Note from Jen: This review contains major plot spoilers. Stop reading NOW if you haven’t read this book yet. 

Demons, Guardians, vampires, and all the other denizens of Heaven and Hell battle each other for love and supremacy in Demon Angel by Meljean Brook. 

The book’s title sums up its two main characters – Lilith, a halfling demon whose mission is to tempt men into bargaining away their souls, and Hugh, a Guardian, or angel-like creature who protects mankind from demons, vampires, nosferatu, and other nasty things that walk the earth. 

Demon Angel has a truly epic feel, as the action spans some 800 years from Hugh and Lilith’s first meeting in 1217 England to their reunion in modern day San Francisco. That’s when the two finally team up to stop a plot by Lucifer and others to gain access to Caelum, or Heaven.  But the plot takes a backseat to the characters in this book. What makes Demon Angel so interesting is how Lilith and Hugh’s roles continually shift and evolve over time. Lilith has more than a little humanity left in her, and Hugh isn’t quiet as noble and pious as he’d like to think.  Like, for instance, when he kills Lilith. For centuries, Hugh searches for a way to release Lilith from her service to Lucifer, while struggling with his desire for her and his own burden of immortality. After breaking his Guardian vows, Hugh decides to Fall, or become human again. But before he does, he decides to save Lilith – by shoving a sword through her chest. 

Literally. 

This scene shocked me. Absolutely shocked me. (But in a good way because it was so totally unexpected. I hate books where I can see the plot twist coming 50 pages out. Don’t you?) 

How many romances have you read where the hero actually kills the heroine? And I don’t mean he turns her into a vampire or werewolf so they can be together for a thousand years. Hugh kills Lilith – dead. And then he buries her.  And this was only around page 100 (!).  I admit I had a sneaking suspicion that Lilith wasn’t dead-dead, just mostly dead. But needless to say, I had to keep reading, if only to see how Brook could possibly have Hugh redeem himself after this.  It’s hard to pull off, but Brook does it. Because killing Lilith pretty much destroys Hugh. He goes through the motions of life, but he’s not really living it. And when he finds out that Lilith is alive (albeit still bound to serve Lucifer), he feels such joy that it’s hard not to like him again. 

Lilith is a fascinating character, a creature who hates her place in the world but cannot escape it. She is charming, cunning, remorseful, and deadly. Hugh comes off as a bit of a goody-goody in comparison. Then again, evil is always more fun to play – and write. 

There’s a lot to like about this book. Brook has crafted a complex, interesting world that goes far beyond your usual we’re-vampires-and-we-drink-blood paranormal romance. The only downside is that the world is so complex, I got a little lost. For instance, I didn’t quite understand how Lilith, a demon, could make Hugh a Guardian, or angel. And the numerous double crosses in the final few chapters were a little hard to follow. 

Snappy, sexy dialogue isn’t easy to do either (especially when you start out in the 1200s), but Brook pulls it off with plenty of wit to spare. By far, the best parts of the book are when Hugh and Lilith spar, both verbally with sharp words and physically with weapons and sex. But their confrontations never stop them from seeking the best of both worlds in each other. And when they find their heart’s desire – together – is when Demon Angel truly soars. 

Big thumbs up.

Another note: This review originally appeared over at The Good, the Bad, and the Unread yesterday. And it got picked up by Reuters. Whoo! 😎

What about you? Would you read a romance where you know the hero kills or purposefully harms the heroine? Why or why not? Inquiring minds want to know …