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Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. Suspense. HTML:FORBIDDEN TEMPTATIONSSerena Kelley is an archaeologist and treasure hunter-and a woman with a secret. Since she was seven, she's been the keeper of a powerful charm that grants her health and immortality . . . as long as she stays a virgin. But Serena isn't all that innocent. And when a dangerously handsome stranger brings her to the brink of ecstasy, she wonders if she's finally met the one man she cannot resist.
FATAL DESIRES
Wraith is a Seminus show more demon with a death wish. But when an old enemy poisons him, he must find Serena and persuade her to give him the only known antidote in the universe-her charm. Yet, as she begins to surrender to his seductions and Wraith senses the cure is within his grasp, he realizes a horrible truth: He's falling for the woman whose life he must take in order to save his own. show less
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Now that his brothers, Eidolon and Shade, have found mates and their evil brother, Roag, has been dealt with, Wraith can get back to doing what he does best—think of himself. Except now he knows the effects his past transgressions have had on his brothers and maybe, just maybe, they're the only people he cares about enough to try and curb his bad-boy ways. Now post s'genesis he should be controlled by just one urge. But when he's poisoned and no cure exists the one thing he should be obsessed with has to hit the backburner. He has to find Serena Kelley, a human marked by angels, and get her to willingly give up her virginity to him. If he can do that the charm that protects her will be passed to him saving him from death. The only show more problem is that once he does that, the illness her mark protects her from will kill her.
As if that isn't enough trouble, someone else wants Serena's charm and there's mysterious unrest within Sheoul (hell). Something cataclismic is brewing and only Wraith and Serena can stop it... if they live long enough. In the end the human and demon races may just have to put aside their differences to save the world!
There is so much plot packed into this book that giving a decent summary without too much spoilerishness was tough. If you've been reading the Demonica series already you've probably been looking forward to seeing how Ione would settle down her devil-may-care brother. Fortunately, she's found an excellent way to deliver a great urban fantasy story with touches of Indiana Jones-esque adventure that makes the romance between Wraith and Serena come together very seamlessly. At first I will admit I wasn't so sure about the pairing based on personalities but as the story went on they grew on me a lot. I'm not a big fan of 'virgin' plot devices but this one really suited the Demonica realm.
Once again, Ione does a fabulous job of keeping the romance and the adventure parts of the story in balance, a feat not easily done but becoming more and more popular in paranormal romances. For readers who prefer a straight-up romance where outside plot is secondary this book might be a stinker, the romance does occasionally feel secondary to the saving-the-world story. What really won me as a reader this time around was the surprises Ione threw in. Once you read the book you'll probably know exactly which ones I am thinking of and enjoy them as well. Any reader who likes not seeing a little something coming will be happy to know there were a few here.
Overall, I loved Passion Unleashed. It was filled with romance, adventure and loads of sexual tension (and yes, hot sex too!). If this was the end of a trilogy I'd say it ties up the trio nicely but I'm glad to say this one leaves us with plenty of room for more Demonica novels to come. show less
As if that isn't enough trouble, someone else wants Serena's charm and there's mysterious unrest within Sheoul (hell). Something cataclismic is brewing and only Wraith and Serena can stop it... if they live long enough. In the end the human and demon races may just have to put aside their differences to save the world!
There is so much plot packed into this book that giving a decent summary without too much spoilerishness was tough. If you've been reading the Demonica series already you've probably been looking forward to seeing how Ione would settle down her devil-may-care brother. Fortunately, she's found an excellent way to deliver a great urban fantasy story with touches of Indiana Jones-esque adventure that makes the romance between Wraith and Serena come together very seamlessly. At first I will admit I wasn't so sure about the pairing based on personalities but as the story went on they grew on me a lot. I'm not a big fan of 'virgin' plot devices but this one really suited the Demonica realm.
