Cold-Hearted Rake (Ravenels Series #1)
4.3
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5
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780062371812 |
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| Publisher: | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Publication date: | 10/27/2015 |
| Series: | Ravenels Series , #1 |
| Pages: | 416 |
| Sales rank: | 57,211 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.70(w) x 4.10(h) x 1.30(d) |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Cold-Hearted Rake
4.3 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
34 reviews.
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Cold-Hearted Rake, Lisa Kleypas
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Historical
I don’t dip into historical novels very often but sometimes I just want to lose myself in the past, and oddly the last book I read was a time travel back to 1600’s and I’ve another set in late 1800’s waiting to be read. Like buses – historicals all seem to come at once! Anyway, this was a fun read, some unexpected heat and my second Lisa Kleypas novel.
I love this sort of read where the main characters hate each other to start, and the author then has the job of getting them to fall in love, but in a way that’s realistic and believable to the reader. Lisa does that well here and Devon does a complete turnabout, but we see why and how his feelings towards his unwanted inheritance change. He was a great male lead, and I really enjoyed reading about him. Likewise Kathleen, I loved her spunk, her snarkiness, her refusal to be cowed by his abruptness and rudeness. She wasn’t going down ( no not that way!!) without fighting first for all the estate tenants, and letting him know how much she disagreed with him. She was open minded enough too to later look at his reasons – albeit put forward by his delicious brother West. He made another great character, one who was a much needed bridge between the two.
As well as Kathleen, Theo’s widow, there are his sisters, the quiet and somewhat introverted Helen and the twins. Helen’s story looks set for the future from the way this was left, and TBH its the one part of the book that didn’t feel right to me, the way the two characters acted so out of character to what we’d learned of them both so far. I could see the reasons put forward but for me it didn’t feel right, and let the story down :-( The twins, 18 and yet the acted and seemed more like 12....and yet they were so funny, such a source of pleasure that I could get past that. I think if they had been a little younger, say 15 or 16 I’d have felt they were more realistic, but even back in those days and having been so sheltered it’s hard to see 18 year olds acting as they did.
So a fun read, with some Great characters and humour, some very unexpected but welcome heat and sensuality, and it made for a fun story. A realistic one too in that females were property, were subject to male relations deciding their futures and owning their assets, and inheritances did get passed along like this, often land rich yet full of debt. It made Devon’s initial plans seem a sensible things to do and a decision many in his position undoubtedly did choose despite the repercussions to the estate tenants livelihoods.
Stars: I’m hovering here between a four and five, but on balance I’m going for a five. It was a fun, surprisingly spicy with some humour lifting it. Its unlikely to be a re-reader for me but I did really enjoy it.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
If you enjoyed my review I'd love it if you would please click “Like” and if you didn't I'd love to know why, so I can make future reviews more helpful.
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I absolutely love Lisa Kleypas but this one was eh. The characters were ok, it just didn't have that level of intense emotion between the characters that is the hallmark of a Kleypas novel. I found myself skipping ahead tobthe Winterbourne parts. I can't wait for that one? You can tell it will be classic Kleypas.
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I really liked this book. Although I didn't like the Ravenel brothers at the start of the story, I enjoyed seeing them mature into strong, caring men.
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I love Lisa Kleypas. I've read all of her books. That being said, I could not bring myself room care about Devon or Katherine. I kept reading because I liked the other characters. I can't wait to read about Helen and Rhys, but that is the only reason I made it through this book!
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but she's lost her momentum. I've been a fan of Lisa Kleypas since the beginning of her career & this book lacks the finesse of her other historical romances. Gone is the sensuality & the detailed description of characters that made a Kleypas novel unforgettable. But being such a good writer in the past,I'm sure that her next books will develop with her magical flare.
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I really liked this story until the train ride. After that I stopped caring about the characters in this story, and all I wanted was to read Winterborne's story. I'm glad she is back to historic.
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Easy and entertaining read
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This is NOT a historical romance but a historical fiction with some misplaced sex scenes. I would have enjoyed this book if I was looking for a historical fiction, it was interesting to learn about the modernization of the country side in the late 1800s. I throughly enjoyed West and Devon, they turned out to be great characters. I also enjoyed the twins, and somewhat Helen. Devon and Kathleen were the MCs and their relationship proved to be pure lust rather than romance. They see each other two times, disliking one another thoroughly. spend months apart and when an accident that could have ended in death makes Kathleen realize she cares for a person she meet a few times and hated each time. Their fist love encounter felt forced and awkward. The rest of their love scenes feel the same, and there is no real base for their "love" that they claim to have at the end of the book. Only scenes of them fighting or spending time together in disdain. Kathleen is a very hard character to try and like. She is the definition of propriety in the worst way. She is not much older than the twins and Helen but acts as if she is their elderly mother trying to train them to be perfect society ladies, making decisions for them, and controlling them completely. Obviously being a "proper" lady is part of these historical romances but how it is done in this book is overdone and leaving no room to feel any compassion toward Kathleen. There is a love story between Helen and Mr. Winterborne towards the end of the book, nothing sexual just a budding romance that will be continued in the next book. This love story is completely obvious as soon as the Mr. Winterborne enters the scene. How it is laid out is so basic a novice could write it. Though it is quite plain their love story seems to possibly have a backbone and may lead to a good novel but I will not read "Marrying Mr. Winterborne" because I cannot chance buying a book that my have any resemblance to this. If you are expecting a historical romance that grows a relationship into a romance rather than a fiction that throws in sex scenes, this is not the book for you. Go buy a Tessa Dare or Sarah MacLean novel.
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I grew attached to these characters pretty quickly. There's just something fun about characters who hate each other. It adds all the more to their chemistry. I don't think Kathleen was trying to be a pain in the butt on purpose. Okay, maybe sometimes she was, but I think she had a lot of guilt and unfinished business, so she was trying to be perfect... and messing up royally at it. It kept Devon on his toes.
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I found the emotional growth of all the characters in this novel compelling! Read it two times and enjoyed it both times. Life isn't always easy. I think the discipline and perseverance of the times comes through in all the characters and their position in society quite eloquently! I also enjoyed the way LK portrayed the future changes from an agrarian culture to the industrial and the beginnings of shopping in department stores. LORRAINE
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Fun read. Characters were well balanced and amusing.
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Cold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas (Audio Edition)
Narrated by: Mary Jane Wells
Series: The Ravenels #1
I had high hopes for this book… because .. well.... it's Lisa Kleypas! Sadly, I found Kathleen hard to like. She seemed spiteful and rather bitchy to me. I am all for sticking to the rules of proprietary but when she did it, it just grated on my nerves.. and I am not sure why.
Devon was demanding and possessive (again normally things I don't mind) but I really couldn't feel the chemistry between these two. Kinda felt like she truly disliked him one minute then did an about face for no apparent reason.
The plot was good though, I enjoyed the storyline and I really enjoyed the secondary characters. West was funny and the slight romance blossoming between Helen and Rhys Winterbourne was one of the main reasons I kept reading.
The narrator was clear and easy to listen too. I am looking forward to the next book in the series: Marrying Winterbourne.
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Definitely a great romance. Characters are well developed and the story held my attention. My only complaint is that the story ties in so closely to the next book... and now I have to wait for it to be released!
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Loved it from beginning to end and now just waiting on Marring Mr. Winterborne. The love story between main characters was wonderful written in realistic terms. It was rushed or cheezie. The conversation were natural and had great flow. Word was excellent to help reader picture the story.
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Loved it
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This is the first book in the series "The Ravenels". Lisa Kleypas is another one of my favorite authors. When I see her name on a book I know that I am going to be getting a great read that I won't want to put down! They are funny, loving and a all around great Historical Romance. Our hero, Devon Ravenel has just inherited a title, house and some wards. Devon only wants to come in settle things and be done quickly but once he meets Kathleen, Lady Trenear the widow of the house he is immediately attracted to her. Kathleen knows she should avoid Devon at all cost but she too is attracted to him and it is making it so hard to ignore him. This starts their wonderful story! I loved the secondary characters and cannot wait for the next book in the series!!
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Lobed this story and loved the drama of the train wreck! Kleypas is an A+ writer. Honestly, I was more into Winter born and Helens side story than the main romance.
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Lisa Kleypas is one if my favorite authors. She is anexcellent story teller whikebringing deptg to her characters. You won't be disappointed!
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Solid story, steamy romance .
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Lisa Kleypas never fails to deliver a book where the characters have depth. I cannot wait for the next one in the series!
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This was such a good book that I found it very hard to put down. Devon Ravenel has inherited an earldom and a house full of family that he does not want and wants to unload it all and soon. Kathleen the widow has made it her job to stop Devon at every turn. Devon sees Kathleen as the only plus of the whole mess and vows to have her. They have great chemistry but defiantly have a love hate relationship for half the book. Kathleen was left to care of her husbands sisters who by far are three of the brightest stars of the book. Helen and the twins, Cassandra and Pandora were a joy and the antics of the twins had me laughing out loud. I can't leave out West, Devon's brother who was quite the charmer.
The only thing that I did not like was that for most the book I really wanted to kill Devon. He did redeem himself in the end but it was touchy there for a while. I understood Devon's problem. He was handed the one thing he never wanted and didn't realize it was the only thing that would give him a life of selfworth and meaning.
I recommend this and all of Lisa Kleypas' book you can't go wrong.
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Loved the book . Could not put book down. Lisa Kleypas is a great writer.
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I'm not a historical Romance type. I love Lisa Kleypas. She writes interesting and witty characters. This book does not disappoint. I've missed these historical's. She's been writing modern and contemporary romance these last few years which throws off and new fans. This is the beginning of something new I can't wait for more to come.
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