The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld)

I haven't read any of the other books in this series but was thankful when I started reading The Darkest Pleasure it wasn't necessary. Obviously each book is a story in it's own though still tying all characters together. Gena Showalter did a lovely job in writing this book, the characters have depth and heart. I don't care for heroines who are so tough they aren't even women anymore, or so bitchy and mean they can never take correction. Danica is lovely and written with some grace, Reyes... well he is just plain my kind of guy. I recommend this one.

I bought the first three books in this series with high hopes. The first book was the best but even that one did not hook me in. So-so plotline, bad dialogue. Too bad because the premise was soooo promising! The third book, well, all I can say is, "UGH!"

I love romance. I love paranormal fiction. I love adult themed intimiate situations since I find it pretty difficult as an adult to imagine a really passionate, loving relationship not having a lot of really hot sex, especially in the beginning. I even like light BDSM. However, I do not AT ALL like reading about the hero hurting himself to the point that there is blood dripping and gushing all over, even if he does feel pleasure from it. That is gross and ruins the mood for me so to speak.

It is getting harder and harder to find good books these days as it seems there are a lot of authors out to make a buck by writing series so the reader keeps buying multiple books. Well, I won't be buying any more of these!

This is my second time reading this book and I really like it. Reyes, the keeper of Pain, doesn’t want to love or even like Danika, a human whom his friend and fellow demon Lord, Aeron, has been ordered by Cronus to kill. Danika and her family are targeted for death and they’re on the run, trying desperately to survive, and they’re apart from one another. Against both of their better judgment, Reyes and Danika team up to fight the human Hunters out to kill them both, to stop poor Aeron who’s lost in bloodlust and to stop Cronus from killing Danika and her family himself. A lot was going on in this story as you can tell.
The sex scenes dragged for me but they were needed to show the physicality of the couple’s relationship. Reyes needs horrendous pain to feel pleasure; Danika is a gentle human with a temper. Do they mesh? Anyway, the sex scenes were just too long. I wished the couple talked more, but that would’ve caused less drama and tension between them. In my opinion, I would’ve preferred less drama between them so they could spend more time fighting the bad guys and not each other.
As always, each book in the LOTU series doesn’t just focus on one couple. All the brothers and their women are included with several scenes in their POVs.
I loved every scene with Paris, the keeper of Promiscuity. I haven’t read his book yet (book 9 – I’ve only previously read up to book 8) but I’m dying to know how he finally reunites with his beloved Sienna. The choice Paris has to make in this book is heartbreaking and sends him down a dark path.
The rest of the cast are cool as always. Torin and Cameo, the keepers of Disease and Misery respectively, grow closer than just friends and it’s exciting to see how their doomed relationship develops. We meet Gilly for the first time (yay!) and I can’t wait for the first time she meets William. William and Gilly is the couple I’m rooting for the most, other than Paris and Sienna. We also meet Legion and Galen, who will become major players for both the good and the bad in all of the Lords’ lives.
The pacing dragged about three-quarters of the way in but the book kept my attention for the most part. I’ve started to overlook the use of passive voice, it's normally a no-no for me, because it’s the author’s writing style and I understand all styles are different. I’m reading the series for the stories and the characters, not so much for how the books are written. Anyway, Reyes and Danika are one of my favorite couples. He’s protective, she’s ballsy, and they’re perfect together.
4 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

4-4.5 stars

This was a really good story. I liked both Reyes and Danika and I enjoyed their story very much.

Danika is an artist who makes a living doing portraits and such. She's not rich but makes enough to make a living off of her art. Danika's very close with her grandmother, mother and sister and, after recently losing Danika's grandfather, the 4 women decided to travel to Budapest together. There they're taken captive by the Lords of the Underwrold for reasons unknown.

Reyes is an Immortal man that was part of the reason why Pandora's box was opened. As punishment, the Greek gods decides that Reyes and the other's responsible would be bonded with the demons that escaped the box so the demons wouldn't be let lose on the world. Reyes host to the demon of pain and is driven to inflict pain, either on others or himself. In order to save innocents from his demon, Reyes has taken to inflicting pain oh himself to sate the demon's cravings.

Danika and her family are kidnapped by the LotU in book #1, The Darkest Night. They were kidnapped because Aaeron (one of the LotU and the host of Wrath) was ordered by Cronos (the King of the Titans) to kill the 4 women or go crazy with bloodlust. Aaeron realized the women were innocent and while the LotU tried to find a way around the order, the women were kept in their fortress. During this time, Reyes and Danika meet and a connection is made. Danika and her family are eventually let go and Aaeron is imprisoned so he wont go on a killing spree in his bloodlust. Danika and her family decide to split up and go on the run, just in case the LotU come after them again. Unfortunately, hunters find Danika and see her as a way to getting to the LotU. After filling her head with lies and false promises, they try to set Danika against the LotU.

Reyes finds out that Danika has been captured by the hunters and is determined to save her. Afterward, Reyes brings her back to the fortress with him, deciding to safeguard her no matter what. Reyes is aware that Danika might have been subverted by the hunters but he can't help but want to protect her. Danika fears the LotU but she's been haunted by memories of Reyes ever since they met and has a hard time thinking of betraying him and the others in the fortress. Demons they might be, but Danika can see that they're decent people that don't go around causing havoc. Unfortunately, there are many obstacles for Danika and Reyes to get past, one of which is Reyes' determination that he's no good for Danika and would ruin her if they stayed together. Thankfully, they manage to get past their obstacles, both external and internal, and end the story with a well deserved HEA together.

I really enjoyed this story. I liked both Reyes and Danika very much as MCs...they both had issues and things they had to deal with but they did it well and made me like them even more. The story was very good and kept things interesting throughout. I'd recommend this story and series (so far at least). :D

*note - I listened to the audio version of this book and I thought the narrator did a pretty good job. I will say that I wasn't totally thrilled about Reyes' voice but I didn't hate it either so I was ok with it overall.

Showalter has created a fast paced, intriguing novel that can definitely hold your attention. With battle scenes that are just as vivid & real as the erotic moments are, readers will be thrilled with the well presented format of this novel. While the plot of this novel in and of itself was quite intriguing, what really got me hooked was the minute shifts in the overall plot of the series. The changes that Danika brings in allowed me to get a better picture of the overall hierarchy of the characters and of the history/mythology behind the stories as a whole. The distinction between ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’ is quite blurred. It depends what direction you look at it from.

Danika is definitely stuck between a rock and a hard place here. The decisions that she has to make and the things that she feels are in direct contradiction to one another. It’s definitely a heady mix. Reyes’ difficulties with his demon really make you feel for him. I think I’m in love with Reyes. I love the fact that he’s the type of guy who has been through hell & back (daily, for centuries) yet doesn’t evoke pity in readers. Sure, I feel sympathy for his situation, but he isn’t the type of guy that you could ever pity. His strength of character and need to do what’s right for those he cares about, regardless of what others say or believe, is astounding.

This is definitely a welcome addition to the Lords of the Underworld series. Showalter really develops the who’s who and why’s of the series while also providing readers with a fantastic tale in and of itself.

To be honest, The Darkest Pleasure is the one book in Showalter’s Lord of the Underworld series that I wasn’t ecstatic to read. Not because I don’t like Reyes and Danika, but because I think the situation View Spoiler » just sucks and I feel really bad for them. It’s not their fault Cronus is a murderous bastard and uses the demons as henchmen to do what he can’t do for himself. I really like Danika and Reyes as a couple, but I hated to watch what they are come between them. Yes, I realize this pretty much happens to all the Lords of the Underworld couples, but y’all have to agree that Reyes and Danika really got the short end of the stick, right?

Still, I really enjoyed the book and was happy to finally pull on my big girl panties and give the book a chance! I cried, laughed, raged, and swooned with the characters of The Darkest Pleasure and would highly recommend readers of the series to pick this book up if they haven’t had a chance! It was nice to finally read Danika and Reyes’ book.

This is the third installment within Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series, and focuses on Reyes - the lord possessed by the demon of pain. Reyes is forced to harm himself to keep hid demon placated and so that he won't lash out at others.

Danika was introduced in the first book and Aeron, another demon possess lord, has been driven to point of madness with the need to kill her and her family. She is taken captive by the lords in the hopes of protecting her/saving Aeron. During her time with the lords, she and Reyes's relationship develops.

I loved the side characters and I'm very interested to read on and see what happens with Aeron. I also adored Reyes. He is one of the best tortured heroes I've ever read - which seems to be a theme with Ms. Showalters work, but I'm not complaining. I am head over heels for bad boy, bad ass, tortured, loveable heroes.However, I wasn't crazy about Danika. Her character just didn't do anything for me. I'm not sure what the heroine was missing....perhaps it was because she was introduced in the first book and I didn't care for her then and couldn't bring myself to care for her in this book either...

I gave this book 4.5 stars because of Reyes and the side stories. I love when authors drop hints and elude to what's coming up.

Ever since the first book I count wait to read Danika & Reyes story. We saw his protectiveness then now he will go to any lengths to keep her safe even from himself as well as his fellow warriors and hunters until they find out she is the second artifact to find the box. Danika is the All Seeing Eye and not she is a very popular target for not just the hunters but from Gods, Demons and the warriors old friend Galen keep of the demon Hope which is the big man behind the Hunters. Reyes has to deal with more now then ever, but mostly keeping his Pain away from tainting Danika whenever he takes her to bed. Also there is something else about Danika is that makes her even more a target then just being the 'Eye'. We catch up with Paris, he is a world of pain and his heart is not into what he used to love doing, he just hurts for the one woman that dies in his arms and will do anything to bring her back to him. Sabin we find out more about him and his last lover he had and the hate between Sabin and the Hunter Stafano. Not to mention who they found out the man behind the Hunters operation.

Reyes is possessed by the demon of pain, therefore he needs to feel pain, almost constantly. Hence, why he cuts himself to get that rush. Or else, he's in pain and not the kind he'd need, but the kind that would put him out of commission for a few days - same with the other Lords.

He's fascinated by Danika from the first book and he's against Aeron killing her and her family. He doesn't care that the order came from high above - the titans - but he still doesn't want his friend to lose his mind.

It's a mad goose chase, besides them searching for the artifacts and Pandora's Box before the Hunters find it and doom them by sealing the demons back into it. That's a big no-no because, after all those centuries, thousands of years, man and demon became one. Two halves of the same whole.

Thing is, Danika's more than just a human and that complicates things.

Of course that I loved this one, though it hurt how much Aeron was suffering because the last thing he wanted to do was murder in cold blood, especially innocents.

I was awfully curious to see how these two would get along and make it work. But they did. So, another win.

4 1/2 - 5 stars.

At this point I can now confirm that my enjoyment of book 2 was not a fluke, and the first book of this series really was THAT bad. Even with my fear that other books in The Lord of the Underworld series might be bad, the fact was I wasn't really interested in Reye's story. His demon is pain, and I kept having this fear that it would be some kind of chains and whips horror fest. Danika is a really interesting character that I've been fascinated with since the first book, and I feared pain would get in the way of that.

Again an author shows me that I have got to stop judging a book before I read it. Instead of Danika coming to a dark realization that she loves hurting people *cue evil laughter*, Showalter spins a tale of love so strong that over coming a necessity such as pain for pleasure is something that someone can overcome. Translation: Danika loves Reyes so much that she wants to help him, even if it means stabbing him every now and then. (Well that and a fantastic orgasms can literally transport you!)

Showalter spins a unique love story that's really sweet and tender, Danika is the first female lead that hasn't been a virgin and I enjoyed that. The trop that sex was never really that good until Reyes annoyed me. The side stories continue and they're amazing! Torin might have a little something starting up! Areon's suffering is truly fascinating, especially since a little scaly demon from hell comes up and seems a little overly infatuated with him . . . .

Paris. Paris. Paris. There is no way I can forget about him. If you thought the torture of book 2 was heartbreaking . . . forget about that! Cause it only gets more intense. He approaches Chronis himself to get his woman back, but things are never as simple as that.

Another great entry into The Lord of the Underworld series. The first book was dark romance, the second adrenaline spiked passion, and now a sweet and tender romance. The best part is all the side stories continuing throughout the book. Unlike JR Ward's work, were it gets overwhelming the bad guys, gods/goddess, and tons of other characters stepping in, the side stories don't overwhelm. Even though each book has a satisfying happy ending, the slow build up of all the side stories tantalizes the senses . . . and the possibilities.

Sexual Content: Steamy, dreamy, scenes! Nothing over the top basic PNR sex. Over course even if is basic, doesn't mean it's not hot!

3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.

Originally reviewed on Book Whispers.

4.5 stars

There is a fine line between pain and pleasure as Reyes, the keeper of Pain, knows very well. Since he's been bonded to his demon, he hasn't been able to find pleasure without pain for millennia, that is until he met Danika.

We met Danika in the first book in the series. Aaron, the keeper of Wrath, had been commanded to kill her and her family and the other Lords had kidnapped them to keep them safe until they could figure out what to do. Reyes let them go and told Danika to run far an wide.

On The Darkest pleasure, Danika has been found by Hunters and kept as prisoner. They are trying to use her as bait, as a spy and leave her to be rescued by the Lords. Reyes saves her and brings her back to the Fortress where they all live in Budapest. Will Danika betray all the secrets she discovers while with Reyes?

Dani and Reyes' passion is very strong, but he is afraid she will succumb to his demon if he let's her inflict pain on him while making love and all Danika wants is to pleasure him completely. The kind of pain Reyes needs to feel pleasure is insane, but Danika is so in love with him that she wants to fulfill all his needs.

I have to say that, I do enjoy a bit of pain with passion, but Gena took this to a whole new level in this book, but I did appreciate the way things turned out in the end =)

I don't want to get into the plot to avoid spoilers, but much happens and I do love where things are going and the war against the Hunters. The side story to this one was heart breaking and I just hope Paris, the keeper of Promiscuity, gets his HEA soon hehe.

Originally Posted at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life {larissaslife DOT com}

The build up to this book was understandably intense. I read through book 1 & 2 knowing that this was waiting for me.

Right from the beginning, during Ashlyn & Maddox's book, this couple sunk it's claws into me and wouldn't let go.

Reyes is the Keeper of Pain. I won't give away what Danika is but for those that don't know, Danika and her family (her mom, her sis, & her grandma) were kidnapped by the Lords in book 1. Why? Cronus is the definition of a-hole and he ordered Aeron, Keeper of Wrath, to murder the four women.

Up to this point, Aeron has refused to do so and Cronus has turned the demon of Wrath against Aeron, driving him into a mindless bloodlust that won't be appeased until the four women are dead.

Reyes has one of the toughest choices to make. Stop his friend, trapping him in that bloodlust, or save the woman he now loves.

Danika's live has been pretty much ruined by Reyes and the other Lords. She has every reason to hate him. But, obviously, she can't. Reyes is a sexy, tanned skin, tortured work of art (IMO) and he fills her with a need that is too much to ignore.

And I have to say this: I never thought I'd find a man who has to cut himself to feel pleasure sexy. Hah! Jokes on my a*s. When Danika sucked him into her mouth, then sliced his arm with the blade out of nowhere?

I was almost roaring as loud as Reyes was. Seriously -_-

Jay-sus!

I term this the book that officially pushed me over the edge of masochism.

I speak the truth.

We have been reading about Danika and Reyes since the first book and I am so happy to see their story come to life. Danika was kidnapped back in The Darkest Night with her sister, mother and grandmother. One of the Lords, Aeron (wrath), was ordered to kill them and went into a blood lust state the longer her put it off. They were later released and told to run and hide to save their lives. In this book, we catch up with Danika who is barely getting by with the crappy waitress job she has. When she bumps into a pair of hunters, who kidnap her and try to force her to join their side, Reyes swoops in and takes her back to the fortress.

Danika is a very strong willed character. She has been recaptured by the Lords but refuses to cower to them. She starts to soften towards Reyes the longer she is in his company. He is always fussing over her and making sure that she is comfortable. Even though the other Lords are not pleased that she has returned and they are certain that she is in cahoots with the hunters, Reyes is fiercely protective of her and won't let any of them near enough to harm her. After a while, she starts to see the Lords not by the demons that they harness but for the men that they are.

Reyes takes comfort in pain... LOTS of pain. So you can guess what his demon is... PAIN. The book starts out with him getting ready to throw himself off of the roof of the fortress just to shut the demon up. You don't know this at first but he is really embarrassed at the fact that he takes pleasure in immense pain. The Lords have bought red couches since the blood doesn't stand out so much on them. And when Danika catches him mutilating himself with a knife he is ashamed of himself and tried to quickly clean up the mess. He was totally not what I expected of the keeper of Pain.

This was a great addition to the storyline. I cannot wait to read more about the Lords.

-Book Sniffers Anonymous

In The Darkest Pleasure, unlike in the first two books in the Lords of the Underworld series, we get to read the story from, not only the main characters Danika and Reyes's POV, but also the POVs of Paris, Sabin, and Aeron. Each has their own pain to work through. Some are able to overcome that pain and find happiness and some aren't.

Reyes's demon is Pain. His demon urges him to cause pain. When Reyes came out of his demon haze all those years ago, he discovered that he could satisfy the demon's need for pain by inflicting it upon himself. A life ruled by pain rarely, if ever, offers a chance for pleasure. But when Reyes meets Danika, she enhances his pain but also gives him the greatest pleasure. All Reyes needs to worry about is not whether she'll accept him as who ans what he is, but what will happen to her once she does. Pain has changed all of the women Reyes has ever been with and he doesn't wish that upon Danika.

(SPOILERS) And Danika has her own problems to deal with. It is discovered that she is the All-Seeing Eye, one of the artifacts the Lords are searching for. It runs through her family bloodline, and that is the reason Cronus ordered the death of her and her family. That way no one would be able to use her against him. When Aeron asked her what she sees of the heavens and the underworld, this is how she described it:

"I see great evil and unerring goodness. I see death and life. Darkness and rainbow colors. Demonlike creatures who destroy, screams all around them. Angels who repair the damage, songs of glory humming from their wings."

It's hard to imagine dreaming of these things; whether terrifying or peaceful, it's got to be a huge burden to carry. I can understand why she would work through it by painting what she has seen, to "purge" it from herself.

Another revelation is actually discovered through one of Danika's dream-vision paintings. Galen, keeper of Hope, is leading the Hunters! Who would have thought that Hope was a demon? And it turns out that he's probably the worst demon out of all the Lords. Hope is a demon who purposely raises expectations, only to crush them, leaving nothing but despair in it's wake. And the man is no better. Galen is two-faced and a master of deception. He will easily pretend to be a friend to your face, but once your back is turned he has no problem stabbing it. Where Aeron's demon, Wrath, has black wings; Galen's demon, Hope, has snow-white wings like those of an angel. This helps Galen deceive the Hunters into believing that he's been sent from Heaven to help them rid the world of the Lords, and in turn use the Hunters for his own devices without them even realizing. He was also the one to convince the warriors to go after Pandora's Box in the first place. He is the ultimate cause of all the Lord's torment. To think that the greatest evil in the world is actually Hope. It's mind-boggling.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that Paris's POV was really moving. He's lamenting Sienna's death. He doesn't know whether to blame himself, the Hunters, or the gods, but he wants someone to pay for him losing her. He ultimately chooses to beseech the gods, Cronus to be exact, to bring her back to him. But like all deals with the gods, there's always a catch. Cronus, in the end, makes Paris choose between Sienna and Aeron. If he chooses Sienna, Cronus will give her to Paris just as she was before her death. If he chooses Aeron, Cronus will relieve Aeron of the blood lust curse. I'll leave you to find out who Paris chose, but I'll say that the choice is one that completely tore Paris apart. When I first started the Lords of the Underworld series, I was most intrigued by Lucien and Reyes and was dying to know more about them, but after reading The Darkest Pleasure Paris has become the most intriguing character and I desperately want to know if he'll ever be rid of the torment he went through in this book and find happiness.

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews

I think I am done with the Lords of the Underworld series. The Darkest Pleasure was the last book in my Kindle bundle deal and I'm actually glad it didn't extend past book 3.

Where I was intrigued by the storyline, the writing just wasn't the style I enjoy. The constant over-the-top exaggerations were too much for me.

I did like Danika's storyline and the process on how she came into her powers. I did like the Greek mythology twist as well so it really did just come down to the writing style. I skimmed more in The Darkest Pleasure than I did in any of the other 4 books I read and I think it was because I was just anxious for it to be over.

Reyes was the hero in the story and his title was the Lord of Pain. Whereas he definitely represented the emotion of pain really well, I just didn't like the whole idea of cutting one's self for pleasure. I totally understood why he needed to do it, I just didn't like it. I did like that the author stayed true to the fact that Reyes was the Lord of Pain and that his demon's personality didn't just magically disappear or become soft just because it was his book. I just didn't like reading about self mutilation. Not my thing.

I did like the side stories that took place throughout each of the books but not enough to incent me with purchasing and continuing forward with the rest of the series.

Teasers: boy demon is actually a girl demon, Paris' big decision (just didn't get why it was such a big decision as it should have been a no brainer for me), leader of the Hunter's revealed

This is the third installment in the Lords of the Underworld series. It jumps in where the second left off and references back to the first and second book so should be read in order.

Darkest Pleasure tells Reyes, Lord of Pain and Danika Ford's story. They met under difficult circumstances in the first book and briefly in the second book. There was instant attraction, but due to actions Reyes was forced to take, Danika hates and fears Reyes. Danika lives on the run because Chronos the King Titan has ordered her death. Never wanting to be taken over by fear, Danika takes self-defense lessons for protection and lives as low key as possible. Low key until both the hunters and Reyes discover her. Reyes brings her under his protection after rescuing her from the hunters seemingly unaware that she has agreed to help the hunters to protect and find the rest of her family. It is while Danika is with Reyes that she learns the truth behind all her preconceived notions about the demon lords. Now she has the conflict of who is deserving of her loyalty even while she is drawn to Reyes. Reyes is very affected and drawn to Danika, but is afraid the demon side of his nature with hurt her and that they are doomed to never share a physical relationship. He knows of the conflict of interest, but he is slowly discovering that there is more to Danika than meets the eye. His discovery of why she is sought after by the hunters and threatened by the gods is the biggest revelation of all. Can the two work together to bring about a way to keep Danika alive and a chance at a relationship?

I think of the three stories that I have read so far, Reyes has been the one who was the most empathetic to me. He tries to do the right thing even when it means sacrificing his own happiness and desires. Danika is a strong heroine and just right for Reyes even though I wanted to thump her a few times. He proved himself over and over again, but she was so determined to doubt him. Fortunately her naivety didn't last to far past the limit of my patience.

The overarching story lines continue and with more questions being answered while yet still more mysteries come to light while the Lords are in a race against the hunters and Chronos to find the four artifacts and ultimately Pandora's box. There are a few side stories that are still ongoing and we meet a few new characters.

Looking forward to the next installment!

I stayed up til 2:00am to finish this book.

I very much enjoyed "The Darkest Pleasure" and found the expansion of the storyline pretty fascinating. It's easy to see after reading this one that Showalter and Harlequin have big plans for this series. We finally meet the shadowy leader of the Hunters, and his identity is quite the surprise. We also find another of the artifacts needed on the quest to find Pandora's missing box. We learn a little more history and a little more about the scope of the battles to come. But mostly we learn about Reyes and Danika.

Reyes' past was very difficult. Learning about the history behind his efforts to leash Pain was, well...rather painful (no pun intended). The lengths he was willing to go to in order to spare humans-just wow. All he wants is a respite from Pain, a little peace where he doesn't have to leash his demon. He finds that in Danika, but fears that having Danika will expose her to the taint of his demon, and he's very unwilling to do that. So he can't keep her and he can't let her go either.

Danika always wanted to be normal, but she never was. She can't seem to come to grips with that and I disliked her intensely for almost half the book. But I can say that she redeems herself beautifully and I think these two are a perfect pair.

Neither trusts the other and each of them apparently betrays their loved ones at some point in this book. I really didn't like that. However, haven't we all betrayed someone we love in some way in our lives? I guess that's just part of being fallible and it's nice to know that sometimes our heroes and heroines are fallible too. In all, I think the progression of their relationship was just as it needed to be. Without all the missteps, misunderstandings, and mistakes they would never have gotten to such a strong ending. And the ending of this book is worth missing a few hours of sleep!

Now for my rant. I'm ticked that I have to wait 16 months, yes folks that's November of freaking 2009 for book 4. Books 5 & 6 are scheduled to follow in Feb and May 2010 respectively. Come on already...a year is understandable, but almost a year and a half? Why publish the current releases now? Why not delay their release a couple of months each? I'm actually a tad (!?@#) pissed at Harlequin for this and would be interested to hear their marketing strategy. It would have to be a really good one to risk alienating fans with such a long wait when there are plenty of competitive paranormal series out there without such a long gap between books.

Reyes is the 3rd Lord in this series to find his love. The book follows similar dramaturgic elements like its predecessors but it is done really well and the story successfully manages to keep my interest. I like the main couple and how their romance blooms. I like the overarching story development across several books in this universe. The other Lords are teased deliciously, so I'll definitely follow up on the next installments.

I'm only three books into the series, but this was my favorite so far. Reyes has thought of nothing but Danika since they met months ago (under circumstances no one wants to be in), and Danika, while hating the warriors for forcing her family to in into hiding, can't stop thinking about Reyes. After a murder and being captured by Hunters, Danika agrees to infiltrate the fortress and learn what she can about the warriors' and their plans to find the artifacts. All Danika wants to know is what happened to her mother, sister and grandmother.

While in Buda she gets the chance to confront Aeron about her family but doesn't get the news she wants to hear. Certain revelations come to light about the second artifact, forcing an escape, which in turn leads to a reunion. The first of two big shockers (at least to me), was learning who the leader of the Hunters is; the second shocker was the decision Paris ended up making.

A good ending, a lot better than Lucien and Anya's ending. I can't wait to get to Aeron's, Paris' and Torin's stories.

The Darkest Pleasure is book 3 in Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld Series. In this series, after opening Pandora's Box, a group of immortal men have been cursed to house demons for eternity. They live in a remote castle in Budapest.
Just to name a few, Maddox is the Keeper of Violence, Paris is the Keeper of Promiscuity, Reyes the Keeper of Pain and Lucien is the Keeper of Death.

Each one of these immortals keeps these demons inside himself, the demon always part of his thinking and awareness, almost like an inner voice. These demons make life for these men nearly unbearable and love almost impossible. Each book in the series involves all of the immortals, but centers on one in particular and adds a heroine to the mix.

Book three centers on the immortal Reyes, the Keeper of Pain. I've actually been interested in reading Reyes story since I read the first book in the series. Reyes houses the Demon of Pain which will not rest until Reyes injures himself, badly. *see the first line quoted above* His demon craves agony and Reyes finds himself craving it as well. It's almost like an addiction. He'll injure himself, heal quickly, only to have to do it again and again, for all eternity. Small injuries don't please his demon. Reyes jumps off buildings, shatters bones, has his spleen removed, stabs himself...stuff like that. If he doesn't injure himself on a regular basis, Reyes will have to injure others.

Reyes falls for Danika Ford the first time he sees her, in book 1. Danika and her family are on the run after being held captive by the Lords themselves.
One of the Lords, Aeron, has been ordered by the Titans to kill Danika and her family. Aeron however, does not want to kill the family, but his demon is craving it. He begs Reyes to trap him deep underground, near Hades, where he won't be able to do harm. This is where the storyline with Danika and Reyes begins in book 3.
Danika also finds herself unable to forget the beautiful and haunted Reyes since she first sees him. She is confused however as to whether the Lords are friends or enemies.

While on the run and in disguise, Danika is captured by Hunters, humans who dedicate their lives to finding and capturing the Lords of the Underworld. However, these Hunters use extreme measures and aren't in their right minds themselves.
When Reyes finds out Danika has been captured, he goes to save her. Danika and Reyes are instantly drawn to each other when they reunite but Reyes wonders if Danika is secretly working with Hunters to bring the Lords down. He also wonders if his 'angel', which is what he calls her, can truly love him despite his demon constantly craving physical pain.

As the story unfolds the Lords discover that Danika has a special power of her own.

'He was right and wrong wrapped in the same sensual package, with a kiss and flavor that transported her at once to the heights of heaven and the depths of hell.
He had sprung from her nightmares, yet he had become her fantasy, weaving gossamer wings of desire through her every cell. He was the only thing she wanted and everything she shouldn't have.'

I like how Gena Showalter gives her heroes heart and soul and makes her heroines smart and sassy. These reads are fun. Plus I'm a sucker for Alpha males. Funny enough I don't read many paranormals, but this author has become a favorite.

I read and really enjoyed the first book in this series, The Darkest Night. I stumbled upon it at the bookstore one day and am very glad I did. The second book is called The Darkest Kiss, and was so-so for me mostly because of the influx of different characters and a plot that was a bit too busy for me. I didn't want to give up on this series and have been meaning to get back into it. I am glad I finally did.

I liked reading about Danika and Reyes and I wondered how these two would work it out. The love scenes were well written, thankfully they weren't 'over the top', considering Reyes loves pain. The author found a way for these two characters to be together despite the violent demon Reyes houses.
I liked how Reyes was torn between his love for Danika and just leaving her be. He's a great hero, tormented and sensitive. He didn't want to corrupt Danika, he considers her an angel.
The storyline was fun, the writing was fast paced and I do look forward to the next book in the series. I also liked how the author weaved in other characters to the plot, new and old. It wasn't overwhelming. One thing I disliked was the length of the book, I felt like it could have been 50 pages or so shorter. Other than that, this was a good read.

If you enjoy paranormal romance, Alpha males and lots of action, you might like this series. I recommend reading them in order though.
Next in the series is The Darkest Whisper, which centers on Sabin who houses the Demon of Doubt.

Reyes, keeper of Pain, is a man tortured by his need for self mutilation. In order to prevent Pain from inflicting it's own breed of violence upon others, Reyes has looked to himself to provide the demon with it's painful desires. But in that pain there is pleasure to be found. Although at the moment, the demon's drive for satisfaction is raking through his mind at a cutting rate and it's demands for more and more cause Reyes to resort to throwing himself off the Lord's fortress in Budapest. Feeling his body crumple on the jagged rocks below is the single satisfying pleasure to be had and Reyes knows of only one other that can soothe his demon more than the gruesome promise below - the human, Danika Ford.

Danika is on the run. After a group of warriors kidnapped her, her sister, mother, and grandmother while they were vacationing in Budapest, it became known rather quickly that the warriors wanted their death with no viable explanation. But after their rescue and inexplicable release in the States, the four hit the ground running and split up to make recapture difficult. Now broke and alone, Danika has no idea if her family is still alive. What Danika does know is that she will never be taken advantage of again. Still ridden with guilt for freezing up during their kidnapping, Danika vows to herself that she will never again be helpless and spends all her money on self defense classes. But despite all her rage at the warriors who destroyed her life, there is one that she can not break free from - Reyes. The gorgeous warrior haunts not only her dreams, but her every waking hour. But her infatuation will not cloud her desire for revenge and Danika is finally given that chance when a group of men - Hunters - share her same hatred and ask for her help.

The Hunters are a human faction bent on killing the Lords of the Underworld with the ridiculous belief that by eradicating Pain, Death, Disease, etc., those traits will also be eradicated from humanity. Previous intel has linked Danika to the warriors and the Hunters hope to lay a trap. The warriors will undoubtedly come for Danika and the Hunters will let them take her but with a little insurance by promising Danika that they will find and protect her family if she relays any and all information she can obtain from the Lords. Wanting to save her family at any cost, Danika agrees.

When news reaches Reyes that Danika has been abducted by Hunters, he will not let her go again as he did in the past. He will retrieve her from his enemy and make her his, if only for a little while. Reyes knows immediately that the Hunters have asked something from Danika. For all intents and purposes, he should kill her. Gods know the other Lords want him to. But selfishly, he will not allow any harm to befall Danika. In addition, he promises to take her to the one person that he knows for certain will be able to tell where her family is - Aeron, keeper of Wrath. The Lord was summoned by the gods and ordered to kill Danika's family. Knowing that the females were innocent, Aeron resisted killing them and instead abducted them until a decision could be made. But as the gods foretold, with each passing day his bloodlust would grow until he ultimately became consumed with their deaths. Now, chained and locked in the dungeon bellow the Budapest fortress, Reyes takes Danika to see the man intent on her and her family's destruction.

Answers aren't the only information that Danika receives from Aeron. Something about herself is discovered as well. Something that changes her role with the Lords of the Underworld.

Yet in the midst of searching for her family and coming to terms with her unbelievable abilities, Danika finds herself falling in love with the one man she should hate. Her burning desire for Reyes can't be denied any longer but when she makes attempts to become intimate with the gorgeous warrior, all she receives in return is rejection.

Reyes swore off women long ago when it became apparent that his brand of sex inadvertently turned his bedparnters into beings consumed by pain. Their eyes no longer projected their once gentle nature and they did things, painful things to others that they wouldn't normally do. His demon would corrupt them until they were filled with bloodlust. After everything Reyes has already done to Danika, he's not going to turn her into a monster on top of it all.

'The Darkest Pleasure' has proved to be my favorite of the current releases in the Lords of the Underworld series. With each book, Gena Showalter weaves a darker and darker tale with TDP being the darkest.

Reyes was a wonderful multi-layered hero. He sacrifices so much to help Danika. And while he burns for her, he's also so self conscience of how she's going to feel when she discovers his need for pain. He's never hated himself more when he sees her look of abject horror when she stumbles upon his way to gain release. But he's soon shocked when her desire for him seems to burn even hotter. I think Reyes felt so humbled by Danika's acceptance of him but still, his worries that his demon would corrupt her linger and it takes time before he'll allow Danika to have all of him. He's not holding back because of ego but because of a deep seeded need to protect her at all costs, even from himself.

Danika was a strong heroine. While I disliked her initial hatred of Reyes, I could sympathize with her reasons. This man and his friends ruined her life and broke apart her family. But when she realizes all that he's sacrificed, she's quick to rethink her judgements. It had always felt wrong for her anyway, her hatred of him and the emotion withered quickly when faced with Reyes. And while her initial reaction to Reyes's need for pain is disgust, it's more in the way of a reaction to the rules of society. People should not cut themselves, but she soon feels the need to be the one to inflict his pain. It sounds weird but she knows that it's pleasure he feels and he needs it to protect others. Danika recognizes it as her right to be that person for Reyes.

Book 3 in Showalter's `Lords of the Underworld' series, which begins with The Darkest Night (Hqn). I do recommend reading both books 1 & 2 before this one. This book is a suitable follow up to those and doesn't dissappoint, but not my favorite.

On the series itself- HIGHLY recommended. These are not a books to try to read in a waiting room unless you want your doctor to wait for you- because you will not want to put it down. It will make your pulse jump, your breath fast and deep and you will not want any interruptions.

This is Reyes, keeper of Pain, and Danika's story. I didn't find this one to be as strong as books 1 & 2, but certainly not lacking in passion or suspense. Although Reyes is one of my favorites of the Lords, I had more trouble relating to Danika. Her character had been through tremendous trauma in prior books, but still it felt that she was almost too skittish. Nothing she did was either unreasonable or out of character, I think it is just a personal preference of mine.

For the majority of the book, the fate of Danika's family was in question and I think this ended up being a bit more tension than I felt the story-line and romance could maintain. Something akin to being on a high wire for a few minutes too long- at some point, you just want to fall off already.

I don't fault the writing. In the end, this was just as satisfying as the others; I just didn't enjoy the ride quite as much. This series is still one of my favorite addictions.

For a comparison I suggest:
- Lara Adrian's Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1)
- J.R. Ward's Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 1)
And perhaps...
- Jacquelyn Frank's Jacob (The Nightwalkers, Book 1)
- Alexis Morgan's Dark Protector (Paladins of Darkness, Book 1)
- Alyssa Day's Atlantis Rising (Warriors of Poseidon, Book 1)
though this series ranks as one of the best of the bunch.

Reyes, keeper of Pain, cannot experience pleasure without pain. This equates to bringing pain into the bedroom, drawing out the violent natures of those he sleeps with. Due to this, Reyes has refused taking any future sex partners. Who would ever want to draw out the worst in someone?

All of this changes upon seeing Danika. While he doesn't try to bed her--for fear of corrupting her pure spirit--he does lust after her. This lust conflicts with his desire to keep her safe, especially from a Lord succumbing to his bloodlust, hellbent on destroying her and her family.

Upon discovering a few years ago that the third book in this series would be about Reyes, I was excited to see the direction Gena would take. How would Danika and Reyes cope with Pain? If you were thinking what I was at the time, she would probably take a kinky direction towards her love scenes, ones that would probably make me gape.

Strangely enough, instead of being mesmerized by Reyes and Danika, this is the book where I originally began to pity and respect Aeron's character. Reyes and Danika were a great read--even if I felt that Danika was a bit whiney and annoying at times--yet it was Aeron's character who resonated with me the most. How would it feel to be that consumed by bloodlust, commanded to kill one of your best friend's lovers? How would it feel to be chained away because you couldn't be trusted?

I admit that a part of me was cheering for Danika to be taken out. Particularly after the incident with the Hunters and her continued rejection. She was so brutal at times, whereas, Reyes was tortured. He genuinely cared for her, yet she kept shoving his feelings back into his face. That is the type of quality that I frown down upon in a person, and in this case, a character. Then again, sometimes I take my frustrations out on the people I care about when I'm stressed out too, so I can't look down upon the woman too much.

With that in mind, I will simply acknowledge that she was not one of my favorites. Ironic that the two human females are my least favorite in the series. Go figure. Despite my initial distaste for Danika, she redeemed herself by the end of the book. Oh, and by the way, the conclusion was a HUGE shock the first time I read this. It also made me respect Paris that much more, too.

Oooh! I'm so enjoying this series!

This is the 3rd installment in Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series.
In a remote fortress in Budapest, immortal warriors created to guard the Greek gods are bound by an ancient curse.
Their curse is that each is now bound to a different demon released when Pandora's box was opened.

Thru-out this series, the warriors are seeking four artifacts to defeat the Hunters, an ancient clan of enemies who will destroy them all, and are traveling the world in search of those artifacts.
Each of the books focuses on a different warrior.
The Darkest Pleasure is the story of Reyes who is bound with the demon, Pain, and of Danika.
Danika and her family have been on the run in an attempt to elude immortal warrior Aeron who has been tasked with killing her and her family by Cronus, a Titan.
Reyes must battle not only his feelings for Danika but also Aeron, his friend and co-warrior for centuries, and The Hunters, their ancient enemies.

I'd highly recommend this series to anyone who like darkly sensual tales and are interested in Greek mythology.

Long ago a band of immortal warriors stole and unleashed the evil within Pandora's box. In the melee, the box was lost. As their punishment for the deed, the gods forced each warrior to 'contain' one of the demons within themselves. So the Lords of the Underworld were born.

At present, some of these possessed immortals live a sheltered life high on a hill in Budapest. They struggle daily with their demons eventually succumbing to the demons desires. As well as warding off attacks by the radical humans called Hunters who want to see them and their demons dead.

The immortal warrior Reyes possesses the demon of Pain. He can only feel pleasure in one of two ways 1)unleashing his demon during fights or 2)self inflicting pain -cutting himself. That is until he meets his *angel*.

Danika Ford is the unfortunate woman whom the gods have targeted for death (along with her family). Aeron (Wrath) has been assigned the task of murdering them. The more he resists, the more the bloodlust grows within him.

Meanwhile the other warriors continue to look for the pieces of the puzzle to find Pandora's box. Only Reyes cannot concentrate on anything other than keeping Danika safe and away from his warrior friend. Soon he must choose between his two loves -his woman or his friend.

A good book but I liked the second one in the series The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, Book 2) much more. I think I expected something else here -perhaps some mild BDSM? (he is Pain after all). And the adventure was somewhat lacking unlike the previous installment. There is a lot of foreshadowing (more like teasing for the next book! ;)) too . In particular, Showalter showcases Paris and Aeron. Those parts were my favorites (made it a 4 star rather than a 3 star book) and make me anticipate the sequels.

On the other hand as far as the romance goes -Reyes and Danika are a engaging couple but nothing that is earth shattering. Good sexual tension but somewhat mundane love scenes. Perhaps my expectations were too high *shrugs* I don't know.

I mostly liked it and recommend it to those who have liked the previous books. And I will be definitely looking forward to the next in the series. Showalter has an interesting take on the mythological in the paranormal genre.

Ever since that fateful day when a group of elite Greek warriors decided to open Pandora's Box, Reyes has lived with an immense guilt, cursed to never feel any relief except through self-mutiny. Bound by the Demon of pain, Reyes knows the futility of wishing for the day when he would once again experience the joy of simply living. Thus, he has learned to live with his curse, never anticipating the day when he will come face to face with the one woman for whom he would sacrifice his life for a chance to feel alive again. But dare he defy the will of the gods who has sentenced Danika Ford to death in the hands of his own brother?

I've been looking forward to reading more about Reyes and Danika since reading The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1). I was keen to see what part Danika and her family plays in this Greek saga. Why has Cronus commanded Aeron to kill these innocent women? Now my question has been answered. In spite of the slow start, the revelation that unfolds is quite interesting and promises more excitement for the series. I do admit that I wasn't exactly blown away by the romance. Indeed, neither was I with the first two books. However, what I really like about this series is the underlying plot, the vicious Titans, the continuing battle between good and evil and the intriguing search for the mysterious artefacts protected by the ever-elusive Hydra. C'mon Hydra, show your scaly head!

There is also the added subplot featuring Paris, which continues on from the second book. It is proving to be a whirlwind of emotions, one that I am eagerly awaiting to read more of. And for those looking for some fun, Aeron's new friend Legion will have you grinning. A scaly demon that thinks she's pretty and infatuated with Aeron? You get the drift...

Humor aside, THE DARKEST PLEASURE is at times gritty and graphic. The author doesn't gloss over the details. The description of Reyes' self-mutilation may probably put some readers off; however, apart from that bathroom scene I could have done without, I felt that they were essential to Reyes' struggles and makes the reader really cheer for him when he finally finds some solace with Danika.

Reyes possessed by the demon of Pain at last claims as his mate Danika, the woman targeted for death by fellow lord Aeron (Wrath) in The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1). Thankfully, Danika is no longer the terror striken victim. The leading lady and object of Reyes' obssession, has leveraged her stubborness into a suvival tool and has learned how to protect herself since we've seen her last. And she'll need everything she's learned since she is even more 'special' than even Reyes realizes and everyone is after her: demons, Hunters and gods. At the core of her strength is her loyalty to her family above all else, so she should be a formidable ally as her family grows to include first the other mates, then Reyes and finally the rest of the Lords.

There was a lot that I liked about this book as Showalter continues to develop the rest of her large cast of possessed Lords of the Underworld and the gods and villains that are working to end the Lords' existence The humongous cast is quite a challenge but I like that Showalter is only bringing a few to the foreground to flesh out in each book because once there is a bit of story behind them it is much easier to keep track of who is who. This time we see more of Aeron (Wrath) driven almost insane with his need to fulfill his mission to wipe out Danika's bloodline, Aeron's new mysterious demon `playmate' Legion, Sabin (Doubt, and next up in Darkest Whisper) and most prominently Paris (promiscuity). I did not like Paris at all in the first two books. He was always `on the make' to sate his demon and there was a shallowness to him that I found offputting. But the events in The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, Book 2), which gave him a taste of what 'might have been', provided a believable catalyst for a change in Paris. That along with the choice he's forced to make here and the high personal cost of his decision, and Paris has become a character that I actually want to see more of.

I also liked that Showalter has actually done a good job with those who oppose the Lords and has avoided the cartoonish over the top evil that plagues many PNR series. Even though as the background cannon fodder some of the Hunters are a bit repetitious, they are orchestrated by Galen the demon of false Hope, who gives the mortal Hunters a bit more heft as a group to make them more of a true threat to the Lords. Then add in the Titans throwing in random obstacles to hinder the Lords and it looks like the race to beat the Hunters to the box will hold a few more surprises along the way.

The only problem I had with Darkest Pleasure was that it was difficult to read at times. Since Reyes needs to keep his demon satisfied with inhumanly large doses of pain -- having accepted burder of bearing the pain himself instead of inflicting it on innocents -- Reyes does a great deal of damage to himself. One scene in particular which served to hammer home to the Danika the extremes necessary to met Reyes "needs' sexually was truly e[...] That said, it could have been much worse because, although in his past relationships Reyes has sought pain from his partners, with Danika he strives to keep her free from the taint that his demon imparts.

On the whole though I think that this is really shaping up to be an interesting series. Even with the darkness that these possessed warriors carry, Showalter has managed to make them noble and to inspire a great deal of sympathy for them. You can truly believe that each seeks the peace, and happiness that love brings and, as the unmated lords watch their mated brethren enjoying their new mates, the longing is tangible. And with plenty of possessed warriors yet to come, I look forward to watching more HEAs from Sabin, Paris, Torin, Kane and the rest.

Oh, how I loved this one! The story of Danika and Reyes is a whirlwind of emotions and self-doubts (although Sabin's demon doesn't help here either). Inner battles waging war, battles with those who want them dead and/or captured, enemies trying to get the four artifacts and Pandora's Box before the warriors do - incredible fights, incredible thoughts, incredible suspense and mystery, incredibly erotic love scenes all added up to a perfect ending!

Danika - now there is a heroine I truly adore in a novel. Running, hiding and fighting for her life, she and her mother, sister and grandmother are seperated, hiding from the one warrior who was sent by the gods to kill them - Aeron, who `houses' the demon or Wrath. (He is currently chained, by Reyes, at the very bottom of the fortress's dungeon - and I can't wait for his book!) Captured by hunters, she is told a story that she is meant to believe, and she sort of does. Rescued by the warriors, she's back under Reyes's `protection', and yet most believe that she is either bait or a plant - especially Sabin. Fighting her inner battles, wanting to run, wanting to stay, wanting to find and protect her family, she is supposed to be spying on the warriors and relating information back to the hunters. Only, she can't do it - she can't betray Reyes, for his touch alone brings warmth.

Reyes is completely enthralled with Danika. Housing the demon of Pain, he learned to control the demon somewhat, and now only hurts himself to control the demon's urges. He is forced to chain Aeron in the dungeon to keep Danika and her family alive - and it eats him up inside. Meanwhile, he wants Danika in every way - and is determined to get her. However, there's a catch. He's tried the relationship thing before, but by allowing the women to give him pain at the same time as pleasure had always turned bad - the women turning around and hurting everyone in their path. Reyes refuses to allow that to happen to Danika - until she finally proves that she can do what he needs without damaging herself in turn. But then, there is a turn of events as well, for his demon seems to `take a hike' when they make love.

An incredible love story, they both beat the odds and the head God, Cronus, the king of Titans. And very creatively, I might add. I soooo can't wait for the next novel!

Reyes is a Lord of the Underworld. Over a thousand years ago, Reyes and his fellow warriors were charged with guarding a box along with a female warrior, Pandora. Jealous of Pandora's favor with the gods, Reyes and his friends killed Pandora and opened her box unleashing demons throughout the world. As punishment, the demons were then placed inside the warriors bodies subjecting them to years of various agonies and torments.

Reyes' demon is Pain. Any type, not matter how serious, Reyes craves hurting himself every single day. Only when Danika Ford is near does his inner demon quiet down. There is just one problem - while Danika soothes Reyes; demon, her life is in danger because a fellow demon, Aeron, has been given an order to kill her and all the females in her family. Reyes refuses to accept this and sets out to save the woman that he yearns for more than pain.

Danika has no idea why she and her family have been targeted for death. On the run, scared out of her mind, she is dismayed to find herself thinking about Reyes, the man she can't get out of her head. When he shows up and gets her out of harm's way, Danika still has a problem with trusting him and until she is able to do that, there is no way they can have a relationship no matter how much each desires the other.

I am without a doubt emphatically hooked on this amazing series of which The Darkest Pleasure is the third installment. Reyes' demon is Pain and my heart broke for him every time he had to give in to his demon and hurt himself. I ached watching his love for Danika evolve but in a good way. The emotions were raw but intense, sultry but sweet, and harsh but soft - truly winning combinations!

I adored every single word of The Darkest Pleasure. It made me yearn for more and I can't wait for the next installment in this groundbreaking and addicting series. The Darkest Pleasure is highly and Joyfully Recommended!

Talia
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

By reading the other reviews, you know this 3rd installment in The Lords of the Underworld series is about Reyes, Danika, and Pain (Reyes's demon). I won't bore you with those details.

I had high hopes that I could give this book 5 stars, and while it is very good and worth your purchase, it fell just a little short. The story is good. The search for the artifacts is definitely heating up. The showing of Reyes's softer side is touching - At times, you just want to swoon, "Ooohh, that's sooo sweet!" And a few juicy plot twists were developed for future books of the series. However, where this book fell short was in its readability. Here's why:

There are several characters at play here. Several times in this book, more than four characters (and sometimes upwards of ten) were in the same scene. And several times while reading these scenes, I had to backtrack several paragraphs to try and figure out who was supposed to be talking. Showalter was writing dialog without indicating who was speaking. And she'd infuse thoughts of one character, and then a quote from another. Many times, it all just blurred together. It got VERY frustrating trying to sort out who was thinking what thoughts and speaking what words. A clearer delineation needs to be made when writing a scene that contains multiple characters so that the reader doesn't get lost, as I did over and over and over again in this book. Also, it didn't help that sometimes she referred to the characters by their immortal name and at other times by their demon name (ie. Maddox/Violence). This simply added to the confusion as I had to stop and think, "Okay, now which one is Doubt?"

I noticed this confusion happening in book two, but not nearly to the extent that it did in this latest installment. As the author continues to write more books in this series, I hope she does a better job of identifying speakers and thinkers, because this series has great potential to be very enjoyable and entertaining.

Still not 5-star worthy, though...but definitely worth buying if you don't mind doing a little re-reading to figure out who's thinking and saying what.

Why read: Reading the series

What impressed me: Everything other than the love story. Cronus and the artifacts and the Lords (except for when Reyes was being all torn about Danika) were greatly entertaining.

What disappointed me: I didn't really care for the Reyes/Danika story line that lead up to The Darkest Pleasure. Reyes' internal struggle (through no fault of his own, of course) was really sort of creepy. He wanted Danika, but he must killer her, but oh how he wanted her. Danika was only marginally better, fighting her lusty feelings because she knows he wants to kill her at least as much as he is attracted to her. This relationship was doomed to fail, and while I love the whole overcoming adversity thing in love stories, it just felt wrong here.

Recommended: Eh. Series fans may want to read The Darkest Pleasure, but casual readers will definitely enjoy some of the other Lords of the Underworld books much more.

Continue series: Yes. The series is fantastic, even if The Darkest Pleasure didn't meet my expectations.

I started this series with this book (randomly). It intrigued me to the other characters and I am currently reading "Darkest Whisper" which I LOVE! While I enjoy Showalter's creativity, her writing style is not as smooth as other paranormal authors and can be disjointed or it can be difficult to understand her references. I'm not talking about series specific references, but just her grammar and language use. Maybe it's her line editor's fault, but this book is probably not one I will go back to read favorite parts like I do with other favorites.

It's beginning to sound like I didn't like this book, but I did (moderately) because it introduced me to a very interesting series which I had earlier discounted due to reviews from other readers who judged Showalter's other heroines being weak characters (or just not smoothly developed). I'm in love with a book when I can't wait to get home to read more, or I stay awake all night reading, and then when I'm done I go back and savor my favorite parts.

I was a bit discomfited with the S&M qualities of the hero ... but maybe those are limitations of my sense of appreciation ... Long story short: interesting, although complex, paranormal series with moderately hot love scenes (Showalter has the tendency to develop easy to identify patterns).

Dankia is working for money at a small ugly restaurant, just so she can keep herself out of trouble. Trying to keep herself away from Reyes and the hunters to keep her family safe. Only Danika's grandmother has gone missing for two weeks. Then the hunters show up and try to get Danika but she accidentally kills one of them. Reyes is being asked to take the rest of the Lords to Aaron but Reyes can't. He has to keep Danika safe from Aaron. So Reyes with a little help from Lucien gets to Danika and brings her home with him to Budapest from the hunters. But now that they are together Reyes has to decide what to do with Danika, because Reyes is suspicious of her. She was kept with hunters and now Reyes thinks that she is being used as bait. What will it take to convince Danika that Reyes is not out to get her? And will she find out whether her grandmother is alive? Will Reyes and Danika ever get cured of the death cures put on her family?

I just finished the trilogy of the Lords of the Underworld and I enjoyed all three. However, I think "The Darkest Pleasure" is my favorite in the Trilogy. The entire series is filled with fantasy, immortals, Greeks, Titans and romance. This is my 1st time reading this author and to me her writing in similar to Sherrilyn Kenyon (not quite as developed) this series had more predictable plots than I liked and I found myself being able to skim pages to get to the part I really wanted to read. With that being said the books are easy to read and the characters are not hard to keep up with and they develop throughout each book. This is an enjoyable series. I recommend reading in order.

The "Darkest Pleasure" is about the story of Reyes an immortal possessed by the demon pain and Danika Ford a human with supernatural abilities. Danika and Reyes are drawn to each other immediately however, both fight their desires. Reyes struggles with the feeling of not being good enough for her because he can not have pleasure without pain. He cuts himself to experience pleasure and he fears Danika will find him repulsive. Danika views him as a monster because of their past inter actions (previous books) but she can't help but feel drawn to him and she definitely can't stop dreaming about him.
Eventually Reyes becomes her protector because his friend is ordered by the Titan God Cronus to kill Danika and her family. Not only does he have to protect her but he wants to protect his friend as well because his friend will be driven mad until he follows through with the Gods order. With all of this on his shoulders he still has to help protect his family (other immortals possessed by demons) and the family home from the ones "Hunters" that wish to do all of the Lords harm.

this is one of the best books ive ever read. It is dark and gritty has romance in it. I just fell in love with the torchered Reyes and Danika who has visited Heaven and Hell in her dreams. some parts were hard to read because i just love these characters, like where Reyes stabbed himself so he can feel pleasure, then Danika stabbing Reyes with the knife. I was just crying and feeling so bad for him. Gena sure knows how to write a torchered hero and I just love each and every one of them

Gena Showalter just keeps on getting better and better with her extraordinary Lords of the Underworld paranormal series for HQN in Book #3, THE DARKEST PLEASURE (July 2008). In the Lords Of the Underworld's Budapest fortress, Reyes is always hurting himself since Pain is his constant companion. Centuries ago, Reyes and his fellow immortal warriors let all the demons of the world out of Pandora's Box and Reyes ended up being the Keeper of Pain. In Los Angeles, Danika Ford is in disguise, broke and working at a greasy diner to try to escape the Lords, who had previously kidnapped her, her sister, mother and grandmother in Budapest and then let them go. However, Aeron, the Keeper of Wrath, has been ordered by Cronus, the King of the Gods, to kill them because they might know too much. So Danika and her relatives were forced to split up and flee for their lives. Meanwhile, Reyes, who is enamored of Danika, has imprisoned Aeron so he will not murder her. Unfortunately the Lords aren't the only ones who are after Danika, since the evil Hunters want to find her to help them destroy the Lords. When Reyes hears the Hunters have captured Danika he goes to her rescue, kills some Hunters and brings her back to Budapest. Unbelievably Danika seems to have a calming effect on his Demon Pain. The only problem is Reyes can't make love without there being pain involved because his demon finds it pleasurable. In the meantime, the other Lords are out searching the globe for the three remaining artifacts: the All-seeing Eye, the Cloak of Invisibility and the Paring Rod, they need to find Pandora's Box that will put an end to their demon curses. Will Danika be able to save her family and still remain with Reyes and what about her strange visions and paintings she creates? And poor Paris, Keeper of Promiscuity, who has made love to countless women but is pining for the only one who has ever rejected him and is lost to him forever? THE DARKEST PLEASURE is the ultimate pleasurable paranormal romance not only for its amazingly clever plot twists, its delightfully witty dialogue but also for its infinitely touching love story between the dark tortured, Reyes and the angelic feisty, Danika, who's finally able to tame him and his inner demon!

I did enjoy this book....it was very well paced, held my attention, had incredible chemistry between Reyes and Danika, and told the continuing story of the Lords of the Underworld and their conflict with the Hunters. The search for Pandora's box continues, and you really need to read these in order to understand what's going on.

Maybe it's just me....but did anyone see a similarity with this book and Lover Awakened by JR Ward. If not for this comparison, I might have liked this book more than I did. Lover Awakened is probably the BEST paranormal book ever written, so anything in comparison CANNOT compare. Reyes demon Pain causes him lots of it. He needs to feel pain to feel pleasure....meanwhile the name "Zhadist" just keeps echoing in my head.

I thought the chemistry between Danika and Reyes was EXCELLENT! The story is getting a little silly if you ask me...all that Cronus/Pandora/Hunter conflict, but don't get me wrong....if Paris and Sienna/Toris and Cameo get a book...I'll be the first in line!

In the prequel The Darkest Fire (a novella about the relationship between Geryon - the Guardian of Hell and Kadence - the goddess of Oppression) the story of how/why the dimOuniak (aka Pandora's Box) was created unfolds.

In the 1st book in the series, The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1), (Maddox and Ashlyn Darrow story) it is discovered that warriors stole the dimOuniak from Pandora and released the demon from within. Then the box went missing, so as punishment the King of Gods decided that the each warrior would house a demon inside himself. This is the birth of the Lords of the Underworld. Maddox houses the demon of Violence and he was given a curse, a death curse - for Killing Pandora. Ashlyn has a gift, or curse, she can hear every conversation that has ever taken place in a location (Past, Present, and/or in any language). In The Darkest Kiss it is discovered that Ashlyn is pregnant.

In the 2nd book in the series, The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, Book 2), (Lucien and Anya story) Lucien, the Keeper of Death, is the leader of the Budapest warriors that live in a fortress high on a hill. He was given the demon of Death because he is the one who opened the box unleashing the demon into the world. Anya, the Goddess of Anarchy - killed Aias, the Captain of the Immortal Guard. She was cursed by Themis In this book the warriors are in search of Pandora's Box. They learn they need to find 4 ancient artifacts that belonged to Cronus - after his imprisonment Zeus hid them. They are (1) the All Seeing eye, (2) Cloak of Invisibility, (3) Cage of Compulsion, and (4) Paring Rod. Lucian and Anya found the Cage of Compulsion. So they procured one of the four artifacts they need.

Now in this book, The Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld, Book 3) the relationship between Reyes, keeper of the demon of pain and Danika Ford unfolds. He considers her the angel to his demon - the good to his evil. Aeron, the keeper of Wrath was commanded by the Gods to kill Danika and her family - if he didn't he would be crazy with bloodlust - so he was locked in the dungeon in the last book. Since the night that Aeron attacked her and Reyes came to her rescue she has been running - from Aeron, Reyes, Hunters and much more. She dreams about Reyes every night and she think about nothing else. Paris is still upset about Sienna. The demons, hunters and the gods are still after the artifacts - that would lead them to Pandora's Box.

The story rushes you along, I read this in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. This series has continued with an intense momentum. This is not my normal genre, but I have expanded my reading arena. Even if you are not into god/goddess stories - give this one a try. I do suggest you read them in order. You don't have to read The Darkest Fire, since it is not about the Lords of the Underworld. I have already preordered The Darkest Whisper (Lords of the Underworld) - Sabin, keeper of the demon of Doubt - coming in August 2009.

~~ An excerpt from The Vampire's Bride (Atlantis, Book 4) is found at the end of this book ~~This is the 4th Book in the Atlantis series. It is the story of Layel's - I have not read this series.

While I didn't like the first book, I hated this one. Yeah. I hated it.

Let's clear a few things up, ok? Biting in a book that doesn't involve vampires is just gross. Really gross. Danika annoyed me. Her tough girl spiel just annoyed me to no end. Seriously. When someone does something, it is disgusting to reply with, "You think this is funny?" Well, what about this?" and then proceed to bite them hard enough to draw blood... on the next. Gross! E[...]

So yeah, Danika annoyed me! Her bravado was just ridiculous and I found her urge to maim and kill everyone creepy and annoying. I see why she did it but boy, I wanted to shake her! They are warriors and you are humans. How's about the time she palmed his nose. Um, doesn't that kill people? Ugh, and every time she went into her "zone", I growled in irritation. I wanted to scream, "Girl, get over yourself!". Actually, I did yell it. She was tough and I admire her for being confident about it. But really, it would be her against a warrior. A few months of self defense against a few thousand years of fighting and a demon residing in the warriors body. Really, there is no competition. But you know, I always complain about these girls in books lacking self confidence and she certainly had it.

And really? Bait?

I felt bad for Reyes. I couldn't decide if him or the dude with the demon Disaster had the worst demon. Anywho, I felt bad that he had to experience pain to feel better. At times it was a little creepy, (very creepy), but there was enough written in that you still felt bad for him. And I'm sorry, I know that we are supposed to feel bad for him, but I know I am not the only person that thought it was gross when he "took matters into his own hands."

I also felt bad for Aeron. I really like Legion. It reminded me of the Simi.

And I did hate what happened to Paris, but to be honest for a while there he annoyed me. Really annoyed me. I got over it after a while though.

And while I was happy to see him back, I thought it was weird that Anya was so quick to have William back. I think I'll take a break and revisit this series later.

It wasn't all bad though. I liked how the author always reminds of what someones power is. With that many characters, it's easy to get them mixed up, so it's nice to have a refresher every now and then.

One of my favorite parts in the book (and why do I have the feeling I typed this already??) is when they are reminiscing about a fallen warrior:

"He was a good friend," Reyes said. "He would have hated to see us like this."

"He would have looked at us with disappointment in those yellow eyes of his. We would have ignored him because he'd want us to kiss and make up, and then he would have stabbed us to get out attention."

