Review: The Demon's Bargain by Lisa Alder

Title: The Demon's Bargain (Demons Unleashed)
Author: Lisa Alder
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotica
Heat Index: 4 out of 5
Release Date: March 23rd, 2011
Word/Page Count: N/A
Format: Purchased

When the Demon bargains for one night of her pleasure...no one loses.

Vetis, the Demon of Corruption, is bored. It's too easy to tempt humans into committing horrible acts and the appeal has worn thin. He's restless and seeking distraction...until a gambler offers to settle a debt by submitting his wife for Vetis's use.

One tiny glimpse of the rage in Amara and the absolutely sexless way she endures his sensual touch, and Vetis has his challenge. He'll make this woman enjoy the carnal pleasures of sex.

The bargain is struck. One night. Of HER pleasure. And the debt will be paid.

Ill-used by her husband, Amara believes she is doomed, for she has no pleasure within her, her innocence forfeit long ago. But as Amara's body awakens with sinful desires and carnal longings, hope begins to blossom that pleasure is within her reach.

Demons never fail and the challenge is on. Vetis knows with the right sensual persuasion the debt will be paid in pleasure, however he doesn't bargain on falling in love.

Warning: this erotic romance novella contains m/f/m sex, light bondage, and smokin' hot demon sex

Poena’s Review:

After being imprisoned for a bazillion years by the Fae, demons escape the bowls of Earth and are once again free to partake upon the pleasures (and emotions) of humans. A war ensued and surprise, surprise, humans got their butts kicked back to the medieval age. A technology free world has now moved humans down the food chain and treachery is abound.

Enter Vetis, Demon of Corruption who is bored and on a whim accepts the bargain set aside by a low-life gambler who is trading his wife, Amara, for forgiveness of his debts. Vetis agrees for one night of her pleasure. But never trust a demon because he never said which night.

Suffice to say that things don't go exactly as anyone planned.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this short (around 26K) smutlette. I tend to hesitate at erotica simply because of the abundance of ridiculous scenarios masquerading as plot. But this little jewel not only turned out darker than I expected, it also had a solid plot running through it.

A few things keep me from giving it four stars. The prologue was awkward. I really had to push through it and it was short. The light menage scene left me wanting more actually and I'm not even a huge fan of threesome scenes. The Graces deserved a full scene. For a minute there I thought that the author was going to push the envelope to add some f/f action, but alas that didn't happen. I really think that just those two things (menage & f/f) would have pushed a hot story into the scorching stratosphere. Finally, I could have done without the syrupy ending that was bordering on a cringe worthy overdose of sugar.

I definitely rec it as a darkish smutty quick read (and its a value for the price). It is an entertaining smutlette and worth it if you are fan of paranormal erotica (esp when demons are involved ;).