Book Review: Blue-Eyed Devil

Another one bites the dust! I just finished reading Lisa Kleypas scandalous novel "Blue-Eyed Devil". After reading the back of the cover jacket and based on my previous experience with Lisa Kleypas' novels ("Sugar Daddy", a romantic, yet alluring read), I immediately categorized it as a risqué chick-flick type, much like its predecessors. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the novel and the seriousness of the issues it explored. Lisa Kleypas is a wonderful writer, and despite her reputation for slightly scandalous novels, her books all have a solid and emotional story line behind them, which I really appreciate. In "Blue-Eyed Devil", she explore issues of domestic abuse and the lingering psychological effects of living with a narcissist for too long.

“Bad divorce?" Hardy asked, his gaze falling to my hands. I realized I was clutching my purse in a death grip.

“No, the divorce was great,” I said. “It was the marriage that sucked.” 

Our heroine for the novel is the rebellious Haven Travis, daughter of Texan billionaire, Churchill Travis. If you've read "Sugar Daddy", you'll recognize many of the characters in this novel as well, although it cannot be categorized as a sequel to "Sugar Daddy" since it focuses on completely different characters. Haven decides to go against her family's wishes and her father's threats of cutting her off financially, and marry Nick, a college classmate from the wrong side of the tracks. Haven is wrapped up in her whirlwind romance at first and views her life with Nick with "love goggles", but before long Nick's true personality begins to show. He berates her father for cutting her off financially, her brothers for not giving her money, and Haven herself for her appearance, her domestic skills, and eventually, her delay in conceiving a child. At first the abuse is psychological, with underhanded compliments and "gentle" suggestions, but it soon turns verbal, and eventually escalates into physical. Haven escapes with the help of her brother Gage, and attempts to start a new life, beginning with a new haircut and a new job under her other brother, Jack. Within minutes, Hardy Cates (one of the main characters from "Sugar Daddy") comes sweeping into the scene, and knocks Haven off her feet with his roughneck good looks and charming Texan drawl. Due to her abuse at the hands of Nick, Haven has a difficult time trusting people, particularly a burly, six-foot-something Texan (and another man her family does not approve of) who could easily knock her out with the swipe of a hand. Its interesting to watch Hardy and Haven's relationship evolve throughout the second half of the novel, particularly as Haven's walls start to come down and Hardy inches his way into her heart. I don't want to give too much away, but the ending of the novel will melt your heart and reaffirm your faith in love.

“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” 

I would highly recommend "Blue-Eyed Devil" to everyone (over the age of 18, of course), because I think it's a lovely read, and a romantic story with true depth and meaning. It explores an important issue in today's world, domestic abuse, and the effects it can have on a person, even long after they've gotten away from their abuser. Definitely give it a read if you get a chance!