite as well as the author's I'd previously been reading. As a result of that and some general slowness at the beginning of the book, I set it down that first night at Chapter Six, page 76. And didn't feel like picking it up the next day, which is unusual for me. I am a book devour-er, not a savor-er. However...more -- A Romantic Book Affairs Review

This book was hard for me to decide on a rating. When I first started it, I had a hard time adjusting to the author's style of writing. It just didn't flow quite as well as the author's I'd previously been reading. As a result of that and some general slowness at the beginning of the book, I set it down that first night at Chapter Six, page 76. And didn't feel like picking it up the next day, which is unusual for me. I am a book devour-er, not a savor-er. However, after picking it up again last night - the pace picked up, the characters won me over, and the plot sucked me in.

I have to admit to quite a few "huh?" moments periodically. The goings-on between Jonathon, his Uncle Edward, and his cousin were not particularly crystal clear, but by the end it made sense. I believe most of the confusing aspects might be due to the fact that I started the series with this book, the third of four, and so things that happened in the previous two weren't rehashed in this one. It left me a bit out of the loop with Jonathon and his relationship with the hero's from the other two books, Sommerhays and Hawkeswell, as well as the unrepentant whoremonger - the Duke of Castleford.

And, while the affection between Celia and her lady friends was evident - I didn't get to witness the closeness that grew between them while they all lived at Daphne's floral shop, The Rarest Blooms.

It's not a huge deal, but it did detract from the experience a bit.

However, I have to say, the book did not wane towards the end like quite a few do. It seemed to only get better. The characters had a firm grip on the realities of their stations in life and what that meant for their relationship. I thought the intimacy developed very naturally... and the end was a great one without being overtly fictional and too happily ever after.

I think I will go forward in the series and read Castleford's book (Dangerous in Diamonds) before going back and reading the first two. He was a definite scene-stealer... (less)

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Jul 06, 2011 Lindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews, LLC - 4 kisses, 1 pepper (m/f)

Celia Pennifold’s mother was a courtesan, and she never told Celia who her father was. Now the question burns in Celia’s head and she feels like she must know. Jonathan Albrighton’s uncle tasks him with finding out if Celia’s mother left any important or potentially damaging information about past lovers. Celia inherited a house from her mother after all the outstanding debts were paid. She’s surprised and dismayed to learn that Jonatha...more Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews, LLC - 4 kisses, 1 pepper (m/f)

Celia Pennifold’s mother was a courtesan, and she never told Celia who her father was. Now the question burns in Celia’s head and she feels like she must know. Jonathan Albrighton’s uncle tasks him with finding out if Celia’s mother left any important or potentially damaging information about past lovers. Celia inherited a house from her mother after all the outstanding debts were paid. She’s surprised and dismayed to learn that Jonathan is renting a room in the house, but after a half-hearted attempt to get him to leave, she accepts his presence and even starts to acknowledge their mutual attraction. Later she discovers he’s the bastard son of an aristocrat and assumes he would ultimately want her for a mistress only, not for a wife.

Celia starts a business, a practical extension of her friend’s flower business. Her home is closer to town, so it would be a distribution center of sorts. It’s obvious that Celia suffers the stigma of being her mother’s daughter. She doesn’t want that life, even though she was prepped for it and sort of keeps it as a backup plan if all else fails. Her now-married ex-boyfriend stops by and says he misses her. He tells her he paid her mother for two years with her then she left town and now he means to collect. Jonathan doesn’t want her to go to him and seduces her, taking her virginity. They enjoy each other then she learns of his mission and it hurts her. Saddened, he leaves the house.

The dramatic espionage part of Sinful In Satin was a little draggy and confusing and detracted from the story at times, but in the end it managed to make the whole story come together.I loved the passion and tenderness between Celia and Jonathan. I liked how realistic and practical Celia was. She accepted the practical side of her mother’s legacy, and while she had resisted following that path herself, she still kept her mothers lessons in mind, knowing that her station might make it necessary to give in to it eventually. I felt the same way about the realistic ending. It was just the right amount of comfortable happiness without being overly perfect and sappy. I also enjoyed the friendships between the men and between the women, which makes me want to check out the other books in the quartet.

Historical romance fans will want to check out this series for an enjoyable, quick and somewhat light read. The next book in the series from Madeline Hunter is Castleford’s and I already like his character so that should be fun.(less)

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Apr 15, 2011 Chrystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 50-book-challenge-2011, romance

Funny enough I didn't realize this was book three in the Rarest Blooms Series. It just sounded good when I picked it up at the used bookstore. I will be on the lookout for thre rest of the series as I loved this one so much, that I now need to see what happened in the others.

I loved that this wasn't a typical romance story for this period. Our herione isn't the type of lady that you normally read about - her mother was a courtesan and everyone believes she will follow in her mothers footsteps no...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Jill Dunlop rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, ebook

Sinful in Satin is the third book in Madeline Hunter's Rarest Blooms series. Celia Pennifold, the daughter of an infamous courtesan had managed to escape from reality for a few years as she lived in isolation among a few women in the country. When her mother dies, Celia is forced to come to terms with her identity and reconcile her estate. Celia chooses to leave the Rarest Blooms and live in a modest home her Mother's estate left to her. She is surprised by a tenant, Mr. Jonathan Albrighton one...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Gail rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: purchased-obtained, e-book, historical-romance

I believe this is one of the books I read while in Canada. The heroine is the daughter of a famous courtesan, and ran away from home when Mom tried to sell her to her first "protector." Now Mama has died, she's inherited a house, and has plans to continue in the plant and flower business she's been in with the woman who sheltered her while she was hiding from Mom and her would-be protector. At the same time, there's potential scandal brewing, because of rumors about a possible spy that Mom might...more

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Oct 10, 2010 Verity rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hunter-madeline, luvable-heroes, all-time-favs

“Ravishing in red” was awesome, alas, the sequel, “Provocative in Pearls” was so bhoring that I wasn’t able to finish, but I’ll pick it up again soon. It’s gratifying that SIS turned out to be the cherry on top of the fruitcake. All the ingredients are mixed v. well in this tasty concoction : blackmail, expired pimp mommy who left not only juicy tips in the art of seduction, but also unpaid debts, a small house & a hunky tenant in the attic. The 2 misfit luvbirds were born on the wrong side...more “Ravishing in red” was awesome, alas, the sequel, “Provocative in Pearls” was so bhoring that I wasn’t able to finish, but I’ll pick it up again soon. It’s gratifying that SIS turned out to be the cherry on top of the fruitcake. All the ingredients are mixed v. well in this tasty concoction : blackmail, expired pimp mommy who left not only juicy tips in the art of seduction, but also unpaid debts, a small house & a hunky tenant in the attic. The 2 misfit luvbirds were born on the wrong side of the blanket. I luved the dynamics between main & 2ndary characters, w/ a healthy dose of intrigue. Celia’s been itching to know who sired her & asks Jonathan to assist her in finding the key. Unbeknownst to her, Jonathan is assigned by his uncle to dig out any info to prove Celia’s illustrious mom was a spy. He’s also on a personal mission to find out who tried to assassinate him years ago during his stint in the war against Nap that took the life of an innocent boy. When Celia’s past suitor says ‘payback time’, she faces a tough choice of losing her house, dependants, the chance @ a real luv, or go the other route, sacrifice her virtue in exchange for a life of guaranteed luxury. Jonathan is a go-getter & ceases the day, he goes for broke w/ no apologies, employing “1st-come, 1st-served” tactics on Celia to derail her from giving herself up to the wrong man.

