Review: Mary Campisi’s THE SEDUCTION OF SOPHIE SEACREST – Regency Romp with some Twists

Set in England in 1817, this is the story of Sophie Seacrest, oldest daughter of the Earl of Rendhaven, a spirited young miss who is in no hurry to wed, that is until she succumbs to the sexual charms of Holt Langford, new Earl of Westover, returned from years away upon his father’s death.

It’s a well-told story and a bit of a Regency romp. When Holt returns from his years in the West Indies, he looks more like a pirate than a British lord. His brother, Jason, tells him Sophie’s father, their neighbor, the Earl of Rendhaven is trying to destroy the Langford shipping business for revenge (it seems their father dallied with Rendhaven’s wife, who is now dead).

Holt decides to take the matter in hand to destroy the Rendahaven’s shipping business, adopting a fake identity as a merchant named Gregory Thurston. He also wants to observe the nobility to see if he wants to accept his title. The first person he intends to observe—and perhaps have his revenge on—is Rendhaven’s oldest daughter, Sophie.

When Holt rescues Sophie in a storm and steals a kiss in a most forward way, she does not resist. I liked Holt’s brash manner but Sophie’s willingness to fall in his arms was a bit unusual for a Regency innocent. Holt (posing as Gregory) quickly falls for Sophie and then it’s an on again off again love affair with him trying to lose himself in the arms of other women and failing. The alpha hero tumbled in the end.

There was a lot going on in this story and sometimes we got only a small glimpse of some of the threads. For example, there are no ship scenes and little about the shipping business.

I liked the author’s voice and will likely read more of hers. But this one had a lot of sex, more than might have been necessary, and Sophie had moves like a courtesan. With “seduction” in the title, perhaps I should not have been surprised. Still, it’s a clever tale that will hold your interest.

Buy on Amazon.

An Unlikely Husband series:

The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest

A Taste of Seduction

A Touch of Seduction (novella)

A Scent of Seduction