Book review
ARC from Edelweiss.
Let’s be honest – there’s not a Lisa Kleypas reader on the planet who, when they heard about this book, wasn’t hoping for an Evie/Sebastian siting. Let me put your mind at ease first thing – you get one. And if you’re the squee-ing kind, you will, indeed, squee. Seeing Sebastian as a father was so sweet and precious, and it adds even another layer to the Devil, ensuring this reader will soon be picking Devil in Winter up for another reread!
Moving on to Devil’s Daughter – the first word that comes to mind when I think about this book is easy. It was easy to read, easy to love, Phoebe’s relationship with her children was easy, her relationship with West was (eventually) easy. West Ravenel has changed a lot from the moment we met him in Cold-Hearted Rake, and it seems he’s the only one unaware of how much. Due to the way he was ‘raised,’ unworthiness plagues him, and Phoebe’s perceived perfection doesn’t help matters. But the way he sees her, so precious and perfect, and the way he treats her sons, with such love and patience from the get-go, had me falling for West instantly. He may have struggled with being unworthy, but he made sure everyone around him felt important. West was someone you wanted on your side, and he was a man who weighed his words, and every aspect of a situation before speaking. West was so intelligent, and for me, it only added to how attractive he already was. Phoebe was a wonderful heroine. She adored her first husband, caring for him for most of their time together, and fiercely loyal to him even in death. She wasn’t a woman given to grudges (once, of course, she came to understand certain situations;) she was so forgiving, and I liked that she was inquisitive. She wanted to be privy to all the goings-on in her life, and it’s this part of Phoebe’s nature that really brings her and West together. West has knowledge Phoebe doesn’t, and he’s happy to share that with her. The ways in which they grew up were nothing alike, and it was in this that Phoebe was an unknowing teacher to West. He loved watching her with her children, was fascinated that she took even the silliest questions from them seriously, fostering a confidence and love he’d never had.
Mutual admiration morphed into love quite quickly here, but it was in no way insta-love. Phoebe and West saw the other for who they were, and it was in those things their love deepened. I fell into this story from the very beginning, and every aspect of their relationship was fleshed out beautifully. Their love scenes were nice and steamy, and again, it added another layer to their love. There was some added drama with Phoebe’s estate, and the secondary characters were wonderful. Particularly Phoebe’s family because – Devil in Winter. But even her sons, Justin and Steven – they were in this book a lot, but never did I feel their scenes were gratuitous or overwhelming to the story. They served to highlight how caring and loving Phoebe was, how what she gave her sons was everything West could have hoped for, and in the end, they also serviced to show us how patient and loving West was. It was also nice getting to see so much of Devon here. All the banter in this book was wonderful, but it’s the banter between the men I love the most. Particularly the ribbing from the men who have already found their happily ever afters. Their know it all attitudes really are hilarious. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Galoshes, Justin and Steven’s furry cat friend. He was a fun addition to the story, and I loved every time the cat was mentioned.
My only criticism of this story was that sometimes, particularly at the beginning, the description seemed endless. At times it was overwhelming and slowed things down a bit. But I still rated this book five stars, so it wasn’t enough to take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Devil’s Daughter is the fifth book in the Ravenels series, but other than this, I have only read the first book and didn’t feel lost. It did however, light a fire under me to read the other books! Fans of Lisa Kleypas are going to enjoy this story, particularly if you were wild about The Wallflowers. But I think even new fans would enjoy this. It’s a beautifully written love story that is sure to tug at your heartstrings, and if you love historical romance, you’ll love this.
- Goodreads rating – 4.15
- SUMMARY – Angie Elle