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Warriors of the Rift #3

Heart of the Demon

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Warriors of the Rift

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world—or send it spiraling into chaos.


The next opening of the rift is coming—and its consequences will be deadly. A rogue group of human-hating preternaturals is planning an apocalyptic attack, but the Council of Preternaturals may have found the key to saving the world: Keira O'Brien, a fey with a long criminal record, whose empathic abilities once made her the queen of con artists. If she successfully infiltrates the dangerous faction, the sins of her past will be forgiven.

Keira isn't the only agent working against the rogue prets. Finn Evnissyen, a powerful demon with a dark lineage, is a hired assassin looking for a way out. If he stops the threat, he will finally earn his freedom. As the rift fast approaches, and danger escalates, Finn and Keira must discover if they're on the same side—or sleeping with the enemy . . .

357 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 26, 2013

3 people are currently reading
880 people want to read

About the author

Cynthia Garner

12 books112 followers
Cynthia Garner discovered her love for making up stories at the age of twelve when her teacher told her to write a story that started “It was a dark and stormy night…” But she didn’t think about making it a profession until 2005, when she began entering—and winning—writing contests.

Under her alternate ego Sherrill Quinn she has three Kensington Brava paranormal romance books and a novella as part of the Belong to the Night anthology, as well as several erotic romance novellas published electronically with Ellora’s Cave and Amber Heat. Her writing has been consistently rated with 4 and 5 stars and called “thrilling”, “imaginative” and “fresh.”

When she’s not working her day job, you’ll find her at her laptop writing. Or watching too much TV. Keep up to date by visiting

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Lisarenee.
763 reviews117 followers
Read
February 26, 2013
Notes: Quotes will need to be checked against the final copy as I read the ARC.

My Synopsis:
Countdown--Four Months

"We want you to infiltrate a rogue group that's planning something big at the next Influx."


Every 73 years the Moore-Creasy-Devon Comet creates a dimensional Rift as it makes its way across the solar system. When that happens supernatural being ascend upon the earth hijacking human bodies thereby taking control and suppressing the human being that once possessed it. Referred to as the Influx, it has been happening for years and no one can predict who the preternatural body snatchers (aka EDs - Extra Dimensionals) will take over until the full possession takes place. Some of the EDs are political exiles, some have left for religious reasons, but the majority were banned from their world for being criminals of the worst kind. Many see this as their second chance and attempt to reform and meld into society while others don't wish to give up their bad habits. It's the latter that the Council of Preternaturals hope to stop.

Recently, however, it has come to the attention of the Council that a group of rogue preternaturals is building a device that could potentially open the rift on its own or prolong the opening of the coming rift allowing more EDs to pass through. They've asked Finn Evnissye to infiltrate the group and prevent that from happening. Being as he's Lucifer's enforcer and he's made his dissatisfaction with his job known, he should have an easy time infiltrating the group.

Keira O'Brien has also been asked to investigate the rogue group. She's on a secret mission for Caladh MacLoch who was a senior member of the Council of Preternaturals. He fears someone in the council is leaking information to the rogue group. No one but Caladh will know of her mission. If her cover is blown she'll be left to her own devices to get herself out of trouble.

Both have been warned to tell no one of their mission.
Both will think the other is involved.
Will a little thing like love get in the way?

My Thoughts:
This is the third book of the Warriors of the Rift series. I would recommend reading the previous books in the series first or you'll miss all the links to the previous characters in the series. I was pleasantly surprised that all the previous couples popped in and made an appearance in this book. It's fun knowing how characters fair after their stories have been told.

I have to say I love a redeemable bad boy and Finn fits the bill. He is the ultimate bad boy or so his image projects. He's Lucifer's (yes, that Lucifer) son and his enforcer. He knows how to fight and he inherited some mad skills from his mother. He's part chameleon and can fully or partially shift into any preternatural being, yet maintains his own individuality. In other words, I don't believe he can change his appearance to look like another individual. He can just take on any or all of the traits of a human or supernatural being. Just imagine being able to use the senses or powers of any preternatural being you can imagine. That would be pretty awesome.

Said to be the essence of femininity--soft and seemingly delicate with red hair and a sultry smile, Keira was a grifter in another life and dimension. Scamming individuals out of things came naturally to her. By using slight of hand, charm, wit and her ability to read and manipulate the thoughts and emotions of others she could get just about anything she liked. The latter talent being part of the skill set she inherited with her fey heritage. She was sent through the rift over three thousand years ago in 1419 BC and is set on reforming her ways. She keeps telling herself she's going undercover for the good of others, but secretly fears she'll pick up her her old trade and run with it. She's not proud of what she's done, but given the time periods she's lived in there weren't many ways for a single young woman to make a living. There is no denying how addictive or easily running a con comes to her. She just hopes once her task is complete she can quit cold turkey.

