Perfect Romance Comedy Book Review: Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey

Book Review: Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey

RS Grey is one author I can always count on for stories that are not only heartfelt and memorable laugh-out-loud entertainers but also ones that alway stay with us even after we finish the book!

Like in Arrogant Devil, where our heroine Meredith lands in Cedar Creek, Texas broke and a runaway from her abusive husband. Headstrong and optimistic even when she is in a situation where it seems the entire world is siding with her ex, she is the perfect match for the grumpy, cold and devil-like owner of Blue Stone Ranch, Jack McKnight.

Right from the start I loved Meredith. She has guts and she is strong. She is the perfect case study on how women who look everything happy and secure in their lives are often times, in reality, victims to emotional and psychological abuse where, though, they know they are getting battered; but have no proof to show for all the  heartache they bear because no one believes them. Everyone around them tells them like everyone did Meredith that this is “the best thing that had ever happened to me…”


So like her, these women start believing the fault lies with them.

“We’d been together for a while, and I trusted him implicitly. If he was upset with me, my first instinct was to figure out what I’d done wrong. So I tried to be better…”


“Of course, now I can look back and spot the abuse and manipulation like a vandalized copy of an I Spy book…But when I was in it, I didn’t realize I was in it, living it- a complacent participant. The incidents were so spaced out that during the peaceful periods in between, I’d convince myself he’d changed, that he’d learned to cope better with his stress and wouldn’t say another hurtful thing to me. Even worse than that, I started to expect the abuse…”


‘When he said I was pathetic, dumb, and worthless, I believed him because he coupled each insult with a dose of gaslighting. “Who else would want to be with you? If you left me, no one else would have you…Be glad I’m with you…”‘

The worse part is even the law is not with them.

“He was such a clever puppeteer, especially when you consider the fact that you can’t file a police complaint for words like you can for punches, and Andrew knew that. He never once hit me…”


I felt like my own heart was breaking as I read about Meredith’s hellish life in California and the helplessness and hopelessness she must have felt when no one believed her. There is no way for us to feel the shame and despair that drowns victims of abuse that they should not feel but still do due to societal indifference and lack of empathy.

“I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to keep my lips zipped about my marriage…”


“I’m embarrassed that I put myself in the situation in the first place. I’m ashamed that I stayed as long as I did. I’m hesitant to call it abuse and to open up about the things Andrew used to say…I have tried to open up about Andrew in the past, and it hasn’t gone well…”


I hated Meredith’s sister, Helen for her disbelief and unwarranted loyalty towards her sister’s ex which was based on no facts but just the illusion of the happy life of her sister she saw on Facebook. Later on I did understand her viewpoint but still I am strictly camp Meredith so no I am still angry with her even if our heroine has a big heart! I felt like saying “So proud of you Meredith, my dear!…” every time I saw her stay strong and brave the setbacks and disbelief from everyone in her life.

Jack came across as almost cruel in his behaviour towards Meredith based on his preconceived notions about her and had it been anyone else they would have bolted to anywhere but here but it was so much fun reading about him getting his due from our strong heroine.

The protagonists have an explosive relationship right from the start but as the story progresses, we get an in-depth analysis of why they are like the way they are and eventually I got over my warranted hate for Jack on behalf of beloved Meredith and came to love him for the real but flawed person that he is.

They started like this.

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“Jack breezes right past me and stomps into the shack so heavily that the fragile walls quake. It’ll be a fitting end, both of us suffocating under the rubble. Just as we’re gasping for our last breaths, I’ll offer to make peace, and very quietly, he’ll whisper back, Go to hell…”

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