Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780312351656
ISBN: 0312351658
Label: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2009-03-03
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: 2009-03-03
Studio: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Customer Rating:
Summary: A nicely written, nicely researched book
Comment: This was the first Lisa Kleypas book I've read. I was really pleased with how she dealt with domestic violance. It's a difficult subject to deal with, especially in a romance. That said, it never brought the story down; it added to the book and to the 'life story' of Haven. And let's face it, we all agree with Haven when she talks about Hardy being just so good looking and such a good kisser that she just wants him. Everyone should be so lucky as to find a love that makes them "just as much me when I'm with you, as when I am without you." What more can you ask for.

I'm definately going to go back and read Kleypas's other titles.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Lisa Kleypas CAN write an amazing contemporary...another success!
Comment: I surprised myself by loving Kleypas' predecessor to this story, Sugar Daddy. In falling in love with that book, I also fell for this book's hero Hardy Cates. I highly recommend reading Sugar Daddy prior to this one so you can have better background on the characters (you won't be disappointed).

I was so wary of Kleypas writing contemporaries and I am such a huge fan of her historicals. However, she has very nicely and very successfully transferred that writing talent to contemporaries in both Sugar Daddy and Blue-Eyed Devil. The accuracy with which Kleypas writes in Blue Eyed Devil about emotionally abusive relationships is almost scary - right down to the conversations. I kept thinking, my God, how could anyone write this so well who didn't have first hand experience - but I guess she did amazing and detailed research. The hero often left me breathless in this story as well. This is also such a good read for anyone who has ever been in an abusive relationship, a bit therapeutic in its nature. One real triumph is that the reader is not left overwhelmed by the ugliness that takes place. You still love the characters and are happy with their good fortunes. This is a definite read and I can't wait till the next in this series is released (Smooth Talking Stranger)...I've already preordered mine - guess there's not a much bigger compliment than that.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: terrific...better than sugar daddy
Comment: I'm not actually sure how much of my loving this book came from my actually loving it, and how much came from me just being so darn thrilled that Hardy finally got the girl. I adored Hardy Cates in Sugar Daddy, and poor Gage just didn't win my heart the way he should have because I was rooting for Hardy. But now that I see that Kleypas had a plan (not that I should doubt her--she always does have one and I always love it), I feel infinitely more satisfied!

I had this book on my shelf for two months before I finally picked it up...there had been so much discussion about Haven and Nick's abusive relationship that I was a little nervous about it...but everything that's been said about that is true--Kleypas knocked it out of the park, hitting the exact right tone of self-doubt, confusion, fear and hopelessness that comes with someone in an abusive situation.

And then there's Hardy, long-tall-Texan Hardy. Dreamy Hardy who seems to be a little Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent and a little Derek Craven and a whole lot of gorgeous. (For the record, Sebastian is still the hero I dream of late at night, so don't expect her to top him.) There is a combination of rugged, gentle and a touch of savior complex that makes him a heckuva hero. And the scene when Hardy and Haven finally ease into intimacy is hot hot hot...and perfectly written.

While I'm really not wild about the first person narrator that Kleypas is using these days (the reason for the 4 stars), I read this book in one sitting. It was just that unputdownable.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Lovin' Me Some Blue Eyes!
Comment: Haven Travis is the youngest in the Travis clan and the most rebellious. She fights their excessive and rich lives and is bound and determined to do the exact opposite of what her father, the infamous Churchill Travis, demands. When Haven falls in love with the man she wants to marry, she doesn't necessarily seemed surprised that her father despises her choice of Nick and cuts off her monthly allowance and any gains from the family will. Haven, while hurt by her father's actions, is more bruised by his unwillingness to speak to her as opposed to her being dropped from the Travis Will. Thus, Haven boldly turns her back on a life of privilege and elopes with Nick and the couple moves to Dallas, TX.

For the next two years Haven endures a marriage of pure hell. It started off with little things like Nick's insistence that Haven press and starch his shirts to his exact specifications. Then there was Nick's sudden desire to refer to Haven by her middle name, Marie. Haven complies with Nick's wishes because she desperately wants to please him and make their marriage work not only because of her love for him but for her pride as well. Things deteriorate rapidly with verbal abuse escalating into physical. Finally, after a physical blow out, Nick kicks a bloody Haven out the door.

This time period of Haven's life was extremely difficult to read through but very informative regarding Nick's abuse and his reasons behind it. Kleypas sheds light on the warning signs that women and men need to be aware of so that a couple, if capable, can receive counseling or treatment. If things have escalated beyond hope than a person has a view of the possible future abuse through Nick and Haven's story, and thus hopefully giving them courage to leave the situation.

Haven is rescued by her older brother Gage and even I felt immediate relief when he calls her darlin' and cradles her gently in his arms promising to keep her safe. Yet a battle between siblings is not far behind with Gage pressing Haven to divorce Nick immediately. Haven, having been systematically abused, is incapable of making any decision and opts to sleep on it before delving hastily into a divorce. But after a few days of rest and a hefty unloading of pain and suffering to the welcoming and understanding ears of her sister-in-law, Liberty Travis, Haven agrees to a divorce and once her mind has been made up the proceedings cannot be completed fast enough.

Haven, finally rid of Nick, embarks on her road to recovery. She learns that Nick's pattern of behavior fit that of a someone with narcissistic personality disorder, which unknown to both Haven and me is a very common abusive disorder for husbands. Unfortunately, this disorder is highly untreatable because narcissists are very resistant to therapy for with their sense of superiority, don't feel the need for any change. Haven is also dealing with her rash behavior when any man, even her trusted brothers, make any move to touch her. She reacts almost uncontrollably by flinching or pulling away sharply before any physical contact is made. This sort of behavior, while understandable, is very hard on not only her family but Haven as well.

It is during this recovery period that Haven runs into Hardy Cates, the suitor once vying for Liberty Jones' hand in 'Sugar Daddy'. But he no longer has eyes for Liberty, he wants Haven. And while she wrongly assumes it's for revenge, Hardy soon opens her mind to the fact that he no longer and will never desire Liberty in that way again, nor does he wish for vengeance (which is in complete contrast to the blurb printed on the back cover).

Hardy hasn't changed much since we last saw him except for the fact that he's acquired more wealth. Yet, he doesn't brag. He describes his business as "We're doing okay" and with regards to his mature oil fields "we're getting some good play out of it" while in fact the man is turning over millions in profits that would soon rival the Travis wealth. This behavior fits with Haven for while she has been reinstated into the Travis will and a very wealthy heiress in her own right, she doesn't care to call it out to any who would care to listen.

Hardy moves quickly with Haven, knocking down every road block she constructs. While she refuses to see him in a personal way, he makes a point that she sees him in a professional way and after a daring rescue Haven finally opens her heart to him. I craved every moment the two had together. Hardy swept me off my feet as much as he did with Haven's. And when she finally describes for him the marriage she endured I wept with her and fell in love with Hardy.

Yet danger still lurks with Haven's husband making a final attempt to get Haven back resulting in Hardy injured and Nick behind bars.

I loved this book from beginning to end and would recommend it to any woman not only for the romance but for an eye opening education as well.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Steamy but nice
Comment: Haven Travis, the only daughter of a Texas oil millionaire, marries ambitious Nick Tanner, against her family's wishes, but endures a year of physical and mental abuse from him, rather than admit to her father and brothers that she has made a serious mistake. Nick bitterly resented the fact that Haven's father had cut her off financially and kept up a program of abuse to convince her that she was a worthless nobody. When a violent rape forces Haven to return to her family, she is emotionally scarred to the point where she cannot bear even her brothers to touch her. At a huge, charity reception in Houston, she encounters Hardy Cates for the first time and, as the Italians would say, she was hit by the thunderbolt. The remainder of the story is pretty much what one would expect with some seriously sizzling sex scenes which stay within the bounds of decency but are sufficiently titillating to make the reader want more.

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