This book really put me through a lot lol and I have a lot of feelings about what I read. Content warnings at the end of review . This book gave me some similar feels as Sophie Lark's, "Brutal Heart" PARENTS ARE THE WORST!!!!! Or at least in this case, Haven's parents are the worst.

In my opinion, this book is not a romance rather it has some romance within it. This is a book about a woman who marries the wrong guy - and he's wrong for many reasons - and how she comes away from that relationship to live the life she was supposed to live.

We do not have a lot of interaction between the two love interests however each interaction leaves a huge impression and honestly my desire to see these two folks in another scene together drove me to devour this book. Kleypas is an amazing writer and she makes the pages burn when Hardy and Haven are together.

The last third of the book started to fall apart a bit - too many plot lines converging when I would have rather had more time dedicated to Haven making the life she wants.


CONTENT WARNINGS:
intimate partner abuse, gas lighting, physical abuse, on page rape, terrible family dynamics

9788466638043

Blue-Eyed Devil
4 Stars

After hearing about this book for years, perhaps my expectations were too high. Yes, Haven's story is well-written (obviously, it is Lisa Kleypas after all); her journey is intense and emotional, and her romance with Hardy is captivating - that man is simply yummilicious!

While the reading experience is enjoyable overall, there are a couple of problematic issues. First, is Haven herself. Although she is a sympathetic and likable heroine, she has absolutely no backbone! Yes, there are reasons for her inability to stand up for herself (her mother's systematic erosion of her self-esteem, battered wife syndrome), but this does not make it easier to relate to a woman who is, in essence, a victim of her own making.

Second is the portrayal of the abuse Haven suffers at the hands of her sociopathic narcissist of a husband. Yes, the descriptions play an important role in understanding Haven's character, but ultimately, she fails to internalize the lessons learned from the experiences, and as such, their harshness is not warranted, especially in a romance novel. Thankfully, this episode in the book is short-lived as I might have DNFed otherwise.

Overall, Blue-Eyed Devil is a heartbreaking story and well worth the effort. However, readers with triggers for abusive relationships should be forewarned.

( )

Haven Travis es la rebelde heredera de una rica familia de petroleros texanos. Pero cuando Haven se casa con un hombre que los Travis desaprueban, su vida toma un derrotero tan nuevo como peligroso. Dos años después, Haven vuelve a casa, determinada a seguir los dictados de su corazón. Y Hardy Cates, un enemigo jurado de la familia Travis, es la ultima persona que le conviene encontrar rondando su puerta, o prendiendo la llama del amor en su alma sensual. Llena de personajes inolvidables e inesperados giros argumentales, El diablo tiene ojos azules confirma a Lisa Kleypas como la reina de la novela romántica.

Thank you, Lisa Kleypas, for a very real and frank look at abuse and its affects. Haven's journey was well-written and touching; I really enjoyed this book. ( )