Rating: 
Summary: Ms. Foley can do better
Review: I love Gaelen Foley's work--she's one of the best story tellers in Regency romance right now. Unfortunately, I felt like this book just wasn't up to the level of everything else she's written. The usual elements are there--great romance plot, great mystery/action plot, lovable characters. But there was just something flat about everything this time around. I felt like Lizzie never quite came into her own as a heroine and Dev really didn't have much of a personality at all. There was a whole host of other secondary characters, all of whom had simply wonderful back stories--but few of whom showed any character development. Specifically, I'm thinking of Sara, Dev's little sister. It felt like she was just there to make a happy ending. Also, at one point someone calls her Lady Sara, and she's the daughter of a Viscount so would properly have been called Miss. Lizzie's first love, one of the knight brothers, was well developed in Lady of Desire and then sort of turned into a cardboard cut-out of a repentant rake in this novel, while Lady Jasinda lost a great deal of her sparkle and became a sort of fantom figure who provided minimal nestalgia value. After all of that, I suppose it's going to sound rather odd when I recommend this book as a good read--but even with all of it's failings, it's still head and shoulders above most of the other novels in it's class. For first-time readers though, I would suggest that you read one of Ms. Foley's other novels--they are truly gems, replete with humor, sizzling romance and lovable characters.
Rating:
Summary: I was disappointed
Review: I read it, it was ok. But it felt like I read this book before just pieces taken from different books. I agree that Foley could do better than this. Some parts of the book I liked but it wasn't enough to be endearing to me.
Rating: 
Summary: exciting Regency romantic suspense
Review: In 1805 actress, Ginny Highgate flees the abuse of her lover Lord Quentin "Damage" Randall hoping to find solace with her birth name Mary Harris and her birthplace in Ireland. She took teenager Johnny with her because Quentin's pal Carstairs was sodomizing the lad. At an inn still in England, Quentin catches up to her. When scholarly aristocrat Stephen Strathmore intercedes on Mary's behalf, Quentin shoots him. Carstairs cleans up the mess by setting fire to the inn. Stephen's son Devlin is devastated when the news reaches him at school that his parents are dead and assumed so is his sister. In 1817, Devlin has gathered enough information about the deaths of his family to know that Damage, Carstairs the Pervert and a third pal killed them. He pretends to be a wastrel so that he can befriend his enemies, but panics when Aunt Augusta's companion sends him a note that she is very ill. He rushes to see his aunt, but he finds her healthy. Angry he takes Elizabeth Carlisle to task though he also admires her loyalty to her employer. He soon falls in love with Elizabeth who reciprocates his feelings, but first there is the matter of three killers. Fans will appreciate this exciting Regency romantic suspense starring two delightful protagonists. Devlin is very complex while Elizabeth is a nurturing soul. Readers will want them to make it while also hope that justice is served. It would be fool's Foley for sub-genre fans to miss this delightful Hawkscliffe companion piece (Elizabeth once hoped that Alec Knight would love her as she did him). Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: My favorite of the series to date
Review: In Devil Takes a Bride, Foley takes a different tack, and it works beautifully. Lizzie and Devlin become real friends very quickly, and it is sweet and refreshing to see a romance in which you know the protagonists will have a wonderful life together because it is firmly based on friendship as well as romance.
Devlin is, in many ways, the kind of man you really would want to spend your life with. Often romance heroes are fun to read about but would be very trying to live with. Dev, while having his share of faults & quirks, is warm, witty, compassionate, and strong in all of the right ways. It takes him until near the very end to abandon his need for vengeance, and that is probably his greatest fault, but in so many other ways, he is the personification of the best of gentlemanly virtues. His journey to falling in love with Lizzie, and realizing that she is worth more than any vengeance, is a beautiful thing. Lizzie is a great heroine, just wanting a place she really belongs. After the last book (Lady of Desire), I was eager to see her well-hitched. She far surpasses her best friend, Jacinda, from LoD.
We encounter several members of the Knight family in addition to Jacinda (who is very different from her portrayal in LoD), the best of whom are Lucien and Alec. Lucien is his fabulous self here, and you really see the marvelous inner man who was so surpressed by his covert operations in his book, Lord of Fire. Alec, who was such a jerk in Lady of Desire, still has some growing to do, but his main purpose here is a foil for Devlin. Those two can be hilarious together. Indeed, you'll roll your eyes and growl in frustration along with Lizzie that these two grown men can act like such children.
There's laughter, romance, heartache, and some truly sizzling love scenes in this book. Foley has made great strides as a write, and it shows in this effort.
Rating:
Summary: sensual yet tasteful
Review: In this tale of revenge, Devlin (Devil) finds out that the accident that killed his parents many years earlier was instead murder. He plans vengeance, but in the process his plan is temporarily thwarted when he's called home by his aunt where he meets Miss Carlisle (Lizzie), who he must later marry in order to inherit his aunt's fortune. Wonderful chemistry between Lizzie and Devlin, and a love story that will move hearts... but what about the murderers? Will they get what's coming to them? Find out.
Rating: 
Summary: Would have been higher but
Review: the book simply fell far short of its potential at the end. Which is ok most of the time because not every book an author writes is stellar. In this case, however, things fell apart. A man pointed a gun at someone and yelled "Freeze!". Freeze? In REGENCY ENGLAND? I'm sorry, that's a no-no. It totally destroyed the atmosphere of the book and the whole thing turned into a Dirty Harry movie for me from there on out. Come on, Gaelen, you can do better than that. That one line ruined the book for me. I expect better from the next book.
Rating:
Summary: a truly satisfying and romantic read
Review: The fourth book in the Knight Miscellany series, "Devil takes a Bride" was a truly good and enjoyable installment that lived up to expectations. Lizzie Carlyle has been in love with Lord Alec Knight ever since she was a little girl; but when the rogue finally broke her heart ("Lady of Desire"), Lizzie put her starry eyed dreams firmly behind her, and leaving her guardian's (the 8th duke of Hawkscliffe, and Lord Alec's eldest brother) household, took a post as the Dowager of Strathmore's companion. Here, in the quiet countryside, and far away from the gossip and intrigues of London society, she hoped to mend her heart and regain her good sense. Unfortunately the Dowager's nephew, "Devil" Strathmore seems to be another rogue, just like Lord Alec -- a hopeless gambler and spendthrift, a rake, and a care-for-naught, with little thought for the concern he's causing his doting aunt. And when the man finally turns up at his aunt's home (due to some unscrupulous machinations of Lizzie's part), Lizzie's not shy about letting him know just how little she thinks of him. But she cannot deny that Lord Strathmore is sinfully handsome and wholly seductive, and that he is beginning to affect the way she feels and thinks about him, especially when he begins to show his more vulnerable and caring side to her. Unfortunately, Lord Strathmore is also a man haunted by the death of his family and who is in the middle of a dangerous game of revenge. And he has no place in his life for love and Lizzie right now. Will Lizzie's love persuade Lord Strathmore to give up his plans of revenge, or will Lizzie once again have to nurse her bruised and broken heart? I thoroughly enjoyed the "Devil Takes a Bride." The novel was one of those sweeping historical romance novels full of angst and longing and passion. The story was a good one, and I enjoyed Ms Foley's character complex and compelling portrayals of both Lizzie and Lord Strathmore. Lizzie, especially, was a joy to read about -- principled, intelligent and yet human enough to admit to her feelings of passion and longing for Lord Strathmore. As for Lord Strathmore, I don't think that I've come across a more complex and deeply conflicted character in quite a while. I thought that the authour made a good job of developing the passion and love that blossoms between Lizzie and Lord Strathmmore; I also thought that her depiction of the pain and anger that Lizzie felt when Lord Strathmore disappointed her was well done as well. The first half of the book unfolded at a snappy pace, and made for some rather compelling reading. And my one quibble with the book (aside from some very 20th century phrases) was what happened when the romance subplot dovetailed into the revenge subplot. For a man bent on revenge, who was about to see his revenge scheme see fruition, and who was rather afraid that the men he was baiting may learn of his love for Lizzie, the bit where the authour decided to make Lord Strathmore court Lizzie before the eyes of the ton made very little sense. Surely Lord Strathmore should have been a little concerned that these men would hear of his ardent courtship, thus either putting Lizzie or his revenge scheme in danger? But perhaps I'm the only one for whom this bit didn't quite add up? Aside from this quibble however, the "Devil Takes a Bride" was an enjoyable and engrossing read, and one that engaged my interest on several fronts.
