A Game of Persuasion

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I’m 62% in and frankly a bit embarrassed on behalf of the heroine due to her chasing the hero <b>so hard</b> no matter how many times he shoves his indifference to her in her face. Just when I think she’s wising up after <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="1987f903-c15a-46a3-aa97-de8999ac2423" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="1987f903-c15a-46a3-aa97-de8999ac2423">he tells her that he is head over heels in love with a woman who knows about his feelings for her</label>, she’s all “Perhaps she could change him.” Ugh.<br /><br />Okay, finished and immediately dove into the second book, as this is a cliffhanger extended intro/prologue. It’s all one story so they kind of blend together, but I have to say, while there is some QUALITY angst and excellent steam, I just don’t quite understand the heroine’s confidence. She’s described as plain, she’s a spinster, he’s never noticed her, he’s in love with someone else and he is a rake that is coveted by every woman in the <i>ton</i>? While I enjoyed her anxiety about <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="14759c7d-0385-481f-9105-8368cd7ba6bd" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="14759c7d-0385-481f-9105-8368cd7ba6bd">inheriting her mother’s “madness” - her mother killed her father for his infidelity</label>, it eclipsed the angst I was seeking, namely a plain spinster pining for a man she <b>should</b> think could never care for her. I have a very specific trope that I look for, and frankly, this is not it.<br /><br />I rate books based on them fulfilling my personal preferences, so it probably deserves another star, as it is well-written, I couldn’t put it down, and has unique characters with a very developed plot that was much more complex and non-tropey than I was expecting. (3.5 stars)

<strong>Page turner</strong><br /><br />This story keeps you on the edge of your seat. It has you cheering for and feeling for a woman with passion.

As it was a prologue, I was a bit afraid it might end in a cliffhanger. It didn't though and it <i>can</i> be read as a stand-alone novel.

This story is the Prologue of The Art of Ruining a Rake. Lucy has loved Roman for years. He never paid attention to her even though he is his her brother Ash' s best friend. Lucy really doesn't have much patience. She wants to go to the grown up balls not the over chaperoned balls. She goes to a lightskirt for advice as she wants to have a Girl's school. Ash had really fallen for her but then found she was a Courtesan. There are a few spoilers and this leads into Lucy and Roman' s story-The Art of Ruining a Rake. This is a really short lead in. You can really like this double reading. Don't let this get past you! I have this book for an honest review for NetGalley.

❤️❤️❤️❤️<br />??<br />A young girl with a crush on her brothers friend , a story of unrequited loved .<br />Wanting those taboo feelings to be returned, to experience love between a man and woman .<br />Lucy want all this but only with one man Roman .<br />This book has emotions in abundance . Poor Lucy I really felt for her . I wanted to grab Roman and shake him so he could see her .<br />I felt their pain bless them . <br />It’s a great prequel to the next book which I can’t wait to read , <br />Soon I hope x <br />

I read this book out of order and now have realized I’m going to have to go back and read the previous two before I can go forward. But in the meantime this book was ok for a short book in a series that seems to revolve around a brother and his two sisters in his care. This one mostly has to do with the seduction or the losing of ones virginity before you go on with your life as you see it. Lucy wants to lose the very thing that makes her a good candidate for marriage. This way she can go on with her own plans for her life in finding a school for girls. She seeks out her brothers love interest who he has set aside because of her past and has her teach her the art of seduction. She only wants one person, Roman, who is her brother’s best friend and confidante. She has been in love with him since her childhood and now that she is of age, 25, she figures this is best for herself. In the end things go well but then things also go sideways and who knows what comes next.

if you've read the first book in the series, The Trouble With Being Wicked, you'll be very familiar with the plot of this novella already. This is an extended prologue for the following book, The Art of Ruining A Rake. It retells the story of Lucy Lancester, who enlists the help of former courtesan Celeste Gray to seduce her girlhood crush, Roman Alexander. While we already got the gist of what happened through Celeste's and Trestin's eyes, it was pretty interesting to find out the rest of the details from Lucy's point of view.

I listened to the audiobook, which provided an excellent performance of a well written story. The female lead is well developed. I didn't feel there was sufficient backstory to develop the male lead. I assume this is because it was written as an extended prologue and not a stand alone book. Marion Hussey's performance is outstanding. She voices characters distinctly and consistently. She imbues them with emotion consistent with the story. It did its job of making me want to hear the rest of the story.

I don't normally go for prequels on their own, but thecharactersvif Lucy an Melbourne were so intriguing that I bought the full length novel thtt filollows it. Lucy I one determined young lady. Determined to have her school for young ladies, but first she absolutely must have one night ion the send of the arms of the man she longed for for 10 long years. Oh do be careful what you with for!