Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
A chance encounter in an alleyway has Ryzel, an incubus, chasing after Quinlin, the Gifted human who almost interrupted his most recent meal. Quinlin’s prickly attitude doesn’t stop Ryzel from trying to find him because a Gifted human such as Quinlin is the richest possible food source for an incubus. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Ryzel also finds Quinlin beautiful.

Quinlin is frustrated and annoyed that he can’t get Ryzel out of his mind after only one stolen kiss. A second encounter with Ryzel in a bar leads Quinlin to make the life-altering decision to sleep with the object of his obsession to purge Ryzel from his mind once and for all. One night of pleasure reveals details neither intended to tell the other about themselves. The wheels of destiny are set into motion.

BOOK REVIEW:
This is a unique and refreshing story that feels very present with the choice of language and slang, leaving a thoroughly entertaining reading experience that may slide this book into the cult classic type of fans. With very few missteps and a range of fascinating characters with solid world building, this story dealing with demons, angels, incubi, and magic of all kinds is rather irreverent and light. The dialogue and characters keep the action moving and interesting without allowing the story to get too heavy or involved at any point. The incredibly hot and varied sex will keep readers glued to the story and the bits of humor may have them laughing out loud. For a rather entertaining and interesting story, this delivers.

The story is told in alternating first person point of view, which is risky but works incredibly well here. Both characters are strong enough to pull off the first person writing and the alternating chapters of POV allow for an ease of flow without any confusing head hopping. The continuity between chapters and scenes was well done, not jarring the reader but flowing naturally from scene to scene and glossed over jumps in time reasonably well. The prose felt very modern and relevant with phrases and comments that will resonate in readers easily. Part of this was the great humor infused into the dialogue with fun comments such as “surprise butt sex counts as a sudden move” or “Quinlin’s kisses were like a potato chip; I can’t have just one.” There are numerous examples of this kind of humor used to the benefit of the story.

As for the characters themselves, both men have strong personalities and temperaments. Quinlin is as fiery as his red hair and although he is blind, he defies any blind stereotype. Not only is he physically strong and more than willing to crack people over the head with his iron wrought cane at the least provocation, but his prickly behavior hides a teasing, caring individual that has had a unique upbringing. His Gift ~ the ability to see auras ~ is essential in giving him partial sight and added intuition into people. The descriptions used and Quin’s fascination with Ryzel’s aura was a wonderful addition to the book. In fact Ryzel’s physical attributes aren’t even described until much later when Quin’s best friend describes the handsome demon to him. That is the first time the reader and Quin are told of Ryzel’s good looks but they are a distant second to his personality and character.

Quin is the first person to stand up to Ryzel and has no problems hitting the powerful demon with his fists or cane for whatever slight Quin feels he was subjected to. Ryzel is by turns amusing and sympathetic as a character as he struggles with Quin’s prickly behavior and confusion over the fast moving events of their bond. Ryzel is no weakling but his intelligence, charisma, and common sense make him very likable. Additionally, he’s not the most powerful demon and it was refreshing to see that Ryzel has to watch his words and actions around more powerful creatures. Neither Quin or Ryzel are perfect and although they are powerful, the reminder that there are always other beings more powerful than them keep these characters from sliding into stereotypes incredibly well.

The world building and secondary characters are great in this story. From Quinlin’s older aunt who is crafty, unscrupulous and utterly unrepentant to Ryzel’s demon Prince father, each adds a layer of unique character and charm to the story. The intricacies of demons and angels are never overwhelming and often given just enough information needed but never too much to deviate from the focus of the story. The author continually adds in every day details such as paperwork to get an appointment in Hell to frustrations with their respective jobs to give this a relatable feel for the readers. This may be fantasy, but it’s the type of urban fantasy story that you could easily imagine existing.

Although the ending was rather abrupt, there were enough hanging threads from Quin’s best friend to the ongoing power struggles in Hell and the continuation of the relationship between Ryzel and Quin to show that there has to be a sequel (or more) coming soon from this author. Well-written, engaging, dynamic, and unique this story hits all great entertainment highs and makes you want more immediately. Be sure to get this light-hearted yet absorbing book, as you won’t be able to put it down.

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