Author: Larissa Ione

Publisher: Piatkus (UK) | Grand Central Publishing (US)

Publication Date: April 2011 (UK) | March 2011 (US)

Paperback: 404 pages

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Source: Review copy from publisher

RATING: 8/10, leaning towards a 9/10 - brilliant, couldn’t put it down

SUMMARY:

REVIEW:

I absolutely loved this book! I haven’t read anything by Larissa Ione before but have read many raving reviews, so I was really excited to read it and it didn’t disappoint.

The characterisation is just brilliant and I loved them all, even the secondary characters. But the main characters, Cara and Ares (War) are just amazing and I fell in love with both of them.

Ares is ‘War’ and one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse along with his brothers, Reseph who is ‘Pestilence’ and Thantos who is ‘Death’, and his sister, Lamos who is ‘Famine’. They all have two prophecies that define their destiny: either they are going to bring pain and destruction upon the Earth or prevent it. They have a seal around their neck which they have to protect at all costs or if broken will put them on the path of evil.

Unfortunately, Reseph’s seal is broken at the beginning of the book and turns evil, causing death and disease wherever he goes. I’m very excited to read his story when he gets his own book!

When we meet Cara, she has no idea that demons exist until one night a man leaves an injured dog with her, which as it turns out is a Hellhound. Although she doesn’t know this at the time, she helps him and cleans his wounds and unknowingly becomes connected with him when he licks her in thanks.

Cara also has a dark secret which she has tried to keep from everybody she knows, but when she meets Ares, she realises that her gift is vital in the world of the four horsemen and isn’t seen as strange but as a blessing. I loved this part of Cara and one of my favourite scenes was when she used her gift in the battlefield when three of the Horsemen had to fight their own brother. The vivid descriptions of the fight scenes are just awesome, bloody and exciting.

As well as the amazing action there is a wonderful love story. The sexual chemistry between Cara and Ares is great and the love scenes are pretty graphic and steamy but very well written. As well as the lust that is ignited between them I loved watching their love for one another grow, but there are obstacles in their way which prevent them from being together and which they have to overcome…

The world building is fantastic. I enjoyed the idea that the horsemen could create a portal to different worlds as well as back to their homes. Ares home is a beautiful sanctuary by the ocean and it’s where he takes Cara to tell her what she needs to know about the demon world. We also meet some wonderful creatures that are strange but all incredibly cute in their own way.

I also liked the fact that when Ares horse was not needed he would sink into Ares skin as a tattoo, but when called he would appear large, imposing and deadly and also adorable, especially when around Cara. All the horsemen and their horses had this ability.

VERDICT:

“Eternal Rider” is an amazing start to a series and I can’t wait to get my hands on ‘Immortal Rider‘ book two in the ‘Lords of Deliverance‘ series, and which is Limos’s story. I would definitely recommend this book to all paranormal romance fans – I’m certain you will love it!

Also, on a side note – I just LOVE the UK covers for this series – they match the different horsemen perfectly.