Exactly as the title suggests. All about passion is a story all about passion and intrigue and what a man should be. Very whorthwile reading this book.

First of all, this book started off horribly in my opinion. The 'hero' sounds like an idiot and a jerk. The 'heroine' makes assumptions all over the place and then winds up in a position she isn't happy with. However, in my opinion, at least her assumptions and actions were mostly justified, while the 'hero' comes off looking like pond scum.

Towards the middle of the book, our 'hero' is looking up. He isn't so alpha and stupid. The 'heroine' decides to make the best of the situations, and I think she does a pretty good job.

There wasn't much of a mystery, and by that I mean it was pretty obviouos who the bad guy was. And the ending was predictable. However, the book definately got better as it went on.

All in all, this isn't my favorite book by any means, but it was a nice distraction once we got past the 'hero' being an idiot. Pick it up if you are a fan of the Cynster books or Stephanie Laurens in general, because while this isn't the best example of her work, it isn't the worst either.

I loved the characters, excellent plot development, extremely sensual, what more could a reader ask for?

Gyles or Chillingworth was a character in the first six Bar Cynster novels. He is called an honorary Bar Cynster because he was a school friend, similar in personality and is a friendly rival toward some of the Bar Cynster's in their pursuits of their wives.

Chillingworth decides he will marry but will never fall in love with his wife. His will be an arranged marriage. Upon finding out the owner of the land adjacent his is a young woman of marriagable age and the land will pass onto her husband as a dowry, he makes an offer of marriage to her uncle sight unseen. Chillingworth spots a boring young woman sitting in the garden and assumes it is his intended bride. He then runs into a brazen young woman with an Italian accent and is immediately attracted. He thinks she would make an excellent mistress after he marries. Surprise, surprise, he finds out on his wedding day the attractive Italian woman is his fiance. They have no choice but to marry.

When Chillingworth tells his young wife that he only wants a marriage of convenience with a couple of heirs they make an agreement, that after their heirs are born they may have discreet affairs. Of course, she doesn't really want that and sets out to change his mind. Also, an unknown enemy is trying to kill her.

I think I liked this book better than some of the Bar Cynster novels. Francesca is not a boring leading lady content to be an old maid, Chillingworth is stubborn but has that special appeal that keeps him from being unlikable. If you enjoy the Cynster novels, don't miss this one.

I will only ask this question once: Could somebody PLEASE write a good romance novel that has a good plot and doesn't contain page after page of an unappealing couple practicing the Kama Sutra? I was ready to give up on this book after so many pages of "tangling tongues" and so on until somebody was obviously trying to kill Francesca. Now THAT caught my attention. Unfortunately, it was only her goofy cousin whom Gyles had at first mistaken for his betrothed, proving to be a huge waste of time. I do not like weak romance novels and, unfortunately, this is another one of them. If you want a good romance novel that isn't offensive and is completely engaging, try Pig in a Park by Pauline Baird Jones.