Seduction & Scandal

The Brethren Guardians #1

by Charlotte Featherstone

With the scandalous nature of her birth to live down, Isabella Fairmont dreams of a proper marriage, even if a passionless one. She saves her deepest desires for the novel she dares to pen, wherein a handsome lord with dark powers seduces her. But then her courtship with an appropriate suitor is threatened by the sudden attentions of the reclusive Earl of Black, whose pale blue eyes and brooding sensuality are exactly as she described in her book.

Isabella tries to resist the mysterious Earl of Black.

Yet as he pursues her, with inexplicable knowledge of her past and kisses that consume her, Isabella fears she will succumb.

If only the earl could tell Isabella the truth. With very real, and treacherous, thieves endangering her life, Black will need to protect Isabella from the very people she trusts the most.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Erotica, Paranormal Romance

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

About the author

Hi I write erotic historical romance for Harlequin Spice, as well as erotic paranormal romance under the name Sophie Renwick. In 2011, I'll be debuting my mainstream, Victorian set historicals through HQN.

I love talking about books, and have found some new friends, and really good book recommends here on Goodreads. I really love this community.

Reviews

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars – Victorian Historical Romance

Charlotte Featherstone’s Addicted and Sinful are two of my favorite historical romances, so I was thrilled when I heard she was coming out with a new Victorian historical romance series from HQN Books. I was very fortunate to receive an early copy of the first book in The Brethren Guardians, Seduction & Scandal, from NetGalley, and it far surpassed my high expectations.

Charlotte Featherstone's writing has a unique, lyrical quality and such beautiful, resonating eloquence to her words. Seduction & Scandal is a dark, sensual, gothic tale that captivated me from the very first haunting sentence and never let me go. I loved absolutely everything about it, and I devoured every seductive word from beginning to end. I don't think it's possible for me to adequately express how much I enjoyed this book, but I'll give it my best effort.

Isabella Fairmont's past is riddled with scandal, and she longs for a proper marriage and life of stability, even if it means a staid future devoid of passion. Although she misses the simplicity and romantic, rugged beauty of the moors of her childhood country home in northern England, she barely survived the poverty and painful ramifications of her mother's notorious indiscretions with men. Isabella is determined to free herself from the devastating secrets of her past and her mother's scandalous reputation, and a possible suit with steadfast, ambitious archaeologist and scholar Wendell Knighton seems to be a perfect means of getting the respectable life she craves.

Isabella's one escape is penning gothic stories about a dark, mysterious figure who haunts her dreams and seduces her, and she keeps her inner yearning and wish of becoming a novelist a closely guarded secret from everyone but her closest friend and cousin, Lady Lucy Ashton. But when Isabella meets and dances with the scandalous, reclusive, enigmatic Earl of Black at a ball, everything in her virtuous, safely erected life of propriety changes. Lord Black's tempting dark beauty, exotic blue eyes, and intoxicating sensuality are exactly like the hero of her story, and when he makes it clear that he desires Isabella, she finds herself lured into a dangerous world of seduction.

Lord Black has guarded scandals and secrets of his own, so he's remained hidden in the shadows of society. Although he's yearned for Isabella from afar, he's stayed away to protect her. But after one dance, one touch, sets him ablaze, he knows he can no longer deny the fierce attraction he feels or resist the explosive passion between them and is determined to make Isabella his. Lord Black's alluring, mysterious, and seductive nature draws Isabella like a moth to a flame, but he also represents every wicked temptation she's vowed to avoid. He seems to know all of her secret desires, and Isabella fears she'll surrender to his enchanting allure. But when Lord Black's mysterious enemies and secrets endanger Isabella and scandals of the past resurface, their tentative relationship and fragile romantic attachment is threatened.

It's a beautifully written, haunting, and evocative romance with gothic mystery, secret legends and treasure, clandestine societies, a sense of occult, a touch of magic, and lushly sensual love scenes. Lord Black is a sexy, brooding, mesmerizing, possessive, decadently sensual, and swoonalicious hero, and his amorous obsession with Isabella is sigh-worthy romantic. He's so emotionally intense, sexually potent, and deliciously tantalizing that I was amazed Isabella didn't faint in an aroused heap at his every touch. He's like an exotic combination of robust, full-bodied red wine and spicy, rich dark chocolate that I'd gladly sip, taste, and indulge in with utter gluttony. Isabella's resistance to Lord Black and denial of their passion was frustrating at times, but it was also understandable considering the pain of her past.

Seduction & Scandal is a very strong 5+ star read that I devoured and savored in one sitting, which is exactly what I long to do to delicious Lord Black. *sigh* The gothic tale that Isabella pens throughout the book adds an enthralling, hypnotic (and steamy!) element to the story. I also loved the intriguing, complex secondary characters, the Duke of Sussex, Lady Lucy Ashton, the Duke's sister Elizabeth, and rogue Scotsman Alynwick, and I'm desperately eager to read their stories now.

I didn't want it to end, and if the second book in The Brethren Guardians, was already out, I would have delved straight into it and kept on reading until I'd finished it as well. This series is that addictive! I highly recommend this for fans of dark, sensual historical romances with a touch of mystery and brooding, sinfully yummy, to die for heroes. I can't wait for the Duke of Sussex's and Lucy's story, Pride & Passion, to come out in December'2011. Big 5 stars!

I received this as a galley, courtesy of NetGalley.com.

My Lord Black:

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s just something about Charlotte Featherstone’s writing that sweeps me away into another time and place, and I don’t feel like I’m merely reading a story, but living a dream!

The first time I met Death, it was at a ball and we danced a waltz, and I feared him, feared the things he made me feel, made me want. That night I ran from him, but Death was right behind me, chasing me and I wanted him to catch me.

Isabella Fairmont is a young woman who has known hunger, pain and scandal. The illegitimate daughter of a woman who gave her heart and her body to a man who she fancied herself in love with, Issy has had to live with the memories of what it was like to be poor and looked down on by the ton. When her mother passed away, Issy was taken in by her uncle and was given the kind of life she should have had all along. But she can’t put her mother’s past behind her and doesn’t plan to make the same mistakes, so she’s settled on an appropriate, respectable man to marry. But Isabella lives out her dreams in her writing where love, desire and passion are safe emotions to experience. But when she meets Lord Black and he evokes those feelings in her outside of the pages of her book, she finds herself torn between longing for what he offers, and fearing it.

Never tell what you know. Never say what you are. Never lose faith in your purpose, for the kingdom to come will have need of you and your sons.

The mysterious Earl of Black is no stranger to scandal. Having been suspect in the death of his mother, brother and fiancée, he’s become reclusive, hiding dangerous secrets of his own. As a member of the Brethren Guardians, he protects valuable, centuries old artifacts that, should they fall into the wrong hands, could destroy the world. He knows of Isabella’s past, and knows the woman she’s become - and he wants her with a depth of desire that is nearly uncontrollable.

“Why, Isabella Fairmont - ” Lucy beamed incredulously “- you have, at last, been properly seduced!”

Isabella tries to resist the mysterious Lord Black, but with his pale blue eyes and brooding sensuality that are exactly as she described Death in her book, she finds herself drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and realizes that she may not have the strength to refuse him.

“I will admit it is a rather strange concept.”

I truly enjoyed the very unique storyline, and while there were some slow moments that are common when we’re being introduced to a new series and its world, Seduction & Scandal was a beautiful tale full of intrigue, excitement and passion. Issy and Lord Black are a perfect match and I was anxious to see them finally get the happily ever after they so deserved!

I’m looking forward to the next installment of the Brethren Guardians, Pride & Passion, the story of Issy’s cousin, Lady Lucy Ashton, and the “stuffy” Duke of Sussex.

