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The Deville Brothers #1
Seduced by a Devil
Desperate for his help
Gabriel Deville, Earl of Raine, has never met a woman like Dimity Brown. Mysterious, alluring and utterly infuriating, she has no respect for him. In fact, the piano teacher treats him like he is the underling, not her. His beloved sister, however, calls her friend, and when Dimity disappears, he cannot refuse his sibling’s urgent plea to find her.
Gabe’s first shock is finding Dimity in a seedy tavern, dancing on the bar. The second is seeing the feisty young woman vulnerable and scared. He soon realizes that what he feels for her is a great deal deeper than anger and he will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Earning her trust and uncovering her secrets will be a challenge, but securing a place in her heart will be the biggest challenge of his lifetime.
Powerless to resist
Dimity had believed her life would never be anything more or less than it currently was, but then her father dies, and everything changes. She is thrown out of the only home she has ever known, and finds a letter in her father’s things that turns her life completely on its head. Penniless, confused and desperate, she has nowhere to turn until Gabriel Deville steps back into her life.
Lord Raine is arrogant, ridiculously wealthy, and far too dangerously handsome. Despite the sparks that had always flown between them, their interactions had been coldly civil. When he insists she accept his help, Dimity takes it, certain she can resist him, and what is growing between them long enough to unravel the secrets of her past.
Can they overcome their differences and society dictates to forge a life together?
From USA Today bestselling author Wendy Vella comes a sizzling new series full of passion, scandals and intrigue. Tasked with protecting the King, the Deville brothers are part of a secret alliance forged centuries ago, but when it comes to affairs of the heart they are yet to be tamed.
Gabriel Deville, Earl of Raine, has never met a woman like Dimity Brown. Mysterious, alluring and utterly infuriating, she has no respect for him. In fact, the piano teacher treats him like he is the underling, not her. His beloved sister, however, calls her friend, and when Dimity disappears, he cannot refuse his sibling’s urgent plea to find her.
Gabe’s first shock is finding Dimity in a seedy tavern, dancing on the bar. The second is seeing the feisty young woman vulnerable and scared. He soon realizes that what he feels for her is a great deal deeper than anger and he will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Earning her trust and uncovering her secrets will be a challenge, but securing a place in her heart will be the biggest challenge of his lifetime.
Powerless to resist
Dimity had believed her life would never be anything more or less than it currently was, but then her father dies, and everything changes. She is thrown out of the only home she has ever known, and finds a letter in her father’s things that turns her life completely on its head. Penniless, confused and desperate, she has nowhere to turn until Gabriel Deville steps back into her life.
Lord Raine is arrogant, ridiculously wealthy, and far too dangerously handsome. Despite the sparks that had always flown between them, their interactions had been coldly civil. When he insists she accept his help, Dimity takes it, certain she can resist him, and what is growing between them long enough to unravel the secrets of her past.
Can they overcome their differences and society dictates to forge a life together?
From USA Today bestselling author Wendy Vella comes a sizzling new series full of passion, scandals and intrigue. Tasked with protecting the King, the Deville brothers are part of a secret alliance forged centuries ago, but when it comes to affairs of the heart they are yet to be tamed.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2021
1193 people are currently reading
1657 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Vella
96 books831 followersWendy Vella is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of historical romances filled with mystery, intrigue, unconventional heroines, and dashing heroes.
Connect with Wendy in her Facebook reader group facebook.com/groups/wendyvellareaders or sign up for her reader newsletter at WendyVella.com to get goodies, exclusive excerpts and behind-the-scenes peeks.
Wendy also writes small town contemporary romances under the name Lani Blake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
April 12, 2021
I so wanted to love this book, but I couldn't. The heroine ruined the story for me. There is pride and then there is being a b**** everytime she speaks.
I also couldn't understand why the author put the spy aspect into the story. It seemed more a romance with very minimal espionage. The villian felt like an afterthought.
I love Wendy Vella, but compared to her other books this book just couldn't compete for me.
I will continue the series bc I did love the Deville brothers.
I also couldn't understand why the author put the spy aspect into the story. It seemed more a romance with very minimal espionage. The villian felt like an afterthought.
I love Wendy Vella, but compared to her other books this book just couldn't compete for me.
I will continue the series bc I did love the Deville brothers.
June 29, 2023
I enjoyed Gabe and Dimity’s story. A decent start to this series. Nice to read about the characters ,I have liked from other books I have read before .
April 12, 2021
I didn’t have any previous experience with the Deville family, and I’m kind of kicking myself for that oversight now. I predict there’s going to be some manic catching up in my future, because there’s a lot of cross-over in this book. Though, as a devoted Sinclair and Raven fan, I loved the opportunity to see some of my favorite Sinclair siblings in action. I had so much fun watching Gabriel and Dimity together. There’s so much chemistry between them, you just know that everything between them will be explosive. And by constantly pushing each other, they’re always urging one another to be better people. I love the way the author is able to blend suspense with romance and mix in the political intrigue. I’ve only just finished this one, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
April 5, 2021
I loved reading Seduced by a Devil Wendy Vella's new series.
