Sandy M’s review of Beast of Desire (The Knights of White, Book 2) by Lisa Renee Jones
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne on 1 Mar 08
Oh, this series is going to be a favorite of mine. I can already tell after reading my first book. Although I didn’t start with the first in the series, The Beast Within, from the tone of Desire and after meeting Des, the hero, and the other Knights of White, I’m going to have book after book of oh-so-tortured heroes. I’m in heaven.
Des has been designated the head of the team to retrieve the Journal of Solomon from its current guardian at its place of rest, the museum where she works. He is immediately blindsided by his reaction to Jessica, something he has felt only once when he was still human and only before he was ultimately betrayed by love. Since that time he has kept the human part of him buried so deep behind his Beast, he is surprised the man can feel anything for a woman.
Finding his mate is not what he envisioned, however. Des is scared to death of hurting Jessica if he makes love to her and his Beast takes over in raging lust. Des doesn’t think he can then control that side of him because he has walked too close to the darkness within him for so long. Even as he gets to know Jessica more, knows she’s his mate, he can’t bring himself to tell her about his past before he was turned, a past he is ashamed of and has told no one about. And he’s angry he’s having to lie to Jessica about why he’s in her life now that he’s met her and realizes what she means to him.
Not knowing why she is reacting so to a virtual stranger, Jessica trusts this man whose emotions flow through her and whose eyes tell her how much he wants her. She has to be careful, though, until the unveiling of the journal that her mother lived and died for. It has been a long time coming, but this gift to the world should give her and her father the closure they need to move on. But the more she learns of Des, the more her trust and her love grows, even despite his determination to stay away from her. Des doesn’t know what’s about to hit him when Jessica makes up her mind to show him they belong together and that he would never hurt her. The ensuing archeological dig and fight against the Darkland Beasts is swift and action packed.
Needless to say I love Des. He may be part Beast, but he’s also a sensitive and honorable man, even as tortured as he is. Jessica is the perfect mate for him, strong and stubborn, and she never gives up on him for one minute. The other Knights are quite interesting, and you get only a smidgen of their entire story — you have to wait for that next book to know more about them! The villains, of which there are plenty, are as evil as can be and they prey not only on Beasts and humans but also on each other.
I also liked the storyline, it kept moving forward at a quick pace and it was just different enough to keep me interested to find out what it was all about. And I have a feeling that as much I love this book, I’m going to love Max’s story, Beast of Darkness due out in July, even more. If Des is tortured, Max is excrutiatingly tortured. July can’t come to soon for me.
Grade: A+
From the back cover:
Desire can be dangerous…
As a leader of the Knights of White in the war between Good and Evil, the demon warrior known only as Des walks a fine line between beast and man. Sent into battle now to reclaim the ancient Journal of Solomon containing a list of angelic bloodlines before the Darkland Beasts find it, Des feels an overwhelming connection to its guardian, Jessica Montgomery. Vibrant, alive, seductive…only she has the power to draw out the beast, soothe the man…and endanger them both.
Des can’t resist her touch, craving it like an addiction. Jessica might be his salvation. Or he might destroy them both…
Other books in this series – read the whole list here:
