Wicked Temptations for the Seduced Duchess by Olivia BennetMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it was well-written, especially for a debut novel. The main characters, Lydia and Edward, were nicely developed and generally likeable. I also enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters, particularly Lydia's sisters Caroline and Mary, who were fun and added a bit of lightness and humor to what otherwise could have been a very dark story. In addition, the plot was action-packed and engaging, and the central mystery kept me guessing all the way to the end.
That being said, Lydia and Edward seemed to fall in love somewhat too quickly for my comfort. They were exchanging "I love yous" not even 1/3 of the way through the book. They didn't really know each other at all (and for that matter, Edward didn't even know himself at that point!). How could they possibly be in love so soon? I am not a fan of the "insta-love" trope, and this felt very much like "insta-love" to me. However, this is a historical and attitudes toward attraction and sex were very different than they are today; maybe Lydia and Edward just didn't know another way to express their feelings besides "love." Also, they got to know each other much better as the story progressed, so I was comfortable with the state of their relationship by the end of the book.
Also, there were a few historical details that weren't quite right, but nothing that can't be easily remedied before the next book. For example, there seems to be some confusion between a "valet" and a "footman." A "valet," otherwise known as a "gentleman's gentleman," was responsible for performing personal tasks such as shaving or assistance with bathing, caring for a gentleman's wardrobe, etc. Footmen were tasked with fetching and carrying things, heavy lifting, etc. A household might have employed multiple footmen, but likely only one valet (unless there was more than one gentleman in residence, and they each desired their own personal valet/manservant).
In any event, this was a promising debut and I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Bennet.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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