Barbara Cartland

Devil in Winter (Wallflower Quartet, Bk. 3)

Lisa Kleypas

"I'm Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. I can't be celibate. Everyone knows that." Desperate to escape her scheming relatives, Evangeline Jenner has sought the help of the most infamous scoundrel in London. A marriage of convenience is the only solution. No one would have ever paired the shy, stammering wallflower with the sinfully handsome viscount. It quickly becomes clear, however, that Evie is a woman of hidden strength—and Sebastian desires her more than any woman he's ever known. Determined to win her husband's elusive heart, Evie dares to strike a bargain with the devil: If Sebastian can stay celibate for three months, she will allow him into her bed. When Evie is threatened by a vengeful enemy from the past, Sebastian vows to do whatever it takes to protect his wife . . . even at the expense of his own life. Together they will defy their perilous fate, for the sake of all-consuming love.

The Devil in Winter

3.5 I liked it but not as much as the two before this, I'm not sure if I'm just not into the whole bad boy/naive innocent girl thing, or if it's the characters. Regardless ...

WHY AM I GOING THROUGH THESE BOOKS SO QUICKLY?!

READ physically before 2018 for the unedited version!  

A devil's bargain.

Desperate to escape her scheming relatives, Evangeline Jenner has sought the help of the most infamous scoundrel in London. A marriage of convenience is the only solution.

No one would have ever paired the shy, stammering wallflower with the sinfully handsome viscount. It quickly becomes clear, however, that Evie is a woman of hidden strength—and Sebastian desires her more than any woman he's ever known.

Determined to win her husband's elusive heart, Evie dares to strike a bargain with the devil: if Sebastian can stay celibate for three months, she will allow him into her bed. When Evie is threatened by a vengeful enemy from the past, Sebastian vows to do whatever it takes to protect his wife . . . even at the expense of his own life.

Together they will defy their perilous fate, for the sake of all-consuming love.

Devil in Winter

arzoe kaur 

I absolutely loved this book. So many memorable moments: the ring, Sebastian’s hero moments, Cam and more. I loved all the humorous bits and the character development. I loved that Evie really came into her own and that Sebastian made her more comfortable that she didn’t stutter as much with him around. Also St. Vincent’s protecting - UGHHHH. Overall so amazing.

Sarah

A decent read for wasting time. Though I probably won’t read any other books in the series, I did appreciate the presence of female friendship which, for whatever reason, remains largely absent from chick lit/romance lit.

Ending is cheesy and dragged on a tiny bit, but was enjoyable nonetheless.

🧸

dija

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

Devil In Winter brings together the most unlikely couple you could ever imagine.....a heartless rake who has recently damaged his relationship with his closest friend and an innocent shy wallflower who can barely speak two words to a man without stuttering.

Over the holidays I decided to reread some of my favorites and this included the Devil In Winter, out of all the romances that I have read over the years....this book is at the very top of my list and when I realized that I had yet to do a review for this book I knew that I needed to change that. Many of my favorites I haven't reviewed so I have been meaning to change that. So I hope that I can give this book the love and justice it deserves. Now Lisa Kleypas is one of the most talented romance authors you could have the pleasure of picking up. Her writing is so lyrical and mind pulling, and her sex scenes are the best out there in my opinion. She writes the love scenes in a way that is hot without being super explicit. Your heart and emotions are just as involved as the characters actually involved.

The Key Players that occur in Devil In Winter:
 
 	 Sebastian, Viscount St. Vincent, a rake and rogue and in desperate need of funds and need to marry for money and his reputation with women is legendary. 
 	 Evangeline Jenner, is shy and innocent wallflower, she struggles with a stutter and lives with abusive relatives 
 
 

Devil In Winter takes off right after book two ends. So let me recap the ending of It Happened One Autumn so you can get some background information. Our hero, Sebastian, desperate to marry for money and with the help of Westcliff's mother, kidnaps Lillian Bowman to take her up to Gretna Green, and ends up home nursing his wounds from Westcliff getting vengeance. When Evie comes to him, alone and offers him her fortune if he marries her. Sebastian knows that he is without many options, and even though he barely looked at Evie before, now he takes a good second look and agrees. Thus begins a marriage that becomes apparent that there is strong passion between them. Sebastian is used to being with women who are very worldly and knows the pleasures of the bedroom, but Evie is innocent but eager and its a new experience for Sebastian and he is almost spellbound by his growing feelings for Evie. As Sebastian surprises Evie in the small ways, she begins to see a new side to Sebastian that he never lets anyone see. And Sebastian is unnerved by his feelings for Evie, feelings he has never felt before and is almost like a "lost child" in coming to terms with what he is discovering in his marriage to Evie.
 
