Carnal Pleasures

A reformed rake is always the best choice of a husband; charm, worldliness and a skilled lover all in one tasty package… When Griff teaches Dulcie some naughty pleasures, she knows it is wrong but is unable to resist.

Determined to follow his father’s footsteps, Griffith Spencer has earned the reputation of being a libertine, a gambler and a wastrel. He purchased his commission in the army after his family disowned him. Griff took a serious look at his life during his four years of fighting for his country. His problems seem compounded when he is booted out of the army, wrongfully accused of another man’s crime. Griff returns to England broke and lacking self-esteem. He is forced to rely on the goodwill of a former school friend until he can find a bride with a large dowry.

During his first ball, the widowed Countess of Eberley offers to buy his services. The price is his dignity, but he considers himself a man with nothing to lose, so accepts. It is a rude shock to Griff when he has difficulty performing because he is repulsed by the woman and himself. He questions his values, knowing that he is compromising his worth as a man and his own sense of pride, by selling himself. Griff is relieved when the Countess lets him off the hook. She tells Griff that now he must seduce and marry her stepdaughter, Lady Dulcina Treyhern before she reaches her majority so the Countess can have control of her inherited funds.

Dulcie is a plain country miss and her attire is drab, so she is sure to be an easy conquest. She seems mystified by the cleft in his chin and he catches her gazing at him during dinner. Griffith Spencer has matured; he has found morality and honor deep in his psyche. He knows that it would be wrong to compromise this sweet chit but he is still under the Countess’s command…

Carnal Pleasures is a highly erotic tale; the historical setting adds a dimension of manipulation and naivety, which makes the sex seem more shocking. Watching a man without hope slowly reassess his inner spirit and come to a point where he is able to fall in love was the highlight of this book. The main and secondary characters, (even Dulcie’s dog, Simon) are well established, making it easy for the reader to feel a part of the situations. The eroticism is explicit, but entirely natural and realistic. A female servant’s lesbian daydreams bring a new insight into her mistress’s motivations. The language is occasionally coarse, but it is not inappropriate because it is attributed to the characters’ past vocations. Readers who enjoy Susan Johnson and Robin Schone are sure to find Blaise Kilgallen’s Carnal Pleasures to their liking. A definite keeper for this reader: I would love to read more of the author’s previous historicals.

This author also has books published as Joan M. Fox.

Reviewed by: Naomi