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Legend of the Four Soldiers #4
To Desire a Devil
Nothing Is More Intoxicating
Reynaud St. Aubyn has spent the last seven years in hellish captivity. Now half mad with fever he bursts into his ancestral home and demands his due. Can this wild-looking man truly be the last earl's heir, thought murdered by Indians years ago?
Or Dangerous
Beatrice Corning, the niece of the present earl, is a proper English miss. But she has a secret: No real man has ever excited her more than the handsome youth in the portrait in her uncle's home. Suddenly, that very man is here, in the flesh—and luring her into his bed.
Than Surrendering to a Devil.
Only Beatrice can see past Reynaud's savagery to the noble man inside. For his part, Reynaud is drawn to this lovely lady, even as he is suspicious of her loyalty to her uncle. But can Beatrice's love tame a man who will stop at nothing to regain his title—even if it means sacrificing her innocence?
Reynaud St. Aubyn has spent the last seven years in hellish captivity. Now half mad with fever he bursts into his ancestral home and demands his due. Can this wild-looking man truly be the last earl's heir, thought murdered by Indians years ago?
Or Dangerous
Beatrice Corning, the niece of the present earl, is a proper English miss. But she has a secret: No real man has ever excited her more than the handsome youth in the portrait in her uncle's home. Suddenly, that very man is here, in the flesh—and luring her into his bed.
Than Surrendering to a Devil.
Only Beatrice can see past Reynaud's savagery to the noble man inside. For his part, Reynaud is drawn to this lovely lady, even as he is suspicious of her loyalty to her uncle. But can Beatrice's love tame a man who will stop at nothing to regain his title—even if it means sacrificing her innocence?
340 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2009
206 people are currently reading
3244 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Hoyt
45 books7,139 followersElizabeth Hoyt is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance. She also writes deliciously fun contemporary romance under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with three untrained dogs and one long-suffering husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 597 reviews
May 20, 2019
The hero in this book was supposedly dead for the last 7 years, but he's back, baby!!! Umm,,,, but he's not the same as he used to be. In fact he is more like this:
Than this:
Okay, those gifs aren't going to age well. But, hey, they mean something today.
Yeah, he's wild, angry, mean, and given to violence. So, he's about as sexy as one of those baby-eating dingoes. It was hard for me to see him as a romantic lead.
On the other hand, his heroine is boring, practical, and about as exciting as milk. Not almond milk!! Don't even think she has all of the allure of an almond.
Oh Almond, you exotic sexy beast!
The book is worth reading if you have read the whole series, but apart from that, don't bother.
Than this:
Okay, those gifs aren't going to age well. But, hey, they mean something today.
Yeah, he's wild, angry, mean, and given to violence. So, he's about as sexy as one of those baby-eating dingoes. It was hard for me to see him as a romantic lead.
On the other hand, his heroine is boring, practical, and about as exciting as milk. Not almond milk!! Don't even think she has all of the allure of an almond.
Oh Almond, you exotic sexy beast!
The book is worth reading if you have read the whole series, but apart from that, don't bother.
December 19, 2014
Readers who've read the previous books in the series, would want to read this one that conludes the search for the traitor of Spinners Falls and brings all the previous couples together. Other than that, there is little to recommend this book.
The hero, Reynaud St Aubyn, was considered dead. However, this book starts with his sudden appearence at the heroine's political party. The heroine's uncle is the current Earl of Blanchard, the title that would normally belong to the hero. Reynaud, coming home after seven long years, most of which he spent in captivity, has only one thing in his mind: to get his money, houses and title back and resume his previous life.
The heroine has admired Reynaud's full-size portrait for years. It's the portrait of a vibrant, happy, mischevious young man. Having met no other man who's as interesting as him, she's spent many hours in front of his portrait, fantasizing about him. So, when the real man comes crushing through her front door, it doesn't take long for her to fall in love with him.
I had two main problems with this book. Firstly, the hero was unlikable. Cold, manipulative, selfish and self-absorbed; he has litle to recommend him besides his good looks. Secondly, I couldn't feel the love between them. The heroine never really moves from her adolescent crush. She loved the portrait because the man in it was so full of life and beautiful. The real man however, coming from a war, is dark, brooding and the complete opposite of what she fell in love with. It's hard to believe that suddenly she loves him for his intensity and inner strength. As for the hero, he spends most of the book looking after his own needs. The only thing that seems to attract him in the heroine is that she smells of english flowers and thus home, and she's soft and tender. More or less, any other english lady would do as well. And in his case, it hardly moves beyond physical attraction.
When the attraction between the main characters is missing, the erotic scenes suffer as well. They were just erotic and not love scenes and I skimmed through most of them.
I was glad to see all heroes and heroines from previous books in the end and find out who the traitor was. Besides that, as another reader (=Verity) said in her review, this book was like a shrinking balloon: started full of potential but continued to loose air until it deflated completely in the end. I can't think of a better line to describe it.
The hero, Reynaud St Aubyn, was considered dead. However, this book starts with his sudden appearence at the heroine's political party. The heroine's uncle is the current Earl of Blanchard, the title that would normally belong to the hero. Reynaud, coming home after seven long years, most of which he spent in captivity, has only one thing in his mind: to get his money, houses and title back and resume his previous life.
The heroine has admired Reynaud's full-size portrait for years. It's the portrait of a vibrant, happy, mischevious young man. Having met no other man who's as interesting as him, she's spent many hours in front of his portrait, fantasizing about him. So, when the real man comes crushing through her front door, it doesn't take long for her to fall in love with him.
I had two main problems with this book. Firstly, the hero was unlikable. Cold, manipulative, selfish and self-absorbed; he has litle to recommend him besides his good looks. Secondly, I couldn't feel the love between them. The heroine never really moves from her adolescent crush. She loved the portrait because the man in it was so full of life and beautiful. The real man however, coming from a war, is dark, brooding and the complete opposite of what she fell in love with. It's hard to believe that suddenly she loves him for his intensity and inner strength. As for the hero, he spends most of the book looking after his own needs. The only thing that seems to attract him in the heroine is that she smells of english flowers and thus home, and she's soft and tender. More or less, any other english lady would do as well. And in his case, it hardly moves beyond physical attraction.
When the attraction between the main characters is missing, the erotic scenes suffer as well. They were just erotic and not love scenes and I skimmed through most of them.
I was glad to see all heroes and heroines from previous books in the end and find out who the traitor was. Besides that, as another reader (=Verity) said in her review, this book was like a shrinking balloon: started full of potential but continued to loose air until it deflated completely in the end. I can't think of a better line to describe it.
March 29, 2025
The fourth soldier expected to see his family, so he's shacken to learn they are gone. Now he's forced to fight for his inheritance. The h is kind and her quiet care saves the H. Loved his thoughts about her. Great ending to the series.
January 2, 2025
It hit all the right notes
What a fantastic way to start the year~~~~
My mood, the time of the year and who knows what else are definitely a factor for the way I absorbed this story, but you know what? I don't care because the result is me having loved the book!
࿔*:･ The plot
I got this series a few years ago but I never finished it because...I didn't like the previous book all that much because, oh who can remember? Stupid villainous duke never gets his comeuppance, I hate when villains get to continue to be villains
Anyway. I never finished and this books has been moldering at the bottom of my kindle for a long time.
I'm so happy I had a reason to finally finish this series!
Unlike the previous three books, this one isn't overly obsessed with who betrayed them and on finding said traitor.
The plot would be the hero doing what's necessary to recover his inheritance after being thought dead. But the real focus is on the hero and the heroine themselves. On his recovery and their growing attachment. On her feelings about a man that means to take away her and her beloved uncle's security and home.
The conclusion of the whodunit was a bit cartoonish but luckily it was brief.
࿔*:･ The romance
This book hit a wonderful balance between broody hero and pursuer.
Reynaud was capture and it took him 7 years to make it back to England. He's desperate for home and hearth. Beatrice is the quintessential English rose. Light colored eyes and hair, smells like roses, proper and pragmatic yet gentle and caring. She's as English as they come and the hero is no fool. He wants home, he sees home in the shape of a woman and doesn't waste a second going after her.
Beatrice is the one with trepidations about a possible union. She wants a love match and the hero, while openly pursuing her, never speaks of love.
It created an interesting scenario where she pushes (not immediately accepting marriage) and he pulls (insists on marrying her), while she also pulls (asks for love) and he pushes (says they don't need it)
The best development to their romance, though, came in the shape of small bits of stories that talk of a bigger tale, no, not the chapter openers, but the hero's tale.
Pragmatic that she is, the heroine forced the hero to relinquish a bit more of the those 7 years he spent away from home every time he wants something from her. While he does, he slowly lets the poison out for the wounds to heal while allowing the heroine to get to know the man behind the anger and bitterness.
࿔*:･ Final thoughts
I loved the slow burn romance but I also have to mention I was deliciously surprised by the steam. It was hot. Really really hot. Not necessarily dirty (the wordpenis is used, yikes) but it's the
feelings
behind their coupling that made this so incendiary.
He's desperate for her, for what having her would mean to him. Hoyt is able to use that desperation to give us the most delectably explosive scenes.
In a different mood I would probably rate this 4 ★ because the confrontation with the villain was somehow cartoonishly cheesy and underwhelming. But it's my first book of the year, so it generously gets 4.5 ★ rounded up.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ──────────────── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
. .┊𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆
. .┊➛ 𝑺𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒆: 4
. .┊➛ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆: MC presumed dead returns
. .┊➛ 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔: 1/100
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ──────────────── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯
What a fantastic way to start the year~~~~
My mood, the time of the year and who knows what else are definitely a factor for the way I absorbed this story, but you know what? I don't care because the result is me having loved the book!
࿔*:･ The plot
I got this series a few years ago but I never finished it because...
Anyway. I never finished and this books has been moldering at the bottom of my kindle for a long time.
I'm so happy I had a reason to finally finish this series!
Unlike the previous three books, this one isn't overly obsessed with who betrayed them and on finding said traitor.
The plot would be the hero doing what's necessary to recover his inheritance after being thought dead. But the real focus is on the hero and the heroine themselves. On his recovery and their growing attachment. On her feelings about a man that means to take away her and her beloved uncle's security and home.
The conclusion of the whodunit was a bit cartoonish but luckily it was brief.
࿔*:･ The romance
This book hit a wonderful balance between broody hero and pursuer.
Reynaud was capture and it took him 7 years to make it back to England. He's desperate for home and hearth. Beatrice is the quintessential English rose. Light colored eyes and hair, smells like roses, proper and pragmatic yet gentle and caring. She's as English as they come and the hero is no fool. He wants home, he sees home in the shape of a woman and doesn't waste a second going after her.
Beatrice is the one with trepidations about a possible union. She wants a love match and the hero, while openly pursuing her, never speaks of love.
It created an interesting scenario where she pushes (not immediately accepting marriage) and he pulls (insists on marrying her), while she also pulls (asks for love) and he pushes (says they don't need it)
The best development to their romance, though, came in the shape of small bits of stories that talk of a bigger tale, no, not the chapter openers, but the hero's tale.
Pragmatic that she is, the heroine forced the hero to relinquish a bit more of the those 7 years he spent away from home every time he wants something from her. While he does, he slowly lets the poison out for the wounds to heal while allowing the heroine to get to know the man behind the anger and bitterness.
࿔*:･ Final thoughts
I loved the slow burn romance but I also have to mention I was deliciously surprised by the steam. It was hot. Really really hot. Not necessarily dirty (the word
He's desperate for her, for what having her would mean to him. Hoyt is able to use that desperation to give us the most delectably explosive scenes.
In a different mood I would probably rate this 4 ★ because the confrontation with the villain was somehow cartoonishly cheesy and underwhelming. But it's my first book of the year, so it generously gets 4.5 ★ rounded up.
╭── ⋅ ⋅ ──────────────── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮
. .┊𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆
. .┊➛ 𝑺𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒆: 4
. .┊➛ 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆: MC presumed dead returns
. .┊➛ 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔: 1/100
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ──────────────── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯
May 8, 2010
Reynaud St. Aubyn has been traveling for months trying to get home to England after seven years in Indian captivity during the French and Indian war. Fevered and confused, he bursts into what was his father's London townhome and demands in angry French to see his father before collapsing.
Beatrice Corning, the niece of and hostess for the current earl of Blanchard, was presiding over a dull political tea for her uncle when Reynaud unceremoniously crashed the party. Despite the disheveled clothing, ragged hair and facial tattoos, she immediately recognizes him as the Viscount Hope from the portrait in the sitting room. Not only does this mean he was not dead, but he was also the rightful earl, placing her and her uncle's future in doubt.
Oh, where to begin with my moans and groans of disappointment?
Firstly, this is an unconvincing Georgian. The behaviors of the characters were a mix of Regency and 21st century mores. Beatrice and Reynaud spent as much unchaperoned time together as a modern couple might, with nary a comment from anyone. Beatrice's brotherly relationship with the crippled soldier was charming, but completely unlikely. Her friend's melodramatic separation from her husband was the height of absurdity. Their sappy reunion at the end was even more so. Not only that, but I'm still not sure why we were treated to bits of her marriage drama via her point of view. It felt like filler.
The romance between Reynaud and Beatrice is undeveloped. Her initial attraction to him is based off her infatuation with the portrait of him and the myth of who he is that she created in her mind. In short, she's fond of a fictional character he looks like. For his part, it seems like a sailor on shore leave. He's been in captivity for seven years, she's a woman in close proximity, hard-on ensues. I couldn't see how they were in love from their words or actions.
As a result, the sex scenes are cold. When he first takes her to bed, I was rather repulsed. She's distraught after finding out that a friend has died and she missed the funeral, and he takes advantage of her emotional state and confusion to marshal her into bed. He carries her up the stairs of the family townhouse, orders the staff not to disturb them, strips her of her wet clothes (as you can't properly mourn in the sunshine, it simply must be raining), then starts taking his own clothes off.
So the historical details are weak, the romance threadbare, the sex awkward, how about the resolution to the four book long suspense plot? It's anti-climactic, is what it is. It lacks surprise, emotional punch or anything interesting at all. Even the reveal is weak. Four books about Spinner's Falls and the resolution is a limp rag of "Oh, is that it?" But, hey, at least we got all four heroes together for hokey shenanigans.
Definitely a shame, as I generally love Elizabeth Hoyt. Hopefully she regains the magic.
Beatrice Corning, the niece of and hostess for the current earl of Blanchard, was presiding over a dull political tea for her uncle when Reynaud unceremoniously crashed the party. Despite the disheveled clothing, ragged hair and facial tattoos, she immediately recognizes him as the Viscount Hope from the portrait in the sitting room. Not only does this mean he was not dead, but he was also the rightful earl, placing her and her uncle's future in doubt.
Oh, where to begin with my moans and groans of disappointment?
Firstly, this is an unconvincing Georgian. The behaviors of the characters were a mix of Regency and 21st century mores. Beatrice and Reynaud spent as much unchaperoned time together as a modern couple might, with nary a comment from anyone. Beatrice's brotherly relationship with the crippled soldier was charming, but completely unlikely. Her friend's melodramatic separation from her husband was the height of absurdity. Their sappy reunion at the end was even more so. Not only that, but I'm still not sure why we were treated to bits of her marriage drama via her point of view. It felt like filler.
The romance between Reynaud and Beatrice is undeveloped. Her initial attraction to him is based off her infatuation with the portrait of him and the myth of who he is that she created in her mind. In short, she's fond of a fictional character he looks like. For his part, it seems like a sailor on shore leave. He's been in captivity for seven years, she's a woman in close proximity, hard-on ensues. I couldn't see how they were in love from their words or actions.
As a result, the sex scenes are cold. When he first takes her to bed, I was rather repulsed. She's distraught after finding out that a friend has died and she missed the funeral, and he takes advantage of her emotional state and confusion to marshal her into bed. He carries her up the stairs of the family townhouse, orders the staff not to disturb them, strips her of her wet clothes (as you can't properly mourn in the sunshine, it simply must be raining), then starts taking his own clothes off.
"Why are you undressing?"How's that for a scorching seduction? Amazingly I was further turned off with an exchange a bit further along in the same scene.
"Because I intend to lie with you," he said, and took off his smallclothes.
She tore her mouth from his and looked him in the face. "Put it in me."Yes, folks, put it in me. It's like high school sex all over again.
So the historical details are weak, the romance threadbare, the sex awkward, how about the resolution to the four book long suspense plot? It's anti-climactic, is what it is. It lacks surprise, emotional punch or anything interesting at all. Even the reveal is weak. Four books about Spinner's Falls and the resolution is a limp rag of "Oh, is that it?" But, hey, at least we got all four heroes together for hokey shenanigans.
Definitely a shame, as I generally love Elizabeth Hoyt. Hopefully she regains the magic.
March 7, 2011
This was hard to rate, because my feelings for it went all over the place. One chapter I'd be admiring an interesting secondary character or enjoying a hot love scene, the next I'd be going, "huh?" So this is one of those "darn, it could have been so much better" three star ratings, rather than one of those "It was good, I liked it" three star ratings.
Uneven plotting is the book's biggest flaw. I hate when a great deal of narrative attention is paid to something that turns out to be unimportant; to paraphrase Chekov's law, if there's a scene of incited madness in Act one, there had better be a trip to the madhouse in Act three. Or something.
Good things: characters from the previous books of the series are there, and still themselves. That's so rare and I love it. There are also well-drawn secondary characters that I really cared about.
Overall recommendation: worth reading if you liked the series, don't bother otherwise.
Uneven plotting is the book's biggest flaw. I hate when a great deal of narrative attention is paid to something that turns out to be unimportant; to paraphrase Chekov's law, if there's a scene of incited madness in Act one, there had better be a trip to the madhouse in Act three. Or something.
Good things: characters from the previous books of the series are there, and still themselves. That's so rare and I love it. There are also well-drawn secondary characters that I really cared about.
Overall recommendation: worth reading if you liked the series, don't bother otherwise.
September 17, 2013
A somewhat disappointing ending to such a great series. For the most part, I just felt like the story itself and the characters were very blah. Nothing really exciting about them, nothing much exciting happened, other than a nice little gathering of all of the characters from the previous three books. I did have a few minor points to make about Reynaud and Beatrice.
I felt like Reynaud was on the attack for the entirety of the story. He never lets up. He lets his captivity define him, and comes back to England with nothing but resentment and a heart full of anger. He tries to boot out the distant family member that took his place in the house of Lords, calling him a usurper, just for simply doing his duty. After this man has run Reynaud's household for five years, given up his own life entirely, and rooted himself in his position, and Reynaud can't cut him any slack? I mean, the guy literally seethes with anger, and never shows any compassion.
Beatrice initially cut a romantic figure, gazing at Reynaud's beautiful face in his portrait. But she was quite the doormat once he came home and their relationship started to build. There wasn't really any spark there for them. I felt no chemistry, no love, no anything.
I'm sad to do this because this is the lowest I've ever rated a book by this author. Hoyt remains one of my favorite Historical Romance authors. This one just didn't do it for me. What should have been a dramatic homecoming surprise was overshadowed by very bland characters. :(:(
I felt like Reynaud was on the attack for the entirety of the story. He never lets up. He lets his captivity define him, and comes back to England with nothing but resentment and a heart full of anger. He tries to boot out the distant family member that took his place in the house of Lords, calling him a usurper, just for simply doing his duty. After this man has run Reynaud's household for five years, given up his own life entirely, and rooted himself in his position, and Reynaud can't cut him any slack? I mean, the guy literally seethes with anger, and never shows any compassion.
Beatrice initially cut a romantic figure, gazing at Reynaud's beautiful face in his portrait. But she was quite the doormat once he came home and their relationship started to build. There wasn't really any spark there for them. I felt no chemistry, no love, no anything.
I'm sad to do this because this is the lowest I've ever rated a book by this author. Hoyt remains one of my favorite Historical Romance authors. This one just didn't do it for me. What should have been a dramatic homecoming surprise was overshadowed by very bland characters. :(:(
November 7, 2009
Darn, I really hate to say this but I will : TDAD may be the least sexy / romantic book featuring the most unappealing hero EH’s penned to date. There’s a plethora of unlikeable aspects here. The male model on the inside cover (buff & fuller-face hero) looks nuthin’ like the thin Viscount Hope (inky black hair, sooty eyelashes, gaunt cheeks, iron cross dangling from 1 ear, tattooed right eye). Ok so I don’t expect the model to look skeletal like Christian Bale in “The Machinist” (where he remarkably transformed his beautifully-toned body to an emaciated shell), but for puny’s sakes, would it kill ‘em to find a leaner model ? LOL… From his dramatic entrance in the beginning to the eyeroll-worthy lame ending, this book gradually deflates like a shrinking balloon. Beatrice was a dreamy 19 y/o when she 1st got smitten w/ Reynaud’s portrait, has spent innumerable moments w/ her eyes glued to his portrait, fantasizing that he’d luv her for only herself. Reality check. The long-lost earl who crashes her boring political party 5 yrs later is a surly, PTSD-afflicted man w/ a volatile disposition. He bullies her around. To illustrate my meaning when I say he’s prone to violence : He punches his BFF Vale during their reunion just based on a wrongly-perceived insult. The jackanapes (hero) & the usurper (Bea’s elderly uncle) harbor an open & intense animosity towards each other. @ 1 point during their routine hostile verbal encounter, something inside him snaps & he loses his marbles. Reynaud grips the usurper by the neck & slams him against the wall, only relinquishes his hold when Bea forces him to stop. Bea tells him that her poor ol’ uncle just had a heart attack > a month ago, he doesn’t bother to apologize. Off they go to a ball – part of the stratagem to convince the society that he firmly possesses all the screws in his head & he’s fit for regaining everything he’d lost – where predictably, he proves to be the exact opposite, living up to the rumors that he’s an untamed savage. In the meantime, Bea has to deal w/ Jeremy’s (her invalid childhood friend) failing health (a casualty of war) & his subsequent tragic death. There’s also a 2ndary romance. Lottie, her other BFF, is having marital strife. I really didn’t see why / how H/H fall in luv ‘cuz it’s mainly lust on his part & long-time infatuation on her part (w/ a portrait). Don’t get me wrong, I’m a believer of “Luv @ 1st sight / painting”, hence LG = TPL, my all-time fav romance =^2. The majority of their ‘getting to know each other’ phase consists of Bea prying the graphic details outta Reynaud, despite his reluctance to walk down memory lane, making him re-live the horrors all over again. The luv scenes are so clinical, lacking in warmth & not too thrilling. The 1st time :
Bea : “What R U doing ?”
Reynaud : “Undressing.”
< snip >
Bea : “But why ?”
Reynaud : “Because I intend to lie w/ U.”
He's too consumed w/ winning back his title, monies, estates etc that he doesn't even take into consideration Bea's own hope / mission, knowing he's crucial to the triumph of the veteran's pension bill.
Don’t even get me started on the ridiculous eyeroll-worthy ending where Reynaud turns into the incredible Hulk w/ super-human strength to save his damsel in distress (wait, was it the other way around ? LOL…). Anyhoo, after dragging the mystery out thru’ a myriad of books, the whodunit ended w/ barely a whimper. I don’t feel like picking up TTT from TBR pile after this weak latest effort. The elements prevalent in TRP & TSP - the raw intensity, angst, real conflicts, colorful personalities - are inexplicably MIA here. Did I sympathize w/ his tortured past ? Sure, but the cringe-inducing captivity & slavery details were done to death, since I've already read some of the previous books, no need to drum it over my head again. There's bits of jealous & over-protective moments, but not enough to warrant a higher rating. Wish she's sprinkled more romance & less gore.
Bea : “What R U doing ?”
Reynaud : “Undressing.”
< snip >
Bea : “But why ?”
Reynaud : “Because I intend to lie w/ U.”
He's too consumed w/ winning back his title, monies, estates etc that he doesn't even take into consideration Bea's own hope / mission, knowing he's crucial to the triumph of the veteran's pension bill.
Don’t even get me started on the ridiculous eyeroll-worthy ending where Reynaud turns into the incredible Hulk w/ super-human strength to save his damsel in distress (wait, was it the other way around ? LOL…). Anyhoo, after dragging the mystery out thru’ a myriad of books, the whodunit ended w/ barely a whimper. I don’t feel like picking up TTT from TBR pile after this weak latest effort. The elements prevalent in TRP & TSP - the raw intensity, angst, real conflicts, colorful personalities - are inexplicably MIA here. Did I sympathize w/ his tortured past ? Sure, but the cringe-inducing captivity & slavery details were done to death, since I've already read some of the previous books, no need to drum it over my head again. There's bits of jealous & over-protective moments, but not enough to warrant a higher rating. Wish she's sprinkled more romance & less gore.
August 23, 2022
3'5 Estrellas. Como final de serie está bien, sobre todo por descubrir el misterio tras la masacre de Spinner's Fall y ver en qué quedó la Leyenda de los cuatro soldados. Pero tampoco me ha encantado y creo que es el romance, que no ha terminado de llenarme.
Esperaba con muchas ansias éste libro, más que nada por saber qué había sido de Reynaud. Tras los primeros libros, donde todo parecía indicar que él estaba muerto y que era el traidor que estaba tras la masacre, Elizabeth Hoyt nos trae una vuelta de tuerca a la historia.
Tras siete largos años apresado por los indios, Reynaud St. Aubyn consigue escapar de su cautiverio y volver a Inglaterra para retomar su título como vizconde Hope. Pero a su llegada a casa descubrirá que su padre ha muerto, su título ha pasado a un primo lejano y su hermana está casada con un colono americano.
Beatriz Corning vive desde niña con su tío, el actual conde de Blanchard. Ello le ha dado una vida de privilegios para la que siempre le estará agradecida; pero los años pasan y pese a su belleza Beatriz aún no ha conseguido casarse, y es que ella siempre ha estado embelesada por el muchacho que está retratado en un cuadro de la casa Blanchard.
Una apacible tarde de té se ve interrumpida cuando un extraño y harapiento hombre llega a la casa Blanchard ordenando ver a su padre. En ése momento y detrás de la mata de pelo que le cubre, Beatriz reconoce a ése hombre como el muchacho del retrato.
Reynaud está en casa, él es el legítimo heredero del condado de Blanchard a la muerte de su padre, y por mucho que le cueste, no descansará hasta conseguir que el Parlamento acepte su declaración de ser el legítimo conde.
Por otro lado, el actual conde, pese a ser un señor mayor, ha hecho por el condado todo como mejor ha podido y tampoco está dispuesto a dejar el título en manos de un hombre violento y que está completamente loco. Beatriz estará entre medias de estos dos hombres; su tío, a quien ama y que ha sido como un padre para ella, y a Reynaud, el legítimo conde, que despierta algo en ella y del cual se va enamorando poco a poco a medida que lo va conociendo.
El romance se cuese a fuego lento mientras los protagonistas se ven inmersos en una trama de conspiración cuyo objetivo es eliminar a Reynaud. Alguien parece muy molesto por la vuelta del actual conde, que puede poner patas arriba las aspiraciones políticas de unos, y reabrir viejas heridas que estabas cerradas tras la matanza de Spinner's Fall.
Como digo el libro me ha gustado y entretenido, pero tampoco es el mejor de la serie. El romance me ha sabido a poco, o soy yo que me ha parecido que todo era muy correcto y había poco conflicto, pero no me ha parecido muy memorable. Los protagonistas me han gustado, pero más me han gustado las apariciones de los protagonistas de los tres libros anteriores.
Ha sido un buen broche para la serie, y como en todos los libros lo que destaco es ése pedazo de historia que Elizabeth Hoyt nos trae al principio de cada capitulo. No sé qué historia de la Leyenda de los Cuatro Soldados me ha gustado más, pues todas han sido preciosas y un detalle maravilloso para seguir la trama.
Esperaba con muchas ansias éste libro, más que nada por saber qué había sido de Reynaud. Tras los primeros libros, donde todo parecía indicar que él estaba muerto y que era el traidor que estaba tras la masacre, Elizabeth Hoyt nos trae una vuelta de tuerca a la historia.
Tras siete largos años apresado por los indios, Reynaud St. Aubyn consigue escapar de su cautiverio y volver a Inglaterra para retomar su título como vizconde Hope. Pero a su llegada a casa descubrirá que su padre ha muerto, su título ha pasado a un primo lejano y su hermana está casada con un colono americano.
Beatriz Corning vive desde niña con su tío, el actual conde de Blanchard. Ello le ha dado una vida de privilegios para la que siempre le estará agradecida; pero los años pasan y pese a su belleza Beatriz aún no ha conseguido casarse, y es que ella siempre ha estado embelesada por el muchacho que está retratado en un cuadro de la casa Blanchard.
Una apacible tarde de té se ve interrumpida cuando un extraño y harapiento hombre llega a la casa Blanchard ordenando ver a su padre. En ése momento y detrás de la mata de pelo que le cubre, Beatriz reconoce a ése hombre como el muchacho del retrato.
Reynaud está en casa, él es el legítimo heredero del condado de Blanchard a la muerte de su padre, y por mucho que le cueste, no descansará hasta conseguir que el Parlamento acepte su declaración de ser el legítimo conde.
Por otro lado, el actual conde, pese a ser un señor mayor, ha hecho por el condado todo como mejor ha podido y tampoco está dispuesto a dejar el título en manos de un hombre violento y que está completamente loco. Beatriz estará entre medias de estos dos hombres; su tío, a quien ama y que ha sido como un padre para ella, y a Reynaud, el legítimo conde, que despierta algo en ella y del cual se va enamorando poco a poco a medida que lo va conociendo.
El romance se cuese a fuego lento mientras los protagonistas se ven inmersos en una trama de conspiración cuyo objetivo es eliminar a Reynaud. Alguien parece muy molesto por la vuelta del actual conde, que puede poner patas arriba las aspiraciones políticas de unos, y reabrir viejas heridas que estabas cerradas tras la matanza de Spinner's Fall.
Como digo el libro me ha gustado y entretenido, pero tampoco es el mejor de la serie. El romance me ha sabido a poco, o soy yo que me ha parecido que todo era muy correcto y había poco conflicto, pero no me ha parecido muy memorable. Los protagonistas me han gustado, pero más me han gustado las apariciones de los protagonistas de los tres libros anteriores.
Ha sido un buen broche para la serie, y como en todos los libros lo que destaco es ése pedazo de historia que Elizabeth Hoyt nos trae al principio de cada capitulo. No sé qué historia de la Leyenda de los Cuatro Soldados me ha gustado más, pues todas han sido preciosas y un detalle maravilloso para seguir la trama.
November 3, 2009
To Desire a Devil is the final book in Elizabeth Hoyt’s Legend of the Four Soldiers Series. I’ve really enjoyed the series as a whole and I really recommend her books for readers who are looking for wonderfully romantic historical romances. I was anticipating this final book because it’s about a character who has been mentioned since the very beginning of the series. Reynaud St. Aubyn has had a big presence and now his own story has been told in To Desire a Devil.
Beatrice Corning is an orphan spinster who lives with her loving Uncle Reggie, the Earl of Blanchard. Uncle Reggie took over the Earldom because the heir, Reynaud, Viscount Hope, is believed to be dead. Seven years ago Reynaud went to fight in the Colonies and at the well known battle of Spinners Falls is where he and his fellow soldier’s were attacked and left for dead. He was taken captive by Indians, tortured and set on fire seven years ago. Now years later, at a boring tea party, Beatrice and Reggie are in for a surprise because a man who looks like something the cat dragged in, rushes in speaking French. He looks like a savage and passes out in front of Beatrice. The savage is St. Aubyn! Beatrice is shocked, not only because St. Aubyn is alive but she never thought she would meet him face to face. It is very awkward because she and her uncle have taken over Aubyn’s home. She has also mooned over his portrait one times to many since she has arrived. The younger version of St. Aubyn that Beatrice enjoys staring at in his portrait is a dashing fellow who Beatrice has had many fantasies about.
St. Aubyn has a fever from his long travels from American to England. He is put to bed and Beatrice helps him recover. Reggie thinks this man is an imposter. He is worried, and rightly so, because if this is the real St. Aubyn, then he and Beatrice will be thrown out. Aubyn does get better but he is a raving jerk. The way he acts towards Beatrice is not all as a gentleman would, but then again he has been a captive of Indians, so his manners are lacking. Now Aubyn has to regain his title, interact with polite society again and along with some of his former Spinners Falls brothers in arms, he must find out who betrayed them and why. Who was responsible for causing the slaughter at the Falls that took seven years of Aubyn’s life away?.
Aubyn tries to regain his life back and not fall into dark despair (Aubyn has some PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Beatrice at first thinks Aubyn’s a rude boar, but she excuses his behavior because of his emotional and physical scars. Beatrice has some deep feelings for Aubyn, mainly because of the seductive power of his portrait. Aubyn sees something special in Beatrice and his possessive side comes out towards her. She allows Aubyn to ruin her, he claims her as his and the next logical step is marriage. Aubyn feels the need to protect Beatrice. Someone is targeting Aubyn because they know that he is getting closer to finding out who the traitor is and with that they won’t stop until they either kill Aubyn or hurt those who he cares about the most, and that means Beatrice.
To Desire a Devil has everything a historical romance should have:
Tortured hero, check. Smart, independent heroine, check. A smoldering passion that cannot be denied with hot love scenes, check.
But, I felt as if To Desire a Devil was missing something. I was more interested in finding out the horrible person who practically destroy St. Aubyn’s life more so then the logistics of Aubyn's relationship with Beatrice. I just couldn’t see these two so head over heel in love or lust for one another. Perhaps more on Aubyn’s end because he is looking for someone who is pure and light; a woman to take him away from all the dark days of his past. The only reason I could see Beatrice falling for Aubyn is because she had a crush on him because of this magical portrait. Can we say this is much like a thirteen year old falling for celebrity in one of those teen magazines? Why yes, I think I will! I saw Beatrice’s feelings as only an immature crush and not a woman’s deep love for a man she comes to understand and love. The only reason she seemed to accept Aubyn and the way he acted because she could heal him knew him so well. And why does she feel this way? Again look towards the Aubyn portrait.
Aubyn has those wonderful traits I love reading about in my heroes. He is an alpha who can also be tender, sweet and very giving in bed. Yet again the reader is made aware that the reason the hero is experienced is because of all those brothels he visited, where he sampled the favors of those accomplished courtesans because it was leaving up to this very moment where he would show Beatrice how much pleasure he can give her. Because for some reason, the way Beatrice makes him feel is the most erotic thing he has ever felt.
Beatrice is so thrilled by the passion Aubyn has for her because as he compliments how soft she is, and everything he’s not, Beatrice can’t help but think, "Wow Aubyn you look like a demon incubus as you are about to invade my very being. That is so hot!" No joke, Aubyn was described as a demon incubus by Beatrice. Not sure what to think of that.
I would say that To Desire a Devil is an adequate finale book in this series even though I couldn’t help but compare Aubyn and Beatrice’s feelings to that of a teenager’s. The maturity level seemed to be lacking in regards those both of these characters.
If you’re a fan of Elizabeth Hoyt I have no doubt you will enjoy To Desire a Devil. I found it a bit lacking but there were some moments I enjoyed, even with the demon incubus in Beatrice’s bed.
Beatrice Corning is an orphan spinster who lives with her loving Uncle Reggie, the Earl of Blanchard. Uncle Reggie took over the Earldom because the heir, Reynaud, Viscount Hope, is believed to be dead. Seven years ago Reynaud went to fight in the Colonies and at the well known battle of Spinners Falls is where he and his fellow soldier’s were attacked and left for dead. He was taken captive by Indians, tortured and set on fire seven years ago. Now years later, at a boring tea party, Beatrice and Reggie are in for a surprise because a man who looks like something the cat dragged in, rushes in speaking French. He looks like a savage and passes out in front of Beatrice. The savage is St. Aubyn! Beatrice is shocked, not only because St. Aubyn is alive but she never thought she would meet him face to face. It is very awkward because she and her uncle have taken over Aubyn’s home. She has also mooned over his portrait one times to many since she has arrived. The younger version of St. Aubyn that Beatrice enjoys staring at in his portrait is a dashing fellow who Beatrice has had many fantasies about.
St. Aubyn has a fever from his long travels from American to England. He is put to bed and Beatrice helps him recover. Reggie thinks this man is an imposter. He is worried, and rightly so, because if this is the real St. Aubyn, then he and Beatrice will be thrown out. Aubyn does get better but he is a raving jerk. The way he acts towards Beatrice is not all as a gentleman would, but then again he has been a captive of Indians, so his manners are lacking. Now Aubyn has to regain his title, interact with polite society again and along with some of his former Spinners Falls brothers in arms, he must find out who betrayed them and why. Who was responsible for causing the slaughter at the Falls that took seven years of Aubyn’s life away?.
Aubyn tries to regain his life back and not fall into dark despair (Aubyn has some PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Beatrice at first thinks Aubyn’s a rude boar, but she excuses his behavior because of his emotional and physical scars. Beatrice has some deep feelings for Aubyn, mainly because of the seductive power of his portrait. Aubyn sees something special in Beatrice and his possessive side comes out towards her. She allows Aubyn to ruin her, he claims her as his and the next logical step is marriage. Aubyn feels the need to protect Beatrice. Someone is targeting Aubyn because they know that he is getting closer to finding out who the traitor is and with that they won’t stop until they either kill Aubyn or hurt those who he cares about the most, and that means Beatrice.
To Desire a Devil has everything a historical romance should have:
Tortured hero, check. Smart, independent heroine, check. A smoldering passion that cannot be denied with hot love scenes, check.
But, I felt as if To Desire a Devil was missing something. I was more interested in finding out the horrible person who practically destroy St. Aubyn’s life more so then the logistics of Aubyn's relationship with Beatrice. I just couldn’t see these two so head over heel in love or lust for one another. Perhaps more on Aubyn’s end because he is looking for someone who is pure and light; a woman to take him away from all the dark days of his past. The only reason I could see Beatrice falling for Aubyn is because she had a crush on him because of this magical portrait. Can we say this is much like a thirteen year old falling for celebrity in one of those teen magazines? Why yes, I think I will! I saw Beatrice’s feelings as only an immature crush and not a woman’s deep love for a man she comes to understand and love. The only reason she seemed to accept Aubyn and the way he acted because she could heal him knew him so well. And why does she feel this way? Again look towards the Aubyn portrait.
Aubyn has those wonderful traits I love reading about in my heroes. He is an alpha who can also be tender, sweet and very giving in bed. Yet again the reader is made aware that the reason the hero is experienced is because of all those brothels he visited, where he sampled the favors of those accomplished courtesans because it was leaving up to this very moment where he would show Beatrice how much pleasure he can give her. Because for some reason, the way Beatrice makes him feel is the most erotic thing he has ever felt.
Beatrice is so thrilled by the passion Aubyn has for her because as he compliments how soft she is, and everything he’s not, Beatrice can’t help but think, "Wow Aubyn you look like a demon incubus as you are about to invade my very being. That is so hot!" No joke, Aubyn was described as a demon incubus by Beatrice. Not sure what to think of that.
I would say that To Desire a Devil is an adequate finale book in this series even though I couldn’t help but compare Aubyn and Beatrice’s feelings to that of a teenager’s. The maturity level seemed to be lacking in regards those both of these characters.
If you’re a fan of Elizabeth Hoyt I have no doubt you will enjoy To Desire a Devil. I found it a bit lacking but there were some moments I enjoyed, even with the demon incubus in Beatrice’s bed.
May 25, 2010
I'm sorry to see all the negative reviews for this book because I really enjoyed it. Then again, I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Anne Flosnik, is one of the best in the business, so maybe I had an edge there. But I did warm up to the hero, Reynaud St. Abryn, right away (as soon as he shaved, lol). Seriously, I felt so sorry for him...as if fighting in the war wasn't enough, he's held in captivity for seven more years! All he could think about was going home, which gave him the reason he needed to keep on living. But then he comes home to find that his father has died, his sister lives in Timbukto and his title, home and wealth have been taken over by a distant relative he's never met! Adding insult to injury, they put him up in the worst guest room with a guard outside his door so that now he's a prisoner in his own home! Heck yeah he had a right to snarl and be distrustful & angry. All that time he had dreamed of being back in London only to find it was nothing more than a nightmare in disguise. Someone is trying to kill him...someone is trying to have him declared insane...jeez. I've read tortured heroes that didn't have half this guy's problems but had twice the size chip on their shoulders.
Overall, I thought the author did a nice job with the disillusioned Reynaud and I enjoyed his relationship with Beatrice....the love of a good woman will always tame the beast. The earring and tattoo on his face was a sweet bonus as well!
4.5*****
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Overall, I thought the author did a nice job with the disillusioned Reynaud and I enjoyed his relationship with Beatrice....the love of a good woman will always tame the beast. The earring and tattoo on his face was a sweet bonus as well!
4.5*****
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January 2, 2025
Reynaud St. Aubryn, 7 years dead after being captured and burned by Indians in the Colonies, stumbles into a tea party in his father’s London home and collapses, starved and feverish and causing no end of problems for the uncle who had assumed his title of Earl of Blanchard upon his “death” and Beatrice, his uncle’s niece-by-marriage and the lady of the house.
This story held my attention throughout, in spite of Beatrice’s repetitive “he can’t love” whining and an insipid secondary plot revolving around a friend of Beatrice’s who feels unloved and neglected by her husband. It was headed straight for 4 stars based on the depth of feeling and understanding between Reynaud and Beatrice.
And then that insane ending happened and I couldn’t stop hooting with laughter at something that was supposed to be profoundly moving and the book dropped a star in my estimation.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Advice to villains:
When the hero you have vowed to kill shows up with the ransom you’ve demanded, shoot him with the gun you’re pointing at him, grab the money and jewels, and run.
Remember, you’re the one with the gun. If the hero asks to see the heroine before giving you the money, shoot him with the gun you’re pointing at him, grab the money and jewels, and run. You aren’t required to lead him to the dungeon so they can FINALLY vow eternal love to each other. In addition, it’s not a good idea to send a footman to fetch your wife to the dungeon to escort the heroine back to London so that you can kill the hero and leave the country. Not sure what you were thinking there. She may not be smart but even she knows people shouldn’t be chained to walls in her dungeon. And speaking of intelligence, don’t underestimate the intelligence of footmen. Or the love of a good woman. Or how easily pistols discharge in a struggle.
Stick to the plan. Shoot, grab, run. Otherwise it’s not going to go well, and you’ll just end up looking stupid.
This story held my attention throughout, in spite of Beatrice’s repetitive “he can’t love” whining and an insipid secondary plot revolving around a friend of Beatrice’s who feels unloved and neglected by her husband. It was headed straight for 4 stars based on the depth of feeling and understanding between Reynaud and Beatrice.
And then that insane ending happened and I couldn’t stop hooting with laughter at something that was supposed to be profoundly moving and the book dropped a star in my estimation.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Advice to villains:
When the hero you have vowed to kill shows up with the ransom you’ve demanded, shoot him with the gun you’re pointing at him, grab the money and jewels, and run.
Remember, you’re the one with the gun. If the hero asks to see the heroine before giving you the money, shoot him with the gun you’re pointing at him, grab the money and jewels, and run. You aren’t required to lead him to the dungeon so they can FINALLY vow eternal love to each other. In addition, it’s not a good idea to send a footman to fetch your wife to the dungeon to escort the heroine back to London so that you can kill the hero and leave the country. Not sure what you were thinking there. She may not be smart but even she knows people shouldn’t be chained to walls in her dungeon. And speaking of intelligence, don’t underestimate the intelligence of footmen. Or the love of a good woman. Or how easily pistols discharge in a struggle.
Stick to the plan. Shoot, grab, run. Otherwise it’s not going to go well, and you’ll just end up looking stupid.
March 22, 2016
5 ++
Definitivno moj omiljeni deo serijala "Legenda o četiri vojnika".
Rejnod Sv. Aubin se borio u kolonijama i verovalo se da je mrtav sedam godina. Tokom tih sedam godina njegov otac je umro, daleki rođak je preuzeo titulu i preselio se u njegovu kuću. U kući takođe živi i Beatris Koning, rođaka novog grofa. Beatris je tokom godina svog života u kući, komunicirala sa Rejnovim portetom.
Jednog dana, dezorjentisan, "ludi" Rejno pričajući na francuskom, upada u kuću. Beatris ga prepoznaje i insistira da se brine o njemu. Rejno je bio Indijanski zarobljenik sedam godina i boluje od PTSP-a. On je opsednut željom da povrati sve što je izgubio... Dok se Rejno bori da povrati svoje mesto u društvu, Beatris se nalazi rastrzana između ljubavi za svog starog ujaka koji trenutno nosi Rejnovu tilulu i svojih osećanja prema Rejnou.
Uživala sam u pojavljivanju ostalih likova serijala i konačnom razrešenju misterije oko izdajnika.
Definitivno moj omiljeni deo serijala "Legenda o četiri vojnika".
Rejnod Sv. Aubin se borio u kolonijama i verovalo se da je mrtav sedam godina. Tokom tih sedam godina njegov otac je umro, daleki rođak je preuzeo titulu i preselio se u njegovu kuću. U kući takođe živi i Beatris Koning, rođaka novog grofa. Beatris je tokom godina svog života u kući, komunicirala sa Rejnovim portetom.
Jednog dana, dezorjentisan, "ludi" Rejno pričajući na francuskom, upada u kuću. Beatris ga prepoznaje i insistira da se brine o njemu. Rejno je bio Indijanski zarobljenik sedam godina i boluje od PTSP-a. On je opsednut željom da povrati sve što je izgubio... Dok se Rejno bori da povrati svoje mesto u društvu, Beatris se nalazi rastrzana između ljubavi za svog starog ujaka koji trenutno nosi Rejnovu tilulu i svojih osećanja prema Rejnou.
Uživala sam u pojavljivanju ostalih likova serijala i konačnom razrešenju misterije oko izdajnika.
July 3, 2025
“Reynaud St. Aubyn, Viscount Hope, the true Earl of Blanchard, was alive”
A perfect story for the trope of ‘MC presumed dead returns”. It was done well and grabbed my attention the second Reynaud burst thru the doors of his former home with the eyes of a man long dead, crashing a tea party and causing a scene.
His friends and family had long thought him dead for the last 7 years, supposedly murdered by native Indians in the American Colonies. He arrived with long straggly black hair, an overgrown beard covering his gaunt cheeks, a long iron cross earring dangling from one ear, three little bird tattoos around his right eye, and an enormous unsheathed knife hanging from his waist. He was surly, sarcastic and seemingly a bit demented.
