Alyssa Alexander returns to her world of spies and intrigues in A Dance With Seduction, matching a code breaker hero with a seductive agent of the crown. It’s a mix of danger, drama and just the right touch of deception to draw readers in.

Vivienne Le Fleur was literally plucked from obscurity to become one of England’s best spies. Hidden in plain sight posing as a courtesan, Vivienne uses her beauty and charms to learn men’s deepest secrets. Throughout the war with Napoleon she was the Home Office’s best weapon, as she could get into places a man couldn’t enter without suspicion. After the war ended, her efforts domestically have been to seek out those who supported the French from England’s shores and uncover their treason. It’s not the life Vivienne would have chosen for herself years before; however continuing to serve gives her the chance to protect her young sister from having to struggle in life as Vivienne did. Unfortunately, however, the illusion of safety is broken when she is contacted by a French agent known as The Vulture who knows about her hidden sister as well as Vivienne’s investigations into certain English nobles. Hoping to turn Vivienne into a double-agent he threatens her sister unless she follows the instructions left in a coded message. Code breaking was never one of the skills than Vivienne mastered but she knows of someone who can easily unlock The Vulture’s secrets.

Maximilian Westwood did his service for King and Country by using his cryptology skills to break French codes during the war and help the Home Office in an administrative role. He was never a field agent and actually disliked dealing with spies and their duplicitous ways. Now the war is over, Max has happily removed himself from the world of spies and returned to an academic life translating texts for paying clients. His world away from political intrigues is interrupted late one evening by the arrival of the beautiful agent he’s known as “The Flower”. Her request that he help her translate a coded message is a seemingly easy task but not one he’s eager to accept as getting involved with her can only spell danger. She assures him it’s a one-time request and he agrees – but when he sees who has sent her the message his senses go on high alerts. The Vulture was one of the greatest threats to England’s spy network in the war and seeing him active again in peacetime could be a precursor to something terrible. Needing to know how Vivienne is involved with a dangerous French spy, Max puts himself directly in her path to get answers.

Their shared mission to expose The Vulture’s plans and prevent him from making a move to disrupt English affairs pulls both Vivienne and Max out of their comfort zones to form a lasting partnership. Vivienne has been a loner by necessity, only interacting with her handler and showing others the false personality of a practiced courtesan. Max has become a man of books and learning, eschewing any vices so as to distance himself from his wastrel brother’s reputation around London. Neither is living for themselves and Vivienne isn’t even certain where the real woman begins under all of the façades she’s adopted in order to survive. Working together makes Max and Vivienne face a mirror of sorts to discover depths they’ve never known. They each have skills that complement the other person, with Max being the analytical one and Vivienne having the strength and intuition to solve problems as they appear. The bond that grows from their working relationship slowly feeds into the attraction the pair have felt since their earliest interactions during the war.

Max is a wonderful Beta hero who isn’t threatened by Vivienne’s skills but still can be assertive when the moment calls for it. He fights to keep their relationship professional but cannot ignore the moments where Vivienne’s confidence slips and he sees the woman beneath the spy. Only then does he allow her to know of his insecurities and provide a safe place where she can drop the act of polished courtesan or skilled agent and just be herself. For Vivienne, her life was basically rewritten at a young age by those who always seemed to know better than her. Max never treats her in that fashion and tends to depend on her experience, letting her take the lead to show that she is more than who she was molded to be. As they uncover The Vulture’s network and follow the clues to protect her sister, Vivienne learns what is truly important to her in life. During the war it was always the mission, but in peacetimes it could be family, belonging and having the courage to fight for things that she wants for herself.

The slow pacing of A Dance With Seduction seemed incongruous when compared to the danger and stakes of Max and Vivienne’s mission. I had trouble completely losing myself in the story but felt that the plot, the characters and the consequences of their choices were all well described and meaningful. Overall the book works best to showcase two capable people learning to trust themselves while finding understanding in love with the last person they would expect.

A super addition to a great series i really enjoyed this book a fantastic romance packed full of action and suspense a super read and i would highly recommend.

Not your typical spy meets love happily ever after romance.  A Dance with Seduction has detailed complex characters.  Flower, a spy, dancer, sister, forced into a world of intrigue to discover she thrives in this world.  Maxmiliian (love this name) ex-soldier/codebreaker now translation expert.  When a spy needs a code breaker to decipher a code after her (secret) sister is abducted could something more develop.  Flower's whole existence is based on lies so is she a spy? a dancer? English? French?  Max was out of this life but finds himself back in beside an alluring woman-but who is she?  I really loved Max and his strong principles.  Vivienne is an interesting and extremely complex character who at many times I felt for and felt annoyed at.   The secondary characters are entertaining and interestingly woven in.  It is a well done romantic intrigue that left me shocked at the culprit.  A good read.  


left reviews on good reads, amazon and bn.com (as lady C)

When I saw the cover, it was love at first sight. I love the coloring of the dress, and title sounded intriguing. So, it was a must read. However, when I started to read the start to read, I was a little disappointed. It didn't grab my attention as the cover did. Then I was frustrated with the heroine, because Vivienne was a spy who couldn't read. It never made any sense to me. Plus, her character pissed me off a lot through the book. Even after I arrived at the end I wasn't truly a fan of hers. I actually didn't like how she treated Maximilian. I felt that she used him, and didn't appreciate him. Yet I adore Max. I thought he was fabulous. He truly was a great guy who truly cared for her. Yes, I did like the ending. Yes, it does get a happy ever after. 

Had I written my review for A Dance With Seduction when I finished reading it would have focused on what I didn't like a lot more than what I have written so far. After thinking about Vivienne character, I came to realize I felt sorry for her. You probably wondering how I came to this realization. Trust me it wasn't an easy one. Vivienne was trapped, and never really understood until towards the end when her handler's boss says something along the lines, that being a spy is a choice. She basically told him it wasn't a choice, it was either die at the gallows or become a spy, and basically a whore. I didn't think about this until about week later. Vivienne was trapped. She was truly stuck in a life she didn't want to be, but she had to keep her family safe, yet she couldn't. She couldn't trust anyone, even though Max was trying to show that she could trust him. She never felt safe, because of how her handler handle her (yeah, a mouthful there). Honestly, her handler's abuse show up until the end, and that's when it should have clicked that he made her into someone couldn't trust anyone. Kind of heart breaking, yet Max was willing to love her for who she was. Max couldn't truly accept Vivienne until he realized he loved her. 

Did I like A Dance With Seduction? I'm still on the fence. Do I appreciate Vivienne's character? Yeah, again it wasn't easy to appreciate her character. Yes, I absolutely adore Max and I couldn't quite understand why he would be with Vivienne. Was A Dance With Seduction a good story? It was written well, and I didn't understand all the things that was happening when I read through, I was focusing on myself. A Dance with Seduction is not going to be for everyone, but it's an interesting read once you get pass all the things that are in this particular story. 

Copy provided by Entangled via NetGalley

Rating:
3 1/2 Stars

Key Points:

historical fiction
spies and code breakers
kidnappings and misadventures
romance and mystery
Vivienne, a spy who masquerades as an opera dancer, her commander as her "protector".  Maximilian, an ex-code breaker and second son, who now works as a translator.   Knew each other a bit in the during the war where they both worked for the British government. ..When Vivienne, also known as the Flower, gets a coded message there is only one place she can go.  Maximilian at first wants no part of it, but in the end reluctantly agrees to decode the message, a message that basically asks The Flower to become a double agent, when she refuses they kidnap her little sister, to force her hand.  She must again and again, ask Maximilian for his help.  Before long they are entangled in a web of deceit, treachery and of course romance.

Such an interesting concept for a historical romance novel.  It was an intriguing read, even throwing in a bit of mystery.  I wanted to give it 4 stars, but the thing is, it just seemed to be so slow in places, but just at the point I was ready to give up it would pick back up, so just be aware that the characters are well written, the history well researched and the plot good, but there are just a lot of lags. Guys I loved that the hero of this book was kind of a beta ya know, he wasn't the Lord, he was a second son making his own way, with an interesting career. And I just loved that the heroine is a thief and opera dancer and not a Lady of the Ton.  It just made for a more unusual, detailed and unique story line. 

This is the 3rd book in the series, but can be read as a standalone.  This was the first book I read by Alyssa Alexander, but I don't think it will be my last.

I voluntarily read this advanced readers copy of this book.  I just couldn't put it down once I started reading it.  Strong characters and great story line.  I can't wait to read more of this series.

A Dance of Seduction is a book that I enjoyed reading as a result of a phenomenal premise, with suspense, mystery and a good deal of romance. From the start, the book was realistic in regards to both characters and plot. These characteristics along with a refreshing new take on spies made A Dance of Seduction an excellent novel in comparison to other historical mysteries. 

Both Vivienne and Maximillian, were fascinating characters to read about. Maximillian, not Max, was a government code-breaker, now a translator in eleven languages and a grumpy book-nerd. Definitely not a characteristic that comes about frequently in book characters. On top of that, he’s a beta hero, meaning that Maximillian never dominants his will over Vivienne. He does not treat her as a delicate flower; he recognizes that she is a survivor. On the other hand, he respects her enough to see through her façade and pushes Vivienne to free herself. Likewise, Maximillian does not make a move on her while she is supposed to be under the protection of another male, however there is still a significant amount of sexual tension.  

Vivienne is another character that I came to respect throughout her journey in this book. While she does have trust issues concerning Maximillian, I was happy to see that she worked through it, allowing herself a change at love. Additionally, she was a strong heroine who puts the needs of her sister over her desire for a relationship, strengthening her character. This struggle between the two along with the obstacles Vivienne has to overcome led to a very powerful romance.
 
Overall, A Dance of Seduction is a 3.5 star read! The beginning of the story was a little slow, but when the plot picked up, it turned into a fantastic romance. The writing drew me, and the plot kept me captivated as they attempt to save Anne and defeat the Vulture. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a historical spy novel and will definitely be reading the previous books in the series!

A Dance with Seduction is book 3 in Alyssa Alexander's A Spy in the Ton series. It's the first book I have read by her and these can be read as standalones.
 
Maximilian was a code-breaker in His Majesty's Service when he met Vivienne, a spy know as The Flower. He has since retired from code-breaking and works as a translator when she shows up at his house. Vivienne needs him to decipher a code that was left for her which wants her to basically commit treason. When she refuses this person, they kidnap her sister. They must work together if they have any hope of alluding a French spy master and rescue Anne.
 
I thought I was going to like this book a whole lot more than I did. I liked the premise of the story and what not but it just felt too slow. With it being a spy novel, I figured it would be fast paced with lots of action. While there was action, it just wasn't what I expected. I still enjoyed the book and really liked that Maximilian is a nerd. It just seemed really odd to me that Vivienne was able to keep not being able to read a secret for so long mainly because her job as a spy requires that you be able to read.
Rating: 3.5 stars

Review by Amanda for Love Romance Books Blog

I was asked by the author for an honest review.

I would have liked to give A Dance with Seduction 3.5 stars. I don't read a lot of historical romance novels, but given that the main female character was already established as a mistress this story didn't have the same social limits for acceptable behavior that many other historical romance novels have. 

This is a stand alone novel. I haven't read any of the other books in the Spy in the Ton series, but I don't think I missed anything. Allyssa Alexander wrote with great descriptions which made it easy to picture the scenes, but it also felt like the story moved a little slowly.

This story had it all for me: romance, suspense, action, danger, chemistry, secrets and espionage. There was just enough of a balance between sentimentality and emotion & cloak and dagger to satisfy the multi-dimensional reader in me. Vivienne and Max were complex, vivid characters to cherish and remember. The interesting story line moved along steadily and did not lag at any point. 

Alexander, a new-to-me author, is now one of my favorites!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Entangled Publishing, LLC in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Author Alyssa Alexander is new-to-me, but I decided to give her a shot. Her novel, A DANCE WITH SEDUCTION, is not the type of historical romance I generally read... never been one for spy romances... but it was certainly interesting. I will await Ms. Alexander's next novel and hope it is even better than A DANCE WITH SEDUCTION.

Great book!!

Vivienne Le Fleur is a woman with many facets like a diamond she's beautiful, strong and fearless. She's also a French opera dancer/spy who will do anything for her family. When her younger sister is abducted by an unsavoury French spy to force her hand in switching sides, she has no choice but to turn to Maximilian Westword. Maximilian is a second son and nothing like his rapscallion brother, she knows she can trust him they have worked together in the past - he's a code breaker and translator - what ensues is a journey for Vivienne to unravel the woman who has been hiding underneath all her personas, the woman who was lost in the game of survival. I loved the way the story evolved enjoyed the banter even though Max was a grumpy sort it was endearing, and their attraction was always simmering while their work brought them closer to unraveling the hidden code. Characters who I didn't care for was Henri I would have liked to see him get his due. Overall this was an excellent/entertaining story very well written with likeable characters. 

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest unbiased opinion.

vivienne le fleur is in trouble in a dance with seduction, as a spy for the british crown she's had to lie and steal and become someone else entirely. for years, on and off, she's worked with code-breaker maximilian westwood. she finds his precision and methodological habits infuriating and can't help ruffling his feathers every chance she gets. and maximilian finds her presumptuous presence annoying and her profession with its constant intrigues abhorrent and her entire being too damn beautiful for him to be comfortable.

when she asks him for help, pays him for it actually, she's doing it for herself, not for britain. she's caught in the middle of a dangerous spy game between england and france, and her sister's safety is at risk. and as the plot around her deepens and thickens, maximilian finds himself in the middle of it. it's the last place he wants to be, except it's also the only place he wants to be. because no matter what his head tells him about vivienne not being meant for him, his heart tells him that there is no other. and he can't stop himself from wanting to protect and aid this woman no matter what.

we really get to see this relationship grow and develop as the novel progresses, and how these two souls so used to working alone find a true partnership together. they have some serious—murderous—obstacles to overcome, but the combined force of a brilliant spy and master code-breaker should be enough to turn the tide.

It's another amazing historical fiction novel. It's a historical mystery, Maximilian is a retired code-breaker and now he works privately, translating for his clients. Vivienne is a spy, she working with her handle Henri. She has a younger sister to look after and to protect her sister she is willing to do anything. She doesn't trust anyone, but when she finds herself in trouble she must trust Maximilian. Together they must work together, soon realizing that they are attracted to each other, there is so much more to their working arrangement. Secrecy of utmost importance though and they have to be careful of the 'French Vulture.'
The story is full of mystery, intrigue, and spying. About two unlikely allies who are brought together because of the circumstances and now find it difficult to be apart, it's quite an exciting read.

A DANCE WITH SEDUCTION really is a spy caper, and I found refreshing that Vivienne is a competent spy, and not one  fumbling her way through her missions. The plot was fine, but some things didn’t make sense in Vivienne’s backstory, which was a shame. Ms. Alexander paints a realistic atmosphere, and the author adds lovely period details. Maximilian was a welcome change for a hero: he is not wealthy, he is not an aristocrat; he is more of a Regency geek, and a real gentleman to boot. Vivienne is a fun and believable heroine, capable as well as kind-hearted, driven, and a believable one. The romance was really nice, the action sequences are terrific: lightning fast and convincing; and I was totally wrong as to the identity of the villain.