Holly Evernight's body may have been freed from captivity, but her mind still holds her a prisoner in her own home. She had been imprisoned by a madman, and forced to perform horrific procedures on other captured creatures. One of those experiments was removing Will Thorne's actual heart, and replacing it with a mechanical one. Will is a demon known as Sanguis, an immortal vampire-like creature. He survived receiving the mechanical heart, but is now having dreadful side effects. His body is actually painfully turning platinum, and he appears to be losing his sanity. Will was freed from captivity at the same time Holly was, and his only thought now is to find her and have his revenge for what she did to him.

Since gaining her freedom, Holly has become agoraphobic. She won't go in to work, or leave her property. She's sure someone is trying to kill her. As she steps outside one night, she is jumped and thrown to the ground by a maddened Will. But Holly is also a supernatural creature, and her talent is controlling metal. She easily halts Will's platinum body. As she touches him, amazingly enough, the metal turns back to flesh, and his pain eases. With the pain gone, his sanity returns. The scientist within Holly decides not to kill Will, but to keep him around to research what on earth is happening. Will is enraged that the woman who did this to him is also the only one who can soothe him. Still, the relief from pain is so great, that they form an unlikely alliance. Holly will stay close, and ease his pain while she searches for answers, and Will becomes her bodyguard.

As they are forced into constant close proximity, Holly finds that she is very attracted to Will. She suffers from terrible guilt for what she had done to him, and she tries her best to remain cold and detached. Sanguis are very sensual and sexual beings. Aside from the relief her touch provides, Will desires Holly, even though she appears to be stand-offish. Eventually though, they give in to their feelings. The sexual tension and actual sex scenes are phenomenally well done. But this is far from a happy ending. The quest to find out who wants Holly dead leads through a dangerous path of supernatural creatures, each with their own agenda.

Kristen Callihan has written a fabulous story in her Darkest London series. She's created a world that includes varied supernatural beings that go far beyond the typical vampire or werewolf. EVERNIGHT is exciting and enthralling, and in addition is a fantastic romance.

If you haven't read the first four books in the series, EVERNIGHT is written with enough detail that you won't be lost. I am not a fan of fantasy, paranormal, or steampunk, but this series is so well written, and contains such wonderful romance, that I am well and truly hooked. I'm guessing you will be, too. Most highly recommended.

Book Summary

Once the night comes . . .
Will Thorne is living a nightmare, his sanity slowly being drained away by a force he can't control. His talents have made him the perfect assassin for hire. But as he loses his grip on reality, there is no calming him-until he finds his next target: the mysterious Holly Evernight.

Love must cast aside the shadows
Holly cannot fathom who would put a contract on her life, yet the moment she touches Will, the connection between them is elemental, undeniable-and she's the only one who can tame his bouts of madness. But other assassins are coming for Holly. Will must transform from killer to protector and find the man who wants Holly dead . . . or his only chance for redemption will be lost