Review: Seducing Mr. Knightly

Reviewed by Jen
 

You don't have to be a longtime reader of Maya Rodale's Writing Girls series to enjoy this romance. But if you've been following along, you know it's about time for sweet and quiet Annabelle to finally get her HEA with the man she has been pining over for years: her boss, the completely oblivious Derek Knightly.   After suffering through the pangs of unrequited love for so long, she finally decides to take matters into her own hands to win him over.

Annabelle writes an advice column for the paper. She solicits her readers for ideas to gain the attention of the man she loves... the clueless oaf who adopts the nickname "the nodcock."  All of London ends up catching Annabelle-fever.  She tries suggestion after suggestion, then writes about her successes and failures.  Until her efforts begin to work.

What ends up happening is a real transformation for Annabelle. It was fun watching her come out of her shell and really live for the first time.  And even more engaging, is watching Knightly succumb to her charms.   Unfortunately, our hero has set his sights on a politically advantageous marriage to another woman and he must ultimately decide what really matters to him.  It takes him a while to work it out.

I really, really liked the romance.  The sexual tension was good. The sex was hot. And there is something so satisfying about watching a deserving character find happiness.

It wasn't without some bumps in the road.  It was a bit implausible that Knightly could be so obtuse for so long, not just to Annabelle's affections but to the articles running in his own paper.   I also had a little trouble swallowing the idea that she would go on to print details of her sexual conquest in the paper.  Considering the time and place, I couldn't believe an unmarried woman would admit to such things in such a public way.

But honestly, neither issue really turned me off.  It was sweet and sexy, with an ending that hit the spot.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by Avon 

Click to purchase: Amazon

Seducing Mr Knightly

by Maya Rodale

Release Date: October 30, 2012

Publisher: Avon