>>>>>>My Synopsis (Review follows) <<<<<
Once upon a time a boy and a girl secretly fell in love, but their timing was wrong...
He participated in a duel that left a man dead and had to flee England.
She had ailing mother whom she couldn't leave behind and so she the two had parted ways.
Months later she would be married to another, and thoughts of a future together seemed to be at an end.

Now, seven years later, they are pushed together and have a second chance at love, but will misconceptions, lies, and hurt feelings keep them apart? Only time will tell.

>>>>>>My Review <<<<<
This was the fourth book in the Sinful Suitors series. You could probably get away with reading it as a stand-alone, but you may wish to read 'The Study of Seduction' and 'The Danger of Desire' first. It's in these two books where we are first introduced to these two characters. They will give you a little more of a background on these two and those around them.

This was a romance in which a couple is torn apart by circumstances somewhat beyond their control and are later given a second chance at love. They were quite a stubborn pair, but Brilliana, aka Bree, took the cake because she had the most to lose. Her first marriage hadn't been ideal, but left her in a rather unique position of not needing to remarry if she didn't wish to do so. Niall Lindsey, the Earl of Margrave, has his work cut out for him because Bree isn't sure she wishes to remarry. He'll have to use all his charm and pull out all the stops to win her over which makes this book such a fun read.

These two almost didn't come back together because of the hurt feelings and misinformation, but the meddling of another individual pulls them together when they're recruited to spy on Bree's father. He's believed to be involved in some criminal activities. While there's no love lost between Bree and her father, she's doesn't want her son's reputation besmirched if her father is indeed found guilty of a crime. In exchange for her help, if her father is found to be guilty, he'll receive a reduced sentence. One that will have a lesser impact on her son. Thus, the book gets a healthy dose of intrigue and suspense mixed in with this seriously steamy romance. They didn't title this one 'The Pleasure of Passion' for nothing, just in case you're wondering.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was full of romance, intrigue, mystery, and suspense. While I felt Bree held out a little too long before giving into passion, it did make for a very enjoyable and amusing read. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

***Notes: I received and eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Niall Lindsey, the Earl of Margrave, is forced to flee after killing a man in a duel, but he can’t leave until he talks to his secret love, Brilliana Trevor. Brilliana and Niall have been meeting in secret from their families and society, but she can’t go with him she’s been taking care of her ill Mother. Now seven years later Niall is pardoned and returns to find Brilliana had married, now widowed and has a son. What’s a man to think except she never really loved him at all. For Brilliana life was so much different than she planned after Niall left the country seven years ago. The government as thrown together to bring down a counterfeiting ring, but for Niall who is more dangerous the counterfeiter or the woman rapidly stealing his heart. Being together brings back old feelings better left behind, or so they thought. For Niall being Brilliana’s fake fiancé brings his long-buried feelings to the surface once again. They share a definite instant attraction and special love that cannot and will not be denied, no matter how hard they try. An enchanting story with mystery, romance with a passion they never forgot and a love for all time.
I voluntarily read the ARC copy from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I absolutely adore Sabrina Jeffries books and couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Pleasures of Passion – Brilliana (Bree) and Niall’s story. Oh it was so, so good and so satisfying!

Bree and Niall had a secret romance seven years ago when she was a very young and naïve 17-year-old and he a young 23. From the other books in the series, readers know Niall fought a duel to defend his sister’s honor and killed the man. He needed to flee to the continent. Niall asked Bree to come with him, marry him, and live in exile. Niall was heartbroken when she refused and believed that she was only after him for his future title and his money.

Bree was heartbroken when Niall left, he refused to tell her why he fought the duel and she wasn’t sure he would actually marry her. She also couldn’t leave her ill mother at the mercy of her gambling, never-do-well father. Bree made a choice and chose her mother over Niall. Of course, Bree was pushed into a marriage with Trevor and was made a young widow, but she never forgot Niall and the choices they made.

Their reunion isn’t exactly sweet when they first see each other. But the sparks and passion are still there. The man who helped Niall secure his pardon, Fulkham, believes Bree’s father is a counterfeiter and wants hers and Niall’s help in catching him, which forces Bree and Niall to work together. They concoct a fake engagement, that Niall quickly wants to turn into the real thing.

