The Deepest Well
Age of Gray
Book 1
Juliette Cross
Genre: historical paranormal romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Date of Publication: Feb. 2, 2016
ASIN: B016XTOQIS
Word Count: 85K
Cover Artist: Kanaxa
Love can stand the test of time. Can it rise above the taint of Hell?
Book Description:
Lady Katherine Blakely is married to a monster. On the same night she witnesses how low her husband can sink, she meets a charming stranger, a gentleman from top to toe. Yet even her gallant rescuer is possessed of a dark side.
Lord George Draconis Thornton, commander of the Dominus Daemonum, is on a mission to expel the demon prince Damas back to the underworld. But a golden-haired beauty derails his plans and stirs an attraction he’s never felt before, not even for his centuries-dead wife.
Discovering Lord Blakely is in league with Damas, George sweeps Katherine away from the chaos and devilry threatening her life. With every touch, their love grows by joyful leaps and bounds.
Sensing his enemy’s vulnerability, Damas kidnaps Katherine to his hellish lair, where he wages a sensual assault on her defenses. As George tears at heaven and earth to find her, he is painfully aware of only one way to save her soul. The cost will break her heart…and destroy his own.
Warning: Contains wolves in gentlemen’s clothing, a precipitous descent into Hell, and a frightening glimpse of a post-apocalyptic world where angels and demons wage war for dominion on earth.
Excerpt:
“How do you know about the world of demons, George? How did you move as they did? I thought I had fainted by the pond and awakened beside the barn, but I didn’t, did I?”
Had she imagined being transported from the horses to the barn in a long blink?
“No, you didn’t faint. It’s called sifting. A power of the angels, to move from place to place at will.”
“But they weren’t angels.”
“They were once.”
Fallen angels. Could this be possible? What did that make the man standing before her? He inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Perhaps I should define the two realms for you.”
“That would be lovely.”
His mouth quirked at her sarcasm, though he chose not to comment. “There is the Flamma of Light and the Flamma of Dark.”
“Flamma?”
“Fire, in Latin, which is the common tongue between the heavenly and demonic hosts.”
She pulled her hand from his and stood, staring into the flames. “Why fire?”
He joined her and removed his wet coat. “I asked the same question once.” He winced as he peeled the coat off his right arm. A pool of red had soaked through his undershirt.
“Oh God, your arm, George. You’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.”
Just as he had unbuttoned her jacket, she swiftly unfastened his waistcoat, then his shirt and peeled them off him. Steering her gaze away from his finely sculpted chest and broad shoulders, she examined the cut more closely. She bent over and, with a quick rip, tore a long strip from her shift.
“You needn’t do that, Katherine.”
“Be still and let me mend you as best I can.”
He held his arm straight so that she could wrap the fabric around his arm.
“Why fire?” she asked again, busying herself with the makeshift bandage.
“Flamma are all touched by fire, an otherworldly power given to each of us.”
She remembered the way he moved, the way the demons moved, with supernatural speed and agility. A drop of rain dripped from his tousled hair, landing on his shoulder before rolling forward. She followed its path as it slid down and over his pectoral. Trying to regain her composure, she inhaled a deep breath, which was a mistake. She breathed in the heady scent of rain and beautiful man, her agitation amplified by his proximity and the undeniable power surging through his body. She longed to touch him, to know what all that strength would feel like under her fingertips, but she was paralyzed by her own desire and wavered on a dangerous precipice. When she’d cinched the bandage into a neat knot and finally chanced a glance at him, his smile nearly buckled her knees.
“There,” she whispered. “That will stop the bleeding.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“What do you mean?”
His shoulders went rigid as if he were holding himself in tight control. Katherine knew his thoughts had wandered away from the wound in his arm. She asked again, “What do you mean, George?”
His eyes slid closed. “I love to hear my name on your lips.” He opened his eyes again, his jaw set in grave lines. “What I mean, my lady, is that I am bleeding inwardly, and I know of only one way to stop it.”
Katherine was well aware of the tension filling the room, of the rise of her heart rate, of the longing in his gaze, which surely matched her own. She realized she was tumbling over that cliff. And she didn’t care, quite content to drown in his aquamarine gaze.
“How can I stop it, George? Tell me.”
“I’d rather show you.”
My Review
First let me start with this... I FREAKING LOVE THIS AUTHOR!!! :) I'm not usually into historical type things but this book is just fantastic!! I knew some of what would happen- I read Gen and Jude's trilogy. The vessel series. But I didn't know THAT!!! Good lord I was not prepared for that much heartbreak. It was almost tear enduring to have that one piece of happiness taken away from you so traumatically. But no worries! This is a spin off series to continue the after math of what happened with the Flamma after Gen turned bad ass- just from the perspectives of George and Kat... Let me also say I really really loved George and Kat in the other series, but Gentleman George and Lady Katherine take this to a whole new level of fan-girl moments for me!!!
We start with Kat- Lady Katherine in here... This is hard because I know her as Kat, so bear with me. She is married to a horrible creature of a man. Oh I shouldn't even call him that. And she meets George at a society function where they each start to fall for each other. After a lot of work, they finally can come together and agree she can leave her stupid husband- only on paper to me- when the unthinkable happens. George is off fighting the demon fight while Kat is kidnapped by George's biggest demon enemy. I won't lie, they things she had to go through are not easily endured. She broke my heart. Hell, George broke my heart more.
And so, we have George. He really is the epitome of a gentleman even when he's all bad ass demon killing. He's so kind and gentle with Kat. He's got to work really hard for her. And he makes a vow to protect her forever. He literally keeps this promise- seriously, over a century and decades of heart break and defeat, he keeps that vow. He will never give up his hope and love for her, even when she does. It's so funny now to see the reactions that they had to each other when in the other book series. Speaking of- I flipping love Jude in here!! He's different, yes broody, but he's kinda funny and a little blood thirsty and of course freaking hawt!! But all of them are- including Damas... Oh the bad guy. I knew it was coming. But dammit I thought it was going to be physical pain torture and I almost can't hate him for how he played his role. He actually almost rescued Kat even if he just put her in a different kind of prison. And her pain was more mental from him. I'm almost... Hurt for him. It's hard to explain. I hated him with Gen, he was more jaded and evil to her, it was just different with Kat. I don't know how to put this into words. Be prepared for shock... How's that lol
And the ending, well now I just want more!!! :) I would love to see how Kat and George make out of this new reality and I'd love glimpses of Jude and Gen in the present too!
I love the writing style. This author can take anything and make it phenomenal. How does she do it? Who knows, I'm just glad she does! And the way she makes things play out, come together, it's a beautiful masterpiece here. I've been sold since book one that I've ever read of hers, but I'm hooked for life. Her books will be my drug of choice- always!! A spectacular 5 PAWS!!!
About the Author:
Juliette is a multi-published author of paranormal and urban fantasy romance. She calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home, where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more books set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.
Website: https://www.juliettecross.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Juliette-Cross/e/B00MQ18Z1W/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Juliette__Cross
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/crossjuliette/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/XeKIn
Tour giveaway
• $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
• $10 Amazon Gift Certificate
• Signed Print copy of FORGED IN FIRE
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