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Damned If You Do
The path to temptation is paved with a hellish amount of paperwork.
Soul acquisition is a drag, but if Abaddon doesn’t catch up on his quota, he could be demoted to scooping poop for the Hounds of Hell. With a deadline hanging over him, he heads for the Bible Belt, looking for the perfect combination of sweetness and challenge.
Seth is a blind musician, part of a traveling tent revival. He’s cute, mystically talented, and quotes the Bible at every turn. His soul is pure enough to fill Abaddon’s quota for months to come, and Abaddon is determined to claim it.
The problem? There’s the revival foreman who watches Abaddon’s every move. Then there’s the mystery of Seth’s many unusual talents. Lastly, there’s Abaddon himself. He’s beginning to like Seth a bit too much. Maybe Seth deserves something better than damnation.
But Hell’s agenda isn’t negotiable, and time is running out. If Abaddon doesn’t play his cards right, he could condemn both of them to the worst fate of all—an eternity apart.
Warning: Contains a Bible-quoting twink and an irreverent devil who’ll do anything to avoid going “back to the office”. Also, snakes. Lots and lots of snakes.
Soul acquisition is a drag, but if Abaddon doesn’t catch up on his quota, he could be demoted to scooping poop for the Hounds of Hell. With a deadline hanging over him, he heads for the Bible Belt, looking for the perfect combination of sweetness and challenge.
Seth is a blind musician, part of a traveling tent revival. He’s cute, mystically talented, and quotes the Bible at every turn. His soul is pure enough to fill Abaddon’s quota for months to come, and Abaddon is determined to claim it.
The problem? There’s the revival foreman who watches Abaddon’s every move. Then there’s the mystery of Seth’s many unusual talents. Lastly, there’s Abaddon himself. He’s beginning to like Seth a bit too much. Maybe Seth deserves something better than damnation.
But Hell’s agenda isn’t negotiable, and time is running out. If Abaddon doesn’t play his cards right, he could condemn both of them to the worst fate of all—an eternity apart.
Warning: Contains a Bible-quoting twink and an irreverent devil who’ll do anything to avoid going “back to the office”. Also, snakes. Lots and lots of snakes.
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2016
About the author
Marie Sexton
57 books2,231 followersMarie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
April 5, 2016
Devils, angels, hippy revivals, and more bible quotes than Vegas hookers on a Friday night.
Abaddon is failing as a devil. He hasn't met his soul acquisition quota in months and is in serious danger of being demoted, as if his current job in Hell weren't bad enough.
There are never-ending stacks of paperwork in triplicate, millions of envelopes to lick and stuff, photo copiers from 1985, 22 hour waits at the DMV, noisy neighbors, and stinky subways. So basically everyday life, but withTrump Satan as president.
Seth is a blind musician with the purest soul Abaddon has ever felt. Winning Seth's soul would be a major boon for Abaddon, but he's a devil with a conscience and the more time he spends with Seth, the more he falls.
Seth is innocent and selfless, a sweet virgin who wants to see the Grand Canyon and find someone to call his own. Seth yearns to spend time with Abaddon, but Zeb, his ever present guardian, is determined to keep them apart.
This book isn't about religion, but it is about FAITH; it's a literal interpretation of the bible with a twist.
There are visions, miraculous healings, and snakes. Allow me to quote Acts 28:3:
But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.
At 1,900 locations, Damned if You Do is a delicious bite of what I wish had been a longer story. I love Marie Sexton's writing style and wanted more of Seth and Abaddon on page together. There's almost no steam, but there are serious feels. I got all choked up toward the end.
Ultimately, this is a story of love triumphing over evil, of wanting to save someone more than you want to save yourself.
Sometimes you gamble with the devil, and win.
Abaddon is failing as a devil. He hasn't met his soul acquisition quota in months and is in serious danger of being demoted, as if his current job in Hell weren't bad enough.
There are never-ending stacks of paperwork in triplicate, millions of envelopes to lick and stuff, photo copiers from 1985, 22 hour waits at the DMV, noisy neighbors, and stinky subways. So basically everyday life, but with
Seth is a blind musician with the purest soul Abaddon has ever felt. Winning Seth's soul would be a major boon for Abaddon, but he's a devil with a conscience and the more time he spends with Seth, the more he falls.
Seth is innocent and selfless, a sweet virgin who wants to see the Grand Canyon and find someone to call his own. Seth yearns to spend time with Abaddon, but Zeb, his ever present guardian, is determined to keep them apart.
This book isn't about religion, but it is about FAITH; it's a literal interpretation of the bible with a twist.
There are visions, miraculous healings, and snakes. Allow me to quote Acts 28:3:
But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.
At 1,900 locations, Damned if You Do is a delicious bite of what I wish had been a longer story. I love Marie Sexton's writing style and wanted more of Seth and Abaddon on page together. There's almost no steam, but there are serious feels. I got all choked up toward the end.
Ultimately, this is a story of love triumphing over evil, of wanting to save someone more than you want to save yourself.
Sometimes you gamble with the devil, and win.
April 5, 2016
This story of a soul collecting demon, hot on the heels of a blind preacher's son, was pretty cute and I suspect that many readers will really enjoy this one.
Abaddon is a pretty crappy demon, as demons go. He isn't all that evil and he's a bit like that one co-worker that you just want to slap most of the time. Only showing up for the paycheck, doing the bare minimum of work and letting others pick up the slack. His heart's just not in tricking people out of their immortal souls.
And Satan just noticed.
Meanwhile, at 22, Seth is pretty much the opposite in every way possible. After being abandoned under a piano bench as an newborn and raised by a tent revival reverend in the Bible Belt, Seth is about as devout as they come. Even after losing his sight on his 19th birthday, he doesn't see that as a punishment and continues to spout bible verses like an overly-polite person would spout "bless you's" at a pepper factory.
And Abaddon just found the motherlode of all souls in Seth, which will get himself back in Satan's good graces.
I loved the back and forth between the tempting Abaddon and the not-to-be-tempted Seth, even though Seth thinks the ploys for his soul are only a game in the beginning, much to his self-appointed protector Zed's complete horror.
But Abaddon never lies to Seth in regards to who and what he is. And what he wants. Seth's cotton candy sweet soul. It's all that Abaddon can think about once he's been in Seth's presence.
But then Abaddon's supposedly non-existent conscience rears its ugly head and messes up his plans to reap the brightest soul that he's ever seen. Which could put Abaddon himself directly in the path of Satan's wrath.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the two men develop a fondness for one another, that continued to grow into something much, much deeper.
I would, however, have liked a teeny bit less running around all over Hell (very literally) and half of Georgia as Abaddon attempts to work out the details of a loophole to save Seth and allow them to be together. Forever. In Hell.
While we did get a good bit of interaction between Abaddon and Seth, I felt that the story could have used a bit more in that respect, as I still got a wee bit of an insta-love feeling when all was said and done.
I also loved the background story on Seth and how he came to be what he is in regards to his role during the roving tent revival sermons.
The first three-fourths of the story worked really well for me, but to be honest, "the big event" and its accompanying bible quote, which completely changed the course of both men's lives, left me a bit confounded as to what actually happened and how. What can I say, I've always sucked at interpreting Bible verses.
Overall, I'd say that this sweet and cute story rates about 3.75 stars for me and would recommend it to anyone looking for a non-preachy story of salvation and redemption.
And who isn't afraid of snakes. Because there are snakes.
Lots. And. Lots. Of. Snakes.
------------------------------------------------
My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
July 5, 2019
Ok, a lot more people need to discover this book and read it because I believe this is one of Marie Sexton’s masterpieces. ❤️😱 And no, I am not exaggerating. ☺️ This book was recommended to me by one of my very good friend who shall not be named. (J 😂) And I owned this book since it came out as an audio. And every time we talk, he’d always ask me whether I have listened to this audio or not and as the shiny new chaser I am, 😅 I’d always say “I’d get to it”. Now I’m kicking myself in the nuts for not listening this sooner because this is pure brilliance. 💎
Abaddon works in the soul acquisition department of Hell. And one irrefutable truth about Abaddon is that he’s not a very good devil. He hasn’t been meeting his soul acquisition quotas for a while. And now he has received an official letter from Satan himself that he has to meet his quota in two weeks or else. Fearing that he might descend to an even worse position than he already is, Abaddon tried to find that one holy soul that would not only fill his quota but surpass it for many more years to come. And he found the purest and most beautiful soul he’s ever witnessed in his life in the form of a blind young man named Seth in an isolated forest playing violin. Seth is part of the traveling rainbow revival bible group. Seth is everything Abaddon isn’t, pure, innocent, religious and oh-so-trusting. And there are many mysterious and inexplicable things when it comes to Seth. And what’s the problem you ask? The only issue is Abaddon is falling in love with this blind, devout young man whose soul he’s supposed to barter for a wish. Isn’t everything just so peachy! 😉
Before you ask further, this is the kind of book you need to read yourself to understand why I fell heads over heels in love with the story. 😌 I can’t analyze and catalogue the MCs and their characteristics like I usually do in the other stories with Seth and Abaddon. Because these two characters are very unique, everything about their relationship and love is unique and the story itself is super unique. ❤️ Let me just say that this is one the most beautiful and lyrical love stories I’ve ever read regardless mainstream or MM. 🥰💜 Was it angsty? Yes, it made me ugly cry several times. 😭😅 But every single drop of those tears were worth it in the end. 😊 Abaddon and Seth’s love story provoked so many emotions I didn’t even know I was capable of. And their happy ending was so well-earned. 👏💙 And I was crying happy tears for them in the end. 🙂 And John Solo did a phenomenal job portraying the magnificent love story of Seth and Abaddon. 👏 I believe Marie Sexton’s already marvelous masterpiece was perfected and even more polished by John Solo’s masterful narration. 👏 These duo deserves a standing ovation. 👏 I think I would always remember this story and cherish it in my heart. 🥰 And I can’t say how grateful I am to my friend “J” for recommending me this book. 😍 Recommended to anyone who believes that love can blossom in the most unusual and unique ways. 💜
5 Every moment I can spend together with you is my heaven stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio rating
Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Abaddon works in the soul acquisition department of Hell. And one irrefutable truth about Abaddon is that he’s not a very good devil. He hasn’t been meeting his soul acquisition quotas for a while. And now he has received an official letter from Satan himself that he has to meet his quota in two weeks or else. Fearing that he might descend to an even worse position than he already is, Abaddon tried to find that one holy soul that would not only fill his quota but surpass it for many more years to come. And he found the purest and most beautiful soul he’s ever witnessed in his life in the form of a blind young man named Seth in an isolated forest playing violin. Seth is part of the traveling rainbow revival bible group. Seth is everything Abaddon isn’t, pure, innocent, religious and oh-so-trusting. And there are many mysterious and inexplicable things when it comes to Seth. And what’s the problem you ask? The only issue is Abaddon is falling in love with this blind, devout young man whose soul he’s supposed to barter for a wish. Isn’t everything just so peachy! 😉
Before you ask further, this is the kind of book you need to read yourself to understand why I fell heads over heels in love with the story. 😌 I can’t analyze and catalogue the MCs and their characteristics like I usually do in the other stories with Seth and Abaddon. Because these two characters are very unique, everything about their relationship and love is unique and the story itself is super unique. ❤️ Let me just say that this is one the most beautiful and lyrical love stories I’ve ever read regardless mainstream or MM. 🥰💜 Was it angsty? Yes, it made me ugly cry several times. 😭😅 But every single drop of those tears were worth it in the end. 😊 Abaddon and Seth’s love story provoked so many emotions I didn’t even know I was capable of. And their happy ending was so well-earned. 👏💙 And I was crying happy tears for them in the end. 🙂 And John Solo did a phenomenal job portraying the magnificent love story of Seth and Abaddon. 👏 I believe Marie Sexton’s already marvelous masterpiece was perfected and even more polished by John Solo’s masterful narration. 👏 These duo deserves a standing ovation. 👏 I think I would always remember this story and cherish it in my heart. 🥰 And I can’t say how grateful I am to my friend “J” for recommending me this book. 😍 Recommended to anyone who believes that love can blossom in the most unusual and unique ways. 💜
5 Every moment I can spend together with you is my heaven stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio rating
Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 19, 2016
4.5 Hearts--
Who would have ever thought such a sweet romance could be produced between a devil and a Bible-quoting preacher's son?
