How To Seduce A Scoundrel

How To #2

by Vicky Dreiling, Elizabeth Jasicki

With this captivatingly witty debut, Vicky Dreiling immediately established herself as an author of note in the world of Regency romance. How to Seduce a Scoundrel introduces readers to Miss Julianne Gatewick, a comely lass who finds herself seduced by a rake's sensual waltz. But when the unapologetic lothario leaves her all aflutter—and moves on to his next dalliance—Julianne decides to prick the sides of scoundrels everywhere by penning a guide to reeling in England's most notorious cads.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Regency, Regency Romance, Friends To Lovers, Historical Fiction

MP3 CD

First published July 1, 2011

About the author

Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.”

When she’s not writing, Vicky enjoys reading, films, concerts, and most of all, long lunches with friends. She holds degrees in English literature and marketing. A native Texan, she shares her home with her daughter and a spoiled mini-lop rabbit that lives in a slightly gnawed cardboard cottage.

Reviews

[♥ℳelody · Rating 1 out of 5]

This made me want to stab things. Repeatedly.

The number of times I *almost* DNF this one is a new record for me.

This had so many things going against it that I'm wondering why Vicky Dreiling even bothered with this.

1. The hero and heroine dance a waltz at a ball and have a charged ‘moment’ where he’s about to kiss her on the dance floor. The ton at the ball notice it and what do they do?......applaud. Applaud? Really?? Not in a million years would such a thing ever happen. Get real. This made no sense and such a contrived forced plot point to drive the hero to announce he has no interest in the heroine which leads to her running off crying like a 5 year old and moaning about it through the rest of the story. He broke her heart! Oh nooooos.


My Gawd. You need patience for this.

2. The heroine Julianne. Pearl of the first water, jewel of her mother’s eye, fart of the rainbow g-ds, rose of the ton, who is so beautiful and vivacious that men flock to her. While mooning over the hero Hawk for 4 years, she’s turned down 12 proposals. Yes 12. But she didn’t lead any of them on, oh no no no no no. It was just harmless fun! But...ok on second thought maybe she did lead them on. Just a little. Oh dear. Oh how selfish of her. How cruel! She must learn from her mistakes and not lead other men around by their noses, it’s just not right.

She's just that kind and simpering tenderhearted. Why she has 5 young men currently clambering over each other to spend time with her, these men (universally) labeled "the cubs", follow her everywhere. How sweet! But she must tell them she only sees them as friends. She must. She’ll do it after the ball. No wait, after the theater. Nope, dinner. Uh after the curricle ride. Oh wait..next week.

Just….really? How any of this doesn’t come off as anything but obnoxiously pretentious amazes me. And labeling 5 suitors as a group of cubs every time they show up vying for her attention is so irritating and stupid. It only further makes your character come across as self-important and cloying as she seems. It’s not cute. She sounds as feather brained as her giggling friends.

3. The infamous pamphlet. The stupid asinine infuriatingly pointless pamphlet. There was absolutely no point or reason to this considering it had absolutely nothing to do with the plot and the ‘advice’ comes from an extremely naive, inexperienced heroine who doesn’t even understand the basics of sex much less second base. Her sponsor gives her all these general ill-advised farfetched tips and so in a misguided silly attempt at "revenge" (how?) the heroine decides to write a pamphlet to help other girls avoid her mistakes and find a husband. Um. Your mistakes? You count puppy love getting dashed as a life altering experienced mistake? Yeah...ok. I'm still trying to understand what on earth this had anything to do with the hero and how this was considered "payback". But not to worry, Julianne knows what she's doing, she's an A-dult. Reputation, shmeputation. No one will find out she wrote this, cause Aunt Hester said so.


4. The heroine’s sponsor is as ridiculous & childish as the idiotic debutantes in this book. Great Aunt Hester’s only point in this whole story is to coddle validate the heroine’s air-headed self-absorbed beliefs and naive thoughts of wounded vanity and self-superiority. She’s either always encouraging the heroine to go against her nephew's wishes (who is the heroine's guardian) or pull stupid stunts & publish that fakakta pamphlet. 'Eccentric' elder aunt or not, who in their right senses would encourage 3 young innocent unmarried ladies to take a stroll alone with 5 young bachelors in Vauxhall park?? AT NIGHT????


5. All the characters are immature & stupid as sh*t.

Georgette spied the unlit path and halted. "Oh, look. That must be one of the famous dark walks."
Naturally, everyone had to stop and look.
The branches of the tall trees formed a canopy over the dark walk, making it look even more forbidding to Julianne. She imagined a villain grabbing an innocent young lady and dragging her down that secluded path. Chill bumps erupted along her arms.
Sally shivered. "Oh, it looks scary."
Georgette edged closer to the dark walk. Then she turned with a sly grin on her face. "I think we should walk a few paces down the path so that we can say we've actually been on one of the dark walks."
Julianne rolled her eyes at her feather-brained friend. "Georgette don't be silly."
"It's only a lark," Georgette said. "Let us make a pact never to reveal we walked there."
Beaufort cleared his throat. "Lady Georgette, I cannot allow you to embark on that path."
Julianne bit back a grin, knowing Georgette would consider Beaufort's words a dare.
Georgette giggled, lifted her skirts, and tapped her toe on the path. "Oops, I stepped on the dark walk."

6. Where was the romance? The constant push and pull between the hero and heroine was very choppy and static. One minute they are arguing then out of nowhere flirting then suddenly kissing. Copy, paste, repeat. It made no sense and came off so one-dimensional and extremely mechanical. The sex scenes are the most obvious examples of that. How you go from 'just one kiss' to oops we are grinding on the bed with our clothes off is so jarring. There is literally no transition or build up between these two whether it's just sparring and flirting or kissing and having sex. The explosive moments that leads to characters taking that final leap was completely nonexistent which just made the whole 'romance' fall very flat. All Hawk did in this was flirt, wink excessively, and reprimand Julianne like a child. Literally NO effort was put into showing these two actually falling in love, it's just.....there. And I generally love best friends falling for friend's younger sister plot, but none of this made any sense. More energy and page time was spent on the heroine crying the house down because the hero doesn't return her feelings and that stupid pointless pamphlet. Why anyone would get so sniffy & defensive over writing an advice piece when they literally have no experience on the subject at hand is beyond me. Getting high and mighty over something you have no experience in makes you look like the biggest fuckwit. Vicky's editor should have dissuaded & tossed out this nonsensical plot at the very first pitch.

The only person in this entire story that had any sense and showed maturity was shy wallflower Amy (heroine of Book 3). And I'm so glad she got a better story and hero than this confusing bizarre scattered mess.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read my review at Demon Lover's Books and More

Wow, I am really sad to say that this book was very "meh." It's not bad by any means, but it wasn't great.

When I first started this book, a lot of comments on both twitter and goodreads were all very positive and encouraging. I enjoyed the first book in this series (and both can be read as stand-alones), but this one was well, I guess it doesn't help that I got irritated with both the main characters quite a bit.

Hawk, Earl of Hawkfield, is talked into watching over his best friend's sister Julianne for the Season. Tristan wants to be with his wife during her confinement (she's close to giving birth), and no one else can help. So Hawk agrees, thinking he'll escort her to a few balls and then go play cards, maybe pop in every now and then to check in on her. His aunt is sponsoring Julianne, so she won't be alone. Hawk never really thinks beyond that. What he didn't count on is that Julianne was determined to win his heart.

Julianne has been in love with Hawk since she was 8. It's sweet that he always made her feel included and he always joked with her, but Julianne took it as flirting, so she's been proposed to over a dozen times and turned them all down. She's never even kissed one of these boys, she's saved that for Hawk.

What I liked. Julianne had been "out" for 4 Seasons, so she wasn't some 17 year old maiden. Why that didn't work, though-after being "out" and having turned down a dozen proposals, she still behaved like a little girl, NOT like the woman she claims to be. There's a reason Hawk never treated her like anything but a little girl-she still acted like one.

To me, the whole book was full of contradictions like that. One second she is soo angry with Hawk and his treatment of her (rightfully so), and then five minutes later they are joking and flirting. What happened to the anger? He really did run roughshod over her.

"His conduct is beyond rude. He treats me as if I am a marionette. I am weary of him pulling my strings at his pleasure." --Julianne about Hawk

That seemed to be the standard. So I really liked Julie at first. She went in knowing that this would be "the" Season that she made Hawk love her, then early on, he dashes all her hopes by saying she is like a sister to him. It really hurt Julianne, so I understand she was hurt, and I loved the scene where she and her friends got foxed. But Hawk would never let Julianne explain, not once. OR he just wouldn't believe her when she did. That bugged me at first, til I realized she was acting like a childish young girl, so he had no reason whatsoever to trust her. I began to like Julianne less and less as I watched her "grow" as a character; there was very little growth. Julianne ran hot and cold and it drove me nuts!

Hawk had a huge secret and a sordid past. Only at one point in the book did his rakehell ways hurt Julianne, but I thought she was right to be hurt and angry. Hawk, however felt she didn't trust him, especially after her undying pledge of trust earlier. His solution? To shock her and take her to his infamous "Love Nest." Oh, and that's where he finally realizes that it wasn't a good idea. Hmm, ya think? But Julie's pride is hurt, so she presses on and goes up to his room. I hated the scene that followed. Hated it. It was unnecessary and crass.

I thought that there was very little to no sexual tension, and that the romance itself fell flat. I thought what happened to Hawk was awful, really I did, but man! It's been 12 years! Deal and move on. And I think that part of it was blown out of proportion-no one forced him to do it-yeah, peer pressure, but don't hang the blame on Ramsey for a decade.

So the book on the whole was okay. I read it through so I could find out what exactly had happened those 12 long years ago. I wanted to be invested in the characters, really I did, but I just didn't care after a while. The pamphlet idea was fun and I enjoyed watching that part of Julianne mature, but I felt she never quite matured elsewhere in the book.

I don't know, I seem to be in the minority when I look at the other reviews, so I hope that this book works for you, unfortunately it just didn't do it for me.

***Thanks to netgalley.com for the ARC

[Laurie Garrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate to say this, but I just didn’t care for this book. It’s not the authors writing style, I just didn’t like the story. I found it boring and dull. There was nothing remotely interesting that really happened in the book, unless you call Julianne getting drunk one night interesting or when Hawk took her to his love nest. Ooh yeah, like that was real fun Blch, not for me. I wanted desperately to stop reading, but I got this for review, so I carried on.

I didn’t care for a flip flop of the heroine. First she loved Hawk then he would do something to piss her off, so she hated him and in the next freaking moment she would fall over him again UGH. This went on for the best part of the book. And don’t let me get started on when Hawk finally proposed Grrr. Even though she has loved him since she was a kid she acted more like a kid now than when she was a kid.

Hawk wasn’t bad for a scoundrel at least he kept from women during the time of his supposed to be Julianne guardian. What I didn’t care for was Hawk treating Julianne like a kid just about the whole time, it was just annoying for me.

The loves scenes between them took forever to get to them, they were wham bam thank you maam. The thing was I never really found the sexual tension between these two from the start. I love a good build up, but I never found it.

I know some of you love the tension between a coupling, but I just can’t hack it when it’s just about the whole book and no action (and I don’t mean sex LOL) to keep me distracted.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting to like it. It had two things going for it right off the bat. One, it’s a “falls-for-sibling’s-friend” romance, and two, I enjoyed How To Marry a Duke, Julianne’s brother’s book. Imagine my surprise to find that I disliked it enough in the beginning half that I almost DNF’ed it!

There was a fatal flaw for me in the setup of this book—I had no sympathy for the heroine’s situation. I’m pretty sure I was supposed to be on her side, but I found her logic baffling. She reminded me of a very young teenager, all drama and emo filled. I won’t lie, the hero grated on me too, but the heroine was quite a piece of work.

Julianne went into the season (her fourth) expecting it to be the season. The one where Hawk finally fell in love with her. She’s all amped up for it, but then is crushed when she hears him tell people that she’s like a sister to him. Instead of becoming depressed or becoming determined to make him see her as a woman, she defies logic and somehow blames him for keeping her “dangling” for four years. What??? How can she want to “punish” him for hurting her when he was oblivious to the fact that she had a crush on him? Does she expect him to be psychic and just know she wants him, even though she never made the slightest effort to tell him? Just because you breathe the same air doesn’t mean he’s aware that you want to marry him!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t gifted with a great hero to make up for the immature, irritating heroine. Hawk was, quite simply, a jerk. He was constantly berating Julianne for flirting with men—apparently just talking to men is now considered flirting—and he controlled her life to a claustrophobic degree. He even lorded his control of her over his own family member. He ended up apologizing for it, but the fact that he’d acted like that again and again throughout the book makes it hard to believe he was sincerely sorry.

I was teetering on DNF’ing the book (and honestly had been arguing with myself about doing it for quite a while) when a miraculous change occurred. The heroine had a much needed moment of clarity. All the immature, unjustified behavior was copped to. She admitted to herself that she was blaming Hawk for the same things she had done in the past, and it was marvelous. Finally some maturity! She still had the unfortunate habit of ping-ponging back and forth between joking with him and being angry with him, but at least she showed some growth.

My enjoyment of the book took an upwards turn when I realized that the author was writing Julianne like that deliberately and was trying to show growth. I may not have thought she succeeded as well as I needed her too, but I saw what she was trying to do with the character. Then Hawk had to burst back into the book and irritate me again. I ended up settling into a lethargic plateau for the rest of the book, but at least I finished it.

My favorite parts of the book were Julianne’s friends and Hester, Hawk’s aunt. The interactions between them were fun and provided me with a nice burst of enjoyment during the read. Just like in How To Marry a Duke, the author has a lighter style of writing. Her books aren’t very period, but that doesn’t always bother me when the rest of the book is entertaining. That was the case with How To Marry a Duke, but since I enjoyed this one quite a bit less than that one, it ended up being more irritating than charming.

Favorite Quote:

"His conduct is beyond rude. He treats me as if I am a marionette. I am weary of him pulling the strings at his pleasure."

Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.

[Angelc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the first book in this series, "How to Marry a Duke." It was witty, fun, and had a sweet romance with great characters. Maybe I had my hopes set too high, but this installment fell flat for me.

The parts I enjoyed the most starred the supporting characters, mostly Julianne's friends from the first book, Amy and Georgette. I also loved Aunt Hester and I had a real soft spot for the young 'cub', Osgood. As for the leads, I liked Julianne but I didn't like Hawk and really didn't buy their relationship.

The difference in maturity between the leads was a big hurdle for me. Usually, I'm a fan of different ages in relationships but this time it came down to maturity. I'm with Julianne's brother, Tristan, on this- Julianne isn't ready for marriage. She was extremely naive and sheltered and spent most of her time at slumber parties with her bff's. I loved those scenes, but it just made Julianne seem so young. Then Hawk was so controlling of her every move. He nixed other men as her beaux because he thought they would take advantage of her and then he did the same exact thing! To me, Hawk just came across as sleazy and taking advantage of a young girl.

Hawk was supposed to have reformed, but he never seemed to do anything especially honorable in my opinion. Just because he stopped taking mistresses doesn't mean he's that great of a catch.

Is it just me, or was some of the advice in the pamphlet a little outdated as to gender roles? I'm not a fan of "The Rules" and I'm not sure how empowering to women it is to trick your man into marriage. At least the sweet, innocent, and awkward Osgood agrees with me on this!

This one wasn't up to par with her last book, mainly because I didn't like the hero. I'll still read her next book because I like the supporting characters and Dreiling's witty style.


ARC sent by publisher in exchange for honest review

reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com

[Kati · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book summed up in a limerick that I wrote... (inspired by Hawk and his unfinished limerick)

There once was an Earl of Hawkfield
Who used humor and wit as a shield
He tried to keep up his guard
But fell in love with his ward
And in the end, they did yield.

Ta-da!

A full review can be found on my blog Romancing Rakes
***Downloaded this book from NetGalley***

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we first met Julianne, she was the charming little sister to Tristan in How to Marry a Duke. But now, she's all grown up and she has her sights set on her brother's best friend, Hawk. She's been infatuated with him since she was a little girl, but now that she is 21, she hopes he'll finally see her as a woman.

Tristan has made Hawk Julianne's guardian, while he and his wife await the birth of their son. (Julianne is staying with Hawk's great-aunt Hester.) And though Hawk doesn't want the job, he accepts out of friendship. He feels some attraction for his ward, but can't imagine pursuing her. He is a notorious rake, and more importantly, he considers himself damaged goods. The reasons why are revealed over the course of the book and it's the main foil for his relationship with Julianne.

Despite Hawk's seeming lack of interest, Julianne is resolute in her intentions. And she finds unlikely support from Aunt Hester. It's great fun watching her unfold the secrets to seducing a man. It's even better when her studies pay off. The tension between Hawk and Julianne is hot and their love scenes are steamy.

I have to say, I am usually a fan of a tortured hero, but Hawk almost borderlined on pitiful at some points in the book. I understand his burden but I think his 12 years of self-flagellation were a little excessive. Not only that, but it's hard to believe he could be so clueless for so long about Julianne's feelings. However, I really enjoyed watching Julianne grow and mature over the course of the book... and even more, I loved watching her break down the walls Hawk builds between them. His surrender to his feelings and desires were the best part of the book.

How to Seduce a Scoundrel is entertaining, sexy and fun. It's a solid sequel and I enjoyed revisiting the characters from the previous book. I'm also looking forward Will & Amy's story, next. 4 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Ever since meeting Hawk and Julianne in Vicky Dreiling's debut romance, How to Marry a Duke, I have really been looking forward to reading their story. I thought they showed great potential as lead characters, and for the most part, they were still pretty likable in How to Seduce a Scoundrel. The book got off to a wonderful start, with the first few chapters brimming with repartee that was fresh, clever, witty and occasionally just a bit wicked. While reading these parts, I spent a lot of time smiling if not outright laughing. I also liked that they had known each other and been comfortable friends for many years. Unfortunately, things started to get a little off track for me from the moment Hawk accidentally dissed Julianne after their waltz. From that point and throughout most of the rest of the book, I felt like both characters were often being too stubborn for their own good, but in the end, everything came together to make it a pretty good read.

Hawk is an utterly charming rogue. In spite of his wickedly rakish reputation, his best friend, Tristan, trusts him implicitly to act as temporary guardian to his sister, Julianne, so she won't have to miss the season's festivities while Tristan tends to his wife who is nearing her time to give birth. Hawk would do anything for Tristan, but still isn't entirely thrilled about having to escort Julianne around to all the balls and parties. However, he finds himself not minding as much as he thought he would, mainly because of Julianne herself. Almost from the start, Hawk begins to see her as the desirable woman that she is rather than the little girl who used to be his partner in mischief. That scares him to death, partly because best friend's sisters are off limits and partly because he has his own scandalous secret that makes him feel unworthy of a woman like Julianne. I thought it was quite amusing how Hawk was so protective of Julianne and jealous of all her suitors, but was so clueless about his own feelings, he didn't realize it at first. The reader also learns that his devil-may-care attitude is just part of the armor he uses to shield himself from the pain of past mistakes. I liked how he was able to grow though all this and become a better man in the end.

I thought it was very sweet that Julianne had had a crush on Hawk since she was a little girl (and had even proposed to him back then), and fell completely in love with him when he danced with her at her come-out ball four years earlier. Since then she's had numerous marriage proposals and turned them all down, never even allowing herself to be kissed, because she dreamed of Hawk being the first. Julianne may have been adorable in the beginning, but when Hawk got her hackles up, the claws came out and she could be pretty stubborn. I know that she felt Hawk publicly embarrassed her by saying he thought of her only as a sister after they had shared a particularly sensuous waltz, but for her to completely give up her long-held tendre for him over it, and so quickly, seemed perhaps just a little extreme for the circumstances. From that point on, Julianne seemed to alternate between being incredibly astute in her assessment of Hawk's behavior and not really seeing what was right in front of her. I did enjoy how Julianne slowly wised up as she came to realize that courtship wasn't as easy as she thought it was for the gentleman and that maybe she had been wrong about some things when she decided to write her scandalous pamphlet. I think the whole process was a good learning experience for her.

The dialog and overall narrative is fairly snappy, giving the impression that the novel is fast-paced, but in reality the plot progresses rather slowly. In my opinion, Hawk and Julianne's relationship kind of stagnates due to their frequent arguments. Although the couple's bantering could be rather amusing at times, I really hated to see them constantly at odds for such a long stretch. When that happens in a romance, it tends to put a damper on the emotional connection for me. I'm also not a fan of game playing in a relationship or the frequent small misunderstandings between them which led to an overall sense of distrust. I thought it placed a little too much distance between the pair when sexual tension should have been building instead. It was refreshing to not have them jumping into bed in the first chapter (in fact that doesn't happen until about ¾ of the way into the book), but I still think the story could have used a bit more steam in general and the love scenes needed a little more pizazz too. Vicky Dreiling tends to write these scenes at a moderate level at best, and I definitely don't mind that. However, I've read other authors who write mild to moderate love scenes with a lot more emotion and overall romanticism. With Ms. Dreiling it almost seems like she's trying too hard to hold back the sensuality level and as a result, I thought these moments came off feeling rather rushed. Hopefully, this is something that will improve as she gains more writing experience. The author is also very slow to disclose Hawk's secret. While I do like for a book to keep me on pins and needles waiting for the reveal, I thought perhaps she could have dropped a few more clues along the way. As is, she just kept reiterating that Hawk felt really bad about some big mistake he'd made in the past and then suddenly dropped it like a bomb. Lastly, Ms. Dreiling can be very good at allowing her characters to emote in just the right way to create a truly romantic air, but at times, I thought a little more subtlety would have been better.

The author did make good use of her secondary characters. Hawk's Aunt Hester was a hoot, especially in the beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed her blunt talk with both Hawk and Julianne, as well as how she was a kind, motherly figure to them both. I was a little disappointed that we never found out for certain that her “friend” was the true love from her youth she spoke of to Julianne, but I still liked that she got to have a little romance herself. I thought it went to show that love isn't just for the young, but the young at heart. Also, several of the bridal candidates from How to Marry a Duke returned, with Georgette and Amy front and center as Julianne's best friends and confidants. I liked plain, shy Amy right from the start, so I'm very happy to know that she gets to be the heroine of the next book in the series, How to Ravish a Rake. She will be paired with Hawk's errant younger brother, William, whose rakish reputation is just as bad as Hawk's, if not worse. He finally returned home at the end of the book, but was never in any scenes, so it will be quite interesting to see how he and his seeming opposite get along in their own story. In spite of feeling like a few things could have been better here and there, I found How to Seduce a Scoundrel to be a pretty enjoyable read, and I'll be looking forward to the next book when it is released in the spring of 2012.

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Hachette Book Group, in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisarenee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four years ago at her debutant ball Lady Julianne Gatewick fell in love. The object of her affection was Marc Darcett (Hawk), Earl of Hawkfield. He's her brother's best friend and she's known him for what seems like forever. In the four years since her debut, it seemed he only saw her as his best friend's little sister and nothing more. Then at a ball held by the Breresfords, her fairytale ending looked like it was within her grasp. During a waltz with Marc he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. She felt like Cinderella at the ball dancing with the Prince. In an instant, however, the spell of the evening was broken. Not by the chiming of the clock at midnight, but by the words Marc would utter for all the ton to hear, "Lest you or anyone else harbor the wrong idea. I will set the record straight. Lady Julianne is practically a sister to me."

Utterly devastated, Julianne was determined to move on and forget about Marc. That was easier said then done as he would act as her guardian for the season. Marc's aunt Hester, who was sponsoring her this season, decided to take Julianne under her wing and give her the advice she would have imparted to her daughter, if she'd had one. While Hester might not be able to turn a pumpkin into a carriage, she did know a little something about landing a husband. She'd been married 5 times. Through Hester, Julianne, will learn the 'Secrets of Seduction.'

This was an enchanting tale that had me grinning from ear to ear. The chemistry between Marc and Julianne was flammable and only needed a spark to set it off. The interaction and bantering between the two was fun to witness. I loved seeing the way Marc tried to fight his feelings for Julianne since she was his best friend's sister. Plus, there was an added dimension to the story because something happened in Marc's past which made him determined never to ever marry. Thinking himself unworthy of such happiness, Julianne had her work cut out for her.

Once again a book inspired a song to dance through my head. In this case, however, it wasn't just one, but two. Taylor Swift's songs Love Story and White Horse kept alternating at various times in my head. While no song totally fits a book snippets like "I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale" and "it's a love story baby just say yes" danced in my head. I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses

Order to read trilogy:

1. How to Marry a Duke
2. How to Seduce a Scoundrel
3. How to Ravish a Rake (tentatively coming late 2011 or early 2012)



To see more of my reviews visit my blog at
www.seducedbyabook.com

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful followup to Vicky Dreilings debut novel, How to Marry a Duke that features Hawk and Julianne. Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield is asked by his best friend, Tristan, to be his younger sisters guardian for the upcoming season. Hawk reluctantly agrees and forgoes his rakish lifestyle for the season but is determined to just escort Lady Julianne to a few balls and events and keep at his lifestyle. However, something happens at the first ball that forces Hawk to play a much more prominent role that he intended.

Julianne has loved Hawk since she was a young girl (she has refused numerous proposals and even has not had a first kiss...she is saving that to share with him) and is thrilled to Hawk as her guardian in the hopes she can make him finally see her as a woman and fall in love with her. But one scandalous waltz later and Hawks deeply hurtful remarks afterwords leads to her almost scandal and Hawks fury, all while her heart is broken. She pulls herself together though, and with the help of her dearest friends and her sponsor, Hawks Aunt Hester who is rather plain spoken, gets some rather shocking advice and decides to follow through and publish a pamphlet titled The Secrets of Seduction.

I have decided that the older brothers best friend falling for brothers younger sister storyline is one of my favorites and this one does not disappoint. Yes, I wanted to smack Hawk for unintentionally hurting Julianne but as the story progresses, we learn that Hawk has a very deep, hurtful occasion from his past that is preventing him from letting go of his heart and causing him to act the way he does. I was a bit surprised at the depth of the hurt and scorn and the last little piece that fell into place near the end was a definite surprise and added a nice twist to the story. And yes, I wanted to shake Julianne a bit for her fear of a loveless marriage based on her mother but her feelings were understandable and I am proud of the way she stood her ground on the matter. The only part of the story that prevented me from giving this one 5 stars was the middle. There was a bit too much back and forth going on....small showing of feeling to just retract back the mask. I also would have liked to have seen a bit more of Hawks past sooner instead of dragged on for almost three quarters of the book. Even with those small complaints though, I still really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it! It is laugh out loud funny at times and sexy and will leave a happy smile on your face in the end! I have a new favorite auto buy author and I can not wait for Will and Amys story (How to Ravish a Rake)! 4 solid funny sexy stars

I received this ebook from the publisher via netgalley.com

[Mou: Fae of Heartfelt ARC]

DNF @ 26%

Boring.

[Sophie Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Vicky Dreiling has delivered a wonderful page turner. I'd been looking forward to this since finishing "How To Marry A Duke" and Dreiling did not disappoint. This was a fun read with well developed characters, charming/witty dialogue and an intriguing plot. I loved the fact that the heroine finally decided to talk openly about her feelings, saying, "OK, you know what - I love you, you fool, and I've always loved you." Granted, this is a much longer segment in the book, and Dreiling put it far more eloquently, but I think you get the point =) It was also a relief to find that the hero and heroine were completely understanding, supportive and forgiving of the "secrets" that they each carried, rather than turning it into a big angry drama that would have required resolving. All in all, a great book that I would highly recommend.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first of Ms. Dreiling's books that I have had the pleasure of reading, but I definitely plan to read the first one as well as Amy's story. The writing was both beautiful and vivid, and I adore the time period that it reflected. The characters came alive to me, and I was hoping the best for Hawk and his Julie-girl the entire time. The fact that the author kept Hawk's indiscretion a secret until almost the end had me turning the pages as fast as I could. I can't wait to read the next book about shy Amy.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 ½-4 stars – Historical/Regency Romance

[Eli Yanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

another scoundrel aka bad boy story i love so much :)

I admit that I do not disappointing when I say I want to buy and read vicky’s book and from 3 books of her, I had read 2 books and I love love all of them =)

This is the story about Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield aka Hawk and Julianne Shelbourne

Julianne had fallen in love with Hawk since she was 17 years old but what did she not know that Hawk’s rules :

“Virgins are strictly forbidden, especially if said virgin happens to be your friend’s sister”.

So when they were bound for no one be able to be guardian for Julianne in her season to find a proper husband. Julianne decided to seduce Hawk, the rake, especially when Hawk’s aunt knew her feeling and help her.

Unfortunately, Julianne has to feel disappointed again especially when he heard Hawk says that he only treat her as her sister.

So now Julianne decided to forget her feeling, she can’t bear any sorrow and heartbreak anymore so she focus with her new passion : to create a pamphlet to help disadvantaged young women in love.

Hawk, a rake, had his own rule and secret and nobody knew it, the secrect which makes him closed hisself and never show his feeling to anyone even to his best friend – Tristan (julianne’s brother) and Julianne because he had his own fear.

But what would he do when they get close during guard time, he fell something different since he met Julianne after 9 months departed. The feeling that he know is wrong : feeling of attraction, sense of jealously and possessive especially when all candidat approach Julianne and want to propose.

And after one kiss stolen, there is no way for them to ignore the feeling that has been increased between them.

Could Hawk dare to open up his self and tell his secret with risk to loss of precious loved while the one that Julianne’s desired is declaration of love from Hawk. And what is Hawk’s secret exactly?

Reading this book is really fun and I got so many thing from this book :

- I can feel the sadness when julianne heard Hawk said : Lady Julianne is practically a sister to me.

- I also excited with the pamphlet that julianne’s made

- humor, joyness, furious and bed scenes’s temperature is quiet hot *grin

- one more thing, I wont to put the book down while reading it.

- and the most part I love is about the proposed and the quote :

Then he knelt on one knee and took her hands. “Julianne, I love you with all my heart. You have made me a better man. You also tried to steal my curricle, but I forgive you.”

“You stole my bonnet,” she said.


The Three Secrets to a Happy Marriage: Love, Laughter, and Honesty

Overall I can’t resist “bad boy” lol

Cant wait the book 3 about amy (julianne’s friend) and William (hawk’s brother)



My review in Indonesia


Suka bgt semua bk si Vicky, dan ngak sabar pengen bc bk ke 3, tp apa daya msh byk bk yg lain, secepatnya d J

Jd critanya ini ttg adiknya Tristan (hero di bk ke 1 yg uda aku review – how to marry a duke) yg uda lama sk sama Hawk bahkan sejak msh kecil dan mulia jatuh cinta sejak 17 tahun bahkan dia menyiapkan dirinya hanya utk Hawk, sampai-2 ciuman pun tdk pernah (ckck). Namun yg diketahui si Julianne klo si Hawk ini pny peraturan bwh virgin itu terlarang apalg klo adik tmn baiknya.

Jd sewaktu mrk musti terikat krn ngak ada yg bs jd pendamping julianne selama season utk mendptkan suami yg layak, ini saat nya si Julianne mutusin bt ngerayu si Hawk. Cmn syg lagi2 dia musti kecewa dan patah hati apalg wkt dengar si Hawk blg kesemua org : klo dia cmn anggap Julianne adiknya.

Shg julianne memutuskan utk melupakan perasaanya dan focus pd keinginan barunya “ membuat pamphlet utk membantu para wanita muda dlm hal percintaan terutama hal2 menyangkut rake”

Sementara si Hawk, a rake, yg pny aturan dan jg rahasia yg menyebabkan dia menutupi diri dan tdk pernah membuka perasaannya kpd siapapun bahkan kpd tmn baiknya – Tristan dan julianne krn dia punya ketakutannya sndr.

Tp ketika mrk semakin dekat, mrk tdk bs memungkiri perasaan mrk masing2.

Jd mampukah Hawk membuka diri dan menceritakan rahasia dia dgn resiko kehilangan org yg mulai dicintainya. Sementara itu yg dibutuhkan Julianne cmn pernyataan cinta Hawk, cmn pengen dgn kata “I love you”

Lalu apa si sbtlnya rahasianya Hawk?

Baca buku ini benar-benar enjoy bgt, ikut sedih wkt julianne dgr kata2 Hawk yg blg dia cmn dianggap adik, ikut heboh dgn perkembangan pamphlet yg dia bt, sisi humor, kegembiraan dll semua ada di sini. Yg pasti g pengen bgt berhenti baca bk ini. Dan plg sk wkt si Hawk melamar Julianne.

