THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS by Stephanie Chong is a
gritty, dark urban fantasy slash paranormal romance with a
heavy dose of heat between the two primary characters,
Brandon and Luciana. It is set in the romantic city of
Venice, Italy and the author describes it so well that it is
easy for readers to imagine being there. I could vividly
picture the characters running through the narrow
cobblestone alleyways with its rustic stone buildings and
curved ironwork and the gondolas swaying in the aquatic
streets of the beautiful and ancient Italian city. With such
a splendid scenic background, we get a rich story of two
souls seeking their own redemption.
Brandon Clarkson is an edgy ex-cop who was murdered on
the job and is now a guardian angel who still fights for
justice within a group of other angelic beings. Every night
Brandon has nightmares where he relives his death in painful
detail. He also isn't mindlessly obedient to his supervisors
and still questions why he came back as a guardian angel.
Brandon is sent out on an assignment to retrieve Luciana
Rosetti, a demoness who has escaped capture in the previous
book. Luciana has a reputation as a ruthless demon who
seduces men to get what she wants. Brandon may think that
his job is as simple as bringing in Luciana to answer for
her crimes, but he doesn't expect to see beyond the evil
exterior to something soft and vulnerable inside of her.
Luciana Rosetti is a rogue demoness and known among
other demons and angels as an expert with poisons. Luciana
has created a dangerous concoction that can kill other
demons or angels who are normally immortal. This makes her a
top priority for capture. She also has the ability to seduce
men by entering their dreams and yet she is an extremely
beautiful woman with all the physical charms necessary to
accomplish such a goal. When Brandon meets Luciana, he is
immediately struck by the intensity of her eyes and a
connection forms between them. Luciana struggles against
this connection and resists the idea that she has any
ability to redeem herself. Brandon and Luciana bounce
between embracing their supposed destiny and fighting their
nature as they learn that love and sacrifice don't always
mean you get what you want.
Ultimately, this story is about forgiving yourself for
past mistakes, no matter how great or small. THE DEMONESS OF
WAKING DREAMS is
one of few that I have read in a while that deals with the
female character seemingly being of a completely evil nature
until the layers are peeled back and you see from where her
anger and vengeance originates. Luciana sacrifices a young
woman in the book, an unconscionable act, and yet once we
learn her history we do see why she has turned so cold. Both
Luciana and Brandon share a passion that turns deeper than
lust and yet this story doesn't fall into the easy happily
ever after story ending. There is no easy way to
redemption in this novel and I admire Stephanie Chong for
going that route. This book is the second novel in the
Company of Angels series. I have not read book one, but
found I had no trouble seamlessly flowing into the story as
the previous novel focused on two different characters who
have minor roles here. I can't wait to learn more about
Luciana and Brandon in future books!
COME, SLEEP. COME, DREAMS. COME, DARKNESS. Ex-cop Brendan Clarkson is an angel with an edge. His tough exterior is the perfect camouflage for his job-hunting down the most dangerous criminals on earth. A self-reliant and demanding lone wolf, Brendan is the perfect angel to track and capture demoness Luciana Rossetti. Beneath the surface of Luciana's cool, green-eyed beauty lurks the heart of a malevolent killer. In the winding streets of Venice, she lures Brendan into her dark world of pleasure. They are perfectly matched. Angel and demon. Man and woman. But only one can win the battle of wills, of strength and of desire.
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