The Secret to Seduction [Mass Market Paperback]

Sabrina Fairleigh, adopted daughter of the vicar of Tinbury, "counts herself fortunate to be possessed of an even temperament" and imagines it must be a terrible inconvenience, and quite uncomfortable, to be at the mercy of one's passions. Not surprisingly, these views change when she meets the Libertine, otherwise known as Rhys Gillray, earl of Rawden, in this amusing Regency romance. Rhys, author of a seductive poetry volume that has both scandalized and enthralled the women of the ton, has grown bored of debauchery and decides that de-thawing the chilly Sabrina is the perfect project to keep his mind occupied and his skills sharp. As he gradually breaks down Sabrina's composure with seductive innuendo and impassioned bickering, drama unfolds elsewhere: a prisoner finally faces trial for the 17-year-old murder of a revered politician. Unbeknownst to Sabrina, the murdered man holds the key to reuniting her long-lost family. Though a bit wordy, Long's sharp leads keep this witty tale of love, passion, family and betrayal moving nicely. (May)
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Sabrina Fairleigh arrives at an exclusive country soiree with marriage in mind. How shocking-and intriguing-to discover her host is an infamous ladies' man known for his indecent (and, ah, inspiring) poetry! They call him The Libertine, and his poetry is just as scandalous-and irresistible-as he is. But after one duel too many forces Rhys Gillray, Earl of Rawden, from lively London to his country estate, he's in desperate need of a cure for boredom. And the proper but beautiful vicar's daughter seems like the perfect test of his sensual skills. With wit and wiliness, Rhys strips away Sabrina's defenses. But as he teaches her pleasure, the emotional stakes of their sensual duel go beyond anything Rhys has ever known. For deep in his past lies the missing clue to the crime that destroyed Sabrina's family. And all The Libertine's seductive secrets may not be enough to save their future and their hearts.

San Francisco-based romance author Julie Anne Long has been a storyteller from almost the moment she could write: her first completed work of fiction was an illustrated (courtesy of Crayola) opus about talking apples. Her second full-length work of fiction, the Regency-set historical romance THE RUNAWAY DUKE, will be published by Warner Books in August of this year. So how does one make the leap from talking apples to historical romance? Well, as you may have guessed, Julie’s career trajectory wasn't exactly a straight one. Though it seemed straight enough at first: she was editor of her fifth grade class newspaper (Mrs. Little’s class at Glenmoor Elementary in Fremont, California, did indeed have one), of her high school paper, of her college paper. She began college as a Journalism major and ended up with a degree in Creative Writing. She won a few writing awards. She gulped down history books and romance books and literature of every stripe—Jane Austen was an early favorite, Laura Ingalls Wilder earlier still. She published a few articles. She loved writing and dreamed of being a novelist, and—well, it seemed she was heading in that direction. But writing had some stiff competition for her affections: namely, electric guitars. Not to mention the men who played electric guitars. Midway through her college career, Julie Anne Long bought a Fender Strat and then, much to the horror of several of her English professors, set out to be a rock star instead of a novelist. She managed to make a reasonable success of it for about eight years, playing guitar, writing songs and singing in bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. But when the charm (ahem) of playing to four people at midnight on a Wednesday in dark sticky clubs finally wore thin, Julie realized she could incorporate all of the best things about being in bands—drama, passion, and men with unruly hair—into novels, while at the same time indulging her love of history and research. So stuffed her guitars in the back of her closet and reached instead for a keyboard—the computer variety—and returned to her first love, writing. Which is how the THE RUNAWAY DUKE— the story of a wayward bride, a blackmailing dandy, a scheming duchess, two bumbling highwaymen, a pack of gypsies, and an Irish groom with a very big secret—was born.