Devil in the Making by Victoria Vane

Every devil has a beginning...and having read the previous DeVere titles by Victoria Vane there is no more charming of a devil than Ludovic, Viscount DeVere and in this short little tale we get a wonderful glimpse of what shaped Ludovic into the man he became.  He is at school with his two friends, Ned and the newly introduced Simon, when his behavior gets them into trouble yet again.  Thinking they will teach their teacher a lesson, Ludovic creates an idea that involves a lion...and is sure to make you laugh with the ridiculousness of it!  Loved it.  You get a nice sense of the bond these three friends have formed and I am very eager for Simon's own story now (Jewel of the East, Spring 2013).  The story even delves into the scandalous history of Ludovic and his parents.  His awful relationship with his father and his lack of a relationship with his mother who left him when he was a child.  It really makes you appreciate and see how Ludovic came to his vices and way of life and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this glimpse of the past.

You should note, as Ms Vane states, this is not a romance but there is some minor heated moments with the lion trainer.  And even in this short tale, approximately 60 pages, you can see the attention to detail of the Georgian period that Ms Vane pours into her lovely writing.  If you have never read anything by Victoria Vane, this is a great place to start as I guarantee you will be eager to see how Ludovic ends up with his happily ever after.  And if you have read the previous stories, you will appreciate this glance into the mind of how the devil came to be...and even at this reckless age, you can see his compassion for others underneath the devil-may-care attitude.   4 stars

Review copy provided by author, thank you!
 

Devilish Vignettes
Each upcoming to be released month to month. . .