Customer Reviews

To Desire a Devil

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This story is set in London, England, and begins in October, 1765. Everyone believed that Reynaud St. Aubyn died seven years ago when his regiment had been massacred in the Colonies due to a traitor. In truth, he had been held captive, enslaved by Indians. His time in the Colonies had changed him, warped him. So when Reynaud stormed into Blanchard House (wild, unkept, and bellowing in French), no one recognized his as the earl.

Miss Beatrice Corning lives in Blanchard House with her uncle. Uncle Reggie was given the title, Earl of Blanchard, when news of Reynaud's death had been received. It is Beatrice who notices the slight resemblance to the portrait of the young lord. The dashing gentleman in the portrait has long held her attention. Now that the man is here, Beatrice finds herself even more attracted. It appears that Reynaud is drawn to her as well. She is the only person able to see past his savagery to the noble man inside.

Reynaud is determined to reclaim his lands and title. Beatrice's uncle is just as determined to keep them. Beatrice is caught between her loyalty to Uncle Reggie and to the man she is falling in love with. This also puts her in the line of fire, because someone wants Reynaud dead.

***** FIVE STARS! This is the last book of the quartet. As usual, the best was saved for last. Throughout the story, there were times Beatrice would convince Reynaud to tell a little bit more about his years in captivity. I must admit that I found these conversations to be both fascinating and dreadful. This story mimics the ear's settings and events so realistically, that I often forgot that I live in the Twenty-First Century. It is this talent of creativity that has placed Elizabeth Hoyt on my Must Buy list. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The year is 1765 and "Beatrice Corning", a proper English lady lives with her "Uncle Reggie", the Earl of Blanchard in a London townhouse where she assists as hostess and administrates the running of the household. During a dull political tea being held at the Blanchard townhouse a seemingly insane man, raving in French with a facial tattoo and dangling earring staggers in and collapses amongst the proper bewigged gentlemen and their ladies.

As it turns out the "lunatic" is "Reynaud St. Aubyn", the blood heir to the Blanchard name, monies and estates and thought dead when burned at the steak by Indians in the colonies 7 years previously. It is Beatrice who recognizes the "savage", lying on the parlor room floor, for before he passes out she glimpses his distinctive black eyes. The same obsidian eyes that stare back at her from his portrait as a young man hanging in the room.

Reynaud is a complex tortured hero. After enduring 7 years of captivity, slavery, torture and starvation he is a changed man from the young Aristocrat who bought his commission and left to serve and fight for Britain in the colonies. Through sheer strength of will and determination to return to England, his family and his Earldom he survived unspeakable hardship and horror. When he does awaken in "his home" to find his father has passed 5 years previously and a "usurper" (Uncle Reggie) has claimed the Earldom he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what is rightfully his.

Despiter he uncle's misgivings, Beatrice takes matters in hand and tends to Reynaud, nursing him back to health despite his surly disposition and cutting sarcastic manner. She is determined to find out what has happened to the passionate young man whose vision in the portrait she has desired and dreamed of for many years. Beatrice is "four and twenty", and while she has had suitors has never had an offer of marriage. She wants passion in her life and to be loved. She thought she saw that passion in the eyes of the Reynaud in the portrait, however being confronted with this angry, bitter, sarcastic, and seemingly self obsessed man is, needless to say not what she expected.

Reynaud also suffers from posttraumatic stress and when he feels threatened he has flash backs and envisions himself to be back in the colonies fighting for his very survival. By the same token, when there is an attempt on his life, which also puts Beatrice in peril, he takes charge and shows that he is, at heart a brave and honorable man.

Reynaud's family and friends gradually rally around him and as he is reintroduced to life as an English gentleman he is encouraged by his supportive feisty "Tante Cristelle" (his French aunt) to take a "pretty" and proper English wife to reinforce his respectability and enhance his chances to regain his title. By this time Beatrice and Reynaud have established a relationship and rapport. He, in fact, feels quite protective of her and decides that she is to be his.

Ms. Hoyt has a beautiful voice, her prose IMHO literally sings. The love scenes penned between Reynaud and Beatrice are sensuous and special. Reynaud, with Beatrice's gentle encouragement gradually shares the horrors of the last 7 years. He does find peace and comfort in her arms and begins to emotionally heal. He in turn, helps her grieve when she loses someone very close to her. I loved both these characters and Reynaud's story tugged at my heartstrings. They do marry but Beatrice does not believe he truly loves her, which causes strife between them. She is, after all a means for him to regain his title and respectability as rumors still swirl that he is quite mad.

There is also an undercurrent of political intrigue and the involvement of a wartime traitor in their midst that isn't revealed until the closing chapters. The supporting characters are extremely well developed, and each play a role in advancing what for me was a fascinating plot. Historically, this story is very well researched.

I especially like "Vale", Reynaud's oldest and dearest friend. The guy has a subtle sense of humor that had me chortling with laughter and he wastes no chance in poking fun at his serious and seemingly humorless friend. Vale is absolutely brilliant.

If you are a lover of historical romance, I think, "To Desire A Devil", may be a novel for you to put on your list. If you have read the previous books in Ms. Hoyt's "The Legend of the Four Soldiers Series", and have been anticipating this novel I don't think you will be disappointed.