Filled with New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries’s signature charm and wit, this novella in the hugely popular Sinful Suitors series is sure to tempt you Widow Meriel Vyse is stunned speechless when someone tries to abduct her on her way to a ball. Fortunately, Quinn Raines, her secret beau, shows up to foil the attack. Unfortunately, as the two of them are struggling with her … struggling with her abductor, Meriel accidentally stabs Quinn with a knife.
Unbeknownst to Meriel, Quinn set up the fake abduction so he could play the hero and win her hand in marriage. But now that his plan has gone disastrously awry, can he convince her that he’s still the man for her?
Sabrina Jeffries brings her famous “quick pacing, witty dialogue, and charmingly original characters” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) to this enchanting romance.more
What a heartwarmingly sweet novella! The flirtatious relationship between widowed Meriel Vyse and banker Quinn Raines has been months long, but this novella covers only a few very pivotal hours in that relationship.
Meriel is the sister-in-law of Gregory Vyse, Baron Fulkham who is a spymaster. Not only is she his sister-in-law, but she is one of his spies even though it is grudgingly done. She has come to care for Quinn, but even though he speaks of marriage, she doesn’t feel she is worthy of him. She has secrets and they are secrets that can hurt his family standing within society, so she doesn’t dare marry him.
Quinn is in love with Meriel and he can’t figure out why she keeps canceling their meetings. He is desperate for her to come to love him, so he decides to stage an abduction. Then, he’ll be the hero and save her – only – she is capable of saving herself – and he ends up getting stabbed.
They spend the next few hours together, tending his wound and sharing their stories. Can they have a life together? Will her brother-in-law let her end her spying or will he drag Quinn into it if they do marry? You’ll just have to read this lovely book to find out.
“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Meriel Vyse, widow and sister in law to Gregory Vyse, Baron Fulkman has secrets. Those secrets are holding her captive in her current life. Months ago she met Quinn Raines and the two have been meeting in secret ever since. As much as Meriel would love to pursue a lasting relationship with Quinn, the aforementioned secrets make that impossible.
Quinn is at his wits end, he wants Meriel and can’t understand why she keeps him at arm’s length. When she cancels yet another planned rendezvous, he hatches a plan.
When Quinn’s plan goes horribly wrong and ends up getting him stabbed, he uses the opportunity to finally get some answers from Meriel.
This was a very short story, but it was really well done, Ms. Jeffries manages to pack a serious punch in this novella. The book is well written, flows perfectly, has some steamy moments, a lot of confessions and a very sweet HEA.
It is part of the Sinful Suitors series, but it definitely could be read as a stand alone title.
*I am voluntarily reviewing an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher*
This is a sweet little novella about a widow, Meriel, who has been a spy for her brother in law. She has a secret friend in a banker named Quinn. The two have been meeting clandestinely for months and Quinn wants more than an affair, but will Meriel agree? Quinn plans a course of action to convince her of his worth, but who knows if he’s got the right idea.
I enjoyed this novella enough that I can only wonder if the character of Gregory might find a love of his own.
I read this as an arc on Netgalley which affected my review in no way at all.
I would assume in an author’s world that novellas would be hard to write. Trying to fit every detail, development of character and plot in a short amount of pages and at the same time making it a smooth transitional flow. New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jefferies, I believe excelled in her latest addition in her Sinful Suitors series with Talent for Temptation. This impeccable historical romance novella, which was sweet and sexy was just perfect for the amount of pages we are given.
Step back in time to be tempted!
Two characters whose secrets and uncertainty need an extra shove to push them in the right direction towards each other. Their feelings have always been there, but they were just missing a piece to the puzzle. But when the hero puts a plan in motion thinking it’s the way to steal the heroine’s heart, he couldn’t be more wrong or was he?
Sabrina is known for her phenomenal historical literacy skills and in her latest sinful suitors series novella, she doesn’t hold back. Yes, it was short and fast paced, but nothing was misplaced and left out to give you, the reader an epic love story. The amount of emotion and passion was felt through every page and interaction between the characters which I enjoyed. I was sucked in and entranced that when the ending came I earned for more!
I am intrigued for the next installment by Ms. Jefferies, I wonder what she has up her sleeve with the SpyMaster!
4 Stars.
3.5 stars– A TALENT FOR TEMPTATION by Sabrina Jeffries is instalment 4.5 in the author’s adult SINFUL SUITORS historical romance series- a spin off from Jeffries’ ‘The Duke’s Men’ series. This is bank clerk Quinn Raines, and widow Meriel Vyse’s story line. A TALENT FOR TEMPTATION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Quinn and Meriel) A TALENT FOR TEMPTATION is a short story focusing on Quinn Raines’s attempts to woo the widow Meriel Vyse by staging an attempted abduction that ends with our hero a victim of his own stupidity. Hoping to win Meriel’s affection by rescuing a ‘maiden in distress’ Quinn quickly learns that Meriel is capable of defending herself, and is wickedly skilled with using a knife. What ensues is the quick building proclamation of love and affection between Meriel and Quinn, and the just as quick fall-out when Quinn’s ruse is revealed.
A TALENT FOR TEMPTATION is a sweet, humorous, and sexy short story about two people who believe each other is someone that they are not-Meriel will reveal that her life is so much more than a struggling widow. The premise is entertaining; the characters are colorful; the romance is naughty but nice. A TALENT FOR TEMPTATION is a vehicle to introduce the next hero Baron Gregory Fulkham-a spymaster who was once our heroine’s brother in law.
This Regency novella features characters we have met before in the other Sinful Suitors books, but this story stands on its own and you can enjoy it without having read the other books. This fun story features the danger and humor of an abduction attempt gone wrong, the longing of two characters who think they can’t possibly be together, and the satisfaction when they clear up all the misunderstandings and admit how they really feel. Meriel and Quinn have some sizzling chemistry, and I love that someone finally stood up to Fulkham!
A nice little “amuse bouche” while waiting for the final installment of the Sinful Suitors series.