5 Wine Glass #Review of Darkest Heart by Juliette Cross

Title: Darkest Heart
Series: Dominion #1
Author: Juliette Cross
Format: Kindle Edition, 265 pages
Published: August 20th 2018 by Entangled: Amara
ISBN: ASIN B07G13C74Z
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Author
Rating: 5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Wrong side of heaven...right side of redemption.

Anya—a stoic, blue-winged angelic warrior— was bitten by a demon prince in battle, and now she has precious little time to find a cure for his deadly venom. But the only archangel with the power to stop the dark poison from corrupting her body and soul is missing. She’ll have to trust her guide, the outcast high demon Dommiel, who is as handsome as he is dangerous if she has any hope.

An outcast of his own kind, high demon Dommiel stays under cover while the war between angels and demons rages on. But when the only person who ever showed him kindness asks for his help, he has no choice but to try to save the angel. Venturing back into the dens he has avoided for so long, Anya makes him want and feel things he never thought possible.

But Dommiel knows there is no way an angel can ever love a demon… 

Linda's Thoughts:
“I'm not really what you'd call a damsel in distress."
"I hate fucking damsels. Always in such distress. Who wants a high-maintenance girl like that?”

Darkest Heart by Juliette Cross is the first fantastic installment in the author’s new Dominion series. I discovered Juliette’s books this past year with her awesome Vampire Blood series. I inhaled them all quickly and couldn’t wait to read more from her! So, you can understand why I was eager to dive into Darkest Heart and I was not disappointed in the least! To tell the truth, I was a little afraid at first as I’m not normally a fan of angels in my paranormal romances, but this engrossing tale is a huge exception as the chemistry between Dommiel, our demonic hero, and Anya, our angelic heroine, set my kindle aflame! My sole complaint is that I didn’t want their story to end.

You should know that the Darkest Heart shares some characters with Juliette’s Vessel Trilogy and her Age of Grey series. As this tale begins, we quickly discover that Dommiel shares a blood vow with vessel Genevieve who serves the light. He actually meets Anya when he responds to Genevieve’s summons. Genevieve needs Dommiel’s help in finding Uriel, a powerful archangel who is missing. We also learn that Earth is ground zero in a war between angels and demons. Unfortunately, humans are in the crosshairs between the light and dark and, as with all wars, it’s not a pretty picture. Tragically, the human race faces extinction if the war continues raging much longer.

Now, please don’t worry if you haven’t read any of the associated books. Darkest Heart is meant to be a stand alone read. Juliette discloses everything you need to know to fully enjoy Darkest Heart, all the while sneakily whetting your appetite to go back and read every juicy detail in the other series – which is just what I plan to do soon!

I fell in love with bad boy Dommiel from the very beginning. His back story pulled at my heart strings as it is leaked as the tale progresses.
Dommiel was previously the high demon of New Orleans, but was deposed in a coup. He’s now supporting the resistance behind the scenes and considered a traitor by his own kind. Dommiel doesn’t hesitate to step up at Genevieve’s request for assistance even though he knows that he may not survive the endeavor. However, he is not happy in the least about being paired with Anya, an extremely focused virginal angel who inspires him to yearn for the light – something he’s not done in eons. He’s a book boyfriend that I’d love to keep and savor.

Anya took a little longer to worm into my heart as I mistakenly saw her as a goody two shoes. She used to be a guardian angel looking over defenseless orphans and has evolved to be an accomplished, focused warrior. Unfortunately, in a recent battle, she was bitten by an evil demon prince and his poison will make her a slave to him for all eternity once it reaches her heart. Uriel is her only hope; Only he can heal her. I love how the longer she’s with Dommiel, she sees and brings forth the good in him. As an angel, she’s never been tempted by bodily pleasures. But, Dommiel awakens this part of her and she finds that she wants to experience it all with him. They already share a deep abiding loneliness. The longer they are together, their bond strengthens and they become more aware that their place is to be hand in hand.  I found myself desperately – against all odds - pulling for both of them. Unfortunately, demons and angels aren’t normally destined for a happy ending.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from the Darkest Heart:

“If you try anything, I’ll take out the pretty eye you have left.”
He reached out and wrapped his hand around mine, rough and warm. “You think my eye is pretty, do you?” He winked. “Flattery will get you everywhere, baby.”
---

“I miss the stars the most. They give off their light, completely unaware or heedless of the life and death taking place beneath them. It doesn’t matter to them whether the angels win this war. Or the demons. Whether the whole world burns. In the end, they’ll still be there. Constant and true.”
---

There was no way where this ended well. Where I ended whole. I was sure of it as I was sure demons danced in hell. And they did.

Darkest Heart is an entertaining and exciting paranormal romance straddling the angelic and demonic worlds. It’s first and foremost a romance between two dynamic opposing forces – the light and the dark. But, it’s also an action-packed quest teeming with twists and turns amidst ever-present danger and suspense. Juliette keeps you on the edge until the very end. Darkest Heart is an emotional and passionate roller coaster ride to an epic ending that you won’t want to miss! I love a good tale of redemption and highly recommend Darkest Heart to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance!



Suggested Reading Order:
Each book in the Dominion series works well as a STANDALONE:
* The Deepest Well (Age of Grey #1 AND Dominion prequel)
* Darkest Heart (Dominion #1)