Books › The devil's protection
The devil's protection
First published 1995 · 464 pages
A delightful romp through Regency England and glittering Vienna, where a marriage of convenience slowly thaws into genuine affection.
What it feels like
Reading this classic Regency romance feels like slipping into a perfectly tailored silk gown, comfortable, elegant, and wonderfully escapist. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, sweeping the reader from the rustic charm of English country inns to the glittering, waltz-filled ballrooms of Vienna. It balances the genuine anxiety of a heroine fleeing an avaricious guardian with the lighthearted, witty banter of a fake betrothal. The prose is traditional and spirited, capturing the formal manners and underlying passions of the era. As the protagonists navigate jealous rivals and their own stubborn pride, the emotional texture shifts from pragmatic alliance to a deeply satisfying, tender romance. It is a delightful treat for readers who crave old-school historical romance with a change of scenery.
- Mood
- cozy
- charming
- escapist
- sweeping
- Tone
- witty
- earnest
- romantic
- lighthearted
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- vulnerability of independence · finding safety · facade of courtship · overcoming pride
- The writing
- Traditional and elegant, leaning into the formal yet spirited dialogue characteristic of classic Regency romance.
- The arc
- Moves from anxious flight and pragmatic alliance to a tender, hard-won romantic realization.
- Who it's for
- Fans of traditional Regency romances who love the fake-dating trope and a change of scenery to glittering Vienna.
Content notes
- threat of forced marriage
- unwanted advances
About the book
Geneva Hartwell has been left a substantial inheritance by her estranged uncle. Upon the death of her father though she learns that she has been made the ward of Leonard Boeman, her late uncle’s avaricious stepson. In escaping his unwelcome attentions, she runs across Lord Vance at a country inn where he rescues his flighty sister from a fortune hunter. Lord Vance and Geneva had met briefly before and, in sympathy with her predicament, he persuades her to undertake a sham betrothal until she reaches her majority and can escape her guardian for good. For his own reasons, Lord Vance also decides it best for them all to spend the betrothal period with his aunt and uncle in Vienna. As they spend more time together, Geneva and Lord Vance realize on their own that they would very much like the betrothal to be real but pride and jealous rivals keep interfering.
Description from Open Library.
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