Love's Revenge by Monica Burns

Quentin Blackwell, the Devil of Devlyn, has returned home five years after a bitter betrayal by the woman he loved. He'd like nothing better than to extract his pound of flesh and when the opportunity presents itself, he's more than eager to accept the challenge. Especially when it means exploring Sophie Hamilton's delicious curves. He's determined not to give his heart away, but there's something about Sophie he can't resist. 

At forty-one, Sophie Hamilton is beyond just sitting on the shelf. Hopes of love and family are a lost dream at this stage of her life. But her inexperience in the ways of the flesh can easily be remedied, and the Devil of Devlyn, despite his tender age of thirty-two, is just the man to accomplish the task. As she finds passion and pleasure in the arms of a younger man, she struggles with the notion of a love that can bridge the age difference between them. 

Type: Historical Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

"Exaggeration is for the timid, my dear Miss Hamilton, and I'm far from timid. But be assured of one thing. When I take a bite out of you--and I will take a bite, my sweet," he murmured in a voice that was like sinful velvet against her skin. "I promise you'll never forget my doing so."

I picked up my first book by Burns a couple years back and have loved every one I've tried so far and Love's Revenge definitely lived up to all of my expectations when it comes to her writing. The characters tugged at my heart, the drama was interesting and the romance sexy and unique right down to the age of the hero and heroine with Sophie being in her forties and older than her love interest, Quentin, by a good 9 years! You really just don't find that every day especially not in a historical and I loved it!


One of the things that makes Quentin and Sophie a bit different is that they get together purely for revenge on her horrid excuse of a sister and father. And I mean they are vile! I did love the marriage of convenience plot. She wants to escape her family's hold and explore the delights of being a married woman and he wants to bring her father down! It really brought some interesting drama into the mix.

In some ways Sophie's very cool and collected but in other ways after decades of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her family she really struggles with her image and self worth. She's such a strong and wonderful woman and it was hard watching her failing to see that in herself or believe Quentin. It was lovely watching her grow as a woman though and finally overcome all of the damage her family inflicted.

Quentin struggled just as much as Sophie over the loss of pretty much everything because of the lies her family told. He's got some major trust issues because of it. Who boy. The two could get into some pretty infuriating fights but man you could so understand where they were both coming from so it was hard to hold it against them.

The two were pretty great together when they could put everything from the past aside. They play off each other well and you just want them to work it all out and go off blissfully into the sunset. And the steamy bits? Oh they are good! Quentin is so one of those heroes that, yeah, wouldn't mind him pressing you up against the wall and kissing the hell out of ya.

Overall, Love's Revenge was an excellent historical that grabbed my heart, made me laugh and had me falling for these two characters before I realized what was happening. Definitely one to add to your library :)

Amazon B&N Smashwords Goodreads

So, what say you? 

Have you read Monica Burns? What did you think?
Do you like relationships that start out like Quentin and Sophia? 

What about couples where the heroine is the older of the two?