In Review: Darkest Angel by Gena Showalter

Released: 1/1/10
Publisher: HQN Books
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0373774319

When tough as nails demon assassin/Angel Lysander meets the sexy sultry harpy Bianka, sparks fly. Lysander has never known love, lust, or any of those other messy emotions. Bianka who is naughty by nature, and never one to turn down wicked good time instantly tempts his soul.

His solution to kill her, just kidding, he decides to kidnap her (which isn't that a little naughty of an angel) and turn her into a good girl. But Bianka is a harpy, and even if she wanted to, she can't be completely good, its just not in her.

Gena Showalter is a master of taking two unlikely characters, and making sparks fly. Although the novella is short, the story isn't lacking. It has all the heat, wit, action, and romance that is expected with the Lord of the Underworld series. Lysander struggles with his desires, trying to understand what makes this harpy so special, when none other, good or bad has been able to illicit this reaction from him. And as much as he wants to go with his instincts he's afraid of falling, literally.

And a little cameo from fan favorite lord of Promiscuity, Paris, serves to kick up the heat, making it hard to pass up, because lets face it what is a love story without competition? Gena does a good job of weaving in the angel world with the Lords of the Underworld mythology, while introducing and setting up future characters.

The plotting is excellently paced, and makes the short 140 pages feel like a complete story.