Gabe Earl of Raine is the eldest of 5 children his only sister Abby is very happily married to Daniel Dillinger. Gabe and his three brothers, Michael, Nathan and Zach are members of the council dedicated to serving and protecting the monarchy. Established during Queen Anne's reign, she gathered ten of the most powerful nobles, men she trusted and who would pledge their allegiance to her alone. Each was given a gold ring forged from goblets rumored to be been used by William the Conqueror in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings. This council was named Alexius. The Defenders. Gabe and his brothers are tasked to discover who Ombrage is and why he is trying to kill Gabe and kidnap the King. Their task is to capture and question Ombrage and to root out their supporters and to stop their plans to cause anarchy and chaos to the realm.
Dimity Brown is his sister's friend and former piano teacher. Abby is desperately worried about her friend so she asks her brother to seek her out and to ensure that all is well. However on arrival at her home Gabe finds out that her brother has thrown her out and that she has disappeared and questioning a young lad living there he discovers that on the death of her beloved father, her brother demanded that she marry a man that he owed money too and that she had bloodied his nose, before leaving with her father’s treasured bible and what she could stuff into a small bag. Gabe discovers her singing on a bar of a sleazy sailor's bar being mauled and pawed he sees red and pulls her off the bar and hauls her over his shoulder and out of the bar and into his carriage. Dimity is not impressed with his high handed and arrogant ways and jumps from his moving carriage and runs to her rooms where Gabe tracks her and her dog Walter down. Gabe convinces her to come home with him where he proceeds to dictate, feed and house her.
The next morning after breakfast she once again escapes to a nearby park where sheor rather Walter encounters a small runaway dog called Romulus followed by two harassed servants of the Duchess of Yardley who is known for her appalling fashion sense and her acerbic tongue. Who promptly hires Dimity as her companion as she is impressed by her willingness to put her in her place and the that she is known to be a friend of the Raine family.
Unbeknownst to Dimity she is the long lost daughter of the Comte Saint-Bonnard. Her mother entrusted her to Mr Brown during the revolution and he brought her home to England and raised her as his own. Dimity only discovers that her family is not her family when she reads a letter to her father from her late aunt.
Gabe and Dimity are constantly thrown together by circumstances that further increases their attraction to each other. As their feelings grow, so does the threats from Ombrage as an attempt to poison Gabe is narrowly avoided due to vigilance of his staff. Which results in Gabe capturing two of Ombrage's men for questioning and rescues of one of his servants and their family before despatching them to his hunting lodge for their own safety.
As the ever present danger draws near Ombrage strikes out at the one person Gabe loves above all others. Will Gabe rescue her in time and survive his next encounter with Ombrage and will Dimity find out who she really is.
It was also lovely to catch up with the Raven, Sinclair, Heatherington and Dillinger families.
Gabe Earl of Raine is the eldest of 5 children his only sister Abby is very happily married to Daniel Dillinger. Gabe and his three brothers, Michael, Nathan and Zach are members of the council dedicated to serving and protecting the monarchy. Established during Queen Anne's reign, she gathered ten of the most powerful nobles, men she trusted and who would pledge their allegiance to her alone. Each was given a gold ring forged from goblets rumored to be been used by William the Conqueror in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings. This council was named Alexius. The Defenders. Gabe and his brothers are tasked to discover who Ombrage is and why he is trying to kill Gabe and kidnap the King. Their task is to capture and question Ombrage and to root out their supporters and to stop their plans to cause anarchy and chaos to the realm.
Dimity Brown is his sister's friend and former piano teacher. Abby is desperately worried about her friend so she asks her brother to seek her out and to ensure that all is well. However on arrival at her home Gabe finds out that her brother has thrown her out and that she has disappeared and questioning a young lad living there he discovers that on the death of her beloved father, her brother demanded that she marry a man that he owed money too and that she had bloodied his nose, before leaving with her father’s treasured bible and what she could stuff into a small bag. Gabe discovers her singing on a bar of a sleazy sailor's bar being mauled and pawed he sees red and pulls her off the bar and hauls her over his shoulder and out of the bar and into his carriage. Dimity is not impressed with his high handed and arrogant ways and jumps from his moving carriage and runs to her rooms where Gabe tracks her and her dog Walter down. Gabe convinces her to come home with him where he proceeds to dictate, feed and house her.
The next morning after breakfast she once again escapes to a nearby park where sheor rather Walter encounters a small runaway dog called Romulus followed by two harassed servants of the Duchess of Yardley who is known for her appalling fashion sense and her acerbic tongue. Who promptly hires Dimity as her companion as she is impressed by her willingness to put her in her place and the that she is known to be a friend of the Raine family.
Unbeknownst to Dimity she is the long lost daughter of the Comte Saint-Bonnard. Her mother entrusted her to Mr Brown during the revolution and he brought her home to England and raised her as his own. Dimity only discovers that her family is not her family when she reads a letter to her father from her late aunt.
