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Publisher:
Pocket
Release Date:
August 26, 2008
Genres:
Fantasy
Romance
Erotic
ISBN:
eBook
No
ISBN
Print
9781416558583
Kindle
No
ISBN
Bookmark Rating:
Reviewed by
Jennifer Ray
Review Posted:
September 2008
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For over fifteen centuries, Marrok has tried in vain to break the curse laid on
him by the infamous Morgana Le Fay. To that end, he stole her book of power,
the Doomsday Diary, long ago, but all attempts to unlock its secrets prove
futile.
When he meets Olivia Gray, he is seized with desperate hope, and unmitigated
distrust. Is Olivia really the innocent she seems? Or is she the witch Morgana
returned to taunt him further? Whatever the case, he suspects she is the key to
his freedom and will do whatever it takes to get her to open the Doomsday Diary.
But Olivia manages the most insidious spell of all when she captures his heart.
Can he trust the woman who is the spitting image of his ancient enemy, or will
she be his final doom?
Fans of Shayla Black’s work have long awaited her first foray into the realm of
paranormal romance, and the author succeeds with considerable aplomb in
TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS: THE DOOMSDAY BRETHREN, BOOK 1.
This book indulges fans with Ms. Black’s unique brand of sensual romance while
showcasing just how creative this talented author’s imagination truly is.
Creating her own spin on the Arthurean legends, Shayla Black weaves a
fascinating story that absorbs the reader from page one, expanding on the myths
of Merlin and Morgana in a way that is all at once familiar but also new and
exciting.
Ms. Black has a knack for character building, and never has this been more
evident than with the heroes of her DOOMSDAY BRETHREN series.
Hungry fans have been devouring tidbits on each of the men who make up this
noble group of magical warriors for months on her website. Now that we have the
first novel in our hot little hands, these characters take on a life of their
own, with personalities that intrigue and engage the reader.
Kicking the series off with Marrok and Olivia makes perfect sense. As a
descendant of Morgana Le Fay, Olivia ties the series to that legendary sorceress
seamlessly, making the world-building seem almost effortless. Don’t get me
wrong, while it may seem effortless, this world is not a carbon-copy of the
Camelot we have heard so much about already. Instead, Ms. Black sets her story
in modern times, with the descendants of those historic figures taking the
stage, complete with their own mythos.
Olivia is a breath of fresh air. Even though her life until now has been
lonely, without a real and lasting connection to anyone else, her heart is warm
and open, and she wants only to do what is right. She feels a deep empathy that
you might not expect for a person brought up by a parent who kept her at arms’
length her entire life. When she meets Marrok, she feels a bond with him, and
yet is understandably afraid to open herself up to it, for fear of losing him.
As for Marrok, he begins the story angry, as you can imagine a man who has
suffered an unbearable curse with no end in sight for the last fifteen hundred
years would be. He is angry at everyone and everything magical, and most of all
angry with the woman who seems to be the embodiment of the very woman
responsible for his current predicament. But as he learns more about Olivia, he
warms to her – even against his better judgment – and we enjoy watching the
walls this warrior has built around himself crumble beneath the weight of their
love.
And of course, what paranormal romance would be complete without a nasty
villain? The heinous Mathias fills that role admirably, proving a formidable
antagonist with his considerable powers and legion of evil followers.
TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS will be like catnip to lovers of paranormal
romance, and will certainly foster an epidemic of happy addiction to Shayla
Black’s new series, THE DOOMSDAY BRETHREN!
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