An Honourable Seduction

The Westmoreland Legacy #3

by Brenda Jackson

This Navy SEAL is on a top-secret mission of seduction…

David Holloway is used to hard assignments. Now he faces his most difficult yet: cosying up to the soft curves of Swan Jamison! But romancing Swan as part of his mission tests his honour. Soon he must make a choice: duty…or desire?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Interracial Romance, Military Fiction, Audiobook

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2018

About the author

In 1994, Brenda Jackson’s first novel, Tonight and Forever, was released. Since then she has had more than 100 novels and novellas published (the first African-American author to accomplish such a feat) and has over 3 million books in print.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Brenda is the first African-American author to have a book published by Harlequin Desire and the first African-American romance author to make the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller lists within the series romance genre.

In 2012, Brenda received the Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award—one of the highest literary awards a romance author can receive. In 2013, she was recognized by the mayor and the city of Jacksonville as being a Trailblazer in the literary field.

In 2010, she collaborated with Five Alive Films to turn her Truly Everlasting title into a feature film. Brenda’s 2011 novel A Silken Thread is scheduled to be filmed with Debbie Allen attached as director in 2015.

Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

Reviews

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swan Jamison, the goddaughter of three high-ranking military officials is suspected of selling government secrets to China. Her Godfathers know there's no way she's a traitor to the United States of America, so they send Navy Seal, David 'Flipper' Holloway to Key West, Florida to investigate and prove her innocence. David immediately establishes a Swan connection and the job quickly turns into much more than proving her innocence -- it becomes a fight to survive to love another day. Read it. Love, love, love the book cover!

[Teresa (Reads_Romance) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes when I requested this book from NetGalley. A great romantic suspense with Navy SEALs? My catnip. Unfortunately I was disappointed in the execution, silly names, and frankly, the sex scenes.

The pros: Just as I was about to give up on this novel, the adventure and mystery aspects got better. Flipper saving the day was fun and sounded sexy. I got a satisfying HEA, unfortunately I was only satisfied because the book was over at last.

The cons: I hate to give a scathing review but this book just didn't do it for me and it started with the sex. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy gratuitous sex scenes, graphic sex scenes, sweet sex scenes, believe me I've read it all. What I don't enjoy, is comical sex scenes (in a bad way). I don't really even know how to explain how weird it is except to leave a few quotes:

"His mind and body were in sync and a rare sexual aura was overtaking him."

"He knew she was coming again and, dammnit to hell, so was he. Marveling at such a thing, he tightened his hold on her." Yup, the hero just came twice in 5 seconds. I'm pretty darn positive that's not medically possible.

More cons: Swan (yes that's her real name) has three godfathers that are only distinguished by a number (Godpop 1, Godpop 2, Godpop 3) which makes everything confusing because they are all characters in the book. It made their characterization hazy at best. I need actual names please. This is a very short novel. Less than 300 pages, and we were reminded of two things, Flipper (yes, he has dolphins tattooed all over him) is a SEAL and Swan is drop-dead gorgeous. The constant talk about Swan's beauty made it seem like she had very little depth. I have many other critiques but I will leave it.

Overall, this author was new to me and maybe her writing style just isn't for me. If you can suspend your disbelief for a while and let yourself get lost in a truly fantasy/unrealistic love story, then by all means pick this one up. If you're looking for any correlation to real-life romance, or even relatable romance, this one is a skip.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Find/Follow me on Twitter Instagram and my blog !!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros: yay an interracial romance novel that isn't being locked away in a dark (ha) corner of the book world!
Cons: Almost everything about this book. Flat characters, lots of "telling", not "showing", very amateur writing in general.
I applaud the effort and hope the existence of this book is a step in the right direction to more books with diverse characters exploring the nuanced complexities of interracial relationships in addition to the normal relationship hurdles - but this specific novel fell short.

[Cherryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The script was flipped on Flipper!

David "Flipper" Holloway did not expect his undercover assignment to change on him. He knew that Swan Jamison was a beautiful woman by the pictures he saw of her. What got him was not only was she beautiful, pictures did not do her justice. The woman was gorgeous and had him falling in love with that first kiss and wanting him to claim her after their first intimate contact. His assignment turned from an undercover investigation to a personal assignment to protect the woman he loved. He wanted Swan. She made him feel like no other woman had before.

Swan was an only child who had lost both parents. Her father Andrew Jamison died in the line of duty saving the lives of three of his SEAL brothers. Swan promised herself she would never get involved with a military man because of her family life not knowing if the one you loved would come home or not. One day, her father did not come home and it broke her heart and devastated her mother. Plus, she had trust issues from previous relations, not only from herself but her friends as well. She was tired of secrets and being rejected by family and things being hidden from her. But David Holloway just did something to her. The man was hard to resist. She was just as smitten.

Brenda wrote a story that was full of mystery that had the plot changing in the end with unexpected results. This was a well written "who done it." This couple just set the pages on fire. Their bedroom scenes were off the chain hawt. I loved this story. Now I have to read about the other SEAL brothers and their women. off the chain hawt. I loved this story. Now I have to read about the other SEAL brothers and their women.

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Oh what fun this story was! This is a spin-off story to the Westmoreland SEAL Team stories by Brenda Jackson. In this story you meet David aka Flipper who is assigned to investigate a very special person to his Commanding Officer and Admiral. Swan is that very special person who is being investigated for selling US secrets to China. When Flipper starts this investigation he immediately feels an attraction to Swan and vice versa. Swan's family history is jaded in that her parents were not accepted by her dad's family and he was disowned because he fell in love with a different race. Swan never felt her parent’s disconnect from her father’s family but it did shape her views on interracial dating and dating someone connected to the military. Flipper and Swan's story is sweet, sexy, and just that perfect amount of suspense that I was very intrigued throughout the entire story.

This specific review will be included in the August 2018 wrap-up.

For other video book review check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Rom Book Talk.

[Perrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the premise, but the execution fell far short, I'm afraid. I would have liked to have experienced more depth of the characters. Focusing on their beautiful looks and every outfit they wore (and how it emphasized those beautiful looks) became tedious. The setting could have played more of a role symbolically in the development of their relationship, instead of "they ate at (fill-in-the-blank)." And I don't think Key West has any sand beaches, let alone any private homes on sand beaches.

Rather than giving the reader several not-so-realistic sex scenes, a slower build, more tension (especially sexual tension) and more nuance could have added greatly to the story. By the end, when they got to the true villain, that person was even a caricature.

This book had the bones of a great story. I don't want to trash it, but would love to see the author use her fabulous ideas with more nuanced build-up and finesse.

[Brenda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with Brenda Jackson's novels, it was a beautiful story about espionage and love. I don't want to give much away, since the book is set to be released in May. However, I was surprised at who the ultimate bad guy was that was setting Swan up.

[SassyMama · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very PREDICTABLE romance with a bit of mystery and INTRIGUE...David was ALL in from the start...and Swan was hesitant...I REALLY didn’t like her name...but I guess they made a CUTE couple...just hope the next book by Mrs. Jackson is better.

[Sohinee Reads & Reviews (Bookarlo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good romance story. I liked the characters. The plotline was okayish. The whole secret mission felt like an invasion of privacy of Swan. But well, everything turned out good in the end and they found their happily ever after.

[Fabiola Chenet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot although I found there were too much repetition at times and too many secondary characters as well except the ex heroes.

[Montessahall Montessahall · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story is too repiticious and dragged on at times as a result. The names for some of the characters; “God pop One, Two and Three” are silly. At best a mediocre novel.

[UberApril · Rating 3 out of 5]

May 9, 2018: In February I was listening to a podcast This is Love episode 3 Always Tomorrow and Brenda Jackson was the guest. I've heard of Brenda before but never read any of her books. But after that podcast I'm a fan!!! She was so adorable and her blatant love for her spouse was fabulous. G.E.R.A.L.D!!! Anyways I was on Libby and this book was listed as Just Added. I immediately placed a hold since the universe was throwing all sorts of signs at me. Last month another GR user placed this in her to-read shelf!! And it appears I have another short story by her. Can't wait to read this book.

May 14, 2018: the ebook I'm borrowing from my local library has ISBN 9781488091971 and this was the closest edition I could find.

May 16, 2018: GUILTY PLEASURE alert. This is my first read by Mrs. Jackson and my expectations were low so it wasn't a big deal that there were cheesy parts! I mean his name!! All I could think of was that vibrator you know the dolphin looking one lol. I was extremely pleased to read that Swan didn't call him by his nickname in bed. What is the attraction for men to call each other those ridiculous appellations?!?! Anyways. Was it erotica? No. There were several sex scenes that were sufficient to create the instalust instalove feel of the book. Was it suspenseful? Meh. You didn't know who was the traitor but when you did find out the person was only mentioned once in the entire book so no real clue. Do you need to read the other books before this one? Nope. It did have other characters from previous books but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of this one. Would you recommend this book? OF FUCKING COURSE. The setting is in Florida you know that means hot fun in the sun. The characters are in their 20s old enough to have lived a little young enough to enjoy those marathon sex sessions and yes slightly damaged but perfect together. The men actually communicate with their significant others and to each other. And as expected the HEA!!! The wedding was overthetop that bride entrance and the 12 groomsmen/ 12 bridemaids. My biggest pro for this book was the interracial relationship. I see lots of IR couples in my life but rarely in my romantic reads.

[Bajen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny story...I was about to add this book and I totally forgot the title 🙈
It was a quick, good feeling read. I do not like romance like this as much as liked them before. In the end it was alright.

[Shemique Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like covert operations mixed with a bit of romance and family intrigue then this is the book for you.

[Harlequin Books]

Received 4 1/2 stars TOP PICK! @ RT Book Reviews

Miniseries: The Westmoreland Legacy

[Helen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navy SEAL David "Flipper" Holloway is given the assignment by his Commanding Officer to go to Key West, Florida to gather information to prove that his CO's goddaughter is innocent of espionage. Swan Jamison has a jewelry shop that she loves. When David walks into her shop seeking a gift for his mother there is immediate chemistry. David knows he has an assignment to fulfill but he knows that Swan is the one for him. Because he has an assignment to carry out he can't reveal to Swan his true reason for being there. Things take a wrong turn and Swan learns the truth. Because of a past experience she feels betrayed. David is not giving up on them and hopes to get the chance to prove to Swan that what they shared is real.

[lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmmm.

This book had so much potential but it fell flat for me. The characters are okay but I wish I felt more for them. Since I couldn't connect with the characters, I couldn't care less about their romance, though I could objectively say that Swan and David were cute together. The suspense part was also meh for me.

Kind of disappointed with this one, though I might see if I could find the other books in this series in the library because I really liked David's teammates.

E-ARC is received thanks to the publisher via Netgalley.

[Jerrika Rhone · Rating 2 out of 5]

1% Done: So far, I am not a fan of Brenda Jackson's writing. What she considers sexy doesn't do it for me, her character names make me roll my eyes. It's crossed the line into outlandish.

this is soooooo bad, lol

Brenda Jackson is why I don't like romance novels(for the most part). Generally they are too corny for me, I just can't deal. Beverly Jenkins,and a few others are exceptions but I doubt I'll read anything else by this particular author. 1.5% stars at most.

[ILoveToRead · Rating 2 out of 5]

Toss Up
Here's my Succinct Review

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of twists and turns!

Navy Seal David is on an undercover mission to prove Swan is not a spy. But he must first wade through betrayal, deceit and falling for Swan, his beautiful "assignment". How angry will Swan be when the "truth" is revealed?

[Starr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing to write home about but a good story. Sometimes the insta-love works when you have a good epilogue, which gave us an update on the rest of the SEAL team.

[Aisha Oaktree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed on Bewitching Bibliophile

Overall:
A military romance with mystery, intrigue, international espionage and sexy times. Where do I sign up?? Plus it's linked to the Westmoreland family sagas?? Yes, please.

Narrator:
Brian Hutchison. This is the first time I've listened to anything read by him and I enjoyed his narration. The story flowed and he was able to make each character unique enough for a distinction between them and I was hooked because of how he read the story as well. Well done!!

Story:
I grabbed this recently after being at home due to recovering after emergency surgery. I didn't feel the urge to read but wanted something to keep me occupied while I was stuck in the bed. I decided I didn't want anything with crazy plot lines I wanted some good loving and great family dynamics and I was so glad I snagged this one.

