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Rothwell Brothers #1
The Rules Of Seduction
Dangerous. Sensual. Handsome as sin. Meet Hayden Rothwell, the shamelessly erotic hero of The Rules of Seduction and author Madeline Hunter’s most irresistible alpha male yet: a man of extraordinary passion and power, a man who can bring out the seductress in any woman.…
He enters her home without warning or invitation–a stranger of shadowy motives and commanding sensuality. Within hours, Alexia Welbourne is penniless, without any hope of marriage. Until Hayden Rothwell takes her to bed. When one impulsive act of passion forces Alexia to marry the very man who has ruined her, Hayden’s seduction of Alexia is nearly complete. What Alexia doesn’t know is that her irresistible new husband is driven by a secret purpose–and a debt of honor he will risk everything to repay. Alexia is the wild card. Reluctant to give up their nightly pleasures, Hayden must find a way to keep Alexia by his side...only to be utterly, thoroughly seduced by a woman who is now playing by her own rules.
He enters her home without warning or invitation–a stranger of shadowy motives and commanding sensuality. Within hours, Alexia Welbourne is penniless, without any hope of marriage. Until Hayden Rothwell takes her to bed. When one impulsive act of passion forces Alexia to marry the very man who has ruined her, Hayden’s seduction of Alexia is nearly complete. What Alexia doesn’t know is that her irresistible new husband is driven by a secret purpose–and a debt of honor he will risk everything to repay. Alexia is the wild card. Reluctant to give up their nightly pleasures, Hayden must find a way to keep Alexia by his side...only to be utterly, thoroughly seduced by a woman who is now playing by her own rules.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
210 people are currently reading
1610 people want to read
About the author
Madeline Hunter
101 books2,105 followersMadeline Hunter is a nationally bestselling author of historical romances who lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. Her books have won two RITA awards and seven nominations, and have had three starred reviews in Publishers Weekly. In a parallel existence to the one she enjoys as a novelist, Madeline has a Ph.D. in art history and teaches at an East Coast university.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
August 22, 2024
4 to 4.5 stars. I really liked this book, even more on rereading. Of all the books I’ve read by this author, this one is my favourite so far.
The writing was excellent. The descriptions and the overall feel of the book weren't cliched, and both Hayden and Alexia were interesting characters who felt quite real. Hayden is my favourite type of HR hero - a serious, clever man of integrity, who when he falls in love, loves deeply. I respected Hayden's sense of honour when he didn't reveal the secrets that were making him look bad, just to protect others. For me he was the best thing about this very enjoyable book.
But I also liked Alexia. I liked her loyalty, and her lasting friendships. Even when the going got tough, she worked to maintain the friendships. She was always real and honest, both with herself and others. Alexia grew past her girlish infatuation for Ben as she grew into a real, lasting woman's love for Hayden. And Hayden slowly realised the feelings he had developed for Alexia were far deeper and more genuine than he ever expected. It was nicely done. I liked the growth shown in both characters.
The plot was interesting, with its secrets, lies, and unexpected twists. Seeing the gradual unfolding and revelations of all of the deceptions kept the plot moving nicely, but it wasn't confusing or draggy. Again, nicely done. Even right to the very end, I did not know what was going to happen or which way events would swing. I liked that it was not a cliched storyline. The shady doings in the world of banking and finance might seem an unlikely theme for a historical romance book, but it worked well. It was believable, and I’m sure such things did happen.
Overall, an excellent read that I recommend.
The writing was excellent. The descriptions and the overall feel of the book weren't cliched, and both Hayden and Alexia were interesting characters who felt quite real. Hayden is my favourite type of HR hero - a serious, clever man of integrity, who when he falls in love, loves deeply. I respected Hayden's sense of honour when he didn't reveal the secrets that were making him look bad, just to protect others. For me he was the best thing about this very enjoyable book.
But I also liked Alexia. I liked her loyalty, and her lasting friendships. Even when the going got tough, she worked to maintain the friendships. She was always real and honest, both with herself and others. Alexia grew past her girlish infatuation for Ben as she grew into a real, lasting woman's love for Hayden. And Hayden slowly realised the feelings he had developed for Alexia were far deeper and more genuine than he ever expected. It was nicely done. I liked the growth shown in both characters.
The plot was interesting, with its secrets, lies, and unexpected twists. Seeing the gradual unfolding and revelations of all of the deceptions kept the plot moving nicely, but it wasn't confusing or draggy. Again, nicely done. Even right to the very end, I did not know what was going to happen or which way events would swing. I liked that it was not a cliched storyline. The shady doings in the world of banking and finance might seem an unlikely theme for a historical romance book, but it worked well. It was believable, and I’m sure such things did happen.
Overall, an excellent read that I recommend.
April 25, 2022
This was a nice story. Which kept me interested, throughout the story. It also had a few twists and turns, for the couple to navigate.
Both Haydon and Alexia were likeable characters. 4.5 stars
Both Haydon and Alexia were likeable characters. 4.5 stars
July 24, 2025
Reread: July 2025 4.5 stars
Original review: Oct 2023 4 stars
Enjoyed this even more the second time around. Hayden Rothwell, mathematical and financial genius, discovers the surviving brother of a childhood friend, the man who saved his life, is committing bank fraud. To keep bank panic from destabilizing the government, Hayden props up the bank and insists the brother, Timothy, liquidates all his personal assets to pay the debt, which forces Timothy and his dependents into poverty and ruin. One of those family members is the beguiling Alexia, who reviles Hayden for unblinkingly destroying her family because the brother, villain that he is, has placed the blame for the disgrace squarely on Hayden’s shoulders, and Hayden has given his word of honor to Timothy that he won’t reveal his embezzlement. The fraud net widens as feelings surface between Hayden and Alexia, with a surprising revelation waiting for both at the end. Might have been 5 stars if the villains hadn’t gone unpunished.
Original review:
This definitely has a more cerebral vibe than the melodramatic blurb implies, but it’s interesting and satisfying nonetheless. I was never quite certain why Hayden agreed to keep Timothy’s embezzlement a secret from his family members, and I wanted to strangle him as the book went on. It’s not like the family was going to go around blurting out the truth to all and sundry. Ugh. What’s a word of honor to a man who has none? But apart from that spurious axle on which the story turns, it was fun to watch two practical people slide into messy emotionalism.
Original review: Oct 2023 4 stars
Enjoyed this even more the second time around. Hayden Rothwell, mathematical and financial genius, discovers the surviving brother of a childhood friend, the man who saved his life, is committing bank fraud. To keep bank panic from destabilizing the government, Hayden props up the bank and insists the brother, Timothy, liquidates all his personal assets to pay the debt, which forces Timothy and his dependents into poverty and ruin. One of those family members is the beguiling Alexia, who reviles Hayden for unblinkingly destroying her family because the brother, villain that he is, has placed the blame for the disgrace squarely on Hayden’s shoulders, and Hayden has given his word of honor to Timothy that he won’t reveal his embezzlement. The fraud net widens as feelings surface between Hayden and Alexia, with a surprising revelation waiting for both at the end. Might have been 5 stars if the villains hadn’t gone unpunished.
Original review:
This definitely has a more cerebral vibe than the melodramatic blurb implies, but it’s interesting and satisfying nonetheless. I was never quite certain why Hayden agreed to keep Timothy’s embezzlement a secret from his family members, and I wanted to strangle him as the book went on. It’s not like the family was going to go around blurting out the truth to all and sundry. Ugh. What’s a word of honor to a man who has none? But apart from that spurious axle on which the story turns, it was fun to watch two practical people slide into messy emotionalism.
October 4, 2021
I find myself very ambivalent about this author.
I read a couple of her books some years ago-The Most Dangerous Duke in London and A Devil of a Duke and find myself reacting in a similar way to this one.