The romance between these two was hot and undeniable. While they may seem to have little in common, both seem to want similar things even if they can't see it at the beginning of the story. I loved the fact each was torn between revealing their true reasons for infiltrating the rogue group and not wanting to blow their cover. I liked how both Keira and Finn approached the relationship with caution and tried to downplay their feelings.

Additionally, I loved how we found out a little more about how the preternatural take over a host. We still haven't gotten the full picture, but I look forward to finding out more about it. I keep wondering isn't there some way for a person to avoid getting possessed and could a victim potentially overtake their body snatcher? Are their any humans who are immune from possession? Does the host actually die at possession or are they just silent co-inhibitors of their bodies? Additionally, I liked the question posed about whether it could be possible, if the right technology could be created, for people/preternaturals to cross through to the other dimension from earth? That would be interesting

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It had a fast pace with a nice blend of romance, action and suspense. I loved both Finn and Keira and how they kept being thrown together. I liked Keira's snarky nature and seeing her and Finn use their unique skills. I also enjoyed the twist at the end that I didn't see coming. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
218 reviews4 followers
August 25, 2019
Unfortunately, this read very slowly for me.

For some reason, this one simply didn't catch or keep my attention very well. It was the sort of read that I found myself setting aside because I wasn't involved enough in the plot or the characters.

It was an interesting World, but that didn't prove to be enough. It did flow a bit better towards the end, but it seemed to take forever to get there. I give it an "OK" rating mainly because it had a HEA for the main characters.
Profile Image for Dark Faerie Tales.
2,274 reviews564 followers
September 28, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A good, fast paced storyline with some unique characters.

Opening Sentence: Zombies got a bad rap these days.

The Review:

Can you truly fall in love with someone if you both are lying to each other? Well apparently Finn and Keira can. They spend most of Heart of the Demon deceiving each other about their true feelings and motivations. They have both been tasked (by different people) to infiltrate a group that is bent on sending many aliens to earth in order to take over human bodies with the intent to overwhelm the human population with supernatural aliens. Finn and Keira must keep their jobs a secret because they don’t know who to trust and they most certainly do not want to be found out. Finn is a demon and Keira is a Fae and together they both have talents that this group can use to try and take over the world.

Heart of the Demon has a straightforward storyline, destroy the group while trying not to fall in love with each other. You know who the bad guy is, thankfully it is not obvious on how they will take him down or even how Finn and Keira will discover each other’s secret. (The overwhelming obviousness was my problem with the last novel, Secret of the Wolf.)

Sparks flew when Finn and Keira met in Secret of the Wolf. A few months have passed since then and they have seen each other off and on, but after a hot but awkward sexual encounter they have been playing it cool. They both act like they don’t want a lasting relationship when in fact they really do.

Finn is the ultimate bad boy. He wears black, leather and drives a motorcycle. He does whatever he wants and doesn’t care about the consequences. He is also quite the ladies man, taking home whatever woman he wants to for the night, but after his encounter with Keira other women just don’t do it for him anymore. Keira is the only woman on his mind and he wants her. He also worries about her safety after they join the group. Keira has been around for thousands of years and as someone who can con people very easily she has a hard time reading Finn’s thoughts for her. Keira is a pushy woman and she has no problem asking the questions on her mind even if she can’t get the answers she needs.

Finn and Keira truly offset the other. They both have a need for positive recognition. Finn just wants his dad to acknowledge him, anything for a “good job, son!” and Keira just wants someone to see her for herself and not the con woman that she used to be. She is tired of being used for other people’s gains. I truly liked Keira and Finn. I just wished they had a hotter, burning relationship than what they had. Although the relationship that they had did work well with the storyline.

I still really liked the uniqueness of the storyline that this series offers. I’m not sure what the plans are for the future of the series but I wouldn’t mind exploring more into someone who had just recently crossed over and has to deal with their new body. I think there may have been a set up for that at the end of Heart of the Demon.

Overall, I would recommend this to someone who likes the uniqueness of the world building but as plots go it is pretty standard fare.

Notable Scene:

She took a few breaths to regain some control, and said more quietly, “The first chance someone got, they used my past against me. The past I’d left behind, the one I’d wanted to forget. To escape. Yet here I am. Again.” She raised her gaze to his. “And you. You wanted a different future than what your father has mapped out for you. Yet here you are, trapped in the present, doing what you’ve always done.” Pain tore her insides to shreds. She gave an abrupt laugh, the sound as brittle as broken glass. “Aren’t we the pair?”

“We’re a pair of something, that’s for sure.”

