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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
Hardy Cage is my new book boyfriend. I had no idea that I had a thing for Texans, or maybe it's just Lisa Kleypas.
I adore Kleypas historicals, but I didn't know if I would like her contemporaries. I'm glad I gave it a go, this story was poignant and satisfying. Haven has a rough go of it at the start, she gets married and her husband is abusive. Though Haven is a victim, she isn't pitiful. In fact I think she is sort of a testament to inner strength. So while you definitely don't want to read this if you are bothered by scenes of abuse and rape it is really a beautiful story of recovery after you get past the beginning.
But let's talk about Hardy. Good lord. He's dreamy and dark and mysterious all while being the perfect gentleman. He's the guy the word swoon was invented for. I could not get enough. Near the end, around 80% there is a scene where we finally learn about the skeletons in Hardy's closet it was gut wrenching and fantastic all at the same time. The connection between Haven and Hardy is steamy and raw.
I picked this up because Dear Author recommended it for fans of 50 Shades of Grey who are looking for more book with bad boys in them. This is light-years better than 50 Shades and Hardy is a thousands times more delicious than Christian Grey ever dreamed of being.
I adore Kleypas historicals, but I didn't know if I would like her contemporaries. I'm glad I gave it a go, this story was poignant and satisfying. Haven has a rough go of it at the start, she gets married and her husband is abusive. Though Haven is a victim, she isn't pitiful. In fact I think she is sort of a testament to inner strength. So while you definitely don't want to read this if you are bothered by scenes of abuse and rape it is really a beautiful story of recovery after you get past the beginning.
But let's talk about Hardy. Good lord. He's dreamy and dark and mysterious all while being the perfect gentleman. He's the guy the word swoon was invented for. I could not get enough. Near the end, around 80% there is a scene where we finally learn about the skeletons in Hardy's closet it was gut wrenching and fantastic all at the same time. The connection between Haven and Hardy is steamy and raw.
I picked this up because Dear Author recommended it for fans of 50 Shades of Grey who are looking for more book with bad boys in them. This is light-years better than 50 Shades and Hardy is a thousands times more delicious than Christian Grey ever dreamed of being.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
no esperaba q el libro me impactará tanto, llore como por todo el libro
This was hard to read at times, due to sensitive situations that occurred. I went into this book wondering if I could see Hardy as a romantic interest due to the history of the previous book. That concern ended up being almost non-existent for me because those problems were addressed head on. However, I felt in some ways Hardy's power-hungry drive was completely absent, which was a huge, inexplicable change in his personality. I would have rather had that change come about for a specific reason or situation instead of just him being a good guy all of a sudden. Otherwise I thought this was a good sequel to this series and I look forward to reading the next one.
This one was Heart wrenching. The abuse was hard to read especially since so many women deal with men like Nick. So many are killed by them. You’d think the storyline was too dramatic but having recently read about the famous woman in LA whose ex hid in her room and then pushed her off a balcony, I only feel heartbroken for the women who don’t make it out alive like Haven. I do wish she stood up for herself more at the end, especially against Vanessa. While I am devouring this series, there’s something key missing for me. But I found that true of her historical series, too. She dives deep into the characters emotionally but the conflict is very light and steeped in overcoming trauma. And I would have liked to see Hardy grovel a bit at the end.
3.5⭐️ Haven Travis is an heiress from Texas and Hardy is a millionaire from the wrong side of the tracks who had to make his own fortune. The bad blood between Hardy and the Travis family is only a splice of the drama, heartache, abuse, and broken path that these two wade through.
⚠️ TW - mental and physical abuse, SA, violence ⚠️
⚠️ TW - mental and physical abuse, SA, violence ⚠️
Note: This part of the review will feature spoilers. I usually try to avoid spoilers but I honestly can’t talk about the emotional depth of this book without revealing pertinent plot points. And really, the book has been out since 2008.
Blue-Eyed Devil is the story of Haven Travis. Period, end of sentence. Usually romance novels are the story of the hero and the heroine. But not this one. Sure, Hardy Cates is the hero and he and Haven end up together but the book isn’t truly about that. This is Haven’s story. Like Sugar Daddy and the other Travis books, Blue-Eyed Devil is written in first person from Haven’s point of view. The book opens at Liberty and Gage’s wedding, which Haven attends with her boyfriend, Nick. Hardy crashes the reception and he and Haven ended kissing in the wine cellar. Despite this, Haven ends up marrying her boyfriend and getting cut off from the family. She moves away with Nick and the next 50 pages focus on their life together over the course of 2 years.
