Strictly Seduction

Strictly Series, Book 1

By: Sharyla Black, Shelley Bradley

Narrated by: Carmen Rose

As an innocent girl, Madeline Sedgewick learned that nothing comes without a price - even desire. Five years later, now widowed and deeply in debt, she's certain that the stranger who bought her last husband's notes of credit will demand swift, steep repayment. But she never imagines her creditor will be Brock Taylor, her baseborn former stable-hand turned newly wealthy entrepreneur - the man who stole her virginity and her heart. She's even more stunned when he says that he'll forgive her debts only if she becomes his wife.

Brock's memories of their parting are no less bitter than Maddie's, and his plans for their future are hardly a rekindling of their blissful first love. But seeing Maddie again - just as spirited, strong, and beautiful as ever - reawakens a desire he thought long dead. When she refuses his proposal, they strike a dangerous wager, with Brock's self-made fortune and Maddie's treasured independence at stake. It's a wager only one of them can win - as long as they resist the other's passionate seduction...and falling in love again.

Contains mature themes.

©2000 Shelley Bradley LLC (P)2017 Tantor

Annoying narration

This story was unnecessarily convoluted. I found the narration difficult to listen to due to the intonation being limited to up and down tones that often were not in sync with the words being said. The sex was hot but overall, not one of her better books.

What a story! Brings memories about my childhood!

Intense story! No communication! The author brings up a lot issues about relationships. I enjoyed the bright little girl and the narrator voice…

What stood out?

I really dislike a plot which sets the couple at odds through miscommunication. It is too easy a ploy. As long as they don’t talk to each other you can continue a book ad infinitum until they do. Just decide how long you want the book to be. That part becomes boring and frustrating. You want to scream at the characters to just talk to each other, tell the other person exactly what you think and feel and get on with it! Heavens!! Unfortunately, that’s what happens in this book. It’s like a game of keep away and you know it will eventually end; you just don’t know when. Also, the book needs a new narrator. This one is monotonous in her English style and accent. She is not always asking a question with each sentence but she does seem to put the wrong emphasis on each syllable. It is quite unnerving and spoils the presentation. The ideas in the book are good. The actual writing is good but some poor choices were made when putting everything together.

Shrew!

Okay so first of all a lot of the issues in this book could have been avoided by communication from the start, even way back then. While I had sympathy for Madie, she came off like a damned shrew! The man showed up and asked her to marry him and in spite of the situation she,with her situation quickly approaching dire she sunk her feet in and wouldn't budge even though she had a bad secret. Then she start freaking out with the man and loving it and he still treated her well and even better in the bed as well as her daughter too but this woman still would not budge, she just held on to her secret and made everything worse in her head, she really needed a friend . That time in history she is lucky one of her male family members didn't make her marry someone else who was not as nice or that someone else didn't show up to force her into marriage. She was a witch to me..... not that Brock was perfect but he would have been the best of the best should have gotten during that time and considering how the nasty husband treated her. I was just calling her a dumb ass for going to the sister in law who she apparently had no positive relationship with in the first place. Then as soon as she get busted then she is all distant and it took a lot for her to admit her wrong, that was messed up to me but Brock still did what he needed to do to get his family but she came off as stubborn to her own detriment and her daughter's too. The narration was good and I did enjoy the story but it could have been better.

Loved it

Narrator was great. loved the book . Good story and writing. Loved the
title girl Amy character.. she was very cute and funny.

Maddie is so stubborn and awful!

Maddie was too really too petty and hard to get. Why? She is very poor and must take care of a child and her aunt and another servant. She has always loved Brock and even has had a child with him, yet doesn’t want to reveal this information. At that time, when Maddie first lost her virginity to Brock, he needed to figure out how to make a fortune and left Maddie to create this fortune although he had not known that he had impregnated Maddie 5 years ago. While pregnant she rushed and found someone to marry, someone who had a title but an irresponsible husband who died and left Maddie in debt. Brock had disappeared. Now five years later, Brock is rich and returns and wants to marry Maddie but Maddie is untrusting, stubborn and stupid to not get out of her impoverished situation. She doesn’t tell Brock that her daughter is his daughter as well. Clearly, Brock is kind and cares for her , yet Maddie continues to be stupid wanting to think that Brock is the bad guy. After 10 hours , I wished Brock left Her or died just so Maddie received the lesson she so needed!

Strictly Seduction

Shayla Black has done again! Only her imaginative skillful application of word play could make the “Age of Innocence” come alive so vividly. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and Ms Black’s portrayal of New York’s golden age. She has become one my favorite authors.

Maddy and Brock

This is such a story! It is a must listen! Lady Madeleine is a widow with a young daughter. Her deceased husband left her with his debts. Brock was a servant at her parents house. They fell in love. And now five years later he is back and a successful man.
This is a beautiful steamy romance with secrets but a happily ever after!

LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK

I loved everything about this book. This is a book I will listen to every year. Narration was excellent. Can’t wait for the next book in the seris. Worth the credit.

Too long

The book might have been good if it wasn’t so long and stretched forever. I literally skipped the last chapter because the story repeated itself dauntingly