In Bed with the Devil

By: Lorraine Heath

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen, Antony Ferguson

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

They call him the Devil Earl - a scoundrel and accused murderer who grew up on the violent London streets. A proper young lady risks more than her reputation when consorting with the roguishly handsome Lucian Langdon, but Lady Catherine Mabry believes she has no choice. To protect those she loves, she would do anything - even strike a bargain with the devil himself.

Lucian desires respectability and a wife above all else, but the woman of his choosing lacks the social graces to be accepted by the aristocracy. Catherine can help Lucian gain everything he wants. But what she asks for in exchange will put their very lives in jeopardy. When danger closes in, Catherine discovers a man of immense passion and he discovers a woman of immeasurable courage. As secrets from his dark past are revealed, Lucian begins to question everything he knows to be true, including the yearnings of his own heart.

©2008 Jan Nowasky (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Great Series

I listened to this series a while ago and am just getting around to writing my reviews for it. I listened again to refresh my memory and I have to say that I enjoyed it the second time around just as much.

This is a very well written book with good in-depth characters and a detailed plot. I loved how the two main characters gradually developed from friends to lovers. The story is allowed to develop a little slower to allow a more detailed captivating story. If you enjoy historical romances with substance that's not too fluffy....then you will like this one.

In Bed with the Devil....excellent writing...

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The writing by the author is very good, she built her characters and the emotional situations very well

Who was your favorite character and why?

I LOVED the Dr....he was well written and very likeable.

Would you be willing to try another one of Susan Ericksen and Antony Ferguson ’s performances?

No, the narration b y Susan was very poor....it was rushed, you could not tell who was speaking because her voice remained the same intonation and cadence from one character to the next, the timing was horrible and rushed, and the very clear characters in the writiing were ruined by the narrator who sounded clipped and almost angry at times.I had just finished listening to a romantic series where the narrator(s) enhanced the reading by their interpretation and performance of the written work. I will not be buying or listening to any more books narrated by Susan.

Was In Bed with the Devil worth the listening time?

No, it was not a joy to listen to, I had to struggle to reach beyond the narrator and listen to the writing instead of the narrator.

Great story!

This was a great story! The characters seemed very real and authentic! I'm looking forward to the next one!

Well worth the time...romantic and hot!!!

I really liked this book...WILL listern to this series...only complaint and not really a complaint just a mention...at times the narrator's character voices kinda sounded the same

The entire series is worth enjoyable

Clever, witty, sexy and fun - and surprising. totally an enjoyable read - then had to follow the series - loved it!

Really enjoyed

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed and cried. I got mad and wanted to scream. Sweet and sensual. Not a terrible narrator but struggled to tell the difference between characters.

Enjoyed Very Much!

What made the experience of listening to In Bed with the Devil the most enjoyable?

I thought the story was very well written. I also enjoyed the narration - I will have to look for more stories narrated by Susan Ericksen.

Mixed feelings

Would you try another book from Lorraine Heath and/or Susan Ericksen and Antony Ferguson ?

Yes. I would try another book from Lorraine Heath as she is a fairly competent B list romance writer. The story, without apology, copies from Dickens even while the heroine read Dickens.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Swindler. He appears to have common sense. I thought the two main characters, especially the hero, were somewhat stupid and immoral. The story kept my interest when I read it in print.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Susan Ericksen and Antony Ferguson ?

I would have used Antony Ferguson as the voice of Lucian throughout the book instead of just reading the Earl's journal. I would not use Susan again although I won't avoid the opportunity to download another Heath book if she is reading it. Susan makes a good actual narrator but the heroine sounds like a 40 year old matron and it is often difficult to tell the difference between the hero and heroine's voices when they are conversing directly. Overall his voice is too wimpy and stuffy sounding as is hers. Antony had the perfect voice and I wonder why more producers don't hire at least two actors to do male and female voices. But at least have a narrator who can do multiple voices.

Could you see In Bed with the Devil being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Any additional comments?

Disappointed with how the voices were rendered and felt the hero really was not intellectually believable. No spoilers, though.

Emotional Series…Great1st Book!

This series appeals to me because the characters are compelling, their backstories are touching and it's as though they ALL have a well of emotions deep inside that only love can delve in, to heal what is broken.

This is the same for all of Feagon's lads, (Luke, Jack, Jim, and Bill) even the only lady in the group, who is Frannie Darling (btw, I read her book first). But, don't allow that aspect to fool you into thinking this is a cookie-cutter series, because it's not. Heath creates characters who are psychologically complex, and you just can't help but fall in love with them. You want them to desperately find the answers they seek to heal their pasts traumas.

HERO:
This is Luke's book, and what a book it is! Lucius "Luke" Langdon's life was disrupted when he witnessed the murder of his parents and by the help of a boy (Jack--one of Feagon's lads), he escapes with his life, the clothes on his back, and muddled memories of his origins. Forward to the present, and Luke is fully positioned in at the helm of his station, as he is currently the Earl of Claybourne…..the "Devil Earl," due to his scandalous reputation.

There is a lot of mystery that surrounds Luke's life as well as guilt that he personally struggles with. Luke questions whether he is the rightful earl of his estates. I believe it is because of this reason that he clings so desperately to Frannie Darling (who I adore by the way) who he has loved since he was a child living in the rookeries. Frannie represents "the familiar" and is a comfort to him, so in his adulthood he seeks to make her his wife. The kicker is that that Frannie does not want to marry Luke, but because she also feels a strong connection to him and will not hurt him, she goes along with his plan to teach her to learn to be a proper lady of society.

"FEAGAN'S LADS:"
I love the comfort level between the group when they are together. They all have these crazy skills, and as a group they sync together and work like magic.

HEROINE:
Well, let me tell you, Lady Catherine Mabry is no frail miss, nor is she a push over. She is part of the aristocracy and is a perfect match for Luke. Lady Catherine approaches Luke with an indecent proposal (but not the kind you might assume) And, even though the request is offensive, Luke is almost humored by it. Luke decides to make an agreement that Catherine must tutor Frannie to feel comfortable enough to mingle with the aristocracy, ask she will agree to be his wife.

LOVE STORY:
With the time that Catherine and Luke spend together, they realize this sizzling chemistry and attraction between the two that cannot be ignored, denied nor tamed. The funny thing is that Frannie encourages it.

The only thing that drove me nuts is that Luke was pretty stubborn in his determination to marry Frannie, despite the growing attraction and need for Catherine. Yet, I thought this was consistent with his character. He tends to be a man of his word, and somewhat singular of mind--for whatever that's worth (when he's banging Catherine while intending to marry Frannie ????? What the??). In addition, I also had to remind myself that he is not the greatest when dealing with his own psychological needs. I suppose that means he's not the most introspective and honest with himself. Luke has dormant memories and I loved how it all came out like a flood, and Catherine was the one who was there to help him through it all.

Even though this read is not bitterly angsty….it is definitely emotionally weighty. You can't help but care about each one of the gang---Luke, Catherine, Frannie, Jack, Jim, and even Bill. I can't wait to read everyone's touching story……

BTW, Susan Erikson did a good job as narrator. But, oh how I loved the inserts of Antony Ferguson….wow…very nice indeed..

Great story line.

If you could sum up In Bed with the Devil in three words, what would they be?

This was the first time I had listened to Lorraine Heath books Now I'm hooked.