vrijdag 24 september 2010

Renee Bernard - A lady's pleasure

The first book in the Mistress trilogy series.


A Lady's Pleasure

Seeking revenge, she discovers how delicious a case of mistaken identity can be...

Merriam Everett has always been regarded as a shy, docile creature. But for one night, Merriam the Mouse has become a temptress who will recklessly take her pleasure with the arrogant earl who once slighted her, and then leave him aching with lust. A fine plan, if Merriam had not just seduced the wrong rogue!

Drake Sotherton left England amid dark speculation and has returned to seek vengeance against Julian Clay, the man he believes murdered his wife. Convinced that the masked beauty who seduced him is Julian's pawn, Drake tracks her down and proposes that she become his mistress for the Season. Every sensual desire, every secret longing will be explored...and fulfilled.

But keeping his enemy close is a dangerous game. Merriam is an irresistible mix of innocence and abandon, and each encounter proves more soul-searing than the last. With a passion this wild, this wonderful, one Season will never be enough...


Merriam is a shy widow, who just has enough of being ignored and neglected. When the man she finds so attractive snubs her, calling her a wey-faced widow, she vows revenge. She will become a temptress and seduce him, and then leave him hungry for her. So she learns everything she needs to know from a young brothel keeper.

Then she attends a masked ball, where she know her quarry will come as Merlin. So she will be his familiar, his cat. Dressed scandalously in black and red velvet and silk, Merriam entices her Merlin into lovemaking. But never did she know it could be so delicious. Her late husband never did those things to her, never made her feel this much! So passion carries them both away, until she disappears from the party. Ready to get on with her quiet passionless and boring life.

And the man she seduced, just can’t forget her. So Drake Sotherthon, the Duke of Sussex sets out to learn her identity and find out everything he can about her. The guest list is easily come by, and as she let slip she is a widow, there are not too many woman to choose from. His private investigator will find out the rest he wants to know.

When Drake encounters her, he easily seduces her this time, leaving her without release. He then challenges her to come to his house at midnight, to continue this. And when she does, passion flares, and she agrees to become his mistress for the rest of the season.

But that is not all Drake wants: he wants revenge on his former best friend, Julian Clay, whom he believed betrayed him with his own wife, and then murdered her. As he finds out Julian is interested in Merriam, he decides to use her. He will do everything and sacrifice everything and anyone if necessary to see Julian punished. After all, he spent the last 8 years abroad grieving. And now he wants justice.


This is a book filled to overflowing with love scenes. Very well written love scenes, true. But it starts with the seduction between Merriam and Drake, and I really don’t like plunging into a sex scene the moment I start reading a new book. But I persevered.

The story is well written and the plot was a surprise after all. I came to like Merriam and Drake, but especially Merriam is not easy to understand. How a shy mouse emerges as a mistress. In the beginning, there is just passion between them, they both don’t intend to fall in love, or even believe in it. But in the end, there it is. The realization that they want to be together.

If you skip all the love scenes, I believe there is only half a book left! But nonetheless, this is a story well worth reading. I am also very curious about the next story in this series.

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