Happy Reading ^^

Score 5

[Crystal _ Reading Between the Wines Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady Julianne Gatewick has been in love with the Earl of Hawkfield since she was a little girl. When he agrees to be her guardian during the season she thinks he is finally going to announce his feelings and intent with her but comes to find out that he only thinks of her as a sister, dashing all of her romantic hopes and breaking her heart in the process. Embarrassing her in front of the ton, Julianne decides to get over the rake and get revenge. With the help of her sponsor, Hawke’s aunt, she learns a few tips on seduction and puts her new knowledge to use by secretly penning a pamphlet to help other young ladies of the ton in turning the tables and seducing the roguish gentlemen of London.

The idea behind How to Seduce a Scoundrel was intriguing and I was looking forward to my first Vicky Dreiling read, but when it came to the actual story I found it sorely lacking.

The first three hundred plus pages dragged and I had to fight not to put it down and move on to another book. I liked the main character of Marc, the Earl of Hawkfield, a.k.a. Hawk. I found him to be a dashing rogue with a mysterious past and dark torment that intrigued me. There were hints throughout the novel of a past scandal that had devastating consequences but the suspense of it was too drawn out, it ultimately lost its appeal and was brought to the point of, ‘Can we just get to it already?’
His absolute obliviousness over Julianne’s feelings towards him was believable and somewhat laughable in a typical male kind of way; and then when he finally saw her as a woman instead of the girl he had a teasing relationship with I could feel the tension in him, and his fight between his sense of duty and his burgeoning feelings for her. Though he did come off sometimes as domineering, it was his jealousy that drove him to this. Hawk’s character had multiple dimensions that I felt were unexplored and neglected by the author, I would of loved for Dreiling to have dived more into him than the subplot of the novel.

Lady Julianne Gatewick on the other hand I just could not get into. I couldn’t get over this view I had of her as a teenage with a bad crush on her older brother’s best friend. I thought that she might mature into more of a woman throughout the story and though she did somewhat grow in her reactions to the world around her and her feelings I never came to see her as a grown woman with substance, her character fell flat.
I also found the idea and sub plot of Julianne writing a pamphlet on seduction just silly. How is a naïve girl with no experience and who believes everything to be scandalous writing a pamphlet on seducing a rake to the alter? Her back and forth mentality drove me crazy and had the biggest influence in dragging the plot down.

It was a very drawn out process of Hawk coming to terms with his feelings and past guilt and Julianne deciding on whether she still had feelings for Hawk or not. When the sexual tension between these two finally reached its peak I was left feeling frustrated and bereft.
The last fifty pages was by far the most interesting, where key points in the plot finally clicked into place and the ending was happy and heartwarming. The whole story was well detailed with elaborate world building and you could tell that the author really did her research before compiling the novel, which I appreciate.

I did like the fact that I was able to dive into this novel without any confusion despite the fact that this is a second in a series. I was also intrigued by Marc’s brother Tristan, whose story is the first novel, How to Marry a Duke. But because of my disappointment with this installment I won’t be rushing to read that one or the next in the series.

All in all, this wasn’t a bad novel but it wasn’t great either. I think it had potential but missed its mark. If you are a fan of historical romances and have an abundance of patience then I would recommend this to you. If not, then you might want to pass it over until a rainy day.

http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawksfield, has known Lady Julianne Gatewick for most of her life, seeing as she is the little sister of his best friend Tristan Gatewick, Duke of Shelbourne (if you've read Vicky Drieling's first novel, How to Marry a Duke, you'll recognize the name). When Tristan asks him to act as Julianne's guardian for the season, Hawk reluctantly agrees. After all, watching over Julianne means no more rakish ways (including those 2 actresses who offered to entertain Marc together).

Julianne has harbored a crush on Marc for as long as she can remember. At 17, those feelings changed to something much more significant, when she became determine to entice Hawk into falling madly in love with her and marrying her. She's turned down numerous proposals (and first kisses) in hopes of finally capturing Hawk's interest. So with high hopes that this year will be the year that she finally gets what she wants.

What she doesn't expect (and frankly neither do those us that first met Hawk in How to Marry a Duke) is that Hawk is a much more complicated person than he portrays himself. Deeply effected by one bad mistake made when he was eighteen, he's decided to be the person is deceased father thought he was, rather than having to deal with the repercussions of that mistake. He's destined himself to a lonely life so he won't have to feel that kind of pain again. Despite this, it's Julianne who's able to see through the veneer to the person he truly is.

I loved both Hawk and Julianne. Her act of revenge against his unintended hurtful proclamation and his high-handedness about what she could do this season (loved, loved, loved her rules!!) were inspiring. It was also a pleasure to watch her grow as a woman. She gave up those girlish dreams, but ended up with so much more. While Hawk also matured, giving up acting in a way his father he was, to being the man that can moved away from the past and shape his own future.

Great second installment to the series. Cannot wait to read Will and Amy's story!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My full 4.5 JEWEL review can be viewed at: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

I read and reviewed the first book in the series How to Marry a Duke back in January and completely fell in love with Marc and Julianne's characters. In fact I mentioned Marc aka Hawk, as being one of my favorite secondary characters in that story. When I was offered a spot on this blog tour, I jumped at the chance to finally get to find out how Julianne would snag her Hawk.

Vicky Dreiling is a master at setting the scene. Her descriptions of the ballrooms, the park and various locations throughout the book help the reader imagine they are right there with the characters. One of my favorite scenes is near the beginning of the story when Hawk and Julianne are waltzing. The author made time stand still for the reader as well as the dancing pair with everything appearing very clear in my mind's eye.

Humor is an element that I look for in a good story. I don't mean the knee-slapping, hee-hawing laughter type, but the subtle tongue-in-cheek quips and situations that make the reader grin and want more. The first book had this quality and Vicky has kept that undercurrent alive in How to Seduce a Scoundrel. Witty dialogue abounds without ever feeling silly or contrived. It fits the personalities of the players perfectly.

If you haven't read How to Marry a Duke yet, you will still enjoy this story immensely. It does well as a stand-alone read, but I highly suggest you try the first book as well. Strictly because it is also a treat. I'm already counting down the days for the next installment: How to Ravish a Rake. It will feature Hawk's roguish younger brother Will and Julianne's quiet friend Amy. Another shower of sparks awaits!

[Sara ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juli and Hawk! Heehee!

So, Julianne's brother, Tristan, got married last book to Tessa, and she's really preggerz. So Tristan doesn't want to leave her alone in the country to escort Juli around Town for the Season... but he wants her to attend to find true love to marry, etc. SO, Tristan asks his best friend, Hawk, to stand in as Juli's guardian for the Season. Oh, and 5x-widowed, eccentric Aunt Hester (who is GREAT) is her sponsor.

At first, Hawk is so worried about letting Tristan down that he is WAAAAAAAY over-protective! Then, he's over-protective because he is REALLY attracted to Juli and he's fighting it, because she is his best friend's baby sister!!! She is SOOO off limits, but he can't help but be jealous....

Juli has been in love with Hawk for years and she's been waiting for him to realize he loves her back since her debut 4 years earlier. Near the beginning of the book, they have a very sensual waltz together, but then afterward he (unintentionally) humiliates her, and she decides to take revenge.

With the help of Hester and her friends Amy and Georgette, she writes a pamphlet about how to bring a rake to scratch (essentially) and she plans to use her techniques to make Hawk fall in love with her, then break his heart like he did hers....

Except she REALLY REALLY loves him. Hawk never plans to marry because of an incident that happened when he was younger... But he figures stuff out.... And the writing style was MUCH better than last book!

[Jan Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Julianne Gatewick, Julie-girl as the Earl of Hawkfield called her, had a thing for Rogues. Scoundrels, Rakes and Rogues were the type of men she was attracted to. And as this was her fourth season, it was high time that she found herself a husband. Julianne had her eyes on Hawk, the Earl of Hawkfield. She had waited for him for years, loving him secretly as she watched him when he visited her older brother, Tristan. Yet on the fateful night of a ball, Hawk discarded her affections and announced to the world she was “practically a sister” to him!

In Julianne’s frustration with men and how they controlled how women are chosen for brides, she, her aunt Hester, and her two best friends, Amy and Georgette, decided to pen a pamphlet, The Secrets of Seduction.

As the pamphlet is written and their theories tested, Hawk struggles with his feelings. Beaus lined up to court Julianne who flirts like a pro, teasing not the courters but Hawk. Yet he is oblivious to the reasons for her actions.

This is such a cute story, a cat and mouse tale of a woman intent on getting her man. Julianne has grown since we met her in How to Marry a Duke and is ready to seduce her scoundrel. Hawk is definitely a scoundrel in need of taming, but can Julianne tame him with her seductions?

Passion doesn’t play by the rules and neither should you. Put down what you are reading NOW and grab this book. You will be thrilled that you did.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in the First Reads Giveaways and have to say I really enjoyed it. However, I read a lot of books of this type, Jane Feather, Sabrina Jeffries, etc. I found this to be a wonderful story, with both Julianne and Hawk’s character occasionally pulling at your heart! It is historical romance, Julianne has been in love with Hawk, basically since she was a lonely child . Hawk, along with Aunt Hester are to oversee Julianne’s season in London. However, Hawk is her brother’s best friend, and also has his own emotional baggage. Truly engaging story that has romance, love, rogues, scoundrels, rakes, guilt, family,secrets, passion. Thumbs up – will seek out other books by Vicky!

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made it about half way before it got so ridiculous that I couldn't stand it anymore. Maybe it's just me but I want some romance from this period that rings true. I'm done with the farcical overkill, ya know? SOMEONE GIVE ME A REALISTIC HISTORICAL ROMANCE WHERE THE TON ARE NOT CARICATURES AND DUKES AND EARLS DONT TRAIPSE ARONG LIKE SCHOOL GIRLS! I mean very few people actually rubbed shoulders with the upper ton. They had small numbers back then. It was a big to do. Gah. I give up.

[LorettaLynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories that have Rakes and Rogues *wiggles brows*
I loved how Vicky Dreiling put this story together.
Very sexy and every so Scoundless.
I had a hard time putting it down even to got to bed:)
Great story:):)

Happy Reading

[♥ Sam ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

review at http://shamelessromancereviews.blogsp...

[Gabz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, but there were many times when I put this book away and wasn't necessarily rushing to pick it up again. Not the most captivating story for some reason.

[Zel Polev · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really disappointing read. I thought the awesome heroine and faulty hero from the first book was just their character, now I'm thinking it was more symptomatic of the author's writing. I am really disappointed for having read this book. I really did not like the hero, which was a shame because he seemed great in the first book. Like Julianne, I was disillusioned. Unlike Julianne, I did not fall in love with him.

The story revolves around Julianne, Tristan's younger sister, and Hawk, Tristan's best friend. Julianne had been in love with Hawk ever since she was a young girl. She had romantic fantasies of the two of them falling in love and her life working perfectly. Hawk disabuses her of that notion when he says that he is like a sister to her. She is devastated and swears off Hawk. Unfortunately for her, he sends mixed signals. One minute he is lusting after her, reigniting her hopes, the next, he is searching for a woman to slake his lust, dashing it again. One minute he shows her his vulnerable side, making her heart grow softer, the next, he is showing her his love nest and the bed where he had countless women. I was ready to like this book because I liked the first one. I knew I didn't like Tristan's high-handed manner. I didn't realize it was a common occurrence with the author. Only this time, it was much worse.

I couldn't really sympathize with Julianne. I did not care for her. I felt sorry for her but she kept coming back for no reason. I wanted Hawk to live up to her affections but he couldn't even muster up decency. He was completely unreasonable in his guardianship and it was despicable for someone narrow-minded to have that much power.

The romance was forced in my opinion. The sex scenes seems an over-compensation of the lack of chemistry between the two. Julianne was infatuated with Hawk and had romantic fantasies with the idea of him. Hawk was lusting after her and needed someone who loved him unconditionally. The romance seemed totally off. It felt like they did not know each other. When Hawk finally said he loved her, I just couldn't care.

This book seemed like it didn't know which genre it wanted to belong it. It felt like it dabbled in tragedy but it wasn't overly so to fully cement that. The characters just feel unfinished. The many sex scenes feels like fillers in an ending that couldn't be written satisfactorily.

I also felt that the book wasn't consistent. Julianne would show maturity at times, which feels forced, and the majority would be her immaturity. She seemed very girlish and too entrenched in her ideals to fully see Hawk. She freaks out at his talking to his former mistresses and then does a 180 and feels okay with seeing the bed where Hawk had fucked countless women. Don't even get me started on why Hawk thought it would be okay to do that. It is one thing to accept that it was an innocent conversation, it is quite another to be faced with the women before him. I get that she needs to face his past to do that but the way he went on about it in an accusatory way already spelled doom. He wants her to face the past but he couldn't even bring up the most crucial part as to why he has a stick up his ass. That is why when they finally got together, I just didn't buy their relationship .

I hope Amy's book is a lot better than this.

Story brief:
Julianne gets sponsored by Aunt Hester. Hawk acts as a guardian and becomes overzealous in his efforts. He says he is doing it out of Tristan's friendship but his reasons gets muddied as his feelings enter into it. He feels jealous at times. He wants to rekindle his friendship with Julianne. He does not know his simple remarks wound her. She pines for him. She swears him off. She loves him. She writes a pamphlet. He steals her bonnet. She steals his curricle. He steals a kiss. She acts blase to not scare him. He takes liberties. He pushes her away after she gets too close. She is hurt. He gets drunk. He confesses past hurts. She softens. He swears to be good. She gets her hopes up. He talks to his former mistresses. He takes her to his love nest. He takes her virginity. He regrets it. She sees that he is remorseful and she realizes her mistake. She sobs. He takes her home. The aunt scolds him. He proposes. She gets her hopes up. He does not say he loves her. She refuses. He is upset. He sees his son. He goes back to Julianne. He sees her happy. He does not renew his offer. They go back to Gatewick. They stop at an inn. They make love. She confesses her long-standing infatuation with him. He realizes he loves her. He asks her to marry him. She agrees. They go back. He talks to Tristan. Tess calms Tristan down. He picks up his son for the wedding. The father is dying. Hawk will take over as a guardian.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.


