I love Cassandra and Pandora, the twins, and they keep you entertained every step of the way. Where Kathleen doesn’t change or grow much throughout the story (deciding the let Devon have his way with her is the the best change), both Devon and West definitely come into their own and learn to live a totally different way of life than before. I’m still a little irritated with Kathleen. So, needless to say, it’s Devon – and everyone else – who make this book.

I realize she’s trying to protect her sister-in-law, but she does exactly what she’s been preaching to everyone she and they shouldn’t do. I also don’t care for her invasiveness when it comes to Helen once she lets it be known she’d like to marry Rhys Winterbourne. They live in the country, for heaven’s sake, so her steadfastness became a bit tedious at times. Which makes me happy, because she could be a bit overbearing at times with those rules. Trying quite hard to keep Devon at bay, once he decides to stay to get the lands up to par, she finds it more and more difficult to resist the man. She’s quite strict when it comes to society’s rules concerning mourning and everything else women had to endure of the times. Kathleen, Lady Treanor, doesn’t have a lot of experience with running a household or estate either, but she’s made the most of it in the months since her husband’s death. He’s even corralled his brother, West, to figure out how to save the estate. What he doesn’t know about farming and everything else his tenants are involved in, he finds out. I so love this Ravenel family, and eventually Devon does too. Along with Lady Treanor there is also her three sisters-in-law he has inherited.

But then he meets his cousin’s virgin widow – yes, you read that right, and I enjoyed her story of how that happened – and Devon’s feelings begin to change. He prefers his rakish ways with no responsibility. Having no idea how to go about being an earl and taking care of everyone and everything that entails, he’s determined to sell it all off. And I am so very happy that I did.ĭevon Ravenel has just become earl of his family after his cousin’s death – three days after he married. I thoroughly enjoyed each Ravenel in those books, so decided it was time to get the full picture of this family from the beginning. I began reading this series with the third book, then continued with the next two after that, which includes Ms Kleypas’ latest release, Devil’s Daughter. Historical Romance published by Avon 27 Oct 15 Sandy M’s review of Cold-Hearted Rake (Ravenels, Book 1)by Lisa Kleypas

Devon ravenel