LauraD’s Review of Fallen by Erin McCarthy
Paranormal Romance released by Jove 29 Apr 08

This is the second in Erin McCarthy’s 7 Deadly Sins series, and now I’m going to have to go track down the first one, because “Fallen” was just that good. Gabriel St. James is a demon, cursed to drive women crazy with love for him. Sara Michaels is the woman he lets into his life. Throw in a murder mystery 5 generations old, a couple of Big Secrets, a few more demons and an absinthe addiction….

It might sound over the top, but I promise, it’s not.

Gabriel’s curse began in the mid 1800’s, when his lover Anne was murdered, and Gabriel was accused but acquitted of the crime. Now, he is using his modern day status as a crime writer to try to find the real killer and hopefully end his curse. Enter Sara, a forensics expert-and the daughter of a woman who was murdered in the same horrific manner as Anne.

Gabriel and Sara are both immediately attracted to each other, but not in the overly dramatic I MUST HAVE YOU NOW way that seems to have put the norm in paranormal. These two actually have conversations. They go on walks, they have dinner together. Yep, that’s right. The relationship develops! Even the internal lusting is well paced. Best of all, they help each other grow as individuals.

Fallen is set in New Orleans, and the city is part of the story. You can feel the muggy heat of the day, and smell the café au lait. I loved the use of “historical” documents and newspaper accounts to tell the story of the first murder trial.

There aren’t a lot of other significant characters in Fallen. Needless to say, that makes it pretty easy to figure out who the killer is. I wasn’t totally onboard with the killer’s motivation, but ultimately I was reading for Gabriel and Sara’s relationship, and I believed in their HEA.

I will be looking for the next in the series!

Grade: B

Forever cursed.

Forever FALLEN.

New Orleans, 1840s. Sent to watch over the decadent city, the angel Gabriel loses himself in the liquid pleasure of absinthe. So when his mistress, Anne, is murdered—and all evidence points to him—a foggy Gabriel cannot be sure he didn’t do it. His penance: to be forever denied love. Then in modern-day New Orleans he meets forensic scientist Sara Michaels…