I didn’t hate this story, I never felt like DNFing, yet I didn’t love it. I wanted more time watching Reynaud and Beatrice interact and fall in love. More of his jealousy scenes! More banter, more something to convince me of their attraction. Having finished the book just 5 minutes ago, I can only recall them having great steamy chemistry in the bedroom, yet outside of the bedroom was just random scenes of Beatrice peppering him with questions about his time in captivity. They were likable enough characters, but… I wanted more.
What we did get instead was:
🐦⬛chapters following a few different sets of side characters and their love life problems.
🐦⬛ Beatrice noting Reynaud’s black eyes (about 35 times)
🐦⬛ Beatrice’s uncle was oddly left out of the majority of the story, and I thought he would have been more present as her guardian in that house and his animosity with Reynaud
🐦⬛ a mystery of trying to determine who the traitor was that caused Reynaud’s army unit to be captured all those years ago. With it all wrapping up theatrically in the end.
🐦⬛ Beatrice forever being hung up on Reynaud not loving her yet. Despite the fact that he seemed extremely caring, protective and crazy about her. I mean he was still dealing with trauma no doubt and they just met a few weeks ago. She needed to cool her jets a bit and let it happen naturally.
Bingo Reading Challenge 2025
Square #4 - MC presumed dead returns
Progress - 66/100
A perfect story for the trope of ‘MC presumed dead returns”. It was done well and grabbed my attention the second Reynaud burst thru the doors of his former home with the eyes of a man long dead, crashing a tea party and causing a scene.
His friends and family had long thought him dead for the last 7 years, supposedly murdered by native Indians in the American Colonies. He arrived with long straggly black hair, an overgrown beard covering his gaunt cheeks, a long iron cross earring dangling from one ear, three little bird tattoos around his right eye, and an enormous unsheathed knife hanging from his waist. He was surly, sarcastic and seemingly a bit demented.
I didn’t hate this story, I never felt like DNFing, yet I didn’t love it. I wanted more time watching Reynaud and Beatrice interact and fall in love. More of his jealousy scenes! More banter, more something to convince me of their attraction. Having finished the book just 5 minutes ago, I can only recall them having great steamy chemistry in the bedroom, yet outside of the bedroom was just random scenes of Beatrice peppering him with questions about his time in captivity. They were likable enough characters, but… I wanted more.
What we did get instead was:
🐦⬛chapters following a few different sets of side characters and their love life problems.
🐦⬛ Beatrice noting Reynaud’s black eyes (about 35 times)
🐦⬛ Beatrice’s uncle was oddly left out of the majority of the story, and I thought he would have been more present as her guardian in that house and his animosity with Reynaud
🐦⬛ a mystery of trying to determine who the traitor was that caused Reynaud’s army unit to be captured all those years ago. With it all wrapping up theatrically in the end.
🐦⬛ Beatrice forever being hung up on Reynaud not loving her yet. Despite the fact that he seemed extremely caring, protective and crazy about her. I mean he was still dealing with trauma no doubt and they just met a few weeks ago. She needed to cool her jets a bit and let it happen naturally.
Bingo Reading Challenge 2025
Square #4 - MC presumed dead returns
Progress - 66/100
January 18, 2016
This is the lowest rating I have ever given to a Elizabeth Hoyt book. And I gave it with a heavy heart.
First of all it took me 2 months to read the book. I read all the 3 previous books in the series and thought they were fine books. Nothing that blew me away but good stuff. This book, while written in the Hoyt style fluid proses, dragged on. The below comments are my personal opinions and the difficulties I experienced in reading this book may be exist for other people. Please read the review with a grain of salt.
I struggled with 2 problems in this book: lack of chemistry and lack of a good plot
Lack of Chemistry
Reynaud and Beatrice just have no chemistry together. They are both good characters. But their relationship came out of nowhere. Reynaud started his obsession over Beatrice without even knowing who she was. And Beatrice's youthful infatuation also seemed silly for her character. I think it is a huge waste of 2 perfectly good characters.
Lack of a Good Plot
The 4 soldiers looking for a traitor theme has to somehow come to an end in this final book. Reynaud's experience with the Indians also needed to be explained. Both themes, were not helpful for the romantic relationship. Beatrice ended up asking really dumb questions about Reynaud's experience in the Colonies. And this served as some kind of a mechanism for relationship development. I thought it did a poor job. And because the plots were not building the relationship, Reynaud's proclamation of love seemed really odd. What we end up with is just a couple in heat with quite a few sex scenes, which albeit well-written, quickly lost their usual allures. There is nothing romantic about a couple having sex who have not had some kind of relationship buildup.
I wanted to give the book 3 stars because I really think Elizabeth Hoyt is a talented writer. Even it is not as great s her other books, it is still better than a lot of romance novels out there. But in the end I must do her other books justice. This book, is not her best effort. She has much better offerings than this book.
First of all it took me 2 months to read the book. I read all the 3 previous books in the series and thought they were fine books. Nothing that blew me away but good stuff. This book, while written in the Hoyt style fluid proses, dragged on. The below comments are my personal opinions and the difficulties I experienced in reading this book may be exist for other people. Please read the review with a grain of salt.
I struggled with 2 problems in this book: lack of chemistry and lack of a good plot
Lack of Chemistry
Reynaud and Beatrice just have no chemistry together. They are both good characters. But their relationship came out of nowhere. Reynaud started his obsession over Beatrice without even knowing who she was. And Beatrice's youthful infatuation also seemed silly for her character. I think it is a huge waste of 2 perfectly good characters.
Lack of a Good Plot
The 4 soldiers looking for a traitor theme has to somehow come to an end in this final book. Reynaud's experience with the Indians also needed to be explained. Both themes, were not helpful for the romantic relationship. Beatrice ended up asking really dumb questions about Reynaud's experience in the Colonies. And this served as some kind of a mechanism for relationship development. I thought it did a poor job. And because the plots were not building the relationship, Reynaud's proclamation of love seemed really odd. What we end up with is just a couple in heat with quite a few sex scenes, which albeit well-written, quickly lost their usual allures. There is nothing romantic about a couple having sex who have not had some kind of relationship buildup.
I wanted to give the book 3 stars because I really think Elizabeth Hoyt is a talented writer. Even it is not as great s her other books, it is still better than a lot of romance novels out there. But in the end I must do her other books justice. This book, is not her best effort. She has much better offerings than this book.
August 14, 2020
Classic Hoyt: a silly, fun, romp of a book. She’s written better books than this. She’s written worse books than this. In the Hoyt cannon this is nothing very special but it was, as ever with her, enjoyable.
Lord Hope, our hero, is just back from a brutal period of captivity with a band of Indians in the colonies. He’s tattooed, he’s earringed and he tortured by the memories. Will he ever love again? Er, yes.
Beatrice, our hero, is the prim and proper virgin who has been long fascinated by [attracted to] Lord Hope’s portrait. But he’s dead and her uncle is the Earl now so he’ll just have to live in her dreams. Or will he? Er, no.
It’s lust at first sight for these two. Hope is hilariously obsessed with Beatrice. And the man from the picture has literally come back to life so she’s pretty obsessed with him. He’s trying to get his title back and a wife would help him with that and who better than the niece of the new earl? It’s silly but merrily carries the reader along. Plus: hot sex, because: Hoyt.
There’s intrigue about who plotted against Lord Hope’s battalion in the American Wars and led to his capture. This leads to some hilariously easily resolved last minute dramaz - a four story arc to get here Hoyt? Really?! There’s also a strange secondary romance in which I had zero interest. And there are a series of cameos from the various H/hs of the other books in this series. I only really remembered Monroe and Helen from Beguile a Beast because they’re the best.
Not brilliant. But entertaining. And that ain’t nothing: 3.5 stars.
Lord Hope, our hero, is just back from a brutal period of captivity with a band of Indians in the colonies. He’s tattooed, he’s earringed and he tortured by the memories. Will he ever love again? Er, yes.
Beatrice, our hero, is the prim and proper virgin who has been long fascinated by [attracted to] Lord Hope’s portrait. But he’s dead and her uncle is the Earl now so he’ll just have to live in her dreams. Or will he? Er, no.
It’s lust at first sight for these two. Hope is hilariously obsessed with Beatrice. And the man from the picture has literally come back to life so she’s pretty obsessed with him. He’s trying to get his title back and a wife would help him with that and who better than the niece of the new earl? It’s silly but merrily carries the reader along. Plus: hot sex, because: Hoyt.
There’s intrigue about who plotted against Lord Hope’s battalion in the American Wars and led to his capture. This leads to some hilariously easily resolved last minute dramaz - a four story arc to get here Hoyt? Really?! There’s also a strange secondary romance in which I had zero interest. And there are a series of cameos from the various H/hs of the other books in this series. I only really remembered Monroe and Helen from Beguile a Beast because they’re the best.
Not brilliant. But entertaining. And that ain’t nothing: 3.5 stars.
May 1, 2010
I think that Elizabeth Hoyt tops the list of really good emotional/angsty type historical romance authors.
I LOVED The Raven Prince and the following books in that series. Hoyt became an instant "auto-buy" author for me after that series.
This series, the four soldiers series, has not been my favorite. The other three books in the series were pretty good...just not memorable.
However, I really did not like this book. It started out well with the return of a war hero thought dead for the last four years. Not only was he thought dead, but he was enslaved by an indian tribe for 7 years. He's got a lot of emotional baggage.
But there was something very cold about this love story. THEN...it doesn't improve at all. I actually lost all hope for the story in the fourth quarter of the book when there is some high drama with a highly predictable outcome at parliament. Immediately afterwards there is one of those story devices that you will find in 80% of historical romances. I won't give it away, but let's just say that I think back in the 80s there was a romance writer's workshop with the title: Things To Do When You Are Not Sure How To Wrap Up Your Story With a Climatic Ending.
Yes, one of those groaners. One of those...oh no! Not a "__________"!!
Another one of the issues I have with this entire series is that it features a suspense storyline that is carried out through ALL FOUR BOOKS, involving a traitor in a battle between the English, the French, and the French's indian allies. I have to tell you, I think that if I read the words "Spinner's Falls Massacre" ONE MORE TIME...I was going to HURL. This search for the traitor has been TEDIOUS.
AND I knew who the traitor was from the first book in the series. It was actually SOOO obvious, that I assumed this guy had been eliminated as a suspect in the first book and I just missed it, because otherwise....why wouldn't the characters already KNOW who the traitor was? I mean, COME ON. :-P~~
I LOVED The Raven Prince and the following books in that series. Hoyt became an instant "auto-buy" author for me after that series.
This series, the four soldiers series, has not been my favorite. The other three books in the series were pretty good...just not memorable.
However, I really did not like this book. It started out well with the return of a war hero thought dead for the last four years. Not only was he thought dead, but he was enslaved by an indian tribe for 7 years. He's got a lot of emotional baggage.
But there was something very cold about this love story. THEN...it doesn't improve at all. I actually lost all hope for the story in the fourth quarter of the book when there is some high drama with a highly predictable outcome at parliament. Immediately afterwards there is one of those story devices that you will find in 80% of historical romances. I won't give it away, but let's just say that I think back in the 80s there was a romance writer's workshop with the title: Things To Do When You Are Not Sure How To Wrap Up Your Story With a Climatic Ending.
Yes, one of those groaners. One of those...oh no! Not a "__________"!!
Another one of the issues I have with this entire series is that it features a suspense storyline that is carried out through ALL FOUR BOOKS, involving a traitor in a battle between the English, the French, and the French's indian allies. I have to tell you, I think that if I read the words "Spinner's Falls Massacre" ONE MORE TIME...I was going to HURL. This search for the traitor has been TEDIOUS.
AND I knew who the traitor was from the first book in the series. It was actually SOOO obvious, that I assumed this guy had been eliminated as a suspect in the first book and I just missed it, because otherwise....why wouldn't the characters already KNOW who the traitor was? I mean, COME ON. :-P~~
November 28, 2010
This is the last book in the series and again another very good read. Beatrice Corning is having her own little political tea party when a wild looking man bursts in and claims that he is Reynaud St. Aubyn, Lord Hope. Reynaurd was thought to be killed in an ambush 7 years ago. But instead he had been a captive and slave until he escaped and made his way back to England.
