Name: Taylor McNeely's review of Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
Item: Chasing Cassandra
Rating: 5
Author: Taylor McNeely

Lisa Kleypas

A New York Times bestseller! New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas returns with the next dazzling romance in the Ravenels series - perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. 'Lisa Kleypas is the best' Sarah MacLean Everything has a price . . . Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. It should be simple to find the perfect wife - and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he's determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love - the one thing he can't give. Everything except her . . . Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win. When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra's reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he's been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants - or does he? There's one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride: Never underestimate a Ravenel. The chase for Cassandra's hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun . . . 'Kleypas can make you laugh and cry - on the same page' Julia Quinn The Ravenels: Cold-Hearted Rake Marrying Winterborne Devil in Spring Hello Stranger Devil's Daughter Chasing Cassandra Praise for Lisa Kleypas: 'Opposites attract in spectacular fashion in the sixth Victorian-era Romance in bestseller Kleypas's Ravenel series' Publishers Weekly (starred review) 'Intricately and elegantly crafted, intensely romantic . . . from a not-to-be-missed romance author' Kirkus Reviews 'Witty, often hilarious, and delightfully passionate, this compelling, thrill-laced Victorian romance is another superb series entry' Library Journal, starred review 'Readers are introduced to the unforgettable characters and their original personalities through a delightful storyline peppered with sharp repartee and steamy sensuality' RT Book Reviews (top pick) '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

an irresistible new historical romance and New York Times bestseller

Chasing Cassandra

Taylor McNeely

Everything has a price . . . Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything - or anyone - is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife - and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he's determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love - the one thing he can't give. Everything except her . . . Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win. When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra's reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he's been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants - or does he? There's one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride: Never underestimate a Ravenel. The chase for Cassandra's hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun . . ."--Publisher.

The Ravenels

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

*Contains Spoilers*

Chasing Cassandra is a beautiful masterpiece of a romance that delves into beauty of emotion and finding love when you least expect it to happen. This book is a work of art and I loved every single moment of it and I know if you are waiting on tinder hooks on book evaluations of this story that this book will win your heart and soul in every way you imagine that Lisa Kleypas is capable of.  I will be honest in that I wasn't expecting that much with this one honestly. I haven't truly loved the books in the series since book two (although Rhys and Helen's story still reign supreme but this one is very close to that one) and the previous book I was great disappointed in. *sigh* so I just wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but BAM Lisa Kleypas comes in charging on a white horse to deliver a power-packed story I never saw coming.

Chasing Cassandra begins with a delightful meeting between Cassandra and our hero Tom Severin. Tom Severin is a railway and business magnate and has come to the realization that it is time to find a way. He isn't looking for anything sentimental, he doesn't believe in love and really only believe in five emotions and love isn't part of the equation for him. But upon seeing Cassandra he is beyond intrigued and realizes he wants her as his wife.
“I’ll marry you,” Tom told her. “Any time. Any terms.”

West gently nudged Cassandra toward the door. “Go, darling, while I talk with the insane man.”
But Cassandra is wanting love and companionship and even though there is a strong connection between herself and Tom she wants more and doesn't know if she could ever receive it from Tom. But as this dance of wills and discussion build between Tom and Cassandra, an incident occurs in which a marriage of convenience will take place in order to save Cassandra from a horrible scandal. But sometimes love enters your life when you aren't looking for it and builds a beauty within one's self....

  Your body isn’t an ornament designed for other people’s pleasure. It belongs to you alone. You’re magnificent just as you are. Whether you lose weight or gain more, you’ll still be magnificent. Have a cake if you want one.

This book *sigh* was truly so magnificent in so many ways and I am not sure I will be able to rightly articulate my feelings for this story. This book wrapped me up in such warmth and wit I never wanted to let go of it. And yes it will become a future reread just like "Marrying Winterborne" has become. There was something so different about this hero that I loved. And I suspect he is on the autistic spectrum, much of his dialogue reminded me of other autistic characters I have seen written in romance. And boy I got such a kick out of his way of thinking and his blunt dialogue that enters the story. I laughed so hard throughout this whole story and I just couldn't contain myself.

  
    
      
        "Feelings are inconvenient,” Tom said. “It’s why I decided to limit mine to five” 
      
    
  

Cassandra proved to be the best heroine for Tom in my opinion. She is just a sweetheart of a character, full of life and kind. I really adored how she is with Tom, she doesn't dismiss him like others do, she sees him for who he truly is. The connection they have is power packed yet sweet and attentive to each other.

You're trying to appear as harmless as a lamb, but we both know you're not. 


I have lamblike moments, I'm having one right now....one hundred percent lamb.
This story is so packed with great logic and feeling in seeing how Tom and Cassandra find each other and make a relationship work that benefits them best. But I do want to mention a scene that happens that may be triggering for some. (Big spoiler read with care) .............There is a scene of sexual assault that Cassandra is faced with. Now its not a super bad scene but there is one and it does affect Cassandra in a certain way but Kleypas handled this situation in the story very delicately and just right. Any time we have seen this type of scene in one of Kleypas' books she handles it just right and that is certainly the case for this book as well. I know this has been a concern for some readers.....but be aware there is such a scene but is handled just right in the way that only Kleypas can do it.

Overall I found Chasing Cassandra to be a brilliantly penned romance that delved into the heart and soul of TRUE LOVE and the power of connection and building a life together as partners. The intricate details, the vibrant play of emotion and stunning sensuality this story delivers will win you in every way.....A GEM OF THE HIGHEST ORDER!!

Jennifer Eggleston 

4.5 stars ...To infinity and beyond

I don’t read historical romances like I once did but was definitely happy that I read this one! A very enchanting book. 

I loved Cassandra and Tom, just Tom and not Thomas. Both smart and headstrong in their own right but they manage to come together and find love. Of course the path of love is never easy or direct but when they get there it is totally worth it. 

My favorite part of the book was Tom’s literal takes on the classics.

ONE OF OPRAH MAG'S BEST ROMANCES OF 2020! Everything has a price . . . Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give. Everything except her . . . Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win. When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride: Never underestimate a Ravenel. The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun . . .

macy

he wanted to marry her within the first 0.2 seconds of meeting her he’s so real

Ashlee

Every book in this series is a knockout and this one is easily up in the top three of the series for me!

Preye

Ughhhh! Loved this. Lisa Kleypas is causing me a sweet tooth and I reckon it's worth the cavities. Severin and Cassandra are.... intense, for lack of a better word. I dont know how Lisa Kleypas does it but a male protagonist doesn't get any better than this. Wealthy, handsome, with that endearing streak of stubbornness that absolutely melts my heart, Severin is adorable. Even more so when he talks about his disconnection with his feelings and does some overt acts that are telling and when there's a reaction, he becomes flustered and withdraws, all the while denying any form of attachment or intrinsic urging to perform that act.

Amanda J 

I enjoyed this one. 

I wouldn't call it a romance as much, it was more of a story about two individuals who come happen to come together. It almost seems more Tom's story than Cassandra's. The best thing about this book was the conversations and building a foundation between the two. Like others have said, the contract negotiation was one of the best parts!
I think this is a book that I'll enjoy re-reading to appreciate the differences between it and lots of hrs. 

Re-read? Yes Continue? Maybe not the next one, but I'll see

Renee Delcourt

I really love this series and how just warm and fuzzy it all feels when I read it. I adored Cassandra and Severin's relationship and how they just fit together.

Cecília Amaral

** spoiler alert **
           Eu me diverti bastante com esse livro, ele é bem engraçado e tem um escrita leve e objetiva que prende o leitor. Eu estou COMPLETAMENTE apaixonada pelo Tom, ele é total cadelinha da esposa dele e eu amoooo isso, ver como ele se comportava com Cassandra foi a melhor coisa durante o livro. Mas eu não gostei nenhum pouco em cada momento em que o personagem ressaltava ter apenas 5 emoções, isso na minha opinião foi algo totalmente forçado, desde o começo do livro sabemos que o Tom tem atração pela Cassandra mas esse sentimento não evoluiu durante o livro, pra mim ele parece sentir a mesma coisa desde o começo, então do nada ele fala que agora consegue falar eu te amo pra Cassandra, eu queria vê-lo lutando contra o que ele sente (como o Anthony Bridgerton em O Duque e Eu, quando passa a perceber que sente muito mais que atração por sua esposa). Eu não consegui sentir nenhum tipo de ligação com a Cassandra, acho ela uma das personagens mais sem graça que a Lisa Kleypas já criou. A minha cena favorita do livro foi a do contrato, acho que nunca ri tanto com um romance de época, mas mesmo tendo rido muito eu não acho que esse livro tenha nada de especial ou algo que seja completamente incrível, é um livro bem mediano.

b.andherbooks

A+ banter, loved the contract negotiation scenes the absolute most, and Tom Severin realizing he has feelings was a delight. Also, please sign me up for sexy train sex. 