Once again, Ione does a fabulous job of keeping the romance and the adventure parts of the story in balance, a feat not easily done but becoming more and more popular in paranormal romances. For readers who prefer a straight-up romance where outside plot is secondary this book might be a stinker, the romance does occasionally feel secondary to the saving-the-world story. What really won me as a reader this time around was the surprises Ione threw in. Once you read the book you'll probably know exactly which ones I am thinking of and enjoy them as well. Any reader who likes not seeing a little something coming will be happy to know there were a few here.
Overall, I loved Passion Unleashed. It was filled with romance, adventure and loads of sexual tension (and yes, hot sex too!). If this was the end of a trilogy I'd say it ties up the trio nicely but I'm glad to say this one leaves us with plenty of room for more Demonica novels to come. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.After watching Wraith stalk through the first two Demonica novels, just about the most damaged, unrepentant bad boy one could imagine meeting in a romance novel, I was really curious to see how Ione would turn him around in PASSION UNLEASHED. I was even more curious because the blurb explains that the heroine, Serena, is a virgin - not just a virgin-by-choice, but a virgin-by-necessity. For reasons the book explains in detail but I'll skip here, she'll die if she has sex. Meanwhile, Wraith will die if he doesn't have sex with her. That is quite a conundrum.
There was a teeny part of me that felt a little cheated here. Teeny, because I really liked how the book unfolded and I was satisfied by it. Cheated because Wraith, the most show more incubus-y of all the incubus brothers, the only one to go through the s'genesis without a mate, is also the only one to find a loophole that allows him to go for days at a time without having sex. Because Wraith is dying and weak, his sex drive isn't quite up to par. This particular story, with all its Catch-22s, would have been impossible without the loophole...but it made Wraith a little less Wraithy.
We've gotten to know Wraith (in earlier books) as a pretty selfish guy who acts without thinking and doesn't do well with responsibility. Turning him into a hero we'll root for means putting him through the wringer, making him see the error of his ways. At the same time, reforming a bad boy doesn't mean giving him a personality transplant. I think this is a pretty delicate line for an author to walk, and Ione succeeds brilliantly here. She develops Wraith's feelings toward Serena slowly and naturally, and because of the virgin/dying problem, he can only act on his feelings through selfless behavior. It's kind of the opposite of how most romance novels go, where the more the H/H love one another the more likely they are to have sex. In PASSION UNLEASHED, the more Wraith loves Serena the *less* likely he is to have sex with her.
I have to admit that I've been surprised by how much I like this series. I thought it would be kind of trashy erotica, and it's nice and steamy, but it's also a lot more. I'm really hooked on the big issues that span the series now, totally into the backstory and complexities of the Demonica world, and I like the way that every romance poses some pretty knotty problems for the H/H to overcome. The solution to Wraith and Serena's seemingly insoluble problem is pretty brilliant, something that should have been obvious from the get-go but wasn't, and was particularly appropriate to Wraith's character and challenges. show less
There was a teeny part of me that felt a little cheated here. Teeny, because I really liked how the book unfolded and I was satisfied by it. Cheated because Wraith, the most show more incubus-y of all the incubus brothers, the only one to go through the s'genesis without a mate, is also the only one to find a loophole that allows him to go for days at a time without having sex. Because Wraith is dying and weak, his sex drive isn't quite up to par. This particular story, with all its Catch-22s, would have been impossible without the loophole...but it made Wraith a little less Wraithy.
We've gotten to know Wraith (in earlier books) as a pretty selfish guy who acts without thinking and doesn't do well with responsibility. Turning him into a hero we'll root for means putting him through the wringer, making him see the error of his ways. At the same time, reforming a bad boy doesn't mean giving him a personality transplant. I think this is a pretty delicate line for an author to walk, and Ione succeeds brilliantly here. She develops Wraith's feelings toward Serena slowly and naturally, and because of the virgin/dying problem, he can only act on his feelings through selfless behavior. It's kind of the opposite of how most romance novels go, where the more the H/H love one another the more likely they are to have sex. In PASSION UNLEASHED, the more Wraith loves Serena the *less* likely he is to have sex with her.
I have to admit that I've been surprised by how much I like this series. I thought it would be kind of trashy erotica, and it's nice and steamy, but it's also a lot more. I'm really hooked on the big issues that span the series now, totally into the backstory and complexities of the Demonica world, and I like the way that every romance poses some pretty knotty problems for the H/H to overcome. The solution to Wraith and Serena's seemingly insoluble problem is pretty brilliant, something that should have been obvious from the get-go but wasn't, and was particularly appropriate to Wraith's character and challenges. show less
Hoo wee! Talk about hot! I have to admit at first I was a little hesitant when I saw the glossary at the beginning of the book. Usually I cringe when I see glossaries because I wonder just how complex the story is going to get but I loved Wraith and the chemistry between he and Serena is sizzling. It was a given of course that Serena and Wraith would fall for each other so the big question was who was going to die and if there was some sort of loop hole that could keep the two of them together. A wonderful story and not only did I love watching Serena and Wraith grow closer but it also made me eager to read the rest of Ione’s books to find out the stories of the other characters. Definitely a book to check out.
The third, and thankfully not last (Ione's website shows there will be at least two more) book in Larissa Ione's Demonica series is just as good as the prior two. Ione must have the magic touch, since this series is amazing. The Demonica series future installments are now must-reads for me.
Coming into this, Wraith was my least favorite brother. He was mean, angry, and dangerous. He is not only a seminus demon, but a vampire as well. He kills people all the time, and preys on junkies to get high off the drugs in their bloodstream. He doesn't want to work at the hospital, takes off for weeks or months at a time, and seems not to care about anyone or anything besides his brothers.
When he is injected with an incurable poison, Wraith and his show more brothers find out that he will die soon ... unless they can obtain an immortality and health charm from a woman who will die if she loses it. The brothers decide Wraith's life is worth more than the woman's, and Wraith ventures to Egypt to seduce her.
Serena, holder of the charm and also a very powerful necklace, was bitten by a demon as a girl. When the doctors told her mother she would surely die, her mother passed the charm down to Serena to save her life. Serena will lose the charm and die from the disease if she has sex, so she's remained a virgin all this time. On the hunt for a lost artifact, Serena meets Wraith in Egypt, where he is impersonating the ex Aegis guardian she should be traveling with.
Wraith begins using his charms on Serena immediately. As each day passes, the poison makes him sicker and sicker, and he hides it from Serena. He also defends her from the demons who are attacking her and attempting to take her charm and the necklace, making excuses to himself and his brothers as to why he hasn't slept with Serena yet. During their time together, Wraith and Serena get to know each other. Wraith, who has never cared for anyone besides his brothers, especially not a human, finds himself with conflicting feelings towards Serena.
Back at Underworld General, the hospital is falling apart. Windows break, walls crack, equipment and electricity stop working. The brothers realize this is related to Wraith's illness, and if he dies, not only will the hospital collapse, Eidolon and Shade will die as well. This revelation renews Wraith's need to take Serena's virginity, but more is going on in the world than their problems.
It turns out demons are preparing for the apocalypse, which will occur if Serena is relieved of her charm and the necklace by a very powerful demon, Byzamoth, that is stalking her. Byzamoth wants to wipe humans off the face of the earth, and both sides are preparing for a bloody battle. In this book, Kynan and Gem finally get resolution. Also, there are bloody, violent battles. There are incredibly sexy trysts. The fascinating world that Ione has created continues to layer new and interesting people and stories on top of the solid foundation she's laid out.
Larissa Ione's Demonica series is outstanding. She does an amazing job of creating a new and exciting world, populated by well-fleshed out characters, and driven by a storyline that offers the reader both romance and a great plot. I thought Wraith would be impossible to like, but Ione pulled it off wonderfully. Passion Unleashed is another home run. show less
Coming into this, Wraith was my least favorite brother. He was mean, angry, and dangerous. He is not only a seminus demon, but a vampire as well. He kills people all the time, and preys on junkies to get high off the drugs in their bloodstream. He doesn't want to work at the hospital, takes off for weeks or months at a time, and seems not to care about anyone or anything besides his brothers.
When he is injected with an incurable poison, Wraith and his show more brothers find out that he will die soon ... unless they can obtain an immortality and health charm from a woman who will die if she loses it. The brothers decide Wraith's life is worth more than the woman's, and Wraith ventures to Egypt to seduce her.
Serena, holder of the charm and also a very powerful necklace, was bitten by a demon as a girl. When the doctors told her mother she would surely die, her mother passed the charm down to Serena to save her life. Serena will lose the charm and die from the disease if she has sex, so she's remained a virgin all this time. On the hunt for a lost artifact, Serena meets Wraith in Egypt, where he is impersonating the ex Aegis guardian she should be traveling with.
Wraith begins using his charms on Serena immediately. As each day passes, the poison makes him sicker and sicker, and he hides it from Serena. He also defends her from the demons who are attacking her and attempting to take her charm and the necklace, making excuses to himself and his brothers as to why he hasn't slept with Serena yet. During their time together, Wraith and Serena get to know each other. Wraith, who has never cared for anyone besides his brothers, especially not a human, finds himself with conflicting feelings towards Serena.
Back at Underworld General, the hospital is falling apart. Windows break, walls crack, equipment and electricity stop working. The brothers realize this is related to Wraith's illness, and if he dies, not only will the hospital collapse, Eidolon and Shade will die as well. This revelation renews Wraith's need to take Serena's virginity, but more is going on in the world than their problems.
It turns out demons are preparing for the apocalypse, which will occur if Serena is relieved of her charm and the necklace by a very powerful demon, Byzamoth, that is stalking her. Byzamoth wants to wipe humans off the face of the earth, and both sides are preparing for a bloody battle. In this book, Kynan and Gem finally get resolution. Also, there are bloody, violent battles. There are incredibly sexy trysts. The fascinating world that Ione has created continues to layer new and interesting people and stories on top of the solid foundation she's laid out.
Larissa Ione's Demonica series is outstanding. She does an amazing job of creating a new and exciting world, populated by well-fleshed out characters, and driven by a storyline that offers the reader both romance and a great plot. I thought Wraith would be impossible to like, but Ione pulled it off wonderfully. Passion Unleashed is another home run. show less
Quick & Dirty: Great characters, a plot rich in emotion and humor make this an unforgettable romance.
Opening Sentence: There were three things Wraith did well: hunt, fight, and fuck. He was going to do all three tonight. In exactly that order.
The Review:
The Demonica series remains delightfully entertaining. Ms. Ione does a fabulous job weaving a complex plot and delivering excellent characterization. I also enjoy reading about the evolution of previous characters and their relationships. There’s plenty of intrigue, suspense, and sizzling chemistry in Passion Unleashed to keep you turning the pages.
This third installment tells the story of Wraith and Serena Kelley. Wraith is a Seminus demon with some very deep issues. Insatiable lust show more and madness are the least of his worries now that he’s been poisoned. His options for a cure are very limited, and against his better judgment he agrees to fulfill his duties to his brothers. He knows that the stakes are high and that his time is running out. If Wraith dies, his brothers and Underworld General Hospital will be destroyed as well. Serena was given a very powerful charm when she was a little girl because her life was in danger. As long as she remains a chaste, the charm will protect her, giving her health and immortality. Unfortunately, everything seems to be falling apart at the same time. The impending demon and human war is right around the corner. Underworld General is on the verge of collapsing and the hospital staff is fleeing at every turn. Will Serena willingly give up her life and her charm to have a fleeting moment with Wraith or will he be able to walk away and embrace his death and deliver certain death to his brothers?
Eidolon was my favorite brother, but Wraith completely won me over. He lives his life very much in the moment. Even though he begins with a very specific task, he finds it hard to be so cold and calculating when it comes to Serena. He knows that he must seduce Serena so that he can save his own life, but in doing so she will die. Wraith’s character grows tremendously throughout this story. Even though he fights his feelings for Serena every step of the way, he realizes that he can no longer be selfish, arrogant and consumed with fulfilling his own needs.
Serena shines in her own right because of her strength and depth of character. She’s able to stand up to Wraith when most of us would crumble. The romance and the connection that they share is phenomenal, and the danger and conflicts are real. Serena is just as surprised as Wraith by their emotions and feelings for each other. None of her trials and tribulations could have prepared her for what she experiences with Wraith. Serena is a great heroine with whom readers will become invested.
Passion Unleashed is a captivating and deeply romantic story. Ms. Ione continues to create characters so engaging and vibrant that you’ll have a hard time letting them go. This fast-paced story will leave you breathless until the very end.
Notable Scene:
His smile was pure male triumph as he took his hands from her shoulders and braced them high above her head so he was caging her in but not touching her. She had to tilt her head back to look at him, and she wondered if she looked the way she felt, like a mouse trapped by a cat.
Slowly, he leaned in, sinking to his forearms against the wall. He was close, so close she could feel the heat radiating from him, could hear the soft intakes of each breath even over the pounding of her pulse in her ears.
His mouth descended. Her knees shook, and thank God she was propped against the wall, because she felt like she could fall over at any moment. Panic wrapped around her chest like a steel band, and no, she couldn’t do this. Something told her she’d never be the same–
His lips claimed hers, not gently. Ravenously. Unapologetically. As if he did this all the time, and she supposed he did.
“Open for me.” His voice, a husky, resonant command, had her obeying without a second thought, and in an instant, he took what he wanted. His tongue slipped inside her mouth to stroke her teeth, the roof of her mouth, and then it slid against her tongue in a fierce, wet caress.
Her body ached, arching without her consent as though seeking his, but he still didn’t touch her–the only physical contact between them was where their mouths connected.
The Demonica Series:
1. Pleasure Unbound
2. Desire Unchained
3. Passion Unleashed
4. Eternity Embraced
5. Ecstasy Unveiled
6. Sin Undone
FTC Advisory: I purchased by own copy of Passion Unleashed. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site. show less
Opening Sentence: There were three things Wraith did well: hunt, fight, and fuck. He was going to do all three tonight. In exactly that order.
The Review:
The Demonica series remains delightfully entertaining. Ms. Ione does a fabulous job weaving a complex plot and delivering excellent characterization. I also enjoy reading about the evolution of previous characters and their relationships. There’s plenty of intrigue, suspense, and sizzling chemistry in Passion Unleashed to keep you turning the pages.
This third installment tells the story of Wraith and Serena Kelley. Wraith is a Seminus demon with some very deep issues. Insatiable lust show more and madness are the least of his worries now that he’s been poisoned. His options for a cure are very limited, and against his better judgment he agrees to fulfill his duties to his brothers. He knows that the stakes are high and that his time is running out. If Wraith dies, his brothers and Underworld General Hospital will be destroyed as well. Serena was given a very powerful charm when she was a little girl because her life was in danger. As long as she remains a chaste, the charm will protect her, giving her health and immortality. Unfortunately, everything seems to be falling apart at the same time. The impending demon and human war is right around the corner. Underworld General is on the verge of collapsing and the hospital staff is fleeing at every turn. Will Serena willingly give up her life and her charm to have a fleeting moment with Wraith or will he be able to walk away and embrace his death and deliver certain death to his brothers?
Eidolon was my favorite brother, but Wraith completely won me over. He lives his life very much in the moment. Even though he begins with a very specific task, he finds it hard to be so cold and calculating when it comes to Serena. He knows that he must seduce Serena so that he can save his own life, but in doing so she will die. Wraith’s character grows tremendously throughout this story. Even though he fights his feelings for Serena every step of the way, he realizes that he can no longer be selfish, arrogant and consumed with fulfilling his own needs.
Serena shines in her own right because of her strength and depth of character. She’s able to stand up to Wraith when most of us would crumble. The romance and the connection that they share is phenomenal, and the danger and conflicts are real. Serena is just as surprised as Wraith by their emotions and feelings for each other. None of her trials and tribulations could have prepared her for what she experiences with Wraith. Serena is a great heroine with whom readers will become invested.
Passion Unleashed is a captivating and deeply romantic story. Ms. Ione continues to create characters so engaging and vibrant that you’ll have a hard time letting them go. This fast-paced story will leave you breathless until the very end.
Notable Scene:
His smile was pure male triumph as he took his hands from her shoulders and braced them high above her head so he was caging her in but not touching her. She had to tilt her head back to look at him, and she wondered if she looked the way she felt, like a mouse trapped by a cat.
Slowly, he leaned in, sinking to his forearms against the wall. He was close, so close she could feel the heat radiating from him, could hear the soft intakes of each breath even over the pounding of her pulse in her ears.
His mouth descended. Her knees shook, and thank God she was propped against the wall, because she felt like she could fall over at any moment. Panic wrapped around her chest like a steel band, and no, she couldn’t do this. Something told her she’d never be the same–
His lips claimed hers, not gently. Ravenously. Unapologetically. As if he did this all the time, and she supposed he did.
“Open for me.” His voice, a husky, resonant command, had her obeying without a second thought, and in an instant, he took what he wanted. His tongue slipped inside her mouth to stroke her teeth, the roof of her mouth, and then it slid against her tongue in a fierce, wet caress.
Her body ached, arching without her consent as though seeking his, but he still didn’t touch her–the only physical contact between them was where their mouths connected.
The Demonica Series:
1. Pleasure Unbound
2. Desire Unchained
3. Passion Unleashed
4. Eternity Embraced
5. Ecstasy Unveiled
6. Sin Undone
FTC Advisory: I purchased by own copy of Passion Unleashed. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site. show less
When I first opened Pleasure Unbound (Book 1) last year, I instantly fell in love with Ione's fantasy world, her writing, and her characters-- especially E. Face it, when you start such a spectacular series like this, it's hard not to fall for the first hero you are introduced to. He'll stick in your mind for the rest of the series, towards the top of your list, even as you are introduced to more sexy alpha males. And even as much as I loved Shade's book, (review here), E's story was still fresh in my mind, too. I thought it would stay that way forever...
...And then I started Wraith's book, Passion Unleashed, and E, poor E, was the last guy on my mind! :D
I love the bad guy appeal on a hero as much as the next person, but when we were show more first introduced to Wraith in book one, he was just a 'so-so' character. I think it was because we knew very little about him, and he seemed to (on the surface) not give a sh** about anyone else. But after reading even a few pages of his story, I was hooked-- I needed more Wraith. Wraith became my favorite of all the brothers, hands down. Not only because of his story, which was AMAZING, but also because of him, and the drastic change he makes in Passion Unleashed.
Besides my complete obsession with Wraith, I also enjoyed this book because of the story line-- Ione keeps us on the edge of the seat until the very end. Will they be able to find a way to keep Wraith (and the other two brothers) alive before it's too late? Will they be able to stop the demons from taking over?
Larissa Ione may not have as many books out as some of the other paranormal authors in the business, but the fan base that some authors accomplish after twenty years of books, I'm convinced that Ione can accomplish with only her Demonica series! Like all of her previous Demonica books, Passion Unleashed has everything-- touching romance, witty conversations, captivating story lines, full-blown paranormal themes (demons and vampires and werewolves, oh my!), and, of course, amazingly steamy love scenes. And be prepared for more than a few surprises along the way..... A new character comes into the story, and he'll play a big part in future books, I'm sure. ;) Really, what more do you need? Add in Wraith's interesting conversation and you have a picture perfect book. :)
I keep pressing 'delete' while writing this review, but no matter how long I stare at the computer and try to rewrite it, I'll never be able to do Passion Unleashed the justice it deserves. I can't even beginning to explain all the little things that made me love this book like I did, it's simply too hard! All I can say is if you've been waiting for Wraith's story from book one, you won't be disappointed! Wraith's story is hot hot hot, but it's still got a solid romance between the hero and heroine, it's not just pure lust driven sex 24/7. After all, for Wraith to change his ways like he does, you know that she's got to mean a lot to him!
5/5 STARS! Amazing, passionate... there are not enough good words in the world to describe it! But I will say this: if you thought that the Demonica series would end with Wraith, you're wrong. Like I said, a new hero comes into the story line in this book, and according to her website, she has another 2 books planned, though they won't be available until next year and the year after! ARRGH! There is no way I can survive the wait. Whatever will I do? Why, re-read Wraith's delicious story, of course! show less
...And then I started Wraith's book, Passion Unleashed, and E, poor E, was the last guy on my mind! :D
I love the bad guy appeal on a hero as much as the next person, but when we were show more first introduced to Wraith in book one, he was just a 'so-so' character. I think it was because we knew very little about him, and he seemed to (on the surface) not give a sh** about anyone else. But after reading even a few pages of his story, I was hooked-- I needed more Wraith. Wraith became my favorite of all the brothers, hands down. Not only because of his story, which was AMAZING, but also because of him, and the drastic change he makes in Passion Unleashed.
Besides my complete obsession with Wraith, I also enjoyed this book because of the story line-- Ione keeps us on the edge of the seat until the very end. Will they be able to find a way to keep Wraith (and the other two brothers) alive before it's too late? Will they be able to stop the demons from taking over?
Larissa Ione may not have as many books out as some of the other paranormal authors in the business, but the fan base that some authors accomplish after twenty years of books, I'm convinced that Ione can accomplish with only her Demonica series! Like all of her previous Demonica books, Passion Unleashed has everything-- touching romance, witty conversations, captivating story lines, full-blown paranormal themes (demons and vampires and werewolves, oh my!), and, of course, amazingly steamy love scenes. And be prepared for more than a few surprises along the way..... A new character comes into the story, and he'll play a big part in future books, I'm sure. ;) Really, what more do you need? Add in Wraith's interesting conversation and you have a picture perfect book. :)
I keep pressing 'delete' while writing this review, but no matter how long I stare at the computer and try to rewrite it, I'll never be able to do Passion Unleashed the justice it deserves. I can't even beginning to explain all the little things that made me love this book like I did, it's simply too hard! All I can say is if you've been waiting for Wraith's story from book one, you won't be disappointed! Wraith's story is hot hot hot, but it's still got a solid romance between the hero and heroine, it's not just pure lust driven sex 24/7. After all, for Wraith to change his ways like he does, you know that she's got to mean a lot to him!
5/5 STARS! Amazing, passionate... there are not enough good words in the world to describe it! But I will say this: if you thought that the Demonica series would end with Wraith, you're wrong. Like I said, a new hero comes into the story line in this book, and according to her website, she has another 2 books planned, though they won't be available until next year and the year after! ARRGH! There is no way I can survive the wait. Whatever will I do? Why, re-read Wraith's delicious story, of course! show less
YES! YES! YES! Excuse me, I'm having a private moment ;) I finished "Passion Unleashed" by Larissa Ione and I must say that this is one series I'm so very glad I'm hooked on. Her Demonica novels take place in an intricately built world, with enough differences from the raft of paranormals available to distinguish themselves. The characters are NOT one-dimensional caricatures of one creature or another...oh no, Ione has a vast selection of characters with multi-layered personalities on top of the traits attributable to their species and these differences from the average urban fantasy or paranormal romance today are just a couple of the things that make her novels stand-outs, IMHO :)
In "Passion Unleashed" we finally get the story of show more Wraith, a sex demon who's 'gotta have it'! So 'have it' he does...often and with vigor. He's the 'bad boy' of the three brothers we've read about so far and Ione certainly puts him to the test in his love story. Wraith has been infected with a poison that has no antidote. He's only got one chance to save his life...find the 'Chosen' virgin and 'deflower' her. Hey! He's a sex demon--no problem.
Serena is one of the 'Chosen'--she holds a relic that would be pivotal in the event of Armageddon. This same relic is all that protects her from an incurable disease she contracted at a young age. So holding on to her virginity isn't really a choice...it's the only thing keeping her alive. Good thing Armageddon isn't on the calendar, huh? Ummm, hold that thought. There's a fallen Angel turned renegade and he's after Serena's relic. So the chase...I mean race, is on. Oh, just one more thing. The fallen Angel can TAKE the relic from Serena, but Wraith will have to seduce it from her. But really, sex demon, no problem, right?
I don't mean to make this book sound like a light-heated paranormal romance, because it's not. Although there is much more humor in this story than the previous two, it's still a nail-biter of a suspense/action novel. And Ione doesn't let the action/suspense overcome the love aspect either. Both Wraith and Serena face life and death decisions that will affect not just themselves, but their friends, loved ones, and heck...the whole world! No pressure.
Others have reviewed "Passion Unleashed" and gone into more detail so I won't take up your time with more words. What I will say is that if you like urban fantasy, spicy paranormal romance, action and suspense, drama, and hot supernatural creatures...RUN, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up this whole series. show less
In "Passion Unleashed" we finally get the story of show more Wraith, a sex demon who's 'gotta have it'! So 'have it' he does...often and with vigor. He's the 'bad boy' of the three brothers we've read about so far and Ione certainly puts him to the test in his love story. Wraith has been infected with a poison that has no antidote. He's only got one chance to save his life...find the 'Chosen' virgin and 'deflower' her. Hey! He's a sex demon--no problem.
Serena is one of the 'Chosen'--she holds a relic that would be pivotal in the event of Armageddon. This same relic is all that protects her from an incurable disease she contracted at a young age. So holding on to her virginity isn't really a choice...it's the only thing keeping her alive. Good thing Armageddon isn't on the calendar, huh? Ummm, hold that thought. There's a fallen Angel turned renegade and he's after Serena's relic. So the chase...I mean race, is on. Oh, just one more thing. The fallen Angel can TAKE the relic from Serena, but Wraith will have to seduce it from her. But really, sex demon, no problem, right?
I don't mean to make this book sound like a light-heated paranormal romance, because it's not. Although there is much more humor in this story than the previous two, it's still a nail-biter of a suspense/action novel. And Ione doesn't let the action/suspense overcome the love aspect either. Both Wraith and Serena face life and death decisions that will affect not just themselves, but their friends, loved ones, and heck...the whole world! No pressure.
Others have reviewed "Passion Unleashed" and gone into more detail so I won't take up your time with more words. What I will say is that if you like urban fantasy, spicy paranormal romance, action and suspense, drama, and hot supernatural creatures...RUN, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up this whole series. show less
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Author Information
54+ Works 9,952 Members
Larissa Ione is a contemporary and paranormal romance author. Before she started writing novels, she worked on some military and National Weather Service technical manuals and wrote articles for The Canine Journal, Dog Fancy, and Writing-World.com. Her works include The Demonica series and the Lords of Deliverance series. She also writes under the show more pseudonym of Sydney Croft with her collaboration partner, Stephanie Tyler. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Larissa Ione is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
Some Editions
Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Passion Unleashed
- Original title
- Passion Unleashed
- Original publication date
- 2009-03-31
- People/Characters
- Wraith; Serena Kelley
- Important places
- Underworld General Hospital; New York, New York, USA; Egypt; Jerusalem; Alexandria, Egypt; Cairo, Egypt
- Dedication
- To Brennan, because without you, I would never have known the joy of being a mother, and I don't think my characters would, either. You're my world, Goob!
- First words
- There were three things Wraith did well: hunt, fight and f*ck.
- Quotations
- "Speaking of family," Wraith said to Shade, "when can I meet the nephews?" There was a long pause, too long, and Wraith added quickly, "I won't eat them or anything. I swear."
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Finished copy contains content not available in ARC copies -- a Demon compendium, extra information about the world and characters, and a short story.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)For all eternity. - Blurbers
- Lara Adrian; Emma Holly; Cheyenne McCray
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 922
- Popularity
- 29,001
- Reviews
- 55
- Rating
- (4.16)
- Languages
- English, French, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 12
- ASINs
- 6
