How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling

"Hawk" Marc, the Earl of Hawkfield and Lady Julianne Gatewick's story




How to Seduce a Scoundrel (How To Series book 2)

By Vicky Dreiling

Book Blurb:
Miss Julianne Gatewick is in a pickle. It started when her brother's best friend-for whom she's long nursed a secret tendre-agreed to act as her guardian for the Season, only to seduce her with a risqué waltz. But when the music stopped and the expectant ton waited for Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield, to claim her as his own, he made his disinterest clear. Rather than succumb to humiliation, Julianne does what any self-respecting, recently discarded young miss with a wicked sense of humor would do. She secretly pens a lady's guide to enticing unrepentant rakes . . . and it becomes the hottest scandal sheet in London.

Every honorable rake knows that friends' sisters are forbidden. But suddenly Julienne has a spark of mischief in her eyes that Hawk can't resist. Try as he might to push her away, he spends his days listening for her laughter and his nights dreaming of kissing her senseless. He's always avoided innocents and their marriage-minded mothers, but has the man least likely to wed finally met his match?

What happened to the Hawk I fell in love with in How to Marry a Duke? This question often occurs to me when an awesome secondary characters from a previous book gets their own story. I adored him in book 1 and I could barely stand him in his own book, How to Seduce a Scoundrel. Night and day comparison. When a secondary character is used as comic relief, I find it is very difficult for the author to maintain that same light heartiness when they become the main protagonist. When a conflict needs to be introduced it's just plain difficult to be entertaining and a scene stealer. Hawk felt like a completely different man to me and one that I really didn't care for. 

Lady Julianne Gatewick seemed to me to be the quintessential silly chit. She wants to be seen and viewed as a woman yet her behaviour was that of a very young twenty one year old. No wonder Hawk had a difficult time viewing her as grown up. 

Now having said that, I believe that Vicky Dreiling's story to be historically accurate. Julie's behaviour would best represent exactly how a young lady of the time would actually behave. Crying, being distraught and feeling humiliated at the situations I would view as minor, was indeed a big event to a lady of that era. In fact, I felt the entire book was very well researched starting with the spot on English speech to the pissing pot under the men's card table. 

Hawk started to become creepy to me. Julie was in his care and sometimes I felt like he was a babysitter taking advantage of his charge. I'd have to remind myself that Julie was in fact twenty one but then she'd act in a manner that a youth would behave and I just got all confused. He was beyond possessive and unreasonable even going as far as "grounding her" for a week. They'd argue similar to how a parent and a teen would carry on. It was frustrating for me to picture a romance blooming because they'd always have this parental type of argument. Here is a great quote about Hawk's treatment of Julie.  

"His conduct is beyond rude. He treats me as if I am a marionette. I am weary of him pulling my strings at his pleasure."

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the best character in the entire book, Hawk's aunt Hester. Yes Hester provided the much needed comic relief in How to Seduce a Scoundrel since Hawk's previously awesome personality was missing. I need to include a favourite quote from Hester because she is a gem.

"Louisa, the statue is hideous. If you want a naked man, find yourself one who is breathing." 

What I did love about How to Seduce a Scoundrel was feeling like I was reading about real people from 1817 instead of fictional. The flirtations, Julie's friendships with Georgette & Amy and the ton relationships all just felt so perfect to me. As if the book was actually written by an author living in the historical time. I did smile a lot while reading How to Seduce a Scoundrel and I'd love to have gotten my hands on Julie's published pamphlet. I think it would have been a real kick to have read it. I really want to read about Julie's friend Amy's story so my next book choice is going to be How to Ravish a Rake. 

Teasers: drunk girlfriends, secret pamphlet publishing, the "cubs", poises a plenty