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Sinner's Heart (The Hellraisers #3)

by Zoe Archer (Goodreads Author)

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 58 ratings · 22 reviews

DEMONS OF THE PAST

Abraham Stirling, Lord Rothwell, was a fighter once, a soldier in the Colonies. But Bram returned to London with more nightmares than tales of glory. Now he drowns his senses in the arms of countless women, while his friends, the Hellraisers, ensure he needn't sin alone.

Until, that is, the Devil himself grants them each a wish, undoing their camaraderie a...more

Mass Market Paperback, 370 pages

Published April 2nd 2013 by Zebra

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Apr 23, 2013 Paranormal Haven rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-beth-guest-reviewer

2.5 stars

Bram came back from war a broken man. He became one of the Hellraisers, with his childhood friend Whit, and together the group got up to debauchery all over London. That is until the Hellraisers made a deal with the Devil. Each of the Hellraisers was bestowed a gift in return for their souls. For Bram it was the ability to sway others, which he used to get all kinds of women in bed with him. Along the way other Hellraisers broke from their deal with the Devil, fighting for their souls....more 2.5 stars

Bram came back from war a broken man. He became one of the Hellraisers, with his childhood friend Whit, and together the group got up to debauchery all over London. That is until the Hellraisers made a deal with the Devil. Each of the Hellraisers was bestowed a gift in return for their souls. For Bram it was the ability to sway others, which he used to get all kinds of women in bed with him. Along the way other Hellraisers broke from their deal with the Devil, fighting for their souls. Bram didn’t bother with it, he wanted to be left alone, but when Livia, a dead roman ghost becomes bound to him, he finds little piece or comfort between the thighs of women.

Sinner’s Heart is the third installment of the Hellraisers series. I’m pretty sure it’s the last book in the series. It takes place in 18th century England. In all three books there is a common thread of redemption for the hero, and sometimes even his heroine.

Livia showed up in the books before Sinner’s Heart. She was a Roman priestess who was the first person to bring the Devil to earth. She locked the Devil away with her for hundreds of years before the Hellraisers unknowingly let him loose. She ends up bound magically to Bram, and sees his frightful past. She starts to feel a kinship with him, and desires to help save him from his fate, and ultimately save the world from being devoured by hell.

Bram proves a hard nut to crack, but when John, a Hellraiser still in the Devil’s clutches, asks him for something, he kind of sees what is going on. He is also slowly becoming intrigued by the beautiful ghost he can’t have. A romance between these two characters soon follows.

My problem with this book was the distance I felt with the characters. I couldn’t connect with either Bram or Livia. I could understand them, but I felt a lack of depth. This is created because of the large amount of telling. A lot of the information becomes repetitious as the characters retell their feelings and often times motives.

I did like that Bram and Livia are proactive characters. They charge ahead instead of letting things happen to them. They go from place to place in London, running or charging forward, showing off a lot of the city.

The story itself fits together well, and is a good ending to the series. The problem was its predictability. There aren’t any twists and turns the reader won’t see coming. It felt too much like the previous books in the series. The formula is the same. The characters are only switched around. As a whole this wasn’t my favorite Paranormal Romance series. I enjoyed the first book, but felt the others were too much the same.
- Beth(less)

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Apr 17, 2013 CoffeeTimeRomance andMore rated it 3 of 5 stars

Abraham Stirling, Lord Rothwell, sold his soul to the devil for the power to seduce any woman with a word. He and four friends were the toast of London. Self proclaimed Hellraisers with powers that made their vices pay off, Bram and his friends have become as corrupt as the city they call home.

Once a Priestess of Hecate in the last days of the Roman Empire, Livia knows how destructive the quest for power can be. It was she who first unleashed the Dark One from his prison. Now she has twice defea...more

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Mar 26, 2013 The Window Seat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sinner’s Heart has been a truly anxiously awaited book for me ever since I finished reading Zoe Archer’s previous title in The Hellraisers series last May. In the final scenes of Demon’s Bride the line dividing the former friends was drawn, with those who fully embraced the Devil and the gifts he had bestowed against those who would fight to defeat the evil they had unwittingly unleashed on England. Where my anticipation grew from was in the last actions of the ghost Valeria Livia Corva; how she...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Slightly spoilery if you haven't read the previous books (Devil's kiss, Demon's Bride)

I had no idea what to expect with this book. The heroine is a ghost! And Livia, although helpful to the Hellraisers cause in the previous two books, seemed a little unhinged to me. But she ended up being awesome as was the romance.

Bram is the hero in Sinners Heart and he's the rogue/ladies man of the group. He needs to seduce woman and have an endless stream of sex to feel any peace in his life. To be honest I'...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Cinzia rated it 4 of 5 stars

This time I'm very startled by myself for my cunning ... I started the book without notice that it was the third book of the "Hellraisers series, foxy is my second name. However, after a first moment in which I did not understand very well why Bram and Livia are related to each other, going forward in the reading I was clarified everything, thanks to the author's references to small events in previous books.

Abraham Stirling, Lord Rothwell, was a fighter once, a soldier in the Colonies. But Bram...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Jaime rated it 2 of 5 stars

I have not read the two previous books in this trilogy and although I would say that this is a stand alone novel, I would recommend that you read the the books first. I was never lost, and most of the beginning of the book was spent setting the stage, so as a new reader I was completely caught up. Unfortunately I never connected with the character’s. Bram was an ok hero, but for me there was nothing outstanding about him and his brooding. And although Livia has literally been through hell, I nev...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Ginny Lurcock rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley, 2013-review-challenge, 2013-reading-challenge, genre-romance-historical, genre-romance-paranormal

Ever have one of those moments where you start a book with trepidation because you sort of know the author (meaning you interviewed their husband once and he wished you a happy birthday) and what if the book isn’t good? What then? You’ll have to quit reviewing Ginny and live in a cave feeding on berries and probably kill a bear because how can you post a negative review when they literally just made you a birthday gift?

I feel it’s important to point out that yes, I know that’s not a logical prog...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Martini Times rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-posted

I got this book as an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sinner's Heart is the 3rd paranormal historical romance of a trilogy that follows after author, Zoe Archer's, first two in the series, Devil's Kiss and Demon's Bride.

In this latest installment, the world is about to collapse and crumble beneath the weight of evil and sin that lurks in the shadows as it presses forth to consume everything.

People are afraid to go out at night, and more and more are becoming exceedingly vi...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, paranormal, review, romance, read-2013

Blue Ribbon Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review Link

Once, Abraham Stirling and his closest friends reveled in being known as the Hellraisers. However, that was before the five of them managed to sell their souls to the devil in exchange for power. Haunted by his time as a soldier, Bram doesn’t want to give up his ability to persuade women to fall at his feet. Yet he can’t ignore the fact that London is literally going to hell around him. Especially since his unwanted companion won’t let him forg...more Blue Ribbon Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review Link

Once, Abraham Stirling and his closest friends reveled in being known as the Hellraisers. However, that was before the five of them managed to sell their souls to the devil in exchange for power. Haunted by his time as a soldier, Bram doesn’t want to give up his ability to persuade women to fall at his feet. Yet he can’t ignore the fact that London is literally going to hell around him. Especially since his unwanted companion won’t let him forget it.

Valeria Livia Corva was a Roman priestess who knows firsthand the cost of bargaining with the devil. Now a ghost intent on righting the wrongs she and the Hellraisers have done, Livia knows that she must convince Bram to pick up the mantle of warrior again, lest the devil take the world to hell with him. What Livia doesn’t count on is the sinful lord, who she’s bound to, awakening desires in her that makes her yearn to be human once again.

There are no saints, only sinners in SINNER’S HEART. The final battle between good and evil in the HELLRAISERS series is filled with danger, sensuality and romance, making for an exciting read.

