- Title: Scandalous Desires (Maiden Lane #3)
- Classification: Adult Fiction
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Format: Paperback, 400 pages
- Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Original edition (October 24, 2011)
- ISBN-10: 0446558931
- ISBN-13: 978-0446558938
- Author's website: http://www.elizabethhoyt.com/
- Notes: contains language some may take offense to, but remember we're talking pirates here.
"I've come for Mary Darling."
The pirate's eyes opened lazily as he swallowed his sweetmeat. "Who?"
Oh this was too much! Silence felt her face heat as she shook off Harry's restraining arm and marched right up to the foot of the small dais on which the ridiculous throne stood. "You know very well who! Mary Darling, that sweet little baby girl I've taken care of for over a year. Mary Darling, who knows only me as her mother. Mary Darling, who you took from the foundling home where we both live. Give her back to me at once!"
They say patience is a virtue, but no one would ever accuse "Charming" Mickey O'Connor of being virtuous. Patience, however, is not only a device of the virtuous. The most skillful of predators will wait patiently for the right moment to spring the perfect trap to ensnare their victims and that is just what the notorious pirate had done. His victim? Silence Hollingbrook. For you see, he'd searched for that perfect woman and Silence Hollingbrook was it. He knew what he was doing when he left his daughter Mary with Silence. She was the one thing he could use to ensnare the virtuous widow...
Step 2: Seduce
"Pay heed: the artichoke is a shy vegetable. She covers herself in spine-tipped leaves that must be carefully peeled away, and underneath shields her treasure with a barricade o' soft needles. They must be tenderly but firmly, scraped aside. Ye must be bold, for if yer not, she'll never reveal her soft heart."
He finished cutting away the thistles and placed the small, tender heart on the center of the plate.
She wrinkled her nose. "That's it? But it's so small."
"Ah, and d'ye judge a thing solely upon size alone?"
She made a choking sound.
He paused, the knife and fork still in the air. "Now what is it yer think' about in that prim little mind?"
She shook her head mutely and pointed at the artichoke heart. "Go on?"
"Hmm". He took a bit of soft butter and spread it over the little heart."Well, I was thinkin' that sometimes the smaller the treasure the sweeter the pleasure."
He cut the heart in half and held it out to her on the tip of the fork and found he was holding his breath. Would she let him feed her? Let him care for her?
She stared suspiciously for a long moment before accepting the morsel into her mouth. His heart leaped in triumph. He watched as the taste in her mouth was reflected in her bright eyes.
"So delicate, so buttery," he crooned to this fascinating woman. "Green and rich and smooth, but with a tiny bitter taste on top as if to keep yer interest."
Seducing Silence would not be easy. Over a year ago he had made her take a walk of shame which made everyone believe he'd had his way with her. She had come to Mickey to save her husband and in the process she had ruined her reputation and damaged her marriage. It'll take more than mere words to win her over. Mickey will have to gain her forgiveness and acceptance if he'll have any chance of seducing her.
Step 3: You'll have to read the book to find out. <smirk>
Right from the start Hoyt uses carefully selected words to conjure up seductive images within her reader's imagination--"lavishly corrupt room", "Walls were lined with sheets of gold", and "illicit opulence." The imagery used throughout the story is beautiful and vivid. It makes the reader really connect to the story and feel a part of it.
Mickey is a complicated hero, a diamond in the rough, if you will. In the right hands, the many facets of his personality will be revealed. Silence will have to peel away the layers, like with an artichoke, to get to the heart of the man. He's not quite what he appears, but definitely not a saint or guilt free hero. He is a pirate and makes no excuses for it.
Silence, on the other hand, is the opposite of Mickey. What you see is what you get. She doesn't look down her nose at others and is a caring individual. She's also strong and stands up for what she believes in and isn't afraid to speak her mind.
I love the conflict created by Mickey's and Silence's past encounter. It adds another dimension to the story. It complicates the relationship and really shows what kind of person Silence is.
When the two finally come together they ignite the pages in some hot loves scenes. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a SHOWER rating - a warning label should be be attached which states you should make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order because a cold shower may be necessary when reading this book. Need I say more? Overall, I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses. I felt this was a wonderful combination of drama and romance.
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