Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas Series: Wallflowers #3
Published by Avon on January 1, 2006
Pages: 384
Genres: Historical Romance
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"I'm Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. I can't be celibate. Everyone knows that."
Desperate to escape her scheming relatives, Evangeline Jenner has sought the help of the most infamous scoundrel in London.
A marriage of convenience is the only solution.
No one would have ever paired the shy, stammering wallflower with the sinfully handsome viscount. It quickly becomes clear, however, that Evie is a woman of hidden strength—and Sebastian desires her more than any woman he's ever known.
Determined to win her husband's elusive heart, Evie dares to strike a bargain with the devil: If Sebastian can stay celibate for three months, she will allow him into her bed.
When Evie is threatened by a vengeful enemy from the past, Sebastian vows to do whatever it takes to protect his wife... even at the expense of his own life.
Together they will defy their perilous fate, for the sake of all-consuming love.
I chose to read Devil in Winter as part of the Ultimate Reading Challenge for September 2018 which is to read a book outside your comfort zone. Historical romances are definitely something I avoid, but I bit the bullet and dove in.
Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! It turns out that I actually am a fan of historical romance—this particular one, at least. I had all these pre-conceived notions of fainting virgins, tight corsets (ergo, the fainting?), overly formal speech, and watered down romance. In other words, boring. Devil in Winter erased my misgivings and made me wonder why I’ve avoided this genre for so long.
Evie is shy and has tendency to stutter, but it turns out that she is no shrinking violet when she sets her mind on something. In fact, she is brave enough to go toe to toe with Lord St. Vincent, an infamously unscrupulous rake.
Far from boring, their romance is captivating and clever. I thoroughly enjoyed St. Vincent’s confusion and frustration over his reluctant growing attraction to Evie. Their interactions are witty, and I must say I was surprised that there’s quite a bit of heat between the pair! Evie’s despicable relatives and unpredictable threats add a thrilling sense of urgency to the plot.
I admit there are several archaic terms with which I was unfamiliar, but that’s the great thing about Kindle’s dictionary feature. This entire story is a pure delight. I’m already searching for another Lisa Kleypas book to read.
Recommended for fans of:
Historical romance
Marriages of convenience
Unscrupulous manwhores
The Challenge Continues…
The #UltimateReadingChallenge for October is to read a book with your favorite trope. There are so many to choose from. Sports romances, second chance romance, friends to lovers, forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, and single parent romance are just a few tropes. I have no idea which one I’ll pick!
▸ Submit your review link for previous months ➙ http://bit.ly/2m50x4P.
▸ For details & to sign up for the challenge ➙ https://wp.me/p6Rh5Y-1Mq
About Lisa Kleypas
After graduating from Wellesley College with a political science degree, Lisa Kleypas published her first novel at age twenty-one. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She is a RITA award-winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.
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