Gabe and Dimity are constantly thrown together by circumstances that further increases their attraction to each other. As their feelings grow, so does the threats from Ombrage as an attempt to poison Gabe is narrowly avoided due to vigilance of his staff. Which results in Gabe capturing two of Ombrage's men for questioning and rescues of one of his servants and their family before despatching them to his hunting lodge for their own safety.
As the ever present danger draws near Ombrage strikes out at the one person Gabe loves above all others. Will Gabe rescue her in time and survive his next encounter with Ombrage and will Dimity find out who she really is.
It was also lovely to catch up with the Raven, Sinclair, Heatherington and Dillinger families.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2024
⭐💫
1½ stars.
➕ What I liked :
Interesting side characters.
➖ What I disliked:
Very unlikable and annoying heroine.
(The heroine was a shrew and bitchy …. too proud,too stubborn, too argumentative, obnoxious , insulting, juvenile etc. ( Strong does not equate arrogance or rudeness.)
Reckless/confusing and illogical/dumb actions/reasoning from the heroine.
(The heroine turning down help when she really had no other choice/options more than starving or prostitution… nobody in their right mind during that time in history would have turned down help from someone when they were starving and desperate and facing all matter of horrible outcomes such as starvation or prostitution.)
Anachronistic.
(Mostly the heroines behavior towards other people especially aristocrats… but other things as well.)
Uneven and jumbled in some parts of the story.
Repetitive.
Stilted and unconvincing romance/romantic build-up that also lacked depth.
No chemistry.
Predictable and formulaic.
Not a believable couple.
Bland main characters.
Plot holes.
June 2, 2021
Poignant and Amazing
This tale is amazing. The gist of the story is one of the funniest ones I've read but it is poignant also.
Dimity and Gabe are made for each other but Gabe doesn't want to admit it. Dimity knows her feelings long before Gabe.
Wendy Vella writes a great story.
This tale is amazing. The gist of the story is one of the funniest ones I've read but it is poignant also.
Dimity and Gabe are made for each other but Gabe doesn't want to admit it. Dimity knows her feelings long before Gabe.
Wendy Vella writes a great story.
April 28, 2023
I really enjoyed this one. It was well-written, charming and fun. The hero made the story for me! He was serious and stern and I LOOOOOVED that there was no gross and unnecessary details of sliming around in brothels or skanks, it’s so refreshing to read an HR where one isn’t assaulted with all the sordid details of the hero’s syphilitic exploits. The heroine was a little more obnoxious than I normally like, but her background as a commoner and struggling to survive made her often abrasive attitude understandable.
Safe. No details on hero’s past. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. Small OM drama, no ow, no cheating or sharing or abuse. Possible trigger: heroine is kidnapped by villain. HEA with Extended epilogue available thru newsletter signup
Safe. No details on hero’s past. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. Small OM drama, no ow, no cheating or sharing or abuse. Possible trigger: heroine is kidnapped by villain. HEA with Extended epilogue available thru newsletter signup
April 6, 2021
What a great start to the new series - it was fantastic! The readers were introduced to the Deville brothers in an earlier book, The Lady's Forbidden Love, & we find what loving & protective brothers the four of them are for their sister, Abby (it doesn't matter if you have not read the earlier books, but it is a connection if you have).
The eldest Deville is Gabriel, the Earl of Raine is strict, high-handed, honorable & serious to a fault, but he is also kind, handsome, rich & loves his three brothers & sister beyond anything else. Gabe received a letter from his sister, Abby, requesting Gabe to search for her friend whom she had heard from in quite some time & that was not normal. Gabe can never say no to his sister, so even though Miss Dimity Brown was not on his list of highly tolerated people, he went searching for her.
Miss Dimity Brown is an outspoken, opinionated female who gave her feelings on matters with no care whether they were servants or titled lords - like the Earl of Raine. She had been hired as Abby's piano teacher & they had become very close but Abby married & no longer needed lessons. Dimity's father recently died & shortly after that her brother threw her out of the house & said he never wanted to see her again. She left with nothing but a few of her personal items & her father's Bible that he made her promise to always keep with her. She needed employment & a place to sleep - she found a job singing & dancing in a tavern for the male customers. Tonight, she was on the bar entertaining & who should find her but the Earl of Raine - could it get any worse?
The adventure, sharp bantering, danger, lies, all begins here & the secondary characters were fantastic. We revisited with several people from past books (won't matter if you haven't read the books), the sharp tongued Duchess of Yardly is a hoot, Walter the rescued hound was great, the other three brothers are all hunks too & the brotherly barbs were hilarious. You won't be disappointed in this book - it has it all! I love the epilogue eight years in the future! I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.
The eldest Deville is Gabriel, the Earl of Raine is strict, high-handed, honorable & serious to a fault, but he is also kind, handsome, rich & loves his three brothers & sister beyond anything else. Gabe received a letter from his sister, Abby, requesting Gabe to search for her friend whom she had heard from in quite some time & that was not normal. Gabe can never say no to his sister, so even though Miss Dimity Brown was not on his list of highly tolerated people, he went searching for her.
