A review by nickartrip102
Into Temptation by Penny Vincenzi

3.0

“Secrets have a chameleon-like quality: changing in form and character as they move from place to place, from person to person. Thus an exquisite love story becomes a torrid love affair; an act of mercy becomes a crime; innocent love becomes incest, fidelity fraud, generosity fecklessness, discretion cowardice…”

Once again I expected to put some distance between reading these books, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to go ahead and finish this wonderfully addictive series. Into Temptation is the third and final book in Penny Vincenzi's The Spoils of Time trilogy and shifts the main focus of the story to New York City and Barty Miller. Barty the saint. Or is she as good as she appears? Rescued from the slums as a baby and raised with the Lytton clan, Barty is now living in New York and holds more than half of the ownership in the Lytton publishing house. My, my, how the tables turn!

Spoilers ahead:

”I wish you well with your fucking Nazi.” Only a few pages in and this book had already thrown my through a loop. I think it’s a bit of a shame that we didn’t get to witness Oliver’s death on the page. He was the head of the family and this would have been a nice moment, but since the women have always been at the center of this novel I didn’t mind too terribly much. What I did mind was Celia deciding to marry Lord Arden! I understood why Sebastian was upset, and I’m glad he got a jab in about the vile couple’s Nazi past. It’s honestly a bit naive to expect Celia to marry her mistress. It would be terribly common. Even Mrs. Keppel knew her place, Sebastian darling.

Men really are rather abhorrent creatures. I am one, so I can vouch for that, and I have the misfortune of being attracted to them as well. My love of men makes about as much sense as Elspeth’s love for Keir. What an atrocious little poverty-loving bully. I didn’t particularly care for the fact that Celia concealed his infidelity from Elspeth. I know she used it to force Keir to conform to a life that would make Elspeth happier, but still. Some family loyalty would have been nice. I didn’t find him to a particularly great character, no matter how “sexy” they all find him. Blah. Speaking of family loyalty, Kit is equally monstrous. What a little creep. I’m definitely of the opinion that he was in need for a god thrashing. I understand being upset with Celia, but he took it a bit far. His behavior was childish.

On the subject of “sexy” men with no other redeeming qualities, how about that Charlie? It didn’t make sense to me at all that Barty would marry him! What a slime ball. I have to be completely honest, I was starting to lose some interest in this story and started looking forward to the bits about Adele, until the ultimate act of devastation occurs.

Spoiler

BARTY DIES. WHAT? Has the poor woman not suffered enough!? I couldn’t stand her for much of the series, but I still had a certain fondness for her! I need her to come out on top!

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Okay. Adele. Poor creature. Out of everyone, I really hoped she would have a calm, nice story. Instead we get yet another despicable man in the form of Geordie. After what she endured with Luc it really felt like too much! It did, however, make me much more sympathetic to young Lucas. Poor boy. It was nice to see the way Venetia cared for her throughout. Adele and Venetia are still my favorite characters!

Jenna grows up to be just as silly as her mother. Charlie deserved some comeuppance. This was definitely the weakest in the trilogy for me and I absolutely despised the new man introduced in this story, but like the books I couldn’t tear myself away from it. Even in weaker moments, The Spoils of Time series is addictive and wonderfully melodramatic.