Another winner from Kleypas! I loved getting glimpses into the HEAs of the Wallflowers and the love story between Keir and Merritt was beautifully written.

I loved this book. LOVED. Merritt Sterling, the daughter of Lillian and Westcliff (was I ever thrilled to revisit those characters!), is so well sketched out she feels like a woman I know. Described as a loving bully, she's relentless in her care of the people she loves, which immediately after meeting him, she decides includes Keir.

Keir is a fun mass of contradictions. I love his almost naive pride in his Scots heritage, and some of his colloquialisms killed me dead. His instant admiration of Merritt was just so fun. Their lack of contrived conflict in general was so cool to me, actually.

Speak of lack of contrived conflict...I think a lesser author would've really bungled the meetings between Keir and Kingston, as well as Keir and Merritt's parents. The fact that as a whole everyone handled those potentially incendiary situations like mature, reasonable adults was pretty cool, and felt pretty authentic to the growth these people should've experienced over the years since we've seen them.

I felt like the ending was sort of abrupt, but that complaint is SO minor. Four STRONG stars for this book I was sad to reach the end of.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

This series mostly has been a hit or miss. I only liked Marrying Winterborne and then Chasing Cassandra. This one far exceeded my expectations, and became my second favorite of the series. A Scottish hero and Merritt was just what I needed. And the illegitimate child storyline was realistic. The throwback to the Wallflower world was also wholesome.

Kleypas is an auto-buy author for me, and I just ADORE this Ravenels series. I thought this book had a lot of heart, and characters that were just meant to be together. I love that we are getting the Wallflowers’ children now - Merritt is a delight, and you can see both Lillian and Westcliff’s influence on her. Keir is a gruff but super sweet hero, and I thought his backstory was perfect. One thing I really loved about this book is that Kleypas’ sex scenes get more realistic (real names of body parts!!) and less euphemistic. More of this in romance, please! Devil in Disguise comes out July 27 and you should def preorder from your local indie! Thanks @avonbooks for the advanced copy 😍

I have stacks of Lisa Kleypas books on my shelf and I look at them and forget just how wonderful she truly is. I adored Devil in Disguise. It has so many of my most loved tropes. I loved Kier and Merritt together, but I loved them both as individuals, too. Kier and Merritt meet when there is trouble with his whiskey order being shipped correctly. She runs her late husband's business and works to correct the errors on his shipment and all the best situations come out of this meet cute. Historical Romance is my happy place, but if you like strong heroines and confident but sweet heroes, you need this book.

I really loved this one! It was so different and totally unexpected! The epilogue dare I say was CUTE! Love this cover.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Devil in Disguise is spin off of Lisa Kleypas’ popular Wallflower series. In it we see Lillian and Marcus’ first born, Lady Merritt Sterling. Merritt is recently widowed and going against convention to run her late husband’s shipping business. When one of her customers, Keir MacRae, a rough and rugged Scot, comes to complain about a shipment of whiskey that has gone wrong he sees Merritt and sparks fly. Keir has too much to do to start a flirtatious romance with Merritt, even if she is the most beautiful woman he has even met. Merritt falls for those blue eyes the minute she sees him. She has never felt such a strong attraction to a man before, not even her previous husband.

As Keir and Merritt get to know each other their world is thrown into an upheaval. Someone is trying to kill Keir but why? He doesn’t know anyone in London much less someone who wants him dead. Merritt makes a quick and rash decision when Keir is severely injured to take him to her house to recuperate. Her Uncle Sebastian steps in and takes Keir to his house to avoid involving Merritt in a scandal but why has Sebastian taken such an interest Keir?

The Wallflower series has always been one of my very favorite romances. To enter into the same world again but this time with the children felt like coming home. I enjoyed seeing Lillian and Marcus. Evie and Sebastian again. The only ones missing were Annabelle and Simon. I loved this book and hope that we see more Wallflower spin-offs and hopefully hear more about the lives of my favorite wallflowers and their handsome husbands.

Keir MacRae is a Scottish whisky distiller. He arrives in London to distribute and sell his wares. Keir never expected to be so attracted to the shipping company’s widowed owner. He soon finds himself plagued by several assassination attempts. The last leaves Keir seriously wounded. While recuperating, with Lady Merritt’s help, he learns some unsettling truths about his birth. Can Keir accept the new revelations about his life? Will he find out who is trying to kill him? And why?
Lady Merritt Sterling is the eldest child of an earl and his American countess. She, with the help of her brother, runs her late husband’s shipping company. Merritt’s world is turned upside down when an angry Scotsman storms into her office. Keir wakes something deep inside her. When he is injured in an accident, Merritt offers to tend him. Danger follows the man. Can Merritt and Keir overcome their social standings? Or will the threats against his life keep them apart?
Keir is my new favorite. Many times, the man made me want to swoon. Keir reminds me of a certain blonde-haired devil who will forever hold a spot in my heart. I like the fact that Keir has chest hair. It is something I rarely see romance heroes having, so it is a nice change. What I adore the most about Keir is his thoughtfulness towards Merritt’s reputation. He never wanted his actions or his association with her to hurt her. Keir always put Merritt’s wellbeing above his own.
I could not contain my giddiness when I discovered who Merritt’s parents are. She is a beautiful mixture of the two. I like how Merritt values her employees’ health and safety over profit. She understands they are the backbone of her business, so she makes sure they get the latest safety equipment and procedures to insure their wellbeing. I also like how Merritt got her name. It is an unusual name for a female. What I adore the most about Merritt is how she refuses to let any man dictate her life. She is a woman who knows her own mind, thanks to her mother’s tutelage.
DEVIL IN DISGUISE is book seven in Lisa Kleypas’ historical romance series, THE RAVENELS. The story can easily standalone. However, I highly recommend reading the prior six books and the author’s THE WALLFLOWER series. The two are intertwined. I love that Sebastian and Evie, from DEVIL IN WINTER, and Lillian and Marcus, from IT HAPPENED ONE AUTUMN, show up, and play a part, in the story.
I cannot get enough of Sebastian and Evie. I always squee in delight when the two appear in THE RAVENEL books. I adore seeing how their love continues to thrive, even after their story. They are still my favorite couple ever in romance books.
DEVIL IN DISGUISE is a captivating tale of two people from different social stations bringing the gap to be together. I hope the author considers writing more stories with the Wallflowers’ children. I want more Hunts, Marsdens, and Challons!

Lisa Kleypas never disappoints! Best parts about this book are the very strong, independent heroine, and the fact that the lovers get together within the first few pages. And things just go at a warp-speed pace from there! This is a great one to recommend to readers who have seen Bridgerton on Netflix, but haven't read much romance yet.

Where do I start with the magic that is Devil in Disguise? It’s everything I love in one book:
- A one night stand (that isn’t, haha)
- Amnesia
- Getting to know each other while recovering from an injury (forced proximity!)
- Fake engagement
- Someone trying to kill the hero = a mystery to solve!
- Appearances from characters in previous books

And, on the other hand, (spoilers!!!) the ever magical (more like ever irritating) heroine who was told in her first marriage that she was infertile, but you know how that works out. I will also mention that the hero is Scottish and his dialogue is written with his accent in mind.

Who would want Keir dead? It’s complicated. I loved how Merritt and Keir worked together to figure it out. I’m not going to spoil anything about it because you want to figure it out as you read it, trust me.
The romance is great, it’s got signature Kleypas emotion and humour. Loved these two characters and their choice to be together. Because Merritt is a widow, they become lovers fairly early in the book in what was supposed to be for one night - and then he forgot it after getting injured. It’s forced proximity by her choice - she could’ve had others care for him, but instead Merritt is taking a break from her responsibilities and seeing what could happen. This book is going to make historical romance readers so happy.

DEVIL IN DISGUISE by Lisa Kleypas. What an enjoyable read! I have not read any other books in this series and had no trouble whatsoever following along. I adored Keir and Merritt, I enjoyed the plot and I especially enjoyed the writing style of Ms. Kleypas. There is some adventure and danger and, of course, love and romance with some twists along the way too. Highly recommend this one! (received ARC from NetGalley for honest review)

Some utterly delightful characters, and a few bad guys, lots of action, lots of historical information including things I never knew about distilling.

This is a book you can't put down until you finish and you want more when finished - the best kind of book.

I was reading an ARC eBook, so there were a few editing errors (not many).

My only reservation was the graphic sexual scenes.

Lisa Kleypas has always been at the very top of my list of authors in the historical romance genre. She was one of the first authors I read in the genre as a teenager, and to this day, I still name Dreaming of You as my favorite historical romance. Derek Craven is KING. However, Devil in Disguise came so close to taking the top spot on my list, I was in shock. As someone who will likely never be able to have children, it is always difficult to read a romance where having children is a key part of the plot. Must have those blood-related children to carry on the family name! And most of the time, I can still enjoy the book, because I understand that it was a common reason for marriage back then and still is today. That's what made Devil in Disguise so special to me - the heroine is barren and the hero handles the situation so well, I was in tears. I posted a video all about it on my Instagram, because it was such a special moment for me. Derek Craven may need to share his crown, because there's another king occupying my heart, and his name is Keir MacRae.

After a year and a half of marriage, Lady Merritt Sterling found herself a widow and in charge of her husband's shipping firm. Three years later and she has become a well-respected businesswoman who is unafraid to flout convention and stand firm in the face of overwhelming odds. She knows she can handle an irate Keir MacRae when he comes bursting into her office, angry that some of his whiskey had been destroyed while being unloaded at the docks. It's not his temper that surprises her but rather his looks and the way her heart pounds in his presence. She calms him, works out a solution, and impresses him far more than any man ever could. Keir is immediately enchanted by this woman who can command a roomful of men, but he knows that their worlds are too different to ever come together in a permanent way. But Merritt is a "wee bully" and she will get her way, even if only for one night. When tragedy strikes and her happiness cut short, it's her stubbornness that leads to events that will change forever the course of their fate. After all, when soulmates meet, separation is impossible.

I'll start with Merritt, who is a wonderfully inspiring heroine, who did her father and mother proud for being bold, brave and ambitious. She is a Westcliff at heart, after all, and it is only expected that she will be successful in all that she does. Her marriage was short and she was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, unable to give her husband the child he wanted, and she fears that no man will want her for that reason. However, she can't help but fall in love with Keir soon after they meet. Which is why I call them soulmates, because the insta-love was coupled by this instant connection they had with each other on a soul-deep level. You could feel it while reading, they were meant for each other. Keir was amazing, from his respect for Merritt and her work to his opinions on having children. He has no problem with adoption, having been adopted himself, and he teaches Merritt that her value lies in her wonderful heart, not her barren womb. I loved that about him, as well that he was a hardworking man who made sure his men were taken care of and business was done properly. He was responsible, hardworking, great with kids, and a genuinely kind person to everyone he met. I really couldn't ask for a better hero, for myself or for Merritt.

What is also amazing about this book is that we get to see a lot of two couples from the original Wallflower series - Lillian & Marcus and Evie & Sebastian. They played a large role in the latter half of the book, and I really enjoyed reading more about them, seeing their interactions now that they are older. Their scenes with Merritt and Keir were wonderful as well, I was so excited to see them still the same endearing characters they were when they were younger. Evie, in particular, made me so proud, and I love her even more after this book. I can't say why without giving big things. Just know that she gets ten times better, which I didn't think was possible, since she was already amazing.

This book not only is on my Favorite Books of 2021 list, but it takes the top spot and will probably stay there all year. I am not exaggerating - I loved this book so much and even now, I am tearing up, days after reading it. Get your hands on this book as soon as possible, and then come back to me so we can cry happy tears together.

What a delight of a book! Romantic and sweet and hot. This book can easily be enjoyed as a stand alone. However, for those that have read Kleypas' Wallflowers books, this story is a treat with lots of familiar faces. Merritt and Keir are perfect together as they realize nothing is more important than what they feel for each other.

The books start with insta-lust and it felt like it drags the first 30%. Then it picks up and yet the ending felt rushed.

