Review: Where There's Smoke by Karen Kelley (18 +)

Where There's Smoke
By Karen Kelley
Paperback, 304 pages
Published May 1st 2012
by Sourcebooks Casablanca

When sexy wannabe-demon, Destiny Carter, is kicked out of Hell, she lands in Ft. Worth, Texas with one week to corrupt a soul. Or else. She slips into a slinky red dress, and heads straight for the delicious, corruptible looking cowboy at the bar.

But Chance Bellew has his own agenda-saving souls. He's not your typical angel. He’s a nephilim, to be exact. Centuries ago, angels came down from Heaven and mated with mortal women. When the women bore children, a new race was created. Immortals with powers—demigods, nephilim.

But the children don’t live by the same rules as mortals, or that of the typical, robe-wearing, bright light-surrounding-them angels. Hell, most of the time the nephilim are breaking the rules, and making up new ones as they go. As long as they don’t cross over to the dark side, everyone pretty much stays out of their way.

But sometimes a demon-in-training, who looks like Destiny, comes along and all Hell breaks loose.

This was a sexy love story. It was funny I had this book for a few weeks and just keep overlooking it. I don’t know why, but when I gave in and read it I was sorry it took me so long! I was sucked in right from the beginning of the book. Both Destiny and Chance sucked me into them and their story. I was praying all the way through for a happy ending, and wondered if there was one, how the heck did they get there?

Destiny is a demon in training, but you constantly see the good in her no matter how bad she wants to be bad. And does she ever try to be bad, especially when she hooks up with Chance. Their first meeting alone and they were getting a bit steamy in public. But over the course of the book she meets a few other people who change something in her and in return she changes them.

Chance who wants to save the soul of anyone caught by a demon has battled many years to save them. Yet some just can’t be saved and Chance has accepted that, but none has touched him like Destiny. Never has he wanted to seduce someone into rebirth as much as he has Destiny. To the point he is not sure he can save his own soul by the time the task is over.

A book of seduction and games by both characters, leaving you wonder who is going to top who and who is going to crumble first. Some of the book was a bit predictable, but it did not take away from the story and I enjoyed it just the same. This book helps you learn that in any situation you have the choice to accept it and move on or give in and let the pain over take you. Great supporting characters and amazing sexy leads! Can a soul be saved and does it want to be saved?

4 out of 5 stars