Then Came You (Gamblers of Craven's: Book One): Lisa Kleypas *UPDATED*

Ah...rereading my original review of this book (back from when I was eighteen...) really makes me cringe.  Should you be so inclined, you can find it HERE, thought I certainly don't recommend (or commend) the review.  It's rather short and somewhat painful.  Though I liked it and my younger self was able to discern some of the nuances in the plot, I think it's certainly lacking in much critical thinking.

First of all, I actually finished reading this book in June, so my obsessive-self is a bit peeved that I'm only now getting around to reviewing it.  I hate it when my monthly book count is thrown off!  I've been on my rereading kick lately and, this being one of the earlier books written by Kleypas (and available in my somewhat-lacking local library), I thought I'd give this one another go.  One thing I will say is that these characters certainly are memorable.  They made an impact on me almost a decade ago and, remarkably, they've stuck with me through the years.  I was almost instantly reminded of their nuances and quirks.  The tension -- oh the tension! -- is perhaps the real star of this book.  Very few books achieve the depth of tension that Kleypas crafted between Alex and Lily.  This personalities, lifestyles -- just about everything -- clash and brings them into constant conflict.  Their rows are powerful; almost as powerful as the invisible forces inexorably driving them together.  I really appreciate the well-disguised nature of Lily's driving force.  It made her more real and caused me to sympathize for her when I would have otherwise found her grating or far too over the top to be believable.  Alex was harsh and unforgiving, but his backstory was quite well-crafted as well, though I didn't care all that much for the ease with which he healed once Lily, er, kept him occupied enough where he couldn't distract himself from his tragic history.  I very much liked the relationship he had with his younger brother as it made him much more human (both to me, a reader, and Lily).  There is one secondary character who made an excellent impact.  Craven's dialect was artfully crafted and his personality was captivating.  His relationship with Lily was complex and, at times, it added a bit of levity to some situations.  If I remember correctly, he gets his own book in this series, though I could be mistaken.  If so, I can easily see him cast in the role of romantic hero, despite his extremely rough backstory and harsh outlook on life.

Overall, bits of the story did drag a bit.  Recovery happened whenever Alex and Lily would clash in one of their glorious battles.  This book is filled with interesting twists, feisty characters, and passion. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Kleypas.  Now that I'm reading more of her works again, I can say that I seem to prefer her older works over her newer ones -- just a thought.  Happy reading!

Note:  The name of the series in this post is slightly different than the original, which reads "Gamblers Series."  I've gotten this new title from the "book bible" (AKA FantasticFiction.com), an excellent site I reference when trying to organize books in a series and choose which one I should read next.

Dreaming of You (Gamblers Series, Book Two): Lisa Kleypas

“She stood at peril’s threshold—then love beckoned her in…

“A prim, well-bred gentlewoman, Sara Fielding is a writer who puts pen to paper to create dreams. But now curiosity is luring her from the shelter of her country cottage into the dangerous world of Derek Craven—handsome, tough, and tenacious—and the most exciting man Sara has ever met.

“Derek rose from poverty to become the wealthy lord of London’s most exclusive gambling house. And now duty demands that he allow Sara Fielding to enter his perilous realm of ever-shifting fortunes—with her impeccable manners and her infuriating innocence. But there is a hidden strength and sensuality to the lady that captivates him beyond his better judgment. And in this world, where danger lurks behind every shadow, even a proper “mouse” can be transformed into a breathtaking enchantress—and a cynical gambler can be shaken to his core by the power of passion and the promise of love.”

This book was a wonderful conclusion to the Gamblers Series by Lisa Kleypas! It was so much fun to read about Derek’s story and learn more about what makes him tick. He was so driven and cold and it was fascinating to watch him change so drastically. As always, Kleypas has written characters that the readers can’t help but fall in love with.

The plot starts off with quite a bang and doesn’t stop its momentum. (Although, it did sort of seem to slow toward the middle of the second half, but that was probably just me because I got a Kindle and couldn’t wait to read a book on it instead of reading an actual hardcopy!) I really enjoyed how Kleypas brought in her characters from her previous book and made them more than just secondary characters. She is one of the few authors that I have read who seems to be able to do this without taking away from the main characters. Of course, I will definitely be reading more of Kleypas in the near future!

Then Came You (Gamblers Series, Book One): Lisa Kleypas

“Lily Lawson, a beguiling beauty with a maddening habit of playing by her own set of rules, decides to save her sister from an unwanted marriage to Alex, Lord Raiford. While Lily’s successful maneuvering saves her sister from the ties of matrimony, it brings Alex’s sizzling gaze to bear on Lily herself. Defiant as she is lovely, Lily vows to hold Alex at bay. But when Alex begins to stoke the flames of passion, Lily risks succumbing to a love that will consume them both.”

I REALLLY liked this book!!! It was awesome because not many authors are able to write their characters with such strong emotions and still make them seem real. I loved how Lily and Alex hated one another with such a passion and then grow to have a different passion entirely! It was fascinating to watch the plot play out and it certainly kept me enthralled.
This wasn’t the usual romance novel, however. There was an absorbing underlying current in the story that was so refreshing and so interesting to follow. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series!!!