Review for The Virgin Huntress by Victoria Vane

Desperate times call for devilish measures… when the object of one's passion has eyes for another… it's time to take matters in hand!

Lady Vesta Chambers is accustomed to getting what she wants…

Coddled and pampered, since her mother's death, Lady Vesta Chambers is beside herself when her father goes to London to prepare for her come-out and returns with a young bride of his own. With her world turned upside down, Vesta accompanies her godmother, Diana, to town, where she is smitten the moment she lays eyes on a certain captain of the Seventeenth Light Dragoons. 

But when the object of her passion has eyes for another… 

Captain Hewett DeVere, younger brother and heir to Viscount Ludovic "The Devil" DeVere, has returned from the American war scarred, disillusioned, and looking forward to settling down to a quiet and respectable life. But when the handsome and straight-laced captain turns his eyes toward the widowed Diana, Vesta is prepared to take devilish measures to prove she is no longer a little girl, but a woman with the passion of…a huntress.

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For her second book in The Devil Devere series author Victoria Vane has presented us with another unexpectedly outspoken heroine who's not afraid to go after what she wants.  Lady Vesta is The Virgin Huntress who's completely enamored of her godfather's young brother who unfortunately has eyes only for her godmother Diana.   Captain Hewett considers her vapid and immature which leads to a series of over the top acts to capture his attention.  I tend to agree with Hewett's impression of her and found her poutiness over her father's new bride grating and selfish.  Everything has to be about her, and with the exception of Hewett, those around her let her get away with everything calling her high-spirited.  In most books it's the hero who plans to kidnap the heroine, but in this book Vesta drugs Hewett and encloses them together on a ship at sea where she'll make him love her.  It's an unorthodox plan that results in a surprising end in my opinion but completely expected considering that Vesta always gets what she wants.

Whereas the heroine left me cold, the same can't be said for the hero.  I enjoyed Captain Hewett and his appreciation for what older woman Diana could give him.  After the harshness of war he wants a calming influence beside him and doesn't see that in Vesta.  He's never cruel to Vesta in explaining why he doesn't see them together, just honest.  After the horrors of war he deserves happiness and I wish he were presented with a different, more worthy heroine.  If I didn't truly believe Diana and Devere were perfect for each then I would've been rooting for Hewett and Diana.

The heroine in the previous Devil Devere book balanced outspokenness and spunkiness perfectly.  Unfortunately that's not the case here.  Vesta came off as immature with a tendency to look before she leapt.  Their pairing would always make me see Hewett as the father trying to keep Vesta out of trouble.  They're definitely not equals. The pace of the story moves along briskly though keeping the reader entertained.  The sexual interludes again reflect Vesta's immaturity and Hewett's infinite patience with her while keeping it steamy.  In the bedroom is the only place where I felt their relationship worked.  The inequalities made for a satisfyingly believable encounter.

While a bit of a let down from the previous book, I still voraciously consumed every moment involving Devere and Diana.  Their unspoken yet intriguing past has me chewing at the bit for their story and their few interactions were ripe with sexual tension.  The hero in this story was extremely likable and charming and it's easy to see, through their prowess in the bedroom, that he and Devere are related.  The heroine wasn't a favorite of mine but all the other characters kept me reading and breathlessly waiting for the next book in the series.

My rating for this is a C+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.