Beyond Seduction
by Stephanie Laurens

Gervase Tegrath, 6 th Earl of Crowhurst, has finally met his match in maneuvering – his sisters. His three younger sisters are determined that he should not marry a London lady. Giving in, he looks closer to home. Much to his surprise when he takes a closer look at his neighbor, Madeline Gascoigne, he learns that she has all of the qualities he desires and admires. The problem: Madeline can't imagine a relationship with anyone, least of all someone as appealing as Gervase.

Madeline has spent the past 10 years as the de facto Gascoigne, standing in for her younger brother, the viscount. As a result, she enjoys a status unlike any other female in the area; she is equally accepted by the local gentry in the circle of women and men. Even more important, the men appreciate and respect her opinion. When she finally realizes that Gervase sees her in a different light, he has already determined that she should be his next countess. The rest of the local gentry, including her brothers, seem to catch on much more quickly than Madeline. It takes the kidnapping of her brothers, their rescue and physical combat at Gervase's side for Madeline to accept what everyone else had acknowledged: she and Gervase are a perfect match.

As usual, Stepahnie Laurens delivers a wonderful love story in Beyond Seduction . Her characters are sympathetic and real. The only fault I had with the story was that in the first half of the book. Ms. Laurens had a tendency to drag out the physical encounters and often used five pages when two or three would have done quite well. Gervase is the perfect hero and Madeline is a heroine worthy of his devotion. Without question, Beyond Seduction is a very satisfying read.