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Seven Deadly Sins #1
My Immortal
In the late eighteenth century, plantation owner Damien du Bourg struck an unholy bargain with a fallen angel: an eternity of inspiring lust in others for the gift of immortality. But when Marley Turner stumbles upon Damien's plantation searching for her missing sister, for the first time in two hundred years it's Damien who can't resist the lure of a woman. But his past sins aren't so easily forgotten-or forgiven.
311 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 28, 2007
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1820 people want to read
About the author
Erin McCarthy
215 books4,826 followersUSA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written over a hundred novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
April 17, 2011
Ugh, I really disliked this book. Not only did the heroine irritate the crap out of me, but a lot of things didn't make sense about the book. I didn't mind the premise of the story, but I really hated the moral-police tone I got from the book.
One thing that I never quite understood is why Damien made the deal with the demon in the first place. We saw it in the past, and he tried to explain it at the end, but it still never made sense. Silly I know, but I like my storylines to at least have some logic.
For a good chunk of the story were are shown frequent flashbacks of Damien's old life with his wife. These are told through an old letter she had written to a friend. This was actually the most interesting part of the story for me. It slowed down the narrative of the present story and broke it up in a way that would have irritated me if I had been enjoying the story between Damien and Marley. I was bored by them, though, so it provided some interesting backstory.
I think this story had a lot of potential, but it didn't really do anything with it. Damien's past and the mistakes he had made (and regretted) should have made for a compelling character, but it didn't. There was nothing wrong with Damien, but he was surprisingly bland for a demon's servant.
The author took quite a chance showing us Damien's behavior in the past. He was pretty unlikeable for most of it. I think I was actually supposed to dislike him and blame him more than I did, though. I, personally, thought his wife shared a large chunk of the blame. I really didn't like her and found it ridiculous of her to whine about him cheating on her when she didn't talk to him, didn't like him, and cried when he had sex with her. He wasn't mean to her, he just gave up on her unless they were trying for a child.
The actual romance in the present did nothing for me. I didn't really get the attraction, and Marley made me grind my teeth. She was such a martyr! She was portrayed as so "good" and self-sacrificing, but I found her irritating. She was resentful of her sister for having a child when she didn't. I'm sorry, but probably you don't have a child because you haven't dated in 5 years! That's not her sister's fault. She was also so "woe is me, I'm so fat" that it was pathetic. Maybe she should get over herself. She kept making stupid assumptions and looking foolish because she'd burst out with some pathetic speech to Damien about her knowing her own limitations and not being attractive enough to get him. Then he'd reassure her that he thought she was beautiful, yadda yadda. Rinse and repeat.
This book also came off as really judgmental and weird. Damien was supposed to inspire the "sin" of lust in people. How exactly is that a bad thing? Apparently it's horrible and eeeeevil for even a husband and wife to enjoy having wild sex with each other. That's really where the portrayal of Damien's past bad behavior failed. I rolled my eyes over his wife wanting him being portrayed as him debasing her and corrupting her morals. Sorry, I didn't realize that only sexless people had morals.
So Damien has sex parties where everyone who attends consents and enjoys whatever and whoever they want. No one forces or coerces anyone into anything. At one point someone is found spiking a drink and is kicked out. How exactly is this supposed to be sinful??? I really disliked that this book portrayed any aspect of enjoying sex as a sin. A while after Marley finally relaxes and enjoys sex she finds out about Damien's demon-servant job and is horrified learn that he is the cause for her eroding morals. WHAT eroding morals??? Ugh, it just drove me nuts.
I did find it ridiculous that at the end Ridiculous and illogical? Why yes, it was.
One thing that I never quite understood is why Damien made the deal with the demon in the first place. We saw it in the past, and he tried to explain it at the end, but it still never made sense. Silly I know, but I like my storylines to at least have some logic.
For a good chunk of the story were are shown frequent flashbacks of Damien's old life with his wife. These are told through an old letter she had written to a friend. This was actually the most interesting part of the story for me. It slowed down the narrative of the present story and broke it up in a way that would have irritated me if I had been enjoying the story between Damien and Marley. I was bored by them, though, so it provided some interesting backstory.
I think this story had a lot of potential, but it didn't really do anything with it. Damien's past and the mistakes he had made (and regretted) should have made for a compelling character, but it didn't. There was nothing wrong with Damien, but he was surprisingly bland for a demon's servant.
The author took quite a chance showing us Damien's behavior in the past. He was pretty unlikeable for most of it. I think I was actually supposed to dislike him and blame him more than I did, though. I, personally, thought his wife shared a large chunk of the blame. I really didn't like her and found it ridiculous of her to whine about him cheating on her when she didn't talk to him, didn't like him, and cried when he had sex with her. He wasn't mean to her, he just gave up on her unless they were trying for a child.
The actual romance in the present did nothing for me. I didn't really get the attraction, and Marley made me grind my teeth. She was such a martyr! She was portrayed as so "good" and self-sacrificing, but I found her irritating. She was resentful of her sister for having a child when she didn't. I'm sorry, but probably you don't have a child because you haven't dated in 5 years! That's not her sister's fault. She was also so "woe is me, I'm so fat" that it was pathetic. Maybe she should get over herself. She kept making stupid assumptions and looking foolish because she'd burst out with some pathetic speech to Damien about her knowing her own limitations and not being attractive enough to get him. Then he'd reassure her that he thought she was beautiful, yadda yadda. Rinse and repeat.
This book also came off as really judgmental and weird. Damien was supposed to inspire the "sin" of lust in people. How exactly is that a bad thing? Apparently it's horrible and eeeeevil for even a husband and wife to enjoy having wild sex with each other. That's really where the portrayal of Damien's past bad behavior failed. I rolled my eyes over his wife wanting him being portrayed as him debasing her and corrupting her morals. Sorry, I didn't realize that only sexless people had morals.
So Damien has sex parties where everyone who attends consents and enjoys whatever and whoever they want. No one forces or coerces anyone into anything. At one point someone is found spiking a drink and is kicked out. How exactly is this supposed to be sinful??? I really disliked that this book portrayed any aspect of enjoying sex as a sin. A while after Marley finally relaxes and enjoys sex she finds out about Damien's demon-servant job and is horrified learn that he is the cause for her eroding morals. WHAT eroding morals??? Ugh, it just drove me nuts.
I did find it ridiculous that at the end Ridiculous and illogical? Why yes, it was.
January 6, 2009
Hmm. My Immortal wasn’t really what I thought it was going to be. Two hundred years ago, Damien, made deal with a demon so that he may be immortal. In exchange, he must entice people to lust. It is never really clear to me why in the world he makes this weird deal in the first place. It is somewhat explained at the end, but I still don’t really get it.
As time goes on—like 2 months—he realizes that he made a mistake. He doesn’t like the deal anymore, but there’s nothing he can do. He lives life recklessly now, knowing nothing can kill. He has sex parties at his mansion to keep up the ‘incite lust’ part of his deal, but he has denied himself the pleasure of a woman for over 100 years. He feels this is his penance.
The story is told through a lot of flashbacks to the 1700’s. I think it slowed the story down. But in the end, he does get a HEA, which is expected.
As time goes on—like 2 months—he realizes that he made a mistake. He doesn’t like the deal anymore, but there’s nothing he can do. He lives life recklessly now, knowing nothing can kill. He has sex parties at his mansion to keep up the ‘incite lust’ part of his deal, but he has denied himself the pleasure of a woman for over 100 years. He feels this is his penance.
