Rating: 
Summary: A book to put on your keeper shelf!
Review: I have been reading Liz Carlyle books since the first was published and I find myself keeping them handy so I can re read them! All her characters are interwoven in all the books, although each stand alone. If you can, start from the first and read in order of publication, or if not, read this book and get hooked. This is the kind of book that makes romance novels the best kind of books to read.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fablous
Review: I have read every book that Liz Carlyle has written (which is not NEAR enough) and LOVED them all. THis book was no exception. If you haven't read her books then run don't walk to buy them...you are in for a treat. Liz Carlyle has a elegant, earthy style of writing that makes you want to in turn not put the book down and savor every single word written. This book combines some of my favorite secondary characters from Beauty Like The Night, Bently Rutledge and Fredrica, the precious young girl from My False Heart. If you haven't read both books then I suggest you do so before reading this one. They give depth and richness to the characters. Fredrica is hurt because the man she's sure is going to marry her announces he is marrying a cousin to please his father and to assuage hurt and anger she turns to Bently. When she is left with a permanant reminder of their night together, Bently finds out and insists on marriage. To get Fredrica to agree to the marriage, Bently suggest a 6 month trial period to see if the marriage can work and after that if it doesn't work he will set her free. It doesn't take Bently long to see he wants Freddie alot longer than 6 months.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, something a little different
Review: I just finished The Devil You Know for the second time. What a wonderful book. You probably know the plot by now. Bentley, the rake, gets Fredrika in an 'interesting condition' and after some persuasion gets her to marry him. And of course they fall in love. It sounds like a thousand other books with the outrageously promiscuous rake hell and the good girl who saves him. But it is so much more than that. The first unusual thing is that the book starts off with a wildly passionate love scene in the first chapter or so. Nothing like hitting the ground running.:-) Then the story really starts. I love the characterization in this book. I'm so used to the rake and the prissy girl that it startled me to realize that 'Freddie' was behaving exactly as I thought she should and Bentley really did seem an awful good sort to be so bad. The plot moves swiftly and they are married in no time, each one determined to make this marriage work for themselves and for the child. But there's something strange at work with Bentley. As the book goes on we realize that he is not your typical rake at all. There's a deep dark secret in Bentley's past that will affect him and everyone around him. Much deeper stuff then you usually find in a Romance novel. I am so tired of the 'can't keep it in his pants' rakes that seem so much the stock in trade of romance writers. They bed the women by the hundreds and I can't help wonder why they don't get some kind of disease. (which is actually mentioned here!) I'd resigned myself to reading one more 'typical' story and it was a wonderful surprise to find it wasn't typical at all. 8 times out of 10 I'll give the couple no more than a few years before the romance dies and the rake is back to his old habits. It's too hard to change their spots I think. But at the end of this I really thought Bentley and Freddie had a good chance of making a go of it. I really recommend this book if you're looking for a little something out of the ordinary.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Book.
Review: I really enjoyed this book - I couldn't put it down at first but I felt like the middle slowed down and almost stalled on me. I was tempted to throw it aside and start reading something else. But I kept at it and it picked up again and turned out to be a very good book.
