London, England – 1817

Lilian Loring, the youngest of the three Loring sisters, is so set against marriage that she doesn't mind telling everyone so. She'd rather spend her days with her dearest friend, Fanny Irwin, who is a renowned Cyprian. Of course, Lillian doesn't want to follow in her footsteps, but prefers to have the freedom Fanny and her other Cyprian friends have.

What Lillian is not counting on is Heath Griffin, Marquess of Claybourne, whom she met the morning of her oldest sister's wedding. Heath makes her feel very strange…he is too virile and too charming. Heath is hoping to unnerve the lovely Lily and wants to court her. Heath is not apposed to the thought of marriage as Lily is. As he tries to figure out the eccentric Miss Loring, he can't help but be fascinated by her blunt conversations and her ideas about life. And it is always a plus that when he kisses her, she melts in his arms.

Heath frightens Lily away with his honesty about courting her, and she decides to spend some time with Fanny at her boarding house where other aging Cyprians reside. She thinks Heath will never look for her there. Suddenly, Lily has other more important matters to deal with, such as Fleur and Chantel, two boarders who owe the odious Mick O'Rourke gambling debts. He wants his payment in a month’s time, or he will take Fanny as his mistress. Lily won't let Fanny sacrifice herself and tries to help these two formers ladies of the night. But then Heath shows up and won't leave without a chance at courting Lily as he wanted to do before she ran off.

Lily gives Heath two weeks to try wooing her. Heath has to channel his romantic side and break through Lily's defenses about her ideas of marriage and men. Heath also has Fanny, Chantal, and Fleur on his side. They all want Lily to be happy, and they begin to help Heath win Lily's heart. Heath can only hope that Lily will welcome his seduction, and that will hopefully lead to a ring on her finger and a ceremony that will make them husband and wife.

The third and final book in Nicole Jordan's Courtship Wars trilogy ends as a near perfect romance for Lily, the most difficult of the Loring sisters. Heath has much against him as he tries to seduce this bride to be! In the past two books, Lily is explained as wild and unruly, but in TO SEDUCE A BRIDE she comes into her own and is a very mature and thoughtful woman. Her relationship with Fanny is what I would expect for two close friends to be, and I found it to be one of the best in the book.

As for Heath, I found him to be a lovely character. Lily sure does give him a run for his money, but Heath feels he will prevail, and even though Lily doesn't mind the physical aspect of his wooing, he wants everything, which means marriage. When was the last time you read about a hero who wants marriage right from the start and doesn't keep his heroine dangling? This story is a delight to read and a nice role reversal, for a change.

There are also so many interesting secondary characters including Basil, who may or may not have tender feelings for Fanny, and even that of the supposed villain, Mick, who is in love with Fanny, but the way he shows it hurts many people.

Nicole Jordan always writes historical romances that are a sure crowd pleaser, and TO SEDUCE A BRIDE is one of them. This is one book that is a great finale to a romantic series that should not be missed.

Kate Garrabrant