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Sons of Gulielmus #1
A Demon in Waiting
Ariel Thomas has never been prone to reckless behavior, so picking up a gorgeous man from the roadside during her cross-country drive is totally out of character. She’s usually the kind of woman who keeps her doors locked and mace at the ready, but something about the stranger gives her the kind of goosebumps she doesn’t want to go away.Incubus John Tate is new on the job and totally out of his element. Secluded for twenty-eight years in a desert cult, he never knew his true father, Gulielmus, was a fallen angel who went dark. When Gulielmus offers John freedom, John follows. Tainting souls seems a small price to pay in exchange. But when his first target turns out to be a sweet, quirky woman who’s as open-minded as he is inquisitive, his plans fall to the wayside.John doesn’t want to corrupt Ariel—he wants to be kept by her.John knows that having his father for a direct supervisor means there could be harsh penalties for insubordination, and Gulielmus wants him to seal the deal with Ariel’s soul or else move on to the next victim.But how can John do that when she’s managed to entrance him even more than he has captivated her?___This novel was first published by Crimson Romance in 2013. This is a refreshed second edition with no major changes to the original plot.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2013
33 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Holley Trent
155 books302 followersHolley Trent is a romance author who spins campy yarns set in North Carolina. She has a wicked sense of humor and regularly puts her story characters into unexpected situations.
When she's not writing, she's reading or eating Twizzlers.
Her contemporary and fantasy romances have been published by Crimson Romance, Calliope Romance/Musa Publishing, and she has work due for release by Lyrical Press.
2013 brings a change of pace with her self-published series of paranormal novellas: Shrew and Company. Five women, five romances, one big bear of a problem. Check out boss-lady Dana's story in THE PROBLEM WITH PADDY, available now.
When she's not writing, she's reading or eating Twizzlers.
Her contemporary and fantasy romances have been published by Crimson Romance, Calliope Romance/Musa Publishing, and she has work due for release by Lyrical Press.
2013 brings a change of pace with her self-published series of paranormal novellas: Shrew and Company. Five women, five romances, one big bear of a problem. Check out boss-lady Dana's story in THE PROBLEM WITH PADDY, available now.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 9, 2020
I gobble up Holley Trent’s stories every time and this was no exception! John grew up in a polygamous cult and has basically been exiled because there are too many males on the compound. Then he learns his biological father is actually an incubus and John is a cambion. Gulielmus gives him an offer he can’t refuse and so he sets off to seduce his first woman, not entirely understanding how or why. He sees Ariel at a gas station and then our road trip romance begins! You have to get over the hump of what Gulielmus does because he’s certainly not a good guy, nor is his mission for his children. But John was such a stand up guy and I loved watching him wrestle with his feelings for Ariel and figure out how to get out from under Gulielmus’s control. Ariel and her grandma were fantastic and I loved their dynamic. The ending was wrapped up too quickly for my taste—I needed John and Ariel to have more conversation after she learns the truth and then realizes she loves him. But we get the set up for book 2 and I’m sure we’ll see more of John and Ariel there.
CW: cult, past workplace sexual harassment, diet culture, parental abandonment, virgin-shaming, misogyny, kidnapping, mild violence, dubious consent (side characters)
CW: cult, past workplace sexual harassment, diet culture, parental abandonment, virgin-shaming, misogyny, kidnapping, mild violence, dubious consent (side characters)
May 30, 2015
Okay this was a surprising little gem. Ariel has quit her job as an art director in California and is driving across the country back to her native North Carolina to accept a new job offer. In Arizona, she passes a hot guy hitchhiking. She resists the temptation to pick him up and pulls into a convenience store. While stocking up on junk food, he saunters in and does some "paranormal thing" to her to make her want to give him a ride, unbeknownst to Ariel.
Ariel offers "Hitch", or John as her later tells her his name is, a ride. As the travel across the country, they tell their stories. John tells her that he was kicked out of a cult and is on his way to a job offer in Myrtle Beach. He does not tell her that he is a cambion, a half human-half incubus demon, nor that he has been tasked by his incubus father to steal souls, and he has picked Ariel as his first--his first lay because he's still a virgin and his first stolen soul.
But can a demon fall in love? The longer John spends with Ariel, the more reluctant he is to do his job. And what about all these half-siblings of his? As his feelings for Ariel grow, John must find a way to outwit his father and make Ariel love him in spite of what he is.
This is a quick, sweet, very satisfying read. John was HOT and I'm delighted to see that his brother Charles' story is up next. Highly recommended!
Ariel offers "Hitch", or John as her later tells her his name is, a ride. As the travel across the country, they tell their stories. John tells her that he was kicked out of a cult and is on his way to a job offer in Myrtle Beach. He does not tell her that he is a cambion, a half human-half incubus demon, nor that he has been tasked by his incubus father to steal souls, and he has picked Ariel as his first--his first lay because he's still a virgin and his first stolen soul.
But can a demon fall in love? The longer John spends with Ariel, the more reluctant he is to do his job. And what about all these half-siblings of his? As his feelings for Ariel grow, John must find a way to outwit his father and make Ariel love him in spite of what he is.
This is a quick, sweet, very satisfying read. John was HOT and I'm delighted to see that his brother Charles' story is up next. Highly recommended!
July 13, 2013
A Demon in Waiting is a super sexy paranormal romance featuring the forces of both good and evil. This story is about John, the sheltered son of a sister wife who discovers his daddy wasn’t the polygamist head of the cult he’d grown up in. And that’s not all he’s discovered.
Sent out into the world at large with shiny new incubus powers, the newly dubbed “Hitch” sets his sight on the first pretty girl he sees. But she’s more than John bargained for. She just might be the one!
Ariel’s life went down the drain somewhere between the east and west coast. Hoping a move back home will be the Roto-Rooter fix for what ails her, Ariel packs up her things and hops in the car. Driving cross-country alone is hard. And why should she go it alone when a down-on-his-luck, wide-eyed virgin needs a ride to North Carolina too?
What starts out as a little bit of adventure for ordinarily paranoid Ariel might turn out to be her worst decision. Or her best.
This book has several hot bits of sexy time and a nice HEA.
But the powers of evil aren’t done. And I can’t wait to see what Bill Nolitzname has up his fancy, Italian sleeve next.
Note: I won this book in a contest the author ran.
Sent out into the world at large with shiny new incubus powers, the newly dubbed “Hitch” sets his sight on the first pretty girl he sees. But she’s more than John bargained for. She just might be the one!
Ariel’s life went down the drain somewhere between the east and west coast. Hoping a move back home will be the Roto-Rooter fix for what ails her, Ariel packs up her things and hops in the car. Driving cross-country alone is hard. And why should she go it alone when a down-on-his-luck, wide-eyed virgin needs a ride to North Carolina too?
What starts out as a little bit of adventure for ordinarily paranoid Ariel might turn out to be her worst decision. Or her best.
This book has several hot bits of sexy time and a nice HEA.
But the powers of evil aren’t done. And I can’t wait to see what Bill Nolitzname has up his fancy, Italian sleeve next.
Note: I won this book in a contest the author ran.
June 17, 2013
Seriously awesome paranormal. Hilarious, quirky, hot, romance. John "Hitch" is six feet five inches of hot, half-incubus, and a virgin raised in a cult <--- see? really quirky and fabulous--meets more worldly, Ariel the heroine with a heart of gold, and a mouth full of snark. The cross country road trip is steamy. And the villain? John's biological father (the cult-leader just raised him) is FANTASTICALLY evil and has THE best one-liners. Loved this book!
September 25, 2017
Demon Spawn
John Tate was raised in a cult and kicked out because he was to comely for the old gents in the commune. No marketable skills and set adrift. What is a half demon suppose to do?
This was book one of the Son’s of Guilemus series and it does not disappoint. Love seeing the world through Johns eyes and getting a glimpse of his past. Read the books in order to get the most enjoyment out of the series.
I have voluntarily read and reviewed this book received from the author without obligation to do so.