He has been advised that he wouldn't look like such a crazy man if he would take a wife. So when Reynaud starts making advances to Beatrice she is under no illusion that there is any love involved on his part. On hers however, she has loved Reynaud since she moved into his house all those years ago...well at least with his picture. The actual man is slightly wilder with his tattoo and an earring no less.
As Reynaud fights to get his lands and title back, he is going to stop at nothing until all is his again and that includes Beatrice. She is English, she understands that love doesn't have a place in a marriage...or so he thinks. Soon his miss shows him a thing or two about forgiveness, love and finding happiness within yourself.
This series was so good, each book stood on its own, but they each had two story arcs running through the books. One story arc was for the men and how they were bound by a bloody day in which some of them were taken captive and tortured and some barley escaped with their lives. They are also bound to find the traitor that let their enemies know where they were at in order to ambush them.
The other story arc is for the women, whom take a book of fairy tales and through each of their talents bring the book back to life for each of the four families to enjoy. A truly heartwarming series and if you like Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series or her Hathaways series you might like this one as well.
He has been advised that he wouldn't look like such a crazy man if he would take a wife. So when Reynaud starts making advances to Beatrice she is under no illusion that there is any love involved on his part. On hers however, she has loved Reynaud since she moved into his house all those years ago...well at least with his picture. The actual man is slightly wilder with his tattoo and an earring no less.
As Reynaud fights to get his lands and title back, he is going to stop at nothing until all is his again and that includes Beatrice. She is English, she understands that love doesn't have a place in a marriage...or so he thinks. Soon his miss shows him a thing or two about forgiveness, love and finding happiness within yourself.
This series was so good, each book stood on its own, but they each had two story arcs running through the books. One story arc was for the men and how they were bound by a bloody day in which some of them were taken captive and tortured and some barley escaped with their lives. They are also bound to find the traitor that let their enemies know where they were at in order to ambush them.
The other story arc is for the women, whom take a book of fairy tales and through each of their talents bring the book back to life for each of the four families to enjoy. A truly heartwarming series and if you like Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series or her Hathaways series you might like this one as well.
February 11, 2017
To Desire a Devil
5 Stars
Held captive in the Colonies for seven years, Reynaud St. Aubyn finally escapes and makes his way home to England only to learn that his title, home and money have been bestowed on a distant relative in his absence. Scarred and tortured, Reynaud will do everything and anything in his power to regain his birthright but the traitor responsible for the attack on his regiment has other plans.
An excellent resolution to the series. Beatrice and Reynaud relationship is physically and emotionally intense, and the revelation of the traitor’s identity is satisfying as is the final confrontation with him.
Reynaud is a profoundly damaged man even more so than the other heroes in the series. Given the extent of his suffering, it is amazing that he has managed to retain even a semblance of humanity and sanity. The fact that he has makes him all the more endearing despite his violent outbursts of PTSD.
Beatrice is not only intelligent and independent, she is clever enough to live her life to the fullest within the constraints of society’s norms. Thus, she engages in political debate, cares for a disabled friend and braves her uncle’s wrath by accepting Reynaud without reservation.
Another wonderful element of the story is that all the characters from previous installments finally come together in the search for the elusive traitor of Spinner’s Falls, and although the culprit can be guessed at by following the clues, it is not too so obvious as the undermine the mystery.
In sum, The Legend of the Four Soldiers is well written with a compelling story arc and captivating characters. It is bittersweet to be completing the series but I look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Hoyt’s books.
5 Stars
Held captive in the Colonies for seven years, Reynaud St. Aubyn finally escapes and makes his way home to England only to learn that his title, home and money have been bestowed on a distant relative in his absence. Scarred and tortured, Reynaud will do everything and anything in his power to regain his birthright but the traitor responsible for the attack on his regiment has other plans.
An excellent resolution to the series. Beatrice and Reynaud relationship is physically and emotionally intense, and the revelation of the traitor’s identity is satisfying as is the final confrontation with him.
Reynaud is a profoundly damaged man even more so than the other heroes in the series. Given the extent of his suffering, it is amazing that he has managed to retain even a semblance of humanity and sanity. The fact that he has makes him all the more endearing despite his violent outbursts of PTSD.
Beatrice is not only intelligent and independent, she is clever enough to live her life to the fullest within the constraints of society’s norms. Thus, she engages in political debate, cares for a disabled friend and braves her uncle’s wrath by accepting Reynaud without reservation.
Another wonderful element of the story is that all the characters from previous installments finally come together in the search for the elusive traitor of Spinner’s Falls, and although the culprit can be guessed at by following the clues, it is not too so obvious as the undermine the mystery.
In sum, The Legend of the Four Soldiers is well written with a compelling story arc and captivating characters. It is bittersweet to be completing the series but I look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Hoyt’s books.
April 8, 2010
Reynaud St. Aubyn has spent the last 7 years in captivity by indians. He has arrived home to find that he was thought dead and his title passed on to a distant relation. Reynaud is determined to reclaim his lands and title but he is wild and savage and the only one to aid him is the present earls niece Beatrice Corning. Beatrice has been attracted to Reynaud from his portrait for years but while she helps Reynaud there is a traitor who will kill to keep his treason hidden.
I expected it to be better, none of it gelled together for me, it was as if EH was trying to fit too much into the book. Take Beatrice I can even believe she fell for the man in the picture, but Reynaud?? The man was screaming one minute that he was surrounded by indians on a London street and then we are supposed to believe he is sane and in love?? Didnt wash for me. Then there is the plot, for 4 bloody books we have waited for the traitor to be unmasked and it fell flat. Instead of ending in a bang it kind of just fizzled out. I didn,t find the romance believable. Not as good as the second or third book. I would advice anyone to read this series in order because villians from previous books are mentioned and might spoil the plot a bit.
I expected it to be better, none of it gelled together for me, it was as if EH was trying to fit too much into the book. Take Beatrice I can even believe she fell for the man in the picture, but Reynaud?? The man was screaming one minute that he was surrounded by indians on a London street and then we are supposed to believe he is sane and in love?? Didnt wash for me. Then there is the plot, for 4 bloody books we have waited for the traitor to be unmasked and it fell flat. Instead of ending in a bang it kind of just fizzled out. I didn,t find the romance believable. Not as good as the second or third book. I would advice anyone to read this series in order because villians from previous books are mentioned and might spoil the plot a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2017
Reynaud St. Aubyn, Viscount Hope, Earl of Blanchard, Blah Blah Blah, is back from the dead! He stumbles into his father's house and collapses, raving in French. Will the innocent, beautiful Beatrice Corning be able to soothe this horrible beast, especially in light of the blatant racism?
1. Going back to read an earlier Hoyt while waiting for my library holds to come in was a mistake.
2. This was emphatically NOT. GOOD. Rushed, sloppy, horribly developed, racist (those Natives! just murdering and torturing poor innocent British boys for their own glory! OH MY GOD GAG ME.), and grossly sexual. I.e., Beatrice submits to sex with Reynaud not because she would very much like to have sex with him but because she is a) mindless with grief, or b) believes it is her only choice. THERE'S A WORD FOR THAT!!!
3. This was honestly just such a mess of a book.
4. If you are a completist, like me, do yourself a favor and forget this series exists. Hoyt's later books are flawed, certainly, but they hold together better than ... this.
1. Going back to read an earlier Hoyt while waiting for my library holds to come in was a mistake.
2. This was emphatically NOT. GOOD. Rushed, sloppy, horribly developed, racist (those Natives! just murdering and torturing poor innocent British boys for their own glory! OH MY GOD GAG ME.), and grossly sexual. I.e., Beatrice submits to sex with Reynaud not because she would very much like to have sex with him but because she is a) mindless with grief, or b) believes it is her only choice. THERE'S A WORD FOR THAT!!!
3. This was honestly just such a mess of a book.
4. If you are a completist, like me, do yourself a favor and forget this series exists. Hoyt's later books are flawed, certainly, but they hold together better than ... this.
September 5, 2016
Ya ne desem bilemedim. Ben hala serinin 4.kitabını okumama takılmış durumdayım :D
Tabi ki yine çok güzeldi. Çünkü o Hoyt <3
Reynaud ve kuş dövmeleri...
He bir de küpesi...
Adam inanılmazdı ya yorum yapamiyciiim :D
Beatrice'i de sevdim. Kadın karakterleri sevme konusunda genelde sıkıntı yaşayan bir insanım ama son birkaç kitaptır bu konuda iyi gidiyorum bakalım nereye kadar :D
Hikaye, kurgu, diyaloglar hepsi şahaneydi zaten. Genelde Pegasus kitaplarında çeviri ve redaksiyonda sıkıntı olmaz zaten bunda da yoktu.
Ne diyebilirim aradan azıcık zaman geçsin de gidip 3.kitabı okuyayım bari.
Tabi ki yine çok güzeldi. Çünkü o Hoyt <3
Reynaud ve kuş dövmeleri...
He bir de küpesi...
Adam inanılmazdı ya yorum yapamiyciiim :D
Beatrice'i de sevdim. Kadın karakterleri sevme konusunda genelde sıkıntı yaşayan bir insanım ama son birkaç kitaptır bu konuda iyi gidiyorum bakalım nereye kadar :D
Hikaye, kurgu, diyaloglar hepsi şahaneydi zaten. Genelde Pegasus kitaplarında çeviri ve redaksiyonda sıkıntı olmaz zaten bunda da yoktu.
Ne diyebilirim aradan azıcık zaman geçsin de gidip 3.kitabı okuyayım bari.
April 30, 2021
This was a great series. This hero is scarred and broken, like the rest of the Four Soldiers. I loved his intense attraction to the heroine. There love story was beautiful and there was a good resolution to the story as a whole.
April 8, 2012
This was something of a disappointment to me. I enjoyed the others in the series to varying degrees, and I loved the overall premise of the series and this one, in particular. The hero is also fabulous - suffering to an awful extreme for 7 years, and deprived of everything he holds dear, scarred both physically and mentally. He returns a bitter, unpleasant, vicious, savage man, determined to regain what was taken, regardless of whom he walks over to get it. Great stuff.
I had two problems really. First up was that the writing didn't grip me as it did in the other three stories in the series, apart from the first few chapters, describing the hero's return, which were perfect for sucking in the reader. There was much less insight into what the hero and heroine were thinking, and it was missed IMO.
The second problem I had was with the heroine. She was OK, I suppose - a bit vapid, "strong" when needed, but I got the feeling she was a bit like a wet dishcloth overall. This hero needed a heroine with fizz. A woman who could shake him up, challenge him, push him, drive him bonkers, shout like a fishwife and have real backbone. Maybe it would have been fun to have a woman from the merchant or serving classes, rather than some tea-swilling Society hostess (I mean, the heroine actually drinks more tea than I do - something which I hadn't thought possible. She must spend the whole day emptying her bladder, poor thing...)
So, I absolutely loved the premise, and the execution let it down for me, but having said that, this author remains a must-read for me...
3 stars. I liked it.
I had two problems really. First up was that the writing didn't grip me as it did in the other three stories in the series, apart from the first few chapters, describing the hero's return, which were perfect for sucking in the reader. There was much less insight into what the hero and heroine were thinking, and it was missed IMO.
The second problem I had was with the heroine. She was OK, I suppose - a bit vapid, "strong" when needed, but I got the feeling she was a bit like a wet dishcloth overall. This hero needed a heroine with fizz. A woman who could shake him up, challenge him, push him, drive him bonkers, shout like a fishwife and have real backbone. Maybe it would have been fun to have a woman from the merchant or serving classes, rather than some tea-swilling Society hostess (I mean, the heroine actually drinks more tea than I do - something which I hadn't thought possible. She must spend the whole day emptying her bladder, poor thing...)
So, I absolutely loved the premise, and the execution let it down for me, but having said that, this author remains a must-read for me...
3 stars. I liked it.
March 23, 2023
Audiobook- the narrator is terrible. I don't know if I'd enjoyed this more if she had not made the hero sound like an old paw paw that smoked ten packs a day. As it was, it was okay. My main problem with this and the other books in the series is that I think the overarching mystery is too thin to stretch it over an entire series. By the time the climax came, it was so underwhelming. The romance lacked tension for me and I never connected with the story but that probably has to do with the horrible raspy narration. This series also feels unpolished compared to Hoyt's first and I'm curious if she actually wrote this first and published it later. Overall okay but super forgettable.
Tropes:
Back from the dead
Marriage of convenience
🌟🌟🌟/5
🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Back from the dead
Marriage of convenience
🌟🌟🌟/5
🔥🔥/5
July 3, 2025
First, thank you my dearest Lori for BRing this book with me. 🌺
Second, this is only my second time reading this author, and though I absolutely loved Duke of Midnight, this one was not WOW just mediocre.
The H, Lord Hope was not the likable sort which I absolutely understand given the horrendous conditions he's been in for the last 7 years; captured, tortured and enslaved by the native Americans.
The h, Beatrice was simply unremarkable. She was a good host and a good niece to her uncle. Other than that she is of no remarkable beauty nor connections, nor status. The author for some reason kept emphasising how pretty yet not that pretty, not exquisite like a courtesan, neither flaunting harem beauty nor beautiful enough for someone to die for.
I don't even know why the resurrected Lord Hope was attached to her. Other than she was blonde, representing everything English that he missed for the past 7 years.
There was no romantic buildup and the mystery took over the romance. Lori and I figured out who the villain was at about 20% of the book so no shocking factor there.
I would like to mention though that after reading this book and for those who have read The Fourth Wing, there are very alarming similarities between the two.
Eventhough this book is HR and Fourth Wing is a romantasy but the similarities are uncanny. I am presenting you my own comparisons and will leave it to your discretion to come to your own conclusions:
Evidence Number One
All Fourth Wing fans went absolutely berserk with the famous My house, My chair, My woman declaration by the hot-as-sin Xaden Riorson.
To desire a Devil
"My house, my men," he breathed into the other man's face. "Help me or get out of my way, I care not, but never question my authority again--and dont ever lay a hand on me."' There was no question in his tone.
Evidence Number 2
In Fourth Wing, all dragon riders need to go through something called the gauntlet as their final test. It is dangerous, it is life threatening and endurance testing.
To desire a Devil
"Yes. It's intended to be terrifying to the captive. I was made to run the gauntlet," Lord Hope said.
She peeked up at him and cleared her throat. "What's the gauntlet?"
"A nasty way to welcome captives to an Indian camp." He held out his arm for her, and she placed her gloved fingers primly on his sleeve. "All the in- habitants in the village form two lines, and the cap- tive must run between them."
Evidence Number Three
In Fourth Wing, hot-as-sin Xaden Riorson has 107 scars on his back one for each of the rebels' children, thus taking responsibility for them.
To desire a Devil
He scowled, looking away, but then abruptly rolled so that his back was to her. She gasped and then vas silent.
He closed his eyes, imagining what she saw. He knew from looking in the mirror-once and only once-that his back was a mass of scars. Thin white ones carved through the tan of his skin. Thicker, reddened scars, the ones she'd felt before, roped from midback to his right hip.
Evidence Number Four
Fourth Wing is about dragons and their riders.
To desire a Devil
Throughout the book we get to read about Longsword, a brave fellow captured by a Goblin King and in one of his various adventures he fights what?!
Yep, you got that right.... Dragons. 🙄
Last but not least, Lord Hope comes back tanned all over with dark skin.
Hot-as-sin Xaden Riorson has tawny skin.
I rest my case. ✋️🤚
Rebecca Yarros, this is... I don't know what this is but it certainly is dubious!!!.
In case I didn't make myself clear, I accuse Yarros of this dubiety because To Desire a Devil released in 2009! Fourth Wing was released in 2023....
📝 ticking another Bingo square
04) "MC presumed dead returns"
Squares Count: 75
🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃76┃44
🔴┃86┃🔴┃45┃🔴┃98┃🔴┃🔴┃85┃🔴
🔴┃51┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃24┃🔴┃82┃🔴
100┃🔴┃17┃🔴┃🔴┃49┃64┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴
🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃21┃73┃🔴┃🔴┃90┃77
🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴��🔴
18┃🔴┃22┃🔴┃93┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃58
🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃05┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃81┃🔴
🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃06┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴
🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃55┃🔴┃20┃🔴┃🔴┃83
Second, this is only my second time reading this author, and though I absolutely loved Duke of Midnight, this one was not WOW just mediocre.
The H, Lord Hope was not the likable sort which I absolutely understand given the horrendous conditions he's been in for the last 7 years; captured, tortured and enslaved by the native Americans.
The h, Beatrice was simply unremarkable. She was a good host and a good niece to her uncle. Other than that she is of no remarkable beauty nor connections, nor status. The author for some reason kept emphasising how pretty yet not that pretty, not exquisite like a courtesan, neither flaunting harem beauty nor beautiful enough for someone to die for.
I don't even know why the resurrected Lord Hope was attached to her. Other than she was blonde, representing everything English that he missed for the past 7 years.
There was no romantic buildup and the mystery took over the romance. Lori and I figured out who the villain was at about 20% of the book so no shocking factor there.
I would like to mention though that after reading this book and for those who have read The Fourth Wing, there are very alarming similarities between the two.
Eventhough this book is HR and Fourth Wing is a romantasy but the similarities are uncanny. I am presenting you my own comparisons and will leave it to your discretion to come to your own conclusions:
Evidence Number One
All Fourth Wing fans went absolutely berserk with the famous My house, My chair, My woman declaration by the hot-as-sin Xaden Riorson.
To desire a Devil
"My house, my men," he breathed into the other man's face. "Help me or get out of my way, I care not, but never question my authority again--and dont ever lay a hand on me."' There was no question in his tone.
Evidence Number 2
In Fourth Wing, all dragon riders need to go through something called the gauntlet as their final test. It is dangerous, it is life threatening and endurance testing.
To desire a Devil
"Yes. It's intended to be terrifying to the captive. I was made to run the gauntlet," Lord Hope said.
She peeked up at him and cleared her throat. "What's the gauntlet?"
"A nasty way to welcome captives to an Indian camp." He held out his arm for her, and she placed her gloved fingers primly on his sleeve. "All the in- habitants in the village form two lines, and the cap- tive must run between them."
Evidence Number Three
In Fourth Wing, hot-as-sin Xaden Riorson has 107 scars on his back one for each of the rebels' children, thus taking responsibility for them.
To desire a Devil
He scowled, looking away, but then abruptly rolled so that his back was to her. She gasped and then vas silent.
He closed his eyes, imagining what she saw. He knew from looking in the mirror-once and only once-that his back was a mass of scars. Thin white ones carved through the tan of his skin. Thicker, reddened scars, the ones she'd felt before, roped from midback to his right hip.
Evidence Number Four
Fourth Wing is about dragons and their riders.
To desire a Devil
Throughout the book we get to read about Longsword, a brave fellow captured by a Goblin King and in one of his various adventures he fights what?!
Yep, you got that right.... Dragons. 🙄
Last but not least, Lord Hope comes back tanned all over with dark skin.
Hot-as-sin Xaden Riorson has tawny skin.
I rest my case. ✋️🤚
Rebecca Yarros, this is... I don't know what this is but it certainly is dubious!!!.
In case I didn't make myself clear, I accuse Yarros of this dubiety because To Desire a Devil released in 2009! Fourth Wing was released in 2023....
📝 ticking another Bingo square
04) "MC presumed dead returns"
Squares Count: 75
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March 12, 2020
I did not like this one. It was hard to get into and i had trouble connecting with these characters.
![Profile Image for ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1572968006i%2F3840999._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 30, 2014
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book. This one's got 2 parts.
Well, Reynaud is alive. *gasps* *gasps* Huh? Hmmm ... Really? ... Sadly, from the blurb I already knew that he's alive but what I was interested most was to know how he survived and was he the betrayer of the Spinner's Falls (the question did arise in the last book)? ... And ... No, he isn't. But, his survival is another matter entirely and I won't comment on them.
So, Reynaud comes back to find eveything's changed in 7 yrs. His sister remarried and lives in the Colonies, his father died, the new Earl and his niece live in his mansion. Reynaud looks like a savage, sporting tattoos and earrings. Living with Indians does that to one! ... Ermmm, I thought the 1st 5/6 chapters were really gripping, interesting but after that not so much *sigh* ... Well, just let me proceed and get to the point. He faints upon arrival and Beatice takes care of him. His uncle, of course, isn't happy with the situation and with a few cronies we've seen in the earlier books ie: Lister and Hasselthorpe, he's planning to do the usual, remove him/do anything to rob him of his title. There are murder attempts on Reynaud's life, which he survives too (the uncle? probably). Reynaud meets Vale who accuses Reynaud of treason. They fight and make up etc etc. Their interactions are funny, specially because Vale can be hilarious upon occasion. I've noticed it in TBaB as well. Now, they're trying to call Munroe to London and discuss, put their heads together to find out who the betrayer is (duh!) and yes, Sam and a very pregnant Emeline is already there. Tante Cristelle, Reynaud's aunt is helping him with the money and the help he needs to fight for his title. Oh, BTW, Melisande is also pregnant ... Just, errr, improvements about the earlier books.
But, I digress. Lots going on without a doubt! Now, Reynaud met Beatrice, the current Earl's niece the very first day of his arrival. This meeting was quite interesting. Then it's plain to see that they're attracted to each-other. Have to mention, Beatice was fascinated with an old portrait of Reynaud's for a long time. Now, having the man near is, of course, wrecking havoc on her senses. She is definitely into it, because even though this man has changed so much, he still can make her stomach flutter. And, Reynaud, well, he has to prove he's not insane (PTSD and other traumas of being a slave to the Indian's for such a long time has taken it's toll on him; he's always in the defense mode with his knife) in order to get back his title. So, with the Tante's advice, he decides that Beatrice is his and plans to seduce her, then marry her. I didn't quite like it, the way Reynaud is trying to dominate Beatrice. I mean, I usually find it 'good lord hot' when heroes try to make heroines understand the meaning of the word mine in the bedroom (or in other places, doesn't matter). But here, it's not the same. It feels like Reynaud's taking advantage of Beatice's naivete and of course her hidden tendre for him. First seduction happened when Beatrice's childhood friend Jeremy died and she was grieving. I was like WTF?! Man, honestly, I really was intrigued by Reynaud at first but now, I'm not so sure ... *exasperated sigh*
But, there are other things show that underneath his grim, savage exterior, Reynaud actually cares for Beatrice. Questions come to mind at this point but I won't ponder upon those. When there was a 2nd attack on Reynaud's life, the attackers stabbed Beatrice accidentally and later, he took care of her. That part was nice. I was enjoying their earlier banters (before they became lovers) though I quite didn't agree on how Beatrice was always asking Reynaud about the Indians and his past life, knowing he's not really easy with it. She was polite, mind you but still. I was like, enough already! Let the man settle first! :/ Now, Reynaud has asked her to marry him and she said yes. Beatrice, being a romantic, hoped for love but now knows it might not happen with Reynaud as he said, love has got nothing to do with his wanting her. It's something more primal than that. She couldn't deny that she feels the same way about him. Just can't say no to him. Beatrice agreed also because of Jeremy, something to do with a bill for the war veterans. All in all, the progression of their relationship felt rather hasty IMO.