Overall though this was fairly boring. When Tom and Cassandra weren't on page together I found myself losing interest and getting distracted. There is not a lot of external conflict, so if you are looking for a basically angst free they love each other and work it out romance, this is a perfect comfort read.

CW: fatphobia, constant talk about how Cassandra's weight

Thank you to Avon for the ARC.

How did I let a Lisa Kleypas release come and go without reading it for over a year after publication!? I'm ashamed. Soon after starting it, I quickly became enamored with Cassandra and curious about Tom. Cassandra was delightful and I *love* watching the locked-down guy catch feelings like Tom did here. He was such a cinnamon roll and they were so great together. So, so many swoons in this book!

Lacey

I've been on such a Lisa Kleypas roll lately. First, I read Again the Magic and it blew my mind. Then, of course, after I read that I HAD to read Marcus' book, It Happened One Autumn. Next I ended up rereading Devil in Winter and then finally read the final Wallflowers book for the first time. I made it halfway through before the ARC of Chasing Cassandra landed on my kindle and I had to drop everything to start it.

I absolutely adore the Ravenels series – not quite as much as the Hathaways when it comes to family sagas from LK, but I love it nonetheless. With Chasing Cassandra we get the last and final Ravenel family member getting her HEA with a man who will do anything to have her. Tom Severin has been mentioned in a few previous books as the friend of West and Winterborne. He's made a fortune for himself as a railroad mogul – in this case, he reminded me so much of Winterborne with his rags to riches story, and also Harry Rutledge from Tempt Me At Twilight. Both Tom and Harry are obsessed with their heroines right from the get-go, worshipping them and willing to do anything to have them. Tom also does not believe in love, thinking that he's incapable of feeling it or of receiving it. But meeting Cassandra changes everything for him. Not only does he desperately want her for his wife, he's feeling new emotions like *gasp* love for the very first time.

"Perfection is impossible. Most mathematical truths can't be proved. The vast majority of mathematical relations can't be known. But you... standing here in your bare feet in that dress... you're perfect."

I LOVED getting to know Tom and Cassandra. Tom first comes across as very robotic – logical, cold, ruthless, and unemotional. But with each tender interaction he has with Cassandra, we see him opening his heart to not just her but the whole Ravenel family, which made MY heart so incredibly happy. I loved seeing his character develop in such a lovely way. Cassandra is the Ravenel that we honestly saw the least of. I didn't know much about her other than the fact that she was Pandora's twin. But the more I read of her, the more I loved her character too. She's such a sweet and headstrong young woman. All she wants is to find love and have a family of her own, basically the complete opposite of her sister, but that's okay too. She knows she's found a once-in-a-lifetime with Tom and she's not willing to accept anything but his whole heart.

"Nothing has been exciting or satisfying for years. With you, though, everything is new. All I want is to be with you."

The blurb hints that this is a marriage of convenience, and while there is one, the story doesn't really revolve around that and it doesn't happen until much later in the book. Mostly, it's Tom being ridiculously loving and tender to Cassandra without him even realizing it. I was SWOONING over all the heart-stopping things he says. Their chemistry is fantastic. I just loved their developing relationship so, so much!

When I finished this book, I honestly didn't even realize it was the final book until I started writing this review. Now I'm feeling bittersweet. While I would've loved an epilogue to wrap up the Ravenel family, I still was happy with how CC ended. It's an emotional, heartwarming book that you don't want to miss if you love Lisa Kleypas. All I can say now is PLEASE give us a new family series to obsess over (like the Marsden children)!

Addison Miller

Ella Patterson

Lorena

Riya

min.

Martha McLendon

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas returns with the next dazzling romance in the Ravenels series. Rich and powerful railway magnate Tom Severin has everything in the world--except a wife. The woman he desires, the beautiful Lady Cassandra Ravenel, is the most desirable prize in the London marriage market. But even though Cassandra is intrigued by Severin's charisma and potent charm, she would never consider him as a husband. Her dream is to marry for love--the one thing he can never give her. An unexpected catastrophe, however, threatens to destroy Cassandra's reputation, and gives Severin the opportunity he's been waiting for. As always, Severin gets what he wants. The chase for her hand is over. But the chase for her heart is just beginning.

Taylor McNeely &
Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas

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