Miss Dimity Brown is an outspoken, opinionated female who gave her feelings on matters with no care whether they were servants or titled lords - like the Earl of Raine. She had been hired as Abby's piano teacher & they had become very close but Abby married & no longer needed lessons. Dimity's father recently died & shortly after that her brother threw her out of the house & said he never wanted to see her again. She left with nothing but a few of her personal items & her father's Bible that he made her promise to always keep with her. She needed employment & a place to sleep - she found a job singing & dancing in a tavern for the male customers. Tonight, she was on the bar entertaining & who should find her but the Earl of Raine - could it get any worse?
The adventure, sharp bantering, danger, lies, all begins here & the secondary characters were fantastic. We revisited with several people from past books (won't matter if you haven't read the books), the sharp tongued Duchess of Yardly is a hoot, Walter the rescued hound was great, the other three brothers are all hunks too & the brotherly barbs were hilarious. You won't be disappointed in this book - it has it all! I love the epilogue eight years in the future! I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.
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April 10, 2021Available now on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Seduced-Devil-...
Read an excerpt of Gabe and Dimity's story below:
“What are you doing here?”
“My sister became worried when you did not reply to her letters, she sent me to find you.” He raised his voice above the roar as he muscled his way to stand beneath her.
She loved Abby; he saw it in the tears that formed in her blue eyes at the mention of her name.
“Tell her I am well. Now leave.”
“This is you being well, is it?” Gabe grunted as someone shoved him in the back.
“Go away, Lord Raine, I am working.”
“Come down off that bar Dimity, and I will take you home.”
“No.” She started singing loudly, swishing her skirts, the hem rubbing his cheek. Gabe swiped it aside. “I no longer have a home.”
“Get lost, she’s having fun. This ain’t the place for a fancy dressed gentleman. You’ll end up with your pockets empty and your pretty face bruised if you don’t leave.”
Gabe turned to face the man who nudged him in the back again.
“Back away,” he growled. “Now.”
“Make me.” The man’s jaw jutted out, and those around him urged him on.
“Don’t touch him!” The words came from Dimity. “He’s leaving.”
“I’m not leaving without you,” he looked at her over his shoulder.
“Don’t be a fool. This is no place for the likes of a soft bellied nobleman,” she said between verses. “An Earl,” she spat out his title with her usual disrespect.”
God’s blood, only this woman could infuriate him like this. Her disdain for his title made him want to howl. He wasn’t a snob… or didn’t believe he was, but she made him feel like he was at fault for having money and title. As if he’d had a choice to succeed to both.
“Shut up and get down here.” He grabbed her hand and tugged. She fell into his arms with a loud screech that had his ears ringing.
“Unhand me, you bloody fool! They’ll tear you apart.”
https://www.amazon.com/Seduced-Devil-...
Read an excerpt of Gabe and Dimity's story below:
“What are you doing here?”
“My sister became worried when you did not reply to her letters, she sent me to find you.” He raised his voice above the roar as he muscled his way to stand beneath her.
She loved Abby; he saw it in the tears that formed in her blue eyes at the mention of her name.
“Tell her I am well. Now leave.”
“This is you being well, is it?” Gabe grunted as someone shoved him in the back.
“Go away, Lord Raine, I am working.”
“Come down off that bar Dimity, and I will take you home.”
“No.” She started singing loudly, swishing her skirts, the hem rubbing his cheek. Gabe swiped it aside. “I no longer have a home.”
“Get lost, she’s having fun. This ain’t the place for a fancy dressed gentleman. You’ll end up with your pockets empty and your pretty face bruised if you don’t leave.”
Gabe turned to face the man who nudged him in the back again.
“Back away,” he growled. “Now.”
“Make me.” The man’s jaw jutted out, and those around him urged him on.
“Don’t touch him!” The words came from Dimity. “He’s leaving.”
“I’m not leaving without you,” he looked at her over his shoulder.
“Don’t be a fool. This is no place for the likes of a soft bellied nobleman,” she said between verses. “An Earl,” she spat out his title with her usual disrespect.”
God’s blood, only this woman could infuriate him like this. Her disdain for his title made him want to howl. He wasn’t a snob… or didn’t believe he was, but she made him feel like he was at fault for having money and title. As if he’d had a choice to succeed to both.
“Shut up and get down here.” He grabbed her hand and tugged. She fell into his arms with a loud screech that had his ears ringing.
“Unhand me, you bloody fool! They’ll tear you apart.”
October 30, 2022
I enjoyed this book immensely. I loved all of the characters, especially the duchess and Walter. I loved the interactions between the brothers, it felt so realistic and funny. I really liked Dimity and her pride and strength. I liked how she stood up for what she wanted and always had a witty reply. I think that Gabe and Dimity were a great match. You could feel the chemistry and tension fizzing from the very first interaction. This book has made me really invested in each of the Deville brothers and their futures. I love each of them for different reasons and cannot wait to read their books too!! Seduced by a devil was definitely a page tuner, I could just not put it down. It was also really easy to read and consume, I will definitely reread this book in the future.