Rating:
Summary: Not What I was Expecting
Review: I usually steer clear of romance novels where the plot is centered around an early sexual encounter which results in a pregnancy. However, after reading Beauty like the Night and No True Gentleman, I simply had to know what became of Bently. This was a fantastic read. I was all set to dislike Freddie--the little orphan girl thing has never really worked for me. However, she has such a vibrant personality and is so self possessed that I couldn't help but like her. She knows exactly what she's getting into and why, doesn't waste time feeling sorry for herself and is all around a very likable protagonist. I was also impressed at the fine line Ms. Carlyle managed to walk in portraying Bently. He really was a rake, not just a wastrel trying to be a rogue--and you could tell right from the first page that his faults were serious and not just affectations. There were times when I really wondered if he was just a complete jerk--but what was great was that his behavior wasn't the kind of domineering, cliche male chovanist bad behavior so many romance novelists resort to when portraying men--it was linked to his personal demons on a level so subconscious that Bently himself hardly realized it. Then I started to see what was going on behind the scenes, in his head, and all my doubts were put to flight--he's so lovable, I just wanted to take him home with me. He doesn't really reform at the end either, which is nice--he finally comes to terms with himself and his past, and as a result his better nature, the side of him that Freddie comes to see and love, reasserts itself and becomes more visible. Someone else mentioned in their review that there wer too many characters--I can se that. I really think that Ms. Carlyle's books are best read in order--I think she intended them that way. Characters from each novel reappear in later books, which is wonderful if you know who they are and what on earth they have to do with the story--it's great how she links all the families together. It does get a bit confusing though if you're missing one or more peaces of the narrative puzzle. Even so, Devil You KNow can work as a stand-alone read--it'll just be richer, I think, if you know the background. I hope that made some sense, but even if it didn't this is a fantastic book like all of Liz Carlyle's work and is a definite must read. Just be sure to pick a long weekend, because you won't be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Not What I was Expecting
Review: I usually steer clear of romance novels where the plot is centered around an early sexual encounter which results in a pregnancy. However, after reading Beauty like the Night and No True Gentleman, I simply had to know what became of Bently. This was a fantastic read. I was all set to dislike Freddie--the little orphan girl thing has never really worked for me. However, she has such a vibrant personality and is so self possessed that I couldn't help but like her. She knows exactly what she's getting into and why, doesn't waste time feeling sorry for herself and is all around a very likable protagonist. I was also impressed at the fine line Ms. Carlyle managed to walk in portraying Bently. He really was a rake, not just a wastrel trying to be a rogue--and you could tell right from the first page that his faults were serious and not just affectations. There were times when I really wondered if he was just a complete jerk--but what was great was that his behavior wasn't the kind of domineering, cliche male chovanist bad behavior so many romance novelists resort to when portraying men--it was linked to his personal demons on a level so subconscious that Bently himself hardly realized it. Then I started to see what was going on behind the scenes, in his head, and all my doubts were put to flight--he's so lovable, I just wanted to take him home with me. He doesn't really reform at the end either, which is nice--he finally comes to terms with himself and his past, and as a result his better nature, the side of him that Freddie comes to see and love, reasserts itself and becomes more visible. Someone else mentioned in their review that there wer too many characters--I can se that. I really think that Ms. Carlyle's books are best read in order--I think she intended them that way. Characters from each novel reappear in later books, which is wonderful if you know who they are and what on earth they have to do with the story--it's great how she links all the families together. It does get a bit confusing though if you're missing one or more peaces of the narrative puzzle. Even so, Devil You KNow can work as a stand-alone read--it'll just be richer, I think, if you know the background. I hope that made some sense, but even if it didn't this is a fantastic book like all of Liz Carlyle's work and is a definite must read. Just be sure to pick a long weekend, because you won't be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: This book was not meant to be read......
Review: it was meant to be devoured which I certainly did. This book has one of the hottest, most intriguing opening chapters I have ever read. Bentley Rutledge is the bad boy we all love to love. He has made drinking, gambling and all around debauchery his purpose in life. So when beautiful broken-hearted Frederica makes him a offer he can't refuse, he doesn't. However, the morning after Bentley finds that his long dormant conscience has reawakened and is pelting him with accussations. He can't handle the confusing mix of emotions and so he flees leaving a sleeping Frederica a hastily scribbled proposal. Frederica awakens to an empty bed and to the realization that her tender lover of the night before has dissapeared without so much as a goodbye (the proposal, literally, flew out the window). Soon enough Freddie starts to suffer the consequences of that night of pleasure and with Bentley nowhere to be found, what's a girl in her situation to do? Find someone to marry, of course. But Freddie finds that deep in her heart there's only one man she wants and he, it seems, does not want her. What Freddie does not realize is that Bentley's feelings for her run much deeper that she or he, for that matter, can imagine and that the real reason for his actions is fear. Bentley is afraid because he is convinced that in spite of how he feels he simply isn't good enough for her.
Can Freddie bring the outwardly careless but inwardly troubled Hell-Bent Rutledge to his knees? Yes she can and the best part of this book is watching her do just that. I did not care at all for this authors last book. The emphasis on the murder/suspense plot really turned me off. However, in this book the emphasis is where it should be. That is on Bentley and Freddie's relationship and their journey to a happily ever after. Carlyle's writing is flawless and the love scenes are exquisitely written. On the other hand, I felt that the appearance of so many characters from her other books weighed the story down for me. The reason for this may be that I haven't read all of the books in this author's backlist. Still, I felt that this book does not stand alone so if you have not read her other works you might find yourself a bit lost. Regardless of this I still highly recommend this book because Bentley and Freddie's perfect love outshines all of that.
Rating:
Summary: fun historical tale
Review: Late at night, renowned rake Bentley Rutledge runs into Frederica d'Avillez in the hallway while everyone else sleeps. Freddy is upset because the man she thought would marry her, Johnny Ellows is betrothed to someone else because his family believes she is not good enough for them. Bursting into tears, Bentley provides comfort, but soon Freddy kisses him. Already dreaming of Freddy, Bentley finds himself a willing partner to her seduction though he tries to put a halt to their activities. That night, knowing he deflowered a virgin, a stunned Bentley leaves for his home to regroup and to prepare himself to marry Freddy. However, neither Freddy nor her family comes after him. Soon, Bentley hears that she is to marry someone else. He attends a ball hosted by her family and confronts Freddy. Later he realizes she is pregnant with his child. He demands they marry, but Freddy insists she will not. Forced to marry, they both realize that their attraction is love, but will either willingly admit that their marriage is the best thing that has happened to either of them. Though somewhat by the standard fans of Regency romances will relish THE DEVIL YOU KNOW due to the delightful cast especially the lead couple. Bentley is an interesting protagonist raised as a hedonistic rake by his decadent father in a case where nurturing overcomes naturing unto he admits he loves Freddy. The heroine is a charmer not afraid to admit that she is more at fault than her beloved for the seduction that "ruins" both of them. Together they provide the audience with a fun historical tale. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: not your typical 'devil'
Review: Oh my! I didn't expect this one to be *so* good...the "rogue reformed" is never my favorite kind of story. However, I think this one kind of turns the cliche on its head by giving you a plausible and very sympathetic reason for the hero's past debauchery. Bentley is Carlyle's best character. Whenever he appears in No True Gentleman and in Beauty Like the Night, he lights up the page. His dialogue and behavior is so distinctive. I admire this book for opening with a fabulous sex scene, and for creating very moving scenes that involve not only Bentley's relationship with Frederica, but also his relationship with his brother. I've re-read parts of it again and again. One of my favorites of the genre, and highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Fresh Regency Romance
Review: Something a little different to this Regency Romance, and that would be the female central character - Frederica d'Avillez and her very unconventional family. Freddie has just been dumped by her beau after her first London season, and is now convinced she has lost her chance at marriage. To console herself and on a burst of passion on both sides, she and Bentley Rutledge, a close friend of her cousin and well known rogue, have sex. The next day, Bentley appears to do a runner, but even a rouge knows what is right and unknown to Freddie, Bentley does try to do the right thing. Something he's somewhat unused to doing, but which he feels compelled to do, and not because it's expected of him. Indeed what is expected is exactly what Freddie thinks he's done - disappeared into the night. So we have Bentley expecting to hear an answer from Freddie, and Freddie determined to soldier on. Then Freddie falls pregnant. Her reaction and that of her family is as you would expect for the time, but unusually they all accept that marriage is not necessarily the option that needs to be taken. Freddie's felt out of place for much of her life, being an orphan and illegitimate, and this is what Bentley has to use when he discovers her condition to manoeuvre Freddie into marriage. Now two people who don't know quite how things went wrong need to set about finding a way to live happily together. There are some deep issues to be resolved for both Freddie and Bentley, regardless of their marriage, and yet they need to be worked through for the sake of their furture. The story is told from both perspectives, although mostly from Freddie's point of view, but surprisingly the one with the most to work through is in fact Bentley. Not only he but also his family have to work through the psychological and physical damage that he has endured. The two families are as important to the overall plot as Freddie and Bentley themselves. Their families form the beginnings of their characters and perspectives on the world and how each will relate to the world and those in it, and it is clear that Carlyle considered this very carefully when crafting this work. For me, these factors raised this book to a cut above the standard Regency, and made it all the more enjoyable.
| 
