Review: Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver

Title: Sins of the Heart
Author: Eve Silver
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Series: Otherkin Trilogy #1
Review At: AtM, Goodreads, Amazon
Received By: Requested by myself through NetGalley

~*~Synopsis from Goodreads~*~

National bestselling author Eve Silver returns with a darkly sexy new series about forbidden alliances... and inescapable desires.

As the son of Sutekh, the lord of evil, Dagan Krayle is one of the most powerful soul reapers. Dagan intends to use every ounce of his power to find his brother's remains and punish those responsible for his brutal death. But he must move swiftly-and carefully-if he is to have any chance of bringing his brother back to this world, because his enemy is on the hunt.

Otherkin Roxy Tam will stop at nothing to keep the soul reapers from resurrecting Dagan's brother. To allow Sutekh access to his remains would wreak havoc and destruction on the mortal world...and would be her unforgivable failure.

Roxy Tam is a nineteen-year-old girl when she meets Dagan Krayle for the first time. A meeting of chance and fate, a misfortune for both. He is a soul reaper, a harvester of dark souls. His emotions are few, yet finds interest and intrigue by the spitfire young girl being held hostage by the same charge who's soul he's there to reap. Letting people see his face, and what he is and does -- especially in the presence of a mortal-- is unheard of. Nobody lives. However, the conflicting way Roxy shakes in fear, yet stands vehemently strong and defiant towards him, after she's witnessed him taking the lives of her captors, intrigues him beyond anything he's ever known. He feels something more towards this girl, something without definition, leaving him to break every known rule in the book-- he lets her live and demands that she live out a safe and happy future.

But, Roxy is something more. A destiny already waiting to happen, to unfold, even prior to her chance meeting with Dagan. After being abandoned at the age of five and shuffled through foster care, Roxy's young life has been shaped and molded into that of a hard survivor. She's willful to a fault, tragically vulnerable, and emotionally scarred. During her chance meeting with mysterious and deadly Dagan, an unpredicted event takes place leaving her craving his presence, protection, and touch. Dreams that haunt her both in sleep and awake hours. Even after eleven years since her release from her captor, they still torment and seduce her.

However, she is not alone in the odd, connected, and sensual dreams. Dagan has also played victim to them during the eleven year lapse since he last saw Roxy Tam. She is the first person to ever hold a place in his memory. But just as fate brought them together once in the past, it has done so again in the future. 

One of Dagan's brothers is dead and a sense of foul play clouds the event of his death. As a son of one of the most powerful and feared underworld gods, his death points toward a group of his father's enemies. Dagan begins to follow those leads, which much to his surprise and disappointment, leads him right to his enemy. The Otherkin. Roxy Tam. Both Dagan and Roxy now find themselves in a precarious situation. Give in to their deepest desires and feelings, or betray their family and kind. 

Ms. Silver does a fantastic job at weaving two stubborn, victimized, vulnerable, and powerful protagonists into a deliciously dysfunctional relationship! This is not one of those mushy, gushy romances. It's real and fits the dynamics of the characters. It's an attraction that's forbidden, and yet undeniable. However, I would have loved to see a little more time spent exploring them as a pair when they finally do give in to desire. Another chapter or two would have been perfect!  

However sexy and unique their development may be, it is not the only strong connection that is obviously present. The bond between Dagan and his bothers is subtlety powerful with a core of loyalty. In a world where 'family' is often only a word without true action, it makes for a wonderfully refreshing take on what happens when fate defies reality in the demon world.

Sins of the Heart is created with mythology in mind, thus packed full of mythological and fictional names and descriptions. Sometimes it gets a little challenging to remember who was who, but to me, that was part of the adventure. In my opinion, knowing that this is the first book in a trilogy, it is expected that a lot of information would be necessary to set the stage.

The setting and secondary characters are also unique to this 'Underworld' and 'Topworld' exploration. Chapters alternate between two Topworld locations: Oklahoma and Toronto, as well as the different areas ruled in the Underworld. And the secondary characters consist of supernatural creatures that act as both protagonists and antagonists. It is apparent that Ms. Silver does a great job at creating well developed characters. 

While the relationship of Dagan and Roxy is wrapped up at the end of this first book--although abruptly, there are many questions left unanswered, setting up the next book of the series, Sins of the Soul, in which the hero will be Dagan's brother, Alastor *mmmm*.

~*~Final Thoughts~*~

Sins of the Heart is deliciously dark and sensual. There's deceit, betrayal, passion, and friendship, all rolled up into this mythologically adventurous tale that will leave you turning the pages and getting lost in the battle of creatures found on both earth and below. Anyone who seeks a paranormal romance with urban fantasy characteristics, enjoys unique characters, and doesn't mind taking a walk on the dark side, will get swept away and craving more of this continuing tale. I know that I personally will be looking forward to the follow up books in this trilogy!

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