FTC Advisory: Forever/Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Heart of the Demon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Profile Image for Paranormal Romance.
1,317 reviews47 followers
April 17, 2025
The hero has always been a bit of a selfish creature. A demon’s reputation is not good in the paranormal world but though he is a badass, he also a great deal of remorse. His father, the leader of the demons, has never shown him true affection. Rather, the hero is nothing more than a hired thug sent out into the world to maintain order and put down the threats if necessary. Yet each death weighs heavy on his heart and he doesn't want to do this anymore. He's determined that this mission will be his last. He must find a way to infiltrate the rouge rebellion group who seek to open the rift between worlds again and effectively take power away from the humans. It's a hard-enough job considering the secrecy of the organization and the last thing he needs is a distraction.

That's what the heroine most certainly is. Ever since they become lovers, she's effectively ruined his for other females. He thinks about her constantly, craves her constantly and it's threatening his plans. The heroine has determined to turn over a new leaf. She's no longer the Fey she used to be, instead taking the path to redemption for her thieving ways. But when she's blackmailed into joining this little rebellion group, she's vowed to succeed. When she first became intimate with the hero it was with the notion that it was no strings attached sort of sex. But now, she realizes that's no longer the case. The hero, whom she's discovering to be a far more complex and deeper man than first imagined, has been dear to her. She's never been good at showing emotion or creating bonds with others but with the hero she feels likes she's made a friend. But as their relationship progresses it is hampered by the fact that they each are shocked to discover the other in this rebellion group. Not knowing they are both spies and are working for a common goal, they try to convince the other to quit and to see reason. The heroine finds it hard to believe this demon is truly the selfish beast people think he is. The hero finds it hard to believe this sweet woman whom he admires so can be capable to joining a hate group. But both are bound to secrecy and only when the end draws near do they reveal to each other the truth. They've loved each other for so long but never brave enough to admit it. Now the realize that time is too short and that happiness is staring them in the face if only they can reach out to grab it.

This was a nice book albeit a bit on the slow side. I really enjoyed these characters and their relationship with each other- it was the overall plot that cast a shadow on an otherwise great novel. It was just not as exciting or thrilling as I would have liked or expected considering this is the final which will either end with the rift reopening or the bad guys stopped. Instead, the whole book was spent with a cult like setting with these meetings and a very lackluster climax where the villain was soundly beaten and easily. The heroine was a magical woman with a sassy Irish lilt and an eagerness to discover everything the hero had to offer. They had been lovers before and though both seems to feels hints of something more permanent, neither were brave enough to act on it. Now, this story showed them finally beginning to explore their true feelings for each other all the while struggling to maintain secrecy on their missions. The hero was a man with both good and bad within him. He was a man who did what needed to be done but never enjoyed it. He wasn't what people thought he was. He appreciated art, he was kind and tender to the heroine and he was also willing to do anything to save the world. Both these characters spent the entire book questioning the others motives but not allowing it to dampen the chemistry between them. I liked their romance and it was certainly hot and heavy. I wish the ending to this series was a bit more - we'll say- memorable. Still I can't say it wasn't enjoyable.
Profile Image for Shauni.
1,061 reviews28 followers
March 11, 2013
Heart of the Demon is book three in Cynthia Garner's Warriors of the Rift Series. This series offers us an interesting new twist on how the Demons, Vamps and Weres (oh my) actually come to earth. Once every 75 years or so there is a rift that opens between the worlds and some of the less savory citizens of that dimension are sent to Earth. An interesting concept, send over your worst, use Earth as a Penal colony.. and wash your hands of them. You know, like Australia..

Oh the moral issues that abound.. The problem with sending over your criminals is well they are mostly just that criminals.. Once here they bond with a human and pretty much take over their body. Some actually go on to live decent Earth law abiding lives (well as much as a preternatural being can) others don't. Consequently, rules need to be created and enforced.. And Cynthia Garner comes up with the perfect individuals to do so.. The Warriors of the Mist.

Finn Evnissyen, has spent his life trying to please his father ( Of course when one's father is Lucifer himself it makes it rather difficult to form any attachments. ), well that and enforcing the Demons that cross the line. All he really wants is to have control over his own life. After several thousand years, he's really not that Bad Boy, he used to be. After being promised his freedom to live his life as he chooses, He accepts one last job. Of course that job entails going undercover with a group of whackos that want to take over the world and destroy humanity isn't all that much fun. When sexy Fey, Keira O'Brien shows up life gets just a little bit more interesting.

Keira O'Brien, grifter extraordinaire.. Keria came over three thousand years previously.. a woman always on the con but she was bonded with an Irish queen, one who actually did want what was best for her people and her goodness made Keira want to change. Over the years she had done all she could to be a better person, until one relapse set her up for blackmail. Having her very self held accountable to a prominent member of the Council, Kiera has no choice but to go under cover in a cult that wants to take over the world. Told to trust no one, Kiera is devastated when Finn Evnissyen shows up. The one man/demon who really sets her on fire.

