Title: Devil in Winter
Series: The Wallflowers
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: February 28th 2006
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 368
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Bad Boy x Good Girl, Forced Proximity, Wallflower Heroine, Rakish Hero, Bad Boy tamed
Reread: Twice
Devil in Winter - Book Review
Looking for historical romance recommendations? You’ll probably see Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas pop up quite a lot. It is one of the most beloved books in the genre and I, for one, enjoyed it. It delivers a redemption arc, emotional growth, and a swoon-worthy love story.
While it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the series in order. As I followed along, I was excited to see Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent-our rakish hero-who is a villain in book two ‘It Happened One Autumn’. Seeing his transformation makes this story all the more powerful.
Characters & Tropes You’ll Love:
Evangeline Jenner - The Shy Wallflower with Quiet Strength
At the beginning of the series, Evangeline ‘Evie’ Jenner is the most timid of the Wallflowers. She is easily overlooked and emotionally controlled by her cruel family. After being adopted by her three best friends, she begins to blossom, her confidence building steadily.
But when faced with the threat of being forced into a marriage to seize her inheritance, she makes a bold move: proposing a marriage of convenience to the most scandalous rake in society.
Her journey is one of quiet empowerment. Being with Sebastian doesn’t change her; instead, it allows her to become more of who she truly is. Her strength is subtle yet unshakable. She never allows him to get away with his antics, and their dynamic evolves from a power imbalance to a genuine partnership. Watching Evie come into her own is a joy, and honestly, she grounds this entire book.
“Ah, Evie,” she heard him say softly, “I must have a heart, after all…because right now it aches like the devil.”
“Only your heart?” she asked ingenuously, making him laugh.
He lowered her to the bed, his eyes sparkling wickedly. “Also a few other things,” he conceded. “And as my wife, it’s your duty to ease all my aches.”
Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent - The Devil with a Heart
He looked like a fallen angel, replete with all the dangerous male beauty that Lucifer could devise.
Sebastian made the book for me. Introduced as the villain in the previous installment (yes, the one who kidnapped his best friend’s fiancée!), it’s shocking when Evie walks into his home to propose. At first, he’s purely mercenary—only in it for her money. But slowly, something changes.
Their elopement to Gretna Green, the miserable travel conditions, and the care he gives her along the way—all reveal the cracks in his rakish facade. Sebastian isn’t just a villain with a redemption arc; he’s a man who’s never been loved properly. And when Evie sees through him, he finally begins to soften.
He’s flirtatious, devilishly charming, and surprisingly tender. By the time he’s taking care of her dying father, showing interest in managing the gaming hell, and trying (and failing) to hide how much he adores her – you’ll be just as smitten as I was.
Romance - Why Evie and Sebastian work:
“I want to fill every part of you, breathe the air from your lungs and leave my handprints on your soul. I want to give you more pleasure than you can bear.” - Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent.
Evie and Sebastian are complete opposites: a quiet wallflower and a charming rake. But their broken pieces form a beautiful bond.
At first, they both have their walls up – Evie doesn’t trust Sebastian, and Sebastian doesn’t want to feel anything for her. But through shared vulnerability and emotional moments throughout, they open up more and eventually fall for one another. Their chemistry is slow-burn, intimate, and intense. Their banter? Wicked and delightful.
“I won’t apologize for my past. A man is supposed to have experience.”
“From all indications, you’ve acquired enough for ten men.”
Sebastian becomes fiercely protective of Evie—not because he wants to own her, but because he loves her. And Evie finds her confidence, voice, and power with him by her side.
I am a fan of unlikely pairs, in this case, a charming devilish rake and a stuttering wallflower. They are one of my favorite romance couples of all time.
Why this book stands out in Historical Romance:
You would think that with the cliched–bad boy (rake in this case) and good girl, the story would have the same old stuff. But what I loved about this, other than how unique the characters are, is the writing style of Lisa Kleypas. She makes us love the villain, root for the heroine, and get sucked into the world of the wallflowers. The characters are three-dimensional, and you feel like you know them.
Favorite Quotes from Devil in Winter:
Apart from the ones I mentioned above, here are a few other quotes I loved:
“Mysteries of attraction could not always be explained through logic. Sometimes the fractures in two separate souls became the very hinges that held them together.”
“I’ll take your bet,” he said grimly. “I’m going to win it. And in three months, I’m going to put this back on your finger, and take you to bed, and do things to you that are outlawed in the civilized world.”
“Lately I’ve become so damned distracted that I can’t make a decision about anything. I can’t think clearly. I’ve got knots in my stomach, and constant pains in my chest, and whenever I see you talking to any man, or smiling at anyone, I go insane with jealousy. I can’t live this way. I—” He broke off and stared at her incredulously. “Damn it, Evie, what is there for you to smile about?”
“Nothing,” she said, hastily tucking the sudden smile back into the corners of her mouth. “It’s just… it sounds as if you’re trying to say that you love me.”
Final Thoughts:
The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas is hands down one of my top favorites in Historical Romance. I cannot recommend it enough. It has the right mix of everything a romance book should have.
If you love redemption stories, protective heroes, and wallflower heroines who find their voice—this is your book.
Looking for Bad Boy Recs? Here are some:
- Twisted Love (Contemporary Romance)
- Beautiful Disaster (New Adult Romance)
- Deviant King (Dark Romance)
Devil in Winter Blurb:
A devil’s bargain.
Desperate to escape her scheming relatives, Evangeline Jenner has sought the help of the most infamous scoundrel in London. A marriage of convenience is the only solution.
No one would have ever paired the shy, stammering wallflower with the sinfully handsome viscount. It quickly becomes clear, however, that Evie is a woman of hidden strength—and Sebastian desires her more than any woman he’s ever known.
Determined to win her husband’s elusive heart, Evie dares to strike a bargain with the devil: if Sebastian can stay celibate for three months, she will allow him into her bed. When Evie is threatened by a vengeful enemy from the past, Sebastian vows to do whatever it takes to protect his wife . . . even at the expense of his own life.
Together they will defy their perilous fate, for the sake of all-consuming love.
Where to Buy Devil in Winter:
About Lisa Kleypas:
Lisa Kleypas is the author of a number of historical romance novels that have been published in fourteen languages. In 1985, she was named Miss Massachusetts and competed in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. After graduating from Wellesley College with a political science degree, she published her first novel at age twenty-one. Her books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller lists. Lisa is married and has two children.
More in the Wallflower Series:
