Rules of Passion

by Sara Bennett

Book Overview

The boldest, most unconventional of the three Greentree sisters, Marietta believes her best course would be to emulate her natural mother, the notorious courtesan Madame Aphrodite. Being woefully unschooled in the ways of passion, however, Marietta, at Aphrodite's insistence, must first prove herself by properly seducing one man: Max Valland, the moody, disgraced, anddisinherited former Lord Roseby. With his life and reputation already in tatters,...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060796480
• ISBN13: 9780060796488
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Fun, Fun, Fun, Romp of a Text

What fun this book was. The wit and the pacing really a joy to read. As with all fluffy historical romances, the book is a breeze, no mental challenge, just good escapism. The characters have great chemistry and nicely developed. A rolicking read.

A wonderful Victorian set romance!!

This book is actually the second in the series about the Greentree sisters, but I've only read this one and had no problem keeping everyone straight. It tells the story of Marietta Greentree, daughter of a famous London courtesan, who after a failed love affair and subsequent scandal, decides to follow in her mother's footsteps. Horrified, her mother decides she must successfully seduce the most handsome and ineligible bachelor in all of London, Max Valland. Her mother knows Marietta is attracted to the disinherited former Lord Roseby and hopes to stop her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. So, she sets "tasks" before Marietta under the guise they are to prove her capable of being a courtesan. Marietta agrees. She likes Max and eagerly looks forward to him teaching her all about desire and the rules of passion. But as these tasks progress from learning how to kiss, to wearing barely there outfits, to meeting in a strange place and perfoming duties in public--she realizes she's living in a fantasy world when it comes to the realities of being a courtesan. That and somehow, somewhere along the way, she's done something a courtesan is never supposed to do...lost her heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this story! There are more than a few laugh out loud moments during Marietta's tasks. All of the characters are well written, witty and rather charming. The chemistry and sexual tension between Max and Marietta leaps off the page and their individual story lines proved unique and refreshing.

Very very Passionate!!

This one indeed sizzled and I love sizzle! Max began as a brooding , depressed disinherited duke's son and by chance he meets the very beautiful Marietta, in a hot air balloon ride. She is the daughter of Aphrodite, London's leading courtesean. Since Marietta had been ruined at a young age by a scoundrel she believed no man of value would ever want her. Each time she meets Max, there is something about his brooding manner though that causes her to be drawn to him. Outside of Aprhodite's brothel he is struck down and almost killed. Marietta helps bring him back to life. Marietta's plan for her life is to become a courtesean, like her mother. She feels she is ruined, so why not protect herself from the hurt of ever letting any man too close to hurt her again. Max believes this is the wrong life for Marietta, so he agrees to train her in the ways of passion, in order to prove she is not cut out for life in a brothel. Well the sizzle indeed begins at this point - and wow - there are some great love scenes throughout the rest of this book. Max, truly feels the only thing in his life worth anything is now Marietta. He has a paultry estate on the Cornish coast he intends to retreat to and somehow etch out a life, now that he has been disinherited by his father. Of course Max's life still seems to be indanger from someone. This troubles Marietta as she helps to trap the guilty person. There is also the problem of whether Max is in fact the Duke's real son or not? The danger for Max and the inheritance are both good mysteries to the love story developing between Max and Marietta. Marietta just somehow needs to deal with whether she can allow her heart to feel again, and risk being hurt. This is a great story between two people that in different ways seem to have lost hope and together they find that they give each other love, hope and a future! Very well written love story!

Captivating all the way to the last word

Rules of Passion possesses everything for a good, satisfying read. This book is sharp and fast-moving. Filled with Lovable characters, exciting and action-mystery twists. Lots of laugh out-loud scenes and oh so plenty of heart warming moments. If you long to be swept into the lives of two enchanting people, I highly recommend this one. The love scenes are ample & steamy, and the plot is a good one. The relationship between Marietta and Max sizzles and there are no misunderstandings that tear the two apart for long periods. Any misunderstandings are dealt with within a few pages and that is very refreshing to this reviewer. Rules of Passion is witty, romantic, has good strong characters and an unexpected ending. The plot and characters seemed fresh, the pace was quick, and it was a totally engrossing read. Full of enjoyable supporting characters and stories. I love this book. You will feel like smoking after the sex scenes in this book. The relationship between the leads is endearing. The secondary characters are enjoyable as well. This book is sharp and fast-moving. Filled with Lovable and exciting characters. This was a very entertaining book. This book was a pleasure to read and I couldn't put it down until it was finished. I really enjoyed the characters, as they were very likeable. A fast paced book with an intricate plot that I cannot help but enjoy. The interaction between the leads was great. There is enough conflict to make the story line interesting and not so much that your left wondering why they ever got together. This book is sharp and fast-moving. I was sad to have it end, but satisfied at the ending! I can't wait until the next book comes out in the series.

fabulous Victorian romance

The three Slater sisters are ecstatic over meeting their long lost biological mother Aphrodite Greentree (see LESSONS IN SEDUCTION), who they were separated from years ago when they were small children. Aphrodite runs a successful brothel so must be discrete with her beloved now adult children so as to not hurt their chances for a good match. Her oldest child stalked her beloved in Aphrodite's brothel. Now her middle daughter Marietta wants to become a courtesan just like her natural mother was and asks her to train her in the art of seduction Madame Aphrodite hopes to persuade her daughter that this is not a way of life for her, but feels she must do so with stealth as she herself has had a good life as a courtesan. Thus she promises to take Marietta on as an apprentice, but first her daughter must survive a test of fire. She must seduce the posterboy of scandals Max Valland, a morose and disinherited aristocrat. Max accepts his dissipated role, but he finds he cannot have enough of the tyro; she in turn breaks the courtesan's maxim of never falling in love with the bill payer. The second Slater saga is a fabulous Victorian romance starring the wildest of the three sisters and an outcast aristocrat anticipating a tryst that turns the three RULES OF PASSION, as both understand them now, upside down when their hearts enter the equation. "Naughty" Marietta and "mad" Max are an enchanting pairing while the support cast brings out the worst in both of them to the delight of readers. Fans will look forward to the tale of the youngest sibling as Sara Bennett livens up the sub-genre. Harriet Klausner