Liana LeFey has written in exciting tale that takes a turn for the worse.
Devlin is a rake and a gambler who returns home for the first time in years and lands him and his twin brother in a mess.
Mary fancies herself in love with the reverend,one of the twins. But she finds herself taken uncontrollably with Devlin but she doesn't know that he is the other twin.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own***

This was a fun wild romp filled with romance and deception

.Lord Devlin Wayward is nothing like his twin brother. Their similarities end with their likeness and where Daniel is a gentile, law abiding reverend, Devlin is a gambler and rake. Yet when the need arises they temporarily switch places, Devlin promising to live as a respectable man for the time being. Enter Miss Mary Tomblin. Mary has fancied herself in love with the reverend and wishes to make him her husband. Thus starts her plan to get closer to him so he will see that she would make him a good wife. However, who she is really getting closer to is his rake of a brother and they are both in danger of losing their hearts.

Mary and Devlin's romance was really sweet with an nice undercurrent of heat. It was hilarious watching Mary lusting for who she thinks is a reverend and not knowing that Devlin is the complete opposite. The romance was also a tad bit of a slow burn mostly due to the fact that for a good part of it Devlin is trying to get her to stop like him (ie. his brother). Instead of keeping them apart these scenes allow both characters to get to know their real selves despite the lie that's keeping them apart. So when it does steam up it really feels worth it.

The ending has a lot going on and suddenly the tension is through the roof. I only wish that there was a bit more time spent on the reconciliation and seeing them really come together romantically. Though! What it did do is make me want to read Reverend Daniels book. There are questions that need to be answer!

I honestly recommend this book for anyone that wants a book with a little bit of spice mingled with deception. It really makes for a fun read as I find myself always wondering when the truth would come out.

I love LeFey and adore everything she writes however, this was not a favorite of mine. I really enjoyed the Wayward family and I am intrigued to see where LeFey takes us with them. Devlin was irresistible but also made some really jerky decisions. Mary was quite annoying for most of the book. I felt that she was overly pushy with her affections when it was apparent he was not interested. She claims she will never easily fall for a man again but was at one point debating compromising one who was clearly not interested in her. Otherwise, I think she was a strong character who really cared for her community and saw her behavior as wrong, later on but that initial impression was hard to rid myself of.

I enjoyed how it ended and look forward to more in the series but this one was just okay for me.

At first, I was super invested in the story as it is a trope I enjoy very much, but after some chapters - and some character's, choices - my feelings for this book changed a bit.
While Devil's job was not the easiest, he chose the hardest path for them both. Mary was lead on for quite some time and some parts didn't sit well with me. I should say that I thought about abandoning the read somewhere around 70%.

The twins that switch places is a very nice trope, but I think ruse was kept for too long and that was what bothered me.

Lord Devlin Wayward is a gambler and rake, but his twin brother Daniel is a reverend. Devlin is finally returning to England, but with a broken leg is unable to return in person. It’s necessary to go to London, so the twins have to swap places. Miss Mary Tomblin has always been taken with the reverend, who has rebuffed her help and advances. This abruptly changes when she’s needed to help the vicarage due to a broken leg.

The mistaken identity is amusing at first, as Devlin tries to be his brother and fend off Mary's interest. Of course he sees a different side of her, and she impresses him in spite of himself. The two grow closer despite his hot and cold reactions, and Mary really enjoys being part of the community, helping others and being more than just a pretty face.

I feel like Devlin's growth backslid, and it was really disappointing to see. That was the conflict breaking them up, and it felt so contrived. With all of the build up in the first two thirds of the novel, I felt really emotionally invested in these two, and for Devlin to turn idiot kind of ruined it for me. Mary is entirely too kindhearted, so that gives them a happily ever after ending.

The Devil’s Own by Liana LeFay is a new series about the Wayward Family. The series is called the Wicked Waywards and the first book certainly highlights why they are called wicked. Devlin and Daniel are twins. When growing up they often played with people by pretending to be each other, but stopped as adults. After all Devlin is the Lord, the oldest and Daniels is the local vicar.

However all that changes when Devlin broke his leg and convinced his brother to play him, so he can not miss a step in his business dealings and Devlin would play the vicar with a broken leg. Miss Mary Tomblin is rusticating while recovering from a narrow escape from a rake last season. Devlin ends up having to rely on her help while recovering and she has a chance to push her idea of marrying the reverend and being a good helpmate for him.

As with all stories like these, the secret is not going to stay a secret and the deception spirals out of control. The book allowed the reader a good look at the future books about the Wayward Family and an enjoyable read as a new novel in a new series. The Devil’s Own by Liana LeFay is a good read.

Originally requested an ARC as the cover & synopsis held an unremarkable resemblance to my favorite historical romance author’s books (Lisa Kleypas)

Whilst I loved the protagonist, I couldn’t find myself caring about the love interest or about their relationship which is unfortunate as this book has a lot of potential.

A fun book to read. Devlin finds himself out of his depth trying to be good. Mary thinks she has found the perfect man for her. Each of them will learn that what they are looking for is not what they expect. Great escapades and good fun will be had as these two lose themselves and fall in love.

this historical fiction is so cute and precious. i liked this one a lot. it was fun and cute and smart to read. so thank you netgalley for this review book.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Devlin is getting tried of life in London and decides to visit family he meets up with his identical twin. There was an accident and the two have to switch places. Devlin is supposed to turn a ladys attentions elsewhere for his brother but instead ends up falling in love and does some not good things. i did enjoy the story it was a pretty good read.

I was a bit apprehensive going into this book, because whenever religion is brought into a non-inspirational romance, it is very easy for things to go wrong. Unfortunately, in this case, it didn't go right at all. I felt more connected to the twin, Daniel, the real reverend, than I did our hero. Mostly because I felt the hero lacked a heroic personality. He was very immature, and he really played with our heroine's feelings for way too long. He was quite rude, without needing to be, and his opinions on women left a lot to be desired. It was clear he only had *some* respect for Mary because she was innocent, and he lost a lot of points with me in how he thought internally about her and their future relationship.

Mary was just...bland. She came across so young and naive that it was almost annoying, and I didn't feel a connection with her at all.

The story dragged as a result, and I had a really hard time finishing the book. Not for me.

I'm lukewarm about this book. I'll say that the author can write and does it well, she has an interesting story line, good thought out characters and it all makes sense. I would be interested to read another of her books.
It took me a long while to get through this book mainly as it didnt interest me after about the fourth chapter, it was boring. The dialogue went on and on, stringing you along (just like its characters did to each other) and honestly, I lost interest. The whole 'will he- wont he fall for her' and 'will she still hang on his every word' got old real fast. I thought in the end despite them falling for each other that Devlin was not worthy of someone as good as Mary. She sold herself short, especially after all he put her through. The ending also wrapped up really quickly especially given the how drawn out the chapters before it was.
I still read it through to the end and was like 'ok, lets move on'.... it didnt give me any satisfaction or want to read it again. I would recommend only if the story line is of interest to you and only if you dont mind shallow stories.

This is one addictive historical romance novel, and I hope I get the chance to read this rest of this series. Devlin is the twin brother of a town pastor, but he is almost the complete opposite of Daniel. Devlin gambles, loves playing tricks on others, and does not care about people nearly as much as his brother does. He decides to play a trick on the town by dressing up and pretending to be his brother, but the joke goes awry when he injures his leg. He begs his brother to go to London in his stead to close out an important deal, and Devlin stays in the small town to play the part of a now-injured pastor. Mary is one of the unmarried town girls, and his brother warns him to stay away from her. Nevertheless, Mary is determined to prove herself to be a good pastor’s wife, so she volunteers to help him make his rounds in the town. Cue: slow burn romance.

I really didn’t like Devlin for the first part of the book. Rather than saying that he was not interested in Mary, he tries to “trick” her into being home by giving her the worst jobs as they go around to clean the church and help out the poor townsfolk. I feel like I’m tired of the poor communication trope, but I still liked Mary and Devlin as a couple in general so I will allow it! When Mary continues to help townsfolk even as she is exhausted and blistered day after day, Devlin starts to notice her more as the kind and caring woman she is. The minute I really started to care for Devlin and root for him, he did just about the worst thing possible (not abusive though) and I disliked him again. I never hated him, but there were a lot of times that I didn’t think he would be the best pick for Mary. The two did have a LOT of chemistry though, so I couldn’t completely write him off.

Oftentimes the girls in historical fiction novels can be rather boring. Mary is not one of those boring girls. She is stubborn, determined, and will do whatever it takes to become the wife of who she thinks is Daniel. She doesn’t want to be stuck being the wife of some rich snobby man from London, she would much rather be the wife of a truly kind and caring small-town preacher. I kind of wish Devlin had at least trusted her with this secret, but it would have ruined the story so I understand why things did not go that way. I also loved seeing Mary interact with the townsfolk that she visited with the “pastor,” especially her interactions with the lonely elderly woman.

The pacing and worldbuilding in this book were great. I didn’t think things near the beginning were rushed, and there was no real instalove that I noticed. The ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but it made sense for it to be rushed because of the actual in-story circumstances. I hope to be able to see where these characters end up as the series progresses.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a historical fiction novel.

I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.

I loved the premise of this book, twins who switch places, in particular, a hell-raiser and a saint. This could have been amazing, but the execution left me nauseous. It felt to me that Devlin took advantage of a naive innocent girl. 

The story itself dragged with most of the book focusing on Devlin carrying out the duties of a vicar. Not exactly exciting stuff. This is a definite miss for me. 

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After seeing that cover I could not deny this book! It is so pretty! Plus I was intrigued how this story was going to play out.

We have Miss Mary Tomblin who is taken with the handsome reverend. He represents everything she wants in a husband especially after evading a ruthless rake in the last Season. But this reverend has evaded and rebuffed all her advances. We then have the dedicated rake and gambler, Lord Devlin Wayward, who is the twin brother of the reverend. He returns home for the first time in years and lands himself and his twin in some trouble when Devlin ends up with a broken leg. In order to not losing an important trade deal in London, he forces his twin to trade places. Devlin agrees to mind the flock and let down Mary easily. Well...things do not go to plan.

Oh you dang idiot Devlin!!!!!! UGH. I wanted to smack him around. He had a million and two chances to tell Mary the truth and find away around this stupid plan he and Daniel created. Idiots. Big ol' idiots. Daniel is equally to blame!

And you Mary....sighs. You are an innocent, yes, but leave the poor reverend alone. I get you like him and wanna get married ASAP, but my lord. And that scene at the Devlin/Daniel's place. C'mon lady.

We have two idiots doing idiot things and no wonder we got such a tangled mess. BUUUUUT it was fun to try and see them untangle this with as little damage done. It was certainly a mess. Where is my popcorn to watch them figure everything out??? I was worried. YES. I was worried, but I could NOT stop reading the last 25% of the book especially when a big ol' twist was tossed in. I totally should've expected it, but by dang...it got me. Kuddos to the author there!!

Okay - so my one BIG issue was the HUGE lull in the middle. Honestly it could've been cut a little bit and we could've had more time with Devlin and Mary in their bliss. NOO spoilers folks...this is a HR after all ;) You know they figure it out and find love. But yes...I really was yawning for a couple of chapters there.

OOO and I also am meh about Devlin...maybe seeing more of him and Mary in their bliss would've changed my mind completely. Yes, he does redeem himself, but still. MEH.


Overall, this was certainly a ride with a lot of twists and turns and knots to untangle. Sure, there was a big lull in the middle, but the crazy ride made up for it. I wanted more time with them being in love, but I enjoyed what I did get to see. I am curious about book 2 someday. I'll give this 3 stars.

A light read for a Summer day. Some issues to overcome were that the timing seemed a bit choppy throughout, the one sex scene led to a lot of angst so a follow up to show Devlin wasn't such a cad would have been nice and the ending was rushed without sufficient time for groveling. Overall it was still enjoyable.

A very enjoyable read that got me out of a reading slump. At first I thought the story was going to be too confusing, but it wasn’t. The story is told from Devlins’ and Mary’s perpective which I really appreciated. The two of them really had a connection. I did not give it 4 stars because of a sudden plot twist.

What a sweet romance! 4 out of 5 start rating!
While a lot of people would find Miss Mary Tomblin's character annoying, she did after all set her cap for a man who clearly isn't into her, but I think a women who knows what she wants, is one I want to read about.
It also helps that Mary's character development throughout the book is very well rounded. As she is working with the vicar, we really see the women she is - kind, and intelligent.

Lord Devlin Wayawrd (doesn't his name just say it all?) is all the things that Mary despises, and has narrowly avoided in her last season. Devlin is conflicted by the feelings he feels for Mary, he wants her, but doesn't want to want her. But resisting to her charms is impossible to resist.

A great first experience with the author Liana LeFey, I cannot wait to read the next in series

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The description of this book had me a little worried (I'm never a huge fan of a book with lying as the premise) but I enjoyed a previous book of the author's, and decided to dive in yesterday. I really enjoyed reading the book, but I also think Devlin is rather an idiot. I would have much preferred if instead of lying to Mary the whole time, he let her in on the secret early or partway through, and so it was kind of a them against everyone else situation instead of a him lying situation. I think because of the massive lie and some of the repercussions of that, the ending was a little rushed. The characters, Mary especially, could have done with a little more time to come to terms with Devlin's actions and Devlin could have groveled more. Don't get me wrong, he was good at groveling, I just always think more begging for forgiveness is good.
The book is a little heavy on the religion aspects, but I felt like it was part of the characters, not pushed on the reader.

When identical twins, Lord Devlin Wayward and Daniel, the local vicar, have to switch places, this was so going to be an interesting read. Whilst an age-old prank growing up, the events that transpire, have devastating consequences.
After Devlin returns home after several years, he finds himself unable to return to London. Having donned his brother’s clothing and posing as the vicar, he breaks his leg. Daniel fears that his parish will never trust him again for letting his brother impersonate him, that he agrees to take Devlin’s place in London, so long as Devlin behaves. Yet Mary Tomblin might be about to throw all of their plans asunder. Having dreamed of marrying the vicar who largely ignores her, she finds that if she can help the vicar during his recovery, that he will see her as a potential wife. Unlike Daniel, Devlin is not immune to Mary, and soon finds himself mesmerised by her. Before long, it is too late to tell Mary the truth.
This was such an entertaining story, with the sinful Devlin, trying his best to be a better person like his brother and find it so much easier to do around Mary. What I found fascinating was gradual transformation of both characters. Devlin shows a goodness that he believed he wasn’t capable of, nor what he thought was expected of him. Mary was also initially portrayed as a shallow young woman, yet together with Devlin, her strength and courage soon becomes apparent. Whilst believing Devlin to be the vicar, she does look beyond the role, and sees the person, which makes Devlin open up to her. The twist in the story made this even more interesting to read and demonstrating the fragility of a blossoming romance.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.