The Hellmouth Guardian’s Lover by Adriana Herrera: Paranormal Romance Review

synopsis

When rumors fly that someone will try to open a hellmouth, the snake demon August knows there’s only one person who can help him keep the Shadow Market – and the human world – safe: his former sentinel Ariadne. But it’s been five long years since August destroyed everything by first taking Ari as a lover and then leaving her. Five years that neither one has fully put in the past. But with time running out before all hell breaks loose – literally – August is only too happy to remind Ariadne of the good times they had together. And Ariadne, against her better judgment, can’t ever find it in herself to say no to a demon like August. . . .

review

Things definitely seem to be getting spicier as the Peculiar Tastes series goes on. If you know anything about a snake’s anatomy, you might already know why Ari just couldn’t stay away from August’s company. If you, like most people I’m sure, aren’t very familiar with the male snake’s reproductive organs, allow me to provide some interesting anatomical facts. Male snakes have two penises. And they’re barbed. And yes, both of those characteristics appear on August’s demon form. No wonder no one else could ever satisfy Ariadne the way August does.

Before reading any of the books in this series, I sort of expected Katee Robert’s entry to be one of the spicier reads, but Adriana Herrera surprised me with this one. If you’re looking for a spicy monster romance, it’s hard to compete with a double phallus/venom-as-lube combination. There’s also some steamier scenes involving public displays and voyeurism that turned up the heat in some of the less action-packed parts. This is my first time reading an Adriana Herrera book, and I loved her writing style and her scene building and I will definitely be checking out more of her (non-monster) romance in the future.

This was also my first foray into snake demons, and I have to say, Herrera sold me on them. After seeing what August and Ariadne could do together, I certainly feel like I need to pursue more reads featuring snake demons.

in conclusion

With excellent spice, intriguing secondary characters, and a plot that both stands on its own and furthers the overall Shadow Market story, The Hellmouth Guardian’s Lover is a fantastic addition to the Peculiar Tastes series.