Tegan Ellis storms the Hudson River mansion of negligent mine owner Sean Griffith intent on nobly sacrificing herself for her mining reform cause. Her mission to allow the despicable Robber Baron to ruin her during a decadent orgy and then blackmail him into making much needed mine improvements goes hopelessly awry, however, when her adversary shows her his scandalous erotic art collection. One glimpse at a painted mural depicting naked and writhing bodies and the romantic eighteen-year old virgin is overcome with lust.
And inspiration.
Throwing caution to the winds, she tosses her legs in the air.
The despicable Robber Baron never stands a chance. Not only is he unable to defend his dubious honor, he is ravished on the spot. On several spots, to be exact.
When Sean finds out Tegan meant to use him, he extracts a carnal revenge from the duplicitous mining reformer.
And a naughty boudoir romp begins.
Lilac, without a doubt, pushes boundaries. And as someone that enjoys material that makes her squirm, I can honestly say this story did just that. Louisa Trent has crafted a tale that is beautifully written and delivered, but will appeal to those that look for the darker elements that can be found in erotica. Love and tenderness, though portrayed through the inner workings of the protagonists, is not what drives the characters initially. Instead, you have betrayal pitted against betrayal, ensuring there are plenty of gut wrenching moments and intense sexual situations.
Fern, Whipped Cream Reviews
This book is not work-safe nor anywhere-safe, except if you're alone in the room, because in the midst of reading, I would suddenly find myself giggling at Tegan--at what she said or at her antics. I've never met a heroine like her. She is bubbly and optimistic and funny, and with her eyes firmly on the goal, she never lets anything get her down or prevent her from achieving her goal. She is a confounding mix of naive innocence and cunning mischief, and I bet Sean never knew what hit him.
Silver, The Raving Readers
I’ll admit that I was surprised at Lilac. The book at first didn’t meet my preconceptions. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing – rather the first half of the book had me rolling on the floor laughing. Then the tone changed and it was tragically sad. Ms. Trent took me on a hot, spicy and emotional ride. Tegan and Sean were both real people with their past firmly controlling their actions. I really enjoyed Lilac. Lilac is not for the faint of heart either – the issues of the characters do on occasion take them down dark sexual routes. While historical, this isn’t your mother’s romance novel – it’s an emotional ride. I highly recommend Lilac for those who enjoy something a little more than vanilla and want good strongly written characters. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Trent.
Sashet, You Gotta Read Reviews, blogspot
One of the things I liked about this book was its consistent historic tone. I felt immersed in the time period throughout the book. Tegan was an independent, strong-willed young lady who stood by her convictions and she was very funny. Her dialog was witty and intelligent, and she had a distinct voice.
Sean was a very strong presence as well. Definitely more of a darker personality. He had his moments of humor as well and he could appreciate Tegan's irreverent sense of humor.
Bonnie Jean, The Romance Studio
Read an excerpt from LILAC
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