red_steele's review against another edition
3.0
This book is unbalanced. Devon is a top-tiered arse and other than lust and sexual tension I found nothing worthwhile between him and Kathleen. It would have made more sense for Kathleen to fall in love with Wes.
The author ruined Kathleen’s character falsely characterizing her as a “strong woman”. There was zero character growth and unfortunately she yielded to Devon’s predictable seduction. There was too much sex and unnecessary foul language.
I liked the secondary characters (Helen, Pandora, Cassandra and Wes). I hope the next book is better.
The author ruined Kathleen’s character falsely characterizing her as a “strong woman”. There was zero character growth and unfortunately she yielded to Devon’s predictable seduction. There was too much sex and unnecessary foul language.
I liked the secondary characters (Helen, Pandora, Cassandra and Wes). I hope the next book is better.
hnatola's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mckellstar's review against another edition
4.0
3.5-4/5
I’m not sure what to rate this. I enjoyed it, but I also know I enjoyed her other books more… a full review to come!
I’m not sure what to rate this. I enjoyed it, but I also know I enjoyed her other books more… a full review to come!
laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
Cold-Hearted Rake
4 Stars
When a distant cousin falls to his death days after his marriage, Devon Ravenel is saddled not only with an Earldom he has not desire to hold, but an estate riddled with debt, three young cousins and a beautiful widow to boot. Lady Kathleen Treaner takes an instant dislike to the new Earl, but finds it virtually impossible to resist his rakish charm and the devastating way he makes her feel. Can these two opposites find any common ground for the sake of those who need them?
Learning that Lisa Kleypas was returning to her tried and true genre of historical romance was one of the highlights of my reading year and on the whole, she does not disappoint.
Her writing is as smooth and engaging as ever, and Kathleen and Devon’s love/hate relationship is entertaining despite their bickering and minor angst.
The secondary characters are fleshed out well, especially Devon’s brother West and the Ravenel cousins. The twins are particularly charming, and the introduction to Helen and Rhy’s romance is excellent and has me eager to read their story - I love a good tortured hero and Rhys is shaping into one of the best.
Now for the problems, which although minor, do detract somewhat from the story.
First is the fact that Kathleen and Devon’s characters are woefully underdeveloped. Their personal back stories are virtually non-existent and this is particularly lacking when one takes their interactions into account. Much could have been explained with some details about their childhood years.
Second is a glaring factual error that could have been easily remedied with a little research, i.e., the fact that. Perhaps it is the teacher in me, but it is extremely annoying when an author makes an error of this type.
Nevertheless, it was well worth the wait for Kleypas’s return to the genre and the next book can’t come soon enough.
4 Stars
When a distant cousin falls to his death days after his marriage, Devon Ravenel is saddled not only with an Earldom he has not desire to hold, but an estate riddled with debt, three young cousins and a beautiful widow to boot. Lady Kathleen Treaner takes an instant dislike to the new Earl, but finds it virtually impossible to resist his rakish charm and the devastating way he makes her feel. Can these two opposites find any common ground for the sake of those who need them?
Learning that Lisa Kleypas was returning to her tried and true genre of historical romance was one of the highlights of my reading year and on the whole, she does not disappoint.
Her writing is as smooth and engaging as ever, and Kathleen and Devon’s love/hate relationship is entertaining despite their bickering and minor angst.
The secondary characters are fleshed out well, especially Devon’s brother West and the Ravenel cousins. The twins are particularly charming, and the introduction to Helen and Rhy’s romance is excellent and has me eager to read their story - I love a good tortured hero and Rhys is shaping into one of the best.
Now for the problems, which although minor, do detract somewhat from the story.
First is the fact that Kathleen and Devon’s characters are woefully underdeveloped. Their personal back stories are virtually non-existent and this is particularly lacking when one takes their interactions into account. Much could have been explained with some details about their childhood years.
Second is a glaring factual error that could have been easily remedied with a little research, i.e., the fact that
Spoiler
according to the text, Helen is the only sibling named after a mortal from Greek myth when both Casandra and Pandora are also mortals and there is no Theo in Greek mythologyNevertheless, it was well worth the wait for Kleypas’s return to the genre and the next book can’t come soon enough.
littlebooklover's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
anotherhel's review against another edition
5.0
“Desire,” he said, “is always better motivation than fear. Remember that, Quincy.
I don't have much time to gather my thoughts for this, but here you go:
I loved it. The start and the grumpiness, the anger of their discussions. All the journey both characters did. Their slowly getting to know each other... Get to know new things about them.
I drunk this like I've had walked a desert without a single drop of water. This was that good. I also enjoyed the side stories from the side characters. It was all so well connected.
“Time is what I’m giving you,”
I just have to say, go read this. Seriously. The writing is awesome, the hot scenes are awesome, the story is awesome... So if you like romances and if you loved pride and prejucide, go read this. Drop everything you're doing. Seriously.
I'll end this with two quotes that are spoilers, so be warned:
Spoiler
“There’s only one way for me to prove that I will love you and be faithful to you for the rest of my life. And that’s by loving you and being faithful to you for the rest of my life. Even if you don’t want me. Even if you choose not to be with me. I’m giving you all the time I have left. I vow to you that from this moment on, I will never touch another woman, or give my heart to anyone but you. If I have to wait sixty years, not a minute will have been wasted—because I’ll have spent all of them loving you.”
“That being said,” he whispered, “I hope you’ll consider marrying me sooner rather than later.” Another kiss, slow and devastating. “Because I long for you, Kathleen, my dearest love. I want to sleep with you every night, and wake with you every morning.”
geo_ix's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
I enjoyed it, but definitely didn’t love it. Mainly because I didn’t always love the main couple. I weirdly loved and hated the detail of technology in this one. At times it bored me because there was SO much detailing of all the different types of technology present in the time period, but it was also fascinating to see all the different things because HR usually don’t add a lot of that, and I think it helped it stand out more but there was just SO MUCH it became a lot, especially with her horse stuff on top of that, and then the addition of Helen and Winterborne it made it draw out and I got interested in other things that COULD happen and not what WAS happening.
The train crash was a great scene. At that point of the book I was really enjoying it, but there was a lot more going on and it just lessened my enjoyment by the end. Still enjoyed it, but I feel ill like others in the series more.
Great cast of characters & I’m really looking forward to them (probably also why these two paled in comparison to them)
I enjoyed it, but definitely didn’t love it. Mainly because I didn’t always love the main couple. I weirdly loved and hated the detail of technology in this one. At times it bored me because there was SO much detailing of all the different types of technology present in the time period, but it was also fascinating to see all the different things because HR usually don’t add a lot of that, and I think it helped it stand out more but there was just SO MUCH it became a lot, especially with her horse stuff on top of that, and then the addition of Helen and Winterborne it made it draw out and I got interested in other things that COULD happen and not what WAS happening.
The train crash was a great scene. At that point of the book I was really enjoying it, but there was a lot more going on and it just lessened my enjoyment by the end. Still enjoyed it, but I feel ill like others in the series more.
Great cast of characters & I’m really looking forward to them (probably also why these two paled in comparison to them)
emrlane's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
mollyjeannette's review against another edition
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content