Book Name: Wicked Nights (Book One, Angels of the Dark)

 Author: Gena Showalter

 Publisher: Harlequin

 Date Published:  July 2012

ISBN: 9780373776986 

 Rating: 

 Author’s Page/Blog: http://members.genashowalter.com/

Zacharel is fierce enough to command the mightiest of the heavenly armies -  he has to be if he wants to keep his wings and those under his command in line.  He’s known for being dangerous and merciless to the extreme and is dedicated to the mission first and foremost.  A chance encounter with a defenseless human female entices him with a passion his icy heart has never known.

Annabelle Miller has been wrongfully accused in the murder of her parents and spent the last four years institutionalized in a facility for the criminally insane.  Demonic minions follow her continuously assessing and testing her, in anticipation of their king claiming her as his own.  Zacharel is the one angel that can move Heaven and Earth to save Annabelle - only if he’s willing to be her salvation instead of her damnation.

An offshoot of the wildly popular Lords of the Underworld series, Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter hits the ground running and never lets up.  Packed with heart pounding action, sheet scorching passion and subtle life lessons, Wicked shows us how two emotionally broken individuals can have their hearts healed and become more than they thought possible.  Zacharel - the angel that’s on his last chance with the Most High - has been charged with the command of an army of misfit angels who have each endured personal tragedy and as a result have little faith in their fellow heavenly beings or the humans they’re supposed to protect.  Throughout the tale we watch Zacharel come to the realization that his command is not a fluff assignment meant to punish him, but rather an opportunity from his divine maker to relearn compassion for those he’s assigned to serve.

Annabelle has been witness to a demon murdering her parents, marking her as “his” and because no one can verify her incredible story, accused of the crime herself.  Being remanded to an institution for the criminally insane she is forced to live her own personal hell 24/7 through abuse meted out by staff and the demon minions that constantly test her mettle.  Her initial meeting with Zacharel creates confusion for the cold hearted angel - he no longer cares about the humanity he’s entrusted to protect, but the little human piques his interest in surprising ways.  He consents to rescuing her from the institution and takes her to live in Heaven on his cloud until he can figure out what to do with her.

The ensuing journey is full of twists and turns - not only do they learn more about each other, they also gain a deeper understanding of themselves and where they need to make changes in order to live a more meaningful life.  Their passion is hot and messy - how can it not be with a virginal angel and a woman who’s only sexual contact over the previous four years was in the form of abuse from the facility staff?  Somehow, Ms. Showalter manages to make it a positive experience for both the characters and the reader - a testament to the depth of her character creation.  I thoroughly enjoyed Wicked Nights and would recommend it to anyone who likes paranormal romance with a bit of a twist - definitely one I’ll read again.