Devil in Spring Series: Ravenels #3 on February 21, 2017
Pages: 288
Purchase: Amazon
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Also in this series: Cold-Hearted Rake, Marrying Winterborne, Hello Stranger, Devil's Daughter, Chasing Cassandra, Devil in Disguise
An eccentric wallflower…
Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she’s ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.
A cynical rake…
After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught-by a rebellious girl who couldn’t be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He’ll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil’s own bargain.
A perilous plot…
After succumbing to Gabriel’s skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. But soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavors have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy-and only her husband can keep her safe. As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realize their devil’s bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven...
Review
Oh, how I loved Devil in Spring, the third book in Lisa Kleypas’s series about the Ravenel family! This is Kleypas at her finest: funny and perspicacious, compassionate and passionate. There are some wonderful scenes and moments, plus one of my favorite Kleypas heroines to date and a hero who is nearly as swoon-worthy as Sebastian or Cam Rohan.
Pandora captured my interest and empathy from the first moment. Imaginative, intelligent, impulsive, spirited, and fiercely independent, Lady Pandora Ravenel is far more interested in bringing her new board game to market than she is in finding a husband. In fact, she is adamantly opposed to marriage, at least for herself. Pandora is a feminist before the word even existed in English, although the concept had been around at least 1792, with the publication of Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of The Rights of Women. (I was surprised that Pandora doesn’t seem to have read the book since the family’s arrival in London, since it so closely aligns with her beliefs.) She’s much more interested in developing and selling her board game than in going about in society. I suspect she also has ADHD, along with a secret disability she keeps hidden (and which I’m not going to spoil, so don’t ask.)
It was clearly going to take an extraordinary man to match Pandora, and Kleypas came up with the perfect choice: Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, the eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Kingston (aka Sebastian and Evie from The Devil in Winter.) When Gabriel accidentally compromises Pandora at a ball, he immediately offers to marry her. It is, after all, the only honorable thing to do, however reluctant he may feel. But between her vociferous opposition and what he learns and observes of her on that first evening, it’s clear she’s not at all suitable. Yet something in him is strongly attracted to her. The more he spends time with her, the more he is drawn to her, but he’ll have to find a way to convince her to trust him with her independence as well as her heart.
And of course, he does: he rises to the occasion magnificently. Gabriel is both his parents’ son, and while at first glance he is most like his father — handsome, witty, debonair, passionate, and very nearly as worldly — he also has a fair share of Evie’s kindness, understanding, and compassion, as well as an ability to observe details of people’s behavior that go unnoticed by most. The scene in which he finally convinces her, by giving her something she thought she could never do, draws on several of those traits and is one of my favorites in a whole line of favorite scenes.
As much as I loved Pandora and Gabriel’s story, I also loved seeing Sebastian and Evie, 30 years into their marriage, and meeting their children. Sebastian and Evie get more than just cameos; they each play an important if subtle role in furthering the relationship between Gabriel and Pandora. We also see some of the other characters from the series, including Devon and Kathleen Ravenel (Cold-Hearted Rake), and both Dr. Garrett and detective Ransome from Marrying Winterbourne. (I’m secretly hoping for a romance between those, two eventually.) Lord Westcliff (It Happened One Autumn of the Wallflowers series, plus a number of other books) puts in an appearance in an early scene. Some of the new characters are appealing, too, particularly Phoebe, Gabriel’s eldest sister; I dearly hope she gets her own story someday.
TL;DR: If you like Lisa Kleypas, or historical romance in general, you will love Devil in Spring. Pitch-perfect romance with all the feels, plus humor, a touch of mystery/suspense, and an absolutely irresistible hero and heroine.
Favorite Quote
Sebastian, who had begun to laugh, seemed struck by that last comment. “Ahhh,” he said softly. “That explains it.” He was silent for a moment, lost in some distant, pleasurable memory. “Dangerous creatures, wallflowers. Approach them with utmost caution. They sit quietly in corners, appearing abandoned and forlorn, when in truth they’re sirens who lure men to their downfall. You won’t even notice the moment she steals the heart right out of your body–and then it’s hers for good. A wallflower never gives your heart back.”
— Said by the Duke of Kingston to his son Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent. What makes it so delicious is that Sebastian himself was a notorious rake until a wallflower — Gabriel’s mother — stole his heart in one of my favorite historical romances ever, THE DEVIL IN WINTER.
About Lisa Kleypas
LISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 35 historical and contemporary romance novels. Her books are published in more than 20 languages and are bestsellers all over the world.
A graduate of Wellesley College with a political science degree, Lisa was chosen as “Miss Massachusetts” for the 1985 Miss America contest. She published her first novel at age twenty-one. Lisa lives in Washington State with her husband; they have two children.
Berls
This sounds so good.. won’t lie, I’m drawn to it because of the beautiful cover! So cool that you got to see the relationship of that one couple 30 years into their marriage! Going on the tbr 🙂
Berls recently posted…Take Control of Your TBR 2017 | Goal Post
Lark_Bookwyrm
It is a gorgeous cover! (Historically inaccurate costume, which is one of my pet peeves, but gorgeous anyway.)
Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook
I have been elated and also so very nervous to read this. My expectations are so high, but I continue to see such rave reviews, that my anxiety is getting smaller. Thank goodness! I can’t wait to read this one! So glad you loved it.
Lark_Bookwyrm
My expectations were pretty high, too. Thankfully, she lived up to them!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
Oh I’m glad to see you loved this one! I’ve been almost afraid to read it because I love Devil in Winter so much. I was also a little worried that it would feel like Gabriel was a child since he’s the son of such a prominent couple. I should have trusted Kleypas more because it sounds like this is amazingly done. Can’t wait to read it!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Books the Tornado is Loving at Age 7
Lark_Bookwyrm
No worries, Katherine. You will love it—go grab a copy as soon as you can!
RO
Lisa Kleypas was always one of the author’s books I’d get to review years ago, and loved her historical love stories. It’s been a while since I read that period, but this one sounds just as good as what what I remember. Great review! Hope all is well. Hugs…
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’m so glad she’s writing historicals again. Her contemporary Friday Harbor series was nice, but it just didn’t have the depth or sparkle of her historicals IMO. Hugs, and have a great week!
Lily B
gah I want to read this like badly but it’s one of those books that I keep pushing to the side because I want to read it badly but afraid it will disappoint, you know the feeling? anyway 😀 I’m glad to hear you loved her. Her writing just sounds so good, so do the characters
Lark_Bookwyrm
It didn’t disappoint. 🙂 Read and enjoy!
Michelle @Because Reading
WOW that cover! I skimmed your review since this is a book #3 and I like the sound of it so much that I might want to read it 🙂
Great review! 🙂
Michelle @Because Reading recently posted…Plan for the Mini #Blog Ahead March 1st to March 15th
Lark_Bookwyrm
Oh, you should totally read the whole series, at least if you like historical romance. This was a delight!
kimbacaffeinate
I have really got to try this author Kara. I know I am going to kick myself when I finally do 🙂
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Lark_Bookwyrm
Omigosh, you are going to love her! I highly recommend the Wallflowers series, the Hathaway series, and the Ravenel series to start. 🙂
Cyn @ Bookmunchies
Oh my gosh, yes to everything! I’m so glad this book was amazing, I don’t think I would have been able to handle it if it wasn’t amazing haha. But seriously, that quote!! So friggin cute! Great review!
Cyn @ Bookmunchies recently posted…Review: Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’m glad you enjoyed it — the book as well as the review! I can hardly wait until the next one — I’ve heard a rumor it’s going to be the doctor and the detective. 🙂