I quite liked the story but it's too short to stand alone and there are a few unresolved things. It reads like the beginning of a series. Is it? Who knows? (Really, does anyone know the answer to this question? Stacia Kane's website has nothing and I don't have the temperament to comb through her twitter.)

I kind of enjoyed the very pointy banter between Speare and Ardeth, knowing it was a stand-in for sexual tension, but I wasn't totally convinced by the actual romance, if only because the story is so short. ( )

I have been a fan of this author for a long time, so I was excited to see this book was out. The story has a noir detective novel feel - Speare, like Marlowe or Spade, is a PI who lives by his own moral code. I liked Speare as a protagonist, he is damaged and kinda heartbreaking because he thinks he is damned by the sins he commits fighting his demon, never realizing that fighting and caring and remembering all those sins is what proves he is a good man.

The setting is not as layered or complex as Downside, but it doesn't need to be, it's Vegas and easily recognized and understood. There was a lot of setting the scene and introducing the players, since it is hopefully the first in a new series, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing where she takes the story from here. ( )

First of all, this is a paranormal romance that is mostly urban fantasy than romance. The protagonist is an antihero, which is not my norm. There is a little sex, but not much. There is some brutal killings and a demon living in the guy’s head and a mystery to solve. Pretty cool, right?

I loved this book, ok? I’m just getting that out there for all the world to see. The cover guy? Nope, he does not even come close to E.L. Speare, the anithero, and his appearance in my head. That guy is too pretty for the crap Speare goes through.

The ending is perfect. Nervous Nell warning, it is a bit of a cliffhanger but not so much that it detracts from a good story. It’s perfect. It had to end that way to lead in to the next book and I am so very ready to read the next book. Don’t freak out over the cliffhanger warning. If I liked it I think anyone will, even though it kinda leaves you hanging. It’s awesome.

The mystery of who and why people are being killed isn’t the focus of the book. I mean, it is, but mostly what I was reading for was the relationship, how Speare got the demon and how working as a PI helped Speare find a place in the world. Plus, how do you keep sinning to keep a demon happy? That was intriguing. ( )

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. I went into this book with really big expectations. I absolutely love Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series so I had hoped to find a new series to love. I found this book really had a hard time holding my interest during the first half. Things did pick up and by the end of the book and I ended up really enjoying myself but it did take a long time to get to that point.

I loved the idea behind this book. Speare is a Private Investigator living in Las Vegas. He is forced to commit sins in order to keep his demon in check. He really has no choice but to be a bad guy in some ways. He needs some help solving a crime involving a demon sword so he asks a local thief, Ardeth for some help. I liked the mystery in the story well enough. It was really just enough to keep me going in the story. I never knew exactly where things were going and there were a few twists that surprised me.

I think that the main issue with this book was that the first half was so incredibly slow. The focus seemed to be on the characters more than anything and they just were not clicking for me at all. As the mystery picked up speed, something changed for me and the book became much more enjoyable. The romance between Speare and Ardeth never felt completely authentic. I simply couldn't feel the chemistry between them that I had hoped.

I did really enjoy the last parts of the book and I am very hopeful about future books in the series. There were a few threads planted that I am hoping to see followed as the series continues.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review. ( )

I can not tell you how happy I am to be reading a new Stacia Kane book. I devoured her Downside Ghost series and have reread them a number of times. I can already tell that I'll be reading this one again and hopefully any future books in this universe. Vegas was the right setting for this private investigator and thief romance. Looking forward to more in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. ( )