Not me.
For my first time reading Marie Sexton (yes, I know I live under a book covered rock), I was impressed. I went in expecting hot, lusty sinful times with a tempting devil who pulls out all his tricks to bring young Seth to his downfall. Instead, Damned If You Do, was funny, sweet, angsty-ish and hopeful.
Abbadon is just another overworked, paper pushing demon in Hell, where he works in a sea of cubicles on the 132nd floor (the elevator is broken--eternally) in the Soul Harvesting division. (Loved this author's version of Hell by the way.) He's been slacking off, and the Big Guy Below has caught on, mandating him to fill his soul quota. Abbadon figures aiming for the best soul will earn more brownie points than getting as many low level souls he can in his two week time frame. He is intrigued by Seth's soul in Kentucky, a blind musician and preacher's son who is so innocent, his soul beckons like the best candy.
He befriends Seth, tries to get in his good graces but his plans to get his grubby mitts on that candy flavored soul keeps getting thwarted by...his feelings.
Abbadon can't help the pull to the human with unusual traits. (Hint: snakes) Revivalist Seth keeps quote Bible scriptures when faced with a hardship, but Seth's faith never wavered. He was innocent to the core. Good vs. evil is a great trope, right? Add a little mystery and I was totally hooked.
The story spans about the two weeks with great side characters, Zed, Seth's foreman and Baphomet, Abbadon's only friend from Hell. They work with the pair to make the story move on an even pace.
Damned If You Do is not only funny at moments, but in between the well-crafted sentences, she placed tiny angst berries in the corners of the pages that would burst at the most opportune time, leaving a sweet yet tart feeling in its wake.
There I am angst berry stained, and reading faster and faster, not noticing how tightly the author had me in her grip.
I got a little emotional...touched in the chest cavity...
The feelz were engaged, couldn't be helped. (Even with the snakes)
The love was touching even when all hope felt lost. Because it seemed like impossible met improbable. But there is a clever HEA that will satisfy those who were rooting for Abbadon and Seth.
Were there quibbles? Minor ones but the main points were explained. I wouldn't have minded a little more background with Abbadon, maybe seeing him and Baphomet more than at 'work' but I understand why they couldn't. And maybe a little more scenes at Abbadon being bad his job. I get others just knew what a "lousy" devil he was. But maybe a little more showing of failure? I was greedy that way.
The story isn't sex filled, it more sensual and sweet than anything. If you love romances that focus more on the emotions, well, this is one to give a chance.
I really liked this couple a lot. Despite my quibbles and feeling it was so fast, so soon. I ate the words, couldn't think better men for each other. I think the length worked and showcased the best sides of the characters.
#TeamSabbadon
Another great choice to my 'demon' shelf added. Definitely reading more of this author. Can't believe I waited this long.
Recommended? Um...yes. Especially for readers who don't mind their paranormal tinged with the biblical. It's sweet, left me with heart eyes and feeling a little soft and pink...under my horn(s).
A copy via Netgalley provided for an honest review.
"'If Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.'"
~ Mark 3:26
Who would have ever thought such a sweet romance could be produced between a devil and a Bible-quoting preacher's son?
Not me.
For my first time reading Marie Sexton (yes, I know I live under a book covered rock), I was impressed. I went in expecting hot, lusty sinful times with a tempting devil who pulls out all his tricks to bring young Seth to his downfall. Instead, Damned If You Do, was funny, sweet, angsty-ish and hopeful.
Abbadon is just another overworked, paper pushing demon in Hell, where he works in a sea of cubicles on the 132nd floor (the elevator is broken--eternally) in the Soul Harvesting division. (Loved this author's version of Hell by the way.) He's been slacking off, and the Big Guy Below has caught on, mandating him to fill his soul quota. Abbadon figures aiming for the best soul will earn more brownie points than getting as many low level souls he can in his two week time frame. He is intrigued by Seth's soul in Kentucky, a blind musician and preacher's son who is so innocent, his soul beckons like the best candy.
He befriends Seth, tries to get in his good graces but his plans to get his grubby mitts on that candy flavored soul keeps getting thwarted by...his feelings.
"You are my guiding star."
"I don't know if it worked, but..." He bit his lip, looking almost flirtatious, except that he'd probably never intentionally flirted with anybody in his life. "I tried to shine extra bright for you."
Abbadon can't help the pull to the human with unusual traits. (Hint: snakes) Revivalist Seth keeps quote Bible scriptures when faced with a hardship, but Seth's faith never wavered. He was innocent to the core. Good vs. evil is a great trope, right? Add a little mystery and I was totally hooked.
The story spans about the two weeks with great side characters, Zed, Seth's foreman and Baphomet, Abbadon's only friend from Hell. They work with the pair to make the story move on an even pace.
Damned If You Do is not only funny at moments, but in between the well-crafted sentences, she placed tiny angst berries in the corners of the pages that would burst at the most opportune time, leaving a sweet yet tart feeling in its wake.
There I am angst berry stained, and reading faster and faster, not noticing how tightly the author had me in her grip.
I got a little emotional...touched in the chest cavity...
The feelz were engaged, couldn't be helped. (Even with the snakes)
"He was lost in Seth's brilliance, high on his purity, enraptured by his taste. He hadn't felt anything like it in all the years since passing over, and if he'd felt it before losing his soul, he didn't remember and didn't care. He felt anything from his past must pale next to this."
The love was touching even when all hope felt lost. Because it seemed like impossible met improbable. But there is a clever HEA that will satisfy those who were rooting for Abbadon and Seth.
Were there quibbles? Minor ones but the main points were explained. I wouldn't have minded a little more background with Abbadon, maybe seeing him and Baphomet more than at 'work' but I understand why they couldn't. And maybe a little more scenes at Abbadon being bad his job. I get others just knew what a "lousy" devil he was. But maybe a little more showing of failure? I was greedy that way.
The story isn't sex filled, it more sensual and sweet than anything. If you love romances that focus more on the emotions, well, this is one to give a chance.
I really liked this couple a lot. Despite my quibbles and feeling it was so fast, so soon. I ate the words, couldn't think better men for each other. I think the length worked and showcased the best sides of the characters.
#TeamSabbadon
Another great choice to my 'demon' shelf added. Definitely reading more of this author. Can't believe I waited this long.
Recommended? Um...yes. Especially for readers who don't mind their paranormal tinged with the biblical. It's sweet, left me with heart eyes and feeling a little soft and pink...under my horn(s).
A copy via Netgalley provided for an honest review.
July 9, 2022
**** 4 stars & a bit more ****
A recipient of my Ultimate Stamp of Approval™ : After reading it for free on KU, I spent money to buy a copy for myself.
There were a couple of words that kept coming to mind as I read this:
Fable - That's what I'd call this story, with its tone perfectly balanced between light and dark, fantasy and realism, humor and potential tragedy.
Chutzpah - Super-sized balls (or the anatomical equivalent of your choice) on the author to write a gay MC who's a true-blue, dyed-in-the-wool Christian evangelical... but isn't suffering a crisis of faith; isn't battling homophobia, external or internalized; isn't ashamed, or broken, or self-loathing; isn't oppressed by his fellow believers; and doesn't need to reject or reevaluate his faith in order to find true love and happiness.
As I read this, every once in a while I'd pause for a moment to marvel. Marie Sexton built a light-hearted (yet serious) romance between a devout Christian and a demon from the depths of Hell — and holy shit (my first pun, oh the self-control it's taken to get this far without one), I am impressed. The ingenuity it took to make the story work, the consistency of tone and the quality of the writing... Wow.
Prior to this, the only other thing of hers I'd read was Promises, and I didn't much like it. Since it was her debut novel, I was open to giving her another try. But I have zero interest in the BDSM novels she's been writing recently, so she wasn't actively on my radar. I honestly don't recall how I came across this one. But I'm delighted that I found it.
A recipient of my Ultimate Stamp of Approval™ : After reading it for free on KU, I spent money to buy a copy for myself.
There were a couple of words that kept coming to mind as I read this:
Fable - That's what I'd call this story, with its tone perfectly balanced between light and dark, fantasy and realism, humor and potential tragedy.
