Review: ‘The Darkest Promise’ by Gena Showalter
The Darkest Promise
by Gena ShowalterSeries: Lords of the Underworld #13
Published by Harlequin HQN on June 13, 2017
SubGenres: Paranormal Romance
Format: AudioBook, Paperback
Pages: 494
Narrator: Max Bellmore
Length: 12 Hours And 9 Minutes
Source: Purchased
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Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance…
Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn't allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.
Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him—until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile…and seduce her into his bed.
As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they've forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever…
The Darkest Promise is the thirteenth novel in Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series. This was my first time reading this book, and I’m glad I finally made time to read it. I loved Cameo and Lazarus’s book. I was worried I wouldn’t because Lazarus was a villain in a previous book in the series, and he had been unalived. Once again, Gena proved me wrong, and I loved where she went with Cameo’s book and why she ended up with Lazarus. Only Lazarus could give Cameo a very well-deserved HEA.
Cameo is the Lord (or, in this case, Lady) who is possessed by the demon Misery. The poor woman couldn’t speak without her voice, causing others to cry, and her demon always told her how she made other lives miserable with her presence. Cameo’s first encounter with Lazarus was in a previous book, and she was drawn to him because he actually makes her feel happy for once, especially around him. She wants that connection again and goes off to find him once again. The other Lords are worried about her, and so is Lazarus with how she treats herself and how she wants to find Pandora’s Box because everyone fears what she will do when she gets it. I loved Cameo’s character even more after this book, and I’m glad she found someone like Lazarus who showed her how much he loved her.
I grew to like Lazarus, and Gena did an amazing job telling his backstory and actually making me feel for his character. I loved knowing he was going to get his revenge on the person who had enslaved him before. He also got help from Cameo, even though he didn’t want her help because he didn’t want to risk her safety, but Cameo is a kickbutt heroine who won’t sit out on a fight. Gena definitely made it funny with the back-and-forth banter between Cameo and Lazarus, and I found myself laughing out loud with these two characters. It was interesting to find out Lazarus’s weaknesses and why butterflies were always surrounding him.
There is a big plot point that comes into play in this book, and it deals with Pandora’s Box. Who actually has it, and also, what does it have inside it? There’s also the conflict that is happening between Hades and Lucifer, and the battle is about to get more intense between these two. Lazarus will find himself picking a side, and the Lords will realize they definitely need to assist Hades against Lucifer.
There were other POVs in this book, too, that intrigued me and kept me entertained. I’m not sure what to think of Viola right now, but she could grow on me. She is demon-possessed with Narcissism, so that could be the issue I have with her. I’m curious about her character and trust Gena where she’s going with her.
I can’t wait to read Gilly’s book next, and I’m glad to know she doesn’t end up with who I thought she would end up with. I’m one reader who was okay with her finding someone else because William is a player, and he acts more like a big brother than a lover.
This was yet another great installment in the LOTU series, and it’s up there for being one of my favorites. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and finally be caught up.
Audiobook Review: I’ve been switching from reading this series to listening to the books. I really enjoy listening to Max Bellmore bring the story and characters to life, and I definitely recommend the audiobooks if you prefer listening to your books. His narration is fantastic!
Story Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Steam/Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Lords of the Underworld Series and I recommend reading in order.
Would I recommend this book/series? Yes. I recommend this series to readers who love reading Paranormal Romance series with interconnected, action-packed, romantic storylines with characters that deserve much-needed HEAs.
Genre/SubGenre(s): Romance | Paranormal Romance
Trope(s)/Element(s): Fated Mates | Enemies to Lovers | Tortured/Demon Possessed Heroine | Kickbutt Heroine | Alpha Hero | Morally Grey Hero
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About Gena Showalter
Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of nearly 100 novels. Most stories fall under the genre of romance, be they paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, or young adult. She’s also co-authored a (delightfully quirky) cozy mystery series as well as a nonfiction guide about how to write a book in a year.
Gena is a dedicated mother, grandmother, and fur-mom. A woman under construction, whose life took a few unexpected turns the past few years. But she’s learned a lot and firmly believes her best days are ahead of her, not behind her. Chances are good she’s writing her next novel and already in love with the hero.
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
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