Devil's Bride

Cynster #1

by Stephanie Laurens

Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire town by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of England′s most eligible bachelor, Devil′s infamous Cynster cousins began to place wagers on the wedding date.

But Honoria wasn′t about to bend society′s demands and marry a man "just" because they′d been found together virtually unchaperoned. No, she craved adventure, and while solving the murder of a young Cynster cousin fit the bill for a while, she decided that once the crime was solved she′d go off to see the world. But the scalding heat of her unsated desire for Devil soon had Honoria craving a very different sort of excitement. Could her passion for Devil cause her to embrace the enchanting peril of a lifelong adventure of the heart?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Audiobook

388 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

About the author

Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Stephanie and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.

Once in London, Stephanie and her husband both began work as research scientists in Kent. They lived in an area surrounded by history. Their own cottage was built in the 16th century, while next door were the protected ruins of an early Roman villa, and nearby was a 14th century castle.

After four years in England, Stephanie and her husband returned to Australia, where she continued to work in cancer research, eventually heading her own research laboratory. One evening Stephanie realized that she did not have any more of her favorite romance novels to read. After years of thinking about writing her own novel, during nights and weekends for the next several months, she began crafting her own story. That manuscript, Tangled Reins, was the first of her books to be published. After achieving a level of success with her novels, Stephanie "retired" from scientific research and became a full-time novelist. Her novels are primarily historical romances set in the Regency time period.

Stephanie and her husband live on peaceful acreage on the outskirts of Melbourne. If she isn't writing, she's reading, and if she's not reading, she's tending her garden.

Reviews

[Sarah MacLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love devil with an intensity that terrifies my husband. i can't help it.

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is sort of how the plot of this book went:

- *Random person dies*
- "You are going to marry me."
- "There is no way I am going to marry you, so get away from me!"
- "I am going to MAKE you marry me." (Hotness inserted here)
- "Er, wtf? Back off!"
- "Ooh, I smell a challenge." >:) *begin seduction tactics* (Insert make-out scenes)
- "Are you going to marry me?"
- "Nuh-uh, I am going to go to Egypt!"
- "What about now?" *making-out, etc.*
- ...Oh wow, maybe I will just have sex with this guy and then leave...
- ...I shall never admit I have feelings for her...
- *more making-out and fooling around*
- "I will not have sex with you until you promise to marry me!"
- "Psh. Lies." *making-out*
- "Get away from me, Woman!"
- ...Maybe I do want to marry him...
- ...What if she won't marry me?...
- *Goes to tell him and ends up making-out with him*
- "I don't believe you want to marry me, because you just want to have sex with me!"
- "No, I really want to marry you!"
- "Stop lying to me!"
- (Repeat previous steps as needed.)

FINALLY they get married and after that there is about an equal amount of shmexy sex scenes, one or the other driving each other crazy by running off and almost getting hurt, actual falling in love (only on of them will ever admit it) and that little bit of heavily foreshadowed murder mystery that I guessed since like the first chapter (really, that is barely exaggerated at all). Okay, I lied. There are way more sex scenes than anything else in the second half of the book. But you know what? I love this stuff. The characters are real, though they are totally insane and silly, and for a historical romance there was not much damsel in distress and more guy freaking out when his damsel wouldn't stay at home like a good girl (which I find hilarious). And it was pretty hot, even if the overprotective, egotistical guy and the reluctant, adventurous virgin girl are not very original concepts. Seriously, though, how many interesting historical romances are you going to find out there? This one is not bad.

[Blacky *Romance Addict* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Framing her jaw, Devil lifted her face, looked down on pale cheeks, at eyes awash with tears, then he bent his head and kissed her set lips. "You'll never lose me," he whispered. "I'll never leave you."




One of my favorite historicals


This is the introduction to the Cynster family (and what a family it is ). I was actually re-reading this one, so it was kind of funny to see all those men and women who'll get their own books :) Most of the time, I was like: Oh look, that's Vane, I love his book! OMG Scandal! He's so awesome! Amanda and Amelia - love them! And then Demon! My favorite So by the time I finished this book, I knew I simply HAD to re-read all of them







The story - Rushing home to avoid a thunderstorm, Honoria stumbles upon a dying young man. While trying to help him, she hears a rider approaching. A mysterious (absolutely gorgeous ) man helps her take care of the wounded fellow, carrying him to the nearest woodsman cottage. They soon discover the young man was shot, and that he's a cousin to her mysterious (absolutely gorgeous) guy. They spend the night in the cottage.

"Trapped in her nightmare, she shuddered. She gulped down a sob, only to have another rise in its place.
Watching her, Devil felt a sharp ache twist through his chest. The tears welled from beneath her lids, gathered, then rolled slowly, steadily, down her cheeks.
His gut clenched. Hard. Gently, he tipped up her face. She didn't wake; the tears continued to fall.
He couldn't stand it. Devil bent his head and set his lips to hers."

The next morning, they are found in a compromising position by the local neighbours (and by compromising I mean just the fact that they spent the night in the same room, nothing actually happened :D ) so the logical thing is to announce their engagement . Honoria only then discovers that her companion was non other than Sylvester Sebastian Cynster, the sixth Duke of St. Ives, known by others as Devil
Devil is intent on making Honoria his duchess, but she constantly refuses, she doesn't want to marry anyone, especially not a piratical autocrat (her words XD) like Devil.
So basically, they work together to find Tolly's (the dead guy) murderer, the rest of the time Devil tries to convince Honoria she should marry him, and Honoria tries to seduce Devil and find out more about passion






Devil

"You, my lord, are the most arrogant, overbearing, high-handed, tyrannical, dictatorial despot it has ever been my misfortune to meet."
Devil raised a brow. "You forgot autocratic."

