Cold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas

So, Lisa Kleypas has a new historical romance out, the first in five years. I really can't imagine any Kleypas I wouldn't like, but this one won't make the top of my OMG it's amazing! list. Also, I don't like the cover. 

Have a cover:  

I don't like the dress - why would a lady be outside with her dress hanging off her, especially when she's in mourning and wore black for the whole damn book! I don't like the pink or the weakly colored background; the whole cover is insipid.

Now have a blurb:

A twist of fate . . .

Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities . . . and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house . . . along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own.

A clash of wills . . .

Kathleen knows better than to trust a ruthless scoundrel like Devon. But the fiery attraction between them is impossible to deny—and from the first moment Devon holds her in his arms, he vows to do whatever it takes to possess her. As Kathleen finds herself yielding to his skillfully erotic seduction, only one question remains:

Can she keep from surrendering her heart to the most dangerous man she's ever known?

Okay, I suppose this is a ....................   SPOILER:      The heroine is a virgin widow, a trope I hate. The hero "vows to do whatever it takes to possess her", except offer marriage. Frankly, I liked his brother West better.

I didn't like the way Kathleen treated her SIL Helen, deciding what would be 'proper' for her, when she's the same age and Helen's guardian is Devon, her cousin and the new Earl. Kathleen rode roughshod over her, without even listening to Helen, but I suppose it was necessary for the next book. 

However ...

I did not particularly care for Kathleen. 

Actually I didn't particularly care for Devon either.

So, that didn't leave me with much. The writing was good as per usual, the plot was not out of the ordinary for a Regency except for all the pre-marital sex. And boy, were they obvious about it. They had sex in the carriage house where any stable-hand/groom/coachman could find them, sex in HIS bedroom during the daytime, sex all over the place.

And that reminds me - there's too damn much sex in some of these historicals. These women were watched like hawks, chaperoned everywhere and even a widow did not screw around where she'd become fodder for gossip and certainly not with three unmarried young women in the same house. I know historical romances are not necessarily historically correct, but c'mon now!!

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how Ms Kleypas handles Helen, Devon's shy, young SIL, who is the heroine of the next book. She didn't even like it when her hero kissed her for the first time. 

But the book I really want is West's book, because I really, really like West. Hope I'm still around. ;-)