Seducing the Skeptic by Kathy Lyons

Kathy Lyons creates a fascinating modern-day Narnia adventure in Seducing the Skeptic. A time-traveling theoretical physicist Janet (so what if she was just kicked out of her PhD program?) and an otherworldly (and oh, so handsome) Prince Keevan are thrown together Narnia-style with the assistance of a closet portal. Fun, exciting and full of romantic (or more) interludes, Seducing the Skeptic kept me fully entertained to the last page.

Desperate to save her fellowship, theoretical physicist Janet Mason has 48 hours to build a better thesis when she tumbles into a strange fantasy world with demented birds, farmers shaped like frogs, and one hot, frustrating prince.

Cornered by angry beasts, Prince Keeven is moments away from death when Janet’s sudden appearance creates a much-needed distraction. Finally, the gods have smiled upon his quest and sent an angel to fight by his side.

Janet is convinced she’s gone insane. But the more time she spends fighting evil with the fascinating Prince, the faster she falls in love with madness.

Then Janet finds a way back, just as Keeven faces his worst enemy. They have one chance to save both worlds, but only if they sacrifice everything they’ve ever wanted.

First things first, I am a total sucker for a really intelligent heroine, and Janet delivered on that front. Her specific educational background helps her to navigate this completely new world from a very scientific perspective (which was so cool!). Also, Janet’s entrance into this new world was abrupt and right into the middle of the action, so she never really has time to panic. Even when out of her element (hello – in a whole new world), Janet keeps it together and her sarcasm remains in tact.

Switching gears, the hero in this story, Prince Keevan, was delightful man-candy, but didn’t really lead the story. He’s the Prince that needs to lead/save his people, though there wasn’t much of that princely action until the last third or quarter of the book. Prior to that, we are just getting to know Keevan – a guy who is exhausted and overwhelmed by the weight of his responsibilities. I enjoyed his vulnerability and his openness with Janet (refreshing to him because he doesn’t appear to have a confidant). It was a slight change of pace for a romance (I say this because of the focus on his physical strength and his cultural importance).

The story was incredibly out there, but wholly satisfying. The intense imagery kept me dying to continue reading. Each time I had to put down Seducing the Skeptic, it was an event (complete with much sighing and eye rolling). The Narnia-esque comparison was fair, but the story was in true Kathy Lyons/Jade Lee fashion – smart, witty writing with lovely dialogue and a captivating tale – this story found me at exactly the right time. Seducing the Skeptic contained everything that I was looking for: a solid plot, entertaining and independent heroine, sexy AF hero, and the promise of (potentially) many more adventures in a world that I have so many questions about (in the best way). Thank you, Kathy, and I hope that you find the time in your schedule to continue this fun, intellectual and oh, so satisfying series.

About Sarah 47 Articles
A 30-something mother of a teenage (going on 30) daughter, I read between 4-8 books a week. Between work, chauffeur responsibilities, and reading, I don’t have much free time . However, I do like to knit and crochet in the winter (quality scarves and hats are highly underrated!). My favorite genres are urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal romance. I tend to binge read when I find a great new series, so I love to discover new-to-me series that already have several books out.