A Devil Named Desire [Mass Market Paperback]

Hope has lived with a lot of guilt over the years, starting when she was 12 years old with her parents untimely death. She and her sister were separated in the foster care system, then again two years ago when her sister went missing. Hope hits bottom when she is told her sister is most likely dead and does the unthinkable.

Gabriel, an Archangel and long time "friend" to Sammy Divine, knows Sammy is salvageable and capable of love, if only he can get Sammy to see it. Sammy feels Gabriel needs to see that Sammy was not completely at fault when he gave into temptation in the Garden of Eden.

One fateful day, Gabriel sees the Darkness following Hope and is determined to protect her from the Soul Eater. Gabriel and Hope's lives collide with help from Sammy Divine and begin spiraling together.

Once again Terri Garey succeeded in quenching my Sammy Divine thirst while giving us a great story about Gabe and Hope. I flew through this as I usually fly through Terri Garey's book and cannot wait until the next installment. I enjoyed seeing Nicki in this book and I find myself eating up any information as to how she is doing with her HEA :)

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A discovery of love, in all its many forms, along with brotherly ragging and child stubbornness.

Opening Sentence: The water in the bathtub was warm, soothing, and a beautiful shade of red.

The Review:

I have a confession to make. I wasn't sure whether or not I would enjoy a book where an Archangel gets down and dirty with a woman. It sounds similar to many of the other angel books available right now. Well, let me put your mind at ease. This is a wonderful book. The Archangel Gabriel's "down and dirty" is not so much smut, as it is romantic. Tastefully written and truly captivating, A Devil Named Desire is more about love and redemption for all creatures, even angels. I love a good biblically themed story and this one definitely delivers.

The Devil, known as Sammy Divine, is tired of his once brother, the Archangel Gabriel, harping on him. Sammy wants to teach Gabe a lesson in temptation and the power of physical desire. The Devil is petty and malicious and wants to put the angel in his place. But Gabriel has reminded Sammy of long forgotten emotions like love and longing, and whether he wants it or not, Sammy is influenced by them. You can see the difference in the way he treats his minions and goes about ruling his kingdom. Most of all, you can see the effects of having his son around. It's hard for Sammy to remain aloft when Cain is around for the love of a father for his child is hard to deny. Being a parent has definitely changed him; he just doesn't know if it's for the better or not. For a being that has been treated with deference for a millennium, he is now thwarted by a nine-year-old boy at every turn. Will Sammy's heart let this sweet child in? Can Sammy allow this kind of weakness in his kingdom? Is he willing to crush his son's gentle spirit for the sake of protecting him in Shoel? Will Sammy be able to reconcile his feelings before another enemy takes advantage of them?

Gabriel's love of Sammy and his hope for his brother's redemption has lead him to the vulnerable Hope Henderson. She had made a bargain with the devil and is in danger of losing her soul to the Darkness. Gabriel has vowed to protect her. He should have tried harder to protect himself, for Hope becomes the true temptation of his heart. Gabe must decide whether to remain apart from his "human" feelings toward Hope, or give in to his "humanity". I really like that Terri Garey allows Gabriel to remain true to his oath of loyalty to his father, the One. That his father gives him his humanity rather than watching Gabe fall from grace is truly something. It portrays God in a more loving light, and Gabriel's inner turmoil is given a compromise that doesn't necessarily have to be viewed as punishment, but more like an opportunity. It's a view of Fatherly, and heavenly, love that I can appreciate even if I don't follow the Lexicon. Will Gabriel take this opportunity to embrace love or will he too turn against his maker like Sammy? Could he have walked away from Hope and return to the heavens without regret? Can Gabriel's openness toward love help Sammy do the same?

Hope is a web designer that is riddled with guilt. She feels responsible for the loss of her sister, Charity, and can no longer bear the weight of disappointment. When, in a moment of weakness, she tries to kill herself, Sammy swoops in and makes her a bargain. If she will create a web site that allows his followers, the demons, to enter our world in mass, he will help her find her lost sister. Hope, like most of us, is full of good intentions, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. She is constantly making mistakes that have dire consequences. Even the simple choice to kiss Gabriel, knowing he is an angel, has lead to him becoming human. She eventually realizes that actions have consequences that saying "I'm sorry" won't fix. In the end, she accepts responsibility for herself and is willing to give her life for another. The love she has for her sister and Gabriel is what encourages her to become a better person.

This novel is packed full of understanding the other side of the coin; walk a mile in their shoes and all of that. Each of the main characters experiences firsthand the other person's reasons and possible motivations. Sammy rediscovers love, both parental and brotherly. Gabe develops an understanding of Sammy's perspective on humans and their lure and the motivations behind the anger toward the One. Hope recognizes that her and Charity's mistakes share similarities in their initial intentions and that bad choices are not necessarily the end of the world. Cain and Sammy learn to be a family and therefore open themselves up to others.

Love and redemption are possible for all, even for the Devil himself.

A great find, Ms. Garey delivers an inspiring tale of heavenly ideals coupled with earthly desires. Full of love and laughter, this book is definitely one to add to your must read pile.

The Devil's Bargain Series:

1. Devil Without a Cause

2. A Devil Named Desire

FTC Advisory: HarperCollins/Avon graciously provided me with a copy of A Devil Named Desire. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. I get paid only in hugs and kisses from my little boys.

This was a wonderful read. After reading the first Sammy book I couldn't wait for this one and it did not let me down. I hope Terry continues this series, it would seem she could go anywhere with it.Terry has a lot going on at times but it all ties together great. Fun read she takes you on a great ride.