Tori's Review: The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter

Paperback: 448 pages
Price: $7.99
ISBN: 978-0373774616
Released: June 29, 2010
Publisher: Harlequin 
Author's Website: Gena Showalter 
Buy it: Amazon
Obtained: Bought 
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Lords of the Underworld
1. The Darkest Night (book review)
2. The Darkest Kiss (book review)
3. The Darkest Pleasure (book review)
4. The Darkest Whisper (book review)
5. The Darkest Passion (book review)
6. The Darkest Lie
7. The Darkest Secret (book review)

In this riveting new installment of New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series, Gideon, keeper of the Demon of Lies, fights to uncover the truth….

Forced to his knees in agony whenever he speaks the truth, Gideon can recognize any lie—until he captures Scarlet, a demon-possessed immortal who claims to be his long-lost wife. He doesn’t remember the beautiful female, much less wedding — or bedding — her. But he wants to...almost as much as he wants her.

But Scarlet is keeper of Nightmares, too dangerous to roam free, and a future with her could mean ultimate ruin. Especially as Gideon’s enemies draw closer...and the truth threatens to destroy all he’s come to love...

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I'm surprised I'm giving anything of Gena's work lower than 3 stars, but I am. I started Gideon's story the day it released, which was back in 2010. For whatever reason, I set the book down and had no desire to pick it back up until this past week--nearly a year later. (The only reason I did was because I wanted to read Amun's story and prepare for Strider's book, which comes out in October)

So why was THE DARKEST LIE so difficult to like?

I have no freaking clue. Maybe it was because Gideon and Scarlet were married at one point, and that knowledge lessened the passion between the two (for me). Maybe it's because that lack of passion failed to move me like the other heroes and heroines stories. Maybe it's because I just couldn't seem to make myself care.

For one thing, the angst in this story became unbearable at times. It seemed the scenes grew more and more redundant as more and more misunderstandings arose. Gideon would think something, and then in the following scene, Scarlet would think the very same thing... or vice versa. I can take it up until a point, and then I just can't any longer.

While this couple was difficult to like (and I admit skipping the last few scenes by the end of the book because I simply did not care), the other Lords more than make up for their drama. I loved following Amun into hell and Strider as he apprehended a very unfriendly young woman. I was afraid my love for the LOTU series was slowly fizzling away, but these brief snippets rekindled my adoration.

I'd suggest picking up THE DARKEST LIE so you can know what happens next. While Gideon and Scarlet were not my favorites (Danika is still my least favorite), there are plenty of scenes to distract you from their angst and these scenes are what ultimately kept me invested with Gideon's book.