Beyond Seduction

Having read and loved Personal Assets, Menage and Beyond Innocence, Emma Holly has become my favorite erotic romance author. Her books are as exquisite and mouthwatering as chocolate with caramel. Though not as explicit as her Black Lace offerings, Beyond Seduction, a beautiful and romantic novel set in Victorian England, offers a scorcher of a novel full of sinful animalistic lust. And the best part is that it is solely centered on the protagonists. Merry Vance is a wild, free spirit. Marriage is the last thing on her mind. But when her manipulative mother, driven by blackmail, tries to force her into accepting her long-suffering suitor's marriage proposal, Merry takes matters into her own hands. In order to ruin her chances of marriage, she poses nude for Nicolas Craven -- London's most reputable painter and notorious womanizer. However, painting Merry is not the only thing on Nicolas's mind... This novel contains the most insatiable sex scenes recently written. And I thought I'd read smoldering scenes before! But the best part is what happens before Nicolas and Merry hit the sack. The scenes in which Nicolas seduces Merry are incredible. The building of tension made me tingle all over. And I loved the story. I love historical romances, but this one's the best I've read in a long time. I couldn't put this book down and savored the last pages like fine wine. Beyond Seduction has become my favorite Emma Holly novel. I so look forward to reading all of her books. In the meantime, I recommend this wonderful novel. It'll awaken your loins as well as your intellect. Your partner will be grateful once you're able to put this book down.

Oh, Bravo Ms. Holly. This was an excellent or sexellent read. It was so romantic and sweet. I really do mean sweet. Nic really evolved as a person and Merry grew up. That is true grown-up love. I didn't like the hint that Nic was a reformed bi-sexual but I really Loved this book. The ending was great!

Merry Vance was something of a hellion, spoiled, with a mind of her own. Being the daughter of a powerful Duke she was also expected to obey and marry. Determined that she would not lose control of her destiny to a mere husband not of her own choosing she would take matters into her own hands - she would do something so scandalous as to ruin herself in the eyes of the ton. Having met the scandalous and most sought after artist Nicolas Craven who just happened to have rescued her form being accosted one night, she thought he might be just what she needed. He thought her a servant, and as such, offered her his card wishing she would come and model for him. Working out an elaborate ruse with her best friend so that her family thought she was away in Scotland, she approached Nicolas as the servant he thought her to be, saying she had just been tossed from her position. Nicolas was not immune to a woman's charms - he'd had several models and affairs, none ever lasting longer than a month or so or until the painting was done - quite a lover but never in love. Divine sexual satisfaction would be all they would get from him - but nothing more. Merry knew this, but the feelings he stirred in her were also something she would have no control over - and for that matter, she had no intention of ever marrying anyhow so... The nude painting of her was done, the centerpiece of Nicolas' exhibition. Merry's original intent was to scandalize herself in the eyes of the ton but when it came right down to it she was a coward to face her parents. She ran again, still not telling Nicolas who she was, she took him up on an offer to see Venice. Her brothers finally caught up with her and dragged her home. Leaving Nicolas feeling bitter and betrayed.Both Nicolas and Merry had secrets they hid from one another - their true identities were one, Nicolas' son another, as well as the love they both began to feel towards one another. They both gained from the relationship as well, Merry, finally realizing that she was beautiful when seen through Nicolas' eyes, and Nicolas, opening up to finally tell her the truth about his son and, knowing he loved her, the strength to admit who he truly was and to try to live up to be the person Merry deserved.I really liked this story. I love the fact that both of these people grew so much. It took a bitter parting and time, but they needed the time to discover hidden strengths within themselves. The sex in this story was really, really hot - more so I think than the first novel - but tastefully done. It was a very good story, again, not for the faint hearted but one I would definitely recommend.

It's truly a guilty pleasure to see Emma Holly going beyond innocence to present a full-fledged seductive read. Her debut historical romance Beyond Innocence though racy and steamy comes out of platitude because of the constraint of its typical plot. In Beyond Seduction, she delivers a much more provocative romance that explores different facets of sexuality. Merry Vance, the daughter of Duke of Monmouth cherishes her freedom and has no intentions of abiding by her mother Lavinia's fervent wishes for her to marry Baron Althrop's son Ernest. Fear of her past affair with Althrop being exposed to her husband, she is forced to compromise Merry's happiness. Merry is pushed to the wall and finds herself succumbing to being a model for the notorious but talented artist Nicolas Craven in a twist of fate. What she did not gamble on was the inexplicable attraction that bounded Merry to the complex Nicolas...Emma Holly's latest historical romance may be sexually explicit and at some times challenging the boundaries of romance to hint of decadent carnal adventures like menage a trois and homosexualism. It is precisely Ms. Holly's courage to push the envelope that makes Beyond Seduction her most accomplished historical romance. Her characters, Merry and Nicolas are flawed and both vulnerable with their insecurities. Merry's plain beauty catches the eye of Nicolas in his portrait of her as Godiva. It is her candor and independence - and ultimately her undying love for Nicolas that makes him confront his own demon and guilt to his "son". Beyond Seduction is lusciously tempting with the flagrant sexuality but it is even more evocative and poignant when Merry and Nicolas both fight off temptations and remain committed. It explores facets of sexuality - from naivete, experimentation to understanding faith and promises. Though I would like the ending to be less abrupt with Lavinia's sudden shift of character and less fairy tale like, it remains quinessentially a romance. Ms. Holly has proven that she has gone further beyond seduction to present a romance with heart that rekindles wounded souls. This is no doubt the erotic romance of the year.

Emma Holly's latest book, Beyond Seduction, is the second in a series - I hope. Ms. Holly's unique mix of intense sensuality, well crafted characters and romantic plot makes Beyond Seduction a must read. Set in the late 1800s England, a union between a sinfully notorious artist and a Duke's daughter would be scandalous! But this is the perfect setting for Ms. Holly to weave her tale. Nicolas Craven and Merry Vance don't just seduce us, they let us into their intimate lives and share with us all the sorrows and ultimate joys on their journey to happiness. The supporting characters -- Evangeline, Sebastian, Lavinia Vance and Althorp do their jobs well and are just as interesting to "watch." In fact I would love to see my favorite supporting character, Ernest, in his own novel ...As in past novels, Ms. Holly allows the reader to experience each thought, each sensation and each emotion of the characters. Read this one when you have time because you won't want to put it down.