Grand Central Publishing/Forever
Paranormal Romance/Dark Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback
Rating: 4.5
Ciarran D'Arbois is one of the brotherhood, the Compact of Sorcerers, sworn to protect the wall between human and demon worlds with their lives. Twenty years ago, a momentary lapse in his controlled emotions led to the doorway opening briefly and allowing the demon of plague, Asag, to enter our world. It cost Ciarran his hand and a piece of his soul when a dying child was able to leach some of his power to heal herself.
Clea Masters is a young student trying to make ends meet after her grandmother’s death. Years ago an accident cost her parents their lives and Clea discovered an indefinable power within her that warns and protects her from danger. When a demon attacks her the very day of her grandmother’s funeral, Clea suddenly discovers a world she never knew existed. The only person who can help her is a man who looks familiar and exudes a dangerous appeal.
Ciarran and Clea must team up to find out who is behind the latest scheme to open the doorway using Clea as the key. They also learn there is a traitor amongst the Compact and must find the culprit before all hope is lost. It certainly doesn’t help that these two loners find a new bond growing between them that neither can deny. Is love enough to hold the monsters at bay?
In Demon’s Kiss, a departure from the historical Gothic genre for which Eve Silver is making quite a name for herself, she brings us a fast paced story of paranormal intrigue and passionate romance between two unique individuals. World building is exquisite, a characteristic I’ve come to expect from anything Eve writes. I could envision the portal between the worlds and the demons’ struggles to break through the magic imprisoning them.
Ciarran is a deeply wounded man, constantly waging an internal struggle against the demon festering beneath the surface since that night twenty years ago. He is very close to losing the fight and this shows in everything he does. This has also forced him into a deep seclusion since any interaction with others distracts him from using his strength to fight. He needs Clea as much as he needs to escape her, as she is the only one who can help him escape his personal hell.
Clea has lost everyone that matters to her and has a hard time putting her faith in a stranger. She is a very practical young woman, in spite of the strange force inside her, and has a hard time accepting this new world she is thrown into. However, that very practicality helps her face this new threat, making her realize that Ciarran is her life line against the demons hunting her.
We are kept guessing through much of the book as to who the traitor is assisting the demon Asag. Several red herrings are thrown into the mix to keep us that much more on our toes trying to solve the mystery. While the book does stand on it’s own, it is quite apparent this is only the beginning of a fascinating thrill ride through the human and demon worlds. The supporting cast of characters adds much to the story, giving us a fuller, richer tale.
Whether penning beautiful and majestic gothic romance, or a thrills and chills paranormal romance, Eve Silver has what it takes to rise to the top in the romance market, and maintain a coveted place of honor on my personal “keeper” shelf.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, December 2007. All rights reserved.
