Customer Reviews

The Devil's Heiress (Historical Romance, Signet)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Here's what I hope will be a helpful hint: while it is not absolutely necessary to have read "An Unwilling Bride" by Jo Beverly, it really does help if you're very familiar with the plot and characters of that book. I read "An Unwilling Bride" many years ago, and while some things were familiar, I had forgotten a lot of what occurred in that novel, and as a result, was sometimes completely at sea in "The Devil's Heiress" because quite a few incidents from the former were referred to in the latter, and while everything was explained (eventually) I spent much of the book feeling as if I had wondered in the middle of a rather disconcertingly familiar play, and this kept distracting me, at times, from enjoying this otherewise rather excellent novel.
The Napoleonic Wars are over, and Major George Hawkinville ("Hawk") has returned home hoping to find peace and solace. Not that he has much hope to achieving this, for home also means coming face to face with his selfish and caddish father. As usual, Hawk's fears prove well founded, for his father has borrowed heavily against Hawkinville Manor in order to prove his right to the now dead Viscount Deveril's title and wealth. Unfortunately, the dead viscount had bequeathed his wealth to his erstwhile fiancee, Clarissa Greystone. So currently, Hawk's father has a title but no money, and with the need to repay the loan of twenty-thousand pounds hanging over their heads. Hawk's father's solution is for Hawk to court Clarissa and to marry her for her money, eventhough he thinks that Clarissa had murdered Deveril. Hawk however decides to try and find the evidence that Clarissa had indeed murdered Deveril, rather than marry that murderous young lady. And so he sets out for Gloucestershire, to the seminary that Clarissa is currently residing in. Where he finds that Clarissa, far from being a deadly femme fatale, is actually a very plain looking but rather witty young woman. Dicovering that Clarissa is about to spread her wings and make for the festive town of Brighton, Hawk follows her there, where he begins his slow but determined pursuit for Clarissa's heart and hand, all the while trying to discover if she had had anything to do with Deveril's death. Clarissa Greystone is a young woman full of secrets and fears. (This is where if you're unfamiliar with "An Unwilling Bride" the plot can become increasingly frustrating.) From the first few chapters, the reader will be able to glean that there was something fishy about Deveril's death, and that Clarissa did somehow figure into this, and that the merry band of noblemen, known as 'The Rogues' also had something to do with his death, and that Clarissa is actually rather fearful of, (and angry at) the Rogues. Although Clarissa is rather plain in appearance, she's always dreamed of being courted by a handsome and dashing young gentleman. Certainly Hawk fits the bill. And although she suspects that Hawk is a fortune-hunter, she is beginning to fall in love with him. But what is she to make of his frequent references to murder, and his claims at being very good at ferreting out the truth? Can she trust Hawk with the truth of how Deveril died? And what will happen when she discovers who Hawk really is?
"The Devil's Bride" is actually a really fun read. Hawk and Clarissa seem ideally suited to each other in character, intelligence and spirit. And it made for satisfying reading to see them grow closer and closer together, eventhough you could guess what would happen once Clarissa realised the truth about Hawk's interest in her. I also enjoyed reading the bits that dealt with Clarissa spreading her wings and coming into her own, and enjoying life. Another thing I did like was that the Rogues were painted in almost sinister terms for quite a bit of the novel, which fits in with Clarissa's fearful attitude towards them, and with Hawk's feelings of suspicions where they were concerned. "The Devil's Heiress" also sees the resurrection of one of the Rogues's most dangerous of enemies, and the ending promises that there will be another Rogue novel in the offing in the near future. In spite of my nitpicking, I really enjoyed reading "The Devil's Heiress." I think that Jo Beverly truly created something special in Hawk and Clarissa, and this made the hapily-ever-after ending all the more satisfying. A truly fun read.

This book is the third and final in Beverley's 'Three Guys Named George' series; but it's also in many ways a direct sequel to An Unwilling Bride in the 'Company of Rogues' series. So if you've ever wanted to know what happened to shy Clarissa, the very unwilling fiancee of the evil Lord Deveril, after Deveril was killed by Blanche (and the murder was covered up by the Rogues) in An Unwilling Bride, here's all those loose ends brilliantly tied up.

Clarissa, now a year or so older and quite a bit wiser, is the ward of the Duke of Belcraven, a considerable heiress, and about to make her second attempt to enter society. She wants to strike out on her own; fond though she is of Beth Arden, Lucien, the Marquess, scares her. This, for critics of one element of An Unwilling Bride, is the legacy of Luce's one moment of lapse of control. It wasn't all over and forgotten with after all!

Hawk, returned at last from the war, finds unwelcome news. His father is deep in debt and has mortgaged the manor to an appalling developer - all the quest for the family title. The title? That of Viscount Deveril. So his father is about to become Lord Deveril, and he wants Deveril's fortune. Hawk's duty is to obtain it, either by proving the will a forgery, or by marrying the Devil's Heiress.

But Clarissa is obviously no murderer, nor a fraudster. Instead, she's a fairly plain and shy young woman, but as Hawk gets to know her, he sees that she's beautiful, and intelligent, and fiercely determined to combat the prejudice she encounters as Deveril's heir. Despite himself, he is intrigued.

Clarissa knows that Hawk is after her money; but she also knows that someone as plain as her is only going to attract suitors who want her money. And, since she's resigned herself to that eventuality, why not marry someone she *likes*? For she likes Hawk, very much. Too much...

And so the game begins, with guilt and lies on both sides, but with a stirring, sensual attraction between Clarissa and Hawk which simmers off the pages. Familiar characters from other books return: Francis Middlethorpe's Aunt Arabella, who is sent by Nicholas to chaperon Clarissa; Nicholas himself, along with Eleanor and Amabel; Therese Bellaire, Con and Susan; Van and Maria; Hal and Blanche (now, there has to be at least one more Rogues book, simply to complete their story!), and, of course, Lucien and Beth. And the Duke and Duchess of Belcraven!

And there is also a welcome appearance from one very unexpected character indeed!

This is an unmissable, unputdownable book. Don't miss it!

In 1816 England, Clarissa Greystone is known as the Devil's Heiress, as her former betrothed, Lord Deveril, left her the bulk of his estate when he died. Though Clarissa despised Lord Deveril, her inheritance has given her some independence, which enables her to go to Brighton upon her departure from Miss Mallory's School in Cheltenham.

It is not pure chance, which causes Clarissa to go to Brighton but a memorable encounter with a Major George "Hawk" Hawkinville at a parade in Cheltenham. At Hawk's suggestion, Clarissa was prompted to choose Brighton as a temporary place of residence with hopes of encountering the dashing officer again.

And encounter Hawk, Clarissa does, as she enjoys flirting with him and even visiting his family home. Though Clarissa believes Hawk to be a fortune hunter, she is certain he cares for her, but is a little disconcerted when he probes her about the mysterious death of Lord Deveril. Even though Clarissa is falling in love with Hawk, can she trust Hawk with the events surrounding Deveril's death? And will Hawk reveal to Clarissa the true nature of his interest in her even as his passion for her gets in the way of his original purpose?

THE DEVIL'S HEIRESS, the third installment in Ms. Beverley's series of the George's is an even juicier read than the previous work, THE DRAGON'S BRIDE. The development of Clarissa's character is a joy to behold, as she emerges from a dreary schoolgirl to a clever and engaging woman. The repartee between Hawk and Clarissa is incredibly clever with enough undertones to keep the reader's constant attention. And the inclusion of the rogues, former heroes in Ms. Beverley's prior works, adds much to the intricacies of this plot. A truly delightful read, THE DEVIL'S HEIRESS will make the reader's keeper list.

I really, liked this 3rd novel in the George series of Hawk and Clarissa. I found it quite satisfying in terms of the fast movement, bringing in characters from former novels, and tying up loose ends. I loved the "Hawk" even though he was portrayed as pretty much unfeeling and out to prove Clarissa a cheat, murdereress and forger. It goes to prove that even plain girls can find true love.

Clarissa is not portrayed as a beautiful femme fatale as most heroines are. She will inhereit a fortune when she turns 21, and has resigned herself that her money, and not her looks will bring her a husband, so she goes into a relationship with eyes - wide open to that fact. Knowing it is her money that attracts she is willing to play the game for all its worth.

Hawk, on the other hand, has no intention of marriage, only to try to gain back what he felt was robbed from the truly rightful heir of Lord Deveril. Clarissa finds him, handsome, sexy, and well, even if he is attracted by her money, she plans to play his game. She is a spunky, forthright, outstanding heroine - I really liked her!

This was an excellent tale. I had read all the previous novels that introduced all the players so, I could relate to the tying up of loose ends. Now, I wonder if Ms. Beverley would like to finish up Dare's story! Dare should be a good one, yes!?!

If not for Nicholas, Con, Lucien, and the rest of the Rogues, this book would have probably fallen flat.

Clarissa was great, and refreshingly assertive, and I liked the fact that she knew what - and who - she wanted and went after it - Hawk, to be exact. And even if she had failed in her quest to win Hawk's love, she had mentally prepared herself to go on with her life without total heartache.

Hawk was a typical handsome, loyal, sensitive hero, but he seemed a mere secondary character here. The Rogues completely overshadowed him, not because of the author, but because of the personalities of these great guys. As a military man, Hawk outranked some of the Rogues, and had at one time recruited Nicholas to seduce the Frenchwoman, but throughout most of the book, Hawk had to answer to these guys about money and his intentions towards Clarissa. When things went awry towards the end, I found it hard to accept Hawk in a leadership role, with the Rogues deferring to him, but as the scene progressed, Hawk was brilliant, very intelligent. Although I was very glad to read about the rogues, especially Nicholas and Lucien, Hawk should have been this bold throughout the whole book.

Lucien, of course, was not there when Hawk took charge, but his presence was certainly felt, as befitted him. A word of warning, however: If you haven't yet read about Lucien, you will NOT like him very much here. For some reason, JB went out of her way to make him so unlikable, and even as she softened him up slightly as the story progressed, you STILL won't like him if you're unfamiliar with the Rogues. Lucien, to put it mildly, has a temper problem. There will always be a dark cloud over him in my opinion, but I like him very much.

