Since this is obviously a special book for me, I didn't want to do a normal kind of review. So instead I did the review in pieces as I was reading. I read this book in 24 hours. I started it the night before last around midnight and finished it last night around the same time. So without further ado - my thoughts
***warning, there may be spoilers***
also
***this is longer that most reviews I do***
Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
Well, I’m 102 pages into Blue Eyed Devil so far and whew has it punched me in the gut so far! This one, like Sugar Daddy is told in the first person rather than in the third person. While I didn’t used to like this style, the Stephanie Plum books softened me up and as you may (or may not) remember I loved Sugar Daddy.
This book is told by Haven Travis, Sugar Daddy Gage’s sister. It starts out with a bang as Haven mistakes Hardy, the hero/anti hero who didn’t get the girl in Sugar Daddy, for her boyfriend Nick in the wine cellar at Gage and Liberty’s wedding. She turns out the lights and kisses him only to discover much to her dismay that she has just locked lips with her family’s enemy. Although gob smacked by the kiss they share, she still goes on to marry her boyfriend.
This is where the book starts punching me in the gut. Nick, you see, is an abuser. Ms Kleypas (or I guess I should call her author Lisa) details it one step at a time how Haven is slowly stripped, one piece at a time, of her very self. It’s powerful, it’s real, it’s heartbreaking and it’s very believable! It’s superb!! Just the other day I read on DA that many romance books don’t tackle real life issues – which some authors just skim over tough issues. Not so this one.
But I’ve got past that part and now Haven is just starting to reclaim her life back – scarred and different, but she is on the road to recovery.
I have to take a break – one for relief and also ‘cause I’m having company and I have to get ready. But let me say, I am ITCHING to get back to this book!!!!
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I managed to get a few pages in before company came. I’m at the part where she runs into Hardy at the bar! So what the heck am I doing writing this instead of reading more of the book?!?!?! I don’t know – except to say Haven has herself between a rock and a hard place with her new boss. Now – back to reading!
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I’m on a bit of a break time (bathroom) I’m anxious to get back to the book but I stopped here to write a bit more. I am loving this book! Haven and Hardy have reconnected and not wanting to say too much and spoil it for everyone – Haven is very conflicted at the moment. She’s still very emotionally damaged, yet she is very attracted to Hardy – and it seems vice versa. And her brother Jack who’s also her boss isn’t to happy at the moment that they are contact with each other.
Now – back to the book!
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I had to take a dinner break – It was tough letting this book go I tell you! I’m over halfway done now and Hardy has entered Haven’s life with a bang. I don’t know Texas men at all, but if they are like Hardy – well – you lucky Texan women. He is one mighty fine hero. He’s after Haven and he ain’t takin’ no for an answer. Can I say I like that in a guy? She’s interested too, but she has a lot of baggage. What I’m really liking is the banter between them. It’s cute and it’s funny and it’s making me chuckle. And I hate, hate, hate her boss. Luckily I’ve never been faced with workplace harassment but I’m feeling for Haven. Her brothers though are bossy and adorable. If I had brothers like them I’d want to hug them, then brain them, then hug them again. They clearly love their little sister. And I like that we get to see Gage and Liberty again. They are integral to it but they aren’t overwhelming the story. But I have to get back the book now. Someone from her past has just made an appearance and I need to read what happens!
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She made it through that, but I have a feeling it’s not the last we are going to see of this person. I’m headed to bed – to read so this will be my last ‘thought’ for the night. But once again Hardy - *shiver*. He’s just saved Haven’s life and then turned her down for a night of hawt lovin’ ‘cause he thinks that she’s not in the right frame of mind and doesn’t want gratitude sex. I love it when a hero does this!
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Well – I finished it and I just had to turn the computer back on.
I’ll say this right off the bat. This one’s a fiver. At the end of Sugar Daddy – for those who haven’t read SD yet – read no further – Hardy did a pretty rotten thing to Liberty and Gage. One would think him unsalvageable at that point but Writer Lisa has a way of turning not so good guys into terrific good guys. She did it with Derek Craven. She did it with Sebastian St. Vincent. She did it with Nick Gentry. And she has done it with Hardy Cates. He is one heck of a good guy in the end, even if he did have a TSTL moment – the kind we usually equate with heroines. But she made me believe in the reason why he did. Now as wonderful and terrific Hardy is, because this is written in the first person, the one who we feel the most for is Haven Travis. Ms. Kleypas takes us on a wonderful and totally believable journey with Haven from a beaten down, unsure of her own thoughts woman to one who at the end of the book is strong, capable and ready to take on the world. This is really her story and a wonderful one it is. And for anyone wondering – yes this one is nice and steamy – very steamy.
For all those anxiously waiting for this book – for me the payoff is worth it. I loved it!
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OK – now it’s the next day and I’ve had time to ponder and absorb this book. I’ve been dwelling on it all morning now and I reiterate what I said earlier. Ms. Kleypas takes a real life issue and deals with it realistically. Although the book is told from Haven’s point of view only, she manages to make Hardy a real, larger than life character and we don’t even miss not seeing his point of view. He had his flaws – we saw that from Sugar Daddy, but by the end of the book we sympathise with and cheer for him. For those who loved Sugar Daddy, I’m thinking you will love Blue Eyed Devil just as much if not more.
