Random Romance Sunday: Where's A Guillotine When You Need One?

The Book: Seduced By A Rogue by Connie Mason

The Particulars: Historical romance, Dorchester Leisure, 2003, Book #2 in series, and still in print.

The Blurb:

SEDUCE
Ramsey Dunsmore, Earl of Braxton, thought his days of spying for the English government were over, but the Foreign Office had requested his help in the search for a valuable amulet. Braxton's task was to do what he did best--charm a young beauty into disclosing all. But this mission had an ulterior motive. The woman in question was Ram's former lady who'd broken his heart four years before. The loving kisses he'd place on her lush mouth would be more than amorous . . . they would hold the sweet taste of revenge.

SURRENDER
Phoebe Thompson had more than her fair share of worries. Her Egyptologist father was missing, blamed for the disappearance of an ancient artifact, and her home had been burglarized in search of the piece, leaving her with a lump on the head. The last thing she needed was the ardent attention of Lord Braxton, infamous Rogue of London, to whom she'd once mistakenly given her body and heart. But two could play at seduction, and despite Bam's faith in his highly cultivated sexual prowess, Phoebe planned to beat him at his own game. The sensual Lord Braxton would prove his intentions were honorable before she could relinquish anything... including her heart.

Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Uh, no.

Any Reviews?: You can always count on a Connie Mason title for a treasure trove of review goodness. The tamest of the bunch comes from The Romance Reader, which slapped this with a 2 Heart rating (equivalent to a D grade):

"Yet every time I thought the tide had turned and they were actually going to use their brains, the old lust-bug bit and they resorted to uncontrollable and bodice-ripping sex, which led to another misunderstanding so they did not have to confront their feelings."

The cream of the crop though goes to, who else?, Mrs. Giggles, who gave this book a 26, and me? My laugh for the day:

"The trademark cheeseball writing and silly lines are all here, but the heroine's catastrophic stupidity - which is the entire plot of this story - makes this book an excruciating agony of a read. Proceed with caution, unless you have a really high threshold for idiot heroines who should be euthanized from the get go for humane reasons."

There's also a bevy of Amazon customer reviews. The majority went with 3 Stars, but I liked this particular gem from a 1 Star review:

"I bought this book at an airport to read on the plane, and I think I could have better spent the money on candy."

Oh honey. Candy is nice, but won't someone please think of the liquor?

Anything Else?: I'm highlighting this title for one reason and one reason only. That cover. Yeah. All you people out there who bitch complain about the headless-people-cover-trend? Eye-ball-searing cover art like this would be why readers like me love, love, lurve it so much we want to have babies with whichever major art department started the whole thing.

Are headless people sorta creepy? OK, maybe. I'll grant you that. But compared to Prince Leers-A-Lot leering back at you? As the Queen Of Hearts once said, "Off with his head!"

Looking at this guy makes me feel....unclean. I mean, seriously. How smug and oily can you get? Honey, whatever you do, do not take a drink from the cup he is offering. Dollars to donuts it's a Roofie Cocktail.

Just....ick.