The Darkest Torment

Can Beauty tame her Beast?

Driven to his death by the demon of Distrust, Baden spent centuries in purgatory. Now he's back, but at what cost? Bound to the king of the underworld, an even darker force, he's unable to withstand the touch of another and he's quickly devolving into a heartless assassin with an uncontrollable temper. Things only get worse when a mission goes awry and he finds himself saddled with a bride just not his own.
Famed dog trainer Katarina Joelle is forced to marry a monster to protect her loved ones. When she's taken hostage by the ruthless, beautiful Baden immediately after the ceremony, she's plunged into a war between two evilswith a protector more dangerous than the monsters he hunts. They are meant to be enemies, but neither can resist the passion burning between them and all too soon the biggest threat is to her heart.
But as Baden slips deeper into the abyss, she'll have to teach him to love or lose him forever.
Includes Q&A featuring J. R. Ward, Jeaniene Frost, Nalini Singh and more!

Here’s one reader who was skeptical before diving into The Darkest Torment because I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Baden. I was one reader who was anxious to read Cameo or William’s book, but after finishing this book, I understood why Gena wrote Baden’s story. He deserved HEA, like all the other Lords, especially spending centuries in purgatory. He was getting a chance at a new life, and all thanks to the King of the Underworld, Hades, but at a price. Baden was bound to Hades and forced to do his bidding as an assassin and help with the upcoming war with Lucifer. 

The FMC, Katarina, was a fierce heroine who was put in a tough spot and had to make difficult decisions in order to protect who she loved, which in this case was the dogs she trained. She ends up meeting Baden when he crashes her wedding with the guy she’s being forced to marry, and then Baden decides to hold her hostage to get what he wants from her husband. Katarina is all about protecting her dogs, and she’s not all about being with Baden, especially when the two end up starting to have feelings for one another. 

Baden definitely met his match with Katarina, and she was the perfect match to deal with his hot-tempered attitude because she could tame him with her dog-training skills. He had no idea she was doing it, which is what made it comical, and I loved how Gena incorporated that into the storyline. The story definitely reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, which had always been one of my favorite movies, but Gena went through her own twists and turns. Let me not forget to mention that Gena brought the steam when it came to Baden and Katarina. It just takes a bit to get there since Baden is adamant about not being touched and other reasons. 

This story definitely gives you a peek at what’s to come since Lucifer is now the threat, and the Lords are taking Hade’s side since Baden is one of his assassins. I loved getting to learn more about Hades, but I wasn’t fond of the things he made Baden do for him, especially when he was pitting Baden and Pandora against each other. 

 I was not expecting the twists and turns in this book, especially when it came to Willaim’s character. I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read this book, and I have faith that Gena did what she did in this book for a reason. 

I was actually surprised I enjoyed Baden’s book, and since reading it, I will never doubt Gena again. This was another book in the series that was hard to put down, and I couldn’t stop giggling with not only the banter of the MCs but the other Lords and their loved ones. I loved the quotes from different characters in the stories before each chapter. I loved having all the LOTU characters together and Baden back with them. They really care for him. 

I give this book five stars and can’t wait to read Cameo’s book next, especially since it’s brand new to me, and I have never read it. 

Story Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5

Steam/Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the LOTU series and I recommend reading in order.

Would I recommend this book/series? Yes. This is one series I will always recommend to Paranormal Romance readers and fans of the Fated Mates Trope with Greek Mythology twists.

Genre/SubGenre(s): Romance | Paranormal Romance

Trope(s)/Element(s): Fated Mates | Beauty & the Beast | Enemies to Lovers | Hate to Love | Opposite’s Attract | Alpha Hero | Tortured Hero | Kickbutt Heroine | Dog Trainer Heroine | Angels | Demons

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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.

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FranJessca

Owner/Reviewer at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog

I guess I should type a bio here. I'm FranJessca, or Fran for short. I'm the owner/reviewer behind A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog. I've been reading and reviewing books on my blog since leaving the Navy in 2011, and I will keep doing it as long as possible. My favorite genres will always be Romance & Fantasy, and I read every subgenre underneath those two genres. (Sorry, not a fan of nonfiction, so don't try to convince me to read it.)
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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