A Curse in Darkness (The Thornheart Trials, #1‪)‬

4.25stars-detailed, complex, dramatic, intense

4.25 stars—A CURSE IN DARKNESS is the first instalment in Sherilee Gray’s contemporary, adult THE THORNHEART TRIALS erotic, paranormal romance series focusing on the Thornheart sisters-Willow, Iris, Magnolia and Rose. The Thornheart Trials is a spin off from the author’s KNIGHT’S OF HELL series. This is the eldest sister, twenty-six year old witch Willow Thornheart, and Hellhound alpha /Devil Dog’s MC President Warrick ‘s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic violence, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Warrick and Willow) A CURSE IN DARKNESS follows twenty-six year old witch Willow Thornheart, who has been tasked by the ‘Mother’ to face uncertain trials in order for our heroine to reach her full potential and powers as a witch, but something evil has taken possession of a young girl, and her mother is desperate for any kind of help. When last seen at the hellhound compound, said young girl was no longer with the living, and the evil spirit is destroying and killing everything in its’ wake. Enter Hellhound alpha Warrick, and the man with whom Willow will fall in love. As Willow struggles with the numerous tasks forced upon her on a daily basis, our heroine finds herself presented with several offers, offers that come with a caveat possibly too hard to resist, including the much needed help for someone else. What ensues is the building relationship between Warrick and Willow; the hunt for an evil spirit possessing the local supernatural powers, and the fall-out as the Thornheart family are targeted in an act of betrayal and revenge.

Approximately one year earlier Willow was tortured in an effort to take down the Knights of Hell, and in the ensuing time, lived with the guilt that nearly destroyed her life, and the lives of the KoH. Rescued and healed by our story line hero, Willow has never forgiven herself for what happened or why. Fast forward to present day, and the reminders of the past, both physical and emotional, threaten to destroy our leading couple.

Willow Thornheart is the ‘Keeper’ of the Coven, but never expected her trials to be so dangerous and dark but the number of demonic possessions and deadly attacks has increased, and with each successful take down, another task quickly appears. With Warrick by her side, Willow battles between head and heart when someone she loves becomes the next victim of a demonic possession, a victim Willow is hesitant to destroy. Warrick believes himself to be incapable of love having been born from the fires of H*ll. Desperately needing to claim his mate, Warrick vows his protection of, and allegiance to a woman who refuses to accept they were made for one another but along the way, must take control of the monster trying to destroy the woman with whom he will fall in love.

The relationship between Warrick and Willow is one of fated mates. Warrick knows Willow is his mate, having waited over a thousand years to find the female created for him but Willow, like Warrick, doesn’t believe in love, and in this, struggles with Warrick’s need for, and attraction to our story line heroine. Warrick is getting desperate to claim Willow as his mate but the numerous attempts on her life threaten the safety of everyone in the direct line of fire, and Warrick is determined to take down anyone who stands in his way or threatens the life of his fated mate. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, passionate and intense but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word.

There is a large colorful, energetic, magical and powerful cast of tight knit secondary and supporting characters: Willow’s sisters Iris, Magnolia and Rose: their mother Daisy, Aunt Elswyth, fox shifter and Willow’s familiar nineteen year old, Ren, Magnolia’s crow familiar Bram; Daisy’s owl familiar Arthur; several Hellhound pack members-Warrick’s Lieutenant Jagger, Lothar, Edric,Fender, Maddox; Knights of Hell Chaos, Relic, vampire Ronan, as well as local witches Cora, Clayton, and Isaac, and the Hellhound’s creator Lucifer. The requisite evil has many faces.

A CURSE IN DARKNESS is a detailed and complex story line of betrayal and revenge, power and control, fated mates, struggle, jealousy, rage, understanding and love. A CURSE IN DARKNESS reveals some of the history of the Thornheart family, their powerful magic, their connection to the elements, their animal ‘familiars’, and the local supernatural community both for and against the Thornheart family. The fast paced premise is exciting, action packed, dramatic and intense; the romance is energetic, fated and erotic; the characters are powerful, determined and dynamic.