A review by myshelfaffair
In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath

medium-paced

4.0

2.0 🌶️

This book totally got me out of my reading slump and I was hooked from the beginning. SO good!!

✅ I loved the premise of this. We start off with the heroine, Catherine, showing up at the hero's house unexpectedly with a proposition—to kill someone for her.  Luke is a notorious scoundrel and the heroine's reputation could be ruined if she's seen at his house. Their first meeting was absolute FIRE. The chemistry between them was electric. I was instantly hooked. Luke doesn't immediately agree, but eventually does if Catherine agrees to give etiquette lessons to the woman Luke hopes to marry. Its not technically a "matchmaker falls in love" story, but it felt like one and I absolutely love that trope.

✅ Luke (H): 3.5⭐. I absolutely loved Luke. He's arrogant, troubled, and the perfect "bad boy," but underneath it all, he's a good man. I loved how he grew to care for Catherine and couldn't stop thinking about her. What annoyed me, though, was how long it took him to realize that he loved Catherine. He was so set on marrying the other woman and continued to deny his feelings right up until the end, like literally the very end. I also didn't like the way he came to realization that he loved Catherine. 

✅ Catherine (h): 4⭐. I really liked Catherine. She's got a big heart and was desperate to ensure her friend's safety. She's also very strong-willed and independent (especially for the time period) and manages to stay in the good graces of society. I loved how brave she was and willing to do whatever it takes for those that she loved. Overall, she was a very well-rounded character. 

✅ I loved the romance between Luke and Catherine. There was so much angst and sexual tension between Catherine and Luke and I just ate it up. You can feel it in every interaction and I loved seeing the two of them together. There's also an awesome scene of Luke comforting Catherine after she's injured. SOOO good!

✅ I thought there was good mix of plot and romance. The mystery surrounding Luke's identity was interesting and the suspense elements kept the pacing fast. This is also darker than other historicals I've read, with a lot of heavy topics (so please check the content warnings), but I like stories with a more serious tone.

✅ The side characters were interesting and distinct in their own ways. The author did a good job laying the groundwork for the rest of the series. You get to know each of the side characters just enough to intrigue you without overshadowing the main story. I'm definitely interested to read all of their own stories.

🆗 A trope that many people don't like makes an appearance towards the end of the book (see content warnings below). I personally don't mind the trope, but in this case I thought it felt unnecessary and didn't really add anything to the story.

🆗 After all the angst and tension for so much of the book, I wish we could have seen more of their HEA at the end. But that's definitely a me thing and I'm greedy when it comes to HEAs, especially with angsty books.
  
Overall, I absolutely adored this. The perfect blend of romance and plot. I loved the characters and the chemistry between the couple was insane. Definitely recommend!


Am I glad I read it? ✅ Yes
Would I recommend this book? ✅ Yes
Would I read this book again? ✅ Yes
Will I read more books by this author? ✅ Definitely


Genre/Tropes: Historical Romance ◾️ Victorian Era ◾️ Matchmaker Falls in Love ◾️ Scoundrels/Rogues ◾️ Hurt Comfort ◾️ Forced Proximity


POV:  No explicit POV chapters, but mostly told from Catherine and Luke's POV in third person, past tense.
Pacing:  Good. Never skimmed or felt rushed.
Sadness:  Low/Moderate.
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