Niall and Bree’s road wasn’t easily travelled, but they so deserved a happy ending and Ms. Jeffries certainly delivered one for the couple. There is the intrigue surrounding the counterfeiting possibility and if Bree and Niall can find the magic they gave up seven years ago.

There were some deliciously steamy love scenes that may melt your Kindle a bit. I loved every minute of this read and every word. Highly recommended, Sabrina Jeffries is an author who doesn’t disappoint!

Back from years of exile Niall Lindsey, the Earl of Margrave, is still trying to find his footing in England when he is recruited by the government to track down a counterfeiter. The problem is, the man responsible may be the father of the woman Niall once hoped to marry. Seven years ago Brilliana couldn't leave her sick mother to run away with Niall and is now a widow who is disillusioned with men and marriage and intends to protect her heart. Although she hates her father for his gambling, abandoning her and her mother, and then forcing her to marry someone to keep him out of debtor's prison, Bree doesn't want to see her father hanged as a counterfeiter. She agrees to help Niall get close to her father and discover the truth. The best way to do that? Pretend they are engaged. Can they set aside old hurts and pride to discover the counterfeit culprit, and possibly discover love again?

While all the "Sinful Suitors" series can be read as standalone books, having read The Study of Seduction and The Danger of Desire beforehand will help give additional background to The Pleasures of Passion. Many of the characters are recurring and the story of Niall, Brilliana, the duel that separated them, and Bree's previous marriage get started in these books. In Pleasure of Passion Niall and Bree quickly end up in an engagement of convenience, although they can't stand each other. Lies, betrayals, and secrets from seven years ago have colored how they see each other and buried the love they once had. Being forced to work together means spending time together, and eventually they hash out the misunderstandings of the past, while trying to get to know each other as the people they are now. Even before really knowing Bree as she is today, Niall decides he wants to marry her, not just pretend an engagement. But Bree is used to being deceived and abandoned by everyone and is convinced she can't trust, or love, again.

The mystery of the counterfeiter is more a catalyst for getting Niall and Bree to work together than a major plot point, although it plays a great part at the end of wrapping everything up in a funny yet serious scene that is one of the best in the book. Bree's Aunt Agatha especially gets to shine and steals the whole scene.

I'm not usually a huge fan of 'second chance' romances and Passion has many of the traits I find frustrating in them: the two main characters are so sure of their version of events, and so unwilling to talk about things that hurt feelings, misunderstandings and pride get in the way for most of the book. Both Niall and Bree say some pretty terrible things to each other and I wanted to smack both of them more than once and force them to sit down and talk. Both (especially Niall in my opinion) forget how young they were the first time around, and make no allowances for youth and inexperience. Niall quickly decides that even though he could never love her again, he wants to prove there is still passion between them. I never quite figured out why, except maybe he was trying to prove something to himself. The sparks between them seem to fluctuate as much as their trust in each other- when they are 'on' they are a great couple, otherwise not so much. Bree was, for me, the more sympathetic and relatable character- impacted by more bad luck than one person should have to deal with in life and cautious as a result.

The Pleasure of Passion was a bit more uneven than most of Sabrina Jeffries' books. The main characters didn't consistently grab me as they usually do, always seeming a bit distant and I had a tougher time than usual caring about them. But it does wrap up nicely the ongoing saga of Niall's duel and all its effects, as well as show us more about Baron Fulkham (who is the next book's hero). Perhaps not a book to recommend to those new to Jeffries' writing, but a good one for long time series fans to follow.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I've read and enjoyed a holiday novella from this series, so I was really looking forward to a full length book to see if I would enjoy it as much and hopefully have another historical series/author to get into.  THE PLEASURES OF PASSION was everything I was hoping it would be.  It was fun and sexy, and I literally read it in almost one sitting.

Niall and Brilliana were young and in love.  Hoping to marry and live happily ever after as only two young dreamers could.  Until they had to face a sad reality.  Niall's sister was raped and he killed her rapist in a duel.  To protect her honor and not allow rumors of what really happened, he takes on the blame as murderer and flees the country.  Hoping to take Bree with him.  But her family situation is also dire and she refuses to go.  Now seven years later, he's been allowed back and is once again facing the woman he loved all those years ago.  Now a widow and a mother.

