I am a big fan of Historical Romance and so was excited when I got the opportunity to read SEDUCE ME by Robyn DeHart. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the story had a touch of magic to it as well, creating a very realistic and unique read. In SEDUCE ME, DeHart has created a wonderful story with an intriguing plot that is bound to keep the reader captivated. This is book one in DeHart's new Legend Hunters series and it looks like DeHart has created a winning new set of stories.Fielding Grey is the Viscount of Eldon and a treasure hunter by trade. Having been raised by his scholarly father who practically abandoned his family and squandered the family fortune in search of treasures, Fielding holds no soft place in his heart for “scholars.” After many years, Fielding finally managed to replenish the family’s money supply by discovering ancient artifacts and selling them to prospective clients. It might not be the most honorable thing to do, but it brings in the cash and gives the coarse Fielding a sense of freedom.Esme Worthington is a scandalized woman, living with her aunt in their shared home. Looked down upon for speaking her mind, Esme has learned to brush off the ideas of society and actively pursues her research. Her obsession, the thing that keeps her up until all hours of the night, is Pandora’s Box. Since she was a child, diving through books and having adventures with her father, Esme has always felt a peculiar lure to the idea of Pandora’s Box. When she is faced with the actual box, however, a series of events unfold that lead to a struggle for her life.SEDUCE ME was quite different for me in that it did combine the elements of Historical Romance with that kiss of fantasy. I was unsure if the two were going to conflict with each other, but was happy to discover that DeHart managed to develop the story in such a way that they really did complement one another. As I mentioned earlier, the amount of magic that goes into the story isn’t enough to overwhelm the plot; instead it enhances the plot and allowed DeHart to take the story to new heights.I really did love the characters of both Fielding and Esme. Even though Fielding was a tough treasure hunter with an at times sour demeanor, DeHart also gave him moments where he could be sweet and gentle. The contrast between these two sides of him was immense and actually made him quite relatable. His character seemed very authentic and added to the pleasure of the story. Esme was also quite an authentic character. It may have been difficult for DeHart to develop an independent and free-spirited woman for the late 1800’s, but if it was I would never know. Esme flowed easily across the pages and had a modern feel to her while still staying in character with the timeframe of the story.Another fantastic aspect of the book was the Indiana Jones or National Treasure feel that it had. DeHart took a book that could have been good with just the romance and added in the perfect touch of adventure and suspense. I flipped the pages both to see where the relationship between Fielding and Esme would lead, but also to discover what would happen next. That doesn’t always happen in a Romance novel and, in the case of SEDUCE ME, added a nice level of depth and complexity.Fair warning time: With a title like SEDUCE ME, I would hope that this warning didn’t need to be stated but due to the fact that I have readers of all ages here, I feel much more comfortable giving it. There are adult themes and scenes within the pages of SEDUCE ME. The scenes are graphic but contain many more “flowery” words than some other adult novels. For this reason I would give SEDUCE ME a sensuality rating of 4.Overall I really liked SEDUCE ME. I found the plot to be quite intriguing and well planned out. The characters were developed nicely and complimented each other as well as the story. I think that the only thing that could have made the book better for me would have been to adjust the pacing. It seemed at times that the story was rushing at breakneck speeds. There were moments when it felt that there should be some action to go along with the dialogue or instances where I felt that something more should have happened but didn’t. The dialogue was great, but it felt like the actual interactions between the characters at times seemed to be missing. It created a slight disconnect but was not something that in any way ruined the story for me.If you are a fan of Historical Romance and/or like your Romance with a hint of magic, I suggest you try out SEDUCE ME. It is unique, full of adrenaline pumping action and will more likely than not keep you flipping pages until well into the night. ( )

The premise was unique and interesting but the romance was kind of dull. There wasn't a lack of a spark. It's just that Esme and Fielding weren't very memorable characters. That said, I did find one of the secondary characters, Maxwell Barrett, intriguing. Since I enjoyed the adventure feel of this book, I'll give the follow-up Desire Me (which stars Maxwell and is released this June) a try. ( )

Fielding Gray has been hired by Solomon’s (otherwise known as the Legend Hunters) to help return a missing artifact. This artifact is described as quite dangerous and the sooner it is returned the better... it is the legendary Pandora’s Box . Fielding knows of the tales surrounding the box but he is more concerned with how much money they plan on paying him to go on this mission. He isn’t very fond of Solomon’s or its members - his father was once a member and Fielding always felt that they lured his father away from him with the promises of wealth and notoriety. So needless to say, he is not too happy when contacted by them but upon an agreeable sum, he is off to find Pandora’s Box.

Esme Worthington finds herself in a tough predicament when she finds two men ransacking her study/library and seeking a "key". She has no idea what key they are referring to and since they obviously don’t have time for her nonsense, they bound, gag and carry off with her. She is taken to a cathedral where they eventually find Pandora’s Box. Much to her delight really, since she is a scholar and the focus of her studies has been on none other than ..... you got it, Pandora’s Box.

Fielding finds Esme shackled to a wall, wearing only her nightdress, cold, tired and well, passed out (thanks to a blunt hit to the head). He is able to save her and retrieve the box... but this is where their problems start. For Esme cannot resist the lure of "peeking" into the box and next thing you know she is shackled with a bracelet inscribed with the curse -- LUST. Upon some quick investigating on their part they find that she has until the next lunar eclipse to remove the bracelet... if not she wil DIE. From one adventure to another, they must find a way to remove the bracelet, discover the truth of Fielding's father's death, return the box to its rightful place... all while Esme's feelings for Fielding get rather "lustful". Will they be able to save the day or will they succumb to the curse that is Pandora's Box..

Firstly, I want to say that I loved this! Fielding and Esme were these wonderful characters that complimented one another perfectly. Their interaction was just plain fun to read. I thought the story was well-balanced with both romance and adventure. The story flowed just right where the pages would fly by. It gave you a feel of The Mummy (you know, the one with Brendan Fraser) so it was a different type of adventure for me - but one that I quickly fell in love with. This is Ms. DeHart's first in the Legend Hunters series - I can't wait for the next one.

Full of romance, mystery, likeable characters and plenty of adventure. This is one I highly recommend. ( )

This review was originally posted on my review blog : Falling Off The Shelf.

Fielding Grey has made his living as a fortune hunter. His job is to obtain objects that are of great worth, and most of the time are thought to be just fiction. He's been asked to locate a treasure created by the Gods, but he is unsure he wants to trouble himself to find it. The men who want him to find this treasure, the men of Soloman's, are the men that may have been the reason for his father's death. If he takes this job of locating the fictional Pandora's Box, he may be able to get insight as to the men behind his fathers death.

Esme Worthington is a scholar. Unlike other women, she is not afraid to speak her mind, and will not back down in a discussion on history. She's been studying Pandora's Box since she was a young girl, and is fascinated by the stories that she has read. When the real Pandora's Box is located, and she has a chance to take a look, she can't help but look inside the mystical box. When she realises that she has unleashed a horrible curse, the curse of lust, she is frantic to rid herself of it. When she is confronted with a gorgeous man such as Fielding, will she be able to fight the powers of Pandora's Box, or will she give in?

Seduce Me is the first enstallment to the Legend Hunters Series. This is the first time I have ever read a Historical Romance and I'm greatly pleased with the outcome of it. I know it is wrong to judge a book by it's cover, but when women are half naked on covers with men all over them, its hard to look past. I overlooked the cover of Seduce Me mearly because the description of the book sounded fascinating. I was very curious to see how Fielding and Esme's characters would react when finding the legendary Pandora's Box.

I very much enjoyed DeHart's characters Esme and Fielding. While Esme was a little on the depressing side with wanting a man to call her husband, she was also a very strong character. She didn't let men see her as just mearly a delicate creature, she made them see that she could stand up for herself and that she knew a thing or two about history. On the other hand, Fielding's character was adventurous and plagued with thoughts of his father's death and getting revenge on the men that caused it. He was willing to come to Esme's rescue at the slightest hint of danger, while all the while declaring he had no feelings for her.

I'd like to thank Anna Balasi from Hatchette Books for allowing me to review this novel. I'd also like to thank her for allowing me to take part in the blog tour for this title. It has been great fun, and I'm proud to announce that I am now a fan of the Historical Romance genre. I look forward to reading the next installment to the Legend Hunter's Series by Robyn DeHart, as well as any future work that she may release. ( )

Esme is a independent scholar, who has never married and at twenty and seven sees no need for it. When she is kid napped by two pillaging tomb raiders on a mission to find Pandora's box, she dreams of her tall, dark boarding hero and knows he will never come. But he does come, Fielding's mission is to procure Pandora's box and deliver it to the exclusive club that has hired him. Little did he know rescuing the box meant also rescuing a headstrong, intelligent and talkative woman with a voluptuous bottom. The dangers of the box become apparent to these protagonists and they have to find a way to get things back to the way they once were.

This book is the cover child for do not judge a book by it's cover. While it is sensual and deliciously sexy, it is also full of adventure, history and discovery. The adventure and procurement of artefact's is reminiscent to other works like The Da Vince Code, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Mummy. I could smell the dirt, feel a shovel beneath my hands and see a muddy Pandora's box with in my mind.

While keeping the danger intense, DeHart does a wonderful job as well of invoking the emotions and ensuring the readers connection to the characters. The character's have each have their own pasts and things they are not proud of. They have both have to work at life to ensure they were respected by society. Each also have a distorted view of how people see them and their short comings. They are two characters I am happy to get to know.

If you ask me (and if your reading this you did,) Seduce Me is a very promising start to a very successful series. With in Seduce me, the author has introduced other characters and mysteries to be discovered. I am excited to see what comes next, I am hoping the lost city of Atlantis. ( )