Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Pocket (2006), Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Description
"Be careful, Amelia - you know how reckless you can be " - Mrs. Charlotte Harris, headmistress Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers - it's too bad they're all fortune hunters and fops who can't provide the exotic adventures she seeks. But the ballrooms of Mayfair have become much more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter, an American with a dark past and a dangerous air. Lucas is brash, arrogant - and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks hotter desire, yet Amelia suspects Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her. And she intends to discover it, by any means necessary....
User reviews
LibraryThing member JBookLover
So very humorous and delightful. Moving characters and a wonderful story line. An all around great book and author. Definitly a Must Read Novel.
LibraryThing member Anniik
This is a cute book, and one of the better books with an American that I've read. Lucas's accent gets a little annoying at times - strange, since Jeffries is an American and should know how to pull off an American dialect in writing. Nonetheless, this book is a fun read and a good kick off to the
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series. Show Less
LibraryThing member theshadowknows
Never Seduce a Scoundrel is a wonderful love story with some real meat to it: a strong heroine who breaks the mold and a tortured hero who goes through fire to win his happily ever after. Lucas Winters and Amelia Plume are perfect for each other - true equals in love and life. Jeffries skillfully
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balances the humor and the angst without going overboard with either. The thing I like best about this book, though, is that it just kept getting better and better. So many romances I read run out of steam after a certain point, but here Jeffries layers her characters so well that the pacing never lets up in working towards the heart of the story as Lucas and Amelia change and grow throughout. I loved this book and can't gush enough about it. Show Less
LibraryThing member eljabo
I spent the majority of this book fanning myself! Major Lucas Winter was quite the hot tamale (although I'm a tad concerned about his mental health). And, Lady Amelia Plume was a heroine to admire. After reading a long string of books with lukewarm, milk toast heroines, Amelia's love of adventure
There was a time when I read nothing but historical romances. I eventually moved on ... to vampires, eek! This book reminded me of how much I enjoy reading about all the lords and ladies.
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was a breath of fresh air. She connived and flirted and was willing to brain someone with a vase when needed.There was a time when I read nothing but historical romances. I eventually moved on ... to vampires, eek! This book reminded me of how much I enjoy reading about all the lords and ladies.
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LibraryThing member melorem
A young girl enters society and is looking for adventure. She meets an American who is different from all the other men she meets. The adventure turns out to be sexual encounters.
This book was NOT what I expected. I was disappointed in the characters and found them to be superficial. The sex scenes
I would NOT recommend this one.
This book was NOT what I expected. I was disappointed in the characters and found them to be superficial. The sex scenes
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were over the top and totally put me off.I would NOT recommend this one.
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LibraryThing member Azacia
When reading a really great novel, the last chapter is always so bitter-sweet - exciting to see how the story plot resolves, but sad to say goodbye to characters that the reader becomes attached to. This is how I feel about ending Never Seduce a Scoundrel.
I enjoyed this book right from the start.
The romance is hot and exciting. The characters have a lot of chemistry. The dialogue had me laughing out loud at points. The plot was excellent - with fun twists, another suitor for Lady Amelia, a mysterious cousin to Amelia's chaperone that supplied information, a plot with Amelia's family.
A very intriguing and riveting book and characters that made me fall in love. This book was definitely a favorite!
I enjoyed this book right from the start.
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Amelia is an ideal heroine - adventurous, witty, compassionate, level headed, flirtatious, self sufficient, understanding, playful, etc. Lucas balances her perfectly - handsome, mysterious, dangerous, independent, brash, but deep down he's compassionate, vulnerable, loyal, and passionate.The romance is hot and exciting. The characters have a lot of chemistry. The dialogue had me laughing out loud at points. The plot was excellent - with fun twists, another suitor for Lady Amelia, a mysterious cousin to Amelia's chaperone that supplied information, a plot with Amelia's family.
A very intriguing and riveting book and characters that made me fall in love. This book was definitely a favorite!
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LibraryThing member M_Sims
I love S. J. Books but this one seems very elementary. The language isn't very educated.
