The Devil’s Own

Lord Devlin Wayward us going home for Christmas. He’s happy to leave London for a short while to get away from a woman, but must return quickly. His twin brother is a vicar but also has a problem woman. Devlin takes the opportunity to help his brother. This has very unexpected results.
Miss Mary Tomblin has travelled to lots of places because of her father’s work. She really wants to settle in a home of her own, preferably as the wife of the handsome vicar. She is one determined woman. She also has a lot to learn.
This is a really fun story. Our devilish hero doesn’t know how to solve the problem he started, it just gets bigger and bigger. There are lots of twists and turns and more than a few tears.
I loved all the characters and can’t wait to read the next book.
Great fun.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

I adored historical romances and this is a wonderful example of why. Everything amongst the aristocracy is so prim and proper at least until they are not. The characters and plot are wonderful and totally believable. I felt like I was right there in the middle of the action. I appreciated the author leaving a great many superficial details to my imagination. To me the story just flows better as my imagination can really fill in much better than trying to see something from a description (at least while reading a novel.)

The Tomblin family move around so much due to Mr. Tomblin’s vocation of designing bridges. Harper’s Grove is the first village that has felt like a home to Mary. Mary is one and twenty (see how proper they are!) Come spring, she and her parents are going to London so she can have her season. The only thing wrong with that, Mary is infatuated with the vicar! Danial Wayward is from the aristocracy that has their “seat” just outside of the village. He and his twin brother, being further down the line for the dukedom, attended seminary. At the last minute, only Daniel took the vows. Devlin Wayward became a rake. He lives in London and owns several gaming hells. OH MY!

Devlin hasn’t been back in Harper’s Grove in years. Both his father and oldest brother disapproved of his choice. Both are gone now and the next oldest (now the duke) has invited Devlin home for Christmas. Daniel tells Devlin of Mary’s declaration and Devlin decides to impersonate his twin. It isn’t the first time as they used to do it all the time with family. Unfortunately while impersonating Daniel, Devlin breaks his leg! Now the twins are forced to live the “switch” until such time that the leg heals.

It is during this time that Devlin continues to “try” and deter Mary from Daniel, only he is becoming infatuated with her himself. Oh what tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!

This book has one heavy sexual scene in it. The foreplay was a more graphic than the actual act was as far as I am concerned. That being said, I would only highly recommend this to someone over the age of 18. I look forward to reading Daniel’s adventure when he was impersonating Devlin in London in the sequel!

I was instantly intrigued by the plot of this one. How could a rake and the owner of some of the most infamous gaming halls in London possibly trick a town full of parishioners that he the vicar they have come to know and love?

And while this story definitely had its moments, I have questions. To start, with their families home close to the village (in fact, the family attends the very church Daniel is the vicar at), how did none of the older parishioners NOT know their vicar had a twin? Added to that, when the brother’s personalities were so different from one another, how did no one (especially Mary who fancied herself in love with Daniel) guess the truth? There were moments when Mary started to question things (one example being before the switch, Daniel would barely look at her, another stronger example being when she found him drunk) and I was hoping she would figure it out – thinking that watching Devlin try to win her back would be an even more exciting story. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see that except for a few rushed feeling pages at the end of the story.

For the most part, I enjoyed their interactions. I liked the way Devlin forced Mary to look inside herself and realize that she was not the pious person she had thought she was. I also liked how the two of them challenged one another to grow in other ways as well. In fact, I was surprised to find out that Devlin acted the way that he did (and seriously never considered there might be repercussions to his actions)?

Some of the interactions with his “flock” seemed to drag on a bit, as did some of the inner musings of our two characters. I also wish that Devlin hadn’t been so “hot and cold” with Mary. I understand he was conflicted in his feelings, but at times he could be awfully confusing (not to mention judgemental of her actions and reactions considering he was the one who was a fraud). However, I can understand why the author chose to include them as a way to show character growth and give our two main characters a reason to be alone so that they could get to know one another.

All things considered, I do believe this story was a good start to a new series (and in fact am hoping to read book number two when it comes out – I am insanely curious to find out how a vicar managed the day-to-day business dealings of his brother, not to mention the countless women I’m sure his brother was “acquainted with”. I am also hoping to find out just what happened between him and Miss St.Peters).

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This was a very entertaining read concerning twin brothers. The brothers were completely different, Daniel was the local vicar and Devlin lived an hedonistic life in London. Mary was a parishioner who had her sights on becoming the vicar’s wife. I did feel for Mary, she had been on the move constantly due to her father’s work and hadn’t made any lasting friends. Now she wishes to settle in the village, as she had found one true friend. While Devlin is taking Daniel’s place, he is also trying to discourage Mary from an attachment with Daniel. There were some amusing antics between them but Mary is well matched to his tricks. Devlin feels attracted to Mary but doesn’t want to be. There are a number of events that have repercussions and Devlin doesn’t always act as he should. However, a happy ending is achieved. I look forward to reading the next in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is great! It is intriguing, romantic, interesting, and so much more! Whenever I picked up “The Devil’s Own”, I was whisked back in time, and went on quite the journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Liana LeFey, and it will not be my last! This is also the first book in her “The Wicked Waywards” series, and I am so looking forward to more! Her writing style is very vivid, and her characters jump off of the page. Many characters grow throughout the book as well.

Daniel and Devlin Wayward are identical twins who are very different in almost every imaginable way. Devlin is the wilder of the two, where Daniel is more calm. After Devlin is injured, Daniel must travel to London in his brother’s place. Devlin must therefore pretend to be Daniel, who is the town vicar. Mary Tomblin is a strong-willed and intelligent woman. She has a fancy for Daniel. When she begins to help those in need with who she believes to be Daniel (but is really Devlin), the two begin to get to know one another better. Never could either have imagined that perhaps all of this will lead them to happiness they had not imagined. Will Devlin tell Mary the truth? Will they be able to work through the deception? Will true love prevail? You will just need to read to find out.

If you enjoy historical romance, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and how everything would work out, and I so look forward to what Ms. LeFey will write next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing: Amara for the ARC of this book, it is great! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A fun book to read. Devlin finds himself out of his depth trying to be good. Mary thinks she has found the perfect man for her. Each of them will learn that what they are looking for is not what they expect. Great escapades and good fun will be had as these two lose themselves and fall in love.

The Devil’s Own
The Wicked Waywards Series #1
Liana LeFey

https://www.facebook.com/LianaLeFey/
Release date 06/19/2020
Publisher Entangled Amara

Blurb :

Lord Devlin Wayward, gambler and dedicated rake, returns home for the first time in years, and lands himself and his identical twin, Daniel, the good reverend, in deep trouble. Devlin ends up with a broken leg and unable to travel to London, yet he must return. He’s got an important deal that will make or break his fortune. He persuades the reluctant reverend to take his place in London while he temporarily minds his brother’s flock.

Miss Mary Tomblin is taken with the devastatingly handsome reverend. He represents everything she desires in a husband, after narrowly evading a ruthless rake last Season. Mary knows she’ll make him an excellent wife, but the vicar rebuffs every advance – until he suddenly accepts her help with pastoral duties while his broken leg heals. Mary seizes the chance to show the good reverend what an excellent helpmeet she will be.

The devil takes on the role of village vicar and discovers it’s nowhere near as easy as he imagined—especially when he falls in love with an angel who mistakes him for a saint.

My review :

Will his duplicity be the end of them when he will have to go back to his real life …

Wow, this is my first read by Mrs Liana LeFey and I much loved it, such I can’t wait for its sequel.
It was so entertaining to watch the sinner impersonating the saint all while he must discourage the woman drawn to the holy man.
Devlin but for a letter bears well his name, for his age, he is still quite childish, and like for a child, his pranks have often consequences. Thus here he finds himself having to switch his room with his reverent of a twin. With the mission to not endangering her his brother’s living and fend off a very determined miss who has set her cap on the man of the cloth.
Least he expected to be charmed by said miss, and now he finds himself conflicted between the pull he feels toward Mary and the need to hide his deceit. And what ever he instigates to repel her, she thwarts his every attempts, by genuinely being kind and fair. And then arises feelings much deeper than everything else he has ever felt.
Mary after a heart’s deception has sworn of rogues and rakes, why the reverent has so much appeal, that and her need to put down some roots. But the holy man always finds a way to evade her attempts, until by some fate’s game she finally has her chance to get closer. But it is nothing like she expected, she goes from hot to cold and vice-versa at every turn. One moment, she feels like he likes her, then he rebuffs her. Her time with him is like going from Charybdis to Scylla. Yet, she discerns a very different than the one he shows to his other parishioners. The more time passes, the more his mask cracks, and he lets slip he is also a man of flesh and blood, not only of holy words and prayers.
A man she comes to like more and fall for, instead of his other more refrained self.
I loved to see Devlin and Mary getting to know one another as both came to see the errors of their way, Devlin and his meaningless pursuits of wealth and pleasures and Mary for considering a position before the man. Yet, I wondered when and how Devlin’s trickery will blow to his face.

Mrs LeFey gives her words full reign to explore the many faults of her characters, they are flawed, they make mistakes, they hurt one another yet they also lift a weight in the other’s heart, their love healing their soul.
5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Entangled, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

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