Re-Read: Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

This month, I did several re-reads, but the one I intended for the Re-Read Challenge was Devil in Winter. LOL, I got inspired by Hilcia who re-read it not long ago :P

Devil in Winter was the book that made me aware of Lisa Kleypas. At the time, Devil in Winter was just released and there was a huge buzz about it. Then, the friendly war between Derek and Sebastian as Ms Kleypas' best hero started... so I wanted to see what all the buzz was and got the book. You can read my original review here.


Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
published by Avon in February 2006

A devil's bargain

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!

Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fineeye for beauty could do far worse.

But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts -- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Wallflowers series, Book #3

The Story: Evangeline Jenner is the daughter of a noble woman and Ivo Jenner, a boxer and owner of a popular game hall. She's been living with her maternal relatives who had hopes that aristocrats would overlook Evie's origin and she could secure an advantageous marriage. Unfortunately, Evie is painfully shy which brings her to stutter and has been a wallflower for the past few seasons. Now, she is in a desperate situation as her father is about to die from consumption and her relatives have decided to marry her to her cousin in order to keep their hands on the money.

Given the recent events of It Happened One Autumn, Evie knows that Lord Sebastian is in dire need of an heiress and so, escapes her family to propose him a marriage of convenience. Lord Sebastian would get the money necessary for him to continue his luxurious lifestyle while she would get his protection against her family, get to spend time with her father in his last days and also an amount of money that would allow her freedom.

Of course, Sebastian accepts and they both head for Gretna Green at great speed. Sebastian quickly realizes what a gem Evie is. She is not as stupid or cold as the ton believes and is actually very pretty. Then, there is the strong attraction he feels towards him. Could Sebastian do something as mundane as falling in love with his wife?

My Opinion: On my first read, I felt that Devil in Winter didn't live up to the buzz in blogland. Sure, it was a good book, but was Sebastian really the best hero? I don't think so. Then again, Derek didn't move me as much as he did to others either. So I'm probably not the best reference :D Still, Devil in Winter was a good solid book and I still feel that way this time around.

It's crazy how much the mind remembers and forgets :P I mean, you remember the big lines, but the details? Not so much.

Okay, so how did I feel this time around? I still really liked Evie. In my opinion, she definitively made the book with her inner strength. She was such a fighter, never bending to her family's will, finding ways to go to her father, proposing to Sebastian. It was quite a surprise to see her character unfolding :D As for Sebastian, I think I liked him better this time around. There was less preconceived opinions about Sebastian and it allowed me to enjoy his character better. I thought this time around that Devil in Winter kind of fit the heroine-thawing-hero theme that I enjoy so much :) While Evie wasn't very happy-go-lucky, she did draw out Sebastian's character. I wished we had more background on him, why did he become so jaded, so cynical? What shaped his life? Why did he believe that all he had to do in life was to enjoy the advantages of his position? There are many rakes out there, but not all of them are jaded, not all of them are aristocrats. We were given a glimpse of Sebastian's background - his mother and younger sister died, but that's it. It did seem like he and his father didn't get along that well either. I wished we could have seen his father, that he'd play a bigger role in the storyline. I realized writing this out that if Ms Kleypas had addressed this issue, Sebastian's character might have become a bit more stereotypical. Still, I think that it would have made me understand Sebastian more. The fact that he changed so much during the course of the book - caring for someone else, starting to "work"... Not only Westfield was astonished, but even Sebastian was! He didn't know where it was coming from.

As for the storyline, I enjoyed everything revolving around Evie and Sebastian relationship as well as the game hall. The weak point of this book remains the half-sibling storyline. It was weak and predictable - the reason  why he disliked Evi so much was so obvious. As for the "faking death," seriously? That part of the book was simply not interesting. It might have moved Evie and Sebastian's relationship along, adding some danger, but it felt a bit too much.

It was also interesting to see Cam in Devil in Winter, now that Mine Till Midnight is out. It was fun, but at the same time, he seemed so different. As for Westfield and the other wallflowers... well, I liked Westfield because he was a friend of Sebastian and understood him, but I really disliked Lillian. She just butts in where she doesn't belong and only does as she likes without regards to the others. Grrr. It doesn't matter that she wants to help, since she's not helping one bit. Come to think of it, there's a lot of connection in all of Ms Kleypas' books...

My Grade: Originally, I gave the book a 3.5/5 which would be equivalent to a B. Now, I'd say a B+. I really enjoyed re-reading Devil in Winter. It is definitively a strong and solid book, the best out of the Wallflowers series. Bonus is I really liked Sebastian's character a lot more this time around :D

The books of this week-end...

So, once again, I spent almost all my week-end reading :P I really should be doing so lab work, but I'm a born procastinator. So I read :D

Day of Fire by Kathleen Nancy: 2.5/5

Day of Fire is the second book of the 2176 series, which consists of books written by different authors. My favorite so far is Power of Two by Patti O'Shea - it was really good :D So let me try to summarize the series...

The UCE: In the 21st and 22nd centuries, the United States changed and grew. Now the United Colonies of Earth dominate the globe. But a mysterious voice is broadcasting treason, inciting revolution and referring to the "Ideals of 1776"—and to an enigmatic figure named Banzai Maguire.

Banzai Maguire and her co-pilot are from the year, actually, I'm not sure, but they are from before 2000... they crashed during a routine exercise somewhere around North Korea. Scientists found their bodies and geo-crystallized them.... almost 200 years later when the world has changed, Banzai Maguire's body was revived... Founding herself in a different era, she starts hearing a voice, the Voice of Freedom, which tells them that they have to revolt in order to free themselves from the dictatorship of the UCE... and so, the series is 5 books about 5 different women during those perilous times.

Day of Fire is Day Daniels' story. Day is a Canadian Mountie whose mottos are Be it All, Do it All. In the year 2176, Canada has been cut off of the world, because bioterrorists have unleashed smallpox, ebola and other viruses during the year 2070. Abandonned by the world, Canada has to survive on their own... even today, in 2176, Canada is still in quarantine until they can prove that they are virus-free. Anyway, this quarantine period has given rise to the plague hunters, doctors - doctors in charge of eradicating and treating any epidemics. They are not well-loved as their presence usually indicate the presence of virus and it usually creates panic among the population. Anyway, Day Daniels is investigating the death of her partner, Luc Robicheaux, and has to partner with Julian Firebird, a plague hunter. Day Daniels is unhappy, because she is by the books while plague hunters are known to do whatever they want, whenever they want... however, she doesn't have a choice if she wants to find out Luc Robicheaux' murderer, because on Luc's Mountie hat, they found DNA of a new strain of smallpox. So basically, days before the announcement of the virus-free Canada, some ppl plan to release a new virus. Both investigate hard to try to stop this from happening, but it becomes more complicated when the all clues lead to the Shinook, a native tribe... whose leader is no one else than Julian Firebird.

Okay, first embarrassing admission... I might be Canadian, but I have no knowledge of the Mounties... in fact, you don't have many of them here. Anyway, that Day is a Mountie or regular cop, I don't really care. The original idea was a clever one, I have to admit... however, the book is completely ruined by Day in my opinion. At one point, I really wanted to tell her that the world doesn't revolve around her... sheeh. As the main character, she wasn't really likable... She kept jumping to conclusions even though she was told not to, she kept doubting Julian and both things were annoying as hell. And although she wasn't supposed to be, I thought she was conceited. Whenever they learn something, she had to thing how it affected her first. As for Julian, he was okay, but somewhat forgettable character. I also had difficulty to assimilate how Banzai and the whole Voice of Freedom thing and revolution was linked in this story... sure, it was mentioned... but why would Canada, who has just regained its status in the world would involve itself in the revolution? no idea.



Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas: 3.5/5

This novel is part of the Wallflower series... I haven't read any of them beside Devil in Winter and I wasn't planning to, but this book received so much praise that I was curious, so when I came across it at the used book store, I got it. I also got It Happened One Automn, but I kept reading how Lillian was not likeable in the Spring book, so it didn't make me want to read it... sigh.