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Never Seduce A Scoundrel
4 Stars
Tired of the fortune hunters and the dandies of the ton, Lady Amelia Plume craves adventure, and the dark and mysterious American Major Lucas Winter is just the man to provide it. But there is more to Lucas than meets the eye and Amelia may just have bitten off more
Amelia is an entertaining heroine. Yes, she is too curious for her own good, and this often gets her into trouble, but she is also witty, caring and unpretentious. Lucas meets all of the requirements for the classic tortured hero - dark, brooding and suffering from PTSD to boot. He and Amelia have lively banter and fantastic chemistry.
The plot revolves around Lucas's investigation into an embezzlement scheme that may involve Amelia's stepmother. This had the potential for leading to the disastrous keeping secrets trope. Thankfully, Jeffries avoids this pitfall as both Amelia and Lucas are well aware of each others' hidden agendas, and have no problem communicating their feelings with one another.
Kudos also for Jeffries' inclusion of some little known historical events, such as the Barbary pirates and the Dartmoor Prison Massacre both of which were particularly interesting.
All in all, a fun historical romance and I look forward to continuing with the series.
4 Stars
Tired of the fortune hunters and the dandies of the ton, Lady Amelia Plume craves adventure, and the dark and mysterious American Major Lucas Winter is just the man to provide it. But there is more to Lucas than meets the eye and Amelia may just have bitten off more
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than she can chew. Amelia is an entertaining heroine. Yes, she is too curious for her own good, and this often gets her into trouble, but she is also witty, caring and unpretentious. Lucas meets all of the requirements for the classic tortured hero - dark, brooding and suffering from PTSD to boot. He and Amelia have lively banter and fantastic chemistry.
The plot revolves around Lucas's investigation into an embezzlement scheme that may involve Amelia's stepmother. This had the potential for leading to the disastrous keeping secrets trope. Thankfully, Jeffries avoids this pitfall as both Amelia and Lucas are well aware of each others' hidden agendas, and have no problem communicating their feelings with one another.
Kudos also for Jeffries' inclusion of some little known historical events, such as the Barbary pirates and the Dartmoor Prison Massacre both of which were particularly interesting.
All in all, a fun historical romance and I look forward to continuing with the series.
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LibraryThing member lexilewords
I'm not even sure reckless covers Amelia perfectly well. Downright dangerous to herself and others might cover it however. Its not that she purposely leaps into the frying pan--well she doesn't usually--but she's so certain she handle any situation that her common sense goes to want. She is a
I'm not sure you can say that they are having a comedy of errors--Lucas is certain he is fooling Amelia about his intentions towards her while Amelia is certain he can't see that she knows about what he possibly knows about her stepmother--but its certainly something that would make most people laugh over at their 25th wedding anniversary. Certainly the story of when Amelia first got to see his mamaluke sword and Lucas' interesting reaction to her reaction is pure hilarity.
By in large there aren't any real 'villains' to this piece--more like minor setbacks to their courtship. Lord Pomeroy (aka Lord Pompous) is a problem for a while (and I do so like Lucas' way of intimidating him), then later they run a foul of a highwayman known as 'The Scottish Scourge' (who has his own romantic adventures in a later book with one of Amelia's friends) and then of course Lucas' suspicions about her stepmother, but the threat isn't so great in any of those cases. It was more like 'so and so happens to Amelia and Lucas and they grow closer because of it'. Each time a little bit more of each other is revealed to better understand each other. Certainly those adventures were more effective then six months of tepid courtship followed by another year of waiting to marry.
As an interesting note there's quite a lot about the aftermath of the war of 1812 as well as some key details during it. The Dartmoor Prison Massacre for instance was a real historical event (with just the one minor alteration involving Lucas) as was the march across Derna. I suppose for most that doesn't seem like such a big deal, but for myself (with my history major father) I always like it when authors do such research and incorporate it into the story. Its one thing to endlessly drone on about Bonaparte and Wellington and those battles--completely another to give talk about lesser talked about battles!
