Too Great A Temptation
November 2006, Avon Books (ISBN: 978-0-06-084794-4)

A lord so sinful he is dubbed the "Duke of Rogues," Damian Westmore lives for pleasure-until the day his brother dies at the hands of pirates. Abandoning the libertine life to pursue revenge, Damian finds the criminals he seeks and joins their crew in disguise, waiting for the chance to strike the brigands down. But he never imagined there would be a woman on board-or that the stunning siren would inflame the very passions Damian swore to resist until his brother's death was avenged. Beautiful, fiery Mirabelle Hawkins longs for the freedom of the high seas-so she stows away on her brother's pirate ship at the first opportunity. But she finds something more exciting than chase and plunder: a bold, handsome, secretive sailor whose touch makes her tremble with desire . . . but whose love is a cutlass that could destroy all she holds dear.

Ahoy, me hearties!

I've always loved a good pirate romance. And with a passion for swashbuckling adventure in mind, I sat down to create my very own pirate tale. The first thing I needed was a strong conflict. I had already decided my hero loathes pirates (and the heroine was going to be a pirate), but then came the obvious question: why? . . . because pirates killed his beloved brother. Eureka! After a long Q&A with myself, I'd fleshed out the details and the tale was born.

There's just something about those dashing and dangerous buccaneers that captivate. The ultimate alpha hero, perhaps? A hero in desperate need of redemption? Or is it the perils at sea that enthral? Perhaps it's a bit of everything. But for me the real allure of a pirate romance is the close confines aboard ship. Trapped on a rig for weeks, even months at a time, the hero and heroine are forced to share intimate quarters. And if the infuriating hero is just too darn sexy for his own good, tension is abound! Throw in a spark of adventure, a blustering sea battle, and you have the makings of a swashbuckling romance. Ah, my cup of tea!

TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION was a joy to write. And I was honoured to receive a rare and coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly for my sophomore efforts: "Fans of historical romance will thoroughly enjoy this fresh take on the genre and likely come back for more of Benedict's work in the future." My hero, Damian Westmore, also received a K.I.S.S hero award for November 2006 from Romantic Times BOOKreviews!

TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION is also the first in a series (which was never supposed to be a series). It was intended to be a stand alone title, however with so many secondary characters, it was impossible to end the tale with Damian and Mirabelle. And so, if you'd like to read the other books in the series, the order is:

• Too Great a Temptation (book one)
• Too Scandalous to Wed (book two)
• Too Dangerous to Desire (book three)

And I have more great news! Remember the sexy, piratical Hawkins brothers in TOO GREAT A TEMPATION? Publishers Weekly raved: "Supporting turns by the Hawkins brothers are keen and comical, and the dialogue is both snappy and strong." Well, the four brigand bad-boys aren't supporting characters anymore. They have their own series now!

• Mistress of Paradise (the prequel)
• The Infamous Rogue (book one)
• The Notorious Scoundrel (book two)
• William's Story (coming soon)
• Quincy's Story (coming soon)

More details about The Hawkins Brothers Coming Soon.

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"Benedict has not only picked a fresh setting for her historical, she's brought considerable chemistry to the romance between Hawkins and Westmore, both convincingly detailed characters . . . Fans of historical romance will thoroughly enjoy this fresh take on the genre and likely come back for more of Benedict's work in the future."
- Publishers Weekly starred review!

"High-seas adventure, simmering sexual tension and enough excitement to satisfy those who dream of a swashbuckling heroine and a too hot to handle nobleman just waiting to catch her off her guard. You'll be tempted to stay up all night reading this book and then dream of your own pirate escapades."
- Kathe Robin, Romantic Times BOOKreivews, K.I.S.S hero!

"There are just not enough pirate romance books out there to read anymore. Thank goodness Alexandra Benedict wrote a delicious pirate story for her newest release . . . I couldn't be any happier. I was glued to this story from the beginning and I read the whole book in one day! . . . There is enough romance, drama, action and intrigue to satisfy even the most hard to please romance readers . . . be prepared for a romantic adventure!"
-Julie Kornhausl, Romance Reader at Heart, Top Pick!

"This story has all the elements that make it a perfect book . . . laughter, adventure, romance, passion, angst, and at the heart of it a love story so strong it rings the emotion out of me . . . TOO GREAT A TEMPATAION is a definite keeper and not to be missed. Ms. Benedict has just made my auto-buy list."
-Valarie Pelissero, Rakehell

" . . . a sizzling love story that will take your breath away . . . Ms. Benedict writes a fast paced page turner that will keep you glued to the pages . . . A fresh, new voice in today's romance genre, Alexandra Benedict is a joy to read again and again."
-Debbie, A Romance Review, 5 roses!

" . . . a non-stop action, thoroughly exciting, and exhilarating read by a newer author whose vibrant stories are certain to make lovers of this pirate/regency era genre sit up and take notice . . . Those looking for a well developed storyline from a vibrantly fresh new voice should definitely take a good look at this new talent!"
-Marilyn Rondeau, Kwips and Kritiques

"Spectacular, thrilling and marvellous sums up this exciting story . . . Set at a fast pace, you will be hooked from the first page to the last . . . A must read."
-Wateena, Coffee Time Romance

"With TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION Alexandra Benedict has written a story you will remember long after you have finished it. The story is the perfect combination of a heart rendering romance, fast paced action, captivating characters and witty dialogue. In short, Alexandra Benedict provides you with top-notch reading material!"
-Realms On Our Bookshelves, 4.5 stars!

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