cover image A Seduction in Scarlett

A Seduction in Scarlett

Sara Bennett, . . Avon, $5.99 (373pp) ISBN 978-0-06-133634-8

Bennett’s latest skirt-lifter featuring Courtesan Aphrodite, a Victorian London madam, stars Portia, Lady Ellerslie, who’s weary of living her life to honor her deceased husband, a war hero and favorite of the queen. Courtesan Aphrodite grants Portia’s wish to spend one night at Aphrodite’s establishment with the man of her choice. While in disguise at Aphrodite’s Club, Portia encounters Marcus Worthorne, a man she admired as a young girl before her marriage to elderly Lord Ellerslie. The two engage in a heated tryst, which leaves Marcus obsessed with uncovering the mystery woman’s identity. The complexity of the novel increases dramatically when Portia must reconcile her desire for personal happiness with her duty to her country as she and Marcus continue their sizzling clandestine affair. An intriguing subplot involving vicious attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria adds depth and substance to this pleasing historical romance. (Jan.)