As a first book in the School for Heiresses series, it also sets up the series itself nicely. We get a generalized accounting of what Mrs. Harris taught at her school aside from deportment and such, met several of the students who shall have roles later on (Louisa for instance) and at the start of each chapter is either a short letter from Charlotte to her cousin Michael (the benefactor and so much more to the school itself) or from cousin Michael to Charlotte discussing various things pertaining to the story and perhaps behind the scenes things (such as Charlotte writing to ask Michael for help with information on Lucas--we see her address Michael in her letter, then his reply and in that chapter we are given the information itself).
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crafty little minx, very resourceful and quick and clever, but sometimes her mind lags behind her actions. And I have no complaints over that! Amelia constantly trying to keep two steps ahead of Lucas, and Lucas trying to keep two steps ahead of her, leads everyone in a merry dance.I'm not sure you can say that they are having a comedy of errors--Lucas is certain he is fooling Amelia about his intentions towards her while Amelia is certain he can't see that she knows about what he possibly knows about her stepmother--but its certainly something that would make most people laugh over at their 25th wedding anniversary. Certainly the story of when Amelia first got to see his mamaluke sword and Lucas' interesting reaction to her reaction is pure hilarity.
By in large there aren't any real 'villains' to this piece--more like minor setbacks to their courtship. Lord Pomeroy (aka Lord Pompous) is a problem for a while (and I do so like Lucas' way of intimidating him), then later they run a foul of a highwayman known as 'The Scottish Scourge' (who has his own romantic adventures in a later book with one of Amelia's friends) and then of course Lucas' suspicions about her stepmother, but the threat isn't so great in any of those cases. It was more like 'so and so happens to Amelia and Lucas and they grow closer because of it'. Each time a little bit more of each other is revealed to better understand each other. Certainly those adventures were more effective then six months of tepid courtship followed by another year of waiting to marry.
As an interesting note there's quite a lot about the aftermath of the war of 1812 as well as some key details during it. The Dartmoor Prison Massacre for instance was a real historical event (with just the one minor alteration involving Lucas) as was the march across Derna. I suppose for most that doesn't seem like such a big deal, but for myself (with my history major father) I always like it when authors do such research and incorporate it into the story. Its one thing to endlessly drone on about Bonaparte and Wellington and those battles--completely another to give talk about lesser talked about battles!
As a first book in the School for Heiresses series, it also sets up the series itself nicely. We get a generalized accounting of what Mrs. Harris taught at her school aside from deportment and such, met several of the students who shall have roles later on (Louisa for instance) and at the start of each chapter is either a short letter from Charlotte to her cousin Michael (the benefactor and so much more to the school itself) or from cousin Michael to Charlotte discussing various things pertaining to the story and perhaps behind the scenes things (such as Charlotte writing to ask Michael for help with information on Lucas--we see her address Michael in her letter, then his reply and in that chapter we are given the information itself).
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Language
Original publication date
2006-02-28
Physical description
384 p.; 6.5 inches
ISBN
1416516085 / 9781416516088
Local notes
From Author's Website:
Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers; too bad they’re all fortune hunters and fops who can’t provide the exotic adventures she seeks. The ballrooms of Mayfair have become more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter—an American marine with a dangerous past and a brooding air. Lucas is brash, arrogant…and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks deeper desire, yet Amelia suspects that Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her and she means to discover it, by any means necessary…
Lucas came to London to find the cad who embezzled money from a naval contractor. The captivating Lady Amelia could be the key to his quest, but what started as simple flirtation has become a delicious dance of seduction. And when a rival jeopardizes Amelia’s reputation, Lucas must choose what he wants most—the chance to avenge his past, or a future filled with fiery passion…
Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers; too bad they’re all fortune hunters and fops who can’t provide the exotic adventures she seeks. The ballrooms of Mayfair have become more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter—an American marine with a dangerous past and a brooding air. Lucas is brash, arrogant…and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks deeper desire, yet Amelia suspects that Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her and she means to discover it, by any means necessary…
Lucas came to London to find the cad who embezzled money from a naval contractor. The captivating Lady Amelia could be the key to his quest, but what started as simple flirtation has become a delicious dance of seduction. And when a rival jeopardizes Amelia’s reputation, Lucas must choose what he wants most—the chance to avenge his past, or a future filled with fiery passion…