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Inherited Damnation #2
Tormented by Darkness
Cursed by her incubus father centuries ago, the last thing Rhiannon McLaine wants is to fall in love.
The night she delivers flowers to detective Mick Farrell, however, everything changes. Deep-seated attraction flares into untamed passion. In the morning, Rhiannon awakens to find she’s lost her heart. Now, unless she can convince Mick of her secret past, she’s destined to take his life.
When Rhiannon asks Mick to go camping with her, instinct warns him to refuse. Though he hungers for her love and the goodness she represents, he’ll do anything to keep her from discovering the darkness within his soul. Yet a weekend in the woods is the perfect place to indulge in temporary desire…until he finds himself bound against his will.
Surrounded by ancient Celtic rites and magic, can Mick see beyond Rhiannon’s duplicity and recognize her love? Or will the revelation of her true demonic nature doom Rhiannon to a mortal life alone?
The night she delivers flowers to detective Mick Farrell, however, everything changes. Deep-seated attraction flares into untamed passion. In the morning, Rhiannon awakens to find she’s lost her heart. Now, unless she can convince Mick of her secret past, she’s destined to take his life.
When Rhiannon asks Mick to go camping with her, instinct warns him to refuse. Though he hungers for her love and the goodness she represents, he’ll do anything to keep her from discovering the darkness within his soul. Yet a weekend in the woods is the perfect place to indulge in temporary desire…until he finds himself bound against his will.
Surrounded by ancient Celtic rites and magic, can Mick see beyond Rhiannon’s duplicity and recognize her love? Or will the revelation of her true demonic nature doom Rhiannon to a mortal life alone?
ebook
First published December 7, 2011
About the author
Claire Ashgrove
32 books126 followersClaire Ashgrove has been writing since her early teens and maintained the hobby for twenty years before deciding to leap into the professional world. Her first contemporary novel, Seduction's Stakes, sold to The Wild Rose Press in 2008, where she continues to write steamy, sexy stories for the Champagne and Black Rose lines. Adding to these critically acclaimed contemporaries, Claire’s paranormal romance series, The Curse of the Templars, will debut with Tor in January 2012. For those who prefer the more erotic side of romance, she also writes for Berkley Heat under the pen name Tori St. Claire.
Claire lives on a small farm in Missouri with her two toddler sons, fifteen horses, four cats, and five dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at rummy, studying ancient civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.
To learn more about Claire, visit her on the web at www.ClaireAshgrove.com, or www.ToriStClaire.com
Claire lives on a small farm in Missouri with her two toddler sons, fifteen horses, four cats, and five dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at rummy, studying ancient civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.
To learn more about Claire, visit her on the web at www.ClaireAshgrove.com, or www.ToriStClaire.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 22, 2015
This second installment in the series was sweet, sensual, passionate and engaging. I was attracted to both characters and their story right away. Both are damaged characters and have darkness in them and I enjoyed watching the story unfold knowing they would come together, there would be a sense of betrayal and they would have to pick up the pieces again. I read it through in one sitting and refused to put it down until the end.
In this story, the second of the eight children cursed by their incubus father and given hope by their mother through her book of spells gets her opportunity to break the curse with the help of a brooding, nearly broken cop who seals himself off from love and other weaker emotions that can break him.
Rhiannon is attracted to the handsome Mick, but she can't get close for his own protection. She does fine with just her daydreams about him until he loses the last person he cares for and she can't let him grieve alone when he seems to draw comfort from her presence. Then another page of her mother's spellbook turns up and she needs Mick to work the magic, but can't imagine getting him to believe in the supernatural or at least cooperate in working the spell. And Mick is attracted to Rhiannon and does his best to hold her at arms length trying to ignore the look of pain in her eyes when he does it. He's not right for such a beautiful good angel of a woman with the darkness and dark needs he carries around inside.
From the beginning, I could tell the flow of the story was so very different from the first book. It helped so much that the world building was already established and I was familiar so I knew what was going on- not like the first book when I spent most of the story feeling off step like I'd jumped into the middle of something. This one explained things sooner and was smoother in the transitions. The characters emotions, dialogue and relationship developed evenly and felt right.
I loved that there are two relationships going on in this one. The romance is a reluctant one for both parties. They are attracted and are willing to give in to the physical side, but neither can give more for their own reasons. Mick can come across as a user so I was glad to have his perspective alternate with Rhiannons so I understood his motives for his behavior. They were a balm for each other and I loved them together even as I waited for the inevitable when Mick learned the truth about Rhiannon.
There is the romance between Rhiannon and Mick, but there is also Rhiannon's connection to her family particularly to her brother Daire. Her choice to use the spell causes conflicting emotions because she knows that it may be some time if never that her other siblings find their own spells to break their curses.
This was a fast read, but still strong and engaging. I would recommend this one to Paranormal Romance fans particularly those who enjoy Celtic mythology and demons in their stories.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
In this story, the second of the eight children cursed by their incubus father and given hope by their mother through her book of spells gets her opportunity to break the curse with the help of a brooding, nearly broken cop who seals himself off from love and other weaker emotions that can break him.
