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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars for me
This book was good. I really enjoyed the first portion and it was very fast-paced while they rushed off to get married. After that, things started to slow down a lot. I found the main conflict with Mr. Bullard interesting but it dragged out a little bit much and then wrapped up extremely quickly.
This book was good. I really enjoyed the first portion and it was very fast-paced while they rushed off to get married. After that, things started to slow down a lot. I found the main conflict with Mr. Bullard interesting but it dragged out a little bit much and then wrapped up extremely quickly.
These two were perfect for each other. He a former kidnapper who threats women with rape to get what he wants and she a rapee. She totally disregarded his many “no” and made him break his promise just cause she felt it was the right time regardless of what he wanted. Also, they didn’t even make sense when it came to deciding where to live. Like who stays in a place where a guy has many secret ways to get to you. Anyways, this author continues to write dubious consent stuff and it is so weird. Like is it a kink of hers or what.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was OKAY. Compulsively readable, and I liked the idea of Sebastian and Evie developing a relationship out of a marriage of convenience. But everything felt a little too easy, somehow. The events in the story felt unearned, and I think that made it hard to commit to the fantasy underlying this whole book, which is that a woman’s love really can change him™️!
For me, if that’s the arc of the story, then the emotional journey needs to live up to it. To that end, perhaps where Devil in Winter fell down for me was that many of the story beats came from external factors, as opposed to individual characters using their agency to drive their fates forward? Like, things happened TO Sebastian and Evie, and I think I wanted more demonstration of them relying on their own strength of character & actions to shape the story… I’ll have to think about it some more.
Anyway, I can appreciate the reformed bad boy plot, and I do think a lot of hetero women are drawn to these kinds of stories because they give us a satisfying intersection between love and power. But like I said, there is something SO fantastical about the way the romance in this book is executed, that I found it deeply difficult to buy into.
For me, if that’s the arc of the story, then the emotional journey needs to live up to it. To that end, perhaps where Devil in Winter fell down for me was that many of the story beats came from external factors, as opposed to individual characters using their agency to drive their fates forward? Like, things happened TO Sebastian and Evie, and I think I wanted more demonstration of them relying on their own strength of character & actions to shape the story… I’ll have to think about it some more.
Anyway, I can appreciate the reformed bad boy plot, and I do think a lot of hetero women are drawn to these kinds of stories because they give us a satisfying intersection between love and power. But like I said, there is something SO fantastical about the way the romance in this book is executed, that I found it deeply difficult to buy into.
Not as into this one as the last two, but mindless reading that got me out of a bit of a slump I hope! The characterization in this one was weird and there were some uhhh questionable choices made, but let's be real, I'm not reading these critically. Over the top, as expected, and kept me turning the pages. Just what I needed.
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Classism
2 stars updated to 3 stars for my second read.
I remember reading this the first time and got shocked about how HYPED this book was and is. Overall, I still liked the first book in the series better and this come second. I guess people love Sebastian because of his villain to hero arc and he is more loose and charming compare to the former heroes. But Lisa Kleypas definitely has better books than this.
I remember reading this the first time and got shocked about how HYPED this book was and is. Overall, I still liked the first book in the series better and this come second. I guess people love Sebastian because of his villain to hero arc and he is more loose and charming compare to the former heroes. But Lisa Kleypas definitely has better books than this.
My favorite Kleypas novel. One of my top two favorite romance novels of all time.