The notorious rogue Damien Sinclair, Earl of Blackstone delights in his wicked reputation. With the looks of a fallen archangel, Damien gives the women of London plenty of opportunity for flutter and gossip, while the men of London best guard their back doors. With a mother from hell, and a serious lack of loving attention as he grew up, the scars run deep in this intensely sexy man intent upon treating life and love as his own personal game. Yet beneath the rogue lurks a man who can be responsible, as demonstrated by his funding his mother's needs and paying off his deceased father's debts. But the man who would stroke a cat or leave a rose on a lady's window sill remains carefully concealed beneath a façade of decadence. Then he meets Eden.
Lady Eden Spencer endures her first season at her Uncle Edward's insistence; she would rather take her vows at the convent where's lived the last six years, since she became an orphan. Since her uncle intends her to marry, and she does not ever wish to marry, she and her cousin Reggie have worked out "The Plan, " a plan that includes the devil himself. Eden intends to sample a bit of the wild like, with Damien as her tutor. She lays down the rules, which include a certain amount of physical distance, but little does she suspect how tempting the devil can be. As Damien introduces her to the wild life, they scale rose trellises and attend games of cards, with Eden dressed as a man. Their remarkable escapes open Eden's eyes to the beauties and the dangers of life outside the convent. Damien's long forgotten softer side also becomes apparent to Eden, make the devil a veritably irresistible.
When the devil and the angel clash, they create a heaven of their own making. The escapades and temptations presented in DEVIL MAY CARE had me laughing so hard my oldest son thought I had taken leave of my senses! With these two wonderful characters, not to mention cousin Regie with his wonderful way with words, Melanie George creates a memorable romance that I can't say enough good things about. Engaging, humorous, impossibly touching and remarkable enduring, DEVIL MAY CARE comes very highly recommended.