Review: Tempt Me With Darkness

Tempt Me With Darkness is the first book in Shayla Black’s Doomsday Brethren story.  It features Marrok, who was a knight for King Arthur when he slept with the witch Morganna. After he loved her, he left her. And in her rage, she cursed him to an immortality without the ability to ever find satisfaction.

15 centuries later, he sees a woman in a dream that reminds him of Morganna.  The very next day, he meets Olivia, the woman from that dream. He thinks she is Morganna in disguise, but she is actually a descendant of the le Fey line.  There is a strong attraction between Marrok and Olivia and they quickly consummate their relationship and become mated.  We learn that the book Morganna used to curse Marrok is very powerful. A really twisted and powerful wizard, Matthias, has been revived by his followers after a long absence. He wants the so-called Doomsday Book to use for his own ends.

A good wizard, Bram, takes it upon himself to form the so-called Doomsday Brethren, a group of wizards devoted to protecting the book and fighting Matthias.  The Brethren also take on the cause of protecting Olivia –as she may be the key to using the powerful book.

The dynamic between Marrok and Olivia is kind of sad as it plays out. Each is filled with fear that they are unloveable and that causes them to doubt each other’s feelings and motivations. But with part of the book’s mythology, witches and wizards gain energy from sex, so there is a built-in hot factor throughout. The love scenes were steamy and frequent… though not overwhelming in relation to the plot. It takes a long time for our couple to get past their baggage, but the story surrounding them was interesting and the sex was hot enough to keep me reading.

I liked the concept of the series and will definitely check out Seduce Me in Shadow. Almost 4 stars.