Book Title: Gabriel's Inferno
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Erotica
Pages: 551
Author: Sylvain Reynard
Date Published: 4 September 2012
From national bestselling author Sylvain Reynard comes the haunting, unforgettable tale of one man’s salvation and one woman’s sensual awakening...
Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well-respected Dantespecialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption.
When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide.
An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love, and redemption, Gabriel’s Inferno is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man’s escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible—forgiveness and love.
Review:
Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain ReynardMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book in an intriguing trilogy. I really enjoyed it.
Gabriel Emerson is an intriguing character. Although I did like him, I did think he tended to be a moody jerk at times. He is a well respected professor, but he has dark secrets hidden in his past.
Julia Mitchell is a likable character; I liked her a lot. She is a graduate student enrolled in Professor Emerson's class. When she catches the attention of Gabriel, sparks fly.
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. In fact, it had been sitting on my wish list ever since it was released back in 2012. I received this book as a Christmas present in 2013 and have only now had a chance to get to read it due to my rather large reading list.
I started to read this book and couldn't put it down! However, saying that, this book also disappointed me. I liked all the characters, especially Paul, but the story itself was rather drawn out and long winded at times. The story alternates from various points of view, mostly Gabriel's and Julia's, but Paul and a few other characters' also have a say. This story is a smoldering seduction, but it never blazed hotter than a spark (in my opinion) until near the very end. The attraction the two main characters have for each other is palpable, but there is the pesky issue of the teacher/student taboo which tempers it. However, I got the distinct impression that Julia was not completely innocent in the seduction stakes, and when a secret is revealed later on in the book, this confirmed it for me. I was looking forward to watching their relationship bloom and get spicy, but this has got to be one of the tamest erotica romances I have read in a long time! I was expecting something kinky like BDSM or some other fetish that Gabriel was hiding in his past, but his dark secret was nothing like that at all and made me wonder how he managed to remain employed! I'll leave it to you to find out what his secret is. There does seem to have been a lot of research done on renaissance art by the author. I love it when an author shares their passion for a subject with the readers through the characters. This gives the reader an insight into an author's soul and personality. I reached the end of the book and sighed; not a bad sigh, but a satisfied one. Although this book does not end on a cliffhanger, it is left open for the second book in the trilogy to take over.
Perhaps it gets spicier as the trilogy goes on, but this book turned out to be a bit of a damp squib in my opinion. Other readers may disagree with me, so I would hope that if you do decide to give this book a try, you make up your own mind. As for me, I am not not sure if I will read the remaining books, but I am keeping my options open.
Sylvain Reynard has written a wonderful contemporary romance. I loved her writing style which, although fast paced, seemed to be a little long winded at times. I also loved the flow, which carried me smoothly through the tale. I would definitely read more of her books in the future.
Due to a scene of an explicit nature, I do not recommend this book to younger readers (under 17). However, I recommend this book if you love contemporary romances. - Lynn Worton
View all my reviews
I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.
I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.
I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.
A well-written review, Lynn. This is one of my favorite romance books.
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