Despite the fact that I felt I had read the story before in many different guises, I did enjoy Tracy Anne Warren's Tempted by His Kiss. The author's writing style is basic, yet I did not find myself bored. The characterization is not particularly deep - described rather than shown - but it works.

On the face of it, little about this book seems original: the cover artwork like thousands of other Avon books (i.e. toe-curlingly cheesy); the blurb on the back overblown; the gushing recommendation from another Avon author; the 'faux engagement' plot; the brooding hero; the rather pushy and independent heroine... the list goes on.

Historical accuracy, too typically in the genre, is dodgy at times, mainly regarding dialogue where people speak American to each other. I was also very unsure if many of the names would ever have appeared in 19th-century England. Nevertheless, I liked Tempted by His Kiss as a light, gentle, non-taxing read. If the unlikelihood of some events can be overlooked (I could) and readers just go along with the tale, many readers will enjoy it. Apparently the start of a series, it looks like one that should make good holiday reading.