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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
My new favorite book
Lisa kleypas has quickly established herself as one of my new favorite author's. Her characters are addictive. Her storylines are striking. Her words are romantic. I'm hooked. Bring on book three please.
Lisa kleypas has quickly established herself as one of my new favorite author's. Her characters are addictive. Her storylines are striking. Her words are romantic. I'm hooked. Bring on book three please.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ok, yep, I knew going into this book that I was already going to love Hardy Cates, and Kleypas delivered that long, tall-drink of a Texas man to her readers. Not only did I love Hardy, but I loved Haven’s character too. In an “all the content warnings” marriage, Haven’s backstory helps make her connection to Hardy so beautiful, even when it seems all odds as well as the entire Travis family are against their dating. Kleypas is the master of moving two characters towards each other, building tension and passion, and then making you wait, knowing you WILL get that HEa on the other side.
What I personally also loved in reading Blue-Eyed Devil, was what seems to be a genuine connection between the author and Houston. Hailing from the outskirts of the city myself, I felt as if I was falling in love with my hometown all over again. Geography, social circles, the oil industry…all reminded me of why Texans are such a proud people.
I can’t wait to read Jack’s story next. The audio for this series is fantastic.
What I personally also loved in reading Blue-Eyed Devil, was what seems to be a genuine connection between the author and Houston. Hailing from the outskirts of the city myself, I felt as if I was falling in love with my hometown all over again. Geography, social circles, the oil industry…all reminded me of why Texans are such a proud people.
I can’t wait to read Jack’s story next. The audio for this series is fantastic.
http://imaromancereader.blogspot.com/2008/05/blue-eyed-devil-by-lisa-kleypas.html
It's more a woman's fiction than a romance book. I struggled to get into the book and the all oil-Texan-Empire-family thing. Witnessing the heroine being abused & raped by the very person who should be protecting her (aka her husband) was very hard to get through. I didn't expect that much depiction on page. Not what I want in my romance books. She had met the MMC once a while ago. Just escaped her jailer, so I expect it'll take a while for them to become a thing. Doesn't feel like a romance.
I love Kleypas' historicals but I struggled with this one, it felt too shallow, mostly focusing on beauty, power and money. The characters don't have much growth through the book. Yes, the heroine recovered from her trauma and got stronger to get her boundaries, but as a person she's as annoying as she was in the start. She was really shallow so it's was quite annoying to be only in her head.
About the romance aspect, it took the MCs ages to get together. At 50% they were still not a couple, and more in foreplay mode. It's understandable with what the heroine have been through with her ex-husband, but I wasn't a fan of Hardy Cates, making double meaning jokes (even if casual), until she started to confide in him. Never having Hardy's POV didn't help. Making his trouble past echo Haven's was over the top. He could have been supportive and just a decent/patient human being without it. About the steam level, it was very disappointing as I expected way more from her contemporary. There are barely to none description, a paragraph and that's it, especially when they said they had the best sex of their lives. Frustrating.
Also don't get me started on Haven's boss, seriously?!? She's leaving one sociopath to fall with an other one...
Different things didn't work with me, and showed that the book didn't age well since 2008:
- The over sexualization of the characters. With the heroine describing in various ways how the MMC's body is hot (but not having much more to say about his character).
- The heroine insisting to know the label of her interior designer best friend's "bi-possible" orientation, and then objectifying her BF, even if she's "immune in any romantic sense" to him. His orientation really felt cliché and just there to give a bit of depth to his character.
- The focus on women's breasts... News flash misters, you have breasts too!
- When it finally start to get hot between the main characters, and the FMC stop the MMC because she got scared and he said "there is a word for a woman acting like her", probably "cocktease, bitch" like she thinks he might have thought of her after the act. Hated that thinking. What about consent?!
- When one of the male characters said to the heroine "you want a man with sensibility and tact, go find yourself a metrosexual"... Really...
I love Kleypas' historicals but I struggled with this one, it felt too shallow, mostly focusing on beauty, power and money. The characters don't have much growth through the book. Yes, the heroine recovered from her trauma and got stronger to get her boundaries, but as a person she's as annoying as she was in the start. She was really shallow so it's was quite annoying to be only in her head.
About the romance aspect, it took the MCs ages to get together. At 50% they were still not a couple, and more in foreplay mode. It's understandable with what the heroine have been through with her ex-husband, but I wasn't a fan of Hardy Cates, making double meaning jokes (even if casual), until she started to confide in him. Never having Hardy's POV didn't help. Making his trouble past echo Haven's was over the top. He could have been supportive and just a decent/patient human being without it. About the steam level, it was very disappointing as I expected way more from her contemporary. There are barely to none description, a paragraph and that's it, especially when they said they had the best sex of their lives. Frustrating.
Also don't get me started on Haven's boss, seriously?!? She's leaving one sociopath to fall with an other one...
Different things didn't work with me, and showed that the book didn't age well since 2008:
- The over sexualization of the characters. With the heroine describing in various ways how the MMC's body is hot (but not having much more to say about his character).
- The heroine insisting to know the label of her interior designer best friend's "bi-possible" orientation, and then objectifying her BF, even if she's "immune in any romantic sense" to him. His orientation really felt cliché and just there to give a bit of depth to his character.
- The focus on women's breasts... News flash misters, you have breasts too!
- When it finally start to get hot between the main characters, and the FMC stop the MMC because she got scared and he said "there is a word for a woman acting like her", probably "cocktease, bitch" like she thinks he might have thought of her after the act. Hated that thinking. What about consent?!
- When one of the male characters said to the heroine "you want a man with sensibility and tact, go find yourself a metrosexual"... Really...
Oh, bhe, ormai non mi sorprendo nemmeno più. Apro un libro della Kleypas e gli appippo il voto massimo neanche fosse scontato. Eppure è così: anche questa volta la Kleypas ha prodotto una storia degna dei nomi più rinomati del genere woman fiction. Questa volta la storia è meno 'sobria' rispetto a Sugar daddy, perchè vengono trattati problemi molto gravi riguardanti la sfera privata: violenze sessuali, abusi psicologici e fisici. Insomma, di certo un presupposto per niente leggero sul quale basare la storia d'amore tra i due protagonisti. Haven è la sorella di Gage, eroe di Sugar Daddy, unica Travis femmina e quindi schiacciata dalle aspettative del padre, della madre e anche dei fratelli. Quando decide di prendere una sua decisione si trova sposata a Nick, un uomo apparentemente normale ma che, con il tempo, dimostra di soffrire di una patologia chiamata 'sindrome del narcisista'. Haven subisce, quindi, sia fisicamente che psicologicamente, tutti i risvolti sgradevoli di questo problema, fino ad arrivare al culmine, quando solo con l'aiuto dei fratelli riesce a rimettersi in carreggiata e a guarire. In questo contesto ricompare Hardy, l'affascinante nemico della famiglia Travis, che non ha mai dimenticato Haven dopo tanto tempo dal loro primo incontro. Il rapporto che si instaura tra i due è molto particolare: Haven deve per forza fare i conti con i suoi complessi, mentre Hardy cambia totalmente metro di giudizio sul quale basare la sua vita. In realtà tutto il libro è la storia di Haven perchè. oltre ad essere scritto in prima persona, non si addentra mai troppo nel passato e nei perchè di Hardy, lasciando che lo si conosca solo attraverso la protagonista. Naturalmente tutto il romanzo è un inno alla forza di volontà, alla speranza di avere una vita migliore e di sapersi tirare su dopo un forte trauma. Il messaggio è chiaro: l'amore cura ogni cosa, ma soprattutto l'amore rischia di far soffrire. Un'arma a doppio taglio che Haven conosce bene: prima innamorata di Nick, che risulta essere un pazzo furibondo, e poi l'amore graduale e curativo di Hardy. Insomma, la Kleypas ha gestito moltobene una storia che parla tanto di sentimenti e che si basa un pò di meno sulla storia d'amore. C'è troppo su cui riflettere per volere più love story. Ho passato metà del libro ad augurare ogni male ai 'cattivi' del libro: da Nick a quella vacca spaziale di Vanessa, passando per i vari membri della famiglia Travis che, con tutta la buona volontà, hanno fatto quasi più danni che altro.
Non si può non apprezzare un romanzo del genere che, anche se mi ha conquistata un pochino meno di Sugar Daddy, rimane un bellissimo esempio di come si possano trattare situazioni tristemente contemporanee come le violenze domestiche unendole ad una storia d'amore che non trascende la realtà. Per la serie, alla fine l'amore e la felicità tornano sempre. Ebbrava la sciura Lisa.
Non si può non apprezzare un romanzo del genere che, anche se mi ha conquistata un pochino meno di Sugar Daddy, rimane un bellissimo esempio di come si possano trattare situazioni tristemente contemporanee come le violenze domestiche unendole ad una storia d'amore che non trascende la realtà. Per la serie, alla fine l'amore e la felicità tornano sempre. Ebbrava la sciura Lisa.
Heck. Yes. This book was outstanding. It covered a serious issue so well, and didn't pull any punches when doing so. Haven and Hardy are so perfect for each other, and so sweet together I think my stomach started hurting from the overload.
Hardy Cates, the man I formed a very negative image of in the previous book, and a naive Haven Travis find their happily ever after in this one. No, this is not a spoiler as the synopsis as good as says this.
Like the previous book, there is an instance that I am glossing over because it goes against something I staunchly believe in. And likewise a star is being socked off for that.
The thing that needs a mention is the strength of the woman in this scenario. The way she gets herself out of an abusive situation albeit a little late but that also depicts reality of the situation as from what I understand one needs to first come to terms with themselves and realise that they do not deserve what's being dished out to them. I applaud her for finding the courage to move on and getting to understand that she is not to blame!
As for Hardy, I will say he may have redeemed himself in this one but I am not ready to forgive him yet. It can be called a prejudice against this man or whatever but for me Haven is the star in this one.
My rating for the most part is for the way a very prominent social issue being highlighted in this story.
Like the previous book, there is an instance that I am glossing over because it goes against something I staunchly believe in. And likewise a star is being socked off for that.
The thing that needs a mention is the strength of the woman in this scenario. The way she gets herself out of an abusive situation albeit a little late but that also depicts reality of the situation as from what I understand one needs to first come to terms with themselves and realise that they do not deserve what's being dished out to them. I applaud her for finding the courage to move on and getting to understand that she is not to blame!
As for Hardy, I will say he may have redeemed himself in this one but I am not ready to forgive him yet. It can be called a prejudice against this man or whatever but for me Haven is the star in this one.
My rating for the most part is for the way a very prominent social issue being highlighted in this story.
Spoiler
Domestic violence is a reality that the world is catching up on as it is not considered a family matter anymore that should not involve the forces or the state. The same is true for bullying. I have been on the receiving hand of it and I can so get how frustrating it can get as it erodes your self-worth and then self-respect.
Really enjoyable book with no major missteps.
Several laugh at loud parts of the book, especially with the Travis family and their defensiveness.
Main problem for me was character development, especially for Hardy. Also, Haven's passiveness when it came to dealing with her new catty boss and Nick. How many times did she identify exactly what Vanessa was and why she was doing it...and yet...nothing. It was frustrating, and the least interesting/enjoyable part of the book.
Maybe there is a bit of realism in her avoiding the seriousness of Nick's stalking, as abuse victims are likely to want to pretend there is no problem, but it was too stupid to bear. There was incredible luck in her not getting hurt from the confrontations...the kind only found in books-just so the main guy gets to be the hero.
I think Kleypas writes better in the present, and avoids some cliches that bothered me in her historical fiction. However, her present day characters are flatter.
Several laugh at loud parts of the book, especially with the Travis family and their defensiveness.
Main problem for me was character development, especially for Hardy. Also, Haven's passiveness when it came to dealing with her new catty boss and Nick. How many times did she identify exactly what Vanessa was and why she was doing it...and yet...nothing. It was frustrating, and the least interesting/enjoyable part of the book.
Maybe there is a bit of realism in her avoiding the seriousness of Nick's stalking, as abuse victims are likely to want to pretend there is no problem, but it was too stupid to bear. There was incredible luck in her not getting hurt from the confrontations...the kind only found in books-just so the main guy gets to be the hero.
I think Kleypas writes better in the present, and avoids some cliches that bothered me in her historical fiction. However, her present day characters are flatter.
Thanks to this book, I didn’t get the housework I promised to do done and I’m running late to my friend’s birthday. Read in one sitting.