When her pursuit of the truth and the hunt for a story lands the heroine is hot water and in the mist of a scandal to her reputation, she's sent to the Cornish countryside to live with her aunt and uncle. But the heroine has the nose for trouble and she soon sniffs out mystery in the quiet fishing town. The hero, grieving the loss of his father and struggling under the debts he'd inherited made the mistake of involving himself in a snuggling ring. Charged with the crime, he turned on the men he sponsored but still, he'll do anything to make amends for the pain and death his actions have caused. He's sent home, back to where he spent his childhood and into the house where his father burned to death to uncover the underground snuggling ring and expose those responsible. One night, the hero and heroine each find themselves wondering the countryside and lost in the magical mist around them, they take shelter in a church. Drawn together by fate and more than a little attraction, they find themselves tied together by the ghost and spirits all around them. Despite the hero's valid attempts to both prevent the heroine from involving herself in matters that very well result in her death or serious injury or the ill advised notation of involving herself with a man with such guilt upon his soul, the heroine's pride and stubborn naivety keeps her from listening to reason. On numerous occasions she stubbles into one perilous situation or another and the hero must rescue her. He soon realizes that in order to keep the woman safe, he must keep watch over her. But the plan comes with it's one dangers. Mainly because no matter how hard he tries he finds himself drawn to her and the sense of completeness she inspires within him. And she doesn't help matters with her open readiness to surrender to him. But soon it's apparent that the smuggling ring goes deeper than imagined and spans the entire town they live in. Lost in the chaos of secrets and myths and two faced characters, the hero and heroine must battle not only for truth and justice but for the love that could be if they survive. I enjoyed this book to an extent but found it dragged it's butt on more than one occasion. I thought the hero was a bit whiny and I found the heroine to be obnoxious at times. Yes, she had the thirst for adventure and the idea of feminism to urge her to insert herself in dangerous situations but I found her to be too stubborn to be likeable. I like my heroine's to be intelligent enough to realize that in the time period they live in, it's a matter of fact that a woman just can't do things a man can do. And she was from London. Even if she was not the typical well bred lady, she should know enough that a single unwed woman just shouldn't wonder the beach or the countryside alone at night! It's frustrating when her stupid choices result in the near death of the hero as he tries to save her. It just reiterates the fact that the woman is silly and recluse and in need of a man to help her out of problems. Over all I thought the story was meh . ( )

For those who like eerie gothic tales with intrepid heroines, a hero to be redeemed and ghostly machinations, "Dark Temptation" should be just what you've been looking for. Allison Chase's second Blackheath Moor novel is just as brooding and mysterious as the moors themselves.

Sophie has been carted off to Cornwall after her efforts to get a scoop on a story for her grandfather's newspaper resulted in a scandal. But the nearby estate of Edgecombe harbors dark secrets that thrill and enthrall Sophie...especially after she meets the lord of Edgecombe, Chad.

Chad has come to his father's favorite retreat to try and pay penance for his unknowing involvement in a murderous scheme. On his way there, he's accosted by a ghost he assumes is a reminder of his guilt. But there are more secrets hiding in this remote area of Cornwall and Chad will have to face his nightmares and new opponents to win both Sophie and peace.

Very gothic, with NC-17 sexual overtones, "Dark Temptation" pulled me back to my preteen reading days when 'horrid novels' were my guilty reading pleasures. Ominous weather, dark secrets, danger in shadowy corners, hidden passages, ghosts, stormy seas, stark cliffs, abandoned mansions, etc are all the hallmarks of these stories and Allison Chase managed to include them all. Not a book for my personal keeper shelf, but not one I'm sorry to have read. ( )