Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Dariel Raye's Satin Sheets Romance Review of "The Mark of Cain" by A.D.Seeley



History as we know it is a lie. An intricate web of half-truths and falsifications spun by the most infamous murderer in history: the immortal, Cain, son of Adam and Eve. All so the truth of him and his power can stay in the shadows, with every oblivious mortal his pawn. The Mark of Cain reveals the truth.

After murdering his brother, Abel, Cain was unjustly cursed by God. When the curse becomes too unbearable for him and he faces immortality alone, Cain puts his energy into claiming the Earth as his own. Now, after thousands of years living his life as some of history’s greatest conquerors, the ruthless first son of Adam finally has a controlling interest in the world with the strongest governments secretly answering to him.

Tired of the bloodshed and manipulation that has brought him to this point, Cain is ready to relax. But God has sent someone to challenge his interests: a young woman named Hara, whose very life was foretold centuries ago.

To keep God from victory, Cain sets out to woo and corrupt Hara, planning to kill her once she is no longer God’s Chosen One. At first, as she edges off the path leading toward the fulfillment of the prophecy, Cain can’t help but feel smug. However, the closer he gets to her, the more he finds that Hara’s charitable presence causes him to feel shame for the first time in his long life, and soon he finds that he no longer wishes her harm. But the prophecy is clear on this; she has to die for him to win. When it comes to her end, will he be as selfish as he has always been, or will he sacrifice himself for the love of his very long life?

Review

I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review, and WOW am I delighted! “The Mark of Cain” is an outstanding read with romance, action, and epic historical sections. Even the most flawed characters are believable and loveable.

Hara is an orphan, raised in a Catholic orphanage to be as perfect and good as possible, while Cain, yes, the one from the Bible, is the world’s first murderer, unrepentant, blasphemous, always harboring a dark motive for everything he does. Cain is hardened and self-centered, while Hara is innocent and fragile. Each needs the other to effect positive changes in their lives.

Cain is definitely not the typical hero, but he’s blatantly honest, and unapologetic about his character or motives. Seeley’s ability to create a complex man who is both hero/protagonist and antagonist is remarkable, and I immediately fell in love with his sharp, if a bit dark wit and sense of humor. Despite the terrible crimes Cain has committed throughout his immortal lifetime, Seeley managed to make me relate to him, and his actions toward Hara are every woman’s dream.

Hara, the heroine, is the source of our necessary side-kicks, Tracker and Crystal.  Their characters become more important as the story unwinds, particularly Tracker, who not only harbors a secret from Hara, but wants her for himself.

The greatest accomplishment is Seeley’s descent into Cain’s mind. Any reader will learn to love him, hoping for the best and yearning for a happily ever after until the very end. Due to Hara’s innocence, there was very little sex in the novel, but the story was so enthralling, I barely missed it (and I do enjoy a good love scene). This is a MUST read – one you’ll grab to read every free moment, hate to put it down, and actually feel sad when it’s over. A rare novel I’m sure I’ll read more than once. Definitely five satin pillows! Heat rating: Sensual (2 candles out of 5).

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