Although Loretta Chase has never been one of my favorite authors, her books have always been reliably enjoyable – this one fell just a little short of the mark.
Silk Is For Seduction by Loretta Chase
(2011, post-Regency) 11/29/12
Grade: 3.5
Marcelline Noirot is one of the best dressmakers in London, and she is determined to attract the business of Clara, the future wife of the Duke of Clevendon. But on a trip to Paris, she meets the Duke and finds him intriguing… even though she knows their positions are worlds apart. Clevendon believes he loves Clara, but only Marcelline brings excitement and passion to his life.
I wanted to like this more than I did. The book was well written, and the characters were interesting (particularly the heroine – I found the dressmaking background more interesting than the romance) but there was just something that left me cold. The story just felt like something I’d read a hundred times, particularly in the first half. The conflict between the hero and heroine felt insubstantial (the class difference between a dressmaker and a duke should feel monumental, but it just didn’t in this case), and the hero didn’t seem particularly unique or intriguing. The book improved in the second half, but still, this just didn’t live up to Loretta Chase’s other books. It left me feeling a little blah.
This is a book that could have really used some illustrations – I’m familiar with Regency and Victoria fashions but I wasn’t sure what dresses looked like in the 1830’s. The descriptions in the book were intriguing but I couldn’t quite visualize them – unfortunately the dress on the cover looks more like a prom dress than a real historical outfit.
Karen Wheless
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