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The Pursuit of Pleasure

ebook
4 of 4 copies available
4 of 4 copies available

Never Say "Never" To Passion. . .

Lizzie Paxton's dream in life is to be a widow—if only she could skip the wedding and the husband. When her childhood friend Captain James Marlowe proposes a marriage in name only, she accepts, knowing she'll have the independence she craves once he sets sail. Though James is the only man Lizzie trusts, she doesn't trust the scintillating desire he evokes in her.

James knows he shouldn't get involved with anyone, especially with his uncertain future. But he just can't help himself when he overhears Lizzie's declaration. Though he's promised her a marriage of convenience, he wastes no time in seducing her and taking her over the precipice of desire. Yet not even his beautiful wife can deter him from his cause.

But when Lizzie discovers her husband has deceived her, James must choose between devotion to duty and loyalty to the woman he cannot live without. . .

"Intrigue, sensuality and romance collide."—Jenna Petersen

"Elizabeth Essex's The Pursuit Of Pleasure is elegant, evocative, and absolutely dangerous to a good night's sleep."—Courtney MilanWhen not re-reading Jane Austen, sipping tea or mucking about her garden, Elizabeth Essex can be found at her computer, making up stories about people who live far more interesting lives than she.

It wasn't always so. Elizabeth graduated from Hollins College with a BA in Classical Studies and Art History and then earned her MA from Texas A&M University in Nautical Archaeology, also known as the archaeology of shipwrecks. While Elizabeth loved the adventurous life of a working archaeologist, after writing and reading all those dry, dusty reports on ship construction, she would daydream about how lovely it would have been if only someone had fallen in love on just one of those ships. And so now she writes stories about just that.

Elizabeth lives in Texas with her family.

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 18, 2010
      Essex's Georgian-era romance debut fails to marry drama with plausibility. British naval captain Jameson Marlowe pursues the traitors sending weapons to revolutionary France by purchasing a lovely Dartmouth home with land that includes a likely smugglers' cove. He intends to fake his death and infiltrate the gang. To keep the house from passing to his cousin, he proposes to his childhood friend Lizzie Paxton, but forbids her to actually live in the house. Contrary-minded Lizzie naturally moves in, dangerously interfering with both Marlowe's and the smugglers' plans. While the sex scenes are sizzling, Marlowe treats Lizzie quite callously, and his patronizing attitude toward her is infuriating, even if it's period-accurate. Their surprise at falling in love is implausible given their lifelong mutual obsession; both author and characters seem to have confused lust and love.

    • Booklist

      December 1, 2010
      For Lizzie Paxton, the independence a widow enjoys is quite tempting. Its just that Lizzie doesnt really want the bother of first dealing with a husband. Fortunately, Captain Jameson Marlowe has an offer for Lizzie that she cant refuse. Since he is about to sail away on his next commission for the British Royal Navy and will not return for eight years or more, if Lizzie marries him immediately, she will have all of the conveniences of married life without the inconvenience of a husband. Seduced by Jamesons proposition (and his scorching kisses), Lizzie accepts his proposal, but before the ink is even dry on their marriage certificate, Lizzie receives a letter informing her that her new husband has been killed in the line of duty. Its exactly what Lizzie wants, but somehow Lizzie would give up everything just to get Jameson back. Essex delivers page-singeing passion and dangerous intrigue in her enthralling, sensual, and richly rewarding debut.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

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  • English

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