The Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter

The Darkest Pleasure
Lords of the Underworld, Book 3
Gena Showalter
HQN
July 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-373-77310-7

From the back cover:
He can bear any pain but the thought of losing her…

Reyes is a man possessed. Bound by the demon of pain, he is forbidden to know pleasure. Yet he craves a mortal woman, Danika Ford, more than breath and will do anything to claim her—even defy the gods.

Danika is on the run. For months, she’s eluded the Lords of the Underworld, immortal warriors who won’t rest until she and her family have been destroyed. But her dreams are haunted by Reyes, the warrior whose searing touch she can’t forget. Yet a future together could mean death to all they both hold dear. . .

My thoughts:
Along with his fellow warriors, Reyes is bound by an ancient curse. As punishment for opening dimOuniak (Pandora’s box) he lives each immortal day with a demon who thrives on pain. In this third book of the Lords of the Underworld series, Reyes will do everything he can to win Danika’s trust. Her presence in his life may bring him salvation, but protecting her could bring his death.

Ms. Showalter takes readers on an engaging adventure where demons thrive on death and destruction, and hope burns eternal. From passion filled moments to visions of the gods, questions are answered while others are formed. There’s a scene in The Darkest Pleasure that may be viewed as a bit more disturbing than most, but it makes sense for this particular character. Readers should be satisfied with this installment, but will be hungry for more from this talented author.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

The Darkest Kiss
Lords of the Underworld, Book 2
Gena Showalter
HQN
June 1, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-373-77232-2

After opening dimOuniak (Pandora’s Box), made of bones from a goddess to hold the spirits of demons, Lucien was forced to accept the demon of Death inside himself as punishment. He’s a Lord of the Underworld, scarred from self inflicted wounds and charged with escorting souls into the afterlife. Lucien keeps to himself and is content with the negative effect his appearance has on women. Then Anya comes along, and her single minded pursuit has him rethinking his most recent orders to kill her.

Anya is the Goddess of Anarchy, and lives with a curse that has made her unwilling to do more than flirt and tease men. Her sights are set on Lucien, and there’s little he can do to deter her from her goal. While Cronus, the new king of gods, hounds her for the special key she possesses, Anya assists the Lords of the Underworld in searching for powerful artifacts that could lead to Pandora’s Box.

In this second installment of the Lords of the Underworld, readers explore Lucien’s past and changing future as Anya insinuates herself by his side. Lucien is closed off and brooding with his curse to bear. Anya is outgoing, sarcastic and desperate for Lucien’s affections. Ms. Showalter has a fabulous style all her own, and really knows how to unfold a story at a steady pace. While there were some distracting moments with Anya’s over-the-top behavior, The Darkest Kiss is well-written, entertaining and wonderfully steamy. To enjoy the full effect of this series, readers should start from the beginning.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews