Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

Hardy Cates and Haven Travis' book



Blue-Eyed Devil (Travises' book 2)

By Lisa Kleypas

Book Blurb:
MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL - His name is Hardy Cates. He's a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He's made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston's oil industry. He's got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind. 

MEET THE HEIRESS - She's Haven Travis. Despite her family's money, she refuses to set out on the path they've chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire. 

When Blue-Eyed Devil was drawing to the end, I put it down. I didn't want it to end. That doesn't happen very often to me. What a fantastic book. 

Blue-Eyed Devil invoked a lot of emotion out of me. I could feel my face heat up in anger and I even felt a heartbeat in my cheeks. Yeah, I got that angry with a couple of the characters. It is not what I would consider a nice feel good romance. It's way deeper.

You could read this book as a stand alone but I would not recommend it as I think the readers need to appreciate the background story. 

The readers were introduced to Hardy Cates in Sugar Daddy. The readers get a lot of history about Hardy from that first book. Oh man I fell hard for him. He is the quintessential hero package. I was so disappointed with Hardy's behaviour at the ending of Sugar Daddy and felt so torn because I loved him so. Blue-Eyed Devil redeemed him 100% in my eyes. If you read Sugar Daddy and then missed out by not following up with this book, you really should consider reading it. 

We also get a wee glimpse of Haven in Sugar Daddy. Not really enough of an impression to form an opinion on the reader so Blue-Eyed Devil was practically a blank slate for her. That blank slate changed quickly. Oh. My. Heart. After she married shortly after the beginning of the book  to an unknowingly abusive man, I felt her growing desperation and isolation. As much as I don't normally understand how females can remain in an abusive marriage situation, I found Lisa Kleypas did an exceptional job taking her time explaining how Haven ended up to where she did. As the Travis' Series is written in first person, I was tormented right along with Haven.

Isolated from her family and in a different city, Haven eventually has a breaking point after she is  eventually battered and beaten so badly that she is rescued by her  brother Gage. None of that information is a spoiler because it is predicable she does get out from under her husband's narcissistic clutches, and she tries very slowly to regain her life. Slowly. 

I say slowly because the romantic relationship that develops between Hardy and Haven is kept to a  crawling pace. It needs to be in order to help her with her much needed healing. I think that is what sets Blue-Eyed Devil apart from other romance books that use the "abused female saved by male hero" plot line. It is never believable that a woman can get over the amount of abuse that Haven went through without consequences, hardships and panic attacks. 

Blue-Eyed Devil doesn't have a lot of romantic dinners, sexy dates or scenes with a lot of heat. Like Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil seemed to be more like a story of healing, reclaiming your life, strength and courage. It was a fabulous read that had me all tied up in knots, weeping and cheering for the heroine like I never had before. Blue-Eyed Devil is not all doom and gloom it was just really moving for me. Stellar writing by Lisa Kleypas. 

Teasers: I must warn you that there is a rape scene, intense brotherly love, an elevator rescue, a boss from hell