The love story was great. There was chemistry between the characters and they weren't too lovey-dovey throughout the book. There was a sense of excitement, urgency and a bit of humor thrown in as well.
The plot was predictable.
Dance with the Devil is the third book in the Dark Hunter series written by paranormal romance author Sherrilyn Kenyon. It was released on December 1, 2003.
Zarek, a Roman slave, had been treated like an animal when he was alive. Despite the fact that he was half-royal, he was abused and treated with contempt. A whipping boy for his half-brothers, who didn’t care about him, he never fought against them, not knowing a different or better life. Born as a slave and killed as a slave. With his soul crying for vengeance, he was enlisted in Artemis’s private army – the Dark Hunters. He was now immortal, but it seems his torture still continued. Assigned in Alaska, the most desolate place Artemis could think of, he lived in isolation; punished for a crime that he had done a few centuries ago. A part of him feels like he’s slowly going crazy. Everyone hated him, feared him and avoided him. So when Acheron sent him to New Orleans as back-up for the Mardi Gras, he never wanted to leave the bustling city and the warmth. When everything goes wrong, he was sent back to Alaska, back to his cold life. Alone.
Astrid had felt nothing for a while now. She could barely remember feeling anything. As the god doling out justice for her mother Themis, she had judged all to be guilty. When Artemis and Acheron showed up and asked her to judge a Dark Hunter named Zarek, she obliged them. Her decision will be at the expense of Zarek’s life. So she was very aware that she needed to be sure that he could not be redeemed. She set herself up to live alone with a wolf as a companion. Unexpectedly, Zarek dropped out of nowhere hurt and bleeding, so she took care of him. As days passed, she was more curious about him than ever. There was just something more inside of him. Someone who was different from what she was made to believe by Artemis. Who was the man behind the facade? Is he really worth saving?
This was the first book in the series that told a more cruel and brutal story. It was also one of the most moving ones. I liked this story in a lot of ways. The character of Zarek had never known love in his life. I admired him in this book because of how he lifted himself out of the abuse he was dealt with. His way of coping, however, was very human. In a way, it was very easy to relate to Zarek. The story was both heart-wrenching and exciting. There is someone who poses a danger to both Zarek and Astrid, but I won’t be a spoiler. The love story between Astrid and Zarek was beautiful. She managed to see beyond the mask that he wore to the man underneath. Zarek certainly knew how to treat a woman! The story was exciting since there was a sense of urgency in it as well as action.
I have to say though that the book was predictable. There wasn’t some major twist in it that would make a reader gasp. Regardless, I loved the story. I also consider as one of the sweetest love story, without making me gag.
For those who are looking for a balance of strong male and kind female characters, this is your book. The “wounded hero” is a cliché of romance stories, but I definitely enjoyed it in this book.. I was charmed by the characters, moved by Zarek’s past and learned something new from the story. I would recommend it not only for paranormal romance readers, but for other romance readers out there as well. For those who have read it, what do you think?
