The Devil to Pay

4.5 stars. Historical romances have come a long way since I first starting reading them back in the mid to late eighties. Most romance authors of the new millennium have (thankfully) done away with the over virtuous and virginal heroines that readers quite frankly struggle to relate to. And Ms. Carlyle doesn't tell the reader that her heroine is intelligent and then fail to back it up. (a pet peeve of mine) No TSTL characters here. However, I wonder how everyone knew that this Black Angel was a Robin Hoodness. Who was telling everyone that she was giving money to the needy? Certainly not the heroine or anyone in her camp--and certainly not the Nazareth Society. They, too, supposedly didn't know who she was. Okay, one Lady there did, but her lips were sealed. The Devil to Pay is chock full with good humor and Aleric is a lovable scroundel. Sidonie is a fully multimensional character whose 'charity' work is a tad over zealous and hardly worth the risk of a hanging. As much as I like this book, I realize that it's a book without a third act. Let me clarify-there was third act to the romance, but not the plot. The last two chapter seemed like the author was just stretching for an unknown word count. There was no surprises at the Duke's birthday party. The Heroine had already accepted the proposal-there was nothing new added to the story of the last two chapters and the Epilogue wrapped everything in a pretty bow. There was no closing in of Sgt Sisk or the Black Angel's victims. Don't get me wrong: It's a good book--but the ending is sort of a let down. It's just peters off...

This is one of my all time favorite romance books. From page one the characters in this charming book reached out and grabbed me. Page after page I just got sucked in deeper until I closed the book with a happy sigh. This book had everything you need to create a good romance: a dashing hero, a beautiful feisty heroine, something that always seems to interfere with the hero and heroine, and, most of all...PASSION! You will feel like smoking after the sex scenes in this book. Liz Carlyle is the kind of author who is without a doubt gifted when it comes to her depiction of love scenes. It was written with an amazing level of intensity and feeling that my heart was pumping furiously with the palatable passion in the story. The relationship between the leads is endearing. The secondary characters are enjoyable as well. This book is sharp and fast-moving. Filled with Lovable and exciting characters. Lots of laugh out-loud, I-can't-believe-they-did-that scenes and oh so plenty of heart warming moments. This was a very entertaining book. This book was a pleasure to read and I couldn't put it down until it was finished. I really enjoyed the characters, as they were very likeable. The relationship between the leads is endearing. I found the characters to be multi-dimensional and the author weaves a mystery into the story without slowing it down or interrupting the romantic flow. The love scenes are ample & steamy, and the plot is a good one. A fast paced book with an intricate plot that I cannot help but enjoy. The interaction between the leads was great. Liz Caryle has found a perfect match for the notorious Devellyn with feisty Sidonie. They are well matched in temperament and intelligence. Devellyn is a bad boy that you just have to love. It was an interesting. There is enough conflict to make the story line interesting and not so much that your left wondering why they ever got together. This book is sharp and fast-moving. I was sad to have it end, but satisfied at the ending! The Devil to Pay is historical romance at its best. Engaging characters, attention to historical detail, and humorous dialogue will keep you reading long into the night.

This was my first Carlyle book and I am hooked! I have since read a few more, but this one is definitely a hit! Fun story with excellent sizzlin' scenes.

I honestly didn't think Ms. Carlyle could write a better romance than her last, The Devil You Know. This book is quite different from that one, and possibly even better. Of course, it helps if you like a strong, adventurous heroine. Sidonie is not unlike a Regency-era version of Alias's Sidney Bristow, taking big risks and donning all kinds of costumes and personas to carry out her covert operations. Sidonie's missions are of her own making, however, and they all have to do with stealing money from wealthy bad guys and giving it to the women they've exploited. But what really makes this fun is the hot and fairly original sex scenes (Carlyle is awfully good at those) and the well-drawn characters. Sidonie and her leading man Devellyn are complex, intelligent, and sympathetic, and even the secondary characters are fully fleshed out rather than stereotypes. Consider Sidonie's brother: he's a dealer in fine antiques, and spends all of his time in the company of his "particular friend," Maurice; he's also a tough guy, having grown up on the streets, and not at all someone that anyone would want to mess with. Or Devellyn's mother: she's a wealthy and proper grand dame and a bit of a snob, but she's also possessed of a formidable intelligence, and she truly loves her son. And I can only hope that Devellyn's charming best friend Alasdair will soon be starring in a romance of his own. Best of all, genuinely heart-rending scenes are balanced with some very funny scenes. I hope you enjoy this book--it was pure pleasure for me!

It's hard to explain just why Liz Carlyle's writing captivates me so. Is it the finely drawn characters with their complex emotions? The incredibly hot men and strong women who feel intensely and obsessively? The way she makes 19th century England come alive with smell and sound? The beautiful prose, or the way there isn't a superfluous chapter or scene to be found? Maybe it's the tension that radiates from each book. Maybe it's because her stories are just a bit darker, a bit more suspenseful and a lot more seductive than most other romance novels? I'm not sure, all I know is that ALL of her novels have grabbed me in a way most others can't, no matter how much I enjoy them. THE DEVIL TO PAY is no exception!! The storyline seems simple, but the story is not. Sidonie Saint-Godard, sister of the fascinating George Kemble whom we know from previous novels, teaches deportment by day but isn't quite as respectable as she outwardly seems. As the Black Angel she takes revenge on less than honorable men who've hurt women in one way or another. When she sees how the Devil of Duke street, Devellyn, casts off yet another one of his mistresses who live across the stree from her, she decides he will be her next victim. When the Black Angel leaves him tied naked to the bed in a seedy bar, Devellyn is livid. He vows he'll find Ruby Black and take what she cheated him out of. In the meantime, he is forced to take up residence in his former mistress's house and meets his neighbor, the lovely French widow Sidonie. While he is still obsessed with earthy Ruby, he becomes fascinated by feisty Sidonie. Sidonie is equally intrigued by Dev and soon starts to realize she might have made a mistake... There are so many elements in this story I loved, but I'll try to keep it simple. Aleric, the Devil Duke is my favorite kind of hero - a seriously tormented, big, brawny man. He is convinced his soul is "just a shade from black", and with good reason. This doesn't keep him from being honest about his feelings though. And he feels deeply. He's a complex character who's both cynical to the marrow and yet surprisingly open. Sidonie/Ruby is a strong, independent woman with a mind of her own. She knows what she wants and acts without hesitation. Like Devellyn she has demons of her own that have shaped her. Both Dev and Sid/Ruby were real persons to me. Fleshed out, with substance. I completely understood Dev's fascination, or obsession, with Ruby from the minute she opened her mouth. I thought they were perfect for each other. While this is an intense and sexy read, there are lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I was giggling when Sid and Aleric first "officially" met, I laughed out loud at their second conversation and the scene when they got together after that was just plain hilarious. I won't get into what else made me sputter, but you'll know when you read it *eg*. Buy this book, get comfortable and enjoy!