Lethal Rider: Number 3 in series (Lords of Deliverance) [Paperback]

Lethal Rider is the third book in Larissa Ione's Lords of Deliverance series so this review will contain spoilers for previous books. Larissa is one of my favourite authors so if you're new to her work then I would highly recommend her but I would suggest starting with Pleasure Unbound, the first book in her Demonica series and then reading the books in order. I don't think these books are so easy to read as stand alone stories because there are so many interlinking characters and plot threads. It is well worth investing time into reading them though because they are some of my favourite books! If you don't want to pick up spoilers for the previous books then I'd suggest you stop reading this review now.

Ever since he was betrayed by Regan and his subsequent rage caused the deaths of hundreds of people Thanatos has been held prisoner by his siblings Ares and Limos. Using hellhound saliva to keep him paralysed wasn't an easy decision for them to make but they feared for the safety of his unborn child if he was allowed free and they can't afford the possibility that something might happen to break his seal and turn him into Death. Regan has spent the last 8 months reliving the last night she spent with Than, she is horrified with her actions now that she has had time to reflect on what happened and can't believe what she did to him. She feels that she deserves to be punished and knows that one day Than will find her and take his vengeance, she just hopes to give birth to her baby and find a safe home for him before that day happens. When Than escapes from his siblings the first thing he does is go searching for Regan, determined to make her pay for her sins. The last thing he expects is to find her on the verge of giving birth - and to discover that he is soon to become a father. He may be annoyed at Regan but the thought of becoming a father is like a dream come true and he would do anything to keep his unborn son safe. With a prophecy declaring that the baby will either cause Armageddon or prevent it everyone wants a piece of Regan and not all of them have clear motives. Than is going to need the assistance of his family and their friends if he wants a chance to keep the baby safe and if they are to have any hope of bringing Pestilence down before the end of the world.

It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of Larissa Ione, I adore her Demonica series and I have loved the Lords of Deliverance books just as much but I have to confess that Than is now my new favourite Horseman! I have to admit that I was a bit worried about the idea of Regan being the heroine of the story, I just wasn't sure if I'd be able to forgive her for what she did to Than in Immortal Rider. However, as much as what she did was inexcusable the fact that you can see how much remorse she has for her actions made me soften towards her. Then as you discover more about what actually happened that night you start to realise that she might not have been quite as responsible for everything as you thought she was.

I have had a thing for Than ever since we were first introduced to him so it feels like I've been waiting a long time for his story. It was well worth the wait though and I now have a new favourite book in the series! Than was just adorable - yes he's the most dangerous of the Horsemen but he's also sexy as hell and incredibly sweet and caring towards Regan and his unborn baby. Regan also surprised me, the more you learn about her background the easier it is to understand her actions and relate to her. She never had a traditional, loving family so the idea of motherhood terrifies her, she is also scared to trust Than - especially considering the history between them - because she doesn't think she deserves happiness. As scared as she is by the idea of motherhood she is still very protective of her son and wants the very best for him. Than has always dreamed of one day having a family of his own but never thought it would happen so finding out Regan is pregnant comes as a wonderful shock to him. They both have very different ideas on what is best for their son and they have a lot of trust issues to work on but I really enjoyed watching them work things out. It's great that they actually talk through their issues rather than ignore them and it makes them a stronger couple in the long run. I wasn't sure how much heat to expect between these two considering Regan isn't far from giving birth but Than was celibate for over a thousand years and he is more than ready to start making up for lost time!

The ongoing story with Pestilence trying to usher in the end of the world was full of action and took a few surprising twists. We were able to catch up with our favourite demon brothers and their mates, Than's siblings and most of the other characters we've grown to know and love. It's always great to see how the main characters are getting on after the ending of their book and that is one of the things I love so much about this series. I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on Rogue Rider. It will be interesting to see how Larissa Ione goes about making Pestilence (Reseph) a deserving hero after all of the horrific things he has done throughout the series. However, if anyone can convince me he deserves a HEA then she can!

I love this author and have read many of her books. This one is part of a series that is linked to the Demonica series and they are brilliant too.

What I love about the Lords of Deliverance series is that it ties in with Larissa's Demonica series perfectly and I love that (shame more authors dont do it)

Anywho.... The characters were brilliant and I loved both Than's nasty attitude and his naivity, cute! It sort of balanced him a little. The Aegis... I like where they are going as in the bad side of the Aegis. Are the two factions going to war against each other? Are the angels going to kick off too? And lets not mention the Fallen :)

There are so many ways for Larissa to proceed with her writing and I will be following her every step of the way.

Well Done Larissa!