Lisa Kleypas - Devil in Spring (Ravenel #3)

An eccentric wallflower 

Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she's ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.

A cynical rake 

After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn't be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He'll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil's own bargain. 

A perilous plot 

After succumbing to Gabriel's skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. But soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavors have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy--and only her husband can keep her safe. As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realize their devil's bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven . .

Sparrowgal's rating: 7/10 (B)

Sparrowgal's thoughts - Spoiler alert!

Having read the other books in the series, perhaps I was expecting too much of this book. This is the third book in the Ravenel series, about Pandora, the more boisterous of the Ravenel twins.

Pandora is a thoroughly modern female, who is intent on making a board game and be successful. She is not interested in marriage but is forced to have a season, which, due to an unfortunate circumstance, she is forced to marry.

It's all rather amusing - typical Pandora is reaching for an object and gets stuck in a settee by her dress and needs assistance extracting herself. She is helped by Gabriel, Lord St Vincent (who is the oldest son of the Sebastian and Evie from Devil in Winter).

I couldn't quite see the chemistry between them. Neither wanted to marry, and Pandora was very vocal and all her delightful quirks (outspoken, making up words, well read) and demanded a whole lot of conditions in the marriage. Gabriel seemed rather indulgent, with his only vice being that he kept a mistress with whom he quite rapidly forgot once he was in Pandora's company. The two families hit it off rather well when the Ravenels were invited to Duke of Kingstons' residence (Sebastian is now Duke) for a week of getting to know one another, that they quite liked the articulate and outrageous Pandora.

To me though, Pandora is rather childish for her age. She lacks the worldliness or pragmatism of Helen from Marrying Winterborne. Even when she is injured, she doesn't seem to understand the implications of what has occurred and it doesn't even seem to fill her with any formand I couldn't feel very atttached to Gabriel despite him being a lovely gentleman. I think I enjoyed the cameo appearances from characters from other books in the series more than I liked their romance myself, but it was by no means a bad read. Just not as engaging or appealing to my taste in books as the others in the series.

It was nice to have a small introduction at the beginning with Sebastian and Evie so you know that it is part of that series, but I am glad they were not involved in the book too much, as it would have detracted from the Pandora and Gabriel's story.

It seemed a whirlwind to go from engaged to being in love for one week, and I have to applaud Gabriel for being a modern husband for the times

The sensual scenes were typical Kleypas - tasteful but not over the top and not repetitive.

Overall worth a read, but I probably wouldn't read it again.

Lisa Kleypas - Marrying Winterborne (Ravenels #2)

A ruthless tycoon 

Savage ambition has brought common-born Rhys Winterborne vast wealth and success. In business and beyond, Rhys gets exactly what he wants. And from the moment he meets the shy, aristocratic Lady Helen Ravenel, he is determined to possess her. If he must take her virtue to ensure she marries him, so much the better . . .

A sheltered beauty 

Helen has had little contact with the glittering, cynical world of London society. Yet Rhys's determined seduction awakens an intense mutual passion. Helen's gentle upbringing belies a stubborn conviction that only she can tame her unruly husband. As Rhys's enemies conspire against them, Helen must trust him with her darkest secret. The risks are unthinkable . . . the reward, a lifetime of incomparable bliss. And it all begins with-- Marrying Mr. Winterborne

Sparrowgal's rating: 9.5/10

Sparrowgal's thoughts - Spoiler alert!

This book flows straight on from the first book in the series, Cold Hearted Rake. I really enjoyed the first book that I couldn't wait to read the second book and I enjoyed this book even MORE than the first book!

Admittedly I wasn't impressed with quiet, mousy Helen, who was the sweet unassuming and timid seeming sister of the Ravenels. She was so unlike her hot tempered siblings that it didn't surprise me that the twist in the book turned out to be that she was born out of an affair that her mother had with Rhys Winterborne's enemy, Albion Vance. Rhys was a bastard in the first book as well, threatening to compromise Kathleen, so I was highly unimpressed with him thinking how am I going to like this guy.

However, my opinion of her rapidly changed. She realises her own timidness is her weakness and she quietly confronts Rhys after their engagement is broken in the first book and wants it to be reinstated, and asks him to ruin her, because he her quietness was her disgust at his lowborn status and she was anxious because she didn't know how to let him know how she felt. After their first time together, their love for one another was sealed, and it is evident throughout the whole book.

The twist comes when Helen finds a letter hidden in some books that her mother wrote to her lover, saying that Helen was his daughter, and not the daughter of the Ravenel Earl. Helen is horrified and wants to tell Rhys but keeps it till later, until she suddenly finds out that Kathleen's English "foster parents'" nephew is in fact her father, who is also the man who caused the death of one of Rhys' close friends - Vance had an affair with the wife of Rhys' friend, and she died in childbirth, and his friend committed suicide. Rhys has told her that any child of that man is a devil so she is afraid to lose him when he finds out the truth about her birth.

Albion Vance is a snake who tries to blackmail Helen, threatening to expose her as his daughter and thus ruining the marriage between her and Rhys. Helen holds her own, and using her wiles finds out that her half sister, born out of an affair Vance had with Rhys' friend's wife, was being fostered. When she locates the carer, she finds that the little child has been put into one of the harshest orphanages in London, and she takes her new friend Garrett (London's only female surgeon, who helped Rhys after a building fell on him!) with her and takes the child as her own.

She runs away with the child to escape Vance, but Rhys catches up to her and is furious until she tells him the truth and of course, he still loves her and he adopts the child as his own.

I loved how Helen's nature showed how much she cared for everyone around her. She was a genuinely sweet woman! Rhys was very generous and loving towards Helen, and her family after he made up with Devon Ravenel.

I liked that Rhys made his fortune for hard work and cleverness, and how he loved Helen throughout the whole book. Helen's quiet assertiveness was endearing! The story also introduced Garrett and Ethan Ransom - who appear as the characters in the 4th book in the series.

This is a book I could easily read again!

Lisa Kleypas - Cold Hearted Rake (Ravenel #1)

A twist of fate
Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities...and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house - along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own.  

A clash of wills 
 Kathleen knows better than to trust a ruthless scoundrel like Devon. But the fiery attraction between them is impossible to deny - and from the first moment Devon holds her in his arms, he vows to do whatever it takes to possess her. As Kathleen finds herself yielding to his skillfully erotic seduction, only one question remains: Can she keep from surrendering her heart to the most dangerous man she's ever known?

Sparrowgal's rating: 9.5/10

Sparrowgal's Thoughts: Spoiler alert!

This is the first book in the Ravenel series - I actually read the 4th book first (unknowingly, as I didn't realise it was part of a series) and loved it so much I came back to get the first book.

Devon Ravenel was a carefree, young bachelor who led a middle class life (ie not part of the upper crust of society) and never expected to get a big windfall. The Ravenel family is known for it's violent tempers and he comes into his earldom after a distant cousin falls off his horse after a temper tantrum dies unexpectedly. He is now the owner of a debt ridden estate with a widow and 3 female cousins under his care, that he couldn't give a whit about.

Until he meets Kathleen.

Kathleen is a fiery, sharp-tongued woman who had a very sheltered upbringing. The two don't hit it off straight away - they hate each other at first sight, though Devon finds her attractive - and the rest of the book is about them overcoming their dislike and coming together.

Kathleen is not much older than her sisters in law, and yet has a motherly role to them.

Some of the best parts of the book are where Devon does heroic things - like saving commoners after a train crash where he himself was injured - and Kathleen realises that she does care for him after all. Cliche? Yes. But I loved it.

It also introduces the protagonist of the next book in the series, Rhys Winterbourne, who is Ravenel's friend.

I loved the wit and words in this book, as well as the down to earth nature of Devon and his brother West. They worked hard to make their estate work and earn money, and I was happy to see everything working out for them. The romance is endearing, the plot engaging the characters lovable and the sex scenes steamy enough but not taking over the whole book. I highly recommend this series.