Chutzpah - Super-sized balls (or the anatomical equivalent of your choice) on the author to write a gay MC who's a true-blue, dyed-in-the-wool Christian evangelical... but isn't suffering a crisis of faith; isn't battling homophobia, external or internalized; isn't ashamed, or broken, or self-loathing; isn't oppressed by his fellow believers; and doesn't need to reject or reevaluate his faith in order to find true love and happiness.
As I read this, every once in a while I'd pause for a moment to marvel. Marie Sexton built a light-hearted (yet serious) romance between a devout Christian and a demon from the depths of Hell — and holy shit (my first pun, oh the self-control it's taken to get this far without one), I am impressed. The ingenuity it took to make the story work, the consistency of tone and the quality of the writing... Wow.
Prior to this, the only other thing of hers I'd read was Promises, and I didn't much like it. Since it was her debut novel, I was open to giving her another try. But I have zero interest in the BDSM novels she's been writing recently, so she wasn't actively on my radar. I honestly don't recall how I came across this one. But I'm delighted that I found it.
October 18, 2019
Witty and sexy! As you’d expect, it's heavy on the religious content but from a fantastical, tongue-in-cheek approach. I loved the author’s creative approach, and I was rather riveted by the setup and delivery of this story.
ETA: Excellent (and much more thorough) review for this one!
ETA: Excellent (and much more thorough) review for this one!
June 2, 2019
I was craving some vintage John Solo, and I've owned this one for ages... so glad I finally got around to listening to this audiobook! If you're like me and own it as well, move it waaaay up on your shelf - it's amazing.
Mr. Solo's performance is perfection. There's just something about the way he reads this kind of novel that works so well for me. I love all the different voices he uses, and he makes the most out of the way the characters interact.
Marie Sexton always writes a fantastic story, but Damned If You Do is in a class by itself. Really fantastic story - very original and unique. Several times I thought I had it figured out and it turned out I was on completely the wrong path. I love when that happens :) great story!
Mr. Solo's performance is perfection. There's just something about the way he reads this kind of novel that works so well for me. I love all the different voices he uses, and he makes the most out of the way the characters interact.
Marie Sexton always writes a fantastic story, but Damned If You Do is in a class by itself. Really fantastic story - very original and unique. Several times I thought I had it figured out and it turned out I was on completely the wrong path. I love when that happens :) great story!
June 1, 2022
“Will we be okay, Abaddon?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t have a lot, you know. Just this truck, and that trailer we’re towing. I have a violin, a guitar, a couple of keyboards, and about four thousand dollars.”
“I have nothing at all but my devotion to you.”
“It isn’t much to start a life with, is it?”
“It’ll be enough.”
😇 + 😈 = ❤️
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t have a lot, you know. Just this truck, and that trailer we’re towing. I have a violin, a guitar, a couple of keyboards, and about four thousand dollars.”
“I have nothing at all but my devotion to you.”
“It isn’t much to start a life with, is it?”
“It’ll be enough.”
😇 + 😈 = ❤️
Want to Read
April 17, 2019Kindle freebie 4/17/19
October 18, 2019
3.5 stars
This book left me with mixed feelings, so I have to resort to bullet points.
Thumbs UP for:
* Humor. The descriptions of Hell and of the devils’ lives were awesome. Also, extra thumb up for the best devil friend ever.
* Originality. Even knowing it would end with a happy ending (obviously, romance novel), I could never predict where the story was going.
* The ending. I loved the last part, which was a nice surprise and the only reason I’m rounding the rating up. I was losing interest in the romantic relationship (see thumbs down below for more info on this) and when that happens usually no amount of happy ending can save the book for me, but here it worked. Don’t ask me why.
Thumbs DOWN for:
* Biblical quotes. While the religious aspect was never heavy or preachy, the quotes got old fast. At least for me, I don’t have patience for anything remotely religion-related on the best day. YMMV and it probably will.
* It wasn’t irreparable, but I could’ve really done without this part, . Again, YMMV and it probably will.
This book left me with mixed feelings, so I have to resort to bullet points.
Thumbs UP for:
* Humor. The descriptions of Hell and of the devils’ lives were awesome. Also, extra thumb up for the best devil friend ever.
* Originality. Even knowing it would end with a happy ending (obviously, romance novel), I could never predict where the story was going.
* The ending. I loved the last part, which was a nice surprise and the only reason I’m rounding the rating up. I was losing interest in the romantic relationship (see thumbs down below for more info on this) and when that happens usually no amount of happy ending can save the book for me, but here it worked. Don’t ask me why.
Thumbs DOWN for:
* Biblical quotes. While the religious aspect was never heavy or preachy, the quotes got old fast. At least for me, I don’t have patience for anything remotely religion-related on the best day. YMMV and it probably will.
* It wasn’t irreparable, but I could’ve really done without this part, . Again, YMMV and it probably will.
June 17, 2016
“You once told me that my soul is like a beacon to you. Like a lighthouse.”
“You are my guiding star.”
“I don’t know if it worked, but…” Seth bit his lip, “I tried to shine extra bright for you.”
Abaddon is a devil, one of many slaving away in hell. And by slaving away I mean do paperwork. Hell is endless and endless paperwork. Without a computer. Well, if that doesn’t sound like hell, I don’t know what does…
He has to get people to cede their soul to him so that they can end up like him. But Abaddon never liked collecting souls all that much. So he is on probation. He needs to collect more souls, or he will get demoted. He will never be able to get to earth again and he will have to do an even worse job than he is doing now.
There’s laying asphalt around the Lake of Fire, hauling rocks out of the Great Abyss, poop-scooping for the Hounds of Hell, selling flashlights without batteries in the Outer Darkness. And those are just the jobs in the underworld. There are plenty of places they could send you up top too. Mowing lawns in Louisiana in mid-August, cleaning hotel rooms in Vegas, emptying bedpans in a celebrity rehab facility in Hollywood. There’s retail work, fast food franchises, lunchroom duty, janitorial work—.”
So he goes off to search for that one bright soul that will make him reach his quota. It is then that he feels the brightest soul he has ever encountered. Seth is a 22 year old blind young man, who is traveling with a revival to spread the word of God.
I have to say that there was a lot of bible quoting going on that I cared nothing about. But besides that this was great!
I loved how Abaddon couldn’t stay away from Seth. How tender he was even though he was supposed to be a scary devil.
This book is low on sexy times. There was one scene, but this concentrates mostly on the growing relationship between the guys and not necessarily on the sex.
A very entertaining read!
“You are my guiding star.”
“I don’t know if it worked, but…” Seth bit his lip, “I tried to shine extra bright for you.”
Abaddon is a devil, one of many slaving away in hell. And by slaving away I mean do paperwork. Hell is endless and endless paperwork. Without a computer. Well, if that doesn’t sound like hell, I don’t know what does…
He has to get people to cede their soul to him so that they can end up like him. But Abaddon never liked collecting souls all that much. So he is on probation. He needs to collect more souls, or he will get demoted. He will never be able to get to earth again and he will have to do an even worse job than he is doing now.
There’s laying asphalt around the Lake of Fire, hauling rocks out of the Great Abyss, poop-scooping for the Hounds of Hell, selling flashlights without batteries in the Outer Darkness. And those are just the jobs in the underworld. There are plenty of places they could send you up top too. Mowing lawns in Louisiana in mid-August, cleaning hotel rooms in Vegas, emptying bedpans in a celebrity rehab facility in Hollywood. There’s retail work, fast food franchises, lunchroom duty, janitorial work—.”
So he goes off to search for that one bright soul that will make him reach his quota. It is then that he feels the brightest soul he has ever encountered. Seth is a 22 year old blind young man, who is traveling with a revival to spread the word of God.
I have to say that there was a lot of bible quoting going on that I cared nothing about. But besides that this was great!
I loved how Abaddon couldn’t stay away from Seth. How tender he was even though he was supposed to be a scary devil.
This book is low on sexy times. There was one scene, but this concentrates mostly on the growing relationship between the guys and not necessarily on the sex.
A very entertaining read!
May 16, 2016
3.5 stars
Abbadon has not been able to meet his soul quota and the failure to do so will result in demotion. So Abaddon is set to do the ultimate soul acquisition, something SO BIG that he didn't have to do any soul taking anymore, a golden ticket to promotion. And where else would he get this pure soul? None other than the Bible's Belt, ladies and gentlemen.
I immediately liked Abaddon, there was something really funny about devil who thought soul acquisition was a drag of a job. I admit I was a bit hesitant when Abaddon met Seth for the first time though. Seth definitely quoted Bible quite a lot -- and as a Muslim those verses got lost on me. Never really good in interpreting holy words, I guess :). I was also worried where the story would took direction, with Seth being part of a revival group.
BUT, this was ultimately a sweet story. Although it involved a devil and a faithful young blind musician, but it didn't went at all preachy. I enjoyed the twist about Seth and how Abaddon and Seth found a way to be together in the end (yes, people, there is HEA, so no worries!).
However, I also didn't quite grasp the relationship built, especially in Seth's part. I mean, Seth was blind and as much as I don't understand about sexual attraction (being asexual that I am), I think the way that someone's look do play part on it? So I wonder how Seth could find himself falling for Abaddon. They didn't really spend a lot of time together because the revival group kept moving places and Abaddon practically ran around Hell to find loop hole in his mission to retrieve Seth's soul. It was easier for me to believe that Abaddon could fall for Seth and his pure soul rather than the other way around.
Conclusion: It was sweet and light romance involving character with strong religious faith. Oh, and watch out for the snakes. I mean it. There were A LOT OF SNAKES!!!
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
Abbadon has not been able to meet his soul quota and the failure to do so will result in demotion. So Abaddon is set to do the ultimate soul acquisition, something SO BIG that he didn't have to do any soul taking anymore, a golden ticket to promotion. And where else would he get this pure soul? None other than the Bible's Belt, ladies and gentlemen.
I immediately liked Abaddon, there was something really funny about devil who thought soul acquisition was a drag of a job. I admit I was a bit hesitant when Abaddon met Seth for the first time though. Seth definitely quoted Bible quite a lot -- and as a Muslim those verses got lost on me. Never really good in interpreting holy words, I guess :). I was also worried where the story would took direction, with Seth being part of a revival group.
BUT, this was ultimately a sweet story. Although it involved a devil and a faithful young blind musician, but it didn't went at all preachy. I enjoyed the twist about Seth and how Abaddon and Seth found a way to be together in the end (yes, people, there is HEA, so no worries!).
However, I also didn't quite grasp the relationship built, especially in Seth's part. I mean, Seth was blind and as much as I don't understand about sexual attraction (being asexual that I am), I think the way that someone's look do play part on it? So I wonder how Seth could find himself falling for Abaddon. They didn't really spend a lot of time together because the revival group kept moving places and Abaddon practically ran around Hell to find loop hole in his mission to retrieve Seth's soul. It was easier for me to believe that Abaddon could fall for Seth and his pure soul rather than the other way around.
Conclusion: It was sweet and light romance involving character with strong religious faith. Oh, and watch out for the snakes. I mean it. There were A LOT OF SNAKES!!!
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
July 29, 2022
3.5 stars
A devil who sucks as his job meets the purest, sweetest soul in a young man who travels with a revival group. What could go wrong?
Very tongue-in-cheek, and despite all the Bible quotes, this was refreshingly free of religious angst and homophobia. There was a bit of mystery about Seth's origins, and some talents he has, and that helps drive the plot when it becomes clear that . I did feel there was a time or two that Seth's actions felt more like they were there for plot convenience, at least at first. Now I think that it's more
Still, I liked how everything was resolved and wrapped up.
Story ends at 90%.
A devil who sucks as his job meets the purest, sweetest soul in a young man who travels with a revival group. What could go wrong?
Very tongue-in-cheek, and despite all the Bible quotes, this was refreshingly free of religious angst and homophobia. There was a bit of mystery about Seth's origins, and some talents he has, and that helps drive the plot when it becomes clear that . I did feel there was a time or two that Seth's actions felt more like they were there for plot convenience, at least at first. Now I think that it's more
Still, I liked how everything was resolved and wrapped up.
Story ends at 90%.
April 29, 2016
Well, if this wasn't just the cutest devil redemption story I've ever read! Ok, I admit, it is the only devil redemption story I've read, but it was still OTT cute! And in spite of the religious theme, and all the Bible quoting,and there was a lot of bible quoting, I did not feel preached at, in the slightest. What a refreshing surprise that was!
I found Abaddon to be downright adorable. He was an awful devil, though. Always getting behind on his soul acquisition quotas, and never reading his memos and just generally being very non-devilish. He doesn't remember anything about his life before crossing over to the cubicle side of Hell, but he knows he made a deal with a devil, and, well...that has the predictable consequence of a hellish existence in the hereafter. And now, Abaddon is in danger of being demoted!
Yes, and not all of them are in hell. For instance:
So, yeah, there are definitely worse things than being stuck in a cubicle fighting with 1980's era copy machines and paper memos and rules like "no laughing".
Even still, Abaddon doesn't really like tricking people out of their souls and, really, he'd rather take a long shot that would reap bigger rewards, than just take any old soul just to keep his quota. And when he senses Seth's soul, it's like the call of a Siren. He cannot resist. And Seth's soul is just so delicious, how's a devil to resist?!
Seth is different than other humans that Abaddon has encountered, though. Sure, he's devout and actually believes the Christian doctrine and can quote pretty much the whole Bible, but his soul is so bright and Seth is just breathtaking! Abaddon cannot help but be drawn to young man. Seth is something truly special.
And while happy, Seth isn't really that content with his life. He's grateful for everything his family has given him, and he likes travelling with the revival, but he wants more from life. He wants to see the world and find someone to share his life with. He wants to fall in love. But God, it would seem, had different plans, and Seth is kind of stuck.
Meeting Abaddon was a happy happenstance, for Seth. Abaddon intrigues him, and maybe he should be afraid, but he's not. At all. Just the opposite, actually.
And what follows is a story I thoroughly enjoyed. And snakes. There were a lot of snakes. But we get to know both Seth and Abaddon and I found myself chuckling a fair amount and I even teared up a time or two. I so enjoyed them and watching them become friends and then fall for each other. And in the end, they both win by being just a little bit selfless. That's Twu Wuv!
I would have enjoyed some steam, though, I won't lie. There really wasn't any. But I was so entertained by the story, that I couldn't help but devour it like cotton candy.
---------
ARC of Damned If You Do was generously provided by the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I found Abaddon to be downright adorable. He was an awful devil, though. Always getting behind on his soul acquisition quotas, and never reading his memos and just generally being very non-devilish. He doesn't remember anything about his life before crossing over to the cubicle side of Hell, but he knows he made a deal with a devil, and, well...that has the predictable consequence of a hellish existence in the hereafter. And now, Abaddon is in danger of being demoted!
"--but there are still plenty of things worse than soul acquisition."
Yes, and not all of them are in hell. For instance:
"Mowing lawns in Louisiana in mid-August, cleaning hotel rooms in Vegas, emptying bedpans in a celebrity rehab facility in Hollywood. There's retail work, fast food franchises, lunchroom duty, janitorial work--"
So, yeah, there are definitely worse things than being stuck in a cubicle fighting with 1980's era copy machines and paper memos and rules like "no laughing".
Even still, Abaddon doesn't really like tricking people out of their souls and, really, he'd rather take a long shot that would reap bigger rewards, than just take any old soul just to keep his quota. And when he senses Seth's soul, it's like the call of a Siren. He cannot resist. And Seth's soul is just so delicious, how's a devil to resist?!
Seth is different than other humans that Abaddon has encountered, though. Sure, he's devout and actually believes the Christian doctrine and can quote pretty much the whole Bible, but his soul is so bright and Seth is just breathtaking! Abaddon cannot help but be drawn to young man. Seth is something truly special.
And while happy, Seth isn't really that content with his life. He's grateful for everything his family has given him, and he likes travelling with the revival, but he wants more from life. He wants to see the world and find someone to share his life with. He wants to fall in love. But God, it would seem, had different plans, and Seth is kind of stuck.
Meeting Abaddon was a happy happenstance, for Seth. Abaddon intrigues him, and maybe he should be afraid, but he's not. At all. Just the opposite, actually.
And what follows is a story I thoroughly enjoyed. And snakes. There were a lot of snakes. But we get to know both Seth and Abaddon and I found myself chuckling a fair amount and I even teared up a time or two. I so enjoyed them and watching them become friends and then fall for each other. And in the end, they both win by being just a little bit selfless. That's Twu Wuv!
I would have enjoyed some steam, though, I won't lie. There really wasn't any. But I was so entertained by the story, that I couldn't help but devour it like cotton candy.
---------
ARC of Damned If You Do was generously provided by the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2018
5 devilish stars!!
For an MC that’s a devil, Abaddon really is a terrible one, he’s even said so himself. This was really a fun take on angels and demons and apparently their endless piles of paperwork. So funny!
I like that for short story, it’s packed quite a punch and is totally unpredictable. I mean, I really didn’t know how things would play out until they did. I had so many different theories on who Seth was and how they could end up together but nope, I didn’t even come close, which was great!
This was an awesome read. Really fun! And it was so easy to imagine hell as Marie Sexton portrayed it. That was hilarious too 😂
For an MC that’s a devil, Abaddon really is a terrible one, he’s even said so himself. This was really a fun take on angels and demons and apparently their endless piles of paperwork. So funny!
I like that for short story, it’s packed quite a punch and is totally unpredictable. I mean, I really didn’t know how things would play out until they did. I had so many different theories on who Seth was and how they could end up together but nope, I didn’t even come close, which was great!
This was an awesome read. Really fun! And it was so easy to imagine hell as Marie Sexton portrayed it. That was hilarious too 😂
June 15, 2016
3.5 stars
Well the Devil went down to Georgia (Kentucky actually)
He was lookin' for a soul to steal
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind
And he was willin' to make a deal
When he came across this young man
Sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot
And the Devil jumped up on a hickory stump
And said, "Boy, let me tell you what"
"You probably didn't know it
But I'm a fiddle player too
And if you care to take a dare
I'll just make a bet with you"
"Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy
But give the Devil his due
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul
I think I'm better than you"
The boy said, "My name's Johnny (actually it's Seth)
And it might be a sin
But I'm gonna take your bet, you're gonna regret
I'm the best there's ever been"
.....and so their love story begins. I admit I was a little hesitant at first. Because seriously, all that happened. The book began as a Charlie Daniels Band song. But it quickly became a funny and sweet story that reeled me right in. I don't do sweet books often but I thought this was lovely. Kind of a refreshing change to all the smut I usually read. I really liked both Seth and Abaddon as characters and I found the whole story entertaining. There were also some super funny parts when the devils are talking about certain politicians and celebrities.
*ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review*
Well the Devil went down to Georgia (Kentucky actually)
He was lookin' for a soul to steal
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind
And he was willin' to make a deal
When he came across this young man
Sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot
And the Devil jumped up on a hickory stump
And said, "Boy, let me tell you what"
"You probably didn't know it
But I'm a fiddle player too
And if you care to take a dare
I'll just make a bet with you"
"Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy
But give the Devil his due
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul
I think I'm better than you"
The boy said, "My name's Johnny (actually it's Seth)
And it might be a sin
But I'm gonna take your bet, you're gonna regret
I'm the best there's ever been"
.....and so their love story begins. I admit I was a little hesitant at first. Because seriously, all that happened. The book began as a Charlie Daniels Band song. But it quickly became a funny and sweet story that reeled me right in. I don't do sweet books often but I thought this was lovely. Kind of a refreshing change to all the smut I usually read. I really liked both Seth and Abaddon as characters and I found the whole story entertaining. There were also some super funny parts when the devils are talking about certain politicians and celebrities.
*ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review*
October 18, 2016
Despite this being about a demon who needs to collect a soul and a revival musician preacher's son, this is one of the sweetest romances I've read in a while. *sigh* I loved it!
October 19, 2019
This one was funny but it didn't quite worked for me all the time. I liked the humour but all that religious quotes and stuff put me off. It was ok while it was used as a worldbuilding base, but once we were past 25%, it got old, and tiresome. I wonder how this people had sexy times going at all with all that religious stuff in their heads all the time... what a mood killer! XD All that quotes didn't kept me from enjoying the book (because I wasn't taking this one too seriously), but it took me out of the story now and then. But this is a case of "it's me, not the book", so don't let this kept you away from this one because it has its moments. And I loved Bathomet, really, best devil friend ever!
