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Review, Q & A and Excerpt: The Darkest Touch (Lords of the Underworld #11) by Gena Showalter

I received this book for free from the mentioned source in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.



Review, Q & A and Excerpt: The Darkest Touch  (Lords of the Underworld #11) by Gena ShowalterThe Darkest Touch by Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld #11
Published by: Harlequin on 11/25/2014
Genres: Adult, PNR, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: ARC From Publisher

View on: Goodreads
Grab it: Amazon

Review Score:
About the Book:

From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes the long-awaited story of Torin, the most dangerous Lord of the Underworld yet…

Fierce immortal warrior. Host to the demon of Disease. Torin’s every touch causes sickness and death—and a worldwide plague. Carnal pleasure is utterly forbidden, and though he has always overcome temptation with an iron will, his control is about to shatter.

She is Keeley Cael. The Red Queen. When the powerful beauty with shocking vulnerabilities escapes from a centuries-long imprisonment, the desire that simmers between her and Torin is scorching. His touch could mean the end for her, but resisting her is the hardest battle he’s ever fought—and the only battle he fears he can’t win.

 

 

 

The Review Banner

 

Lords of the Underworld is a series I’ve followed since 2010. Yes Lord (pun intended), these smexy heroes have made me melt page after page and book after book. Sometimes – not all the time but sometimes – authors who create a long series tend to let their characters fall apart with each new novel. The stories become dull, over-the-top, or outrageous. The characters sometimes begin to act out of character, or the stories just lose steam in general after four of five books. But unlike most authors, Gena Showalter improves in her storytelling, crafting some of the hottest, likable, heroes and heroines…ever.

 

With each new book it feels like I’ve been waiting for YEARS to get to the next Lords story. Not only does Showalter leave me craving her characters, she also leaves me in desperate need of her world: angels, demons, harpies, minions, humans and everything in between. I’ve always said that Showalter is the author who introduced me to PNR. Before her, I didn’t even know such a genre existed. *gasps* Now, gosh, how would I ever live without her writing, her worlds, her eloquent use of spitfire words? I couldn’t. I wouldn’t want to. And hopefully I never will.

 

Now let’s talk about Torin and Keeley.

 

His gaze raked over her slowly, so wonderfully slow, and when he next spoke, his voice dripped with melted honey. “If I had one last wish, I’d use it to put my hands all over you, zero consequences. Hell, my mouth too. I’d like to touch you and taste you and make you explode.” — page 75 ARC

 

 

The entire book is like the above quote. These two, are fire, a combustible inferno of awesome. I’m not sure what I expected from Torin considering he’s the Lord that doesn’t get out much because of his demon, but he may be my favorite new Lord (after Lucien of course). He’s bold, fierce, a smart-a$$, and drop dead delicious. Like mmm mmm good. When he speaks, he melts hearts (and drops panties). And Keeley, The Red Queen, is probably one of the most fascinating women out of the series (after Anya of course). One thing about Showalter’s heroines, they always surprise you. Keeley is no different. I love how she handles Torin and his crazy mouth. From the beginning the two are an even match, word for word, hilarious banter after hilarious banter. Seriously, I LOL’ed so many times. It was awesome. Pure awesome.

 

Overall, did everything go as I expected? Heck no! Gena Showalter brought the roof down with The Darkest Touch: side characters we’ve missed, the Lords mission, and bringing about a happily ever after even when it seemed impossible. She did that. All of it.

 

Gah! Just wow. Ugh. *enters book hangover*

Don’t deny yourself the awesome. Buy it. Read IT. SAVOR it.

 

rate 5

 

Diayll Signature

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 


 

 

 
 

The Darkest Touch Pre-Order Campaign

 

About :

If we reach 15,000 pre-orders for The Darkest Touch before the November 25th release date, Gena Showalter will:

  • Post a never before seen excerpt from The Darkest Touch.
  • Select one winner for a Swarovksi Two-Tone Crystal Butterfly Pendant Necklace.
  • select winners for 1 of 10 signed posters of the Darkest Touch cover, just in time for Christmas.

 

To enter The Darkest Touch Pre-Order Campaign, visit http://members.genashowalter.com/page/the-darkest-touch for details.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 


 

 

 
 

 

The Interview New Banner

 

 

Exclusive Q&A’s:

 

 

 

 

-Where do you draw inspiration for each of the Lords?

Inspiration has struck me in many different ways. Just boom, the grain of an idea downloaded straight into my brain (The Darkest Night). Inspiration has sprung from characters as they’ve popped up in the pages of my books (The Darkest Kiss and The Darkest Pleasure.) I wrote The Darkest Whisper after I dreamed about a redheaded beauty trapped in a clear cage—she escaped, ripped out of the throat of her capture and returned to the cage. All in a blink. Torin’s book required thought and planning—shudder! I had to sit down with the characters and really work through their backstories and the places I wanted to take them—emotional places they were afraid to go. I kind of thought…what’s the worst thing that can happen to them? Once I figured it out, I decided to do it to them. I’m sweet like that.

-What was the first romance book that you read?

 

Silver Angel by Johanna Lindsay. I’ve never forgotten it. I was drawn in by the cover, then hooked by the characters and the writing. Sexy! Afterward I bought every book she had published—and soon discovered Warrior’s Woman. My first paranormal romance. Duuuuude. I went nuts for it, and began searching for authors who wrote in the same vein. Back then, there weren’t many, but I found a few from Linda Howard and one from Karen Marie Moning, and my love deepened. That’s when I began seriously writing my own stories.

 

 

 

 

 

The Excerpt copy

 

She appeared in front of him, displaying more tanned skin than she concealed, her hair falling around her face in lush, golden waves. Her eyes glittered with remnants of her anger. Her lips were slightly swollen and pinker than usual.

“Temper much?” she quipped.

His relief was palpable. She hadn’t forgotten him! But the relief was quickly replaced by concern. “Are you all right? Did someone hit you?”

She blinked with confusion. “No. Why?” “Your lips are swollen.”

She rubbed them, color heating her cheeks. “Someone didn’t hit me, but someone sure did hit on me.”

Hit on her. As in kissed her.

Already on edge, Torin. Utterly. Erupted.

He forgot everything he’d planned to do and say and got in Keeley’s face, snarling, “Who was it?”

Her eyes widened. “Hades. Why?”

“You dare ask why? You belong to me! We agreed. You do not kiss other men, Keeley. Ever. Have you for- gotten my rules?”

Her jaw dropped, and she gasped out a few unintelligible words as if she couldn’t quite figure out what to say to him.

He stood in place, breathing too quickly, too heavily, his throat and lungs burning. He reached for her, but as so many times before, fisted his hands and dropped them just before contact. This is crazy. I’m crazy. I have to leave.

“Are you…thinking about touching me?” she asked, her eyes widening again.

No, she had to leave. He could not be in public right now. “Go shopping. Buy yourself something pretty. My treat.” He basically tossed his credit card at her. He should be calm by the time she finished. “Come back in an hour. Maybe two. Actually, we’ll reconvene to- morrow.”

“You are,” she said. “You’re thinking… Even craving me. You don’t like the thought of another man’s hands on me, and you want to replace the memory with your hands.”

That. Yes. Hades would die, and Torin…Torin would touch this woman and never stop.

He gnashed his molars. “Last chance, Keeley. I sug- gest you take it and leave.” Soon. His control was almost completely shredded.

“No way. You’re the big bad warrior, yet I’ve had to come on to you time and time again. I’ve had to battle within myself—worth the price or not worth it. Well, it’s your turn.”

“There is no damn way you just suggested I haven’t done the same. I’ve battled.”

“When have you ever caved without prompting from me? You’ve resisted me so easily, always walking away. Sure, you’ve snarled while you’ve done the walking, but still you left me behind. So, tell me. When did you ever—”

“So easily?” he roared. Had she just said so easily? She had no clue about the intensity of his need—but he would teach her better.

Torin cupped her by the nape, yanked her close and smashed his mouth against hers. The kiss was a brutal assault meant to silence her, to dominate and possess. He held her still, making her take it, take everything. But the moment she softened against him, welcomed him inside her mouth, the darkness churning inside him switched gears. From the need to punish and master to the need to seduce and please.

This was Keeley. His princess. She deserved his best. He gentled the pressure, rolling his tongue inside her mouth, learning her all over again, tasting her. Summer berries and melted honey. So sweet. And mine. All mine. He framed her cheeks, angled her head and rolled his tongue just a little deeper. This time, she met him with a roll of her own.

That was his undoing.

 

 
 
 

 

About Gena Showalter

Gena showalter headshot

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.
She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans