Devil's Daughter: The Ravenels meet The Wallflowers Kindle Edition

I waited with baited breath for this novel to come and much to delight, it surpassed my hopes and wishes for the story. In fact, I think this is the best one of Mrs. Kleypas's novels! And...that coming from someone who loves all her books and never thought that she could top some of the characters from the Wallflowers series!From the get go, the characters jump of the page as they are so complex, dynamic and a tad bit naughty! West, our hero, meets Phoebe, our heroine, under not the best circumstances as she believes him to be a bully - someone who tormented her late husband. Slowly but surely, the high tensions we are presented from the start with fade as the characters get to know one another. It was so sweet watching their story unfold and presents us with a charming tale of a second time at love, a first one full of angst, yet one that will stand forever among the stars. Holy smokes was it good! I TOTALLY recommend this book....It is one of the most well written stories I've read in a while and it was so sweet and tender my heart melted; specifically watching West fall in love with not just Phoebe but quite frankly, her boys and family as well! One thing that I must say I enjoyed the most was the sly, sardonic wit of our heroine's father. Sebastian is an endearing rogue we first met in the Wallflower series...it's where I first fell in love with him and it was oh so wonderful to get to see him again in this story as well as the one which precedes it (Devil in Spring). I hope we get to see more of him as well as the other Wallflowers...it would be magical to see more of a glimpse of them in her future tales. Speaking of which, I would love to see one with more of Westcliff but will settle for a story involving Tom Severin...actually, to be honest, anything Ms. Kleypas writes, I'll read!

West Ravenel is the brother of the current Earl of Trenear (Devon), and never in their wildest dreams would either have them ever thought that would be the case. Both he and Devon grew up just barely above the poverty line with parents who were absent at best and abusive at worst. When Devon is identified as the distant cousin of the recently deceased earl and only male relative, both his and West's lives change. West has taken on the role of estate manager for his brother, and he has been instrumental in turning the neglected properties and tenants around so that they are now productive and profitable. One of the ways he has done this is by personally performing the tasks the tenants and the household staff undertake so that he can better understand their roles, and also so that he can determine if there are ways to modernize some of the processes that will make the lives of the people easier as well as increase production.West's methods have not only led to success, but it has also earned him the respect of those who work with and for him. In fact, he is one of the most liked men on the premises, but West recalls all too well when he was anything but... He was once an aimless womanizing wastrel, and at one time, even a bully that would strike out at those he envied. While he recognizes that he has come a long way, he does not believe himself worthy of redemption, and certainly not worthy of notice by the most beautiful woman he has ever seen: a duke's daughter, no less.Phoebe, Lady Clare, was widowed 2 years ago when her beloved husband, Henry, passed away from a wasting disease no one was able to identify. She grew up with Henry, and was always his closest confidant. When he was being bullied by an older boy, he wrote to her with all of the details of his torment, and she came to despise the boy named West Ravenel for his poor treatment of her best friend. As they grew into adolescence, Phoebe fell in love with Henry, and though he tried to push her away for her own good as he knew he would become a burdensome invalid and would eventually leave her completely as his health deteriorated, she was determined. Phoebe accepted those conditions, and she was truly happy with him until the end. He also blessed her with two sons, and though she is not sure she is ready to move on, she realizes that those young boys need a father figure in their lives. When she arrives at the Ravenel estate where her brother Gabriel is to wed Pandora Ravenel (H/h from book 3 - Devil in Spring), she encounters the man she was sworn to despise: bully West Ravenel in the flesh...But Phoebe quickly learns that the man West has become resembles nothing of the bully he behaved as when he was a child. West is kind, patient, great with her children, has a wicked sense of humor, is self-depreciating, and is an incredibly attractive individual. He also is a wealth of information for a woman who must ensure her heir's future by sustaining the farmlands and tenant properties on her deceased husband's estate. West believes he is not fit to shine the daughter of a duke's shoes, but once Phoebe wants something, she will not give up until she gets it. Will West give into the feelings that are developing between them? Is there any chance he could have redeemed himself enough to be worthy of someone like Phoebe? And will the ridiculous barn cat follow the Clare family all the way to Essex?What I liked:--- West was the kind of H you love: the former rake and wastrel who wises up and makes something of himself, then falls hard for the right lady--- Phoebe was a great h - she knew what she wanted, and she went after it; she wasn't a pushover; and she was a great mother to her young sons--- The banter between Devon and West of "brotherly love" was hilarious!--- The former bullying issue comes out early and is quickly resolved which made me happy bc I was worried it would become unnecessarily angsty--- Steamy goodness (once we got there - it was delish!)What I didn't like as much:--- Too much of a slow burn - it drove me crazy!!--- A couple of things were brought out into the light and then quickly wrapped up, so there were some places where things felt rushedOverall, another great installment in this series of Ravenels-Meets-Wallflowers!Plot --- 4.25/5Main Characters --- 4.5/5Supporting Cast --- 4.5/5Steam Level* --- 3.5/5Violence --- none I can recallLanguage --- somePOV --- 3rd*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

