Temptation and Surrender
3 Stars

Series note: This is book #15 in numerical order. However, the events take place in 1825, so it is book #12 in chronological order. As the plots in this series are unrelated, the reading order is flexible. Personally, I am reading SL's backlist in chronological order.

Putting aside the overly descriptive passages, the flowery prose and the anachronistic premise that a woman would be hired as an innkeeper in the Regency period, the romance is sweet and the mystery is engaging.

Despite Jonas's aggressive hero-in-pursuit approach to courtship and Emily's occasional TSTL moments, they are an engaging couple and it is easy to root for the HEA. Emily's siblings are charming, especially the terrible twins whose precociousness keeps everyone on their toes. The updates to Lucifer and Phyllida (book #6) are an added bonus.

The mystery revolving around Emily's search for the Colyton treasure is entertaining as they involve the entire village in the quest. While the villain is obvious from the start, the climax and resolution are intense and exciting.

All in all, a solid addition to the series and a definite improvement on the Adventurer's Quartet. Progresssing chronologically, the next 3 books focus on Lucifer's three sisters. ( )

Apuesto, rico y de buena familia, Jonas Tallent tiene todo lo que un caballero necesita para disfrutar plenamente de la sociedad de Londres... y eso es precisamente lo que hace. Ha jugado hasta el amanecer, flirteado con jóvenes damas casaderas y hecho el amor con mujeres casadas.
Pero ahora se siente inquieto, hastiado de frivolidades mecánicas y placeres despreocupados, de modo que toma las riendas de la propiedad rural de su familia en Devon con sensación de alivio. su necesidad más acuciante es contratar a un nuevo gerente para la posada, el centro de la vida del pueblo. Una nimia tarea, pero descubre que no hay muchos candidatos decentes dispuestos a vivir en un tranquilo pueblo de mala muerte.
Entonces la distinguida, aunque venida a menos, señorita Emily Beauregard solicita el puesto. La respuesta inicial de Jonas es un enfático «¡nada de mujeres!», mucho menos una tan atractiva como Emily, que debería estar en un salón de baile o en el dormitorio, no regentando una posada. Pero sin otra alternativa, a regañadientes permite que lo intente, y Emily no tarda en demostrar su valía, devolviendo la vida a la posada con tacto y destreza.

Jonas Tallent, Mr. Good Guy, doesn't get the credit he deserves.

Emily has a ton of secrets and she's not going to tell Jonas any of them. He has to ferret them out, one by one.

The background story of how to run an inn is lots of fun, full of description. Emily's siblings are a rollicking bunch. The villains aren't terribly competent, and the happy ending is always in sight.

An easy pleasurable read. ( )

Emily Beauregard is 25 and finally able to get away from her mean uncle with her family. She applies to work in Jonas Tallent's inn as innkeeper with her family to support. She has come to this village because her family was from here and family legend talks about a missing family treasure that she should be able to find and fix the future of herself and her siblings.
As she searches she finds that she's very attracted to Jonas and him to her, but the gap is there.he's her employer basically. Add in someone else looking for the treasure and you have a lot of cliches working together and I enjoyed the ride. Fun read. ( )

Emily and her siblings arrive in Colyton incognito so that they can hunt for their family treasure. Having run away from a cruel uncle, Emily undertakes the position of innkeeper. While bringing the Inn back to life, Emily's involvement with the Inn owner overshadows her need to find the treasure. What they find and where along with the love story, entertain for sure. ( )