The story is told through a lot of flashbacks to the 1700’s. I think it slowed the story down. But in the end, he does get a HEA, which is expected.
May 15, 2008
Ok....How to describe this book..... this is one of the weirdest I have read...well her book Fallen is in the same arena also. But it is compelling. Just how to describe it is evading me. I did like it, dealt with paranormal and a heroine that you can truely picture. A woman who is like the rest of us, not drop dead gorgeous but beautiful in her own way. The hero was quite tortured, well saying he has been a slave to a Gregori demon for around 200 years. Set in Louisiana around New Orleans, which would be a perfect setting for a paranormal book for me. Just to describe it is just beyond me right now. You would just have to read it to form your own ideas and opinions.
September 28, 2010
I did not like most of the book, but I loved the parts with Alex.
I’d recommend skipping the first 235 pages and just read from page 236 to the end, page 311. Do I give this 1 star for not liking most of the book or 4 or 5 stars for the Alex part? I don’t know, so I’ll compromise with 2 stars. The main characters did not interest me. For most of the book, I wanted it to be over. I did not like the back-and-forth writing style of two stories, but I liked the plot concerning demons.
The book consisted of two stories, one about Damien and Marie in 1790. The second story was about Damien and Marley around 2007. I would have preferred the author tell the 1790 story completely, and then tell the 2007 story. For the first 236 pages, the author told both stories at the same time, going back and forth. I was annoyed, with a feeling similar to tv commercials interrupting the stories. I wanted each story by itself. I don’t think it would have hurt the plot to do it my way. Marley was learning the story over time and took certain actions based on her growing knowledge of the earlier story. I think that still could be accomplished, without the reader learning the past story with interruptions.
I didn’t enjoy reading about the main characters: Damien, Marley, Marie, and Rosa. Damien was selfish and unlikeable in his youth. One night, on a whim, he asks Rosa to make him immortal in return for his servitude to her demon father Alex for eternity. Damien had no reason to do this. Then after he becomes immortal, his job is to incite lust in humans, which he does by hosting orgy parties. Then, for reasons unclear to me, he refuses to have sex with women for over 100 years, as his way of defying Alex. Alex probably didn’t even care. This made no sense to me.
I had trouble liking Marley. She was the “good girl,” single, a teacher with strong moral values and felt responsible for her family. Her sister Lizzie the “bad girl” had bipolar issues and would run off and disappear for long periods of time. Marley learned that Lizzie had been gone for awhile so Marley spends more money than she can afford to travel and stay in a hotel to try to find Lizzie. When she eventually found her, she discovered Lizzie was in love with a man, having a ball, and not thinking about her family being concerned. I had trouble with Marley’s “always the martyr” decision to go after Lizzie in the first place. When there is a bad egg in the family, one doesn’t break the bank to find and convince them come home when they don’t want to come home, especially when this has been a habitual problem.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
I didn’t like Marie either. She started out sympathetic because she was married to an abusive man. She was afraid of sex and sickly. After seeing her husband have sex with Rosa, Marie decides she wants to have lustful sex as well. She gains weight, improves her health, and starts having passionate sex with Damien. Then, she becomes haughty, irritable, gossipy, possessive, jealous, etc.
On the other hand, I loved reading about Alex, the demon father. He was the ultimate in wickedness regarding women and sex. I want to be surprised when I read a story. Well, this guy shocked and surprised me! It’s almost worth getting the book just to read about him, on pages 247 to 292. Although, the reader might need some of the previous story for context to get the full impact. Alex had a strange and shocking relationship with Lizzie. And even stranger was what he wanted from Marley and then what he did after she told him her decision. Alex is one of those unforgettable characters.
Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: eighteen plus. Setting: 1790 and current day New Orleans area. Copyright: 2007. Genre: fantasy romance.
For a list of my reviews of other Erin McCarthy books, see my 3.5 star review of “Flat-Out Sexy” posted under 3 stars 11/11/08.
I’d recommend skipping the first 235 pages and just read from page 236 to the end, page 311. Do I give this 1 star for not liking most of the book or 4 or 5 stars for the Alex part? I don’t know, so I’ll compromise with 2 stars. The main characters did not interest me. For most of the book, I wanted it to be over. I did not like the back-and-forth writing style of two stories, but I liked the plot concerning demons.
The book consisted of two stories, one about Damien and Marie in 1790. The second story was about Damien and Marley around 2007. I would have preferred the author tell the 1790 story completely, and then tell the 2007 story. For the first 236 pages, the author told both stories at the same time, going back and forth. I was annoyed, with a feeling similar to tv commercials interrupting the stories. I wanted each story by itself. I don’t think it would have hurt the plot to do it my way. Marley was learning the story over time and took certain actions based on her growing knowledge of the earlier story. I think that still could be accomplished, without the reader learning the past story with interruptions.
I didn’t enjoy reading about the main characters: Damien, Marley, Marie, and Rosa. Damien was selfish and unlikeable in his youth. One night, on a whim, he asks Rosa to make him immortal in return for his servitude to her demon father Alex for eternity. Damien had no reason to do this. Then after he becomes immortal, his job is to incite lust in humans, which he does by hosting orgy parties. Then, for reasons unclear to me, he refuses to have sex with women for over 100 years, as his way of defying Alex. Alex probably didn’t even care. This made no sense to me.
I had trouble liking Marley. She was the “good girl,” single, a teacher with strong moral values and felt responsible for her family. Her sister Lizzie the “bad girl” had bipolar issues and would run off and disappear for long periods of time. Marley learned that Lizzie had been gone for awhile so Marley spends more money than she can afford to travel and stay in a hotel to try to find Lizzie. When she eventually found her, she discovered Lizzie was in love with a man, having a ball, and not thinking about her family being concerned. I had trouble with Marley’s “always the martyr” decision to go after Lizzie in the first place. When there is a bad egg in the family, one doesn’t break the bank to find and convince them come home when they don’t want to come home, especially when this has been a habitual problem.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
I didn’t like Marie either. She started out sympathetic because she was married to an abusive man. She was afraid of sex and sickly. After seeing her husband have sex with Rosa, Marie decides she wants to have lustful sex as well. She gains weight, improves her health, and starts having passionate sex with Damien. Then, she becomes haughty, irritable, gossipy, possessive, jealous, etc.
On the other hand, I loved reading about Alex, the demon father. He was the ultimate in wickedness regarding women and sex. I want to be surprised when I read a story. Well, this guy shocked and surprised me! It’s almost worth getting the book just to read about him, on pages 247 to 292. Although, the reader might need some of the previous story for context to get the full impact. Alex had a strange and shocking relationship with Lizzie. And even stranger was what he wanted from Marley and then what he did after she told him her decision. Alex is one of those unforgettable characters.
Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: eighteen plus. Setting: 1790 and current day New Orleans area. Copyright: 2007. Genre: fantasy romance.
For a list of my reviews of other Erin McCarthy books, see my 3.5 star review of “Flat-Out Sexy” posted under 3 stars 11/11/08.
March 5, 2016
First in the Seven Deadly Sins paranormal romance series.
My Take
This was good. A completely different treatment and perspective on demon bargains from what I have read previously with the added benefit of a gorgeous hunk'a man attracted to an imperfect, serious woman — the old "love of a good woman" routine.
McCarthy includes the letters Marie had written all those centuries ago to "educate" Marley as to Damien's true self and also providing us with a glimpse down the years as to life on a plantation. Although, I really would have liked more information on the day-to-day as well as how events over the centuries affected the plantation. And what Damien did to keep things going over the years.
I do love that this "old" man is currently engaged in website design! Most of the authors I've read so far, have their long-lived characters finding it difficult to keep up with the times — yes, I know that J.R. Ward has her Brotherhood well up-to-date, please note "most of the authors"!
The Story
Marley Turner is the caretaker in her family so when her sister, Lizzie, disappears for two months, Marley tracks down the last place she knows her sister had been. The most incredible old plantation just outside New Orleans…and so dilapidated. How could they allow this gorgeous old place to fall apart!
Marley knows how she appears to others so when her knocking finally attracts Damien's attention, her only concern is her natural shyness preventing her communicating with this gorgeous hunk approaching her. Damien on the other hand is incredibly attracted to the first woman in his 250-years-of-life who appears able to resist his demon-enhanced charms.
And so it goes…the plot hatched between Rosa and Anna with their "father's" consent, the history as Marley reads from Marie Evangeline Theresa Bouvier du Bourg's letters of her life with Damien du Borg, and the blossoming of Marley at Damien's hands…and mouth…and…
The Characters
Marley Turner is a schoolteacher in Cincinnati who has spent her life cleaning up Lizzie's messes, caring for their parents, and worrying about Lizzie's son, Sebastian, who is being cared for by Rachel.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Turner is Marley's younger sister and a total airhead. She pops in once in awhile to see her son but mostly occupies herself with going off with her flavor of the moment.
Damien du Bourg was a newly-married Creole plantation owner in 1789 when, angry at what he thought was the superior airs put on by his wife, made a bargain with Rosa so he could live forever. Warned by Rosa, he insisted and has spent the last 250 years enticing humans into sexual sins and regretting his bargain.
Rosa is a half-demon daughter of the demon who requires her to recruit humans to the demon side. Anna is Rosa's partner in crime…in so many ways.
The Cover and Title
The cover is nicely amorphous with its hint of scrolling in a dark background. All the better to highlight the woman's nude back wrapped in its chocolate brown silk sheets.
The title is certainly appropriate for Damien is indeed My Immortal for Marley.
My Take
This was good. A completely different treatment and perspective on demon bargains from what I have read previously with the added benefit of a gorgeous hunk'a man attracted to an imperfect, serious woman — the old "love of a good woman" routine.
McCarthy includes the letters Marie had written all those centuries ago to "educate" Marley as to Damien's true self and also providing us with a glimpse down the years as to life on a plantation. Although, I really would have liked more information on the day-to-day as well as how events over the centuries affected the plantation. And what Damien did to keep things going over the years.
I do love that this "old" man is currently engaged in website design! Most of the authors I've read so far, have their long-lived characters finding it difficult to keep up with the times — yes, I know that J.R. Ward has her Brotherhood well up-to-date, please note "most of the authors"!
The Story
Marley Turner is the caretaker in her family so when her sister, Lizzie, disappears for two months, Marley tracks down the last place she knows her sister had been. The most incredible old plantation just outside New Orleans…and so dilapidated. How could they allow this gorgeous old place to fall apart!
Marley knows how she appears to others so when her knocking finally attracts Damien's attention, her only concern is her natural shyness preventing her communicating with this gorgeous hunk approaching her. Damien on the other hand is incredibly attracted to the first woman in his 250-years-of-life who appears able to resist his demon-enhanced charms.
And so it goes…the plot hatched between Rosa and Anna with their "father's" consent, the history as Marley reads from Marie Evangeline Theresa Bouvier du Bourg's letters of her life with Damien du Borg, and the blossoming of Marley at Damien's hands…and mouth…and…
The Characters
Marley Turner is a schoolteacher in Cincinnati who has spent her life cleaning up Lizzie's messes, caring for their parents, and worrying about Lizzie's son, Sebastian, who is being cared for by Rachel.
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Turner is Marley's younger sister and a total airhead. She pops in once in awhile to see her son but mostly occupies herself with going off with her flavor of the moment.
Damien du Bourg was a newly-married Creole plantation owner in 1789 when, angry at what he thought was the superior airs put on by his wife, made a bargain with Rosa so he could live forever. Warned by Rosa, he insisted and has spent the last 250 years enticing humans into sexual sins and regretting his bargain.
Rosa is a half-demon daughter of the demon who requires her to recruit humans to the demon side. Anna is Rosa's partner in crime…in so many ways.
The Cover and Title
The cover is nicely amorphous with its hint of scrolling in a dark background. All the better to highlight the woman's nude back wrapped in its chocolate brown silk sheets.
The title is certainly appropriate for Damien is indeed My Immortal for Marley.
April 5, 2012
Uh... was this written by, say, a lil ole lady living next door to Erin M?
Coz this was just bad.Bad.
The idea/premise of Lust, should have been interesting.
Instead, Lust, turned out to be boring, pretending-to-be-but-not-really-sanctimonious, and just plain blah.
Damien, even though this is his story, felt like he was nowhere.
Oh, he's mentioned and he's around, but the feeling you get is like, you just don't feel invested in him, at all.
Marley, the heroine, is just Mary Sue. Plain and simple.Boring.
Dont get me wrong, I sometimes, like Mary Sue heroines, but not when they are being put up by the everyone including the baddies as some paragons of virtues or something..(blech.. I outgrew Barbara Cartland years ago).
And the worst offender of them all..
Marie;
Also the religious undertones made no sense. Lust is a sin. Then the heroine should technically be a virgin. Coz even if she had just one sexual encounter, if it was done outside of marriage, it's still a sin. But it's not, in her case. Damien,on the other hand, even though he is trying to redeem himself/punish himself, is on the other side of the moral divide.
Im rambly, and disjointed, but I think it's pretty clear, I was not a happy camper after this read.
Coz this was just bad.Bad.
The idea/premise of Lust, should have been interesting.
Instead, Lust, turned out to be boring, pretending-to-be-but-not-really-sanctimonious, and just plain blah.
Damien, even though this is his story, felt like he was nowhere.
Oh, he's mentioned and he's around, but the feeling you get is like, you just don't feel invested in him, at all.
Marley, the heroine, is just Mary Sue. Plain and simple.Boring.
Dont get me wrong, I sometimes, like Mary Sue heroines, but not when they are being put up by the everyone including the baddies as some paragons of virtues or something..(blech.. I outgrew Barbara Cartland years ago).
And the worst offender of them all..
Marie;
Also the religious undertones made no sense. Lust is a sin. Then the heroine should technically be a virgin. Coz even if she had just one sexual encounter, if it was done outside of marriage, it's still a sin. But it's not, in her case. Damien,on the other hand, even though he is trying to redeem himself/punish himself, is on the other side of the moral divide.
Im rambly, and disjointed, but I think it's pretty clear, I was not a happy camper after this read.
May 25, 2016
Damien du Bourg had it all a new wife, money, and looks but he was so taken by what was freely handed to him he never learned the humility that was needed in order to have a rich fufilling life. Instead his arrogant ways led him in a different path, making a deal with a Demon instead for his immortality.
Two hundred years later Marley Turner shows up on Damien's doorstep looking for her missing sister. Marley is the embodiment of all the innocence, loyalty, and self worth that Damien wishes he could have. Damien's feelings for Marley are a constant struggle, he knows the outcome if he pursues her but if he could just be with her for awhile, would he be able to let her go?
This was a reread for me, which I didn't catch until a few chapters in. The interesting thing is that this happened to be a book I have thought about several times over the years. The book is lush full of history, sin, seduction, mystery, and hope. One of my favorites.
