Review of A Devilish Saint

[Michelle Menezes]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Devilish Saint" by Patricia Catacalos.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Isabella has never entertained the idea of love due to an almost fatal accident that left her with a limp and emotional trauma. That is until she meets Dylan St. Lawrence, the supposed enemy of her family. Dylan is set in his rakish ways, but when he sees Isabella for the time, he is left feeling things that he hasn't felt before. The only obstacle in their love story is Isabella's grandfather's hatred for Dylan's family. But there are forces trying to bring the couple together, human and supernatural alike. The question is, will they succeed?

The Devilish Saint by Patricia Catacalos is set in England, 1862. The vivid descriptions did a wonderful job in painting a picture, and I felt like I was a part of that era, watching the events unfold right in front of me. The plot was interesting, and the mystery was well-developed regarding the feud between the two families. The author's writing style and the language used were apt for that century. The supernatural elements were blended nicely into the story.

The characters were well-written, but I liked the supporting characters more than the main ones. While the focus was on Isabella and Dylan, the other characters were given equal importance with backstories that helped the story move forward. I also enjoyed their interactions with each other, especially in the case of Dylan and Isabella's brother, Morgan. Their camaraderie was refreshing as opposed to what I've read in most romance novels, where the brother usually threatens or dislikes the sister's love interest.

Unfortunately, there are also a few things I did not like about the book. Initially, my heart broke for Isabella because of the trauma she suffered and also for the fact that as a woman, she was expected to be perfect in every way and her worth was based on her ability to give birth. This put a lot of pressure on her, and she lacked self-confidence. After a point, her self-pity got very repetitive, where that's the only thing she did in the book. She also came across as selfish because she made decisions for others without a second thought as to how it would affect them. Dylan had to prove to her over and over again how much he loved her while she kept pushing him away and pulling him back in.

Another thing that didn't sit well with me was the instant love. The characters saw each other and thought the other person was good-looking. Two encounters later, they were madly in love. During these meetings, both were described as experiencing lust. It did turn to love at some point, but I would have preferred if the beginning of their relationship had been slow.

I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars for marvelously blending various genres like romance, mystery, historical, and supernatural. The smooth flow of the story helped me have a great reading experience. The book did have a couple of errors. While this didn't affect me much, it could use some editing. I recommend it to readers above 18 years of age due to sexual content. For people who mainly enjoy historical romances, this book would be a good fit.

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A Devilish Saint
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[Tarie07]

A book with different genres combined! This has got to be very interesting. I should definitely check out the book. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Clare Jose]

While I enjoy reading books with family feuds and a bit of drama, I don't feel like reading an insta-love story right now. But I really enjoyed your review. Thank you.

There's something else I'm curious about. Is the book narrated from Isabella's perspective?

[Theana De lima Araujo]

I like the idea of a period romance and I agree that the brother hating his sister's love interest is an overused trope in these stories. I also prefer a bit of realism and the gradual build-up to a relationship. I do not particularly like the damsel in distress story. I won't be reading this one ,but I loved reading your review, thank you. Have a wonderful day.

[Anjali Patil]

Many genres in one book. I would love to read this book. This is going to my bookshelf for sure. Wonderful job on the review.

[Michelle Menezes]

While I enjoy reading books with family feuds and a bit of drama, I don't feel like reading an insta-love story right now. But I really enjoyed your review. Thank you.

There's something else I'm curious about. Is the book narrated from Isabella's perspective?

Thank you for your kind words. To answer your question, the book is written in the third person perspective.