A Spirited Seduction
A Spirited Seduction by Casey Claybourne is part
of the Haunting Hearts series published by
Jove/Putnam
Berkley and is the story of a ghost who must
matchmake her way into Heaven.
Madam Nell deNuit found that after her death she could not get into Heaven until she had performed a good deed.
When Sabrina Simmons called for help in the art of seduction the ghostly bawd arrived on the stroke of midnight at the full moon and announced that she could not leave until the next full moon, so like it or not, believe it or not, Sabrina Simmons has an instructor to help her catch the heart of her neighbour the Viscount Colbridge.
Sabrina and her younger brothers Teddy and Andrew are the last of their family and have found themselves in financial difficulties. Their new neighbour, having recently inherited the neighbouring property is determined to buy Simmons House from them and when Sabrina learns that the new Viscount is a rake who is very generous with his mistresses she plots to become his latest.
Meeting by chance without knowing who he is Sabrina and the Viscount, Richard, immediately hit it off. But under the tutelage of Nell Sabrina is instructed that on exactly how men want their women to behave and Sabrina strives to follow the instructions. Suppressing her intelligence she attempts to appear like the other ladies of her acquaintance and as she practices her clumsy seduction she only succeeds in confusing the already intrigued Richard.
Lots of laughs are to follow as Sabrina attempts to appear the mistress Richard is looking for, little knowing that her best chance is to be herself.
Richard Kerry, is a man who tries to hide from his past by letting out all his bitterness in the form of poison-pen letters under the name "Ennui" - and when Sabrina tries her hand at the art of seduction she is unknowingly the recipient of his venom.
Although "Ennui" is hated by all those who he ridicules no one could hate him more than he hates himself, especially when his past comes back to haunt him.
Engaged to be married to a woman he does not love, Richard's only thought is to marry before his next birthday to secure his inheritance, until he meets Sabrina. And when faced with her determination he decides to take her up on her offer of becoming his mistress and proceeds to show her the way of things; firstly by introducing her to his past mistress and then by taking her around the lowest brothels in London. Richard is determined that she should change her mind but does not know the severity of her finances and the lengths she will go to before she sees herself and her brothers turned out of their home.
A terrific book that portrays better than most just how the past can come back to haunt you (no pun intended :-)
RATING : 
(if you need an explanation of the hearts ratings see
my homepage)
Also by Casey Claybourne: Nick of Time and Ghost of a Chance
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Casey Claybourne's
homepage.