To Desire A Devil: Number 4 in series (Legend of the Four Soldiers) [Mass Market Paperback]

At nineteen, Beatrice Corning fell in love. With a portrait. Of a dead man. Now five years on, Reynaud St. Aubyn is back from the dead, ready to reclaim his life and rightful place as the Earl of Blanchard. Who currently, and unfortunately, is Beatrice's uncle.

Seven years of captivity have changed Reynaud from the mischievous young man in the painting. Now he's ruthless and determined to take everything the usurping earl possesses. Including his forthright, enchanting niece.

But fights for the title and rumours of madness are just a fraction of the troubles Reynaud faces. Attempts on his life, dark memories and the presence of a traitor soon threaten everything. And even if he does win back all that was stolen, how much will it mean if loses the precious new things he has found?

The Legend of the Four Soldiers (To Taste Temptation, To Seduce a Sinner, To Beguile a Beast) series comes to an end in fitting style. The spectre that has hung over the other novels, Reynaud St. Aubyn, is resurrected and the previous heroes are reunited for one purpose: to discover who betrayed them at Spinner's Falls.

Reynaud is suitably intense after his experiences, with a savage need to be in control. His single-mindedness is only ever softened in Beatrice's presence, as she draws his experiences from him. Yet even with her he is ruthless and possessive, while Beatrice herself wavers between angelic, practical and terribly romantic.

With Reynaud's return and the battle for the title, not to mention the ongoing mystery of the traitor - and return of old characters - there is a lot going on here. As such, I did feel that the main relationship suffered and became at times superficial. Reynaud and Beatrice happen to both be there, so of course they fall into bed, marriage, love. The steps towards love are all there, and they have all the right conversations, but something is lacking. It feels rushed, and missing Hoyt's usual deft touch for passion, empathy and inevitability.

However, despite something missing at the beginning - and perhaps in the middle - by the end it does work, and the action carries everything towards the rightful end. Not my favourite Hoyt novel, but a solid conclusion to an excellent series, complete with another charming fairytale.

This story is set in London, England, and begins in October, 1765. Everyone believed that Reynaud St. Aubyn died seven years ago when his regiment had been massacred in the Colonies due to a traitor. In truth, he had been held captive, enslaved by Indians. His time in the Colonies had changed him, warped him. So when Reynaud stormed into Blanchard House (wild, unkept, and bellowing in French), no one recognized his as the earl.

Miss Beatrice Corning lives in Blanchard House with her uncle. Uncle Reggie was given the title, Earl of Blanchard, when news of Reynaud's death had been received. It is Beatrice who notices the slight resemblance to the portrait of the young lord. The dashing gentleman in the portrait has long held her attention. Now that the man is here, Beatrice finds herself even more attracted. It appears that Reynaud is drawn to her as well. She is the only person able to see past his savagery to the noble man inside.

Reynaud is determined to reclaim his lands and title. Beatrice's uncle is just as determined to keep them. Beatrice is caught between her loyalty to Uncle Reggie and to the man she is falling in love with. This also puts her in the line of fire, because someone wants Reynaud dead.

***** FIVE STARS! This is the last book of the quartet. As usual, the best was saved for last. Throughout the story, there were times Beatrice would convince Reynaud to tell a little bit more about his years in captivity. I must admit that I found these conversations to be both fascinating and dreadful. This story mimics the ear's settings and events so realistically, that I often forgot that I live in the Twenty-First Century. It is this talent of creativity that has placed Elizabeth Hoyt on my Must Buy list. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This was a good read but not as great as anticipated!
however it was a end to the quartet and towards 3/4 of
the book you kind of knew who was going to be the villain
of all thefour books, did not find the hero as tormented as
I thought he would be after all the experience he had.
still glad I had read the last one to finish off the story!!!