• To Taste Temptation

  • Legend of the Four Soldiers, Book 1
  • By: Elizabeth Hoyt
  • Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
  • Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (436 ratings)

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To Taste Temptation  By  cover art

To Taste Temptation

By: Elizabeth Hoyt
Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
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Publisher's summary

Even the most refined lady craves an untamed man to release her passion.

Britain’s high society—le bon ton—loves nothing more than a good scandal, and they’re giddy with the appearance of wealthy Samuel Hartley. Not only is he self-made, American, and in the habit of wearing moccasins, but he is also notorious for fleeing a battle in which several English gentlemen lost their lives. What le bon ton doesn’t know, though, is that Samuel is in London because of this massacre. He believes his regiment was given up to the enemy and won’t rest until he finds the traitor.

Lady Emeline Gordon is captivated by Samuel. Not only does he defy convention with his unusual dress, his sensual smile, and his forthright manner, but he survived the battle that killed her beloved brother. Samuel suspects that the person responsible for her brother’s death is Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale, a family friend since childhood—and Emeline’s fiancé. Despite Emeline’s belief in Vale’s innocence and her refusal to break off her betrothal, she and Samuel begin a passionate affair. But can their relationship survive the fallout from Samuel’s investigation?

©2008 Nancy M. Finney (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Hoyt…is firmly in control of her craft with engaging characters, gripping plot, and clever dialogue.” ( Publishers Weekly
“4½ Stars Top Pick! Hoyt’s new series, the Legend of the Four Soldiers, begins with destruction and ends with glorious love. She begins each chapter with a snippet of a legend that beautifully dovetails with the plot and creates a distinct love story that will thrill readers.” ( Romantic Times BOOKreviews)
To Taste Temptation is book one in Ms. Hoyt’s new series, the Legend of the Four Soldiers, and it’s an auspicious beginning. With its vividly drawn characters, neat plotting, and heated romance, it’s sure to satisfy.” ( Romance Reviews Today)

What listeners say about To Taste Temptation

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved It

Wasn't sure what to expect since I have never "read" this author, but I am currently downloading book 2. Loved it, of course I absolutely enjoy this period of time in romance novels. I like how the main story follows the "fairy tale" that is the back meaning of this book. Ahhh, true love and the pursuit of it. Ann Flosnik does an excellent job as always, she and Polly Lee and the lilt of English I truly love, had some trouble with the Boston Colonial accent, but it didn't hurt the story. Worth the credit or the purchase. I see book 3 is also available. Cant Wait!!!! LOL I love audio books, I can do 2 things at once LOL.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

I'm a huge fan, but this one isn't for me.

There is something missing in this first book of the 4 soldiers series. I loved Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series and was excited to start this one. Unfortunately, I'm so confused by this bizarre tale...

I think the heroine is really bitchy. I like the hero, Sam, but he has this nervous condition from war that causes him to randomly run long distances till his feet bleed. Also the lady has a fiancé... He gets involved with helping Sam figure out who was the turncoat in a war they were in. He is in the same house when many of the forbidden acts take place.

The lovers are really mean to each other. And Sam is kind of a stalker, watching her and brooding. She is not likeable at all. Things were so frenzied at one point, I had to stop and take a break. (2 hours left) I'm not sure I will be finishing this one.

I really hope the whole series isn't centered around this spy/war detective plot. It is forced and I didn't feel compelled by the mystery.

I have really enjoyed all of Elizabeth Hoyt's other books. But this book wasn't for me.

Also I am not used to the narrator. I liked Ashford McNab from the other books. This narrator didn't do a bad job, and I have a few books of hers yet to listen to. But Ashford Mcnab was really excellent.

Still going to read other books from this series. Hope I'll connect to those better than I did with this.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Bored out of my mind!

