Book Review: The Rules of Seduction by Madeline Hunter

Dangerous. Sensual. Handsome as sin. Meet Hayden Rothwell, the shamelessly erotic hero of The Rules of Seduction and author Madeline Hunter’s most irresistible alpha male yet: a man of extraordinary passion and power, a man who can bring out the seductress in any woman.… He enters her home without warning or invitation–a stranger of shadowy motives and commanding sensuality. Within hours, Alexia Welbourne is penniless, without any hope of marriage. Until Hayden Rothwell takes her to bed. When one impulsive act of passion forces Alexia to marry the very man who has ruined her, Hayden’s seduction of Alexia is nearly complete. What Alexia doesn’t know is that her irresistible new husband is driven by a secret purpose–and a debt of honor he will risk everything to repay. Alexia is the wild card. Reluctant to give up their nightly pleasures, Hayden must find a way to keep Alexia by his side...only to be utterly, thoroughly seduced by a woman who is now playing by her own rules.

Review: The best thing about this book was the ending. The two main characters, Hayden and Alexia, are happy and in love as the story ends but the journey to get to that ending is plodding and tedious. Throughout the novel, Alexia blames Hayden for the ruination of her family and he is honor bound not to tell her the truth; that her two cousins, one of which she was in love with, are criminals. Throughout the plot the couple wonders if the other hates them and it is not until the very last pages that they decide that they love each other and everything turns out for the best. If I had to choose my two biggest complaints of the novel it would be these: first, there was no humor whatsoever in the novel and secondly, that there was no real buildup to their relationship, he "ruined" her and they married. Overall, I did not enjoy the book but I continued through the end hoping that it would get better. Unfortunately it did not.

Plans: To be included in Loriped's Recent Romance Bookbox

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