Customer Reviews

The Devil Who Tamed Her (Reid Family Series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

Lady Ophelia Reid is, without a doubt, the reigning beauty of the London social scene. She has the face of an angel and the haughty demeanor to back it up--combined these two qualities keep her name on the tip of every London gossip's mouth. She becomes an even bigger topic of conversation when she breaks off her engagement to a brooding Scotsman with a lofty title--twice. With rumors circulating about the cause of the broken engagement, and the realization that her so-called friends are really spiteful and vindictive, Ophelia wants nothing more than to return to London and go back about the business of finding herself a husband. With her face and notoriety, she knows that the scandal won't be off-putting to her potential suitors.

Reputed rake Raphael Locke, Viscount Lynnfield and heir to a dukedom, is friends with Ophelia's jilted ex-fiance and finds it hard to believe that such a beautiful young woman is beyond redemption. Everyone else seems willing to believe that Ophelia is a lying, manipulative rumormonger who will do anything to get her own way. Rafe, on the other hand, believes that everyone can change, and makes a bet to that effect. He vows that he can tame the shrew that Ophelia Reid has become and unleash the kinder, gentler woman who must reside underneath her haughty exterior. To that end, he absconds with her to his country estate to get to the bottom of her treachery and teach her how to act like the lady he knows she can be. Somewhere along the way, he finds himself falling for Ophelia despite his residual doubts about her true nature... is the kind-hearted, sweet girl she eventually becomes the true Ophelia, or has she always been the callous, cold-hearted ice queen that she was reputed to be?

Johanna Lindsey has always been one of my favorite romance authors and, in the past, her stories never failed to leave me satisfied and eagerly anticipating her next effort. That being said, it bears mentioning that The Devil Who Tamed Her features two characters from a previous novel, The Heir, whose futures were left in question at the end of that story. In all honesty, I didn't like The Heir, didn't really care for Ophelia in that novel, and haven't been impressed with about the last five novels Lindsey's put out (If you've never read Captive of My Desires and Marriage Most Scandalous, consider yourself warned to run the other way). But The Devil Who Tamed Her has almost redeemed Lindsey in my eyes. It was not only good, it was great, and reminded me of how good Lindsey's work can be when she puts a little effort into it. Having read a number of her books, I can say that she hit her stride right around the late 80's and early 90's (Prisoner of My Desire and Love Me Forever, anyone?) and her more recent efforts have just been sub-par, halfhearted efforts designed at keeping her at the top of the bestseller's lists and not with giving her fans the stories they've come to know and love.

Not so with this story. I couldn't have cared less about Ophelia at the end of The Heir (another Lindsey novel I wasn't particularly impressed with), but in this story she was an engaging and fun to read about heroine. Her transformation from vengeful shrew to thoughtful companion was a joy to watch and it was great to finally know the motivation behind her previous vicious actions. In addition, Rafe Locke was the type of hero you can dream about and just wish that you could meet a man like him. He takes his decision to help Ophelia mend her broken reputation seriously, and the bet takes a backseat to his genuine interest in seeing her achieve her full potential. These two are a couple that you can root for and be happy when they finally find a way to make it work. I've got to say that as a Lindsey fan, this is the best she's come in a long time to showing me the kind of work I know she's capable of. That being said, it's no Prisoner of My Desire. But if you take into consideration the work she's been doing lately, and the quality of this story in comparison, I think any Lindsey fan will agree that this is some of her best recent work.

This book has nothing to recommend except a beautiful cover. Its the Taming of the Shrew which falls flat. The characters and the plot are just horrible. The heroine is the worst. Ophelia is a completely unsympathetic/shrewish heroine, who on top of everything is so beautiful that men literally trip over themselves to get to her. Rafe is a supposed rake/devil (although why I don't know since there is no evidence to back this up) who wants to 'reform' Ophelia's callous ways because of a wager and his self admitted I'm-a-hero complex -what?! is he Mary Poppins?!. The 'reform' of Ophelia I think goes too far. It seems that Rafe has confused Ophelia with a barking dog that needs to be muzzled and he's the dog trainer. I was just waiting for him to blow his whistle ala Captain Von Trapp style.

This wouldn't be so bad IF there was chemistry between these two, but alas there is none. And why she would give up her virginity to this man is beyond belief. And Rafe is *such* an honorable gentleman that he would take her virginity without the thought of the possible consequences or marriage! Rafe may be charming (again we see no evidence of this) but he constantly ridicules and puts Ophelia down. WOW! That would definitely turn me on -not!

I didn't like these characters any better in the end than in the beginning. No growth what so ever. They just argued the whole novel through. And everything seemed to be Ophelia's fault. Completely one sided. No tenderness or affection here. What ever happened to loving someone with all their faults? Not a believable romance if you ask me. And the ending was completely ridiculous! Again, why should Ophelia be the only one to suffer?

