Song of Seduction Book Review *Carrie Lofty*

January 1804 in Salzburg, Austria is a cold and unrelenting. Composer and musician Arie De Voss feels the cold deep down in his bones. His guilt eats away at him because he feels he is living a lie. His most famous composition, Love and Freedom, that has given him great accolades, haunts him. De Voss stole the composition from a man he respected and is waiting for someone to find out and accuse him of being a fraud. Arie performs like monkey, remaining silent and doing whatever he is bid. This is his penance for his crime.

When Arie attends a party at Lord Venner's, he thinks nothing out of the ordinary will happen. He will humor the party guests with his music and get paid. Venner is a high ranking political figurehead, who is not into the arts, but his wife Ingrid is. Arie will perform Love and Freedom at their party and hopes some of the guests will want to take music lessons from him.

Mathilda Hidel is a widow living with the Venners. She and Ingrid are close friends, but Ingrid doesn't know the secret Mathilda hides deep down inside. This is a woman who loves to play the violin. She can hear a piece of music and play it perfectly on the instrument. But she pushed aside the one thing that gave her such joy when she had married. She feels that her passion is wrong and something that shouldn't be honored because she doesn't want to be the center of attention. She is very excited to meet Arie. His music reaches deep into her soul. When Mathilda is introduced to him, her admiration for the man is crushed. He acts cold and almost insulting. Arie thinks Mathilda is colorless, although he is more than impressed with her curves.

After Arie performs, Mathilda does something that surprises them both. She asks for violin lessons. Since Arie needs the money, he accepts. Perhaps this young widow will also warm his bed because he assumes most young women want to be seduced by him. But more surprises are in store. The moment he hears Mathilda play the violin, he is dumbstruck and amazed. She plays like the angels in Heaven. Arie thinks Mathilda can save his soul. He wants the whole world to hear her talent and will push her to share it, although her fears continue to consume her. But with her maestro by her side, she gains the courage and embarks on an all consuming love affair where they will confront their pasts and heal one another.

Song of Seduction is breathtaking and beautiful. Each sentence and piece of dialogue is so very poetic. The desire between Arie and Mathilda is very intense. Their inner turmoil and journey to be free from their self-imposed prisons make for some heavy reading. You can practically feel the biting cold that surrounds the city, as well as the smoldering passion these two musicians have for one another and the music they make. Talk about internal conflict! Arie is the perfect example of a volatile artist who doesn't know how to interact with those who can't hear or see the music like he does. Mathilda walks into his life and holds up a mirror to his soul. She knows Arie is hurting and wants to heal him. She does this by making him confront his demons and giving him free access to her body.

The love scenes in Song of Seduction are too good for words. The first initial intimacy between Arie and Mathilda is so scandalously written, but oh so good that you want more. Carrie Lofty shows perfectly how passion against a wall where a man uses his mouth on a woman can be exciting and tantalizing. This one scene breaks open the floodgates for this couple, where not only do they want to be with one another always, but to also show the world what they are able to accomplish together.

Those who love reading about a true suffering hero and the heroine who opens her arms and welcomes him, faults and all, will truly enjoy Song of Seduction. A lush, rich, poignant romance that is meant to be savored, much like one would do when drinking a glass of wine and listening to their favorite piece of classic music in front of a raging fire. (Purchase at Carina Press)

Final Grade: A-

A few other Song of Seduction reviews:
Book Binge
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
The Book Pushers