A review by violetsto_
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 disclaimer: i have not read the other books in this series and this is my first kleypas.

picked devil in winter as my start because it seems to be the most popular and i am HERE for like 85% of this book. the whole journey to gretna green was amazing, the smut is hot, and there are some surprisingly tender moments in this book. some of the side plot took me out of it, but we made it and i had a great time!

MCs: horrendously shy “wallflower” with red hair and a stammer and older villainous rake of a lord who doesn’t believe in love and
absolutely fucks
tropes: marriage of convenience, age gap, “sick” bed

likes:
● the first half was a fucking riot: journey to gretna green (the foot warmers!!!), the opposites attract vibe (but isn’t grumpy/sunshine), sebastian being a hot sinful dark angel, the humorous anvil wedding, sebastian being sweet and fun until evie starts challenging his husbandly authority, heheheheh good for her

"I'm certain you already have many women to f-fortify your vanity. You don't need one more."

"I always need one more, darling. That's my problem."

● i’ll say it once, i’ll say it again: i love pet names and sebastian’s pet names are amazing, even if they are freely given, okay?
● idk just watching that absolute asshole fall in love and turn into an absolute sap was a great time, while evie becomes more comfortable with him and herself

"Don't you dare send me away, you c-coward. Who else would love my freckles? Who else would care that my feet were cold? Who else would ravish me in the billiards room?"

● one the last chapters is literally one giant
love confession
and it was amazing!
● st. vincent blushes … please someone help me, i have to love every boy that blushes

dislikes:
● the roving pov wasn’t my favorite. we swerve in and out of characters in a way that makes it difficult to discern the “voice” … sometimes within the same paragraph. definitely a different vibe that dual 3rd pov.
● i wasn’t super invested in the villainy subplots … i guess most books have them, but i cared even less for these ones than usual.

steam:
● the smut in this book bumped this rating up to a 4. it is surprisingly scrumptious once you get passed the dubcon. (this is my first pre-2010 historical romance, so i am not sure if the dubcon in this is standard, worse, better, than other books by kleypas, other HR books at this time, etc.)
● the kissing in this book is basically smut, i am speechless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He wanted things that she didn't know how to give. Sensing her confusion, he drew back and possessed her mouth with small, persistent kisses, the bristle on his face scraping gently against hers. His fingers came to the fragile structure of her jaw, tilting her chin, his thumb coaxing her lower lip apart from the upper. The instant he gained an opening, he sealed his mouth over hers. She could taste him, a subtle and alluring essence that affected her like some exotic drug. His tongue pushed inside her, exploring in caressing strokes ... sliding deeper as she offered no resistance.

● so much more
cunnilingus
than i was expecting …
● the celibacy bet is amazing and more book should do it. 

"Six months?" Sebastian's eyes widened, and then he threw her a scornful glance. "Sweetheart, what gives you the idea that you're worth a half-year of celibacy?"

"I may not be," Evie said. "You're the only one who can answer that."

● the … the billiards room … awakened me

“You said I could kiss you," came his gentle, wicked whisper near her ear. "But, my love... you didn't specify where."

 
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