Thank you Ele and Moony for the company :D
Thank you Ele and Moony for the company :D
December 3, 2023
Oh, boy. This was...an experience. The story randomly switched between being weird, scary, cute, exciting and absurd, which I haven't come across before. Disclaimer: I know very little about Christianity so maybe this book had tons of Christian metaphors/allegories/symbolism hidden throughout that others appreciated but they obviously flew right past me. So maybe if I understood Bible things more, I would have had a different perspective about this...? But then again, many reviews mention that the book kept the religious stuff at arms length and they appreciated that it wasn't heavy on Bible stuff so...that means I can judge the book at face value and that face value was a mess...?
So the positives first!
Seth and Abaddon were both awesome characters. Since it's a significant age gap (Seth is 22 and Abaddon is technically about 100 years old and he's written like a guy in his early 40s), I was worried that I wouldn't like their dynamic. Thankfully, the author gave Seth a lot of characteristics that made him a solid potential partner for Abaddon. Seth might have been raised in a traveling religious group so he's naive about the world around himself but he's very confident when it comes to the things in his daily life: Christianity, playing music and being gay. Abaddon recognized and appreciated Seth's strengths regarding all of these things and that put them on an even playing field. In fact, having Seth wipe the floor with Abaddon when it comes to playing musical instruments was a great way to put Abaddon on the back foot for a bit, despite him being a powerful demon.
I also liked the progression of their romance. It's definitely a case of instalove because the book takes place over roughly 2 weeks but it's one of those rare cases where I believed the instalove. Seth and Abaddon go through very intense situations during those 2 weeks and when you add in the supernatural elements, it means they go through a lot more intimate bonding moments during those 2 weeks than people would in normal circumstances.
Another thing I thought was clever was how the author deliberately frames things so you can walk away from the story believing God/Satan either exist or they don't. The story focuses on angels and demons, who are definitely real and perform real duties for either Heaven or Hell. But characters from both groups have never actually seen God or Satan and they receive their orders through a complicated hierarchy. So when Seth asks Abaddon if he knows whether Satan actually exists, he can't confirm or deny Satan's existence. Seth ends up not caring one way or another because his belief in God is based purely on faith (ie no evidence required). I thought this was an interesting little addition that allowed the author to play on both sides of the fence while not insulting either.
Now for the negatives. Oh, boy. I'll list my problems from smallest to biggest.
Confusing Bible Verses
I'm going to put this down as a me thing but I think this book isn't as accessible as other reviewers claim it is if you don't know anything about Christianity (which would be me). The book is filled with Bible verses and because there's no context provided and they're written in that old-timey English, I didn't understand the majority of them. It made sense that Seth (a lifelong devout Christian) and Abaddon (a demon) would understand these passages when the other person quotes a portion and doesn't provide additional explanation, but most of them meant nothing to me. This was the equivalent of two hardcore Trekkies quoting Star Trek quotes and the names of episodes and characters at each other while in the company of somebody who doesn't know anything about Star Trek. The Bible quotes didn't seem to impact the actual plot but I still felt like I was missing out on a major part of the story's tone/atmosphere/set design by not understanding those quotes.
Terrible Pacing
I was so bored during the first half of the story that I came close to DNFing and the only reason I didn't was because I read spoiler reviews that told me what the epic reveal regarding Seth is. That provided enough interest for me to continue but wow - the story had plenty of interesting directions to go in and it didn't have to move at such a slow, repetitive pace in the first half.
Seth's Blindness
This is another me thing. One of the reasons I picked this book up was because I love romances featuring characters with disabilities. I was very excited when Seth's blindness was an important part of the story. I started giving the story the side-eye when Seth's blindness has some supernatural exceptions but I enjoyed it overall. It was heartbreaking hearing how Seth had lost his sight at the age of 19, right when he'd planned to leave the religious group and see parts of the US he'd never seen, like the Grand Canyon. You can hear descriptions of it all you want, but there are some things you can't truly appreciate the scope of unless you can see it and the Grand Canyon is one of those examples.
Then the author . This wasn't the author's intent (I'm sure the whole thing fit with the Christian theme in some way) but it was still a disappointment.
Zed = An Unintentional Asshole
So...we learn at the end of the story that Zed decided to join the religious group so he could keep an eye on Seth when the latter was 19 years old. Okay, fine. But . And both Zed and the author seem to shrug this off as being an 'oh, it seemed like a good idea at the time thing' and everybody moves on. WHAT?!? There was no anger from Seth and they all act like this was a normal thing. I'm very sure the author didn't intend for the whole thing to come across as horrible as it did (maybe it's another Christian connection that flew past me) because it's a minor part of the story but it made my brain screech to a halt while reading.
Shifting Tone
I have no idea what this book is supposed to be because the sudden and constant tone shifts gave me whiplash. All of the scenes in hell were OTT rom-com scenes while the scenes on earth switched between being a cute supernatural romance scenes versus terrifying, creepy thriller scenes. Let's start with the rom-com stuff. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about:
Traveling on the mortal plane was easy, but by design, traveling in Hell was...well, it was hell. The subway smelled, as usual. The exact odor varied from day to day, but it was never pleasant. Today's aroma seemed to be a blend of vomit and rotting fish. Also as usual, there were no seats available. They were all taken by mimes, surly teenagers, or large purses that bit your hand if you tried to move them.
Every scene taking place in Hell was written like this. Abaddon's office building's elevator is always broken so he has to walk up 132 floors. The demons (they're all called devils for some reason) only have a choice of a few names when they become demons so having a conversation about somebody takes forever because nobody knows which person they're talking about. If demons are found having friendly discussions at the office, their cubicles are moved apart so all friendly conversations have to end with an OTT name-calling 'argument' between the participants.
Everything about it was written in a typical rom-com style that's not my cup of tea but if the whole book had been written like that, I would have politely DNF and called it a day.
But then we have the scenes on earth and they're completely different. Seth's day to day life has none of this OTT absurdity associated with it. The author describes the activities of the traveling religious group in a normal, serious way. We learn heartbreaking stories like how Seth had been abandoned as an infant with the religious group and they'd raised him and how Seth had abruptly lost his sight at the age of 19. Seth and Abaddon's conversations in the woods where they get to know each other and they banter using religious quotes and get into music-playing competitions was all very sweet but it was far away from the rom-com nature of the Hell scenes.
AND THEN, we have scenes that are straight out of a religious horror movie. There's one scene in particular where . It's not just me, right? That's a horrifying image and it makes a shiver run down your spine, right? Then there are other creepy things associated with Seth. Like how . And after all these strange situations, Seth just calmly continues with his life, smiling and playing his instruments and acting adorable around Abaddon, who's the first real friend Seth has ever had. Creepy, right?
I can't get past the complete disconnect between the different styles the author used and I don't understand the reason behind it. If you're going to write a rom-com, then write a rom-com. If you're going to lean heavily into creepy, thriller-like religious horror then do that but you shouldn't switch between the two at random. Maybe other readers enjoyed this strange style but I hated it.
Abaddon = A Selfish Dumbass
It's been a while since I came across a character who is as dumb and selfish as Abaddon but he managed to break my streak. Unfortunately for the poor guy, the author used him to move the plot in certain directions with no regard to how he was being portrayed.
First problem: the guy has received several reprimands for not keeping up with his soul claiming quota and he's told he'll lose his earth-travel privileges if he doesn't meet the quota within 2 weeks. He goes up to earth, goes exploring, comes across Seth and he becomes so obsessed with Seth's soul that he doesn't want to claim any other soul.
Second problem: during Abaddon's claim-Seth's-soul planning, he realizes that there's a major problem with his desire to claim Seth's soul and make Seth a demon. What do you think the problem is? Do you think Abaddon realized that Seth (Mr. Christianity) would never agree to or be happy being a demon (ie and serve Mr. Anti-God)? Do you think Abaddon's love for Seth made him realize that forcing Seth to spend eternity in literal Hell is unthinkable? Do you think Abaddon realized that his entire claim-Seth-soul's plan was based on his own selfish desires and didn't account for what Seth wanted and deserved? Oh, no, no. Because that would take brains and would involve not being a selfish moron. No, Abaddon realizes the problem is that . The guy is so thrilled with himself once he comes up with that solution and I wanted to smack him. How is he so dumb that he thinks this entire situation is something that should happen to Seth?!? Sure, he eventually comes around and decides but this realization came out of the blue and it made the rest of his actions seem dumb and selfish. Like the quota thing, this could have been easily solved by some higher up requiring that Seth's soul be claimed and threatening to send other demons if Abaddon didn't do it.
The Ending = A Pile Of Plot Conveniences
As the story hit the final arc, I was really intrigued to find out how the author would solve the very complex dilemna the characters were in. It's one of the most difficult scenarios I've ever come across. I examined it from different angles and I couldn't figure out how the author would have the characters come out of this mess and still give them an HEA and I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what clever plan the author would come up with. Well....it seemed the author couldn't find their way out of this mess either because she just employed a series of ridiculous plot conveniences to magically make the entire situation go away. Literally.
Right at the last second, . Are you kidding me?!? The author basically waved a magic wand and made all of the story's problems go away in the blink of an eye. It was absurd.
Sure, Zed explains what happened near the end, which involves info-dumping to readers about soul aquisition exception rules that hadn't been mentioned in the story previously. If you're curious, the following had to happen in this exact sequence: . Once again - are you kidding me?!? You can't just make up random rules and introduce them in the final arc of your story because you wrote yourself into a corner and can't get out of it without handwaving it all away. You know what would have been romantic and epic? If either Abaddon or Seth (and readers) knew about special rules (not those rules because they were ridiculous but something similar) beforehand and employed them as a grand gesture to save the other person while sacrificing themselves. I'm thinking something like Lily Potter's sacrifice to save Harry. And then the sacrifice would have been reversed due to other reasons that would have been introduced and explored later.
Conclusion
Overall, I really don't know if my issues with this book resulted from my lack of knowledge about Christianity. Maybe the majority of the things I viewed as plot conveniences, TSTL moments and other bad writing examples were done that way specifically to connect to things in the Bible. But in any case, I'm disappointed because the story had a lot of interesting potential and the execution wasn't what I wanted at all.
So the positives first!
Seth and Abaddon were both awesome characters. Since it's a significant age gap (Seth is 22 and Abaddon is technically about 100 years old and he's written like a guy in his early 40s), I was worried that I wouldn't like their dynamic. Thankfully, the author gave Seth a lot of characteristics that made him a solid potential partner for Abaddon. Seth might have been raised in a traveling religious group so he's naive about the world around himself but he's very confident when it comes to the things in his daily life: Christianity, playing music and being gay. Abaddon recognized and appreciated Seth's strengths regarding all of these things and that put them on an even playing field. In fact, having Seth wipe the floor with Abaddon when it comes to playing musical instruments was a great way to put Abaddon on the back foot for a bit, despite him being a powerful demon.
I also liked the progression of their romance. It's definitely a case of instalove because the book takes place over roughly 2 weeks but it's one of those rare cases where I believed the instalove. Seth and Abaddon go through very intense situations during those 2 weeks and when you add in the supernatural elements, it means they go through a lot more intimate bonding moments during those 2 weeks than people would in normal circumstances.
Another thing I thought was clever was how the author deliberately frames things so you can walk away from the story believing God/Satan either exist or they don't. The story focuses on angels and demons, who are definitely real and perform real duties for either Heaven or Hell. But characters from both groups have never actually seen God or Satan and they receive their orders through a complicated hierarchy. So when Seth asks Abaddon if he knows whether Satan actually exists, he can't confirm or deny Satan's existence. Seth ends up not caring one way or another because his belief in God is based purely on faith (ie no evidence required). I thought this was an interesting little addition that allowed the author to play on both sides of the fence while not insulting either.
Now for the negatives. Oh, boy. I'll list my problems from smallest to biggest.
Confusing Bible Verses
I'm going to put this down as a me thing but I think this book isn't as accessible as other reviewers claim it is if you don't know anything about Christianity (which would be me). The book is filled with Bible verses and because there's no context provided and they're written in that old-timey English, I didn't understand the majority of them. It made sense that Seth (a lifelong devout Christian) and Abaddon (a demon) would understand these passages when the other person quotes a portion and doesn't provide additional explanation, but most of them meant nothing to me. This was the equivalent of two hardcore Trekkies quoting Star Trek quotes and the names of episodes and characters at each other while in the company of somebody who doesn't know anything about Star Trek. The Bible quotes didn't seem to impact the actual plot but I still felt like I was missing out on a major part of the story's tone/atmosphere/set design by not understanding those quotes.
Terrible Pacing
I was so bored during the first half of the story that I came close to DNFing and the only reason I didn't was because I read spoiler reviews that told me what the epic reveal regarding Seth is. That provided enough interest for me to continue but wow - the story had plenty of interesting directions to go in and it didn't have to move at such a slow, repetitive pace in the first half.
Seth's Blindness
This is another me thing. One of the reasons I picked this book up was because I love romances featuring characters with disabilities. I was very excited when Seth's blindness was an important part of the story. I started giving the story the side-eye when Seth's blindness has some supernatural exceptions but I enjoyed it overall. It was heartbreaking hearing how Seth had lost his sight at the age of 19, right when he'd planned to leave the religious group and see parts of the US he'd never seen, like the Grand Canyon. You can hear descriptions of it all you want, but there are some things you can't truly appreciate the scope of unless you can see it and the Grand Canyon is one of those examples.
Then the author . This wasn't the author's intent (I'm sure the whole thing fit with the Christian theme in some way) but it was still a disappointment.
Zed = An Unintentional Asshole
So...we learn at the end of the story that Zed decided to join the religious group so he could keep an eye on Seth when the latter was 19 years old. Okay, fine. But . And both Zed and the author seem to shrug this off as being an 'oh, it seemed like a good idea at the time thing' and everybody moves on. WHAT?!? There was no anger from Seth and they all act like this was a normal thing. I'm very sure the author didn't intend for the whole thing to come across as horrible as it did (maybe it's another Christian connection that flew past me) because it's a minor part of the story but it made my brain screech to a halt while reading.
Shifting Tone
I have no idea what this book is supposed to be because the sudden and constant tone shifts gave me whiplash. All of the scenes in hell were OTT rom-com scenes while the scenes on earth switched between being a cute supernatural romance scenes versus terrifying, creepy thriller scenes. Let's start with the rom-com stuff. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about:
Traveling on the mortal plane was easy, but by design, traveling in Hell was...well, it was hell. The subway smelled, as usual. The exact odor varied from day to day, but it was never pleasant. Today's aroma seemed to be a blend of vomit and rotting fish. Also as usual, there were no seats available. They were all taken by mimes, surly teenagers, or large purses that bit your hand if you tried to move them.
Every scene taking place in Hell was written like this. Abaddon's office building's elevator is always broken so he has to walk up 132 floors. The demons (they're all called devils for some reason) only have a choice of a few names when they become demons so having a conversation about somebody takes forever because nobody knows which person they're talking about. If demons are found having friendly discussions at the office, their cubicles are moved apart so all friendly conversations have to end with an OTT name-calling 'argument' between the participants.
Everything about it was written in a typical rom-com style that's not my cup of tea but if the whole book had been written like that, I would have politely DNF and called it a day.
But then we have the scenes on earth and they're completely different. Seth's day to day life has none of this OTT absurdity associated with it. The author describes the activities of the traveling religious group in a normal, serious way. We learn heartbreaking stories like how Seth had been abandoned as an infant with the religious group and they'd raised him and how Seth had abruptly lost his sight at the age of 19. Seth and Abaddon's conversations in the woods where they get to know each other and they banter using religious quotes and get into music-playing competitions was all very sweet but it was far away from the rom-com nature of the Hell scenes.
AND THEN, we have scenes that are straight out of a religious horror movie. There's one scene in particular where . It's not just me, right? That's a horrifying image and it makes a shiver run down your spine, right? Then there are other creepy things associated with Seth. Like how . And after all these strange situations, Seth just calmly continues with his life, smiling and playing his instruments and acting adorable around Abaddon, who's the first real friend Seth has ever had. Creepy, right?
I can't get past the complete disconnect between the different styles the author used and I don't understand the reason behind it. If you're going to write a rom-com, then write a rom-com. If you're going to lean heavily into creepy, thriller-like religious horror then do that but you shouldn't switch between the two at random. Maybe other readers enjoyed this strange style but I hated it.
Abaddon = A Selfish Dumbass
It's been a while since I came across a character who is as dumb and selfish as Abaddon but he managed to break my streak. Unfortunately for the poor guy, the author used him to move the plot in certain directions with no regard to how he was being portrayed.
First problem: the guy has received several reprimands for not keeping up with his soul claiming quota and he's told he'll lose his earth-travel privileges if he doesn't meet the quota within 2 weeks. He goes up to earth, goes exploring, comes across Seth and he becomes so obsessed with Seth's soul that he doesn't want to claim any other soul.
Second problem: during Abaddon's claim-Seth's-soul planning, he realizes that there's a major problem with his desire to claim Seth's soul and make Seth a demon. What do you think the problem is? Do you think Abaddon realized that Seth (Mr. Christianity) would never agree to or be happy being a demon (ie and serve Mr. Anti-God)? Do you think Abaddon's love for Seth made him realize that forcing Seth to spend eternity in literal Hell is unthinkable? Do you think Abaddon realized that his entire claim-Seth-soul's plan was based on his own selfish desires and didn't account for what Seth wanted and deserved? Oh, no, no. Because that would take brains and would involve not being a selfish moron. No, Abaddon realizes the problem is that . The guy is so thrilled with himself once he comes up with that solution and I wanted to smack him. How is he so dumb that he thinks this entire situation is something that should happen to Seth?!? Sure, he eventually comes around and decides but this realization came out of the blue and it made the rest of his actions seem dumb and selfish. Like the quota thing, this could have been easily solved by some higher up requiring that Seth's soul be claimed and threatening to send other demons if Abaddon didn't do it.
The Ending = A Pile Of Plot Conveniences
As the story hit the final arc, I was really intrigued to find out how the author would solve the very complex dilemna the characters were in. It's one of the most difficult scenarios I've ever come across. I examined it from different angles and I couldn't figure out how the author would have the characters come out of this mess and still give them an HEA and I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what clever plan the author would come up with. Well....it seemed the author couldn't find their way out of this mess either because she just employed a series of ridiculous plot conveniences to magically make the entire situation go away. Literally.
Right at the last second, . Are you kidding me?!? The author basically waved a magic wand and made all of the story's problems go away in the blink of an eye. It was absurd.
Sure, Zed explains what happened near the end, which involves info-dumping to readers about soul aquisition exception rules that hadn't been mentioned in the story previously. If you're curious, the following had to happen in this exact sequence: . Once again - are you kidding me?!? You can't just make up random rules and introduce them in the final arc of your story because you wrote yourself into a corner and can't get out of it without handwaving it all away. You know what would have been romantic and epic? If either Abaddon or Seth (and readers) knew about special rules (not those rules because they were ridiculous but something similar) beforehand and employed them as a grand gesture to save the other person while sacrificing themselves. I'm thinking something like Lily Potter's sacrifice to save Harry. And then the sacrifice would have been reversed due to other reasons that would have been introduced and explored later.
Conclusion
Overall, I really don't know if my issues with this book resulted from my lack of knowledge about Christianity. Maybe the majority of the things I viewed as plot conveniences, TSTL moments and other bad writing examples were done that way specifically to connect to things in the Bible. But in any case, I'm disappointed because the story had a lot of interesting potential and the execution wasn't what I wanted at all.
October 20, 2019
3.5 stars
A different take on making a deal with a devil.
A different take on making a deal with a devil.
May 5, 2016
4+ STARS
This book is just the most adorable and sweet demonic novel that I have ever read. Mostly I steer clear of hyper religious stories, but this book just gave an all new look to the underworld and heaven/hell dynamics. The story is about a demon pursuing a human for his soul and then falling in love with the said human despite of all the strict “no-no” rules of the HELL. And who will be able to resist such a unique forbidden romance??? NOT ME! Besides that, the story has two of the cutest MCs ever and be warned…. LOTS OF SNAKES!*yikes* So yeah! this book is a pretty unique and entertaining read.
Abaddon is the worst demon in the history of HELL. He is a demon with a CONSCIENCE . Abaddon has been falling behind in his quota of souls and now he has to hurry his ass up and fill it or he will get demoted. The only soul that gets his attention is of a young, blind musician who travels with a revival group. This soul is Abaddon’s big ticket to snag a promotion complete with a “corner office”. Imagine his dilemma when Abaddon’s conscience kicks in on meeting Seth and he gets more worried about dragging Seth’s soul to HELL than his pending demotion.
Seth is different than any human Abaddon has ever met. He is a devout Christian who can quote the entire bible. He is also a talented musician, who can play about any instrument like a maestro. Seth has total faith in GOD and he believes that everything that has happened is totally as per GOD’s will. So all in all Seth has the sweetest soul, a devil can never resist! Abaddon’s pursuit of Seth’s soul turns into a beautiful journey of falling in love, self-sacrifice and heavenly intervention.
This was a very unique read which is sweet and at times really funny. The entire rendition of HELL is an awesome way of showing how dreary, boring and soul sucking HELL can be. There is always huge paperwork, the subway smells, rules against making friends and last but not the least, you cannot laugh at all. So Abaddon pretty much hates it there but hey, once you make a deal with the Devil, you are stuck!!!
I adored Abaddon the most. He is the sweetest and also the worst Devil in all of HELL. His unusual friendship with his prey is just unconventional and so darn CUTE. Devils are known to be great tricksters but Abaddon lacks that quality completely. He is always upfront with Seth about who he is and what he wants. He bends all the rules to be with Seth. The friendship between Seth and Abaddon grows gradually to love and Abaddon is ready to risk the deepest dregs of HELL if it means he can spare Seth’s pure and innocent soul. TRUE LOVE*sigh*
This read was pretty short. I wanted more of Abaddon and Seth and maybe a little more steam too. Abaddon and Seth are the sweetest couple ever but a few more sexy times would have been highly appreciated. This read have a lot of bible quotes but don’t get alarmed. The quotes are a part of who Seth is and you would never feel that you are getting preached. So, that was pretty refreshing.
All in all, Damned if you do is a sweet romance of opposites attracting and self-sacrifice in the name of TRUE LOVE.
This Review has been cross posted at Gay Book Reviews
This book is just the most adorable and sweet demonic novel that I have ever read. Mostly I steer clear of hyper religious stories, but this book just gave an all new look to the underworld and heaven/hell dynamics. The story is about a demon pursuing a human for his soul and then falling in love with the said human despite of all the strict “no-no” rules of the HELL. And who will be able to resist such a unique forbidden romance??? NOT ME! Besides that, the story has two of the cutest MCs ever and be warned…. LOTS OF SNAKES!*yikes* So yeah! this book is a pretty unique and entertaining read.
Abaddon is the worst demon in the history of HELL. He is a demon with a CONSCIENCE . Abaddon has been falling behind in his quota of souls and now he has to hurry his ass up and fill it or he will get demoted. The only soul that gets his attention is of a young, blind musician who travels with a revival group. This soul is Abaddon’s big ticket to snag a promotion complete with a “corner office”. Imagine his dilemma when Abaddon’s conscience kicks in on meeting Seth and he gets more worried about dragging Seth’s soul to HELL than his pending demotion.
Seth is different than any human Abaddon has ever met. He is a devout Christian who can quote the entire bible. He is also a talented musician, who can play about any instrument like a maestro. Seth has total faith in GOD and he believes that everything that has happened is totally as per GOD’s will. So all in all Seth has the sweetest soul, a devil can never resist! Abaddon’s pursuit of Seth’s soul turns into a beautiful journey of falling in love, self-sacrifice and heavenly intervention.
This was a very unique read which is sweet and at times really funny. The entire rendition of HELL is an awesome way of showing how dreary, boring and soul sucking HELL can be. There is always huge paperwork, the subway smells, rules against making friends and last but not the least, you cannot laugh at all. So Abaddon pretty much hates it there but hey, once you make a deal with the Devil, you are stuck!!!
I adored Abaddon the most. He is the sweetest and also the worst Devil in all of HELL. His unusual friendship with his prey is just unconventional and so darn CUTE. Devils are known to be great tricksters but Abaddon lacks that quality completely. He is always upfront with Seth about who he is and what he wants. He bends all the rules to be with Seth. The friendship between Seth and Abaddon grows gradually to love and Abaddon is ready to risk the deepest dregs of HELL if it means he can spare Seth’s pure and innocent soul. TRUE LOVE*sigh*
This read was pretty short. I wanted more of Abaddon and Seth and maybe a little more steam too. Abaddon and Seth are the sweetest couple ever but a few more sexy times would have been highly appreciated. This read have a lot of bible quotes but don’t get alarmed. The quotes are a part of who Seth is and you would never feel that you are getting preached. So, that was pretty refreshing.
All in all, Damned if you do is a sweet romance of opposites attracting and self-sacrifice in the name of TRUE LOVE.
This Review has been cross posted at Gay Book Reviews
November 9, 2018
Audio Review 11Oct2018: No change
HA! I read this over a year before the audio came out...and I was totally right. It was just as good the second time around. (LOL the first time I typed that it came out "sexton time around.")
A little darker than I remembered with the snakes (why did it have to be snakes?) plus the religiosity BS/whatnot...but Abbadon's lamentations about the paperwork and minutiae of soul collection was just funny to me (as was the commentary on football stars and crooked politicians owing their souls to the Devil). Still loved the ending and how things worked out...
Also, I think the whole "Devil Went Down to Georgia" aspect was even more noticeable via audio - and while I hate Charlie's politics, I do so love that song. John Solo did a great job with the performance. (Edited to Add: Can a Librarian please add him to the details of Audio Edition, please? Thanks!)
Original Review 29Aug2016: 4.3 Stars
So damn funny. I hope there will be/is an audio version because I could use the laughter again...
HA! I read this over a year before the audio came out...and I was totally right. It was just as good the second time around. (LOL the first time I typed that it came out "sexton time around.")
A little darker than I remembered with the snakes (why did it have to be snakes?) plus the religiosity BS/whatnot...but Abbadon's lamentations about the paperwork and minutiae of soul collection was just funny to me (as was the commentary on football stars and crooked politicians owing their souls to the Devil). Still loved the ending and how things worked out...
Also, I think the whole "Devil Went Down to Georgia" aspect was even more noticeable via audio - and while I hate Charlie's politics, I do so love that song. John Solo did a great job with the performance. (Edited to Add: Can a Librarian please add him to the details of Audio Edition, please? Thanks!)
Original Review 29Aug2016: 4.3 Stars
So damn funny. I hope there will be/is an audio version because I could use the laughter again...
January 28, 2021
Even with the tons of bible verses and being hit over the head with religion, I still wasn't mad at it. I actually liked it and thought it was a clever story. The narration was good and I thought it worked fine at the length that it was.
September 19, 2017
This was just too cute.
I know, soul collecting demon doesn't sound like it would be cute.
Of course, your first thought is groan..."Devil went down to Georgia" made into a book.
But it didn't take me long to get on board.
I also thought of Crowley on Supernatural.
I know, that's not quite how is described, but once the image was there, it was stuck.
but HEY, I like Crowley. So I went with it.
There were a lot of biblical quotes in there, and snakes...weird snakes that bite but give pleasure?
But it doesn't get dark and broody. It's a very fun read.
I just wantedCrowley Abaddon and Seth to get their HEA.
I know, soul collecting demon doesn't sound like it would be cute.
Of course, your first thought is groan..."Devil went down to Georgia" made into a book.
But it didn't take me long to get on board.
I also thought of Crowley on Supernatural.
I know, that's not quite how is described, but once the image was there, it was stuck.
but HEY, I like Crowley. So I went with it.
There were a lot of biblical quotes in there, and snakes...weird snakes that bite but give pleasure?
But it doesn't get dark and broody. It's a very fun read.
I just wanted
January 9, 2023
It feels like forever since I read anything by Marie Sexton so it was utter joy to experience her writing again. I knew I was in for a hellish treat, pun intended, based not only on the description, but this author has dry wit and quirky humor in spades. I wasn't wrong, and believe me when I tell you 'Damned If You Do' was exactly what I needed.
The fact that right off the bat the story began with Abaddon getting a memo from Satan that ended with "Also: get a haircut" pretty much told me I was in for a wild ride. Abaddon has two weeks to acquire a soul or he'll be demoted and his traveling to Earth privileges will be revoked. I was beginning to get the feeling that Abaddon might not be the greatest devil in Hell seeing as he found tricking someone out of their soul depressing. Apparently he's the only devil in Hell with a conscience.
"He liked his souls devout. No Unitarians for him. Hardly any flavor there at all. He found Mormons a bit salty, and Catholics too bitter, but Southern Baptists were like butterscotch, Methodists like caramel, and a Pentecostal—oh, those were his favorite—their souls tasted like pink cotton candy, sticky and sugary sweet."
Seth is a true believer and someone I can honestly admit, I don't understand. His sight was taken from him at nineteen for no reason, seemingly, but he's sure God will restore it in his own time. Seth and Abaddon make a wager. A fiddle contest, but not for a fiddle made of gold (which Seth just laughs at), but a soul for a soul. An unusual wager, no doubt, since Abaddon lost his soul years ago, but Seth wants to have Abaddon come to the tent revival that night, so the deal is struck. Abaddon loses, as I'm sure you can imagine, and the devil ends up at a tent revival in Kentucky.
In the evenings that pass, Abaddon is at every revival as Seth's soul is so pure he can't stay away. Zed, the foreman, is not happy and does everything he can to keep Abaddon away from Seth. The time spent with Seth begins to change Abaddon in small ways that grow larger until he no longer wants Seth's soul for Hell, but Abaddon's time is growing short. It's more than Seth's soul that has Abaddon mystified, though. There are strange things that happen around Seth. Unexplainable things. Unbelievable things.
As I fully expected the author blew me out of the water with this latest release. There was humor, irony, and satire, but there was so much more. There was emotion I wasn't expecting and a storyline that hit me right in the heart, and tore it open. I may have said I didn't understand Seth and his boundless faith, but I surely respected him and it.
Beautiful and funny in ways I'm entirely unable to really explain.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
The fact that right off the bat the story began with Abaddon getting a memo from Satan that ended with "Also: get a haircut" pretty much told me I was in for a wild ride. Abaddon has two weeks to acquire a soul or he'll be demoted and his traveling to Earth privileges will be revoked. I was beginning to get the feeling that Abaddon might not be the greatest devil in Hell seeing as he found tricking someone out of their soul depressing. Apparently he's the only devil in Hell with a conscience.
"He liked his souls devout. No Unitarians for him. Hardly any flavor there at all. He found Mormons a bit salty, and Catholics too bitter, but Southern Baptists were like butterscotch, Methodists like caramel, and a Pentecostal—oh, those were his favorite—their souls tasted like pink cotton candy, sticky and sugary sweet."
Seth is a true believer and someone I can honestly admit, I don't understand. His sight was taken from him at nineteen for no reason, seemingly, but he's sure God will restore it in his own time. Seth and Abaddon make a wager. A fiddle contest, but not for a fiddle made of gold (which Seth just laughs at), but a soul for a soul. An unusual wager, no doubt, since Abaddon lost his soul years ago, but Seth wants to have Abaddon come to the tent revival that night, so the deal is struck. Abaddon loses, as I'm sure you can imagine, and the devil ends up at a tent revival in Kentucky.
In the evenings that pass, Abaddon is at every revival as Seth's soul is so pure he can't stay away. Zed, the foreman, is not happy and does everything he can to keep Abaddon away from Seth. The time spent with Seth begins to change Abaddon in small ways that grow larger until he no longer wants Seth's soul for Hell, but Abaddon's time is growing short. It's more than Seth's soul that has Abaddon mystified, though. There are strange things that happen around Seth. Unexplainable things. Unbelievable things.
As I fully expected the author blew me out of the water with this latest release. There was humor, irony, and satire, but there was so much more. There was emotion I wasn't expecting and a storyline that hit me right in the heart, and tore it open. I may have said I didn't understand Seth and his boundless faith, but I surely respected him and it.
Beautiful and funny in ways I'm entirely unable to really explain.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
June 14, 2016
This is going to be short and sweet. The story was absolutely adorable –for all its devilishness, see what I did there?
I have never read anything of the sort before and I was pleasantly surprised at how light and funny this was. Abaddon is a horrible devil –slacks on paperwork, hates the hassle of acquiring souls, and gets infatuated with a blind musical prodigy at a Christian revival.
Yes, there are many bible quotes. All the scenes on Earth take place at the revival du jour or a nearby forest. There are always woods available to sneak off to for some reason. There is also a weird thing Seth does with snakes, really disgusting, creepy crawly stuff, but it’s all good fun.
The slow build up and pursuing the forbidden made for some delicious tension. Seth was such a pure soul and even though our narrator was Abaddon, it was obvious that even a devil could be blinded by Seth’s nature.
Don’t read this book for the sex cause there wasn’t much of it. But, the romance was really sweet and our devil’s redemption story was heart-warming with a solid HEA.
Marie Sexton writes beautiful stories and I appreciated the good writing here. I laughed with the way Hell was described and the drone-like little devils slaving away in their cubicles.
Recommend to all fans off mm who enjoy their romance sweet and light.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. See this review on Gay Book Reviews.
I have never read anything of the sort before and I was pleasantly surprised at how light and funny this was. Abaddon is a horrible devil –slacks on paperwork, hates the hassle of acquiring souls, and gets infatuated with a blind musical prodigy at a Christian revival.
Yes, there are many bible quotes. All the scenes on Earth take place at the revival du jour or a nearby forest. There are always woods available to sneak off to for some reason. There is also a weird thing Seth does with snakes, really disgusting, creepy crawly stuff, but it’s all good fun.
The slow build up and pursuing the forbidden made for some delicious tension. Seth was such a pure soul and even though our narrator was Abaddon, it was obvious that even a devil could be blinded by Seth’s nature.
Don’t read this book for the sex cause there wasn’t much of it. But, the romance was really sweet and our devil’s redemption story was heart-warming with a solid HEA.
Marie Sexton writes beautiful stories and I appreciated the good writing here. I laughed with the way Hell was described and the drone-like little devils slaving away in their cubicles.
Recommend to all fans off mm who enjoy their romance sweet and light.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. See this review on Gay Book Reviews.
December 3, 2020
4 Stars
Review:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this. A short romance between a devout, blind musician and the devil trying to get his soul could really go either way. Fortunately, this delivered on the premise and turned out to be a great story with interesting elements that brought some unexpected twists and all the emotional conflict promised in the description.
Abaddon was a terrible devil---and by that I mean, he was terrible at being a devil because he never liked taking people's souls. Seth was a self-sacrificing sweetheart whom I couldn't help but like. As I learned more and their situation got more complicated, I felt for both of them. Their attraction and romance had a good build up, and I believed and felt their feelings for each other, despite only knowing each other for a couple weeks.
I like reading about religious characters and books that combine religion with supernatural/paranormal beings, so I enjoyed that as well. But don't worry, the book isn't preachy or trying to hit anyone over the head with religion, it's just part of who Seth is and what he does. Also, I didn't read the description super well, so the snake stuff was unexpected but interesting.
The use of blindness was, however, was questionable. I'm not blind, so I don't know if it was portrayed well or not. But what I do know (or what it seemed to me) is that it was used as a plot device since *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* As usual, I'm not here to tell anyone what they can or can't enjoy, just to let readers know what they're getting. I debated lowering my rating since, if it were my disability used this way, I might be upset, but I decided to rate the book based on everything else.
I listened to the audiobook for this, and I thought it was great. John Solo made all the characters sound different without making any of them sounding cartoony or unrealistic. His narration and dialogue sounded natural. He did the emotional parts well. No complaints.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, questionable use of disability aside. There were some unexpected elements, the characters were likeable and made me feel for them, and the romance was sweet!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2020 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes sweet m/m paranormal romance, religious characters, and characters struggling with conflicting feelings.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this. A short romance between a devout, blind musician and the devil trying to get his soul could really go either way. Fortunately, this delivered on the premise and turned out to be a great story with interesting elements that brought some unexpected twists and all the emotional conflict promised in the description.
Abaddon was a terrible devil---and by that I mean, he was terrible at being a devil because he never liked taking people's souls. Seth was a self-sacrificing sweetheart whom I couldn't help but like. As I learned more and their situation got more complicated, I felt for both of them. Their attraction and romance had a good build up, and I believed and felt their feelings for each other, despite only knowing each other for a couple weeks.
I like reading about religious characters and books that combine religion with supernatural/paranormal beings, so I enjoyed that as well. But don't worry, the book isn't preachy or trying to hit anyone over the head with religion, it's just part of who Seth is and what he does. Also, I didn't read the description super well, so the snake stuff was unexpected but interesting.
The use of blindness was, however, was questionable. I'm not blind, so I don't know if it was portrayed well or not. But what I do know (or what it seemed to me) is that it was used as a plot device since *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* As usual, I'm not here to tell anyone what they can or can't enjoy, just to let readers know what they're getting. I debated lowering my rating since, if it were my disability used this way, I might be upset, but I decided to rate the book based on everything else.
I listened to the audiobook for this, and I thought it was great. John Solo made all the characters sound different without making any of them sounding cartoony or unrealistic. His narration and dialogue sounded natural. He did the emotional parts well. No complaints.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, questionable use of disability aside. There were some unexpected elements, the characters were likeable and made me feel for them, and the romance was sweet!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2020 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes sweet m/m paranormal romance, religious characters, and characters struggling with conflicting feelings.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
May 1, 2021
i've been meaning to read another marie sexton ever since i read the fantastic The Well a few years ago, but have only got round to it now. and boy, was this good! it was a little bit too sickly-sweet and insta-lovey for me to give it 5 stars, but i still enjoyed it immensely and it's very clear that sexton is a fantastic writer.
November 13, 2019
It was cute, and sweet, but I don't imagine I'll remember it.
The presentation of Hell as actual daily Hell, difficult commutes, neverending forms, and basic things that make people annoyed was great, it cracked me up. I liked that Heaven was pretty much the same with a little less noise. I liked them together. The religious stuff got to be a bit much for me, but it worked.
The presentation of Hell as actual daily Hell, difficult commutes, neverending forms, and basic things that make people annoyed was great, it cracked me up. I liked that Heaven was pretty much the same with a little less noise. I liked them together. The religious stuff got to be a bit much for me, but it worked.
March 10, 2020
This was just fun, entertaining and definitely unique! Honestly it isn't a book I would have ever picked for myself but it was recommended to me so I thought I'd give it a try. I listened to this book and the audio performance was done very well as well. So if you've heard the song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" then you know the basic plot of this book - but there is so much more to it here. There were a few things I just loved about this book:
1) All the little details about hell that made fun of our reality made me laugh
2) The author wrote about an evangelical Christian who isn't suffering a crisis of faith over being gay. Seth has an unshakable faith in God but isn't ashamed, doesn't face oppression by other believers and stays true to his faith. I loved this character and it isn't one we see a lot of in fiction.
3) Abbadon who has always been a bit lacking in the devil department is also an interesting character
4) The slow burn romance with just the right amount of angst that felt right for these two characters.
5) Somehow this book was able to straddle the line between light hearted and yet serious while handling the religious aspects with respect
I would have thought you were a bit crazy to tell me I'd enjoy a book about a romance between a devil and a devout Christian but I did.
1) All the little details about hell that made fun of our reality made me laugh
2) The author wrote about an evangelical Christian who isn't suffering a crisis of faith over being gay. Seth has an unshakable faith in God but isn't ashamed, doesn't face oppression by other believers and stays true to his faith. I loved this character and it isn't one we see a lot of in fiction.
3) Abbadon who has always been a bit lacking in the devil department is also an interesting character
4) The slow burn romance with just the right amount of angst that felt right for these two characters.
5) Somehow this book was able to straddle the line between light hearted and yet serious while handling the religious aspects with respect
I would have thought you were a bit crazy to tell me I'd enjoy a book about a romance between a devil and a devout Christian but I did.
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