"Being ignored wasn't something he could tolerate."

"No."

While I didn't like the first book, I hated this one. Yeah. I hated it.

Let's clear a few things up, ok? Biting in a book that doesn't involve vampires is just gross. Really gross. Danika annoyed me. Her tough girl spiel just annoyed me to no end. Seriously. When someone does something, it is disgusting to reply with, "You think this is funny?" Well, what about this?" and then proceed to bite them hard enough to draw blood... on the next. Gross! E[...]

So yeah, Danika annoyed me! Her bravado was just ridiculous and I found her urge to maim and kill everyone creepy and annoying. I see why she did it but boy, I wanted to shake her! They are warriors and you are humans. How's about the time she palmed his nose. Um, doesn't that kill people? Ugh, and every time she went into her "zone", I growled in irritation. I wanted to scream, "Girl, get over yourself!". Actually, I did yell it. She was tough and I admire her for being confident about it. But really, it would be her against a warrior. A few months of self defense against a few thousand years of fighting and a demon residing in the warriors body. Really, there is no competition. But you know, I always complain about these girls in books lacking self confidence and she certainly had it.

And really? Bait?

I felt bad for Reyes. I couldn't decide if him or the dude with the demon Disaster had the worst demon. Anywho, I felt bad that he had to experience pain to feel better. At times it was a little creepy, (very creepy), but there was enough written in that you still felt bad for him. And I'm sorry, I know that we are supposed to feel bad for him, but I know I am not the only person that thought it was gross when he "took matters into his own hands."

I also felt bad for Aeron. I really like Legion. It reminded me of the Simi.

And I did hate what happened to Paris, but to be honest for a while there he annoyed me. Really annoyed me. I got over it after a while though.

And while I was happy to see him back, I thought it was weird that Anya was so quick to have William back. I think I'll take a break and revisit this series later.

It wasn't all bad though. I liked how the author always reminds of what someones power is. With that many characters, it's easy to get them mixed up, so it's nice to have a refresher every now and then.

One of my favorite parts in the book (and why do I have the feeling I typed this already??) is when they are reminiscing about a fallen warrior:

"He was a good friend," Reyes said. "He would have hated to see us like this."

"He would have looked at us with disappointment in those yellow eyes of his. We would have ignored him because he'd want us to kiss and make up, and then he would have stabbed us to get out attention."

"Being ignored wasn't something he could tolerate."

"No."

I was going to review these individually, but I thought I would go through all four in the series pretty quickly and do one big glowing review. That seemed to be true upon reading the first two books, but things slowed down for me reading book 3 (The Darkest Pleasure).

The series starts off well .... your typical tortured warrior who finds a women he seemingly can't have. All the books are based around a group of Lords, warriors who were once in good with the Gods. They did something they shouldn't have and were expelled from the Gods' good graces and punished by being forced to harbor evil demons. Each warrior hosts an evil demon such as Violence, Disease, Distrust, Death, Wrath, etc. These demons provide the stumbling blocks in the warriors relationships with their fated women.

On top of the romance there is suspenseful plot built around the premise of a group of "Hunters" who think the world would be a better place without the existence of these demons, therefore without the existence of the Lords. Hunters will do anything necessary to get their hands on the Lords of the Underworld and the series develops into a war between the two.

I really enjoyed book 1 and book 2. The warriors were strong and sexy, yet vulnerable. The women were relatable and likable. I rooted for Ashlyn in The Darkest Night to find her own feet and stand on them. I cheered as Anya from The Darkest Kiss kicked Lucien's ass and took names while doing it. Their stories grabbed me and pulled me in so that I had to finish them.

I wish I could say the same positive things for book 3 and 4. Something about the last two books fell flat for me. I found myself more interested in the subplot of the war than I was in the state of the relationships. The characters seemed to be too typical and predictable. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into detail but I found the ending to The Darkest Pleasure unrealistic. It didn't work within the previous context given to the Gods and their actions. Book 4, The Darkest Whisper, was a disappointment to me. I was slightly more interested in the relationships, but the subplot of the war was almost entirely missing from this story. There was almost no development or progress in the fight and again I found the ending unrealistic for the characters.

I will keep reading the series because I find the series idea and subplots interesting, but I hope the next book is an improvement.

THE DARKEST PLEASURE is book 3 in the fantastic and addictive Lords Of The Underworld Series and this time it's is all about Reyes, an immortal warrior cursed after opening Pandora's box and ever since bound to the demon of pain. We've been waiting since book 1 to see Reyes's unrequited love for Danika reach its foregone conclusion and Showalter doesn't disappoint. As in past books this is an ensemble piece, involving the continuing stories of past immortals and their now mates, as well as those Demons yet to have their stories told. Rather than distracting I found all these characters only added to the story in a very `Brothers' living in the mansion kind of way. I love the bantering between the warriors who at the same time respect each others torturous curses. This dysfunctional family unit continues to change and grow, all the while maintaining their constant search for Pandora's Box and fighting off the ever threatening `Hunters.'

Reyes is kinda sexy but he's been cursed with the demon of pain. To avoid hurting others (and feel some pleasure himself) he must satisfy the demon by either releasing it during a fight or self inflicting pain. I.e. cutting or stabbing himself, although he has also been known to jump off the roof of a building just to feel his bones break and hear the demon purr. Reyes was introduced to Danika Way back in THE DARKEST NIGHT and he's never been able to forget her. She unfortunately was targeted by Cronus the new King of the Titans and along with her family sentenced to death. To make matters worse it was Reyes's best friend Aeron ordered with upholding the death sentence and the longer he's kept from this task the more bloodthirsty his own demon Wrath has become. In fact Aeron's become so crazed that he's been locked in the dungeon where he's trying to chew off his own hands to escape the shackles. Reyes can't bear to see his friend like this but he can't allow Aeron to kill Danika either and will fight him to the death if need be.

Meanwhile Danika remains on the run, now separated from her family she fears that they may all be dead and in an attempt to find and protect them strikes up a deal with the `Hunters' allowing herself to be used as `Bait' against the immortals. Once inside the castle walls however her resolve starts to fail. Something draws her to Reyes, this man who warms her skin and haunts her dreams. He has shown her nothing but safety and kindness and she has come to desire him, demon and all. Reyes in turn is pretty much useless, unable to concentrate on anything except getting Danika into his bed and keeping her safe from the bloodthirsty Aeron. Now if only he could figure out where Danika's loyalties lie and why Cronus wants her dead they could all live happily ever after.

This was a great read and anyone invested in the series won't be disappointed. Besides the love story there are some excellent sub plots, Paris's story is getting progressively heartbreaking, sigh. My only regret here would be the surprisingly mundane love scenes. Given the subject materiel I guess I expected a little more, I mean pain= BDSM right? Unfortunately (or fortunately) Reyes wanted to keep things gentle and not exploit Danika's dark, kinky side. At times I also felt bogged down with too much Greek Mythology and history but all the same can't wait to read the next instalment. Cheers

Reyes has known for millenniums that his immortal life is ugly as he hosts the demon Pain ever since he and dark warriors destroyed Pandora and released her box's content. However, after all this time, he faces his most difficult dilemma. He wants Danika Ford like has never desired a woman before, but will have to kill his possessed long time comrade Aeron who contains the demon Wrath while the Titans demand he murder the woman.

Reyes has kept her alive from the crazed Aeron, but feels he failed his mission when Hunters capture her; probably to use as bait. He has avoided her, but now must risk his existence to save her life. However, he also wonders why the Gods need this woman and her family dead.

The latest Lords of the Underworlds saga (see THE DARKEST KISS and THE DARKEST NIGHT) is once again an extremely dark exciting tale in which Gena Showalter's earth seems genuine. The hero is a fascinating brooding protagonist who for the first time since his fall has a sliver of hope although he does not know it as all he can see is battling Aeron to keep him from harming his courageous Danika yet struggles not to harm his long time friend. Though a stand alone, romantic fantasy fans who appreciate a modernization of ancient myths should read the previous two novels; not only are they excellent, they provide depths to this reading pleasure.

Harriet Klausner

When her first book came out, one reviewer said this series was J.R. Ward rip-off. I guess the person was referring to the tortured hero and the heroine who sets him free. If that's the case, I could list a lot more books that fit that description. This is romance and most in this genre follow a formula.

Over the years, I've read a ton of books in this field. I usually don't favor one sub-genre over the other. I search for something particular in each book and originality isn't it. I look for that emotional pull that is so strong, the reader can feel it physically. If the book is part of a series, I also judge how the author blends in other characters without distracting from the hero and heroine or the story itself. In my opinion, not all authors are able to pull this off. Not only does Showalter do both, but she does it with a masterfully.

The three books in her Lords of the Underworld series are THE DARKEST NIGHT, THE DARKEST KISS, and THE DARKEST PLEASURE. Most the time, readers can skip around in sequence - not so with this one. Each book builds on the last, so read them in order.

Summary: This is the love story of Reyes, an immortal warrior who is possessed with the demon of pain because of his role in opening Pandora's Box. In a previous book in the series, Reyes's warrior brother Aeron was ordered by the gods to kill a woman named Danika Ford and 3 of her family members. Reyes had captured Danika previously in order to allow Aeron to fulfill his orders, but he had been obsessed with and drawn to her from the beginning and eventually didn't want to see her killed.

Because Aeron had resisted killing these 4 innocent women, he is being punished by the gods with an overwhelming bloodlust that won't leave him until he completes his orders. As a result, Danika and her family are in grave danger after being released by the warriors and are now living on the run.

This book begins with Danika's life in hiding. Unfortunately, Aeron is not the only person she has to fear. The warriors' enemies - the Hunters - are also looking for her. Eventually they capture her and use her as bait to spy on the warriors. Despite the fact that her agreement to be used as bait makes her an enemy, Reyes does come to save her. After returning her to the warriors' fortress in Budapest, Danika slowly begins to admit her attraction and feelings for Reyes.

The challenge for these two lovers is that Reyes is possessed by Pain, and therefore cannot find pleasure in anything that does not involve pain to him - including physical intimacy. Will Danika have to hurt him in order to love him? Will he let her? That is the big question of their relationship as it progresses.

In the mean time, the warriors begin to realize why the gods wanted Danika killed in the first place. She is a direct link to 2nd artifact they seek, and perhaps Pandora's box as well.

Review: Unfortunately, I wasn't crazy about this installment of the Lords of the Underworld series. I had high hopes for liking Reyes's love story because he had been one of my favorite characters in the earlier books. He was clever and funny in the earlier books, but he lost that part of himself completely in this story. His dialog in this book was just soooo corny and overly dramatized that I was rolling my eyes instead of being captivated. All of the books have had this corny, over-the-top, soap-opera feel to them, but this one was the worst so far.

The best, most emotional, and most intense part of this book turned out to be a storyline that involved Paris. He was somewhat of a scene stealer throughout the book, which was a welcomed surprise. It begins to seem like he will never get his happily-ever-after, but we can always hope.

While I did enjoy Reyes and Danika once they finally gave into their attraction to each other, the inner battle of will-I-or-won't-I in both of their minds was too much like the romantic threads from previous books. I felt like I had read this exact struggle before, so the lack of originality was disappointing.

Hopefully the next book in the series will take a new direction. There is still something seductive enough about the beautiful and tortured immortal warriors that makes me want to keep reading the books. I sure hope the books get better as the series continues.

I was looking forward to this book the most. I liked the hint of a story between Reyes and Danika in the previous book. I was looking forward to learning the reason why Aeron was ordered to kill her and her family and how Reyes would save the day. I think the book would have been better if Showalter focused more on action and events that were actually happening and less on what the characters thought and feel. It resulted in the story moving slow and at times wanting to skip ahead. I did like the interaction between the other Lords and I am getting use to the 2nd crew. I still feel as though they are still outsiders and hope that at least one is featured soon. Amun is the one I want to hear more about.

This book is very much more of the same as the previous two books. Reyes holds within him the demon Pain and has been lusting after Danika Ford since book 1.

I had some major concerns for Danika as Reyes is a fairly violent and bloody person (not to mention messy... all that blood...) and he tends to taint the women he associates with his demon so that they too begin to crave pain. Unwilling to afflict this future on Danika, Reyes protects her from both Aeron and himself. Of course this only works for a period of time before Danika forces his hand.

However since Danika is the all seeing eye and basically a portal between heaven and hell the demon can't hurt her. It basically just goes to hell (lol) when she is with Reyes rendering her safe from the demon.

I just checked and there are not any other books published after this one so I'm not certain if she is still writing this series or not. The plot points set out certainly aren't finished by this book. Only two of the four godly objects have been found and so they haven't gotten Pandora's box. Paris did have a vision of Danika holding the box but that's obviously sometime in the future. If Ms. Showalter writes more I'm willing to read them.

There are over sixty reviews for this book already, so my review will be brief. This installment follows Reyes, the keeper of pain. I enjoyed his story; it was a bit darker than the two previous books in the series and had plenty of action and suspense to keep me entertained. This dark paranormal romance fantasy successfully and continually kept my attention and interest. I have always loved Danika. She is a strong, brave survivor. If you are a LOTU fan, this installment is not to be missed. This story includes some vital information that will have lots of bearing on future books. As I wrote in my previous reviews for The Darkest Night and The Darkest Kiss, I'm on the fence about recommending this to fellow dark urban fantasy readers. This series requires at lot of patience to flip through all the emotional parts and self-dialogue sections. If you don't mind skipping through those sections, then this novel will keep your entertained. I look forward to reading the next book in the series The Darkest Whisper.
I also recommend:
Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3)
Passion Unleashed (The Demonica Series)
Insatiable Desire (The Demonborn)
Angels' Blood
Demon's Kiss (Compact of Sorcerors, Book 1)

Wow so much has happened in this book! It was a nice installment in the Lords of the Underworld series.
You are left with a lot of questions though.

Reyes,is a warrior keeper of the demon Pain. He has to inflict it on himself in order to control the demon. Reyes craves Danika but is worried his demon will affect her. Danika Ford and her family were kidnapped by Lucien and Aeron in the Darkest Night. Aeron has been ordered by the Gods to kill these four women, no one knows why. In the Darkest Pleasure Aeron is mad with bloodlust, the only thing that seems to calm him is this demon named Legion.

Danika is stubborn, feisty, and extremely protective of her family. She has been on the run from the warriors and is finally caught when she kills a man who happens to be a hunter. Danika doesnt know what to do r think anymore, especially when it involves Reyes.Can Danika be the key to finding Pandora's box?

I throughly enjoyed this book and dearly hope Gena Showalter writes more. There are so many more questions that need answering! I love the Lords of the Underworld and hopefully you will too.

In the third installment of Gena Showalter's Lord of the Underworld series, we see Reyes who is the keeper of the demon, Pain, struggle with his demon and himself as he struggles to accept his feelings for Danika.

This story picks up where the 2nd book left off, with us seeing a good deal of interaction with the other Lords and Reyes. I especially liked that this book highlights aspects of the story that touched on Aeron and his 'little' demon, and Paris and his pain over losing Serena. These were things that I felt had been left hanging from book 2 and was pleased to see that they were somewhat resolved in this book.

As far as the story between Reyes and Danika I felt like it was an exceptionally sweet story, considering that we are talking about Pain and a girl like Danika, ya know? But, Showalter handled it very well and I LOVED the part when we realize that Danika has gifts of her on and the extent of her involement in finding the artifact(being cryptic here to avoid a spoiler) :)

Overall a pretty fast read, well deserving of 5 stars. I really hope that we see more in this series.

After reading the last two books in the series I was excited to start yet another. To me the love connection was good, but this was a little harder for me to get into. I think it was maybe that Reyes' demon is pain and therefore he has to inflict pain to feel pleasure. Danika is a sweet innocent girl and when the pair finally get together she wonder's if she will have to stab/hurt Reyes to make him like her.
I love that Danika is the second artifact as the All Seeing Eye and that she actually propelled Reyes to Heaven during Sex.
All in all a good read! Can't wait for Aeron and Paris' stories.

I picked up this book, thinking that I had read previous books in the series. After reading a bit, I realized that I hadn't read any of them. This book follows the same format as many paranormal romances...the tortured, immortal warrior find his one true love, the only woman that can ease his pain. In this case, it is a immortal warrior who is cursed to be the host for a demon, one of many demon's that had escaped from Pandora's box. Each book in the series appears to tell the story of one of the cursed warriors, and how they find their true love. I am not sure how many demons escaped from the box, so I don't know how many individuals there are for this series, but it appeared to be a large number.

There are a lot of characters in this book, and it was hard for me to keep track of them all. I think if I had read the first two books in the series, it would have been a lot easier for me. The story jumped around to different points of view with each chapter. That was a little frustrating for me because just as I would be getting into Reyes and Danika's story, it would change to tell what a different character was experiencing and feeling. At times the shifts were too sudden for me.

Overall, I felt that this was a good book, just not a great book. I can see myself reading other books in this series, but they are not at the top of my list of books to read.

I LOVED the book!! I love Reyes and Danika their relationship how he wanted to protect her and how she wanted to resist him but finally gave in! I really like how all the characters have been continued into the next story. The first LOU book I read Darkest Night I didn't like all the dorky words/phrases that Anya used but I didn't mind them quite so much this time around, I guess I'm enjoying the story enough that it's tolerable. I look forward to reading the next book. I wish that the books were numbered so I would know the order in which they should be read.

Any and all paranormal romance lovers need to read this series! It's beautifully written and such a page turner. I love the demon aspect and the way each of these men or women have to accommodate for their demon or situation.

This book had revelations that I never saw coming and I enjoyed each one. At the center of ths book was Danika and Reyes, whose story I've been looking for from the beginning, and I loved their romance. Reyes was absorbed with her from the begining. Danika was a strong heroine who frustrated me at times, but who I really couldn't find fault with.

One thing I liked about this book was getting to know all of the Lord's and their demons a little better. The next book is already in my TBR pile, and honestly I'm hoping it's Paris' story.

This was one of the best books I have ever read! I originally bought this one over the other, previous books, because the story line interested me. After reading it I loved it. There's a lot of drama between Reyes and Danicka that captures you, and a lot of action with the Hunters and Lords, and even the Gods. Lots of twists and turns that keeps you hooked in the book. I couldn't put it down. It makes me want to read the other books. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves the supernatural, and romance!

Is it me or are these sexy, alpha males to the core. Bossing their lovers around.
Reyes and Danika went through a lot to finally end up happy. I'm so glad she finally was able to make up her mind and fight along side Reyes and the Lord's of the Underworld. Also to love Reyes aswell.

This was the last book of the Dark Lords. I had never read any of this authors books. I bought all three at the same time and I didn't get bored going from one to the next. The author has left enough room to continue with the characters, which I hope she decides to do. These books were good enough to make me seek out more of the authors writing. They are very sexually graffic, but that is a big part of the stories. I recommend these stories to anyone who has interest in mythology,a new twist on good and evil and great love stories and happy endings

I was so looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. You know the main story so far so I won't give those. This is such a heart renching series of books and one of the best I've ever read. To me there is nothing sexier in a man when he is obsessed with a women that he cares about and will do anything to keep her safe and happy. Danika is running for her life and Reyes will do anything to keep her safe, even if that means locking up Wrath, which was sooo hard for him to do.
It was just so moving how much they both cared for each other and were willing to do whatever for the other, even if it was something really hard for them. Like she knew he needed pain even when they were being intimate and she didn't know if she could, but she wanted to for him. This is such a wonderful series and can't wait for Paris and the rest of the gang.

I have been waiting for Darkest Pleasure since I finished Darkest Kiss. Gena Showalter definitely has created believable, hot, tormented characters in her Lords of the Underworld series.

Reyes is the Keeper of Pain; which makes one wonder how he's supposed to enjoy pleasure with Danika if he constantly has to self mutilate to keep his demon happy and quiet. Danika escapes Aeron only to end up in the Lords' enemies hands. Reyes has to choose whether or bring her back and protect her or let her go for good.

The beginning is a little rough if you haven't read Darkest Kiss right before reading Darkest Pleasure, but the reader soon is transported into the Lords' world. Definitely a keeper.

This is a great paranormal romance to read. All of the characters tug on your heart and you want each of the Lords to find someone to help tame their demon. Reyes will truly have you falling in love with him. On Gena's website she said there will be many more books! I believe the next one is about Sabin...

Wow, Gena Showalter did it again. This is the third book in her Lords of the Underworld series and it's every bit as good as the first two. I read it in one day, because I just couldn't put it down.
This one does have a slightly darker tone though, and if you read the first two, you know that's saying something. It doesn't really come as a surprise, considering the hero, Reyes, is possessed by the Demon of Pain and has a predilection for cutting himself and other activities that would make most of us squirm. Oh, and his best friend, Aeron, is being forced to try to kill the woman Reyes is in love with, Danika.
As the story starts out, Reyes has let Danika go in hopes of saving her from Aeron, as well as a dark future with himself. When she's taken by enemies of the Lords, however, he brings her back to their fortress where he can guard over her. With her so near, he finds it impossible to resist her. But he's afraid his need for pain with his pleasure will corrupt her, as it has his past lovers. To have her, he has to find a way to tame his demon. But Danika wants to show him she can give him everything he needs.
I knew as soon as Reyes was introduced in The Darkest Night that his book would be great and I wasn't disappointed. In his story we also learn more about Paris and what might happen with Sienna. And we get a closer look at Sabin, who is supposed to be the hero in the next book in the series, The Darkest Whisper. I sincerely hope Showalter keeps this series going for a long while to come!

I really don't know what to make of this series. I find myself interested in the plot of the stories but the writing and the characters keep throwing me off. I feel like I keep walking into the middle of a conversation that I've rudely interrupted instead of being the fly on the wall like most of the books I've read in the past. The stories just don't flow well and it gets tiring. The characters in the series are a bit annoying and repetitive. Some have distinct personalities and I can follow them without trouble but others are just dead space. The women don't bother me too much, be it too whiny or too annoying, at least its something! What I really don't understand is how these men can call each other friends! Everytime I turn around one of these so called "Friends" is trying to kill the love of another. If they love each other like brothers then why aren't they more supportive of each others feelings and situation? The only relationship I see between the men is comrades-in-arms, nothing more. What kind of friend threatens to kill another's love? Right now I'm half way through Darkest Pleasure and I find myself throwing the book in frustration! So far in the series every conversation is the same as the books before it and the characters once again grate on my nerves. This one is about Reyes and Danika. She's still running from the Lords and the Hunters. Reyes is trying to protect her and Aeron is still a threat. More running, more imprisonment, and more near death experiences. The same as before. I'm going to continue to read the series since I've already gotten this far and again I do like the plot of the stories. Perhaps the series writing style will change a bit and the characters will start to stand out more. Wishful thinking, I know. Thanks for reading!

This was a little gory but it worked. The scenes stuck in my head. I'm not sure if I really remember them with an erotic mindset, but they did leave an impression. This dude is pretty tortured, which I'm kinda a sucker for in these books. I'd recommend it. I know I gave it three stars, but I just don't find these books of high quality as far as story lines, especially their endings, and character development. . So, since I've only given my all time favorite paranormal romance 4 stars, 3 stars for this genre is pretty freaking good.

This is the third in the Lords of the Underworld series and in my opinion the best so far. Reyes is the keeper of the demon of pain and every woman he's ever had sex with has he turned into a pain addicted shell of her former shelf. Danika is one of the Ford women who has been marked for death by Cronus(Titan head honcho)for no apparent reason. Reyes must find a way to be with Danika without hurting her and Danika must find a way to be with Reyes and still save her family. The story is well written and full of action and romance. If you liked the other two books you'll love this one as well. I highly recommend it!!

THIS WAS QUITE AND PAGE TURNER..I ENJOYED THIS STORY AS WELL.. REYES DEMON WAS PAIN..WHICH HE INFLICTED UPON HIMSELF QUITE OFTEN.. MET AN ANGEL..DANIKA WHICH CALMED HIS BEAST. IT TOOK HER A MINUTE TO REALIZE SHE WAS ACTUALLY ATTRACTED TO HIM..BUT IT ALL WORKED TO BOTH OF THEIR ADVANTAGE.. SHE WAS HIS ANGEL WHO ENJOYED PLEASING HER DEMON..WHICH INVOLED ALITTLE BITING , SCRATCHING AND FRIENDLY STABBING..LOL
CANT WAIT TO SEE WHICH DEMON GENA PICKS NEXT FOR HER NEXT STORY.

This book was enjoyable but it did not have the intense romance that Lucien and Anya did in the 2nd book or Maddox and Ashyln in the 1st book. I felt like there was something missing. I don't feel like Reyes has much of a personality. His character needs to be developed more. Lucien and Maddox are great characters but i can't really understand Reyes. His personality was so flat. The saving grace with this book is Paris and Aeron. If it wasn't for their short storyline, i would have given this installment only 3 stars.

I was extremely disappointed with this book, specifically Reyes' story. Showalter can definitely tell a story, but this did not cut it (pun intended). Maybe I set high hopes, but it was truly boring. I enjoyed Maddox's and Lucien's story -- liked Lucien's more so.

I guess it was Danika, she irritated me. I felt little to no sympathy for her situation. I didn't even care at a certain point in the story. She seemed snotty, too hard and had little vulnerabilty to her. The author balanced the Anya character from the second series well,incorporating her strength and her vulnerabilty. I really felt her conflict and love for Lucien. Danika not so much.

Reyes I thought would have been a lot more interesting considering he is pain. I never felt we, the reader got to know him. Lucien's story was indepth, he was insecure, because of his self-inflicted wounds and couldn't understand why Anya, a beautiful goddess would want him, he was tortured by his past love, Miranda, and the souls he escorted to heaven or hell, and he is the leader of the Lords. So I got to know the Lord. Reyes I understood his conflict, but he didn't seem different from Maddox. Nothing really set him apart.

I guess I thought their would be a lot more BDSM. The author seemed to be afraid to go that far, relating if Danika gave Reyes pain that would make her sick, depraved or a freak, yes, in the real world, but we are dealing in fiction, where Reyes' pain gives him pleasure. The author should have pushed the envelope with this. Instead we kept getting fluff and Danika interrupting their moment, with questions, like "Should I...?" "Do you need me to...?" I just kept thinking do something, anything, just shut up. Reyes and Danika did not get to have sex until over 200 pages into the book. At that point I was more interested in the backstories. I am interested to see Paris' story even though the physical description of Sienna did not appeal to me and would be reminiscent of Danika who was working with the hunters and Sienna who was a hunter. Sabin, Cameo, and Torin also seem to be interesting, but I won't set too high hopes. This book was also lacking the humor the first two books had.

And lastly, Aeron's story seems to be good. It seems he is the only lord who doesn't seem to like or be influenced by humans, so I think even though he doesn't find love from a woman he might find a deep friendship with his liitle demon friend. And didn't his little demon friend remind anyone of the little demon from Lord of the Rings? I can't remember its name.

Who doesn't love a story with a bunch of sexy men? I wasn't disappointed with this one. Reyes and Danika went perfectly together. Poor Paris! I hope when his story comes about it will be able to live up to all the hipe Showalter has led us along with. Although, I have a feeling that we'll have to wait awhile since her next book is another Atlantis one.

The Darkest Pleasure was probably one of the most anticipated books of the summer after The Darkest Night and The Darkest Kiss rolled out with the beginnings of a pretty good new paranormal romance series. The Lords of the Underworld are back, still looking for the artifacts that can lead them to Pandora's box. The hunt for the artifacts takes a very steep decline in this novel as the romance between Danika and Reyes, Keeper of Pain, finally takes center stage. Built up over the course of the previous two books the attraction to one another might seem a little Romeo and Juliet.

Reyes is an immortal warrior possessed by the demon Pain, a demon which forces him to inflict painful injury upon himself to avoid inflicting it on others. Worse yet is the fact that he cannot feel any pleasure without it. He's been Pining for Danika since he first saw her in The Darkest Night, but can't risk getting involved with her without being forced to protect her from Aeron, Keeper of Wrath, his friend and fellow Lord. Commanded to kill Danika and her mother, sister and grandmother, Aeron has been driven to bloodlust yet continues to fight his demon even still. Aeron and Reyes know that if he commits these killings he will be lost to his demon forever. Meanwhile Lucien, leader of the Lords and Keeper of Death, wants Aeron brought home and demands an exchange, he'll tell Reyes where Danika is (and she is in danger from Hunters) if Reyes will tell him where he has trapped Aeron. Trapped for a time, Aeron has been discovered by a mysterious little demon known as Legion who has become his constant companion. When Reyes relents and saves Danika from the Hunters he is ready to protect her for as long as it takes to free Aeron from his mandate. But is Danika really in danger from the Hunters or has she begun to work for them? When the chips fall where will her loyalty and her heart lie?

Sorry, no spoilers! You'll have to read the book to find out. If you've been reading the rest of the series you definitely will want to know what happens. I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than the first and about the same as the second. I liked Danika and Reyes a lot more than previous couplings, but I found myself frustrated at how little of the sidestories there was in this one after being given so much in the last one. In the end I was a bit disappointed that only small sections gave us more story related to Paris and Sienna, Aeron and Legion, Torin and Cameo, as well as the other Lords. I really wanted to get more sidestory and there just wasn't enough this time. Truth be told Legion was pretty much my favorite part of the book and I felt like Cronus had a weird personality change from his previous scenes.

This book was definitely a pleasure and a pain (puns totally intended!), so if you are following the series snap it up quick. If you've not read The Darkest Night (#1) and The Darkest Kiss (#2) I don't think you could really enjoy the story behind this book because there are too many unknown factors you'd need to know from the other two for even the romance to make a lot of sense so check them out!

I first started reading this series by accident and it was the best mistake I've ever made (so far). While I can understand why some people would not like this product, I did. After the first book, I was hooked. The characters were easy to identify with and the dialogue kept me entertained. Despite the fact the book is a little unrealistic (the men are wonderful) you find yourself actually thinking the characters could actually exist.

When I read about the characters and the character relationships, I was drawn into it more. Although this is a romance (and there is plenty of that), the book is also about friendship and the bonds it forms.

Now, the one bad thing: You start to find yourself getting jealous of the women!

I really liked these books. I suggest you read them in order or you will be somewhat lost. I liked the overall idea of warriors, gods and demons. I can't wait for the next book about Sabin. I hope Ms. Showalter will write one about Paris with Sienna (maybe he can get her back?) and Torin with Cameo. I recommend these books!

I'm beyond sighing. Now I'm just mad at myself for reading another in this series when I knew what I was getting. Now we're reading about the romance between Reyes, who is inhabited by the demon Pain, and his mate, Dannika, who is some kind of psychic that can travel between dimensions but doesn't know it until late in the book. Reyes can only experience pleasure if he is in pain, so there's a lot of borderline BDSM stuff going on here, but never anything that falls completely into that category. Dannika is pretty much an idiot, like the other heroines in the other two books. Everyone is running around trying to find artifacts to lead them to Pandora's box so they can destroy it before their enemies find it and use it to destroy them. A VERY BAD GUY shows up in the middle of the book and it's the first time we ever have met him, so maybe the author figured out that something was lacking. I guess I will never know since I have run out of patience with this series and will not try any more. Although the heroes are OK, the heroines are freaking idiots and the plots are mostly predictable and too much like much better books by J.R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon. No more, thanks!

At the beginning of the series I was a little let down by the Darkest Night, but I have to say the last two books have been absolutely amazing. I think The Darkest Pleasure is my favorite book in this series, the level of detail is great and in the end everything really pulls together. All I have to say is keep them coming and it is going to be painful to wait till May 09' for the next book. Oh well...I will just have to read Acheron a hundred times till then.

I am really happy that i enjoyed this book. Reyes and Danika were just so sweet. When i read and reviewed the 2nd book i think Gena made a big mistake with the character of Anya. But i love gena's work and i have really enjoyed her new series. Book 3 is a sweet romance!

I, too, was eagerly waiting Reyes story. This was a good read; but, really very little was written on Reyes & Danika. They seemed more of a 'backdrop' to set up future storylines/books in the series; which Ms. Showalter alluded to in the front of the book.

One might even think Paris was the subject of this book; not to give too much away. A lot of 'backstory' was crammed into this book.

Aeron was also a big portion of the book and his conflict was both torturous and laugh out loud funny. Sabin has gotten more and more intriguing and I look forward to his book.

Compared to Maddox and Lucien's stories; I felt letdown by Reyes'. I was eagerly looking forward to his and Danika's first sexual encounter and the build up was excellent; THEN that story just came to a dead stop and it was several chapters later before the author got back to them.

So, yes, I think it is a good 'buy'and hopefully the future books stay truer to the Lord of the Underworld in question.

This third book in Showalter's new series is just as good, if not better, than the first two. "Darkest Pleasure" took longer for me to get really into the story, but once it had me, I couldn't put it down!
Reyes is the keeper of the demon Pain, which leads him to self-mutilate in order to keep from hurting others. He's fallen for a human woman named Danika, whose entire family has been targeted for excution by the Titans, and one of Reyes's brothers is sent to complete the task. The beginning is a little choppy since a few weeks have apparently passed since the conclusion of "Darkest Kiss" and it takes a bit to figure out all that's going on.
What's interesting in this book is that the reader's been able to see the two main character's stories develop through Darkest Night and Darkest Kiss. It makes you care more about what happens to them and want their happy ending.
Showalter sets up several more plotlines in this book, which hopefully means this series will continue on for awhile. With such an intersting concept, I'll have no problem buying them all.

What can I say that hasn't already been said...read the first two first! This one is as fantastic as the first two....I didn't think I'd like Danika and Reyes as much but once the story started going I was hooked! The only downer that I can see is that the next in the series isn't listed as coming out til 2009! I'm anxiously waiting for the next in the series and hope that Ms. Showalter decides to write one about Aeron...as his character is amazing ;)

I was really looking forward to reading this 3rd installment. I was a bit disappointed. For one thing a lot of these characters, especially the men, act the exact same way. I feel like I'm reading about different women but with the same guys. Each man has a different demon but she seems to write them having the same personality. There really is nothing to differentiate them except their names and their demons. I do like these books but I'm tired of the same descriptions for these male characters. If you read this book alone it would probably be pretty darned good but if you've read the others you may get a feeling of deja vu.

I bought the first three books in a bunch. A lot of money for a lot of promise. Paranormal romance, mythical gods and goddess, a cursed bunch of elite warriors and the "women" and "goddesses" who want them and love them. What is not to like about this premise?
It turns out a lot. Poor writing. Terrible characters. Dialogue that is bordering on "C" movie cheesey "Me Tarzan, you Jane". Plot lines that are choppy and nonsensical. Worst of all, characters you despise and sex scenes that are painful to read.
Where were the author's friends and authors to help her edit and help her to make the stories interesting and fun? After all, paranormal romance gives the author a whole world of fun to play in, not some dark dank depressing dungeon. I know that the author has legions of fans and she is laughing all the way to the bank, but when I compare these books to Patricia Briggs, Lara Adrian, Charlaine Harris, Jeannine Frost, JR Ward, they are very very poor and a waste of money and paper.

Sometimes it is hard to branch out and find a new author that you will like. I find myself reading the same books and authors over and over, and I was desperate for something new. I loved this book, and all of the books in the series. I will buy more from this author in the future, and these books are going on my keeper shelf.

Maybe I expected too much. Book three was such a disappointment, I wish I had borrowed it. I found Danika confused, head strong to the point of stupidity and tiring. Reyes was a wishy washy drama queen. Nothing will make me appreciate this male character. This book did nothing for me. The sex wasn't even good. The first two had promise, book three lost me. Showalter usually never disappoints. I hope this series gets better, but I'll just borrow the books from this series. And stick to her alien books. So far with those books so good. I don't do many reviews, I've been told I'm a harsh critic. I read to be entertained. This book did not entertain me and it gets no where near my keeper shelf.

I have enjoyed the 3 books in the series, but has anyone else noticed a striking similarity with J. R. Ward's Vampire Brotherhood series. I have enjoyed Ward's books much more.

This series seems to be a copy cat with a few changes thrown in.

Still not sure this is a 4 since I skipped to the end and skimmed over the last several chapters. Some great characters and wonderful story - but introducing a new villian 3 books in kind of annoys me. I'm in no rush to get involved in another 13- 14 book story arc (a la Anita Blake, etc) It is a good read but I can wait for next year.

Paranormal romance at it's best. If you enjoyed Darkest Night, and Darkest Kissed, you will LOVE Darkest Pleasure! If you haven't read them yet, what are you waiting for?

"He can bear any pain but the thought of losing her...

Reyes is a man possessed. Bound by the demon of pain, he is forbidden to know pleasure. Yet he craves a mortal woman, Danika Ford, more than breath and will do anything to claim her--even defy the gods.

Danika is on the run. For months, she's eluded the Lords of the Underworld, immortal warriors who won't rest until she and her family have been destroyed. But her dreams are haunted by Reyes, the warrior whose searing touch she can't forget. Yet a future together could mean death to all they both hold dear. . ."

[...]

I just loved Reyes and Danika's story because it shows how love can conquer anything; even a demon!!!! The story was well written and the scenes were just plain STEAMY!! Keep the Lords coming, Gena!!!!