Valen

by Felicity Heaton

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I had a wonderful time with Valen, the second book in the Guardians of Hades series, and it left me wanting to read the remaining books. I enjoyed it so much more than I the first book.

What the book is about?
As you may have guessed by now based on the title, this installment tells the story of Valen, the Guardian for the gate of the Underworld in Rome. A job which involved him protecting the underworld from daemons and preventing a collision between the mortal realm and his world. He had the power to weild lightening, however, the barriers he built around his heart, led to it having a dark hold over him. With every barrier he erects the hold becomes more powerful.

However, when he crossed paths with the beautiful assassin who had been watching him from the shadows waiting on the right moment to strike, the barriers he erected began crumbling one by one.

Eva was hired by a mysterious client to gather intel on Valen. She had no idea that her mark was a god and the guardian of the Underworld. She knew nothing of the world this latest assignment brought to her door. She knew, however, it was not an easy one, an she was way in over her head.

Characters
A tortured hero, Valen bore a deep seated pain and anger. He held the belief no one could love him. A belief which contributed to his aloof behaviour. Upon learning of the events that led to him maintaining this belief my heart broke for him.

Eva did not have an easy life growing up, and the choices she made as a result led to her becoming an assassin. She was smart, brave, feisty, resilient, independent and caring and the perfect match for Valen. She was unlike any woman he had ever encountered.

The secondary characters from Valen’s brothers to the various daemons looking to create havoc intrigued me and made me curious to learn more.

Romance
I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, especially those between Valen and Eva. The chemistry between them popped, cracked, sizzled and burned. Their romance was not of the slow burn variety, but more of a raging inferno. The sex scenes, though hot, were tastefully written. The main thing that endeared me to their relationship was the trust they had in their love for each other. I loved how protective they were of each other.

Story
Heaton weaved an intense suspenseful, fun and at times heartbreaking story There were scenes that had me smiling and some of which made me sad. There were no cliff-hangers, however the overall story arc continues.

World building
It was fun revisiting the world Heaton created. Things have intensified since the last book. The villains have amped up their game and will use any means necessary to carry out their evil plot.

Conclusion/Recommendation
The Guardian of Hades is proving to be an engaging series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. This is a must read for fans of paranormal romance.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading