Silk Is for Seduction
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

*Starred Review* Unlike most women, Marcelline Noirot doesn't want Gervaise Angier, the Duke of Clevedon; she desires Clevedon's fiancee, Lady Clara Fairfax. Actually, what Marcelline wants is the opportunity to dress Clara. Not only is her ladyship's present dressmaker (and Marcelline's chief business rival: Hortense the Horrible) totally botching the job but securing Clara's trade would ensure the financial security of Maison Noirot. In order to get to Clara, though, Marcelline must first win over Clevedon, but Marcelline has no doubt that she will soon have him at her beck and call since she is well versed in the rules of seduction. Unfortunately, Marcelline is about to discover that the usual rules don't apply to the Duke of Clevedon. In her latest impeccably crafted novel, RITA Award-winning Chase creates her own brand of magic by fashioning a swoonworthy romance that is the literary equal of couture designed by Chanel or Dior. Richly imbued with sizzling sexual chemistry, expertly accessorized with a cast of delightfully quirky secondary characters, and deftly embroidered with irresistible wit, Silk Is for Seduction is guaranteed to be a hit on any reader's runway.--Charles, Joh. Copyright 2010 Booklist

A saucy dressmaker ensnares a duke in this deliciously witty 1830s trilogy launch loosely tied to Chase's Carsington Brothers series (Last Night's Scandal, etc.). Born into a noble but ramshackle family, the three devious Noirot sisters start a London dress shop and are soon engaged in fierce competition for the business of society ladies. When the sisters discover that wealthy Gervase Angier, duke of Clevedon, is about to become betrothed to his childhood friend, Lady Clara Fairfax, Marcelline Noirot heads to Paris to catch Clevedon's eye and encourage him to send Lady Clara to her for a wedding dress. With a sharp eye for both upper-class society and the cutthroat world of high-class London mantua makers, Chase mixes snappy dialogue, erotic tension, and the fanciful styles of the era into a sparkling love story as Marcelline's strategy ensnares not only Clevedon's patronage but his heart. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Duke of Clevedon has very nearly sown his last oat and seems to be resigned to return home to ask his childhood sweetheart, Clara, for her hand in marriage. The ton is watching and speculating about the match, but Marcelline Noirot, the self-proclaimed best dress designer in the world, is watching and speculating for different reasons. Marcelline and her sisters own a dress shop and dressing the Duke's new bride would put their business on the map. Marcelline has a lot to gain and everything to lose when she arranges to meet the Duke and entice him to use her services to dress Clara. As his wedding day looms, the Duke realizes that what he feels for Clara and what he has started to feel for Marcelline are two very different types of love. Kate Reading narrates this story with the inflection of a bored distant aunt. Nearly every sentence ends on an up note and for the first third of the book, it is a genuine annoyance. From the middle to the end of the book, with more action taking place, the up note is less noticeable. Verdict For listeners who enjoy historical fiction by such authors as Lisa Kleypas and Stephanie Laurens. ["Carefully wrought personnae, beautifully handled sensuality, and lusciously seductive descriptions of the gowns-and everything else-make this another sparkling winner for the much-beloved, peerless Chase," read the review of the Avon pb, LJ 6/15/11.]-Laura Brosie, Abilene, TX (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

*Starred Review* Designer and seamstress Marcelline Noirot's interest in seducing Gervaise Angier, the Duke of Clevedon, is not to secure his love but rather the patronage of his fiancée. If her struggling fashion house, Maison Noirot, could dress the duke's bride-to-be and transform her from the worst-dressed debutante to the best-dressed bride, her success—and the futures of her daughter and equally talented seamstress sisters—would be assured. All goes as planned except for one glaring flaw in the fabric: Marcelline falls in love with her mark. Predictably, the ensuing mayhem ensures the success of Maison Noirot and the future of the unexpected lovers. Narrator Reading manages this delightful tale with her usual lively and palpable interest in the characters, a deft delivery of the smart dialogue, and a warmhearted tone. Whether portraying the English-accented London toffs, the French-accented speech of the well-bred but down-on-their luck Noirot sisters, the piping treble of Marcelline's clever and precocious young daughter, or the sometimes dirty-dealing London dressmakers who mix French and English with abandon, she creates individual voices and endows her characters with personality and style. The witty banter sizzles, as Reading faultlessly exposes the growing sexual tension between the lovers. Quotations from the world of fashion head the chapters, and details of the dressmaker's art provide a fascinating backdrop for this satisfying, page-turning historical romance, the first in a trilogy. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

The Duke of Clevedon has very nearly sown his last oat and seems to be resigned to return home to ask his childhood sweetheart, Clara, for her hand in marriage. The ton is watching and speculating about the match, but Marcelline Noirot, the self-proclaimed best dress designer in the world, is watching and speculating for different reasons. Marcelline and her sisters own a dress shop and dressing the Duke's new bride would put their business on the map. Marcelline has a lot to gain and everything to lose when she arranges to meet the Duke and entice him to use her services to dress Clara. As his wedding day looms, the Duke realizes that what he feels for Clara and what he has started to feel for Marcelline are two very different types of love. Kate Reading narrates this story with the inflection of a bored distant aunt. Nearly every sentence ends on an up note and for the first third of the book, it is a genuine annoyance. From the middle to the end of the book, with more action taking place, the up note is less noticeable. Verdict For listeners who enjoy historical fiction by such authors as Lisa Kleypas and Stephanie Laurens. ["Carefully wrought personnae, beautifully handled sensuality, and lusciously seductive descriptions of the gowns—and everything else—make this another sparkling winner for the much-beloved, peerless Chase," read the review of the Avon pb, LJ 6/15/11.]—Laura Brosie, Abilene, TX (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.