April 5, 2021
Seduced by a Devil is the first book in Wendy Vella’s new series The Deville Brothers and it is a fantastic start. The brothers were introduced in The Lady’s Forbidden Love as the formidable siblings of that books heroine Abigail, and I was really looking forward to finding out more about them. I have not been disappointed.
Book one centres around the eldest brother Gabriel Deville, the Earl of Raine and Dimity Brown, Abby’s piano teacher and friend. The two have always sparked off each other with Dimity never showing Gabe the respect he deserved as her employer and an Earl. When Abby marries, there is no longer occasions for them to meet – which is a good thing according to Gabe.
When Dimity disappears and Abby asks Gabriel to help find her, Gabriel cannot refuse. To his shock, he finds her earning her living dancing in a seedy tavern. Gabriel cannot leave her there, so he rescues her. But Dimity’s pride makes her reluctant to accept his help. Gabriel realises that his feelings for her run far deeper than he thought and he will do anything to keep her safe – if he can earn her trust and uncover her secrets.
Dimity Brown’s life changes completely after her father dies and her brother throws her out. She finds a letter in her father’s Bible that turns her world upside down. Desperation has her almost on the streets until Gabriel Deville appears in her life again. She is forced to accept his help, but she knows that their stations in life are too far apart for her to ever hope there can be anything between them. Fate keeps throwing them in each other’s paths, but can Dimity resist the growing attraction between them and also uncover the secrets of her birth?
I really enjoyed this story. Gabriel has had to take over the Earldom at a fairly young age and takes his responsibilities towards his siblings and his duties to the Earldom seriously. Added to that is the fact that his family is a member of an ancient secret order that has pledged to protect the monarch over the centuries. The order is called Alexius and Gabriel and his brothers are elite members having to face peril whenever the situation calls for it. He is a touch arrogant and managing but he has had to be. Dimity is a breath of fresh air because she does not defer to him and challenges him at every turn. It took him a while to realise exactly what Dimity means to him but when he does, he does everything in his power to protect her.
Dimity is a strong heroine. She is forthright, smart, fearless and knows how to pack a punch! I liked that even though she is of the serving class she does not see herself as any less worthy than anyone in the peerage. She recognises the difference in status but does not take any nonsense. Her banter/conversations with the Duchess of Yardly are really funny.
This story has plenty of passion, action, mystery and keeps the reader hooked. We have the mystery of Dimity’s birth and there is an assassin out to kill Gabriel. It is always a pleasure to pick up a Wendy Vella book. Her characters have a warmth and depth to them that pull you in to their world. She writes secondary characters that create such a sense of family and the banter between the characters is excellent. It was lovely to see familiar characters from her past series just pop into the story naturally.
I received an ARC of this from the author for my honest review. I loved this story and am definitely looking forward to the rest in the series.
Book one centres around the eldest brother Gabriel Deville, the Earl of Raine and Dimity Brown, Abby’s piano teacher and friend. The two have always sparked off each other with Dimity never showing Gabe the respect he deserved as her employer and an Earl. When Abby marries, there is no longer occasions for them to meet – which is a good thing according to Gabe.
When Dimity disappears and Abby asks Gabriel to help find her, Gabriel cannot refuse. To his shock, he finds her earning her living dancing in a seedy tavern. Gabriel cannot leave her there, so he rescues her. But Dimity’s pride makes her reluctant to accept his help. Gabriel realises that his feelings for her run far deeper than he thought and he will do anything to keep her safe – if he can earn her trust and uncover her secrets.
Dimity Brown’s life changes completely after her father dies and her brother throws her out. She finds a letter in her father’s Bible that turns her world upside down. Desperation has her almost on the streets until Gabriel Deville appears in her life again. She is forced to accept his help, but she knows that their stations in life are too far apart for her to ever hope there can be anything between them. Fate keeps throwing them in each other’s paths, but can Dimity resist the growing attraction between them and also uncover the secrets of her birth?
I really enjoyed this story. Gabriel has had to take over the Earldom at a fairly young age and takes his responsibilities towards his siblings and his duties to the Earldom seriously. Added to that is the fact that his family is a member of an ancient secret order that has pledged to protect the monarch over the centuries. The order is called Alexius and Gabriel and his brothers are elite members having to face peril whenever the situation calls for it. He is a touch arrogant and managing but he has had to be. Dimity is a breath of fresh air because she does not defer to him and challenges him at every turn. It took him a while to realise exactly what Dimity means to him but when he does, he does everything in his power to protect her.
Dimity is a strong heroine. She is forthright, smart, fearless and knows how to pack a punch! I liked that even though she is of the serving class she does not see herself as any less worthy than anyone in the peerage. She recognises the difference in status but does not take any nonsense. Her banter/conversations with the Duchess of Yardly are really funny.
This story has plenty of passion, action, mystery and keeps the reader hooked. We have the mystery of Dimity’s birth and there is an assassin out to kill Gabriel. It is always a pleasure to pick up a Wendy Vella book. Her characters have a warmth and depth to them that pull you in to their world. She writes secondary characters that create such a sense of family and the banter between the characters is excellent. It was lovely to see familiar characters from her past series just pop into the story naturally.
I received an ARC of this from the author for my honest review. I loved this story and am definitely looking forward to the rest in the series.
August 2, 2022
This book gets the dreaded “it’s OK” stamp and they can be the hardest to write about. I’ll try more by this author, in fact I have some in the TBR pile but I can’t see me rereading this one.
Gabe, the Earl of something or other, has been asked by his younger sister, to check on Dimity something, the heroine. Dimity was his sister’s music teacher and they became very close. Now Dimity has disappeared and his sister is worried. Gabe finds her living in very dire circumstances. Her father has recently died and her brother kicked her out of the house with pretty much only the clothes on her back.
Gabe is determined to help her and she is just as determined he won’t. One of my huge issues is the heroine is an idiot. A complete and total idiot. She would rather live in the worst section of London and work as a dancing girl at some dive of a tavern than let him help her to get back on her feet.
And he’s the head of his family and with three younger brother and one sister, he’s rather snobbish and austere. Plus he and his brothers are some kind of spies for the crown.
Of course the constant bickering between Dimity and Gabe means there is an attraction between them they both deny. I’ve never been a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this book just reinforces this opinion.
While I don’t say don’t read this book, I can see where many would like it more then I did, it’s mostly a miss for me.
Gabe, the Earl of something or other, has been asked by his younger sister, to check on Dimity something, the heroine. Dimity was his sister’s music teacher and they became very close. Now Dimity has disappeared and his sister is worried. Gabe finds her living in very dire circumstances. Her father has recently died and her brother kicked her out of the house with pretty much only the clothes on her back.
Gabe is determined to help her and she is just as determined he won’t. One of my huge issues is the heroine is an idiot. A complete and total idiot. She would rather live in the worst section of London and work as a dancing girl at some dive of a tavern than let him help her to get back on her feet.
And he’s the head of his family and with three younger brother and one sister, he’s rather snobbish and austere. Plus he and his brothers are some kind of spies for the crown.
Of course the constant bickering between Dimity and Gabe means there is an attraction between them they both deny. I’ve never been a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this book just reinforces this opinion.
While I don’t say don’t read this book, I can see where many would like it more then I did, it’s mostly a miss for me.
April 5, 2021
Can I give this book more then 5 stars? Because I want to. This book was so good. This is the first book in a new series called The Deville Brothers Series and I can not wait to read the rest. I wish this author could write quicker. This is about Gabriel who is an Earl and Dimity who was a music teacher to his sister. His sister has not heard from Dimity in a while so she asks her brother to find her and make sure she is ok. There has always been something between them, which they both tried to deny. Dimity is a feisty lady who sometimes I could not believe she got away with what came out of her mouth when she meets new people, but she is the perfect lady for Gabriel. There is mystery and romance in this book. But the best part of the book is love. Love of family. Love between siblings. I loved Gabe’s brothers Michael, Nathan and Zach. I loved Gabe’s sister and her husband, Abby and Daniel, I loved the Duchess, and I even loved the animals. I really loved Gabe and what he would think about Dimity after she did something, he was proud of. The bonus epilogue was an extra added bonus for me. 😊
I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
May 1, 2021
Dimity's father has died and her brother has thrown her out. Gabe, the Earl of Raine has promised his sister he would look for Dimity as Abby has not heard from her and is worried. Thus begins the battle of wills between Gabe and Dimity. There is mystery as well as romance with some humor thrown in to keep it lively. I very much enjoyed the Deville family and look forward to more stories about them.
December 30, 2024
i don't even feel like i can rate this lol - a romance bookclub pick
April 6, 2021
I absolutely LOVED this start to a new series! I was so excited when I found out the Deville brothers were getting a spin off series! I couldn't put this book down! I love how strong and confident Dimity is and how she is not afraid to stand her ground with Gabe. Their chemistry is undeniable and it was so fun to watch their story unfold! It was great to get to know the rest of the Deville brothers, and I can't wait to read their stories!
April 6, 2021
Just finished my advanced copy of this book and I cannot wait for the next in the series. This is the story of Dimity and Gabe, the oldest Deville brother. You could sense their eventual connection in “The Lady’s Forbidden Love.”
The development of their relationship is interesting and fun to watch. Look for some familiar faces from previous series.
The development of their relationship is interesting and fun to watch. Look for some familiar faces from previous series.
October 25, 2022
An enchanting novel of the regency. Gabriel Deville, Earl of Raine, and one of the Alexius, (Defenders), who protect the king with their lives. It was started in secret by Queen Anne, she wanted to protect all the kings now and the ones to come.
Dimity Brown was the lady who taught his sister music. But as you will find she is more. She is fierce in her pride and wants to do all herself. She and Gabe banter and argue whenever they are together. But it is cute.
