Smitten by Books

Song of Seduction
Author: Carrie Lofty
Publisher: Carina Press
Pub. Date: June 7, 2010
ISBN-13: 978426890024
Retail: $4.79
Novella

Tormented by guilt. Haunted by scandal. Freed by love.

Austria, 1804

Eight years ago, composer Arie De Voss claimed his late mentor’s final symphony as his own and became an icon. But fame has a price: fear of discovery now poisons his attempts to compose a redemptive masterpiece. Until a new muse appears, intoxicating and inspiring him…

Mathilda Heidel renounced her own musical gift to marry, seeking a quiet life to escape the shame surrounding her birth. Sudden widowhood finds her tempted by song once more. An unexpected introduction to her idol, Arie De Voss, renews Mathilda’s passion for the violin—and ignites a passion for the man himself.

But when lust and lies reach a crescendo, Arie will be forced to choose: love or truth?

~*~*~

Carrie Lofty’s Song of Seduction is a novel of sheer perfection. Her talent and writing transcends the limits of art and emotions that can be conveyed through words on a page. Never has a book so eloquently stated the influence of music and the bond it creates between two people.

Arie is a musician who enjoys solitude and music. At the beginning he is a shallow, hollow form of a man, trapped in guilt and shame of past transgressions, but still possessing a burning desire to compose music. Such detachment from society forces his intolerable outings to be brief until he meets Matilda Heidel. She becomes his muse…a face for his inspiration to create beautiful, timeless music. Matilda captures his heart and warms his soul.

Matilda Heidel was torn away from her music because of marriage and the everyday duties as a new wife. Now a widow, Matilda is eager to have the opportunity for her idol Arie De Voss to tutor her. She is dismayed when she discovers Arie is a not the idol she imagined him to be. Still, Matilda finds she cannot resist the appeal of Arie’s talent and the music he creates.

Matilda displays such passion to any music she plays and Arie exerts that same passion to the music he composes. She perceives him as no one else does by being exposed to his music and he sees a stunning woman whose talent can match his own. This ultimate attraction throws them both off guard, but neither is willing to let go of the other.

He took her pendant between the thumb and forefinger, grinning…”Your Morgengabe. A strange word.”

“You asked about it?”

He nodded. “A gift from your husband because you were an innocent on your wedding night.”

Her lungs shunned breath. “Yes.”

“A pity” he whispered. “I should have liked to give it to you instead.”

Music is their language, their communication and their ultimate weapon of seduction. It is the means by which they break down each other’s barriers. There are pages where they do not utter even a single word but volumes are spoken through music and what it communicates to the other person. It says what they are too afraid to say…what they can’t vocalize with any amount of words. It is how a frustrated composer communicates to his muse and how a shy and timid widow communicates to her idol.

Gently, and rendered with as much skill and passion as he had ever encountered, Frau Heidel played Love and Freedom. She produced the right degree of vibrato, innately aware of how her dynamic fingers conjured magic from four strings. Tones shimmered and wept. Upon reaching the movements stark adagio, she slowed and swayed. Her intensity never wavered…

He strained the muscles in his neck, and the very limits of his musical faculties to identify any poorly executed note. But her intonation remained flawless. In her hands, the symphony sounded divine. Effortless.

Lofty’s writing is as lyrical as any piece of music. She writes phrases that jump right off the page and into your soul. It becomes so powerful you can actually develop a sense of the music, allowing yourself to hear what these characters are creating. Beautifully composed and painfully descriptive, Carrie pulls such emotion with her writing you hold your breath in anticipation of the next phrase and its sheer beauty. The characters she creates are carefully crafted to have flaws, insecurities, desires, dreams, and every amazing aspect pushes the character a little further into your heart. Lofty adds a unique twist by including famous composers and musicians as additional characters to the story. This all makes the novel a tender, emotional and heartwarming journey. If you have any appreciation for music and treasure a well-written story, Song of Seduction is the answer. This story will stay with you long after you have read it.

Rating: 9.5 ( Near Perfection!)

Heat-Level: 4 (Hot)

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