John Tate was raised in a cult and kicked out because he was to comely for the old gents in the commune. No marketable skills and set adrift. What is a half demon suppose to do?
This was book one of the Son’s of Guilemus series and it does not disappoint. Love seeing the world through Johns eyes and getting a glimpse of his past. Read the books in order to get the most enjoyment out of the series.
I have voluntarily read and reviewed this book received from the author without obligation to do so.
February 12, 2020
I like the twist on some common themes. I ran across some of these characters in later books and am going back to find the origins. Consider me hooked.
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July 26, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Sexism
Workplace sexual harassment recounted
Parental abandonment
Dieting mentioned
Kidnapping
Cult
Sexism
Workplace sexual harassment recounted
Parental abandonment
Dieting mentioned
Kidnapping
Cult
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June 3, 2016
John is twenty-eight and has never left the land he was raised on. His mother is part of a religious cult and he has grown up thinking the leader was his father. After being thrown out John meets his real father, Gulielmus, an incubus demon. This father explains that since John is also half incubus demon it is his destiny to seduce women and to take their souls.
Ariel is driving across the country to return to her childhood home. She has found a great job in the area and she plans to live with her grandmother. Ariel sees John hitchhiking and decides to take a chance on picking him up.
As they head across the country together they begin to have feelings for each other. John decides he wants more than seducing strange women from his life but his father is not going to let him go easily.
The concept for the story was good but execution needed some work. There was a lot of information given at the beginning that was just dropped on us and it took me awhile to figure out what was going on. There were a lot of characters and the storyline became more complicated as it went on. That would have been alright but there was not enough world building and character development to support it. I was a little confused in places but more importantly I was not really committed to the two main characters. I found myself not being interested in what happened to them. I was reading just to finish the story not because I was dying to know how it ended. Overall this was just an OK read for me.
Ariel is driving across the country to return to her childhood home. She has found a great job in the area and she plans to live with her grandmother. Ariel sees John hitchhiking and decides to take a chance on picking him up.
As they head across the country together they begin to have feelings for each other. John decides he wants more than seducing strange women from his life but his father is not going to let him go easily.
The concept for the story was good but execution needed some work. There was a lot of information given at the beginning that was just dropped on us and it took me awhile to figure out what was going on. There were a lot of characters and the storyline became more complicated as it went on. That would have been alright but there was not enough world building and character development to support it. I was a little confused in places but more importantly I was not really committed to the two main characters. I found myself not being interested in what happened to them. I was reading just to finish the story not because I was dying to know how it ended. Overall this was just an OK read for me.
May 6, 2014
"A Demon in Waiting" is light to read and very pleasing and sexy story, it is a story that you wonder what happens next! The characters are very influential. You fall in love with John, his romantic heart and you find something related to yourself in Ariel, her experiences in the life and her grandmother's protectiveness. After exhausting day it was great to read a sweet romance and their adventures. I honestly would love to read more about John's family, especially his father’s evilness hits the spot!
Author is from the location where the story takes you, therefore she is very well-built with local information she adds on the story. In my opinion this makes the story exceptionally alive to continue reading!
I believe it is a great series to read during summer and enjoy the hot temperature not from the season, also from the book!
Note: I won this book at the giveaway which the author ran on Goodreads.
Author is from the location where the story takes you, therefore she is very well-built with local information she adds on the story. In my opinion this makes the story exceptionally alive to continue reading!
I believe it is a great series to read during summer and enjoy the hot temperature not from the season, also from the book!
Note: I won this book at the giveaway which the author ran on Goodreads.
May 5, 2014
I was given a gift copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Ariel was brought up in the South but moved to LA for a job she soon realizes that LA is not the place for her and takes a job that will take her closer to her roots. As she starts the journey home she runs across John. Normally Ariel is a straight arrow doesn't talk to strangers, always locks her doors all the things we women are told to do to ensure our safety. However something compels her to pick John up and offer him a ride. John has never really fit in anywhere he grew up in secluded area and never really seen much of the outside world so when he meets Ariel he just can’t seem to let her go. John has to fight his new found powers and control himself so that he does not harm Ariel. Will their love survive demonic fathers and other unforeseen obstacles or will they lose each other? Gotta read the book to find out it is definitely a wild ride!