Both of these characters walk a fine line. Trying to dig up all the information they can on this group before the next rift and having to do some pretty nasty stuff to prove their loyalty. Both Kiera and Finn do a wicked little dance to keep the other one close and yet far enough away to protect the job. Both of them want the same thing and yet neither knows who they can trust.

At times, this story got a little confusing but I think reading the first two books in this series would help clear that up. Sometimes knowing the background of a character can help. It took me until about half way through to really get caught up in this story but once I did, I enjoyed it. Both Kiera and Finn are wonderful characters that just want to live their own lives.. both have interesting pasts that they have grown from and yet retain their wickedness.. Their story works well and they manage to create a sensual wrap over themselves that carries into the main story and yet keeps their bidding love separate..

This was a rather in depth read and if you are looking for a piece of fluff, look elsewhere but if you want a well written, well thought out, enjoyable read.. check it out.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of Heart of the Demon provided by netgalley

For more reviews by Shauni check out Tea and Book and
Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
Profile Image for Kimberly.
2,306 reviews97 followers
February 26, 2013
3.5 stars - My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/02...

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and Earth opens, allowing preternatural beings to come through. The coming rift, however, brings with it the potential for chaos. A group of human-hating preternaturals is planning an attack and Finn Evnissyen, demon son of Lucifer, has been asked to infiltrate the group. If he succeeds, he not only saves the world but has a way out of doing his dad’s dirty work.

Finn’s not the only one out to stop the rogue prets. Keira O’Brien has been asked by a member of the Council of Preternaturals to infiltrate the group as well. A fey with powerful empathetic abilities, the former con artist hopes that her success in this mission will make up for some of her past sins. Keira knows she has to be prepared for anything, but it comes as a shock for her to see Finn as part of the group. Keira knows Finn is a demon, but she can’t believe he’d be mixed up in something like this. The closer the opening of the rift approaches, the deeper Keira and Finn get involved with the rogue prets…and each other. If she’s to succeed, Keira needs help. But can she trust the demon she’s falling for when he might be the enemy?

Cynthia Garner puts her own unique spin on the supernatural world in her Warriors of the Rift series. Though I haven’t read Ms. Garner’s first two Warriors of the Rift books, I was immediately drawn into the world of the prets in Heart of the Demon . Demons, fey, vampires, and werewolves as immortal, alien supernatural beings? Fascinating. Even an avid romance reader such as myself could have been hooked into Heart of the Demon by Ms. Garner’s preternatural entities alone.

Keira and Finn are two protagonists who are neither wholly good nor wholly bad. I liked that they tended to live life in the grey areas; it made them interesting. Yet while I liked them both very much, it did take a long time for me to become invested in their romance. Having a hero and heroine who are forced lie and hide their true motives from the person they’re falling in love with (no matter how good the reason — and Keira and Finn do have fairly good reasons) for the majority of the book is simply not my cup of tea. It’s a personal preference, so my lack of enthusiasm for the romance aspect of Heart of the Demon should be taken with a grain of salt for readers who aren’t bothered by that particular trope.

The deeper into Heart of the Demon you get, the more exciting the book becomes. Keira and Finn’s journey to stop the rogue pret group is filled with twists and turns, some expected, some not. I finished Heart of the Demon wanting to go back and read the first two Warriors of the Rift books, Kiss of the Vampire and Secret of the Wolf. Since the heroes and heroines of those books play large supporting roles in Keira and Finn’s story and the villain of Heart of the Demon appears in the previous books, perhaps I’ll enjoy Heart of the Demon even more after reading Kiss of the Vampire and Secret of the Wolf. Yet even as a standalone, Heart of the Demon is a strong book and I cannot say how much I enjoyed Ms. Garner’s fresh new take on the paranormal world.
320 reviews
February 11, 2017
Originally reviewed at Dark Faerie Tales: http://darkfaerietales.com/review-hea...

Quick & Dirty: A good, fast paced storyline with some unique characters.

The Review:

Can you truly fall in love with someone if you both are lying to each other? Well apparently Finn and Keira can. They spend most of Heart of the Demon deceiving each other about their true feelings and motivations. They have both been tasked (by different people) to infiltrate a group that is bent on sending many aliens to earth in order to take over human bodies with the intent to overwhelm the human population with supernatural aliens. Finn and Keira must keep their jobs a secret because they don’t know who to trust and they most certainly do not want to be found out. Finn is a demon and Keira is a Fae and together they both have talents that this group can use to try and take over the world.

Heart of the Demon has a straightforward storyline, destroy the group while trying not to fall in love with each other. You know who the bad guy is, thankfully it is not obvious on how they will take him down or even how Finn and Keira will discover each other’s secret. (The overwhelming obviousness was my problem with the last novel, Secret of the Wolf.)

Sparks flew when Finn and Keira met in Secret of the Wolf. A few months have passed since then and they have seen each other off and on, but after a hot but awkward sexual encounter they have been playing it cool. They both act like they don’t want a lasting relationship when in fact they really do.

Finn is the ultimate bad boy. He wears black, leather and drives a motorcycle. He does whatever he wants and doesn’t care about the consequences. He is also quite the ladies man, taking home whatever woman he wants to for the night, but after his encounter with Keira other women just don’t do it for him anymore. Keira is the only woman on his mind and he wants her. He also worries about her safety after they join the group. Keira has been around for thousands of years and as someone who can con people very easily she has a hard time reading Finn’s thoughts for her. Keira is a pushy woman and she has no problem asking the questions on her mind even if she can’t get the answers she needs.

Finn and Keira truly offset the other. They both have a need for positive recognition. Finn just wants his dad to acknowledge him, anything for a “good job, son!” and Keira just wants someone to see her for herself and not the con woman that she used to be. She is tired of being used for other people’s gains. I truly liked Keira and Finn. I just wished they had a hotter, burning relationship than what they had. Although the relationship that they had did work well with the storyline.

I still really liked the uniqueness of the storyline that this series offers. I’m not sure what the plans are for the future of the series but I wouldn’t mind exploring more into someone who had just recently crossed over and has to deal with their new body. I think there may have been a set up for that at the end of Heart of the Demon.

Overall, I would recommend this to someone who likes the uniqueness of the world building but as plots go it is pretty standard fare.
Profile Image for Nikki .
804 reviews114 followers
March 16, 2013
Book three of Garner’s Warriors Of The Rift hits readers with a bang…and as a reader who hadn’t read the the first two books in the series, the bang was informational and entertaining.

Every so often a rift between the realm where supernaturals live and earth opens up allowing them to cross. When they cross they take over a human body. Now a rogue group of supernaturals aren’t happy with just the few who manage to cross and they’re determined to bring over more then over before and overthrow the human race once and for all.

Keira is a professional con artist. Or she was until she decided to turn over a new leaf. Now she’s being asked to infiltrate the rogue group with her impressive skills and gather intel to take them down. Working undercover should be easy until she runs into the one man who threatened to make her emotional walls crash down around her.

Finn is the son of the devil and he’s tired of working for his old man. Bargaining for his freedom he agrees to go undercover in the rogue supernaturals to find out plans for his father and the governing “Council”. Seeing Keira there effects him more then it should and he becomes determined to save her from herself and the rouge group. She deserves better then him but that doesn’t mean they can’t have some fun along the way.

I enjoyed this book a lot. There are a lot of unique aspects that I felt set it apart from other paranormal romances. The “body snatching” of humans being the biggest aspect. That’s something I expect in sci fi books, not paranormals so I liked that though I wish the author would have went into a little more detail about what exactly that entails for the humans and the transition process. Having a “rift” was also something I found unique to this series. Again, very sci-fi. In my mind I kept picturing something like Stargate and demons/vamps and other supernaturals walking through a oil like center that separates our dimensions.

Keira and Finn together was what made the book for me though. They both had HUGE trust issues and since they were both working undercover I can understand why. Each one wanting so badly to let the other in but with such big stakes at play, both were afraid of the others true feelings. I think they each knew the other would never truly believe in the madness the rogue group was spouting but they had a extremely hard time acknowledging that. Together they had this sensual heat neither could deny, though they tried…a lot. I also liked how we got points of view from both characters. I love reading from the male POV especially and Heart Of The Demon gave me that.

I will definitely be reading more from Cynthia Garner in the future! I was completely consumed by the light and dark that Keira and Finn represented. I found her writing to be engaging, thorough and wonderfully done.

I give Heart Of The Demon by Cynthia Garner 4 stars!
Profile Image for Romancing the Book.
4,420 reviews221 followers
October 4, 2014
Reviewed by Crystal
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I saw the book cover and just went crazy over the guy, so I read the blurb. I knew I had to read this book or I would go crazy. I will warn you not to read this book if you are hungry. Just the way the author described the hamburgers made my mouth water. I could just imagine that I was eating one when Keira and Finn ate theirs.

Keira and Finn both are keeping secrets from each other and being that they are not human that explains some of it. What they don’t know is they are both working undercover. Maybe if they had known that might have worked better together. I think that they had to do this just so they could learn to trust each other. Keira just wants to let go of her past and live an as normal life as she can. Finn is the son of Lucifer and he is tired of being at his dad’s beck and call all the time. Finn keeps that to himself and also what else he is besides a demon. He is just so bad boy and you have to love him in his leather and driving his motorcycle.

In this book you always have to be on the look out and it is hard to know who is good and who is bad. You also need to be careful with who you trust. When you have something this big coming up you know that you can’t breathe a sigh of relief until it is all over. I think I need to just take a calm breath after reading this and just think about everything that happened. Just when I thought my heart would stay in my chest and I could relax something else was going on. I like vampires but some of the one’s in here are just down right mean. Demons have never really been my favorite but I will change my mind for Finn.

Even thought this said that it had 368 pages in it, it really only had about 289. The author gave bits and pieces of the other books in this series and I liked that. I haven’t read the other books but getting a taste of the others makes me want to read them. I especially want to read more about Nix. Saying that I really didn’t think I was missing out on a big part of the series. I think that because this one is the one where all the action of the rift is happening. The author was very descriptive in her writing. She also knows how to weave her stories to readers and gives them what they want.

If you want to read a wonderful romantic paranormal suspense with a demon and a fey falling in love then this is the book for you.
Profile Image for Jessica .
2,651 reviews16k followers
February 21, 2013
It's been a while since I've read a really good paranormal romance, so when Cynthia Garner's newest novel showed up in my mailbox, I couldn't help but squeal with excitement. And it was about a demon? I haven't read many demon novels, so I was excited to see just how dark and dreamy they could be.

Every generation, preternaturals come to Earth through a rift that connects the worlds for a short period of time, where supernatural creatures come through and take over the bodies of humans. This time, though, a group of rogues want to keep the rift open longer with a new machine they built, hoping to gain enough preternaturals to take over the human race. The Council of Preternaturals isn't too happy about this, and blackmails fey Kiera O'Brien into infiltrating the rogue group and shutting it down. Little does she know that Finn, a Demon she's started falling for, has also been asked to infiltrate the group in order to earn his freedom from Lucifer. Can they find the machine and stop the operation before the rift opens?

Hmmm where to start? There were so many levels to this book and I completely fell in love with them all. First, you have Kiera and Finn, both broken and not sure if they can really love someone for the rest of their lives. Then, you have the fact that neither of them know their both on the same side, so they have to deal with their trust issues from constantly lying to each other. Lastly, you have the whole bad guy with the machine who wants to create an apocalyptic attack on Earth. Kiera and Finn definitely have their work cut out for them.

I really loved both Kiera and Finn's characters and how they both had serious trust issues. Getting the story from both of their sides was a really great part of the book because you really got to connect with both characters. I also really liked how many different supernatural beings there were because it made the book so much more entertaining.

Overall, this was a great paranormal romance that had some action and mystery thrown in to keep things interesting. If you haven't read a Cynthia Garner book yet, I'd definitely recommend you do! Especially if you're a paranormal romance lover who has a soft spot for the not so normal, yet incredibly irresistible paranormal creatures.
Profile Image for Robin Priddy.
98 reviews8 followers
April 19, 2013
This is the third installment of Ms Garner's Warrior's of the Rift series. This is a great new look into how vampires, werewolfs, fey, and all the other paranormals came to be on Earth. Ms Garner mixes urban fantasy and romance to bring to lafe a wonderful new world.

Every seventy-five years a rift open between Earth and another demension. The criminals of that world are sent to earth. Since they have no bodies of their own anymore they inhabit the bodies of humans. The human will then become whatever species that the criminal was. They are ruled by a Council made up of one of each paranormal species. There is a group of preternaturals who do not want to follow the rules the council has set up. They have built a machine that will keep to rift open longer and enable other like-mined preternaturals to come to earth. Their goal is to take over. It is up to two people to find this machine and put a stop it their plans.
Keira O"Brien is a fey and a con artist. When she came to earth she bonded with an Irish Queen. She made Keira want to be a better person. Since then she has stopped puling cons. Her boyfriend talks her into helping him pull one last con and the mark ends up killing himself. When a member of the Council uses this information to blackmale Keira into going undercover in this rouge gorup and finding when they are hiding the rift machine, she has no choice but to agree.
Finn Evnissyen, enforcer for the Demons, is asked by his father, the leader of the demons, to go undercover , find the machine, and disband it before they can use it. He makes a deal with his father. He will do this if after it is done he can stop being the enforcer and live his life as he wants. He is shocked to see Keira at the meetings. They had a very short but intense affair a while back and he has never forgotten her. Keira and
Finn are unaware that they are working towards the same goal but being backed by different people. Will they be able to trust each other and work together to stop a madman?
Profile Image for Kris (My Novelesque Life).
4,693 reviews209 followers
September 29, 2014
4 stars

(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).

"Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world-or send it spiraling into chaos.

The next opening of the rift is coming-and its consequences will be deadly. A rogue group of human-hating preternaturals is planning an apocalyptic attack, but the Council of Preternaturals may have found the key to saving the world: Keira O'Brien, a fey with a long criminal record, whose empathic abilities once made her the queen of con artists. If she successfully infiltrates the dangerous faction, the sins of her past will be forgiven.

Keira isn't the only agent working against the rogue prets. Finn Evnissyen, a powerful demon with a dark lineage, is a hired assassin looking for a way out. If he stops the threat, he will finally earn his freedom. As the rift fast approaches, and danger escalates, Finn and Keira must discover if they're on the same side-or sleeping with the enemy . . ." (From Amazon)

Another great novel in the Warrior of the Rift series! We meet two more preternaturals who have been assigned to join the enemy to see how they can stop them. Another great romance and this novel ties in the first two and really looks at vengeance.
Profile Image for Mel.
1,211 reviews46 followers
January 18, 2013
Heart of the Demon is the third book in Cynthia Garner's sci-fi/PNR series, Warriors of the Rift. In this unique world the supernatural creepy crawlies that go bump in the night are actually beings from another dimension. These beings came through a rift and are basically squatting within a human host. I've said it before when reviewing this series and I'll say it again; how frakkin cool is that?

I lurve the world that Cynthia Garner has created and squeed like a freak when I got my hot little hands on Finn err I mean an ARC of his book. *grins* I've been itching for his story since he was introduced in Kiss of the Vampire and once I got it, I devoured him it. Finn is such a complex and sexy character that you can't help but feel for him. Mmm Finn. Kiera was a great mate for him and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the fey.

Heart of the Demon is by far my favorite book in the Warriors of the Rift series and though it tied up the story arc nicely, I really hope Ms. Garner gets to continue the series. I give Heart of the Demon 4.5 stars.

*ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY*
Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews543 followers
March 3, 2013
I really liked Keira and Finn, but I hated that they both felt the need to hide what they felt for each other. It didn't help things that while both Keira and Finn were working towards the same goal, but were undercover, which caused them to think badly of the other. With each meeting with the evil group they were forced to face the fact that the one they loved was on the wrong side. Their secret missions seemed to put them at odds too, mostly because each one was trying to become a better person, one who didn't do those bad things.

I hated that it took most of the book until Keira and Finn found out they were working on the same side. I almost wondered if it would even happen as there were so few pages left. I did love how the past characters showed up and they all worked together to foil the big plan. I was a little surprised to learn of the actual person that was pulling the strings.

It will be interesting to see where things go from here with the influx of new prets.
Profile Image for Delia.
281 reviews10 followers
Want to read
January 31, 2013
So here we are at book three in the Warriors of the Rift series. I have to say at first the concept of supernaturals coming from some other dimension took a little getting used to. Now I have to say I am hooked. I love the different supernatural groups that live in Garners world of the rift.
As this book starts we are only a few weeks away from the next rift and everything's changing. Tension is running high on Earth as humans prepare to have their lives potentially robbed from them. A secret organization is working to keep the rift open for even longer. Now the unlikely pair of a Demon and a Fae have been charged with infiltrating the group to try and stop them. The trouble lies two fold, one they must resist the urge to get to close to one another and two they must work together but never let on their own secret agendas.
This was a fast paced story with two fantastic lead characters. Their chemistry was fantastic, you could really feel the tension between them. Great characters and an exceptional storyline make this a must read for any paranormal lover!
Profile Image for N. Kuhn.
Author 66 books410 followers
January 18, 2015
This book is just phenomenal! Cynthia Garner doesn't write your average paranormal smut. Sure, the love scenes are hot, but there's so much more substance to this book! There's an actual plot that is thick with great character development, and many options left open for sequals.

Keira the fey, used to be a grifter, a con artist. Finn the demon, kills and does the bidding of his father, Lucifer. (yes! the devil) Both sent to sneak their way into a rogue group. But neither knowing the real reason the other is there! Can they over come their doubts of each other, and put aside their feelings, in time to save the human race? Stefan Liuz plans to use his rogue group to over run the earth with preternaturals (non-humans) by keeping the rift between the dimensions open, and bringing over his criminal cohorts. He's a villain you can easily hate.

I hated having to put this book down. If you want a different kind of romance, something hot but filling... You need to pick this book up! Keira and Finn are my new fave couple!
Profile Image for Lissa00.
1,358 reviews30 followers
March 17, 2013
I received this book as a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway. I enjoyed the premise of the book. A rift opens every so often that allows preternaturals to join Earth from another dimension. A rogue group of "prets" are working together to keep the rift open longer, allowing more prets to come over to Earth and eventually outnumber the humans. Working separately to stop the group, Kiera and Finn, must pretend to the group and each other that they are not what they seem. My main problem with the romance in the book is that Keira and Finn knew each other and had already slept together before so as a reader I missed that stage of their relationship. It made the romance part of the book a bit lacking for me. Overall, I did enjoy it and am interested in reading the other books in this series.
Profile Image for Caroline.
918 reviews4 followers
September 26, 2023
Finn Evnissyen, son of the Devil and his primo assassin, wants out. He wants freedom from dad's organization so bad, he is willing to do anything. Keira O'Brien, Finn's former fey sweetheart and con'artist queen, wants a clean slate. Both work towards figuring out what a fanatical preternatural hating group of humans is planning to stop more supernaturals from coming through the rift on an apocolyptic scale.

I won this book through goodreads. It took me a while to get to it since I hate starting series in the middle and had to start at the beginning. I liked the characters well enough but I had some inital trouble getting into the thick of things. However once things picked up, I really started enjoying the book.
Profile Image for Emi Lia.
136 reviews
February 28, 2013
Heart of the Demon is the third installment of the Warriors of the Rift series. Since I haven't read the previous novels, I thought I was going to be lost, but it turned out not to be the case. Tho I will go back and read them now, I loved this book! Finn was like the Donnie Brosco of the Demon world, lol,
going undercover to take out the bad demons. He and Keira are unkonwingly on the same side, tho they both think the other is rapt with fascination for the cause. As they work on infiltrating the group, they try in vain to not fall for each other. But as we all know, the more you deny yourself what you want, the harder it is to stay away from it. As is the case for Finn & Keira, lol.
Great read, full of suspense and action. I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Angela.
1,711 reviews42 followers
Want to read
January 20, 2020
I've always wondered what type of guy Finn was ever since he came strutting in to mess with Nix. Well, I definitely found out...a good guy that does bad things for good reasons. Oh yeah, a really hot guy that goes for what he wants whether that be freedom from Luc or the love of a good woman. Keira was a great match for Finn. I loved the way she didn't take any crap from him.

I think this was my favorite out of the series so far. I wasn't too sure about this series when I first started, but the more I read of this series the better it gets. I totally got sucked into this book and can't wait for more. I've recommended this series before and will gladly do so again.
21 reviews
January 24, 2013
Supernatural beings are being brought to life by Cynthia Garner. She really takes you into a darker world that will make you question what or who is really around you. In Heart of the Demon, Finn and Kierra are trying to prevent a takeover that will very well send the world into well, hell. This story started very sexy and it did take me a while to get through it but it was actually very good. The romance between Finn and Kierra was just enough to keep you heated. This is a series that I will continue to read.
Profile Image for A.S. Johnson.
Author 8 books64 followers
December 13, 2012
A sexy demon finds himself mixed up in a plot to destroy all humanity while picking up where he left off with an old flame. At times the story seemed to drag on and on, movement was slow and at times felt forced. I found myself bored about half way through it, unable to continue reading it. I did finish it, eventually three months later, and discovered the ending was as predictable as the plot. Characters were likable and storyline enjoyable(to a point) with an interesting twist on demons, shapeshifters, and other immortals.
Profile Image for Sam.
42 reviews9 followers
February 5, 2013
I won this book in a First Reads giveaway.

I enjoyed this book a lot, reading it all within one day, and I would be interested in reading other books by this author. The plot was entertaining and the characters were well done. Though, I kinda wished for more information about Finn's mother as I was wondering who she was and about her relationship with Lucifer.

The amount of variety of demons and preternaturals were fantastic and interesting. I giggled at Lucifer having such a sweet tooth and being quite possessive of cheesecake. It made me laugh so hard.

Profile Image for Rhi G.
113 reviews12 followers
January 5, 2013
I just loved this book!

The cover is what initially attracted my attention(lol) but the synopsis hooks you in as well. I mean what more could you want in a book.. Supernatural/paranormal characters,sexy scenes, twists and action!

I'll definitely be reading more from this author :)

I also like that it is a series but each book is about a different character and has a totally different storyline, I think that is awesome.
Profile Image for Leslie.
28 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2013
I loved this book, and I really liked the characters (which is rare for me. I also liked that the characters are reoccuring and each book is about a different character. I love paranormal books; this had it all; fey,demons,vamps,lucifer! etc. I let my friend read it, she loved it (she rated it 5 stars as well)
Profile Image for Julie Lawson.
64 reviews
December 16, 2012
I won this book on good reads. I have not read the other books in this series (Warriors of the Rift). It took me a bit to get into the book but I enjoyed the characters and the romance and mystery. I loved Keira and Finn. I recommend this book if you are into paranormal.
Profile Image for Lisa.
29 reviews2 followers
March 16, 2013
I really liked Keira and Finn's characters. I am glad that Keira and Finn were able to reveal their true feelings for one another, it was bothering me as the book progressed that it took so long for them to reveal their true feelings for one another All in all though, it was a great read!!!
Profile Image for Cindyg.
1,004 reviews63 followers
March 18, 2013
Finn and Keira's story is well written and easy to follow.
I'm really enjoying this series.
Ms. Garner has really created a beautiful world with awesome characters.
Add to your TBR pile if you haven't already, you'll definitely be glad you did.
Highly Recommend.
Profile Image for Talitha.
34 reviews39 followers
January 5, 2013
Received from Goodreads First Reads

Loved it....looking forward to more tales from the Rift!
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