  
    
      You can s-send me away, but you can't stop me from running back to you. I want to spend every day with you. I want to watch you shave in the morning. I want to drink champagne and dance with you. I want to mend the holes in your stockings. I want to share a bed with you every night and to have your children.
    
  
 
This is the true strength of Lisa Kleypas and this is one of the best books that she has ever written here. This is where she takes a character you don't really like, Sebastian, and pairs him with the most unlikely heroine out of the wallflowers. When I first read these books, Evie would not have been my pick for Sebastian at first, but once you see them together they are just one. Like honestly, there is something so special and unique about their pairing that just stays with you. Even after all these years of reading this book, it still leaves me with all the feels. What is most remarkable about this story is the growth and change of the characters. I have always felt a kinship with Evie. I was so shy growing up and most due to some emotional problems so I could connect with Evie more than the other wallflowers because I understand how difficult it is to overcome shyness. So to see Evie go from being shy and stuttering to becoming more confident in her own femininity and strength and fight for what she wants is pretty remarkable. Also to see how comfortable she becomes with Sebastian, like a second skin almost. Then we have Sebastian that goes from being selfish, doesn't care to work and loves his countless women to being a man that starts to fun Evie's fathers club to get it back to what it needs to be, breaking up fights and staying up late hours and even agreeing to Evie's demand to go celibate for three months. We see him truly change to a man that learns to care for others before himself and truly let himself love and its so beautiful to see these changes and before you know it a hero you hate at first develops into one of the most redeemable heroes you will ever read and fall in love with. He is so careful with Evie, protective and seeing to her needs, wants and desires so gently and its such an admirable quality in a hero that you see even in the beginning.
 
  
    
      No one could fail to observe that whenever Evie entered the room St. Vincent practically vibrated like a tuning fork.
    
  
 
If you haven't read the Wallflower series yet or even Devil In Winter then go to the store right now and grab up this book because I one hundred percent guarantee you will fall in love with Sebastian and Evie as I have and still love them to this day!!
 
  
    
      I want to fill every part of you… breathe the air from your lungs… leave my handprints on your soul. I want to give you more pleasure than you can bear. I want to make love to you, Evie, as I have never done with anyone before
    
  
 
Devil In Winter is a romance that will stay with you for years after reading it, a gentle and sexy romance that gives the reader every emotion and vibrates with sensuality and vivid emotion!!! ONE OF THE BEST ROMANCES EVER WRITTEN!!





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Arianna M

Reread: ehhhh it felt a bit… shallow? to be entirely honest

First review: I enjoyed this far more than Again the Magic by the same author, possibly because I simply liked the characters best. I felt that the ending was a little bit rushed and could've done with a little more development of them at the stage of the relationship we leave them in, but all in all it was pleasant!

From the New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas comes the next title in the beloved romance series The Wallflowers - perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. 'Lisa Kleypas is the best' Sarah MacLean The Wallflowers: four young ladies enter London society and band together to each find a husband. Has the third 'Wallflower' now met her match? 'I'm Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. I can't be celibate. Everyone knows that.' Desperate to escape her scheming relatives, Evangeline Jenner has sought the help of the most infamous scoundrel in London. A marriage of convenience is the only solution. No one would have ever paired the shy, stammering wallflower with the sinfully handsome viscount. It quickly becomes clear, however, that Evie is a woman of hidden strength - and Sebastian desires her more than any woman he's ever known. Determined to win her husband's elusive heart, Evie dares to strike a bargain with the devil: If Sebastian can stay celibate for three months, she will allow him into her bed. When Evie is threatened by a vengeful enemy from the past, Sebastian vows to do whatever it takes to protect his wife . . . even at the expense of his own life. Together they will defy their perilous fate, for the sake of all-consuming love . . . 'Kleypas can make you laugh and cry - on the same page' Julia Quinn The Wallflowers: Secrets of a Summer Night It Happened One Autumn The Devil in Winter Scandal in Spring A Wallflower Christmas Praise for Lisa Kleypas: 'Lushly sexy and thoroughly romantic . . . superbly crafted characters and an intriguing plot blend together brilliantly in this splendid romance' Booklist 'Intricately and elegantly crafted, intensely romantic . . . from a not-to-be-missed romance author' Kirkus Reviews 'Witty, often hilarious, and delightfully passionate' Library Journal, starred review 'An unforgettable story peopled with remarkable characters and a depth of emotion that will leave you breathless' Romantic Times BOOKreviews 'Is it possible to give a book 6 stars? . . . [This] story has all of the forbidden romance, witty banter, and sigh-inducing declarations of love that you deserve' That's Normal

After seeing so many people I follow give this 5 stars, I can't help but think I read a different book. The plot was so boring. I liked the marriage of convenience between Evie and Sebastian, but I didn't think it was amazing. Sebastian had his sweet, swoony moments, but then he would act so bullheaded and possessive that it totally turned me off. It was satisfying watching Evie gain more confidence and start standing her ground with those around here, but the overall story didn't wow me.

Heather Harrington

lindsey

*2.5

they had me in the first half i'm not gonna lie

jenn kause

** spoiler alert **
           No complaints-
Hit all the cliches from forced marriage, the man taking a gunshot for the girl, and ultimately them realizing they love each other; yet somehow Kleypas does it extremely well to where you don’t think it’s cheesy or annoying.

Jaclyn

Favorite!!! Ahhh I’m in so love with this series!!

Audrey Vandecauter 

2,5/5 ✨

I know this one is a favourite for many romance lovers, but St Vincent just isn’t my cup of tea.

Nicki

So this was interesting… I imagine there’s a lot that I’m missing since I didn’t read the previous books but like everyone is kinda annoying. The book also did that annoying thing where they explore other characters love line and I just didn’t quite care for that. I didn’t really like Sebastian tbh but I loved the chemistry between our lead characters and that’s what made me enjoy this book more than the portions that annoyed me.

Tori Jarrett

This is my number one, top historical romance of all time and I can’t help but shout my love for it out into the void. 

My. God. Sebastian St. Vincent is the perfect HisRo hero. Hands down. No questions asked. Not up for debate. He’s the perfect mix of damaged, broody, rogue, rake, and secretly yearning for love. I’ve never read about a historical hero that hits the same way he does. I keep going back and rereading my favorite parts of this book just to feel something again. Sebastian wants to be the bad guy because it’s easier to be a villain and keep people at a distance than to let people see his bleeding heart. He was so gentle with Evie. He could be an ass when he wanted to, but when he really let his guard down, it was amazing. No one will be able to top him or this book for my favorite historical hero and romance. 

Evie. MY GIRL. I loved that Evie pushed back against St. Vincent when she was convicted about something. She may have been shy, but she wasn’t going to let people run over her. When she stands up to the doctor?? Chef’s kiss. I find that historical heroines either fall into one of two categories: push over or straight bitch. There’s usually no in between. But Evie was a perfect blend of silent strength and softness. I loved that she was the one to renege on the bet with Sebastian. 

This book was so so good. If you’re just getting into historical, this is a great place to start. Although it’s not the first in the series, I still feel like it can be read as a stand-alone and still make perfect sense. So good.

Nabiha

Sebastian 😍😍😍😍😭😭😭😭

Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest Wallflower, 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, Evie 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 another of the Viscount's discarded broken hearts - which means Sebastian will have to work harder at his seductions . . . or surrender his own heart for the first time in the name of true love.

Becky

This might be my favourite of the series so far. But then the first three books have totally blown me away. Evie was kind of a favourite because she was so timid and shy and had such horrible relatives so I needed her to have a HEA. That being said in was wary then it was St Vincent she was getting that with Sebastian was a beast in the last book. He acted charming and then as soon as he needed something he did anything and everything to sort things for himself with no regards to others. He was selfish and I thought I wouldn't be able to enjoy this book because of that. Luckily I was wrong this was awesome.

My only complaint is St Vincent didn't get given more background. I felt there was far more to him than was revealed and I would have loved to learn that bit more about him and this book would have utterly blown me away. Instead i only adored it. I could have adored it been beating people over the head with my love for it though.

Francesca G

Easily my favourite so far, scarcely credible at times but extremely entertaining

Renee Delcourt

I really really loved reading Evie and Sebastian's love story. I really found the build up sweet and wholesome. I think there was a missed opportunity in the book where Evie could have established her voice and independence at the end of the book and I was a little disappointed it wasn't taken. Also from the title of the book it takes place in winter and I kind of thought it would have been a little more atmospheric, unfortunately very little of the book references anything beyond the cold weather on the journey to Gretna Green. Even still I really enjoyed this Wallflower book. 

Mayra Melo

Kelly Casey

I thoroughly enjoyed this book more than the previous one. I loved everything about the characters and the story. I'm excited to continue the series!

Original Rating: 4 stars
Re-Read (April 2021) Rating: 5 stars

Ever since I read this book 6 months ago, which was my favorite of the series, I recommend it frequently. I was reading a lot of fantasy recently and I needed a comfort read in between them, and so I read this book again, and I still love it just as much if not more. Sometimes when you rate a book after reading it your thoughts can change over time. Some books I give a high rating to I completely forget about. Others I end up remembering, missing, and loving that I may not have rated all that high to begin with. The Devil in Winter falls into this last category. I only rated it 4 stars the first time I read it, but it is now one of my absolute favorite historical romances. I love St. Vincent and Evie's relationship. The way he cares for her so absolutely and tenderly while denying he has any feelings is just so dang good. I love the whirlwind trip to Gretna Green to get married in the first couple of chapters. I honestly just can't get enough of how beautiful their relationship development is. Honestly, if you are considering reading this book DO IT. It is so good.

Ashling Brown

Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest Wallflower, 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, Evie 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 another of the Viscount's discarded broken hearts - which means Sebastian will have to work harder at his seductions . . . or surrender his own heart for the first time in the name of true love.

---


  “Mysteries of attraction could not always be explained through logic. Sometimes the fractures in two separate souls became the very hinges that held them together.”


I didn't want to like this story, hell I wanted to hate it because of Mr.Vicent however I found that the more I learnt about him, the more I came to understand him and his actions in book 2 (which I still do not believe were right of him to do) I really struggled to get into the begging of this book, possibly because of the hate I felt for St.Vicent, or maybe because I found it a little boring, however as it went on I really think it found itself.

At the begging I found their chemistry a little strange, obviously, that's to be expected as she quite literally barged into his home and demanded he married her, which he took rather well, however throughout both carriage rides there and back they seemed to get along rather well.

I feel like everything sort of began to get better and more interesting when they arrived back in London. I feel like we got to see Sebastian as he was and that his softer side came through for Evie as she struggled through her father's death. 

Evie grew some much in this book. In book one she was the one that stammered and was extremely anxious, however throughout this book she sort of learnt that she could do these things, even if they scared her, and she could ask/take things if she wanted them, she just needed to learn how to ask for them. It was just really lovely to see her grow into who she was meant to be, leaving her family behind and starting her own life, with the husband who she grew to love.

The shooting was unexpected, however reading how Marcus and Lillian ended up being there to help and care for Sebastian, even thou he had done this untalkable thing in book two, made me smile. It showed that they were both accepting of Evie and her husband and that they would truly be there to support them both if they ever needed it. 

Overall the whole book was wonderful, and the ending was sweet and simple. The whole book had you smiling and left me extremely excited to see what would happen to our last Wallflower!!

Amanda J 

Not my fav of the series, surprisingly.

Read this one, and was like this seems familiar, but the Gretna Green trope is fairly common. Then I got to the gambling house and met Cam and was like, yep, I've read this before. I think I read it first in 2018 when I read the Hathaway books. I don't really remember. So the enjoyment this time was kinda shunted as it was a weird mix of deja vu. 

Still, I liked the atmosphere and idea of this book. But I didn't feel the romance between Evie and Sebastian was really there. He didn't really change until they had sex once and then it was like you must be magic, I've never felt this way before, I must change. If they'd had a bit more interaction that would've helped. Maybe in the journey to Scotland, they did, but it would've been nice to be clued in.