Absolute Pleasure
Portrait artist Gabriel Cristofore, the hero of Holt's (Total Surrender, etc.) Regency-era erotic escapade, makes his living preying on rich, lonely women who pose for him, pleasure him and pay him in jewels. But when the half-Italian, half-English Lothario tries to lure Elizabeth Harcourt, the spinster daughter of a tyrannical earl, he's unable to keep his emotions from coming into play. Elizabeth has always been a dowdy, obedient daughter, but troubles at home with her 16-year-old stepmother propel her to throw caution (and her virginity) to the wind. Stunned by Elizabeth's attitude and his unexpected feelings for her, Gabriel tries to avoid taking advantage of her, but his resistance crumbles quickly. Their abundant sex scenes hold little appeal, however. Holt's flowery prose ("...the recent family upheaval, coupled with his elevated dolor, had him eager to wrongly purloin the remaining bits of her chastity") makes for rough reading, and the protagonists' affection feels superficial. A secondary romance between Elizabeth's housekeeper and Gabriel's father allows for some additional sex scenes, as does a subplot involving Elizabeth's father and stepmother, but readers should be warned: the sex is explicit and at times nonconsensual. Though labeled a historical romance, this melodrama truly belongs on the erotica shelf.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.