Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

A devil's bargain

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!

Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.

But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts -- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.


Isabel Says:

I stayed up until 11:30 last night reading this. The last couple of chapters, I had to reread to make sure I didn't miss anything, cause I could feel my eyes fighting to say open last night.

I liked this one. I think out of the Wallflower series, this is my favorite. I love how Sebastian took care of Evie after they were married. He helped her get ready for bed, cleaned her up the morning after and bought that foot warmer thingy for carriage ride home. It's little things like that that just make my heart melt. Then him taking the bullet for her. sigh... But quick question, maybe I was tired and missed it, but was there mention why Sebastian kept trying to push Evie away? Was there mention of his childhood? We know about Evie growing up, but did we get a glimpse of Sebastian's childhood.?

I liked Evie. She had spirit and determination to stay by her father's side. Although her trying make Sebastian abstain from sex for 6 months made me laugh out loud. Yeah right. Even the 3 months I thought was a little much, but hey, he was willing to do it. I cheered when she told Sebastian he was going to lose the bet and took advantage him. Sebastian telling her to leave cause he wanted to prove to her he could, was just... I can't think of the word... noble, no. I don't know. I love he wanted to prove he could do it though.

I don't remember where I read it, maybe it was on Where's My Hero? blog, but I remember reading something Sebastian was supposed to rival Derek Craven in hotness. I think not. Sebastian is swoon worthy, don't get me wrong. But Derek Craven is just... to good for words. Derek is my lobster out of the Lisa Kleypas heroes.

This book is the 3rd in The Wallflower Series
1) Secrets of a Summer Night
2) It Happened One Autumn
3) Devil In Winter
4) Scandal In Spring coming 7/26/06 (according to Barnes and Noble)

There you have it people. I give it a B+ until I reread the series.

Reread

It's still my favorite out of the series. Still laughed at Evie asking him to abstain.

Grade: A-

Holly Says:

I loved this book. It was just what I needed to get me out of my historical slump. I was a little bit disappointed in SoaSN. It was alright, but it didn't just GRAB me like this one did.

I think Evie is easily my favorite heroine of the series so far. I'm reserving judgement until I read Daisy's book, but I loved Evie. And watching Sebastion fall for her was nothing short of amazing.

You must have missed some of it, Isabel, because they talked about how Sebastion's mom died in childbirth and three of his siters died of Scarlet Fever. The fourth sister died in childbirth and his father was a greedy, selfish bastard who thought only of himself. That's the main reason he was afraid to love Evie, I think. Because every person he ever loved before died. *sniffle*

I loved that he took such good care of her. And when he was ill, I loved how strong Evie was for him. They were perfectly matched, I think.

4.5 out of 5

Dylan's Turn:

Hero: Sebastian St. Vincent
Heroine: Evangeline Jenner
Grade: B+

I really liked this book, I loved how Sebastian turned into one of those reformed rakes that we all know and love. I love the way he took care of Sebastian and the way he protected her from her evil Uncles, and I just love how his I'm bad and don't you forget it attitude, he was definitely swoonworthy.

Do I like him more than Derek Craven though? No. Is he my favorite hero of Lisa Kleypas? No. That title still belongs to Simon Hunt. There was just something about Simon that I hella loved and can't get over, so for me, it's still Simon Hunt leading the race for my favorite LK hero.

I really liked Evie as well, I've always liked her and I loved watching her come out of her shell and to see her stammer slowly disappear, the more comfortable she got around Sebastian, the more happy I got. She was a great heroine, I knew I was going to enjoy getting to know her. I loved the whole story, getting to know her, see where she was, the mystery surrounding her family coming out was just GREAT! I loved reading every bit of this book.

But for some reason, Secrets of a Summer Night still holds the title of my favorite Wallflower book. I really enjoyed Sebastian, seeing him grow and fall in love with Evie, of all the girls in London, for him to fall to the shy girl with the stammer, just made my heart go pitter patter in my chest, it was just all that's good and yum in this world!

It took me one day to read this book, I inhaled it and was glad that I did because it was just so good...Sebastian and Evie were such a great couple and their book was fantabulous! Can't say enough good things about this book...