The Scoundrel's Seduction (House of Trent #3) by Jennifer Haymore

• Received for review
• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Piatkus (27 May 2014)
• Language: Unknown
• ISBN-10: 0349401268
• ISBN-13: 978-0349401263
• Temptation Knows No Bounds…
  
  Undercover agent Sam Hawkins has devoted his life to protecting king and country. So when he receives orders to assassinate a ruthless traitor, he doesn't question his mission. But Sam didn't know his deed had a witness—the beautiful and mysterious betrayer's wife. Now he has no choice but to take her as his prisoner—one he can neither trust…nor resist.
  
  Élise, Lady Dunthorpe, will do anything to escape her powerful captor—including seducing him senseless. She didn't know of her miserable husband's crimes, but she has secrets of her own—secrets that threaten everything she holds dear. With his piercing dark eyes and gentle touch, Sam inflames Élise's deepest desires, but how could she ever trust a man who won't let her go? Caught between the crown he's sworn to serve and the woman he's come to love, Sam will risk his heart—and his very life—to keep her safe.
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Cover:  A pretty standard somewhat sexy, regency romance cover.

I love my Regency Romance, I make no bones about it.  There are times when you just want to delve into a book that you know if going to be light, fluffy and gooey.  Kinda like the perfect brownie (I may or may not be hungry at the time of writing this.  You Judge.)
You just want a read that you don't have to think too much about, but still enjoy.
And a hot romance doesn't hurt either.
I've not read a Jennifer Haymore book before this, so knew I was going to judge it against my two favourite Regency authors - Margaret McPhee and Sarah MacLean.
I really enjoyed this one.  I was a bit hesitant as it's a book three in a series, but I was told they can stand alone.
It took me a little while to get into.  A good hundred pages.  I just found the first part of the book hard to get through.  A little slow.  A little uninteresting.
But then it kicked in.  I adjusted to the writing style and started to enjoy the characters.
I love a spunky heroine and a swoon-worthy hero.  
And that's what I got.
Elise witnessed her husband's murder.  While she's glad to be free of his cruelty, can she bring herself to trust the man that killed him- the man that is currently keeping her prisoner?
Sam eliminated a traitor- can he trust his widow or is she playing him?
Both fight the attraction to each other, and I loved how they both gradually broke down and gave into their smoking chemistry.
I really enjoyed seeing Elise come out of her shell, and seeing Sam recover from past disappointments.  Seeing how they healed each other was super sweet.
I will definitely be checking out the other two books in this series.
I definitely recommend for fellow historical romance fans!
4/5 stars.