Expected Release Date: July 1, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Author's Website: http://www.vickydreiling.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2
Series Best Read In Order: Probably, but worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy

Lady Julianne Gatewick has always harbored a tendre for her brother's best friend, Marc Darcett, the Earl of Hawkfield. When he's asked by her brother to be her guardian for the season, and then whisks her around the ballroom in a borderline scandalous waltz, she's ecstatic -- that is, until he informs everyone within earshot that she's like a sister to him and therefor in no danger.

Heartbroken and humiliated, she turns to her friends and her (rather wild) aunt and after a few tears and a lot of advice, she decides to write a pamphlet for other women in her situation to give advice on how to even a social playing field where women are expected to be chaste and charming and marry very young, while men are expected to be rakes and wait until the last possible minute to fall into the parson's mousetrap. Called "The Secrets of Seduction", her anonymously penned pamphlet creates a storm of scandal among the ton, and soon everyone is trying to discover her identity, including Marc. Fed up with Marc's admonishments to avoid other rakes, and determined to finally make him see her as a woman rather than an annoying little sister, she asks Marc to teach her the tricks that rakes use for seduction, so that she will be better equipped to recognize and avoid them in others in the future. Little does she know that Marc has been doing everything in his power to avoid his attraction to Julianne, and when you play with fire, you just might get burned...

Overall, this was quite enjoyable. While quite different from the first book in the series, Ms. Dreiling's voice as a writer remains as strong as ever, so that the angst and chemistry between our hero and heroine is everything we've come to expect.

The beautiful pain that Julianne's unrequited love of Marc brings was absolutely wonderful, and the forbidden aspect of their relationship just added to the fun.

Recommended for fans of childhood friends secretly pining for each other, of heroes with pasts so scandalous that they avoid love altogether, and of discovering that together, anything can be overcome.

A very solid 4/5 Stars

[Ruth Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am normally a fan of old-fashioned romances. I tend to enjoy a good Regency romance where the lovers struggle, and the end, everything works out the way you want it to. This book definitely falls into this predictable genre, and was definitely a light, fun read.

The author created two very likeable characters. Hawk steals the show even though he is a rake. I love the fact that we get to see him grow and mature as he comes face to face with his desire for Julianne. I always love the passion that a man like Hawk brings to a story like this. I loved the genuine chemistry and relationship that he and Julianne enjoyed. I always love to see a couple who can play together like they do. I personally think that if a relationship does not have a degree of fun to it that you just may as well give it up. I often think of romances way back in the day were austere and emotionless. I am so grateful for authors like this one who can change that perception.

Thankfully the adult words and mild profanity were not too horrible. I felt like I could basically stomach that since it was not too rampant. Do realize that there may be some offensive language but not nearly as much as many romances I have read this year.

There are really only two things that keep this from being a 4-star rated book, in my opinion. I think that the blossoming romance between Hawk and Julianne is too rushed. But then again, I did not read the first book in the series. The main thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the intimate scenes between the two. Granted, my moral fiber never enjoys the fact that two characters have sex before marrisge. I was glad the intimate scenes were not any more detailed than they were, but I could have done with less detail. In the bedroom, less is always more. (I like the way that sounded!)

In conclusion, I can definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance. I was glad to see some moral fortitude from the characters--Hawk especially.

I won a copy of this book and was not financially compensated for my review. All opinions are 100% mine.

[Lady Krishna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also Posted in: Journey with Books



Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield or mostly known as Hawk is a scoundrel through and through, but he values his friendship with Tristan Garwick, Duke of Shelbourne and that’s why he agreed to take Tristan’s younger sister, Julianne as his ward for the rest of the season while Tristan is with his very pregnant wife in the country. He thought it would be easy! Hawk did not expect to find Julianne a grown woman. Even as a scoundrel, he still has rules, avoid virgins at all cost and to never dally with a friend’s sister and his growing feelings for Julianne is making everything complicated.


Julianne started the season with stars in her eyes. She has always been in love with Hawk. She rejected 12 proposals in the past seasons because she’s been waiting for Hawk. She really believed that Hawk has feeling for her.
Because of one waltz, motions were stirred. Hawk danced with her as if she’s the only woman for him. She thought he’s going to propose right then and there but she was so wrong! Right there he said that she’s like a sister to him. Those words shamed her, hurt and broke her heart to pieces. It took the stars from her eyes.


Feeling like a fool, spurned and rejected, she, with the help of Hawk’s eccentric and bold aunt, wrote a pamphlet on how to seduce a scoundrel for ladies who endlessly wait for scoundrels and rakes to tire of bachelorhood and offer for them.


This is the first Vicki Dreiling I’ve read and I can say that she’s one talented writer who knows how to stir the emotions of the readers. Her characters are fun to read because they seem real. There were times that I loved them and there were times that they frustrated me. I like the pacing of the book because you could see the growths of the main characters were not rushed unlike in other stories that the characters suddenly magically changed. I recommend this Historical Romance to those readers who love their scoundrels fun, witty and steamy!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was funny and sad, if that makes sense. I loved Hawk in How to Marry a Duke (he is Tristan's best friend) and I loved him even more in How To Seduce A Scoundral. Julieanne is Tristan's sister and when he asks Hawk (who is one of the most notorious rakes in London) to act as her guardian for the Season she is thrilled; convinced Hawk will propose. Hawk is appalled by the request and even though he adores Julieanne, everyone knows sisters of best friends are off limits. After a very sensual waltz, Julieanne expects him to ask for her hand and he announces that she is like a sister to him; devastating Julie. She then secretly pens a pamphlet (aided and abetted by not only Hawk's Aunt Hester, but her two best friends Georgette & Amy) on how to entire a rake. I won't say I laughed my way through this book, I didn't. Hawk has some serious issues which obviously are resolved by the end of the book.

***spoiler alert!*** Some of the funniest lines are toward the end of the book when Hawk asks Julie if he can talk dirty to her; really, really dirty. He tells her what he wants and she listens and says,"You prefer dirty words to euphemisms" and he says, "I know lots of dirty words, I can say them in French, if you like. Italian, too." And Julie says, "International dirty words. Oh my!"