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The Flesh and the Devil
Set against the dazzling opulence and dangerous intrigue of the 17th c. Spanish court of King Philip IV, this is the story of lovely, spirited young Juana de Arrelanos. Taken against her will from her home and from Jaime de Nueva, the man she loves, she is brought to the massive, magnificent Castillo Benaventes, the home of Bartolomé, Duque de Valenzuela - the man to whom she must be wed. Within the castle's heavy walls the rebellious Juana finds an atmosphere of secrecy, almost of conspiracy, and a number of cunning, sinister figures, chief among whom is the sardonic Felipe Tristán, the Duque's protector and mercenary, behind whose scarred face lie memories of horror Juana can only guess at.
But the greatest horror is reserved for Juana, and for Juana alone. For the young Duque she is forced to marry, she discovers, is a cruel caricature of a man, a person twisted in mind and body. His wealth and rank can supply Juana with undreamed-of luxury - but also with incredible suffering, for the perfumed silks of the master bedchamber conceal the depravity of an unbalanced mind. Juana's brave attempts to escape from the marriage are dealt with harshly, and, to her limitless despair, she finds herself irrevocably betrothed to the terrifying, unbalanced Duque.
Yet, against all hope, there is a way out. Swift and brutal action by the arrogant Felipe can insure Juana's escape from the secrets and treachery of the Castillo Benaventes. But Felipe's protection, she fears, may be more dangerous than his enmity, and all too soon he begins to demand a humiliating payment....
But the greatest horror is reserved for Juana, and for Juana alone. For the young Duque she is forced to marry, she discovers, is a cruel caricature of a man, a person twisted in mind and body. His wealth and rank can supply Juana with undreamed-of luxury - but also with incredible suffering, for the perfumed silks of the master bedchamber conceal the depravity of an unbalanced mind. Juana's brave attempts to escape from the marriage are dealt with harshly, and, to her limitless despair, she finds herself irrevocably betrothed to the terrifying, unbalanced Duque.
Yet, against all hope, there is a way out. Swift and brutal action by the arrogant Felipe can insure Juana's escape from the secrets and treachery of the Castillo Benaventes. But Felipe's protection, she fears, may be more dangerous than his enmity, and all too soon he begins to demand a humiliating payment....
488 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
30 people are currently reading
2459 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Denys
2 books109 followersDenys was Jacqui Bianchi, a major editor at Mills & Boon, overseeing such authors as Penny Jordan, Leigh Michaels, and Emma Goldrick. She died suddenly, apparently in a car crash, in 1987 or 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
November 18, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️ three stars -
This is a book that I devoured in one looooong sitting - only interrupted by sleep, food, and other general duties as required when you’re an adult 😂📚
If you had asked me at the first quarter of this book how I was going to rate this, I would have immediately told you, “one star”. So much angst, unhappiness, what I thought was going to be a weak heroine; and the kicker, rape. Not even dubcon, people; rape. As far as this reader is concerned, the Hero or anti-Hero as the case may be, raped our heroine 😢😡
What happened, you’re wondering? Why did I continue, and how on earth did this end up with three stars? There are a number of reasons…
1. I recently discovered this lesser known, yet supremely talented writer from the 1970s, by my own perusal of fellow Goodreads reviewer’s favorite shelves. This author’s first book, “The Silver Devil” was the book that led me to this author. My review of that amazing read can be found here 👉 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. In my pursuit of other works from Teresa Denys, I found out after some minor sleuthing here on Goodreads (gah! How I love this site!) that this author was really a Mills and Boon editor! How exciting to this little nerd right here lol. Then the plot thickened with tragedy… Jacqui Bianchi (pen name Teresa Denys) was a well-liked M&B editor that is mentioned by several of my fellow romance reviewers, and she even has a Goodreads list of her edited books. Apparently, Jacqui was the assigned editor for a few very popular M&B authors. There is even a Goodreads list of her credited M&B works that you can find here 👉 https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
The tragedy lies in the fact that Bianchi was killed in a car accident in 1987, and only published two books of her own (“The Silver Devil” and “The Flesh and the Devil”).
3. After the initial rape that happens in the first quarter of this story, I came right back here to Goodreads to scour reviews to find out if this was going to get any better, and to see if I wanted to continue reading. One review I saw mentioned the fact that books published in this time period (the 1970s) often included rape as a way for a female character to have sex. Given the customs at the time and what was acceptable female behavior of the day, this made sense to me 💁♀️. Will modern readers (aka those a lot younger than this reviewer) have issue with this as a plot device? Probably, cause I sure did, but I would encourage you to continue reading because the reward in the last third of the book is absolutely worth it.
4. Given my issues with the h and H’s first sexual encounter being the rape, my reading of the first quarter of this story was not eased by their subsequent encounters coming off as dubcon. HOWEVER, keeping the knowledge in the back of my head that established publishing houses did not encourage sexual scenes in printed word in the mid to later twentieth century, I decided to give the other facets of the story more of my attention.
5. This book is very, very well-written. You can tell that her primary role was an editor lol. At some points I did think, “an editor should have cut this out and told her to save this scene for her next book”, because this story is loooong, but since she’s writing her own book (and she’s the editor) I gave her a pass lol.
6. I’m glad nothing got cut out. Hindsight being 20/20, it would’ve been a shame, since this was her last book 😢
7. This story is wholly engrossing, fascinating, and the first half is more tragic fiction than romance. The story centers around an eighteen year old woman in seventeenth century Spain. It’s a period drama that focuses more on what it was like to be a young woman in this era; sadly oppressive, and frustratingly restrictive when looked at through the eyes of the modern reader.
8. I just loved this story about the heroine, Juana. She is not one of my favorite heroines, but she does come of age on the pages here. She is trapped in the mores of her time, and it’s sad to view the power dynamic between her and our Hero/anti-Hero. For all the the times I wanted to stop reading in the first half, I couldn’t quite commit to quitting. The depressing tragicness is what makes this story so wholly compellingly. I just couldn’t put it down because I was invested in Juana’s story, even though I didn’t like her. If that’s not an indicator of good writing, I don’t know what else to say.
9. While I didn’t like Juana as a child, I came to respect her as she grew into her character arc. Her story is skillfully mastered and the reader is manipulated by a master storyteller. Juana become a strong-willed woman by the end of the story. She gets a declaration of love, and the romantic arc is fulfilled.
10. Finally, our Hero’s arc is intricately woven into a satisfying romantic finish. Would I say he redeems himself enough for the reader? Not for this reader, and in fact, this story loses a star due to the initial rapey sexual encounter between our two mc’s. His character does experience some type of growth, but still not enough, and it’s probably due to how male characters were written at this time, as portrayed in romance novels in the 70s, so there’s that going on too 💁♀️
Overall, I liked this more for the second half of the story and for the exquisitely satisfying storytelling. That part is absolutely fabulous.
Recommend, but with flaws as mentioned above. If you’re curious now, and want to read Teresa Denys, go try her first book, “The Silver Devil”.
This reader is off to source some of her Mills and Book edited works.
RIP Jacqui Bianchi. Your work lives on and is appreciated. ♥️📚🙏
This is a book that I devoured in one looooong sitting - only interrupted by sleep, food, and other general duties as required when you’re an adult 😂📚
If you had asked me at the first quarter of this book how I was going to rate this, I would have immediately told you, “one star”. So much angst, unhappiness, what I thought was going to be a weak heroine; and the kicker, rape. Not even dubcon, people; rape. As far as this reader is concerned, the Hero or anti-Hero as the case may be, raped our heroine 😢😡
What happened, you’re wondering? Why did I continue, and how on earth did this end up with three stars? There are a number of reasons…
1. I recently discovered this lesser known, yet supremely talented writer from the 1970s, by my own perusal of fellow Goodreads reviewer’s favorite shelves. This author’s first book, “The Silver Devil” was the book that led me to this author. My review of that amazing read can be found here 👉 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. In my pursuit of other works from Teresa Denys, I found out after some minor sleuthing here on Goodreads (gah! How I love this site!) that this author was really a Mills and Boon editor! How exciting to this little nerd right here lol. Then the plot thickened with tragedy… Jacqui Bianchi (pen name Teresa Denys) was a well-liked M&B editor that is mentioned by several of my fellow romance reviewers, and she even has a Goodreads list of her edited books. Apparently, Jacqui was the assigned editor for a few very popular M&B authors. There is even a Goodreads list of her credited M&B works that you can find here 👉 https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
The tragedy lies in the fact that Bianchi was killed in a car accident in 1987, and only published two books of her own (“The Silver Devil” and “The Flesh and the Devil”).
3. After the initial rape that happens in the first quarter of this story, I came right back here to Goodreads to scour reviews to find out if this was going to get any better, and to see if I wanted to continue reading. One review I saw mentioned the fact that books published in this time period (the 1970s) often included rape as a way for a female character to have sex. Given the customs at the time and what was acceptable female behavior of the day, this made sense to me 💁♀️. Will modern readers (aka those a lot younger than this reviewer) have issue with this as a plot device? Probably, cause I sure did, but I would encourage you to continue reading because the reward in the last third of the book is absolutely worth it.
4. Given my issues with the h and H’s first sexual encounter being the rape, my reading of the first quarter of this story was not eased by their subsequent encounters coming off as dubcon. HOWEVER, keeping the knowledge in the back of my head that established publishing houses did not encourage sexual scenes in printed word in the mid to later twentieth century, I decided to give the other facets of the story more of my attention.
5. This book is very, very well-written. You can tell that her primary role was an editor lol. At some points I did think, “an editor should have cut this out and told her to save this scene for her next book”, because this story is loooong, but since she’s writing her own book (and she’s the editor) I gave her a pass lol.
6. I’m glad nothing got cut out. Hindsight being 20/20, it would’ve been a shame, since this was her last book 😢
7. This story is wholly engrossing, fascinating, and the first half is more tragic fiction than romance. The story centers around an eighteen year old woman in seventeenth century Spain. It’s a period drama that focuses more on what it was like to be a young woman in this era; sadly oppressive, and frustratingly restrictive when looked at through the eyes of the modern reader.
8. I just loved this story about the heroine, Juana. She is not one of my favorite heroines, but she does come of age on the pages here. She is trapped in the mores of her time, and it’s sad to view the power dynamic between her and our Hero/anti-Hero. For all the the times I wanted to stop reading in the first half, I couldn’t quite commit to quitting. The depressing tragicness is what makes this story so wholly compellingly. I just couldn’t put it down because I was invested in Juana’s story, even though I didn’t like her. If that’s not an indicator of good writing, I don’t know what else to say.
9. While I didn’t like Juana as a child, I came to respect her as she grew into her character arc. Her story is skillfully mastered and the reader is manipulated by a master storyteller. Juana become a strong-willed woman by the end of the story. She gets a declaration of love, and the romantic arc is fulfilled.
10. Finally, our Hero’s arc is intricately woven into a satisfying romantic finish. Would I say he redeems himself enough for the reader? Not for this reader, and in fact, this story loses a star due to the initial rapey sexual encounter between our two mc’s. His character does experience some type of growth, but still not enough, and it’s probably due to how male characters were written at this time, as portrayed in romance novels in the 70s, so there’s that going on too 💁♀️
Overall, I liked this more for the second half of the story and for the exquisitely satisfying storytelling. That part is absolutely fabulous.
Recommend, but with flaws as mentioned above. If you’re curious now, and want to read Teresa Denys, go try her first book, “The Silver Devil”.
This reader is off to source some of her Mills and Book edited works.
RIP Jacqui Bianchi. Your work lives on and is appreciated. ♥️📚🙏
February 15, 2025
'Kindness is a painless thing to give, and easy, a sop to those you do not need. Friendship and kindness have nought to do with this.'
For a moment, the look in his eyes, as brilliant as an eagle's in the harsh inscrutability of his face, terrified her.
'I am not kind to the air I breathe, nor the food I eat, nor to you.'
The Flesh and the Devil is only one of two novels written by Teresa Denys. It has the same dark, menacing atmosphere, the exquisite writing, and the well-researched, realistic historic setting of her other novel The Silver Devil, which was also centered around an...ahem...forceful courtship, shall we say.
In The Flesh and the Devil, the heroine, Juana, is a member of the Spanish upper classes, betrothed to a mysterious Spanish Duke with seemingly royal connections, and therefore untouchable.
The hero, Felipe, is an outcast, a foreigner who had to flee England under religious persecution, and who now must now ply his trade as hired mercenary to powerful noblemen. There is however absolutely nothing subservient about him, despite his huge class difference with Juana. In fact, the enigmatic, scarred, menacing Felipe seems to command more than to serve, to the heroine's consternation. Their romance, if you can call it that, is more a battle of wills than a courtship. The author is a compelling story writer and the story has suspense, thrills, and twists and turns that makes it highly entertaining.
Unfortunately, it also has some of the more annoying tropes of traditional bodice rippers, including many TSTL moments from both main characters, the required tortured past justifying hero's present emotional iciness (he was betrayed by a woman in the past, GASP! Now he will trust no woman!), and cartoonish, psycho villains who are more comical than threatening. Most disappointingly, the story ends with the very soap-opera like twist that Felipe is actually a wealthy and titled heir to a prominent English barony, thus making him “worthy” of Juana.
Really? The entire plot is about Juana overcoming the stupid prejudices and snobbery that have been brainwashed into her by Spanish society and falling in love with the man that Felipe is rather than the class he represents. So at the end, I would have loved an HEA where they both leave their class prejudices behind and sail away to the New World with nothing but the clothes on their back, their love, and Felipe's sword to pave the way. Instead, Felipe suddenly turning into Baron Phillip and then returning to the very country that he and his family fled due to religious persecution, was contrary to everything the novel was seemingly striving towards.
Overall, I still liked The Flesh and The Devil, especially the first half of the book. However, there is no question that Denys' other book, The Silver Devil, is a superior novel.
For a moment, the look in his eyes, as brilliant as an eagle's in the harsh inscrutability of his face, terrified her.
'I am not kind to the air I breathe, nor the food I eat, nor to you.'
The Flesh and the Devil is only one of two novels written by Teresa Denys. It has the same dark, menacing atmosphere, the exquisite writing, and the well-researched, realistic historic setting of her other novel The Silver Devil, which was also centered around an...ahem...forceful courtship, shall we say.
In The Flesh and the Devil, the heroine, Juana, is a member of the Spanish upper classes, betrothed to a mysterious Spanish Duke with seemingly royal connections, and therefore untouchable.
The hero, Felipe, is an outcast, a foreigner who had to flee England under religious persecution, and who now must now ply his trade as hired mercenary to powerful noblemen. There is however absolutely nothing subservient about him, despite his huge class difference with Juana. In fact, the enigmatic, scarred, menacing Felipe seems to command more than to serve, to the heroine's consternation. Their romance, if you can call it that, is more a battle of wills than a courtship. The author is a compelling story writer and the story has suspense, thrills, and twists and turns that makes it highly entertaining.
Unfortunately, it also has some of the more annoying tropes of traditional bodice rippers, including many TSTL moments from both main characters, the required tortured past justifying hero's present emotional iciness (he was betrayed by a woman in the past, GASP! Now he will trust no woman!), and cartoonish, psycho villains who are more comical than threatening. Most disappointingly, the story ends with the very soap-opera like twist that Felipe is actually a wealthy and titled heir to a prominent English barony, thus making him “worthy” of Juana.
Really? The entire plot is about Juana overcoming the stupid prejudices and snobbery that have been brainwashed into her by Spanish society and falling in love with the man that Felipe is rather than the class he represents. So at the end, I would have loved an HEA where they both leave their class prejudices behind and sail away to the New World with nothing but the clothes on their back, their love, and Felipe's sword to pave the way. Instead, Felipe suddenly turning into Baron Phillip and then returning to the very country that he and his family fled due to religious persecution, was contrary to everything the novel was seemingly striving towards.
Overall, I still liked The Flesh and The Devil, especially the first half of the book. However, there is no question that Denys' other book, The Silver Devil, is a superior novel.
May 7, 2012
Whoa…this romance could never be written today. LOL
Felipe Tristan is so dark and unscrupulous. He has no qualms about going after what he wants. So yes there is a boatload of dubious consent and it’s very dubious. So be forewarned. If you hate that kind of thing, you won’t like this book.
With my penchant for bad guys though, I found Tristan damn intriguing. He has a nasty scar across his cheek. I got the impression it was half a Glasgow grin, like the Joker, which made me like him even more. Denys describes him as having a great deal of menace and icy control. He speaks to Juana with veiled courtesy, so she’s never quite sure where she stands with him. Although the reader does.
I rather love the way Denys writes. There’s an eloquence and sensuality to her prose that gives the reader the feel and ambiance of 17th century Spain. I remember in the beginning, Denys describes the Duque’s estate, Casillo Benaventes, with its iron balustrades and the gaudy frescos, and I felt like I had been transported there. Her characters address each other with a formality and stiffness that feels like another time period. And everybody is so shifty and underhanded. Poor Juana de Arrelanos, the heroine, has been dropped into a snake pit.
As for the heroine, I didn’t mind Juana. She does a couple of stupid things that made me shake my head, and I thought she was rather rude to Tristan at first. Yet that fits, seeing how she’s a proud, young, noblewoman. Her character does go through a character arc, and her perception definitely changes. At first, she truly can’t stand the sight of Tristan and she’s every bit the highborn lady. I remember reading in another book about how when the Spanish ladies of the court walked across a room, it appeared as if their shirts were floating across the floor. I can believe Juana does this.
1) What did you think of the plot/story line?
I thought the storyline was a bit like The Perils of Pauline. Juana gets in one life threatening scrape after another. This is especially true of the last half of the book, which I couldn’t set down. Yet it’s not always Tristan saving her. Denys surprised me a few times, because things didn’t always turn out the way you might expect. She’s a very unpredictable author.
2) What was your favorite/least favorite part?
Felipe Tristan is so dark and unscrupulous. He has no qualms about going after what he wants. So yes there is a boatload of dubious consent and it’s very dubious. So be forewarned. If you hate that kind of thing, you won’t like this book.
With my penchant for bad guys though, I found Tristan damn intriguing. He has a nasty scar across his cheek. I got the impression it was half a Glasgow grin, like the Joker, which made me like him even more. Denys describes him as having a great deal of menace and icy control. He speaks to Juana with veiled courtesy, so she’s never quite sure where she stands with him. Although the reader does.
I rather love the way Denys writes. There’s an eloquence and sensuality to her prose that gives the reader the feel and ambiance of 17th century Spain. I remember in the beginning, Denys describes the Duque’s estate, Casillo Benaventes, with its iron balustrades and the gaudy frescos, and I felt like I had been transported there. Her characters address each other with a formality and stiffness that feels like another time period. And everybody is so shifty and underhanded. Poor Juana de Arrelanos, the heroine, has been dropped into a snake pit.
As for the heroine, I didn’t mind Juana. She does a couple of stupid things that made me shake my head, and I thought she was rather rude to Tristan at first. Yet that fits, seeing how she’s a proud, young, noblewoman. Her character does go through a character arc, and her perception definitely changes. At first, she truly can’t stand the sight of Tristan and she’s every bit the highborn lady. I remember reading in another book about how when the Spanish ladies of the court walked across a room, it appeared as if their shirts were floating across the floor. I can believe Juana does this.
1) What did you think of the plot/story line?
I thought the storyline was a bit like The Perils of Pauline. Juana gets in one life threatening scrape after another. This is especially true of the last half of the book, which I couldn’t set down. Yet it’s not always Tristan saving her. Denys surprised me a few times, because things didn’t always turn out the way you might expect. She’s a very unpredictable author.
2) What was your favorite/least favorite part?
3) Who was your favorite/least favorite character?
My favorite character, of course, is the fascinating Tristan. He’s the ultimate dark alpha. But if I had to pick a second character it would definitely be Dona Jeronima. She’s such a cool female villain.
My least favorite is Eugenio de Castaneda. He was just so obnoxious with all his snide remarks and chuckles. I also couldn’t stand the way he always said, “mmm.” He’s a villain though, so he’s supposed to be obnoxious.
4) What would you liked to have seen happen instead?
I would have liked to see this book continue.
5) Which scene did you feel was OTT or not needed for the story? Which ones dragged or held you on to your seat?
I think the beginning was a bit slow, but I’m not quite sure how I would have changed it. Denys was, after all, laying out the story, and she does such an excellent job immersing the reader in her world. She also has very rich characters, which you get to know pretty well.
6) Anything you would have written differently or changed?
I think I would have had Tristan be a little bit nicer to Juana. But then again, if he was, she might have stayed with him, and not gotten into so much trouble at the end. LOL
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It’s not often you come across a book that is so well written, has lovely gothic undertones, captures the true decadence of a time period, and has such a dark hero. It’s too bad the library won’t lend me The Silver Devil. I’d like to read Denys other book.
February 28, 2023
**SPOILERS under Sexual History**
DNF @ 80%. Read Denys' The Silver Devil instead.
This book started out ok but:
#1. became tedious and boring
Just a bunch more unnecessary plotlines that kept on keeping h and H apart. I gave it a good shot due to Silver Devil. But nothing much changed up to 80%. It actually worsened around 60% due to H's cheating on h. I finally DNF-ed @ 80% but skipped to the end. And glad I did because I didn't miss much.
#2. lacked romance/emotion/S chemistry
Even up to 80%, H and h were still emotionally distant from each other. The only vivid emotions were un-romantic. h frequently felt disgusted by H’s disfigured face, when she wasn’t kissed and touched by him. She hated him. And he took it as a challenge to his manhood/pride and raped/dub-conned her. It wasn't out of love. So, @49% when her POV said she loved him it was unbelievable and sudden. Same with his ILY to her @ the end. There was no emotional/romantic build-up or preamble from her hating him for forcing & blackmailing her to have sex with him and marry him and to suddenly hiding her love from him.
