3.5 * Full review to come. ( )

Charm, mystery and danger!

Unfaltering continuation of The Runaway Desires series. I must admit to guessing some of the storyline before things developed but that was fine.
This is the story of Tempest Holderin's plantation manager and close friend Edward Cary.
Edward returns to England after twenty years absence. A mystery surrounds him and his leaving England, and now that mystery will be revealed.
Half French, Charlotte Blakemore, the widowed Duchess of Langerton finds herself the focus of her stepson's anger and sworn enemy. He vows to seize back what his father has bequeathed to her. Charlotte flees the estate and finds herself without funds, alone in the middle of the countryside. Edward appears on the scene enroute to Gloucestershire, takes pity on Charlotte and rescues her. Needing a place of safety, Charlotte joins him on his journey. Of course that leads to some very interesting situations. Especially as each has there own set of secrets, which to some degree trip over each other and add a certain piquancy to the mix.
I liked both the man Cary portrays and the woman Charlotte presents.
Other Runaway Desires are referenced or make their appearance including the Tempest and Andrew Corrvans, and Sarah and Lord St. John Sutcliffe.
All's well that ends well, despite the anguished beginnings for both leads.
They found do indeed find l'amour after handwringing episodes of fate and fortune.

A NetGalley ARC ( )

To Seduce a Stranger by Susanna Craig
Runaway Desires #3

*****FIVE STARS*****

Why?
Because I liked this book!
It took me away and into the lives of Charlotte and Edward.
It made me care about the characters both main and supporting.
It made me think, “What would I have done if…?”
It pleased me in more ways than one.

I forgot that I had read and enjoyed the first book in this series and wish I had not missed book two as I looked back and realized I was reading book three. This author seems to be able to hit my “like” button so I know I will be looking for more of her work in the future. She creates strong multi-dimensional characters that have issues to deal with but when dealing with these issues find they are stronger together than apart. Her writing is easy to read and entertaining and hard to put down. It left me happy I had read this book and made me eager to read her next one.

Anyway...since the blurb for the book is spot-on and tells you what to expect I will just reiterate that this was a special book that hit the spot and made my day a whole lot better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books – Lyrical Shine for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )

TO SEDUCE A STRANGER by Susanna Craig is book 3 in her amazing "Runaway Desires" series, but can read as a stand alone. Set in Gloucestershire, England.
A woman with an uncertain future and a man with a mysterious past find more than they were looking for upon first meeting.

This is a breathtaking tale of Charlotte Blakemore, a young widow, left to the mercy of her errant step son and Edward Cary, acting as a steward, although, of noble birth, on a journey of unforgettable passion, secrets, romance and determination.

I was captured by this story from the beginning, because it literally spoke to my heart. The characters each brought so much to this story, the characterization, and details are wonderful. The historical details was a definite plus for me as well as the romance.
Charlotte and Edward both have secrets and a determination to right the wrongs others have committed. Will they be able to find their HEA? Or will their secrets destroy the forever kind of love, they have found? Can the "Lost Duchess" be found and will she stand up for herself and finally find love?

Ms. Craig has written a story that is heartwarming, dramatic, and compelling. Ms. Craig has a voice readers will appreciate, as they're draw into her captivating Regency world, her characters and her plot. A definite must read Regency Romance. Strongly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy.

Rating: 4.5
Heat rating: mild
Reviewed by: AprilR ( )

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Charlotte's elderly husband has just died after a very brief marriage, leaving her fairly wealthy. Her stepson, who inherits a generous amount too, tells her he is going to contest her marriage and inheritance on the basis that his father was insane when he married her. Charlotte believes that she is being watched by a man employed by her stepson and arranges to trade places with her maid to escape this surveillance, but unfortunately trades bags too and is left penniless when her maid is driven off in her carriage. She is rescued by Edward, who is travelling to his father's estate to confront him after 20 years in Antigua. Finding his father absent and the place in ruins, Edward tells Charlotte (and the few estate tenants/ servants) that he is Mr Cary, the new steward.

The plot of this story has far too much going on in it, and I suspect this is partly because some of the characters appeared in previous instalments in this series. There was Tempest, whom Edward mused about a lot, but whom we never got to meet, the Fairfaxes, who popped up out of nowhere towards the end, and Mari the freed slave, whose storyline I actually quite enjoyed. Did we really need Charlotte's father to turn up at the end? Jack's appearance seemed as if it might move things along, but just ended in the recital of yet more parts of the extended family tree.

Then there were the puzzling actions and motivations: when was Edward planning to confront his father and tell everyone who he really was? Why did no one in the village recognize him, especially as he was using the family surname? What was Charlotte's long term (or even medium term) plan? Was Jack really a womanizer or only pretending to be? Why didn't Charlotte tell Edward who she really was? The storyline concerning Tessie was obvious from a mile off and too sentimental for me.

I did like the epilogue though. ( )