I liked RIR’s powder keg mystery bettah but the intrigue in SIS wasn’t lame either, it made me more invested in H/H’s evolving relationship every step of the way. No long ass estrangement, no hissy fits, no bickerfest, no drawn-out conflict. Her graceful prose aside, MH also did a fab job in tantalizing us w/ tidbits of Tristan, the Duke of McSlut, who’s only functional on Tuesdays & can pull strings like nobody’s business. I’m on pins & needles to see if Daphne can take the slutty duke down a peg or 2 in DID.

Just like Christine Feehan & her infamous “Molten Lava”, going in, I just knew I’d find a plethora MH’s fav go-to word : “Astonish” & its variety : “Astonished / Astonishing / Astonishment”. In “LOS”, her tally : a whopping 20 X (I know, I got too much time on my hands but I couldn’t help it, her fondness for this particular word stands out like a sore thumb). Thank the lord for small mercies, she cut it down by half in SIS.
(less)

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Oct 05, 2010 Claudine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: madeline-hunter

Sinful In Satin wasn't as explosive of a story I would have like to have read for Celia. She remained the scared little girl that ran away from her famed courtesean mother though most of this story. I understand her wanting to get away from the life her mother was grooming her for at age 17, however she comes across as a stong character with her beliefs but the undertone was always present. Her mother sold her Anthony who Celia though would marry her because they were in love but when she found...more

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May 17, 2011 Tina Theresa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: love-it, historical, police-undercover, florist, books-read-2011

I enjoyed this book. Celia's mother passes away and now everyone knows that she is the daughter of a well known whore. She stays in London to settle her mother's affairs. She is torn between doing what she wants which is become a partner in Rarest Blooms or become like her mother and get a protector. When she moves into her mother's private house and finds that her mother had a tenant, Jonathan Albrighton. She has an instant attraction to him that she tries to get him to leave. Jonathan is on a...more

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Nov 23, 2010 Lynne Tull rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I am loving this series by Ms. Hunter. This is No. 3 of the Series...Celia's and Jonathan's story. Their story kept my attention. This is the first page-turner I have had in a while. The dialog flowed quickly and kept true to the period. Not once did a character say some current idiom. Any attempt at educating the reader was woven seamlessly into the story. I can hardly wait for the last book which will come out in May, 2011. It will be Daffney's and Castleford's story.

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Apr 28, 2013 Patty rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, historical-romance, family, fiction, rarest-blooms-series, women-writers, friendship

I may finish this series yet. I needed stress relief for the weekend and volume three was on the shelf at my library. So I have learned the story of Celia and Jonathan through Sinful in Satin.

I am grateful that Hunter knows how to write a story that is well written, has good characters and keeps me guessing, not about the outcome, but how we will get there. I have enjoyed all the ladies and gentlemen that I have met in this series.

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Apr 28, 2011 Carolyn F. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, library-book

This book is about Celia, daughter of a mistress. Her mother dies and Celia finds out she gets a house in a more middle class section of London. She finds out she has a lodger, Jonathan Albrighton. Everyone seems to believe Celia will follow in her mother's footsteps, but she's trying to do what she really wants. While doing this, her and Jonathan get to know each other.

This book was good, not as good as the first two though. I'm planning on reading the next book

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Apr 03, 2013 Connie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the best of the series yet! The storyline was interesting and I love how Celia's friends rallied around her despite the blemish to their reputations that could and most likely would happen if they were not friends with a certain duke. :). This is the story of 2 black sheep of society falling in love, and a quest for their true parentage. It was well written, and I can't wait to read the last installation of the series!

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Dec 08, 2010 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Why do I always manage to start a historical romance series with book #3?!?! I guess I should look it up before I begin reading. Even if I didn't start at the beginning, I'm super glad I read this book. As per usual, I fell in love with the lead male character. Jonathan Albright is mysterious, kind, intelligent, and extremely sexy. I loved the tension between him and Celia. The writing was witty and sharp with great characters. Can't wait to go back and read books 1 and 2!

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Sinful in Satin (The Rarest Blooms #3)

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