The Devil You Know by Victoria Vane

Lady Diana has resigned herself to her loveless, unhappy marriage with her gamble happy husband but even she is unaware how deep the debt has gotten and is shocked to learn they are about to be ruined.  It becomes worse when she becomes aware who has bought up the vowels--the man that makes her blood race in the most inappropriate ways, the devilish Viscount Ludovic DeVere.  Upon their first meeting the attraction just zings but Diana is a proper lady and refuses to break her marriage vows.  But with DeVere sending her smoldering glances and whisper soft touches, it does not take long for her defenses to crumble.  But they truly break down when one last shocking act of betrayal from husband sets her free.  Just as this passionate couple find a moment of bliss together, life throws a most damaging curveball that forces Diana and DeVere to part on bad terms with no hopes for a reconciliation in the future. . .

 Oh, my!  If you have read the previous novellas (A Wild Night's Bride and The Virgin Huntress) you have just sensed the tension boiling between Diana and DeVere and I loved how this novella goes back a few years and shows the whole history and what happened to have such apparent loathing, especially on Diana's part.  All Diana longed for was happiness and she got the short end of the stick with her husband and his unappreciated actions in the bedroom.  Diana has never known true desire and DeVere awakens that in her and she thinks she can finally be happy--even if it means being on the outskirts of the ton.  But Diana is unaware of the turmoil that DeVere also faces in his personal life and he does what he thinks is best to protect her, even if it costs him the first true peace he has felt.  DeVere is wickedly charming, dashing and sexy and certainly knows how to make Diana appreciate the finer acts in the bedroom and is the perfect man to awaken all her senses.  Even though I didn't like seeing him with his mistress, it added to his nature he portrays and it also made me appreciate him a bit more for his sacrifice for Diana's happiness.  With this delicious yet sad background story having been told now, I am so eager to see how Victoria Vane delivers a happily-ever-after for this couple!  Once again, the Georgian writing and attention to detail is fabulous and the humor and heat is high but I enjoyed the added bit on angst this story brought.  This novella is guaranteed to make your toes curl and your heart sigh with romance and sadness and I am eager to see how this fabulous series finish's out!  4 1/2 stars


Review copy provided by author, thank you!!

The Devil DeVere series

                                                                    Aug 24th
 
Print volume of first two novellas coming Aug 4th