Review – ‘The Darkest Whisper’ by Gena Showalter

Blurb 

Bound by the demon of Doubt, Sabin unintentionally destroys even the most confident of lovers. So the immortal warrior spends his time on the battlefield instead of the bedroom, victory his only concern…until he meets Gwendolyn the Timid. One taste of the beautiful redhead, and he craves more.

Gwen, an immortal herself, always thought she’d fall for a kind human who wouldn’t rouse her darker side. But when Sabin frees her from prison, battling their enemies for the claim to Pandora’s box turns out to be nothing compared to the battle Sabin and Gwen will wage against love…

Review 

I forgot how much I actually like this book until I started reading it a second time. I was under the impression I didn’t like Gwen but I was totally wrong. She’s timid and scared of even her own shadow but only because she’s been babied her whole life by her well-meaning but overprotective older sisters and insulted by her mother who’s ashamed of her gentleness. Gwen is part Harpy and part demon, but she doesn’t know about her demon father. She always thought he was an angel.

Anyway, Sabin, the keeper of the demon of Doubt, rescues Gwen and a few other women from the Hunters’ captivity and it takes a while for their relationship to blossom. They’re attracted to one another, yes, but she’s so timid around dangerous men and all this brutal warrior cares about is the war between the Lords of the Underworld and the human Hunters, no matter who gets hurt. He doesn’t have time for romance, especially since his last lover died because she couldn’t handle his demon, Doubt. Their relationship is rocky throughout most of the book but it felt believable. I loved seeing Gwen, at first shy and awkward, grow and mature into a fighter, someone she always wanted to be. Her timidness, in fact, was a strength all on its own because that was the only way she knew how to control her darker side.

The only part of the book I didn’t really like was the stupid choice Gwen made at the end. After what happened to the Lords and Gideon especially while locked up by the Hunters, she had no right to let their enemy go. One other thing that bothered me, and is the reason why this story is knocked down a star, is that the two fight scenes at the end of the book felt rushed. I also couldn’t picture what was going on, especially the battle on the street in Budapest. There were so many people doing stuff, the words he and she were used more often than the names of the characters, and I didn’t know who was doing what and exactly where they were located. So many words and actions were omitted that I don’t know how some of the characters got from place to place.

Other than that, I really liked the story and the romance. The side characters are amazing as always. Paris is hooked on ambrosia and it’s just getting worse, but at least Aeron (who needs Legion to calm down from mild bloodlust now and then) and I think some of the other guys finally know about Sienna. We meet the Skyhawk sisters and though I liked them in this book, they’re not some of favorite characters in the series. Like Anya, they’re just too bitchy for my taste. Also, I think this story is funnier than the previous one, thanks to Anya, William and the Skyhawks.

Overall, this is a good story but a few scenes could be tightened up. Still, I’d probably read it again in a few years.

4 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.