Tempting

by Hope C. Tarr

Book Overview

Simon Belleville is supposed to be closing down brothels-not consorting with the ladies who work in them. But one glimpse at Christine Tremayne's sweet, innocent face, and he is enraptured. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0515133655
• ISBN13: 9780515133653
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Jove Books
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Four and a half stars!

Simon Belleville, head of Her Majesty's Morality and Vice Commission, is supposed to be taking prostitutes to prison, not to finishing school. Yet one look at Christine Tremayne and Simon's entire world tilts on its axis. Desperate to escape the brothel in which Simon finds her, Christine grabs at the chance to improve her station, thereby enabling her to support her family back home. But will Simon's feelings for Christine destroy his dream of holding a seat in Parliament? Will Christine's past ruin her one chance at true love?Hope Tarr writes a Pygmalion tale layered with a fast plot, multi-faceted characters and charming wit. The full gamut of emotions-from guilt and rage, to joy and love-will be found between the pages of this book. Christine will surprise you, and Simon torment you. You'll laugh, you'll cheer, you'll cry. Truly an enjoyable read. -- Kris at Author, Author!

If you like conflicted, tortured heros, this is for you!

I had just finished reading Patricia Cabot's wonderful "Educating Caroline" when I began "Tempting" - another story about a self-made man from the slums of London. But whereas (Caroline's) Braden's poor upbringing helped to mold his character, Simon's has made him bitter, ruthless, ambitious. But in Simon's defense, he has a lot to be bitter about. He has never recovered from his inability to provide for his family after the death of his father or to protect his sister from being gang-raped before his eyes at the age of 15. When Simon's mother remarries and the family's fortunes improve slightly, he takes off, determined to no longer be that helpless, pathetic boy and sets about becoming a man and accumulating wealth.Years later, now wealthy and hungry for political power, he has taken on the role of Vice Commissioner in Victoria's London. One night he raids a brothel and in the attic, finds a young girl locked in. For some reason, she affects him and rather than toss her in jail, takes her home then enrolls her in a finishing school in order to tranform her into a lady and better her lot in life.Simon took some time to warm up to. He's cool, aloof, self-contained and alone. He is focused on running for a seat in Parliament and needs no distractions or scandal. But Christine's beauty and background threaten just that. The last thing he needs is for it to come out that the girl he is passing off as his cousin was found in a brothel! But Simon can't seem to do without her presence no matter how inapropriate. He needs and wants her around and pulls her out of finishing school to teach her himself (!). She's fresh, open, sweet and she makes him smile. Though he is attracted to her, there can be nothing between them. He needs a biddable, political wife not a free spirit like Christine, unashamed of her humble dairymaid background. And Christine has skeletons of her own and when her past comes back to haunt her, real trouble arises.Simon was so conflicted and, deep down, so full of self-doubt, so unable to recognize his need for love and companionship that you just wanted to cry. And Christine was willing to give him all that he needed if only he would ask. If only he would accept her for herself - who she really is and not what he tries to turn her into. A great read!

Wonderful Emotional Historical

In London in 1867, Simon Belleville is somewhat of an enigma, a truly self-made man, and no one acquainted with him would guess at his auspicious origins. Only in his mid-thirties, he gained his fortune through hard work and clever investments, a far cry from his poverty-stricken childhood. Heading up Her Majesty?s Morality and Vice Commission, he leads a raid on Madame LeBow?s brothel, where he discovers an abused woman in the attic. Feeling compassion for the slight young girl, Christine Tremayne, he takes her into his home. As the compassion turns to attraction, Simon begs his friend Margot to take Christine into her school for young ladies, as she may be a hindrance to his political career. But as the months pass at the girls' school, and Christine, the dairymaid, has a slow metamorphosis into Christine, the lady, she gains the attraction of a suitor who does not see her as marriage material. Posing as his cousin, Christine journeys with Simon to his country estate where he assumes the role of tutor. As his political aspirations war with his thawing heart, Simon must make some life altering decisions with regards to his feelings for Christine. Ms. Tarr?s credible historical research lends an air of believability to this read thereby making the characters come to life. Steering away from the formulaic ?rake? of a hero, this author has shown her hero with a very different, vulnerable side, that he has hidden to the world. For a love story as magical as it is moving, Ms. Tarr?s latest is hopefully, a portent of her novels to come.

Another wonderful story from Hope Tarr!

Another GREAT book by Hope Tarr!! I've just finished Tempting, and loved it. What wonderful--and unusual--characters. And I have to admit I loved the fact that the heroine did not just accept the hero's, "oh, okay, I guess I love you" attitude--where many an author would have ended the story--and made him WORK FOR IT.

stand out among the ton of historicals

Simon Bellville knows poverty first hand having grown up in the worst possible place. Though almost two decades have passed, Simon remains haunted by his failure to protect his sister from the rape that destroyed her mental state and eradicated her smile. By 1867, Simon had become legendary in London for making a fortune, but remains obsessed with that crime that changed his life. He now runs Her Majesty's Morality and Vice Commission as his means of attaining atonement for his one defeat of failing to keep his sibling safe.Simon invades a brothel only to find the seemingly innocent Christine Tremain incarcerated in the attic. Instead of sending her to Newgate as he knows he should, Simon enrolls her in school. Soon Simon finds he must choose between his growing attraction and apparent love for Christine and his efforts to join Parliament. She is just the type of scandal that could end his political career before it begins.Though in many ways TEMPTING is a typical early Victorian romance, what makes this novel stand out among the ton of historicals is the underlying morality theme. The story line cleverly provides an ethics message that "to thine own self be true" as the values the characters contain make the key cast members seem genuine. The era with the changing of Parliament and the prime cast feel real so that the audience will have quite a good time with this tale and hope that Ms. Tarr rapidly provides another strong story such as this one.Harriet Klausner