Review: Wicked Seduction by Jade Lee

Wicked Seduction

by Jade Lee

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

Release Date: March 1, 2011

A MAN INTENT ON JUSTICE...
After seven years of battling for survival on a pirate ship, Kit Frazier returns to England to right a wrong and make peace with what he lost. But once in London, he finds himself unexpectedly at sea, caught in his swirling attraction to the beguiling and elusive Maddy.

A WOMAN DETERMINED TO BE FREE...
Maddy will do anything to escape the desperate circumstances of her life, and helping her cousin Rose catch the man of her dreams seems an easy enough task--until Maddy meets the handsome pirate captain Kit. The dashing rogue has only two purposes: to rescue the boy in his care and to seduce Maddy into his bed.

A LOVE WITHOUT END
With each heated encounter, Kit pulls Maddy off her stated course. But when treachery threatens them all, she will have to choose between a respectable future and wicked, wonderful seduction.

~ Back Cover

Wicked Seduction is a historical romance that takes place in London, England. There was plenty of action and conflict with a strong level-headed heroine and a dashing flawed hero.

This book starts off with a lot of action as Kit is in the process of saving a young man from his former fate of enslavement. He has returned to the same slave ship he was tortured on to kill his former master. 

Kit Frazier is a former pirate slave who has bought his freedom and is just returning to London after being away for 7 years. The many years he spent as a slave have left him physically and emotionally scarred. He suffers horribly with nightmares and flashbacks of his past life. He fears that the “savage beast” within him will never allow him to live in polite society. 

Madeline Wilson has lived with her Uncle and cousin ever since her father died. She runs the Earl’s household and has helped to raise her cousin Rose. The mating Season is about to start in London and Maddy and Rose are preparing to find themselves husbands. The Earl has given both of them ultimatums that if they do not become engaged during this Season they will both be out in the streets. At the ripe old age of 27, Maddy feared she would never find a suitable husband.

There was instant chemistry and attraction between Kit and Maddy when they meet for the first time at Kit’s cousin’s house. But Kit’s internal conflict kept him fearful of hurting Maddy so he continued to deny his feeling for her. Although they both knew they loved each other that conflict as well as Rose’s meddling kept them apart.

Maddy was very patient with Kit and helped him to get through his anger and depression issues. When Kit’s anxiety overwhelmed him Maddy was always his strong and solid anchor who helped to pull him out of his downward spiral. But Kit was not a completely helpless man either as he was very protective of his “angel”. After finding out that her Uncle was spreading scandalous rumors about Maddy that tainted her character and just about ended her chances at finding a husband. He forced the Earl to give Maddy a huge dowry in exchange for his life and good reputation. Even after threatening her uncle, Kit still feels conflicted about his feelings for Maddy and can’t give her what she truly wants – marriage and happily ever after. After Kit left London to find his family, I was afraid that Maddy and Kit would not make it. They seemed perfect for each other as they were both each other’s strength.

What I liked about this book was although Maddy was the virginal, lower-class pauper she was the one that rescues Kit from his internal demons and saves his sanity. It seemed at times she was the seducer. As she slowly brought him out of his traumatized past, a loving strong man emerges. I like the idea of a flawed, vulnerable hero and headstrong heroine. This novel was full of romance and the love scenes between the two were beautiful and very steamy.  I loved the way Kit took control and how he lovingly treated his angel, Maddy. This was the first novel that I have read by Jade Lee and I look forward to reading more of her work. 

Wicked Seduction gets 3.5 out of 5 stars