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Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2022
While I absolutely adored Tali and Hayes in A Deal with the Devil, Drew and Josh could absolutely give them a run for their money in The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Drew Wilson was introduced in the previous book, she's a pop star at the height of her fame and close friends with Tali. She had a toxic relationship with Six Bailey, who simply does not appreciate her the way that he should so I was glad to see that they are no longer together once this story begins. However, that doesn't mean Six is not in her life anymore because Drew is on her way to Hawaii to meet up with his family - his mom, dad and brother, Josh, to vacation with them and Six. However, Six has been sidelined at the moment so to make it even more awkward, it's Drew and the Bailey family, along with Josh's plus one, Sloane.
Drew puts up a brave front; after all, this girl sings in front of sold out audiences and has her life stalked on social media all the time with judgments flung at her in every direction. A lot of those rumors are unkind and untrue, but Drew still tries to put her best foot forward. Josh, who comes off irritable, judgmental and condescending, has no problems sparring verbally with Drew to let her know exactly what he thinks of her. Yet I loved their dialogue because Drew can't help but egg him on and they are a combination of antagonistic sarcasm with underlying heat. While both appear committed on the surface, their hearts are not bound to anyone and appearances can definitely be deceiving.
As argumentative as Josh may seem with Drew, he is a doctor, whose work in Somalia is very philanthropic and humanitarian based, so there's a compassionate heart in there, especially in the way he caters to his mother Beth. The solidarity bond they form seems tenuous, but Josh sees Drew at her most vulnerable moments, the ones she hides from the public, and his sharp perception allows him to discover a rather fascinating and incredible woman that he already had difficulty hiding his attraction from. The growing tension between them is so fabulously developed that it seemed inevitable.
The backdrop of Hawaii and its lush scenery is a dreamy paradise for two people to discover unexplored chemistry. While I loved Josh in Hawaii, it isn't until after they leave the islands that I full stop became enamored with him. There's not much that he can offer in the way of a relationship because of his job commitment overseas, but when Josh cares about someone, there's no limit to what he will do or how far he will go for them and that hits Drew in all the right places in her heart. Drew has always had defined boundaries and limits in her life, whether growing up or in her career, she's been a puppet. Josh's support nudges Drew to find her own path and purpose.
This book is one of my favorites and Elizabeth O'Roark has already written some pretty amazing stories, so this is just another one to add to that collection. There's humor, heat, drama, angst and the culmination of two people who didn't know they wanted more in their life outside of work until they met each other.
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-love story was unputdownable for me. Drew Wilson and Joshua Bailey set off 4th of July worthy fireworks from the first chapter. The only things these two have in common is an abundance of family drama and a latent attraction to each other that neither is willing or able to acknowledge.
The setting for the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a family vacation in the idyllic Hawaiian Islands. What should be a relaxing family time turns into a stressful tug-of -war between Drew, Joshua, and what their hearts truly want - each other.
What I imagined was going to be a light-hearted rom com is actually a multi-layered drama that kept me riveted to my couch reading for a day. I laughed out loud through much of the story, but when the true heart of the story was revealed, I struggled to keep tears at bay.
Elizabeth O'Roark has done a skillful job of developing characters that attract the readers' attention and attach themselves to the hearts of those who meet them. Her ability to navigate this intricate plot line while describing the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands is masterful. I love the way these characters meet new ones while keeping their connections with characters readers already know and love. I also adore watching Drew and Josh make each other stronger and supporting each other through their family drama.
The way these two distrustful individuals take a chance on love is exactly the stuff that keeps me reading romance. Elizabeth O'Roark's suspicious and sassy approach to love sprinkled with just the right amount of hope is a perfect formula to keep me looking forward to her next literary endeavors.
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2022
I started this book one afternoon and did not come up for air until I’d read the whole thing, including the bonus epilogue. You know those couples who barely even touch for half of the book and all it takes is a single loaded glance or tension-y banter or heck, just plain animosity to send a swarm of electric butterflies fluttering through your entire body and soul and you don’t even care if they consummate that tension? More powerful than an actual seggs scene. Drew and Josh are exactly that couple. Gods, this is why I love a slow burn. Add to that the forbidden aspect of this one, and you have more loaded glances and caustic banter and mutual longing. I could read just that all day long.
Don’t get me wrong, I obviously do care about them touching, and of course we get marvelous payoff eventually, but the shot of dopamine that type of ahem, edging, gives you is unparalleled. Who needs drugs when you have the high of slow burns and verbal sparring and mind blowing chemistry and intense yearning? I wanted Drew’s book since the moment I read the blurb, but the real thing blew all my expectations out of the azure Hawaiian waters.
Drew is supposed to be this shallow pop star with little talent and more fame than she can handle, but the real Drew is so much more and my heart hurt for the poor broken girl. Even when towards the end she did something seemingly rash and stupid, it was clearly triggered by abandonment issues and it showed how out of touch most privileged Americans are with the rest of the world. And her growth is a significant pillar of the story. Josh is intense and serious and according to Drew almost too perfect for her, but he’s made for her, giving her things she never even dreamed she could have. HE CARES 😭 There’s this one scene that had me bawling into my palms; both at the swooniness of the gesture and for the lack of a Josh in my life. It’s the little things that live in my head rent free. There’s several more moments like this, and I could just roll around in them like a panda in grass. Or snow. Idk what pandas like rolling around in best. Anyway, the man is hot and grumpy and considerate. And a doctor. And, there’s only one tent y’all! Cue Angels singing, violins playing, music crescendoing.
If the book itself shred my heart a little and taped it back together, the bonus epilogue broke me again and healed me completely. Like what is this sorcery? The idyllic setting of Hawaii in all its glory was so real it made me want to drop everything and take a long vacation in the islands, but I can’t so I want to go and read it again. Now I just need books for all the people that need books in the series and I’ll be good. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.