The Reading Spot

The Irish Devil by Diane Whiteside

I have the River Devil and had not read it because I was waiting for this one and finally got to borrow it from a friend. I was not disappointed. The only other thing I had read by her was Hunter's Prey, and I kind of liked it, but I haven't read the other stories that dealt with those characters, so it was a little strange for me. This one I loved, and I am usually not a fan of "westerns"! I definitely have to buy it now.

Viola was raised gentily and now is a recent widow in New Mexico (I think) making a living as a washerwoman. Until her partner sells everything out from under her and leaves. Now Viola has to figure out how to survive. She has few options, she can marry the cruel rich man (Paul Lennox) in town who has asked her repeatedly to marry him, or she can sell her body elsewhere. She opts for the latter, approaching William Donovan, an up and coming Irishman, who has a reputation of being a fair (and sensual) man. He is surprised but quickly takes her up on her offer, and what follows is a very interesting story as Donovan, a student of the sensual arts, teaches Viola everything he knows, and then some.