Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

Rating: 5 stars
Title#: 6. Book by Lisa Kleypas
Pages: 368
Published: 2006

Back Cover: Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, 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, this bewitching chit 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 just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions... or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.

Review: This is the third book in the Wallflower series. I have heard that it is by far the best of all. I wanted to be different so I went into reading this book with the thoughts that I thought It Happened One Autumn was the best and there was no way that Devil in Winter would top it. Boy was I wrong, I have fallen into the hordes of people who all believe that Devil in Winter is the best one!! After what Sebastian attempted in It Happened One Autumn I could not believe that he was going to be the hero of this book... surely Evie would come to her senses before reaching Gretna Green. I enjoyed watching Sebastian struggle with the unknown feelings and being brought to the brink of insanity by sweet little Evie. Who would have thought that this "tangle-tongue" mild tempered woman had it in her to tame the most notorious rake in London. I absolutely loved this book!

I must point out that I have read three books for this challenge and all of them have been top notch 5 star ratings... I must be on a roll this month!!

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

This was the first time that I have read an Elizabeth Hoyt book. It was a great little story and it will be going to the keeper shelf. I can't wait to purchase the other two in the Series.
Anna Wren smooth talks her way into a secretary position for Lord Swartingham (Edward). She has the position for a week before Edward realizes that he has a female working for him. Anna probably has more backbone than the previous secrataries. His temper does not scare her and she actually stands up to him. The banter between these two is great. A fun story that I could not put down!

The Dream Thief by Shana Abe

Challenge: #12. a series book

Rating: 5 *

Description: Buried deep within the Carpathian Mountains lies the legendary dreaming diamond known as Draumr, the only gem with the power to enslave the drakon. Since childhood, Lady Amalia Langford, daughter of the clan's Alpha, has heard its haunting ballad but kept it secret, along with another rare Gift: Lia can hear the future. In it, she realizes that the diamond- along with the fate of the drakon- rests in the hands of Zane, a human... and her future lover. A master thief, Zane is the only man trusted by the drakon to bring them the stone. But Lia knows he straddles tow worlds and will become either her ally- or her overlord. Now, driven by the urgent song- and by her visions of Zane- Lia breaks every rule to join him. For to protect her tribe she must tie her destiny to that of the man capable of stealing her future... and destroying her heart.
Review: I read the first in this series, The Smoke Thief, during the summer challenge which is why I chose to read The Dream Thief for the series selection. I enjoyed TST, but was not sure that I enjoyed it enough to continue with this series. I am extremely happy that I continued with this series. The Dream Thief started off much better than the first, gripping me from the very beginning. Lia's turmoil starts at a very young age. She is experiencing things in her dreams, she can not see only hear and feel, that leave her mystified. Unable to tell her family she keeps her secrets and separates herself from them, leaving her lonely. She is much like Rue was as a child, not beautiful like her siblings, but awkward. She is unable to turn so she also feels like an outsider looking in. She runs to Zane at 12 years old to warn that she will protect her family at costs. Years later she has planned and placed herself in Zane's path, refusing to be sent home. The truths and lies between these two kept the tension up. There was enough intrigue to keep you turning the pages. I could not put this book down and am looking forward to reading the next... The Queen of Dragons.