Library Jouranl Best E-Book Romance
Once burned twice shy…but when old flames come together…passion reignites
When burned once … Arriving in London as her goddaughter’s chaperone, Baroness Diana Palmerston-Wriothesley wants to avoid her erstwhile lover at all costs. Once nearly consumed by passion, four years has reduced the former inferno to bitterness and ashes.
By an old flame… A world-weary … ashes.
By an old flame… A world-weary master of seduction, Ludovic “The Devil” DeVere is bored with his life of debauchery. He also recognizes with self-annoyance that the marks of his discontent have only increased upon a certain person’s arrival in London. When Diana makes her appearance in his den of iniquity in all of her glorious self-righteous fury, he suddenly feels alive again.
Fire is best fought with fire… When Vesta mysteriously disappears, Diana has little choice but to appeal to DeVere for help. The moment she and DeVere reunite in the devil’s lair., their mutual desire reignites with undeniable ferocity. While DeVere is hell-bent to have her back for keeps, Diana is equally determined to bring him to his knees…by acquiring some sensual secrets of her own.
“Damn you to hell, DeVere!” she cried, jerking out of his hold. “Yes, I want you now, but I would despise myself for it the moment we finished.”
“Why?” he asked, confounded.
“Why? Because I once confused passion for deeper feeling. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“But don’t you remember how it was between us? I can bring you rapture. You know that. What harm is there?”
She scoffed, “Surely the same words the serpent whispered to Eve.”
“The “Devil DeVere” series is a variation on the rake’s progress, or the rake’s reformation, except that is doesn’t start with said rake as the main character—a device that is amazingly clever on Vane’s part and allows her to circle in on DeVere without revealing too much at the outset. In the first two books DeVere is the puppet master, rearranging his friends’ lives. But in the background, readers catch hints that there’s more to him than the debauched reprobate they see. By the time we find out his story, we’re invested. The series is erotic and sexy, and sometimes you want to shake the characters until their teeth rattle, but it is absolutely marvelous. This one should be read with bonbons. And a fan!” – Marlene Harris for Library Journal
THE DEVIL DEVERE SERIES:
A Wild Night’s Bride #1
The Virgin Huntress #2
The Devil You Know #3
The Devil’s Match #4
A Devil’s Touch #4.5
Jewel of the East #5
more
Wow! Oh, was I supposed to say more? Ah, well! Let’s see-
Diana and DeVere together was combustible caliente. I have been waiting for the final match and conclusion to their story since book one of the series. The story arc built and built with mystery and intensity through the last book to finally explode in a very erotic battle of wits to determine who would call the shots for what kind of relationship they were to have. Was it to be DeVere who only sought to sate his lust and explore this unique feeling that he only had with Diana so he could get her out of his system? Or was it to be Diana who knew what she had with DeVere, but had been left with a shattered heart that she has no desire to offer him to crush all over again?
The story opens with the return of Captain Hew and Vesta to declare they intend to marry. Diana, Ned, Phoebe and DeVere are all involved in the happy couple’s marriage arrangements. But the real passion smoldering under the surface is that of DeVere and Diana. They both have a real push-pull thing going on for different reasons and this leads to many scenes where it is a real contest of wills. My favorite scene was the horse race that held an intriguing bet attached to it. I was really hoping for a certain end result and got it.
The next part of the story is so sensual. Diana wants to bring DeVere to his knees so she decides to take a Turkish beauty trained in the erotic arts up on her offer of instruction. And whoo-boy did she score high marks with her first opportunity to show what she had learned.
The final segment begs to ask the fifty dollar question. Will they or won’t they? Will they get together or will DeVere’s hang-ups be too much?
Now, I really loved this second part and ending story. The intense battle of wills between DeVere and Diana was strong and well written. I was intrigued by the adding in of the Ottoman Empire harem culture aspect. DeVere’s past was laid bare finally for Diana to really see him in a sympathetic light and not just as a selfish man taking his empty pleasures. I only had one disappointment and it didn’t ruin the story or anything. It was the rushed feeling I got at the end of their first night in his home. I felt like I had whiplash when it went from Diana determined to finish out her stay and get away from him to protect her heart and then with no mention of a change of mind on her part, it segued to them being together in Italy under his terms (I actually scrolled back to see if I skipped a page). The ending was all I could want it to be- ah yes! I cracked up at the epilogue- ironic ending for them.
This was a hot intense read that I heartily recommend for those who love their historical romance extra spicy.