Blog Tour: Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Hey y'all! I'm celebrating the recent publication of Devil's Daughter, Lisa Kleypas's latest novel in the Ravenels series. See more below!

About the Book:

Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Book Five of the Ravenels series

Publisher: Avon Books

Publication Date: February 19, 2019

Official Summary:

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…

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About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author LISA KLEYPAS graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA® Award-winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women's fiction. Her novels are published in twenty-eight different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

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The Excerpt:

“If you have any misguided thoughts about taking me into your bed, you would find it a vastly mediocre experience. I’d be on you like a crazed rabbit, and half a minute later the whole thing would be over. I used to be a proficient lover, but now I’m a burnt-out libertine whose only remaining pleasure is breakfast food. Speaking of which—”

Phoebe reached for him, brought herself up hard against him, and interrupted him with her mouth. West flinched as if scalded and held very still in the manner of a man trying to withstand torture. Undeterred, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as passionately as she could, touching her tongue to his stiff lips. The feel and taste of him was exhilarating. Suddenly he responded with a primitive grunt and his mouth clamped on hers, wringing sensation from her with demanding pressure. Forcing her lips apart, he searched her with his tongue the way she remembered, and it felt so good, she thought she might faint. A whimper rose from her throat, and he licked and bit gently at the sound and sealed their mouths together in a deep, insatiable kiss that involved his lips, breath, hands, body, soul.

Whatever it might be like to go to bed with this man . . . it would be anything but mediocre.

Review: Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas

Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas

Book One of the Cold-Hearted Rake series

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: October 27, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

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?

What I Liked:

Ahh, a Kleypas book I enjoyed! Granted, I've only read one of her books - Brown-Eyed Girl - and while I really disliked it, it's contemporary. Completely different genre compared to historical romance. I LOVE historical romance, but I'm not always crazy about contemporary. I am so pleased that I enjoyed this book! 

Devon is a freshly named earl, inheriting the title and all accompanying lands from his dead cousin, who was kicked off and trampled by a spirited horse. But the properties that Devon inherits are in shambles. Who would want to sink so much money into such a hovel? There is no way Devon wants to take on these projects, as well as the responsibilities of his cousin's three younger sisters, and young widow. Especially since Kathleen, the widow, is stubborn and irritating... and intriguing. She's in mourning, but she can't deny the attraction between them.

Devon. I loved Devon. He is introduced as a renowned rake who doesn't want the burden of the properties, the ancient estate, and so many tenants. At first, he's quite sure that he is going to sell everything. It would be awful for the tenants, who would have to move, as well as for the three young sisters and the widow of his cousin, but turning the condition of the estate around seems impossible. Yet Devon decides to keep the estate, and begins to have renovations done. Devon isn't just a sexy, charming rake. He's thoughtful and kind, and he is hilarious. He is compassionate (although you wouldn't think so, in the beginning), and he's mischievous.

Kathleen really is annoying, but I liked her. She feels like she should always get her way, but not necessarily in a spoiled manner. She's misguided in some ways, and she's very set in her ways. She is strict about mourning and wearing black and not having guests over and so on, and it's really annoying, but you can't fault her for trying to be proper, right? She bothered me at times, but at the same time, she was very headstrong and kind and clever.

The banter between these two was perfect! A lot of their interactions are witty banter, arguments, passionate encounters, mostly in irritation or anger or amusement, but it's all really funny. At one point, Kathleen despairs over them never having a conversation that doesn't end in an argument. I personally loved how they interacted (although I took Devon's side of Kathleen's mostly). I love the barbs, the jabs, the parries. The two of them are great together!

There is chemistry from the start, and the physical nature of their relationship slowly builds, it's all very gradual. While the book isn't filled with lots of steamy encounters, there is so much tension and chemistry, and when the steamy scenes do happen, they are quite, well, steamy! This book was definitely much steamier than the contemporary I read (Brown-Eyed Girl).