I tend to shy away from stories with ghosts as heroes or heroines, but Livia is such a great character that her incorporeal state didn’t bother me in the slightest, though it’s definitely an obstacle for her and Bram. Livia is cunning, sensual and wholly engaging. The chemistry between her and Bram is fantastic, both in bed and out. Bram, in turn, is so much more than the rake that society sees him as. There’s honor in him, though the wounds of his past made him ignore that part of himself long before he began to be influenced by the devil. That being said, you can’t ignore Bram’s erotic talents — SINNER’S HEART features one of the sexiest scenes I’ve read in a while.

The battles the Hellraisers must fight — for their souls, for their loved ones, against the devil and even against each other — fill SINNER’S HEART with the most delicious tension. I hesitate to talk too much about the non-romance aspects of the book because much of the joy of reading is in the discovery. Suffice it to say author Zoë Archer makes the road to redemption an interesting one for Bram and Livia.

SINNER’S HEART is the third book in the HELLRAISERS series and I definitely recommend reading DEVIL’S KISS and DEMON’S BRIDE before picking up Bram and Livia’s story. While you can probably follow along without having read books one and two, the overarching series plot is so completely interwoven with the romance that you’d be missing out if you don’t read the HELLRAISERS books in order.

Zoë Archer is an auto-buy author for me, and with books like SINNER’S HEART it’s easy to see why. SINNER’S HEART is a wonderful addition to a truly excellent series.

Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Toni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: misc-rrc-s, kensington-arcs

3.5 Stars

The final battle is to be fought. Can the Hellraisers be saved or are they lost to hell because of their countless sins?

Livia initially brought the Devil to our realm centuries ago and she paid the ultimate price to return him, death. She has been a constant nuisance to the Hellraisers from the very beginning. She has saved James, the Earl of Whitney and Leo Bailey from the Devil’s trap, but will she be able to save Bram, Lord Rothwell? And will it be enough to send the Devil back to he...more 3.5 Stars

The final battle is to be fought. Can the Hellraisers be saved or are they lost to hell because of their countless sins?

Livia initially brought the Devil to our realm centuries ago and she paid the ultimate price to return him, death. She has been a constant nuisance to the Hellraisers from the very beginning. She has saved James, the Earl of Whitney and Leo Bailey from the Devil’s trap, but will she be able to save Bram, Lord Rothwell? And will it be enough to send the Devil back to hell?

Bram is a lover and a fighter. He has been cutting a wide path through the women of London, seducing them with his looks, charm and his special gift bestowed upon him from the Devil, the gift of persuasion. In an act to stop the Devil from giving Bram more gifts Livia threw herself in front of Bram and now they are bound together. Two like souls, who would rather be anywhere but stuck together.

Livia knows she needs to convince Bram to help, but when he has always only been for himself, he will be a hard one to convince. Their bond is the key. It shows these two who the real person is inside; all the good and the bad. Let’s just hope that there is time to save London and the world. Sacrifices are made and loyalties are tested.

I was shocked to discover, at the end of Demon’s Bride, that not all five of the men would be getting their own books, but I really liked the direction Ms. Archer took. She has kept me guessing and I was equally stunned that this is the final book of the series. She has continuously kept me on my toes and I never knew what she was going to put in front of me. I like reading the unknown.

Sinner’s Heart finished out The Hellraisers series very well and Ms. Archer should be proud of herself. She has written a paranormal series that was unique and engaging. She introduced characters that I loved to hate and the strong women who made them human again. Sinner’s Heart is filled with historical elements that don’t over take the novel; with a distinctive paranormal feel and a dash of steamy sexiness. If those elements intrigue you, you may enjoy falling into Ms. Archer’s Hellraisers world.
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May 22, 2013 E_bookpushers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, paranormal, published-in-2013, romance, series, reviewed

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/05/20/...

Publisher: Zebra
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

DEMONS OF THE PAST

Abraham Stirling, Lord Rothwell, was a fighter once, a soldier in the Colonies. But Bram returned to London with more nightmares than tales of glory. Now he drowns his senses in the arms of countless women, while his friends, the Hellraisers, ensure he needn’t sin alone.

Until, that is, the Devil himself grants them...more

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Apr 21, 2013 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-april-hotp, reviewed-by-kate

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

SINNER’S HEART, the third installment in The Hellraisers series, has one of the most unique heroines I have ever read in a romance novel- a ghost. While this gave the book an original feel, it didn’t help the rather lackluster romance plot line. Readers who are familiar with The Hellraisers will most likely be satisfied with this book, because it offers a very clear and gratifying conclusion to the trilogy. Ends are tied up, bad guys are vanquished, an...more Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

SINNER’S HEART, the third installment in The Hellraisers series, has one of the most unique heroines I have ever read in a romance novel- a ghost. While this gave the book an original feel, it didn’t help the rather lackluster romance plot line. Readers who are familiar with The Hellraisers will most likely be satisfied with this book, because it offers a very clear and gratifying conclusion to the trilogy. Ends are tied up, bad guys are vanquished, and all of the couples are left to live happily ever after. However, if you have not read the first two books, and are looking for a straight up paranormal romance, SINNER’S HEART may be a bit of a disappointment.

The premise of SINNER’S HEART is that Livia is a ghost who has some sort of tie to Bram, and therefore, the two are forced together. I am still not entirely clear on the connection, because it was formed in a previous novel, but it wasn’t completely necessary to understand how it happened, just that it did. However, because of this already formed, rather unnatural connection, Bram and Livia were unable to get rid of each other. This contrived situation didn’t offer much space for the relationship to slowly grow, so the two of them became very close, very quickly.

Now, let’s just pause a moment to remember: Livia is a ghost. She had no physical form for at least half the novel. So if you’re looking for any hot and heavy moments…well. Don’t get me wrong, Livia was an awesome character, despite being incorporeal. She had a great sense of humor, was very confident in herself, and felt very real. While there were moments when she was tempted by the power and bright future the devil offered her, she managed to stick to her guns, proving her courage in the face of the unknown. And aside from the fact that Bram had already sold his soul to the devil (it is really hard to redeem yourself from that, in my opinion), he was actually a rather deep character, who changed quite a bit over the course of the novel. His shift from being a rake who used magic to convince women to sleep with him to a general in the fight against the devil involves a lot of introspection and growth along the way.

My biggest complaint about SINNER’S HEART was that the main focus was less on Livia and Bram’s relationship and more on the conclusion of the story about all the hellraisers. Both couples from the previous books were included, and the book culminated in a giant battle- no hard earned realizations of love here. Normally, this would have been just fine. The plot was interesting, and the pacing was such that I always wanted to know what was coming next. But since I went in expecting a romance, I was a bit frustrated that it ended up taking a back seat, especially because I liked Livia and Bram so much.

With strong main characters, and a story unlike other historical paranormals I’ve read, SINNER’S HEART is a good, fun read. I liked it enough that I will be going back and reading DEVIL’S KISS, because I am curious about the story between Whit and Zora based on their cameo in this book. If you’re already a fan of The Hellraisers, I would say SINNER’S HEART is not one to miss- and even if you aren’t already, and just considering starting the series, you can start reading confident that you’ll be looking forward to a great conclusion.

Sexual content: Several sex scenes(less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Michelle Leah Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-arc, april-2013-author-events, literal-addiction-books, reviewed

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson
*ARC Received from the Author in exchange for an honest Review

Sinner's Heart is the 3rd installment of Zoe Archer's HELLRAISERS series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone thanks to the author's subtle way of catching the reader up when needed throughout the story.

After the events in Devil's Kiss and Demon's Bride, we are down to our last 2 Hellraisers and world full of chaos. The evil is being felt far and wide and John - our...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Angela Carr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

3.5 Stars
Review also posted at

“Sinner’s Heart is the last of the Hellraisers series and Ms. Archer did a fine job closing off the series.” ~Under The Covers Book Blog

I have been following this series from the start and I have to say that this story was my most anticipated story out of all the Hellraisers. Bram is the play boy of this group and his pastime activities intrigued me. Ms. Archer delivered a hot hero of this time, no doubt about that. In addition, I knew this was going to be the last of the series and I was curious as to how the Hellreaisers will finally get their peace.

After the Hellraisers sold their souls to the Devil, Bram has been on a mission. The power he received was the power of manipulation and he used it to bed everyone in town married or not. It was his just a sport him or so I thought, but it was his way to survive his past. You finally get to see the real Bram here and he is definitely a man with a past and his sport was his way to forget it all. Livia on the other hand is as transparent as can be, literally. She has been roaming the earth as a ghost. Though it has been obvious who she is, her past was never revealed in the previous books. Turns out that she also has an interesting past but the bottom line is she had set her mind to help the Hellraisers take back their souls. I was wondering how Ms. Archer was going to make it happen for Bram and Livia and after reading this book; I thought she did a great job with it. With Livia’s past as a priestess, it was believable of how she came to be corporeal again.

Sinner’s Heart is the last of the Hellraisers series and Ms. Archer did a fine job closing off the series. Unfortunately, there were a few parts that just fell flat for me. Where the previous books where fast pace and nonstop action this seemed a bit slow. When the finale came, it just didn’t reach the anticipation I was used to from the previous books, IMO. Bram and Livia’s story is okay, it’s not as good as I expected but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

*ARC provided by Publisher
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Apr 01, 2013 Vi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2013

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I've been waiting for Bram's story since his appearance in Devil's Kiss. There is no better story than the one of redemption. Bram stumbles but finds his way, aided by his friends, former Hellraisers & their wives.

Equally as compelling is Livia. She's another kick-ass heroine that only Archer can write.

This sexy, action-packed book is the last in a trilogy. It is highly recommended that you read the first 2 in the series to see story arc...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Kaitlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this series and the couples. Definitely not your typical historical romance. No damsels in distress here! Loved it!

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Jun 11, 2013 Mamta Bodhale rated it 2 of 5 stars

On the whole it was a twist between a romance between the paranormal and historical elements, but the book failed to hold me riveted and get to that state where I would be unable to put it down.

A lack of pace, intensity or binding plot, and I had to push myself to finish it and post a review.

At some places, it felt like an elaborate plot created to merely provide for the mills and boon element of "romance and sex" scenes. I thought I was going to read a fantasy adventure, and this was certainly...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Emily (Heinlen) Davis rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was not my type of book. The writing was ok, but I just had no interest in the story.

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Mar 09, 2013 Heather Lire rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, paranormal

What a way to end a series. This is my favorite book in the series.

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Apr 29, 2013 Olivia Waite rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, five-stars, historical-fiction, paranormal, sff, romance

A great conclusion to a stunning trilogy, and one of the most sophisticated uses of the Band of Brothers tropes that I've seen. Highly recommended!

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Jun 11, 2013 Shyloh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-challenges, june13, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 27, 2013 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

What a great end to the series! I'm almost sorry it's over. Archer delivers again with this one. Loved Bram and Livia's relationship and how it developed.

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Apr 11, 2013 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

liked the way this ended not all could be saved but still a happy ending!!!!!

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Apr 08, 2013 Keri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-read, romance-historical, romance-paranormal, zoe-archer

A good ending to the series and my fav couple of the three.

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Jun 11, 2013 Nibrock rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good ending to the series.

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Jun 17, 2013 Kate marked it as to-read

Jun 16, 2013 Jamie Lock rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jun 16, 2013 Candace is currently reading it

Jun 14, 2013 Kat Hickson marked it as to-read

Jun 10, 2013 Jewls marked it as to-read

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About Zoe Archer

Zoe Archer is an award-winning romance author who thinks there's nothing sexier than a man in tall boots and a waistcoat. As a child, she never dreamed about being the rescued princess, but wanted to kick butt right beside the hero. She now applies her master's degrees in Literature and Fiction to creating butt-kicking heroines and heroes in tall boots. She is the author of the acclaimed BLADES OF...more

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Sinner's Heart (The Hellraisers #3)

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