The cunningly audacious Lady Lucinda Davenport is by no means a conventional woman. Smart and fiercely determined, she’s more comfortable adding numbers than she’ll ever be socializing with highfalutin members of the ton. When desperate straits force her into action to save her home and lands, she finds herself faced with only one option. Summoning every ounce of her courage, she sets in motion a wild and raunchy scheme that would set the ton on fire if they ever caught wind of her actions.
Desperate Desires
The cunningly audacious Lady Lucinda Davenport is by no means a conventional woman. Smart and fiercely determined, she’s more comfortable adding numbers than she’ll ever be socializing with highfalutin members of the ton. When desperate straits force her into action to save her home and lands, she finds herself faced with only one option. Summoning every ounce of her courage, she sets in motion a wild and raunchy scheme that would set the ton on fire if they ever caught wind of her actions.
Lucien Brandford, fourth Duke of Carlsborough, is a dangerous man. Wealthy beyond imagination and handsome to a fault, the Duke is sought after by nearly every woman of the ton. Single, widowed, or married, ladies vie for his attention with cutthroat precision. But the Duke has no tolerance for the machinations of his title and fortune-hungry peers. He seeks his pleasure from women who require no commitment.
That attitude ensnares the Duke in Lady Lucinda’s plan. Caught unawares, Lucien finds himself at the mercy of a bold and luscious woman whom he cannot decide if he wants to strangle or bed.
The sensual dance that follows between captor and captive as they engage in a volatile battle for control, culminates in a seismic eruption—both psychological and sensual. As tempers flare and sparks fly, an intense and erotic interlude of passion ensues.
The temperamental lovers soon discover what all the world knows: that in order to possess the love of a lifetime, they must submit to one another to conquer their own Desperate Desires.
Sensually spiced with a heavy dose of passion, this romantic bestseller comes complete with a memorable cast of characters. You won’t want to put this one down!
(54K words)
The Duke could feel her eyes poring over him. He knew she was studying him at great length. Lucien wondered who had put her up to this wild scheme of hers.
“Don’t you think this charade has lasted long enough? I think it’s quite safe to say that you have unmanned me. If my hands were free, Madam, I would clap for you as did our good friend here who so obviously obeys your every command.”
Lucinda thought the Duke was even more handsome up close. No two ways about it. Not an effeminate kind of beauty either, for he was rugged with chiseled, aquiline features and a thick head of black hair. He appeared solidly built. The way his leather breeches hugged his muscular thighs, and having felt the muscles of his chest as she’d searched for his weapon, Lucinda understood why the noblewomen of the ton were in hot pursuit of him. She smiled liberally.
“Our good friend, Your Grace? Why, you hardly know us yet.”
“You seem to think that I will be getting to know you, Madam. But then again, once I get my hands wrapped around that little throat of yours, I’ll soon know everything I need to know about you. Starting with who put you up to this.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Lucinda clicked her tongue. Feeling magnanimous in the face of her apparent victory, Lucinda’s smile spread to her voice.
“Poor Duke. You’ve never been tussled about so, have you? I’m sure no one’s ever thought to defy you. You, fourth Duke of Carlsborough, with nine estates and counting, rich beyond imagination. Women throw themselves at your feet. Royalty and mere peasants alike bow in your presence. Hmmm…this must be quite a humbling experience for you.”
The Duke’s voice was menacing. “For your sake, Madam, I pray this is but a joke. If not, once I’m through with you, not even your giant of a friend will be able to protect you. You will not get away with this.”
“But I’ve already gotten away with it, Your Grace. I have swept you off the streets of Covent Garden so stealthily, that not even your loyal servants realize you have been abducted. I’m rather pleased with myself. Forgive me for pointing out that, on this night, even the great Duke of Carlsborough must bow to my superior cunning.
Professional Reviews
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/11)
Reader Views "Reviews, by readers, for readers"
In London, England, in 1796, beautiful and feisty Lucinda is about to become a widow. Her much older wealthy husband is in ill health. Fearing that his devious relatives will try to step in and take everything from her, because there is no heir, Lucinda has hatched a plan to solve this dilemma. Enlisting the aid of her loyal servants and her giant brother, she sets out to kidnap the Duke Lucien Douglas IV. The success of this mission is critical to all who are involved because the estate of the Lucinda's husband is home to all of them.
Wise to the ways of the world, Lucien is extremely surprised to discover himself so easily kidnapped. Initially he is angry and resistant to the idea of helping Lucinda, especially when he learns her criteria for choosing him. When he finds himself unable to resist her charms, he quickly changes his mind. Caught up in their desire for each other, they seem to forget all else. When Lucinda's allies step in to help bring them back to reality, they find themselves lost to each other. It is now Lucien's mission to find Lucinda.
"Desperate Desires" perfectly blends erotica, romance and humor. I found the whole eccentric cast of characters to be endearing. The sensual scenes are beautifully written and extremely erotic. I think most readers will find themselves wishing that they could be in Lucinda's shoes. I guess I shouldn't say "shoes" because she certainly wasn't wearing any in the most intense scenes. Terri Wolffe definitely managed to capture my attention with this tale. I highly recommend "Desperate Desires" to readers who enjoy erotic romances.
Edward Rutherford is prepared to do just about anything to escape an arranged marriage to a woman he despises. But his brilliant plan to feign insanity has some rather unwanted consequences...
