Yum, yum, yum. This was a very good book. Not quite as good as my favorite (need I name it?... ok for those of you living on another planet and are just visiting for the day...) Dreaming of You. DIW is the third book in the Wallflower series and was the best one so far.This is Evie Jenner's story. She's the shy one who stutters and is an absolute sweetheart. Shy does not mean doormat by any means. Evie approaches Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, and asks him to marry her so that she can escape the clutches of her greedy, abusive family who are trying to force her into marriage with her repulsive cousin so that they can control her fortune. In return for marrying her, Sebastian, a true rake and fortune hunter, will instead get Evie's money. Her only condition is that she be allowed to care for her dying father. So they set off for Scotland in a long arduous journey and during the trip forge a bond between them. Sebastian is the villain of the previous book, It Happened One Autumn, where he attempted to kidnap the heroine, Lillian, and was stopped by the hero, Lord Westcliff, who beat him up. Oh, yeah, Evie makes one more condition.... no lovemaking after the wedding night.
After the wedding Sebastian realizes he is extremely attracted to Evie and she challenges him to remain celibate for three months before she'll go to bed with him again (love this girl ... she's got spunk). In the meantime they arrive back in London and Evie rushes to her father's bedside. Her father is a gambling club owner (chief rival of Derek from DoY) and Sebastian (who has never done a day's work in his life) takes over management of the club.
This is a wonderful book. I loved Evie, shy and sweet, with an inner strength who takes no crap from the hero. And Sebastian.... *sigh*... wow, he completely redeems himself and then some. He is slowly transformed from a hardened amoral rake as he falls in love with Evie and becomes so protective of her. I see why so many are comparing him to Derek Craven. Most agree that he is ALMOST as wonderful as DC (impossible to beat DC in the hero department). Very sigh-worthy. All the secondary characters are very well drawn and the plot was excellent, especially Cam, the part-gypsy croupier from the gambling club. I wonder if he gets his own book. I hope so. Also the subplot drama was good about a former employee of the club who means to harm Evie. And the love scenes were hot. A KEEPER!
My grade: A-
17 comments:
Okay, I am now placing this title in behind my 'in case of emergency glass'! I really want to read it now, but I need something sitting in the pile that I know will rock my world.
Wonder how long that will last?
CindyS
I can't wait to get to this book. I am hoping that it will be in at the library very soon!
You guys are so lukcy that your libraries stock actual romance books other than HQN's. I have to buy every single book I want. It costs a fortune!
I think this is my second fave by hers, followed by - you know - that one. And now I can officially say I'm looking forward to her next one in the series. Daisy (is that her name?) was never a fave and I was so bummed out the hero wouldn't be Cam, I was thinking of skipping it and waiting for Cam's. But then I read a review and saw that the hero did look intriguing......
I have to completely agree with you. This was my favorite of the Wallflower books. I haven't read DoY yet, but have it in my stacks ~ I guess I'll need to read it next.
I am looking forward to Daisy's book ~ Almost counting down the days until it comes out next month. I'm also looking forward to Cam's book, although I was surprised that after the liplock action between him and Daisy in DiW that he wasn't her hero. I read the excerpts on Lisa's website and both books look good, although I doubt I'll like them as well as Devil in Winter.
Devonna
Cindy: You have such willpower. If you like DoY then you'll love this too.
Marg: I hope they get it soon for your sake because it's wonderful. How does one find romance books in Australia? Do you mainly rely on the library? I suppose ordering online is very expensive.
KarenS: We are very lucky here and probably take things for granted. It would make me cranky to read a bad book knowing I had spent a fortune on it. :)
Kristie: I looking forward to the next one too and was so disappointed when the excerpt did not mention Cam.
Devonna: Uh-oh, you're in for it now. Wait till Kristie catches on that you haven't read DoY yet (Kristie are you listening?). You better get cracking on it. You'll love it even better than DiW. Oh, good, so Cam gets his own book too. I better check out LK's website. Thanks.
Renee ~ I loved Derek in Then Came You, so I'm definitely looking forward to DoY. I'm reading another book right now but I promise it's next on my pile. :-) Hope that gets me out of the doghouse with Kristie.
Devonna
I see, I see! In fact......
Devonna: LOL, funny you should mention 'doghouse', because Kristie will 'hound' (in a nice way) those who haven't read it yet. Hope you blog about your thoughts on it.
Kristie: Didn't think this would slip by you :)
le sigh I love this book... I have to say it is even higher on my list than DoY
I guess since I knew about Cam going in it didn't bother me but the excerpt for his book has Sebastian in all his glory. So I must have it.
Sybil: I just had to read the excerpt for Cam's book and boy is it good. As well as the Scandal in Spring excerpt. I must have them both.
This is one of her best books, I'm hoping the next lives up to it.
Tara: Me, too! Go read the excerpt for SiS. It's wonderful.
isn't it?
LOL I keep reposting it on my blog prolly driving people mad but I want everyone to see them. You missed them, so I will just have to keep reposting ;)
heeeee how horrid am I that I have reread the first 100 pages of this today...
And another good thing about this one is Cindy now has a replacement book for DOY *g*
Sybil: Yes, I did miss it for some strange reason.
Kristie: That's exactly what I was thinking! Sybil suggested this one (and I seconded it) when she was asking for recs after finishing DoY. But she may have missed it.
I love this book! hehehe, reminded me of that other book we won't mention. lol
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