≫ Download Free Proof by Seduction HQN Courtney Milan 9780373774395 Books

Proof by Seduction HQN Courtney Milan 9780373774395 Books

Download As PDF : Proof by Seduction HQN Courtney Milan 9780373774395 Books

Proof by Seduction HQN Courtney Milan 9780373774395 Books

If Courtney Milan writes it, I will read it. I love that she writes in periods where women really didn't have much agency and does her best to empower them within that limited framework. She's also a lovely person, too, and we were lucky enough to get an interview with her in the Unapologetic Romance Readers book group (where she hints about upcoming projects and ideas - spoilers!).

I've read books from the Brothers Sinister and the Worth series, and was excited to traverse into the world of the Carharts. I'd hoped to read this book before the interview so I was a bit more prepared for the Q&A session, but I am really bad at blogging deadlines because I'm so focused on real-life deadlines, so that didn't really happen.

...Until now!

The opening of PROOF OF SEDUCTION is really great. We're introduced to Madame Esmeralda (who I couldn't help picturing as the Disney Esmeralda), gypsy fortune-teller extraordinaire. She's meeting with her favorite client, Ned, cousin to a skeptical marquess who also happens to be a scientist and a bit of a jerk. He challenges Madame Esmeralda's claims by forcing her to prove herself, which results in a battle of wills, a reluctant attraction, and a rather cringe-worthy attempt at matchmaking.

Lord Blakely was an interesting character, and his scientific background and stuffy demeanor kept his nastiness from being as unpleasant as it might otherwise have been. I enjoyed his verbal battles with Madame Esmeralda/Jenny, and thought that their interactions were great at adding tension - both sexual and otherwise - to the story. The way that they struggle for control over Esmeralda's attempts to "prove" herself were hilarious. Nary a loophole wasn't exploited to its fullest comedic extent.

My problem with this book is that it drags. Terribly. The beginning is the best part. After that, it's all downhill. Around page 100 I actually asked myself, "Things seem like they're about to wrap up - how on earth is she going to fill the remaining 147 pages?"

With sex, of course, and many back-and-forth arguments.

-_-

The sex scenes are for the most part well-written, but they are repetitive (like the arguments). And there are some rather jarring descriptions, like a woman's ladyparts being described as "her wetness" and other little niggling details like that that pulled me out of the moment and made me go "ew."

Then there's Ned. I wanted to like Ned. And at first, I almost did. I felt sorry for him. He's a boy with a huge pair of shoes to fill, and an older cousin who doesn't take him seriously at all. But he's also a weenie. I get that he was depressed, and that depression doesn't always make you pleasant to be around, which I think the author was going for (to her credit), but his characterization just seemed to vacillate so much, he started feeling more like a cartoon caricature of adolescent weeniness.

PROOF BY SEDUCTION isn't a bad book, and features some great lines. But it isn't Milan's best work. I get the feeling that she enjoys wrapping up stories neatly and quickly which is probably why she writes so many novellas and why they are so good. But that talent doesn't translate well to novels, and this one felt like it was very fluffed up when 100 pages or more could have been easily shaved off. The ending, too, seemed a bit over the top. I mean, really. An elephant?

2 to 2.5 out of 5 stars.


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Proof by Seduction HQN Courtney Milan 9780373774395 Books Reviews

First, the title and cover do not reflect the book. I am sure titillation sells books so there has to be some of that. I really liked this story. I try to write these when a story really stays with me like this one has. I read one to three books a day so the vast majority are forgettable. The Hero (I have noticed these reviews use a capital
H/small h for heroine ??) is so closed off - it is almost like he has Aspberger's. I grudgingly liked him. The Heroine I adored. She has an unquenchable spirit. What appeals about a particular book is personal and relative.
I would say we have similiar childhood experience. She is who I aspire to be. Ok enough of that. The book is well written. I believe the author tried to make the love scenes more than just gratuitous maybe superfluous is a better word. I won't go into the synopsis, there is probably one or two already here. I will encourage that you read this
book. It is formulaic for sure... a cinderella story (pretty woman-ish?)but Ms Milan skews it by letting us take a
look at the real before she retreats back to the happy ending. I could pick this book apart for any number of reasons like I say my enjoyment is relative but I think the story is a good one and Courtney Milan is a good writer. AND a small peeve.. There was no "Oh, God, you are such a scum bag but I just can't keep my legs closed,"
or "I know you have "bedded" everyone in the known universe but I'M the one... so take me..my legs won't close."
What's real is that rarely happens. A strong woman in a romance..? Thank you! Give it a try!!!
Regency romances are often so formulaic that it's difficult to distinguish one from the other. Proof by Seduction is anything but that. To be honest there were times that the emotions conveyed in the story were too real and so raw that I had to put the book down for a bit. That said, there were at least four instances that I laughed out loud.

To her credit, Ms. Milan has written a deeply compelling story with characters that I often didn't like but found myself rooting for anyway. The female protagonist is as deeply principled as any I've read of late. If you read the book you will see the irony in that statement. The two male protagonists can easily be characterized as seriously emotionally damaged. The path that the three main characters travel to the resolution is often hard hard to read, but worth the effort. Finally do not expect the usual tale of Regency manners and social folderol. This is a story about hard won self awareness and relationships, both romantic and familial.

I recommend this one.
Courtney Milan is more or less insta-buy for me for a while, and Proof by Seduction, the first entry in her Carhart series, didn't let me down.

I mean, where else can you find a beta hero dealing with depression, a heroine masquerading as a fortune teller, and elephants playing a major, romantic role?

What I like about Milan is we get alot of emotions. Hero emotions (in this case cold, prickly, no one likes me so I'll be snooty), heroine emotions, and side character emotions. Even the hero's little sister came across as well-rounded.

And Milan doesn't have her characters make the easy emotional decisions, either. It would have been easy in this book for the fortune-teller to make several problems go away by still pretending to be a fortune teller, but she doesn't.

And then there's the elephants. ) They make everything more fun.

If you're looking for pure, romantic, emotion/character-arc heavy romance with more or less acceptable historical adherence, and a sly sense of humor, this is your series.
If Courtney Milan writes it, I will read it. I love that she writes in periods where women really didn't have much agency and does her best to empower them within that limited framework. She's also a lovely person, too, and we were lucky enough to get an interview with her in the Unapologetic Romance Readers book group (where she hints about upcoming projects and ideas - spoilers!).

I've read books from the Brothers Sinister and the Worth series, and was excited to traverse into the world of the Carharts. I'd hoped to read this book before the interview so I was a bit more prepared for the Q&A session, but I am really bad at blogging deadlines because I'm so focused on real-life deadlines, so that didn't really happen.

...Until now!

The opening of PROOF OF SEDUCTION is really great. We're introduced to Madame Esmeralda (who I couldn't help picturing as the Disney Esmeralda), gypsy fortune-teller extraordinaire. She's meeting with her favorite client, Ned, cousin to a skeptical marquess who also happens to be a scientist and a bit of a jerk. He challenges Madame Esmeralda's claims by forcing her to prove herself, which results in a battle of wills, a reluctant attraction, and a rather cringe-worthy attempt at matchmaking.

Lord Blakely was an interesting character, and his scientific background and stuffy demeanor kept his nastiness from being as unpleasant as it might otherwise have been. I enjoyed his verbal battles with Madame Esmeralda/Jenny, and thought that their interactions were great at adding tension - both sexual and otherwise - to the story. The way that they struggle for control over Esmeralda's attempts to "prove" herself were hilarious. Nary a loophole wasn't exploited to its fullest comedic extent.

My problem with this book is that it drags. Terribly. The beginning is the best part. After that, it's all downhill. Around page 100 I actually asked myself, "Things seem like they're about to wrap up - how on earth is she going to fill the remaining 147 pages?"

With sex, of course, and many back-and-forth arguments.

-_-

The sex scenes are for the most part well-written, but they are repetitive (like the arguments). And there are some rather jarring descriptions, like a woman's ladyparts being described as "her wetness" and other little niggling details like that that pulled me out of the moment and made me go "ew."

Then there's Ned. I wanted to like Ned. And at first, I almost did. I felt sorry for him. He's a boy with a huge pair of shoes to fill, and an older cousin who doesn't take him seriously at all. But he's also a weenie. I get that he was depressed, and that depression doesn't always make you pleasant to be around, which I think the author was going for (to her credit), but his characterization just seemed to vacillate so much, he started feeling more like a cartoon caricature of adolescent weeniness.

PROOF BY SEDUCTION isn't a bad book, and features some great lines. But it isn't Milan's best work. I get the feeling that she enjoys wrapping up stories neatly and quickly which is probably why she writes so many novellas and why they are so good. But that talent doesn't translate well to novels, and this one felt like it was very fluffed up when 100 pages or more could have been easily shaved off. The ending, too, seemed a bit over the top. I mean, really. An elephant?

2 to 2.5 out of 5 stars.