"Phoebe had never met West Ravenel, but she knew one thing for certain: He was a mean, rotten bully."FINAL DECISION: I loved this book. I finished in in one sitting (stayed up late at night) and then immediately began to re-reading passages. Phoebe and West are so sweet and sexy together, and I loved the story of West having to overcome his past -- mostly in forgiving himself and trusting in the future.THE STORY: Phoebe, Lady Clare, is a widow with two small children. When her family attends her brother's wedding, Phoebe encounters West Ravenel who she has never met but knows all about. West was the childhood bully of Phoebe's beloved husband. Despite Phoebe's dislike of West's actions, she can't help but be attracted to the charming West. West realizes that his past makes him completely unworthy of Phoebe even as he cannot stop thinking about her.OPINION: The story of two people who have an instant connection, but any romance is threatened by West's past. I loved this book and the characters, and it will be one that I will put on my keeper's shelf.West Ravenel is a man who is just beginning to put his life right. In the two years since he has taken over managing his brother's estate West have been seen by all as a compassionate, intelligent, thoughtful and hardworking man. But West has a past. Before finding his purpose, West was a wastrel on all accounts. He drank too much, slept with too many women, caused fights and generally just behaved poorly.  When he meets Phoebe, he sees her as completely above him. What she needs is a decent man who will be good to her sons and will be a role model. West knows that he cannot be that man because of his past.Phoebe is a widow with two young sons. She married the love of her life, her childhood friend, and now out of mourning, she is ready to return to the family estate and protect her son's legacy. When she meets West at her brother's wedding, she is determined not to like him because he was the bully of her husband when they were children. But Phoebe cannot help but see the good in West -- his kindness with her children, his respect for her intelligence by being willing to teach her about estate management.This story is really about West and his demons and his inability to see himself clearly. He knows what he has done in his past and he cannot bring himself to forgive his own actions. To West, he is always on the precipice of being the drunk, bully, untrustworthy man he was. I loved seeing so many other people try and make West see that he is worthy of being loved, of having a full life with a wife and family of his own.Readers of the Ravenels series know of West's journey. Through the four prior books, he has become the rock and support of the other characters. I loved seeing him get a happy ending of his own after helping others get theirs.Another thing that really worked for me here is how Kleypas shows West as a supporter of Phoebe's taking charge of her life and her son's estate. He supports her -- he doesn't take over and become her protector. Instead, he values her for who she is and acknowledges her opinions and intelligence. Indeed, West's final capitulation to love in some ways a surrender to Phoebe's view of him and their possible future.Phoebe is a woman coming into her own. The death of her beloved husband has changed her and this book is about her finding out who she is going to be. A strong and compassionate woman (who else could the eldest daughter of Sebastian and Evie be), Phoebe was the strength in caring for her ill husband and now she is using that strength to protect her children. Despite her prejudices about West when they meet, she sees who he really is and is willing to put her judgment aside.This book is also pretty hot between West and Phoebe but everything is grounded deeply in their relationship.What really tips this book over the top is the number of characters from this series and the Wallflower series that make appearances. This book feels really grounded in the relationships between the characters. I am a sucker for appearances by favorite characters (and we even get a bit of Gabriel and Pandora's wedding itself).This series has been a real winner for me, and this book is a great addition.WORTH MENTIONING: Can I fall even more in love with Sebastian from DEVIL IN WINTER? He is simply adorable at the matchmaking dad here. But he is always the scandalous rake and I love, love, love that Kleypas allows Sebastian and Evie to continue to have a loving and sexual relationship even as grandparents.CONNECTED BOOKS: DEVIL'S DAUGHTER is the fifth book in the Ravenels series.  This book is much better if read as part of the series, but a new reader should also include DEVIL IN WINTER which is from Kleypas's Wallflowers series.  At the very least, a reader should read DEVIL IN WINTER, DEVIL IN SPRING before this book.STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

It was great to see the wallflowers characters in this book. Devil in winter was my favorite. West and Pandora also walked by other stories and it was lovely seeing them finding each other in this one.

I laughed a lot reading this. TIt was nice to see a Female protagonist who 5akes charge of the relationship

West Revenel's past was filled with unpleasantness. Drunkness, philandering and abandonment issues have lead him to believe that he doesn't deserve the love of a good woman. When he meets Phoebe, a widow, his attraction to her has him struggling. Can the love of a good woman be the redemption he needs?

3,5 starsNeedless to say I'm an avid fan of Mrs. Kleypas. But this was a typical albeit lame story of which I was expecting so much more. We've been hearing about West Ravenel for quite some time now in all her previous books, and the only thought of him becoming the hero of one of her books was getting me quite flustered. I admit my expectations where high. I felt he was far too tame in this story. Quite out of character and too much the gentleman. I was expecting a smart-mouthed, arrogant, deadly rakish wolf.Where have Kleypas's wicked hero's disappeared to?

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