November 2021 Book of the Month Giveaway

December 18, 2021 04:14 PM Posted by juliannadouglas

During November, I read five full-length books and one short story, but only one romance received the five-stars from me to be featured here. It’s a paranormal romance in a long-running favorite series by a favorite author, and it was a blast to read. Thousands of years ago, Yenreith and Verrine were the best of friends and were starting to become more than that, but lacking confidence due to her inexperience, Verrine pulled back a little from their romantic relationship. Yenreith, instead, was seduced by Lilith and slept with her on a whim, but little did he know that their tryst had created the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Eventually Yenreith’s memory was erased and many years later, he became the Unfallen Angel known as Reaver. Although heartbroken by his actions, when Verrine found out about the children, she vowed to always look after them and keep them safe, something that she accomplished by willingly becoming the Fallen Angel known as Harvester and working her way up through the ranks of Sheoul to become their Watcher.

Fast forward and this story begins with Harvester having been taken captive by Satan, who has commanded that she be tortured for all eternity for helping the heavenly side to narrowly avert an apocalypse. However, she’s trying to convince him that she acted alone, for if he finds evidence that Heaven sanctioned her actions, it will lead to a war between Heaven and Hell. Reaver now knows that he’s the father of the Horsemen and that he was the angel formerly known as Yenreith, but most of his memories are still missing. Believing that Harvester can help him fill in the blanks and also grateful to her for all she’s done for his children, he decides to mount a rescue, but knowing that it’s likely a suicide mission, he chooses to go alone except for three guides. After getting Harvester out and losing all his guides, they must continue by themselves on a dangerous “road trip” through Sheoul. Along the way, Reaver rediscovers some of his memories of Harvester, but when Harvester finds out that Reaver is actually her former love Yenreith, she’s hopping mad at him for the way he treated her all those centuries ago. But throughout their journey, they slowly begin to rekindle their feelings for one another until they know that they truly want to be together again. That may not be possible, though, given that Reaver will have to face the wrath of the archangels for his actions. Not to mention, Reaver’s rescue mission makes it abundantly clear to Satan that Heaven was indeed allied with Harvester in some way that will provoke all out war between good and evil. And then there’s the archangel, Raphael, who double-crosses them both for his own selfish reasons, leaving our star-crossed lovers a lot of obstacles to overcome to find an HEA.

Although the restoration of his memories don’t always paint a nice portrait of who he was as Yenreith, it’s abundantly obvious that Reaver has changed and grown over time to become a much more admirable hero. Although he can still be a naughty boy, breaking the rules, he’s usually doing it for a good reason. He’s also put his life on the line many times, so I felt like he more than deserved not only Harvester, but also the other impressive developments that came his way in this story. Most of all, I like the way he is with Harvester, showcasing a generous side of himself, always patient and gentle with her, but being uncompromising in never allowing her to hide from her emotions. He might have just become my favorite hero of the series so far. After spending so much time in Sheoul in her quest to become the Horsemen’s Sheoulic Watcher, Harvester has an intriguing dynamic between being hard-edged and tough as nails, while still having a little softness left at her core. She’s done many bad things she’s not proud of, but somewhere deep inside, she’s retained a kernel of goodness that flourishes as she spends more time with Reaver. Much like with Reaver, throughout the story, she demonstrates her selflessness by putting others first. Not only did she give up everything for his children but she also proves willing to give up a future with Reaver in order to save his life. Another thing I loved about her is that her word is her bond and she would never dream of breaking it, even if it costs her dearly. All of this made her a great match for Reaver and a very admirable heroine.

Throughout the series, I’ve had my doubts about Reaver and Harvester as a future couple, but after the big reveal at the end of the previous book, I actually started cheering for their pairing. I’d been eagerly looking forward to reading this book for a while, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint. I think it may now be my favorite book of the series so far. Reaver and Harvester as a couple had that perfect balance, still being just a little at odds, while slowly opening up to one another. In spite of past actions that weren’t all that admirable, they both proved their love for each other through their actions, as well as their loyalty to the Heavenly realm, while still retaining a little of the edge that makes them who they are now. Their story kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering first how they were going to make it out of Sheoul alive and later how they were going to overcome all the other obstacles that were thrown in their path. The author is masterful at plotting books that keep the stakes high, while also providing a hugely satisfying HEA ending. That’s why I’m naming Larissa Ione’s Reaver as my November Book of the Month. If you enjoy paranormal romance full of action, adventure and sizzling, swoony romance with a redemption arc for both the hero and heroine, then you should definitely give this book a try. Keep reading to learn how you can win a copy for your own library.

Reaver Book Cover

Cover Blurb-

WARRIOR OF HEAVEN
Reaver is an angel with a past, a record, and a less-than-heavenly attitude. Powerful enough to fight alongside the fiercest battle angels-and crazy enough to risk his wings on a one-way mission to hell-he's agreed to go where no angel has ever gone before...to steal the most seductive and dangerous prize of Satan himself.

ANGEL OF HELL
Harvester is one of the Fallen, a once-heroic angel who sacrificed her wings to work as an undercover agent in hell. But now her cover has been blown, and she's been doomed to an eternity of agonizing torture. Even if Reaver can snatch her away from Satan's lair, even if they can fight their way out of the underworld's darkest depths, there is one thing Harvester can never escape-her newfound thirst for an angel's blood...

Read my complete review of Reaver.

Giveaway
If you would like to win a copy of Reaver to see how wonderful it is for yourself, just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. One lucky winner will receive their choice of an eBook or print copy of the book. If the winner chooses an eBook, I will gift it to them via the eBook retailer of their choice (Amazon or B & N). If the winner chooses a print copy, I will have it mailed directly to them via Amazon. Good luck!

International Entrants: You are welcome to enter my contest, but please note that not all eBooks are available in all countries due to copyright restrictions. If this is the case, Amazon offers an option to trade for a gift card (I'm not sure about B & N). If you choose print, I can mail it to you via the Amazon website that services your country, pending availability and cost. Otherwise I will mail it to you via U. S. Amazon's standard international shipping, but it may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive, and I may not have the capability of tracking the package.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways

Tags: Larissa Ione