This is book 1 of a different series (Rothwell Brothers) and once again I am struck by the peculiar detachment the author has the MCs displaying in their relationship with each other. There is a lot of introspection, of analysis and almost data collection in their musings about the other person, and the frustrating imbalance in power, (the female is always at a disadvantage, either, socially or financially, or both) that I found in the other books continues here. Perhaps this is deliberate- we know this imbalance was acute in Regency and Georgian England- but it makes for callous, often mercenary but always soberly practical heroes, who happily follow the usual double-standards of the time and rarely succumb to any feelings other than extreme lust. Emotions? Hardly. There is a disturbing lack of concern for the future of the object of their lust and an eager drive to satisfy their own carnal urges whilst furthering their (usually) nefarious plans.
In this book, the hero was a good deal more decent than the usual Hunter heroes, but still started with the idea that an offer to make the heroine his mistress was appropriate given their differing social status. The fact that it would mean a one-way street to ruin for her, and no opportunity for her own marriage or family, just a career as a kept woman, seemed perfectly acceptable.
Eventually, Hayden allows his conscience to consider alternatives, and when he realises - it takes a lo-o-o-ng time, that he is actually in love with Alexia, he becomes a hero worthy of the name: he puts her happiness ahead of his. He is also the first to declare his feelings, which is a nice change.
I felt a great deal of compassion for Alexia- the upper-class female fallen upon hard times with no prospects and no real family to support her. I was surprised that she was happy to sleep with Hayden before any deals were made, given the chance of pregnancy, when she was supposed to be so intelligent. What would Hayden have offered if she were pregnant? That discussion never actually happened. The idea that Alexia considered sleeping with someone who she one not only didn’t love but actually saw as the enemy, was curious- did women think like that in those days? Was hate-sex a thing? (I've never really understood it, anyway). Apparently so, even though she didn’t call it that! Very modern thinking: if men can sleep with women they do not love, why can’t women sleep with men they do not love and to whom they are not married? It seemed out of tune with the way gently-bred girls were reared.
Having said that, the author does not shy away from showing how selfish, immature and shallow rich young men from the upper classes were, when they had nothing to do but seek entertainment all day. By comparison, Hayden being invested in business and banking was interesting. I thought commerce was a dirty word for the upper classes, yet he was quite involved in it. He certainly worked hard, but then I think second sons had to do that.
I will give the next book a shot, as Phaedra sounds like an interesting character, but I would be very surprised if the book elicited much emotion from me, other than frustration. This author cannot seem to pull me in on any level other than intellectual. Not what I am looking for in HR.
I read a couple of her books some years ago-The Most Dangerous Duke in London and A Devil of a Duke and find myself reacting in a similar way to this one.
This is book 1 of a different series (Rothwell Brothers) and once again I am struck by the peculiar detachment the author has the MCs displaying in their relationship with each other. There is a lot of introspection, of analysis and almost data collection in their musings about the other person, and the frustrating imbalance in power, (the female is always at a disadvantage, either, socially or financially, or both) that I found in the other books continues here. Perhaps this is deliberate- we know this imbalance was acute in Regency and Georgian England- but it makes for callous, often mercenary but always soberly practical heroes, who happily follow the usual double-standards of the time and rarely succumb to any feelings other than extreme lust. Emotions? Hardly. There is a disturbing lack of concern for the future of the object of their lust and an eager drive to satisfy their own carnal urges whilst furthering their (usually) nefarious plans.
In this book, the hero was a good deal more decent than the usual Hunter heroes, but still started with the idea that an offer to make the heroine his mistress was appropriate given their differing social status. The fact that it would mean a one-way street to ruin for her, and no opportunity for her own marriage or family, just a career as a kept woman, seemed perfectly acceptable.
Eventually, Hayden allows his conscience to consider alternatives, and when he realises - it takes a lo-o-o-ng time, that he is actually in love with Alexia, he becomes a hero worthy of the name: he puts her happiness ahead of his. He is also the first to declare his feelings, which is a nice change.
I felt a great deal of compassion for Alexia- the upper-class female fallen upon hard times with no prospects and no real family to support her. I was surprised that she was happy to sleep with Hayden before any deals were made, given the chance of pregnancy, when she was supposed to be so intelligent. What would Hayden have offered if she were pregnant? That discussion never actually happened. The idea that Alexia considered sleeping with someone who she one not only didn’t love but actually saw as the enemy, was curious- did women think like that in those days? Was hate-sex a thing? (I've never really understood it, anyway). Apparently so, even though she didn’t call it that! Very modern thinking: if men can sleep with women they do not love, why can’t women sleep with men they do not love and to whom they are not married? It seemed out of tune with the way gently-bred girls were reared.
Having said that, the author does not shy away from showing how selfish, immature and shallow rich young men from the upper classes were, when they had nothing to do but seek entertainment all day. By comparison, Hayden being invested in business and banking was interesting. I thought commerce was a dirty word for the upper classes, yet he was quite involved in it. He certainly worked hard, but then I think second sons had to do that.
I will give the next book a shot, as Phaedra sounds like an interesting character, but I would be very surprised if the book elicited much emotion from me, other than frustration. This author cannot seem to pull me in on any level other than intellectual. Not what I am looking for in HR.
dnf-too-early-to-mark-it-read
July 13, 2025Might be a mood thing
Two things soured the story for me:
➻ The hero running after the heroine, not because he's not ready to let her go, but because the horror of his aunt living with him was too grave to even wait for her to return to the house.
➻ The heroine's loyalty to a family that treated her a step above a nuisance. She's going to sell herself to give them the 'status' they deserve but is deeply saddened her cousin would consider doing the same???? I needed her to have some more self-respect.
Two things soured the story for me:
➻ The hero running after the heroine, not because he's not ready to let her go, but because the horror of his aunt living with him was too grave to even wait for her to return to the house.
➻ The heroine's loyalty to a family that treated her a step above a nuisance. She's going to sell herself to give them the 'status' they deserve but is deeply saddened her cousin would consider doing the same???? I needed her to have some more self-respect.
April 11, 2021
3.5
Nice beginning of a series. It was a lot of financial talk and ruin and how it affects the members of the family. It was an interesting story, but I am not sure I would be as nice and honorable as the hero. I don't agree with his decision in the end and I would at least asked for all the maney back!
Nice beginning of a series. It was a lot of financial talk and ruin and how it affects the members of the family. It was an interesting story, but I am not sure I would be as nice and honorable as the hero. I don't agree with his decision in the end and I would at least asked for all the maney back!
July 12, 2015
The Rules of Seduction is like a heavily tarnished gem; you'd have to look past all its flaws to see its beauty and value. It was just too long and its pacing was too slow that I wouldn't blame those who abandoned it halfway through the story. God knows I nearly did.
But I'm glad I didn't.
Things only picked up at around the 70% marker, but what happened after then was worth the long, agonising wait.
I liked Hayden from the very start, but it was near the end that I really fell for him. He turned out to be such a sweetheart! He was also very honourable, so honourable in fact that he felt bound to protect a old friend--Benjamin--who didn't even deserve to live. Believe me, Ben was such an asshole that it was all I could do not to throw my Kindle against the wall out of spite.
Alexia turned out to be a pretty likeable character, too. She was able to convince me that she deserved Hayden in the end. I was also amused at how this novel showed us her transformation from a wary virgin into a woman who embraced her sensual self. I simply loved her brazenness.
This book was generally good read. I wouldn't read it again, but I would definitely recommend it to other people. It's a very sweet story, the kind that leaves you warm and tingly all over.
Favourite Quotes:
But I'm glad I didn't.
Things only picked up at around the 70% marker, but what happened after then was worth the long, agonising wait.
