Seduced Book

The second half was so, so good that it totally salvaged my faith in Ms Henley's works. The fireworks between H and h are mega explosive, the plot also moves at a much better pace in the second half and we finally see our fierce h, Antonia, blossoming into a woman who realizes that her love and trust in her guardian is not misplaced and she would face down any scandal with him by his side.
The first half was needlessly prolonged by descriptive details for every small thing. It had its moments which kept me going forward.

The book's sex scenes are one of the best I've ever read. The author's description of their night together in Venice takes tens of pages where we see a reluctant, seasoned veteran giving into the demands of the young lady bent on corrupting herself and sends both of their world rocking with the experience.

Adam Savage, once again Ms Henley chooses an apt name for such a strong character, is nearing 35 years and after amassing a fortune by dealing in tea and rubber in Ceylon, is determined to get back to England to gain a title, start a dynasty and get some reforms to salvage his soul for some of his criminal deeds.

Lady Antonia Lamb, loved the symbolism of a lamb facing down a savage, is sixteen and is getting ready for her first season. She and her twin have lived a sheltered, but adventurous life in their country estate. Ms Henley lets her character shine when she loses her twin brother in a sailing accident and starts a ruse of imitating her brother to stop her scoundrel cousin from inheriting.

From thereon, we see Antonia travel through the world of men in disgust, wonder, outrage, amusement and indulges in every shenanigan, even surviving a duel. As a guardian, Savage pushes Antonia around as her feminine frame makes him think Lord Lamb needs to toughen up. We see Antonia match every challenge head on and it's a great ride as she gains all the worldly knowledge. But it's her inner frustration with her growing infatuation with a strong, masculine Savage and her inability to let her female desires to be in his strong arms.

The only fault in the book are the side stories and needless prose about architecture, historic details about artists and a lack of plot direction in first half. But the guardian-ward relationship is wonderfully done in the second half and fits all my needs of having an innocent succumbing to a virile force with all the inappropriateness being explored.