Darker Than Love

I thought that this was an absolutely stunning read. Everything about this book was perfect. From the tension and danger fueled story line, to the complex characters. It is all well crafted and thought out. Even the title was perfection. What Yan and Mina share is so much more than the simple descriptive tag of love can describe. It is dark and intense, hot and sweet, brutal and yet tender. It is not just a joining of hearts. It is a joining of hearts, minds and yes, even souls. It is finding that one person that can see you. The you with all those broken pieces, the jagged wounds you carry inside and out and the ugly that you hide and ignore and try so desperately to pretend simply doesn't exist. The whole you, the real you and still not flinch away but embrace it and most importantly help you to embrace it also. This is not a rainbows and kittens romance. It is raw and sometimes violent with its passion and its emotion. It is a book that keeps your nerves stretched to the breaking point and furiously searching for every and any spare moment to just read even a few more words. Even with a migraine I had to try to keep reading (Yes, it is just that addictingly good!) Witnessing these two closed-off, flawed characters open up and find love was really beautiful. They stole into my heart and left me swooning and I truly believe they will do they same to you.

A little dark, a lot of danger and plenty of emotion, this book kept me captivated from the first page! ’Ours is not a sweet romance. It’s larger than love. Darker than love.’ When Mina overhears a conversation she should not have, she finds herself in a dangerous situation. But after a night that she’ll never forget, she’s on the run. Months later and she’s now the prisoner of the man who both terrifies her and excites her. Mina was an incredible heroine. Her past has left her isolated on the inside and as a result she’s a total bada--. When Yan forces himself into her life the ice wall that she’s built around her soul begins to thaw and we start to see what she’s truly made of it. Yan is the type of anti-hero that I love. Even as he walks on the darker side of life, he’s completely possessive of Mina. If you enjoy a hero that will threaten a man simply for looking at his woman, you’ve found him in Yan. He doesn’t deal with gentler emotions but as time passes what he feels for Mina along with his burgeoning concsience makes this dark hero impossible not to adore. While this is considered a dark read, it doesn’t consume the story. There’s a fine dance that takes place between Mina and Yan and within those steps is where the darkness presents itself. I couldn’t get enough of it! ’It’s devastation and reverence all in one, an explosive mix of dark lust and beautiful passion. It may be wrong, unconventional, but that’s how it is between us. However twisted, this is who we are when we become one, and I’m already greedy for more.’ This is filled with danger and excitement as well and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The plot is multi-layered, just the way I like it, so don’t expect your cut and dried dark thriller. This isn’t it. This is fresh and original with characters that will pull you in even as they live life in a gray area. Overall, this book is freaking amazing and I can’t recommend it enough! Kudos to the person that came up with the idea of this collaboration!

WOW! OMG! Darker Than Love is intense, all-consuming, and addictive. Darker Than Love took me two days to read, and that also included reading the prequel, Sweeter Than Hate. I highly recommend reading Sweeter Than Hate first; it will whet your appetite for the darkness that you will experience in Darker Than Love. Plus, Sweeter Than Hate is free on Kindle! I am a huge fan of Charmaine Pauls’ books, so when the opportunity was given to me to read and review her latest book, I was thrilled, to say the least. However, shocking as it may seem, I have never read anything by Anna Zaires, what was I thinking? What I am thinking right now – I have found another fantastic author. These two authors have come together to write the superb, intense, dark love story with lots of tension and suspense. Without giving away too much of the story, because there are surprises, and I will never give away a great surprise! Mina and Yan’s paths cross one night, at a bar, where she overhears something that she was not meant to hear. Yan’s solution to the problem is simple, kidnap Mina and keep her captive. “Yes, a soulmate. That would’ve been a fitting description if I hadn’t captured her like a bird in a cage.” ~Yan And so, it begins, this dark, complex possessiveness Yan has for Mina. These two characters have troubled broken pasts that have hardened their hearts and souls, leaving them cold and calculating. Even though they are cold and calculating, these two see something in one another they don’t understand and can’t control. “Ours is not a sweet romance. It’s larger than love. Darker than love.” ~Yan The attraction between them is seductive, erotic, and deliciously dark. I was mesmerized by the way these two authors weaved these two broken people into two people who, even with all their faults, could find a love that healed their hearts, minds, and souls. “Surrendering to Yan is the most meaningful act of my life”. ~Mina “It’s a sense of belonging, of having found the female version of my soul.” ~Yan Although Darker than Love is portrayed as a dark romance, it is so much more. The plot is filled with suspense, twists, and turns. This story is also filled with heartbreak, deception, greed, revenge, retribution, betrayal, and evil cold-blooded people. These two authors seamlessly write with a sense of raw authenticity, keeping the reader on edge and the pages turning. This book is not your granny’s sweet, warm, and fuzzy romance. I highly recommend Darker than Love for all who love to read books that are on the wild side. Time to embrace the dark side of romance! 🖤 ** Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published** *** I graciously received this book from Charmaine Pauls. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***