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Devil's Bride
(Cynster #1)
by
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1
When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire town by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of Eng ...more
ACE #1
When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire town by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of Eng ...more
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Mass Market Paperback, 388 pages
Published
March 1st 1998
by Avon
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Start your review of Devil's Bride (Cynster, #1)

Framing her jaw, Devil lifted her face, looked down on pale cheeks, at eyes awash with tears, then he bent his head and kissed her set lips. "You'll never lose me," he whispered. "I'll never leave you."

One of my favorite historicals
This is the introduction to the Cynster family (and what a family it is
). I was actually re-reading this one, so it was kind of funny to see all those men and women who'll get their own books :) Most of the time, I was like: Oh look, that's Vane, I love
...more

One of my favorite historicals

This is the introduction to the Cynster family (and what a family it is


This is sort of how the plot of this book went:
- *Random person dies*
- "You are going to marry me."
- "There is no way I am going to marry you, so get away from me!"
- "I am going to MAKE you marry me." (Hotness inserted here)
- "Er, wtf? Back off!"
- "Ooh, I smell a challenge." >:) *begin seduction tactics* (Insert make-out scenes)
- "Are you going to marry me?"
- "Nuh-uh, I am going to go to Egypt!"
- "What about now?" *making-out, etc.*
- ...Oh wow, maybe I will just have sex with this guy and then l ...more
- *Random person dies*
- "You are going to marry me."
- "There is no way I am going to marry you, so get away from me!"
- "I am going to MAKE you marry me." (Hotness inserted here)
- "Er, wtf? Back off!"
- "Ooh, I smell a challenge." >:) *begin seduction tactics* (Insert make-out scenes)
- "Are you going to marry me?"
- "Nuh-uh, I am going to go to Egypt!"
- "What about now?" *making-out, etc.*
- ...Oh wow, maybe I will just have sex with this guy and then l ...more

i love devil with an intensity that terrifies my husband. i can't help it.
...more

I thoroughly enjoyed the first quarter of this book. I was thinking "yes! I'm gonna love this" but it, disappointingly, fell apart for me afterwards.
In the beginning, we meet the sensible, governess heroine. She comes upon a mortally wounded young man on a dark woods road. Later, our hero arrives, and they work together to try to help the young man. After POV switches to our hero, we are immediately treated to his insight that he has just met his future wife. I LOVED THAT!!! No pussy-footing aro ...more
In the beginning, we meet the sensible, governess heroine. She comes upon a mortally wounded young man on a dark woods road. Later, our hero arrives, and they work together to try to help the young man. After POV switches to our hero, we are immediately treated to his insight that he has just met his future wife. I LOVED THAT!!! No pussy-footing aro ...more

Reading Devil's Bride was a very confusing experience. I usually have good instincts when it comes to stories; I can normally sense, even early on, whether I'll end up liking or disliking it. But this book just totally floored me. I was so, so sure that I'll end up giving this a 4 or 5 star rating, but I was wrong. Issues with the book just kept on piling up the more I read it, and at the end, they were far too much to ignore.
The said issues are as follows:
First, the writing style was unbalance ...more
The said issues are as follows:
First, the writing style was unbalance ...more

Mar 27, 2008
K
rated it
did not like it
Recommended to K by:
All About Romance Top 100 list
Shelves:
romance
What? This book is apparently a favorite of many romance readers, but I didn't get the appeal. Sentence structure was definitely more sophisticated than most, but character development was not believable (even by romance novel standards). Disappointingly, it is not titled Devil's Bride because it is about the bride of Satan, Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness, lord of hell and all evil, but the bride of some jerk with "Devil" as an improbable nickname. The mystery was ridiculously obvious even as i
...more

