This was a very interesting story of a couple marrying due to necessity. Valerie was left destitute by a gambling father and brother. Malcolm lost the roll of dice and so was "chosen" to take care of her. He was only being honorable to marry her. This is not a sugary romance but is about a couple who matures, learns to make the best of it, and eventually realize they are better together then apart. There were no villainess people setting out to shoot, kidnap or compromise our heroine. Only the selfish money grubbing Lady Deidre sets out to spoil a floundering marriage. The central couple, Malcolm and Valerie ran hot and cold throughout the book. I never thought they would end up staying together after hearing the word "divorce" used so many times! The secondary characters added nice dimension. The only thing lacking was a little blurb from Malcolm about it being the best roll of dice he ever lost-but that would make it the syrupy romance it is not.

The Devil's Own is a very creative and strange book. It deserves the title of Gothic Romance more than any book I've read. It keeps you in suspense and still leaves you with mouth agape when you have closed it.