Devon Ravenel is enjoying the aimless life of the entitled aristocracy until he inherits an earldom after his cousin Theo dies from an accidental fall. What also comes with that new title are Theo’s three unmarried sisters, his widow Kathleen and an estate burdened with debt and neglect. Even more incredible is that Kathleen and Theo had only been married three days. Devon is ready to sell Eversby Priory, the ancestral family home the sisters have lived in their entire life, but he’s finding it difficult to say no to the irksome but captivating Kathleen.
My very first historical romance in the modern age was written by Kleypas and I was hoping this book would live up to that experience. It was like coming home and I knew from the first few pages this story would capture that same magic. Devon was perfectly “imperfect” and I liked that the transformation of his younger brother Weston (West) who came along was also a reflection of what was happening to him. His developing relationship with Kathleen was fun most of the time, charged with tension at others. The spirited twin sisters, Cassandra and Pandora, provided lots of comic relief, especially around a pet piglet named Hamlet.
I’d forgotten how well the author develops multiple characters and storylines without it becoming weighted or convoluted. The foundation for future stories to come were built, stoking my curiosity and anticipation. But the romance between Devon and Kathleen managed to stay center stage and I loved who they were together. The narrator was simply wonderful, providing distinction for quite a few essential characters and was a gifted storyteller. I enjoyed everything about this first entry in a new series and am thrilled there’s six more. Why did I wait so long to start?
Book Info
- Release Date: October 27, 2015
- Series: The Ravenels #1
- Narrator: Mary Jane Wells
- Audio Length: 11 hours, 3 minutes
- Publisher: HarperAudio
Blue Mood Café 
A stellar review, Jo! It sounds like a perfect story.
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Thank you, Marialyce💜 I don’t read much in this genre anymore but she brought what I loved about it all back again.
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I haven’t read anything by Lisa Kleypas but she’s on my list of authors to try. This one sounds so good!
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Oh, Suzanne! No one does this genre better. Start with Walflowers (there’s a crossover story coming up in this one), then Hathaways and then this one. You will love them. I’d refused to even think about this genre until I binge read those series ten years ago.
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