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The Promise In A Kiss
Stephanie Laurens Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Promise In A Kiss
"

Morrow, Dec 2001, 18.00, 288 pp.
ISBN: 006018888X

    In 1776 Paris, Helena de Stansion plans to flee to England to avoid an arranged marriage by her guardian, Comte Fabian de Vichisse. However, duty calls and she tends to her ailing sister. In the garden, she spots an intruder, who unbeknownst to her steals a dagger from her guardian. Surprisingly she helps him escape, but not before he kisses her.

    Fabian uses Helena as a pawn to gain his desires. He agrees to allow her to go to England to marry a duke as long as the noble is wealthier than she is, which limits the field to almost no one. At a London soiree, Helena recognizes Sebastian Cynster whose kiss from that day in the garden still excites her. Sebastian also knows that Helena is the woman he never forgot. Helena tells Sebastian that she seeks a husband and asks him to help her find a spouse. Sebastian knows he loves Helena, but he is not sure how to propose to his beloved. Then there is her guardian holding her sister hostage to insure Helena remains pliable.

    Stephanie Laurens has written six Cynster tales including a NY Times bestseller. Her latest tale, THE PROMISE IN A KISS, is a prequel to the other novels and may be the best of the lot. Besides containing an exciting story line that shows the ”roots” of the Cynster dynasty, the plot has a delightful hero and an intrepid heroine who make this into a fabulous late eighteenth century romance.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

"The heroine meets a man fleeing her convent. He kisses her, and then leaves. They meet seven years later in London. He wants her, but she has a few problems to work out first."
Andy Hunto, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Promise In A Kiss
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - 18th century
Seduction/coercion/force Yes
How seduced/forced? - seduction with money/position/power
Who is... - physically ill
Matchmake, (will/family) Yes
Matchmaker... - matchmake by parent(s)
Who seduces whom? - man seducing woman
Family focus? Yes
Family, sick/caring for Yes

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - very picky - several sexual encounters
How romantic is this person? - very romantic - sly seducer
Sex has good effect on him Yes
Sex makes him - confident - sensitive
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic - average physique

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's - 60's-90's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How sexual is this person? - very picky - naive virgin
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
effect of sexing - scared - guilty
Sex has bad effect on her Yes
Sex has good effect on her Yes
Effect of sexing - a better lover
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK - France
Misc setting - Fancy Mansion

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
What % of story is romance related? - 80% - 90%
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy - licking - actual description of sex - descript. of female anatomy (the big B's) - descript. of female anatomy (the big V)
Part of a series? Yes
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much sexing? - 3-4 sex acts
Most similar books to The Promise In A Kiss
Beloved Highlander by Sara Bennett
Never Kiss A Duke by Eileen Putman
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A Touch So Wicked by Connie Mason
This Other Eden by Marilyn Harris


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Stephanie Laurens Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Angel Manners  

SCHOLARS:
Becky Lee  Rachael High  Katherine Randall  Clare Leete  Inger  


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