I liked Hayden from the very start, but it was near the end that I really fell for him. He turned out to be such a sweetheart! He was also very honourable, so honourable in fact that he felt bound to protect a old friend--Benjamin--who didn't even deserve to live. Believe me, Ben was such an asshole that it was all I could do not to throw my Kindle against the wall out of spite.
Alexia turned out to be a pretty likeable character, too. She was able to convince me that she deserved Hayden in the end. I was also amused at how this novel showed us her transformation from a wary virgin into a woman who embraced her sensual self. I simply loved her brazenness.
She was good to her word. Her little seduction became more aggressive. Her kisses and touch were designed to tantalize. She released the robe so he was as naked as she. She allowed his caresses, but she insisted on being the seducer. With increasingly desperate holds and kisses they entwined closer, but her hands moved low between them. There was nothing tentative in how she handled him this time. She had learned how to give pleasure and was merciless.
She broke away from his devouring kiss and looked down at what she did. Then she gazed in his eyes while her hand moved, watching her power. Her lips parted, and the tip of her tongue peeked between her teeth. His erection increased in an instant at that suggestive mouth, and his hunger turned ruthless.
This book was generally good read. I wouldn't read it again, but I would definitely recommend it to other people. It's a very sweet story, the kind that leaves you warm and tingly all over.
Favourite Quotes:
H:“Did her beauty pain you, is that it? Do you assume he loved her more, now that you have seen her face? It does not always work that way. That kind of love is a shallow, brief emotion if there is no character to hold a man’s interest.”
***
“I am relieved you love me, whether it calls forth the girl or the woman,” he said. “It is nice to know I will not have to be a romantic fool alone.”
She stretched up and kissed him. “Never alone, my love. We will be romantic fools together. Forever.”
May 26, 2017
The Rules of Seduction, Madeline Hunter (A) - In keeping with the previous posts, I just finished this Hunter book and loved it. I wanted to read it as I had read Lessons of Desire first, out of order, and so backtracked a bit. I liked this one slightly more than Lessons though both are really good. In general I like that Hunter doesn't shy away from confronting gender politics in her books. Alexia lacks agency as consistent with 19th-century women's predicament, but additionally, she's an impoverished relative living off the good will of her cousins. Hayden exudes a sense of entitlement befitting his sex, social status and wealth. He's high-handed and demanding and could easily have been unlikeable, but he's not! The initial plot that brings them together positions them as enemies as Hayden bankrupts Alexia's relatives and unwittingly puts her virtually out on the streets in search of sustenance. At the eleventh hour he steps in and gives her a position as a governess for his cousin, thus setting into motion their unlikely courtship. The story of a wealthy man courting and seducing a poor woman with little alternatives in life is not my favorite story, but in this case I truly enjoyed the way in which Hunter turns the table on Hayden's presumptions and the story of woman-as-victim. Alexia is no one's victim, least of all her "seducer's" and their relationship is a very compelling and romantic one. This is a book that really takes the time to demonstrate love developing, and the love they have for each other by the end is very believable. Alexia is now one of my favorite female characters.
June 9, 2021
4+ Stars
This was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed her detailed writing and story development. I found the story arc captivating. The romance could be described as a kind of an enemies-love and maybe even a marriage of convenience, which are both favorite tropes of mine. Regardless of the well-known tropes, I thought it was a very unique take on an HR romance, but it was the the details, story momentum, and characterizations that I found even more intriguing. I also loved the surprise twist in the story. It caught me off guard and I think I might have even gasped. This story was anything, but cliched. Overall, distinct and enjoyable.
Note on the audio version: While I predominantly listened to the audio, the narrator had a repetitive cadence to her narration. It was as if she was reading stanzas in poetry and ending each one on an up-note. It was very odd and occasionally distracting. I was able to finish, but if I paid too much attention, it became annoying and I would have to take a break. I'll definitely be noting the name of the narrator to avoid in the future.
June 10, 2020
This first in the series started off slow however picked up and I found myself loving the H/h alot. Very enjoyable story by Ms. Hunter.
October 7, 2022
4 stars. I believe this was my first book by this author and it was so much better than what I was expecting. The reviews are very mediocre… and I think that mostly has to do with some of the elements of the story that were less than ideal. For example, the bad guys really didn’t get punished at all. 😒😒😒. However, the author’s writing style really worked for me, and I did enjoy the romantic elements of this story. The hero, who I wasn’t quite sure about from the start, really won me over by the end. He sometimes acted the lord, but he was definitely a teddy bear inside when it came to the heroine. The heroine had a few moments of stupidity, but overall was smart and practical. I liked these two together a lot, and I especially liked that since they got married mid-story, I could enjoy their ever deepening relationship. I wish this had an epilogue with a baby, but I guess it’s possible that there will be more info about these two in future books.
Safe; virgin heroine, hero experienced but didn’t really strike me as a manwhore, there is some talk of his past mistresses but thankfully it’s pretty limited. Apparently he got his past mistresses to be examined by a doctor before going to bed with them, so I guess this book at least addresses the issues of the time with lack of STD prevention. 👍🏻 There’s no OW drama, but there’s a lot of OM drama because the heroine was in love with her cousin 🥴 who died. She memorialized him in her memory and the hero feels extreme jealousy whenever his name is mentioned. No cheating, no scenes with OM/OW.
Safe; virgin heroine, hero experienced but didn’t really strike me as a manwhore, there is some talk of his past mistresses but thankfully it’s pretty limited. Apparently he got his past mistresses to be examined by a doctor before going to bed with them, so I guess this book at least addresses the issues of the time with lack of STD prevention. 👍🏻 There’s no OW drama, but there’s a lot of OM drama because the heroine was in love with her cousin 🥴 who died. She memorialized him in her memory and the hero feels extreme jealousy whenever his name is mentioned. No cheating, no scenes with OM/OW.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2014
I haven’t read many books by this author, and judging from various reviews I’ve seen, she can be a bit hit-and-miss for many, but I enjoyed this, and was particularly impressed with the way she utilises a specific historical event (the stock market crash of 1825) to provide both background detail and impetus for her story.
Lord Hayden Rothwell, brother of the eccentric Marquess of Easterbrook is a highly successful and skilled financier, as well as being a mathematical genius on the quiet. He is a man who keeps himself tightly controlled and is not subject to whim or impulse; everything he does is carefully considered and calculated, which has earned him a fearsome reputation in both high society and in financial circles.
Several years previously he, like many of his peers, travelled to Greece to fight in the war of independence against Turkey. Were it not for the actions of his friend, Benjamin Longworth, Hayden would have been killed – and that debt of honour is one that Hayden holds sacred, even four years after Benjamin’s death at sea. Because of that debt, Hayden now finds himself in an impossible situation, having discovered that Benjamin’s brother, Timothy, has been embezzling funds from the bank in which both he and Ben were partners. Hayden has no alternative but to confront Longworth with his knowledge; but owing Ben his life means he is not willing to throw Longworth to the wolves. He comes up with a way for Longworth to avoid the gallows – but it will mean repaying as much of the missing money as he can and then learning to live within his now meagre means.
Bound by his word never to reveal the truth to Longworth’s sisters and the impoverished cousin who lives with them, Hayden has to endure the misplaced enmity of the entire Longworth household. It’s not that he cares overmuch, even when rumour begins to circulate that he deliberately ruined the family, but it’s an inconvenience, especially when Hayden finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the Longworths’ cousin, Alexia Welbourne. He is impressed by her dignity even as she makes clear her dislike and disdain, and he can’t help rising to the tempting bait she presents, sensing that beneath her controlled exterior, she’s seething with frustration and unable to help thinking of other ways he would like to rouse her passions.
Alexia can’t deny that Hayden is a very handsome man, and against her will and better judgement she is attracted to him. But she is convinced it is a transient thing, and instead still clings to the memory of Ben, with whom she was in love. Before leaving for Greece, he had – she believes – promised to marry her, although he didn’t actually propose. He had no such intentions, of course, but she has remained unaware of that, and is clearly more in love with Ben’s memory and the idea of being in love, than she was with the man himself.
Realising that her cousins’ impoverished state means Alexia will not be able to continue to live with them, he arranges for her to take a position as his aunt’s companion and governess to his cousin who is to make her début this season. As the ladies will be taking up residence in the Longworth’s former home, Alexia will not have to leave or try to find other employment.
Because of his aunt’s demands that he dance attendance upon her and his cousin, Hayden is often in company with Alexia. He’s well aware that his aunt has designs upon him on her daughter’s behalf, but he’s interested only in Alexia and is prepared to put up with his relations in order to spend time with her. His continued presence makes her feel rather uncomfortable because she is starting to find much in him to admire, and to more than like the way he makes her feel when he kisses her. She can’t understand it – how can she feel such an intense attraction to a man she doesn’t even like?
After passionate kisses turn suddenly and unexpectedly into lovemaking, Alexia believes Hayden intends to make her his mistress. She decides to be practical and accept his offer of carte blanche with the intention of putting aside enough money and jewellery to support her comfortably after he leaves her and to offer her cousins what help they will accept.
She is stunned to receive an offer of marriage instead.
She knows that this will cause a serious breach between her and her cousins, who are her only family; yet Hayden is offering her a comfortable life, and one filled with passion for as long as they want it, for neither of them can deny the intensity of the sexual pleasure they experienced together. Prepared to live in a marriage of convenience in which both partners lead separate lives, Alexia can’t ignore the small voice at the back of her mind telling her that when her husband eventually strays from her bed, it will hurt like the devil.
While there are elements of miscommunication in the story, they don’t reach the level of the silly Big Misunderstanding, the sole existence of which is to provide easily resolvable conflict. There are issues between Hayden and Alexia that take time to resolve, it’s true, but for the most part they DO talk honestly. There is one important exception, however, which is Hayden’s request to Alexia early on that there should only ever be the two of them in their bed. He means it mostly as a reference to Ben, as he believes that although Alexia is a passionate and very willing bed-mate, she is still carrying a torch for his old friend; but she interprets it very literally, and never speaks of her problems in the bedroom, often reminding Hayden of his request on those occasions he asks what is troubling her.
While I do have a few minor quibbles about the book as a whole, the storyline is very well put-together both in terms of the romance and the plot concerning Hayden’s following of the money-trail as he tries to work out exactly who stole what and what happened to the money. There’s a brilliant and unexpected twist towards the end, which I didn’t see coming, but which, looking back on it, is subtly signposted.
The characterisation of both leads is very good, and there is plenty of chemistry between them. I liked that they actually talk to each other quite a lot, and especially enjoyed the way that Ms Hunter allows the romance to build slowly. Hayden is a delicious hero – tall, dark and handsome of course, but he’s also defined by an air of competence and a deep intensity and sensuality that make a heady cocktail! Alexia is practical and intelligent, and while there were times I didn’t agree with her actions, they nonetheless made sense within the terms of the plot. She resists her attraction to Hayden while he is determined to foster it – and in doing to, he falls hard and has to learn to accept that there are some things he can’t control. But he is also considerate and never treats his wife with anything other than respect – he values her opinions and her spirit, and is sensible of the fact that she needs to make her own decisions about him. With time, Alexia comes to see that her new husband is a man of honour and integrity, and to finally have her suspicions that perhaps the Longworths’ ruin was not his fault.
The Rules of Seduction is an enjoyable read featuring a well-developed love story set against a very intriguing historical background. There are three more books in the series, which I certainly intend to check out at some point on the strength of this one.
Lord Hayden Rothwell, brother of the eccentric Marquess of Easterbrook is a highly successful and skilled financier, as well as being a mathematical genius on the quiet. He is a man who keeps himself tightly controlled and is not subject to whim or impulse; everything he does is carefully considered and calculated, which has earned him a fearsome reputation in both high society and in financial circles.
Several years previously he, like many of his peers, travelled to Greece to fight in the war of independence against Turkey. Were it not for the actions of his friend, Benjamin Longworth, Hayden would have been killed – and that debt of honour is one that Hayden holds sacred, even four years after Benjamin’s death at sea. Because of that debt, Hayden now finds himself in an impossible situation, having discovered that Benjamin’s brother, Timothy, has been embezzling funds from the bank in which both he and Ben were partners. Hayden has no alternative but to confront Longworth with his knowledge; but owing Ben his life means he is not willing to throw Longworth to the wolves. He comes up with a way for Longworth to avoid the gallows – but it will mean repaying as much of the missing money as he can and then learning to live within his now meagre means.
Bound by his word never to reveal the truth to Longworth’s sisters and the impoverished cousin who lives with them, Hayden has to endure the misplaced enmity of the entire Longworth household. It’s not that he cares overmuch, even when rumour begins to circulate that he deliberately ruined the family, but it’s an inconvenience, especially when Hayden finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the Longworths’ cousin, Alexia Welbourne. He is impressed by her dignity even as she makes clear her dislike and disdain, and he can’t help rising to the tempting bait she presents, sensing that beneath her controlled exterior, she’s seething with frustration and unable to help thinking of other ways he would like to rouse her passions.
Alexia can’t deny that Hayden is a very handsome man, and against her will and better judgement she is attracted to him. But she is convinced it is a transient thing, and instead still clings to the memory of Ben, with whom she was in love. Before leaving for Greece, he had – she believes – promised to marry her, although he didn’t actually propose. He had no such intentions, of course, but she has remained unaware of that, and is clearly more in love with Ben’s memory and the idea of being in love, than she was with the man himself.
Realising that her cousins’ impoverished state means Alexia will not be able to continue to live with them, he arranges for her to take a position as his aunt’s companion and governess to his cousin who is to make her début this season. As the ladies will be taking up residence in the Longworth’s former home, Alexia will not have to leave or try to find other employment.
Because of his aunt’s demands that he dance attendance upon her and his cousin, Hayden is often in company with Alexia. He’s well aware that his aunt has designs upon him on her daughter’s behalf, but he’s interested only in Alexia and is prepared to put up with his relations in order to spend time with her. His continued presence makes her feel rather uncomfortable because she is starting to find much in him to admire, and to more than like the way he makes her feel when he kisses her. She can’t understand it – how can she feel such an intense attraction to a man she doesn’t even like?
After passionate kisses turn suddenly and unexpectedly into lovemaking, Alexia believes Hayden intends to make her his mistress. She decides to be practical and accept his offer of carte blanche with the intention of putting aside enough money and jewellery to support her comfortably after he leaves her and to offer her cousins what help they will accept.
She is stunned to receive an offer of marriage instead.
She knows that this will cause a serious breach between her and her cousins, who are her only family; yet Hayden is offering her a comfortable life, and one filled with passion for as long as they want it, for neither of them can deny the intensity of the sexual pleasure they experienced together. Prepared to live in a marriage of convenience in which both partners lead separate lives, Alexia can’t ignore the small voice at the back of her mind telling her that when her husband eventually strays from her bed, it will hurt like the devil.
While there are elements of miscommunication in the story, they don’t reach the level of the silly Big Misunderstanding, the sole existence of which is to provide easily resolvable conflict. There are issues between Hayden and Alexia that take time to resolve, it’s true, but for the most part they DO talk honestly. There is one important exception, however, which is Hayden’s request to Alexia early on that there should only ever be the two of them in their bed. He means it mostly as a reference to Ben, as he believes that although Alexia is a passionate and very willing bed-mate, she is still carrying a torch for his old friend; but she interprets it very literally, and never speaks of her problems in the bedroom, often reminding Hayden of his request on those occasions he asks what is troubling her.
While I do have a few minor quibbles about the book as a whole, the storyline is very well put-together both in terms of the romance and the plot concerning Hayden’s following of the money-trail as he tries to work out exactly who stole what and what happened to the money. There’s a brilliant and unexpected twist towards the end, which I didn’t see coming, but which, looking back on it, is subtly signposted.
The characterisation of both leads is very good, and there is plenty of chemistry between them. I liked that they actually talk to each other quite a lot, and especially enjoyed the way that Ms Hunter allows the romance to build slowly. Hayden is a delicious hero – tall, dark and handsome of course, but he’s also defined by an air of competence and a deep intensity and sensuality that make a heady cocktail! Alexia is practical and intelligent, and while there were times I didn’t agree with her actions, they nonetheless made sense within the terms of the plot. She resists her attraction to Hayden while he is determined to foster it – and in doing to, he falls hard and has to learn to accept that there are some things he can’t control. But he is also considerate and never treats his wife with anything other than respect – he values her opinions and her spirit, and is sensible of the fact that she needs to make her own decisions about him. With time, Alexia comes to see that her new husband is a man of honour and integrity, and to finally have her suspicions that perhaps the Longworths’ ruin was not his fault.
The Rules of Seduction is an enjoyable read featuring a well-developed love story set against a very intriguing historical background. There are three more books in the series, which I certainly intend to check out at some point on the strength of this one.
July 2, 2016
Mais uma vez esta autora não desilude. Os meus agradecimentos à editora ASA pela excelente aposta nesta autora e pelo cuidado na tradução (realizado por Isabel Alves).
No entanto é de lamentar que a editora tenha optado por não publicar esta tetralogia pela ordem correcta.
***********************************************
Desta vez acompanhamos uma jovem mulher, Alexia Welbourne, cujo destino lhe ditou que perdesse a fortuna e o estatuto devido a maus negócios por parte de seu pai. Desta feita, Alexia tem apenas uma opção que é contactar os seus primos na esperança que eles a acolham em sua casa.
A partir daí, a sua vida dá muitas voltas e Alexia vê uma nova ruína financeira ao seu alcance, mas desta vez trata-se da desgraça dos primos que tão generosamente (ou talvez não...) a acolheram.
Como única solução que permita a sua sobrevivência, Alexia vê, pela segunda vez na sua vida, o seu estatuto social baixar novamente e é obrigada a trabalhar como preceptora na mesma casa onde apenas alguns dias atrás vivia confortavelmente.
Mas existe alguém como outras intenções em relação a Alexia. Intenções essas que irão transformá-la numa mulher demasiado conhecedora dos infortúnios que a vida pode oferecer.
****************************************************
Este já é o segundo livro desta autora que leio, e confesso que o devorei com prazer!
De leitura fácil e viciante, o livro tem de tudo (traições, paixões, enganos, segredos, ciúmes, crueldade, roubos, mortes mal explicadas, estranhos desaparecimentos,...).
Este livro contém também cenas eróticas entre as duas personagens principais que para a época - finais do século XVIII - eram demasiado ousadas. Mas a autora, inteligentemente conseguiu descrever os actos de forma a que o leitor sinta que é completamente plausível.
Além disso, gosto quando as personagens (principalmente as femininas) são de carácter forte e decidido e lutam pelo que acreditam. Tais são as personagens criadas por Madeline Hunter. Os conflitos sociais e emocionais e as lutas entre vontades levam a que me sinta espicaçada a ler mais e mais. Apenas fiquei algo triste de não ter já o outro livro para lê-lo já de seguida.
Uma boa aposta. Uma excelente leitura.
E já agora um recado para a ASA: "Quero mais desta autora!"
No entanto é de lamentar que a editora tenha optado por não publicar esta tetralogia pela ordem correcta.
***********************************************
Desta vez acompanhamos uma jovem mulher, Alexia Welbourne, cujo destino lhe ditou que perdesse a fortuna e o estatuto devido a maus negócios por parte de seu pai. Desta feita, Alexia tem apenas uma opção que é contactar os seus primos na esperança que eles a acolham em sua casa.
A partir daí, a sua vida dá muitas voltas e Alexia vê uma nova ruína financeira ao seu alcance, mas desta vez trata-se da desgraça dos primos que tão generosamente (ou talvez não...) a acolheram.
Como única solução que permita a sua sobrevivência, Alexia vê, pela segunda vez na sua vida, o seu estatuto social baixar novamente e é obrigada a trabalhar como preceptora na mesma casa onde apenas alguns dias atrás vivia confortavelmente.
Mas existe alguém como outras intenções em relação a Alexia. Intenções essas que irão transformá-la numa mulher demasiado conhecedora dos infortúnios que a vida pode oferecer.
****************************************************
Este já é o segundo livro desta autora que leio, e confesso que o devorei com prazer!
De leitura fácil e viciante, o livro tem de tudo (traições, paixões, enganos, segredos, ciúmes, crueldade, roubos, mortes mal explicadas, estranhos desaparecimentos,...).
Este livro contém também cenas eróticas entre as duas personagens principais que para a época - finais do século XVIII - eram demasiado ousadas. Mas a autora, inteligentemente conseguiu descrever os actos de forma a que o leitor sinta que é completamente plausível.
Além disso, gosto quando as personagens (principalmente as femininas) são de carácter forte e decidido e lutam pelo que acreditam. Tais são as personagens criadas por Madeline Hunter. Os conflitos sociais e emocionais e as lutas entre vontades levam a que me sinta espicaçada a ler mais e mais. Apenas fiquei algo triste de não ter já o outro livro para lê-lo já de seguida.
Uma boa aposta. Uma excelente leitura.
E já agora um recado para a ASA: "Quero mais desta autora!"
March 19, 2020
I woke up this morning and thought-- I am looking for a certain type of book, with a certain type of hero. Not too much of a rake, competent, capable, caring without being a pushover. Also, capable heroine who's not feisty. What does that leave me with? Why, Madeline Hunter of course. I had Rules of Seduction in my TBR pile for weeks, so now seemed like the right time to metaphorically dust it off.
To put it in trope terms, this is an enemies to lovers romance. Alexia is an impoverished woman who's convinced that Hayden has ruined her extended family's fortunes. She accepts a position as governess to his cousin, because she's out of options. He seduces her (ugh), but then shockingly decides to marry her. So far, I've revealed nothing of the plot you wouldn't read in the cover blurb. Of course what happens next is delicious, complicated and gradual. They fall in love. She begins to unravel the truth behind what actually happened to her family's fortune.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the contrast between Alexia's memories of her late cousin whom she loved (Ben) and Hayden. Ben is light, laughter, joy. Hayden is steady, capable, kind but no pushover. I'm a big believer in the steady, capable guy being the right one. Apparently Hunter does too, because that's the contrast she goes for.
Good plot, beautifully written characters, love scenes that get progressively sexier and yet more romantic. Huh.
Plots and characters can get repetitive. Everyone of the men is rich with unhappy parents. The women are impoverished, unbowed and suffer deeply for the terrible laws and social structures they inhabit. And yet, when well written, you can see the diamonds among the glass. This is a diamond of a book, and I'm glad I own it.
To put it in trope terms, this is an enemies to lovers romance. Alexia is an impoverished woman who's convinced that Hayden has ruined her extended family's fortunes. She accepts a position as governess to his cousin, because she's out of options. He seduces her (ugh), but then shockingly decides to marry her. So far, I've revealed nothing of the plot you wouldn't read in the cover blurb. Of course what happens next is delicious, complicated and gradual. They fall in love. She begins to unravel the truth behind what actually happened to her family's fortune.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the contrast between Alexia's memories of her late cousin whom she loved (Ben) and Hayden. Ben is light, laughter, joy. Hayden is steady, capable, kind but no pushover. I'm a big believer in the steady, capable guy being the right one. Apparently Hunter does too, because that's the contrast she goes for.
Good plot, beautifully written characters, love scenes that get progressively sexier and yet more romantic. Huh.
Plots and characters can get repetitive. Everyone of the men is rich with unhappy parents. The women are impoverished, unbowed and suffer deeply for the terrible laws and social structures they inhabit. And yet, when well written, you can see the diamonds among the glass. This is a diamond of a book, and I'm glad I own it.
June 7, 2024
It was okay. Not a book I would reread since nothing really stood out to bother me nor left a lasting impression. I suppose the criminals
The romance was all right. Definitely a slow burn, which would have bored me. I must have been in the mood for the change of pace, or perhaps the writing was just that good! They interact a lot since she works for him. He hired her as a governess and a companion for his cousin and aunt, respectively.
I do wish I got to know his brothers a little more. It’s mentioned that he and his brothers have these quirks (for a lack of a better word). He’s very good with numbers, his youngest brother enjoys hiding in the library being surrounded by books, and I can’t remember if they said anything about the eldest brother. I didn’t catch if it was ever fully explored why they behave the way they do.
The romance was all right. Definitely a slow burn, which would have bored me. I must have been in the mood for the change of pace, or perhaps the writing was just that good! They interact a lot since she works for him. He hired her as a governess and a companion for his cousin and aunt, respectively.
I do wish I got to know his brothers a little more. It’s mentioned that he and his brothers have these quirks (for a lack of a better word). He’s very good with numbers, his youngest brother enjoys hiding in the library being surrounded by books, and I can’t remember if they said anything about the eldest brother. I didn’t catch if it was ever fully explored why they behave the way they do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 14, 2023
Meh. A hero who seduces the heroine, his cousin's governess (but don't call her that because 'I'm genteel, not a servant!') on the attic floor and then reluctantly decides he might as well offer marriage.
Their whole relationship just felt very mechanical to me, and Hunter's dry writing style didn't help. I found myself far more interested in the slow-moving mystery subplot than the anaemic romance.
Their whole relationship just felt very mechanical to me, and Hunter's dry writing style didn't help. I found myself far more interested in the slow-moving mystery subplot than the anaemic romance.
February 18, 2021
The stock market crash of 1825... I didn't know much about it before this book but I admit to looking it up so I could understand some of the conflicts going on throughout this story. Romance was forefront and I really liked this couple, they were complex and very alike in loyalty although their denial about feelings and honesty was great and added layers to the story, near the end I was screaming for Hayden just to tell Alexia the truth about Ben and Tim.
Great writing!
Great writing!
did-not-finish
November 11, 2022DNF 10%. No rating. I’m just really bored with this. The narration is good but I just think I’m not in the mood for a slow paced, 500 page historical. Might come back to it later. I downloaded the whole series so, odds are good.
March 26, 2010
Hmmm... Not sure of this one.
It started out promising, than diverted to your typical tall, dark and brooding rogue, seducing an innocent, down on her luck, lady of good breeding. Oh and let's not forget she isn't your typical english rose, but rather plain, and firmly on the shelf....
Original? Not so much.
I will admit, 3/4 of the way through, it captivated me. There was a rather intelligent twist, that I didn't see coming. (Which is annoying, as I pride myself on my ability to guess the secrets, thought to be cleverly hidden in the background).. This time though, it managed to elude me.
Hayden and Alexia, are a great couple however, with awesome chemistry. And of course Madeline Hunter know's how to write amazing love scenes, that never fail to fog up the lenses in my glasses.
It was greatly written, as I have discovered this Author never fails in that..(Thus far..)
Maybe it was my mood, Who Knows?
What I do know, is that this was a 1 1/2 - 2 star book for me at first.. The last 80 pages or so redeemed it for me.
It started out promising, than diverted to your typical tall, dark and brooding rogue, seducing an innocent, down on her luck, lady of good breeding. Oh and let's not forget she isn't your typical english rose, but rather plain, and firmly on the shelf....
Original? Not so much.
I will admit, 3/4 of the way through, it captivated me. There was a rather intelligent twist, that I didn't see coming. (Which is annoying, as I pride myself on my ability to guess the secrets, thought to be cleverly hidden in the background).. This time though, it managed to elude me.
Hayden and Alexia, are a great couple however, with awesome chemistry. And of course Madeline Hunter know's how to write amazing love scenes, that never fail to fog up the lenses in my glasses.
It was greatly written, as I have discovered this Author never fails in that..(Thus far..)
Maybe it was my mood, Who Knows?
What I do know, is that this was a 1 1/2 - 2 star book for me at first.. The last 80 pages or so redeemed it for me.
October 23, 2016
PT
4,5
The historical rigour is great, the sceneries are lovely, the writter is amazing*. And Alexia and Hayden themselves, they're delicious! He's an honorable nobleman, after his brother, the Marquis of Easterbrook. Alexia was receiving their families support after facing destituion. Hayden, who discovers a major fraude made by Alexia's cousin, decides to take measures himself, and those include confiscating all their possessions. While her family is forced to leave London, Alexia is offered a position as the chaperonne of Hayden's aunt and daughter. Of course there's a imperious desire between those two, but what's really well explored is the way Alexia fights a battle between virtue and surrender. Also, the story behind Alexia's old engagement with a dead fellow of Hayden, at sea, is very well developped. I recomend to anyone who appreciates a good storyline, remarkable characters and enduring romance.
--------------------------
PT
4,5
O rigor histórico é óptimo, os cenários encantadores; a escritora é muito boa**. A Alexia e o Hayden são deliciosos! Ele é um nobre honrado, tal como o seu irmão mais velho, o Marquês de Easterbrook. A Alexia recebia o apoio dos familiares após ter sido destituída de tudo o que tinha. Hayden, que descobre a fraude levada a cabo pelo primo da Alexia, decide tomar medidas, que incluem confiscar-lhe todos os bens. Enquanto a família dela é obrigada a deixar Londres, ele oferece-lhe uma posição de acompanhante da sua tia e prima. Claro que há um desejo imperioso entre ambos, mas bem explorado no modo como ela luta entre a virtude e a capitulação. A história por detrás do noivado da Alexia com um falecido companheiro do Hayden, na marinha, também está bem desenvolvida. Recomendo a quem aprecia um bom enredo, personagens marcantes e romance.
-------------POST REVIEW NOTES 23/10/16
*Soon after, I came to notice that she doesn't has much improvement, she keeps rewritting the same script so I gave up on reading Mrs Hunter.
**Pouco depois, apercebi-me de que não há muita reinvenção, a autora limita-se a reescrever o mesmo enredo, pelo que desisti da senhora Hunter.
4,5
The historical rigour is great, the sceneries are lovely, the writter is amazing*. And Alexia and Hayden themselves, they're delicious! He's an honorable nobleman, after his brother, the Marquis of Easterbrook. Alexia was receiving their families support after facing destituion. Hayden, who discovers a major fraude made by Alexia's cousin, decides to take measures himself, and those include confiscating all their possessions. While her family is forced to leave London, Alexia is offered a position as the chaperonne of Hayden's aunt and daughter. Of course there's a imperious desire between those two, but what's really well explored is the way Alexia fights a battle between virtue and surrender. Also, the story behind Alexia's old engagement with a dead fellow of Hayden, at sea, is very well developped. I recomend to anyone who appreciates a good storyline, remarkable characters and enduring romance.
--------------------------
PT
4,5
O rigor histórico é óptimo, os cenários encantadores; a escritora é muito boa**. A Alexia e o Hayden são deliciosos! Ele é um nobre honrado, tal como o seu irmão mais velho, o Marquês de Easterbrook. A Alexia recebia o apoio dos familiares após ter sido destituída de tudo o que tinha. Hayden, que descobre a fraude levada a cabo pelo primo da Alexia, decide tomar medidas, que incluem confiscar-lhe todos os bens. Enquanto a família dela é obrigada a deixar Londres, ele oferece-lhe uma posição de acompanhante da sua tia e prima. Claro que há um desejo imperioso entre ambos, mas bem explorado no modo como ela luta entre a virtude e a capitulação. A história por detrás do noivado da Alexia com um falecido companheiro do Hayden, na marinha, também está bem desenvolvida. Recomendo a quem aprecia um bom enredo, personagens marcantes e romance.
-------------POST REVIEW NOTES 23/10/16
*Soon after, I came to notice that she doesn't has much improvement, she keeps rewritting the same script so I gave up on reading Mrs Hunter.
**Pouco depois, apercebi-me de que não há muita reinvenção, a autora limita-se a reescrever o mesmo enredo, pelo que desisti da senhora Hunter.
March 19, 2009
The best thing about this book was the ending. The two main characters, Hayden and Alexia, are happy and in love as the story ends but the journey to get to that ending is plodding and tedious. Throughout the novel, Alexia blames Hayden for the ruination of her family and he is honor bound not to tell her the truth; that her two cousins, one of which she was in love with, are criminals. Throughout the plot the couple wonders if the other hates them and it is not until the very last pages that they decide that they love each other and everything turns out for the best. If I had to choose my two biggest complaints of the novel it would be these: first, there was no humor whatsoever in the novel and secondly, that there was no real buildup to their relationship, he "ruined" her and they married. Overall, I did not enjoy the book but I continued through the end hoping that it would get better. Unfortunately it did not.
November 18, 2009
Quickie Review of The Rules of Seduction by Madeline Hunter
I attended a fantastic workshop at the New Jersey RWA conference this October, which addressed the importance of conflict in romance. Madeline Hunter gave the kicky-ass lecture, and made me curious about her own novels. So, I had a nice little chat with her at the book sale, and purchased The Rules of Seduction, a historical romance. It has a no-nonsense heroine with violet eyes (like it!), a tortured, mathematically brilliant hero (love it!), several fascinating brothers promising more cool stories in the series (always a big plus for moi), a nice conflict complete with a big surprise at the end (didn't see that one coming!), and very intriguing love scenes, beautifully written and powerfully emotional. I really am digging Madeline Hunter's love scenes. I definitely recommend it, and I already ordered another one in the series, The Sins of Lord Easterbrook.
Grade: B+
I attended a fantastic workshop at the New Jersey RWA conference this October, which addressed the importance of conflict in romance. Madeline Hunter gave the kicky-ass lecture, and made me curious about her own novels. So, I had a nice little chat with her at the book sale, and purchased The Rules of Seduction, a historical romance. It has a no-nonsense heroine with violet eyes (like it!), a tortured, mathematically brilliant hero (love it!), several fascinating brothers promising more cool stories in the series (always a big plus for moi), a nice conflict complete with a big surprise at the end (didn't see that one coming!), and very intriguing love scenes, beautifully written and powerfully emotional. I really am digging Madeline Hunter's love scenes. I definitely recommend it, and I already ordered another one in the series, The Sins of Lord Easterbrook.
Grade: B+
June 15, 2021
One of my favourite couples, wonderful H falling in love long before the h. She couldn't bring herself to like him even though he treated her as his queen. It has a complex plot, with interesting family members, theft, blackmail and lost loves. She seemed powerless at first, but her exceptional intelligence shines through and brings the H to his knees. He too is brilliant, and her perfect match. Their story has more steam than I expected, and some sweet angst. Beautifully written.
August 1, 2013
Author: Madeline Hunter
First published: November 2006
Length: 404 pages, 5324 kindle locations
Setting: Late Georgian (George IV) / Pre Victoria. Around 1825 (see below).
Sex: Reasonably explicit. Caring. Intimate.
Hero: Has a gift for numbers, and an obsession for them. Gets lost in his calculations.
Heroine: Fallen from grace - was once a lord's daughter, became a penniless cousin, and finally a companion/governess.
Includes: Excerpt from "The Lessons of Desire" by Madeline Hunter.
So we know going in this is a miscommunication book - the main relationship conflict will be based on her assumption of what he's like based on a false understanding of his actions and his refusal to explain.
Even given that level of artifice and forced conflict, I liked it. They didn't fall immediately In Love. They understood each other. They accepted their lives and how the cards had fallen. It was interesting, believeable, and admirable. And they have an HEA that we know will work because they want it to.
A really interesting start to a linked group of books. An author with a good grasp of her history and respect for her characters as they find their way in that world.
Definitely worth reading.
Time:
When an author does not give me the year to place the book, it can be entertaining to try and work it out myself. Especially an author who enjoys folding her history with the narrative. As I follow the crumbs I find some little historical trivia.
So, when was "The Rules of Seduction" set? 1825.
Chapter 1 refers to Benjamin Longworth and "Byron" having died during "the Greek cause against Turkey" p.7, loc.115. This references Greek War of Independence or Greek Revolution, 1821-1832. The poet, Lord Byron, died in 1824 (post Regency, pre Victorian).
A turning point for our characters, and particularly Alexia's soon-to-be-impoverished cousins, is a collapse of the banks in London. A stock market crash (including the fabricated investments surrounding Poyais and Gregor MacGregor to which Hayden refers (p.41, loc.561) led to The Panic of 1825.
The Rothwell Series:
Book 1 The Rules of Seduction - Hayden Rothwell and Alexia Welbourne
Book 2 Lessons of Desire - Elliot Rothwell and Phaedra Blair
Book 3 Secrets of Surrender - Roselyn Longworth and Kyle Bradwell
Book 4 The Sins of Lord Easterbrook - Leona Montgomery and Christian, Marquess of Easterbrook
References:
Madeline Hunter's website: http://www.madelinehunter.com
Various links to W'pedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
(ISBN 9780553903119)
-CR-
First published: November 2006
Length: 404 pages, 5324 kindle locations
Setting: Late Georgian (George IV) / Pre Victoria. Around 1825 (see below).
Sex: Reasonably explicit. Caring. Intimate.
Hero: Has a gift for numbers, and an obsession for them. Gets lost in his calculations.
Heroine: Fallen from grace - was once a lord's daughter, became a penniless cousin, and finally a companion/governess.
Includes: Excerpt from "The Lessons of Desire" by Madeline Hunter.
So we know going in this is a miscommunication book - the main relationship conflict will be based on her assumption of what he's like based on a false understanding of his actions and his refusal to explain.
Even given that level of artifice and forced conflict, I liked it. They didn't fall immediately In Love. They understood each other. They accepted their lives and how the cards had fallen. It was interesting, believeable, and admirable. And they have an HEA that we know will work because they want it to.
A really interesting start to a linked group of books. An author with a good grasp of her history and respect for her characters as they find their way in that world.
Definitely worth reading.
Time:
When an author does not give me the year to place the book, it can be entertaining to try and work it out myself. Especially an author who enjoys folding her history with the narrative. As I follow the crumbs I find some little historical trivia.
So, when was "The Rules of Seduction" set? 1825.
Chapter 1 refers to Benjamin Longworth and "Byron" having died during "the Greek cause against Turkey" p.7, loc.115. This references Greek War of Independence or Greek Revolution, 1821-1832. The poet, Lord Byron, died in 1824 (post Regency, pre Victorian).
A turning point for our characters, and particularly Alexia's soon-to-be-impoverished cousins, is a collapse of the banks in London. A stock market crash (including the fabricated investments surrounding Poyais and Gregor MacGregor to which Hayden refers (p.41, loc.561) led to The Panic of 1825.
The Rothwell Series:
Book 1 The Rules of Seduction - Hayden Rothwell and Alexia Welbourne
Book 2 Lessons of Desire - Elliot Rothwell and Phaedra Blair
Book 3 Secrets of Surrender - Roselyn Longworth and Kyle Bradwell
Book 4 The Sins of Lord Easterbrook - Leona Montgomery and Christian, Marquess of Easterbrook
References:
Madeline Hunter's website: http://www.madelinehunter.com
Various links to W'pedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
(ISBN 9780553903119)
-CR-
December 9, 2011
Um livro cheio de romance e erotismo, em que Madeline Hunter nos apresenta, como muito bem sabe, as regras da boa etiqueta dentro e fora da cama.
O que mais gosto nesta escritora é que ela nos transporta para a vida das personagens e nos faz querer acompanhar cada minuto desta.
À semelhança de Nora Roberts, esta autora pode pecar por dar tanto protagonismo ao casal principal, mas este facto é muitas vezes o que mais nos cativa, principalmente para quem gosta deste género de escrita e de história.
É o primeiro livro de uma sequência independente, em que podemos lê-los por ordem ou não, mas que não vamos conseguir largar até que não haja mais nenhum para devorar.
Tal como nos Jogos de Sedução (que acabei por ler primeiro), aqui também Alexia e Hayden vão se conhecendo, tanto a nível psicológico, como físico e familiar.
Continuo a achar que o ponto forte da escritora é sem dúvida o facto de cada personagem ter os seus próprios segredos e os resolver, no mínimo parcialmente, sem a intromissão do outro - o que traduz um planeamento que torna o livro muito mais interessante e menos óbvio.
O que mais gosto nesta escritora é que ela nos transporta para a vida das personagens e nos faz querer acompanhar cada minuto desta.
À semelhança de Nora Roberts, esta autora pode pecar por dar tanto protagonismo ao casal principal, mas este facto é muitas vezes o que mais nos cativa, principalmente para quem gosta deste género de escrita e de história.
É o primeiro livro de uma sequência independente, em que podemos lê-los por ordem ou não, mas que não vamos conseguir largar até que não haja mais nenhum para devorar.
Tal como nos Jogos de Sedução (que acabei por ler primeiro), aqui também Alexia e Hayden vão se conhecendo, tanto a nível psicológico, como físico e familiar.
Continuo a achar que o ponto forte da escritora é sem dúvida o facto de cada personagem ter os seus próprios segredos e os resolver, no mínimo parcialmente, sem a intromissão do outro - o que traduz um planeamento que torna o livro muito mais interessante e menos óbvio.
December 1, 2010
This is really 3 1/2 stars. I loved Hayden in this book and felt that he got painted the villain and was never vindicated. I am glad though Alexia figured it out for herself. Hayden and Alexia were a good match, but the metaphorical writing got tedious as times.
August 10, 2020
Super great! Highly recommended.
A serious romance of two matured individuals who don't expect love but find it anyway with each other. I love and adore them both.. I fall in love with the story, the author is brilliant,
Hayden loves calculations and he's very clever. He's mysterious, manly and honorable.., I fall in love with him when he offered marriage to Alexia, He's so good . It's a wonder that how he always know what other people is thinking, well the author wants him that way.
Alexia on the other hand is very likable. she's intelligent, understanding and not missish (appropriate on her age and station in life) She's very decisive and i like her a lot.
Hayden was unfairly accused of ruining the Longworth family, Alexia is a cousin of Longworths and feel the same sentiments and animosity toward Hayden. I think he unconsciously pursue her and eventually can't get enough of her and married her.. He's the first one to admit love and I lost it after reading it. Haha! So much things to say about this book that my whole review is like a mess.
Alexia loved Benjamin and then he died at sea (he's alive actually) She succumbed to passion and who wouldn't? then she was willing to be a mistress and contemplating how to negotiate good for her because Hayden proposed.
I really want a scene where Hayden tell to his brother that he found love, and a ball for Alexia as she really deserves it. Such a girlish fantasy of me sorry.. also if they will have children ofcourse.
I thought Benjamin will try to abduct her hahaha!
A serious romance of two matured individuals who don't expect love but find it anyway with each other. I love and adore them both.. I fall in love with the story, the author is brilliant,
Hayden loves calculations and he's very clever. He's mysterious, manly and honorable.., I fall in love with him when he offered marriage to Alexia, He's so good . It's a wonder that how he always know what other people is thinking, well the author wants him that way.
Alexia on the other hand is very likable. she's intelligent, understanding and not missish (appropriate on her age and station in life) She's very decisive and i like her a lot.
Hayden was unfairly accused of ruining the Longworth family, Alexia is a cousin of Longworths and feel the same sentiments and animosity toward Hayden. I think he unconsciously pursue her and eventually can't get enough of her and married her.. He's the first one to admit love and I lost it after reading it. Haha! So much things to say about this book that my whole review is like a mess.
Alexia loved Benjamin and then he died at sea (he's alive actually) She succumbed to passion and who wouldn't? then she was willing to be a mistress and contemplating how to negotiate good for her because Hayden proposed.
I really want a scene where Hayden tell to his brother that he found love, and a ball for Alexia as she really deserves it. Such a girlish fantasy of me sorry.. also if they will have children ofcourse.
I thought Benjamin will try to abduct her hahaha!
December 16, 2020
Alexia Welbourne is living with her cousins relatively happily when Lord Hayden Rothwell shows up and ruins them. When he offers her a position as a companion/governess to his Aunt Henrietta and her nearly-out daughter, Alexia accepts. Everything is going swimmingly until she and Hayden bang in the attic like faulty trapdoors. They get married! They solve mysteries! They bone! They live happily ever after!
1. Centering the conflict around banking norms was rather fun especially because it was a relatively straightforward premise.
2. I did like that Alexia eventually figures it all out, and that Hayden does share what he can with her. Overall, the "marriage of strangers" bit was decently done; they don't trust one another right off the bat, but grow to trust one another as their relationship establishes itself.
3. Man those antagonists needed a good punch in the face tho.
1. Centering the conflict around banking norms was rather fun especially because it was a relatively straightforward premise.
2. I did like that Alexia eventually figures it all out, and that Hayden does share what he can with her. Overall, the "marriage of strangers" bit was decently done; they don't trust one another right off the bat, but grow to trust one another as their relationship establishes itself.
3. Man those antagonists needed a good punch in the face tho.
May 14, 2019
There's nothing really wrong with this book, but for a romance story, it wasn't very romantic.
The heroine, Alexia, is convinced that she's in love with someone else until nearly the end, while resenting the hero, Hayden for .
Hayden, having given his word of honor that he will not reveal the truth, simply endures her disapproval and hostile attitude, while trying to resist the attraction he feels towards her.
Eventually they succumb, and that pauses a new set of problems. .
An engaging story that kept my interest but a romance that failed to give me the warm and fuzzies. I am curious about the other two Rothwell brothers, whose stories follow, with Elliot the scholar's next in Lessons of Desire.
The heroine, Alexia, is convinced that she's in love with someone else until nearly the end, while resenting the hero, Hayden for .
Hayden, having given his word of honor that he will not reveal the truth, simply endures her disapproval and hostile attitude, while trying to resist the attraction he feels towards her.
Eventually they succumb, and that pauses a new set of problems. .
An engaging story that kept my interest but a romance that failed to give me the warm and fuzzies. I am curious about the other two Rothwell brothers, whose stories follow, with Elliot the scholar's next in Lessons of Desire.
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