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armoreira's review against another edition
4.0
Overall rating: 4 stars
Hero: 4
Heroine: 4
Plot: 3
Writing style: 4
Secondary characters: 4
Character development: 4
--
Sex scenes: middle hot
Sensible subjects:
Love triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
So, this book was good, I kind of loved it! It was my first read from this author, and I was pleasantly surprised, I liked the writing style a lot.
In the beginning of the book was a bit hard for me to get in the story, and I can say that sometimes the author overuses descriptions and inner thoughts (even if it can be useful to understand the character, they were too long), but after a few (virtual) page turns I took a dive and went with the flow. Want I liked most was the evolution Haven , it was beautiful to see how she was able to overcome the trauma caused by the ex husband and the controlling men in her family. In the end she was fighting for what she wanted with no hesitations. Hardy was the perfect hero in this case, although I would have liked to see his character explored a bit more.
This is my first book in the series (The first one appears to be some king of love triangle and that's not my thing), but I will give it a try to the next Travis stories as well!
Hero: 4
Heroine: 4
Plot: 3
Writing style: 4
Secondary characters: 4
Character development: 4
--
Sex scenes: middle hot
Sensible subjects:
Spoiler
Domestic ViolenceLove triangle:
Spoiler
NoCheating:
Spoiler
NoHEA:
Spoiler
YesSo, this book was good, I kind of loved it! It was my first read from this author, and I was pleasantly surprised, I liked the writing style a lot.
In the beginning of the book was a bit hard for me to get in the story, and I can say that sometimes the author overuses descriptions and inner thoughts (even if it can be useful to understand the character, they were too long), but after a few (virtual) page turns I took a dive and went with the flow. Want I liked most was the evolution Haven , it was beautiful to see how she was able to overcome the trauma caused by the ex husband and the controlling men in her family. In the end she was fighting for what she wanted with no hesitations. Hardy was the perfect hero in this case, although I would have liked to see his character explored a bit more.
This is my first book in the series (The first one appears to be some king of love triangle and that's not my thing), but I will give it a try to the next Travis stories as well!
classykat3's review against another edition
5.0
One of my new favorite books and couples. I did not realize that is was a second book of a series though I'm not sure if you have to read them in order. Anyway I fell in love with these characters while learning about the obstacles they had to face in their lives. A few twists that I did not expect to happen and it kept me on the edge of my seat! A great book that teaches you how some real relationships are in the world. I can't wait to read the other two in the series!
judithdcollins's review against another edition
3.0
"Awesome! Great author - leaves you wanting more and could not put it down! A must summer read!"
wwiillddeerr's review against another edition
4.0
kinda feels like it ended right as it was getting started but tbh pretty good
lilcaracol17's review against another edition
3.75
This was my first Kleypas novel, and I get why people love her books. I thought this one was well-written and the main couple was compelling. I probably should have read the content warnings because I was not expecting the book to be so heavy! I also probably should have started with another book as I have, yet again, picked up a book about rich people and disliked the fact that they acted like rich people. Some aspects of book have aged poorly: the comments on Latinos and Native Americans were not it for me. Also, the love interest paid off a family so they wouldn’t press charges against his rapist brother? I mean, what. The men in the main character’s life were so profoundly condescending, it really got on my nerves. But otherwise not bad I was very immersed in the story.
bookswritingandmore's review against another edition
5.0
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.
valeriac's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
readingwithjessica_w's review against another edition
5.0
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.
dmwmtgal's review against another edition
5.0
http://imaromancereader.blogspot.com/2008/05/blue-eyed-devil-by-lisa-kleypas.html
topy_loving_books's review against another edition
2.0
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...