It is best to read all of the Devil's books and Hello Stranger. Once you start reading you will see why this book is part of the Ravenel series.

Devil in Disguise is a low-stakes, sexy romance, with cameos from some of my favourite characters from the other Wallflowers and Ravenel stories. While it has some flaws, it has definitely earned a place on my comfort reads shelf.

My full review will appear on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books closer to the publication date.

This book was not for me, but it was well written, lighthearted, sweet and funny.

It has 3 things I hate: amnesia plots, "fertility issues magically clear up with the MMC's sperm" (this is not how uterine fibrosis works. If it were left vague, then we could believe that it just didn't happen with Husband #1, which *happens*), and Sebastian. I know the author really loves him, but I will never forgive him for kidnapping and probably planning on raping Lillian, and also for ignoring Evie's lack of consent even into middle age.

That all said, there were things I liked. The instalust was charming and well done. I really liked Merritt (and could hear Mary Jane Wells's voice for her as I read). LK has a nice touch for non-English MMCs who aren't particularly in touch with their feelings but say the loveliest, most romantic things.

I didn't like the decision to put this book in with the Ravenels. No one character on page is actually a Ravenel except Ethan. The rest of the Ravenel books tied together so nicely. They were all in each of them. This was tonally different and would have been fantastic as the first of a series about the Marsdens, which I would read the hell out of.

So, recommended, with caveats.

Like with all of Lisa Kleypas’ books, once I start reading one, I can’t put it down. I think it’s because the hero and heroine are so compelling.... or maybe it’s because the conflict comes up immediately. I don’t know, but I do know that Devil in Disguise is no exception.. Almost compulsively readable, I particularly enjoyed the hero and heroine in this one. Lady Merritt is widowed and therefore allowed much more freedom, and when she meets Keir, a Scottish man of business, she’s immediately drawn to him, and she worries little if he is not titled. I always enjoy the Kleypas. Oops because some of our favorite characters from earlier books usually make an appearance or two- this time, we have encore appearances from some of the Wallflowers and their husbands, and it’s like welcoming back some old friends who we haven’t visited with in a long time. I had a great time with Devil in Disguise- this one is sure to satisfy fans of Lisa Kleypas .

There are definitely things I enjoyed about this novel. I really love it when people are competent at their jobs, and know what they are doing and how to get things done. I really liked that aspect, both for our hero and our heroine, particularly the heroine. I also really liked how everyone was related to people in the original wallflowers books, and the brief interactions with the original characters were always fun. I really wish we could see more of the relationship between the protagonist and how Sebastian and how that may change going forward. I was also a little frustrated by the insta-love the main characters had for each other, while AT THE SAME TIME, being totally into it, particularly with the scene when the hero is leaving and then remembers.

Secondhand embarrassment note: The scene with someone walking in when the hero and heroine are together was horrible and wonderful all at the same time. It made me laugh out loud, but the cringe was real!

I really enjoyed this one.

It was just okay. To be honest this is how I’ve felt with most of the revenels series, each book just kind of feels familiar to LK’s earlier works. This one was a little bit all over the place, with a shocking number of tropes woven throughout the worst one being the Insta-love. I really didn’t feel like we saw them actually get to know each other, they just meet and immediately want each other. There was no barrier to them being together either so it just felt like a romance story that didn’t need to happen, two single, healthy, successful people meet, want each other, and get together. Most of the book revolves around the non-romantic plot and seems to be mostly an excuse to give us plenty of page time with old favorite characters. I enjoyed getting to see Lillian & Marcus (my favorite wallflower couple) and I know many readers will enjoy the amount of page time Sebastian gets (he was never my favorite so I could do without him being so prevalent in this new series).

The hero has a sexy Scottish accent and the spicy scenes are good, I just didn’t feel like they even got yo know each other at all and that meant the reader also didn’t get to know them so it all just felt very “meh” to me. I don’t regret reading it and didn’t have trouble getting through it, it was an easy fast read but if you’re a longtime LK fan you might find yourself feeling disappointed. It doesn’t have the magic of the wallflowers or the hathaways or the gamblers series, sadly.