All About Passion by Stephanie Laurens

Goodreads Description:

"If one is not marrying for love, one may as well marry for something else. My future countess has to be sufficiently docile and endowed with at least passable grace of form, deportment and address."

Fate has made Gyles Rawlings a man determined to control his destiny. He has decided to wed a well-bred lady who will dutifully bear him sons, yet turn a blind eye while he takes his pleasure elsewhere. By all good accounts, Francesca will fit his bill. As for the "elsewhere," he's recently encountered a beautiful, brazen siren who will make a fine mistress, one with a fiery nature to match his own. But at the altar, Gyles discovers his bride is the bold enchantress who has inspired his deepest fantasies. Finding passion and love in the same woman has long been a secret fear. But as his world is rocked on its axis, Gyles becomes obsessed with one thing he'd thought he would never want...his wife's heart

My Rating:

My Review:


After the Bar Cynster, Chillingworth is the next I'd wanted to see wed.  This is his book and even though Gyles Rawlings, Earl of Chillingworth, understands he must marry he doesn't want to marry for love but for convenience.  He watched his father die at 7 years of age and then watched his mother mourn the loss of her beloved husband.  His man of business picks his wife, Francesca Rawlings.  And when the Earl visits and makes his offer to Francesca's guardian and uncle, he gets a glimpse of who he thinks Francesca.  He also meets a Gypsy who stirs his passion.  He mistook Franni, Francesca's cousin as herself and she's the woman he thinks is the Gypsy who as he thinks is too passionate to be a wife.  Boy what a shock he got on his wedding day when he found out Francesca was the Gypsy he stole kisses from and the woman he took a couple of strolls with is Franni the cousin.

From the wedding on it's fairly predictable, they have great sex, the Earl fights his feelings for his wife and someone is trying to kill Francesca.  The mystery is well written but predictable but still enjoyable to read about.  This is a happily ever after ending but I think they let the attempted murderer go to easily and I would personally have demanded some type of help at an enclosed facility.

This gets a 3 for a few reasons. It's very predictable and the sex scenes, though unique and not the traditional sort of virginal sex scenes, are very wordy and took up pages when a page would of done well enough in my opinion.  Still a good read though and I am glad I read it and I can't wait to read the next in the series.