I picked this book up because it says it is book 7 in the Ravenel's series. I was disappointed to find that the only tie to the Ravenel's were a couple of secondary characters that made small appearances in this story. This book ought to be listed as a Wallflowers book, as those characters play a larger part in the story. That being said, I did enjoy the story. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

Nope to miracle baby. I love Kleypas but this series has been such a hit-or-miss with me. And is it really a Ravenels book if it's Wallflower Next Generation.

A fan of Lisa Kleypas and really wasn’t anticipating another book in the Ravenels series. Hmm, what I anticipated was just another story written to capture readers as this series I thought ran its course, however my presumption was incorrect, and I admit I was totally wrong. “Devil in Disguise” was a nicely written historical romance that I truly enjoyed. Sometimes you just like when the H/h have an immediate attraction and Merritt and Keir characters did just that.

Merritt is an independent woman in her own right as she has successfully managed the business her husband built after his death. She is a formidable businesswoman. On the other hand, there is Keir…oh how I love a Scot with a brogue that takes you faraway to Ireland, kilts and the maleness that a highlander exudes. As I do like a bit of steamy in my historical romance, I can say the intimacy between the two was pleasantly done.

The story was well-written, and I think Kleypas did a wonderful job of developing the plot without over complicating it. Having read the other books on the Ravenels, there are times when authors need not push a well-run series and I am hoping that any others to come would be standalones versus linking it to the series.

In addition, I liked that the author included other characters in previous books (i.e., always love Sebastian and Evie). Although there are some open-ended stories I’m thinking for Seraphina, Raphael, etc., looking forward to reading their pages.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this read. My review is fair and honest and opinions are my own.

Each book by Kleypas gets better and better. She's a go-to for historical romance for me. Can't wait for more!

This was another great read by Lisa Kleypas! Her books are some of my favorites. The heroes and heroines are some of the best in historical romance. This book bright back some familiar characters and this made for a great story that kept me quickly turning pages.

I ADORED this book! This is the most I’ve loved a Kleypas book since Devil in Winter, which is my absolute favorite Kleypas book. I loved getting to see more of Sebastian in this book, and a bit of Lillian and Marcus, too! It really warmed my heart.

This book focuses on Lady Merritt Sterling, Lillian and Marcus’s daughter, who’d been widowed a year ago. Now she runs her husband’s shipping/warehousing company, of which Keir MacRae is a client. When the book opens, there has been an incident with Keir’s shipment of whiskey and Merritt has to smooth things over with him. They develop an instant connection and Merritt insists they have dinner together. But when Keir’s on his way to her house, he’s attacked. As it turns out, there is more to Keir than even he himself knows, and it makes him a target.

For anyone who love romance novels that are a little bit over the top, this book is for you! This has a little bit of everything, and I absolutely loved every minute. I laughed—both at humorous situations and when something crazy happened to stir my bananapants-plot-loving soul. I cried, too—there are some very emotional moments and I really felt the feels!

A major part of this book is Keir coming to terms with who he is when he was already very happy with his life, and I really enjoyed that part of the book. I also really enjoyed the relationship between him and Merritt. Was it a bit instalove-y? Yes! But it REALLY worked for me. I loved their chemistry so much! And I really loved how Merritt knew what she wanted, what was worth the risk, and went after it. I admired her stubbornness and conviction!

I also really loved the bits of historical information Kleypas included—for example, how Keir’s distillery works. It’s a small part of this book, but I really appreciated these bits of worldbuilding that grounded me in the historical setting.

There were a couple things that irked me (see the spoilers section below for more details), but overwhelmingly, this book was FANTASTIC and it was definitely one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read this year! It’s one of those books I just wanted to hug when I was finished reading it, and I kind of want to just reread it immediately!




SPOILERS: One thing that bothered me was the pregnancy revealed in the epilogue. I really dislike the message this sends to women who struggle or are unable to conceive, and I thought it was a lovely plan for them to adopt children! Another thing I noticed was that Keir is overwhelmed by the prospect of his inheritance and doesn’t think he’ll be able to manage all his real estate holdings and doesn’t want to, but Merritt, who’s run a successful shipping company, says they can hire people, but not that she herself can use her experience to help, which I thought was odd.

I feel like I was waiting on this book forever! I don't know if that's the issue but for some reason this one didn't seem to hit the mark for me. I honestly can't think of any single reason other than the characters just weren't what I was expecting. With that said, I loved that some of the older characters from the Wallflowers series made it in.

Lady Merritt Sterling never figured she’d be running a shipping company, but when she lost her husband, Merritt was determined to keep his company alive. She’d never picture herself with a rough and gruff Scot, but Keir is impossible to resist.

Scotish whiskey distiller, Keir MacRae arrives in London with a shipment of his finest to sell, but he encounters problems offloading his cargo and means to hold the shipping manager accountable. He doesn’t expect a woman or that they’d have an immediate attraction and connection. Merritt’s beautiful, nurturing, and completely out of his league. They think they’ll part ways for good after a lusty night, but an attempt on Keir’s life halts those plans.

It’s hard to go wrong with a Lisa Kleypas romance. Her clever, witty dialogue, multi-layered, likable characters and vibrant descriptions make her a win for me over and over, but her Ravenels series is a cut above! Merrit isn’t a Ravenel, but her family is closely connected to the characters and her mother and father had their own romance in the Wallflowers series. I loved Merritt and Keir’s instant connection, with long, soulful talks between passionate encounters. I appreciated most of the drama came from outside issues, like the attempts on Keir’s life and the reasons behind that. I won’t spoil any of the surprises there.

I alternately read and listened to the audio version narrated by Mary Jane Wells, who narrates the whole series. Her performance is absolute perfection! I highly recommend the entire series either reading or listening!

Devil in Disguise is the seventh book in The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas. A steamy historical romance that is sure to keep you turning the pages. The author's writing is superb. She can build such an intricate world and then build on top of it perfectly. A lovely romantic read that is perfect for getting lost in.

The Ravanel series is always worth revisiting. This new addition to the series follows in the tradition of twisty plots, a strong female character and a dashing, gruff but kindhearted hero. The characters have depth and the plot is well developed. A satisfying read.

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas was utterly delicious. A novel I read in a day it was so entertaining.

Merrit and Keir make a fantastic couple. Of course Keir is from Scotland and makes the best whiskey, he lives simply and is a plain honest man. Merrit is the daughter of a Duke and a business woman herself as her husband has died and she is in charge of a shipping business.

I loved that we are meeting a new generation of characters, having been an avid reader of the Wallflower series. Getting acquainted again has made me want to go right back to the beginning and start all over again.

In this book we have a sexy couple, some intrigue, lots of family and witty dialogue. All key traits of Kleypas' books. I would have been happy to read on and on with this couple. I want more and more...!

Great story with interesting characters. Also a mystery solved and a new family to look forward to hearing about. Brought some of my favorite characters back for a nice visit.

Lady Merritt Sterling has risen to the occasion, running her late husband’s shipping company successfully since his passing, but all of London is hoping to see the wealthy and well-connected widow’s good name tarnished by scandal. She has been adept at avoiding it so far, but all bets are off when she meets Scottish whisky distiller Keir MacRae and all her claims to sensibility evaporate. Merritt and Keir don’t have very much in common, but their connection is instantaneous and impossible to deny.

In addition to trying to salvage his distillery, Keir’s London objectives are to avoid falling in love with the unattainable Merritt and to keep from being killed. Thus far, he’s failing at both. Keir has no idea why anyone would want him dead until he learns of his connection to one of the most influential families in the country. With his world completely upended, Keir trusts no one but Merritt. She longs for forever with Keir, with a reckless need that is wholly unfamiliar to her, even as she knows how unlikely a future together is for them. No matter what, Merritt will do anything she must to ensure the safety of the man she’s come to love.

Y’all, this book was so good. I didn’t want to put it down but at the same time, I drew it out as much as I could to savor it and found myself going back to reread and highlight favorite passages, mostly swoony dialogues from Keir. This was a new take on both the amnesia and fake engagement tropes that I haven’t read before as well as a new spin on hidden identity. I’ll admit, I was very nervous about this one because Kleypas is one of my most consistently favorite authors, meaning the bar is set very high. Happily, this book exceeded my hopes, bringing drama and an intriguing plot while somehow keeping the angsty stressful aspects at a minimum. This wound up being a feel-good read for me and I loved Keir and Merritt’s sheer determination to be together and face any challenges together. I loved Merritt’s refusal to be anything less than a full partner to Keir and his utter devotion to her just melted my heart. I also enjoyed revisiting some of the characters from previous books and the family connections and interactions here were very endearing for me. Keir has definitely redefined my standards for the perfect romance hero and has set the bar exceptionally high, maybe even ruined me for any other heroes at this point. I also think Merritt is just about the perfect heroine. I found her to be intelligent and independent without once being overbearing or coming off as shrewish or any such thing that typically annoys me with so-called independent heroines. As some reviewers have lamented, I’m not sure this book technically fits with the Ravenels series as neither of the MCs are Ravenels, but it is in the same world/time period, and we do see some of the same characters. Honestly, it's so good that I don't even care. I love the series because I love the characters, be they Ravenels or other connections, so I’m always happy to revisit them and expand that world. I adored this book, everything about it worked for me, and Keir is my new hero standard.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The insta-love\attraction was forced and rushed. The temporary amnesia was another weird element that I can't stand in my books. I feel like she was regurgitating her past storylines several times throughout the entirety of the story.

Lisa Kleypas does not disappoint, I loved this book. You once again get to read about two of her wallflower couples. Lord St Vincent or now the Duke of Kingston and Evie. Featuring Lord and Lady Westcliffs daughter Merritt and Kier MacRae. The character are amazing and the story wonderful. A must read!!

The Wallflowers series by Lisa Kleypas ranks among my favorite book series' of all time and in, The Ravenels we get to enjoy seeing that series continue as their children find their own Happily Ever After's.

Lady Merritt "Merry" Sterling is the eldest daughter of the Earl of Westcliff and his ex-wallflower bride, Lillian ( It Happened One Autumn ). Now a widow, Merry is in control of her deceased husbands shipping company and is in the process of handing over the day to day operations to her younger brother when a maelstrom in the form of an angry, but undeniably handsome Scotsman comes barreling through her door.

Keir MacRae is bold, brash and furious about an important shipment of his beloved whisky going awry, but the second he meets the shipping company's beautiful owner he knows that he is in serious trouble. Merry is a force of nature and well out of his reach, socially, but the instant chemistry between them is undeniable.

It's lust/love at first sight for Merry as well, but when two attempts on Keir's life nearly end things before they can truly begin, it seems as though their one night of passion might be all they will ever have.

Further details would simply spoil the best parts of this story, but believe me when I say that the devil is definitely in those details. :)

Sublimely sweet, sensual and chock full of all the angst and joy you might expect from a story set in the wonderful world Ms. Kleypas has created with her Wallflowers and now the Ravenels, Devil in Disguise was well worth the wait and truly unforgettable!

3.5 stars. This was an okay read for me. Devil in Disguise is the seventh book in The Ravenels series. This is McRae and Merritt's book. Lady Merritt is a widow and is running her late husband's shipping company. McRae is a Scottish whiskey distiller who arrives on his ship and has brought his wares to be sold. When the couple meets, McRae knows he is beneath Merritt's station but they have an instant connection and near love. They dare to spend a clandestine night together, knowing nothing could come of it. But Merritt knows she will never forget him and will long for him forever. However, soon everything changes because someone is out to kill McRae. He is severely injured and gets amnesia, completely forgetting ever meeting Merritt. But she steps in to nurse him back to health and remind him of the strong feelings they share. The couple has some things to work out about their future, but it all works out in the end.

I enjoyed this book in general, but it wasn't near as good as my favorite Lisa Kleypas' books. I liked McRae and Merritt in general, but they were a little too nice and boring. McRae really was no devil at all. I didn't feel any chemistry or spark there. They had a instalove connection and I just never felt it. Still, I did like the story and I was happy the couple got an HEA.

Overall, this was just not my favorite book by this author. But I am still a fan of this author and look forward to more from her in the future.

ARC provided by Netgalley for honest review

This one wasn't my favorite Ravenals book, but a decent addition to the series.

This book is about Merritt Sterling and Keir McRae. Read this book if you've read the Wallflowers series, and you'll enjoy it for what it is. If you haven't read the Wallflowers series, you might not love it as much. But people who have generally read Ravenals, have read Wallflowers, so there's that.

Moving on,
Merritt: I loved her take charge and unbending attitude toward everyone around her. She was a mother hen through and through. Though, instalove did make her a little stupid. but she didn't overall lose her personality.

Keir McRae: This was the firsrt Scottish hero I've read by LK. And I enjoyed him. He was very respectful, loyal, and overall a teddy bear and a Hulk of a man. This book is entirely about him and his lineage. The mystery behind the plot wasn't very hard to guess considering the title and the overall presence of a certain character in the book.

Romance: This felt more like instalove than instalust. LK tried to have an instalust which would grow into love. But these two got so intermingled together that I couldn't distinguish how these two came to love each other. They had lots and lots of physical feelings toward each other but the emotional and touching apsect of love was missing. I saw the chemistry but intimacy without that soul altering emotions is always lacking.

Background Plot and Side Characters: This was the main hero of the story. Merritt and Keir's romantic plot was very muchovershadowed by other characters from the Wallflowers series. I absolutely adored reading the parts between two men, the growth in their relationship, and the acceptance. And I wish we had seen similar growth and conversations and little moments in the romantic plot thant the side plot.

I do recommend this book if you have been reading LK and if you love LK.

However, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVEN'T READ WALLFLOWERS SERIES. You will not enjoy it fully.

Nothing like starting the series with the last book in it. However, it would be a great stand alone. I loved revisiting charters from her previous series. I absolutely adore when authors do this. Especially when you love them, it's like coming home.

The steam didn't take long to get to, however once you get going you see why. It is a wonderful pull of the heart this book. I do love historical romance and no one writes it like Lisa Kleypas. She is a master at this genre.

I'm a big fan of Lisa Kleypas, but I didn't finish this book. About halfway through, there was no drive to finish it. There was enough resolution for me to let it go.