I loved how romantic this story was!  The main characters were endearing and their feelings should've been talked about more openly, but I understood why there was some miscommunication in their relationship.  I fault mostly him for his blind belief in a certain someone.  But, even though I usually dislike miscommunication, this wasn't the main problem of their relationship in my opinion and so it didn't bother me enough.

There's a little intrigue to keep things interesting as Niall and Bree work together to either uncover her father's role in a counterfeit operation, or proof his innocence and hopefully save his life.

This is definitely a light historical romance type of read and it's exactly what I was looking for.  The writing flowed seamlessly, the dialogue was witty and I just wanted these two to finally get their second chance.  I'll be on the lookout for more from this author for sure.

If you love Regency romance and you're not already reading Sabrina Jeffries, I can't imagine why not. Author of over 50 best-selling novels, Ms. Jeffries knows exactly what her audience want and she delivers it in spades. No historical inaccuracies here; she knows her time period inside out.

This is the fourth book in The Sinful Suitors series, and I have to confess I haven't read the previous three, but it absolutely wasn't necessary. This book stands perfectly on its own.

Seven years ago, Niall Lindsey, heir to the then Earl of Margrave, was forced to flee England after killing another man in a duel. To save his sister's honour, he couldn't tell anyone why, not even Brilliana, the woman he loved. With a wastrel father and a mother on her deathbed, Brilliana could not bring herself to trust Niall's promise that he would marry her as soon as it could be arranged, and chose not to go with him. That fateful choice set the course for both their futures, and Niall can't bring himself to forgive and forget once he finally returns to England and finds Brilliana, now widowed, more temptingly beautiful than ever.

I have to admit that Niall's refusal to accept Brilliana's motives for not wanting to go with him were valid absolutely INFURIATED me. She was seventeen and he had a bad reputation, and had just confessed to killing a man in a duel, but wouldn't tell her why. Frankly, it would have been naive of her in the extreme to blithely accept his promises and run away with him. Eventually, he comes to see the situation from her point of view, but not until after learning that his father lied to her and hers forced her into an unwanted marriage.

I was also not very impressed with Niall's interactions with Silas, Brilliana's son. Niall was constantly thinking about HIS future children with Brilliana and I have to say that I felt Silas would come off a very poor second best when a younger sibling came along.

While Niall had some childish moments - his jealousy over the love he thought Brilliana felt for her dead husband was extremely juvenile - Brilliana herself was absolutely wonderful. She took absolutely none of Niall's nonsense. She was the one who spent the last seven years struggling to survive, while as far as she is concerned he spent the time living the high life in Spain and Portugal. While it is apparent that he did rather more than that, acting as a spy for England, he had an easy life compared to hers, which made his behaviour all the harder to swallow.

I love second-chance romances and I loved Brilliana, but Niall's entitled attitude and refusal to believe anything that didn't quite fit his version of events throughout most of the book had me gritting my teeth. Beautifully written, I still can't quite bring myself to give it five stars.

"'Perhaps I don't want to be reminded,' she said desperately."

FINAL DECISION: A lovely second chance at love story between two people who were torn apart by circumstances, fears, misunderstandings and deception. Niall and Brilliana are good people who must work through the past while maintaining a deception. There was less angst than I thought but that was countered by a genuine desire to recover what they have lost.

THE STORY: Seven years ago, Niall Lindsey, Earl of Margrave was forced to flee England when he killed a man in a duel. Niall was shocked when the woman he wanted to marry, Brilliana, refused to come with him. Niall comes to realize that Brilliana must never have loved him because she married another a mere year later. When a pardon allows Niall to return to England, he finds himself meeting Brilliana, who is now a widow with a young son, again. He intends to avoid the woman who broke his heart, but the man who orchestrated his pardon needs him and Brilliana to fake an engagement in order to ferret out a counterfeiter. Niall and Brilliana discover that the passion between them is still strong and there is much more to the story of the past than either alone knows.

OPINION: This is a second chance at love story. These two were torn apart mostly by circumstances but also by inexperience and their own ability to talk. Yes, this book's central conflict is two people who haven't sat down and had a conversation that might clear up misconceptions that both have over what happened in the past. But, of course, in the real world misconceptions are common between people and we are not likely to just sit down and have chats with people that we believe have broken our trust and our hearts. Because while this story might seem to be one about lack of communication, it is really about lack of trust and a willingness to do anything for the one we love.

And the truth is that seven years ago, Niall and Bree did not know how to love one another enough. This is shows deftly in this book as they unconsciously reverse all the things they did wrong the first time. Putting one another first. Believing in one another. Asking questions rather than accepting accusations.

This is not so much the story of the two uncovering what facts kept them apart before, but rather a demonstration of the maturity and growth of two people who missed their chance before.

Niall is a man of honor who fought a duel whose purpose he cannot tell Bree about. Readers of the series know that Niall killed the man who raped his sister. While exiled, he has been involved in political intrigued which has hurt his soul. His return to England has reunited him with his now happily married sister (THE STUDY OF SEDUCTION) but also brought him in contact with the woman he has never forgotten. Niall is now a more sober, more mature version of himself.

Brilliana, who Niall nicknames Bree, is a woman who has managed to cope with the disappointments life has brought her. Nothing horrible happened to her, but life did not have the joy and pleasure that looked to be promised when she was seventeen. She has, however, managed to find compensation and joy in other things, especially her art and her young son. And while she has never loved anyone but Niall, she doesn't know if she can risk herself again.

This book has wonderful characters and an intensity between these characters. Love or hate there is -- as the other characters in the book observe -- something hot and powerful between Niall and Bree. Something charged remains between them even if they don't know if they can move beyond the past.

I enjoyed this book very much with the caveat that I knew who the true villain was almost immediately and so the plotline of who is the mastermind behind the counterfeiting was obvious to me and thus less enjoyable.

WORTH MENTIONING: Baron Fulkham, spymaster, makes a significant appearance here in preparation for his own story coming up in the next book. There is also the setup of the characters that are in the next novella.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE PLEASURES OF PASSION is the fourth book in the Sinful Suitors series. This book can be read as a standalone because everything you need to know is revealed here, but I think the book is much better if you know the background of these characters including the secrets that Niall is keeping and the journey to return him to England.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

The Pleasures of Passion is a tale of misunderstanding, secrets and second chances. When Niall Lindsey, Earl of Margrave, and Brilliana Trevor were young they fell in love secretly. Suddenly Niall is in huge trouble after killing a man in a duel and he has to leave the country. He wants Brilliana to go with him, but family concerns and insecurity cause her to refuse. As time goes by with no word from Niall, Brilliana eventually marries and has a son.

The real story begins, of course, when Niall returns to England after seven years (he is obligated to do some work in exchange for a pardon). Brilliana's husband has died so things are all set for them to reunite, right? Not so fast. Brilliana thinks he has deserted her and Niall is hurt that she married so soon. Both of their fathers have had a hand in damaging their relationship. There is a counterfeiting scheme afoot that may be directly connected to Brilliana's family. Niall and Brilliana are forced to concoct a fake engagement to solve the mystery, causing old feelings to revive.

Sabrina Jeffries writes engaging stories and this is no exception. These two lovers were confronted with complications aplenty. The solution to the counterfeiting mystery was not revealed until nearly the end. Niall and Brilliana were so confused about their emotions and were locked into strong misconceptions about each other, but we never doubted that their young love was solid. All of this lead to a very satisfying ending. A solid, well-written Regency.

I really liked this historical read. The story is fast paced with lots of drama and suspense Niall and Brilliana were secretly in love when Niall is forced to leave the country. He is shocked when Brilliana offers him no promises and even more so when he learns that she has married. A widow now Niall is back to help catch a counterfeiter connected to her father. He discovers so much more. Entertaining read with great chemistry. I really liked it.

THE PLEASURES OF PASSION is the fourth installment in Sabrina Jeffries’ adult SINFUL SUITORS historical romance series- a spin off from Jeffries’ ‘The Duke’s Men’ series. This is Niall Lindsey, the Earl of Margrave, and Brilliana ‘Bree’ Trevor’s story line. THE PLEASURES OF PASSION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Niall Lindsey is the brother of Clarissa Lindsey (The Study of Seduction #2) and cousin to Warren Corry (The Danger of Desire #3).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Niall and Brilliana) THE PLEASURES OF PASSION is a second chance/fake fiancé story line that follows several paths beginning seven years earlier when a then twenty three year old Niall Lindsey finds himself on the run after killing a man in a duel to the death. His then seventeen year old ‘secret’ girlfriend Brilliana ‘Bree’ Trevor refuses to go, and seven years will pass before the two meet again. Fast forward to present day wherein Niall is being blackmailed by a government official to uncover the truth about an influx of counterfeit money, and Brilliana is forced to go along for the ride. What ensues is the rekindling romance between Niall and Brilliana as they hunt for the people responsible while pretending to love one another for the sake of the investigation.

Brilliana and Niall were once in love but Niall’s quick exit out of the country found Brilliana lost when her father’s past came looking for revenge. Forced to marry someone she didn’t love, our heroine did what she had to do to protect her mother from certain harm. Niall’s exile to Spain came with a price-spy for the Crown that continued upon his return to home. Rekindling his relationship with Bree is a hard-fought battle as they both keep secret sins of the past. The distinct lack of communication, bitter memories, misinformation and presumptions, and broken promises does much to destroy their previous feelings for one another challenging the reader in more ways than one. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Edwin and Clarissa (book 2), Warren and Delia (book 3), Niall’s mother Lady Margrave , Lord Fulkham, Bree’s Aunt Agatha, her father Sir Oswald Payne, and his brother Toby . There is also an assortment of ladies and gentlemen, housekeepers and butlers etc. that come in and out of the story line.

The world building follows the hunt for a counterfeiter; someone who is discretely using family without their knowledge. The second chance romance struggles with a palpable sexual attraction that is unable to come to terms with secrets and lies from the past.

THE PLEASURES OF PASSION is an energetic story line about two people who are given a second chance at love. The premise is engaging and moving; the characters are passionate and determined; the romance is energetic and fated. THE PLEASURES OF PASSION is a pleasing and worthwhile addition to Sabrina Jeffries’ SINFUL SUITORS historical romance series.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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I first discovered Sabrina Jeffries for her “Lord” trilogy (with books 1 and 3 in the trilogy a multiple reread for me) and this book confirmed me in my admiration for this author’s ability to build stories and characters that have their own specific features with no to very little borrowing from one another, which is remarkable in such a populated genre as romance. Furthermore, Ms Jeffries does not simply write romances, she builds a whole world of relations that makes for very solid series where you can’t wait for a character’s own book.
This book in particular connects very closely to the second book in the Sinful Suitor series (The Study of Seduction) and while it can be read as a standalone, I strongly recommend reading at least book 2 first since it provides the background for this story of second chances.
Niall (the Hero) and Bree (the heroine) were very much in love with each other when they were respectively 23 and 17 but an unfortunate incident, negative circumstances, deliberate manipulations perpetrated by their respective parents as well as their poor judgement of other people’s character due to their young age lead to a 7 years separation and mutual accusations of being the cause of the end of their relationship. A H’s friend need to track down a counterfeiter of banknotes throws them back together and sparks ignite all over, but this time a more mature character will enable them to see through deceit and personal fears and they will not waste their second chance at love.
The story is fast paced, the romance is steamy, you have the right amount of element of suspence to keep you entertained while the romance keeps you hooked to the book and the only reason why I did not rate it 5/5 stars is that I personally resent second chances stories because I do not want to miss how H/h fell in love with each other in the first place and despite some flashbacks that build up is generally entirely lost, and in that respect this book makes no exception. On the other hand, this novel got me hooked to the point of neglecting my housechores and is a wholly entertaining read. Just be ware of becoming addicted to the whole serie sas I did.

A disappointing read from the wonderful Ms Jeffries. This review got such a low star rating because I feel that the author has written a largely unbelievable story.
The two protagonists are Niall and Briliana, who had met years earlier at Bath but had to split (he was killed a man in a duel and she entered a loveless marriage) and now have been reunited to unmask a scheme by a master 'forger'. This book could have been half the size if the two protagonists spoke to each other and the writing was littered with many 'Americanisms' e.g., fiance instead of betrothed, pregnant= with child (as a little research would have revealed that Britons in the 19th century did not speak like that). Overall, this book felt like a Harlequin romance book with a dubious plot that wrapped way too easily.

This book was an absolute pleasure! It’s been a while since I’ve read a Sabrina Jeffries book and after reading this one I wondered why I had let it go so long.

Niall has ardently courted Brilliana behind their families’ as well as society’s back. They are both in love and waiting for the day Bree makes her coming out so they will no longer have to hide their relationship. When Niall kills a man in a duel he is sent away. Before he leaves, he begs Brilliana to come away with him. Due to several warranted concerns, she remains behind with the understanding that she will contact him when she is free from her responsibilities. Niall never hears from her again. Seven years later he has been pardoned and has returned to London, his family and society. But not to Brilliana.

This story had lots of plot devices that kept these two apart and considering the era, they were completely acceptable. It starts off fast and never slows down as they each work out their issues. Of course there were times that I just wanted to shake them for not speaking up regarding the reasons their plans had not worked out when they were younger.

Brilliana is a heroine who has had her heart broken throughout life and in the process learned how to protect it. She is strong and independent and determined to make the best life possible for her and her son. Niall was hurt deeply by Bree’s apparent abandonment. However, it doesn’t take him long to realize that he still wants her and he sets out to use their situation in an attempt to win her back.

This is a fast paced read with lots of great banter and plenty of steam. Definitely a read I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical romances.

ARC provided for an honest review

Dual POV
Safe
No triggers

The Pleasures of Passion Sabrina Jeffries 5 stars

I have read and loved all the Sinful Suitors series, but this one might be my favorite. Niall Lindsey fought and killed a man in a duel for good reason. He must flee to Europe and wants his love, Brilliana, to come with him. She refuses to go with him as her mother is very ill. Seven years later he is pardoned, but the government insists he work for them on a case that involves Brilliana’s father, Sir Oswald Payne.

Brilliana is now a widow with a young son. Attending her friend Clarissa’s dinner party, she discovers Clarissa “forgot” to tell her that Niall would also be attending. After Niall left England, she was told lies about him and is glad she did not accompany him. Between Niall, her father and her husband she has learned not to trust men.

Niall’s friend and England’s spymaster, Lord Fulkham, has a “job” for the two of them involving her father and forged banknotes. She tries to tell them she is not close to her father, but if he arrests her father she and her son will have to deal with the scandal. Forced to accept Lord Fulkham’s “request” she and Niall are forced to spend time together and....
Yes, eventually there is a HEA, but I will not tell you how they get there. This is a wonderful story and I hope I’ve enticed you to try it.

This was a good book. Officially I give it 3.5 stars because I was a little disappointed at how it started. I was glad that I stuck with it because everything turned out fine and they gained love in the end. A good read for any Jeffries fan!

The Pleasures of Passion has been one of my anticipated reads ever since I finished Warren and Delia's book. The glimpse we got of Niall and Brilliana in that book had me intrigued, so I was so excited when I got approved for the ARC on Netgalley.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed that it wasn't as great as I hoped it'd be. Mostly it's because both Niall and Bree treated each other under misapprehension in the first half of the book, and I'm so not a fan of miscommunication as a source of conflict. It's only after they cleared the air in the 50% mark that I was able to enjoy the book better.

Plus points: Bree's love for her son Silas, Aunt Agatha's BAMF-ness, the whole mission to bring down the counterfeiting scheme.

It's another winner for one of my favorite authors. MS Jeffries has written a spectacular book that will appeal to all. The characters were real with thoughts and feelings of their own. The story line was very good and had me at first chapter. Even though this is a series, it can be read as a stand alone.
Brilliana Payne and Niall Lindsay were young and in love with no other thoughts but their own. But then Niall has to leave because of a duel where he killed a man. He wants his Brilliana to go with him to Spain where they can live and be happy. Even though she loves him, she can't leave because of her mother being so ill. They have words that become wounds to the heart, and that is that.
Several years have gone by for both of them. Niall has been pardoned and Brilliana married while he was in another country. He thinks she's betrayed him and goes on with his life.
Now Niall has come back to as a spy to infiltrate a counterfeit operation in which Brilliana's father is attached to. He needs her help and will do anything to make sure she complies with his plan. They have a not of issues to deal with, but along the way they begin to take up where they left off.
Love blossoms again between them and a few mysteries are solved. I sure love a happy ending.
I appreciate net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

There’s nothing I love more than a well-written reunion romance, and with The Pleasures of Passion Sabrina Jeffries has delivered an excellent one. Niall and Brilliana’s story is lively, engaging, passionate, and so addictive that I read it in one sitting.

At seventeen and twenty-three respectively, Brilliana and Niall were hopeful, naïve, and in love. But when Niall was forced to flee England after a duel, Brilliana refused to run away with him. It’s easy to see why the two of them were first torn apart: they were young, unprepared for what happened, and easily manipulated by those they trusted. Seven years later, Niall has been pardoned and is allowed to return to England while Brilliana is a widow determined to build a good life for her son. Sparks flew between them when they met again for the first time in the previous Sinful Suitors book, The Danger of Desire, but with so much hurt and misunderstanding between them, both are content to merely avoid one another. Fate has different plans for them. Both of them are forced to work together to try and learn if Brilliana’s father is involved in a counterfeiting scheme, and close quarters mean old feelings are sure to surface. Normally I’m not a fan of big misunderstandings or secrets, but surprisingly it didn’t bother me in The Pleasures of Passion. Even though I wanted Niall and Brilliana to open up right away, it was logical why they had trouble trusting one another and why they kept their secrets close to their hearts.

As individuals, Brilliana and Niall are likeable characters; they’re smart, loyal, have good hearts, and they care deeply for their loved ones. As a couple, their chemistry is fantastic. It’s clear that – old wounds aside – the two of them have never stopped loving each other. Because of this, there’s emotion running through every scene, making the pages fairly crackle with energy. I couldn’t put The Pleasures of Passion down because I wanted to see them find the happily ever after that was so long overdue for them. Add in a web of lies and deception the two of them must untangle in order to crack a counterfeiting case, and it’s easy to see why there’s never a dull moment in this book. I absolutely adored Niall and Brilliana’s story and I cannot wait to see what Ms. Jeffries has in store for the intriguing spymaster Baron Fulkham in the next Sinful Suitors book!

I love second chance romances and Sabrina Jeffries really did this story justice. Niall and Brilliana work through their hurt to find their way back to each other. Their journey is full of sexual tension but also witty. Another win for Jeffries! I love her work.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2034126886

When Brilliana "Bree" was only seventeen years old, she fell in love with Niall Lindsey, the heir to an earldom. The two have been meeting secretly, as neither have met the other's family yet. When a distraught Niall tells Bree that he is in deep trouble and must leave the country immediately, he begs Bree to come with him. Because Niall has only mentioned marriage in a vague way, and he won't tell her the full details of what has happened, Bree chooses not to leave with him. In addition, her mother is very ill, and Bree's wastrel father certainly won't take care of her. Thus, Niall leaves, but begs Bree to contact his father, who will know how to reach him. Fast forward a few months, and Niall receives correspondence from his father which includes a notice of Bree's wedding to a Captain Trevor.

It's now seven years later, and due to Niall's successful spying while in exile, he has been granted a pardon and is able to return to England and claim his title of Earl of Margrave, since his father has died. The man who was Margrave's spymaster, Fulkham, has one final assignment for him before he frees him to live his own life. Unfortunately, that assignment is to pose as the fiancé of Bree, who is now widowed. Bree's estranged father is suspected of being involved in counterfeiting, and her agreeing to partake in this assignment will garner her father a lesser sentence. Though she has no love for her father, and certainly doesn't want to spend time with Margrave, Bree doesn't want to see her father hanged either, so she agrees.

Obviously there is a lot of anger and bitterness between Bree and Margrave. Each feels they are the wronged party and that the other betrayed them. In fact there are multiple instances of deception, false gossip, coercion, and interference from others, all contributing to the demise of their youthful love affair. Slowly, they begin to learn the truths of what really happened, and realize that they still feel a burning desire for each other, though the love is gone. Or, is it?

Seven years is a long time to be apart, and Bree and Margrave are different people now. He's grown cynical, while she realizes how dreary marriage can be. I enjoyed watching them fall back in love, though I felt sad at the disillusioned people they had become. So much heartache could have been avoided if they both had just trusted each other and told each other the truth seven years ago. THE PLEASURES OF PASSION contains romance, mystery, and betrayal, while handily allowing Bree and Margrave to see their own mistakes, and how they were misinterpreted, as fate grants them the sweet gift of a second chance at love.