All about Passion

I loved this book! I picked it up at the library not really expecting to enjoy it too much (it wasn't, after all, about the Cynster men). Even after reading a few pages, I almost just put it down. I am so glad I kept reading. This is by far one of my favorites by Stephanie Laurens (The Promise in a Kiss is my all-time favorite).I enjoyed seeing the married life of Gyles & Francesca, not just the "courting period" like the other books. I loved that we got to see Gyles fall in love with Francesca & that he had an actual reason for not wanting to admit & succomb to that love. Francesca was wonderful herione, strong, passionate, loving, intelligent & Gyles was just as wonderful. I truly enjoyed reading this book & watching these two fall in love.

"All About Passion" confirms that these days the best regency romances are being written by Stephanie Laurens. This is the story of the Earl of Chillingsworth, a secondary character who appeared throughout Laurens' Bar Cynster series. Chillingsworth is every bit as complex and appealing a hero as the Cynsters, and thankfully he isn't burdened with one of their silly names (Devil, Demon, Lucifer, etc.). He recognizes that he has a duty to marry and beget heirs, so he cold-heartedly sets out to contract a suitable match. Thanks to a childhood trauma, he is leery of deep emotions, and wants his marriage to be a politely distant one. Much to his surprise, his bride, Francesca, turns out to be the antithesis of what he was expecting. Francesca is simply a great heroine. She's smart, self-confident and passionate. There's very little plot in this book besides the primary characters trying to work out their relationship. However, since they are so well-developed and interesting, it makes for a good story. If you don't read romance novels, you won't get much from this book, but romance fans will find it thoroughly satisfying.

I just finished reading this story and was absolutely thankful that Chillingworth got the story...and the girl that lived up to all the teasing Ms. Laurens has done to us over the past stories. He was everything and more that you would expect form this group....Dashing, arrogant, sexy and oh so ready to take the fall that Fate had coming his way in the form of Francesca, the one woman brave enough to see past all the masks and insecurities of the suave rake to find and care for the heart of the man.Again, I found the thing(s) I read in other reviews the main point of interest in this book. The reasons not to love stemmed from others experiences via the "Ton" and a life-altering event that affected his life and the lives of his family. He was afraid of the loss of control that love would bring...very important things to those Cynster men (even though he's only honorary). Plus the villain, although obvious to us, was unthinkable and completely unexpected to them. I loved Francesca's spirit. She was, next to Honoria and Alathea, one of the best heroines to date. I recommend this story for the in depth look into these characters souls and how their relationship moves from passion, to friendship and then love...all the while having a WICKEDLY fun "ride" in the process. Thank you Stephanie for sharing these characters with us and making us laugh, cry and fall in love along the way (Can't wait to read the next installments and to, also, see how it all began...*BG*).

I loved this book, and I will try hard not to spoil the plot, but this is a LOVE STORY. Yes, we know how it ends...IT IS A LOVE STORY. It is, however, a really good love story. I hope you enjoy All About Passion, but let me warn you: First, Chillingsworth isn't a Cynster, he doesn't act like one. Yes, he follows a strict code of acceptable behavior, but he wasn't raised with a large number of close relations and his actions are those of a single son. Second, Francesca was not raised to be English, so she doesn't act like a Cynster wife, he should be glad she didn't resort to a gun. Third, we were only reading the book; we aren't living it. Don't complain because the people in the story behave in a socially acceptable manner for the time period while trying to find the villain. And, by the way, my older brother didn't immediately realize that I was the one who broke his toys, and he was pretty sharp.The development from physical desire, to companionship, devotion and finally to love flows well. Happily, there is no sonic jump of emotions. I hate stories that have the heros in one scene fighting bitterly then, in the very next scene they can't breathe without the one another. So irritating, but luckily this story moves very smoothly and logically and, even better, has enough intrigue to keep you wondering what will happen to the villain, and the sex scenes are hot without becoming silly. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I, but please remember he isn't a Cynster.

When I saw Stephanie Laurens' latest book on the shelf, I snatched it up and read it in two days! If you are a fan of her Bar Cynster series, you will not be disappointed! This is the tale of Chillingworth, the character who has gone from Devil's arch-enemy in Devil's Bride to close friend and honorary Cynster in All About Love. Let me tell you that as a leading man in a romance novel, he held his own with the Cynsters! I am also delighted to report that our leading lady, Francesca, is a well-developed character who manages to be high-spirited and strong without being whiny, manipulative, or self-centered. The plot is well-formed and the relationship builds and grows throughout the book- just as it should. The thread of suspense is also interesting without being too distracting, and even though fairly transparent, I was still hooked to the end to see how the situation would resolve. I highly recommend this to all fans of historical romance. However, if you have not yet read the first six books in the Cynster series, you're missing out! I'd start with Devil's Bride (the first and best!) and move on from there. Enjoy Chillingworth and Francesca!