Reviewer: Tracy Between the Devil and Ian Eversea by Julie Anne Long
Publication Date: March 25th 2014
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She might look like an angel...
The moment orphaned American heiress Titania “Tansy” Danforth arrives on English shores she cuts a swath through Sussex, enslaving hearts and stealing beaux. She knows she's destined for a spectacular titled marriage—but the only man who fascinates her couldn't be more infamous...or less interested.
...but it takes a devil to know one...
A hardened veteran of war, inveterate rogue Ian Eversea keeps women enthralled, his heart guarded and his options open: why should he succumb to the shackles of marriage when devastating good looks and Eversea charm make seduction so easy?
...and Heaven has never been hotter.
When Ian is forced to call her on her game, he never dreams the unmasked Tansy—vulnerable, brave, achingly sensual—will tempt him beyond endurance. And fight as he will, this notorious bachelor who stood down enemies on a battlefield might finally surrender his heart...and be brought to his knees by love.
Tracy’s review of The Devil and Ian Eversea (Pennyroyal Green #9) by Julie Anne Long
Titania Danforth has come to Pennyroyal Green from America to be wed. First her brother then her parents died and she is all alone in the world. It’s asked of the Duke of Falconbridge to take care of seeing her wed as he is her father’s cousin. (Falconbridge if you remember married Genevieve Eversea in What I Did for a Duke.) Anyway, Tansy, as she likes to be called, seems like an angel. She is all that is good and proper and when she bats her eyes and smiles the men come running and just about lose their minds. Tansy also gets the eye of Lord Landsdowne who up til that point had been courting Olivia Eversea.
Ian sees Tansy and her “crew” of men and isn’t impressed. He thinks she’s completely shallow and hasn’t a thought in her head. He’s especially pissed because he thinks that she’s taking Landsdowne from Olivia and that is unacceptable to Ian as he doesn’t want his sister’s heart broken again as it was with Lyon Redmond. Basically he wants her out of the picture so he writes to a Duke’s heir to come to Pennyroyal Green so that he can court Tansy and get her gone.
Ian, however starts to realize that there’s a whole lot more to Tansy than anyone thinks. He sees her out on her balcony (as his room is right next door) doing things that ladies don’t do! She just starts to be a conundrum and he’s not sure what to do with it all.
Tansy of course sees Ian and is starstruck. She turns into an blubbering idiot when he’s around and she’s constantly chastising herself for it. Eventually Tansy and Ian actually talk and they, believe it or not, become friends. Then it moves quickly into much more as they’re both attracted to the other but since Tansy’s to marry a title and Ian is leaving on a world tour in about a month nothing can come of any of it. Or can it?
I think what I liked most about this book so much is that both Tansy and Ian are both basically lonely people who showed different faces to the world than who they really were. As the two got together Tansy got to see the real Ian and Ian got to see the real Tansy and they each realized that there was so much more to this other person than anyone, including them, had thought. It ended up being so romantic and I loved the two of them together. They were perfect for each other and knew, instinctively, what the other needed, whether it was some lovin or just to lie on the bed and hold hands and talk.
I just loved Tansy. I thought for sure, when the book first started that I was going to hate her and in the first scene, knowing that she was going to be paired with Ian, I was a bit confounded as to what JAL was thinking. Of course I shouldn’t have been surprised that Tansy had such hidden depths. I did feel for her completely as she was so alone in the world. When she spoke to Ian of how she felt after the death of her parents I was almost in tears:
“But after that…do you know what it’s been like, Ian? It’s a bit like going to the theater. And the play we’ve come to see is my life. A wonderful play. But then it ends before you expect it to, and you’re forbidden to leave, you’re locked in the theater, and you’re left to stare at an empty stage. And for all you know, you’ll just sit there forever.
That ‘bout broke my heart! But Ian, being the great guy he is, completely understood as he’d kind of been there before (when he returned from the war) and could be there for her. Sigh Loved it!
This is another fantastic book by Julie Anne Long. I love her books so much. Her writing style, her characters, her humor…everything blends so well and out comes an amazing story. She can bring forth such emotion in me that even when I don’t expect to be affected by something I completely am. She has a way of pulling the most out of every character and giving it to the reader in such a wonderful and emotional way that I can’t seem to get enough of it. I most emphatically recommend this book!
Rating: 5 out of 5
This title is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-book format. The book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ooh, so excited to read this one! Sounds like my cup of tea.