A Lady of Persuasion (Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy)

I love Tessa Dare books, usually, but this was a let down. I just did not like the ‘heroine’, and felt that the plot was too thin. It rather felt like the drawing together of loose ends rather than a story in its own right. I actually found myself skipping through some sections that were either boring or repetitive.

After reading Goddess of the Hunt and Surrender of a Siren, I was eager to read this third in the trilogy about Bel and the poor jilted Toby. And what a wonderful set of books these are. Toby's determined to gain some sort of revenge on the man who 'stole' his intended, the beautiful Sophia, and Bel is determined to find a man with decent political standings in order to become a 'lady of influence' among London society. There's no room in her life for love and desire, not with her goals for charity and helping the less fortunate. Yet Toby awakens within her a craving for passion that terrifies her. Their marriage is nearly doomed from the beginning, for Toby promises things that he shouldn't, only to appease Bel in order for her to find him to be the one suitable husband she seeks. Each of them have their doubts of worthiness regarding their own significance to the other. I think Tessa Dare did an outstanding job formulating how Toby and Bel struggle with their issues and realize and come to terms with their shortcomings. I wasn't sure what I thought of Bel in the beginning, with her rather 'holier than thou' attitude in her quiet and innocent sort of way. But over the course of the book, I began to understand and accept her behavior and beliefs. That's the one thing about how a person is shaped after tragic incidents in their past. You just don't know. Everyone deals with things differently and takes from them what they will, shaping them into who they will become. And with what Bel suffered with her mom, her father, and her brothers, well, I can understand how she would grow to want the things she does and fear the things she fears, such as desire and love. I greatly enjoyed the conclusion of this trilogy with Bel and Toby. And I loved the way all three books tied into the other. Such wonderful characters. It was a pleasure spending more time with Lucy and Jeremy, and Sophia and Gray. And even the side-story with Gray and Bel's brother, Joss and Lucy's physician, Hetta. That was a sweet surprise and one I was very thankful to read! A fine historical trilogy, one I would not hesitate recommending to others!

I liked Goddess of the Hunt, but had a hard time liking the Surrender of a Siren. Surrender dragged on and on and I was not engaged in the story. In fact, I skipped through the book after about a third of the way through it. A Lady of Persuasion tied all the other characters of the previous books in as well as included Joss, Gray's half brother. I like that aspect. The detail of Bel and Toby's relationship, especially in the bedroom, was a lovely romp. I suggest you give them all a try and see for yourself. I am always looking for new writers that are not quite so formula in type like Nora Roberts. The covers for these books are well done and not those ridiculous pictures of half clothed hero and heroine.

I ordered a trilogy with Cathy Maxwell and Tessa Dare had a section in the book. I usually do not read these but the were Regency and that is what I like. Tessa Dare I think is a new writer, but waht a story teller. She get to the point of the story about half way thru the book and then tells "the rest of the story". Many characters, she starts the story in one book and ends in the third book. Great fast read, highly developed characters and does not ramble. She is one of my favorites. I cnnot wait for her next book. And she has EPILOGS.

Lady of Persuasion is the third and final book in this marvelous trilogy by Tessa Dare. Tessa has written a beta hero who is a gentleman in public but quite the tiger in the bedroom. This is quite the change from those heroines who embody the Madonna/Whore complex. They are women who are polite and proper in public, but when they are alone with the men they desire, off goes their proper mask and out comes a seductive and lustful woman who will do whatever they want with the hero in terms of bedroom acrobatics. Toby makes sure to rip off the mask of his heroine and their bedroom activities are very steamy and hot. Toby was first introduced in Goddess of the Hunt. Lucy, the heroine of that story wanted Toby for her own. He was also engaged to Sophia, who ended up jilting him in Surrender the Hunt. A Lady of Persuasion begins with Toby at a ball thinking about murdering someone. Not that Toby would ever think of going through such a horrible act, but Toby is upset and angry because the woman who left him at the altar has returned home with her new husband by her side. Toby feels that he was ridiculed and embarrassed. Even though Toby wasn't in love with Sophia, that fact of the matter is that she dared to marry a man with a shocking reputation, while Toby is everything proper. He has the credentials and respect. How could this woman leave him for a feared privateer? As Toby stews, or rather pouts much like a little boy whose favorite toy was taken from him, he notices a lady who stands out from all the others. His mind, body and soul are overwhelmed by this beauty and Toby decides he wants her even though he has no clue who she is. It seems that his dark haired angel only has eyes for that dastardly privateer Grayson. Now Toby will have his revenge and steal the young woman's favor from Grayson and make her turn her appreciation towards him. The woman in question is Benedict Grayson's sister Isabel. She thinks Toby is one of the most handsome men she has ever seen. She also thinks he is too perfect with his smooth poetic words and will simply not do as a husband. Isabel comes to the conclusion that Toby isn't a paragon of virtue. She needs to marry a man of honor and principles, one that won't turn to any vices. Toby doesn't understand why Isabel would want such a fuddy duddy. He doesn't know that the reason Isabel wants this specific type of man is because of her mother's own fiery natures that backfired on her. Isabel wants a life with a man that will be simple and understated. Unfortunately for Isabel the moment Toby walked into her life everything she wants no longer matters because Toby has laid claim to Isabel and won't settle for anything less than marriage with her. What Toby wants, he will get and maneuvers things in a way where Isabel accept his proposal. He promises Isabel something that he knows he cannot deliver. He lies, plain and simple, to get what he wants and even though he knows it will backfire on him, he hopes by the time I

Wealthy Isabel Grayson arrives in London from the West Indies. She has her choice of almost male member of the Ton, but is attracted to the rake Sir Tobias Aldridge. Toby pretends he reciprocates, but instead is using Isabel as a pawn. He seeks vengeance on her brother Benedict for stealing his fiancée Sophia Hathaway (see SURRENDER OF A SIREN). His plan is to seduce and dump the sister of the man he loathes. She rejects his efforts as she will only marry someone who argues against injustice in House of Lords. As he falls in love Toby the rake vows to change in order to win Isabel. This direct sequel to the wonderful SURRENDER OF A SIREN is a terrific regency romance that can stand alone as Tessa Dare uses Toby's ire cleverly to tell the back story (see also GODDESS OF THE HUNT). Isabel is a super lead protagonist while Toby who was a key secondary player in the first two novels easily takes a lead role. Sub-genre fans will appreciate this strong trilogy as frivolous Toby finally gets what he deserves, A LADY OF PERSUASION. Harriet Klausner