There are new secondary characters I'm liking. New because most of the other secondary characters we met in the other 3 books. One is Beatrice's best friend Lottie. She's married. Her husband, although was in with her love in the beginning, now seems totally oblivious of her existence. She gets frustrated and leaves him. And, then there was Jeremy Oates, Beatrice's childhood friend. That man broke my heart. A war veteran and badly wounded, Jeremy lost all hope when his parents started treating him so much as rubbish and his faithless fiancee abandons him after his return. Only Beatrice cared and visited him regularly. I was hoping the man would get something closer to HEA cause he deserved it. He was a perfectly nice man with a REALLY sad life. Although he was slipping away steadily, I hoped for his recovery, possibly with a loving, feminine hand. But, alas! EH killed him even before I got the chance to take it all in. I was so sad, felt like bawling. :( ... Somewhere in my mind, I thought, maybe something with Lottie, with her sad excuse of a husband's equally sad demise? (yah, I know I'm terrible!) ... *sigh* ... Just reminded me once again how life can be so unfair to people undeserving of its punishments. After his death, I've lost much of my interest in the story.
*******************
Well, the Four Soldiers is finished. I have to say it with a lot of uneasiness that, I wasn't happy with the ending. I've already mentioned it earlier, after the 6th chapter, things started annoying me and the story slowly started falling flat for me. I had issues with Reynaud and his actions/crazy dodo behaviour (it was all about his title and money until the kidnapping ... bleh!), I had issues with the dialogue (sorry but I know EH can write much more funny/intense/interesting dialogues), I even had issues with the ultimate revelation- the betrayer of Spinner's Falls.
So, of course the betrayer was revealed and the story ended. Seen all the earlier characters - Sam/Emeline, Vale/Melisande, Alistair/Helen, Rebecca/O'Hare, Daniel, Tante Cristelle and so on. Some were mentioned throughout the books while others at the end, maybe just to wrap it all up.
The plot had four of them working together and a kidnapping (again!). The h/h confessing their love (couldn't believe the reasons why Reynaud won't love Beatrice back, the whole why/why not just didn't pull me in), Lottie and her husband getting back (have no idea why they even split in the first place, this part seemed just too unimportant with the story development) ... Well, some scenes were nice. There was one love scene I particularly liked. And yes, I loved the way Alistair handled the Lister problem. God, that man is so ewww! And, in the end, "the fairytale book handing ceremony". I don't know why the heck they had to present Emeline with anything (don't care that she's pregnant, the woman didn't even do anything with the book, TTT will tell you why!). It's Melisande who translated it, Helen transcribed and Beatrice did the binding (yah, she's the mystery bookbinder I talked about in TBaB, something like a hobby for her). But, they made 4 copies (blue, yellow, lavender and scarlet; hence the cover color lmao!) so each of them gets a copy. El fin! Really, nothing else to add. Or maybe, I just don't wanna talk about it anymore.
So, the whole series fell short of my expectations, doesn't compare to the Princes Trilogy at all. It was fun but I wasn't overwhelmed or WOWed. Don't get me wrong, the writing is very good, the plot(s) well-thought out; it's just that I know she can write superb stuff, so ... *make your own conclusion here* ... In the end, 3.5 stars.
Of course, the book features the last fairy tale called "Long Sword" (ehmm!). Quite nice! Guess I'll be seeing more fairy tales in EH's next series. :)
Well, Reynaud is alive. *gasps* *gasps* Huh? Hmmm ... Really? ... Sadly, from the blurb I already knew that he's alive but what I was interested most was to know how he survived and was he the betrayer of the Spinner's Falls (the question did arise in the last book)? ... And ... No, he isn't. But, his survival is another matter entirely and I won't comment on them.
So, Reynaud comes back to find eveything's changed in 7 yrs. His sister remarried and lives in the Colonies, his father died, the new Earl and his niece live in his mansion. Reynaud looks like a savage, sporting tattoos and earrings. Living with Indians does that to one! ... Ermmm, I thought the 1st 5/6 chapters were really gripping, interesting but after that not so much *sigh* ... Well, just let me proceed and get to the point. He faints upon arrival and Beatice takes care of him. His uncle, of course, isn't happy with the situation and with a few cronies we've seen in the earlier books ie: Lister and Hasselthorpe, he's planning to do the usual, remove him/do anything to rob him of his title. There are murder attempts on Reynaud's life, which he survives too (the uncle? probably). Reynaud meets Vale who accuses Reynaud of treason. They fight and make up etc etc. Their interactions are funny, specially because Vale can be hilarious upon occasion. I've noticed it in TBaB as well. Now, they're trying to call Munroe to London and discuss, put their heads together to find out who the betrayer is (duh!) and yes, Sam and a very pregnant Emeline is already there. Tante Cristelle, Reynaud's aunt is helping him with the money and the help he needs to fight for his title. Oh, BTW, Melisande is also pregnant ... Just, errr, improvements about the earlier books.
But, I digress. Lots going on without a doubt! Now, Reynaud met Beatrice, the current Earl's niece the very first day of his arrival. This meeting was quite interesting. Then it's plain to see that they're attracted to each-other. Have to mention, Beatice was fascinated with an old portrait of Reynaud's for a long time. Now, having the man near is, of course, wrecking havoc on her senses. She is definitely into it, because even though this man has changed so much, he still can make her stomach flutter. And, Reynaud, well, he has to prove he's not insane (PTSD and other traumas of being a slave to the Indian's for such a long time has taken it's toll on him; he's always in the defense mode with his knife) in order to get back his title. So, with the Tante's advice, he decides that Beatrice is his and plans to seduce her, then marry her. I didn't quite like it, the way Reynaud is trying to dominate Beatrice. I mean, I usually find it 'good lord hot' when heroes try to make heroines understand the meaning of the word mine in the bedroom (or in other places, doesn't matter). But here, it's not the same. It feels like Reynaud's taking advantage of Beatice's naivete and of course her hidden tendre for him. First seduction happened when Beatrice's childhood friend Jeremy died and she was grieving. I was like WTF?! Man, honestly, I really was intrigued by Reynaud at first but now, I'm not so sure ... *exasperated sigh*
But, there are other things show that underneath his grim, savage exterior, Reynaud actually cares for Beatrice. Questions come to mind at this point but I won't ponder upon those. When there was a 2nd attack on Reynaud's life, the attackers stabbed Beatrice accidentally and later, he took care of her. That part was nice. I was enjoying their earlier banters (before they became lovers) though I quite didn't agree on how Beatrice was always asking Reynaud about the Indians and his past life, knowing he's not really easy with it. She was polite, mind you but still. I was like, enough already! Let the man settle first! :/ Now, Reynaud has asked her to marry him and she said yes. Beatrice, being a romantic, hoped for love but now knows it might not happen with Reynaud as he said, love has got nothing to do with his wanting her. It's something more primal than that. She couldn't deny that she feels the same way about him. Just can't say no to him. Beatrice agreed also because of Jeremy, something to do with a bill for the war veterans. All in all, the progression of their relationship felt rather hasty IMO.
There are new secondary characters I'm liking. New because most of the other secondary characters we met in the other 3 books. One is Beatrice's best friend Lottie. She's married. Her husband, although was in with her love in the beginning, now seems totally oblivious of her existence. She gets frustrated and leaves him. And, then there was Jeremy Oates, Beatrice's childhood friend. That man broke my heart. A war veteran and badly wounded, Jeremy lost all hope when his parents started treating him so much as rubbish and his faithless fiancee abandons him after his return. Only Beatrice cared and visited him regularly. I was hoping the man would get something closer to HEA cause he deserved it. He was a perfectly nice man with a REALLY sad life. Although he was slipping away steadily, I hoped for his recovery, possibly with a loving, feminine hand. But, alas! EH killed him even before I got the chance to take it all in. I was so sad, felt like bawling. :( ... Somewhere in my mind, I thought, maybe something with Lottie, with her sad excuse of a husband's equally sad demise? (yah, I know I'm terrible!) ... *sigh* ... Just reminded me once again how life can be so unfair to people undeserving of its punishments. After his death, I've lost much of my interest in the story.
*******************
Well, the Four Soldiers is finished. I have to say it with a lot of uneasiness that, I wasn't happy with the ending. I've already mentioned it earlier, after the 6th chapter, things started annoying me and the story slowly started falling flat for me. I had issues with Reynaud and his actions/crazy dodo behaviour (it was all about his title and money until the kidnapping ... bleh!), I had issues with the dialogue (sorry but I know EH can write much more funny/intense/interesting dialogues), I even had issues with the ultimate revelation- the betrayer of Spinner's Falls.
So, of course the betrayer was revealed and the story ended. Seen all the earlier characters - Sam/Emeline, Vale/Melisande, Alistair/Helen, Rebecca/O'Hare, Daniel, Tante Cristelle and so on. Some were mentioned throughout the books while others at the end, maybe just to wrap it all up.
The plot had four of them working together and a kidnapping (again!). The h/h confessing their love (couldn't believe the reasons why Reynaud won't love Beatrice back, the whole why/why not just didn't pull me in), Lottie and her husband getting back (have no idea why they even split in the first place, this part seemed just too unimportant with the story development) ... Well, some scenes were nice. There was one love scene I particularly liked. And yes, I loved the way Alistair handled the Lister problem. God, that man is so ewww! And, in the end, "the fairytale book handing ceremony". I don't know why the heck they had to present Emeline with anything (don't care that she's pregnant, the woman didn't even do anything with the book, TTT will tell you why!). It's Melisande who translated it, Helen transcribed and Beatrice did the binding (yah, she's the mystery bookbinder I talked about in TBaB, something like a hobby for her). But, they made 4 copies (blue, yellow, lavender and scarlet; hence the cover color lmao!) so each of them gets a copy. El fin! Really, nothing else to add. Or maybe, I just don't wanna talk about it anymore.
So, the whole series fell short of my expectations, doesn't compare to the Princes Trilogy at all. It was fun but I wasn't overwhelmed or WOWed. Don't get me wrong, the writing is very good, the plot(s) well-thought out; it's just that I know she can write superb stuff, so ... *make your own conclusion here* ... In the end, 3.5 stars.
Of course, the book features the last fairy tale called "Long Sword" (ehmm!). Quite nice! Guess I'll be seeing more fairy tales in EH's next series. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2013
Since there was no courting and no romance, and the protagonists jumped straight into bed (unbelievable considing her social status, the time they live in, and the fact that she had never done it before), this book seemed Iike a series of erotic scenes, interspersed with "he loves me/he loves me nots", torture scenes, and clumsy PTSD incidents. I got this as an audioook and actually had to laugh out loud at when he suddenly sees everyone as soldiers and "Indians".
I never felt like Reynaud deserved or appreciated her, and the sex scene right after she found out that her best friend had passed away, while she is recovering from a knife wound, no less, was just stupid and either unbelievable, or made him a jerk - I still can't make up my mind about this one.
Reflection on the series as a whole:
As with the first three books in the series, the fairy tale intro to every chapter was boring and, because I got this as an audiobook, had to be suffered through, since I could not skip it. The female protagonists don't stand up for themselves and never voice their needs, which irritated me to no small degree. I am glad I'm through with this series, and don't even know why I bothered with it in the first place. I should have stopped after book 1, which was the best in the series.
I never felt like Reynaud deserved or appreciated her, and the sex scene right after she found out that her best friend had passed away, while she is recovering from a knife wound, no less, was just stupid and either unbelievable, or made him a jerk - I still can't make up my mind about this one.
Reflection on the series as a whole:
As with the first three books in the series, the fairy tale intro to every chapter was boring and, because I got this as an audiobook, had to be suffered through, since I could not skip it. The female protagonists don't stand up for themselves and never voice their needs, which irritated me to no small degree. I am glad I'm through with this series, and don't even know why I bothered with it in the first place. I should have stopped after book 1, which was the best in the series.
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