It had funny moments and some very tense ones. You have someone that wants to kill you and your king. You have no idea who it is. It was engaging and exciting. It flowed well and your interest was stimulated. The author did a marvelous job on this book, and I am grateful that I was able to read it.
I received this ARC from the kindness of the author, and these are my opinions.
Dimity Brown was the lady who taught his sister music. But as you will find she is more. She is fierce in her pride and wants to do all herself. She and Gabe banter and argue whenever they are together. But it is cute.
It had funny moments and some very tense ones. You have someone that wants to kill you and your king. You have no idea who it is. It was engaging and exciting. It flowed well and your interest was stimulated. The author did a marvelous job on this book, and I am grateful that I was able to read it.
I received this ARC from the kindness of the author, and these are my opinions.
December 7, 2025
This book was all over the place on the love-hate scale
I was just there, moving my eyes and taking in words when
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
I was just there, moving my eyes and taking in words when
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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July 16, 2021
Love this author
Another great read by Vella, one of my favorite regency romance authors. Great dialogue, characters you want to know, and a love story that makes me glad this is the first in the series so I can catch glimpses of them in the subsequent books.
Another great read by Vella, one of my favorite regency romance authors. Great dialogue, characters you want to know, and a love story that makes me glad this is the first in the series so I can catch glimpses of them in the subsequent books.
October 26, 2022
Entertaining Regency Romance
I enjoyed this story. It was well written and the pace moved along so kept it interesting. All the characters were well rounded and likeable. I look forward to reading the others in this series.
I enjoyed this story. It was well written and the pace moved along so kept it interesting. All the characters were well rounded and likeable. I look forward to reading the others in this series.
November 12, 2022
excellent
A wonderfully well written story, with challenging twists and turns, keeping the reader on their toes. The characters are written with great strength of character, and intelligence! A book that stands out!
A wonderfully well written story, with challenging twists and turns, keeping the reader on their toes. The characters are written with great strength of character, and intelligence! A book that stands out!
July 22, 2022
Great story
I love many of Vella's books This one is sweet story and I couldn't wait to find out Demity secret
I love many of Vella's books This one is sweet story and I couldn't wait to find out Demity secret
July 28, 2022
What a great story!
Love the intrigue and romance, with some humor thrown in.
Looking forward to the next in the line.
Love the intrigue and romance, with some humor thrown in.
Looking forward to the next in the line.
November 22, 2022
The Deville Brothers series are always entertaining, and are fast reads.
April 10, 2021
When Gabriel Deville, Earl of Raine, is asked by his sister Abby to check on the wellbeing of her friend and former piano teacher Dimity Brown, he grudgingly travels to Dimity’s last known address only to find out that when her father suddenly passed, her uncaring brother threw her out of the house. As a gentleman (surely for no other reason!), Gabe pursues the meager clues he has uncovered, and locates her in a seedy part of London, dancing scantily clad, on top of a bar. When some of the patrons ogle her, making lewd comments, Gabe takes matters into his own hands and forcibly removes the infuriating Dimity from the situation. No matter how much he tries to force the issue, Dimity is too proud to accept help from this arrogant Earl whose presence has always unsettled her in a most disturbing manner. Eventually, the situation takes a turn for the better when Dimity has a chance encounter with the “Duchess of Awkward.” Gabe and Dimity, once the prickly issue of unwanted assistance is removed from the equation, begin to acknowledge their attraction, ill-fated though it might be for a commoner to dream of marrying an Earl. Mysteries unfold, lives are threatened (including the King’s!), retribution is achieved and the eventual HEA is truly satisfying. Ms. Vella writes lovely stories with fully fleshed out characters, and though her books are always standalone, we get to meet characters from past series with whom we have forged a loving relationship (even if only on paper!). I highly recommend “Seduced By A Devil” for an engaging and satisfying read. This book was provided by the author without any requirement for a review, positive or otherwise. All opinions are 100% my own.
April 4, 2021
I didn't think I could enjoy a series more than this author's Danger Series, but this one is equal to those.
I found the h spirited, unafraid and take no prisoners' type of person. I never found her to be witchy (with a B). Usually, great banter is between two people, but this one had all the character's involved in witty dialogue. I especially loved the Duchess who was mean but kind hearted at the same time. I laughed out loud many times because these two women were two peas in a pod. Oh, how I wished they were real so I could be in their orbit. The way the H and his brother's reacted to the Duchess was priceless too.
So you have great dialogue, but you are also treated to more than one story line. Many different side ones to keep the story fast paced with nuances to watch out for. This is one suspenseful joy ride with danger, intrigue, twists that had my head spinning and romance. Granted our H/h fought their attraction tooth and nail. I did get peeved with the H, what he said to the h. He didn't feel she was wife material. Oh, how I wanted to stick his head in a bucket of water!!!!
The secondary character's were just as special as the main ones. The love and caring they had for each other was touching. Another treat if you are a fan of the Danger Series, this had some cross over character's. You will not be lost at all and this is a stand alone story. Just added another warm layer to this story. Like putting on another blanket when cold.
