Tori's Review: Where Demons Fear to Tread by Stephanie Chong

Paperback: 368 pages
Price: $7.99
ISBN: 978-0778312475
Released: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin 
Author's Website: Stephanie Chong 
Buy it: Amazon
Obtained: Netgalley 
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Series: The Company of Angels 
Book Order:
1. Where Demons Fear to Tread 

Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure–seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…
 

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy–sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries–old feelings. Now, their high–stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell.or a deliciously hot heaven.

My Rating: DNF

My Opinion:
Started to read WHERE DEMONS FEAR TO TREAD, but I think I'm going to pass on this one. There is far too much showing and info-dumping for my liking, and both happen way too soon in the story. For example, in the first chapter, readers learn how the hero became what he is now and his life leading up to that event. I don't know the characters well enough to care about their pasts yet, so why am I already being told about it? Where is the mystery? At the very least, I wished that scene--which had the potential to be compelling and heartbreaking--could have appealed to my senses and emotions. Perhaps I would have felt more invested if that were the case.

I don't know how many chapters I was into the story, but at about 15% (on my Kindle), I had to give up for the night. The writing is decent, but there is definitely room for improvement--and I do feel the author will improve in time. But, since I was unable to connect with the characters, and because there was no humor or anything else to really keep me invested, I couldn't continue.

I'm a bit disappointed, since this sounded like it could be such an awesome story. Perhaps I'll give this book another shot at a later date. I am unwilling to write this author's future books off just yet, but for now, WHERE DEMONS FEAR TO TREAD is a DNF.