Having a relationship begin with a lie is a risky gamble, but Brenda Jackson not only makes this trope believable, she does so with expert writing and a network of evocative characters readers can rally behind. It’s impossible to resist the charm and charisma of this SEAL team ... The underlying theme of interracial relationships and bigotry are addressed head-on with realism and acceptance ... once-in-a-lifetime love (and untamed passion) wins in the end.
The mystery is handled well. It’s a typical Harlequin suspense plot, which means it’s low on reality, but the author does a good job of keeping it in the background while her romance shines in the foreground ... The author occasionally lapses into info-dumps and stilted dialogue which is likely to pull the reader out of the story. And while I know it is virtually a rule of romance fiction featuring military men to include cute nicknames, David’s moniker of Flipper just about drove me nuts ... I smiled a lot while reading An Honorable Seduction. It’s a light, primarily happy book that tells the love story of a sweet, charming young couple. It’s a great beach read or nice way to while away a sunny spring afternoon.
I liked Flipper and Swan individually, however, I didn’t necessarily believe they fell in love. They had chemistry, sure, but it all seemed a bit superficial for both of them until we got to the very end, and even then I was still not completely sold. There were a lot of secondary characters in this novel and at times it got confusing to keep up with everyone ... Ultimately, An Honorable Seduction had the love affair we come to expect from Jackson along with betrayal and great suspense. It was nice getting an update on the other SEALs. While this book can definitely be read as a standalone, if you haven’t read the other Brenda Jackson novels featuring Bane and the SEALs, I would recommend doing so.
