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kimmity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence
starrymoonflower's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Terminal illness
la_karina1818's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Вдъхновена от Оливър Туист (странно че също я споменават в самия роман), Люк израства в детската банда крадци на Фейгън, а като възрастен се преструва на намерения внук на лорд Клейборн. Люк е привлекатен и интригуващ с чаровен характер. Той не е сигурен какво точно иска в една жена, както и че на пръв поглед е с арогантен и суров характер, но той е мил и грижовен към тези които обича. Катрин го харесва от пръв поглед (твърде straightforward), но после придобива повече характер и реален поглед на него като човек. Тя е храбра и грижовна, с малка черта на хитрост като Люк. Тя също и се противопоставя на социалните очаквания от нея, заявявайки че не я интересуват тези неща, но постоянно го споменава. Беше леко cringe как всички го наричат граф Дявол без ирония, тоест че не е само в нейните мисли или шушуканията между дамите, а псевдоним с който всички го познават. За мен тяхната връзка беше перфектна, защото между тях винаги има баланс с единия винаги даващ на другия това което му е нужно. Успяват да предизвикват един друг и да се подкрепят по всяко време.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Violence
dreamfyre's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Murder
andra_mihaela_s's review against another edition
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars for "In Bed with the Devil", the first book in "Scoundels of St. James" series!
I decided to try another Lorraine Heath book after reading the first installment in a more recent series.(it seems that multiple series are connected through familial relationships between characters, which I find highly intriguing!)
Right of from the start I need to confess I rapidly lose interest in couples that "yearn" too much or have admitted to caring about each other way to early to be anything else than lust. I'm very much someone looking for a little bit of despair and uncertainty in my romance...for overcoming impossible odds and cooler/chill personalities that can and will act like adults not teens.
From what I read...Heath doesn't write her romances for readers like me...frankly the MC are quite dramatic and overly anxious/concerned about relatively normal things. I'm not sure she's the writer for me.
In this book, we follow the love story between Catherine - a young noblewoman taking care of her ill father, and Luke - the "Devil" Earl who's virtually despised by the aristocracy. They begin their journey due to Catherine's desire to help someone in dire need.
I don't want to diminish the narration, but the urgency with which Catherine asks Luke for help in the first pages is greatly toned down for no reason...We later find out why she wanted someone killed, and, in my humble opinion, her wishy-washy behaviour makes me wonder why she didn't do something by herself? She only shamed the victim in all her interactions with them! I also disagree to accepting living in such conditions, but I won't presume to lecture someone in this situation! That's a jerk move!
Also, Luke's "dark past" is overplayed a lot...the reason he's confused with his place in the world, the magical way in which he recovers and find happiness...and the fact he needed that in order to realise he didn't want to follow through with his initial "happy life" plan...>..>...not a fan at all.
I mean...come on!...headaches as memory blocks and some minor detail in the middle of a fire as cure...>...>....a little bit too much..
I also disagree with the notion Catherine could help him with migranes just like that, if he was forced to use drugs for it for a long time...Not to mention, she has an ill father bedridden due to apoplexy!How come she forgets how different that is from migranes? I don't like her comparing between those two conditions.
I'm not really impressed with this series, but I will read the next one only because that was the book that intrigued me and I cannot read a series out of order.>..<
The novel had great potential, exploring stigma and the life of orphan children in this time period, not to metion the harsh laws imposed on CHILDREN, but it fell short on the romance for me.
Short list with positive aspects:
+ fast pacing
+ well-written story
+ camaradery
+ stand against domestic abuse
+ nice comparison to Oliver Twist
+ interesting apporach in the heroine: she's really naive and makes understandable mistakes in her "secret endeavours"
Short list with negative aspects:
- we challenge patriarchy when is convenient and because he's the bad guy
- unrealistic solution for the hero's problem
- overstepping of boundaries and rights in Catherine's narrative (I admire the notion of helping a friend in such a situation, but the solution found here and the hiding from the actual victim...not a fan)
- feels a bit like a victim blaming situation
- the way in which Luke reminds the reader and Catherine that he's a devil/murderer/whatever thing unsavoury is quite unappealing
- Franny is a character not used to the fullest potential and in most cases didn't even play the role assigned to her..a shame!
In conclusion, I think this book is good and easy to fly through, but not particulary impressive in terms of subject matter and quality of story.
I think it will be a great choice for someone interested in the premise but not overly demanding of the best of the best, or readers that love Lorraine Heath's books and writing style!
Enjoy
I decided to try another Lorraine Heath book after reading the first installment in a more recent series.(it seems that multiple series are connected through familial relationships between characters, which I find highly intriguing!)
Right of from the start I need to confess I rapidly lose interest in couples that "yearn" too much or have admitted to caring about each other way to early to be anything else than lust. I'm very much someone looking for a little bit of despair and uncertainty in my romance...for overcoming impossible odds and cooler/chill personalities that can and will act like adults not teens.
From what I read...Heath doesn't write her romances for readers like me...frankly the MC are quite dramatic and overly anxious/concerned about relatively normal things. I'm not sure she's the writer for me.
In this book, we follow the love story between Catherine - a young noblewoman taking care of her ill father, and Luke - the "Devil" Earl who's virtually despised by the aristocracy. They begin their journey due to Catherine's desire to help someone in dire need.
I don't want to diminish the narration, but the urgency with which Catherine asks Luke for help in the first pages is greatly toned down for no reason...We later find out why she wanted someone killed, and, in my humble opinion, her wishy-washy behaviour makes me wonder why she didn't do something by herself? She only shamed the victim in all her interactions with them! I also disagree to accepting living in such conditions, but I won't presume to lecture someone in this situation! That's a jerk move!
Also, Luke's "dark past" is overplayed a lot...the reason he's confused with his place in the world, the magical way in which he recovers and find happiness...and the fact he needed that in order to realise he didn't want to follow through with his initial "happy life" plan...>..>...not a fan at all.
I also disagree with the notion Catherine could help him with migranes just like that, if he was forced to use drugs for it for a long time...Not to mention, she has an ill father bedridden due to apoplexy!How come she forgets how different that is from migranes? I don't like her comparing between those two conditions.
I'm not really impressed with this series, but I will read the next one only because that was the book that intrigued me and I cannot read a series out of order.>..<
The novel had great potential, exploring stigma and the life of orphan children in this time period, not to metion the harsh laws imposed on CHILDREN, but it fell short on the romance for me.
Short list with positive aspects:
+ fast pacing
+ well-written story
+ camaradery
+ stand against domestic abuse
+ nice comparison to Oliver Twist
+ interesting apporach in the heroine: she's really naive and makes understandable mistakes in her "secret endeavours"
Short list with negative aspects:
- we challenge patriarchy when is convenient and because he's the bad guy
- unrealistic solution for the hero's problem
- overstepping of boundaries and rights in Catherine's narrative (I admire the notion of helping a friend in such a situation, but the solution found here and the hiding from the actual victim...not a fan)
- feels a bit like a victim blaming situation
- the way in which Luke reminds the reader and Catherine that he's a devil/murderer/whatever thing unsavoury is quite unappealing
- Franny is a character not used to the fullest potential and in most cases didn't even play the role assigned to her..a shame!
In conclusion, I think this book is good and easy to fly through, but not particulary impressive in terms of subject matter and quality of story.
I think it will be a great choice for someone interested in the premise but not overly demanding of the best of the best, or readers that love Lorraine Heath's books and writing style!
Enjoy
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent
storytimewithlily's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse and Rape