Rhiannon is attracted to the handsome Mick, but she can't get close for his own protection. She does fine with just her daydreams about him until he loses the last person he cares for and she can't let him grieve alone when he seems to draw comfort from her presence. Then another page of her mother's spellbook turns up and she needs Mick to work the magic, but can't imagine getting him to believe in the supernatural or at least cooperate in working the spell. And Mick is attracted to Rhiannon and does his best to hold her at arms length trying to ignore the look of pain in her eyes when he does it. He's not right for such a beautiful good angel of a woman with the darkness and dark needs he carries around inside.
From the beginning, I could tell the flow of the story was so very different from the first book. It helped so much that the world building was already established and I was familiar so I knew what was going on- not like the first book when I spent most of the story feeling off step like I'd jumped into the middle of something. This one explained things sooner and was smoother in the transitions. The characters emotions, dialogue and relationship developed evenly and felt right.
I loved that there are two relationships going on in this one. The romance is a reluctant one for both parties. They are attracted and are willing to give in to the physical side, but neither can give more for their own reasons. Mick can come across as a user so I was glad to have his perspective alternate with Rhiannons so I understood his motives for his behavior. They were a balm for each other and I loved them together even as I waited for the inevitable when Mick learned the truth about Rhiannon.
There is the romance between Rhiannon and Mick, but there is also Rhiannon's connection to her family particularly to her brother Daire. Her choice to use the spell causes conflicting emotions because she knows that it may be some time if never that her other siblings find their own spells to break their curses.
This was a fast read, but still strong and engaging. I would recommend this one to Paranormal Romance fans particularly those who enjoy Celtic mythology and demons in their stories.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2015
4*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Tormented by Darkness is the second book in the Inherited Damnation series….
This time around it is Rhiannon who gets a chance to break the curse that affects her and her siblings. Rhiannon has always lusted after the local detective Mick Farrell but he has a different woman every week – she would know because he comes to her for their flowers a lot – but when she receives his latest call for flowers, they’re not for any lady but for the funeral of his loved one. Mick is struggling with his grief and when Rhiannon delivers the last minute flowers he needed, she also brings a calming effect to him that he needs right now and knowing what the evening will be he asks her to stay for the service in a supportive way…. But when she’s still there in the morning, she finds that not only have her feelings for him burgeoned overnight but the need to kill him has also reared its head. Mick only wants casual and Rhiannon tells herself that that’s all it will be but Rhiannon’s goodness appeals to him, she makes him want things he doesn’t deserve.
After finding her mother’s writings in Mick’s possession and the spell to break her curse she needs Mick to go camping with her so that it can be completed on the sabot but will he help her once he finds out who she really is?
I really enjoyed this instalment of the Inherited Damnation series, it had a little bit of everything I love about Pnr.
We had met Rhiannon in book one and she came across as a good person who tried to triumph over her dark side and find out that that is exactly what she is about. She wants to see her evil father destroyed and the darkness banished from her soul but has pretty much lost hope until now when the spell she needs is uncovered. Mick is a detective and he struggles with a darker side too, with all of the evil he sees in the world, he finds it hard to see goodness and has the urge to dole out his own kind of justice. It’s a daily struggle for him and the only way he gets relief is through other emotions, any emotion except to love, he feels he is unworthy of being loved and loving in return…. But he doesn’t bank on Rhiannon. Even though they have always noticed each other, they never acted on it until they come together through the saddest of events. Both struggle with their emotions and think that it is merely casual but we all know how those type of assumptions work out don’t we? They certainly steamed up a good few pages with sexytime and I was routing for them to be together because it was plain to see how much they needed each other.
The storyline follows much the same formula as book one – man & woman meet, connect, find the spell, danger comes and then the judgement but whilst it follows the same pattern…. The getting there is different. This time the story seems more sombre because of Mick dealing with his grief, they both connect over losing someone and the only happiness they have at the moment is in each others arms. Both are battling demons and must overcome them if they expect things to go anywhere. There isn’t as much action in this as the previous book but to be honest, it didn’t really need it because of the tone of the book, although a certain someone does make an appearance to add the element of danger. I was satisfied with the ending but I would like to know how this is affecting the enemy too, what is each spell doing to him when the curses are broken? Is he threatening the others before their soul mate arrives? I know I will definitely be reading more to find out!
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Tormented by Darkness is the second book in the Inherited Damnation series….
This time around it is Rhiannon who gets a chance to break the curse that affects her and her siblings. Rhiannon has always lusted after the local detective Mick Farrell but he has a different woman every week – she would know because he comes to her for their flowers a lot – but when she receives his latest call for flowers, they’re not for any lady but for the funeral of his loved one. Mick is struggling with his grief and when Rhiannon delivers the last minute flowers he needed, she also brings a calming effect to him that he needs right now and knowing what the evening will be he asks her to stay for the service in a supportive way…. But when she’s still there in the morning, she finds that not only have her feelings for him burgeoned overnight but the need to kill him has also reared its head. Mick only wants casual and Rhiannon tells herself that that’s all it will be but Rhiannon’s goodness appeals to him, she makes him want things he doesn’t deserve.
After finding her mother’s writings in Mick’s possession and the spell to break her curse she needs Mick to go camping with her so that it can be completed on the sabot but will he help her once he finds out who she really is?
I really enjoyed this instalment of the Inherited Damnation series, it had a little bit of everything I love about Pnr.
We had met Rhiannon in book one and she came across as a good person who tried to triumph over her dark side and find out that that is exactly what she is about. She wants to see her evil father destroyed and the darkness banished from her soul but has pretty much lost hope until now when the spell she needs is uncovered. Mick is a detective and he struggles with a darker side too, with all of the evil he sees in the world, he finds it hard to see goodness and has the urge to dole out his own kind of justice. It’s a daily struggle for him and the only way he gets relief is through other emotions, any emotion except to love, he feels he is unworthy of being loved and loving in return…. But he doesn’t bank on Rhiannon. Even though they have always noticed each other, they never acted on it until they come together through the saddest of events. Both struggle with their emotions and think that it is merely casual but we all know how those type of assumptions work out don’t we? They certainly steamed up a good few pages with sexytime and I was routing for them to be together because it was plain to see how much they needed each other.
The storyline follows much the same formula as book one – man & woman meet, connect, find the spell, danger comes and then the judgement but whilst it follows the same pattern…. The getting there is different. This time the story seems more sombre because of Mick dealing with his grief, they both connect over losing someone and the only happiness they have at the moment is in each others arms. Both are battling demons and must overcome them if they expect things to go anywhere. There isn’t as much action in this as the previous book but to be honest, it didn’t really need it because of the tone of the book, although a certain someone does make an appearance to add the element of danger. I was satisfied with the ending but I would like to know how this is affecting the enemy too, what is each spell doing to him when the curses are broken? Is he threatening the others before their soul mate arrives? I know I will definitely be reading more to find out!
February 17, 2015
I am still very much loving the concept behind theses stories. The perfect mix of good and evil captured in 8 siblings - each having to choose which way they want to go. Rhiannon has chosen the good. She's a healer and tries hard to avoid situations that may allow her darker side to emerge. But you can't really avoid falling in love. I like that the characters are falling in love with people that are already a part of their lives. It makes the love seem more true and long-lasting than if they were love at first sight.
I had a harder time connecting to Mick. He was just too "hard" for my taste. Not that he wasn't well written - he has an amazing story and it's very well developed - he just wasn't my type. I think his reaction to some of the events that happened during the "camping trip" were fantastic. His outrage and disbelief were so believable and I really felt his confusion and betrayal.
This seemed a bit darker than book one - but I can't put my finger on why. I really enjoyed getting to know another sibling, and we get a fairly good look at another, as well some visitors from book one. I think as the series goes on and the father gets more pissy things are going to get very interesting.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
I had a harder time connecting to Mick. He was just too "hard" for my taste. Not that he wasn't well written - he has an amazing story and it's very well developed - he just wasn't my type. I think his reaction to some of the events that happened during the "camping trip" were fantastic. His outrage and disbelief were so believable and I really felt his confusion and betrayal.
This seemed a bit darker than book one - but I can't put my finger on why. I really enjoyed getting to know another sibling, and we get a fairly good look at another, as well some visitors from book one. I think as the series goes on and the father gets more pissy things are going to get very interesting.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
December 18, 2014
Tormented by darkness describes these two characters to a T. Rhiannon struggles between an evil and light from being cursed by her demon father many centuries ago. Mick, struggling through the pain of losing his step-father, has a dark side too. He's a cop who would rather see revenge happen than justice and inwardly battles with that, feeling he's a lost cause where feelings come into play.
These two are on a path that takes them into an evil twist where Mick finds himself questioning what he believes is real... and Rhiannon is hoping to find salvation through that evil. My heart pulled for them both. Claire has me anxious for the next story in this series and excited to see how she brings this all together in the end. I'm HOOKED!
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review*
These two are on a path that takes them into an evil twist where Mick finds himself questioning what he believes is real... and Rhiannon is hoping to find salvation through that evil. My heart pulled for them both. Claire has me anxious for the next story in this series and excited to see how she brings this all together in the end. I'm HOOKED!
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review*
December 9, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love this series so far. The second in the series, this book is Rhiannon's story. Falling in love can be scary at any time, but it's terrifying if you know you will try to murder the one you fall in love with. Rhiannon finds another chapter to her mother's journal, and now is trying to become mortal to rid herself of her father's curse.
If you are a fan of Paranormal Romance, you have got to try this series!
I absolutely love this series so far. The second in the series, this book is Rhiannon's story. Falling in love can be scary at any time, but it's terrifying if you know you will try to murder the one you fall in love with. Rhiannon finds another chapter to her mother's journal, and now is trying to become mortal to rid herself of her father's curse.
If you are a fan of Paranormal Romance, you have got to try this series!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews