"Damn, damn...there it goes, the frigging thing!"A few months ago one of my groups (Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous) started a thread called "First line of the book you are reading", and this line was one of them. I was hooked as soon as I saw it -- I possess a well-practiced and finely honed potty mouth and it's not very often you read a historical romance where the heroine possesses one as well.I have stayed away from Lisa Kleypas' books almost on principle. She is so prolific, and her books are so gushed over that not reading her has been almost a knee-jerk reaction. After reading the first line and the synopsis though, I had to try it.Once I got about two chapters in I realized I had in my hands one of my favourite tropes -- the uptight, repressed Hero who needs saving from himself. And Kleypas did a good job with the Earl of Wolverton, I really enjoyed Alex. ;) I think I'm in the minority here, but I really enjoyed Lily as well. She's another of my favourite romance types -- the feisty heroine who needs rescuing (but doesn't know it). She is exactly what Alex needs to rescue him from himself, and Alex is the only man that Lily will allow to take care of her.Of course, when they meet, they detest each other (Yay!! Another favourite trope!) The first half of the book was fabulous -- they snarked at each other, they glared, they snipped, they sniped:In spite of the throbbing of her ankle, she was almost enjoying her stroll with him. That disturbed her so profoundly that she was compelled to stir up another argument.Lily then demands to know why he is walking so fast - she feels as if "we're in a frigging footrace. Blast it!"He throws her clothes and suitcase out the window; she kidnaps his younger brother, knocks Alex over the head with a bottle and ties him up. (And what a scene THAT was, let me tell you. Whew!)Unfortunately, once Alex realizes that he actually loves Lily, the book lost a bit of its lustre for me. I know, I know, you can't maintain that conflict through the entire story, but what Kleypas did was have Alex do an abrupt 180 degree turnabout that I didn't really buy into. It wasn't enough to ruin the book for me, but it did knock it down to 4.5 stars.All in all, a good treatment of some of my favourite romance tropes. It's going on my keeper shelf with the rest of my uptight alpha Heroes. ;)
I loved this book, that after I finished reading it, I flipped to the first page and started to re-read it again. At first glance Alex Raiford is your typical A Alpha Male, wanting it his way or the highway. But slowly your shown what has left Alex so cold and unfeeling and that he’s finally has to see that he’s been hiding behind this pain and building a wall around himself and the one person he didn’t want around him in a million years is the one who opens his eyes. Lily is a cutting, gambling lady, who goes out of her way to shock the ton and anyone in her path, hiding behind the carefree mask not showing the sad and scared woman looking for a way out from her painful past that still haunts her. When she meets Alex she goes out of he way to shock him, but only needs up needing him as much as he needs her. I really loved how both characters fight, and bicker but you can tell they’re one and the same, when Lily shows Alex what he’s been hiding behind his past pains making it his armor, Alex shows Lily that not all people are the same. The story moved quickly for me, that I was surprised to see 3 hours passed when I finally glanced at the clock. It was just that good, that you can’t help but what to see what happens next. The sensual level is right up there, but don’t expect love scenes ever chapter, it builds through the book but does not disappoint when it does happen and how it comes about! The only secondary character that stood out the most was Derek and making you glad there’s a book out for just him! Overall a wonderful story that will keep you reading till the very end in one sitting with two characters you can fully understand and root for when it comes to they’re happy ever after!
What do You think about Then Came You (2015)?
Wow. I’m sensing another Kleypas craze coming on! Have I ever said how much I love this woman!? I may have mentioned once or twice, but I absolutely adore her historicals! No one can really compare with her. Kleypas is simply the historical romance queen!Although this book wasn’t my favourite of her works, it was still pretty damn good! At first I wasn’t too fond of Lily. She was too showy, cared too much about being the center of attention and I didn’t like that at all. Lily says she doesn’t believe in marriage, but she goes through great extremes just to save her sister from a miserable marriage to Alex. But based on her personal experiences with men, I don’t blame her for feeling that way. I felt bad for the woman. The only real person she could trust was Derek Craven who kept himself distanced for his own personal reasons. So she sought out happiness herself, finding it in the way people admired her beauty and charisma. But deep inside, she was broken.Alex is broken too. Even after years of mourning, he still hasn’t gotten over the death of his past love, Caroline. Where Lily is flamboyant and shameless, Alex is unemotional and cautious. He seemed almost dead in his personality. They were total opposites, but together, they have such chemistry.I really enjoyed the bickering between the two. Kleypas just knows how to write frustrating experiences for her characters that just happen to amuse me greatly. No, I’m not sadist, but I find pleasure in watching Alex nearly have an aneurysm at some of the things Lily does. It just so cute!And now I have reached what I have been desperately waiting for: DEREK CRAVEN! His book is beside me and I am already itching to read it! Ahh! I’m so excited! I can’t wait anymore!
—Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog)
Everytime I read a Lisa Kleypas book I have a huge smile on my face and I feel all giddy inside. The first book of the Gambler Series was excellent! Lily Lawson is a ill mannered, wreckless, gambler who is trying to find her daughter who was stolen from her. Alex Raiford is still longing for his deceased fiance until he meets Lily. She is everything in a woman that is completely wrong for him. When Alex realizes he can't live without Lily they marry but Lily keeps her secret from Alex. She's afraid that he will not want her once he finds out she has a daughter, Nicole. When Alex finds out the truth he helps Lily find Nicole. Lily falls in love with Alex knowing that he accepts her and Nicole and would do anything for them both... OK so how could you NOT love Alex Raiford?? Lily is just plain stubborn and never keeps her mouth shut! That's my kind of heroine! Kleypas is such an excellent writer. She really draws you into her characters. I can't explain it so you just have to read it for yourself. I haven't read a book by Kleypas that I haven't loved!
—Michelle
5+ stars – Historical/Regency RomanceAlthough I’d previously read and loooved Kleypas’s Travis’s series, this was the first historical romance of hers that I read, and it’s no wonder that she’s such an incredibly popular romance author. The relationship between wild spitfire spinster Lily Lawson and stodgy Alex, Lord Raiford, from bitter antagonism to explosive passion that turns to cordial respect and then deep affection, is sheer magic to behold. This book inflamed my LK admiration that first began with my love for Sugar Daddy and then continued with my utter enjoyment of the entire Travis’s series, Dreaming of You, Again the Magic, and most recently with the Wallflowers series. I look forward to more wonderful books by this remarkably gifted author!
—Shawna
