Review: Bound in Darkness (Immortal Brothers #4)

Bound in Darkness (Immortal Brothers #4)

by Jacquelyn Frank

Blurb:

After drinking from the fountain of immortality along with his brothers, Maxum is condemned by the gods to be entombed in the earth. Even though he has now been granted a reprieve by day, each night he is buried anew, his rock-hard body immobilized, his bones crushed by the pressure. When he emerges, his body heals, but his spirit remains scarred. There is only one way for Maxum to be completely free: He must kill the god who cursed him.

The task will require tremendous power, so Maxum embarks on a quest to gather talismans to equip him for the battle. Then an earthy wench seduces him and steals one of his magical amulets, but he catches her. Finding herself between a rock and a hard place, she strikes a bargain. The beautiful and alluring Airianne is a skilled thief—and she can help him in his acquisition of the talismans. Will this stealthy seductress also try to steal his heart—or will their boldness end up getting them both buried?

Themes: Paranormal

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 The brothers have finally reached the end of their long quest with a victory and a surprising new destiny for the final brother to find his freedom.  This series started off with a story that didn’t really capture me so I waited a long time to continue the series, but the series got better and better as it went along I am happy to say.  Ms Frank is certainly one of my favorite authors and I was thrilled when her usual amazing ability to drag me into a story and the lives of her characters came back full force.  The final three stories of this series were wonderful with action, passion, amazing adventures, and the love that can come from the most unexpected of sources.  I really enjoyed this series finale, even while I was sad to see that I wouldn't be able to learn more about this strange and amazing world that came from deep in Ms. Frank’s imagination. Maxum has been released from his watery grave and is on a quest to end his curse for once and for all.  His only obstacle is the sassy little thief that picked his pocket and stole his attention,but once he catches up with her she refuses to leave him in peace.  Airi knows that she is desperate, but when Maxum catches her--and catches her eye-- she thinks that he might be the answer to her problems. Forced to deal with one another Airi and Maxum quickly begin to realize they cannot resist one another, but when their mission becomes much more than either of them realized Airi knows that giving in to their passion will leave her with a broken heart.  I loved Maxum, his grumpiness hides his sweetness well, the sarcasm and anger that he presents the world is simply a way to keep the world away from him.  His quest, while justified on the surface, is about him finding a way to escape from a vengeful god, which can only lead to more trouble in his life. Once he started to trust and fall for Airi his goals shifted and he began to realize that his freedom would allow him to have a future with Airi.  Airi on the other hand made me love her from the very beginning; her scrappiness, wit, sarcasm and sheer bravado made her the perfect counterpart for the always sure and surly Maxum.  As she found a way to join his little band of thieves and ingratiate herself with (almost) the entire crew we get to see her come even more out of her shell and find her confidence and self-awareness.  While she definitely let her mouth get her into trouble a few times, in the end it was her bravery, strength and love that won the day and allowed Maxum, and her, to have their HEA, even if not in the way they originally expected.  I was amazed at the passion between these two, the tension that ran as an undercurrent between them constantly, and ultimately the love that showed they were truly soul mates and meant to be from the beginning of time.  I loved that Maxum came to the conclusion that his curse and all the years of punishment were worth every moment as it allowed him to be in the time where Airi was and no one else would ever do for him. I am sad to see this series end but it was definitely a wild and crazy trip with these four brothers and the magical women that they manage to convince to love them.  Ms. Frank has certainly redeemed herself with these last three stories and I am so glad I had the chance to read this series. Thanks for the amazing trip in this astonishing and peculiar world.

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.