RAZIEL (THE FALLEN) is the sexy, intriguing first book of a new trilogy by Kristina Douglas, new pen-name for fan favorite Anne Stuart.

When Allie Watson, a headstrong, biblical thriller author, gets smacked by a bus, it's Raziel, the flame-allergic, sexy Fallen angel's job to escort her on to her next life. It starts as a routine mission of soul retrieval and deposit, but then at the last minute, something feels different, almost familiar and he balks at tossing her into the fiery flames of hell. Raziel has a choice, risk his life and alter the course of Allie's destiny or stay on the path as designed by the unforgiving, dictator-esque archangel Uriel.

The plot rapidly proceeds from that point to tell the story of the Fallen, a host of blood-sucking, disobedient angels living on borrowed time while awaiting their divine punishment at the hands of the Attila-like archangel Uriel. The chemistry between Raziel and Allie is palpable and intense and while they fight the mounting tension, it is clear from early on that they are each others, "bonded mates."

There are several secondary relationships in the book that do not distract from the main story, but gently add to the tension and help flesh out the sub-world created by Douglas.

Pleasurable, sexy, and tightly written, RAZIEL (THE FALLEN) was an enjoyable read that ran somewhat contrary to traditional Judeo-Christian teaching, lying somewhere in the valley between Biblical Apocrypha and the paranormal world established by the Twilight series and Charlene Harris' True Blood series. Fans of both series will sink their teeth into this story and happily await the second offering in June 2011.