Bedeviled (Portals of Destiny Book 1)

Darium Blackseed, the Sin Eater of the land of Mura, believes he’s supposed to live out his destiny—eating souls and eventually sacrificing his soul into The Dark Abyss. However, fate seems to have another plan for this Sin Eater. Talia-Glenn is an Elemental of Earth, and when she encounters Darium in a life-or-death situation, she finds herself drawn to the man, something she’s never experienced before. However, along with these protagonists juggling their secret feelings, they’re thrown another new challenge: there’s a tear in the veil between two worlds, which allows dark spirits from the Land of the Dead to cross over. This couple must do everything they can to close that portal before their world is destroyed by demons.

This inviting, love-at-first-sight romance will pull readers into a dark world of mystical creatures and steep connections. The plotline is hard to keep up with as the majority of the world building is crammed at the beginning. However, the author manages to balance things by drawing out further explanations and introducing other characters a little bit later in the book. The chaotic jumps are what may throw the reader off—it has a lot of action which keeps the story flowing, but it ends up being too much to keep up with. The author matches the pace with a steady inclusion of new characters though, allowing the readers to get to know how each side-character will influence the tale. Unfortunately, the romance just feels rushed and forced. It does become smoother towards the end, so at the climax of the story, the reader is on the edge of their seat, instantly wanting more.

Austen Grace