What a twisted, intense, and turbulent ending to this decadently dark duet from the always riveting Natasha Knight! The Devil’s Redemption is riveting from start to finish- a transfixing marriage of mafia suspense and volcanic dark romance. I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out just what happens with our broken Jericho and our manipulated Isabelle. And this edgy finale does not disappoint!
This duet conclusion picks up right after the jaw-dropping cliff hanger revelations of book 1, and Isabelle discovers the betrayal and calculated entrapment of her villainous captor and husband, a man she was starting to soften too despite his ruthless handling of her. There are so many secrets to expose, so many lies and half truths, and many misunderstandings- all that make this finale a raw and jagged ride to the happy end.
While all of Natasha’s stories have a darker element, relationally our heroes usually start to embody a more protective, obsessive tone with their ladies. And Jericho strikes a decidedly different stride in this story- while he’s certainly obsessive and possessive, I’d say his relationship with Isabella has more of a dark edge even in book 2 than some of her others. Jericho does not soften much, and his punishing distrust and almost-crazed focus on revenge (and blind prejudice against Isabelle’s family) cause him to continue to strike a dangerous line when it comes to his passionate love of his stolen wife and his simmering hatred for the blood that runs in her veins. He’s a dark alpha through and through, and even with Isabelle in a delicate situation thanks to his actions, he doesn’t hold much back when it comes to trying to work through his conflicting feelings. Fortunately, we also see the vulnerability to him, we recognize the monster has been made out of centuries old trauma and personal pain. His actions may not be justified, but we understand his flaws, even if for some he may be more monstrous than romantic.
And Isabella is a wonder- she’s truly alone in so many ways, equal parts trapped with an enemy she never knew she had, trapped in her own body, and trapped in a family lineage that she never wanted. But that’s the beauty of her transformation, the pawn in the nefarious machinations of powerful men finds her own power in this story, even when she’s by far the most powerless. She navigates the precarious situation she finds herself in with gentleness and strength, even though out of them all she’s perhaps lost the most, and she’s certainly the most innocent. But she finds a home in what was once her prison, a self-power in finally finding her place, though it’s the last pace she expected to find it- with her devil. Their relationship is toxic, vitriolic, chaotic in places, but there is also a savage beauty to the depth of their connection, one that can’t seem to be severed despite the wounds that characterize their passionate coupling. They’ll frustrate and excite you as something ugly and tainted transforms into something stabilizing and healing as vengeance and distrust blossom into deep love.
There are lots of twists and turns to this finale, and again a darker edge to the relationship than I’ve seen before in the final leg of a NK romance. Redemption here is a lot less about the devil finding his light and a lot more about the heroine loving him enough to stand in the darkness with him. Isabelle sees the full spectrum of Jericho, his dark and light, and loves him nonetheless, and that is where the redemption lies- that the darkness within us may even be worthy of love.