REVIEW: Intent to Seduce by Cara Summers (Blaze 38)
Dear Ms. Summers:
There is a reason why I don’t read alot of categories. It is bad for my health. Only a couple chapters in and my blood pressure is already rising. Your heroine, Dr. MacKenzie Lloyd, embodies all the my hot button issues with contemporary romances. She is young, 26 years of age, but has a Ph.D. and runs her own lab. She did her doctoral studies at the age of 21. She is repressed sexually but interviewed a number of sexperts such as a madame (french, of course) and is ready to go and field test her research to ensure that she has the skills to attract and keep a husband.
The hero, Lucas Wainwright, is sitting with one of his friends who Lucas describes as a “Celtic warrior.” Because, you know, Celtic warriors are very common comparisons these days. Everyone knows at least one Celt who is a warrior thus everyone has a frame of reference for such a comparison, right? And he compares the heroine to “Joan of Arc.” If Lucas was a medieval scholar or a dark ages scholar, then those comparisons might make sense. Otherwise, it is because you, the author, can’t think of anything more creative to say.
Then you have the setup of the second romance in the series between “The Shadow” and Sophie, Lucas’ sister. Can you guess who the Celtic warrior is? Yes, that’s right, it’s The Shadow. I don’t know if you could be more obvious or heavy handed in trying to drum up interest for the next book.
And what type of doctor is this heroine of yours? I know that her lab is subject to interest from biotech firms, but she has been doing all this sexsearch so maybe it is related to sex. Maybe the sex of robots? Who knows and you don’t bother to inform me until about 3 chapters until the end of the book that she was doing some anti-aging research work.
The hero, Lucas Wainwright of Wainwright Enterprises, wants to have a little bonding time with his sister who he has pissed off by having her followed. Instead, Sophie convinces Mac to do a switcheroo, sending Mac to the island to meet with Lucas and implement her plan of field research. In undertaking this plan, Sophie amd Mac commit federal crimes by impersonating one another on different flights. Sophie even goes so far as to hire an actress to pose as her, use her identification and fly as her to Charleston. In this post 9/11 world, that bothered me quite a bit.
When Mac and Lucas finally do have sex, it is a closed door scene. Can you believe it? In a Blaze? Is this right? Talk about disappointment. All this build up about fantasies and the most I get are flashbacks to the sex?
Of course, Sophie gets in danger because Lucas can’t be bothered to treat her like an adult. Lucas gets mad at Mac for deceiving him. But in the end, they say that they fuck like bunnies and make up and love each other. I can’t say I believe or care. D for you.
Best regards,
Jane
