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Devil's Bride

Devil's Bride

List Price: $7.50
Your Price: $6.75
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The One, The Only: Sylvester Sebastian Devil Cynster!
Review: Sylvester Sebastian "Devil" Cynster is the first of the Bar Cynster to fall into parson's mousetrap and marry Honoria Anstruther-Wetherby in an engrossing tale that will take your breath away. If you want to be swept away by love, romance and pure animalistic lust please RUN ... don't walk... to the nearest bookstore and buy Devil's Bride. This book introduces you to a family of six notorious cousins that are out to captivate your mind, steal your heart and they succeed quite nicely! If that isn't enough to wet your appetite we'll throw in a little intrigue, a touch of murder and a secret that could bring the house down. Gotcha!

Oh, by the way... did I mention that Devil is the Duke of St. Ives? Did I also mention that he has to convince her to marry him??? Honoria is a rare heroine that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know but let's get real: Devil captured me heart and soul! If that doesn't force you to start clicking your mouse I don't know what will!

Do yourself a favor and collect each of Stephanie Laurens Bar Cynster Series.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A keeper!!!
Review: This was the first book I read in Stephanie Laurens' "Cynster series". Suffice it to say that after reading it I immediately ordered all the others from Amazon.com . I'm almost sure that if you read this book the same will happen to you.
The plot of "Devil's Bride" is quite good: Honoria, a governess, has plans of her own, and has no intention whatsoever of changing them, even when she is found in a seemingly compromising situation with Sylvester Cynster, best known as Devil. He, on the other hand, has decided that he won't let her go, due to the fact that he realises that this stubborn, beautiful and intelligent lady is his perfect match.
One cannot help but fall in love with these characters as the story develops. I considered that this book was money well spent, because it gave me the opportunity of discovering this author. However, one word of advice: in my humble opinion, the other Laurens' books aren't half as good as those included in her Cynster series.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: UTTERLY DREADFUL
Review: God this is by far the most awful and mind-torturing book that I have the misfortune to come across. I have to will every single ounce of my concentration just to stay awake while reading it and it's not even a bedtime read. The main charactors are so shallow they are just a blur to me, there was no fire, no spark, no sense, absolutely nothing between them. I can usually visualized the hero and heroine in my mind as they were living persons but not with this book. And the plot.....well there is no plot. I've managed to guess the murderer by chapter 6 (I'm really surprised that I 've lasted that long, though I would have to admit there was some paragraphs-skipping to reach this far) and jumped straight to the last chapter to confirm it. And that was the end and I'm not even bordered about the reason behind the murder. I've decided to give it up right there and then and realized that I couldn't force myself to finish it just because it has cost me twenty seven dollar in my country currency. (Which is considered to be very expensive as an average book I bought cost me about six, which is also the reason why I've written this review because I'm livid to part with my money for something that is so worthless). I would recommend books by Julie Garwood, Amanda Quick, Karen Marie Moning over this author any day of the week. Even the worst book by them is so much better than this utterly dreadful piece of work. Don't waste your money and time on this one, it's beyond hopeless. This book sure didn't deserve a star from me.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Wonderful book Great series!
Review: I have found another author that I will read evrything she writes. I discovered her by accident. I started reading one of the other books in the series and found out very quickly that it was a series and that I had to get them all. I am so glad I did. I found Stephanie's books filled with humor, passion,tendereness, strength and love. I loved how the men are strong and yet vulnerable. The women are independant, fiesty and passionate. Both the men and the women could stand alone but together they are a complete person.

This is the first in the series of the Bar Cynster family. Its the story of Devil Cynster, the head of the family. He is the 6th Duke of St.Ives. He meets the woman who will turn his life upside down, Honoria Wetherby, at the scene of a tragic accident. She has stumbled across the dying cousin of Devil. Devil knows its no accident but with Honoria's help he tends the boy until he passes. Honoria and Devil are found the next day alone in the cabin they took shelter in from a storm. Honoria is compromised and Devil decides to marry her. Now Honoria has no plans to ever get married. She wants to have travel and have new experiences and excitements. She soon finds all the excitement she can take. She is drawn into the Cynster family and soon into Devil's arms. He awakens a deep passion in her and she finally agrees to marry him.

Now the Devil and his cousin's must find out who killed thier cousin and why. Honoria refuses to be left out and Devil must learn that she is more than just a pretty face and lovely body. The discussions between the two are humorous and you can almost see their expressions of anger and then happiness and love.

I enjoyed this book thouroughly and plan to read it again and again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Devil's Bride
Review: This is the first book in Stephanie Laurens Bar Cynster series, and what a way to begin.

Devil Cynster, the Duke of St. Ives, is the man that dreams are made of: arrogant, handsome, titled and rich. Honoria Wetherby is just a governess, trapped by society when she's caught alone in a cabin with the dashing Duke.

With the murder of one of their family, the Bar Cynster - a group of men that rival the Duke in arrogance and handsomeness - band together to hunt down his killer. Meanwhile, Devil must convince Honoria that wedding him is a better idea that searching for adventure.

This book should not be missed! It's a stunning combination of adventure and love, where you'll sympathize with the heroine and fall in love with the Duke.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: fun but ahistorical
Review: To be brief, the plot centers around Honoria Anstruther-Wetherby, a finishing governess of high birth who sets out to help her latest charge, Melissa, snare a duke as husband. It so happens that she gets caught in a storm, finds a murder victim, and meets her future husband - the aforementioned duke who is of no mind to marry Melissa. He forces her to abandon her plans for governessing; she in turn decides to help him and his cousins solve the murder mystery. On the way, they get married and fall in love.

