SEDUCE ME AT SUNRISE

St. Martin’s (2008), 360 pages, $7.99 (paperback)

Lisa Kleypas does it again.
Kleypas was born to write romances. She writes scenes that resonate with romance readers, ones that get earmarked and cherished. Scenes that have tears streaming down cheeks while readers sigh wistfully.
Quite simply, Kleypas gives romance readers exactly what they want.
In “Seduce Me At Sunrise,” she reprises beloved characters from “Mine Till Midnight,” and gives us another charming and unforgettable story.
In “Mine Till Midnight,” we meet Win, invalid sister of heroine Amelia, and Merripen, a gypsy taken in by the girls’ family as a boy who is obviously in love with Win, and just as obviously has some sort of connection to Amelia’s future husband, Cam.
“Seduce Me At Sunrise” picks up soon after “Mine Till Midnight” ends, with a brief flashback to when Merripen came to live with the Hathaways. Win is getting ready to journey to France, where a doctor has had success in “curing” fragile patients suffering lingering effects from illnesses, such as Win’s scarlet fever.
Much of the story deals with the compelling and consuming passion Win and Merripen share for each other, and Merripen’s determination to ignore it. He doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. But at the same time, he can’t let her go.
This causes much frustration for Win – and readers – as Merripen succumbs to passionate petting and embraces, only to push her away in an effort to convince her to forget about him.
It doesn’t work.
“Seduce Me At Sunrise” has plenty to keep readers turning the pages: Wit, suspense, secrets to learn and, of course, lots of love and passion.


Overall rating: 4-plus of 5 hearts. “Seduce Me At Sunrise” is full of romantic passages, words designed to make readers sigh wistfully and shed capacious tears. Like when Merripen tells Win, somewhat angrily, that he does love her: “All the fires….could burn for a thousand years and it wouldn’t equal what I feel for you in one minute of the day.”

Hunk appeal: 10. Once he quits trying to deny his love and the inevitability of a union with Win, it’s a definite plus. Unfortunately, it takes him most of the book to get there. Still, Merripen’s wonderfully protective and eventually loving. And he definitely has some great lines: “I love every part of you, every thought and word….I love you for being the answer to every question my heart could ask.”

Steamy scene grade: XXXXX. Get ready to blush.

Happily-Ever-After: Very good. It’s a rather long ending, but you won’t complain. It starts when Merripen gives in to love, and promises to love Win forever. From then until the final page, secrets will be revealed (including Cam and Merripen’s questions about their past), a villain unveiled and Win and Merripen’s love will face a test – and pass.


Also this week…..


AGAIN THE MAGIC

by Lisa Kleypas (2008 paperback) 5 of 5.

Simply one of the all-time best romances, a compelling love story that oozes romance and has you dreading the final page.
The story spans several years, beginning when Lady Aline and stable boy McKenna realized their innocent childhood friendship has evolved into something more. Their passion is the stuff great love stories are made of.
So, of course, they have to face tragedy. Aline's father threatens McKenna, and Aline must take drastic measures to keep him safe. As her sister explains to an embittered McKenna many years later, "She loved you . . . enough that she chose to make you hate her rather than see you harmed in any way."
And McKenna does try to hate Aline. He returns to her home 12 years later as a successful man intent on making Aline suffer for casting him aside all those years ago. He tries to fight his affection for Aline with bitterness and nastiness, but he can't fight love.
Truths have to be discovered and secrets shared before they can embark on their happilyever- after.
This book is full of wonderfully romantic, tender scenes that will linger in your mind -- passages you'll turn to time after time, whenever you need a quick dose of passionate romance.
Interesting note: “Again The Magic” introduced Lord Westcliff, Aline’s brother, who was later an integral character in the Wallflower series as the husband of Lillian, and had smaller roles in “Mine Till Midnight” and “Seduce Me At Sunset.”