erin_oriordan_is_reading_again's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very good story, well told. The first book in the series, [b:Hell's Belles|374343|Hell's Belles (Hell on Earth, #1)|Jackie Kessler|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347462795s/374343.jpg|364231], is still my favorite, and honestly, I wouldn't be too sad if it had been a stand-alone, because it ends so perfectly. But the story keeps going, and there's still one more part, [b:Hell To Pay|10647706|Hell To Pay|Jackie Kessler|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328318275s/10647706.jpg|15556624]. I'm scared of what's going to happen in that one.
I liked Virginia as a character, and I liked the slow build of Daun's transition from purely emotionless demon to a truly empathetic being - even if his empathy is limited to one mortal woman. I think my favorite part, though, was the flashback to the relationship between Daunuan (Don Juan) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - damned through no fault of his own, but through his father's infernal machinations - who would go on to write 'Don Giovanni' in Daun's honor. I really like how Kessler plays with history here.
The witch in me is less crazy about the characterization of Pan, who in this is just an evil, evil thing that gets his proper reward for being the scumbag that he is. Authors have the right to do whatever they want with their characters, but to witches, Pan is often used as the name of the good god, the consort of the Goddess, the divine masculine. We don't equate him in any way with evil or with the Christian devil, but this book certainly paints him in a horrifying light. Overall, I think it's fine, because the book needs a villain, and Kessler's Pan is a good literary villain, but Pan shouldn't always be judged so harshly.
Of course, the book has another villain - Eris, the ancient Greek goddess of strife and discord. I liked Eris as a literary villain because she's so seductive, she's almost a likable character, but she's also a little bit frightening. Okay, she's a LOT frightening. Daun figures out a way to get the better of her, and also of Pan. The happy ending is quite the one you'd expect in a paranormal romance - Kessler admits in the afterward it's less of a PNR and more of a dark urban fantasy. I didn't know if I was going to like the ending, but I thought it was appropriate for this novel.
I don't know yet whether or not I'll read the fourth book in the series. I may pretend this is a trilogy, since there are only three paperbacks. I'm scared that Jessie and Paul will get broken up in the next book. That would be a tragedy.
I liked Virginia as a character, and I liked the slow build of Daun's transition from purely emotionless demon to a truly empathetic being - even if his empathy is limited to one mortal woman. I think my favorite part, though, was the flashback to the relationship between Daunuan (Don Juan) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - damned through no fault of his own, but through his father's infernal machinations - who would go on to write 'Don Giovanni' in Daun's honor. I really like how Kessler plays with history here.
The witch in me is less crazy about the characterization of Pan, who in this is just an evil, evil thing that gets his proper reward for being the scumbag that he is. Authors have the right to do whatever they want with their characters, but to witches, Pan is often used as the name of the good god, the consort of the Goddess, the divine masculine. We don't equate him in any way with evil or with the Christian devil, but this book certainly paints him in a horrifying light. Overall, I think it's fine, because the book needs a villain, and Kessler's Pan is a good literary villain, but Pan shouldn't always be judged so harshly.
Of course, the book has another villain - Eris, the ancient Greek goddess of strife and discord. I liked Eris as a literary villain because she's so seductive, she's almost a likable character, but she's also a little bit frightening. Okay, she's a LOT frightening. Daun figures out a way to get the better of her, and also of Pan. The happy ending is quite the one you'd expect in a paranormal romance - Kessler admits in the afterward it's less of a PNR and more of a dark urban fantasy. I didn't know if I was going to like the ending, but I thought it was appropriate for this novel.
I don't know yet whether or not I'll read the fourth book in the series. I may pretend this is a trilogy, since there are only three paperbacks. I'm scared that Jessie and Paul will get broken up in the next book. That would be a tragedy.
dukesangel002's review against another edition
4.0
Duanuan loves being a demon of lust. Great benefits, all the sex he could ever want. He had no ambitions of moving up.
Then one day, Pan, the King of Lust, tells Duan that he wants Duan to be the new Prince of Lust. How could he refuse? Only catch is that he has to seduce and damn a good soul meant for Heaven. As icing on the cake the meatpie that Pan has picked is the spitting image of Jezebel, the sexy seductress that left hell, and Duan for Earth and love. UGH!
Duan thinks that the seduction will be a quick and easy job, after all, he's been seducing women for thousands of years. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love with the beautiful, charming, and fragile Virginia.
As an added difficulty, all of hells elite is coming after him. Someone from hell has put a bounty on his head. If quitting this assignment was an option Duan would pick it, but the only out is his death.
How will he ever pull this one off in time???
I really liked this book. I think Duan is such a fun character and Virginia was easy to fall in love with. Plus, there was flashes of the sexy Jesse, who has kept us captivated for the last 2 books.
With a very unexpected ending this book was a great read.
Then one day, Pan, the King of Lust, tells Duan that he wants Duan to be the new Prince of Lust. How could he refuse? Only catch is that he has to seduce and damn a good soul meant for Heaven. As icing on the cake the meatpie that Pan has picked is the spitting image of Jezebel, the sexy seductress that left hell, and Duan for Earth and love. UGH!
Duan thinks that the seduction will be a quick and easy job, after all, he's been seducing women for thousands of years. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love with the beautiful, charming, and fragile Virginia.
As an added difficulty, all of hells elite is coming after him. Someone from hell has put a bounty on his head. If quitting this assignment was an option Duan would pick it, but the only out is his death.
How will he ever pull this one off in time???
I really liked this book. I think Duan is such a fun character and Virginia was easy to fall in love with. Plus, there was flashes of the sexy Jesse, who has kept us captivated for the last 2 books.
With a very unexpected ending this book was a great read.
tvchop's review against another edition
4.0
I soooooooo want to give this book 5 stars! The ending was not your typical Happily Ever After and I think that is where the 4 stars come in. The ending came a complete surprise to me and although it was not thoroughly happy, it was not totally unhappy either.
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