I strongly suggest you first read AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE, the great story of the awesome Nicholas Delaney. Then read AN UNWILLING BRIDE, the outstanding novel about Lucien, the marquess of Arden.

Clarissa was the wimpy young miss from one of the earlier Rogue books who was betrothed to the depraved Lord Deveril against her will and she ran to Lady Rogue Beth for help. In that book, Blanche, a stage actress kills Deveril in self defense and the rogue's concoct a plan without Clarissa's knowledge leaving a will declaring Clarissa as his beneficiary.

Hawk, a war hero, finds out his father has made a deal to buy the title of Lord Deveril at the expense of the beloved home manor, Hawk in the Vale. In order to save the estate, Hawk must either marry money or prove Clarissa murdered Lord Deveril and forged the will so that the money will revert to the new Lord Deveril. After meeting Clarissa, Hawk battles his emotions because he is falling for the gentle young woman, but knows he must either deceive her into marriage or put her life in peril to gain the needed funds. Clarissa has resigned herself to spinsterhood but after meeting Hawk, knows she wants everything life has to offer, marriage, children and happiness ever after. Clarissa suspects Hawk is after her fortune but she loves him anyway.

I liked the passion of these characters and their willingness to forgive to maintain their love. This was my favorite of the rogue series even though Hawk isn't actually one of the "Rogues", the characters are from the Rogue series.

I don't have a lot of good things to say about this book.

There wasn't much chemistry between the two main characters of this book. I really could have cared less if they ended up together.

The one and only 'love scene' in this book is riddled with silly dialogue throughout... the female character Clarissa quoting passages from a book she had read entitled "Annals of Aphrodite". Here is a sample passage from this scene:

All the feelings seemed to rush to the place he pressed on, and her hips pushed up again. 'Oh! The Precious Pearl of Eden's Ecstasy.'
'Probably.' He laughed into her dazed eyes. 'By all means, tell me what else you recognize as we go.'
'The Wanton Wave of Womanly Welcome,' she gasped as her body rose up and fell of its own accord. 'I tried it. Stroking the Precious Pearl... It was pleasant, but not like this!'

So, you catch my drift.

If you are wanting to get swept away in a romantic adventure, this isn't the book for you. It is silly and not in the slightest bit romantic.

But that's just my opinion!

This was the first book by Jo Beverley that I have read, and by the end I realised that it was the third book she had written about this group of characters (The Georges) and she has also written several other books about the Rogues (who also feature in this novel). Although it didn't matter that I hadn't read the other books, there were quite a lot of characters to get to grips with, and they seemed rather one-dimensional in this book. I expect if I'd read the others before this I would have found them more satisfying.

The basic premise of the story is that Clarissa Greystone is about to be launched into society as a young heiress; she was formerly forcibly engaged to Lord Deveril, an unpleasant man who was killed - was Clarissa the killer? - and his Will found near the body left all his money to his fiancée. We are also introduced to Hawk (George Hawkinville) whose father has worked to prove that he is the next Viscount Deveril, thus Hawk will be, in due course, Lord Deveril. And when Hawk meets Clarissa (originally hoping to prove she's a murderess so that her money will come to him as the true heir of the murdered Lord Deveril) he finds her intriguing and sets to woo her. When they realise they are in love she is worried about telling him she was an accomplice to murder, and he feels she won't have him because he will become Viscount Deveril and she hated the former Viscount Deveril. To me, this is a plot weakness; of course she has bad memories of her former fiancée, but would ANYONE seriously think that just because someone has the same name you wouldn't marry them? Surely not!

Anyway, their romance moves from Cheltenham to Brighton and then to Hawk's home village of Hawk In The Vale with the requisite stolen kisses, an adopted cat, various other characters interacting and then an elopement which fails. The book ends with a kidnapping and rescue attempt and the hero and heroine finally get over the hurdles they have put before each other and get married.

Although this book was well written and the period detail was enjoyable, overall I found that the story and plot lacked a certain direction. Thérèse Bellaire is meant to be a fairly major pivot of the plot but she barely features until she has her big scene right at the end. The hero's experiences of Waterloo are interesting, as is his friendship with the other Georges, but we never really understand quite what bound these three men together and therefore why those bonds are so sorely tested by his romance with Clarissa.

I would read other books by Jo Beverley but I think it would probably serve me better to read them in order.

And a random side-point - I have read three books recently by different authors with a Lord Deveril or Deverill. Popular name!

I thought this book was horrid! I'm so sorry to the author, but dang! He was manipulative up until the point that he just wasn't. what's up with that? and they she just forgives him? yeah right!

I was so lost reading this book that I couldn't even enjoy the plot. There were so many extra characters that I was lost trying to keep track of everyone. If I'd known before I read it, that it was part of a series, I wouldn't have read it at all. If you've read all the other rogue and george series, than you may enjoy this book that connects back to all the characters. Still not thoroughly impressed with Jo Beverly, which is depressing since she's written so many regency novels, my favorites. I'm trying Hazard now and it's holding my attention, but barely. Not sure where Beverly goes wrong, I just have a hard time getting into the characters.