Lord Jack Byron may be a womanizer, a gambler, and all-around rake, but he never planned on marrying a woman solely for her money. At least, not until he loses a sizeable amount of money to Ezra Danvers in a card game.  Now Danvers demands either immediate payment (which Jack cannot afford) or that Jack court his daughter Grace, and then marry her. Once Grace falls completely in love with him and agrees to the marriage, Jack will receive sixty thousand pounds, plus another sixty when the marriage is consummated. Then Jack will be debt free, though shackled by marriage.

Expecting Grace to be repugnant at worst and tolerable at best, Jack finds himself relieved to find that the woman he must wed exudes a certain intelligent charm and enchanting femininity.  With long red hair and a tall, graceful form, she’s also very attractive—though just shy of beautiful. The introverted, highly bookish woman becomes easy prey for the handsome cad out to seduce her.

They both enjoy the chase, and follow Ezra’s plan to the letter (although Grace doesn’t know it, of course). With the romance going so smoothly, however, savvy romance readers know that it’s just a matter of time before Grace discovers the truth about her suitor—that he has courted her to avoid debtor’s prison. And with that knowledge inevitably, comes pain.

In Seduced by His Touch, Tracy Anne Warren presents a gripping tale of seduction. Grace’s emotional and mental states feel quite natural under the circumstances. Readers should be able to relate to her feelings of confusion, excitement, suspicion, rapture, disappointment, and anger. Relating to Jack’s deceptive behavior may prove a little more difficult. For example, when he shows up at a botany lecture and pretends to share her interest in plants, he comes across as ignorant and despicable. Although the seduction may escalate in unexpected ways and in unusual places, the story doesn’t stray too far from many other historical romances from the Regency era.

Byrons of Braebourne Series
Tempted by His Kiss, No 1 [review]
Seduced by his Touch, No 2 [review]
Wicked Delights of a Bridal Bed, No 4 [review]