And the book was also chock full of modern phrases like 'lets not go there' which is extremely irritating to read in a historical romance. I wish writers would stop doing that!

In fairness to Lindsey, this plot is a difficult one to pull off. Reforming? spiteful/shrewish heroine is not an easy plot choice. It just doesn't work here. Skip this book and read Mary Balogh's Slightly Scandalous instead. Thats a five star book with the same type of unlikable heroine and charming hero scenario.

I was re-reading The Heir just before this came out, having no clue what this new book would be about. Having read all her other books, I knew there had to be a story about Raphael Locke and Ophelia Reid. Well you can imagine my surprise when I picked up a copy of this last night! This bookw as absolutely wonderful. I finished it in one sitting, unable to put it down. I have to say that this is my favorite of all her books. You must read The Heir first though, because this book centers on Ophelia and her transformation, and knowing her background and her past evil deeds will help tremendously.

The end was very different from many of her books and I personally liked it. Most of her books tend to have slightly rushed endings, but at least this one shows you their life after the main story, which tends not to be the case in her other books where we see the main characters kiss and make up and then it's the end. This book actually has an epilogue!

Get one today!

I read Johanna Lindsey's "The Heir" which introduced the characters Raphael Locke and Ophelia Reid. I enjoyed their personas in that book and was thrilled that they had a story of their own finally after about 7 years.

I don't know what some of the other reviewers were talking about when they wrote that there wasn't any substance so to speak about the characters or the story-line (not in those exact words). Ophelia's character most of all evolved in a positive way from start to finish, as well as her relationships with the people in her life. She was a misunderstood person who finally had a champion (Rafe Locke) to help her see and become her true self and know the meaning of true love.

Maybe the introductory book "The Heir" (May 2000) has to be read first in order to understand the whole story behind these characters which leads to this current read. I'd recommend it, if that were the case.

Oh Lordy, this has to be one of the worst Romance books I've read. The characters are all hollow and lifeless, which makes the plot - character driven as it is - even worse off then the characters.

The main character, Ophelia, was a Mary Sue. The most beautiful woman in all of england, maybe even world, more beautiful then any other woman who'd ever existed? Come on now... And the whole "I'm so beautiful, everyone hates me" is so cliche it makes me choke.

Even that, though, I can understand and go along with. Romance novels don't have to be the best plot driven things. Just believable, I can make up the rest. Rafe was equally and utterly stupid for someone who is supposed to be smart. The abduction was laughable. The "change" was laughable.

The author made no attempt to breath any life into these characters. The plot was crystal clear and see through, utterly boring because it wasn't supported; the characters stupid, dull, and dead; and to add insult to injury, she wrote the characters speach in some kind of butchered english accent instead of trusting that we can fill that in for ourselves.

Don't read this book. If she's a best seller, then this can't be more then a "need to fulfil a contract" book and nothing else.

I was so glad to see that Raphael Locke and Ophelia Reid had their own story. I really loved Rafe from The Heir. He had the best dialogue in it. I had a hard time liking Ophelia at first, but I believe that was how it was written, so we discover her better qualities right along with Rafe. If you liked Rafe in The Heir, you will just love him here. He is even better. I thought the love scenes were just fine.
My one problem with the story was that NO ONE realized that the name of Mavis Newbolt's old boyfriend was Alexander in The Heir and here he is Lawrence. This has happened in other books I have read lately. Someone is not proofreading very well.

The inside of the cover: Ophelia Reid is an incomparable beauty with a reputation for starting rumors and spreading them. Having purposely wrecked her engagement to Duncan MacTavish, a future marquis, which her social-climbing father arranged, Ophelia wants to return to London's marriage mart and make her own choice of a wealthy husband. But on her journey home, something unexpected happens...
The heir to a dukedom, Raphael Locke, Viscount Lynnfield is - in spite of his disinterest in marriage - the most sought-after young lord in England. He instantly disliked Ophelia when she caused a scandal to avoid marriage to his friend MacTavish, but having comforted her in a tearful moment, he begins to wonder if she's not all bad. So when MacTavish claims that Ophelia will never be anything but a spiteful beauty, Rafe bets his friend that he can turn her into a kindhearted lady who will one day make a good match, just not with him.
With her parents' blessing, Rafe commandeers Ophelia's coach and whisks her - chaperoned, of course - to his remote estate in the countryside. There, as he tries to show his furious, sharp-tongued "guest" the error of her ways, he discovers the surprising reasons for her bad behavior. Soon his daily lessons with Ophelia take effect and he finds himself irresisibly attracted to her. When Rafe champions the new and improved Ophelia's re-entry to London society, marriage proposals pour in. Only then does Rafe start to wonder whether he hasn't gone and fallen in love with Ophelia himself.

I was really disappointed by this novel. It started off slow and just when things were getting interested the plot stalled and then abruptly ended. I have never read one of her books where the ending seemeed like an afterthought. I certainly had high hopes for this book, and the characters had potential, but in the end was disappointed with this latest addition.

