★★★★ @genashowalter #TheWarlord #Netgalley
When gods get involved with mortals, even if they are supernatural, nothing good comes of it. Kicking off a new series set in the Lords of the Underworld series, Ms. Showalter lures me back into this magical world of mystical beings. Taliyah Skyhawk is a Harpy and a secondary character that pops in occasionally in the original series. I would lovingly label her a weapon of mass destruction. She is the BAMF I would love to have as a friend or sister. Her loyalty and can-do attitude are off the charts. I am so glad she is getting her own story.
I must confess, the tagline for this story - "30 Days to wed a virgin. 30 Days to sacrifice her. 30 nights to resist temptation." is what caught my eye. It kind of reminds me of a famous monologue from Prince Humperdinck in the Princess Bride. Enticed with the catchy 3 sentences, I dive into this story of mayhem, sexual heat, vengeance, betrayal and romance. The romance part was kind of iffy at times because Taliyah aka Tal is hard on a male's ego. Did I mention a metal chastity belt and chains? I digress.
I absolutely loved the snarky attitude of Tal and how she combats Alaroc. Tal takes the hot crazy matrix to a whole new level and Alaroc aka Roc is ill prepared for it. Tal's tendency to kill first and ask questions later is equally balanced by her ridiculous sense of mischief and seduction skills. It does help that one of her best friends is an Oracle who helps Tal prepare for the curveballs of life.
This story is full of action with momentary pauses for a heated cock teasing session to drive Roc wild and possibly insane. I am talking about the worst case of blue balls ever. Tal is a naughty minx who uses all the tools in her arsenal to keep Roc off balance and wondering what kind of mess he has signed up for. Usually I don't like such constant drama conflict, but Ms. Showalter does it all in a cheeky and loving manner. There is no real malice intent. I am not sure how she did it, but I ended up rooting for Tal. #teamtal all the way!
The conflict in this story seems impossible to resolve. I half feared that Ms. Showalter painted herself into a corner and required a deus ex machina to fix it. O ye of little faith. The ending is perfectly delightful. I love it. This paranormal romance is recommended to readers who adore BAMF female protagonist and the strong male it takes to match them.
*provided by NetGalley
