Every Eloisa James book
is a delight, as she has a special talent for adding a touch of magic
that makes each story and group of characters become more enchanting as
the book before. This last installment in the Essex Sisters series is
no different. It lives up to its name Pleasure for Pleasure, page for
page. The whole Scottish Sausage storyline kicks off a domino effect of
events that are fun, entertaining, and sexy, with a touch of mystery.
Josie gets tagged with the name of the Scottish Sausage early in the
season by a group of young bucks led by Lord Charles Darlington. It is
her "new look" from the modiste Madame Badeau that begins with the
special corset contraption that creates the "sausage" look and dresses
loaded with seams, created to hide Josie's full figure. The whole
family is together for the wedding event of Josie's guardian "Rafe"
Raphael Jourdain, the Duke of Holbrook to her sister Imogen. So they
meet and try to solve the problem of Josie being ostracized out of the
season by this name calling and cuts at recent ton events. The widowed
Lady Griselda, family friend, Josie's chaperone, and Earl of Mayne's
sister, steps in to help with a plan to flirt with the young Lord
Darlington and put him in his place. The flirtation leads to lust,
desire, passion and love, with an eventual struggle of the older woman
with the younger man relationship. Lord Darlington's chase is sexy and
adds extra depth and meaning to the story. Garrett Langham, the Earl of
Mayne, the infamous lover of the ton, is now engaged and apparently in
love with a french woman Lady Sylvie. Now that his friend Rafe is away
on his honeymoon and he considers Josie a friend, he steps in to help
Josie through this social and personal crisis. While helping her
Garrett comes to realize that he is becoming attracted to this young
lady which he feels is breathtaking with her lush figure, beautifully
curved laughing mouth, and intelligent eyes. After Garrett's guidance
and a new modiste many young men are now attracted to Josie and she
becomes a social success. He now feels it is time to push towards his
marriage, but soon finds behind the virtuous manner of his Lady Sylvie
is a woman who has no passion for him. His engagement and hopes for
marriage ends, but when Josie is attacked by one of the young men in
Lord Darlington's former group, Garrett comes to her rescue and feels
he must save her from social ruin and marries her. Josie, who
recognizes her attraction to Garrett agrees with the marriage hoping
the attraction, passion and desire will turn into love. They both soon
realize they have been attracted to each other for many years, but the
age difference and close family relationships were separating their
true feelings from coming to the surface. Having the two simultaneous
passionate romances of Charles/Giselda and Garrett/Josie evolving
together with the side mystery of the popular book everyone in the ton
is reading and speculating about "The Earl of Hellgate or Night Scenes
Amongst the Ton" is masterful. Having an excerpt of the book to start
each chapter adds even more fun to the total story. Speculation as to
who is the author and who is Hellgate has the whole ton buzzing. It
even effects Josie, as she feels Garrett is Hellgate and how can she in
her young, inexperienced life keep this passionate, experienced lover?
The ending culminates with how Josie comes to terms with her love and
marriage and the discovery of the author of the infamous book about
Hellgate. The discovery of the author is a surprise, but what is most
expected is a another good story from Eloisa James that is a pleasure
to read. The whole Essex Sisters series is a Regency delight that will
be read and re-read for years to come.
Publisher: Avon
(December 2006)
Reviewed
by Beverly,
Beverly Romance Books
