Reviewer: Holly Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas
Series: The Ravenels #5
Also in this series: Cold-Hearted Rake, Devil in Spring, Devil in Spring, Hello Stranger, Devil in Spring (The Ravenels, #3), Devil's Daughter (The Ravenels #5), Chasing Cassandra, Devil in Disguise
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Holly's 2019 GoodReads Challenge
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Series Rating:
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn't...
Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.
West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.
Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?
Only the devil's daughter knows...
Devil’s Daughter is the 5th book in Lisa Kleypas‘ Ravenels series. I’ve been anxiously awaiting West’s story since we met him in the first book. His transformation from disreputable rake to responsible land manager has been a favorite throughout the series for me. I’m happy to report he was just as amazing here as I expected him to be. I loved everything about the way he was with Phoebe, Lady Clare and her two sons. My heart melted every time he interacted with the boys. He was playful and managed to teach them without being stern. His candor and openness about his past made my heart hurt at times. I did struggle with his doubts and the way he continued to punish himself for his past sins. I wanted to see him let that go sooner than he did.
Phoebe was an amazing heroine. She was strong, yet vulnerable. Brave, yet scared. I loved the contradictions and how well they played into the person she’d become since her husband died. I also loved how she was as a mother.
Together West and Phoebe had great chemistry. Their banter and wit had me in stitches, and I loved how well they understood one anther. West accepted Phoebe for who she was now, yet still pushed her out of her comfort zone. I loved what a progressive he was, and how he challenged her to think outside her narrow box. I also loved how accepting she was of him and his past. My heart melted when West told her to send for him if needed. They were so lovely together.
I loved seeing previous characters and having them play a part in the story, mostly because Klyepas is a master at keeping them in the background. Their presence didn’t detract from Phoebe and West in the slightest, and in fact having them there enriched the story.
Honestly, this may have been a 5 star read for me if not for West’s constant self-flagellation and the abrupt ending. Seriously, it ended way too quickly. At 92% I was low key anxious about where the story was at. The novel really needed an extra chapter or an epilogue.
Devil’s Daughter is another emotionally charged, engrossing tale of redemption and love. Another must read from Kleypas.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
The Ravenels
Yep, to all of this.
I’m looking forward to reading this!