Unchained Desire

Rapture #1

by R.C. Alvarez

Chained to a demon queen for hundreds of years, fallen angel Ramiel has given up on his brothers and sisters—and humanity. He has seven days away from hell to replenish his power and that’s all he cares about—right up until his meeting with the much too innocent Kyria. He fell for that act before and it landed him in hell, he won’t be making that mistake again.

To save her sick father, Kyria knows she must find Ramiel. He’s dark, brooding and everything Kyria should be scared of, but the haunted look in his eyes makes her think there’s more to him. The tattoos and chains don’t frighten her either, but the connection she has with him does. When strange creatures attack her, Ramiel steps in to protect her.

Ramiel believes he’s reluctantly helping Kyria, but what neither of them knows is that she may be the one to save them all…

I love a good supernatural romance – one where the author creates a world that you can immerse yourself in but is different than the one the reader knows.  Maybe someone with a more extensive understanding of religious/mythological history would feel differently but I really enjoyed how Alvarez introduces both her baddies and the good guys, while setting up an interesting foundation for where the series may go.

Kyria thought she understood why her life was the way it was but when her dad gets sick her eyes are opened to things she could never imagine.  Unsteady and confused, she’s still got a lot of gumption and fight in her.  She takes everything in stride, even some hard-hitting truths about herself and her family.

Ramiel has spent decades feeling alone in the world.  The last thing he wants is someone reminding him of his past and people who let him down but he’s compelled to help Kyria.  She gets past his broody, standoffish exterior and, as they work together to find her dad, truths will come out that might just set him free … but only if he can manage to trust in someone else again.

Since it is the start of a new series, with its own special world, Alvarez does a fabulous job of setting things up for the future.  There’s a lot that is going on with the underworld and what they want with our world, a special group of kids that could mean everything to our future, and a varied cast of characters who are doing their best to make sure that right wins out in the end.  With a whole slew of people that I can’t wait to get to know better, a good mix of danger & the supernatural, and a plot that wonderfully sets up future stories, I am definitely looking forward to more from Alvarez.

(When there are demons and angels involved you know that religion is going to play a part.  I’m assuming that those picking up the book will know what they are getting into but I’m throwing out a warning just in case for those that might find using God this way offensive.)