THE SCOUNDREL'S SEDUCTION by Jennifer Haymore

PUBLISHER: Grand Central Publishing, 5/27/2014
GENRE: Historical Romance
SETTING: England, 1812 or 13
SERIES: House of Trent, book 3
AUTHOR SITE: link
MY GRADE: C

SYNOPSIS: Undercover agent Sam Hawkins has devoted his life to protecting king and country. So when he receives orders to assassinate a ruthless traitor, he doesn't question his mission. But Sam didn't know his deed had a witness—the beautiful and mysterious betrayer's wife. Now he has no choice but to take her as his prisoner—one he can neither trust…nor resist. Élise, Lady Dunthorpe, will do anything to escape her powerful captor—including seducing him senseless. She didn't know of her miserable husband's crimes, but she has secrets of her own—secrets that threaten everything she holds dear. With his piercing dark eyes and gentle touch, Sam inflames Élise's deepest desires, but how could she ever trust a man who won't let her go? Caught between the crown he's sworn to serve and the woman he's come to love, Sam will risk his heart—and his very life—to keep her safe.

MY THOUGHTS:. There wasn't anything that I liked about this story. It was more of an action-adventure story than romance and that I didn't like at all. I think the story spanned about a month or so, not counting the epilogue.

Twenty-eight year old heroine, Élise, a blue-eyed blond, was in a bad childless marriage for eleven years. She's French but has spent most of her life in England. She sees her husband murdered right in front of her by Sam and within a few day, she's lusting after him. I'm not sure what to make of that. 

Thirty-two year old brown-haired and brown-eyed Sam being twice widowed is a major turnoff. I don't really like that he confessed to Élise that he didn't love either wife. I thought that was ridiculous too. They met too soon, during chapter one. They're both bland and boring, as is the story. There's really nothing more to say about either character.

We finally learned what happened with his mother. She disappeared a year ago, during book 1 of the series, and Sam found her over halfway through the book. Élise told her that her children had been searching for her the whole time and the moron was real surprised to hear it. Really, duchess? You up and disappeared without a trace and you're surprised that everyone was worried? What makes no sense is why you didn't tell anyone you were leaving. I don't think that in real life that would have happened. There was no reason for you to run away. You're a grown woman who could have and should have told everyone the truth.

There was a major revelation during that initial reunion involving Sam and his birth father, and his younger sister Esme, that I can't get into without giving it all away. I didn't see that coming and I wish it had happened a bit sooner in the story.

This was, by far, my least favorite of the series.

Here are links for my reviews for books one, two, and a novella.

I received this from the publisher in 2014 in exchange for an honest review.