What gives this book its emotional depth is the reality of Haven’s life with Nick. As their marriage progresses, Nick becomes more and more abusive. He hits Haven once over her messing up ironing his shirts. As the book goes on, Haven’s personality is lost in the wake of Nick’s abuse. He tries to erase who she is, from changing her name to Marie to controlling every little aspect of her life. She quits her job and everything revolves around keeping Nick happy. As Liberty puts it later, “Oh Haven. It’s like he was trying to erase you.” He broke down her self-esteem and twisted her family relationship so she felt like she was failing if she tried to leave. The emotional abuse Haven suffers is horrific to read and it becomes worse when compounded with the physical abuse which drives her to leave. Unlike most women in abusive relationships, Haven did have an out in the shape of wealthy and extremely protective older brothers. Once she called Gage to get her, her family swooped in and got her out of the situation with Nick. What really hits home is how gradual the abuse was. By the time Nick first hit her, Haven’s self-worth had been so degraded that she forgives him. It is the realization that he would hit their children, if they had any, and the rape and physical abuse of their last fight that drove her to leave him.
Haven, once she divorces Nick, works hard to put her life back together. She beings to see a therapist, gets her own place, and a new job. Piece by piece, her life beings to get back to normal. When she runs into Hardy again, she is attracted to him but very wary to start a relationship with him. She freezes when they begin to hook-up and he, not knowing her emotional trauma, wrongly accuses her of being a tease. Hardy is given a hero’s moment when Haven calls him to save her from a flooded elevator, but really, emotionally, Haven had begun to save herself. Before they have sex, she revels the truth about her marriage to him and their relationship progresses into one of love and support. While Hardy does get to play the hero, his heroics are mostly physical, while Haven is the hero for overcoming her own emotional trauma and for helping Hardy overcome his. They complement each other and they relationship is a welcome contrast to the abuse Haven had suffered.
This book has a happy ending but most stories of domestic violence do not.
https://somewherelostinbooks.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/blue-eyed-devil/
Blue-Eyed Devil is the story of Haven Travis. Period, end of sentence. Usually romance novels are the story of the hero and the heroine. But not this one. Sure, Hardy Cates is the hero and he and Haven end up together but the book isn’t truly about that. This is Haven’s story. Like Sugar Daddy and the other Travis books, Blue-Eyed Devil is written in first person from Haven’s point of view. The book opens at Liberty and Gage’s wedding, which Haven attends with her boyfriend, Nick. Hardy crashes the reception and he and Haven ended kissing in the wine cellar. Despite this, Haven ends up marrying her boyfriend and getting cut off from the family. She moves away with Nick and the next 50 pages focus on their life together over the course of 2 years.
What gives this book its emotional depth is the reality of Haven’s life with Nick. As their marriage progresses, Nick becomes more and more abusive. He hits Haven once over her messing up ironing his shirts. As the book goes on, Haven’s personality is lost in the wake of Nick’s abuse. He tries to erase who she is, from changing her name to Marie to controlling every little aspect of her life. She quits her job and everything revolves around keeping Nick happy. As Liberty puts it later, “Oh Haven. It’s like he was trying to erase you.” He broke down her self-esteem and twisted her family relationship so she felt like she was failing if she tried to leave. The emotional abuse Haven suffers is horrific to read and it becomes worse when compounded with the physical abuse which drives her to leave. Unlike most women in abusive relationships, Haven did have an out in the shape of wealthy and extremely protective older brothers. Once she called Gage to get her, her family swooped in and got her out of the situation with Nick. What really hits home is how gradual the abuse was. By the time Nick first hit her, Haven’s self-worth had been so degraded that she forgives him. It is the realization that he would hit their children, if they had any, and the rape and physical abuse of their last fight that drove her to leave him.
Haven, once she divorces Nick, works hard to put her life back together. She beings to see a therapist, gets her own place, and a new job. Piece by piece, her life beings to get back to normal. When she runs into Hardy again, she is attracted to him but very wary to start a relationship with him. She freezes when they begin to hook-up and he, not knowing her emotional trauma, wrongly accuses her of being a tease. Hardy is given a hero’s moment when Haven calls him to save her from a flooded elevator, but really, emotionally, Haven had begun to save herself. Before they have sex, she revels the truth about her marriage to him and their relationship progresses into one of love and support. While Hardy does get to play the hero, his heroics are mostly physical, while Haven is the hero for overcoming her own emotional trauma and for helping Hardy overcome his. They complement each other and they relationship is a welcome contrast to the abuse Haven had suffered.
This book has a happy ending but most stories of domestic violence do not.
https://somewherelostinbooks.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/blue-eyed-devil/
I was suprised that I liked this book so much. Haven's story was really touching. To be able to move through what she went through was enjoyable to see. Hardy coming to terms with parts of his past and redeeming himself from Sugar Daddy.
I've just re-read this book in a day. It was the first book romance I've ever read that talked about domestic violence in this way when I read it for the first time. It left such an impression on me. And reading it again, 10 years later makes me realize what a timeless good book this is.
Re read in 2024 and just as good. It's one of the very few of that era that can pass the test of time
Re read in 2024 and just as good. It's one of the very few of that era that can pass the test of time
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes