Thea Devine's style of narration is getting harrowing and despite the steamy eroticism glossing up the pages between two impassioned characters - Elizabeth and Nicholas, one couldn't help feeling the plot is convoluted and jumbled up. Her abundant use of italics sabotaged the plot rather than enhanced it; Elizabeth as a widowed countess is forced to secure her wealth and subjugate to Micholas, one who is to claim his estate after the demise of her husband - with an arson and murder attempts - she finds out that it is the jewels of the Empress that somebody is after.The pearls are used as an instrument for their ...and through out the book, the sex gradually loses its captivation without any emotions. The mystery is appalling and Thea Devine rambles on only to find that the twist is much too predictible.SEDUCTIVE coming from a erotica writer as vintage as Thea Devine, comes out disappointing and not so devine after all.