Enjoyable read!
This was quite the enjoyable read. We get my favorite with a hero who decides from the start that the heroine will belong to him, and proceeds to pursue her until he gets her.
We also get a heroine who made him work for it, while still being a very like-able character. She’s very stubborn and just when it started to get too much, she acknowledges her feelings for him.
There is also an exciting storyline that involves a “who done it” mystery. It did seem obvious, but I still enjoyed ...more
This was quite the enjoyable read. We get my favorite with a hero who decides from the start that the heroine will belong to him, and proceeds to pursue her until he gets her.
We also get a heroine who made him work for it, while still being a very like-able character. She’s very stubborn and just when it started to get too much, she acknowledges her feelings for him.
There is also an exciting storyline that involves a “who done it” mystery. It did seem obvious, but I still enjoyed ...more

English woodsman’s cottage

★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) When someone wanted to do a “buddy read” (which you know I can’t resist!) of this one, I decided I’d listen this time, even though I’m not a big fan of Simon Prebble’s. (I just couldn’t get into an older man reading the love scenes to me. However, now that I’m older, he isn’t so bad. LOL!) Nevertheless, Mr. Prebble does an admirable job of this one. The old biddies of the ton are hilarious and the duke is sufficiently arrogant. ...more

★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) When someone wanted to do a “buddy read” (which you know I can’t resist!) of this one, I decided I’d listen this time, even though I’m not a big fan of Simon Prebble’s. (I just couldn’t get into an older man reading the love scenes to me. However, now that I’m older, he isn’t so bad. LOL!) Nevertheless, Mr. Prebble does an admirable job of this one. The old biddies of the ton are hilarious and the duke is sufficiently arrogant. ...more

I am re-reading all my 5 star rated romance novels. There are 62 on my shelf (and counting). This is book 43.
(Tropes: Spinster/Wallflower, Marriage of Convenience, Enemies to Lovers)
This is how my 43rd re-read held up.

Ugh, this did not hold up.
She repeatedly says no to his kisses, he forces himself on her anyway by grabbing and kissing her until she “succumbs” to passion. She repeatedly tells him she won’t marry him, and he repeatedly ignores her.
It’s meant to be cute?

I won’t argue that Devi ...more
(Tropes: Spinster/Wallflower, Marriage of Convenience, Enemies to Lovers)
This is how my 43rd re-read held up.

Ugh, this did not hold up.
She repeatedly says no to his kisses, he forces himself on her anyway by grabbing and kissing her until she “succumbs” to passion. She repeatedly tells him she won’t marry him, and he repeatedly ignores her.
It’s meant to be cute?

I won’t argue that Devi ...more

I wish I could rate this higher. Unfortunately, my tolerance for characters who refuse to communicate, are constantly making (incorrect) assumptions, and being standoffish for no real reason...is abysmally low. I liked Devil. I liked that he was quiet and decisive and in charge, and that he knew almost from the moment he met Honoria that he was going to marry her. That was extremely refreshing. No shilly-shallying from this hero. Regrettably, since the hero is so amenable to the match, the autho
...more

May 15, 2008
Eastofoz
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
Readers who enjoy books like Brenda Joyce's "The Conqueror"
Recommended to Eastofoz by:
Julie (jjmachshev)
Shelves:
2010,
historical-regency
I love the alpha/gamma hero who’s all Mr I’m in Charge with his swagger and hotness, his nothing-stands-in-my-wayness, basically his total babe-ness BUT he has to have some depth to him unlike the hero of this novel, Sylvester “Devil” Cynster. The guy is as flat as brown cardboard and never really develops into anything else. This story just didn’t work for me because I didn’t like the jerk alpha who needed a good shaking for a wakeup call.
The story grabs your attention relatively well from the ...more
The story grabs your attention relatively well from the ...more

Audiobook: Narrator - Simon Prebble
I was a little concerned about this narrator doing both male and female voices but was pleasantly surprised at how well he did and how much I enjoyed it. The voices of not only the hero and heroine were distinctive, but so were many of the secondary characters.
I’ve had this one in my sights for years but never made a conscious effort to dig in until a good book friend recommended it to me. The kindle price was way out of my budget and it was going to be over 6 ...more
I was a little concerned about this narrator doing both male and female voices but was pleasantly surprised at how well he did and how much I enjoyed it. The voices of not only the hero and heroine were distinctive, but so were many of the secondary characters.
I’ve had this one in my sights for years but never made a conscious effort to dig in until a good book friend recommended it to me. The kindle price was way out of my budget and it was going to be over 6 ...more

*gasp* Where's my "I love you?" I never realized how important this was until I finished this book and realized our hero never says it to his heroine. I even went back and skimmed through the book again, sure I had missed it. Grrrr.
Besides that, this was a really good book. I enjoyed it, immensely. Devil was adorable, with his puffed up sense of importance, and Honoria was exactly the type of no nonsense woman he needed to keep him in line. These two have quite a love affair and the fact that i ...more
Besides that, this was a really good book. I enjoyed it, immensely. Devil was adorable, with his puffed up sense of importance, and Honoria was exactly the type of no nonsense woman he needed to keep him in line. These two have quite a love affair and the fact that i ...more

This book rather depends on you suspending disbelief a lot in order to enjoy it. The mystery isn't really much of one (I don't think, I didn't actually get to the reveal, but you can practically hear a villain theme song start up anytime a particular character enters a scene and since the rest of the book isn't exactly subtle, I doubt it's being coy here). And the main characters take turns being kind of stupid. And the steam level is way past my preferences. I'm going to chalk this one up to a
...more

5.0 "Why am I just discovering this Gem" Stars
I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Devil Cynster.
"I’m not a gentleman, I’m a nobleman, a distinction I suspect you understand very well."
Devil

Devil has a reputation as a rake and seducer of women. He's a no nonsense, tyrant who's use to getting his way in all things! Devil is an unmovable force, feared and respected by the ton and he has just met the woman he wants to marry. Fate won't make it easy for him.
"You like my kisses - and I like k ...more
I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Devil Cynster.
"I’m not a gentleman, I’m a nobleman, a distinction I suspect you understand very well."
Devil

Devil has a reputation as a rake and seducer of women. He's a no nonsense, tyrant who's use to getting his way in all things! Devil is an unmovable force, feared and respected by the ton and he has just met the woman he wants to marry. Fate won't make it easy for him.
"You like my kisses - and I like k ...more

I was excited when I found this at the library's used book sale because it had been praised so highly by people whose opinion I respect. "What a steal!" I thought. After trying to read it, though, I felt the $0.50 sale price was a waste of quarters. The book got off to a good start, with a smart, independent heroine who had unconventional but well-planned ambitions and could keep her cool in a difficult situation. The book rapidly went downhill, though. The story is supposed to be built around a
...more

Some thoughts on this novel...
1) The mystery was very thinly veiled. I figured out who the murderer was with no issue.
2) I have never heard of an orangery that contains a daybed and full length mirror. However, for the horny Cynster family, it seemed very appropriate! ;)
3) I still can't get over the nicknames of all the Cynster cousins. Who would chose to call themself "LUCIFER"!?!??!?!
4) I can see why the book Beyond Heaving Bosoms The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels called this series " ...more
1) The mystery was very thinly veiled. I figured out who the murderer was with no issue.
2) I have never heard of an orangery that contains a daybed and full length mirror. However, for the horny Cynster family, it seemed very appropriate! ;)
3) I still can't get over the nicknames of all the Cynster cousins. Who would chose to call themself "LUCIFER"!?!??!?!
4) I can see why the book Beyond Heaving Bosoms The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels called this series " ...more

Very different from what I'm used to. Reminds me a lot of books I read about 20 yrs ago. Devil was so serious yet at times I just laughed at how he tried to tame Honoria. Lots of suspense and the passion was beautiful. Very sexy historical romance.
...more

Devil's Bride
4 Stars
Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?) is just settling in to her new governess position when she inadvertently stumbles upon a dying man. To confound matters, the victim’s cousin soon puts in an appearance and the two spend the night together in a cottage. The problems begin the next morning when Honoria’s reputation is place in jeopardy and her companion turns out the be none other than Sylvester “Devil” Cynster, 6th Duke of Ives. So begins the u ...more
4 Stars
Honoria Prudence Anstruther-Wetherby (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?) is just settling in to her new governess position when she inadvertently stumbles upon a dying man. To confound matters, the victim’s cousin soon puts in an appearance and the two spend the night together in a cottage. The problems begin the next morning when Honoria’s reputation is place in jeopardy and her companion turns out the be none other than Sylvester “Devil” Cynster, 6th Duke of Ives. So begins the u ...more

July 13,2012 - just finished rereading this and I loved it as much as the first time!
I LOVE DEVIL! In case you couldn't understand that cause I was yelling, let me say it in a calmer voice...I LOVE DEVIL! Sorry, I just can't help the way I feel and I need to express it appropriately.
Devil Cynster is arrogant, overbearing, possessive, and HOT. He meets Honoria and immediately knows he'll marry her, even though he's claimed he wouldn't marry. Honoria is in her own right just as arrogant and posse ...more
I LOVE DEVIL! In case you couldn't understand that cause I was yelling, let me say it in a calmer voice...I LOVE DEVIL! Sorry, I just can't help the way I feel and I need to express it appropriately.
Devil Cynster is arrogant, overbearing, possessive, and HOT. He meets Honoria and immediately knows he'll marry her, even though he's claimed he wouldn't marry. Honoria is in her own right just as arrogant and posse ...more

The gold standard Regency and the Stephanie Laurens' Cynster romance that sets the bar for all the rest.
Honoria is a strong minded heroine that the Devil has to convince to marry for a nice change of pace. A romantic ideal to the max, he uses any and all weapons including sexual seduction to woo Honoria.
A plethora of hunky brothers and cousins are set to roll out the series.
Beware, the rest are more or less pale imitations of Devil and Honoria in that the heroes are the ones doing the convinci ...more
Honoria is a strong minded heroine that the Devil has to convince to marry for a nice change of pace. A romantic ideal to the max, he uses any and all weapons including sexual seduction to woo Honoria.
A plethora of hunky brothers and cousins are set to roll out the series.
Beware, the rest are more or less pale imitations of Devil and Honoria in that the heroes are the ones doing the convinci ...more

This book had its issues. No I love you from the hero, she gave up on her dreams of travel pretty quickly (although, to be honest, I had to agree with Devil and her brother...waaaay too dangerous by herself), and I figured out the whodunit without breaking a sweat.
Still, it was a thoroughly enjoyable romance between Honoria and Devil. It was just what I needed to pull me out of my slump!
Still, it was a thoroughly enjoyable romance between Honoria and Devil. It was just what I needed to pull me out of my slump!

I've read a few book by Stephanie Laurens now and while at first I enjoyed them, I now find myself pretty fed up. It's amazing that no matter how many books she writes, no matter how many different characters she dreams up, they all make the exact same decisions. It's uncanny. It would be as if we were reading about the same people over and over again except that in trying to come up with subtly different pasts, what actually happens is that in some books the decisions they make are more logical
...more

3.5 'Devilish' Stars
Yes, I gave this series a try, since one of my fav authors raved to me so much about it. Devil really was a fantastic H - apart from his constant emphasis on his über experience in all matters sexual - and Honoria as a strong and sassy h. Overall was a great read, but it was always tainted, like I expected, by his father's actions in the past (since supposedly all family men are loyal, and even the motto is even 'To have and to hold'), and then they all - specially his mother ...more
Yes, I gave this series a try, since one of my fav authors raved to me so much about it. Devil really was a fantastic H - apart from his constant emphasis on his über experience in all matters sexual - and Honoria as a strong and sassy h. Overall was a great read, but it was always tainted, like I expected, by his father's actions in the past (since supposedly all family men are loyal, and even the motto is even 'To have and to hold'), and then they all - specially his mother ...more

Nov 25, 2012
Susanne
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Susanne by:
Blacky *Romance Addict*
Shelves:
genre-historical-romance
Historical romance. 4 stars.
Some books inspires you to write amazing reviews and some books just leaves you with nothing to say. This book falls for me in the latter category. I liked it and I could see all the qualities, I just did not connect to it. Let me sum it up.
What I loved:
1. Devil. Handsome, reckless, fiercely loyal to his family. How can you not love a hero named Devil?
2. The writing. It was beautiful and at times I really felt inside the story. I can see it so clearly even now - and e ...more
Some books inspires you to write amazing reviews and some books just leaves you with nothing to say. This book falls for me in the latter category. I liked it and I could see all the qualities, I just did not connect to it. Let me sum it up.
What I loved:
1. Devil. Handsome, reckless, fiercely loyal to his family. How can you not love a hero named Devil?
2. The writing. It was beautiful and at times I really felt inside the story. I can see it so clearly even now - and e ...more

I found various things about this book super irritating and not to my taste, but the series is about a huge tightly knit family and how each member ultimately finds love AND THAT IS MY KRYPTONITE.
Soooo, I'll probably read the rest.
I hope they don't have "mystery" plotlines though. Since the mystery taking up a good portion of the 400 page of this book was simplistic and obvious to the point of silliness.
Cynsters: "Oh no, our youngest cousin has been mysteriously murdered!! Whoever could have don ...more
Soooo, I'll probably read the rest.
I hope they don't have "mystery" plotlines though. Since the mystery taking up a good portion of the 400 page of this book was simplistic and obvious to the point of silliness.
Cynsters: "Oh no, our youngest cousin has been mysteriously murdered!! Whoever could have don ...more

For a casual read, with an interest in how a feminist woman could fight back, in a patriarchal world, I loved this. We catch onto the melodrama, the matchmaker themes and heavy breathing going on. But the heroine is brilliant; the mystery plot is detailed and tangled. It keeps you guessing. I love a book that tends toward disaster, but all is well in the end. This one is well worth reading.

This was my first Stephanie Laurens book and it was a fabulous surprise. Very real, kind of graphic chemistry but believable connections between the main characters. If you want HR with heat, this is where to start.


Miss Honoria Anstruther-Wetherby has plans, plans for adventure and excitement, so what she doesn't need is the unwanted attention of a Duke. Especially when that Duke is a Cynster, the head of a family notorious for being wild, but Devil Cynster, Duke of St. Ives is determined to have Honoria as his bride and the more she stubbornly denies him, despite the attraction and passion between them, the more he wants her. But, he must also keep her safe, there is a murderer intent on doing harm to ...more

I'd say that there are minor spoilers in this review but I think the book is so predictable that I'm not really ruining anything...at least nothing important.
2.5 stars.
I was a little disappointed with the lack of plot in this book and the "mystery" could have been handled better (or at all). Instead it was: make-out, slip in the tiniest crumb of information about what Devil was doing to solve the murder but not enough to actually tell you anything worthwhile, sex scene, repeat. I don't mind when ...more
2.5 stars.
I was a little disappointed with the lack of plot in this book and the "mystery" could have been handled better (or at all). Instead it was: make-out, slip in the tiniest crumb of information about what Devil was doing to solve the murder but not enough to actually tell you anything worthwhile, sex scene, repeat. I don't mind when ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Adult Historical Romance. Large series about titled English family. Book 1: Duke? in carriage accident? and country woman looks after him overnight. Next day he offers marriage but she refuses. Read before 2010. [s] | 9 | 39 | Dec 30, 2020 05:48PM | |
Play Book Tag: Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens - 3 stars | 2 | 10 | Dec 10, 2020 02:54PM | |
Do you own any complete book series? | 39 | 98 | Jan 17, 2019 09:30AM | |
Romance Novel Boo...: SOLVED - Regency, Oldest male sibling, governess, storm | 4 | 32 | Oct 02, 2017 05:05AM | |
Romance Lovers fo...: Devil's Bride, by Stephanie Laurens ("Buddy Read") Starts: July 9th | 164 | 100 | Jan 30, 2016 01:20PM |
Stephanie Laurens was born in Sri Lanka, which was at the time the British colony of Ceylon. When she was 5, her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she was raised. After continuing through school and earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in Australia, Stephanie and her husband moved to Great Britain, taking one of the last true overland journeys from Katmandu to London.
Once in London, Stephanie ...more
Once in London, Stephanie ...more
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