Seduction In Mind

June 4, 2001
Johnson's latest Victorian-era erotic romance (following Tempting) thrills with each turn of the page as two reckless individuals tumble headlong into an explosive relationship. Alexandra Ionides, who occasionally poses as a nude model and also paints, supports her scandalous pastimes with her inheritances from her two deceased husbands. Her lush beauty and unusual lifestyle captivate Samuel Lennox, Viscount Ranelagh, a renowned rogue, lover and high-stakes gambler. Determined to own one of Alex's risqué portraits as well as the lady herself, Sam interrupts a sitting with the famous painter Frederic Leighton in order to make his intentions perfectly clear. As a rule, Alex dislikes men of Sam's ilk, and she rejects his advances even though she finds herself fiercely attracted to his self-assured, sexy demeanor. Sam is persistent, however, and, within a matter of days, Alex is lodged in his bed and deep in his heart. Pages sizzle as the two discover that even in the face of scheming ex-lovers, disapproving parents and deeply imbedded fears of commitment, love can triumph. Writing with the same tried-and-true formula of her previous novel, Temporary Mistress, Johnson delivers another fast, titillating read that overflows with sex scenes and rapid-fire dialogue.

July 1, 2001
Intrigued by a beautiful nude in a painting, Samuel Lennox, the Viscount Ranelagh, traces the canvas to Victorian artist Frederic Leighton's studio, where he discovers the object of his desire is Alexandra Ionides, an occasional model, wealthy widow, and painter herself. Samuel invites Alexandra to join him in a no-strings, sex-only affair, but to his surprise, Alexandra turns him down. Now the renowned libertine and experienced lover must draw upon all of his powers of seduction to convince the lovely Alexandra to let him pleasure her. Held together by a gossamer plot, Johnson's steamy love scenes, which leave nothing to the reader's imagination, become the focus of the book. The sensually charged writing and occasional use of graphic language may rebuff readers looking for more subtlety in their romance novels, but Johnson knows exactly what her devoted readers desire, and she delivers it with her usual flair.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)