I am not sure if I can finish this book. I am almost four hours in and it is so boring…blah, blah, blah the hero runs through the night…blah, blah, blah the heroine is a hoity toity witch. Emeline is an extremely unlikable heroine. She is haughty and belittling to others around her, all I can picture is a scrunched- faced little shrew. I can’t even remember at this point how she is described in the book, I’m so overwhelmed by her odious personality. There is absolutely no chemistry between Samuel and Emeline, nothing fun, amusing, or flirtatious. I know they are going to fall in love, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why Samuel would bother with such a testy little cow! Oh and don’t even get me started on the ‘first kiss’…if some man grabbed me and kissed me hard enough to draw blood, I would punch him in the face! That is all that has happened in four hours, a violent kiss, to set up some sort of believable chemistry between the main characters. The whole story of Samuel searching for answers to the massacre is so drawn out and piece-milled that is loses all intrigue. At this point I don’t really like or give two figs about either main character, which does not bode well for my overall enjoyment of the book. I think I am more interested in finding out if Samuel’s sister, Rebecca, is going to fall in love with the Irish footman, and they have only had a few lines of interaction in the book. I am going to give it two more hours, which will complete the first half, and take me 1 hour into the second half. However, if it does not get a lot better that is all the time I will waste on this book.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not bad...

The prickly nature of the heroine of this book tended to grate on my nerves, but the overall story wasn't bad. The great narration made up for anything that was lacking. I am looking forward to the next installment of the series.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love the moccasins wearing American

The hero is such a likable character. He is sweet, thoughtful, kind and certainly persistent to be in a relationship with a heroine that clearly sees herself as superior to him socially. She is very selective in who she is associated with and sticks to the Ton’s standards. It was hard to like her as the heroine so I found myself imagining how harsh the society must have been at that time and focusing on her inner struggle with it’s standards in order to find something redeeming about her. It was very nice to see her put all those standards aside to just be with the hero even if it meant leaving England and everything else behind. She just put up a good fight to get to that point. I admit I still liked the story very much. It was real and not all sugared up and fluffy. So if you like outwardly sweet characters with no flaws this book is not for you. On the other hand if you enjoy reading about how someone raised with strict superiority mindset freeing herself from those chains that bind her for love, then this is the book for you.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Two stories in one! Great treat.

The Legend of the Four Soldiers and the personallity of the main male character is great and what is even nicer is they both end. First book I've listened/read by this author and was not disappointed the story was great the male lead excellant but the Lady was a bit annoying. I totally enjoy listening to Anne Flosnik which is why I purchased this audio book. Can't wait to listen/read the next installment.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Terrible!

Ok... I get it, romance novels are nothing but fluff and shallow entertainment. I don't expect deep, beautifully written literature. But please.... this is the very worst book I have ever purchased on audible, and the first that I actually had to stop listening to it was so distasteful. The female lead is such a disagreeable, contentious, miserable, one dimensional character, I just couldn't take it anymore. I actually got a stomach ache listening to this junk. Save your credits and buy something else!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun story

This is a great book and well worth your time and credit. The narrorator was not perfect, but darned good. The character, Samual Hartley is fun becasue of the way he lives life on his own terms and how he takes what he wants. He also makes me proud to be a "Yank".

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Emmaline was a snob

Samuel Hartley, a self-made American, has traveled to England to find the traitor responsible for the massacre of his regiment. He seeks the aid of the beautiful Lady Emmaline Gordon, widowed sister to a victim of the massacre, in introducing his young sister to London society. Thus begins an explosive and forbidden love affair.

This is only the second book I've read from Elizabeth Hoyt. It was not as good as the first, The Raven Prince, but still an enjoyable read. She starts off each chapter with a passage of a fairytale, getting the whole story by the end of the book. I'm not sure if this is something she does in all of her books but it has been in both that I've read. It adds a little something extra to the story and I like it.

I really wasn't a fan of Emmaline, hence the 3 stars. She was a proper English Lady. In other words, an uppity snob. She came of as shrewish and kept picking little fights with Samuel. Usually just to get a reaction out him in the form of bruising kisses and the like.

Verdict: Not my favorite but I will definitely be reading more from her.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

good

This book is an erotic romance historical soldier with ptsd.

The book was good.

Samuel Hartley is a wealthy american and on a mission to find a murderer. When he meets Emeline his soldier's sister and he is gone. He will not change for anyone but once he realizes he is out of his league but that is not going to stop him.

Lady Emeline Gordon is offered a position so assist the american to help turn his sister into a London Lady, but a mystery surrounding her brother death is bringing back memories and feelings. She is a widow and a lady but her world view are going to change.

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1 person found this helpful