THE MIDNIGHT REALM (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 7) by Sawyer Bennett-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 6, 2022

Even kings who serve at the whim of gods break the rules every now and then.

As the newly anointed king of the Underworld, I’ve worked hard to clean up the mess left behind by my predecessor. The realm is in relative peace at the moment, my main focus now on deciding the fate of recently departed souls. It’s a tediously boring task, and honestly, one I despise doing. But just when I think I can’t stand another moment of the monotony, one soul changes it all.

Nyssa McKnight earned her ticket to Hell. She made her choices and even at the prospect of eternal damnation, she doesn’t seem to regret the actions that led her here. I can tell by her utter defiance that life has hardened her, a trait that has carried over to her in death. She should be begging me for mercy but instead calls me a “big old winged bat”. I should toss her right into The Crimson River for her insolence but instead I think I’ll keep her in servitude.

While I struggle to reconcile the intrigue—and attraction—I have for this human, I am forced to spend my days investigating rumors of an uprising in the Underworld. Unfortunately, my desire to keep Nyssa has provided a weak spot for the rebellious Dark Fae looking to gain control, one they’re quick to act on. Now, with Nyssa in danger and my throne threatened, I will stop at nothing to restore order, even if it means letting her go.

Can Amell, the king of the Underworld, find true love, or is he destined to rule alone until the end of days?

••••••

REVIEW: THE MIDNIGHT REALM is the seventh instalment in Sawyer Bennett’s adult CHRONICLES OF THE STONE VEIL paranormal/fantasy/mythology series. This is Amell, King of the Underworld, and twenty-six year old human bartender Nyssa McKnight’s story line. THE MIDNIGHT REALM can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous storylines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Amell and Nyssa) THE MIDNIGHT REALM focuses on the acclimation and survival of Nyssa McKnight in H*ll. Having lived a life of demons and darkness, Nyssa takes a life, before ending her own. Waiting for her judgment, Nyssa is defiant until the end, an end that never comes when she finds herself saved by the King of the Underworld, the man with whom Nyssa will fall in love. Amell doesn’t know why he saved Nyssa from the Crimson River but Amell knew that Nyssa was about to upend his world in more ways than mattered. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Nyssa and Amell, and the fall-out as Nyssa is targeted for who she is, she was, and who she will never be.

Amell’s punishment for interfering in the laws of the gods is to spend eternity serving judgement from his throne in H*ll but Amell never expected to meet his future in the guise of human Nyssa McKnight, a woman with more spunk and fire than anyone he has ever met. Amell’s control of H*ll is about to be tested when the Dark Fae take aim at the woman with whom he is falling in love.

The relationship between Amell and Nyssa begins as prisoner and jailer. Nyssa has no idea why she was saved from the Crimson River of fire but going from the proverbial fire back into the frying pan means serving a man who is about to control her life. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including many we have met in previous story lines: Amell’s daughter Thalia (The Shadow Princess 6), god of life/death Zora, demigod Maddox; Dark Fae Truett, and his sister Sorcha, as well as several other Light and Dark Fae. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE MIDNIGHT REALM is another detailed and complex addition to Sawyer’s CHRONICLES OF THE STONE VEIL series, a series wrapped in mythology, angels and demons, Fae, daemons and demons, gods and goddess, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, jealousy and death. The fast paced premise is intriguing, intricate and captivating; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are powerful , energetic, charismatic and determined.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Clash of Yesterday (prequel)
The Revelation of Light and Dark
A Discovery of Secrets and Fates
The Evolution of Fae and Gods
A Battle of Blood and Stone
The Rise of Fury and Fortune
The Shadow Princess

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.

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