Review: Angel Betrayed

Reviewed by Jen
 

Growing up under the watchful eye of a punishment angel, Saline has been using her succubus gifts against the wicked since she was a teenager.  But her latest mark is someone more powerful than she has ever encountered. Sammael is a fallen angel, capable of killing with just one touch.  He sees through the wiles that usually work on other men --and quickly she realizes he could be the way to get her out from under Rogziel's thumb.

Thanks to her succubus gifts, a physical relationship develops right away for Saline and Sam.  That quickly evolves into a partnership as Saline agrees to help Sam track down his brother Azrael in exchange for his help in gaining her freedom.  But even as they work together and share passion, trust is slow to come. And though they start out using each other for their own ends, it becomes something much more between them.

One of the things I liked best about this book was that this was no instant-love story.  The feelings between Sam and Saline develop slowly over time.  Sammael is this hardened, deadly weapon.  Anyone who has ever truly known him has feared him, but not Saline.  It's just this pure passion... and hope that he can help her gain her freedom.  He could kill her with barely a thought, but even when he figures out he is her target, he doesn't.  He remains guarded, but at the same time recognizes something between them that he doesn't want to let go.  He's growly and bad-ass and I really enjoyed him.

Saline has grown up surrounded by lies and violence, but she still knows right from wrong.  She does a good job balancing her morality with her need to survive.  I thought she was likeable and did the best she could with the hand she was dealt.

The sex is really hot in this story, as you'd probably expect with a succubus heroine. There's also a lot of action and an interesting plot --with a cool twist at the end.  This is the second book in The Fallen series. The main characters from book one do make an appearance, but I think it was easy to jump in as a new a reader.  The world here is rich with secondary characters, primed and ready for their own stories.  That includes Tomas, a fallen guardian angel in love with his charge... as well as Sam's brother Azrael, who did some bad things in book one, but has turned himself around.

I liked it. And I'll pick up book three when it comes out.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Angel Betrayed

by Cynthia Eden

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Publisher: Brava