Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

New York Times bestseller Lisa Kleypas returns with an enthralling and steaming romance between a widowed lady and a Scot on the run.

“The devil never tries to make people do the wrong thing by scaring them. He does it by tempting them.”

Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed young widow who’s running her late husband’s shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.

From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.

So far, neither of those is going well.

Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals the secret of his mysterious past. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt.

Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves... even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.

Don’t miss our reviews of other books in The Ravenels series!
For book four, Hello Stranger, click HERE.
For book five, Devil’s Daughter, click HERE.
For book six, Chasing Cassandra, click HERE.

 

 

Book 7
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Devil in Disguise is the seventh installment in The Ravenels series. While I do believe it could be read as a standalone with little to no confusion, the reader would miss out on the emotional connection to the elder characters in the series. Not only within this series but Kleypas' earlier series as well, as the books are all interconnected. Both Merritt and Keir are descendants from the various characters over several series arcs.

Merritt (I always get excited when I see this surname used, albeit as a first name this go-around, as it is one of my maternal bloodlines. Makes me feel connected to the character and the story even more.)…

Merritt was easy to relate to, so many facets many women could grasp onto to feel seen and heard, her voice speaking for us. Mature, stable, level-headed, strong, and capable, but in great need of someone to bring the playful wildness out of her... and Keir is perfect for the role.

Widowed, barren, an elder sibling, Merritt is thriving professionally as she takes the reins of her late husband's shipping company, employing her baby brother to be her right-hand man. She has it all in a man's world – respect, the love of family, but the fact that she believes she cannot have children keeps her from finding romantic love after what happened with her late husband, added with the fact that a tryst may tarnish her reputation. For reference, Merritt is either plagued with Endo or PCOS by the description, another facet that so many women face, readers easily empathizing.

Then there is Keir MacRae... the cursing, whisky-making Scot who is far too handsome for his own wellbeing, having to wear a scruffy beard as armor against men and women alike. He had a way about him, not only his looks and affect effecting Merritt, but the way he twisted his words and phrases to catch hold of the reader. Keir got beneath my skin, the pages eagerly flying by as I waited for a chuckle here and there, the inventive way he saw the world. Little banterific zings Keir dished out, Merritt rendered speechless.

Merritt and Keir meet in a professional setting, mishaps befalling Keir every step of the way, as the pair are drawn infinitely closer together, the knot tightening until they both feel as if it would be foreign to be apart. Wrought with tension, witty banter, Scottish slang and curses, familial secrets revealed, the pages flew by, leaving me wishing I had more. Not wishing to leave this wonderful setting, the longing to start all these books at the beginning once more.

Highly recommend to fans of Kleypas and Historical Romance. Forever at the top of my favorites list. I truly hope we'll see more from these families, perhaps from Merritt's baby brother.

 

 

New York Times bestselling author LISA KLEYPAS graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Connect with Lisa

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Devil in Disguise (The Ravenels #7) by Lisa Kleypas to read and review.

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas

Everything has a price...

Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give.

Everything except her...

Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win.

When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride:

Never underestimate a Ravenel.

The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun...

Book 6
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Avon – HarperCollins

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
I have read all of the previous books in The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas and loved every single one of them. Plus, I have also read the Wallflowers series by Kleypas, which has some characters that appear in The Ravenels series. Honestly, I am not usually much for historical romances, but something about the stories Kleypas weaves in both The Ravenels series and the Wallflowers series I find completely riveting! Kleypas does such a fantastic job of spinning a beautifully romantic tale set in the late 1800s in Hampshire, England and I couldn't put it down. I just adore all these characters and I am always so charmed how beloved characters from the Wallflowers series have been slightly intertwined in the storylines of The Ravenels series.

Reading the previous books in The Ravenels series is not necessary, but I personally found it more enjoyable having read them. Chasing Cassandra is the sixth book in The Ravenels series, and it took me completely by surprise. For the majority of this series, Cassandra has been such a quiet character, especially compared to her twin sister Pandora, but in Chasing Cassandra I got a whole new side to her character. In fact, I had no idea how much I would end up loving Cassandra Ravenel and Tom Severin's story, which turned out to be a close second for my favorite in this series by Kleypas, which was Devil in Spring! I can't wait to see what Kleypas does next!

5 stars for Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Chasing Cassandra is the sixth installment of The Ravenels series. Can this novel be read as a standalone with little to no confusion? Absolutely. Should it be read as a standalone is another question entirely. I would strongly suggest starting at Cold-Hearted Rake and moving along through the series. Why? Because it's worth it. The emotional investment is better, as the characters are shown in previous installments. I also suggest reading the Wallflowers series first, as The Ravenels was a slight spin-off, starting with Secrets of a Summer Night.

Believe it or not, Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflowers series was the first historical romance I ever read. I decided to read it on a whim, after spotting the pretty cover at a library book sale, and the rest they say is history. I've been addicted to the genre since.

Cassandra and Tom Severin are like two facets of my own personality. We all have that romantic side that wants to marry for love, have a giving and caring relationship, and lead a normal life without fanfare or the spotlight. Then there is Tom, who is logical to a degree that comes off as uncaring or unemotional, as if having logic means a lack of empathy. If you're not warm and fuzzy, have a tendency to be the devil's advocate, maybe a bit pessimistic as well, and don't enjoy being emotionally manipulated, clearly, you're a sociopath. But maybe I'm just projecting. ;)

Obviously since Cassandra and Tom are two individuals (not the same person warring with themselves), their personalities create the ultimate of balances. Where Cassandra shows Tom the softer sides to life.

Chasing Cassandra begins with a meet-cute of sorts between the pair. The flow of their relationship, as it built over the course of the novel, was realistic and natural, without feeling forced or happening in an instant. Avoiding all spoilers, I will say that their chemistry was through the roof, the banter, and the need to know what happens next. A lovely page-turner of a novel.

Where Kleypas always shines is how a family is portrayed. The layers of different types of relationships, how past narrators and current side characters connect. It was bittersweet to discover this is the finale of the series, while heartwarming to see cameos of past favorites.

I highly recommend Kleypas as a historical romance standard. After finishing the novel, I'm left with the urge to start all over again, at the very beginning, by reading the author's entire backlist.

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Connect with Lisa

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6) by Lisa Kleypas to read and review.

Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn't...

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself... as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire... not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil's daughter knows...

Book 5
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Avon Romance

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Devil's Daughter is the fifth installment of The Ravenels series. While I advocate reading the series in order for optimal enjoyment, I don't believe there would be much confusion if read out of order or as a standalone. With that being said, the hero and heroine are direct relatives of past narrators, where I believe reading in order will forge an emotional connection between the characters and the reader. Not to mention the fact that this book blends two series by Kleypas – The Wallflowers and The Ravenels.

From the book Devil in Winter, Phoebe is the daughter of the narrators, Sebastian and Evie, and she is also the sister to the narrator in Devil in Spring, Gabriel. For me, this was a much-anticipated novel.

As a widow with two small children, Phoebe is a strong heroine that resonated with me. Selfless and caring, someone who deserved a happily ever after. She's cautious, refusing to jump into anything, which feeds into the slow-burn romance that always tugs at my heartstrings. Mature adult, instead of simpering damsel in distress that is so often found in this genre.

West is the type of man where women see the wounded little boy beneath the surface. He's flawed, insecure, yet equally addictive. Phoebe is the moth to West's flame, because she is a natural fixer/healer.

Their dynamic was original, simply because of the fact it was slow-burn but a juxtaposition to the relationship Phoebe shared with her deceased husband. Passionate, fiery, yet realistic. Their undeniable connection kept me clicking the pages to see what happened next. My heartstrings tugged as West tried to assimilate into their family unit, in the father figure role, creating a perfect balance.

Warm and fuzzy meets highly emotional, I was addicted from the start. My only issue is how the conflict is West and Phoebe getting in their own way, which is realistic in a sense.

The past few books I've read, the main thing the novels accomplished was sparking my need to reread, to start at the beginning now that I have a firm grasp of the ending. It's been years since I read The Wallflower series. Believe it or not, Lisa Kleypas was the first historical romance author I ever read, The Wallflowers the first series, and I was hooked on the genre. I see a major Kleypas binge-reading session in my future.

Highly recommend to fans of historical romance and the author. I can attest how Kleypas is the perfect author to read when dipping your toe into the genre, testing the waters to see if historical romance is a good fit.


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am not necessarily a huge historical romance fan, but if it’s written by Lisa Kleypas I guarantee I won’t be able to put it down. I fell in love with her Wallflower series and I can’t get over how much I have enjoyed reading the Ravenels series. The Devil’s Daughter by Kleypas might be my new favorite. It’s hard to choose honestly this whole series has been so perfect. Plus, there was the added bonus of getting glimpses of my favorite Wallflower characters!

When attending a family wedding, the young widowed Phoebe, Lady Clare, finds herself instantly drawn to charming stranger who turns out to be West Ravenel. The same man who made her late husband’s boarding school life a complete misery.

West is immediately captivated by Phoebe, but he knows that for a man with a tarnished past a woman like her is out of his reach.

This book has me all kinds of excited because I just loved Devil in Winter and it was so great to read about Sebastian’s daughter, Phoebe. I just can’t get enough of these characters and I enjoy being able to delve back into London society. Kleypas just has such a way with words! I was instantly smitten with West Ravenel all over again after reading the Devil’s Daughter and I was so happy to finally read his story! I couldn’t help but easily fall in love with West and root for him and Phoebe. The Devil’s Daughter was charming, heartwarming, and an all-around delightful read! Kleypas will not disappoint.

5 Stars for Lisa Kleypas’ Devil’s Daughter

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Connect with Lisa

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Devil’s Daughter (The Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas to read and review.

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas Blog Tour

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of an unconventional beauty who finds passion with the spy who can’t resist her.

A woman who defies her time

Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.

A man who breaks every rule

As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett's skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he's ever known.

Book 4
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Avon Romance

He heard her muffled chuckle. She continued to lean against him while the trio of constables expressed sympathy for the unfortunate patient. Eventually the men departed with a chorus of hearty farewells. Ethan discovered that his other arm had stolen around Garrett. Making himself let go of her was like trying to uncoil a steel spring.

“You should go up to your father now,” he said with difficulty.

“Eliza will look after him while I take a few minutes to show you some slides. I have insect wings... pollen grains... flower petals... What would you like to see?”

“The inside of a hansom cab,” he said softly. “I can’t be alone with you, darlin’.”

Garrett touched the edges of his vest, fingers clamping on the thin leather. “Ethan.” A blush rose in her face, like light glowing through pink frosted glass. “I don’t want to end this. We... we could meet in secret, now and then. No one would have to know. We would make no claims on each other. We’ll just... do as we please.”

The way she fumbled with the words, so unlike her usual precise way of speaking, devastated Ethan. He could only guess what it cost her to lay open her pride like this. He wasn’t certain what she was offering, or even if she knew. Not that it mattered. He wanted, craved, needed anything she was willing to give. But he had to make her understand that it was impossible. And even if it were, the idea was beneath her.

“Have you had that kind of arrangement with a man before?” he brought himself to ask.

Her eyes were the green of deep summer and lush growing things. “I’m a woman who makes her own decisions and handles the consequences.”

“That means no,” Ethan said softly. At her silence, he continued, “You’d be risking your reputation. Your career.”

“Believe me, I understand that better than you.”

“Have you ever shared a bed with a man? Even once?”

“Why is that relevant?”

Her evasive response sent a pleasure-pang down to the pit of his stomach. “That means no,” he said again, his voice even softer than before. He took a slow breath, trying to steady himself, while his blood sang with the knowledge that she’d been waiting for him. She was meant to be his. God, he wanted her beyond any reckoning of earth or heaven. But her well-being mattered a thousand times more than his own desires.

“Garrett... I’m a man full o’ trouble. When I vowed to let nothing harm you, I included myself on that list.”

A frown crimped her forehead. She closed her grip on his vest until her fists were tight as pine knots. “I’m not afraid of you, or your trouble.” Her green eyes were narrowed and intent as she tugged him closer. “Kiss me,” she urged in a whisper.

“I have to go,” he said shortly, and pulled back while he was still able.

But Garrett moved with him, her hands reaching up to grip his head on either side, the way he’d taught her at Baujart’s. The strength of her fingers electrified him.

“Kiss me,” she commanded, “or I’ll break your nose.”

The threat startled a ragged laugh from him. He shook his head as he looked at her, this fearsomely capable woman who loved geese and was afraid of spaghetti, and could either wield a scalpel in a complex surgical procedure or use it as a throwing-knife.

There had always been a cold streak in him, but he couldn’t seem to find it now, when he needed it most. He was breaking apart inside. He would never be the same after this.

“Christ, you’ve ruined me,” he whispered.

His arms went around her, one hand gripping the heavy silken mass of her braided chignon. She guided his head down, and he lost the battle, all his will vanquished as he began to kiss her as if the world were about to end.

For him, it was.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Hello Stranger is the fourth installment of The Ravenels series and can most certainly be read as a standalone. While I have read the majority of Lisa Kleypas's backlist, I had not read any of this series, and I had absolutely no difficulty falling into the story. I had no confusion reading this as a standalone and look forward to going back to book one and working my way through the series.

Hello Stranger starts off with a thrilling scene, drawing the reader into the story from word one in an innovated way. Our hero and heroine have had previous encounters. However, since this was the first I've read, I don't feel short-changed with how Kleypas released the previous information about their encounters without doing an info-dump.

Garrett Gibson is the first female doctor in England, in a time when women were not seen in the same light as men. She was logical, non-emotional, no-nonsense, but written in a manner that does not make her seem cold. I immediately identified with Garrett, which had me emotionally invested in the character and the journey. I appreciated that Hello Stranger didn't concentrate on balls and trapping a man in the marriage mart, befitting the characterization.

Ethan Ransom is an interesting character, with a mysterious backstory. He's as practical and efficient as the doctor but has a red-blooded, passionate streak. Trained to do the jobs in which most would not succeed, Ransom tries and fails to disconnect from his humanity.

Garrett and Ransom are drawn together, bringing out portions of human nature they both suppress due to their professions. Their romance felt real, with a slow-build, high tension, and sizzling passion unfolding organically throughout the story.

They're tested, both as a couple, but most certainly by profession, in a manner that allows the reader to see Garrett's medical knowledge. The reader can see that Garrett is not a damsel in distress throughout the majority of the book – not only will she protect herself, she is driven to care for others. The depth in which the author goes to show the medical limitations of the time, some readers may be drawn to skim this portion – however, I was intrigued by both the medical angle, as well as how women in Garrett's profession were treated.

There is a small side cast of characters, which I'm sure are past narrators. However, the reader gets to meet West, who most certainly will be the hero of the next installment. I enjoyed him immensely, and all the foreshadowing made me hungry from West's book.

My favorite part of the entire novel was the instant familial connection Ransom and West shared. Their interplay was amusing and heartwarming. It was as if West brought out another side to Ransom – a sarcastic and witty side that brought levity to an otherwise darker novel, and this transferred over into how they both interacted with Garrett.

Here are two quotes from the beginning of the novel that had me thoroughly entertained, and will also give a glimpse into Garrett's character.

You've been all work and no play for much too long. And then one night a mysterious and handsome man appears out of the shadows, fending off attackers on your behalf–"

"That part was annoying," Garrett interrupted. "I was doing quite well at being my own hero until he jumped in."

Helen's lips curved. "Still... it must have been a little flattering."
___

"This man is a patient," Garrett told the cookmaid, removing the posy of violets from the buttonhole of her walking jacket before handing the garment to her. "I've brought him here for a consultation – please see that we're not disturbed."

"Consultation for what?" the maid asked slyly, her gaze traveling from Ethan's head to his toes, and back up again. "'E don't look all that peaked to me."

Garrett's brows lowered. "You know better than to comment on a patient's appearance."

Leaning toward her, the cookmaid said in a stage whisper, "I meant to say I 'opes you can do something for this poor, sickly wreck of a man."


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
Ever since the Downton Abbey TV show, I’ve developed a new appreciation for historical romances. So, it comes as no surprise to anyone that Lisa Kleypas is hands down one of my favorite historical romance authors! Although, I don’t read very many historical romances, but Kleypas always has a way of sucking me into the beauty of ball gowns, corsets, and handsome suitors. I’m especially fond of her Wallflower and Hathaway series, which made reading The Ravenels a no brainer.

Hello Stranger is the fourth installment in The Ravenels series. These books can all be read together or as a standalone. Having read the three previous books, I personally enjoyed reading them in order, but they’re not necessary to enjoy Hello Stranger. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how much I’d like Hello Stranger, but I ended up loving Dr. Garett Gibson and Ethan Ransom’s story more than I thought I would! Garett is such a strong independent woman and I easily found myself falling for Ethan’s character! Plus, together they were the perfect match for one another. Also, I always appreciate how previous characters pop back up throughout the series! I just can’t get enough of the whole Ravenel family and I can’t wait to see what Kleypas has in store for us next!

Five stars for Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas! I’ll be counting down the months for her to once again take me back to the streets of London in the Victorian era!

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Connect with Lisa

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram


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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Hello Stranger (The Ravenels #4) by Lisa Kleypas to read and review for this tour.