The Luck of the Devil

by Barbara Metzger

When Rowanne Wimberley meets Carey Delverson, one of the Delverson Devils, at Almack's, he is about to join his regiment in the Peninsula. Carey's service is grueling, and his new sense of responsibility makes him offer (unsuccessfully) for a young relative. Rowanne isn't waiting for this devil to capture her, but she's in no hurry to settle for a man she doesn't love. Regency Romance by Barbara Metzger; originally published by Fawcett

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Traditional Regency, Humor

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 30, 1991

About the author

Barbara Metzger is the author of over three dozen books and a dozen novellas. She has also been an editor, a proof-reader, a greeting card verse-writer, and an artist. When not painting, writing romances or reading them, she volunteers at the local library, gardens and goes beach-combing and yard-saling.

Her novels, mostly set in Regency-era England, have won numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA, the National Reader's Choice Award, and the Madcap award for humor in romance writing. In addition, Barbara has won two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine.

Source: http://www.barbarametzger.com/about_b...

Reviews

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For whatever reason, this is my perfect comfort read. It's light and fun, except when it's moving, and it was just what I was in the mood for. I borrowed my battered old copy off Becca but we should probably have a copy each for future comforting.

[Mela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had everything I search in Regency romance. Wit, nice love story, funny and likeable characters.

Rowanne blinked. What would Gabe do, challenge the ex-officer to a chess match?

It was a nice reading. But... Something wasn't right. It lacked something, I don't know what. Perhaps Metzger didn't spent enough time making the story the whole. I really can figure out what made this novel not a better piece.

[kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neither fish nor fowl. Not quite farce if that's what Metzger was going for and to scattered to be taken seriously. Also to many characters named and not developed. I've liked a lot of Metzger's stories. This one not so much. Three stars is the best I could give it.

[Olga Godim · Rating 1 out of 5]

A rather amateur attempt at regency romance. For about the first 70% of this book, the hero and the heroine only met three or four times. Nothing but a vague longing on both their parts linked them. During those 70%, several years elapsed in the story time, so by necessity, almost all the narrative of that part of the book was a summary of what was happening. A 'telling' at its worst.
Only about the last 30% of the story was written as fiction is supposed to be written: in scenes and dialogues. With frequent meetings between the protagonists to promote their mutual affection. And even that was utterly boring.
It could've been a short story or a novella at most and it wouldn't have lost anything important from deleting the first 70%.
Overall: a waste of my time.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, stand-alone story for lovers of Regency romp and wit.  My only complaint was the long periods of time that the hero and heroine were apart. Carey Delverson, one of the three Delverson Devils (2 brothers and a cousin), meets Rowanne Wimberly just as he is about to leave to join Wellington's troops on the Peninsula. 

During the years spent apart, Carey is injured and the wonderful Rowanne decides to discretely check out kissing amongst the lords and lads still in the country.  Carey has the 'Luck of the Devil" because he is repeatedly injured, but returns to England to take over the reins of the dukedom that he eventually inherits.

The relationship between Rowanne and her brother Gabriel is interesting and unusual.  Rowanne isn't so worried about finding a spouse for herself so much as finding one for her brother, who is an absent-minded member of Parliament.  They are such a charming pair of siblings. 
 
Of course, there are the antics of dogs (2, this time), Carey's half-sister who fell in love at 4 and still moons over her carrot-topped best friend, and an illegitimate relative, or two, etc.  Before the book is over, Carey finds the war to have been less dangerous than life amongst the rustics at home.

[Mary23nm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably more of a 4.5, but it’s VERY charming. Definitely in the clean, Heyer-esque mode, skewing quite classic, but full of zingy humor and a lot of lovely little moments.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I liked the characters in this book, they didn't spend all that much time in the same place together. The story follows them over several years which they spend apart, telling their independent storylines with some brief interactions together until near the end. So it was unsatisfying in that regard.

My other main quibble is that there were some serious grammatical errors that should never make their way into a well-edited book, particularly dialogue in a historical novel (such as characters repeatedly saying "would/could of" instead of "would/could have").

[Nanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

a sweet, light story with lots of great characters and lots of references to battles from the peninsula war. she writes so well that i did connect to the characters but one does feel that it could have been so much deeper. her characters are interesting and touch on many issues and emotions, but so lightly as to resemble a farce.

[Deanna Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story but unlike what you expect from Barbara Metzger, it wasn't funny.

[Tchipakkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue Eyed Devils

Is it something from Metzger 's experience or simply details that support the plot, how many families that have strong resemblance does she encounter? For that matter how thick on the ground are dukes and earls and rich gentry, even when the social circle is the Ton? Not that I am complaining, Metzger's stories continue to charm. This one, following the young lord to war was a trifle more violent than others, thanks to the lucky charm, the hero came through only slightly scathed. The unlikely coincidences were part of the charm of this book.

[Judith Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I really love Barbara Metzger's books; however, this one was good, but not a favorite. The main female character was a strong, independent person, and her love interest was "devilish"; they just spent a lot of time apart. The book had some really funny moments, especially with the deaf aunt. I would recommend reading the book; it is very good, but as I mentioned not one of my favorites.

[Flo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Metzger does it again. A goodish heroine, a fantastic hero. They meet and like each other, he goes off to war and gets wounded, not once but a few times, until he is sent home, in time to accept his title, Duke. They don't get together for awhile and our heroine picks up all the awful stories about him because the upper echelons of society in the Regency era live for gossip. I enjoyed this lovely romance although hero and heroine were not together enough. Recommended.

[Patrizia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Metzger si distingue tra le scrittrici di 'regency' per il suo stile brillante e portato alla battuta: talvolta esagera, sfiorando la leziosaggine e finendo con l'irritare il lettore.
In questo romanzo riesce a trovare un ottimo equilibrio tra la spiritosaggine e il 'romance', e il libro diventa così un piacevole compagno per qualche ora di svago

[Frances · Rating 1 out of 5]

The luck.......

This book was so bad. How bad was it? The characters were unlikeable the dialogue was boring, and there was no plot. It seemed as if she threw all the letters of the alphabet up in the air and wrote it as they fell.

[Katie Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance! Two people who meet just briefly now and again over many years but can't seem to forget the other...

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay, but I didn't like how long it took for the lead characters to get together.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay except that most of the book they are apart from each other. He was away at war, and it was a number of years before they got their happily-ever-after.

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the author's writing style but this one drags a bit because the main couple spends most of the story apart.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Carey as the hero. He was a war hero that didn't have just a minor injury, but had significant injury and the scenes about the war in Spain were interesting and seemed more realistic.

Great romance!

[Susannah Carleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As delightful on the 20th read as in the first! U think this story and these characters are my favorite of all Barbara Metzger's books.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what it is, but this one is not nearly as good as the other Metzger novels I've read. There wasn't as much humor and I didn't particularly like or connect to the characters.

[Joan S. Royer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

Every time I read this, I find it more fun than the last time! It is fun to watch the H and h get in and out of scrapes. I read this about once a year just for fun.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was in the mood for a trad romance, and this fit the bill. It was cute enough, but didn't really stand out.

[HistoricalHussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Could’ve done with a bit more romance between H/h.

[Barbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another pleasant and charming tale from Barbara Metzger.