Two hundred years later Marley Turner shows up on Damien's doorstep looking for her missing sister. Marley is the embodiment of all the innocence, loyalty, and self worth that Damien wishes he could have. Damien's feelings for Marley are a constant struggle, he knows the outcome if he pursues her but if he could just be with her for awhile, would he be able to let her go?
This was a reread for me, which I didn't catch until a few chapters in. The interesting thing is that this happened to be a book I have thought about several times over the years. The book is lush full of history, sin, seduction, mystery, and hope. One of my favorites.
May 19, 2009
Well now I know what some reviewers meant when they said this book was not what they where expecting. After reading a few reviews and the cover. I was interested to see what the twist was here. But there really wasn't one since everything was pretty much laid out there. with no mystery or big secret to reveal at least to me.
With that being said... I did happen to enjoy this. The sex was steamy. At times it was a bit hard for me to care about the characters though. Over all a good read.
Oh! Thankfully none of the male characters called the women "babe" in this. I don't have a problem with any kind of slang endearment. But in McCarthy's Vegas Vamp series all the men at one time or another call the women "Babe". I can see one or two.....but all the men? Come on.
With that being said... I did happen to enjoy this. The sex was steamy. At times it was a bit hard for me to care about the characters though. Over all a good read.
Oh! Thankfully none of the male characters called the women "babe" in this. I don't have a problem with any kind of slang endearment. But in McCarthy's Vegas Vamp series all the men at one time or another call the women "Babe". I can see one or two.....but all the men? Come on.
February 11, 2010
I picked this book for a Valentine's challenge, and didn't really expect to like it all that well as I am not a big fan of historical romances, but this book wasn't strictly that and it surprised me how much I ended up liking it. I did think the story line was fairly predictable and you could see where things were going well ahead of time, but I really liked the characters and their journey. Each one had things in their past that they had to face and once they accepted those things and started to see themselves like others saw them things seemed to go in their favor. But in the end the book boiled down to the bad choices we make in anger, living with the consequences, and finding a way back to what we hold true in ourselves.
November 30, 2010
Meh, skip it. It was dull, unexceptional and the characters all became incredibly irritating by the end of the book. I'm so tired of reading romance novels where the heroine is self-deprecating the entire time. If the heroine hates everything about herself, how is the reader supposed to connect or even like? Enough already! Stop wallowing in self pity. Constant self-disparaging remarks aren't endearing, sexy, or witty. It makes me want to quote Lorelai Gilmore ~ “What is going on here? We are young and fiery women! Where’s to-hell-with-it-all? Where’s throwing caution to the wind?”
Kresley Cole has so spoiled me. Sigh.
Kresley Cole has so spoiled me. Sigh.
November 19, 2011
warning lots of sex this book is about a man who sold his soul to the devil or a demon a demon of lust to become immortal. I had a hard getting into the prologebut as I got into the book the story was interesting kept my attention but becuase of the demon of lust thing there's alot of sex in this book. Not saying it's a bad thing, for those of you that don't mind that it's worth reading. Those of you that don't, I'd avoid this book
October 6, 2009
When I picked up this novel I was expecting a quick chick lit inconsequential read. Boy was I wrong. The story is quite captivating and I was unable to put it down.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a little fantasy in their fiction. Includes demons, religious stuff, spooky New Orleans plantations, and a multi-century love story. Love it!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a little fantasy in their fiction. Includes demons, religious stuff, spooky New Orleans plantations, and a multi-century love story. Love it!
September 8, 2010
I really enjoyed this. Its not like a normal PNR because it has many other elements in it and your never really sure where its going end up. I did figure out one thing and im glad it came to fruition. It made the story all that more pleasurable.
February 6, 2015
Loved this gem of a book by this author. I have never been too into paranormal romances, as a sub-genre of romance, but this series and author have made me realize it really depends on the n
novel and to keep an open mind. Loved it!
novel and to keep an open mind. Loved it!
June 23, 2008
Wow is about all I can say. Lush, lyrical, dark, simply amazing. So amazing Ms. McCarthy is going on my autobuy list.
October 11, 2009
Meh. I am a usually huge fan of McCarthy, but this one...not so much.
July 12, 2022
I *really* should have stopped reading this and DNF'ed, but there was enough at first to keep me wondering if it was going to improve. By the time I figured out that it wasn't, I was so far in that it kept me reading. Really, if it's between this and the ketchup bottle, you might want to give Heinz a go.
How to explain this? The book had, at first glance, many of the things that I like to read about. Tortured immortal demon slave Damien can't resist Marley, a visitor to his New Orleans plantation looking for her sister.
Let's look at all that goes awry in this novel:
✅ Damien is a pretty good hero - handsome, wealthy and a demon that inspires lust in all he meets. Yet, NO ONE - except Polly Purebred , oops Marley - seems to have any interest in him. He is apparently been celibate for the past 100 or so years... and doesn't even date, except for dowdy, unconfident women. You see he's a good guy that is trying to give those poor women hope. Gee, that's so nice, you almost don't believe he's bad at heart.
✅ Then there's Marley the Doormat. She's been used and abused by her family, especially her sister, for years and years. She's not only a doormat, she's also a prudish, inhibited, mealy-mouthed hand wringer. The absolute agony when she (gasp!) has wild orgasms with Damien is almost beyond endurance.
✅ We also are treated to Damien's backstory. This is agony as the author spreads it out over almost the entire course of the book. It might have been more impactful if it had been done in a few bursts. As it was, I was so over the entire Damien as a young, immature, philandering bastard taking advantage of his young wife Marie by....wait for it.... having sex . Oh, my! The wantonness of 2 young healthy people who *are* married taking pleasure in each other. The Sin of Sex? Damn - without it, the human race is going to be a short run and not a marathon.
✅ Then, there's the plot. In the search for her sister Lizzie, Marley comes to New Orleans to find her. Damien agrees to give a party - one of the sex parties that he's known for - and Marley does not need much enticement to stay, even agreeing to move into his mansion. Damien finds her irresistible - although why? Basically it's because she's innocent and unspoiled - meaning, I guess, that she is not very experienced sexually, not to mention not really enjoying it with her past lovers. So he takes it upon himself to educate her. Marley is given letters from the past - written by Marie - and finds an old woman on the estate that teases about what *really* happened. This is only part of the dragging, inane plot. Convoluted. Sex scenes with no real passion. Arrgh.
✅ Finally, there's also a nonconsensual scene. Where MARLEY forces DAMIEN into agreeing to sex. Over his repeated objections. She tells him "Don't tell me what I can and can't do." If this scene was written the other way, people would be up in arms. But here our repressed, handwringing prude actually compels the tortured hero into this. What the Hell. I should have just thrown the book across the room - but it was page 199.
So, my recommendation is run away if you're considering this one. If you read it, my sympathies.
How to explain this? The book had, at first glance, many of the things that I like to read about. Tortured immortal demon slave Damien can't resist Marley, a visitor to his New Orleans plantation looking for her sister.
Let's look at all that goes awry in this novel:
✅ Damien is a pretty good hero - handsome, wealthy and a demon that inspires lust in all he meets. Yet, NO ONE - except
✅ Then there's Marley the Doormat. She's been used and abused by her family, especially her sister, for years and years. She's not only a doormat, she's also a prudish, inhibited, mealy-mouthed hand wringer. The absolute agony when she (gasp!) has wild orgasms with Damien is almost beyond endurance.
✅ We also are treated to Damien's backstory. This is agony as the author spreads it out over almost the entire course of the book. It might have been more impactful if it had been done in a few bursts. As it was, I was so over the entire Damien as a young, immature, philandering bastard taking advantage of his young wife Marie by....wait for it.... having sex . Oh, my! The wantonness of 2 young healthy people who *are* married taking pleasure in each other. The Sin of Sex? Damn - without it, the human race is going to be a short run and not a marathon.
✅ Then, there's the plot. In the search for her sister Lizzie, Marley comes to New Orleans to find her. Damien agrees to give a party - one of the sex parties that he's known for - and Marley does not need much enticement to stay, even agreeing to move into his mansion. Damien finds her irresistible - although why? Basically it's because she's innocent and unspoiled - meaning, I guess, that she is not very experienced sexually, not to mention not really enjoying it with her past lovers. So he takes it upon himself to educate her. Marley is given letters from the past - written by Marie - and finds an old woman on the estate that teases about what *really* happened. This is only part of the dragging, inane plot. Convoluted. Sex scenes with no real passion. Arrgh.
✅ Finally, there's also a nonconsensual scene. Where MARLEY forces DAMIEN into agreeing to sex. Over his repeated objections. She tells him "Don't tell me what I can and can't do." If this scene was written the other way, people would be up in arms. But here our repressed, handwringing prude actually compels the tortured hero into this. What the Hell. I should have just thrown the book across the room - but it was page 199.
So, my recommendation is run away if you're considering this one. If you read it, my sympathies.
September 4, 2011
Vane0507 avait repéré cette série en VO (avec de jolies couvertures d’ailleurs) mais bon, à ce moment-là je ne me tentais pas trop à la VO et n’ayant pas vu d’avis dessus, j’ai laissé filé. Puis elle m’a appris que cette série avait été traduite en français ! Mais ne sachant pas ce que ça valait, j’avais laissé tomber quand Nyx Shadow (connu via une autre amie qu’on a en commun) s’est lancée dans cette série, qui était apparemment sympa. Du coup, je me suis laissé tenter à mon tour, et je dois dire que je ne suis pas déçue. Bon, il ne faut pas s’attendre aux livres du siècle et en criant au génie, mais ça reste quand même sympa à lire, c’est plaisant dans l’ensemble, même si dès le début, on se doute de la fin (un peu comme certain livre du type Harlequin, dès le départ on sait la fin, mais ce n’est pas grave, on se laisse prendre au jeu et on apprécie l’histoire quand même). Bref, voilà pour la petite anecdote sur ce livre et ma lecture, mais maintenant, mon avis sur ce livre et découvrons de quoi ça parle.
On découvre donc dans le prologue, une scène qui se déroule à la Nouvelle Orléans, dans une plantation avec Damien du Bourg, maître des lieux qui trompent sa femme avec une certaine Rosa, qui va lui permettre de goûter à l’immortalité à travers un pacte, tout en devant satisfaire en contre partie le péché de luxure (là, le titre est très évocateur, bien plus que celui en VO : My immortal, cela en dit plus long sur l’histoire que le titre d’origine du moins).
Puis l’on fait un bond dans le présent et on découvre Marla, jeune femme inquiète à la recherche de sa sœur qui a disparu et la lettre qu’elle a reçue d’elle, l’inquiète. Ainsi, elle part pour la Nouvelle Orléans, où elle a passé quelques temps en compagnie d’un homme : Damien dont elle pense être amoureuse. Marla se rend donc à la maison de cet homme en espérant y trouver sa sœur, sauf que ce fameux Damien semble réputer pour sa vie pleine de débauche. Marla n’aime pas ce genre de personnes et ce genre de vie (elle a passé quelques temps dans un couvent et est assez pudibonde) donc elle veut juste trouver sa sœur et repartie illico. Sauf que lorsqu’elle rencontre Damien, il ne semble pas la connaître mais lui propose d’organiser une soirée afin de voir si elle revient. Evidemment, rien ne va se passer comme prévu et Marla va devoir prolonger son séjour pour retrouver sa sœur. Sauf qu’elle va se laisser entraîner de plus en plus vers la vie de Damien, s’intéresser à lui, sans savoir dans quelle galère elle s’est mise.
J’ai trouvé l’histoire intéressante, bien que prévisible à certains moments. On comprend aisément qui sont les personnages, à qui ça peut faire référence, mais aussi comment ça va se terminer, voire par quel moyen. Mais ça n’est pas dérangeant et on prend quand même du plaisir à lire ce livre. Il s’agit de romance paranormale, donc évidemment on s’attend à pas mal de choses vu le genre. Attention, ce n’est pas forcément nian nian comme ça peut l’être dans des livres du genre et les scènes de sexe ne sont pas trop nombreuses et s’intègrent bien dans le récit sans que ça ne soit dérangeant. Par ailleurs l’écriture fait que ça se lit bien, sans problème, sans toutefois en détailler sur des pages et des pages. Il y a juste ce qu’il faut je trouve.
Le livre comporte deux « histoires parallèles » c'est-à-dire qu’on a l’histoire présente avec Marla qui est à la recherche de sa sœur et qui rencontre Damien, et de l’autre, on a des lettres écrites par une certaine Marie qui raconte des passages de sa vie, à la Nouvelle Orléans, au XVIIIe siècle. L’alternance des deux histoires / temps, rend l’histoire plus intéressante et nous permet d’une certaine manière de lire les lettres en même temps que Marla. Cela apporte énormément aux textes, nous permettant de nous rendre compte de la nature profonde de certains personnages et de faire le comparatif. Evidemment, on sait tous qui est Damien, au vu du prologue, etc. Donc ce n’est pas une surprise pour nous, mais du coup on voit ce qu’il était, et à mesure de l’histoire, on voit les raisons qui font ce qu’il est devenu. L’histoire est relativement basique et le titre du livre en VF en dit bien plus long que le livre VO comme je le disais, donc c’est simple, mais efficace je trouve.
Le personnage de Marla est attachant, même si elle est très naïve, et que sa pudibonderie peut faire sourire par moment, surtout quand on voit comment vit Damien, ou du moins, ce qu’il fait, je l’ai bien aimé. Elle peut en énerver certains à cause de ça, ou encore du fait qu’elle soit trop aimante envers des gens qui se fichent d’elle, mais elle est d’une nature généreuse (peut-être un peu trop par moment). Il y a du coup un vrai contraste dans les deux et l’histoire va nous montrer une évolution chez les deux personnages.
Quant à Damien, on voit aussi un changement entre ce qu’il était autrefois à travers les lettres de Marie, et à ce qu’il est en face de Marla. Il est un personnage très intéressant et on comprend sa manière d’être et d’agir, au vu de ce qu’il a vécu. On découvre deux personnages très différents comme je l’ai dit et j’ai bien aimé avoir les lettres pour voir ce qu’il était. Ça nous permet de comprendre ses actes. Quant à Rosa, qui est au cœur du problème, elle est aussi très intéressante car on ne sait pas tellement à quoi elle joue par moment. C’est la femme fatale, agaçante mais qu’on apprécie quand même à certains égards.
En bref, c’est une histoire bien sympathique, ce n’est pas le livre du siècle, mais ça se laisse lire. C’était bien trouvé même si facile et qu’on voit parfaitement ce que l’auteur veut nous faire comprendre, mais le tout est de nous y amener et de faire ouvrir les yeux aux personnages qui sont aveugles et qui n’ont envie de voir, que ce qu’il souhaite. Comme beaucoup de gens parfois. La série (au vu de l’intitulé) est sur les péchés capitaux, on a donc ici le péché de luxure, maintenant, il faut voir, où le 2e tome nous emmènera.
On découvre donc dans le prologue, une scène qui se déroule à la Nouvelle Orléans, dans une plantation avec Damien du Bourg, maître des lieux qui trompent sa femme avec une certaine Rosa, qui va lui permettre de goûter à l’immortalité à travers un pacte, tout en devant satisfaire en contre partie le péché de luxure (là, le titre est très évocateur, bien plus que celui en VO : My immortal, cela en dit plus long sur l’histoire que le titre d’origine du moins).
Puis l’on fait un bond dans le présent et on découvre Marla, jeune femme inquiète à la recherche de sa sœur qui a disparu et la lettre qu’elle a reçue d’elle, l’inquiète. Ainsi, elle part pour la Nouvelle Orléans, où elle a passé quelques temps en compagnie d’un homme : Damien dont elle pense être amoureuse. Marla se rend donc à la maison de cet homme en espérant y trouver sa sœur, sauf que ce fameux Damien semble réputer pour sa vie pleine de débauche. Marla n’aime pas ce genre de personnes et ce genre de vie (elle a passé quelques temps dans un couvent et est assez pudibonde) donc elle veut juste trouver sa sœur et repartie illico. Sauf que lorsqu’elle rencontre Damien, il ne semble pas la connaître mais lui propose d’organiser une soirée afin de voir si elle revient. Evidemment, rien ne va se passer comme prévu et Marla va devoir prolonger son séjour pour retrouver sa sœur. Sauf qu’elle va se laisser entraîner de plus en plus vers la vie de Damien, s’intéresser à lui, sans savoir dans quelle galère elle s’est mise.
J’ai trouvé l’histoire intéressante, bien que prévisible à certains moments. On comprend aisément qui sont les personnages, à qui ça peut faire référence, mais aussi comment ça va se terminer, voire par quel moyen. Mais ça n’est pas dérangeant et on prend quand même du plaisir à lire ce livre. Il s’agit de romance paranormale, donc évidemment on s’attend à pas mal de choses vu le genre. Attention, ce n’est pas forcément nian nian comme ça peut l’être dans des livres du genre et les scènes de sexe ne sont pas trop nombreuses et s’intègrent bien dans le récit sans que ça ne soit dérangeant. Par ailleurs l’écriture fait que ça se lit bien, sans problème, sans toutefois en détailler sur des pages et des pages. Il y a juste ce qu’il faut je trouve.
Le livre comporte deux « histoires parallèles » c'est-à-dire qu’on a l’histoire présente avec Marla qui est à la recherche de sa sœur et qui rencontre Damien, et de l’autre, on a des lettres écrites par une certaine Marie qui raconte des passages de sa vie, à la Nouvelle Orléans, au XVIIIe siècle. L’alternance des deux histoires / temps, rend l’histoire plus intéressante et nous permet d’une certaine manière de lire les lettres en même temps que Marla. Cela apporte énormément aux textes, nous permettant de nous rendre compte de la nature profonde de certains personnages et de faire le comparatif. Evidemment, on sait tous qui est Damien, au vu du prologue, etc. Donc ce n’est pas une surprise pour nous, mais du coup on voit ce qu’il était, et à mesure de l’histoire, on voit les raisons qui font ce qu’il est devenu. L’histoire est relativement basique et le titre du livre en VF en dit bien plus long que le livre VO comme je le disais, donc c’est simple, mais efficace je trouve.
Le personnage de Marla est attachant, même si elle est très naïve, et que sa pudibonderie peut faire sourire par moment, surtout quand on voit comment vit Damien, ou du moins, ce qu’il fait, je l’ai bien aimé. Elle peut en énerver certains à cause de ça, ou encore du fait qu’elle soit trop aimante envers des gens qui se fichent d’elle, mais elle est d’une nature généreuse (peut-être un peu trop par moment). Il y a du coup un vrai contraste dans les deux et l’histoire va nous montrer une évolution chez les deux personnages.
Quant à Damien, on voit aussi un changement entre ce qu’il était autrefois à travers les lettres de Marie, et à ce qu’il est en face de Marla. Il est un personnage très intéressant et on comprend sa manière d’être et d’agir, au vu de ce qu’il a vécu. On découvre deux personnages très différents comme je l’ai dit et j’ai bien aimé avoir les lettres pour voir ce qu’il était. Ça nous permet de comprendre ses actes. Quant à Rosa, qui est au cœur du problème, elle est aussi très intéressante car on ne sait pas tellement à quoi elle joue par moment. C’est la femme fatale, agaçante mais qu’on apprécie quand même à certains égards.
En bref, c’est une histoire bien sympathique, ce n’est pas le livre du siècle, mais ça se laisse lire. C’était bien trouvé même si facile et qu’on voit parfaitement ce que l’auteur veut nous faire comprendre, mais le tout est de nous y amener et de faire ouvrir les yeux aux personnages qui sont aveugles et qui n’ont envie de voir, que ce qu’il souhaite. Comme beaucoup de gens parfois. La série (au vu de l’intitulé) est sur les péchés capitaux, on a donc ici le péché de luxure, maintenant, il faut voir, où le 2e tome nous emmènera.
May 28, 2018
Much darker than her other series, Damian made a deal with a Gregori demon to become immortal and tries to minimize the damage he does in their service. Marley is very innocent and sometimes naive woman, searching for her missing sister. Along the way she learns passion and falls in love with Damian. It's hard to watch our loved ones making mistakes but Marley has to learn when to let go and when to hold on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2017
This book is so richly written, dark and atmospheric. I was sucked in totally. I love Erin's humorous, lighter books, but this one goes to a whole other level. It shows her amazing writing and storytelling abilities. I cannot say enough positive about this story. I simply adored it.
June 4, 2018
I read this while standing in line at comic con and it was perfect for that.
November 24, 2021
Pretty good
April 28, 2025
Press sex
May 1, 2025
A very good book
July 29, 2025
The heroine and her sister couldn't be any more different. The sister is careless, spontaneous but selfish and ignorant to the cares of others. The heroine is entirely too selfless. She's so wrapped up in helping others that she's never stopped to consider herself. But the heroine admits to herself a dark a festering jealousy towards her sister. She's envious of the other woman wild abandon but most of all, she's jealous of the fact that the other woman has the one thing the heroine craves above all things; a child. But despite this secret hatred, the heroine still risks everything to save her sister from every situation she finds herself in. So when the sister goes missing for 8 weeks down in New Orleans, the heroine doesn't hesitate to jump in the car and search for her. There, at the property where her sister was last seen at a sex party, she meets the hero. He is beautiful in a dark and dangerous way and in his eyes she can see plainly the pain and suffering he's endured. The hero lived the life of a selfish spoiled and all together evil young man. He made his young wife's life a living hell, torturing her with multiple affairs that succeeded in drawing her to suicide. Arrogant and proud, the hero accepted the gift of immortality but almost immediately he realized the magnitude of the error he had made. Cursed to live for lust and insight mindless sexual needs in others, he's lived in a hollow shell, longing for the death that can never be granted to him. In his life there have been 3 woman whom shaped who and what he is as a man. First his wife whom he didn't realize he loved until it was too late. The half black woman whom he took as a lover in the early stage of his curse and whom he grew a sick and twisted sexual affair with be sacrificing her to the demon in a bid to free himself. And the daughter of the demon whom he's enslaved, creating a strange and complicated bond with over the years. Then he meets the heroine. Prudish, self-conscious and selfless to a fault, she is like no other female he has meet. And the fact that she actually manages to turn down his demonic sexual pull in the factor that seems to make him want her above all others. Despite the fact that he is first betrayed as a bad guy and that reading about his past actions through the pages of his dead wife, he is actually a decent person deep down. In repentance for what he's done, he withdrawn from the pleasures of a woman, instead he only gives pleasure. He is beyond tortured with guilt yet he helps the heroine as much as she helps him. He shows her a whole other world, opens her up to indulgence and in turn, she shows him how to feel love for a woman.
I liked the fact that this book had a message and wasn't just a mindless romance. It gave the warning that over indulgence and zero indulgence were equally unhealthy. It portrayed the main characters as coming from opposite ends of the spectrum and through understanding, meeting somewhere in the middle. I loved the hero and the heroine in equally measure but for different reasons. I thought they developed a slow and real love affair despite their refusal to allow their affair to become anything over than sexual.
I liked the fact that this book had a message and wasn't just a mindless romance. It gave the warning that over indulgence and zero indulgence were equally unhealthy. It portrayed the main characters as coming from opposite ends of the spectrum and through understanding, meeting somewhere in the middle. I loved the hero and the heroine in equally measure but for different reasons. I thought they developed a slow and real love affair despite their refusal to allow their affair to become anything over than sexual.
April 24, 2011
I saw this book in the discount corner of my bookstore, and it kind of called out to me. I don't know why, I very rarely read romances, I guess I went after the "paranormal" in "paranormal romance", but uh, the paranormal in it was paranormally thin.
The main character is a shy, repressed, boring, slightly plump girl who out of a misplaced sense of duty lets everyone walk over her, and all she dreams about is babies and family. Which she is going to get after the plot is over, with the help of a reformed - formerly evil - slave of, I don't know how to put it, a demon family with a vaguely Russian name. The slave guy is a former plantation owner from New Orleans, who struck a bargain with those demons and agreed to hold sex parties in his house for the next 200 years or so, to lead people to temptation or something. Yeah. He got bored I guess, because he certainly didn't behave as a tortured and suffering being should. (The cover said he would, but he never did.) He suffered all right, because he wanted to get into the heroine's pants, but he was afraid she liked him only because the demons helped him and not for his own merits. Then all of a sudden the main demon wanted the heroine too, she told him no, and there was some danger and suspense... or was there? Lol you should see for yourself.
The only remotely interesting part were the letters of the male character's wife, or rather they were interesting at the beginning, because I thought the author got the historical details and atmosphere right - but then when stuff started happening, the illusion shattered: the letters started to read as if a perfectly modern person wrote them, not a French aristocrat from before the revolution, and the people described were also modern, and the setting unbelievably so, as if a planter had nothing to do but give parties and flirt and have sex. It was sad. But still, I give the second star because of these letters. By the way: how can there be a posthumous absolution? The whole point of absolution would be gone if it could be posthumous... I understand the need for a HEA for everyone, but really...
Sex was plentiful, but unconvincing. I don't know. I don't read romances, but all the funny words like rosy, taut, swollen, silent, elemental, sensual - the words which are supposed to work just because they are thrown into the mix, but really don't, because the mix needs to be, well, stirred and tried - the words are there.
The main character is a shy, repressed, boring, slightly plump girl who out of a misplaced sense of duty lets everyone walk over her, and all she dreams about is babies and family. Which she is going to get after the plot is over, with the help of a reformed - formerly evil - slave of, I don't know how to put it, a demon family with a vaguely Russian name. The slave guy is a former plantation owner from New Orleans, who struck a bargain with those demons and agreed to hold sex parties in his house for the next 200 years or so, to lead people to temptation or something. Yeah. He got bored I guess, because he certainly didn't behave as a tortured and suffering being should. (The cover said he would, but he never did.) He suffered all right, because he wanted to get into the heroine's pants, but he was afraid she liked him only because the demons helped him and not for his own merits. Then all of a sudden the main demon wanted the heroine too, she told him no, and there was some danger and suspense... or was there? Lol you should see for yourself.
The only remotely interesting part were the letters of the male character's wife, or rather they were interesting at the beginning, because I thought the author got the historical details and atmosphere right - but then when stuff started happening, the illusion shattered: the letters started to read as if a perfectly modern person wrote them, not a French aristocrat from before the revolution, and the people described were also modern, and the setting unbelievably so, as if a planter had nothing to do but give parties and flirt and have sex. It was sad. But still, I give the second star because of these letters. By the way: how can there be a posthumous absolution? The whole point of absolution would be gone if it could be posthumous... I understand the need for a HEA for everyone, but really...
Sex was plentiful, but unconvincing. I don't know. I don't read romances, but all the funny words like rosy, taut, swollen, silent, elemental, sensual - the words which are supposed to work just because they are thrown into the mix, but really don't, because the mix needs to be, well, stirred and tried - the words are there.
June 4, 2014
I usually really enjoy Erin McCarthy. I was disappointed in this book somewhat. It was okay, but its characters and story weren't inspiring.
What I mean is, they didn't inspire me to care about their issues, they didn't inspire me to care about their union or inspire me to care about anything, really.
Mostly I was lost as to why Damien made the deal with the demon to exchange immortality for the requirement of inspiring lust in humanity. Were these his terms, Rosa's terms, the Demon Father's terms? Why did he accept them as reasonable terms in exchange for immortality? What drove him to that? We never really know. Though the happenstance does get glossed over towards the end of the book, we don't ever learn the drivers for this decision.
Fairly early on, we do learn that Damien gives up intercourse with women for 100 years, but again, we don't know why or what prompted this celibacy. I feel like if these emotional triggers had been explored at any depth, I could have invested some emotion in the characters and been inspired to care more about them.
Because of the lack of emotional depth, I essentially was waiting for the sex scenes to be so powerfully magnetic and meaningful that it bridged the gap that existed due to the lack of emotional character development and to perhaps uncover some hidden emotional undertones that weren't accounted for with words. Nope. But the sex for sex sake, was well written.
Essentially, we learn through both words and imagery that the heroine is a codependent Mary Sue moral superior with body image problems and low self esteem which I feel she never really overcomes.
I think that if this relationship were to collapse, she'd be back to square one emotionally. She comes close, but never really attains ownership of who she is and never really seems to find pride or love for herself or her body or her self-worth, in my opinion.
What you're left with is what I call a "Good Blind Date Read"...ephemeral, easy, no-strings-attached, unprovoking, but not terrible story, however unlikely to be repeated.
What I mean is, they didn't inspire me to care about their issues, they didn't inspire me to care about their union or inspire me to care about anything, really.
Mostly I was lost as to why Damien made the deal with the demon to exchange immortality for the requirement of inspiring lust in humanity. Were these his terms, Rosa's terms, the Demon Father's terms? Why did he accept them as reasonable terms in exchange for immortality? What drove him to that? We never really know. Though the happenstance does get glossed over towards the end of the book, we don't ever learn the drivers for this decision.
Fairly early on, we do learn that Damien gives up intercourse with women for 100 years, but again, we don't know why or what prompted this celibacy. I feel like if these emotional triggers had been explored at any depth, I could have invested some emotion in the characters and been inspired to care more about them.
Because of the lack of emotional depth, I essentially was waiting for the sex scenes to be so powerfully magnetic and meaningful that it bridged the gap that existed due to the lack of emotional character development and to perhaps uncover some hidden emotional undertones that weren't accounted for with words. Nope. But the sex for sex sake, was well written.
Essentially, we learn through both words and imagery that the heroine is a codependent Mary Sue moral superior with body image problems and low self esteem which I feel she never really overcomes.
I think that if this relationship were to collapse, she'd be back to square one emotionally. She comes close, but never really attains ownership of who she is and never really seems to find pride or love for herself or her body or her self-worth, in my opinion.
What you're left with is what I call a "Good Blind Date Read"...ephemeral, easy, no-strings-attached, unprovoking, but not terrible story, however unlikely to be repeated.
June 24, 2011
A sensual tale... Damien + Rosa + Marie + Anna...Marley
I love a part of this book..the whole bayou thing, the old,lovely, sizable house..Rosa de Montana, the creepy swamp, the entire southern feeling..
It's 1790 in River Road Louisiana, and wealthy, spoiled plantation Rosa de Montana,owner Damien du Bourg has made a deal with the devil...named Rosa. In exchange for his loyalty, he receives immortal life. Two centuries later, he still lives while bringing converts to his master as a price for his immortality is "to promote sin, to encourage lust, obsessive and selfish sexual desire."..
The most interesting parts of the book come at the very end when Damien begins to explain his past behavior and how he viewed the events discribed by his deceased wife in the letters she left behind.Throughout the book,Damien portrayed from the viewpoints of those who did have the chance to speak of the events in the past - Rosa the demon who made him an immortal slave, Marie his wife and Anna a past lover - and each of the views were tainted by their own perspectives colored by insecurity, prudishness, greed, and hate
Present-day Louisiana: Marley Turner is looking for her sister Lizzie, whose last known whereabouts happens to be Rosa de Montana..is know for its wild no hold bare parties..here where all begins.Part of Damien's curse is that he must service women sexually, and he has done so faithfully yet wearily for years, but now he faces a woman,Marley.. who truly attracts him..Damien knows his two plus centuries of sins makes him unworthy for Marley, the angelic woman he loves...
Highly recommended:So all in all this book was insanely amazing, and I recommend it to anyone who likes the darker, and who feels "that good and evil exist in everyone,but it is up to each of us to decide which path we shall follow.."
I love a part of this book..the whole bayou thing, the old,lovely, sizable house..Rosa de Montana, the creepy swamp, the entire southern feeling..
It's 1790 in River Road Louisiana, and wealthy, spoiled plantation Rosa de Montana,owner Damien du Bourg has made a deal with the devil...named Rosa. In exchange for his loyalty, he receives immortal life. Two centuries later, he still lives while bringing converts to his master as a price for his immortality is "to promote sin, to encourage lust, obsessive and selfish sexual desire."..
The most interesting parts of the book come at the very end when Damien begins to explain his past behavior and how he viewed the events discribed by his deceased wife in the letters she left behind.Throughout the book,Damien portrayed from the viewpoints of those who did have the chance to speak of the events in the past - Rosa the demon who made him an immortal slave, Marie his wife and Anna a past lover - and each of the views were tainted by their own perspectives colored by insecurity, prudishness, greed, and hate
Present-day Louisiana: Marley Turner is looking for her sister Lizzie, whose last known whereabouts happens to be Rosa de Montana..is know for its wild no hold bare parties..here where all begins.Part of Damien's curse is that he must service women sexually, and he has done so faithfully yet wearily for years, but now he faces a woman,Marley.. who truly attracts him..Damien knows his two plus centuries of sins makes him unworthy for Marley, the angelic woman he loves...
Highly recommended:So all in all this book was insanely amazing, and I recommend it to anyone who likes the darker, and who feels "that good and evil exist in everyone,but it is up to each of us to decide which path we shall follow.."
February 2, 2009
From the back cover:
In the late eighteenth century, a spoiled, selfish plantation owner struck an unholy bargain with a fallen angel: an eternity of servitude in exchange for the gift of immortality. For more than two hundred years, Damien du Bourg has held up his end of the bargain - by inspiring lust in everyone around him…
While searching for her missing sister, Marley Turner stumbles upon Damien's plantation on the outskirts of New Orleans and enters a world of shocking decadence. Drawn to the tortured man at the center of it all, Marley feels a powerful sensuality stirring inside her. For the first time, it's Damien who can't resist the lure of a woman. But his past sins aren't so easily forgotten - or forgiven…
This was a pretty quick read. I enjoyed the letters from the past that Marley wrote, revealing through them Damien's personality so long ago.
Marley didn't do much for me, but I enjoyed watching her evolve and learn that she has to start living her own life instead of meddling in everyone else's around her.
There are some fun secondary characters in My Immortal. One especially an interesting twist as the reader discovers later in the book. And despite being dead for over two hundred years, Damien's wife is one as well.
Overall, a decent read. There was a good mix of the present with the past mixed in. The setting of New Orleans and the area surrounding it was nice, it would have been nice to "see" more of it.
This is the first in a series, presumably there will be seven of them as it's called the Seven Deadly Sins. I enjoyed this enough to continue reading the series, though I sure hope we don't see Marley's sister again, at least not as a main character.
In the late eighteenth century, a spoiled, selfish plantation owner struck an unholy bargain with a fallen angel: an eternity of servitude in exchange for the gift of immortality. For more than two hundred years, Damien du Bourg has held up his end of the bargain - by inspiring lust in everyone around him…
While searching for her missing sister, Marley Turner stumbles upon Damien's plantation on the outskirts of New Orleans and enters a world of shocking decadence. Drawn to the tortured man at the center of it all, Marley feels a powerful sensuality stirring inside her. For the first time, it's Damien who can't resist the lure of a woman. But his past sins aren't so easily forgotten - or forgiven…
This was a pretty quick read. I enjoyed the letters from the past that Marley wrote, revealing through them Damien's personality so long ago.
Marley didn't do much for me, but I enjoyed watching her evolve and learn that she has to start living her own life instead of meddling in everyone else's around her.
There are some fun secondary characters in My Immortal. One especially an interesting twist as the reader discovers later in the book. And despite being dead for over two hundred years, Damien's wife is one as well.
Overall, a decent read. There was a good mix of the present with the past mixed in. The setting of New Orleans and the area surrounding it was nice, it would have been nice to "see" more of it.
This is the first in a series, presumably there will be seven of them as it's called the Seven Deadly Sins. I enjoyed this enough to continue reading the series, though I sure hope we don't see Marley's sister again, at least not as a main character.
January 23, 2015
My Immortal by Erin McCarthy is the first in a series of (supposedly?) seven books following the Seven Deadly Sins. The first theme shown here is Lust. We learn the history of Damian, a demon servant, through letters left by his first wife and stories told by an elderly neighbor woman. I became completely engrossed in the novel due to these letters. We learn quickly that Damian was made immortal by the demon in exchange for encouraging lust. The more immoral sex going on the better, apparently. The letters are mixed in with the narrative told by Marley, a slightly chunky, straight-arrow woman in search of her missing, trampy sister. This story is extremely well-written and I look forward to reading more novels by this author due to that fact alone. The story so engaging that I found it hard to put away. We see many sides to Damian and Marley, to a lesser extent. (Seeing how he has 200 plus years on her, I guess thats understandable.) My problem with this novel wasn't the explicit sexual content. The book just went on and on about about how immoral sex was. When people were doing each other randomly and in groups and stuff, I could MAYBE stretch my imagination and say 'ok maybe' that could be considered immoral. But when the married woman believes she is becoming more and more immoral because she is having wild sex with her husband, that just seems like Ms.McCarthy was stretching a little bit to make the story fit her theme of Lust being a Deadly Sin. What happens between and man and his wife isn't immoral, its beautiful. Three stars for "My Immoral" for its portrayal of sexuality as always being a sin. This was very distracting to me as a reader. The plotlines were strong, and the story-telling even better, despite that.
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