The Demonborn Book 1: Insatiable Desire by Rita Herron

September 1, 2008
Hachette Book Group/Forever Books
Paranormal Romance/Dark Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback
Rating: 4

Clarissa King sees death. Brutal murders are happening in her town and she sees the victims in their final moments. Clarissa is desperate to stop the murders, even if it means teaming up with someone who despises her psychic gift as much as he denies its existence, and who appears to be hiding some dark secrets of his own.

Vincent Valtrez is The Demonborn, one of three offspring of a devil and an angel, and the apocalypse is looming. His father, Zion, previously defeated by Vincent himself, is about to take over as leader of Hell. The last thing Vincent wants is to return to his hometown of Eerie.  But if he hopes to stop Zion’s plans, and protect the one woman he’s never been able to forget who seems to be at the center of the brewing storm, then home he must go. There Vincent must fight his own battles to conquer the monster within and control his Insatiable Desire for Clarissa.

Insatiable Desire is a wonderful introduction to the world of The Demonborn. Here we meet the first of the three sons of Zion, one of the most evil of all demons who is planning his re-entry into our world even though he was killed by one of his own spawn years ago. Rita Herron does just enough world building to provide her readers with the background necessary to understand the universe and to lure them in. Histories of our lead couple, Clarissa and Vincent, are presented vividly through memories and flashbacks. The premise of the trilogy, sons of a devil having to prevent their already vanquished father from restoring his reign of terror, is excellent and I can’t wait to see how the other two brothers will come into play in the story.

Clarissa and Vincent have plenty of reasons they should not be together, but that does not stop either of them from longing for something special with one another. As circumstances force them to work together more and more closely, the relationship grows and changes. Vincent has so much deep-seated self-hatred that we are compelled to keep reading to see how Clarissa will help him come to terms with who and what he is to claim the love he deserves, and is destined to have.

Be forewarned, Insatiable Desire is a very dark book. There is nothing at all light and easy about this read. So if you don’t like stories that are dark and sometimes very disturbing, then you will want to pass on this one. However, if your motto is “the darker the better,” then you’ll adore this book. We are kept on the edges of our seats as we read along, wanting to find out how things will be resolved. Rita Herron is a master of romantic suspense and Insatiable Desire reminds us of why. I can’t wait to see what will happen next.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2009. All rights reserved.

The D2K Paranormal Junkies

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