Thursday, September 2, 2021

September 2, 2021 - Staff Reviews


 

Devil in Spring
By Lisa Kleypas
Release Date: February 24, 2017
Ebook Available from WV Reads!


4 Stars! - This charming historical romance was so easy to like, at least for me. Pandora is possibly too quirky or too strong-willed, but we clicked. And her accidental courtship of sorts with Gabriel was light, adorable, and fun. There's hardly a dull moment though a slew of characters to keep track of, some from early entries in the series.

Sometimes in period romances, the characters seem quite cookie cutter. But even with all the side characters and recurring characters here, everyone has a believable story and personality. Pandora may off whiny to some readers, I'll acknowledge. But I found her persistence and sort of prickly personality to be on top of a sweet heart. Gabriel at first is sorry he is "stuck" with her but before long he is trying win her over. He felt so honest and genuiene, even with his flaws, that I just wanted him to convince her so badly. They were a perfect match, and the story loses none of its steam (either way you want to define that) once they're together.

Kleypas manages to write historicals in way that is both refreshing but comfortingly familiar with each story. She reminds me so much of Catherine Coulter this way. I'm not sure if her attention to period detail is as accurate but it manages to be curious, sound factual, and not be smothering all the same time. And she knows how to write a few standout moments or scenes, which I love. In particular here, I was enchanted by the beach scene both for its interesting mentions of antiquated bathing suits and sparkling dynamic between all the characters. Also the waltz lesson absolutely enthralled me, and I'm not even entirely sure why because it was so simple. Anyway, I don't want to rehash too many details for fear of spoilers, particularly toward the end. I will say it was a perfectly paced read for me, and I didn't want to put it down. The end was maybe a touch extra dramatic. But overall, I would think this one is sure to please historical romance readers, fans of Kleypas, or anyone looking for a solid weekend read.

(NS)

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