London & Chiswick, England - 1817

When Marcus Pierce, the Earl of Danvers hears the word “matrimony,” he shudders in horror. Marcus enjoys living a bachelor’s life and carousing around with his best friends, Andrew Moncrief, the Duke of Arden, and Heath Griffin, Marquess of Claybourne. Marcus was formerly a baron, but after the death of a distant relative, he inherited an earldom, including the responsibility of three wards. He is burdened with the three Loring sisters, who have no fortune and have been single way too long, which means finding them husbands.

When the eldest sister, Arabella, visits him in his London home, Marcus is struck speechless because he has never met a woman quite like her. Arabella is a self-proclaimed spinster and bluestocking. She adores her independence and, ever since she was jilted by a former fiancé, she doesn’t want to be married and would rather spend her days teaching manners and society values to wealthy young women who were not born to parents with titles. As Arabella states her case, Marcus can’t help but wonder what her luscious lips would feel like against his own. He decides he will not marry Arabella off to someone else, but will court and marry her himself. He only has to convince Arabella to accept his plans.

Arabella thinks the institute of marriage is a joke since her mother ran way with her lover, leaving her father in disgrace and the family in ruins. Eventually, her father ended up dying in a duel, and Arabella and her sisters were sent to live with an indifferent uncle. Arabella has always watched over her younger sisters; Roslyn, the beauty of the three, and the youngest, Lilian, who is quite the wild one. Marcus writes Arabella to say he will be residing with them. Arabella will try her best to make Marcus see why she is so against marriage. But when Marcus makes a wager with Arabella that she will accept his hand in marriage in two weeks, she decides to play this game, thinking she can withhold her affections from him. But Marcus is quite skilled at seduction, and Arabella is still very much an innocent in the areas of love. As these two begin to learn about each other and what passions they enjoy, Arabella has to decide if she will give up everything she has worked for and marry Marcus without love. But Marcus has fallen in love with Arabella and will try his best to show her that she is the only woman for him, and they can have a marriage very different from her parents.

If you are looking for a typical historical romance with that independent, and spunky heroine, and the hero who shows her the delights of lovemaking, TO PLEASURE A LADY has this perfect scenario. Arabella may tend to grate on the nerves, but it is quite enjoyable to watch her fall in love, that is, into the arms of Marcus, the handsome earl. Along with Marcus’s good friends, Andrew and Heath (who will surely have their own stories to come), Arabella has no choice but to succumb to Marcus’s lovemaking skills. The other Loring sisters, Roslyn and Lilian, bring some witty relief to the story as Arabella has the hard decision, whether or not to continue to be alone, or be with a man who may not love her the way she wants to be loved. Eventually, her younger sisters are the voice of reason, and Arabella decides to live in the moment, which means with Marcus.

Nicole Jordan has set into motion two future stories with Roslyn and Lilian that should be interesting, since Marcus has two eligible male friends. Roslyn's tale, the second book in The Courtship Wars, comes out in March 2008 under the title of TO BED A BEAUTY. Then Lilian’s story, TO SEDUCE A BRIDE, appears in April. TO PLEASURE A LADY is a very easy read with no evil villain or secondary mystery that many historical romances seem to have. The love scenes are plentiful and creative, and by the end, you wish the best for Marcus and his lovely Arabella, the bluestocking of his heart and soul.

Kate Garrabrant