Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: The Southern Devil
Author: Diane Whiteside
Publisher: Brava
ISBN: 0-7582-1210-0
Release Date: September 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Romance
Year/Setting: 1800’s/Southern U.S.
Overall Rating: 4.5
Sexual Content Rating: Sexual
Language (Profanity) Rating: None by today’s standards
Voilent Content Rating: Alluded to
Diane's Website:
www.dianewhiteside.com
Jessamyn Tyler is a woman with a mission – find the family heritage which will ensure she can purchase back her family home and get her life back together. During the Civil War, Jessamyn’s father had to sell their family home in order to get the money to try and save his own life. Jessamyn gladly agreed with that philosophy and tried everything in her power to save the man she adored. Unfortunately, none of the treatments saved his life but her father had thought ahead enough to put in the sales contract that she had the first right of refusal anytime sale of the property was contemplated.
When that sale came to bear, Jessamyn declared she would get the money to purchase back the family home. However, there is a major catch – she has no money. The only way to get the money is to claim her inheritance from an uncle who just passed away. Sounds simple right? Again, major catches. First, she has to have a husband in order to claim it. Her husband had died so now what does she do? Well, Jessamyn had been childhood friends with Cyrus and Morgan Evans (two cousins). Cyrus was the man she married but he has since passed away. Morgan is her next best change. Again, another catch. During the war, Morgan was a Confederate soldier while she was a Union sympathizer. Morgan once used their home as a spying base with Jessamyn catching on and holding him "hostage" until after the event had taken place. This might leave Morgan with a few unresolved feelings where Jessamyn is involved.
None the less, she has to try. So, if she can get Morgan to agree, things should get easier right? Nope, here is another twist; the inheritance is a map which shows the way to a legendary treasure. So, they have to follow a very old map to a treasure which may or may not exist.
Certainly a lot of twists and turns in the road to the gold, huh? Diane Whiteside does an incredible job of keeping the reader anxiously waiting for the page to turn to see just where they end up next. I have to admit that the "gold" portion is reminiscent of other stories that are out there but the people side of the story is quite fresh. Both Morgan and Jessamyn are strong characters but what really develops this story is the clash between the heroes and the villains – very fun. There is enough information about each of the characters that the reader feels they can jump into an individual mind at any time but not so much info given that the reader feels overwhelmed. I like the mix between these folks and the paths taken to arrive at the "treasure." I am not so sure the "treasure," however, is the gold. 
Lori
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