Some religious language used at times. It is a pet peeve of mine to have to download an Extended Bonus - it is free. It is worth your time to download it because it is 8 years in the future and was a nice touch to see where their lives took them.
There is lovemaking, outside of marriage, heat level 3.5 out of 5 and not described long.
No cheating, no cliffhanger, rollercoaster ride to HEA, romance and spice. I can't improve on the blurb, but do highly recommend this author and this story.
I received an early copy, all opinions are my own and freely given. (ljb)
I found the h spirited, unafraid and take no prisoners' type of person. I never found her to be witchy (with a B). Usually, great banter is between two people, but this one had all the character's involved in witty dialogue. I especially loved the Duchess who was mean but kind hearted at the same time. I laughed out loud many times because these two women were two peas in a pod. Oh, how I wished they were real so I could be in their orbit. The way the H and his brother's reacted to the Duchess was priceless too.
So you have great dialogue, but you are also treated to more than one story line. Many different side ones to keep the story fast paced with nuances to watch out for. This is one suspenseful joy ride with danger, intrigue, twists that had my head spinning and romance. Granted our H/h fought their attraction tooth and nail. I did get peeved with the H, what he said to the h. He didn't feel she was wife material. Oh, how I wanted to stick his head in a bucket of water!!!!
The secondary character's were just as special as the main ones. The love and caring they had for each other was touching. Another treat if you are a fan of the Danger Series, this had some cross over character's. You will not be lost at all and this is a stand alone story. Just added another warm layer to this story. Like putting on another blanket when cold.
Some religious language used at times. It is a pet peeve of mine to have to download an Extended Bonus - it is free. It is worth your time to download it because it is 8 years in the future and was a nice touch to see where their lives took them.
There is lovemaking, outside of marriage, heat level 3.5 out of 5 and not described long.
No cheating, no cliffhanger, rollercoaster ride to HEA, romance and spice. I can't improve on the blurb, but do highly recommend this author and this story.
I received an early copy, all opinions are my own and freely given. (ljb)
April 10, 2021
He's Obnoxious and She's Opinionated – A Perfect Love Match
On his best day Lord Raine is an arrogant and “earlish” irritation. On his worse day he just sets my teeth on edge. I just wish he were not so devilishly handsome.
On her best day Dimity Brown is a mouthy, opinionated piece of baggage. On her worse day she is just plain trouble. I just wish she were not so darn appealing.
Seduced by a Devil is definitely one of my all-time favorite reads.
In addition to an absorbing plot, the characters are all interesting and well developed. This well written book by Wendy Vella has a nice blend of drama and humor, with just enough angst to keep the characters from being dull. As an added bonus, I really enjoyed getting to revisit a few of the characters from the Raven-Sinclair families, as they made cameo appearances.
All in all this is a thoroughly entertaining book with a sweet ending and an even better extended epilogue.
Content 411: In addition to some secular and religious swearing, there's some passionate kissing one moderately described, sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.
On his best day Lord Raine is an arrogant and “earlish” irritation. On his worse day he just sets my teeth on edge. I just wish he were not so devilishly handsome.
On her best day Dimity Brown is a mouthy, opinionated piece of baggage. On her worse day she is just plain trouble. I just wish she were not so darn appealing.
Seduced by a Devil is definitely one of my all-time favorite reads.
In addition to an absorbing plot, the characters are all interesting and well developed. This well written book by Wendy Vella has a nice blend of drama and humor, with just enough angst to keep the characters from being dull. As an added bonus, I really enjoyed getting to revisit a few of the characters from the Raven-Sinclair families, as they made cameo appearances.
All in all this is a thoroughly entertaining book with a sweet ending and an even better extended epilogue.
Content 411: In addition to some secular and religious swearing, there's some passionate kissing one moderately described, sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.
April 10, 2021
Seduced by a Devil starts the Deville brothers series off perfectly. Still set in the combined world of Sinclair/Raven and the Langley sisters, Vella introduces a fun new set of characters and still gives us updates on past loves. I have always been in love with the Sinclairs and it was wonderful seeing them.
Dimity is an exciting heroine, speakers her mind and everyone seems to love her for it. Gabe, I have to say, does start as kind of pompous but he has some really nice growth and truly cared for those in his family. Lots of fun and a touch of mystery. I look forward to more.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book.
Dimity is an exciting heroine, speakers her mind and everyone seems to love her for it. Gabe, I have to say, does start as kind of pompous but he has some really nice growth and truly cared for those in his family. Lots of fun and a touch of mystery. I look forward to more.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book.
April 10, 2021
It was a pleasure to read this very well-rounded story with the sweet and sour taste of society, intrigue and smoldering attraction. I love it when the ladies in this genre go against the norm. Dimity is very independent, bold, prideful, straight-forward, gutsy and compassionate. Gabriel has a small case of Mr. Pompous but sometimes forbidden love can be the perfect love. Thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. I received a free copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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