Like many of Laurens' heroines and heroes, Honoria is almost "on the shelf," and of a mind of her own; she's stubborn and strong-willed, though not shrewish. Devil Cynster (the duke) is a rake who's sworn that he'll never fall in love. As a reader, you MUST suspend historical reality to believe that a story like this could ever take place in Regency England. The setting provides a wonderful backdrop - it's elegant, sumptuous, and kind of vapid - but the actions of the characters don't gel with what was historically acceptable.

If you can get past these discrepancies, then it's an entertaining read. I'm not sure that the intimate scenes are very realistic, and they contain a lot of what I consider hyperbolic metaphors. The murder mystery itself is very transparent. Personally I don't think that the characters are very well-developed, but then again, Regency is not part of the established canon. Despite all these shortcomings, I did enjoy this book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best of the best
Review: The Cynster series is a wonderful sensual joy to read. This book is my personal favorite of the ten current Cynster & Co. books. It has a gripping mystery and a exciting and powerful hero and a stubborn and powerful heroine. THE IS A MUST READ !
HM

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A very good read
Review: This is my second time reading Stephanie Lauren's. I bought All About Passion, first. I did not know it was a series of books, and after enjoying the story of Chillingsworth, I bought Devil's Bride.
Devils Bride was a great read, usually, I get bored, and cheat and look ahead to see what will happen, but this book totally entertained me that I never once, skimmed ahead.
The sex leaves you breathless, the love is not mushy, and she puts a good story in it, so you will not grow bored. True, you do know who did it from the beginning, but what the hey, it was still entertaining, and a great love story.
Buy a mystery if you want a who dunnit book. I buy these books for the romance... and it is romantic. I loved Devil, and his clan, and I am ready to read the next book.

Four stars, only because half way I got a smidge bored, but it picked up again, and I was happy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Book That Deserves High Praise!!
Review: Devil's Bride is the first in Stephanie Laurens' Cynster series. This book focuses on the leader of the Cynster's, Sylvester Sebastian Cynster, better known as Devil to the ton at large.

This is the story of Devil and Honoria, the woman he plans to make his wife, despite her protests, and dealing with a plot against their lives, coming from an unlikely source.

I loved the way the two lead characters interact and the fact that Honoria is determined not to fall beneath Devil's power, and stand's her ground at all times. It's refreshing to see an historical romance, where the heroine isn't 19, stepping into society for the first time, but a fully grown woman who knows what she wants and sets about to get it.

The romance in the story was fantastic, and the love scenes were smoldering. I enjoyed watching love grow between the two, even as they try to fight it.

I believe the Cynster motto is very apt: 'To Have and To Hold'.

This would have to be my all-time favourite book, and I reccommend it to every reader.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Silly names and transparent plot, but readable
Review: Honoria Wetherby, a very exclusive governess, stumbles over a dying man on her way back to her employer's home one stormy evening. Her horse bolts and she's left alone with no way of helping the man... until a tall, dark and handsome stranger arrives. He takes her and the injured man to a cottage, whereupon Honoria discovers that her rescuer is the injured man's cousin, and he introduces himself as Devil.

The following morning, the shooting victim dead, Honoria finds out that 'Devil' is actually Sylvester, the Duke of St Ives. And he discovers that her name is really Anstruther-Wetherby; she's of very good family indeed. Given that he's already attracted to her, the fact that he's compromised her is, from his point of view, very convenient.

But Honoria has other plans. She has no intention of marrying anyone, and especially not an arrogant duke who simply announces his plans for her. And she wants to travel to Africa and explore the continent; a husband doesn't figure in her plans at all. So they seem to be at an impasse... except that Honoria can't seem to help getting sucked into the duke's family, especially given their grief at young Tolly's death. Her skills with young girls come in very useful indeed.

And when everyone in the family, let alone Society in general, assumes that Honoria will marry Devil, how can she fight that? When his kisses heat her blood and make her want more, she realises how attracted to him she is too. So what of her own plans? Can she become Devil's Bride?

This is an enjoyable romp in most respects; however, there are a number of irritating elements which prevent it getting a higher rating. First, those names!! What on earth possessed Laurens to give her heroes names such as Devil, Scandal, Gabriel, Lucifer et al? What's the point? As someone else pointed out, they don't seem to do a lot to deserve them, and anyway it just sounds ridiculous. (Speaking of 'Scandal', incidentally, since I read The Promise In A Kiss before reading this book, I was curious to discover where Sebastian's illegitimate son came from. The story of his arrival - and of Helena's unquestioning, even delighted, acceptance of him - is simply ridiculous and lacks all credibility).

Second, while I know this is Stephanie Laurens and not Jo Beverley or Mary Balogh, the behaviour of her characters as regards sex is not credible either. Sneaking around the house - in London and at Somersham - at night to bed-hop is ludicrous. Okay, Devil doesn't have a valet, but what about Honoria's maid? What about the footmen who may well do night duty? What about other occupants of the house hearing footsteps or other noises? I couldn't suspend credibility for that illicit lovemaking at all.

Third, I don't know where Laurens gets her ideas from about mourning, but deep mourning was for six months, and half-mourning for a further six months after that. There is no way at all that the family would have been preparing for a ball within six weeks of Tolly's death.

Fourth, the murder plot was so transparent even I could figure it out, and I'm no good at all with whodunits. I think I'd worked out the identity of the murder within about 30 pages. So then it got quite boring waiting for the characters to catch up with me - and when Laurens made it clear about 3/4 way through that Devil knew who it was but she kept it from the reader, I was shaking my head. Did she really think that people wouldn't have guessed it? As for the motive, again that was easy.

And fifth, the book really lost momentum after Devil and Honoria married. The only thing to sustain the plot from then on was the identity of the murderer, plus further attempts on Devil's life - that took up close to half the book, which was tedious given that by then the romance element had been wound up. Poor pacing there.

An entertaining light read, but no more than that.


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