Ms. Featherstone's inspiration for Lord Black

This book was provided to me for review by netgalley.com.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gothic romance worth reading, but was definitely uneven for me (3.5 stars)

So I know I'm the odd-woman-out on this one, but while some aspects of this book were really superb, I had several issues that stopped it from being stellar for me. This is my first Charlotte Featherstone book, though I've been wanting to read her book Sinful for awhile, and I definitely think she's a talented author and one I will seek out in the future.

Praise
The hero and heroine were wonderful as individuals and together as a couple. Isabella Fairmont (23) and Jude Sheldon, Earl of Black (33) are well-written and three-dimensional characters, both tormented by secrets in their past that they are trying to put behind them. Black is a very dark, sensual hero - reminded me of Caire from Elizabeth Hoyt's Wicked Intentions - and while he might have overshadowed a weaker or more timid heroine, I think that Isabella stood her ground with him (while flip-flopping a little too much for my taste).

The chemistry between them is sizzling, and in this area I was actually not sure what to expect, since Featherstone's books Sinful and Addicted are marketed as erotic novels. While she does an excellent job at writing sexual tension between Isabella and Jude - and it's a large part of their romance - their relationship progresses stage-wise at the pace one usually finds in historical romances.

I'll admit that I have a thing for those dark and tormented heroes - who doesn't? - and my biggest weakness is heroes who are intensely drawn to their heroines - on the healthy side of obsession, shall we say? Black definitely delivers on both these fronts with his single-minded devotion to and pursuit of Isabella. I absolutely loved how strong his feelings were for her, as well as one of the mysterious reasons it started.

We're introduced in this book to the leads of both books 2 and 3, and I found all of them very engaging and intriguing, with the exception of Lucy, Isabella's cousin and the heroine of the next book. She got on my nerves and her complete disregard for the Duke of Sussex, who seems like he will be a fabulous hero, did not endear her any more to me.

The final thing that I absolutely loved is a spoiler, so I unfortunately can't detail it. I will say that out of the 300-400 historical and contemporary romances I have read so far, this is the first one that had this incorporated into one of the main characters. I thought it was very brave of Featherstone and for personal reasons, I thought it wonderful that she included that and wish that it had been more fully explored.

Criticism
While the strength of this book was the main characters' relationship, it was also the biggest weakness for me. There was so much potential, with all the right ingredients, but while Black's feelings for Isabella felt authentic, he almost always expressed them out loud by describing their physical connection and it seemed to revolve solely around him wanting to finally bed her - and then be able to bed her every day for the rest of his life. Due to a specific aspect of how his feelings for Isabella came to be, and even some of his internal thoughts about her, I thought that the depth was actually there and did exist, but was not expressed enough or fully acknowledged. For Isabella's part, she is definitely attracted to Black (who wouldn't be?!), but I saw no basis for her to have an emotional connection with him so quickly in the beginning of their relationship. While at first her internal struggles added an interesting dimension, eventually I grew tired of her attempt at an "out of sight, out of mind" attitude and felt that Black deserved more constancy on her part.

This is not a paranormal romance, but I personally had to categorize it as one because there are some really weird things going on. There's the subplot, which involves mysterious powers and forces and reminded me of Amanda Quick's Arcane and Vanza series. That in and of itself could have slipped by, but what was up with the book that Isabella is writing? As she writes it, some parts of it come to pass between her and Black, so ... Was she making it happen? Was she predicting the future? I don't know and since it was never explained, even illogically, it bothered me. There is also Isabella's entire morbid relationship with Death, which she talks and writes about as if it's a person, and her constantly seeing shadows, feeling darkness, etc. That, combined with Black's very gothic character, made the book feel extremely melodramatic at times.

The mystery subplot is one that runs throughout the series, so nothing is fully resolved in this book, though I think several things are pretty easily guessed. A great deal of the subplot action is crammed in at the end and that, followed by a quick HEA conclusion to Isabella and Black's romance, make the ending feel very abrupt.

Finally, there was an overall feeling of inconsistency for me. The romance, the characters, the mystery subplot - all of them had a stop-and-go quality that I'm not sure I can properly explain. While some points or aspects of the story are belabored (Isabella's internal struggle, that she and Black are both emotionally haunted, her fear of darkness and the shadows, etc.), others are glossed over, not fully fleshed out, and/or flimsily explained (why he initially became interested in her, why he approaches her now, Isabella's thinking behind her unfortunate event, etc.).

The Brethren Guardians Series
Book 1 - Seduction and Scandal (3.5 stars)
Book 2 - Pride and Passion (exp. publication date: Nov 15, 2011)
Book 3 - Title Unknown

Bottom Line
I would recommend Seduction and Scandal and might myself read it again - Black is delicious, and the attraction and connection between him and Isabella at times leap off the page, both making it worth a read. However I had several issues with the book that left me feeling as if not enough had been explained and wanting more depth or background. I will therefore most likely not be buying my own copy, and will instead check it out from the library if/when I want to read it again.

Recommendations
Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
Seven Secrets of Seduction by Anne Mallory

[This review is of an advance reading copy of the book from Harlequin through NetGalley]

[Monty Cupcake ☠ Queen of Bloodshed ☠ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I misunderstood the tags on genre for this book because I was expecting a paranormal historical romance novel. It was not. It's a historical romance with some artifacts that may have a paranormal-ness to them. There's a hint of possible otherness influence from the artifact, but it's not a fact in the book. That was disappointing as I thought the characters would be paranormal. They're regular humans.

Isabella is a former commoner now living with her aristocratic uncle and cousin. She's now attending balls, being in society, trying to catch a husband. She spends her time writing gothic stories about a romance with Lord Death. She's a heroine quite preoccupied with death since her father, mother, and grandmother are all dead. Her very overactive imagination makes her a flighty kind of heroine. I didn't really like that about her. She waffles about on her decisions and does stupid things because of her imagined notions.

Lord Black (how cool is his name?), Jude, (also a very hot guy name), has a mysterious and scandalous past. He's a recluse, but he pops up at a ball just to dance with Isabella. He's a pretty dark and mysterious hero, but totally all about the seduction. That was fun. He's also a Brethren Guardian, meaning he has to guard a Templar artifact from being discovered by the world.

The book would've been better if it hadn't had Isabella's story of Lord Death going on as well. That annoyed me to have the novel interrupted for her little imaginings of her romance with Lord Death story. That's part of why I'm not rating this very highly, I also hated how wishy washy and bratty Isabella was at times concerning Jude. Hated her bratty cousin too. I think Jude, Sussex, and Alynwick were the best characters. Also, while the couple has a HEA, the whodunnit isn't solved yet, there are 2 more books in the series. I assume the villain isn't revealed until book 3.

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars out of 5

I sometimes think I'm not sophisticated enough for a Charlotte Featherstone novel. I know her writing is supposedly like poetry, full of sensuality, magical (I almost wrote magically delicious- Lucky Charms anyone?), and all that other touchy feely stuff. However, I prefer more of the direct approach with my words and my actions. If you like me, come tell me, if you want some, come ask. Nuff said!

Being in the head of a Featherstone character is like drowning on angst, misery, longing, and desire. It takes so long for two characters to come to terms with what they want, and to perform whatever action they desire, that by the time they do whatever they wanted to do, I'm screaming FINALLLYYYY!

That being said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the story in this book. In fact, the story could give the movie National Treasure a run for its money.

I know I'm not taking the book seriously in all its dark misery and character flowery feeling stuff but I can't. The objects in the story- the chalice, the scroll, and the pendant and the secret society kept me in the story, the character’s internal hallmark card moments kept me from thoroughly enjoying it!

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Not So Scandalous Stars

Isabella's mother was a passionate woman. A rake seduced her into being his mistress.



Scandal ruined her reputation and she was forced to move away from society. Once he'd had his fill of her, she was cast aside and left to became a whore. Trading sex for money in order to survive.

After Isabella's mother passed, she moved to live with her uncle, the Marquis of Stonebrook. She has just been introduced to London society via her uncle and she has no intentions of making the same mistakes her mother made. She will not be seduced by passion, but will settle for a marriage based on friendship.

But the Earl of Black is obsessed with Isabella and he intends to seduce her. Into his Bed!!!



The passion between Isabella and Black was palpable. I just felt that it was dragged out too long. They didn't make love until the 85% mark. And honestly, that's ok if an author chooses to make me wait it out. I just got tired of all of the dream sequence sex. One or two dream sequences are fine. But I felt that it began to drag, and I began to not even care if they had sex or not.

I loved the Isabella and Black. The secondary characters had wonderful depth. Enough depth, that I look forward to each to their love stories to come.

There was also a mystery that was not resolved. It sets up the perfect introduction into book two. I only rated this a 3 star because it dragged quite a bit in the middle with the dream sequences and fictional journal writing. I can only hope that the next book will not go at such a slow pace.

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, loved it, loved it!

Review to come later...


Death has never looked so tempting...



Note: I received this eARC from Harlequin via NetGalley. That had no influence on my review/rating.

[Emily May · Rating 3 out of 5]

"THE FIRST TIME I MET DEATH, IT WAS AT A BALL AND WE DANCED A WALTZ..."

Well, with an opening line as intriguing as that I found my already high expectations sky-rocketing. I admit that I don't usually read historical romances as I tend to be rather against the patronisation of women and the whole death-by-corset thing they had going on back then. This, however, had excellent ratings by the few lucky enough to get an ARC copy and also that title speaks to me - I cannot resist a bit of scandal (or seduction, for that matter).

As one of my first historical romances (I'm not going to count Outlander), the novel was fairly good. I've heard it said before that Charlotte Featherstone writes with a poetic style that you either love or hate... well, I beg to differ because it was just rather so-so. I like beautiful, flowy writing; I think that's why I can't resist those books written in verse. However, apart from the opening that made me sit up straight and take notice, the rest of the book's writing bored me somewhat. In fact, there were quite a few things about this book that were, at best, dull.

The romantic aspect held all of my attention. I found the love scenes both sweet and steamy, and you could also see how the relationship would develop from curiosity and attraction to love and caring... without any of the unconvincing jumps to insta-love that romance novels today seem highly fond of. Isabella was a far better developed character than Lord Black, as a reader I felt an instant connection with her that was only strengthened by the delving into her past and writings. I loved the idea that she wrote as an escape from a society that holds such high and restricting expectations of people - and especially women. Lord Black, on the other hand, never seemed real to me. I mean that we never got inside his head properly and I felt constantly distanced from him throughout the novel, despite the author's attempts to bring out his character through discovering the mysteries of his past. I did think he was incredibly sexy and dark and dangerous and many other characteristics that are attractive in a romantic hero... but he was also highly one-dimensional.

The thing about romance stories is that romance alone is rarely enough. There needs to be a subplot or two going on to make it work - maybe a mystery or family problem to fill the blanks in between our lovers getting together. This book had that, but I found it incredibly weak and boring. I didn't care at all for the mysterious murder stories, the seances, and the attempts to delve into a bit of Greek mythology. If I'd just read the romance scenes then I would have enjoyed the book a whole lot more, but then it wouldn't have even been long enough to get published as a full novel.

I'm not sorry I read it and I would recommend the book to fans of the romance genre but I thought there were a great deal of things that needed improvement - most importantly, it needed a more engaging subplot.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing this for review.

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Black said to Isabella:
"Say it, whisper it, let me hear my name on your lips, let me feel your lips against my skin as you say it."

3.5 stars. I rounded up to 4 stars since the prose is beautiful and there's one magical word: sensuality.

Where do I start? Some aspects of Seduction & Scandal were wonderful. Then again, I had a few issues that prevented it from being exceptional.

The dark and secretive hero, Lord Black (Jude Sheldon), was gorgeous, very sensual, and utterly delicious. While Isabella Fairmont could hold her own, she had a few weaker moments from time to time. Both of them are tormented by secrets in their past and they're both refusing to reveal them. Lord Black is very obsessed to gain Isabella's love and devotion. He wants her heart, body, and soul. Since he first laid eyes on her he wants her. Irrevocably. The build-up was very well done and their chemistry was incredibly palpable and sizzling hot! I loved the sexual tension in Sinful as well as in Forever Yours, and I can truly say that I felt the same way while reading Seduction & Scandal. The author took her time and the relationship grows slowly and steadily but boy, it was so worth the wait!

The best aspect of Ms. Featherstone's writing is her ability to make the reader feel this all-encompassing sensuality. It's ever present!

"You must take this book, Isabella," he whispered, and she felt the brush of his hair against her cheek, then her neck. It was followed by the subtle sweep of his nose against her skin, and at last, the brush of his lips against the column of her neck. "I want you to have it, to open the pages and reverently turn them, to glide your fingers along the paper, tracing the words, thinking of me as you read."

"Reckless, dangerous, irresponsible, yes," he murmured as he pressed against her, his chest slowly, inexorably pushing her backward till she was lying on the carriage bench and he was looming above her. "It is all those things, but it is also unavoidable, inevitable, inescapable."

What didn't quite work for me:
On the one hand, the main characters are certainly the strength of Seduction & Scandal. On the other hand, I felt that Lord Black and Isabella didn't spend enough time together. I really craved for more. While Lord Black was always very outspoken about his feelings, emotions, and cravings, it was Isabella who didn't convince me completely. Yes, she desired Lord Black but she acted too hesitantly, and she was too indecisive. Furthermore, the author dedicated too much time to the mystery for my liking. The things that happened were a bit weird, and I would qualify those elements as PNR. It revolves around mysterious powers and forces and this whole part includes the infamous pendant and the chalice. If you want to know more about the pendant, please read the spoiler. This pendant contains the seeds from the apple that Eve took from the Tree of Knowledge. They're cursed with the venom of the snake who tempted her. Additionally, the ending was a bit too abrupt for my liking.

There's some unfinished business at the end of the story due to the chalice. However, I'm pretty sure that book 2 will pick up right where Seduction & Scandal left off, since we're introduced in this book to the lead characters of Pride & Passion, Lucy Ashton and Lord Sussex.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and if you're a fan of Ms. Featherstone's work or if you like HR with a touch of PNR then I'd recommend you to read Seduction & Scandal.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHENOMENAL STORY TELLING!!!

Seduction & Scandal is the first book in the Brethren Guardian Series, and if it's any indication as to what is to come I simply can't wait!! Now, the fact that the author is a dear friend in no way affects the fact that I think her writing is simply magical! It just is!! I loved this story and the concept so much, I am going to attempt a brief review, I know I won't be doing this story justice though, just please, check it out for yourself!!

Isabella Fairmont is a woman with a passionate soul, but who wants nothing more than to bury that passion and marry a man who will provide the safety and security that has always been fleeting in her life, but she cannot seem to resist the passion that sizzles between her the enigmatic Earl of Black. Lord Black has been called many things, dark, dangerous, a recluse and scandal and death seem to follow him. There is also the fact that Isabelle, who is a budding lady novelist, is penning a story about Lord Death, who is strongly coming to resemble Lord Black himself....But none of this will deter Black from the one thing he wants most...Isabella - It is as though his soul recognizes her as his.

All of this passion and throw in the mystery of the magical Templar artifacts that the Brethren Guardians have been sworn to protect for generation. This story has everything, love, lust, passion, mystery, deceit and lots of unanswered questions that will leave you practically salivating for the next book in the series, Pride and Passion where we can spend much more time with the delicious Duke of Sussex and Lady Lucy Ashton!

I am grateful I was able to get an ARC copy of the book from Netgalley, but at the same time it feels a little bittersweet, for this is a story you DO NOT want to see end!!


Lord Black:




****This book was provided to me as and ARC by Netgalley!

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 zvezdice. (poslednjih 50ak stranica je ovoj knjizi donelo 4 zvezdice jer ostatak sam jedva pročitala, pa da nije završnice koja me ostavila sa gomilom pitanja i ludom željom da saznam ostatak, ova knjiga bi dobila dve zvezdice.)

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only was “Seduction & Scandal” my first Charlotte Featherstone read, it was also my very first historical romance read as well. I went into reading this not really knowing what to expect as I’ve always been apprehensive about the genre. Needless to say, the first page grabbed me, held me, consumed me, until I just had to sit down and read it in its entirety; until two in the morning. When it was over, I was heartbroken because I didn’t have the next one to pick up and start reading. I have no doubt that had I the second novel in this series; I would’ve kept on reading into the morning.

Isabella Fairmont comes from a past that’s full of tragedy and disgrace. Having been taken in by her wealthy uncle, Isabella realizes that she’s fortunate to have been given a chance to experience the privileges that someone from her background shouldn’t. It’s because of this background and shameful past that Isabella is content on wanting a simple marriage that’s honorable, simple, and proper; even if that means that she feels no real desire for her husband. Isabella is afraid to lose herself in passion, fearing she will succumb to the same reality her mother did. Isabella finds what she’s looking for in Wendell Knighton, who works for the British Museum specializing in ancient artifact discovery. Wendell is a safe choice, and shows no sign of throwing Isabella into a fit of sexual frenzy.

The one place Isabella lets herself free, and truly expresses her passion and longing, is within her extremely sensual writing. She shares her secret with no one other than her best friend and cousin, Lady Lucy Ashton. Isabella writes of the mysterious Lord Death who has haunted her dreams and fantasies for years. Imagine Isabella’s surprise when at a ball one evening, Lord Black (HAVE MERCY) approaches her and dances with her, eerily resembling the writing that Isabella had penned.

Lord Black comes from a past that’s full of secrets and shame. He has essentially locked himself away from the world, until he encounter’s Isabella. The desire to be with her is magnetic, and he rests at nothing until he can be with her.

As I mentioned before, the writing in this story grabbed me immediately. Never before have I read something so incredibly arousing using just words. Featherstone’s writing is unbelievably sensual. While reading this, I felt as though I could smell Lord Black through Bella’s encounters with him; that I could hear him speaking through the pages. It was so intensely erotic that there were several moments I was left breathless. Lord Black is sinfully delicious and completely enthralled with Isabella. This man is consumed with her, and when he finally gets his prize, I almost fainted with envy. The story is enchanting, darkly sexy, full of suspense, and ancient history everyone will love.

I am desperately anxious to read the next story in this series; I wish it were available now. The secondary characters introduced in this novel, Sussex, Lady Lucy, Elizabeth, and Alynwick, will all surely make for fantastic additions to this exciting series!

Now, more than ever, I am anxious to read more of Charlotte Featherstone’s novels. I was completely captivated by this. Five big stars!!

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given my track record in category historical romances, some might wonder why I keep panning for gold amongst the muck. The answer, my friends, is either sheer stupidity or eternal optimism -- I haven't decided which, but my ego would prefer the latter.

Despite the ill-famed DNF tag, let me start by mentioning what I liked. From a technical standpoint, the writing was fine -- it didn't make me wince, gag, or punch the wall. I daresay some scenes were prettily written. I enjoyed the interwoven passages of Isabella's novel -- the story-within-a-story is one of my favorite devices. I even liked the uber-gothicness of the hero (sorry, Karla :P) -- he's of the Rochester School o' Gloomth, & that's normally something I enjoy.

...Except category romance dictates a Rochester-style hero must spend pages upon pages of emo self-examination, which was the case here. (Excuse me while I go vomit.) But our Lord Black wasn't the most emo character of this novel. The guy dresses in all black, keeps four black horses & a black carriage, uses black wax on his letters, etc...and yet the most emo character by far is Isabella. Our fair wallflower stuffs her Unwholesome Desires down inside (wouldn't want to be like her wanton mama, right?), dwells on Black's gorgeousness at the drop of a hat, writes stories about dancing with Death, & for all her professions of heartiness, faints dead away at a seance.

That brings me to a major peeve -- not just in this particular book, but for category historical romances in general. Many fine people in this world are shy; hell, *I* am one of the wallfloweriest wallflowers that ever lived...so indulge me when I say how much I hate when a wallflower-heroine obsesses over how sinful it is for her to feel desire. C'mon, authors. There's nothing shameful in shy girls having naughty thoughts.

Some readers will see this & say something like: Sarah, the Ton was harsh! Besides, the shy girl learns she's wanted by some supremely wish-fulfilling manly-man, woohoo! First: I'm not talking about a shy girl's behavior -- I'm talking about her daydreams. Second: I've read books wherein the Shy, Quiet Girl has her shy quietness boinked out of her & emerges from her cocoon as a sexually cozy butterfly...and lo, that device annoys me just as much. Why? Because shyness shouldn't be portrayed as something that needs to be exorcised to become a legit romantic heroine. Unless you're writing a lady who's endured some kind of MG Lewis melodramatic childhood, "shy" should NOT equal "omg I just thought of kissing him -- woe is my sinfulness!" It's not just that they're nervous to act -- I could totally identify with that reluctance. No, it's the demonizing of shyness -- or reluctance -- that drives me nuts. The hero must gradually exorcise her shame to have the required number of naughty scenes in their ascending order of panty-clutching, & only when that shyness is stripped away can a 'proper' heroine recognize her desires as healthy.

That, my friends, is a bullshit romantic standard that's completely unfair to wallflowers everywhere. Give us some credit, huh? We can appreciate a well-formed man & not combust with shame. And given the hot-as-hell fashions for 19th-century fellows, I have no doubt our shy vintage sisters enjoyed the view, even if they couldn't write about it on Twitter. :P

Anyway...

Another peeve was the bland Victorian setting. I was excited to see a new romance series set in the Victorian period -- but my excitement was for naught. The period was barely a placemarker, a way to justify occasional references to the Fox Sisters & their spiritualism craze. Yawn. There was also a rather bizarre subplot about Evul Magical Artifacts, which might have been entertaining in a cheesy way...except I quit reading on page 130 & the artifacts still hadn't been satisfactorily explained -- neither their history, their purpose, or their reason for propelling the tepid mystery. And when will these authors get off their duffs & realize that not every academic workaholic has to be shuffled to the side in favor of a mysterious alpha male? Smart guys can be sexy too, dammit. Poor Mr Knighton.

I probably could have pushed myself to finish this. It wasn't horrible, really...but why bother? I've got plenty of other books that need the love (no pun intended). :P

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts about this one are quite mixed. It’s the first Charlotte Featherstone I’ve read, and there were some things I enjoyed and others that just felt they weren’t as good as they could have been.

I received it through netgalley.


Things I liked:-


- The theme of the series is really a nice mixture of the mythical, romantic and historical. I think this is what actually made me read on and finish the book - I just wanted to know what happened. It also left me really wanting to read the other two books in the series, which is actually quite an achievement for a book which didn’t leave me inspired.

- The second half is much better written than the first half, equally dark and angsty, but with much more substance, flowing more easily and the characters feel more real. There is much less single-minded focus on the over-gothic romance, which I found quite tedious, more interesting characters involved and more details of the pasts of both the hero and heroine.

- The character of Lucy. She just came across as quite like a real person - totally overshadowed by something, and yet nosy, gossipy, but essentially well-meaning.

Things I didn’t like so much:-

- I have to admit, I found the story-within-a-story bits a tad boring. So, the heroine is a wannabe gothic novelist, do we have to be subjected to page after page of her verbal wanderings? I ended up just skipping over these I found them so tiresome. Maybe these bits would have been better handled as dreams or something..

- I found it incredibly difficult to warm to the heroine during the first half, and only slightly more during the second half, for two main reasons. The heroine is clearly virginal, even if brought up a witness to her mother's man-chasing behavior, which has made her vow to never do the same. She has seen the pain and poverty it inflicted on her and her mother and doesn't want to repeat it. So far, so good. But then, as soon as the hero waltzes onto the scene she forgets everything and almost throws herself at him. Hmmm. Not sure about that - she strikes me as a sensible, world-weary person, quite cynical and an outsider. I'm not sure she wouldn have turned her back on all her good resolutions so easily, and I really wanted her to be made of sterner stuff instead of being a completely romantic no-hoper. And secondly, to top it all, I just didn’t buy the virginal stuff. Er, hello? She spent most of her formative years watching her mother hopping into bed with a variety of lovers, in a small 2-room hovel, and she’s trying to figure out why she likes foreplay? I don’t think so. Even if she’d never actually slept with anyone, I think she’d be pretty well-versed in what was going on.

- For me, the first half was rather slow, and this overshadowed what is really a nice, intriguing theme for the series, with a mixture of myth, romance and history.

- I couldn’t, and still can’t figure out, for the life of me, why the hero didn’t get to proposing sooner, since it was obvious the heroine needed that kind of commitment from him.

- Some of the steamy bits relied rather too heavily on describing the various contortions the hero and heroine managed to twist themselves into, which took the edge off a bit. I've not read a story where over-description of the positions of limbs or who's on top of whom, and then how they shift to knees etc. really works very well. It always seems a bit over-visual and more suited to a movie.


So, 3 stars. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

[KristenReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 to 4 1/2 stars

Right from the start Seduction & Scandal swept me away into a world full of mystique, yearning, secrets, and mystery. The prose felt gothic, ethereal, and lyrical. It was a treat to immerse myself in the sensual and provocative words. 

I was captivated, intrigued, and loved the hero of this book, Jude Sheldon, the Earl of Black. Lord Black is a dark, mysterious, and fascinating character. His devotion, desperation, and desire for the book's heroine, Isabella Fairmont, was at times haunting and painful to read, but also beautiful and uplifting. I will admit there were many times during the book I felt the heroine did not deserve the hero. However, by the end of the story, I was delighted they both obtained their HEA, albeit, more for him than for her. 

Now for the book's heroine. Frankly, she annoyed me, I did not care for her, and she is the reason I gave the book 4.5 rather than 5 stars. I felt Isabella's character was obstinate to a fault by refusing to allow the relationship between Lord Black and herself to progress, even though she knew in her heart they belonged together. Her self-righteous and complacent attitude was irritating. I did warm up to her by the end, but only just! 

I was enchanted by the book's cast of vivid and richly developed secondary character: the Duke of Sussex, Lady Lucy Ashton, the Duke's sister Elizabeth, and the Marquis of Alynwick. These characters were as important to the story as were the hero and heroine, and I eagerly look forward to their upcoming books. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this enthralling and sensual book. Charlotte Featherstone's talent for storytelling never ceases to amaze me. I highly recommend reading Seduction & Scandal.

[Auj · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me forever to finish because I was busy editing my WIP. Yesterday I read maybe 5 pages of it, and the day before, a similar amount. The book was a little too long for my taste. Even though 384 pages isn't that long, the page count still intimidates me. I like books to be shorter than 300 pages, unless I'm loving that book (which rarely happens--like 5 star level).

Seduction & Scandal is historical ("regency romance") with paranormal elements related to the Knights Templar and artifacts that allegedly possess magical or supernatural powers.

I really like Charlotte Featherstone's writing, especially for the sensual bits. Sadly, the sex scenes took too long to come. Isabella loses her virginity on page 346... I was just patiently waiting for them, that when they finally happened, it wasn't as satisfying.

Black was a great hero. I love how he was more into her than vice versa or at least realized it earlier.
She was kind of afraid to give into her desires because she was afraid of ending up like her passionate mother. Her secret in her past from 2 years earlier was interesting, too. She tried to commit suicide after the deaths of both her mom and grandmother. The final straw was when she got rejected from working as a governess. Black was the one who saved her, though she didn't realize it till the end of the story. Rather, she thought his visage was Death in the form of a man, and she crafted a romantic story based on him. What I didn't understand was where was Lucy and her uncle in all this? Why wasn't she living with them at the time? It probably was mentioned in the beginning, but I somehow missed it or forgot it.

However, I didn't like that Black's real name (Black is his title, but I guess I thought that was his name for too long) took way too long to be revealed. His first name is Jude, but I always felt like the author preferred calling him Black. I was more than halfway through, and I saw that one of the characters in this book was named Jude Sheldon. I was like who? I thought we just hadn't met the character yet.

I might read Lucy and Sussex's story in the future when I finish my current to-read lists, which include "Addicted" by Charlotte Featherstone.

[MBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seduction and Scandal by Charlotte Featherstone is a novel that seems to have received its fair share of raving reviews prior to its release date which is set for the 28th of this month. The first book in The Brethen Guardian series, Featherstone introduces the reader into a world steeped in mystcism, religion, red-hot passion and love that is bound to make for an interesting and engrossing tale.

Seduction and Scandal introduces us to the three guardians whose life and the life of their sons are to remain in guarding secrets of the universe altering kind. Jude Sheldon i.e. Lord Black is a member of the three, someone who is tired of all the death that seems to follow him until everything else ceases to exist for him. When his life crosses paths with the beautiful Isabella Fairmont whose life is shrouded in scandal as well, Black wonders whether for the first time in his life he has found a partner who would share the darkness within which he resides right alongside with him.

Ten years younger than Lord Black, Isabella lives with her uncle and his daughter and her best friend Lucy, and suffers from vivid nightmares that has her distrustful of the shadows that linger deep into the night. Death has played a major role in her young life, taking away the two people who have meant the world to her. Her fascination and fear with Death manifests itself in the novel that she writes where Death becomes the hero that seduces the heroine in question until she is ready to surrender everything she has unto the hands of Death.

When her real life unfolds into events similar to that in her story, for someone like Isabella who has made it her life-long mission not to succumb to the wiles of rakes and men spouting poetry to lure women towards doom, Lord Black and his seductive advances pose a problem when all Isabella wants to do is give into the pleasure that she knows that only Lord Black can give her.

Lord Black is determined that the one thing he has come to yearn for in his otherwise bleak existence would not get away from him, even if it means coming out with the truth that binds Isabella and Black in their past. With Lord Black convinced of the danger to Isabella, the shadows behind which Black and his friends move within suddenly take a more sinister edge when the secrets that they have been guarding for so long lands in the hands of a mad man, who is willing to do everything and anything to attain ultimate power of the universe.

For me, Seduction and Scandal proved to be an interesting read. Though I had a few problems with the constant to and fro dance that Isabella plays with Lord Black and even though at a time or two I just felt like screaming "just get on with it", Seduction and Scandal is a romance that has a lot going for it. From the adventure aspect to the dialogues to the characters that unfold, Seduction and Scandal exudes the talent and skill of Featherstone in weaving a tale that invokes complex emotions from the reader.

Recommended for fans of historical romances that promise to deliver something very different from the usual books that line your shelves and of course for the fans of Charlotte Featherstone.

Rating=4/5

Original review posted at MBR's Realm of Romance

[Alycia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this first Gothic inspired tale (historical romance) from Ms. Featherstone. The first in the Brethren Guardians Trilogy.

Isabella Fairmont wants nothing more than a staid and albeit safe life. Mostly due to her mother's heartbreak and fall, Isabella does not desire passion. She hides behind her notions of what is right, but expresses herself by penning a hauntingly beautiful and passionate story about a woman being seduced and ultimately loved by Death.

Lord Black, a mysterious and reclusive man has desired and loved Isabella from afar. He will do anything it takes to persuade Isabella that she can have both love and passion, not to the detriment of her notion of safety. Black makes appearances among the town, which he abhors to persuade Isabella that they are perfect for each other.

The integration of the Freemasons, The Brethren Guardians (Black, Sussex, Alynwick), and the mysterious House of Orpheus, a club that at one point that did exist, kept me guiding me through the labyrinthine turns to find out what happened next. The cast of secondary characters I loved, the Duke of Sussex, Lucy (Isabella's cousin), the Marquis of Alynwick, and Elizabeth, I cannot wait to see more of them.

Ultimately this was a tale of good vs. evil, the mystery surrounding the Brethren Guardians was not completely revealed in this first book, but I look forward to finding out more, I just wished I had Pride and Passion on hand to find out what happens next. I do feel for Sussex and Lucy both, I so want to see them amicably come to love. The villain in this story was surprising, but I think there is definitely a few more involved in this trilogy.

It took a while for Isabella to come to terms with whom she really wanted in her life, at times I became frustrated, wanting just to shake her and say what are you doing?!? Lucy definitely had the same sentiments. Once Isabella decided who she really loved, it was such a beautiful and dawning love that sprang off the page. I definitely recommend this one.

I haven't found the perfect picture of Isabella's blood red gown (I want one!) that she wears twice to be ravished by Black, but I think this one is a good start.

[Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars....disappointed stars :/ Because this book really could have scored more than 2.


I just cant decide....did i kinna like this one...or did i NOT... :/



seriously i just have Nooo idea...this book seems to have as many - points, as its + .... :P

one min im lovin it and the next im like ...."WHAT THE HELL YOU TWO,CAN U JUST STOP HAVIN SEX THERE FOR A MINUTE ! PEOPLE ARE DYING OUT HERE ! ".Lol...seriously the sex scenes were just that badly timed...

Honestly im not a prude, but come one even i have limits ! At one point ,the story would take a supernatural direction and i would beagin to get engrossed in in its Gothic mystery and the sinister secrets that antient the pendent, the chalice and the scroll... held.. AND then suddenly,WHAM !.... These two are busy getting their freak on :P



Plus there also the fact of the really annoying heroine that questioned , EVERY DAMN THING, and her friend 'Lucy' , who seems to NOT only seems to despise the Duke for no reason, Ok...yes shes obsessed with her dead crush, but seriously girl, what did Sussex ever do to you ? But who also seems to try to be the worst best friend, she ever can :/




Recommendation: sadley,No this one's not going to make it to my list of "To-recommend" but that dosnt mean it was bad...just that the plot didn't work out well for me ...But Though ive got to say , i lved the author's style of writingso yes i mite be checking out her other boks soon...., but other wise i think im done with this series....for some reason the plot dosnt seem to hold any interest anymore. *sign*

Oh Well goodnight guys ! ♥ and happy reading and have a smashing weekend ! ♥

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release: Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: HQN
Author’s Website: http://www.charlottefeatherstone.net/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, The Brethren Guardians
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Hot

As of this moment, I’ve spent about two hours writing and re-writing this review. Why, do you ask? For the simple reason that nothing I say seems to accurately describe just how much I really enjoyed this book.

Taking it’s cue from gothic novels of old, Seduction & Scandal has everything I love in darker historicals. Our heroine is a woman with a secret scandalous past, determined to live a virtuous and staid life, never giving in to the passions that ruined her mother’s life. She agrees to a courtship with a man who is boring, but safe, and never tells him of her secret hobby as a novelist. Then enter the Earl of Black, a darkly handsome man who has a scandal of his own to follow him, who tempts her with the promise of secret kisses and forbidden caresses.

The secret scandal in Isabella’s past, the deadly rumors that surround Black, the tale of secret societies with a dash of the paranormal, a delicious sense of sensuality, and an unseen outside force attempting to ruin all chances of happiness between the lovers, all combine to make this book an incredible read.

I literally could not put this book down. Once I read the opening lines, Ms. Featherstone’s masterful writing style had me entranced to the point that even I found myself reading this book in line at the grocery store.

I must also say how absolutely thrilled I am by the blurb of the next book in the series, Pride & Passion, and how completely devastated I am that it doesn’t come out until December.

A very solid 5/5 Stars, and highly recommended for fans of gothic historical romances.

[Riverina Romantics · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Seduction & Scandal is a captivating adventure filled with passion, intrigue and a touch of paranormal magic.

From the moment I started reading to the very last word the one thing that was constantly going through my mind was -Charlotte Featherstone is utterly flawless in the way she portrays history. Every description, every spoken word, ever reference is perfection.

The Earl of Black is a completely drool worthy hero, he’s sexy, he’s masculine and he is completely devoted to winning Isabella’s heart, however, Isabella is completely devoted not to give her heart to Black. Escaping a past filled with her mother’s scandalous mishaps Isabella yearns for a future devoid of anything resembling the passion filled heart ache her mother lived. Resigned to marry the woefully boring Knighton, Isabella has to fight the passion that she feels for Black.

Seduction & Scandal will keep you on a slow simmer until the last quarter of the book where you will burn to read every page as fast as possible.

Favourite Quote: "How will I sleep tonight?" he asked."When my arms will ache for you, and behind my closed eyes I will see you, shattering in my arms, a picture so beautiful and arousing, I will have to play it over and over."

[Lady Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVED (Jude) Lord Black, and the how his family and two other survivors of the Knights Templar had to protect the three treasures...but I had a hard time connecting with Isabelle. One minute she was a tough, sassy young women from Yorkshire.. the next... the biggest whinger (hate that in a a heroine).

I will read the next book because I did like Lord Sussex & Lucy, and I want to find out who Orpheus is.

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you have a favourite author whose work doesn’t quite stick the landing:



I loved Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone, and was excited about Seduction & Scandal, the first story to the Brethren Guardians series. Featherstone did a great job with dark material, now she’ll be working with Victorian Occult, templar stuff?



I was so excited about this, especially because the first chapter is so good. I was in a cheesy mood and that first chapter hit me.



Bella is a poor relation who has been living with her uncle and cousin Lucy since her immediate family passed away. Her mom made a poor marriage choice, marrying out of passion, and this has stung Bella. However, she is her mother’s child because she is a writer of intense gothic stories. Black is not the type of man she wants to be involved with, but she is exactly who he wants due to secret past reasons.

Total aside: I was surprised by the obvious nature of his secret past. I am very bad at guessing what will happen so the fact that I guessed it early on indicates anyone with two brain cells or an overactive imagination could have cracked this nut.

I love female writer heroines, so I was vibing with Bella. Not only that but female friendships! Bella and Lucy know each other quite well and have one of the best confrontations between female friends I've read in an HR. That it's Bella and Lucy that drag each other, calling each other out for not living/being spoiled instead of Bella and Black - it's a great move by Featherstone.

I am disappointed by two things that, ultimately, made me lose interest in the story:

1. Bella pushes passion away. The plot suffers even though it doesn't have to.

I believe Featherstone could have made Bella and Black's relationship spicy, despite the fact that Bella resists Black. Bella even had a suitor but nothing really happens except Bella hemming and hawing. There is a bit of stalling that could have been filled up with some action.

2. The Brethren Guardians doesn't make sense

Look, I'm willing to suspend disbelief but



The idea of the Brethren Guardians feels a bit like a cross between Deathly Hollows and the Fellowship of the Ring, but not as thrilling or convincing. I didn't believe or really understand how these 3 objects that the Guardians were sworn to protect were possessed of magical powers. Especially why everyone all of a sudden became convinced of their powers after one incident: Lucy takes one of the seeds and turns psycho. Did no one think it may have been a hallucinogenic? Why was it automatically assumed that her strength was supernatural, mystical strength? The scroll, chalice, and pendant that the Brethren Guardians are charged to protect and hide from the world can together bring "universal knowledge and immortality" which is so vague. I think the story would have been stronger if this was workshopped a bit more.

Anyways. I didn't love Seduction & Scandal but I love Featherstone. And I still liked that this plot tried to do something new. I only wish it was a bit more polished. The only thing that did work about the story was that it makes you want to read about the other couples in the series. I'm also determined to finish the series just to see what happens.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sigh, what a good book. The writing was just excellent and beautiful! Isabella Fairmont has had a scandalous upbringing due to her mothers many liaisons and it has made Isabella realize she needs a stable marriage, even if it is passionless. She has been writing a story about a handsome man with silver blue eyes named Death and that is where she pours her passion out. When she attends a ball one night with her cousin, Lady Lucy with whom she is living with now as her mother has passed away, she catches the eye of the smoldering Lord Black and is quite startled as to his resemblance to Death from her book. But there is no looking away as they dance together and so her long buried passion grows and grows.

Lord Black is one of the Brethren Guardians, along with his two friends, who are in charge of keeping a chalice, scroll and pendant from the public so the evil they posses together does not come to light. When the chalice and pendant go missing, the men start a hunt for them to keep them from the wrong hands. This sounds a bit over dramatic and I was a bit hesitant as to how much this dark magic was going to factor into the story but I was very pleased with how it plays out. Yes, there is a bit of a creepy, odd scene with Lucy but really besides that, there is really no supernatural elements present which I was happy about. The mystery is left hanging a bit and will be continued into the next story, Pride and Passion and I am eagerly waiting for it so I can follow up.

Throughout the story, little tidbits of the past of Isabella and Lord Black are revealed. We learn that there is an unfortunate incident from Isabellas past that takes quite some time to be revealed and I wished it had been delivered a bit bit sooner. Also, we learn that Lord Black already knows of this incident and in fact, has some sort of part in it. Again, it takes awhile to be revealed and I personally would have liked to have known a bit sooner in the story. But those are really my only quips about the storyline. I can not believe I have not read Charlotte Featherstone before! She is an incredible storyteller weaving a sinfully, hauntingly romantic story that I loved! I am guessing there are going to be three stories in this series and I hope she can spin it off into more because I loved all the characters, primary and secondary and can't wait to get my hands on more! 4 1/2 stars

I received this ebook from the publisher via netgalley.com

[Mishelle LaBrash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery, Drama, Romance and SEX.... Hot, angsty sex.

Can't ask for anything more. To be honest this is the first Featherstone book that I really enjoyed.

Although, I didn't NOT like her other novels, they just seemed lacking something for me. This was the first Featherstone I felt connected to.

It was paranormal without screaming it out loud.

Overall, an enjoyable getaway.

Happy Reading

[Cyn Mistress Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, Loved, loved, loved this book but of course I knew I would since it was written by one of my favorite authors.

Lord Black was so sexy and mysterious and intense he just made the story sizzle. And the way he and Isabella interacted all I can say is WHEW!!

I can't wait to read the other books in this series.

Well done Ms Featherstone, well done.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I want you, Isabella. Heart, body and soul,"


Isabella grew up in Yorkshire, and after losing her family, her uncle takes her in. Her uncle was a marquis, and very wealthy and powerful. Isabella and his daughter Lucy have become as close as thieves for the past few years. Even after a few years Isabella still has a hard time going to all the constant parties and balls, when all she wants is to stay at home and write her story. Currently she is working on a story of Lord Death, who is sinful and handsome and irresistible, and ever since she had come close to dying, that image of him has stayed with her all of these years. Then at a ball, she sees the Earl of Black whose attention is focused solely on her. He is the exact image of her Lord Death that she has created in her novel and in her dreams. There is instant sparks of passion and desire from the first moment they lay eyes on each other. Jude, The Earl of Black, has come to London for a purpose. He has a heritage, has one of the descendants of the Three Templar's, he is obligated to protect that which could bring evil to the world if its not kept hidden. He also can't deny that Isabella is the one woman that holds his heart and soul in her hands, and he plans on making sure that whatever danger she is in doesn't touch her, and that she will come to love him deeply as he does her.

This is the first time I have had a chance to read from this author. When I was browsing the shelves of the library, I was surprised to see this one on the shelves, since I had no idea that they had any of her books, so I knew I had to pick this one up. And Holy Moly, even after reading this book, I still feel the aftereffects....such a vibrant and stimulating romance that will give you shivers to the deepest part of you. There was so much intensity, I had no problem reading it from beginning to end without putting it down once. I had no idea that it would be so good, or I would have read it earlier. (I think I am going to have to buy the second one, that's for sure--that's how much I loved it)

Now from the first page, it begins with Isabella's story of Lord Death, and when I started reading this, it made my toes curl with anticipation. I knew from the start, this story would be one hell of a ride. And it surely was. We see the friendship between Isabella and Lucy, then it jumps to the party where she meets the Earl of Black, and the connection they have from the beginning is very sensual and its just a look. Even though Isabella is already being courted by a normal and safe man, she can't deny her feelings for Jude. She is very resistant because her mother had a passionate affair, and only ended up getting hurt in the end, so Isabella doesn't want the same to happen to her. The Earl of Black has come to London for two reasons...one being his duty and loyalty to the Templar's that has been in his family for generations. Also he needs Isabella, and his passion for her is so striking and I couldn't help but be drawn in the story like bees to honey. There is also quite a bit of mystery and intrigue elements that play a part in the story, that only gets the blood pumping with excitement and a sense of danger. There were many aspects that make this for a intense and dynamic story.

Now lets talk a bit about the characters, whom I fell in love with both, even the side characters. Jude, the Earl of Black, has been born in a family that comes from the Templar's, and therein lies certain responsibilities. I found Jude to be one the most breathtaking and sensual heroes I have read in a very long time. There is something so sinful about him, and tempting and makes me wish I could have traded places with Isabella at any time during the story. He is very Alpha, protective and domineering at times, but not overly too much, there is a certain balance to him, where he has another side to him, that is very tender and sweet with Isabella. I found him beyond charming. Isabella has always felt like death has always been close to her, and she isn't carefree like she sometimes wishes she was. She has suffered a bit, and has a hard time even dealing with the wealth heaped on her and being in society is the last thing she wants to do. She is a writer and even though she doesn't want to admit it, wants everything that Jude offers. I really liked Isabella, her characters was very endearing and very human at times. Its pretty easy to relate to her, I did think she could have had a bit more spine when it came to going after what you really want, but I understood her fears and her mistakes only made her seem more real. I had such a fun times getting to know the other four sub characters that are featured in the rest of the series. They gave a certain element to the story, that added a sense of conflict.

Overall I think I have found a new favorite author, that totally had me from page one. Its been a while since I have read such a intense romance that is very dramatic and sensual and is so enthralling your reading those pages as fast as you can, just to know what will happen next. I love the way Featherstone weaves such a compelling tale of sizzling chemistry, deeply rooted characters, vivid details, and a compelling love story that is heart wrenching!!! BREATHTAKING!!! A MUST READ FOR ALL!!

Favorite Quotes
"Would you let me, Isabella?" His voice dropped as he pressed closer, the moment intimate and wildly exciting. "Would you let me learn everything about you? Discover you as I want?" His gaze, blistering with intensity, burned through her skin, warming her to the very core of her being.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucy caught her gaze, and then her eyes widened as she looked beyond Isabella's shoulder. Following her cousin's stare Isabella turned in her chair, and gasped, then looked down at the planchette and the hands that were over top her.
Black
"Wherever you are," he whispered for her ears only, "I will find you, and you will be safe with me,"

[Mrs. Badass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me SIX days to finish this novel when usually I can read a book in a few hours. There is nothing wrong with this book.

3.5/5

This is a well written novel. There are no glaring errors or things of that ilk. The characters were well written. They each had their own personalities and eccentricities. I actually liked all the characters themselves. For me though, this novel was rather slow. I was also a bit confused.

Our heroine wants to be a "Lady Novelist" So she is writing her own story, and telling it to her cousin Lucy for much of the novel and it focuses on the passages she writes, which seem to correlate to what is going on in the story, like she is a precog. Which, as far as I could tell (would have been cool!)she wasn't. It was used as a plot device and it drove me batty.

The hero, Jude Black (Oh, and BTW, I love his name *Jude* mmmm) Is broody, moody, and secretive. Charged with a secret Holy mission he no longer believes in, for he has lost his faith. I liked him. I like scary, Alpha men with a heart of gold and secret longing and passions :lol:

The writing is very lyrical, and often times too flowery. I think I needed to be in the right mood in order to fully appreciate this novel, and the writing style of Charlotte Featherstone. She writes well, it just wasn't for me at this moment.

The first 150 pages, were very slow for me. The action picks up at the end, but I would have liked to have had more action scenes. Also this novel is setup for a sequel, and many questions go un-answered. Which is the latest trend in authors I see. I really hate it.

Anyways, if you are a fan of lyrical prose, 18th century worlds, with a hint of Religious Artifacts that could doom the world if they are united together, then you will love this novel.

It's gothic, a bit dark, but also slow.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seduction & Scandal is the first in The Brethren Guardians series by Charlotte Featherstone. Isabella Fairmont is the niece of the Marquis of Stonebrook, who has taken her in when her mother and grandmother die. Now having the things she often longed for as a child, Isabella feels that one day her past will catch up with her and it will all be taken away. The Earl of Black is a man of mystery with many secrets. Secrets that must be guarded. But he can't deny the feelings he has for the lovely Miss Fairmont.

Almost 4 stars but not quite. There were many things I liked about the story and then there were those that - not so much. It had a dark feel that didn't quite feel dark enough at times. There is a storyline that continues on into the rest of the series that I didn't care for. I like my stories wrapped up nicely at the end of each book. Still the writing itself was good. The characters were fine. I liked the hero but the heroine to a lesser degree. I will continue the series if only to find out the mystery. I'm sure fans of Historical Romance, set in the Victorian era, that have a bit of mystery and suspense added in, will enjoy it.

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read and loved Addicted by Charlotte Featherstone, I couldn't wait to read the first book in her Brethren Guardians series, SEDUCTION & SCANDAL. Full of passion, suspense, mystery and intrigue, it promised to be a compelling read.

Following the death of her grandmother and her mother, Isabella Fairmount went to live with her uncle, the Marquis of Stonebrook and her cousin, Lucy. Isabella's mother had let her passionate nature rule her life, leaving her ruined, alone and destitute with a young child to look after. Fearing that she has inherited her mother's wanton wild streak, Isabella is determined not to make the same mistakes. She wants a marriage that will bring her constancy, security and affection, and the academic Wendell Knighton seems the perfect choice of husband.

Only Lucy knows of the novel Isabella is writing in which the dark, enigmatic figure of Lord Death seduces the heroine. She pours all her suppressed passionate desires into her writing. When she meets the reclusive, mysterious and charismatic Earl of Black, she finds herself captivated by him with his hair as black as night and his pale blue eyes, just like Lord Death in her novel! She is determined to resist Black's seduction, however wonderful he makes her feel, not wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps, but Black is relentless in his pursuit. In fact, Black has watched and wanted Isabella for the past two years but scandal and family secrets have kept him from approaching her but now he can no longer contain his desire for her.

But Black has a mission he must fulfill. Together with the Duke of Sussex and the Marquis of Alynwick, they form the Brethren Guardians, each charged with guarding one of the three ancient relics brought back from the Holy Land by their Knights Templar ancestors. The artifacts must be kept hidden because anyone possessing all three would have untold power. Two of the artifacts have gone missing from their hiding place and the Brethren Guardians must find them, unaware that their actions will put both Isabella and Lucy in grave danger.

Having read some of the rave reviews, I know I am definitely in the minority but I found this book really disappointing. I'm not fond of Gothic novels and so I think my main problem with the book is the strong Gothic tone especially in the scenes between Black and Isabella. For me, the over-dramatic declarations somehow seem to diminish the sensual chemistry between them and the scenes feel stilted:

Looking deep into his eyes, Isabella licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry, her breathing harsh behind her tight corset and the cuirass bodice of her gown. "My lord, this is reckless".

"Reckless, dangerous, irresponsible, yes," he murmured as he pressed against her, his chest slowly, inexorably pushing her backward till she was lying on the carriage bench and he was looming over her. "It is all those things, but it is also unavoidable, inevitable, inescapable."

I couldn't help but compare this to a similar situation in Addicted by the same author:

His eyes darkened and he rose from the settee, stalking her so that she stepped back from him. Towering above her, he stared down at her with his penetrating gaze.

No words are actually spoken but, to me, this scene is full of sexual tension.

The romantic element in their relationship seems sadly lacking. It always seems to be more about lust and need than love such as when Black says:

"I want you to close your eyes, and remember this, this moment between us right now, where our desire and need is so palpable neither of us can resist – where we will just fall into each others' arms without thought or guilt, or fear of repercussions."

This seems totally inconsistent with Black's professed love for Isabella and his wish to protect her.

I must confess that I found the secondary characters more intriguing than the main love story. Lucy was very irritating at times but had fire unlike Isabella and when the reason for her obsession with the supernatural was explained, her actions became more understandable. Following the revelation at the end of the book involving Lucy and the impact it has on the Duke of Sussex who is suffering from unrequited love for her, I certainly want to read the second book in the series, Pride & Passion. There is also an obvious tension between Elizabeth, the Duke of Sussex's blind sister and the Marquis of Alynwick, and I'm anxious to find out the reason in the third book of the series.

The subplot involving the role of the Brethren Guardians, the artifacts with their potential supernatural powers and the mystery surrounding the identity of Orpheus really held my interest and I will be keen to see the direction the plot takes in the following books.

I would recommend SEDUCTION AND SCANDAL to anyone who enjoys their romances with a definite Gothic vibe but it just wasn't for me.

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This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews (TRR)