The Devil's Love: A Novel

This is my second Julia London book. Both have been great stories and have each received a 5 star rating from me. London has a particularly charming ability when it comes to writing alpha males that are forced to reign in their strong personalities, grow up, and give of themselves. Her heroines are pleasant, innocent, and naive although a little too sweet for believability.Michael Ingram, Marquis of Darfield, had sailed the seas at the age of nineteen, upon Captain Carrington's ship as a member of the crew. Also sailing on that ship was the captain's young daughter, Abigail (Abbey), known to all aboard as a wild, undisciplined yet charming child. Abbey had not seen Michael since that voyage twelve years ago. But she had held, in her heart and mind, dear memories of Michael and had eagerly awaited their future marriage. Abbey's father, taking advantage of the young future marquis's financial problems, had loaned Michael, at that vulnerable age of nineteen, a large sum of money to repay his father's creditors. Michael's father was gambling away all the family's ancestral fortune and lands - thus Michael was desperate for the Captain's financial aid. Included in this financial contract was a betrothal agreement between Michael and the captain's daughter. This betrothal clause would be evoked only if Michael had failed to repay the Captain in full at some future specified date. Since the signing of that agreement, at least ten years ago, Michael had amassed a fortune himself and had repaid all of his father's debts. Michael, now Marquis of Darfield, had essentially forgotten the old agreement since all debt had been paid off. However, Captain Carrington had not been totally upfront with the young man all those years ago. The captain had hidden a large portion of Michael's father's debts from him and, prior to the his death, had evoked the betrothal portion of the agreement. No matter what Michael attempted to do, he discovered he was truly bound by the contract and - most unhappily - was forced to marry the captain?s daughter, Abbey.Abbey, blissfully unaware of Michael's hostility and hatred of the marriage agreement, sailed from America to England believing herself totally in love with her future husband. Her father had told her, through the years, how much Michael wanted the forthcoming marriage and the love he held for her. Abbey discovered, much to her horror, that Michael was not the willing bridegroom. Not only was he unwilling - he treated her terribly - hoping that she would break the agreement. However, idyllic in her belief that Michael would someday love her, she refused to break the betrothal and they married.All of the above happenings occur within the first 57 pages of the book. Immediately after the rushed wedding, Michael leaves Abbey at one of his country estates and travels to another for an indefinite period of time. He is determined to make Abbey suffer tremendously for the enforced marriage. During this perio

I truly enjoyed this story. If you like Julie Garwood, I think you will enjoy reading this author's work also. Abbey a child when she met Michael, goes to him to become his bride. She, excited about marrying the man she has loved all of her life has to deal with a man who doesn't want to marry her even though her father told her that he has been waiting for her all those years. She is a sweetheart and unfortunately learns her father's lies but that's what makes this story good... I love it how Abbey slowly melts that heart of his. I cannot wait to read her next book, Wicked Angel which I think is the sequel to this one. I understand this is the first book written by Julia London, wow, what a talented lady!

Sometimes you get into reading romance novels, and it gets tedious and monotonous. You get jaded and wonder where all the good authors have gone. You know...where's that FEELING you used to get? Well, thank goodness for Julia London. This is one of those books that makes you remember why you still read romance novels. I read Wicked Angel just to make sure that it wasn't a fluke. And that was great, too! Ms. London, I eagerly await your next book.

Abbey is sunny and adorable, Michael is handsome but gloomy. The story'll tug at your heart like a wide-eyed puppy. U need to read this book to know what love and perseverance mean. I bought "Wicked Angel" first, but I like this one much better. The ending is also romantic enough to make U crave for more from the author.