Blue-Eyed Devil (Travises, #2) by Lisa Kleypas

Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publication Date: March 25th 2008

Blurb:

MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL - His name is Hardy Cates. He's a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He's made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston's oil industry. He's got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind.

MEET THE HEIRESS - She's Haven Travis. Despite her family's money, she refuses to set out on the path they've chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire.

WATCH THE SPARKS FLY....Filled with Lisa Kleypas's trademark sensuality, filled with characters you love to hate and men you love to love, Blue-Eyed Devil will hold you captive in its storytelling power as the destiny of two people unfolds with every magical word. 

Review:

If you have read my review of Sugar Daddy, you will know that I didn't like the book much. I am glad I hadn't given up hope on Lisa Kleypas's contemporary series. I loved Blue-Eyed Devil and despite a little nudge in my head, I think it deserves the five stars I gave it.

When I was reading the time period where Haven was married to Nick I thought that she should have gotten out the moment he started abusing her and I was angry at her for staying. Later, though she made me see what it is like from the victim's perspective and I finally got a sense of why the women are staying in an abusive relationship. A reason I love to read the book is because I get knowledge about things without having to live through them in real life and I get more open minded (yes Ty and Zane, I am talking about you too).

I couldn't help, but love Hardy despite his betrayal in Sugar Daddy. He respected Haven and was very comforting to her. The few doubts I had for him disappeared from an early part of their relationship. I liked how the whole thing about the betrayal and Hardy's past with Liberty was handled. I loved the wedding proposal and I was happy that Haven initiated it.

Haven has developed a lot during the curse of the story. She is a broken woman who can't even bear the touch of her brothers and swears off marriage and children to someone who is doing the proposal and is actually happy. I am hoping women do that in real life too.

Somehow reading about what happened to Hannah was weird to me and it made me feel as if I had missed something. I don't know why, but I felt sad. While in Sugar Daddy we see how Chirchill's love life is going, in Blue-Eyed Devil we barely see him due to his restrained relationship with his daughter. I want to see in the third book what happened to him. 

The book is from Haven's point of view only, which was a little frustrating, but I still feel as if I had read Hardy's intentions correctly. I am guessing the next books will also be this way, so I should probably get used to it.