Anyway, most of you already know the plot, but if you don't... it goes along the line of: Evangeline Jenner is a shy red-head who stammers. Her mother was the youngest of the Maybrick who as her rebellion, eloped with Ivo Jenner, a boxer from a lesser class who later found a club. Unfortunately for Evie, her mother died in childbirth and she was sent back to the Maybrick, as a club was nowhere to raise a young lady. The Maybricks are basically ashame of Evie lineage, so they've treated her badly (beat and starve her)... She also couldn't find a good match; however, Ivo Jenner is about to die and Evie is now an heiress, so the Maybricks plan to marry her to her cousin in order to profit from her inheritance. Evie knows that if this happens, she will probably die and so she runs to the rake, Viscount Sebastien St-Vincent who she knows need an heiress and makes him a proposition: he marries her so she can escape from her family, he gets lots of $$... they make love once, so the marriage is consumated and can't be annuled and after that no more. He will put a large amount of money aside for her and allow her to take care of her father for his last few days. Sebastien is in dire need of money and so he has no choice and accepts. So they get married, Ivo dies, the Maybricks try to get Evie back, Sebastien takes the rein of the club and Evie and Sebastien fall in love with each other.

All right... well, Devil in Winter was a good book, but I think I miss something somewhere because I don't understand the buzz it received. Evie is a great heroine tho... she's not stupid, she knows what she wants which is a great improvement from helpless heroines. She is gutsy and stubborn, so yeah, basically great. Sebastien on the other hand was okay... I didn't care much about his arrogance, his opinions and ways of thinking... and I got all confused by the way he was depicted. I mean, he is depicted one way, but then all his actions contradict his personality - I'm talking mainly about him managing the club. Okay, his friend Westcliff did say that his action was unlike him but why? because he loves Evie, is that why he's managing the club? or because he needs money? I believe it's more the latter... and then, the half-sibling plotline was SOOO obvious... Maybe I didn't want to like this book and it affect my opinion on the book or maybe it's because I prefer contemporaries... but still... it was an okay read, nothing really spectacular.

By the way, historicals lovers - don't you think the: "I can't believe he is kissing me down there" is a bit tiring... I know that they don't know... but not every author needs to have this generic scene in their books.

I see you by Holly Lisle: 4/5

So at least, one good book :D This was in my TBR pile after reading Tara Marie's blog :D It was her July TBR challenge... I thought it sound good, so I got it :D Yeah, I'm like that... few good words for a book and I want to own it ^^;

Dia Courvant is a paramedic and almost lives for her job. She's saved alot of lives, but has also seen a lot of deaths in her life ; however, the death that affected her most must have been her husband... Mac was also a paramedic, but one night, his ambulance was in an accident because the driver tried to avoid a kid and her team was dispatched for the rescue, but there was nothing she could do for him. Four years later, there are a series of bad car accidents and the worst is that someone is causing them. Detective Brig Hafferty is assigned to the case. He and his partner go to the EMT and there, he sees Dia whom he already met during the crash... both are drawn to each other: they're both each other type, although neither is looking and neither want a relationship. However, when Dia is being stalked and start receiving death threats, she calls in Brig for help and their attraction leads to combustion. So who's stalking Dia? Who wants her dead?

I thought the author handled the suspens part well and the book was indeed a bit freaky... all those messages appearing on the mirror, the dreams and the bits of paranormal elements. The only thing tho, it was kind of evident that it was one of Dia's friend ^^; Also, I was going to say that the car explosion was a bit far-fetched, but then I thought of the Plum books... and I though, no... actually, it could have happened :P Brig and Dia's relationship went fast... the first time they had sex, well I thought - wow, that was really really fast. I knew they were attracted, but it had be good if they waited a bit. Other than that, everything was pretty good. The spooky events, the murder, how everything was connected. However, I disagree with Tara Marie... This book did contain a fair amount of romance as we got to see a lot about their relationship and how it evolved.

That's it for today :D

ps - I see on Amazon that there is only 5 copies left of Ravyn's flight... what to do? should I order it or not? i'm actually going to Boston next week-end, maybe I could get it there... And how come Chapters and Indigo didn't get more copies?