Brenda Jackson

Will a damsel in distress be his redemption? A notorious heartbreaker is about to meet his match… When the “thief” caught driving his stolen vintage car turns out to be a stunning runaway heiress, Mercury Steele is conflicted. On the one hand, Sloan Donahue, penniless and on the run from her tyrannical family, triggers the billionaire playboy’s protective instincts. But she also triggers red-hot desire. Mercury refuses to think his simple seduction is becoming something deeper, especially when Sloan is keeping secrets… New York Times Bestselling Author

Seduced by a Steele

Totally Addicted to Reading

Mercury Steele is a womanizer who has left behind a string of broken hearts. Handsome, sexy and downright cocky. An avid collector of classic cars, so when one of his cars got stolen, he was far from amused. It didn’t help when he saw said car in traffic on his way to a meeting. On further investigation he discovered it was being driven by the beautiful Sloane Donahue.

Sloane left home to prove to her parents she could make it on her own. They were intent on forcing her into a loveless marriage all in the name of money. When she refused, her father gave her an ultimatum, his way or the highway. She chose the highway. However, a string of bad luck has since followed her. Despite not being pleased with how the incident surrounding the theft of his car, Mercury offered a helping hand when he discovered her predicament. 

This is the twelfth book in the Forged of Steele series and can be easily read as a standalone. Mercury’s brothers whose stories have already been told appears in this installment. I liked the book, but I was not in love with it. I enjoyed the writing, but found the story predictable.

Initially Mercury acted like a jerk, but he changed as the story progressed. I didn’t like how he kept things from Sloane, knowing how much she wanted to prove her independence. The manner in which she discovered the truth was predictable, but her reaction was not one would expect in such a situation.

Sloane’s need to prove herself was understandable, but for someone down on her luck her refusal to accept help when offered reeked of stupidity.
 
The romance developed quickly and I found to it be unrealistic, given the circumstances and the time frame in which the events transpired. The sexual tension, however, was intense and when they became intimate it was hot and steamy. 

Sloane’s father was a manipulative and an evil bastard. His reasons for wanting to force his daughter into a loveless marriage revealed the extent of his depravity. I am glad to see he got what he deserved. 

Conclusion/Recommendation 
Seduced by a Steele was a quick and easy read, which would appeal to fans of romance with a hint of spice.

Leelynn Brady

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Harlequin Desire for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

First of all, I love that we start off with a car heist thing. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if someone stole one of my vehicles and then was told that they bought it cheap. I couldn’t imagine being in Steele’s shoes especially since I’m pretty sure it wasn’t as cheap as Sloan thought. She’s a mysterious one, an heiress on the run from her family because of issues? I wonder what could be so bad that she had to run away.

Now, Mercury Steele has his hands tied because for some reason, he’s into the mystery that is Sloan Donahue, despite her stealing one of his classic cars for cheap apparently. Do I like her? Possibly. Am I slightly jealous that she is a runaway heiress? Totally. Am I slightly jealous that she caught the eye of one of the famous Steele brothers? Totally yes.

It’s always cool to see how the beginnings of what could be a interesting relationship can form from some of the strangest of circumstances. This one definitely was not an exception. Not only does Mercury have to deal with the whole car thing, but after talking with his mother, he has to pretty much set Sloan up with a place to stay and work on getting her a bank account so she can get out of her family’s control. Could you imagine having to pretty much figure out how to take care of a stranger that you weren’t anticipating? Very, very interesting.

Seduced by a Steele

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