REVIEW: How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicki Dreiling

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Where did you get this book: e-ARC
Release date: Out now

Blurb taken from Amazon.com:

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?

When I saw the blurb of this title, I was looking forward to reading this book. I do love an unrequited storyline, and add in a friends to lover storyline, I was like ZOMG.

Ever since Julianne was a child, she has adored Hawk, the Earl of Hawkfield. She was his ‘girl’. She has waited forever to claim her love of him, and has refused all suitors in her 4 seasons because of her love for Hawk. This season is perfect for her though. Hawk will be her chaperon as her brother, Tristan, the hero of the previous book, would not able to escort her around this as his wife, Teressa, will be giving birth very soon. So Tristan asks Hawks – with some stipulations such as no scandalous rake behaviour from him, and Hawk agrees to that.

So Julianne goes about to win Hawk, and she feels this is the season he will propose to her and tell her he loves her….

Therein lies my problem. Julianne was a utter ninny, and Hawk was an ass. I very nearly DNF this book, but I pressed on. Julianne was so girlish and so naive to the point of utter silliness. Why on earth she thought Hawk would fall in love her with and propose because she had loved him for so many years absolutely eluded me. You would think after being out for four seasons she would be mature for her twenty one years, but she came off as a pathetic lovesick calf. Her friends were no better, and the dialogue for me sometimes came off as sweetly sick and at time stilted.

Hawk was an utter ass. He came off as a jolly charmer and joker, but he ordered Julianne around like she was a dog. It was so unromantic, and I felt like throwing my e-reader against the wall. Their relationship consisted of Julianne fighting with Hawk, making up with Hawk, flirting with Hawk and rinse, lather and repeat. There’s also a storyline where Julianne — with the help of Hawk’s eccentric Aunt — writes a pamphlet on How to Seduce a Scoundrel, and I honestly thought it had no real impact to the storyline as it fizzled out in a predictable way.

Unfortunately, I would call this book utter fluff. The characters were empty-headed, and I had no particular liking for either the heroine or hero.

I give How to Seduce a Scoundrel a D.

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