I loved watching Devon grow from a rake to an established earl, but still retaining his charming, mischievous ways. His brother, Weston, also grows tremendously; he was also a rake, but now he helps his brother with the farming affairs and tenants. The three sisters have an important presence in this book, especially the oldest, Helen. The next book in the series is about Helen and a man we meet in this book - I am so curious to see how that story will pan out.

Overall, I was so very pleased with this novel. My dislike is something I've already mentioned (connecting with Kathleen), and I think most people won't have the small issue I had with her. So, overall, a much better experience than that of Brown-Eyed Girl, for me!

What I Did Not Like:

I didn't connect with Kathleen as well as I'd hope - I think her rules for herself and others were very stifling. She also got on my nerves a little with her stubborn, high-handed attitude. I think she was used to having things a certain way. The thing is, she had no right to any of the properties or the running of the estate, etc. She never did, not even when she was married to Theo. So her meddling is just that - meddling - and it bothered me to see her all up in EVERYTHING like it was hers. Woman, know your place. You own nothing in the estate. You are basically a freeloading non-relative!

So she got on my nerves at times. She wasn't all that bad though, and sometimes I found myself really enjoying her inner monologue. She's not all bad, just annoying at times! I think it's a general Kleypas thing, to be honest.

Would I Recommend It:

I would totally recommend this novel to historical romance fans. It's probably a favorite of the year, which surprised me, given how little I liked my first Kleypas read, Brown-Eyed Girl. If you're a historical romance reader, you don't want to miss this one. Filled with charm and humor and so, so many feels, this novel was sure to deliver a fulfilling story!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I'm not 100% sold on Kathleen, but I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more about Helen and her fancy Welshman! That story should be interesting, given how things were with him at the end of the book.

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Review: Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas

Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas

Book Four of the Travis Family series

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: August 11, 2015

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Avery Crosslin is a talented young fashion designer with a bright future ahead of her. But when the company goes into liquidation, Avery finds herself without a job and a boyfriend who decides to leave her.

When her father falls ill, Avery is by his side day and night. But one evening she notices a young man, Joe, in distress and offers to help. Their instant attraction to one another is magnetic but even though she is unexpectedly charmed by the good-looking stranger, Avery tells him that she has to leave. He asks for her name and number, but she lies and tells him she has a boyfriend. At this point in Avery's life, the last thing she wants or needs is more complications.

The next day, as Avery returns to the hospital to thank the nurses for taking such good care of her father at the end of his life, one of them gives her an envelope from Joe. It is addressed to "Brown-Eyed Girl."

Avery knows she wants to see Joe again but she faces a dilemma. When she learns that Joe is the man responsible for her father's death she is troubled.

Is there any hope of a future for them both?

What I Liked:

My first Kleypas novel... was a bit of a flop. I guess two stars isn't bad? But I think I'm being generous. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love it. Dislike is accurate. However, I'm quite pleased with myself that I gave it a shot. My lovely friend Racquel and numerous others have been pushing this author at me - and I will definitely keep trying! I think Kleypas's contemporary romance novels just aren't for me.

This is the fourth and final novel of the Travis Family series, featuring Joe Travis, the youngest brother (there are four children), and Avery, a wedding planner. Avery and Travis meet when Avery plans the wedding of a friend of the Travis's, and then Joe's sister-in-law asks Avery to plan a family member's baby shower (Joe's sister, Haven). Joe is interested and Avery, and wants to see her and spend time with her. But Avery has serious trust and commitment issues, and doesn't want to get attached. So naturally, she pushes him away. Is persistence on Joe's part enough for the couple?

I've not read any of the other books in this series (remember, I haven't read a single Kleypas novel, until this one!), so learning all about the Travis family was new for me. I must say, the family is one of the best parts of this novel. The four siblings - Gage, Jack, Joe, and Haven - are very close, as are their respective spouses. Everyone is married except Joe, and they all have kids (Haven's first is on the way). I love the family aspect of this book! It's great to see rich-kid siblings so close.

Joe would be my favorite part of this novel. Do men like him really exist? He is the sweetest, kindest, most attentive, sexiest, hottiest combination of all things hotness that a woman would ever want. I mean, when we first meet him, he's the perfect Texan gentleman. And when he and Avery first do the deed, he's this perfect sex god. And when she pushes him away, he's the perfect gentleman, yet he never gives up. He's not annoying, he's persistent, and he's sweet. Gosh! I want a Joe!