July 18, 2015
The hero's father is a demon and his mother is special in a different way, but he grew up in a religious cult. Of course, they kicked him out. His demon father came for him, and did something to him to make him able to taint people's souls so they would go to hell. He has an assignment to taint women's souls. The first woman he intends to taint is just so wonderful, he doesn't want to.
The heroine is travelling across the country for a new job, and his magic makes her pick up the hitchhiker. She really likes him, and they get to know each other. I really liked the two main characters, who had paranormal aspects they were dealing with. Her's come up later in the story. The story gets a bit crazy with the demon father popping in and out, as well as the hero's half-demon brothers. It was a very unusual story and a lot of fun. There are sexy times, too.
The heroine is travelling across the country for a new job, and his magic makes her pick up the hitchhiker. She really likes him, and they get to know each other. I really liked the two main characters, who had paranormal aspects they were dealing with. Her's come up later in the story. The story gets a bit crazy with the demon father popping in and out, as well as the hero's half-demon brothers. It was a very unusual story and a lot of fun. There are sexy times, too.
January 6, 2017
This was very interesting. There were several problems that should have been picked up from editing. The whole demon angel description seemed very spontaneous and rushed at the end. Also, for those that expect an erotica, this is not that. It's not a young adult adult nor and new adult. I would say this a small step down from an adult romance.
Taking all this in I actually give this four stars for personal reasons. This was refreshing to read and outside of what I usually enjoy. It was short and sweet and the characters were really appealing. Maybe Gulielmus did some of his demon magic on me to give this a good review.
Taking all this in I actually give this four stars for personal reasons. This was refreshing to read and outside of what I usually enjoy. It was short and sweet and the characters were really appealing. Maybe Gulielmus did some of his demon magic on me to give this a good review.
October 26, 2014
I absolutely loved this book! It's one of the best I've read this year, of it's genre! :) I had no idea what to expect when I began reading it, but it pulled me in right away and I had to read til I was done. The plot was so creative and the characters were so completely realistic. I loved the main characters and really liked many of the secondary ones too. What a well written book! I just had to go grab the next two after reading this one! I Very Highly Recommend this wonderful,lovely,funny,beautiful and refreshingly unique love story!
Definitely 5 STARS!
Definitely 5 STARS!
November 1, 2015
What a different take on a PNR. We get introduce to John (AKA Hitch) who just realize that he is life is not what it seems. John being the shelter son of sister wife mother soon learn that his father is not polygamist head of the cult that he'd grown up in. So when is real dad give him and out he doesn't know that he would be battling with forces of good and evil being half-incubus and all. Overall a really good read I will be definitely checking out the other books in his series.
November 10, 2015
John Tate gets kicked out of his cult he has no money or education Gulielmus, his demon daddy, offers him a job this half incubus can’t refuse: seducing women for Team Hel, John is a virgin. Ariel Thomas is the first woman he entralls as he hitch hikes in Arizona. They both fall in love now John has a choice do what daddy wants or take a chance on love, what does he do ? I was given a copy for an honest review barwatts@telus.net
October 1, 2017
This will have a bit of a different opener to get you interested. How about having your dad give a job that seems to have perks. Soon though you will be caught up in what happens after these two meet-John and Ariel. Each are different but drawn to each other. Now though they have good ole dad doing interfering but the heat does not stop anyways. Bits of snorts and giggles also included for readers amusement along with that hot romance.
June 29, 2015
A battle of good and evil with an Innocent in the middle. The classic tale of angels and demons with those innocents that have no idea; and of course the exception of those that know how to battle the evil.
April 24, 2015
Too flaky and tongue-in-cheek for me.
October 4, 2014
Good fantasy romance story I think worth the read. The idea of a fated mate has always applied to me along with special powers each player either knows or unknown.
July 29, 2013
Quick read. Light for summer reading.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews