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Miss Layla Starling, the young, beautiful, and extremely wealthy heiress, is the talk of London. Until now, she's managed to evade the marriage noose. Despite the fact that she is unfortunately American, she's received a staggering number of offers. And turned down every one. St. John Evernight does not want to admit the relief he feels every time he hears that she has rejected one of her suitors. Which is unfair of him. Layla deserves to be happy. But he can not offer her happiness. He will never be normal, never be anything but a freak in her world. So St. John resolves to keep his distance, until he is recruited by the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals to guard Layla. For she is in grave danger, and he is about to learn the full extent of his powers.

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 28, 2016

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About the author

Kristen Callihan

27 books13.4k followers
Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she'd rather be. She is a RITA winner and three-time nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer's Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine's Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher's Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
Profile Image for WhiskeyintheJar.
1,367 reviews629 followers
July 5, 2016
****The giveaway I promised you all Reading Between the Wines book club
Good Luck!****


I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

While everyone calls St. John Evernight "Sin" he once had a childhood friend see him as a "Saint" instead. After years of being apart, Layla and Sin are about to have a reunion. With destinies that were decided long before they were born, these two are going to prove that fate is only what we make it.
 
"Right." Layla stood. "Precisely. Demons and werewolves and soul-sucking fiends." Her hands were clasped, knuckles white. "Simply another normal day in London."
 
A normal day for the seventh addition to Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series, which has elements of historical, paranormal, romance, and steampunk. Layla is the daughter of a former villainess in the series, Lena, and has no knowledge of the very real things that go bump in the night. Layla is starting to come into powers and as a very rare breed called "Damnation" her powers are coveted. Layla was a strong character with her forceful personality and will to fight, I really liked her. However, the author had her going in completely blind to all the creatures and storylines from the previous books and never really helps her out; if I was Layla, I would have demanded at least a cliff notes version. Having Layla clueless and unknown to the Darkest London world kept her on the outside of the overall story for me, even when she was the center focus for most of the story threads.
 
Archer studied Sin, who was tense and sullen once more. "I know well there are things of which a man cannot speak. Mistakes that take him down dark roads he cannot escape."
 
Sin, our hero, we have seen before and has a solid footing in the world. As a former secret spy for the fae queen Mab, his sisters (Miranda - Firelight, Daisy - Moonglow, Poppy - Winterblaze) have frozen him out of their lives. When last we saw him, he had finally broken free of Mab and now he is working with Augustus, Final Judgment and the father of the S.O.S. (Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals). Readers have seen Sin forged in the fire and his broody, moody, and not feeling good enough for Layla has real roots, which makes his character heartbreaking and darkly sexy.
 
A blast of heated air brushed over them as his jaw bunched. "So help me…" He took a breath. "You keep pushing me Layla, and eventually I will push back."
She took a step closer, her satin skirts swirling around his legs, the tips of her breasts nearly touching his chest. "So push."

 
Our main couple is Sin and Layla and on the back of Sin's pain and longing, you'll strive for this couple to come together. There are a few reminisces of when they were children to help show their bond but even though it seems their attachment had already been created off page, I really enjoyed how they interacted together. They had a true partnership, never once did I feel one was dominate or submissive to the other, they each had their low and high moments. Layla had to poke and prod Sin at times to help him overcome his emotions of not feeling good enough for her but this only created more spark and burn for their relationship.
 
There is a secondary couple consisting of Augustus and Lena that provides another romance but essentially is a broader means to help the author wrap up the series. While Augustus and Lena made appearances throughout the series, they were always to the sidelines. Here we find out that they were the puppeteers all along. With a great look from mainly Augustus, we see how as Final Judgment he can somewhat see into the future and how he manipulated and set-up all the chess pieces, our characters, to get to the moments in this story. It's a nice way for newcomers to get glimpses into previous storylines and the different supernaturals but mainly a fabulous way for series readers to revisit and gain better understanding to storylines and characters. Lena and Augustus' long, suffering, and enduring relationship was also a nice other side of the coin to Sin and Layla's fresh and young one.
 
And as they took to the night, Sin had to grin. A strange new world indeed.
 
This being the final book of the series, I did feel there were at times that the wholeness of it eclipsed Sin and Layla's relationship (as a reader of the series, I didn't mind), even though I also missed all the varied supernatural character appearances and visits to their haunts. This focused on wrapping up by not singularly concentrating on characters but the overreaching of Augustus. There are enough tidbits given about the Darkest London world, which newcomers could enjoy this book with focusing on Sin and Layla's relationship, but I would still highly suggest you start from the beginning to get the fullest enjoyment. Plus, the whole series is fantastic (Evernight was my favorite). Whether it was Damnation and Judgment having their epic battle, Sin learning to love himself enough in order to allow himself to love Layla, Augustus and Lena finding their way, or a past hero and heroine taking a new path in life, I was captivated by this story and world. This is the last of the series, and was a great wrap-up, but I can't stop myself from hoping that the ending leaves way for this "strange new world" to come to life in a future (perhaps contemporary?) series by this author.
Profile Image for Marta Cox.
2,683 reviews203 followers
May 24, 2016
It is with a heavy heart and quite a lot of sorrow that I write this review. This is the final book in the Darkest London series and it's a bittersweet ending. Fans will no doubt be clamouring to get their hands on this book but please if you are new to this author start with Firelight as its a journey you won't regret.
Ok this book kind of wraps so many storylines up so its not easy to review without humongous spoilers. It's predominantly about two lost souls reconnecting and seeing themselves in a whole new light. Sin has been a character cropping up in previous books and I suspect he has quite a fan base out there ! The readers have seen some of his struggles but now he faces his greatest challenge . The girl he loved as a boy is all grown up now and deserves the kind of happiness that the damaged Sin feels he could never offer . Yet there's a reason Layla is back in his life and his task is simply to protect her but can he save her from his own demons?
Layla is unaware of her true origins but her eyes get well and truly opened when she returns to London . Her guardian is convinced her life is in danger and suggests that Layla marries her childhood sweetheart Sin! Well for a start he is clearly horrified at the idea and if that wasn't bad enough just lately Layla is having somewhat unusual experiences! So into society Layla goes with the ever watchful Sin dogging her footsteps but secrets held for far too long are about to be revealed and it's not always a pretty sight!
Sin is a heartbreaking character and the path he has travelled has been far from easy. Actually even in this book he is still a reviled outcast in many ways so seeing him through Layla's eyes was a beautiful thing . Layla sees goodness in Sin, hopes for a future with him but truly has no idea of the depths of their emotional bond. The recalcitrant, stubborn Sin has truly met his match in Layla. She just doesn't give up on him. Always pushing his buttons , tenacious, determined to revive their deep friendship and ultimately Layla is as protective of Sin as he is of her.
As the last book it seems fitting that characters we have previously loved make an appearance here. There's the usual action and mystery yes but there's also emotional depth here with sadness but the author does not allow us to wallow. No , there is no time for despair as the crux of the story is reached and huge unexpected surprises burst upon the page. Yes it's romantic , yes there are hot scenes but the true joy is in learning that all these characters have found their place and as I read the last page I was incredibly happy to know that love found a way
I was gifted a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for h o l l i s .
2,556 reviews2,160 followers
March 23, 2018
Man, I'm kinda bummed over some mixed feelings for this one. If I focus on the series a whole, the coming together of the characters, and some of the new directions they know face in light of "the end", I really liked it. But some things felt rushed and as a result of complicated wrapping up of loose ends, and a few surprises, things did feel kind of rushed in FOREVERMORE. And nothing felt more rushed, and kind of neglected, as the main characters and their romance.

"You're brooding again."
"I'm not brooding. This is simply my face."

There was a simplicity to the romance, though, these two childhood bestfriends who had always kept a tendre for each other despite separation, distance, and unfortunate circumstances in the years since they'd seen each other. And I could appreciate Callihan keeping that simple because so many other things were messy and complicated. But ultimately there was a parallel romance, of a sorts, that interested me far more. And I actually could've had even more of that and been really happy because the complexity of that other connection far outweighed my interest in the younger pairing; Layla had a few moments of sweet charm but overall.. she was rather bland. And while I appreciated the direction the author went in identifying Sin's reason for being broody, his hurt, I guess it just felt a little too similar to Jack's story.. in a way. Different but similar. And the latter was far more compelling. Ultimately though these characters were just overshadowed by the rest of the cast and didn't stand out enough to make me feel for them the way Callihan made me feel for the others.

Despite all these converging bits, this was the shortest book of the series, not including the novella, and I'm bummed about that, too. There was room for more! But oh well. I am definitely sad to say goodbye to this series, and these characters, after this epic whirlwind five day binge but I am satisfied on the whole. There were some serious winners in Callihan's Darkest London books and actually I'm pretty tempted to add the first four (maybe five..) to my shelf. But I did think the books were running out of steam near the end and am glad the author wrapped this series when she did.

I might come back and round this rating up but for now it's sitting right between a three and a four and I'm leaning closer to the lower rating than not.
Profile Image for Caz.
2,869 reviews1,085 followers
September 24, 2016
I've given this an A- at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars rounded up.

I’m not a great reader of paranormals, but all the buzz and good reviews I’d seen for Firelight the first book in Kristen Callihan’s Darkest London series tempted me to read it; and once I did, I was totally hooked and have eagerly devoured all the subsequent instalments. Forevermore is the seventh and final chapter of the series; and because it pulls together a number of the seeds sown in the earlier novels and features several recurring characters, it’s not a book that will stand well on its own. That said, fans of the series are sure to enjoy it, as it contains all the elements which have made all the other titles such compelling reads; great characters, steamy love scenes, complex stories, lots of action and plenty of angst.

St. John (pronounced Sinjin - yes, it’s one of those weird pronunciation things we Brits so love!) Evernight is the younger brother of the three Ellis sisters, Miranda, Daisy and Poppy, whose stories were told in the first three books in the series. The sisters are all Elementals, able to control fire, earth and water respectively, but Sin, as the son of a powerful Elemental and a demi-god of chaos, is even more formidable than they are, and is able to control all the elements plus a lot more besides. In Soulbound, readers discovered that Sin had been manipulated into becoming a blood-slave of the seductive and evil queen of the fae, and that his sisters, not realising he was enslaved, had disowned him. But Sin’s being bound to Queen Mab allowed him, ultimately, to destroy her, and to assume even greater powers when he became an all-powerful being who is tasked with delivering the souls of evil-doers for final judgment.

After a short prologue which introduces the principals as children, the story proper opens with Sin pursuing an unknown entity through the darkened streets of London. It’s a being he has never encountered before and which he had discovered hunched over a freshly killed human body. Nothing is familiar about the creature, not the way it moves, or the way it smells – and certainly not the way it suddenly transforms upon capture, into a flock of birds, an ability that is extremely rare, even in Ms Callihan’s twilight world of shifters, angels, GIMs and demons.

Not long after this chase, Sin is reunited with his childhood friend, Layla Starling, a talented singer who has been gracing the stages of some of the worlds’ greatest opera houses. But something terrible is happening to her; she wakes from sleep covered in blood with no memory of who she is or what she is, her senses are heightened and she is scared she has become some kind of monster. On top of this, she can no longer sing, so she cancels all her engagements and heads back to London, intent on hiding herself away at her guardian’s house.

Layla’s guardian is Augustus, whom readers will recall is known as “Father” within the SOS and who helped Sin to free himself from Mab’s control. He is Sin’s mentor and has asked him to act as Layla’s bodyguard, knowing that she is being hunted by Damnation, the most powerful of all the demons. But first Layla must be told the truth about her origins, about the ‘other’ world of which she is part and about the fate from which Augustus is trying to save her. But when she learns who and what she is, will she be able to accept it? And complicating matters for her still further is Sin, strong and beautiful, his image the one she has carried with her always, the reason she has rejected all the marriage proposals to have come her way… and who has closed himself off to her, the boy she had once known all but disappeared.

Sin is as much in love with Layla as he ever was, but the years of his enslavement have profoundly affected him. Mab’s evil manipulations and machinations have left a dark stain on his soul, have left him without the family he longs for and filled him with self-loathing. All he knows of pleasure has been twisted into something sordid and he can’t bear the thought of tainting Layla by even the merest touch. Yet when he does touch her, he experiences something else, something that doesn’t speak of pain and humiliation and he begins to think that perhaps, if he can trust Layla with the truth about himself, she won’t reject him.

The author has introduced and continued numerous plot-threads throughout each novel, some of which are resolved by the end and some of which are carried forward to the next story. As Forevermore is the last in the series, it picks up a lot of these threads, which means that it’s a busy book – but somehow, it doesn’t feel TOO busy. It’s fast-paced, there is lots going on and there are several different PoVs, but the storylines are easy to follow and the balance between romance and action is just about right. As the showdown between good and evil looms ever closer, she knits those threads tightly together to bring the whole thing to a dramatic but gratifying conclusion.

I’ll readily admit to loving a good dollop of angst in whatever I read, so one of the things I’ve loved about this series is the high-stakes element given to the romances. Each couple faces a seemingly hopeless situation that threatens their futures together, and while that is also true of the relationship between Sin and Layla, the real rip-out-your-heart-and-stomp-on-it moments I so adore are actually found in the secondary plotlines. The truth about the relationship between the angel Augustus and the demon Lena is bitter-sweet and gorgeous in a heart-breaking way. Readers will recall that Lena has done many questionable things, not least of which was arranging the kidnap and torture of Jack Talent in Winterblaze Yet she and Augustus share some of the most incredibly beautiful and poignant moments in the story, and I don’t mind admitting that I may have shed a tear or two. The same is true of the small sub-plot featuring Archer and Miranda, who remain one of my favourite couples of the whole series.

Forevermore is by no means perfect. Sin’s progression from a man who dislikes being touched and whose only sexual experiences have made him feel unclean to one who is able to enter into a loving relationship and consummate it without a problem is rather fast – mind you, he’s an angel of judgement, so perhaps that’s normal! It was a bit of a stretch to be able to believe that Miranda, Daisy and Poppy couldn’t have worked out that Sin wasn’t with Mab of his own free will. And as I’ve found to be the case in the other books, the final resolution and all-round trouncing of the evil-doer comes a bit too easily. But when all’s said and done, those weren’t major issues and didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story one little bit. Forevermore ends on a high – literally – and brings the Darkest London series to a resounding and satisfying close. I was emotionally worn out but happy when I finished it.
Profile Image for Beth.
3,133 reviews281 followers
June 27, 2016
Callihan masterfully wraps up the Darkest London series with Forevermore, the seventh book in this series.

Layla is an extreme wealthy heiress, even though she is from America. She has had a huge influx of marriage proposal but none of the mean interest her like the St. John Evernight. Although, he has never proposed.

John, aka Sin, is conflicted between his desire to have Layla and his oddness. He wants her to have the best match but with his “powers” he will never be that man.

He is inducted into the Society, where he discovers a horrible plot to use Layla in the advancement of the evil the Society is fighting against.

Sin has a hard time coming to terms with his feelings but he will do everything in his power to protect Layla. Layla truly knows the art of pushing buttons and it’s a delight to read.

Tying in (pretty much) all past characters, Callihan brings us a tale of friendship and love.

Sexual tension followed by extremely steamy romance, makes this Historical, Scifi, fantasy jump off the pages straight into your imagination.

I received this ARC copy of Forevermore from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange of a honest review. This book is set for publication June 28, 2016.

My Review: 4 Stars

Written by: Kristen Callihan
Series: Darkest London
Sequence in Series: 7
Publisher: Piatkus Books
ISBN-10: 0349406111
ISBN-13: 978-0349406114
Genre: Scifi Historical Fantasy

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Itunes

Reviewed for:
Profile Image for Carmel (Rabid Reads).
706 reviews388 followers
June 27, 2016
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

In any given series readers can realistically expect there to be a couple of knockout installments, any more than that, and you KNOW that you’ve found a primo author. So, needless to say, Kristen Callihan’s impeccable record with her DARKEST LONDON books is beyond impressive. FOREVERMORE was the first and ONLY title that came in below her usual standards, but it was still a satisfying conclusion to a phenomenal ride.

Nearly all of the protagonists from the previous novels made an appearance in this last hurrah which is an important component in a final volume in my opinion. Archer and Miranda’s side thread was particularly poignant as was the long awaited reunion that occurred between the three Ellis sisters and their estranged brother, St. John Evernight. The author really hit all of the key notes that I was hoping for from that perspective.

This was more of a two-in-one love story which was a deviation from all of the other installments, and perhaps the author’s goal was to double-up on the romance for an especially rousing series ending. However, based on the blurb, and on earlier foreshadowing, I had my heart set on Sin and Layla’s happily-ever-after when in reality this book was primarily about Augustus and Lena with the other two as a somewhat secondary tangent.

St. John was allotted a decent amount of page time, but given his sordid past, and the magnitude of his transformation, it wasn’t nearly enough. Same thing went for Starling, she’s smacked by a very rude awakening, and yet eased into her new truth with minimal resistance. I did enjoy the addition of the angel / demon paranormal layer, and the way in which Callihan brought so many of the events from previous novels to a head.

FOREVERMORE was a good conclusion to an otherwise great series.
Profile Image for Mei.
1,882 reviews451 followers
July 4, 2016
Beautiful conclusion of the series!


Layla is a wonderful heroine who knows what she wants and what she has to do to get it! And what she was is her Sin, her old friend, her first love!

Sin is also in love with Layla since forever, but he's afraid of himself and his sins (and they're many... as we know from the previous books).

Sitll their love story is very touching. It's obvious that they're made for each other and even Augustus states it since the beginning. Only Sin is uncertain, but Layla soon manages in a very ingenious way to change his mind! :)

We get to meet again all the charactes from the previous books and many things are explained.

It was masterfully done and I loved everything!

There's a lot of action, a lot explanations given and some misteries solved. It was a pleasure to read!

I cannot avoid comparing this to Allegiance of Honor where the latter looses points... unfortunately... :(
Profile Image for Amanda.
1,388 reviews328 followers
June 20, 2016
What a great finale for the Darkest London series. I love how Kristen tied up all the loose end from Book 1 to Book 7 and gave us an epic showdown for her final book of the series.

Truth to be told, I only read Firelight and Evernight prior to reading this, but it doesn't take much for me to remember the London setting, the history and the previous characters.

The main couple in this book is St John Evernight, the youngest brother and black sheep of the Evernight's family and Layla Starling. They were both childhood friend, but got separated when Layla's guardian, Augustus decided to ship her away. Since their separation. St. John's life basically turned to hell with some of bad decision he made, which also caused a rift with his sisters.

Now that Layla all grown up and back in London, Augustus made it his mission to ensure Layla's safety by having St. John guarding her. Getting in close proximity with the girl of his dream is not conducive for his well being as he is having a hard time fighting his feelings for her, but he also can't be with her because of his past.

St. John is quite a tortured hero who thinks he didn't deserve someone as pure and innocent as Layla. His past although not being told in glory detail was enough to invoke great sympathy from me. Thank goodness Layla is a much stronger heroine who is persistent in going after what she wants. She refuse to let him rebuff her no matter how hard he tries. I love her for her unwavering trust and faith in him.

Apart from the main couple, the highlight of the story for me is actually Augustus and Lena's relationship. Their tumultuous non-relationship that span decades is full of angst, heartbreak, betrayal and etc etc that make me rooting for them. I just need Papa Augustus to have his HEA as well.

All the previous couples did make a small appearance here, especially Archer and Miranda. Their appearances act as a supporting role without overshadowing the main couple, which I appreciate. The final showdown with the villain was epic as expected with a little twist added in for extra flare.

For fans of Darkest London series, Forevermore is the finale that wouldn't want to miss.


Profile Image for AH.
2,005 reviews383 followers
July 26, 2016
So sad to see this series end. It's very hard to say goodbye to the Darkest London series, one of my favorites. If you have not yet had a chance to start this series, check out Firelight the first book in the series. Read them in order and marvel at the wonderful steampunk contraptions that form the backdrop to the series.

The series takes place in Victorian London, except this London has a whole lot of paranormal creatures running about. Forevermore was a solid installment to this series. St. John Evernight (Sin) meets his love Layla Starling. Actually, he's known her for a long time, they get reacquainted. The author really knows how to build up the sexual tension and the it makes you want to cheer on the lead couples. I loved how the characters are all related in some way or another and that you do get to see characters from previous books in this book. It does tie up loose ends rather well.

AH’s rating – 4 stars for the book, 5 stars for the series. Well worth it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for a review copy of this book.

Forevermore was featured on Badass Book Reviews AH's Mini Reviews/Summer Reading Picks.. Check it out!
Profile Image for -ya.
518 reviews64 followers
September 1, 2016
4-stars rating is for the series overall.

I am a bit sad to see Darkest London end but really satisfied with the conclusion to these seven PNR-steampunk stories. Although the world building can be a bit confusing throughout the series, there's definitely no shortage of interesting characters and engaging storylines.

Like many fans have commented before, I hope Kristen Callihan continues to give a fresh voice to the adult-PNR genre or perhaps venture into CR (minus NA) genre. Fingers crossed!
Profile Image for Joanna Loves Reading.
601 reviews244 followers
September 4, 2018
4.5 Stars

This was a great ending to a very fun series. The only thing that is keeping this at a four rather than five stars is the hero’s sisters behavior, who each had their own novel. They annoyed me, particularly Miranda. Otherwise, I loved this childhood sweethearts addition to the series. It provided good closure in this very well plotted series.

Thanks Sam for the Buddy Read!
Profile Image for Annie .
2,463 reviews946 followers
June 28, 2016


FOREVERMORE is book seven in the Darkest London series and I was excited to read this one because of the hero. St. John Evernight is one of the characters we’ve met before in the series. He’s probably not the most well-liked character, and you’ll know why if you’ve read the other books in the series, but I loved him. The most intriguing thing about his character is that he is a Judgment Angel, and therefore, many other fear him because he has the ability to really do some harm.

As I said, I loved Evernight. He was my favorite thing about the book. Kristen Callihan starts at the very beginning with Lena and Augustus actually. We see a little bit of their relationship and how Layla, the main heroine of this book, comes to be raised by Augustus. Then, we see how Layla and Sin actually meet. So we do get a good amount of detail to their backstory before the story even begins. It all helps, I think, in forging this bond between Lena and St. John.

However, I was expecting a little more. I would have liked to seen more of St. John’s power in this book. We already know what he’s capable of, but he’s a freaking angel! I wanted to see more of his badassery! Instead of being the main focus of the book, he almost seemed to follow Layla around, protecting her from various dangers.

The problem with that is, I didn’t fall for Layla as much as I hoped to. She comes across as intelligent and independent, but that actually stopped me from liking her so much. When she gets the news that Augustus is fading, instead of trying to be reasonable, she flees, causing St. John to go and follow her. She’s a little bratty, but that does tone down as the book goes on. Unfortunately by then, I wasn’t as invested in her character anymore.

We do see a lot of the previous characters in the series. I was especially thrilled to see more of Ian. He’s still my favorite hero of the series. But I think you can read this book and still be fine, just note that St. John has made a few appearances in the previous books.

Overall, I still really enjoyed this book. If you like your angel stories, this is a good one!
Profile Image for Kira.
1,250 reviews135 followers
June 25, 2016
I’m sad to see this series end, but this was definitely one of the better books in the series. Sin may be my favorite guy in the series. Then again I’m a sucker for a tortured hero. One bad choice as a kid trapped him in a horrible situation, and it drastically altered the course of his life. Most people gave up on him and believed the worst of him, and it all fed into his self loathing. Although emotionally damaged, he wasn’t a lost cause; with the right support he could learn to cope with his past.

Layla was a unique kind of demon. She exhibited some strange traits that made her sought after by some dangerous creatures. Sin was given the job of being her guardian, which was awkward since they were close as children but hadn’t seen each other in years. Layla was the complete opposite of what a demon is expected to be. She was honest and sweet and didn’t have a deceptive bone in her body.

Sin and Layla had good chemistry, but it was a very slow burning romance. It got to the point where I was dying for them to kiss let alone have sex. Although it was slightly frustrating, it worked plot wise. Sin had some serious issues to work through, and by not jumping head first into a relationship Sin’s issues weren’t made light of.

Several of the characters from the other books made appearances and wrapped up some of their storylines. There were a few mysteries to be solved, but the romance was more central to the plot. This could be read as a standalone, but I’d recommend reading Soulbound or at least just the parts with Sin. His background was explained in this, but the bad stuff that happened to him actually happened in the last book. I used the kindle search feature to reread the parts with Sin. It made his current situation easier to understand.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

May 17, 2016:
I got an ARC!!!

Profile Image for Douglas Meeks.
878 reviews235 followers
June 28, 2016
There are so many mediocre books and series out there that it always makes me sad when a really good one ends. This series has produced some of the most well written and addicting novels that made me, someone who has a lukewarm appreciation for steampunk/historical paranormal novels, fall in love with them.

This final novel in the 7 book series while monumental in scope and plot, only rated 4 Stars from me instead of 5 mainly because there was SO much happening I felt it was a bit confusing in some places although the ending of this novel's main plot was done well, the end of the series may have been done as well as possible but still felt a wee bit incomplete for me.

This novel is going to revolve mainly around 2 couples Sin and Layla plus additionally a bit less but equally as important is Augustus and Lena. We will be told about the tie in of a overarching plot of sorts that nobody ever saw that led us to this end story. In the process we will see four of the previous six couples again.

As with all of the books in this series, this one is filled with emotion, a small bit of humor and some tragedy but have no doubt that you will be glad you read it.

Bottom Line: This was a slightly less than exceptional ending to a slightly more than exceptional series. This is the end result for 6 previous books so if you have not read most/all of them you are not going to really enjoy this as you should. For those of us who have been along for the whole journey this was a fitting end and glad to have taken the ride :) Very Highly Recommended for anyone who has read this series and possibly the closest to 5 Stars for a 4 Star rating as I have ever reviewed.
Profile Image for Sam (AMNReader).
1,423 reviews305 followers
August 26, 2018
oops. I nommed-nommed the heck out of that one. Buddy read, so spoilering to avoid her feed!

4.5...rounded...I'm not sure where. Happy to give this one a 5 star for the read alone and enjoyment of the series overall I guess...
Profile Image for Ronda.
880 reviews157 followers
July 13, 2016


4.5 Stars

I adore Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series, I love every single character and I've enjoyed each and every journey along the way - Sin's journey is no different, however, compared to the previous books, Forevermore is slightly lacking.

Sin's (St John) and Layla's story completes the series (sadly) and we see the end result, and this is the part I feel is lacking. What was built up to an exceptional battle, turned out to be a couple of pages of a slight letdown. I enjoyed it, I just feel it could have been more...

Regardless! This series is a brilliant series filled with every emotion going, the writing flows, the characters are built upon and we don't see the end of them, they continue the journey as the stories progress.

I have enjoyed the ride and I am sad that it has ended, Kristen Callihan is an amazing author - I highly recommend this series!
Profile Image for Sunny.
1,438 reviews
July 3, 2016
4.5 stars
ARC review Originally posted at Scandalicious Book Review

Darkest London by Kristen Callihan is one of my favorite paranormal romance series. I started reading these books after meeting the author at the 2014 RT Convention in New Orleans. I was impressed with her comments about writing historical PNR and so I thought I would give this series a go. Ms. Callihan is able to bring the dark, foul, eerie, creepiness of late nineteenth century London to life. For me, these stories bring together some of my favorite elements in romance – suspenseful action, historical setting, and para-normal characters. In Forevermore, we finally get to see the story behind the story. Although, this book features Layla Starling and St. John Evernight, we also get to see who is behind the curtain and answer the question, “Why do these events happen in the way manner that they do?”

Layla and St. John (Sin) meet as children when they live next door to each other in Ireland. They become fast friends and forge a deep connection as they share the bonds of youthful love. After Layla abruptly moves away, they break all contact at the insistence of her guardian, Augustus. It is only when Layla starts coming into her supernatural powers does Sin re-enter her life as her protector. He is now an agent of Judgment. His duty is to find and banish those paranormal creatures that practice evil. Furthermore, he is now Augustus’ protégé. The mystery revolves around what kind of creature is Layla, who is her birthfather, and how can they stop one of the most powerful members of Damnation from stealing her away.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in this story. But filtered to its essence, this narrative is really about having a second chance and being redeemed by first love. Sin feels soiled and unworthy for everything he has to endure as a sex slave to the evil fae queen, Mab. After Sin kills Mab, August gives him a new purpose in life in his new role, but it is Layla that heals his heart. There is something so very special about the purity of childhood first love. Layla has the capacity to see him for what he could be, rather than who he thinks he is. His stubborn refusal to forgive himself clashes with Layla’s steadfast belief in him. This might be the weakest element in the story because Sin is really stubborn, and this conflict goes overlong. However, Ms. Callihan does a wonderful job with the HEA, and I am thoroughly satisfied with how she ties up the series. I don’t often re-read books, but this story makes me want to re-read the entire series. Mission accomplished, Ms. Callihan.
Profile Image for Caz.
2,869 reviews1,085 followers
August 18, 2016
I've given this an A for narration and an A- for content at AudioGals.

Forevermore
is the seventh and final book in Kristen Callihan’s Darkest London series of paranormal historical romances, and provides an exciting and fitting end to what has been one of my favourite series in both print and audio over the past few years. Even though most of the books can – just about – work as standalones, there are many plot threads and characters that are common across all the stories, and this is especially true of Forevermore; so anyone coming to it without any experience or knowledge of the other titles in the series is going to be at a disadvantage. The multiple common threads and characters also mean there are going to be spoilers for other books in the series in this review.

St. John (pronounced “Sinjun”) Evernight is the younger brother of the three Ellis sisters, Miranda, Daisy and Poppy (whose stories were told in Firelight, Moonglow and Winterblaze) and like them, is a powerful supernatural being. When he was a child, Sin was hidden away from his father, a crazed demon, and it wasn’t until very recently that he discovered that he had siblings and the truth about his parentage. While his sisters can control Fire, Earth and Water respectively, Sin is the most powerful of all of them, able to control all the elements and do much more besides.

You can read the rest of this review at AudioGals.
Profile Image for Kate.
2,145 reviews336 followers
August 1, 2017
When you try to write a review and this is what you come up with. Cause me brain ain’t working.

London has fallen Victorian style.

The end. Fin. Ende. Alas we have come to the end of the road with this series and what a fantastic journey it has been.

St. John Evernight is the long lost brother to the Ellis sisters, Poppy, Daisy and Miranda. Before he came to London he grew up in Ireland. We see glimpses of St. in the other books and the role he played which seemed to be an act of betrayal in book 6. But with all things in life, not all is what it seems. But more so then anything else he misses his family.

To right a wrong he takes on the role of judgement. But also because Augustus the father of the SOS helps him so he might say he had a hidden agenda. His job is to carry out the task of killing those who overstep the line in the supernatural world.

Layla Starling singer and heiress has never known her mother and her father but has grown up with her guardian Augustus. Augustus is fading and it is time to put all of his affairs in order. But Layla’s heritage in regards to the father is still open. So he hunts down her mother Lena. At the same time Layla needs a husband which St. is to be but he has guilt over everything and denies himself everything. Layla herself is coming into her supernatural abilities.

It was tiring sometimes and there were various POVs but most of the time it is Layla & St.

This story is unique, with so many twists and turns. With amazing characters of new and old. I am quite sad for it to have finished. But the joy of reading is that this world can be revisited by rereading the books.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,151 reviews597 followers
July 2, 2016
Forevermore is damn near perfect.

Forevermore should not be read as a stand alone but as the last book in a fantastic series by Kristen Callihan. If you are looking for something that's a bit historical, bit paranormal with characters and plot lines that are a pure delight you need to start with the first book Firelight.

Now that I've listened to Moria Quirk narrated two of the installments I can highly recommend the series on audio. I love the voices that Quirk developed for Sin and Layla. She puts just enough of the Irish in Sin and is totally believable with Layla's American accent (Quirk is British). Moria throughs in Irish, Scottish, American with the British accents in Forevermore and all the voices work for the characters. Moria Quirk has made it to my very short list of British narrators to listen to more in the future. [su_spacer]
Read the full review at The Book Nympho
Profile Image for Ferdy.
944 reviews1,240 followers
February 8, 2017
Meh. The main couple had zero chemistry, as well as little personality. Sin was far too angsty and whiny, and Layla was a vanilla snowflake, as well as super needy and desperate. I guess they kind of suited each other as they were both so blah. Strangely enough the most entertaining element was how laughably bad the British speak/dialogue was.
Profile Image for Lacey (laceybooklovers).
2,134 reviews11.7k followers
July 20, 2017
Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

Forevermore is the seventh and final book of the Darkest London series! I’m sad to see the series end, because I’ve really enjoyed reading it. This mystical, fascinating, paranormal world Kristen Callihan has created is well-written and highly addicted to read. While I didn’t love Forevermore as much as I would’ve like to, I still loved being back in this world and seeing all the previous characters again. If you’re a fan of the series, you probably won’t want to miss this finale!

Sin Evernight is a character whose book I’ve been dying for ever since he was first introduced. He’s a complex hero, and I was ready to know everything about his story. And I absolutely loved that is romance is a friends-to-lovers one. His childhood friend Layla Starling was everything to him until she moved away, though he never forgot her. Now, as a powerful Judgment angel in charge of people’s souls, he’s tasked with protecting Layla as she comes into her newfound powers and paranormal abilities.

Layla thought she was just a normal girl raised by Augustus, her immortal guardian, until sinister things started to happen to her. Turns out she’s so much more than she thought, and as she navigates through this new paranormal world, she’s also reunited by her first friend and love Sin. We get to know her and Sin as childhood friends (which was adorable) and now we also get to know them as they fall in love all over again.

I didn’t particularly connect with Sin or Layla, but I adored their romance. It’s sweet and heartwarming, despite all the craziness that’s happening around them. The main thing that really prevented me from loving Forevermore (which I’m so bummed about, because I loved all the previous books) is that I felt a little lost as I was reading. I think it might’ve been a little too long since the last time I read a Darkest London book, because the plot kind of went over my head, and I couldn’t really catch up to the hows and whys of things going on.

There’s one thing I really did love about Forevermore, however, which was the love story between Augustus, Layla’s guardian and Sin’s mentor, and Lena, Layla’s mother. I found myself utterly hooked onto their star-crossed love – they’re soulmates who are on opposite sides of a war and haven’t been together for centuries. I thought it was a nice touch including their romance, and it definitely made this book more enjoyable.

It’s a bittersweet end for Forevermore, but for fans of the series, it’s an end you don’t want to miss. There are a ton of cameos from previous characters and a pretty epic battle near the end. All in all, it was a good ending to the series, despite my disappointment with not loving it more. And looking at other reviews, this is totally my fault, so if you’re wondering whether to read Forevermore, I say go for it!

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/28XmWZi
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/28ZGL73
Audible: http://amzn.to/290sqoe

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Profile Image for Keri.
2,065 reviews107 followers
July 26, 2016
4.5 Stars. A good ending to the series. Although I thought Sin let his sisters off a little too easy, but overall a really great read. My only niggle was that I wish the ending could have been drawn out more, but KC did a great job of including our couples, but not letting them overwhelm the series. Note to JRW, you see how KC let one of her hero's get deathly ill, but she found away to save him in the end...she didn't let him die. (Yes I am still bitter about it!)
Profile Image for Sophia.
Author 5 books363 followers
June 24, 2016
With much anticipation, I picked up this book to get the story of the enigmatic and dark, Sin Evernight after all that happens leading up to this point. But we all know that with this series, it is never that simple. Sin's story unfolds, but it is tied to the story of another, his childhood friend and the only woman he will ever love and can't have, Layla, who has her own interesting history.

This is book seven in the Darkest London series. It is a series that really should be read in order particularly this book with threads that tie it in to all that has come before.

Sin Evernight has been away for over a year after the events that led to his family turning their back on him after his alleged betrayal and his transformation into an avenging angel who is tasked to bring the supernaturals of the world to account for evil deeds. His mentor calls him back to London on an assignment that disconcerts him. He is to guard the famous singer, Layla. She happens to be his childhood friend and his secret love. He is dark and has a past that he is ashamed that she should know because he couldn't handle her rejection or disgust like how his sisters treated him. But if she is in danger, he will protect her with his very life.

Layla is scared of all the mysterious changes that seem to be transforming her into something other. As the secrets come out, she must accept and come into her own quickly because the world is on the brink of hard, dramatic events. And, somehow, she must convince Sin to let her be with him and let her into his bruised and broken heart so she can help him heal. He is so much more than she ever imagined, but his darkness does not scare her.

Alright, this was a good, solid read. I enjoyed it and pretty much devoured it in one sitting. The author added another layer to the supernatural world of this series by focusing on the angels and the demonic powerful beings that are the highest order of demons. It was also neat the way the author brought things full circle to explain how every significant event for all the characters in the series were orchestrated to bring about what happens in this book with Sin and Layla. Impressive stuff and I appreciated such skill. I loved that past characters particularly Archer and Miranda got more than token cameo appearances. It truly was a really good read.

But now I'm going to give you whiplash and say that I was also disappointed with the story. It missed being amazing for a few reasons- some I can point out and there is also something that I can't quite put my finger on.

I felt like the author's decision to split this story so that there are really two love affairs going on might have been a mistake. Layla's guardian and her mother get nearly as much page time as she and Sin. Depth and development in Sin and Layla's story suffered as a result. Their story was good, but it was also little more than an average historical romance much of the time as they meander from ball to ball with Layla flirting with men trying to make Sin jealous and Sin working hard to deny the attraction between them because he doesn't think he's worthy of her and his past has scarred him so he doesn't think a physical relationship is possible. They get some sweet, some passion, and some exciting moments, but it could have been so much more. There was no build up really.

Another part that suffered because of the focus being split was Sin's personal story. And this more than the romance, was where I was especially disappointed. This man was forced to be a sexual slave for years, forced to spy on his family, and then he is transformed from an elemental magic user to being an angel of justice. His sisters cut him from their lives and he's a real mess. His story should have been given lots of page time as he grew and healed. Instead, this stuff gets touched on in a fleeting way and swiftly resolved. As an unwilling sex slave, he is averse to being touched and he gets nauseated at the idea of sex, but this is gone in a wink in one passionate encounter with his true love. I get that this is a romance novel, but either don't go there with the character or if it does add in the trauma, give it the attention needed to make if feel real.

Maybe it was the above mentioned things, but even though I read swiftly and eagerly, I never fully connected emotionally. I wanted to, but I felt a distance.

This will seem like I was very disappointed or didn't like the book when actually I did like it leading to me wanting more to make it go from good to great. I do not hesitate to recommend this series to those who enjoy a blend of historical romance with urban fantasy and steampunk.

My thanks to Grand Central for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Profile Image for ✩ Yaz ✩.
545 reviews2,600 followers
November 21, 2021
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I adore you, Layla.”
He could feel her smile. “Adore me some more, Saint. Preferably until I lose my senses.”


Forevermore delivers an emotional finale to the Darkest London series and it's incredible world.

To say that I am devastated to part ways with this world and these characters would be an understatement.

I am not ready to pack and move on and so believe me when I say that I am writing this review with a heavy, heavy heart and it took me days to think of the proper words to bid this series farewell.

Layla Starling. The world saw her as an innocent heiress and a talented singer. But she knew the truth. She was a monster.

The final chapter in this series follows Layla Sterling, a wealthy heiress who had come to England all the way from Boston and took it by the storm. Despite the flood of marriage proposals, she turned down every single one of them and has her eyes on one man only—St. John Evernight.

St. John Evernight who goes by Sin is the younger brother of the Ellis sisters whom are considered powerful elementals but his powers might be even more fearsome for he is the son of a powerful elemental and a demi-god of chaos.

Sin and Layla have a shared history as they met in Ireland when they were children. Layla disappeared from Sin's lift when she was left Ireland with her guardian Augustus to somewhere far.

Years later, Layla and Sin meet in London and the sparks fly. However, Layla has her one demons to battle and Sin is haunted by his betrayal and unspeakable trauma he had suffered under the vicious Fae Queen—Mab.

There are dangerous secrets resurfacing that will forever alter Layla and Sin's lives and they must face who they really are and who they are meant to be.

In there, people knew what he’d been: a slave, a plaything for a bored fiend. He’d been a whore. Betrayer of family.

There is a secondary plot taking place while the events of the main story unfolds but I will not share any details as to avoid spoilers.

Although I consider the plot of this book to be the weakest in comparison with its predecessors however it still delivered an emotional finale especially with the entire cast of characters making an appearance one last time.

The romance was sweet and there were some heartfelt moments as well as sizzling but the couple of the final book could not outshine the other couples. Not to say that I did not enjoy their romance but the sparks quickly died off for me.

“You are the sun around which my world revolves.”

I did feel a lot of sorrow for Sin because of the unspeakable terrors he was subjected to. He was violated in so many ways by Mab that had me fuming. I liked that Callihan had shown how Sin is adjusting to intimacy as physical touches do bring back flashes from that nightmare.

I did not form a deep connection to Layla as a character but I still appreciated her.

There was one particular event that had me wanting to throw the book across my room because I was that outraged. I was on the verge of breaking down.

I will hold this series in a very special place in my heart and I look forward to revisiting this fantastic world.

Trigger warnings: mentions of torture, sexual assault, trauma, death, violence.
Profile Image for Jen Davis.
Author 7 books711 followers
November 18, 2016
It’s hard to say goodbye to a series I have enjoyed as much as this one. This seventh installment is the last in Kristen Callihan’s Darkest London series, and while a new reader could probably catch up, I’d definitely recommend starting with Firelight; one, because I loved that book like chocolate, and two, because this book is really a culmination of the series. It pulls together lingering threads, builds bridges between stories, and ends with the world in a very different place from where it began. It’s also a long awaited happy ending for a character who has been to hell and back.

St. John –Sin– is the estranged brother of Miranda, Daisy, and Poppy. They’ve shut him out since they learned he betrayed them to the enemy. But they have no idea he did it because he was forced against his will. Now, he is Judgement and serves the mysterious Augustus, guardian of his beloved friend from childhood, Layla. This book gives a lot of backstory on Layla, Augustus, and Lena (another villain-type from previous books.) I don’t want to spoil too much; I will say that Layla is not human, but she doesn’t know that until she reaches her maturity. And with that, comes a great danger that she will be stolen by one of her brethren to mate. Augustus tasks Sin to be her protector.

Layla and Sin love each other, but so much time has passed since they last saw each other –and so many things stand between them. Secrets. Danger. Sin’s past and his shame. His fear. But Layla is a smart cookie. She may have a lot to learn about the supernatural world, but she knows how she feels. And she knows how Sin feels. These two really are great together, and I loved watching her break down his walls, giving him the love and acceptance that he never dreamed possible.

Another thing I loved, the secondary storyline between Lena and Augustus. I wanted more. These two had the juice to sustain their own story. There was so much fire there, so much angst and love and regret. As much as I enjoyed Layla and Sin’s romance, I found myself greedy for more time with the other two.

As with most final books in a series, Callihan uses this opportunity to bring back most of the characters from the previous books. I felt like the ending really brought everything and everyone together. I liked, especially, that there was an extra focus on Archer and Miranda. This couple started the series and swept me up in this world. Their storyline here makes me want to go back to the beginning and enjoy their love story all over again.

This book goes by fast. Maybe it seemed short because the focus was split a little or maybe the plot just made the words fly by. But regardless of why, it felt over too soon. The ending was cool, though, and I was happy with where Callihan left all of these characters I have grown to love.

It didn’t quite pack the punch as my favorites like Firelight or Evernight, but it gives a satisfying conclusion to a really great series. If you’ve never been a part of this world, you’ve been missing out.

Rating: B+

*ARC provided by publisher
Profile Image for Phoenix77.
347 reviews44 followers
June 30, 2016
Gosh, that was a lot to cram into the final book. I'm almost overwhelmed by what happened and how each character changed over the course of the book. It will most likely take me a while to process my overall feelings about everything but my gut reaction was that this was an incredible way to say good-bye to this world, the characters, and the series.

Plotline #1 - Layla and Sin's romance was Darkest London at its finest. Wonderfully detailed, romantic, with just the right mix of pain and pleasure for the characters to explore or overcome. Watching them dance around their deepest feelings for each other just pulled at my heart. I loved Layla's tenacity and unrelenting love for Sin. It was her strength and courage that lent itself to Sin's true awakening from all his self-loathing.

Plotline #2 - Augustus and Lena really tore at my emotions. They shared a love so strong and yet their circumstances and place within the world kept them from realizing it. It was amazing to see how their choices had affected not only the Ellis/Evernight families but so many of the events that had shaped the series. I would have loved to read much more about their lives in the past but was content to know how their future would play out.

Plotline #3 - I won't go into too much detail on this point because if I'm honest I wish it hadn't been included. I was already on such an emotional roller-coaster from the other two plotlines that I felt all of these developments were just there as a cruel manipulation of my feelings for past characters. I also disliked the final solution the problem introduced as it ignores the fate of two separate characters. It was too bittersweet for me.

I am quite sad to see the series end but thankfully it bows out at a high level of storytelling. I can only hope that Kristen Callihan will consider her fans and revisit this paranormal world again, perhaps with a glimpse of the future and the next generation of characters who live in it.
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