Rating:
Summary: a truly satisfying and romantic read
Review: The fourth book in the Knight Miscellany series, "Devil takes a Bride" was a truly good and enjoyable installment that lived up to expectations. Lizzie Carlyle has been in love with Lord Alec Knight ever since she was a little girl; but when the rogue finally broke her heart ("Lady of Desire"), Lizzie put her starry eyed dreams firmly behind her, and leaving her guardian's (the 8th duke of Hawkscliffe, and Lord Alec's eldest brother) household, took a post as the Dowager of Strathmore's companion. Here, in the quiet countryside, and far away from the gossip and intrigues of London society, she hoped to mend her heart and regain her good sense. Unfortunately the Dowager's nephew, "Devil" Strathmore seems to be another rogue, just like Lord Alec -- a hopeless gambler and spendthrift, a rake, and a care-for-naught, with little thought for the concern he's causing his doting aunt. And when the man finally turns up at his aunt's home (due to some unscrupulous machinations of Lizzie's part), Lizzie's not shy about letting him know just how little she thinks of him. But she cannot deny that Lord Strathmore is sinfully handsome and wholly seductive, and that he is beginning to affect the way she feels and thinks about him, especially when he begins to show his more vulnerable and caring side to her. Unfortunately, Lord Strathmore is also a man haunted by the death of his family and who is in the middle of a dangerous game of revenge. And he has no place in his life for love and Lizzie right now. Will Lizzie's love persuade Lord Strathmore to give up his plans of revenge, or will Lizzie once again have to nurse her bruised and broken heart? I thoroughly enjoyed the "Devil Takes a Bride." The novel was one of those sweeping historical romance novels full of angst and longing and passion. The story was a good one, and I enjoyed Ms Foley's character complex and compelling portrayals of both Lizzie and Lord Strathmore. Lizzie, especially, was a joy to read about -- principled, intelligent and yet human enough to admit to her feelings of passion and longing for Lord Strathmore. As for Lord Strathmore, I don't think that I've come across a more complex and deeply conflicted character in quite a while. I thought that the authour made a good job of developing the passion and love that blossoms between Lizzie and Lord Strathmmore; I also thought that her depiction of the pain and anger that Lizzie felt when Lord Strathmore disappointed her was well done as well. The first half of the book unfolded at a snappy pace, and made for some rather compelling reading. And my one quibble with the book (aside from some very 20th century phrases) was what happened when the romance subplot dovetailed into the revenge subplot. For a man bent on revenge, who was about to see his revenge scheme see fruition, and who was rather afraid that the men he was baiting may learn of his love for Lizzie, the bit where the authour decided to make Lord Strathmore court Lizzie before the eyes of the ton made very little sense. Surely Lord Strathmore should have been a little concerned that these men would hear of his ardent courtship, thus either putting Lizzie or his revenge scheme in danger? But perhaps I'm the only one for whom this bit didn't quite add up? Aside from this quibble however, the "Devil Takes a Bride" was an enjoyable and engrossing read, and one that engaged my interest on several fronts.
Rating:
Summary: a fun book to while away an afternoon...
Review: This book had an enjoyable plot, and I liked that the main characters actually liked each other early on. Having read Ms. Foley's other novels, I enjoyed learning what happened to Lizzie, and Devlin was wonderfully flawed...a man any woman would love to save! Now I can't wait to find out where Alec goes from here! My only complaint was in her description of Lizzie's students. They were constantly refered to as children, and acted like 7 year olds, yet they were 16 year olds! I always thought that most girls during this time in history were considered old enough to marry. As this is only a minor irritant, I would still recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Well Rounded!
Review: This book was very, very good. This author is one of my favorite and again, she proved why she is so. The struggle between the two characters was meaningful and spicy. However, the struggle didn't start to become the same tedious barbs over and over. The conflicts between the additional characters added so much more. It was very well rounded the book didn't just follow the same, sometimes boring plot line of boy meets girl, girl hates boy, boy wins girl, villain tries to kill girl, boy saves day. There were additional characters and their personalities really leant to developing personal feelings towards them. All characters were well personified, not just the two leading characters. I thought it was interesting how Gaelen Foley showed the other side to the "rouge" character. The character development was fantastic. As always, I'm waiting on edge for the next book.
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