Welcome to the blog tour of To Tempt a Viscount by Naomi Boom. I am hosting today an excerpt of the book along with my review. I hope you enjoy the post highlighting the book and the author.
To Tempt a Viscount
Entangled Nobility #1
By: Naomi Boom
Releasing January 13, 2017
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Blurb
Lady Laura Rosing knows two things: first, she will marry for love, and second, she detests rakes. When she meets Lord Gavin Farris, she understands immediately that he fails both her criteria, and worse yet, he is an absolute cad who refuses to leave her be.
Lord Farris has always appreciated women and cannot understand why Lady Laura is so resistant to his charms. While pretty, she is not his usual type, but something about her intrigues him. Much to his chagrin, he finds himself desperately in love with her, but he may be too late. His adamant refusal to marry just might have planted her firmly in the arms of another.
Excerpt :
Lord Farris’s dark eyes bored into hers before he stepped predatorily closer to her. He gazed down at her with his dark, smoldering eyes and said, “You do not truly believe that. Judging by your dilated pupils and the blush on your skin, you find me incredibly attractive.”
Laura scoffed and backed up a step. She needed room to breathe. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?” She gulped nervously as his eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer to her. Naturally, she continued to reverse her step until her back hit the bookcase.
He smiled as he slowly removed the glass of water from her hand and set it on the bookcase. He then brought his hands to either side of her and leaned in until their faces were mere inches apart. “Yes, I would like that very much. Unfortunately, I am too much of a gentleman to act on our mutual attraction.”
As he spoke, Laura could not seem to take her eyes away from his full lips, at least until his words sank in. Her eyes regained their focus as she realized he was standing much too near. This was precisely why she preferred normal gentlemen. They did not act strangely.
“Are you sure you are a gentleman?” Laura asked derisively. She immediately regretted her impulsive retort. He was just too near to her for her mind to perform rationally, otherwise she was sure she would have behaved herself.
One eyebrow lifted in question as he grinned wickedly. “Are you asking me not to conduct myself as a gentleman?”
His dark smile and wicked words made Laura pause as she stared at his lips, so near to her own. Her stomach was in knots, and she did not know if she should slap him or kiss him. She had never been kissed, but right now, she wanted his lips on hers more than anything. In Laura’s heart of hearts, she wished, just a little bit, that he would not behave as a gentleman. She could not form words, however, and only managed to shake her head slightly as common sense prevailed.
“In that case, my dear, I suggest you run along.” His feet moved silently as he stepped away from her, but Laura could not budge until he growled, “Go, or we both shall regret what happens.”
Her feet grew wings as she flew out the door and down the dark hallway. As she rounded a corner, she realized she had left her water on the bookshelf, although her bread and book were still clutched in her other hand. No matter how strong her thirst, she would never return downstairs now. Not when he was there.
My Musings :
I have to say that I almost passed this book over. The book cover wasn't anything special but what caught my attention and made me give the book a try was the blurb. The story plot sounded the usual plain Jane kind of situation but for people who know me, know that I love Regency and Plain Jane romances so I had to read this book. I was eager to know how it is all resolved.
I am happy that I took the chance. I found an author who is new to me and got to know her writing. This was an enjoyable but a slow read. The story was predictable at times. What made me continue when it slowed in pace was the author's writing. It was easy to read with the dialogue perfectly complementing the story line. Whether it was the annoying Eleanor's simpering or the flirting between Laura and Farris,the prose was fun to read adding to the dimensional quality of the characters.
As for the characters themselves, my favourite was Farris surprisingly. I felt he was sweet inspite of his rakish airs. He was perfect for Laura. He was the best foil for her character. He was patient with her even when I got kind of exasperated with her. The only part I didn't like was his distancing himself from Laura. I could have kicked him for it! Laura was a proper miss but her sparky nature was revealed during her interactions with Farris which I loved to read.
There weren't that many side characters to get lost in but Eleanor added the necessary noise so that the protagonists' lives didn't become monotonous. Inspite of her negative role, I kind of liked her for her tenacity but hated her for her almost evil nature.
The romance started almost at the beginning of the tale and didn't relent till the end. It was sweet and not too hot. The sparks did fly between Laura and Farris in some scenes which kept the romantic in me pleased. But what made me frown while reading was the slow pace in certain places. It felt a drag at those places but then it would get back to normal speed. All in all it was a pleasant read with almost no twists. If you like to read sweet regency romances with a twist or two for a few hours, then I would point you towards this book.
I received a review copy for an honest opinion. This in no way impacts my thoughts on the book. What I have written is my reaction to the story and it is not influenced by anyone.
My rating : 3.5/5
My one line review : A light sweet uncomplicated romance to while away a few hours.
My reread factor : 3/5
Meet the Author :
Naomi Boom is an author with a newly-discovered love for writing. Her inspiration struck when she was searching for the perfect historical romance novel to read. Nothing sounded appealing, so she decided to write her own. That one novel has morphed into a series, and hopefully many, many more.
She currently resides in Kansas with her family but has her eyes planted on an acreage in eastern South Dakota. Once her husband retires from the United States Army, they will return to her home state where she will continue to pursue her passion.
And don't forget to enter into the giveaway generously hosted by Naomi Boom!
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