Keeper of Violence

"Once I learned, I went online and ordered every romance novel I could find.
They're fairy tales for grown-ups."

--Gena Showalter, The Darkest Night

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Publisher: HQN

Pages: 379

Publication Date: May 3rd, 2008

Source: Bought

Find on Goodreads

Previous Books in Series: First book in the series

Goodreads Description

His powers - Inhuman...

His passion - Beyond immortal...

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments... and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love...
Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive -- and unimaginably powerful...

Mini-Review

Here’s a quickie! Although I understand the irony because quickie is the LAST word I would use to describe the innuendo from this book…see what I did there? Anyways. Off the amazing recommendation of Book Rock Betty, who I always listen to but rarely listens to me and when she does she falls madly in love with books I tell her to read but I digress, I bought The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter. Betty says it’s hot, I’m gonna read it. And this book did NOT disappoint.

The book centers around a group of men who are immortal warriors (roll out the fainting couch now people, that’s all I need to hear) who were cursed. The curse? A demon was put inside them who sole purpose is to feed an evil desire, such as violence, death, disease, pain, etc. Maddox is the warrior whose story we learn. Ashlyn is the woman he encounters wondering around the wood. She’s trying to find the legendary men she heard about in hopes they can help get rid of the voices in her head. No, she’s not crazy, she legit hears voices aka all conversation that ever took place in whatever location she is standing. Talk about a headache. Maddox and Ashlyn meet and it is game freakin’ on from this point forward.

Maddox is also cursed to die every night at midnight and after Ashlyn witnesses this, she tries to protect him from the other men without knowing the details. She just thinks they’re hurting him to hurt him. Le sigh. This bitch stands up to these behemoth sized men without fear. With conviction. With, dare I say it?, love in her heart. Their story from there evolves into mutual need and understanding. I LOVED their relationship. Not only were the sexy times sexy but the romantic moments swoony as all hell. And Ashlyn is portrayed as a real sized woman. Curves, a little soft, and still sexy as hell. HOLLA BACK for the curvy girls and not the ‘I’m curvy but I don’t have an ounce of fat anywhere.’ Let me tell you how much I get pissed off when that is the portrayal of curvy. I digress. There are other forces at work against the Lords and the plot moves forward from there. I liked getting the references to their previous misdeeds and how they got to where they are now. And without spoilers let me tell you…the ending is so legit. I was actually tearing up a little bit. I was surprising myself.

I also loved getting to know the other Lords. The glimpses we get into their personalities and personal demons…literally…were super interesting. I already have a list in my head of whose stories I want next and who I can’t wait to read about!

SO! All in all, I loved this book. The relationships, the sacrifice of loving somebody completely, the understanding of another person, the desire to be needed and to need somebody. I loved it all and I cannot wait to read about all the rest of the Lords…I should invest in a fan…and prepare for cold showers…

Backstage Pass

I loved this new world of Immortal Warriors who were cursed. Totally amazing sexy times. And of course, many more Warriors to come...