The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3)
by Lisa Kleypas
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Book Summary Information
Author: Lisa KleypasEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-02-28
ISBN: 006056251X
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Avon
Book Reviews of The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3)
Book Review: What the hell happened to St. Vincent?!
Summary: 3 Stars
Lisa Kleypas is an extraordinary and accomplished writer and it shows in her work. But perhaps my expectation was too high, because in the end, I was a disappointed with St. Vincent and Evie's story.
I liked the story of Evie and St. Vincent well enough,
I was looking for some excitement, some danger; considering St. Vincent's shady, cynical, mysterious nature, I was hoping there's be a dark edge to his love story with Evie. But there was none. Half the time he was NURTURING Evie, TAKING CARE of her, SEEING TO HER NEEDS, and thus, acting more her father than her lover. Save for his occasional sexual remarks/threats towards Evie and the embraces (which were too few and often unsatisfying), there was little tension between them... as far as I could tell.
As it was, the set up for the story was engaging enough. The first 2 chapter had me fairly bristling with excitement. I couldn't wait to read on. But it just went down hill from there. The next few chapters just dragged on and on. The long, tedious ride to Gretna Green really killed the romance and any sexual tension between the two couple. For most of the journey, the couple was exhausted and travel-weary. Here're some quotes from the book for you:
-"On and on and on... the carriage bounced on the rough patches of road, at times nearly pitching Evie from the seat to the floor."
-"Well-sprung and equipped though the carriage was, traveling at such relentless speed caused the vehicle to jolt and sway until Evie began to feel nauseated. She was exhausted and could find no comfortable position in which to sleep. Her head bumped constantly against the wall... St. Vincent was less obviously miserable than Evie, though he too has acquired a rumpled, travel-worn appearance."
Wow... how romantic...
Think about it, when you have to sit in one place over a long period of time, cramped up in a little space, while the carriage rocked and jarred itself down the lengthy road, you'd be in no mood for any romance. And that is exactly what happened. Evie became "comfortable" in St. Vincent's company, even allowing him to cuddle up to her, because frankly she is too tired to care. She even commented on this at one point. The result: there was no excitement, no heated gazes, little conversation, and no tension between the couple.
As far as the rest of the story goes...eh. More than anything, I find St. Vincent's attitude towards Evie a little disturbing. While I like the occasional show of possessiveness and protectiveness in a hero, I found St. Vincent's behavior to be controlling and condescending. Putting it bluntly, he is a control freak. Not what I wanted for Evie. In light of her childhood, she needed someone who'd let make her own decisions, not attempt to control her with threats. What's the deal with St. Vincent having her stalked by the servants so they can report back to him on her daily whereabouts, when she eats, what she ate, how much, who she met with. Please! She is a grown woman. Not a child. She doesn't need to be told when and what to eat as if she was 5 years old. Once again, he acts more the father than the lover. In today's society, he's the type of man I'd warn my friends away from.
Another things I didn't like about this book is the individual character development. Throughout the novel, I just couldn't relate to or sympathize with either Evie or St. Vincent. The inconsistency really bothered me. Is Evie the shy, timid, damsel in distress, or does she possess inner strength? Sometimes she lets St. Vincent browbeat her into compliance and sometime she stands up to him. Her plight confuses me. She's 22 years old, so why is her still under the control of her uncles? And why didn't she go to her friends for help, but instead sought out the man who kidnapped one of her best friends? She knew nothing of him and what she does know doesn't inspire much trust. Logically speaking, her decision to seek St. Vincent's help was pure stupidity. Marrying him shouldn't afford her anymore protection than seeking her friends for help, because she is act an age where she is no longer under the legal control of her uncles. Whatever she does, Evie fails to inspire admiration in me. She doesn't stand out as a heroine. She lack personality: a distinguishing characteristic which makes her stand out from other females and explains why the hero suddenly finds her so irresistible. I don't get it. Maybe it's just me.
And as for St. Vincent... I really don't get why he is so cynical and jaded. Usually, there's a good reason why the hero sees the world so negatively. Either he was betrayed by a loved one, or he was abused as a child, or he needed to be bad so that he could survive in the world. But none of this is true for St. Vincent. He didn't grow up poor. He lived in luxury (if you ask me, he was more than a little spoiled). The only problems he faced in the past was that his father was neglectful and that he's lost his sisters to an illness at a young age. Not to be mean, but... so? This doesn't justify his cynicism. Doesn't justify why he lacked enough moral to betray his best friend and abduct his fiancé. The fact that he would never have raped Lillian doesn't redeem him, though Evie sure felt otherwise. I've read of heroes who've gone through much worse and turned out much more of a man than St. Vincent could ever be. His best friend, Marcus Westcliffe, for instance, was tortured and beaten by his father, cut off from his sisters, neglected by his mother, and mercilessly disciplined ever since he was a babe... and he is no where near as cynical and jaded as St. Vincent is described to be. Despite his abuse, Westcliffe grew up to be a well-rounded, responsible, caring man... while St. Vincent simply wallows in luxury and women. He doesn't have responsibilities, doesn't have to answer to anyone, and up until he arrived at Jenner's Gaming Hell, he's had no job. Now suddenly, he's a workaholic? Highly unbelievable... The idea of comparing this spoiled, self-centered playboy to my hero Derek Craven kinda offends me... sorry to be blunt.
Ironically, I found Marcus Westcliff's story (It Happened One Autumn) to be much more thrilling than St. Vincent's. What a surprise that turned out to be since Westcliffe is the supposed arrogant, straightlaced, aristocratic type. Yet his story turned out much more engaging and entertaining. A pity...
In the end, it was a good enough book, but far from deserving of 5 stars.
Summary of The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3)
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.
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