A review by sri_savita
Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
4.0
Surprisingly, I didn't dislike this one as much as other readers, partially because I read this book last so I already had a good sense for a lot of my favorite characters who were STILL more developed here, in Book 1, than our two main characters.
Pandora is still just as quirky, Cassandra is funnier, and the two of them together are hilarious, something we don't see as often in either of the books that focus on them individually. I found they really shined in this book, along with Hamlet - the pig!
West's character development was great to see too; he's been a consistent favorite for me.
Helen was wonderful EXCEPT near the end when all goes to hell with Winterborne. I actually thought one of the most moving parts of this book was when Helen plays her favorite piece on the piano, one which she's forgotten the name of since it was taught to her many years ago, and Rhys recognizes it as Welsh. THAT was a compelling romantic hook, and in their book there is the idea of a mysterious song calling loves to each other, so it made perfect sense.
I also think we got to see how important pride is to Winterborne when he was discussing how he thought it was important for customers to see they could buy shirts that the owner of the store wore, but he had no idea higher-class society probably saw him as foolish for not wearing bespoke clothing. My heart actually hurt for that level of vulnerability. This was the strongest character development in the book by far! It was also sweet in the epilogue that the orchid thrived with Rhys. This was all wonderful.
But of course it couldn't be this simple and LK had to fuck it up. Helen had to instead become so fragile that she never spoke, and Rhys just become a threatening asshole. Who actually finds this creepy shit attractive? I feel like LK tried to write another Sebastian/Lord Dain from Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels (same type of character description as someone with dark features who feels like he's conventionally unattractive to highborn women and leans into his immigrant "brute" nature) but failed because this type of character only works when someone can match them in intensity - which Helen cannot and does not, having read her book.
Unfortunately there was so much going on in this book to set up conflicts and other books that we didn't get a lot of character development for Devon and Kathleen. Devon, who is not as cold-hearted or rakish as the title suggests, is actually a character I liked. His humor and wit were there, he is emotionally aware, and pragmatic. I think he had a steady calming energy most of the time and very little of the Ravenel temper. He was logical and practical which I appreciated too, his way of communicating love wasn't super flowery and unrealistic, and he knew he was feeling emotions unlike some of the dudes in these stories lol. And I didn't mind Kathleen either, she had some witty lines as well. Also that carriage scene was pretty spicy. I thought it was unique how LK tried to create a sort of casual arrangement for them, and the conflicts of navigating something like that, of course this all had to quickly culminate in love and marriage by the end which was a little sloppy - especially with four narrative POVs by that point (Helen's and Winterborne's included).
By the end with the whole Winterborne debacle Devon had to say some stupid domineering bullshit to Kathleen too - explain to me why "You'll never be safe from me" sounds attractive? So, then I was irritated with both him and Winterborne and wanted to punch them in the face. So, one star taken away for all this annoyance.
Still, I'm glad I read this book as it gave more context for how everything started for the Ravenels, who I largely adore in this series! Books 3-6 are my favorites, and reading this one last helped tie everything together. Super excited for Merritt's Book 7 this July! I know I'll be rereading these books for years to come!
Pandora is still just as quirky, Cassandra is funnier, and the two of them together are hilarious, something we don't see as often in either of the books that focus on them individually. I found they really shined in this book, along with Hamlet - the pig!
West's character development was great to see too; he's been a consistent favorite for me.
Helen was wonderful EXCEPT near the end when all goes to hell with Winterborne. I actually thought one of the most moving parts of this book was when Helen plays her favorite piece on the piano, one which she's forgotten the name of since it was taught to her many years ago, and Rhys recognizes it as Welsh. THAT was a compelling romantic hook, and in their book there is the idea of a mysterious song calling loves to each other, so it made perfect sense.
I also think we got to see how important pride is to Winterborne when he was discussing how he thought it was important for customers to see they could buy shirts that the owner of the store wore, but he had no idea higher-class society probably saw him as foolish for not wearing bespoke clothing. My heart actually hurt for that level of vulnerability. This was the strongest character development in the book by far! It was also sweet in the epilogue that the orchid thrived with Rhys. This was all wonderful.
But of course it couldn't be this simple and LK had to fuck it up. Helen had to instead become so fragile that she never spoke, and Rhys just become a threatening asshole. Who actually finds this creepy shit attractive? I feel like LK tried to write another Sebastian/Lord Dain from Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels (same type of character description as someone with dark features who feels like he's conventionally unattractive to highborn women and leans into his immigrant "brute" nature) but failed because this type of character only works when someone can match them in intensity - which Helen cannot and does not, having read her book.
Unfortunately there was so much going on in this book to set up conflicts and other books that we didn't get a lot of character development for Devon and Kathleen. Devon, who is not as cold-hearted or rakish as the title suggests, is actually a character I liked. His humor and wit were there, he is emotionally aware, and pragmatic. I think he had a steady calming energy most of the time and very little of the Ravenel temper. He was logical and practical which I appreciated too, his way of communicating love wasn't super flowery and unrealistic, and he knew he was feeling emotions unlike some of the dudes in these stories lol. And I didn't mind Kathleen either, she had some witty lines as well. Also that carriage scene was pretty spicy. I thought it was unique how LK tried to create a sort of casual arrangement for them, and the conflicts of navigating something like that, of course this all had to quickly culminate in love and marriage by the end which was a little sloppy - especially with four narrative POVs by that point (Helen's and Winterborne's included).
By the end with the whole Winterborne debacle Devon had to say some stupid domineering bullshit to Kathleen too - explain to me why "You'll never be safe from me" sounds attractive? So, then I was irritated with both him and Winterborne and wanted to punch them in the face. So, one star taken away for all this annoyance.
Still, I'm glad I read this book as it gave more context for how everything started for the Ravenels, who I largely adore in this series! Books 3-6 are my favorites, and reading this one last helped tie everything together. Super excited for Merritt's Book 7 this July! I know I'll be rereading these books for years to come!