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Devil Wager Mary Spencer 9780440224938 Books

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Devil Wager Mary Spencer 9780440224938 Books

I should have loved this. I had read the previous two books in the series and enjoyed them. Because of them I wanted to read this so much I broke my taboo and ordered it in paper, paying hellish postage costs (because it isn't available to me in Kindle).
Maybe I have joined the ranks of people who can now only read with enjoyment when using a backlit screen.
Maybe I have romance fatigue.
Maybe the author had series fatigue.
Maybe I was plain fatigued.
Maybe, just maybe this book left me cold because of the breathtaking assumption that the only way the recalcitrant American "usurper," (illegitimate when it suited the old Earl, but suddenly legitimate when he was dying) could prove himself was to annihilate his whole being. To be a successful Earl he would need to pour in money of his own to prop up a moribund estate, overlooking the decades long insult to his admirable mother, the banishment of his beloved father and the overwhelming grief caused by all the recent deaths in his family. He would need to be patient about the contempt and hatred of his new tenants (come on, he had overseen workers previously) and the whining of the bride foisted on him by his disgusting grandfather. (Yes, I know he "lurved" her the moment he clapped eyes on her glorious face and form, and she was great in bed, but her xenophobic and elitist carping would surely have driven the most cringing Colonial to the wall. And yet, he was a stunningly handsome, confident, ethical, well brought up young man? No way!)
Of course, he would also need to produce some heirs for the British estate, while totally ignoring the needs of his American property and his American workers and his remaining family.
And the author wants us to believe that he would be duped into thinking it was OK for his neighbour to feed him booze while he was deeply grieving a recent loss, and play cards IN THE DARK, on the ground, with subsequent loss of the whole estate - and not confront him, knowing it had had been dishonourable at best and dishonest at worst?
Oh, yes, the H could only be successful after he slunk off, gladly CHANGED HIS ACCENT, as well as his dress, his demeanour, his ethics and his belief in egalitarianism. He had to abandon his friends, remaining family and the property that meant so much to his family. He had to raise a fortune, sometimes stripping money from young fools in a manner that left him nauseous. Then, finally, he could prove himself. Prove himself?
Meanwhile, his selfish, whingeing wife changed NOTHING. She showed total selfishness and lack of empathy when he received news of his uncle's death and didn't even get off her rear end to look for him, only sending others to do so. Instead of working with him to uncover the villain's dishonesty, she sent the H away and told him not to return until he had amassed a fortune. Then she consorted with the evil villain, who she knew had caused her husband's exile and who had negotiated a ghastly bargain with her - because she felt lonely and wanted some nice things?
And her husband APOLOGISED to her for having left her lonely?
I just can't believe it.
Even the American heiresses in romance land have more guts than Lad.
And even in romance land, workers do not hugely respect and admire employers (like the previous supposedly beloved Earl) who spend a fortune on expensive clothes and wine, while leaving them unpaid and their children hungry. They may have had grudging respect for the title and even quick obedience, but anything more is not believable, except in the case of the two elderly personal servants.
Isolated the general clan members may have been, but even they would have been well aware of the waves of social unrest about the rights of workers..
A sad end to the series.
PS In fairness, I should now review the other two and allocate more stars to them.


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Devil Wager Mary Spencer 9780440224938 Books Reviews

I have been following the Wager trilogy since its inception, and have always loved Ms. Spencer's stories. Lad and Diana's story is by far the best written and most enjoyable of the series (and that's saying a lot! ). Lad kept popping up in the previous stories, and we would get glimpses of what his story might be. Thankfully, Devil's Wager delivers the story.
Lad is a strong and interesting character. We find out why he leaves the United States, and even after a traumatic time in his life during The War of 1812 (losing his brother and shortly thereafter his mother), he still takes up his birth right in England. Not an easy move, and not one most people would have made. He loved his home and the memories it held of his family, but he was able to move beyond that. Once in England, watching Lad struggle with both the aristocracy and common folk is fascinating. He tries to befriend his tenants and ultimately sets them against him because of his egalitarian beliefs. They just don't understand him, and being an American, he just can't think of them as inferior or himself as superior. How he overcomes this and develops his character, makes for great reading.
I found Diana a bit of a weak character, not believing in Lad's love (he figured out his letters were not reaching her, why could she not figure the same, especially for an intelligent person) and sticking so strongly to her home. The idea that love is not enough does not sit well with me (as a fan of romance books). How she could love Lad for what he is, but wants to change the very things that make him who he is, is unrealistic. The writing itself is wonderfully done, and I truly enjoyed reading Devil's Wager.
Lad Walker lived in America after his grandfather died he was given the title the Earl of Kerlain. He sees Diiana Whitleby on arriving in Englad. She was his grandfather's ward. He falls in love and they marry. He gambles while drunk one night with Eaghan Patterson Viscount Carden. He does not realize it is a set up Eaghan wants his wife and Castle Kerlain.Eaghan threathens Diana and she sends Lad away to London. He does not know that she has made a pact with Eaghan that if the 70,000 lbs. was not paid off in three years. She would have to go with Eaghan he had already won the Castle the night they gambled.
They were away from each other but Lad was faithful the whole time even ?diana read the wrong info in the papers from London. Eaghan also told lies about Lad too. He had the some of the servants report everything she did. One of them took her letters to him and his to hers. Lad finally comes home after three years he has the money to pay back .he was taken under the wing of .Bella's father.He showed him how to be a gentleman and make money gaming. He came back a stronger man.Diana was going to leave with Eaghan the next day after he arrived.Eaghan was upset when he found out he had the money. He wasn't going to take it but was made too. He vows he is going to have Diana it is not over as far as he is concerned.Diana and Lad have been apart so long will happiness ever find them. I hate that the series is over such good books. I wish the author had written manny more books. I liked that each books include the friends from the previous books.
I should have loved this. I had read the previous two books in the series and enjoyed them. Because of them I wanted to read this so much I broke my taboo and ordered it in paper, paying hellish postage costs (because it isn't available to me in ).
Maybe I have joined the ranks of people who can now only read with enjoyment when using a backlit screen.
Maybe I have romance fatigue.
Maybe the author had series fatigue.
Maybe I was plain fatigued.
Maybe, just maybe this book left me cold because of the breathtaking assumption that the only way the recalcitrant American "usurper," (illegitimate when it suited the old Earl, but suddenly legitimate when he was dying) could prove himself was to annihilate his whole being. To be a successful Earl he would need to pour in money of his own to prop up a moribund estate, overlooking the decades long insult to his admirable mother, the banishment of his beloved father and the overwhelming grief caused by all the recent deaths in his family. He would need to be patient about the contempt and hatred of his new tenants (come on, he had overseen workers previously) and the whining of the bride foisted on him by his disgusting grandfather. (Yes, I know he "lurved" her the moment he clapped eyes on her glorious face and form, and she was great in bed, but her xenophobic and elitist carping would surely have driven the most cringing Colonial to the wall. And yet, he was a stunningly handsome, confident, ethical, well brought up young man? No way!)
Of course, he would also need to produce some heirs for the British estate, while totally ignoring the needs of his American property and his American workers and his remaining family.
And the author wants us to believe that he would be duped into thinking it was OK for his neighbour to feed him booze while he was deeply grieving a recent loss, and play cards IN THE DARK, on the ground, with subsequent loss of the whole estate - and not confront him, knowing it had had been dishonourable at best and dishonest at worst?
Oh, yes, the H could only be successful after he slunk off, gladly CHANGED HIS ACCENT, as well as his dress, his demeanour, his ethics and his belief in egalitarianism. He had to abandon his friends, remaining family and the property that meant so much to his family. He had to raise a fortune, sometimes stripping money from young fools in a manner that left him nauseous. Then, finally, he could prove himself. Prove himself?
Meanwhile, his selfish, whingeing wife changed NOTHING. She showed total selfishness and lack of empathy when he received news of his uncle's death and didn't even get off her rear end to look for him, only sending others to do so. Instead of working with him to uncover the villain's dishonesty, she sent the H away and told him not to return until he had amassed a fortune. Then she consorted with the evil villain, who she knew had caused her husband's exile and who had negotiated a ghastly bargain with her - because she felt lonely and wanted some nice things?
And her husband APOLOGISED to her for having left her lonely?
I just can't believe it.
Even the American heiresses in romance land have more guts than Lad.
And even in romance land, workers do not hugely respect and admire employers (like the previous supposedly beloved Earl) who spend a fortune on expensive clothes and wine, while leaving them unpaid and their children hungry. They may have had grudging respect for the title and even quick obedience, but anything more is not believable, except in the case of the two elderly personal servants.
Isolated the general clan members may have been, but even they would have been well aware of the waves of social unrest about the rights of workers..
A sad end to the series.
PS In fairness, I should now review the other two and allocate more stars to them.