About the Book:
Title: Eternal Rider
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: Lords of Deliverance #1
Page Length: 416
Publication Date: Aug. 9, 2022
Publisher: Forever
Synopsis: His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls, too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.
Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can’t—or won’t—understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both his safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet.
For staving off eternal darkness requires a staggering cost: Cara’s life.
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My Review:
Eternal Rider is the first book in the Lords of Deliverance series, and it follows Ares, one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and Cara, a woman inadvertently pulled into a battle to save the world. Ares and Cara are both layered and compelling characters who show a lot of growth over the course of the story, and their love story is steamy and swoon-worthy.
Ares and Cara have a lot of reasons to fight their feelings for each other. Being near Cara makes Ares weaker, and he can’t protect her as well as he wishes. Cara also has a target on her back after being pulled into this supernatural war. However, their chemistry is explosive from the start. I love how being with Cara brings out a more tender side of Ares. He begins feeling things he never felt before, and the exploration of these new feelings is life-changing for him. With Ares’s influence, Cara becomes more confident and fiery, and their conversations are filled with great banter. They have a steamy romance, and once they give into their feelings, watch out!!
I also liked the sibling relationship in the story. Ares and his siblings are very close, and they do everything they can to be there for and protect each other. It’s clear they have a strong bond, and it devastates Ares especially when his efforts fail. Other relationships and characters in the story are also interesting, including the members of Ares’s household and the other humans and supernatural characters that help Ares and Cara. And I never thought I’d find a hellhound endearing, but Cara’s relationship with a hellhound puppy is so special that I kind of want one of my own. Her connection to animals in general is really cool!
The story has a ton of action and suspenseful moments, and the world-building is great. The story has such an intriguing premise, and the plot is vivid and layered and has several unexpected twists. It’s never a dull moment for Cara and Ares, and their journey takes them to many different places, both on Earth and elsewhere. I love the unique settings, and the author’s writing style pulls you right into this intense world and story.
I would definitely recommend checking out the content warnings before reading the book. There are many aspects of the story that could prove triggering for readers, and there are a couple of scenes that went a little too far for me. Also, though it is a new series, it’s a spin-off of another series, and I did find myself getting confused at times about the secondary characters and their relationships. There are a lot of characters, many of whom were protagonists of their own stories in the other series, and as much as I’m intrigued by them, I did mix them up a bit.
If you’re looking for a steamy paranormal romance with a ton of action, suspense, and intrigue, you should definitely check this one out. Special thanks to Orbit Books and Forever Publishing for gifting me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance.
- The world-building.
- The fantasy-paranormal elements.
Recommendations:
I would recommend Eternal Rider to readers who enjoy spicy paranormal romance, and I would also recommend checking the content warnings before reading.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a “great” fantasy/paranormal romance. And, I have a print ARC!
Nice! I hope you enjoy it! I’ll keep an eye out for your review.