Far From Reality

Title - The Temptation of the Night Jasmine

Author- Lauren Willig

Pages - 501

Genre - Historical Fiction/YA

  After years abroad, Robert, Duke of Dovedale, has returned to England to avenge the murder of his mentor. To uncover the murderer's identity, he must infiltrate the infamous secret Hellfire Club. But the Duke has no idea that an even more difficult challenge awaits him - in a mistaken, romantic-minded young lady.

 The book starts off following Eloise's story, a modern day lover of history, and then shifts into Charlotts story via her best friend Henriettas notes and journals, read by Eloise. Honestly, I wish the book was as exciting as the descroption made it out to be, I was more then one tempted to put it down and forget about it. During the times when we are in Charlottes story it also shifts to Roberts viewpoint of the events that play out.

   Charactor-wise i found Charlotte to be a very easy heroine to like, she was stubborn when need be and also trusting and witty. Robert was a good male counterpart to Charlotte, though he got a tad annoying going on about how he was no good. There are also quite a few good and interesting supportive charactors such as Charlottes friends Henrietta and Penelope Tommy,Roberts friend and Henriettas husband Miles. Being this is in older England there are quite a few odd words and phrases used in the book, I more then once found myself going 'huh?' but once read in context of the sentance it made sence. There were also some pretty long/advanced words but nothing a dictonary could not fix.

   The writing style was fluid, Willig painted a very pretty picture with her descrptions of the gardens, the houses and the undercaves leading to the Hellfire Club.The romance is clean but never stale, there are a few innuendos and adult themes but they are few and not heavy-handed. All in all i enjoyed the book, i just wish it was a bit more of a page-turner.