I kept reading, because I wanted to know what was happening. The story wasn't that great, but I was in no danger of not finishing. The steamy scenes aren't all that steamy, but Kleypas does a good job of writing them. There's little foreplay and explicitness, if that makes sense. Good thing, bad thing, depends on your preferences!

I liked the secondary romance in this book - Avery's half-sister, Sofia, ends up finding love too. THAT relationship is hilarious. Sofia and her guy are dynamite together!

Other than that... meh. Read on.

What I Did Not Like:

I did NOT like Avery. From the start, I knew I would have issues with her. She's got serious trust issues. Her fiance left her at the altar on her wedding day, and her father left her mother and had a slew of other children with different mothers (Sofia is one). So Avery is afraid of men and commitment and getting her heart broken.

I know, I know. This issue exists in real life and is an actual thing and Avery is a person with plausible, authentic issues. Got it. That doesn't mean I have to like her, or her issues. That doesn't mean I have to like how she treats Joe - like s***, might I add. That boy is literally the SWEETEST man on Earth and she treats him like garbage because SHE has issues. I wish he were more of an a**hole - that's what she would have deserved honestly. Honey, you can have issues. But why in the world is it okay to treat someone else like crap because of your issues? Not okay!

She runs from him, ignores his texts, shuts him down, turns down the simplest invitations, is flat-out rude to him, especially when his family is around. She ignores him and his feelings, but when he is "giving her space", she gets PISSED. Well excuse the f*** out of me, ma'am. Who gave you the right to be so hypocritical?! SHE tries to tell him that one certain thing he does is sexist (it isn't), but personally, I think she is being the sexist one. 

Joe gives her TOO MANY CHANCES. I'm sure, in his head, he thinks she is worth it. Sure. Cool. But I would never give someone so many chances. Especially if you just met her/him. Hello, insta-love. I can't even say insta-lust because Joe seemed to have fallen for her on the spot. He wanted to start a relationship right then and there, I think. Super nice guy, totally deserves so much better than Avery. Avery, who does not like people telling her that she dresses badly for her figure (that is NEVER an insult, if someone is telling that you're dressing like a bag lady, hiding a gorgeous figure). Avery, who is selfish beyond words. Avery, who wants Joe to go away, yet don't go away because as soon as he does, she's going to yell at him, yet give everything up for her, because SHE is the most important thing in the world. Get over yourself, lady.

The climax/big issue of the book REALLY bothered me. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but basically, what Avery basically asks/begs Joe to do is insane. So selfish. I can't believe she asked him that. Instead of talking about it, she straight-up went in for the kill and ask. No, she was kind of telling him. Excuse me? Who made you Queen Elizabeth of England?

Ugh! I don't like Avery. I'm not trying to shame the female protagonist or anything. I recognize that all the issues I had with Avery are real. And I realize that it could very well be just me with these issues. However, I didn't her. And it seriously impacted my thoughts on the book. And I'm articulating my feelings on the book so... Avery is why I didn't like this book. The end. 

Again, I think Kleypas's contemporary romance aren't for me. It's an *Alyssa* thing, perhaps!

Would I Recommend It:

No. I'm sure there are better Kleypas books out there. But if all of her books are like this - with ridiculous female protagonist who act like they are overlords of the world and everyone should cater to their whims? Leading men by their d***s? Then I'm done. I'm sure other people will find Kleypas's novels very "feminist" and empowering, but as a feminist and a proud female, I can attest that I did NOT like this book (or its female protagonist), and I would not recommend it. If Avery were a person in real life, I would have already yelled at her plenty and set her straight. She would not be my friend, ever!

Rating:

1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars. Thank you to the publisher for the copy, and for all of the lovely people who recommended Kleypas's novels to me. I'm going to stay away from Kleypas's contemporary romances for a good long while, but I may try a historical romance of hers! I do love historical romances.

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