3.5: I'm going to explain the best I know how. I've forever preferred Batman to Superman. Superman is good and Noble and perfect and...BORING. Marcus is Superman.
While I enjoyed Lillian in this book(as an irreverent brat myself) and even their relationship push and pull, they just aren't my favorite types of characters. Even Lillian was too unapologetically herself, I just don't buy that, especially considering her parents.
I was not looking forward to this book, I didn't like either character in the previous books. But I'm so glad I read it. So what saved it from being a snore fest? Sebastian St Vincent. He is seductive from his first scene, and frankly much more interesting than the hero. I didn't realize that he was to be the hero in the next book (I try to avoid blurbs until I'm there in the series although I suck at remembering names), and I can't wait "to see the devil in his lair." And it's winter. Good work, Lisa Kleypas. I'm hopeless & shivering already.