Friday, April 13, 2018

The Darkest Promise by Gena Showalter ~ Review

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance
Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn't allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him - until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they've forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever.




I've read some of the books in this series but not all of them.  I missed the part where Lazarus and Cameo were together before.  I wish I'd read that book.  It felt like the demon of misery had made me forget too and I didn't like that.

It took me longer to get into this book than other books in this series.  Part of that was because it's so very different from the books I've read.  Most are set among or around the other Lords of the Underworld.  This one is not.  It's in a fantastical land that impacted the way the story read a great deal.

Without knowing much about Lazarus since I hadn't read the book where he shows up, I felt I'd missed part of their story.  That's on me.  I should have read the between books.  BUT I've experienced these books before and felt most could stand alone.  I'm not sure that's the best idea with this particular one.

I think it's hard for the host of the demon of misery to be a happy story.  I was so distracted by just how hopeless this couple was.  There seems to be no real way to overcome everything that haunts them.  I wanted them to find a happy but I wasn't sure it was coming.

They are strong characters and the story is complex and well developed.  They truly are made for each other and fight for each other.  Their story has many facets and goes to the very end, though I easily saw it coming.

It's enjoyable and very much fantasy.  Maybe more fantasy than I prefer.  I guess that's why I've liked the other books in this series more.  While fantasy, they are in this world.  That's just my thing.  I like to be grounded in this world with lots of crazy flying around it.  When the story leaves this world, I start to get overwhelmed by it.

I'm sure those that have read the series will also enjoy this story.  Cameo's story has been long coming.  I'm glad she got it.  It wasn't my favorite but I enjoyed it all the same.


                                  








1 comment:

  1. Thats good to know, when I finally get going on this series I know not to skip around and read the others first!

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