#3. had inconsistent characterization
@22%, strong-willed and mouthy h started acting helpless and found herself agreeing to a priest-officiated betrothal to a gruesome & mentally-ill 20yo Duke. As if she was hypnotized or something. It just seemed contrived, as if the author couldn’t find a better reason for h to suddenly agree to this official betrothal, when for days she’d been actively and openly resisting her arranged marriage.
#4. unlikable characters
H and h were both impulsive, quick to misunderstand and hurl insults at each other. Then, they'd have sex. Afterwards, they're at it again with their misunderstandings and insults.
Sexual History:
18yo virgin h was de-virginized via rape by H, who was encouraged to get h pregnant by the uncle of the Duke so the uncle can claim the baby as the Duke’s. H was h’s 1st kiss/boob-touching/sex. A couple other lecherous men including the Duke’s uncle snuck h a kiss and boob grab.
34yo H was a renowned lover with many willing women who overlook his disfigured face for his sex skills. He cheated with 2 different women while he was already married to H. The 1st one was his married older ex-mistress from 14 years ago whose brothers disfigured his face for her honor. He basically became her whore to get money to buy back his sword and to afford passage from Spain for him and possibly h, who left him about 1 week prior and was staying at some rich woman’s house who she didn’t know was going to pimp her out to some rich men in the area. After h told him again that she was done with their marriage, he had unsatisfying sex with a prostitute.
DNF @ 80%. Read Denys' The Silver Devil instead.
This book started out ok but:
#1. became tedious and boring
Just a bunch more unnecessary plotlines that kept on keeping h and H apart. I gave it a good shot due to Silver Devil. But nothing much changed up to 80%. It actually worsened around 60% due to H's cheating on h. I finally DNF-ed @ 80% but skipped to the end. And glad I did because I didn't miss much.
#2. lacked romance/emotion/S chemistry
Even up to 80%, H and h were still emotionally distant from each other. The only vivid emotions were un-romantic. h frequently felt disgusted by H’s disfigured face, when she wasn’t kissed and touched by him. She hated him. And he took it as a challenge to his manhood/pride and raped/dub-conned her. It wasn't out of love. So, @49% when her POV said she loved him it was unbelievable and sudden. Same with his ILY to her @ the end. There was no emotional/romantic build-up or preamble from her hating him for forcing & blackmailing her to have sex with him and marry him and to suddenly hiding her love from him.
#3. had inconsistent characterization
@22%, strong-willed and mouthy h started acting helpless and found herself agreeing to a priest-officiated betrothal to a gruesome & mentally-ill 20yo Duke. As if she was hypnotized or something. It just seemed contrived, as if the author couldn’t find a better reason for h to suddenly agree to this official betrothal, when for days she’d been actively and openly resisting her arranged marriage.
#4. unlikable characters
H and h were both impulsive, quick to misunderstand and hurl insults at each other. Then, they'd have sex. Afterwards, they're at it again with their misunderstandings and insults.
Sexual History:
18yo virgin h was de-virginized via rape by H, who was encouraged to get h pregnant by the uncle of the Duke so the uncle can claim the baby as the Duke’s. H was h’s 1st kiss/boob-touching/sex. A couple other lecherous men including the Duke’s uncle snuck h a kiss and boob grab.
34yo H was a renowned lover with many willing women who overlook his disfigured face for his sex skills. He cheated with 2 different women while he was already married to H. The 1st one was his married older ex-mistress from 14 years ago whose brothers disfigured his face for her honor. He basically became her whore to get money to buy back his sword and to afford passage from Spain for him and possibly h, who left him about 1 week prior and was staying at some rich woman’s house who she didn’t know was going to pimp her out to some rich men in the area. After h told him again that she was done with their marriage, he had unsatisfying sex with a prostitute.
December 11, 2018
3.5-Stars
Teresa Denys’s writing was really, really good for the first part of the book, especially in the castle. She did an excellent job of evoking a creepily gothic feel with a menacing miasma of evil schemes within schemes. Even some of the very minor characters had hints of intriguing schemes—their own agendas, so to speak. The characterization was first-rate as well. The supporting and minor characters were well-rounded.
However, another strong point is that Teresa Denysdid a very good job of showing personal growth of the very young, sheltered heroine. Lately, I’m realizing in this age of “mature” or “independent” 29 year old heroines, that they often don’t have room for personal growth that I enjoy or get up to antics that are more palatable to me in an 18 year old heroine than a 29-year old ape-leader heroine.
Teresa Denys’s weakness is plotting and a failure to take advantage delicious possibilities hinted at, but not delivered, much like chili where the cook was stinting with the spices. Chili is full of hearty goodness, but if the amount of spices are not right, it frustrates. Teresa Denys raised expectation repeatedly with mouth-watering possibilities for the plot via some supporting and in even very minor characters, only to unexpectedly and summarily toss them aside as if they were objects that had out-lived its usefulness. I beg to differ! She didn’t get the best and fullest use of them or they were not allowed to reach their full potential to take the plot where this reader hoped it would go leaving me with a terrible case of “blue-balls.”
Another weakness is that I had a hard time seeing why the MCs were together in the first place. They certainly had no idea why they were together. While they did have strong chemistry, Teresa Denys did not drop little hints or clues to the reader of an emotional connection or the growth of one. They were partners in crime, but I couldn’t see a connection based on much besides those two things.
This second and final book of Teresa Denys showed a very strong promise as an HR with good writing, plot, detail of the time and place. If she had not died, I would have concluded by saying that I look forward to reading more from her and watching her realize the promise that she demonstrated in this book.
Teresa Denys’s writing was really, really good for the first part of the book, especially in the castle. She did an excellent job of evoking a creepily gothic feel with a menacing miasma of evil schemes within schemes. Even some of the very minor characters had hints of intriguing schemes—their own agendas, so to speak. The characterization was first-rate as well. The supporting and minor characters were well-rounded.
However, another strong point is that Teresa Denysdid a very good job of showing personal growth of the very young, sheltered heroine. Lately, I’m realizing in this age of “mature” or “independent” 29 year old heroines, that they often don’t have room for personal growth that I enjoy or get up to antics that are more palatable to me in an 18 year old heroine than a 29-year old ape-leader heroine.
Teresa Denys’s weakness is plotting and a failure to take advantage delicious possibilities hinted at, but not delivered, much like chili where the cook was stinting with the spices. Chili is full of hearty goodness, but if the amount of spices are not right, it frustrates. Teresa Denys raised expectation repeatedly with mouth-watering possibilities for the plot via some supporting and in even very minor characters, only to unexpectedly and summarily toss them aside as if they were objects that had out-lived its usefulness. I beg to differ! She didn’t get the best and fullest use of them or they were not allowed to reach their full potential to take the plot where this reader hoped it would go leaving me with a terrible case of “blue-balls.”
Another weakness is that I had a hard time seeing why the MCs were together in the first place. They certainly had no idea why they were together. While they did have strong chemistry, Teresa Denys did not drop little hints or clues to the reader of an emotional connection or the growth of one. They were partners in crime, but I couldn’t see a connection based on much besides those two things.
This second and final book of Teresa Denys showed a very strong promise as an HR with good writing, plot, detail of the time and place. If she had not died, I would have concluded by saying that I look forward to reading more from her and watching her realize the promise that she demonstrated in this book.
February 23, 2017
How can I put this book into words? Haunting, gothic, intricate, and well-written should fit the bill. This old bodice ripper is not politically correct nor will it be everyone's cup of tea. If you have a love for the English language and gothic suspense, this might be up your alley.
Juana, the heroine is forced to marry a young, wealthy Duque who to her dismay, is twisted in mind and in form. The Duque is one sick puppy in more ways than one. Juana's peril is intricately described in Denys writing. I actually felt mortal fear for her character.
Yet there is surprise and intrigue as she meets the dangerous, yet sensuous, scarred Felipe. Can Juana escape her peril and find love? I won't tell you that but I will say I don't understand how this book could ever receive less than 5 stars. I love this book. It's one of my all time favorites.
I give the edge to The Silver Devil as being slightly better because that book was more beautifully twisted and had more memorable characters. Some may prefer this book over TSD. I consider both masterpieces and classics. It all comes down to personal tastes.
The author Teresa Denys died in a car crash in the 80's. Teresa Denys was actually Jacqui Bianchi, a major editor at Mills & Boon, overseeing authors Penny Jordan, Leigh Michaels, and Emma Goldrick. She obviously knew how to write. Pity, I can only find two books penned by her. I have searched for more, trust me. You're not likely to see talent like her again and if you happen to, let me know. I might owe you for finding it.
Juana, the heroine is forced to marry a young, wealthy Duque who to her dismay, is twisted in mind and in form. The Duque is one sick puppy in more ways than one. Juana's peril is intricately described in Denys writing. I actually felt mortal fear for her character.
Yet there is surprise and intrigue as she meets the dangerous, yet sensuous, scarred Felipe. Can Juana escape her peril and find love? I won't tell you that but I will say I don't understand how this book could ever receive less than 5 stars. I love this book. It's one of my all time favorites.
I give the edge to The Silver Devil as being slightly better because that book was more beautifully twisted and had more memorable characters. Some may prefer this book over TSD. I consider both masterpieces and classics. It all comes down to personal tastes.
The author Teresa Denys died in a car crash in the 80's. Teresa Denys was actually Jacqui Bianchi, a major editor at Mills & Boon, overseeing authors Penny Jordan, Leigh Michaels, and Emma Goldrick. She obviously knew how to write. Pity, I can only find two books penned by her. I have searched for more, trust me. You're not likely to see talent like her again and if you happen to, let me know. I might owe you for finding it.
July 18, 2019
Teresa Denys, a major editor at Mills & Boon before her untimely death in the late 1980s, wrote two amazing stand-alone gothic romances, The Silver Devil and The Flesh and the Devil, that are both masterpieces in appreciating the villain hero.
It’s refreshing for an author to be completely upfront the hero is not a good guy. You don't have to like him, sympathize with him or agree with him. You can revel, guilt-free, in his diabolical, irredeemable self. They're kind of just evil and ok with it? That's the main difference I see between Felipe in The Flesh and the Devil and alpha males in general: Felipe is not self-righteous about being a dick. He's not a spy saving America or England. He's not a son out to avenge his family. The dude is just a mercenary. Well, mostly. If Felipe’s character is black and white, the simplicity is not reductive. Felipe is two things: a mercenary and a misogynist. After a girl rejected him that one time, he's now too scared to share his ~feelings~ and yet Denys got a ton of mileage out of that! Let’s just say that Felipe takes “the things we do for love” to surprising, cracktastic heights...
Enter Juana, who has become betrothed to Bartolome, the epileptic heir to a gothic castle somewhere in Spain. Bartolome is under the thumb of his ambitious uncle, Eugenio. Where Felipe fits in is that he has been hired to serve Bartolome and act as his proxy. Juana does not want to marry Bartolome, and Juana especially does not like Felipe. It was hate at first sight for her and love at first sight for him (but she won’t find out until the last 5 pages).
Denys has this hate-hate relationship formula down pat. I truly believed they hated each other. In both of Denys’ works, it is very amusing when the heroine makes the switch from hate to love: Juana hates Felipe until she realizes it’s because she loved him all along (??) but she can’t tell him or else he will use it against her (!!). It’s also amusing, if sad, to reflect on Juana and Felipe’s crosses to bear. Juana is a noblewoman turned poor woman turned dead woman without family, name/title or dowry and all because she chooses Felipe. Felipe can’t be nice to Juana because one time a young woman - pretty and rich - hurt his feelings, and now he will go to any length to avoid being vulnerable and trusting.
At first, the book was a 3 for me. I was frustrated at the understandable reasons why Juana never speak out against Eugenio and to feel maneuvered and trapped in social situations and therefore, remain proudly silent (answer: plot). I wanted Juana to do something instead of letting things be done to her. However, after Felipe , the book quickly moved into 5/5 territory. Denys does not give a f**k about character deaths and I love it. The gothic atmosphere is also superb if you’re a fan. It definitely heightened the what-did-I-just-read parts of the story. The Flesh and the Devil is a great bodice-ripper.
It’s refreshing for an author to be completely upfront the hero is not a good guy. You don't have to like him, sympathize with him or agree with him. You can revel, guilt-free, in his diabolical, irredeemable self. They're kind of just evil and ok with it? That's the main difference I see between Felipe in The Flesh and the Devil and alpha males in general: Felipe is not self-righteous about being a dick. He's not a spy saving America or England. He's not a son out to avenge his family. The dude is just a mercenary. Well, mostly. If Felipe’s character is black and white, the simplicity is not reductive. Felipe is two things: a mercenary and a misogynist. After a girl rejected him that one time, he's now too scared to share his ~feelings~ and yet Denys got a ton of mileage out of that! Let’s just say that Felipe takes “the things we do for love” to surprising, cracktastic heights...
Enter Juana, who has become betrothed to Bartolome, the epileptic heir to a gothic castle somewhere in Spain. Bartolome is under the thumb of his ambitious uncle, Eugenio. Where Felipe fits in is that he has been hired to serve Bartolome and act as his proxy. Juana does not want to marry Bartolome, and Juana especially does not like Felipe. It was hate at first sight for her and love at first sight for him (but she won’t find out until the last 5 pages).
Denys has this hate-hate relationship formula down pat. I truly believed they hated each other. In both of Denys’ works, it is very amusing when the heroine makes the switch from hate to love: Juana hates Felipe until she realizes it’s because she loved him all along (??) but she can’t tell him or else he will use it against her (!!). It’s also amusing, if sad, to reflect on Juana and Felipe’s crosses to bear. Juana is a noblewoman turned poor woman turned dead woman without family, name/title or dowry and all because she chooses Felipe. Felipe can’t be nice to Juana because one time a young woman - pretty and rich - hurt his feelings, and now he will go to any length to avoid being vulnerable and trusting.
At first, the book was a 3 for me. I was frustrated at the understandable reasons why Juana never speak out against Eugenio and to feel maneuvered and trapped in social situations and therefore, remain proudly silent (answer: plot). I wanted Juana to do something instead of letting things be done to her. However, after Felipe , the book quickly moved into 5/5 territory. Denys does not give a f**k about character deaths and I love it. The gothic atmosphere is also superb if you’re a fan. It definitely heightened the what-did-I-just-read parts of the story. The Flesh and the Devil is a great bodice-ripper.
April 28, 2023
In 17th century Spain, Juana is cruelly separated from her childhood sweetheart. From there, she gets carted off by her father to marry the Duque, a man that she has never met but is wealthy and powerful beyond her dreams. She's not just reluctant - she's incensed. When she arrives at the castillo she makes it her mission to escape and reunite with her sweetheart.
What she doesn’t know is that she's a pawn in a larger scheme. The Duque is childish, erratic, and extremely violent, and the marriage is foisted upon her for political reasons. The Duque's own reasons are simple: he wants to possess her the way that an adolescent would a butterfly. With all the power of the world at his feet and no impulse control, he will inevitably kill her. Everyone that Juana has grown to love and trust - her father and sister, her childhood sweetheart - have betrayed her through their willful ignorance and cowardice. Now she’s isolated at this treacherous court, desperately trying to stay alive.
When Juana pushes back against her fate she’s met with a greater force, the Duque’s mercenary - Felipe. Felipe is Juana’s salvation but also her nightmare, because his help comes at an exorbitant price.
Felipe is known in court as "The Giant," he’s a scarred redheaded Englishman that looms over and intimidates his employers. Juana instantly dislikes him - it’s clear that he holds power beyond that of a mere servant, but his enigmatic countenance masks his intentions. For his help, Felipe collects early and often. He tells Juana that she’ll “come to like the deed, if not the doer.” It becomes increasingly unlikely that she’ll be able to extricate herself from the life of this inscrutable stranger, because her debt keeps growing and his grip never loosens.
While they’re navigating court politics, Felipe coaches Juana that she “must learn the wisdom of silence,” and thus she and Felipe are consistently at a standoff: they could potentially want the same things in the end, but neither of them are willing to give any ground for the sake of pride and personal safety.
The Flesh and the Devil is horrifying, surprising, and very human. As Juana descends to Felipe’s level, she’s terrified to realize that this is likely where she belongs. Maybe she wasn’t dragged into darkness, maybe she was born there.
What she doesn’t know is that she's a pawn in a larger scheme. The Duque is childish, erratic, and extremely violent, and the marriage is foisted upon her for political reasons. The Duque's own reasons are simple: he wants to possess her the way that an adolescent would a butterfly. With all the power of the world at his feet and no impulse control, he will inevitably kill her. Everyone that Juana has grown to love and trust - her father and sister, her childhood sweetheart - have betrayed her through their willful ignorance and cowardice. Now she’s isolated at this treacherous court, desperately trying to stay alive.
When Juana pushes back against her fate she’s met with a greater force, the Duque’s mercenary - Felipe. Felipe is Juana’s salvation but also her nightmare, because his help comes at an exorbitant price.
Felipe is known in court as "The Giant," he’s a scarred redheaded Englishman that looms over and intimidates his employers. Juana instantly dislikes him - it’s clear that he holds power beyond that of a mere servant, but his enigmatic countenance masks his intentions. For his help, Felipe collects early and often. He tells Juana that she’ll “come to like the deed, if not the doer.” It becomes increasingly unlikely that she’ll be able to extricate herself from the life of this inscrutable stranger, because her debt keeps growing and his grip never loosens.
While they’re navigating court politics, Felipe coaches Juana that she “must learn the wisdom of silence,” and thus she and Felipe are consistently at a standoff: they could potentially want the same things in the end, but neither of them are willing to give any ground for the sake of pride and personal safety.
The Flesh and the Devil is horrifying, surprising, and very human. As Juana descends to Felipe’s level, she’s terrified to realize that this is likely where she belongs. Maybe she wasn’t dragged into darkness, maybe she was born there.
May 22, 2020
Officially 4.5 stars.
I loved the setting, the prose, & the first 3/4ths of the whole. Rather, it was the last bit (esp Juana's overdone obstinance re: the reveal of her true feelings) that irked my nerves enough to round down. It was rather like STORMFIRE in that the gorgeous isolated gothic-ripper vibe was deflated by an unnecessarily drawn out final act.
...But my quibbles are nit-picky, so don't let them stop you from tracking down a copy.** Overall, this is an excellent read -- very well-written & atmospheric with vivid villains (I love me those OTT whackadoodle aristocrats >:D) & a pair of MCs who are beyond flamboyant in their angst-riddled hate!sex. I really loved the gloomy darkness that permeates everything, from metaphorical moodiness & distrust to inadequate candlelight & dank castle corridors. I also loved Felipe in all his scarred-up, taciturn, badass glory. Nom, nom.
**As with Denys' other novel, this has become heinously overpriced on the OOP market, easily going for $100+. Fair warning: if you should spot one at a garage sale, UBS, or library clearance, don't hesitate. O.o
I loved the setting, the prose, & the first 3/4ths of the whole. Rather, it was the last bit (esp Juana's overdone obstinance re: the reveal of her true feelings) that irked my nerves enough to round down. It was rather like STORMFIRE in that the gorgeous isolated gothic-ripper vibe was deflated by an unnecessarily drawn out final act.
...But my quibbles are nit-picky, so don't let them stop you from tracking down a copy.** Overall, this is an excellent read -- very well-written & atmospheric with vivid villains (I love me those OTT whackadoodle aristocrats >:D) & a pair of MCs who are beyond flamboyant in their angst-riddled hate!sex. I really loved the gloomy darkness that permeates everything, from metaphorical moodiness & distrust to inadequate candlelight & dank castle corridors. I also loved Felipe in all his scarred-up, taciturn, badass glory. Nom, nom.
**As with Denys' other novel, this has become heinously overpriced on the OOP market, easily going for $100+. Fair warning: if you should spot one at a garage sale, UBS, or library clearance, don't hesitate. O.o
July 19, 2018
For my comments and quotes while I read, a way more in depth look at my thoughts, Buddy Read The Flesh and the Devil
The beginning of this was really enjoyable, there was a great eerie Gothic tone that had mysteries and villains seemingly in the shadows everywhere with our young, extremely sheltered heroine Juana betrothed to a lunatic. Unfortunately, the mysteries and villains get wrapped up perfectly quickly and a lot of things happen disappointingly off-screen.
The middle introduces new villains but again, dealt with pretty quickly and from there things kind of meander into an unceremoniously mellow with added too perfect bow moment ending. The romantic relationship between the leads started off with some heat, spark, and burn as they clashed but then in Bodice Ripper fashion the hero rapes the heroine (the author clearly writes this as rape with minimal Juana foggily in her mind thinking her body could be responding) and with not a lot of emotional growth/connection featuring later in the story between the two, I lost their beginning chemistry.
The author did a fantastic job of setting the place and time, there was some inserted political talk, but my favorite was Juana's personal growth. Juana goes from being a, purposefully, sheltered naive girl to a solid capable woman and the author did a wonderful job showcasing all the bumps in the road it took her to get there.
The beginning of this was really enjoyable, there was a great eerie Gothic tone that had mysteries and villains seemingly in the shadows everywhere with our young, extremely sheltered heroine Juana betrothed to a lunatic. Unfortunately, the mysteries and villains get wrapped up perfectly quickly and a lot of things happen disappointingly off-screen.
The middle introduces new villains but again, dealt with pretty quickly and from there things kind of meander into an unceremoniously mellow with added too perfect bow moment ending. The romantic relationship between the leads started off with some heat, spark, and burn as they clashed but then in Bodice Ripper fashion the hero rapes the heroine (the author clearly writes this as rape with minimal Juana foggily in her mind thinking her body could be responding) and with not a lot of emotional growth/connection featuring later in the story between the two, I lost their beginning chemistry.
The author did a fantastic job of setting the place and time, there was some inserted political talk, but my favorite was Juana's personal growth. Juana goes from being a, purposefully, sheltered naive girl to a solid capable woman and the author did a wonderful job showcasing all the bumps in the road it took her to get there.
August 13, 2012
Like a Rembrandt, dark with a patina of years and other world. A young woman is entangled in a web of Machiavellian plots in 1700s Spain.
Reading this book was a sad and strange thing. I first read a book by Teresa Denys, The Silver Devil, some twenty years ago and was so beguiled that I had been looking for more ever since.
It took my many years (see the twenty part of the previous sentence) to find another book by her. At the same time, I read that Ms. Denys died years ago. So, it was strange and sad to finish this quest and know that this was it.
The Flesh and the Devil is much slower paced and somewhat more scattered than The Silver Devil. However, in many ways the books comment on one another in more than just their titles. Each book has its mad dukes and devilish heroes and feisty child-women and dark, dark atmosphere that smells of dust and period and time.
This is not a book for the timid. It is not a book of roses and sunshine. It is about hard times and horrible choices. The characters are compelling, but not necessarily likable. It is about being a woman in a period when your very clothing hampered and constrained and shaped your every action. Being a woman in a world in which you could not bend at the waist because of your corset. A world where women wore layers of hot velvet and petticoats and stockings in the hot Spanish summer. A life in a highly stratified, constrained society.
Throughout the book, the ani-hero Felipe (well, you can’t call him heroic) keeps saying that the heroine, Juana, is choosing what she wants, but that’s not really true. This is a book about living through experience and growing into a person who can make choices and understand consequences.
For those who have the good fortune to find a copy, and who enjoy books that feel as if they were written in the period when they take place, this book is well worth a read.
I've given it two stars not because its not an interesting story, but it's not an easy read. Characters often behave very badly and in horrible ways. I did ultimately sell my copy when I moved, because I needed to make space, but Denys' prose was truly incredible.
I mostly saddened that this wonderful author will never be able to write another book.
Reading this book was a sad and strange thing. I first read a book by Teresa Denys, The Silver Devil, some twenty years ago and was so beguiled that I had been looking for more ever since.
It took my many years (see the twenty part of the previous sentence) to find another book by her. At the same time, I read that Ms. Denys died years ago. So, it was strange and sad to finish this quest and know that this was it.
The Flesh and the Devil is much slower paced and somewhat more scattered than The Silver Devil. However, in many ways the books comment on one another in more than just their titles. Each book has its mad dukes and devilish heroes and feisty child-women and dark, dark atmosphere that smells of dust and period and time.
This is not a book for the timid. It is not a book of roses and sunshine. It is about hard times and horrible choices. The characters are compelling, but not necessarily likable. It is about being a woman in a period when your very clothing hampered and constrained and shaped your every action. Being a woman in a world in which you could not bend at the waist because of your corset. A world where women wore layers of hot velvet and petticoats and stockings in the hot Spanish summer. A life in a highly stratified, constrained society.
Throughout the book, the ani-hero Felipe (well, you can’t call him heroic) keeps saying that the heroine, Juana, is choosing what she wants, but that’s not really true. This is a book about living through experience and growing into a person who can make choices and understand consequences.
For those who have the good fortune to find a copy, and who enjoy books that feel as if they were written in the period when they take place, this book is well worth a read.
I've given it two stars not because its not an interesting story, but it's not an easy read. Characters often behave very badly and in horrible ways. I did ultimately sell my copy when I moved, because I needed to make space, but Denys' prose was truly incredible.
I mostly saddened that this wonderful author will never be able to write another book.
September 23, 2025
2025 reread:
5 STARS. I was shocked to discover I had previously rated this book so low since I loved it so much this time around. One definitely has to be in the mood for a far less than perfect hero and a heroine who clings to her pride like a lifeline to appreciate it, but I so was enraptured by the author’s prose that I would’ve stuck with them for another 200 pages of tribulations. Certainly one of the most unique and well written HRs I’ve ever come across.
3 STARS
This one had the potential to become one of my favourite books in the genre.
Unfortunately, the author never bothers to develop her characters and prefers to rely solely on tropes and as a result, I couldn't really empathise with any of them. I lost count of how many moustache-twirling villains our heroine meets on her journey, but as a plot device, they certainly became redundant.
The book would've benefitted from fewer kidnapping scenes and a couple more convos between the MCs. My main complaint is that the main love story, while compelling, lacked depth: I'm still confused as to how the heroine could come to love the hero within weeks of meeting him and after being on the receiving end of his constant cruelty. I truly wish the author had paid more attention to the pacing and characterization.
On the other hand, if you're in the mood for a dark romance that isn't set in Regency England and don't mind a truly grey hero, this book definitely fits the bill!
5 STARS. I was shocked to discover I had previously rated this book so low since I loved it so much this time around. One definitely has to be in the mood for a far less than perfect hero and a heroine who clings to her pride like a lifeline to appreciate it, but I so was enraptured by the author’s prose that I would’ve stuck with them for another 200 pages of tribulations. Certainly one of the most unique and well written HRs I’ve ever come across.
3 STARS
This one had the potential to become one of my favourite books in the genre.
Unfortunately, the author never bothers to develop her characters and prefers to rely solely on tropes and as a result, I couldn't really empathise with any of them. I lost count of how many moustache-twirling villains our heroine meets on her journey, but as a plot device, they certainly became redundant.
The book would've benefitted from fewer kidnapping scenes and a couple more convos between the MCs. My main complaint is that the main love story, while compelling, lacked depth: I'm still confused as to how the heroine could come to love the hero within weeks of meeting him and after being on the receiving end of his constant cruelty. I truly wish the author had paid more attention to the pacing and characterization.
On the other hand, if you're in the mood for a dark romance that isn't set in Regency England and don't mind a truly grey hero, this book definitely fits the bill!
December 4, 2013
3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed the book and put it up there with The Silver Devil up until he This is on the dark side so I guess it's fitting but it just took it down 1.5 stars for me. I know that is a hard limit to some.
I really enjoyed the book and put it up there with The Silver Devil up until he This is on the dark side so I guess it's fitting but it just took it down 1.5 stars for me. I know that is a hard limit to some.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2012
I kind of pat myself on the back for taking on this book in part Spanish, from a poor Kindle translation. It was even more becoming in that format, for some peculiar reason I can't rightly name. Maybe due to my only passable Spanish, I ingested far more meaning, or perhaps read into the already wondrous sentiment through repeated reading.
Karla, Willow and several other ladies in my circle already gave such glorious reviews of this book, so I will skip the introduction, and say; I simply adore this book. It's rich, apprehensive prose heightened the abject misery Denys provided us. The gothic aura she conveyed, was much as a veil clinging to everything and everyone--like crisp linens upon antique furniture within a sealed mansion. Magnifico!!
Sometimes, I revisit chapters, where Juana is exposed to sheer terror, and it still gives me tingles! Denys's ability to weave such a gruesome tapestry of beautiful profanity, is genuinely enigmatic. I envisioned a living act of Dante's Inferno's writhing agony, with Kate Bush & Stevie Nicks pirouetting & swanning through the morbidity. Such dark and delightfully tenebrous tastes!
Juana graduated from an overly sensitive chit to a truly strong heroine by the ending, and I was SO thrilled by that coming to fruition!
I did find it difficult to believe that the Duque was born with a penchant for vulgarity and perverse tastes, though. And I honestly consider Tristan's only reason for keeping him alive for as long as he did, was because he held a trump card; a useful idiot. I also considered that Tristan somehow viewed his own scarred self as tantamount to the Duque's and it wasn't until his affection or fascination with Juana came into the picture, that his distinction became more clarified to him. I do know, though-- that gaping maw and Glasgow jaw will haunt me for years to come and the monstrosity that he unleashed on defenseless animals and the sadistic appeal he gleaned from the suffering of dying women.
This book was truly fast-paced, and kept me enthralled; as soon as I was able to recover from one bout of tottering, another followed up to tear down any hopes of recovery or becoming contented in its predictability. Never happened.
I will out right admit it- I was frightened; pleasantly so. It has to be in the top ten, best written books I've ever read! I wish she had written more than than those two we have to treasure. ;_;
Karla, Willow and several other ladies in my circle already gave such glorious reviews of this book, so I will skip the introduction, and say; I simply adore this book. It's rich, apprehensive prose heightened the abject misery Denys provided us. The gothic aura she conveyed, was much as a veil clinging to everything and everyone--like crisp linens upon antique furniture within a sealed mansion. Magnifico!!
Sometimes, I revisit chapters, where Juana is exposed to sheer terror, and it still gives me tingles! Denys's ability to weave such a gruesome tapestry of beautiful profanity, is genuinely enigmatic. I envisioned a living act of Dante's Inferno's writhing agony, with Kate Bush & Stevie Nicks pirouetting & swanning through the morbidity. Such dark and delightfully tenebrous tastes!
Juana graduated from an overly sensitive chit to a truly strong heroine by the ending, and I was SO thrilled by that coming to fruition!
I did find it difficult to believe that the Duque was born with a penchant for vulgarity and perverse tastes, though. And I honestly consider Tristan's only reason for keeping him alive for as long as he did, was because he held a trump card; a useful idiot. I also considered that Tristan somehow viewed his own scarred self as tantamount to the Duque's and it wasn't until his affection or fascination with Juana came into the picture, that his distinction became more clarified to him. I do know, though-- that gaping maw and Glasgow jaw will haunt me for years to come and the monstrosity that he unleashed on defenseless animals and the sadistic appeal he gleaned from the suffering of dying women.
This book was truly fast-paced, and kept me enthralled; as soon as I was able to recover from one bout of tottering, another followed up to tear down any hopes of recovery or becoming contented in its predictability. Never happened.
I will out right admit it- I was frightened; pleasantly so. It has to be in the top ten, best written books I've ever read! I wish she had written more than than those two we have to treasure. ;_;
August 26, 2016
More than a bodice ripper, this classic set in 17th century Spain is a Keeper!
This was my second by Denys and it’s another stunningly dramatic story set in 17th century Spain, and a very worthy read. It tells the story of beautiful Juana de Arrelanos, eldest daughter of a successful merchant who betroths her to the mysterious Bartolomé, Duque de Valenzuela to gain a title. But Juana’s heart belongs to her childhood sweetheart, Jaime de Nueva, and she naively hopes to persuade the Duque to let her leave when he learns she is unwilling.
When she arrives at the sprawling edifice that is Castillo Benaventes, she realizes all is not as it should be. She is not greeted by her intended, but rather by his manipulating uncle who assures her all is well, and the scornful mercenary, Felipe Tristan, the Duque's protector. Behind Felipe’s scarred visage are many secrets, among them his attraction to Juana.
A treacherous plot is underway to use Juana to assure an heir for the family no matter her intended, the Duque, is not capable of siring one, for he is an idiot, deformed in body and depraved in soul. When Juana discovers this, she is desperate to get out of the coming marriage, but her attempts are quickly thwarted. In one brutal stroke, Felipe takes away her options, leaving her trapped.
This was Denys’ first book, and it’s amazing. As story of redemption and discovery, it is rich with intrigue and passion. Her writing is superb, her characters well drawn and the plot intricate. The tension remains until the very end. Juana is a courageous young woman whose unwilling response to Felipe reveals she is not the docile daughter others believe her to be. And always Felipe, the strong enigmatic foreign mercenary, scarred in body and soul, is there in the background, pulling the strings. I felt like I was living in Spain, walking alongside Juana as she experienced the horror of the plans laid out for her, all the while dealing with the obstacles in her path and fighting the passion Felipe has awakened in her.
It’s a superbly written page-turner that kept me reading late into the night. Sadly, Teresa Denys died suddenly in an auto accident in the late 80s, and the world of romance was deprived of a great talent. Her only other novel, THE SILVER DEVIL, is another keeper. I highly recommend them both.
This was my second by Denys and it’s another stunningly dramatic story set in 17th century Spain, and a very worthy read. It tells the story of beautiful Juana de Arrelanos, eldest daughter of a successful merchant who betroths her to the mysterious Bartolomé, Duque de Valenzuela to gain a title. But Juana’s heart belongs to her childhood sweetheart, Jaime de Nueva, and she naively hopes to persuade the Duque to let her leave when he learns she is unwilling.
When she arrives at the sprawling edifice that is Castillo Benaventes, she realizes all is not as it should be. She is not greeted by her intended, but rather by his manipulating uncle who assures her all is well, and the scornful mercenary, Felipe Tristan, the Duque's protector. Behind Felipe’s scarred visage are many secrets, among them his attraction to Juana.
A treacherous plot is underway to use Juana to assure an heir for the family no matter her intended, the Duque, is not capable of siring one, for he is an idiot, deformed in body and depraved in soul. When Juana discovers this, she is desperate to get out of the coming marriage, but her attempts are quickly thwarted. In one brutal stroke, Felipe takes away her options, leaving her trapped.
This was Denys’ first book, and it’s amazing. As story of redemption and discovery, it is rich with intrigue and passion. Her writing is superb, her characters well drawn and the plot intricate. The tension remains until the very end. Juana is a courageous young woman whose unwilling response to Felipe reveals she is not the docile daughter others believe her to be. And always Felipe, the strong enigmatic foreign mercenary, scarred in body and soul, is there in the background, pulling the strings. I felt like I was living in Spain, walking alongside Juana as she experienced the horror of the plans laid out for her, all the while dealing with the obstacles in her path and fighting the passion Felipe has awakened in her.
It’s a superbly written page-turner that kept me reading late into the night. Sadly, Teresa Denys died suddenly in an auto accident in the late 80s, and the world of romance was deprived of a great talent. Her only other novel, THE SILVER DEVIL, is another keeper. I highly recommend them both.
September 11, 2016
More than a bodice ripper, this classic set in 17th century Spain is a Keeper!
This was my second by Denys and it’s another stunningly dramatic story set in 17th century Spain, and a very worthy read. It tells the story of beautiful Juana de Arrelanos, eldest daughter of a successful merchant who betroths her to the mysterious Bartolomé, Duque de Valenzuela to gain a title. But Juana’s heart belongs to her childhood sweetheart, Jaime de Nueva, and she naively hopes to persuade the Duque to let her leave when he learns she is unwilling.
When she arrives at the sprawling edifice that is Castillo Benaventes, she realizes all is not as it should be. She is not greeted by her intended, but rather by his manipulating uncle who assures her all is well, and the scornful mercenary, Felipe Tristan, the Duque's protector. Behind Felipe’s scarred visage are many secrets, among them his attraction to Juana.
A treacherous plot is underway to use Juana to assure an heir for the family no matter her intended, the Duque, is not capable of siring one, for he is an idiot, deformed in body and depraved in soul. When Juana discovers this, she is desperate to get out of the coming marriage, but her attempts are quickly thwarted. In one brutal stroke, Felipe takes away her options, leaving her trapped.
This was Denys’ first book, and it’s amazing. As story of redemption and discovery, it is rich with intrigue and passion. Her writing is superb, her characters well drawn and the plot intricate. The tension remains until the very end. Juana is a courageous young woman whose unwilling response to Felipe reveals she is not the docile daughter others believe her to be. And always Felipe, the strong enigmatic foreign mercenary, scarred in body and soul, is there in the background, pulling the strings. I felt like I was living in Spain, walking alongside Juana as she experienced the horror of the plans laid out for her, all the while dealing with the obstacles in her path and fighting the passion Felipe has awakened in her.
It’s a superbly written page-turner that kept me reading late into the night. Sadly, Teresa Denys died suddenly in an auto accident in the late 80s, and the world of romance was deprived of a great talent. Her only other novel, THE SILVER DEVIL, is another keeper. I highly recommend them both.
This was my second by Denys and it’s another stunningly dramatic story set in 17th century Spain, and a very worthy read. It tells the story of beautiful Juana de Arrelanos, eldest daughter of a successful merchant who betroths her to the mysterious Bartolomé, Duque de Valenzuela to gain a title. But Juana’s heart belongs to her childhood sweetheart, Jaime de Nueva, and she naively hopes to persuade the Duque to let her leave when he learns she is unwilling.
When she arrives at the sprawling edifice that is Castillo Benaventes, she realizes all is not as it should be. She is not greeted by her intended, but rather by his manipulating uncle who assures her all is well, and the scornful mercenary, Felipe Tristan, the Duque's protector. Behind Felipe’s scarred visage are many secrets, among them his attraction to Juana.
A treacherous plot is underway to use Juana to assure an heir for the family no matter her intended, the Duque, is not capable of siring one, for he is an idiot, deformed in body and depraved in soul. When Juana discovers this, she is desperate to get out of the coming marriage, but her attempts are quickly thwarted. In one brutal stroke, Felipe takes away her options, leaving her trapped.
This was Denys’ first book, and it’s amazing. As story of redemption and discovery, it is rich with intrigue and passion. Her writing is superb, her characters well drawn and the plot intricate. The tension remains until the very end. Juana is a courageous young woman whose unwilling response to Felipe reveals she is not the docile daughter others believe her to be. And always Felipe, the strong enigmatic foreign mercenary, scarred in body and soul, is there in the background, pulling the strings. I felt like I was living in Spain, walking alongside Juana as she experienced the horror of the plans laid out for her, all the while dealing with the obstacles in her path and fighting the passion Felipe has awakened in her.
It’s a superbly written page-turner that kept me reading late into the night. Sadly, Teresa Denys died suddenly in an auto accident in the late 80s, and the world of romance was deprived of a great talent. Her only other novel, THE SILVER DEVIL, is another keeper. I highly recommend them both.
May 25, 2013
Let me start by saying that this is by far and without competition the very best bodice-ripper I have ever read, and possibly the best historical romance.
Having read this, I could easily trash the genre forever, because nothing else will compare. Good thing the author wrote another book as well :) I'll definetely make a bee-line for it!
Since all the other reviews have already pointed out what's so ZING-awesome about the book, I'll point out my one complaint which no one else seems to have had.
Apart from being a perfect bodice-ripper, The Flesh and the Devil, I also expected to be a GREAT novel.
I won't lie. I looked at my Kindle starry-eyed, expecting Gone with the Wind.
Now, Gone with the Wind is one of my all-time favorite novels for all kinds of reasons. It has a love story (I'm careful not to say romance here, because it isn't romantic) and a war story.
At the beginning of TFATD, I had the impression that the book was going to have less romance and more courtly intrigue. I felt like the author chickened out from making the plot hard to handle when and and . It all felt really orchestrated and unbelievable.
IMHO, being a bodice-ripper is no excuse for employing overused clichés and making haste with the protagonist's feelings for each other.
The book was great, and fully deserves the five stars I'm giving it, but it would have been a lot better if it had been twice as long with a few more unexpected plotlines.
Having read this, I could easily trash the genre forever, because nothing else will compare. Good thing the author wrote another book as well :) I'll definetely make a bee-line for it!
Since all the other reviews have already pointed out what's so ZING-awesome about the book, I'll point out my one complaint which no one else seems to have had.
Apart from being a perfect bodice-ripper, The Flesh and the Devil, I also expected to be a GREAT novel.
I won't lie. I looked at my Kindle starry-eyed, expecting Gone with the Wind.
Now, Gone with the Wind is one of my all-time favorite novels for all kinds of reasons. It has a love story (I'm careful not to say romance here, because it isn't romantic) and a war story.
At the beginning of TFATD, I had the impression that the book was going to have less romance and more courtly intrigue. I felt like the author chickened out from making the plot hard to handle when and and . It all felt really orchestrated and unbelievable.
IMHO, being a bodice-ripper is no excuse for employing overused clichés and making haste with the protagonist's feelings for each other.
The book was great, and fully deserves the five stars I'm giving it, but it would have been a lot better if it had been twice as long with a few more unexpected plotlines.
September 18, 2013
This is one of these "Old Skool" books where the hero kind of rapes the heroine before you hit the 100 pages mark. I say "kind of" because, of course, the heroine was overwhelmed by her senses and ended up enjoying it...
Gah, I HATE this. It's one thing for a psychotic jerk to get all caveman but why do authors make the TSTL heroine enjoy it? The rape/enjoyment trope was very common at one time and I usually can never get over it.
But I kept reading because I was in the mood for a trainwreck I could snark over. Well... it ended up being not quite a trainwreck if you can believe it.
The hero (and I use the term loosely):
One of those jerk-types who's been "wronged" by a woman in the past and uses that as an excuse to treat all women like dirt while bedding them left and right. I could stomach reading about him because the author made the character interesting by having him be an opportunistic mercenary out to make money and ready to do anything to get what he wants. He knew how to play the game of courtly deceit, even if the author was way too heavy-handed with all the less than subtle clues that his assumed obedience chaffed. Of course, she then had to go and spoil it by having him be .
The heroine:
Ah, Juana... Crazily in love with her goody-two-shoes neighbour one week and obsessing over the man who raped her the next... When her previous swain shows up in the middle of the book, she can hardly remember his face or why she loved him so much the week before... When she runs away from the hero in the second part of the book (with much less cause than she would have had in the first part), she goes to a stranger she's exchanged a couple of sentences with in a church and thinks nothing of said stranger spending heaps of money on her. And she's surprised when she finally realizes she was just being pampered to be sold to the highest bidder.
So why the 3 stars? I don't quite know. There was something compelling about that book. Maybe it was the crazy potential it had to be awesome had it been written as a meaty court intrigue instead of a campy old skool romance. Whatever it was kept me up until 3:30 am so that I could finish reading it.
December 16, 2021
Well. WELL. So coming off the The Silver Devil, I bravely ventured into “The Flesh and the Devil.” “The Silver Devil” was a very well written book, violence and all. When I finished it, I honestly wasn’t sure if the book was a “bodice ripper” or not. It seemed to somewhat defy that label. “The Flesh and the Devil” is not as tightly written but it was still engrossing. I lost SO MUCH SLEEP despite having to work the next day all because I needed to know how it would end. The MCs Filipe Tristan (whose English name is Phillip Tristram Sandford) and Juana had such a combative relationship. I mean, they are both cruel to each other through 99% of the book. Juana in particular is really verbally vicious to Filipe. But on the flip side, he did initially rape her so… The thing is, despite Juana’s vicious tongue and moments where you just want to slap her and say “can’t you see that this person means you harm?” and “why are running away INTO danger?” I still forgave her. Because Filipe is 34. Juana was a sheltered girl. At one point, she asks Filipe where he is from and Filipe looks at her in surprise and says England. She is not quite sure what that means and he says angrily that it is typical of the Spanish to not recognize any country except their own because of their arrogant superiority. Good for Juana that she responds to this by informing him that she lived her life sheltered by her father in their home. She only came into contact with other family members and servants. She had only her father to tell her what happens outside of the walls of her home. Also, the strict society didn’t allow for women and men to touch even when walking (when the man offers his arm, the woman carefully keeps her hand above the arm so as not to touch). She was also told that women must be calm, not over emotional even when having relations with their husband because it was morally wrong. I mean, with this kind of upbringing, to suddenly be sent to a remote city to marry an unseen Duque and within a couple days to be raped by his right hand man/servant…well. I am going to cut her immense slack here. Especially as much murder, mayhem and conspiracies abound within the first 12 days of her being at the Duque’s castle!
It's a credit, I suppose, to Denys’ writing ability that while Juana is harsh to Filipe you can’t help but feel for him somehow. That is, for me, until Filipe turns on Juana at one point (for no discernible reason that I could figure out) and tells her he’s basically going out and if he gets “lucky” he won’t be back until the morning. Oh, and he’s also going to take some of the little money they had (which was her money actually) to pay for it. And so he does and when he comes back in the morning she can clearly see he’s been sexing it up all night. She’s hurt (because at this point she was seeing them as partners with a common goal – namely to escape to somewhere safer. Plus she has fallen in love with him). He is horribly cruel to her about it stating how he bought a Portugese girl because Spanish girls are so cold and wanting. Oh, and he’s going to take her last bit of jewelry and sell it to see if he can replace the spent amount of money. She is so hurt she immediately runs off, wandering the city, uncaring what happens to her. She decides to go to the one person who has sort of befriended her and ask her for help go to a convent (Juana is wracked with guilt over all that she has done and being a staunch Catholic wishes to atone). Little does she know that the woman is an abbess. Juana sends a letter to Filipe and the couple that was housing them stating basically thank you for your help and goodbye (obviously paraphrasing here). When Filipe comes back from selling the bracelet, the couple hand him the letter and he’s furious. He finds out where she is, knows that the woman is a procuress, and is determined to speak to Juana. With no money and no way to gain entre he meets up with his old love and becomes her lover for money, etc. Also because she DOES have entre into the house that Juana is in. Meanwhile, Juana does not know she’s being dressed up to be paraded to the highest bidder. She’s so steeped in her misery that she hasn’t paid attention to her surroundings other than be uncomfortable by the amount of male attention she is getting. At a party where she is being shown off for potential buyers, she meets Filipe and his mistress and is further devastated. She goes off with a man who is the final buyer (unbeknownst to her) to another room (mostly because she feels ill from the confrontation with Filipe). Before anything happens, Filipe gets rid of the man and confronts Juana. However, Juana is so miserable she tells him that it’s over. He agrees it’s finally over and leaves.
More mayhem that involves Juana and Filipe but they get thrown back together and continue their journey to escape Spain fraught with peril but also with their relentless verbal cruelty to each other. Juana continues to be cold and distant because she doesn’t want him to know that she loves him AND is pregnant with his child. He’s cold and distant because he thinks she betrayed him and wanted him dead. FINALLY, they do get their HEA but what I didn’t expect was a lot of exposition about it. While they lay in bed, they discuss all their hurts to each other, the wrongs, the cruelty, etc. They explain why they did what they did and said the things they said and try to reconcile each one along the way. Juana DOES bring up the prostitute/brothel to which he explains that yes, he did go. He was angry and wanted to hurt her and wanted to prove to himself that she meant nothing. That she was just another woman. He says that he realized that Juana was not just another woman and that he left there determined to crawl and beg for even just a small amount of affection from her. But by then he had received the letter from her (the “thanks for everything and good bye” letter) and he was devastated. I cry FOUL here. I’m not sure if anyone caught this but it was a continuity error. Technically, he comes back from the brothel and tells her that bit bout having bought the Portugese woman, etc. and then takes the bracelet to sell to recoup what he spent. THEN she runs away, writes the letter and he is given it by the couple housing them. He didn’t exactly come crawling back right after. Juana, still hurt, accepts it but bully for her, she tells him this. She says he hurt her terribly by what he did and said and that’s why she left. She then asks him about the mistress he later takes on (BTW, there was a part earlier on while they are on their final leg of their escape plan when she has to nurse Filipe back to health and sees the scratches on his back from his nights of passions with his mistress and is hurt again by the reminder). He explains that he became the woman’s lover as a means to see Juana as he had no money and no way to get access to her. So ok. I will cut him some slack on the mistress part because he was using her as a means to an end, but the brothel part was overly cruel. However, after going through all the hurtful moments through the book and deciding to forgive each other, they have their HEA. (Oh, and there’s also a deus ex machina moment right before the whole forgiveness talk where a lawyer from England finds him to tell him he’s inherited the title and estate of his uncle back in England. Which made me wonder if they lost all their money – Juana’s large dowry and Filipe’s money as a mercenary – due to their rapid flight…which kinda sucks).
So the story had elements that showed Denys was a talented writer but at the same time it felt rushed despite being a long book (or maybe it just felt like it). It felt like it needed more time to be proofed and corrected. It’s sad to think that there wasn’t a chance for her to continue writing as I think some truly wonderful things would have emerged…
It's a credit, I suppose, to Denys’ writing ability that while Juana is harsh to Filipe you can’t help but feel for him somehow. That is, for me, until Filipe turns on Juana at one point (for no discernible reason that I could figure out) and tells her he’s basically going out and if he gets “lucky” he won’t be back until the morning. Oh, and he’s also going to take some of the little money they had (which was her money actually) to pay for it. And so he does and when he comes back in the morning she can clearly see he’s been sexing it up all night. She’s hurt (because at this point she was seeing them as partners with a common goal – namely to escape to somewhere safer. Plus she has fallen in love with him). He is horribly cruel to her about it stating how he bought a Portugese girl because Spanish girls are so cold and wanting. Oh, and he’s going to take her last bit of jewelry and sell it to see if he can replace the spent amount of money. She is so hurt she immediately runs off, wandering the city, uncaring what happens to her. She decides to go to the one person who has sort of befriended her and ask her for help go to a convent (Juana is wracked with guilt over all that she has done and being a staunch Catholic wishes to atone). Little does she know that the woman is an abbess. Juana sends a letter to Filipe and the couple that was housing them stating basically thank you for your help and goodbye (obviously paraphrasing here). When Filipe comes back from selling the bracelet, the couple hand him the letter and he’s furious. He finds out where she is, knows that the woman is a procuress, and is determined to speak to Juana. With no money and no way to gain entre he meets up with his old love and becomes her lover for money, etc. Also because she DOES have entre into the house that Juana is in. Meanwhile, Juana does not know she’s being dressed up to be paraded to the highest bidder. She’s so steeped in her misery that she hasn’t paid attention to her surroundings other than be uncomfortable by the amount of male attention she is getting. At a party where she is being shown off for potential buyers, she meets Filipe and his mistress and is further devastated. She goes off with a man who is the final buyer (unbeknownst to her) to another room (mostly because she feels ill from the confrontation with Filipe). Before anything happens, Filipe gets rid of the man and confronts Juana. However, Juana is so miserable she tells him that it’s over. He agrees it’s finally over and leaves.
More mayhem that involves Juana and Filipe but they get thrown back together and continue their journey to escape Spain fraught with peril but also with their relentless verbal cruelty to each other. Juana continues to be cold and distant because she doesn’t want him to know that she loves him AND is pregnant with his child. He’s cold and distant because he thinks she betrayed him and wanted him dead. FINALLY, they do get their HEA but what I didn’t expect was a lot of exposition about it. While they lay in bed, they discuss all their hurts to each other, the wrongs, the cruelty, etc. They explain why they did what they did and said the things they said and try to reconcile each one along the way. Juana DOES bring up the prostitute/brothel to which he explains that yes, he did go. He was angry and wanted to hurt her and wanted to prove to himself that she meant nothing. That she was just another woman. He says that he realized that Juana was not just another woman and that he left there determined to crawl and beg for even just a small amount of affection from her. But by then he had received the letter from her (the “thanks for everything and good bye” letter) and he was devastated. I cry FOUL here. I’m not sure if anyone caught this but it was a continuity error. Technically, he comes back from the brothel and tells her that bit bout having bought the Portugese woman, etc. and then takes the bracelet to sell to recoup what he spent. THEN she runs away, writes the letter and he is given it by the couple housing them. He didn’t exactly come crawling back right after. Juana, still hurt, accepts it but bully for her, she tells him this. She says he hurt her terribly by what he did and said and that’s why she left. She then asks him about the mistress he later takes on (BTW, there was a part earlier on while they are on their final leg of their escape plan when she has to nurse Filipe back to health and sees the scratches on his back from his nights of passions with his mistress and is hurt again by the reminder). He explains that he became the woman’s lover as a means to see Juana as he had no money and no way to get access to her. So ok. I will cut him some slack on the mistress part because he was using her as a means to an end, but the brothel part was overly cruel. However, after going through all the hurtful moments through the book and deciding to forgive each other, they have their HEA. (Oh, and there’s also a deus ex machina moment right before the whole forgiveness talk where a lawyer from England finds him to tell him he’s inherited the title and estate of his uncle back in England. Which made me wonder if they lost all their money – Juana’s large dowry and Filipe’s money as a mercenary – due to their rapid flight…which kinda sucks).
So the story had elements that showed Denys was a talented writer but at the same time it felt rushed despite being a long book (or maybe it just felt like it). It felt like it needed more time to be proofed and corrected. It’s sad to think that there wasn’t a chance for her to continue writing as I think some truly wonderful things would have emerged…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2020
I have had Teresa Denys's two books, The Flesh and the Devil and The Silver Devil on my wish list for years. Like so many others I thought the exceptional reviews mirrored exceptional romances. Written over 30 years ago, both stories are suppose to be the epitome of bodice rippers.
What is the definition of an old-style bodice ripper? It is suppose to be a "sexually explicit romantic novel; usually in a historical setting and always with a plot involving the seduction of the heroine". Now remember, 'sexually explicit' meant something different back then. I think a better term would be sexually-charged. Women like me, and some men, read these romances for both the steamy and historical story lines. You did not have all the choices that you have today.
FYI: both historical romances are currently out-of-print and prices for a copy are ridiculous.
~~~~~~
Juana de Arrelano was young and naive when she was betrothed to a Duque. In a nutshell, there was something wrong with the man, both physically and mentally. His family knows this but they needed an heir. Felipe Tristan was both a mercenary and the man in charge of 'taking care' of the Duque. He was also scarred and that scared Juana. She led a spoiled life up to this point and treated Tristan shabbily. When he first saw her, he was in-lust.
The story included 'the virgin and forced sex' trope and a ‘love and hate’ relationship. It was brutal and harsh at times. Women, for the most part, were treated as inferior and it was an accepted part of life. At times I felt sorry for Tristan. Then he would do something despicable and I thought Juana deserved my sympathy. Honestly, I was exhausted when this romance finally came to an end.
I know many others gave it high marks and I respect that. This story took me back in time, to the days when I did not have the opportunity to read everything I can today. For those of you that love this style of writing, go for it. I read this HR and it is permanently out of my system. 😳
What is the definition of an old-style bodice ripper? It is suppose to be a "sexually explicit romantic novel; usually in a historical setting and always with a plot involving the seduction of the heroine". Now remember, 'sexually explicit' meant something different back then. I think a better term would be sexually-charged. Women like me, and some men, read these romances for both the steamy and historical story lines. You did not have all the choices that you have today.
FYI: both historical romances are currently out-of-print and prices for a copy are ridiculous.
~~~~~~
Juana de Arrelano was young and naive when she was betrothed to a Duque. In a nutshell, there was something wrong with the man, both physically and mentally. His family knows this but they needed an heir. Felipe Tristan was both a mercenary and the man in charge of 'taking care' of the Duque. He was also scarred and that scared Juana. She led a spoiled life up to this point and treated Tristan shabbily. When he first saw her, he was in-lust.
The story included 'the virgin and forced sex' trope and a ‘love and hate’ relationship. It was brutal and harsh at times. Women, for the most part, were treated as inferior and it was an accepted part of life. At times I felt sorry for Tristan. Then he would do something despicable and I thought Juana deserved my sympathy. Honestly, I was exhausted when this romance finally came to an end.
I know many others gave it high marks and I respect that. This story took me back in time, to the days when I did not have the opportunity to read everything I can today. For those of you that love this style of writing, go for it. I read this HR and it is permanently out of my system. 😳
November 22, 2023
4 solid stars (Just bc this work isn't as polished as The Silver Devil)
This is not what I thought it was going to be, but that made it even better. If you are looking for a well written and extremely unique historical romance, you need to read this book. I highly recommend going in blind, it makes for a better book experience.
Heads up, the language is very high-level and old-fashioned, confused me at times, especially with the POVs constantly switching. I had to have my brains 100% about me in order to understand what was going on in the book, so this is def not one of those books where I could turn my brain off to enjoy. Also there are a lot of implied/body language type scenes where I had a hard time picking up on what was going on if I wasn't paying 100% attention.
I loved this book though, the love story was beautiful and poetic and heart wrenching, which is what I am looking for when I read a romance novel.
This is not what I thought it was going to be, but that made it even better. If you are looking for a well written and extremely unique historical romance, you need to read this book. I highly recommend going in blind, it makes for a better book experience.
Heads up, the language is very high-level and old-fashioned, confused me at times, especially with the POVs constantly switching. I had to have my brains 100% about me in order to understand what was going on in the book, so this is def not one of those books where I could turn my brain off to enjoy. Also there are a lot of implied/body language type scenes where I had a hard time picking up on what was going on if I wasn't paying 100% attention.
I loved this book though, the love story was beautiful and poetic and heart wrenching, which is what I am looking for when I read a romance novel.
March 17, 2013
Thank you, Goodreads, for letting me know that "Teresa Denys" was the pseudonym for senior Mills&Boon editor Jacqui Bianchi. Wow, you can learn something new here every day!
EDIT TO ADD:
I have felt, since the first time that I read it, that this is a rare treasure of a book. The current market value of the printed edition bears me (and other 5-star raters!) out.
Despite what the naysayers opine, I think that the historical authenticity negates the (all too valid!) modern objections. So unusual for me to accept Denys' heroes' actions in other contexts, but the complete immersion into another time and place makes it impossible to do otherwise
Also, Denys' language is wonderful. A must-read.
EDIT TO ADD:
I have felt, since the first time that I read it, that this is a rare treasure of a book. The current market value of the printed edition bears me (and other 5-star raters!) out.
Despite what the naysayers opine, I think that the historical authenticity negates the (all too valid!) modern objections. So unusual for me to accept Denys' heroes' actions in other contexts, but the complete immersion into another time and place makes it impossible to do otherwise
Also, Denys' language is wonderful. A must-read.
October 21, 2013
Good book but no way as excellent as the silver devil!!
November 4, 2018
This made uncomfortable but not for any of the obvious reasons you would expect from a bodice ripper. There was rape, scheming, arranged marriage, murder, more scheming and hate sex aplenty, but what unsettled me is how bereft I felt that it ended so abruptly. I fell in love with these characters, in particular Felipe/Phillip and I would have happily read through over-inflated chapters about the building of a new life in England on his uncle's inheritance, the birth of his child with Juana, and their mundane day to day married life built on hard won trust (it only took them 300+ pages of drama and unnecessary bullshit).
I still find The Silver Devil to be the superior book of Denys's tragically limited creative output since this one goes into a lot of cliche conflicts that could have easily been avoided by communication, but the first 3/4 are amazing and very stirring. The class distinction between Juana and Phillip created very delicious tension and dialogue from the moment they meet.
I still find The Silver Devil to be the superior book of Denys's tragically limited creative output since this one goes into a lot of cliche conflicts that could have easily been avoided by communication, but the first 3/4 are amazing and very stirring. The class distinction between Juana and Phillip created very delicious tension and dialogue from the moment they meet.
May 9, 2013
I liked the book fine until the hero started cheating on the heroine and basically whoring himself out. I mean, what did he expect from the heroine, besides hate, after raping her and blackmailing her into marrying him, when he never said a word of his feelings? And there was hardly anything from his perspective to explain any of it. He did explain, at the end, but it didn't really satisfy me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2022
Reread, still a masterpiece, everything a gothic romance bodice ripper should be baby
February 14, 2024
This was really good. I really enjoyed reading this. There was so much drama and so much happening at the same time. It was kind of overwhelming. But I really liked the main couple, so I didn't mind all the side plots. As expected from a bodice ripper, the villains were beyond evil and also so irritating. Fortunately, they all had satisfyingly gruesome endings, so I'm happy.
The mmc was actually exceptional. He was cold and unflinchingly cruel ( just the way I like my fictional men) while being sufficiently obsessed with the fmc. I love a good authentic enemies to lovers romance, and this was exactly that. Especially from the fmc, who really hated him from 1st sight, but she came around (eventually). He killed a man for her for goodness sake. What else does a woman need?
I liked the fmc, too. She was fairly helpless and miserable for the first half. But I enjoyed her development as a character. She made silly mistakes that got on my nerves every now and then, but I managed to move past them. Circumstances made her more mature and less impulsive towards the end.
Overall, this is perfect if you want a dark romance. It's pretty great with memorable characters. The reason it's not 5 stars is the background characters kept annoying me, and I feel like the story could have been much more compact. Will definitely reread, though.
The mmc was actually exceptional. He was cold and unflinchingly cruel ( just the way I like my fictional men) while being sufficiently obsessed with the fmc. I love a good authentic enemies to lovers romance, and this was exactly that. Especially from the fmc, who really hated him from 1st sight, but she came around (eventually). He killed a man for her for goodness sake. What else does a woman need?
I liked the fmc, too. She was fairly helpless and miserable for the first half. But I enjoyed her development as a character. She made silly mistakes that got on my nerves every now and then, but I managed to move past them. Circumstances made her more mature and less impulsive towards the end.
Overall, this is perfect if you want a dark romance. It's pretty great with memorable characters. The reason it's not 5 stars is the background characters kept annoying me, and I feel like the story could have been much more compact. Will definitely reread, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2021
Недоразумения и инат пишат на един дъх цели романи. Извод: Говорете си по-често, бе хора, не само на последна страница... Но пък каква малко готическа, залязваща Испания на Хабсбургите от 17-ти век.
February 22, 2014
For sheer enjoyment, I would have given it 5 stars. Unfortunately the prose was ever so slightly stilted and I had a difficult time believing Tristan's motives for
Despite this, I can understand the other rave reviews. As a piece of genre writing (gothic bodice-ripper, I suppose), it's fantastic. Not typical, with a richly developed anti-hero and a decent 'protagonist'. TBH, both were equally nasty in their own way to each other, so I could buy the constant tragic mis-communication between them. For me, it fell down to whether the reader can believe it is possible to fervently hate and desire another person simultaneously a-la Catherine and Heathcliff (a sacrilegious comparison, but what the hell, Wuthering Heights had it's fair share of dumb-fuckery).
My ultimate conclusion is that it's quite 'literary' with some trite conforming to what's expected from the genre. Fast-paced, hot and steamy, sexy as hell male lead and an interesting, scary cast of villains, with a bit of history to boot. Plus non-cheesy cover. I feel it could be worth a second read - although I doubt that's ever going to happen.
Despite this, I can understand the other rave reviews. As a piece of genre writing (gothic bodice-ripper, I suppose), it's fantastic. Not typical, with a richly developed anti-hero and a decent 'protagonist'. TBH, both were equally nasty in their own way to each other, so I could buy the constant tragic mis-communication between them. For me, it fell down to whether the reader can believe it is possible to fervently hate and desire another person simultaneously a-la Catherine and Heathcliff (a sacrilegious comparison, but what the hell, Wuthering Heights had it's fair share of dumb-fuckery).
My ultimate conclusion is that it's quite 'literary' with some trite conforming to what's expected from the genre. Fast-paced, hot and steamy, sexy as hell male lead and an interesting, scary cast of villains, with a bit of history to boot. Plus non-cheesy cover. I feel it could be worth a second read - although I doubt that's ever going to happen.
October 25, 2015
What a compelling and beautiful experience this novel has been! I am in a deep sad pain now that reading this masterpiece has come to an end and that I will forever be deprived of the wonderful love story of Felipe Tristan and Juana. Perhaps what makes their attraction for each other all the more compelling is its intensity amidst a gothic and suspenseful setting. I cannot begin to imagine the dark ambience our heroine, Juana was thrown into for it overwhelms the mind. The characters were so real and vivid, I am sure they will remain in my memory for a very long time to come. The storyline was very well developed and I can say that Ms. Denys is an unpredictable and impeccable writer.
I am also saddened to know that anything I will read next will be lacking. Yet, I am glad for the fates that I even stumbled upon such a novel, all thanks to Goodreads. I highly doubt any of the so-called historical romance authors of today can even begin to write something so magnificent! I'd like to see such a work of art today. I had some knowledge before reading that the author, Jaqci Bianchi, had terribly passed away after completing only two novels, this and The Silver Devil. Therefore, I had braced myself to read something so rare and possibly unique, as there will be no more of her novels to search for, unfortunately. I definitely can't wait to read The Silver Devil!
I am also saddened to know that anything I will read next will be lacking. Yet, I am glad for the fates that I even stumbled upon such a novel, all thanks to Goodreads. I highly doubt any of the so-called historical romance authors of today can even begin to write something so magnificent! I'd like to see such a work of art today. I had some knowledge before reading that the author, Jaqci Bianchi, had terribly passed away after completing only two novels, this and The Silver Devil. Therefore, I had braced myself to read something so rare and possibly unique, as there will be no more of her novels to search for, unfortunately. I definitely can't wait to read The Silver Devil!
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