Told using dual perspectives, we have the story of Swan & David. David known as Flipper to his friends is a Navy SEAL who is due for a vacation and is instead given the option for a top-secret mission., this mission is being asked of him by the top brass who he really respects and he decides to take the mission. Swan owns a boutique in her mother's hometown, where she not only sells unique designs she makes herself but also rents out part of her shop to a successful tattoo parlor. Unbeknownst to Swan, she's being investigated for her part in the selling of US intelligence secrets to the Chinese.

David gets to the island to investigate and is surprised that when he meets Swan in the flesh he's beyond attracted to her. He has to keep this professional not just because her Uncles are his Superior officers, but because he can't afford to be distracted on the mission.

As with all Brenda's books, the chemistry was off the charts and the couple were hilarious together. Both were being cautious, Swan because she had learned the harsh lessons of the past from her parents' marriage and how they were treated by their families. While her parents had a happy marriage after what happens to them Swan has made the choice to never date military and to be extremely cautious about interracial dating. David is trying to stay focused, finish the mission prove that Swan is innocent and get out of this mission without compromising his honor.

I really loved the story and it kept me intrigued, because not only did we have the mystery of who was selling the secrets if it wasn't Swan. I loved how they talked about what dating would look like and how they went slowly because David recognized that Swan needed the time and space to re-evaluate what was once on her never list. They are so many characters who could have been the ones responsible and some I didn't expect. Once we began to unravel the mystery and more information began to come out I was deeply hooked.

I enjoyed the mystery the romance and the final chapters. I loved how Swan reacted because honestly #Same, and I loved how Flipper got around her fears.

I skipped reading in order like I have been for the rest of the Westmoreland series, so I could read this. I didn't know all the characters David was connected to so I missed that "ahh" aspect when you read a series to the current books. However I still enjoyed the book, it wasn't necessary to know all the background of the characters as there was a brief description when needed. I loved this one especially because Flipper has such good friends. Now I'm going backward to go read those books.

★★★★☆
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Westmoreland series by Brenda Jackson
The Protector Series by Brenda Jackson
Happy Reading my loves,

[Love Africa Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

David is a navy SEAL who has been sent on a mission to prove the guilt or lack of it of Swan who is suspected of selling classified information to people with the intent of harming America. His mission involves getting cosy with Swan as he has to find out more about her.

Swan is a biracial resident of Key West and runs a jewellery business. When she meets David, she is unaware of his true reason for being on the island.

Very quickly their relationship blossoms and passion sparks. But what will happen when Swan finds out why David is in Key West and will David be able to prove Swan's innocence.

This story is a mix of mystery and romance. The story is steady and I enjoyed the camaraderie between David and his SEAL mates. They certainly backed him when he needed them.

All in all, another solid read from Mrs Jackson.

[DeeReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐.5

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book required a huge suspension of disbelief, but it was not marketed as fantasy...

There is a scene where the hero, David, waxes poetic about patriotism while they watch a laser light show. That was a little over the top. I get that he's a Navy SEAL, but still.

I know we're supposed to understand how great of a swimmer David is, but the dolphin thing was really weird. Also, Swan (ridiculous name, by the way) has heard of Willy from "Free Willy," but has never heard of Flipper?

Spoiler alert: In the description of David and Swan's wedding, they borrow/rent a super yacht for their 500 guests. Who are these 500 guests? I realize David has 4 brothers and their various families, possibly the godpops' (also ridiculous) extended families attend, and some of the SEAL brothers and their families, but Swan never mentions her mother's family, her parents are dead, and she has like 4 friends (3 of whom betray her and end up dead/in prison). Again, who are these 500 guests? To put it in perspective, about 600 people attended Prince Harry Duke of Sussex's wedding.

In sum, I feel the author was perhaps having a bit of fun at her readers' expense.

[Kat C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so cheesy but it’s got an earnest romance between two people looking for love with a little suspense plot tucked into the end.

I mean, I didn’t love that David starts dating Swan without telling her his true identity. I would argue there is nothing honorable about the seduction. David just goes right into seducing her with no qualms about conflict of interest.

I’m working on a blog series about romance audiobook narrators and while James Fouhey is one of my faves for YA I realized I’ve never actually heard him do romance. Fouhey’s voice veers a little young but he has an ease and control of narration that always brought me back into this book each time I picked it back up. He’s also really good a code-switching between white characters and characters of color.

[CaroMommie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story started out incredibly slow. It didn’t get interesting until it was almost over. That’s when the action picked up.

Their interactions were strange, and when they spoke or thought of each other, the weirdest words were used. Words that really only belonged in a university by a professor explaining quantum theory. Or too many words to convey simple thoughts and scenes. It really was very odd.

But again, it became interesting enough towards the end to warrant two stars

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable, a little silly, but an enjoyable read.

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swan Jamison has returned to Key West after living with her mother in Jamaica for the last few years of her life. She returns to the place where her father and mother lived before her father passed away, and is determined to run her successful business from there. David is a Navy SEAL sent by Swan's godfathers to her store, as she is accused of doing illegal things out of her shop, and they want to clear her name. He doesn't mean to fall in love with his mission, but he can't help himself once he gets to know her. Will Swan still accept him if she finds out about his true occupation?

I sped through this book almost entirely in one sitting, and I loved every minute of it. Swan was such a unique character, being a biracial military kid, and yet she was strong despite having lost both of her parents at a fairly young age and having to make do for herself. With or without David, I still wanted her to be successful in her business and find happiness in life. 

Lately, I have always been finding problems with the main love interests in these romance novels. When I read this one, I actually didn't see anything wrong with David. Sure, he didn't tell Swan about his occupation right away, but he was still a good person in general. He didn't have any dark secrets or any hidden desires for their relationship. He was pretty up-front with everything that he did with her, and I loved him for that. 

The setting of this book was lovely, in beautiful Key West with tons of waterfront areas. This drew me in even more because I wanted to be there with the characters. I would have loved the story in any setting, but this one was just especially perfect. 

The character development was also lovely, as Swan and David get closer, learning more about each other. Both have a collection of things in their past that they love to reminisce about, and one of my favorite parts of the story was just seeing them talk for hours.

I really had no complaints about this book, it was just perfect to me. I wish more romance novels were like this, rather than having the male love interest be problematic just for plot padding. Also, this was a diverse romance with a biracial girl. Not only has she faced adversity from her father's side of the family, she has to get over her fear of getting rejected by her new love interest's friends and family. This is a large amount of the drama in this novel, Swan just learning to accept herself even though others have been so adamant about not accepting her. 

I would recommend this book to lovers of romance novels who are looking for a new diverse adult romance with an independent female main character and "clean" drama-free male character. 

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my voluntary review. 

[Maggie Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buy This Book
Summer loving will soon be upon us. The days are warming up, the nights are getting hotter and it is at such times that every reader’s mind turns towards the ultimate vacation accessory: the perfect beach read. An Honorable Seduction, with its Florida beachside location, talk of cruise ships and descriptions of dates at seaside restaurants and bars makes a nice launch to the summer reading season.

Lt. David Holloway is looking forward to some down time when he gets called into his commander’s office. While the rest of his SEAL team is on vacation, the brass wants David to look into an espionage case in Key West. The daughter of one of their own is being accused of selling secrets to the Chinese. His commander knows the girl personally and doesn’t believe it, but the evidence seems to point towards treason.

David is given extremely lax parameters for the job and isn’t sure how to find out just what’s going on. What he does know five minutes after meeting Swan Jamison is that he wants her with a capital W. Long, slim legs. Curly copper brown hair. Cocoa colored skin covering one of the most beautiful forms he has ever seen – the woman is gorgeous and everything he never knew he needed.

Swan is surprised by her reaction to the good-looking guy in her store. She lives in Key West and has seen plenty of handsome men before but something about this one really captures her attention. Maybe it’s the broad shoulders or piercing blue eyes. Whatever it is, she hasn’t had this reaction to a man in a long time – but she’s glad she’s having it now.

While David enters her shop planning to buy some of her custom-made jewelry, get the lay of the land and get out, his visceral reaction to her makes him change his plans. He invites Swan to have dinner with him, knowing he’s taking a risk, but pretty sure it’ll be worth it. Soon they are having dates filled with food, drinks, fun, laughter, and conversation. Both of them step out of their comfort zones in response to the heat sizzling between them. They have so much going for them. Except the truth. David’s not only lying, he’s lying about something really big, really dangerous and something that might just get them both killed. See the rest of my review at https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...