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Darkness
Darkness follows Lieutenant Morrisey James.
As an Atlanta PD detective, Morrisey understands the worst atrocities the city has to offer—or believes he does. His recent cases present something new: a killer who unleashes unbridled terror in victims before moving in for the kill. Morrisey has an edge, though, the terrifying ability to gain flashes of insight from each victim.
Most people assume Farren Austin is a shallow, pretty boy, but he’s so much more. Agent Austin keeps secrets as part of the FBI’s Alternate Entities Task Force, a unit created to monitor travelers from another realm. Although they might look human, they’re anything but.
And they’ve taken a special interest in Morrisey.
Partnered with Farren, Morrisey finds himself in the middle of demons trying to possess his body, a succubus sidekick who wants to cook him breakfast, accusations of being a powerful destructive force, and a growing number of people calling him “Darkness.” Not to mention a sudden overwhelming attraction to his new partner.
It’s going to take the mysterious Farren’s help to keep the latest case from being Morrisey’s last.
As an Atlanta PD detective, Morrisey understands the worst atrocities the city has to offer—or believes he does. His recent cases present something new: a killer who unleashes unbridled terror in victims before moving in for the kill. Morrisey has an edge, though, the terrifying ability to gain flashes of insight from each victim.
Most people assume Farren Austin is a shallow, pretty boy, but he’s so much more. Agent Austin keeps secrets as part of the FBI’s Alternate Entities Task Force, a unit created to monitor travelers from another realm. Although they might look human, they’re anything but.
And they’ve taken a special interest in Morrisey.
Partnered with Farren, Morrisey finds himself in the middle of demons trying to possess his body, a succubus sidekick who wants to cook him breakfast, accusations of being a powerful destructive force, and a growing number of people calling him “Darkness.” Not to mention a sudden overwhelming attraction to his new partner.
It’s going to take the mysterious Farren’s help to keep the latest case from being Morrisey’s last.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2024
84 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Eden Winters
88 books673 followersYou will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures, she has written over thirty gay romance novels, lost count of novellas and short stories, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s cosplaying for children's charities or hanging out at the farm being a mother, grandmother, and vegetarian.
Her natural habitats are hardware stores and on the backs of motorcycles.
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures, she has written over thirty gay romance novels, lost count of novellas and short stories, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s cosplaying for children's charities or hanging out at the farm being a mother, grandmother, and vegetarian.
Her natural habitats are hardware stores and on the backs of motorcycles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
June 1, 2024
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this and the concept is very unique. There is a lot of telling, there is so much information and it seemed to be repeated multiple times. I felt like there was more information given than story at times. If this was a first book in a series as a set up for future stories then it works but I don’t think that’s the case.
Morrissey and Farren are very good together and the darkness and light is a perfect pairing. We don’t get to see as much of them working together once they bond though.
I have to admit I was a bit lost at times but I got the overall gist. It took awhile to get through this but it wasn’t boring, it was just a lot. I would love more from this world, it’s a very interesting story and I feel like more can be told.
ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
I enjoyed this and the concept is very unique. There is a lot of telling, there is so much information and it seemed to be repeated multiple times. I felt like there was more information given than story at times. If this was a first book in a series as a set up for future stories then it works but I don’t think that’s the case.
Morrissey and Farren are very good together and the darkness and light is a perfect pairing. We don’t get to see as much of them working together once they bond though.
I have to admit I was a bit lost at times but I got the overall gist. It took awhile to get through this but it wasn’t boring, it was just a lot. I would love more from this world, it’s a very interesting story and I feel like more can be told.
ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Read
May 12, 2024It took over two years, but Morrisey and Farren's story is finally ready to be told. There might be angels and demons involved, just sayin'. Morrisey James is the sort of complex character I love writing: flawed, lost, and in need of the HEA he thinks he doesn't deserve.
Yes, I do make him work for it.
Yes, I do make him work for it.
July 13, 2024
I've given this a B at AAR.
Eden Winters’ Darkness is an inventive and intriguing mixture of police procedural and urban fantasy with a dash of sci-fi and a touch of romance, and is quite unlike anything else I’ve read recently. The worldbuilding is excellent, but the pacing is uneven; I liked that the author takes time to set up the story and characters, but the downside to that is that the second-half feels rushed and the ending abrupt, and while I liked the two leads as a couple, their romance takes a bit of a back seat to everything else that is going on. Darkness is fascinating and utterly compelling in parts, but it does suffer from information overload at times, and I couldn’t help thinking it might have worked better as two shorter instalments of a duology rather than one longer-than-average (for a romance) novel with such a lot going on.
When the story begins, Detective Morrisey James and his partner, Will Murphy, are called to the scene of several brutal murders. He’s seen a lot of truly awful things in his time as a detective, but this… this has to be one of the worst. The past few months have seen a huge increase in the number of murders and other serious crime in the Atlanta area for no reason anyone can determine, and he’s drinking himself to sleep most nights just to be able to keep the nightmares at bay. Once finished at the scene, Morrisey and a clearly distraught Will return to the precinct; Morrisey exits the car and tells Will to go home to his family before heading into the building – and turns too late to prevent his partner from blowing his brains out.
Morrisey’s life hasn’t exactly been a bed of roses. He’s always been something of a loner and has never felt as though he really fit in anywhere; his adoptive parents died when he was young and he has no other family, his one serious relationship ended tragically and now, aged forty-two, he mostly sees life through the bottom of a bottle. Will’s suicide sends him spiraling further and even wondering how much more loss he can stand before he goes out the same way.
Morrisey is on a booze run at an out-of-the-way liquor store, but before he can go inside, a man runs out and almost knocks him down, and a woman follows, screaming “He shot Bob!” Morrisey gives chase and manages to corner the suspect in an alley after wounding him. The man is writhing on the ground, clearly in pain, but when Morrisey approaches, he launches upward and pushes Morrisey to the ground, fighting like a madman, grabbing Morrisey’s head between his palms and squeezing hard. Morrisey doesn’t know what’s going on; pain is searing through his mind and horrifying images are flitting behind his eyelids, but he can’t throw the man off – would he die from having his head crushed like a walnut? Then white light explodes around him, his assailant howls and lets go, and with his head pounding, Morrisey opens his eyes to see the face of an angel looking down at him before he passes out.
Agent Farren Austen of the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force was ripped through a portal from his own world about ten years earlier and, with his family and lover gone and no way back, joined the FAET to locate fellow ‘travelers’ and bring to justice those that commit crimes. Domus is dying, and many more of his kind are travelling to Earth to survive – but in order to do that, they must inhabit the body of a human, and unfortunately, there are many who are unscrupulous enough to kill humans so they can take over their bodies rather than, as Farren did, take the body of someone recently deceased. It’s these travelers, together with the trafficking operation that has recently stepped up its activity, that Farren and the FAET are out to take down. He witnesses the chase through the darkened streets and immediately recognises the killer as being possessed by an occisor, a dangerous creature that feeds on negative human energy. He follows and arrives at the alley where, incredibly, the human is somehow fighting off the occisor’s attempt to possess him. Farren swiftly banishes the creature, puzzling over the fact that the human had been able to stop the occisor from taking over his body – which shouldn’t have been possible.
Needless to say, Morrisey James’ life is about to become a whole new level of weird. With nods to Men in Black (which Morrisey has somehow never seen!) he’s recruited to a special division of the FBI, created to solve traveler-related crimes, and partnered with the model-gorgeous Farren, who is tasked with Morrisey’s training and induction. Once they team up, the story becomes a thrilling race against the clock to track down the traveler who is masterminding a truly horrifying campaign of death and destruction throughout Atlanta, one designed to create chaos and lead to war between travelers and humans.
The worldbuilding here is really imaginative, and watching Morrisey gradually discovering the truth of his mysterious past is fascinating. There’s some excellent storytelling going on, but the romance between Morrisey and Farren is not as satisfying as I’d have liked. The fact that they’re intensely drawn to each other is nicely set up and the chemistry is definitely there, but the romance is awkwardly paced; they embark on a sexual relationship fairly quickly, but then spend too much time second guessing themselves, so there’s no forward momentum for a while. And their circling around one particular issue is dragged out for way too long when the answer is blindingly obvious to the reader – and should, frankly, have been so to Farren. But apart from that, they’re strong and appealing characters who, with betrayal a constant possibility, are determined to get the job done, no matter the personal danger. Morrisey’s struggles with alcohol and his own inner darkness are well written, and I liked that the author doesn’t take the easy way out and have him miraculously transform into someone who has his shit together once he meets Farren and joins FAET.
The secondary cast isn’t large, but the stand-out is Jessa, a traveler who, very unusually, shares bodies with her hosts, who helps Morrisey out (mostly!) and provides some useful information about the trafficking operation.
Despite the reservations I’ve expressed, I enjoyed Darkness and am recommending it, partly because it’s so unusual, partly because it encompasses some excellent storytelling and partly because I’d read more books set in this world. Potential readers should be aware that it is fairly dark in places; there are descriptions of some gruesome crimes and Will’s suicide takes place on the page - and should also bear in mind that while the relationship between Morrisey and Farren is key to the plot, their romance is a little underdeveloped. In the end, though, kudos to Eden Winters for coming up with a story that satisfied my craving for something ‘different’ – even if the end result isn’t quite the DIK I’d hoped for.
Eden Winters’ Darkness is an inventive and intriguing mixture of police procedural and urban fantasy with a dash of sci-fi and a touch of romance, and is quite unlike anything else I’ve read recently. The worldbuilding is excellent, but the pacing is uneven; I liked that the author takes time to set up the story and characters, but the downside to that is that the second-half feels rushed and the ending abrupt, and while I liked the two leads as a couple, their romance takes a bit of a back seat to everything else that is going on. Darkness is fascinating and utterly compelling in parts, but it does suffer from information overload at times, and I couldn’t help thinking it might have worked better as two shorter instalments of a duology rather than one longer-than-average (for a romance) novel with such a lot going on.
When the story begins, Detective Morrisey James and his partner, Will Murphy, are called to the scene of several brutal murders. He’s seen a lot of truly awful things in his time as a detective, but this… this has to be one of the worst. The past few months have seen a huge increase in the number of murders and other serious crime in the Atlanta area for no reason anyone can determine, and he’s drinking himself to sleep most nights just to be able to keep the nightmares at bay. Once finished at the scene, Morrisey and a clearly distraught Will return to the precinct; Morrisey exits the car and tells Will to go home to his family before heading into the building – and turns too late to prevent his partner from blowing his brains out.
Morrisey’s life hasn’t exactly been a bed of roses. He’s always been something of a loner and has never felt as though he really fit in anywhere; his adoptive parents died when he was young and he has no other family, his one serious relationship ended tragically and now, aged forty-two, he mostly sees life through the bottom of a bottle. Will’s suicide sends him spiraling further and even wondering how much more loss he can stand before he goes out the same way.
Morrisey is on a booze run at an out-of-the-way liquor store, but before he can go inside, a man runs out and almost knocks him down, and a woman follows, screaming “He shot Bob!” Morrisey gives chase and manages to corner the suspect in an alley after wounding him. The man is writhing on the ground, clearly in pain, but when Morrisey approaches, he launches upward and pushes Morrisey to the ground, fighting like a madman, grabbing Morrisey’s head between his palms and squeezing hard. Morrisey doesn’t know what’s going on; pain is searing through his mind and horrifying images are flitting behind his eyelids, but he can’t throw the man off – would he die from having his head crushed like a walnut? Then white light explodes around him, his assailant howls and lets go, and with his head pounding, Morrisey opens his eyes to see the face of an angel looking down at him before he passes out.
Agent Farren Austen of the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force was ripped through a portal from his own world about ten years earlier and, with his family and lover gone and no way back, joined the FAET to locate fellow ‘travelers’ and bring to justice those that commit crimes. Domus is dying, and many more of his kind are travelling to Earth to survive – but in order to do that, they must inhabit the body of a human, and unfortunately, there are many who are unscrupulous enough to kill humans so they can take over their bodies rather than, as Farren did, take the body of someone recently deceased. It’s these travelers, together with the trafficking operation that has recently stepped up its activity, that Farren and the FAET are out to take down. He witnesses the chase through the darkened streets and immediately recognises the killer as being possessed by an occisor, a dangerous creature that feeds on negative human energy. He follows and arrives at the alley where, incredibly, the human is somehow fighting off the occisor’s attempt to possess him. Farren swiftly banishes the creature, puzzling over the fact that the human had been able to stop the occisor from taking over his body – which shouldn’t have been possible.
Needless to say, Morrisey James’ life is about to become a whole new level of weird. With nods to Men in Black (which Morrisey has somehow never seen!) he’s recruited to a special division of the FBI, created to solve traveler-related crimes, and partnered with the model-gorgeous Farren, who is tasked with Morrisey’s training and induction. Once they team up, the story becomes a thrilling race against the clock to track down the traveler who is masterminding a truly horrifying campaign of death and destruction throughout Atlanta, one designed to create chaos and lead to war between travelers and humans.
The worldbuilding here is really imaginative, and watching Morrisey gradually discovering the truth of his mysterious past is fascinating. There’s some excellent storytelling going on, but the romance between Morrisey and Farren is not as satisfying as I’d have liked. The fact that they’re intensely drawn to each other is nicely set up and the chemistry is definitely there, but the romance is awkwardly paced; they embark on a sexual relationship fairly quickly, but then spend too much time second guessing themselves, so there’s no forward momentum for a while. And their circling around one particular issue is dragged out for way too long when the answer is blindingly obvious to the reader – and should, frankly, have been so to Farren. But apart from that, they’re strong and appealing characters who, with betrayal a constant possibility, are determined to get the job done, no matter the personal danger. Morrisey’s struggles with alcohol and his own inner darkness are well written, and I liked that the author doesn’t take the easy way out and have him miraculously transform into someone who has his shit together once he meets Farren and joins FAET.
The secondary cast isn’t large, but the stand-out is Jessa, a traveler who, very unusually, shares bodies with her hosts, who helps Morrisey out (mostly!) and provides some useful information about the trafficking operation.
Despite the reservations I’ve expressed, I enjoyed Darkness and am recommending it, partly because it’s so unusual, partly because it encompasses some excellent storytelling and partly because I’d read more books set in this world. Potential readers should be aware that it is fairly dark in places; there are descriptions of some gruesome crimes and Will’s suicide takes place on the page - and should also bear in mind that while the relationship between Morrisey and Farren is key to the plot, their romance is a little underdeveloped. In the end, though, kudos to Eden Winters for coming up with a story that satisfied my craving for something ‘different’ – even if the end result isn’t quite the DIK I’d hoped for.
June 5, 2024
3.75⭐️
The premise was interesting. The story would have been much more enjoyable if it wasn’t so repetitive . This didn’t pick up for me till like the second half of the book and it dragged for me tbh. I enjoyed reading it sometimes but there was a lot of telling and repetition. The ending also felt rushed.
Morrisey and Farren’s story and bond was beautiful but I needed more from them and their romance was subpar at best. All in all i loved the general idea of the plot and the world and like i already said i did have fun reading some parts of it.
Thank you GRR for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
The premise was interesting. The story would have been much more enjoyable if it wasn’t so repetitive . This didn’t pick up for me till like the second half of the book and it dragged for me tbh. I enjoyed reading it sometimes but there was a lot of telling and repetition. The ending also felt rushed.
Morrisey and Farren’s story and bond was beautiful but I needed more from them and their romance was subpar at best. All in all i loved the general idea of the plot and the world and like i already said i did have fun reading some parts of it.
Thank you GRR for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
August 1, 2024
Reposted from DA
Dear Eden Winters,
I have not read a longer work from you in a while so when Amazon suggested this story to me, I happily grabbed it from KU. Police procedural with fantasy element and m/m romance? Sign me up.
I am glad I have read this book, I loved the main characters and enjoyed at least three or four of the secondary ones, but I have had some issues with the fantasy elements of the story.
When we meet Morrisey ( it took me a while to remember that Morrisey and not James is his first name) he is a disillusioned detective, who together with his partner Will had to investigate quite a few of horrific murders and as of late they noted that amount of violent, horrible crimes in the city kept increasing. The murder that was assigned to them now was the murder of several women at the kids’ birthday party.
Morrisey’s life is threatened early enough in the story and that is how Farren meets him ( and saves his life) and this is how Morrisey gets thrown right in the middle of strange things happening. As blurb tells you Alternate Task Entities monitors Travelers from another realm, some of those are very dangerous, but most are just trying to survive. I won’t tell you why these Travelers are here and how they are able to survive, but it is pretty important to the story.
I loved how Morrisey reacted to finding out that other worldly entities are present on Earth and to other strange things he got to witness and see that those things are real. He was surprised and shocked and to me it made perfect sense that writer made him continue to be surprised and shocked for quite some time ( story time I mean). In too many stories the characters accept paranormal/ fantasy things which they are suddenly confronted with way too fast in my opinion. I liked that Morrisey had some doubts and mistrusts and that included mistrust of his partner for a while. It felt real if that makes sense.
Both Morrisey and Farren made sense to me and I kind of admired them as dedicated law enforcement servants no matter how they both came to the service. They were very appealing characters and they had great chemistry together but that became a double edged sword I will try to explain why.
Believe me, I came into story with no expectations besides what blurb promised and I have read no reviews whatsoever. I mean I knew that this writer can do a very good job so I guess I expected g0od writing as well, but nothing else.
So I dont think that fantasy element of the narrative was very convincing to me. I mean, I understood that the story was a romance and I do not even mind if the setting is not richly detailed and mostly showcases romance, as long as setting makes sense. Here though Morrisey was elevated to such heights with his abilities to me and just what he and Farren end up meaning to each other through a fantasy element was just too much for me I think.
