Always A Temptress: Number 3 in series (Drake's Rakes) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lady Kate Seaton has put on a happy face for years. She is the daughter of a duke, the sister of a duke and the wife of a late duke which has made her bold, admired and envied by all...all that is except her brother and his wife, who are trying to commit her into an asylum to gain control of a home Kate owns. When her brothers latest attempt happens in the presence of Major Sir Harry Lidge, Harry steps in and says they are married so Kates brother has no control of her anymore. Harry is shocked by what he says as he and Kate have a past in which they were happily in love and Harry was lead to believe that Kate tricked him and it sent Harry into the army for ten years. Upon his return, he learns that Kate holds a vital clue needed for the Drakes Rakes and he knows he can not let her go into an asylum, hence the announcement of marriage. Even though neither one of them want to marry, especially to each other, they agree that it must happen to protect Kate and Harry temporarily puts his dreams of travel on hold to help solve the mystery of who is after Kate, if Kate has this mysterious verse and if he can ever trust Kate again.

There is so much depth and emotion in this story that it will just keep you so engrossed you won't even notice the time! Kate. Wow, her secrets and her past are just truly heartbreaking and the more we learn, the more you feel for Kate. And Harry. Wow again. His understanding and caring for Kate, whom he thinks betrayed him, is just so wonderful. It is really hard to say much without spoiling anything but you will fall in love with these two as a couple! They are just perfect for each other. They need each other to be complete and you can just feel that. Truly, they need each other and the road to that is filled with bumps but when they find each other finally, you will be sighing with happiness! And yes, I did sort of guess some of the reason as to why Kate was treated the was she was, I was still a bit surprised in the end so that is always a plus for me. Also, the culprit behind Kates attacks was not quite who I thought either. Overall, a truly heartbreaking, sigh-worthy, happy 5 stars!

Starting off with a traitor and an abduction, Always a Temptress is a fast moving story about espionage and damaged souls. It took until the middle of this novel that I really began to enjoy the story and it was due almost solely to the heroine who was not that likable in the beginning of the story.

Lady Kate is a duchess and widow who has an unsavory reputation about the ton as a rather loose, unconventional outrageous woman. Kate almost likes her reputation and she can turn on the smoldering glances at the drop of a hat. She is attending a wedding that ends in a grisly murder of a traitor known as the Surgeon. Before his death he whispers to her cousin that Kate knows information about his traitorous group, the Lions. Kate's cousin fearing for her asks his good friend former military officer Harry Lidge to take care of her.

Harry believes the worst, that Kate is a spy and he is certain he is right in his beliefs based on his history with her. She has betrayed him in the past after their young romance ended ten years earlier. He abducts Kate and tries to get her to tell him information about the Lions but Kate claims not to have a clue.

Kate is furious with Harry and furthermore she is out to hurt him and during these opening chapters they trade insults with each other with Kate acting almost impervious to Harry. Kate had a terrible marriage and she lays much of her past hurts right at the feet of Harry, even going so far as vindictively breaking up two of his engagements. It's hard to like a vindictive heroine.

It soon becomes apparent that Kate needs protection not only from assassins but from her own brother and who steps in to save her but Harry. During these scenes Kate is argumentative. Almost every scene until the middle portion of this book has Kate disagreeing with Harry and in essence she is incredibly stubborn. Yes, she has had a terrible past but she allows her emotions to overtake her common sense especially when it comes to her personal safety. These chapters are a bit trying because the reader can see Harry's innate noble nature and his compassionate actions. Kate is oblivious and worse she lashes out at him striving for control but this comes across as shrewish (i.e. she is angry that he has a formulized a plan to protect her, knowing he is a master strategist on the battle field).

Both these characters have had major traumas but of the two Harry is the more adjusted. He has not allowed his kind nature to be overtaken by his nightmares. He is very brave and finally, finally Kate learns a lesson from him; she doesn't have to let her past dictate her future. When she has this epiphany the novel takes a decidedly better turn and the romance between the leads goes from hostile energy to passion and transformation. Kate becomes a stronger person because she begins to believe not in her hardened persona but in the person she can be with Harry. Her self discovery is the very best part of this story. For his part Harry has important decisions to make: after they catch the traitors and Kate is safe should he stay or continue with his dream of travelling the world?

The espionage portion of this story was not as engaging as the romance between the couple. Overall this novel merits four stars due almost solely to the latter part of the novel which shows the reader how much this couple, who have suffered greatly, trust one another with not only their physical safety but with their hearts.

Her reputation among members of the ton is scandalous, her admirers as legion as those tight-lipped matrons who decry her shamelessness. The always fashionable and easily bored Dowager Duchess Kate Murphy revels in her reputation. Inflames it whenever she can. And never lets a soul see the truth behind the gay smile and quick wit.

Sir Harry Lidge is furious and fed up. Still smarting from Kate's betrayal all those years ago, tormented by the horrors endured on the battlefield, Harry is quick to jump at the rumors of Kate's treasonous activities. He does what any one of Drake's Rakes would do. Kidnaps and imprisons Her Grace, intent on getting answers and finding the verse she's said to have. A verse that is the key to a beautiful, treasonous woman's sedition.

Harry should have known his plans wouldn't go quite as he'd thought. Nothing in his life ever has when even briefly touched by the Duchess' hand. He didn't expect things to go quite as awry as they do, though, and he certainly didn't expect to be slapped in the face with two startling facts that raise all sorts of uncomfortable questions. Someone is trying very hard to kill the Duchess...and even more disturbing, she would seem to rather they finish the job than be stuck in a dark, enclosed room - even when placed there for her own safety.

Suddenly, what Harry thought he knew of the spoiled, salacious, ruthless Duchess Kate Murphy and what he sees with his own eyes are two very different things. And he hasn't the first clue which to trust.

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I'm getting a little frustrated at feeling like the last girl at the party with all these in-progress series I'm stumbling into lately. Especially when they have a major series plot arc that wends its way through each book, or, like the Drake's Rakes series, seem to have both an overlapping or concurrent timeline with the other books and a major series plot arc. That definitely added a bit of confusion and made it difficult to really appreciate the external conflict of the plot. I wasn't always clear, especially in the beginning and towards the end, what was going on or who it was going on against.

Fortunately, that ended up being a minor complaint when held up against how much I loved the full and fabulous set of characters of this book and the romance plotline. Kate was, frankly, one of the most engaging and vibrant characters I've read in the genre lately. Her past is brutally tragic, horrifying, and bitterly painful, the manner in which she's learned not only to cope but to triumph in its aftermath is fabulous. I couldn't help but utterly and completely respect and adore her. She did far more than what she had to do to keep appearances, even setting herself up for criticism as she kept herself safe and saved others, all in a time when she had no one to turn to for real assistance and even noble widows had limited options. I admired her rather a lot.

Harry was a prat. But hey, he was a believable prat. A stubborn, distrustful, quick-to-judge git. Not that his actions of the past were a surprise. Just a disappointment. But then, first impressions aren't everything, and I loved how he dealt with the major paradigm shift when he realized the scope of his errors and misconceptions. He did a very satisfying turn-around in a very realistic fashion, and I was finally able to appreciate the character as a man, not just the bane of Kate's existence and an unfeeling jerk.

Together, he and Kate shot sparks off each other even before the past was cleared up, and once the truth started coming out, the sparks turned into something warmer, deeper, and eventually hotter. They were tentative allies trying to make up for long-dead mistakes, unable to deny the passion they have always had for each other.

I was so very grateful that the truth was revealed relatively quickly in the narrative, that the storyline wasn't mired down by the angst from lies and secrets and miscommunications. It gave Harry and Kate time to heal from the past as they cautiously tiptoed towards the future. And I have to give credit for the way Kate's wounds and fears were dealt with. Harry, for all that he started out a git, became a patient and gentle hand with Kate. He was perfect with her and for her.

Their romance arc in the book was really all I could focus on as far as story goes, given my lack of experience with the previous books, but it was enough to provide a thoroughly satisfying read. Combined with a wealth of vibrant and unique secondary characters - rabble-rousing miscreants and adorable for it - and the complex and painful past of both lead characters, the path of their romance more than made up for my lack connection to the surrounding external conflicts in the book. It was more than enough to secure my enjoyment in the read.

This is my first experience with a book by Eileen Dreyer. The authencity and realism in the setting, the fabulously colorful characters, and a narrative lush with artistry in the development and evolution of plot guarantee that it will not be my last. It's becoming quite clear to me that I've missed out on some fantastic storytelling by letting historical romance fall out of my favor for the last several years. Now that I'm getting back into reading it, it's been quite a fun ride, highlighted by excellent stories such as this.

Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Forever publisher Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.

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Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.