The title of this book is The Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey. Some of the conversations and events were illogical and unjustified. The characters and plot weren't interesting enough. In addition, I was hoping to read about some creative and exciting methods of changing a person, for example: the interaction between Helen Keller and her teacher in The Miracle Worker, or Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. This story wasn't even close. There were a few discussions similar to counseling sessions with a psychologist and then deciding it's better to be nice than not. In addition, the psychologist learns she wasn't so bad after all. I was let down due to my own expectations. Ok, so maybe I'm asking a little too much. Those stories are classics. But at least give me some wittiness or creativity.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
Rafe made a bet with Duncan that he could change a mean-spirited, rude shrew (Ophelia) into a sweet-tempered, likeable person. His method of curing her consisted of a few talking sessions in which he asked her to explain certain mean things she had done in the past. Most of her explanations showed that she had honorable intentions and only on a couple of occasions did she do something mean out of anger or jealousy. In truth she was a victim more often than not. During these sessions, Rafe told her his goal was to fix her and then return her to London. After the initial shock, she was ok with this. She and Rafe began enjoying each other, becoming friends and even more than friends. She returned to London and started treating people with consideration and enjoyed seeing it returned to her for a change. Someone mentioned to her that Rafe had done this on a bet. Then, she became furious with Rafe. He explained to her that it started on a bet, but his intentions quickly became honest and caring. He genuinely wanted to help her, and he did. I think she should have accepted this with humor and gratefulness for how it all turned out. Instead he and she did some things I didn't care for or didn't make sense. Some examples follow.

When Ophelia and Rafe first returned to London, she was happier, treated people better, and was glad for the experience with Rafe. Later when she learned he began this on a bet, she thought "he'd turned her life upside down for a stupid wager, and there was nothing that he could say to make that more palatable" (page 266). I don't think her life was turned upside down. She was wrong to be so angry and to do things to him out of this anger.

Some people had observed three events: seeing them leave a party together in a coach without a proper chaperone and being gone for a week, seeing them kiss, and Rafe claiming the first dance with her at a ball on her second night back (page 255). Rumors began that they were engaged. Rafe asked his father if Ophelia had started the rumors, but his father said no, these were events observed by independent people. Later, Ophelia told Rafe she started these rumors because she was mad when learning about the bet. Rafe then believed she started the rumors, but his father had told him that independent people saw these events, so his new belief that Ophelia started the rumors didn't make sense to me.

Next, she told Rafe that her recent good behavior was a lie, and that she never changed at all but was still truly a shrew. She said she fooled him into thinking he'd won the bet due to her acting ability. She said she wanted to marry him so she could make him pay (page 268). Rafe said "You're not even going to think about it?" She said "The only thing I'll be thinking about is how to make you suffer." He said "Very well, then I see no reason to wait." He immediately takes her to an official who performs the wedding vows that evening. He then took her to her father's home, dropped her off there and left to go to his own home. This whole thing didn't make sense to me. Why would Rafe marry her that night after hearing what she said? I can only assume that the author meant for readers to believe that Rafe loved her and would marry her anytime he could. But, this hadn't been made clear to me earlier because he kept saying he didn't want to marry for several years. On the other hand, he was walking around with a special marriage license, so maybe he wanted to marry her no matter what. This scene just wasn't clear enough for me. It left me shaking my head.

Was there anything I liked about this story? I felt sorry for Ophelia growing up with no friends and being frequently hurt. Rafe was a likeable, good guy. During his travels, Rafe did a number of charitable good deeds for others. If fits that he would try to reform Ophelia, another good deed. I considered giving this book 1 star because of everything I mentioned above, but I gave it 2 stars because the author is such a good writer. She writes well and tells an interesting story even though there are plot and logic weaknesses.

Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: three. Setting: unknown time, probably early 1800s England. Copyright: 2007. Genre: historical romance.

For a list of my reviews of other Johanna Lindsey books, see my 5 star review of "Gentle Rogue" posted 6/14/08.

I really liked this book. I have been a long time Lindsey fan and this one did not disappoint! I didn't LOVE the book about Duncan and Sabrina, but I did like it (perhaps I was just annoyed about Duncan addressing Sabrina as "Brina lass." yuck). This book is better because the characters are well developed. It was probably very difficult for Lindsey to figure out how to redeem Ophelia but she actually did it! Some of the explanations for her previous actions were a little hard to digest and believe, but overall I think JL did a good job of writing the character.

Unlike the other reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did go back and re-read the previous two books in which they were mentioned and then I followed with this new one. I think that made me connect with both characters right away. I loved the way they came together in understanding and love and of course passion. The passion that Johanna Lindsey always shows in the characters she creates is amazing and the tention is there throughout the book. I suggest you read the previous two books and then dive right into this one. I really love that Johanna Lindsey links characters from one book to the next. I loved "The Devil Who Tamed Her" and can't wait for more books from Johanna Lindsey.