Also the glimpse of the world we get to see also did not make much sense. The world is dying because they killed Tenebris before ? The explanation felt a little bit like mumbo jumbo to me . I mean I understood the explanation, it just made me laugh, because no, the whole world is not supposed to to die because of that, unless there are other reasons even if it is an imaginary world.
Overall I still liked the story a lot.
Grade: B
Dear Eden Winters,
I have not read a longer work from you in a while so when Amazon suggested this story to me, I happily grabbed it from KU. Police procedural with fantasy element and m/m romance? Sign me up.
I am glad I have read this book, I loved the main characters and enjoyed at least three or four of the secondary ones, but I have had some issues with the fantasy elements of the story.
When we meet Morrisey ( it took me a while to remember that Morrisey and not James is his first name) he is a disillusioned detective, who together with his partner Will had to investigate quite a few of horrific murders and as of late they noted that amount of violent, horrible crimes in the city kept increasing. The murder that was assigned to them now was the murder of several women at the kids’ birthday party.
Morrisey’s life is threatened early enough in the story and that is how Farren meets him ( and saves his life) and this is how Morrisey gets thrown right in the middle of strange things happening. As blurb tells you Alternate Task Entities monitors Travelers from another realm, some of those are very dangerous, but most are just trying to survive. I won’t tell you why these Travelers are here and how they are able to survive, but it is pretty important to the story.
I loved how Morrisey reacted to finding out that other worldly entities are present on Earth and to other strange things he got to witness and see that those things are real. He was surprised and shocked and to me it made perfect sense that writer made him continue to be surprised and shocked for quite some time ( story time I mean). In too many stories the characters accept paranormal/ fantasy things which they are suddenly confronted with way too fast in my opinion. I liked that Morrisey had some doubts and mistrusts and that included mistrust of his partner for a while. It felt real if that makes sense.
Both Morrisey and Farren made sense to me and I kind of admired them as dedicated law enforcement servants no matter how they both came to the service. They were very appealing characters and they had great chemistry together but that became a double edged sword I will try to explain why.
Believe me, I came into story with no expectations besides what blurb promised and I have read no reviews whatsoever. I mean I knew that this writer can do a very good job so I guess I expected g0od writing as well, but nothing else.
So I dont think that fantasy element of the narrative was very convincing to me. I mean, I understood that the story was a romance and I do not even mind if the setting is not richly detailed and mostly showcases romance, as long as setting makes sense. Here though Morrisey was elevated to such heights with his abilities to me and just what he and Farren end up meaning to each other through a fantasy element was just too much for me I think.
Also the glimpse of the world we get to see also did not make much sense. The world is dying because they killed Tenebris before ? The explanation felt a little bit like mumbo jumbo to me . I mean I understood the explanation, it just made me laugh, because no, the whole world is not supposed to to die because of that, unless there are other reasons even if it is an imaginary world.
Overall I still liked the story a lot.
Grade: B
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2024
This unique world captured my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat! It opens dark, with senseless violence and loss, but I also felt that it meant things could only go up from there. It does, although with a thread of sadness that permeates things. This may not seem like the best start to a story, but I loved the choices and growth both Morrisey and Farren made as it progressed.
There are “demons” of varying degrees of morality and I often felt that I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. There are a lot of secrets kept, loss, evil, and betrayal, but also connection, goodness, sacrifice, and redemption.
Although I’d like to see a sequel where Morrisey and Farren tackle their new normal, “Darkness” ends on a satisfying if bittersweet note (not related to the HEA)
There are “demons” of varying degrees of morality and I often felt that I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. There are a lot of secrets kept, loss, evil, and betrayal, but also connection, goodness, sacrifice, and redemption.
Although I’d like to see a sequel where Morrisey and Farren tackle their new normal, “Darkness” ends on a satisfying if bittersweet note (not related to the HEA)
May 24, 2024
I want to thank GRR for provide the ARC.
Eden Winters has written a wonderful urban fantasy romance novel. It may be a bit long, but it is necessary to explain all the world building and the romance between the two main characters.
James Morrisey is a middle-aged Atlanta PD detective . With a rather sad past, due to family circumstances and the loss of a former lover, he has always felt apart from others, in addition to his problems. He is confronted one night, chasing a suspect in a crime, with a situation that he does not quite know how to explain given its supernatural character.
He immediately catches the attention of a special division of the FBI and one of its agents, Farren Austin.
Farren is, on the surface, an attractive agent in his twenties, who quickly tries to recruit Morrisey for his involvement and skills in a particular case. They are immediately paired up as co-workers which becomes something more.
The police mystery is pretty good.
What I liked the most is the world building of the novel, it is very well thought out and explained throughout the dialogues between the characters.
The writing is excellent, with abundant descriptions.
Eden Winters has written a wonderful urban fantasy romance novel. It may be a bit long, but it is necessary to explain all the world building and the romance between the two main characters.
James Morrisey is a middle-aged Atlanta PD detective . With a rather sad past, due to family circumstances and the loss of a former lover, he has always felt apart from others, in addition to his problems. He is confronted one night, chasing a suspect in a crime, with a situation that he does not quite know how to explain given its supernatural character.
He immediately catches the attention of a special division of the FBI and one of its agents, Farren Austin.
Farren is, on the surface, an attractive agent in his twenties, who quickly tries to recruit Morrisey for his involvement and skills in a particular case. They are immediately paired up as co-workers which becomes something more.
The police mystery is pretty good.
What I liked the most is the world building of the novel, it is very well thought out and explained throughout the dialogues between the characters.
The writing is excellent, with abundant descriptions.
June 6, 2024
'Men in Black' meets the alphabet agencies. Not my most favourite Eden Winters story I have to admit. Quite clunky and repetitive at times, typos and missing words, it needs a little TLC from an editing perspective. 3.5 stars rounded up.
May 31, 2024
This was so good! I know it looks long, but it didn't feel long at all since Winters did such an amazing job completely immersing you in this amazing world! Morrisey is just one of my favorite types of characters. He's grumpy, incredibly flawed, and dark but with a strong moral compass. I honestly would've given this 5 stars if I just had a little more of the romance. It was there, and I loved it, but it definitely took a back seat at times. Still amazing and I'd love to read more!
May 24, 2024
Intriguing worldbuilding overshadows a more low-key and uneven romance, but recommended. TWs for alcoholism in an MC and extreme violence.
I was intrigued by the worldbuilding in this urban fantasy/PNR MM romance. In a version of Atlanta beset by “travelers,” who take over human bodies and bring them new life, similar to Stephenie Meyers’s The Host without the surgery—there are good and bad travelers—bad ones take over perfectly healthy humans and kill them for their bodies—and detective Morrisey James is about to have his eyes opened to this even-weirder-than-his-usual world when he chases down a murderer who seems to have lost his mind, only to have to resist having his body taken over. He's saved, he thinks, by an angel, and left with a headache so bad he can hardly function.
Reporting this to his less than impressed superior is not fun, but finding himself recruited by a special FBI task force to handle supernatural affairs brings him to a whole new level of weird. As does his growing connection to his handler/trainer, the angel who helped him, Farren Austen.
What ensues is a chase through Atlanta on the trail of a truly horrific mastermind of murder and mayhem, and an entry into the world of travelers, some who’ve come to the human realm on purpose, some who, like Austen, were summoned against their will and have made a life here, unable to return to their dying realm. And perhaps some who know not what they are, like…well, you’ll see.
The premise and abilities of the world are inventive and varied, and I enjoyed that a lot. But I read for the romance, and I found that frustratingly uneven and somehow less satisfying than it could have been. The push-pull between Morrisey and Farren doesn’t flow; one minute, they’re f-buddies, then about to accidentally bond souls (for lack of better way to describe it), the next, Morrisey seems detached and is out considering hooking up with someone else (he doesn’t, that would have been a Nope for me, so, phew), and Farren keeps questioning what their connection is, going in circles, so it doesn’t feel like anything progresses or gets answered for too long, when the answer is screamingly obvious to the reader. For every darkness needs its light, and the balance is important to everyone. Just…our two heroes take way to long to clue in and I kinda wanted to kick them and yell BOND ALREADY YOU FOOLS.
Uncovering the secrets around Morrisey and his mysterious past is a lot of fun, a big part of the read; I just could have done with more romantic tension and less confusion. I would have loved a bit more exploration of powers with him and him and Farren. I did struggle a bit with reading through Morrisey's struggle with alcohol, it is focused on, and realistic. There are reasons.
The antagonist has some good tricks up their sleeve and the twists are horrifying in a fun way. Betrayal is real, and you never know who might be a traveler. The secondary character Jessa stole some of the show and I kept waiting for her to show up, she was great. There’s some good storytelling here, and I don’t feel I’m doing the strengths of the book justice, but, I found the romance a bit flat and slow, much as I liked where it ended up. Just… I would have liked these two to be more than casual f-buddies sooner, and to figure out their connection sooner, because I sure did and it seemed bleedin’ obvious. Farren should have known.
Both characters have more to them than it first appears, and both have strong and appealing moral codes. They didn’t give up or give in, in the face of possible defeat and betrayal, and I appreciated that about them.
HEA, soulmates, urban fantasy/PNR, demons, alternate realms, inventive storytelling. No cheating or any others. Recommended, and I would read more set in this world.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
I was intrigued by the worldbuilding in this urban fantasy/PNR MM romance. In a version of Atlanta beset by “travelers,” who take over human bodies and bring them new life, similar to Stephenie Meyers’s The Host without the surgery—there are good and bad travelers—bad ones take over perfectly healthy humans and kill them for their bodies—and detective Morrisey James is about to have his eyes opened to this even-weirder-than-his-usual world when he chases down a murderer who seems to have lost his mind, only to have to resist having his body taken over. He's saved, he thinks, by an angel, and left with a headache so bad he can hardly function.
Reporting this to his less than impressed superior is not fun, but finding himself recruited by a special FBI task force to handle supernatural affairs brings him to a whole new level of weird. As does his growing connection to his handler/trainer, the angel who helped him, Farren Austen.
What ensues is a chase through Atlanta on the trail of a truly horrific mastermind of murder and mayhem, and an entry into the world of travelers, some who’ve come to the human realm on purpose, some who, like Austen, were summoned against their will and have made a life here, unable to return to their dying realm. And perhaps some who know not what they are, like…well, you’ll see.
The premise and abilities of the world are inventive and varied, and I enjoyed that a lot. But I read for the romance, and I found that frustratingly uneven and somehow less satisfying than it could have been. The push-pull between Morrisey and Farren doesn’t flow; one minute, they’re f-buddies, then about to accidentally bond souls (for lack of better way to describe it), the next, Morrisey seems detached and is out considering hooking up with someone else (he doesn’t, that would have been a Nope for me, so, phew), and Farren keeps questioning what their connection is, going in circles, so it doesn’t feel like anything progresses or gets answered for too long, when the answer is screamingly obvious to the reader. For every darkness needs its light, and the balance is important to everyone. Just…our two heroes take way to long to clue in and I kinda wanted to kick them and yell BOND ALREADY YOU FOOLS.
Uncovering the secrets around Morrisey and his mysterious past is a lot of fun, a big part of the read; I just could have done with more romantic tension and less confusion. I would have loved a bit more exploration of powers with him and him and Farren. I did struggle a bit with reading through Morrisey's struggle with alcohol, it is focused on, and realistic. There are reasons.
The antagonist has some good tricks up their sleeve and the twists are horrifying in a fun way. Betrayal is real, and you never know who might be a traveler. The secondary character Jessa stole some of the show and I kept waiting for her to show up, she was great. There’s some good storytelling here, and I don’t feel I’m doing the strengths of the book justice, but, I found the romance a bit flat and slow, much as I liked where it ended up. Just… I would have liked these two to be more than casual f-buddies sooner, and to figure out their connection sooner, because I sure did and it seemed bleedin’ obvious. Farren should have known.
Both characters have more to them than it first appears, and both have strong and appealing moral codes. They didn’t give up or give in, in the face of possible defeat and betrayal, and I appreciated that about them.
HEA, soulmates, urban fantasy/PNR, demons, alternate realms, inventive storytelling. No cheating or any others. Recommended, and I would read more set in this world.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
May 31, 2024
Darkness is Eden Winters’ latest Urban Fantasy novel, which is one not to miss. As the title implies, the story deals with some dark topics and actions, so beware sensitive readers (i.e., violence, alcoholism, depression, mention of suicide). However, the imaginative world Winters has created for the setting of this law-and-order, multi-realm, good vs evil gem of a story makes it totally worth the read. And while the story does have a
bond
integral to the plot, I didn’t feel that the
romance
was a strong point in the plot. If you’ve got any skills in Latin, it’s time to brush those babies off!
When serial killings seem to be every call for 42-year-old Atlanta PD Detective Morrisey James and everything goes wrong, losing himself in the bottle and a pack of smokes doesn’t seem like a bad solution. However, finding himself on the wrong side of something he can’t explain with logic in a takedown gone wrong leaves him fighting ridicule from his peers and questioning his sanity. The one thing he remembers from that night with clarity is his angel…
Enter Agent Farren Austin of the FBI’s Alternate Entities Task Force (FAET), who just happened to come across a man fighting off an evil “traveler” or “demon” from his home realm and did what needed doing. Farren was immediately drawn to the darkness in Morrisey; the balance to his Lux, or Light. His intrigue brings about the start of their partnership because Farren is more than a cop; he’s a judge, jury, and executioner of his people.
When deeply held prejudices against these magically gifted immigrants turn perceived friends into dangerous foes, a civilization dependent on their strict tier system is exploited, and long-buried secrets come to light, only the strongest bond can hold together a disaster waiting to happen.
The book was very entertaining and I really hope the author chooses to continue the story. I felt the romance was a miss, but I can see it and appreciate the gesture. It was a tad too much push and pull without enough actual relationship for me, but they do end up together and it appears to be a happily ever after. It doesn’t ever reach extremely high heat, but the reader does get some nice enticing scenes. The story ended a little abruptly for my taste, but it is not a cliffhanger, so no worries there. It may be because there isn’t a traditional epilogue and that’s what I’ve become accustomed to with standalones, so maybe there’s hope yet! If you enjoy a dark urban fantasy, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
Happy Reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review. *
When serial killings seem to be every call for 42-year-old Atlanta PD Detective Morrisey James and everything goes wrong, losing himself in the bottle and a pack of smokes doesn’t seem like a bad solution. However, finding himself on the wrong side of something he can’t explain with logic in a takedown gone wrong leaves him fighting ridicule from his peers and questioning his sanity. The one thing he remembers from that night with clarity is his angel…
Enter Agent Farren Austin of the FBI’s Alternate Entities Task Force (FAET), who just happened to come across a man fighting off an evil “traveler” or “demon” from his home realm and did what needed doing. Farren was immediately drawn to the darkness in Morrisey; the balance to his Lux, or Light. His intrigue brings about the start of their partnership because Farren is more than a cop; he’s a judge, jury, and executioner of his people.
When deeply held prejudices against these magically gifted immigrants turn perceived friends into dangerous foes, a civilization dependent on their strict tier system is exploited, and long-buried secrets come to light, only the strongest bond can hold together a disaster waiting to happen.
The book was very entertaining and I really hope the author chooses to continue the story. I felt the romance was a miss, but I can see it and appreciate the gesture. It was a tad too much push and pull without enough actual relationship for me, but they do end up together and it appears to be a happily ever after. It doesn’t ever reach extremely high heat, but the reader does get some nice enticing scenes. The story ended a little abruptly for my taste, but it is not a cliffhanger, so no worries there. It may be because there isn’t a traditional epilogue and that’s what I’ve become accustomed to with standalones, so maybe there’s hope yet! If you enjoy a dark urban fantasy, I would definitely recommend picking this one up.
Happy Reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review. *
June 3, 2024
I'd say this is a somewhat generous three stars. The book has a slow-ish start, but there was a lot of world-stuff to establish, and it gave us a chance to get to know our protagonist before any romantic subplot started.
The book is interesting for sure. I liked the concept of Travellers from another realm coming over. It's been done before (recently by Louisa Masters, for example), but the perception of them as demons and how that has contributed to conspiracy theories, and even how our existing lore has influenced our perception of Travellers as demons, well, it all added some nice layers to the concept. I also liked the government being involved, the mistrust and discrimination despite decades of effort by the travellers... there's some good world building here.
The mystery regarding all the crimes being committed, and trying to find out the individuals behind them and their motivation, is also set up well. The slow-burn romance is nice. I liked both the protagonists and found them to be well-written. And I can't help but give props to any fantasy standalone.
But—and this is where things go wrong—because so much of the first two halves of the book are setup, be it the romance, the mystery, the villain, etc, a lot hinges on the final third. And that final third was not good. Everything feel apart here, actually.
Let's start with the villain, who sucked. They were built up as someone smart, competent, and powerful. But when they were finally introduced, it was like a child who'd lucked into things going their way. All the air of danger went poof almost immediately, and I was very disappointed. It's like how, in cartoons or animation, you see this huge shadow accompanied by a loud roar, and it turns out to just be some idiot tangled in vines stumbling out of an echo-y cave.
The ending was also full of plot holes, where things talked about just a few chapters ago were blatantly contradicted. Certain romantic moments that we'd been building up to were underwhelming. Some character arcs were just dropped, those characters losing all depth. And the final confrontation with the villain was an illogical mess that I could barely take seriously. So, what started as an interesting and promising story became ridiculous. In fact, I'd like to leave you with this hastily customized meme that describes how I feel.
P.S. The cover doesn't suit the book at all. It looks like the cover of a straight romance with some shithead mafia boss.
The book is interesting for sure. I liked the concept of Travellers from another realm coming over. It's been done before (recently by Louisa Masters, for example), but the perception of them as demons and how that has contributed to conspiracy theories, and even how our existing lore has influenced our perception of Travellers as demons, well, it all added some nice layers to the concept. I also liked the government being involved, the mistrust and discrimination despite decades of effort by the travellers... there's some good world building here.
The mystery regarding all the crimes being committed, and trying to find out the individuals behind them and their motivation, is also set up well. The slow-burn romance is nice. I liked both the protagonists and found them to be well-written. And I can't help but give props to any fantasy standalone.
But—and this is where things go wrong—because so much of the first two halves of the book are setup, be it the romance, the mystery, the villain, etc, a lot hinges on the final third. And that final third was not good. Everything feel apart here, actually.
Let's start with the villain, who sucked. They were built up as someone smart, competent, and powerful. But when they were finally introduced, it was like a child who'd lucked into things going their way. All the air of danger went poof almost immediately, and I was very disappointed. It's like how, in cartoons or animation, you see this huge shadow accompanied by a loud roar, and it turns out to just be some idiot tangled in vines stumbling out of an echo-y cave.
The ending was also full of plot holes, where things talked about just a few chapters ago were blatantly contradicted. Certain romantic moments that we'd been building up to were underwhelming. Some character arcs were just dropped, those characters losing all depth. And the final confrontation with the villain was an illogical mess that I could barely take seriously. So, what started as an interesting and promising story became ridiculous. In fact, I'd like to leave you with this hastily customized meme that describes how I feel.
P.S. The cover doesn't suit the book at all. It looks like the cover of a straight romance with some shithead mafia boss.
May 31, 2024
Wow! That's what I've got to say in regards to this story... Just wow!! Eden Winters is a fairly new to me author, I have heard of her before but I haven't had the opportunity to read her work before, until now. This book absolutely blew me away! The characters, along with the storyline and plot captivated me and didn't let go. I was so engrossed in this story that I was sad when it ended, what an impeccable book.
I'll go into what I liked most.. which I'll be honest, I liked it all. The pacing was fitting for the type of story this was, it kept making you want to read more to find out what happened next, and when Morrisey and Farren would realize what they are to each other. The characters themselves were absolutely fantastic! I love how Eden created her own species of characters; she even wrote a guidebook for Morrisey telling him all the different travelers and what their abilities are, which of course we got to read, so we got a lot of backstory and information on these unique characters. The plot was thrilling, engaging, dark, and kept you guessing. As the reader I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next, I couldn't guess what was going to happen next because Eden keeps you in the dark so it's a complete surprise until it's discussed.
The level of detail that went into creating not only this story, but each individual species of Travelers, along with creating a whole separate realm outside of the one the main story takes place in, AND describing each horrific case was truly immaculate. It was like watching a really good true crime TV show with a fantasy element mixed in. Which I adored, I love true crime shows! I felt bad for Morrisey and Farren, they both have lost so much, the first chapter was heartbreaking, and then learning about how Farren lost his family as well was so sad.
I can't speak for other books Eden has written as I have not read them, however, having read this book I can tell she puts in a lot of time and effort to really describe the world and characters she's creating. She took time to build the suspense throughout the course of this book,
to develop Morrisey and Farren's relationship slowly, and she created a plot twist with Morrisey 's character that I was not prepared for but was done flawlessly .
Overall a truly remarkable story! I will note that this is a darker story with grueling details of crime scenes, and deaths of side characters. But if those things don't deter you, I will implore you to do yourself a favor and read this story!
I'll go into what I liked most.. which I'll be honest, I liked it all. The pacing was fitting for the type of story this was, it kept making you want to read more to find out what happened next, and when Morrisey and Farren would realize what they are to each other. The characters themselves were absolutely fantastic! I love how Eden created her own species of characters; she even wrote a guidebook for Morrisey telling him all the different travelers and what their abilities are, which of course we got to read, so we got a lot of backstory and information on these unique characters. The plot was thrilling, engaging, dark, and kept you guessing. As the reader I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next, I couldn't guess what was going to happen next because Eden keeps you in the dark so it's a complete surprise until it's discussed.
The level of detail that went into creating not only this story, but each individual species of Travelers, along with creating a whole separate realm outside of the one the main story takes place in, AND describing each horrific case was truly immaculate. It was like watching a really good true crime TV show with a fantasy element mixed in. Which I adored, I love true crime shows! I felt bad for Morrisey and Farren, they both have lost so much, the first chapter was heartbreaking, and then learning about how Farren lost his family as well was so sad.
I can't speak for other books Eden has written as I have not read them, however, having read this book I can tell she puts in a lot of time and effort to really describe the world and characters she's creating. She took time to build the suspense throughout the course of this book,
to develop Morrisey and Farren's relationship slowly, and she created a plot twist with Morrisey 's character that I was not prepared for but was done flawlessly .
Overall a truly remarkable story! I will note that this is a darker story with grueling details of crime scenes, and deaths of side characters. But if those things don't deter you, I will implore you to do yourself a favor and read this story!
June 1, 2024
4.5 stars - highly recommended
This is the urban fantasy you don't want to miss. The only way I could describe it in a few words is - very well written, very dark crime and mystery trope combined with imaginative and very original twist on body snatchers. The truth is, that every single book from this author adds something unique to the established tropes - no matter what she writes - and there's something for just every taste if you just check her books on Goodreads or Amazon.
The opening scene in this one is not for the fainthearted, but it snatched my attention and kept me going over night into the very late or better, early morning hours. Sleep is sometimes overrated.
Detective Morrissey James lives for his job and he's very good at it. That, and his strong moral compass it's actually the only thing that keeps him going, because he feels there's nothing else to live for after some personal losses. He's isolated himself from any personal connections, deeply depressed and in private he finds only escape in a bottle. He's actually that good at his job for one other reason - he can vaguely read the emotions and 'snapshots' of the victims just before their death.
So darkness is what rules his world and he has no doubt that someday it will overrule - the only question is when.
He's never even considered supernatural, much less beings from other realms - he's even oblivious about movies, TV series and doesn't care about folk tales when something shakes his world and perceptions.
Enter Darren Austin the agent of a secret FBI Alternate Entities Task Force, who recognises Morrissey's abilities for something more and he recruits him into said force.
That's enough of mild spoilers.
The story is fast paced with many surprising twists and turns, a psychopathic viliian which can be beaten only with combined force of darkness and light to balance echother and that is Darren and Austin truly are.
I would give this full 5 stars, but what bothered me was that the relationship development was overshadowed by the plot and didn't exactly establish and solidify their personal connection. The heat is there, no doubt abut it, but frankly I think that this should be a series or at least a duology. There's no cliffhanger, but I feel that there's so much more to say, so I'm really hoping for one more book in this amazing world.
BTW - if you were wondering who the shadow woman on the cover is - it's Jessa, succubus and a friend, who stole the show more than once - I'm sure you wont mind - I certainly didn't.
May 17, 2024
Holy. SHIT.
This book blew me away. I just finished it and I need another book somehow, somewhere in this world because I need SO much more from these characters.
I had never heard of Eden Winters before grabbing this off GRR due to the blurb and oh my god I am so glad I did. I'm not gonna lie, this book started off with heartbreak. We almost immediately lost a character whose suicide almost broke our main character, and quickly learn about another character whose death DID break our MC, leading him to alcoholism and to deal with severe depression.
It was pretty bleak for a while (not in a bad way!) and then we started to learn about Travelers, though they're called demons or aliens in this book and DAMN. It's such a fascinating idea honestly. I'm sure it's been done before, parallel universes where spirits/souls/people go from one to the other and are stuck and inhabit human bodies, but I haven't read that before. It was so damn fascinating to read!
I absolutely LOVED Farren from the get go. I loved how regardless of how he got to this world, he was going to continue on trying his best to protect it as an FBI agent in charge of more... different cases. I did enjoy Morrisey, our other main character but damn. His world so far had been struck with so much sadness and loss, it was so heartbreaking to read some of his chapters and how he felt, constantly losing those around him. It makes sense as you get to the end why his life is so dark, but DAMN. It just hurt to read.
While this book is not spicy, it does have *some* spice to it but mainly? You get this undeniable attraction between the two and the tension? Whew!
The ending was also heartbreaking but gave a much needed closure to Morrisey, but also opened up a chance at maybe seeing more?! Honestly, I would LOVE to see more of this world and to see how these two are holding up as well as Jessa (MY GOD I LOVED THIS CHARACTER), and Arianna. I'm so curious at what she'll learn to toss into cookies next 🤣🤣
Honestly though? As soon as this goes live, I'm 100% grabbing a physical copy because DAMN. I finished this book and I can already tell it'll lead to not letting me go and some SERIOUS book slumping. I can't wait
This book blew me away. I just finished it and I need another book somehow, somewhere in this world because I need SO much more from these characters.
I had never heard of Eden Winters before grabbing this off GRR due to the blurb and oh my god I am so glad I did. I'm not gonna lie, this book started off with heartbreak. We almost immediately lost a character whose suicide almost broke our main character, and quickly learn about another character whose death DID break our MC, leading him to alcoholism and to deal with severe depression.
It was pretty bleak for a while (not in a bad way!) and then we started to learn about Travelers, though they're called demons or aliens in this book and DAMN. It's such a fascinating idea honestly. I'm sure it's been done before, parallel universes where spirits/souls/people go from one to the other and are stuck and inhabit human bodies, but I haven't read that before. It was so damn fascinating to read!
I absolutely LOVED Farren from the get go. I loved how regardless of how he got to this world, he was going to continue on trying his best to protect it as an FBI agent in charge of more... different cases. I did enjoy Morrisey, our other main character but damn. His world so far had been struck with so much sadness and loss, it was so heartbreaking to read some of his chapters and how he felt, constantly losing those around him. It makes sense as you get to the end why his life is so dark, but DAMN. It just hurt to read.
While this book is not spicy, it does have *some* spice to it but mainly? You get this undeniable attraction between the two and the tension? Whew!
The ending was also heartbreaking but gave a much needed closure to Morrisey, but also opened up a chance at maybe seeing more?! Honestly, I would LOVE to see more of this world and to see how these two are holding up as well as Jessa (MY GOD I LOVED THIS CHARACTER), and Arianna. I'm so curious at what she'll learn to toss into cookies next 🤣🤣
Honestly though? As soon as this goes live, I'm 100% grabbing a physical copy because DAMN. I finished this book and I can already tell it'll lead to not letting me go and some SERIOUS book slumping. I can't wait
May 28, 2024
Morrisey is an Atlanta PD detective in the homicide department. He and his partner Will are trying to solve some weird murder cases and it's causing more problems for Morrisey than he understands. After losing Will his drinking gets worse to numb the loss of yet another loved one. When he interrupts what he first believes is a liquor store robbery he comes across something that lands him in the FBI office explaining what happened. Now he's expected to believe there's people from other realms here on earth and he's been recruited to fight the bad ones. He has a new partner who's something different and he's fighting his attraction while wondering if he can trust him. His new boss is worse than the one he had at the Atlanta PD. People around him have auras and odd appearances and strange abilities. While he's trying to get his footing under him there's forces behind the scenes working to undue everything he's learning. And he also has a beautiful woman who keeps hunting him down for help that looks different every time.
Farren is one of the other. A traveler from another realm who works for the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force. He's been assigned to welcome in Morrisey and explain what they do in their branch of the FBI. He feels the attraction immediately but doesn't know that there's something equally special about Morrisey. While they're investigating the unusual murders he starts to wonder if Morrisey is more like him than he thinks. A visit to an old man gets him the info he's needing but is it too late.
This is an interesting fantasy/supernatural, with mystery and romance. It's a little longer than I think it needed to be, to get the story told, and the romance is kind of late in the story for my taste, but it still kept my attention. Morrisey and Farren have good chemistry. The world and character building are good. The side characters of Arianna and Jessa really made the story better. The ending was rather rushed compared to how long the story was dragged out and I would've like it to be a little more fleshed out. Overall a really good story.
Farren is one of the other. A traveler from another realm who works for the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force. He's been assigned to welcome in Morrisey and explain what they do in their branch of the FBI. He feels the attraction immediately but doesn't know that there's something equally special about Morrisey. While they're investigating the unusual murders he starts to wonder if Morrisey is more like him than he thinks. A visit to an old man gets him the info he's needing but is it too late.
This is an interesting fantasy/supernatural, with mystery and romance. It's a little longer than I think it needed to be, to get the story told, and the romance is kind of late in the story for my taste, but it still kept my attention. Morrisey and Farren have good chemistry. The world and character building are good. The side characters of Arianna and Jessa really made the story better. The ending was rather rushed compared to how long the story was dragged out and I would've like it to be a little more fleshed out. Overall a really good story.
May 24, 2024
**I received an electronic ARC through Gay Romance Reviews.**
Actual rating: 3.5
Eden Winters newest book, Darkness, is a MM paranormal romance tucked into a police procedural. Readers follow homicide detective Morrisey James of the Atlanta PD. Morrisey has made a career out of solving death cases, but one scene is simply beyond human capacity. Combined with his work partner's suicide, Morrisey turns to the alcohol that has always kept him afloat, if a bit pickled. When Morrisey chases a shooting suspect, he sees something that is altogether inhuman. Suddenly, Morrisey is inducted into the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force, and everything he thought he knew is up in the air. There's only one thing he's sure about, and that's how much he wants to stay close to his new partner, Agent Farren Austen.
Despite this being a romance book at its heart, Winters does not shirk the plot in the slightest. While there is a bit of a fated mates trope in play, the investigation into the various murders is genuinely explored as well. Winters also took the time to build a very neat parallel world with Domus. The hierarchical social structure and magic systems were very cool to learn about. The magic system was a bit soft, so there was always an opportunity for a new or unique ability to surprise the reader.
Morrisey and Farren were both interesting characters to follow, though the would-be bond between them seemed to be more of what brought them together than any true chemistry between them as individuals. The pacing of their relationship was a little wonky in some spots, as was the pacing of the ending wrap-up, though not off enough to significantly impact my enjoyment of the book.
Overall, I was thoroughly entertained during my time with this book and look forward to exploring the author's backlist.
Actual rating: 3.5
Eden Winters newest book, Darkness, is a MM paranormal romance tucked into a police procedural. Readers follow homicide detective Morrisey James of the Atlanta PD. Morrisey has made a career out of solving death cases, but one scene is simply beyond human capacity. Combined with his work partner's suicide, Morrisey turns to the alcohol that has always kept him afloat, if a bit pickled. When Morrisey chases a shooting suspect, he sees something that is altogether inhuman. Suddenly, Morrisey is inducted into the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force, and everything he thought he knew is up in the air. There's only one thing he's sure about, and that's how much he wants to stay close to his new partner, Agent Farren Austen.
Despite this being a romance book at its heart, Winters does not shirk the plot in the slightest. While there is a bit of a fated mates trope in play, the investigation into the various murders is genuinely explored as well. Winters also took the time to build a very neat parallel world with Domus. The hierarchical social structure and magic systems were very cool to learn about. The magic system was a bit soft, so there was always an opportunity for a new or unique ability to surprise the reader.
Morrisey and Farren were both interesting characters to follow, though the would-be bond between them seemed to be more of what brought them together than any true chemistry between them as individuals. The pacing of their relationship was a little wonky in some spots, as was the pacing of the ending wrap-up, though not off enough to significantly impact my enjoyment of the book.
Overall, I was thoroughly entertained during my time with this book and look forward to exploring the author's backlist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
This is the first book I’ve read by Eden Winters. Let’s just say I was not disappointed. Her world building and transitioning skills are exceptional. I would give this book 4.5 stars. The book is quite long.
The book follows Morrisey. A dark, brooding, depressed Detective who deals with homicides. There is something strange happening in the City of Atlanta. The homicides are becoming more and more gruesome as time goes on. During one case, both Morrisey and his partner Will get called to a children’s birthday party gone wrong. This leads to his partner committing suicide. Morrisey is put on leave. He has a drinking problem that has only increased in its nature after the incident with his partner. Soon after we are introduced to Farren, Aluxi, a traveler from another world. Farren used to be a type of Law enforcement from his world Domus. He now works for the FBI along with other travels to take care of the travelers that get out of line.
Morrisey is not allowed to come back after his leave even after a few weeks. So he goes to buy more alcohol. Upon arrival, he finds the store owner murdered and he gives chase. He conners the suspect in an alley way, and comes face to face with a creature, occisor. Farren then comes to his rescue by taking out the creature. Not long after the two become partners in an investigation/infestation of occisors and travelers reaping havoc in the city of Atlanta.
Overall, it was an interesting read. I have not gone into a great amount of detail. Since I really want to spoil it too much for some that may want to read it. This book is written in great detail and takes time to read. I would not mind reading more about this World Eden built if she comes out with another book.
The book follows Morrisey. A dark, brooding, depressed Detective who deals with homicides. There is something strange happening in the City of Atlanta. The homicides are becoming more and more gruesome as time goes on. During one case, both Morrisey and his partner Will get called to a children’s birthday party gone wrong. This leads to his partner committing suicide. Morrisey is put on leave. He has a drinking problem that has only increased in its nature after the incident with his partner. Soon after we are introduced to Farren, Aluxi, a traveler from another world. Farren used to be a type of Law enforcement from his world Domus. He now works for the FBI along with other travels to take care of the travelers that get out of line.
Morrisey is not allowed to come back after his leave even after a few weeks. So he goes to buy more alcohol. Upon arrival, he finds the store owner murdered and he gives chase. He conners the suspect in an alley way, and comes face to face with a creature, occisor. Farren then comes to his rescue by taking out the creature. Not long after the two become partners in an investigation/infestation of occisors and travelers reaping havoc in the city of Atlanta.
Overall, it was an interesting read. I have not gone into a great amount of detail. Since I really want to spoil it too much for some that may want to read it. This book is written in great detail and takes time to read. I would not mind reading more about this World Eden built if she comes out with another book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2024
I wanted to like it, but sadly, I did not. Drawn out, repetitive and too much tell, not enough show. Sure, a lot of murders happen, but there are no resolutions. There is no detecting, there is just.. information dump. The worst thing is that the information repeats over and over on an endless loop. Gasp, a traveler did this super gruesome murder, insert a lot of repetitive information about all kinds of travelers and humans calling them demons. Gasp, a traveler did this super gruesome murder too, insert a lot of repetitive information about all kinds of travelers and humans calling them demons. Seriously... I got it the first 2 times, the other million times were not needed. The world is an intriguing one, with an unusual twist to the paranormal angle, but the plot.. is missing. Not to say there is not plot to this book, because there is. It is just..boring. Even when things are happening, the plot is so darn boring. Took me ages to finish this book, because I just wasn't interested. The constant repetitiveness was annoying, the information dump made my eyes cross and the constant inner monologues put me to sleep. The same thing - can I trust this and that, why is this happening, Am I human, oh no my ex died, oh no my family is dead, oh no demons are bad but we can't call them demons -over and over, on the loop. Zzzzz.... My plants grow faster than the plot of this book. It could have been saved if the romance was strong in this one, but frankly, other than the whole dark/light fated mates because of an inescapable bond thing, there is nothing to constitute a romance either. So while the idea of this story was a good one, it failed to catch my interest and resulted in a rather meh, totally average read. This book is a miss for me :(
June 27, 2024
“The dark and the light, they exist side by side,
Sometimes overlapping, one explaining the other.
The darkened path is as illuminated as the lightened,
Only the fear of the dark keeps us from seeing our way.” ~ Raven Davies, Between Here & There
Morrisey James, from Eden Winters's 'Darkness', lives with a dark cloud hanging over his head. Life has taught him not to get too attached to anyone or anything because everyone leaves him.
Morrisey and his partner, Will, work in homicide and think they have seen it all. But their latest case is grotesque beyond anything they could have imagined. The incident occurred at a kid’s birthday party. The perpetrators didn't harm the children, but they slaughtered everyone else. The scene took its toll on Morrisey and, especially, on Will.
When a series of similar murders happen, a top-secret agency called the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force approaches Morrisey, where Farren, a senior agent, becomes his mentor.
Farren and Morrisey work well together, but their mutual physical attraction is unexpected. Their investigation takes a dark turn when they realize how tangled the web of deceit has been spun. It is up to them to uncover the betrayal and rectify it.
Eden has created a complex world full of demons and other mind-blowing characters, with a unique romance thrown in for good measure. The worldbuilding was brilliant, immersing me in a unique way of thinking. The story, honestly, is a tangled web on all levels. Thanks, Eden!
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book was purchased by the reviewer.
Sometimes overlapping, one explaining the other.
The darkened path is as illuminated as the lightened,
Only the fear of the dark keeps us from seeing our way.” ~ Raven Davies, Between Here & There
Morrisey James, from Eden Winters's 'Darkness', lives with a dark cloud hanging over his head. Life has taught him not to get too attached to anyone or anything because everyone leaves him.
Morrisey and his partner, Will, work in homicide and think they have seen it all. But their latest case is grotesque beyond anything they could have imagined. The incident occurred at a kid’s birthday party. The perpetrators didn't harm the children, but they slaughtered everyone else. The scene took its toll on Morrisey and, especially, on Will.
When a series of similar murders happen, a top-secret agency called the FBI Alternate Entities Task Force approaches Morrisey, where Farren, a senior agent, becomes his mentor.
Farren and Morrisey work well together, but their mutual physical attraction is unexpected. Their investigation takes a dark turn when they realize how tangled the web of deceit has been spun. It is up to them to uncover the betrayal and rectify it.
Eden has created a complex world full of demons and other mind-blowing characters, with a unique romance thrown in for good measure. The worldbuilding was brilliant, immersing me in a unique way of thinking. The story, honestly, is a tangled web on all levels. Thanks, Eden!
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book was purchased by the reviewer.
June 8, 2024
This is a fairly new to me author and I am glad that tried this book. While listed as a paranormal mystery I found it to be more of a urban fantasy romance. That said, this is an intense book. This is the story of Lieutenant Morrisey James and Agent Farren Austin. Morrisey is an Atlanta PD detective. His life until now has been nothing but sadness. He has a weight on his sole and an addiction to alcohol. The only thing that he does right is his job. Morrisey may be battered and bruised but his moral compass is honed to a fine steel. Farren is part of the FBI’s Alternate Entities Task Force, a unit created to monitor travelers from another realm. When Morrisey is recruited to the Entities Task Force; he is shocked to learn about travelers. Perhaps if he had watched Men In Black, things would have gone easier. Even when the action is dramatic, I was totally immersed in Morrisey and his path. I will admit that in order for the story to work there needed to be world building but I found myself getting bogged down when Morrisey first joined the task force. I found the story picked up after that. I won't get into specifics as I think you have to experience the story yourself. But I did love the relationship between Morrisey and Farren. Both men have had loss in their life. It is time for them to win and be happy for a change. There is still work to be done but together, they are formidable. This book is very well written. I enjoyed it a lot.
I received a complimentary advanced review copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a complimentary advanced review copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 20, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! So many emotions pour from the pages and evoke a reaction within yourself. There is a lot of heartbreak in this book, a lot of violence and death, shocking twists, and betrayal. There is also hope and new beginnings, a deep connection, all encompasing love, and HEA.
Morrisey's life has been pretty bleak, with loss after loss, leading him down a path of alcoholism and not caring about himself, but still highly functioning when it comes to his job. Things are revealed to him, one after another, leaving him reeling and off kilter. His life is full of darkness and finding the reasons why is quite shocking.
Farren is a 'traveler', ripped from his own realm and dealing with tremendous loss. While here, he becomes an FBI agent on a special task force, working to find other travelers and bring to justice those that have committed evil deeds - a job similar to one he had in his former realm.
Farren is the light to Morrisey's dark, and together they need to work together to combat the devious enemy that has worked for decades to amass followers to create chaos and lead them to war.
This book is highly entertaining, engaging you in the epic journey of Morrisey and Fallen who, along with some unique secondary characters, battle for peace for humans and travelers alike.
I would absolutely recommend this book.
I received an ARC from GRR, this is mt honest opinion.
Morrisey's life has been pretty bleak, with loss after loss, leading him down a path of alcoholism and not caring about himself, but still highly functioning when it comes to his job. Things are revealed to him, one after another, leaving him reeling and off kilter. His life is full of darkness and finding the reasons why is quite shocking.
Farren is a 'traveler', ripped from his own realm and dealing with tremendous loss. While here, he becomes an FBI agent on a special task force, working to find other travelers and bring to justice those that have committed evil deeds - a job similar to one he had in his former realm.
Farren is the light to Morrisey's dark, and together they need to work together to combat the devious enemy that has worked for decades to amass followers to create chaos and lead them to war.
This book is highly entertaining, engaging you in the epic journey of Morrisey and Fallen who, along with some unique secondary characters, battle for peace for humans and travelers alike.
I would absolutely recommend this book.
I received an ARC from GRR, this is mt honest opinion.
June 5, 2024
What a fantastic book! There are a lot of feelings expressed in the book, and they make you feel something. Tragic events, murder, betrayal, startling plot twists, and emotional turmoil abound in this book. A profound bond, a love that encompasses everything, a new beginning, hope, and HEA are all present. Morrisey has had a rather dismal life, with loss after loss driving him to drink and neglect himself, while he is still quite competent in his profession. A series of revelations throws him for a loop and throws him off his game. He has lived a life consumed by darkness, and the revelation of the reasons for it is frightening. The 'traveler' Farren has been torn from his own world and is coping with immense grief. While here, he assumes the role of an FBI agent on a special task force, continuing his work from his previous dimension in which he sought out fellow travelers and brought evildoers to punishment. Morrisey relies on Farren for guidance, and the two must join forces to face a malevolent foe that has amassed supporters for decades in an effort to sow discord and eventually wage war. Immerse yourself in the thrilling adventure of Morrisey and Fallen, together with a cast of memorable supporting characters, as they fight for a world free of war and traveller oppression. This is a book that I wholeheartedly endorse.I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
June 4, 2024
Detective Morrisey James thinks he has seen it all until he is called in to investigate a series of brutal murders where the victims are terrorized before being killed. Morrisey has an advantage unknown to others where he can touch the victims and feel their last moments. He meets Farren Austin when he saves him from a traveler. Farren is a member of the FBI’s Alternate Entities Task Force and they monitor travelers from another realm. For some reason, some of these travelers are taking a special interest in Morrissey.
What a unique and incredible world has been created by Eden Winters for us to enjoy. Many entities are coming from another realm but can only exist by taking over a body. Morrisey has travelers trying to take over his body and finds himself with a succubus sidekick as well as a new partner. He is a strong character – flawed but with strong morality. For some reason, people refer to the darkness within him and call him a weird name. Farren and Morrisey find themselves attracted to each other, but know they have some cases to solve first. This was enjoyable from beginning to end and I hope there are more books set in this world.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my unbiased review.
What a unique and incredible world has been created by Eden Winters for us to enjoy. Many entities are coming from another realm but can only exist by taking over a body. Morrisey has travelers trying to take over his body and finds himself with a succubus sidekick as well as a new partner. He is a strong character – flawed but with strong morality. For some reason, people refer to the darkness within him and call him a weird name. Farren and Morrisey find themselves attracted to each other, but know they have some cases to solve first. This was enjoyable from beginning to end and I hope there are more books set in this world.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my unbiased review.
May 25, 2024
Wow. Just wow. What an amazing book. Morrisey James is 42 and working at Atlanta PD. After being called to a scene of a crime, he and his partner were looking, but he told Will to leave as it was a birthday party for kids. When going back to the precinct, Will is sitting in the car when the unthinkable happens. Morrisey has always been able to touch a victim and see the final thoughts and emotions. When he was out one night, he went to a local liquor store, when someone came running out saying that the owner was shot. He ran after the suspect who tried to get into his head. He was saved by someone who they took him by ambulance. Farren Austen is a traveller from a different realm and works for the FBI. He was a magistrae in his old world and continued on the earthly plane. This started the story with how Morrisey was recruited by the FBI to discovering more of his background. The world building is excellent and Farren and Morrisey were amazing together. Lots of action too happened in this book. I really hope there is another book in this world as I would love to see what happens next.
May 28, 2024
Eden Winters is an author whose name I have stumbled upon multiple times. Darkness was the first book to really grab me as it promised to tick so many of my boxes. Thus, I went in with high hopes.
I will be honest and say that I think this is one of those cases where I was not the right reader. While the story was not badly written, I did struggle to connect with the way in which it was told. I expected a bit more from the writing in this type of story, and the constant short and snappy elements meant certain things did not have the impact I had hope. Although I was able to overlook this, it did contribute to the fact that I was never as sucked into the story as I had hoped. The worldbuilding was super intriguing and had me wanting to learn more, but the characters did not develop in the way I had hoped. It felt far too slow at times and there was not the progression needed to keep me invested. Due to this, I finished the book feeling like it was uneven and that had an impact upon my rating. While a part of me wanted to round up to a three-star rating, I could not quite bring myself to do so.
All in all, I am labelling this a case of “it’s me, not the book”.
I will be honest and say that I think this is one of those cases where I was not the right reader. While the story was not badly written, I did struggle to connect with the way in which it was told. I expected a bit more from the writing in this type of story, and the constant short and snappy elements meant certain things did not have the impact I had hope. Although I was able to overlook this, it did contribute to the fact that I was never as sucked into the story as I had hoped. The worldbuilding was super intriguing and had me wanting to learn more, but the characters did not develop in the way I had hoped. It felt far too slow at times and there was not the progression needed to keep me invested. Due to this, I finished the book feeling like it was uneven and that had an impact upon my rating. While a part of me wanted to round up to a three-star rating, I could not quite bring myself to do so.
All in all, I am labelling this a case of “it’s me, not the book”.
June 2, 2024
Oof, what a read of urban fantasy story! Read the TW/CW's!!
"Some of the biggest crimes against humanity traced their root causes to the concept of other. Once you saw someone as different from yourself, it became easy to fall into a pattern of them being lesser, not equal, and therefore undeserving of humane treatment"
"other"
Not sure of the release date is intentional, June 1 first day of Pride, for a cautionary tale of us vs them, light vs. darkness. Others have been visiting, making homes on Earth from other realms for years, but some of the realms are collapsing, so more are coming through. Some just wanting to live out their lives, some not very nice. Winters introduces us to Morrisey, overwhelmed grieving Atlanta PD detective, and Farren, agent for a under the radar FBI unit. Both are "other" for they love, for their abilities, for their true beings. The author does not shy away from the issues our MC's have, it will break your heart. While Morrisey and Austen had such chemistry, got their HEA, the romance was not a driving force to the main narrative. I'm hoping we will get more visits with them and their friends, giving us a bit more romance. The mythos in this saga is intricate, world building lush, you can't skim, you have to pay attention. The secondary characters are so great, love how E.W. gives our MC's such a fabulous found family, while showing Morrisey a sad but loving glimpse of his "real" family. And the ending, so poignant! Please, my dear Winters, don't let this be the only time we have in this world!
"Some of the biggest crimes against humanity traced their root causes to the concept of other. Once you saw someone as different from yourself, it became easy to fall into a pattern of them being lesser, not equal, and therefore undeserving of humane treatment"
"other"
Not sure of the release date is intentional, June 1 first day of Pride, for a cautionary tale of us vs them, light vs. darkness. Others have been visiting, making homes on Earth from other realms for years, but some of the realms are collapsing, so more are coming through. Some just wanting to live out their lives, some not very nice. Winters introduces us to Morrisey, overwhelmed grieving Atlanta PD detective, and Farren, agent for a under the radar FBI unit. Both are "other" for they love, for their abilities, for their true beings. The author does not shy away from the issues our MC's have, it will break your heart. While Morrisey and Austen had such chemistry, got their HEA, the romance was not a driving force to the main narrative. I'm hoping we will get more visits with them and their friends, giving us a bit more romance. The mythos in this saga is intricate, world building lush, you can't skim, you have to pay attention. The secondary characters are so great, love how E.W. gives our MC's such a fabulous found family, while showing Morrisey a sad but loving glimpse of his "real" family. And the ending, so poignant! Please, my dear Winters, don't let this be the only time we have in this world!
June 5, 2024
Oh, my stars! This is absolutely exciting! This story has everything if you're into mystery, the paranormal, paranormal awakening, partners who unexpectedly become more, and continuous constantly having new doors open just as the exhausting one closes. This story keeps you gripping your kindle anxious for the next event. ATL PD Detective Morrisey, thought he saw it all and experienced the depth of human depravity. Then he sees things he not only doesn't understand, but can't unsee or explain. He has a gift/curse that lets him see flashes of the victims' story he is investigating. Agent Austin, works on a FBI task force that investigates the activities of travelers from alternate realms. Morrisey and Austin are teamed up to investigate new threatening occurrences. Now the real fun begins. The author has created a world that I look forward to exploring. The characters are absolutely likeable and their paths to getting to know each other and working together are as fun and bumpy as their investigation. Good story, appropriatly good cover art. Moe please. Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2024
I had a hard time getting into this book. Morse's angst and general hopelessness made for difficult reading. But the story definitely picked up when Morse catches a liquor store thief, who tries to eat him. He comes to the attention of the paranormal FBI and gets a quick introduction into a world that consists of humans and 'travelers', beings from another realm. Farren, a traveler, lost everything when he was summoned to Terra (Earth). He's worked for the FBI for ten years, but has never been fully accepted. They become partners and then lovers. This is set against an edge of seat mystery of a traveler murdering people in horrific ways.
Lots of twists and turns in the story. Quite a few surprises. Morse and Farren's chemistry is hot. Hot. Jessa and Arianne were terrific secondaries. Lots of hurdles for the mains, wasn't sure they were headed for a HEA.
Slow start, but I was invested in the story by chapter three. Definitely a "can't put it down" book. Thoroughly entertaining. Very Eden Winters.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my review.
Lots of twists and turns in the story. Quite a few surprises. Morse and Farren's chemistry is hot. Hot. Jessa and Arianne were terrific secondaries. Lots of hurdles for the mains, wasn't sure they were headed for a HEA.
Slow start, but I was invested in the story by chapter three. Definitely a "can't put it down" book. Thoroughly entertaining. Very Eden Winters.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my review.
June 9, 2024
Wow...this was deep. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into but I got hooked. Paranormal mysteries is fast becoming my jam and adding a little romance was a bonus. It was daunting at first because it is kind of lengthy. Starting off, it took me a bit to get into the story until the unlikely circumstances that happened to Morissey's partner. That caught me off guard and I was eager to get more of the story...there is plenty of blood, death...and so many twists and turns. The author kept me guessing a lot which kept this a page turner...along with the mystery murder cases, this was definitely a slow burn romance. The MCs each had their own POV (which was great) I love how Farren was the light to Morissey dark. They were truly opposites but they connected so well. So by the time truths were told and mysteries solved they had a solid bond...and how things ended, it was more of HFN. Things were still sketch but better...not sure if there will be a to be continued...
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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