Enough said XDXD Devil is a duke, the head of his family, and used to issuing orders. His view of the world is basically: Me man, you woman. Me does everything, you stays home and embroiders. Too bad for him, he's found a woman he can't control, and maybe that's a part of her appeal :) From the first they meet, he knows she'll be his duchess, the only point left was for her to accept, and he does everything he can to make it happen
And now that I think of it, Devil's the only Cynster who wants to get married right from the start. I think all the others pretty much ran like hell from marriage XDXD Anyway, I ADORE him, he's one of my favorite characters

"On the beast's back sat a man to match the horse, black-clad shoulders blocking out the twilight, dark mane wild, features harsh—satanic.
Her heart in her throat, Honoria lifted her gaze to the rider's face—and met his eyes. Even in the dimness, she was sure of their color. Pale, lucent green, they seemed ancient, all-seeing. Large, set deep under strongly arched black brows, they were the dominant feature in an impressively strong face. Their glance was penetrating, mesmerizing—unearthly. In that instant, Honoria was sure that the devil had come to claim one of his own. And her, too."

Honoria

She is very adventurous, not afraid to do what was needed to make her point, or discover something that would lead to their murderer. Not even Devil can make her bow down to his will. She doesn't want to get married, to anyone, and has to constantly remind Devil of that fact
BUT, he can be very persuasive, and Honoria soon discovers passion and desire through Devil's kisses, and she wants more ( )
I just have to say that I loved her when she stood up to Devil, after the debacle with the tavern. She had a strong f-ing reason, and she wouldn't let it go, no matter how angry and strong-willed Devil was. YAY to her



There were just two things I didn't like in this book

The bad guy is obvious. Too obvious. So obvious, you know who it is even before he appears. And when he appears it's just cemented that he's the bad guy.

Honoria's surname. So help me God, I don't want to hear/see that name ever again in my life. I don't know how many times it was repeated in the book, but it was just too damn much. BTW, it's Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby



Oh, and one more thing, here's for Stephanie Laurens and her writing, especially the love scenes (oh she knows how to write pantie-melters)

[Daniella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading Devil's Bride was a very confusing experience. I usually have good instincts when it comes to stories; I can normally sense, even early on, whether I'll end up liking or disliking it. But this book just totally floored me. I was so, so sure that I'll end up giving this a 4 or 5 star rating, but I was wrong. Issues with the book just kept on piling up the more I read it, and at the end, they were far too much to ignore.

The said issues are as follows:

First, the writing style was unbalanced and messy. The first few chapters were written in a way that was very similar to the traditional regency style, but this actually changed as the story progressed, becoming more modern in tone and feel halfway through it.

Another thing about the writing that annoyed me was the abrupt changes in the time setting. From chapters 1 to 17, the story was divided on a continual basis. Chapter 18, however, didn't follow the same pattern; it fast forwarded to Honoria and Devil's wedding. To make matters more confusing, chapter 19, again, fast forwarded to several "years later", before going back to the current timeframe, a few days after the wedding.


Second, the sex scenes were excessive and repetitive. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all squeamish about love scenes. In fact, I think I have a higher tolerance for extremely detailed and graphic ones, like those written by Elizabeth Hoyt. But just like in real life, too much sex can render the act meaningless. Seriously. Once Honoria and Devil did the deed--at around the 50 percent marker--they actually do it for almost every chapter afterward. Guys, give us a break.


Sadly, I think this was a strategy distastefully employed to prolong the story. The sex scenes prevented the story to progress, making the pacing so excruciatingly slooooooooow. I was bored out of my wits.

Third, the murder mystery was handled very poorly. The suspense elements were placed messily throughout the story. There was no proper planning at all. Even though I knew who the real culprit was from the start, I didn't know about the motive; thus, my curiosity spurred me to read more. But the mystery wasn't properly maintained. By 75 percent of the story, I stopped caring about it and gave up.


Fourth, the characterisation was extremely unnatural, anachronistic and inconsistent. Again, this was a product of bad writing.

I didn't like Honoria. She was a selfish, irrational woman who had a very bad temper. She refused to see reason, even after she was thoroughly compromised. I absolutely hated how she kept on changing her mind about marrying Devil! I remember how, after talking to Devil's relatives, Honoria seemed to finally see reason--she, herself, admitted that she finally realised just how grave the consequences of being compromised was--only to refuse Devil's proposal later on in the chapter. WTF??????????????


And while I liked Devil enough, I was bothered by the inconsistency in his character. He changed from pursuer to prey so easily, so abruptly that I became confused. He actually had to be seduced by Honoria for him to bed her. Huh? The abrupt reversal in roles between the two was not convincing and natural, at all. The writer tried to justify this by stating that Devil didn't find it honourable to bed Honoria without procuring her acceptance to wed him. While this was a passable argument, it was still a weak one, especially given how Devil was established early on in the story. I also didn't like how he would go from sweet, romantic lover to one who would think this:

Then he would have time and more to reap the rewards of his control, his care, his expertise, to slake his senses in her, with her—to make her his slave.

HUH? "HIS SLAVE"? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?????

Lastly, I hated how the novel approached the issue of adultery. Let me explain: Devil's younger brother, Richard ("Scandal"), was a bastard, a product of an affair that his father had when he went to Scotland. Scandal's mom died shortly after the father went back to England. Scandal was then dropped at the Cynster family's doorstep a few months after the death.

"I realized immediately that Richard was a godsend—Ma-man was so caught up with him she forgot about the knots in my hair. From that moment, Richard had my full support. My father came up—I think he was about to attempt an explanation—in retrospect I’m sorry I didn’t hear it, even if I wouldn’t have understood it then. But Maman immediately told him how immensely clever he was to have provided her with the one, truly most important thing she wanted—another son. Naturally, he kept quiet."

I'm sorry but this handling of adultery was the one that convinced me that this was a 1 star book. Adultery is absolutely my number one pet peeve, and to have a story that merely brushes it off as inconsequential--without the proper punishment!!!--is insupportable. And I knew then that nothing could make me like this story, this series, after that. Ugh.


I understand why people like this. Despite all the issues I raised, I can see that it has its good points. Sadly in my case, they weren't enough to make me like the story; the flaws were too great and far outweigh the story's allures.

[Wicked Incognito Now · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first quarter of this book. I was thinking "yes! I'm gonna love this" but it, disappointingly, fell apart for me afterwards.

In the beginning, we meet the sensible, governess heroine. She comes upon a mortally wounded young man on a dark woods road. Later, our hero arrives, and they work together to try to help the young man. After POV switches to our hero, we are immediately treated to his insight that he has just met his future wife. I LOVED THAT!!! No pussy-footing around. This man found what he had been looking for. And then he immediately sets about informing her and everyone else of that fact. Very intriguing and hot. But that didn't last long. I eventually had enough of this alpha hero's dictates and high-handedness. I came to the conclusion that the heroine needed to deny his @$$ just no-one should be that sure themselves. Of course, he was a great catch, and the heroine did not cut off her nose to spite her face, she eventually realized marrying him would be a good thing. That's where the sizzle, and romantic tension ended. Not even halfway through the book.

And then.....sigh.....the BIG MURDER MYSTERY. It was no mystery at all. I knew who "done it" within the first few pages. I was then left with the excurciating task of reading about the h/h trying to figure out whodunnit through the whole book. ARGH. I hate these suspense storylines messing up a good romance.

So, the romantic tension has fizzled, the suspense/mystery is non-intriguing....what's left to read about? Not much. There were a multitude of sex scenes left. Which, lets face it, I LOVE the sex scenes in romance novels. But with these I was SKIPPING PAGES. I never do that. But these scenes were long and boring, filled with flowery metaphors that just went on and on and on......

Example: "She felt him within her and accepted him eagerly, taking him in, both possessed and possessing. The sunburst rose and drew rapidly nearer; their bodies strove, racing to their fate. Then it was upon them. It caught them in its heat, in its unquenchable delight, in sensation so exquisite she screamed. She clutched him tightly and he was with her. Locked together, they soared, gasped, then fractured--into a selfless void of aching peace beyond the reach of human senses."

And again..."As usual, she was rushing--he set himself to slow her down, bringing her to that plane where she could appreciate his expertise, savor all he could give her, rather than fly headlong to her fate. He repeated his caresses, again and again, until she grew familiar with each new sensation. Her breathing slowed, deepened; he body softened beneath his hands. She moaned softly and twisted in his hold, but she no longer fought him; she floated, senses alive to each explicit caress, recpetive to the pleasures he wished her to know. Only then, deploying every ounce of his considerable expertise, did he open the door and introduce her to all that might be."

It goes on like that page after page but with nothing really TANGIBLE to hang onto. Just these airy references to flying, fracturing, soaring, just so much blah blah!!!

"again and again she rose to the heavens; again and again, he drew her back."

Oh get on with it already!!!! JEEZ

So, I stopped reading about 2/3 of the way through. But I did skim the ending just to make sure I was right about the killer....I was.

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could almost make a graph of my feelings on the book...it started out with a 5* This book was written in 1998. It is so fun to have a war of wills. Both the hero and heroine are strong minded. He says they will mary....she says they won't. Then started the storyline started dropping to a 4*....OK as much as I have enjoyed the strong-willed couple. We are at the halfway point and something in the plot needs to give. A whole book of this is getting tedious as I was halfway through the story. Then the story continues its downhill slide I mean the bad guy mystery was sooooo obvious that I would eat my hat (if I owned one) if I was wrong (I am safe, no hat eating required). Of course, a few more attempts on the duke's life. Some plot filler that was dragging this down to a 2* then it picked up again and I end up with a 3.5*

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! I do think the strengths in this book are in the beginning and the end. In the beginning, we're hooked into this story by someone dying and Devil and Honoria spending the night in a cabin together. Honoria's reputation is at stake, so Devil decides they'll marry and spends a good majority of the book trying to convince Honoria to marry him. The middle drags a bit, but then things become action packed at the end and the romance is just so amazing. I loved how much Honoria and Devil just love each other by the end and I was swooning. The villain was a bit obvious and had that cliche tell-all moment, but I enjoyed the danger and intrigue that came with this romance. I'm so happy I picked this book up and can't wait to continue on in the series!

[K · Rating 1 out of 5]

What? This book is apparently a favorite of many romance readers, but I didn't get the appeal. Sentence structure was definitely more sophisticated than most, but character development was not believable (even by romance novel standards). Disappointingly, it is not titled Devil's Bride because it is about the bride of Satan, Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness, lord of hell and all evil, but the bride of some jerk with "Devil" as an improbable nickname. The mystery was ridiculously obvious even as it dragged on INTERMINABLY. As did the sex scenes. Excessive talking about hero's chest, which could be off-putting for readers not attracted to big chested men. Eventually became constantly nervous that hero would unexpectedly take off shirt, leading to yet another breathless description.

[Addie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am re-reading all my 5 star rated romance novels. There are 62 on my shelf (and counting). This is book 43.

(Tropes: Spinster/Wallflower, Marriage of Convenience, Enemies to Lovers)

This is how my 43rd re-read held up.



Ugh, this did not hold up.

She repeatedly says no to his kisses, he forces himself on her anyway by grabbing and kissing her until she “succumbs” to passion. She repeatedly tells him she won’t marry him, and he repeatedly ignores her.

It’s meant to be cute?



I won’t argue that Devil comes off the pages as someone ridiculously attractive, but then he opens his mouth.

- "No." Honoria braced against his hold—or tried to; her muscles had the consistency of jelly.
"There's no need to panic—I'm only going to kiss you."
Only? Honoria blinked wildly. "That's bad enough. I mean—" She hauled in a breath and tried to focus her wayward wits. "You're dangerous."
He actually chuckled; the sound shredded her hard-won control—she shivered.
"I'm not dangerous to you." His hands stroked soothingly, seductively, down her back. "I'm going to marry you. That puts the shoe on the other foot."

- "In other words, you're bone stubborn—and I have three months to change your mind."
She did not at all like the way he said that. "I am not a vacillating female—I have no intention of changing my mind."
His teeth flashed in his pirate's smile. "You've yet to experience my powers of persuasion."

- "You are challenge personified, Honoria Prudence."
"You are riding for a fall, Your Grace."
"I'll be riding you before Christmas."

- "You have no right to decree what my life is to be."
"I have every right." Devil's expression softened not at all; his gaze was mercilous. "You will be what you were meant to be—mine."

- Her stubbornness was a tangible thing.
In this case, her stubbornness would need to surrender.
He wasn't going to let her go. Ever.
At least she couldn't later say that he hadn't warned her.



- Negotiating a tangle of exposed tree roots, she decided it was his assumption of command that most irked—she had not before met anyone with his degree of authority, as if it was his unquestionable right to lead, to order, and to be obeyed. Naturally, being who she was, used to being obeyed herself, such an attitude did not sit well.



The murder mystery is boring, and the romance almost takes a back burner.

Downgraded from 5 to 1.5 stars.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out great but finished badly.

Honeria is a plucky, finishing governess who dreams of going to Africa. While taking a shortcut home to avoid the storm, she finds a man bleeding in the snow. Soon the H arrives and they take the man to a cabin nearby. Unfortunately, the boy can not be saved. The next morning they are discovered and Honeria is ruined. Devil offers to marry her, but she turns him down.

The mystery: It turns out that the dead man is one of Devil's cousins. He and the rest of the Cynster family are investigating to find the murderer.

Problems:
1. Honeria is so naive! She thinks that she can still work as a governess with a ruined reputation. She turns down Devil's marriage proposal severely times. I hate this kind of frustrating plot! The whole freaking book focused on Honeria continuesley refusing to marry. Fool! I would have married that man in a heartbeat! Crazily, she's open to sleeping with him. I kind of admired Devil's ability to deny her sex till she accepted his proposal. I think if they had married from the beginning of the book, the story would have been so much better.

2. The mystery was overshadowed by the romance. Also the villian was so obvious! I hope that was done intentional by the author. Now the why was more the mystery.

3. The book needed better editing. It wouldn't have been so bad if it had been shortened. Some of the romance could have been cut out.

Conclusion: the book was just okay!

[Lisa Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

English woodsman’s cottage

★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) When someone wanted to do a “buddy read” (which you know I can’t resist!) of this one, I decided I’d listen this time, even though I’m not a big fan of Simon Prebble’s. (I just couldn’t get into an older man reading the love scenes to me. However, now that I’m older, he isn’t so bad. LOL!) Nevertheless, Mr. Prebble does an admirable job of this one. The old biddies of the ton are hilarious and the duke is sufficiently arrogant. I definitely got caught up in his telling me the story again.

Why do I love this book so much? I read it at least once a year. **sigh** I think it is because I’m definitely one of ‘those’ readers. You know the kind that the marketing people just adore – who loves a duke in the story! I also love books with “bride” in the title. Combine these two, and my book budget is shot to hell.

This is the first book in Ms. Laurens’ Cynster series and it is one of the best, IMHO. The 6th Duke of St. Ives, Sylvester “Devil” Cynster is the leader of this notorious pack of handsome, aristocratic rakes. He certainly is the one with the most sense of entitlement and he feels entitled to Miss Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby, finishing governess extraordinaire. Caught in a compromising position, these two have a battle of the wills when Devil decides she’d make a perfect duchess for him.

Ms. Laurens wastes no time getting these two together in a plausible set-up, which also provides a nice little mystery. Not a great mystery, mind you; but, a nice one, that leads us in the right direction all along. She’s not trying to trick the reader; it is a romance, after all. I love that Honoria puts herself right in the thick of the investigation.

However, I love the romance, too! Devil thinks he has his feelings all under control, but he’s in for as much of a surprise as Honoria. The love scenes are pretty hot, especially if you haven’t read the other books. (Alas, this author does tend to repeat the same phrases in her other books.) She also has a couple of funny scenes that still make me smile. Sulliman, Devil’s horse eating the scones; and when Honoria goes to Chillingworth’s townhouse. LOL!

I also zipped through all the rest of this series (before it broke off into the Cysters Sisters Trilogy), back when I first discovered this author and “OD’d” on this storyline. Still, this one holds up for me, along with several others. Mr. Prebble narrates a few in this series, but not all. I’ll probably be very bad and purchase a few more.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read!

This was quite the enjoyable read. We get my favorite with a hero who decides from the start that the heroine will belong to him, and proceeds to pursue her until he gets her.

We also get a heroine who made him work for it, while still being a very like-able character. She’s very stubborn and just when it started to get too much, she acknowledges her feelings for him.

There is also an exciting storyline that involves a “who done it” mystery. It did seem obvious, but I still enjoyed the process that
Devil and Honoria took to find the culprit.

An added bonus...we get a lot of future heroes in the Cynister family of to look forward too. I like how close his whole family was and how much they looked out for each other. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could rate this higher. Unfortunately, my tolerance for characters who refuse to communicate, are constantly making (incorrect) assumptions, and being standoffish for no real reason...is abysmally low. I liked Devil. I liked that he was quiet and decisive and in charge, and that he knew almost from the moment he met Honoria that he was going to marry her. That was extremely refreshing. No shilly-shallying from this hero. Regrettably, since the hero is so amenable to the match, the author then had to make the conflict come from elsewhere. Even more regrettably, she placed the burden for almost all conflict squarely on the shoulders of the heroine, Honoria. This book would have been one of my favorites if it weren't for the constant back and forth and push and pull. Some authors are able to make that happen, to stretch the readers need for suspense in a satisfying way. Laurens just makes it a chore to slog through.

And her sex scenes? Nothing but poetic rhapsodizing via purple prose. Page upon page of metaphors and "feels". I got to the point where I started rolling my eyes and skimming passages every time Devil and Honoria started pawing at each other. Er, sorry, I mean every time they began testing the limitless bonds of their love through the jungle-like sensory practice of soft hands sliding on soft skin to create a miasmic feeling of need and heat. Their feather soft exhalations carried a note of sweet scent that drove each of them further toward the precipice of ecstasy. Gasping, clutching, they fell over the golden cliff together, on numerous occasions, only to end sated in each other's arms, tangled in the feelings neither would dare utter.

[Floripiquita · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5. Me ha gustado mucho el punto de partida de este libro, así como sus dos protagonistas: Honoria, una lady convertida en institutriz por decisión propia, y Diablo, un duque machote de pelo en pecho con más títulos que la duquesa de Alba. Y qué decir de su peculiar familia, los Cynster, llena de primos y hermanos con apodos matadores.

Y, entonces, ¿por qué no 4 o 5 Estrellas? Porque la relación entre los protagonistas, cuyos tiras y aflojas al principio me habían encantado, se vuelve repetitiva y redundante y la trama de suspense se alarga sin sentido, ya que el lector sabe quién es el malo casi desde el inicio. Por no hablar de ese fallo enorme que es hacer referencia a una popular escena de Alicia en el país de las maravillas, cuando aún faltaban casi 50 años para publicarse.

#RitaLaurens #RetoRita3

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread for 2021 favorites
.
This book is fascinating, sexy, and has a great mystery.
.
I loved giving it a reread.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few books by this author and have not really been enthused by them. However I seem to keep coming back for more anyway and this time I am glad I did!

Devil's Bride is the story of Devil Cynster, Duke of St Ives and the amazingly named Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby. They meet over a dying man, Devil decides he wants to marry Honoria and she decides she does not want to marry him. (I saw it as a wonderful opportunity for her to change her name but she did not seem to find this an advantage.)

The rest of the book handles the complexities of the romance really well with lots of witty banter between the pair and an ongoing murder mystery to pursue. Of course there is no doubt about how the story will end and the murderer was fairly obvious too but I still enjoyed the journey. I have added Cynster #2 to my TBR mountain.

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: Narrator - Simon Prebble

I was a little concerned about this narrator doing both male and female voices but was pleasantly surprised at how well he did and how much I enjoyed it. The voices of not only the hero and heroine were distinctive, but so were many of the secondary characters.


I’ve had this one in my sights for years but never made a conscious effort to dig in until a good book friend recommended it to me. The kindle price was way out of my budget and it was going to be over 6 months before my library would have it. I was going to give up on even attempting the series when I stumbled across this one via Audible Escape. And holy heck was I happy girl for having done so!





Devil was so very devilish and determined. I love a hero who knows what he wants and will do whatever necessary to make it happen. The fact that so many times Honoria was driving him absolutely crazy was even more entertaining. She was fierce and independent and she was not going to yield easily to Devil and his demands.

This starts out fast and never slows down. I was consumed by this story and loved absolutely everything about it. The additional secondary characters make me itch to read more of the series. The steam let me know this was not my momma’s historical romance and I’m wishing I had clued into this series years ago.

Dual POV
Safe although I listened to this several weeks ago and am late writing my review, I do not recall any ow/om drama; h a virgin; H not a real manwhore but he has been around
Triggers no apparent triggers

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book rather depends on you suspending disbelief a lot in order to enjoy it. The mystery isn't really much of one (I don't think, I didn't actually get to the reveal, but you can practically hear a villain theme song start up anytime a particular character enters a scene and since the rest of the book isn't exactly subtle, I doubt it's being coy here). And the main characters take turns being kind of stupid. And the steam level is way past my preferences. I'm going to chalk this one up to a simple mismatch and claim personal taste rather than anything the author did wrong. I made it a touch past half-way and simply lost interest. I never did connect with Devil or Honoria, so there's nothing holding me to continue...

[Pepa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Habí leído tan buenas críticas que me decepcionó totalmente, lo cierto es que no pude con los protagonistas... Quizás si lo hubiera leído hace unos años me hubiera gustado más

[Sammy Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 "Why am I just discovering this Gem" Stars
I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Devil Cynster.

"I’m not a gentleman, I’m a nobleman, a distinction I suspect you understand very well."

Devil




Devil has a reputation as a rake and seducer of women. He's a no nonsense, tyrant who's use to getting his way in all things! Devil is an unmovable force, feared and respected by the ton and he has just met the woman he wants to marry. Fate won't make it easy for him.


"You like my kisses - and I like kissing you. Why deny ourselves such innocent pleasure?"





It was not the first time she'd been kissed, yet it was.

Honoria is independence personified. She's independently wealthy and does not need or want a husband. And there is no way in hell that she will marry that tyrant, Devil. There was so much steam coming off these two that my iPad smoked every time they verbally sparred.





What more can I say. This book was perfection. Scheming, stalkerific, dominant Duke falls for savvy, stubbornly independent beauty. There was a murder and a mystery but the love story took center stage and was never overshadowed by all the action.

I loved the secondary characters and can't wait to read more. And thank goodness there are 5 other Cynsters for me to sink my teeth into. Yumm!!

[Eastofoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the alpha/gamma hero who’s all Mr I’m in Charge with his swagger and hotness, his nothing-stands-in-my-wayness, basically his total babe-ness BUT he has to have some depth to him unlike the hero of this novel, Sylvester “Devil” Cynster. The guy is as flat as brown cardboard and never really develops into anything else. This story just didn’t work for me because I didn’t like the jerk alpha who needed a good shaking for a wakeup call.

The story grabs your attention relatively well from the start with the heroine Honoria (what a horrible name,) the drab governess, and Devil crossing paths where a crime has been committed. They stay together in the same house unchaperoned and of course that could get the ton’s tongues wagging so he decides he’s going to marry her –she decides otherwise. His pursuit of her is more of a I’m going to wear you down kind of thing and she does the cat and mouse thing on her end. She waivers too much –can’t say much more without giving spoilers here. So it sounds good and it could’ve been what with the hot sex (despite the fact that the first real scene was sooooo loooonng it became tedious), tension building and generally good romance but there’s the arrogance of the hero that just never lets up and the stupid crime that needs to be solved by the Cynster clan –seemed like the regency version of the mafia which could work but just didn’t here. Devil reminds me of Brad Pitt in the way that he looks good but he has very limited dialog scenes so his character is never really fleshed out. I hate when the hero barely says anything apart from a few monosyllabic quips, barking out orders, acting like he’s so hot that the sun couldn’t possibly shine without him or is way too cocky in bed. A hero should have some weak spot or uncertainty in him that only the heroine knows about otherwise he’s just irritating (sort of like some of Lora Leigh's contemporary heroes --**shudder shudder look of horror on the face**).

The writing style could’ve used some editing in places. Laurens is comma/semi-colon happy which makes reading awkward and overdramatizes scenes. It's similar to those authors that go crazy with the exclamation mark. It just takes away from the story when it’s not a smooth read because the punctuation is messed. It’s also very heavy on the narration in some parts bogging down the pages and inciting the reader to skim. Lots of telling here and not much showing unfortunately. The heroine is always, always, always described as “regal” –yeah okay we got it after the 206th time :-/ Towards the end of the book she comes across as a stuck up snob looking down her nose at everyone –sort of like the rest of the Cynster clan really –(*eye rolling time*) get a grip people. The epilogue was good which was what saved the book a bit for me but overall it’s not a novel I’d recommend.

What a relief that I didn’t care for this one much, the series is huge ;) 3.5 stars and my shelves are creaking out a “thank you!”

[Pearl Angeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

I love Dukes in historical romances, so when I saw this on Goodreads recommendations, I immediately dived into it. Its premise looked promising and I was so hyped that it has great reviews as well. It is the story about Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby and the sixth Duke of St. Ives, Sylvester Sebastian Cynster a.k.a. "Devil" or The Devil Cynster. Both of them met in an unusual situation when Honoria saw a dead man (a Cynster boy named Tolly) lying on the ground on her way through the village, after which Devil arrived to help her carry the corpse to a cabin nearby. It was then when Devil decided that he wanted to marry Honoria and make her his Duchess. However, Honoria was too stubborn and she refused him because she wanted her independence and would love to travel to Africa to fulfill her dreams.

Devil's Bride has a very strong start but unfortunately, it went downhill somewhere from 50% mark. I kind of lost interest with the story because it was dragging in most parts. Plenty of fillings along the way. The constant push and pull between our main characters also made me want to pull my hair out. It wasn't easy to like Honoria's character-- what with her indecisive mind. And omg don't get me even started with her constant raising of brows and lifting chins! Also, I kind of didn't like how she was so eager to seduce Devil but didn't really want to give him reassurance about marrying him.

The only redeeming thing about this book was Devil. I couldn't ask for a better Duke in a fictional world. He doesn't fool around and is always straight to the point, contrary to Honoria's manners. I especially love when a male character decides right from the beginning that he wants the heroine and then pursues her without delay.

The story not only focuses on romance. It has a slice of mystery and a little bit of action which made it quite unique for a historical romance. And although the book has a confusing start, it eventually makes sense when you get to the story. I enjoyed the first half of this book that I found myself really rooting for the characters. However, the swooning didn't last that long as their dynamics became tedious at some point. As for the mystery, it was pretty predictable for me as of who the killed Tolly. I might take a break from historical romance for now. It was a long-ass book in the first place.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*gasp* Where's my "I love you?" I never realized how important this was until I finished this book and realized our hero never says it to his heroine. I even went back and skimmed through the book again, sure I had missed it. Grrrr.

Besides that, this was a really good book. I enjoyed it, immensely. Devil was adorable, with his puffed up sense of importance, and Honoria was exactly the type of no nonsense woman he needed to keep him in line. These two have quite a love affair and the fact that it had plenty of sexy love scenes was just icing on the cake. The book starts out with a bang, with the murder of Devil's cousin which Honoria happened to come across right at the end. This forces our hero and heroine to spend the night together and of course the following morning everyone thinks they have been caught in flagrante delicto. Devil then proceeds to inform everyone that he will be marrying Miss Honoria as soon as his period of mourning for his cousin is over. Honoria is quite adamant that they will not be marrying but with the sort of suave manipulations that Devil has been using all his life, he soon manuevers her right where he wants her. Into his arms and into his bed.

Their lovemaking was just so much fun! I loved how Devil wanted a clear and concise declaration from Honoria that she was accepting his suit before he allowed her to seduce him. I laughed when he said that, then kicked her out of his bedroom. Priceless.

The plot involving the entire Cynster family was at first pretty intricate but it quickly turns into a tried and true battle over title and money. Stephanie Laurens threw in enough twists and turns to make it fresh and interesting, though, and the villain was dastardly enough to make it all worthwhile.

This was my first Cynster book and I enjoyed it all so much. I loved all the new characters, especially all the Cynster men and I am looking forward to reading more and testing out their invincibility complex once all these delicious men find their own ladies. All the men seem to have their own sense of personality and flair and they all seemed so mysterious and intriguing. It was extremely enjoyable reading about the scion of this proud and noble family, Devil Cynster, and how he fell so hard and fast for Honoria. While he may never say, "I love you," it was plain as day he did, so it wasn't too bad. There is a scene when he thinks Honoria has betrayed him and his cold anger and jealousy was thrilling and shiver inducing and believable as only a man in love could be. I can't wait to read more.

[Luana ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh yes, this book was awesome. But it takes a while to get into it and start appreciating the characters. I thought it ridiculous the beginning where the heroine found someone dying on the forest and went to help and afterwards the hero appears to help her with the body and puff, he declares that she will marry him the following day. Not ask if she will marry him, simply stating a fact hahaha

It was a different type of story where the hero was the one that wanted to marry. The hero was the one waiting for a declaration. The hero was the one running away from her unless she makes up her mind and decides to marry him. He did all in his power not to ruin her. I thought it very cute even though he is a very alpha male! And it took quite long for them to click but when it happened it was very steamy.

I am already looking forward to know more the family!

[Scarlett Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an old favorite that I decided to reread. It’s the start to the Cynster series which comprises of the male members of the infamous Cynster family. The story follows the head of the family, Duke Sebastian Cynster, also known as the Devil. He first meets our heroine, Honoria, at a deserted country road on a stormy night as she was trying to help a severely injured man, someone that Devil knows very well. Both Devil and Honoria took the injured man to nearby cabin, and in the process compromising Honoria just by virtue of being single woman spending time alone with a man. Devil knew immediately that he has found his duchess in Honoria but she has other ideas.

What I liked:

✅ Alpha male lead completely smitten with the heroine and will do anything to keep her safe. Devil was instantly drawn to Honoria but it takes him a while to realize he has fallen head over heels in love with her.

✅ Strong female lead that can hold her own with the domineering male lead. She is also intelligent, confident , and self-reliant.

✅ There is a reason why Honoria is reluctant to become Devil’s wife and it is heartbreaking.

✅ The push and pull between the male and female leads. You can feel the sexual tension jump out of the page.

✅ Cynster family dynamics.

✅ There is a mystery revolving around the injured man that adds an interesting sub-plot to the story.

✅ Plenty of steam 🥵

What I didn’t like:

❎ Pacing is not consistent and some sections are a drag.

Final verdict:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (more like 4.5 but rounded up). Not perfect but so addicting.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had its issues. No I love you from the hero, she gave up on her dreams of travel pretty quickly (although, to be honest, I had to agree with Devil and her brother...waaaay too dangerous by herself), and I figured out the whodunit without breaking a sweat.
Still, it was a thoroughly enjoyable romance between Honoria and Devil. It was just what I needed to pull me out of my slump!

[Vero Rinconin · Rating 5 out of 5]

#RetoRita3 #RitaLaurens
Este libro me ha resultado una maravilla más maravillosa, desde el principio que me quedé loquer con los protas y la trama. SuperInlove estoy con los Cynster

[MG *Bury Me with My Kindle.. & a REALLY Long Charger* · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 steamy stubborn mcs + mystery stars

Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby has no need or want for a husband - she intends to travel the world and see the great pyramids, cruise down the Nile River, and experience all the things the wide world has to offer. She is practical, though, and realizes that a young woman traveling on her own is not advisable in this day and age, so she decides to become a finishing governess until she is old enough to come into her inheritance and independence. Though her father left his position as the son of a high-ranking member of the ton to marry "beneath his station," Honoria's parents were blissfully happy until their untimely deaths in a horrible accident caused by a tree that fell on their carriage in a terrible storm. While they were raised to behave as a lady and gentleman, Honoria and her older brother had no need or desire to reach out to the powerful grandfather that disowned their father and have made their own ways in life...

And things were going rather well towards Honoria's plan until she encountered a young man recently shot and left for dead in her path after she interviewed for a new governess assignment. To make matters worse, she found herself trapped by a raging storm overnight in a remote cottage with the mysterious gentleman who stumbled across both of them moments later who donated his shirt to help staunch the bleeding of the youngster, so when they were found together the next morning still together, he was sans shirt, which made the look of impropriety all the more glaring. When he reveals he is a duke and tells her she will marry him (no proposal, mind you), she surprises him back by assuring him that she has no intention of marrying him or any man as her plans for her life include adventure, not domesticity. But the more time she spends with the Duke and his family, the more she is sucked into his life and the more she finds herself drawn to him in many ways, including physically. Can Honoria stay true to her plans and reject the onslaught he continually brings on all of her senses and sensibilities?

Sylvester Sebastian Cynster, current Duke of St. Ives, known to most by his well-earned nickname "Devil," has found his bride. While it wasn't under the circumstances he thought he'd find one, his perfect match in the well-bred and attractive Miss Anstruther-Wetherby fell into his lap quite literally. Now he just needs to convince her that she belongs to him, and things will be fine. Except that that stubbornness Devil admires in her is the same trait that is putting this master persuader's skills to the test. It doesn't help that she appears to be the only person on the planet immune to his powerful duke-ly intimidation. And to complicate things even further, there appears to be someone out to kill both him and now his intended.

The young man they encountered was Devil's cousin on the path to his family seat, apparently to warn him of a plot against him. But who would want to kill him or Honoria, and for what possible reason? Will Devil be able to convince Honoria that her destiny is by his side as his duchess? Can he manage the unfamiliar feelings he has for her and keep her safe? And even if he is successful in winning her hand, Can Devil prevent the determined force(s) at work that seems intent on ending their HEA before it begins?

What I liked:
--- Even though he was a little bossy (he's a duke - it kind of comes with the territory) and she a little stubborn (apparently it's genetic), the mcs were likeable characters and you wanted them to get their HEA
--- The mystery aspect was solid - felt a little too drawn out at times, but it was interesting and had some twists and turns despite the fact that it became obvious who the villain(s) was/were at a certain point
--- Exposure to the other members of the family that makes the reader want to know more about them and garners interest in the later books in this series
--- STEAMY GOODNESS (it is a bit of a slow burn, but once you get to about 75%, it takes off and stays SUPER STEAMY!)

What I didn't like as much:
--- It dragged a bit - felt like there was more exposition than necessary, and there were some times that things seemed to stall out before they moved forward
--- Slow burn - get down to business already - lol!

I first read this book around the time it was originally released when I was in my 20's, so I have less jaded and less read lenses on a bit when it comes to this one bc I know my rating is higher than most have given it, but I have re-read it several times over, and I still really enjoy it, so I feel like it stands the test of time. I enjoyed this romance a lot, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good historical romance with some mystery and yummy steamy goodness!

Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.75/5
Violence --- nothing over the top (there is a murder that starts things off but nothing overly graphic)
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild (nothing descriptive); 2/5 - 3rd base action/1 home run; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere (a couple of full-on steamy scenes); 4/5 - yes please! (erotica territory); 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited when I found this at the library's used book sale because it had been praised so highly by people whose opinion I respect. "What a steal!" I thought. After trying to read it, though, I felt the $0.50 sale price was a waste of quarters. The book got off to a good start, with a smart, independent heroine who had unconventional but well-planned ambitions and could keep her cool in a difficult situation. The book rapidly went downhill, though. The story is supposed to be built around a murder mystery, but the villain was incredibly obvious from the first moment he appeared on the page. The smart, ambitious heroine rapidly started deteriorating into a vapid, swooning ninny. And the hero was arrogant and bossy to the point that I could not like him much at all. Worse, he completely dismissed the heroine's life plan as foolish (so did her brother), and in the end she never gets to fulfill her dreams. Arggh! I decided I couldn't waste any more of my life trying to read this book and did not finish it. I did peek at the end, though, to make sure I was right about the murderer and about the heroine's apparent future as a brood mare for the hero, and sadly my expectations were fulfilled on both counts.

[FlibBityFLooB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some thoughts on this novel...

1) The mystery was very thinly veiled. I figured out who the murderer was with no issue.

2) I have never heard of an orangery that contains a daybed and full length mirror. However, for the horny Cynster family, it seemed very appropriate! ;)

3) I still can't get over the nicknames of all the Cynster cousins. Who would chose to call themself "LUCIFER"!?!??!?!

4) I can see why the book Beyond Heaving Bosoms The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels called this series "humptastic". The Cynsters were like Enegizer bunnies! hehehe. And someone told me that the books get more humptastic as you move through the series.

Overall, it was still a fun book to read. I liked the arrogance of Devil. Honoria was acceptable as a heroine, albeit a little weepy at times.