Today on my stop of the blog tour I am going to have my review for Gabriel's Inferno. I should have been doing my review for Gabriel's Redemption but I had a mix up with my postal system with Gabriel's Rapture and I only received it yesterday from the lovely Penguin Aust. Big thankyou to them for sending it to me. It had actually been sitting waiting for me at post office since 29th November. But all sorted now and I have all three books now for my reading pleasure. So today you get a promo and giveaway for my posting and my Gabriel's Inferno review.
Enjoy!
Good Luck!
Michelle
Author: Sylvain Reynard
Title: Gabriel’s Redemption
(Gabriel’s Inferno Series #3)
(Gabriel’s Inferno Series #3)
Publisher: Penguin Berkley
Synopsis:
Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father.
But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront Julianne about the subject of her presentation—research that conflicts with his own. And in Oxford, several individuals from their past appear, including an old nemesis intent on humiliating Julia and exposing one of Gabriel’s darkest secrets.
In an effort to confront his remaining demons, Gabriel begins a quest to discover more about his biological parents, beginning a chain of events that has startling repercussions for himself, Julianne, and his hope of having a family.
Author Bio:
I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.
I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.
I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.
I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.
I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.
Published By: Omnific Publishing, Penguin
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback, 507 Pages
RATING : 5 TORTURED PROFESSOR STARS!
Blurb: Goodreads
Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption. When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide. An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love and redemption, "Gabriel's Inferno" is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man's escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible...forgiveness and love.
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:
Professor Gabriel Emerson
Thirty Three, pretentious, addictive personality, intelligent, pompous, smexi, scarred emotionally, in love, beautiful, cranky, extreme, Nine Inch Nails, The Lobby, photographer, Dante specialist, intense, commanding, protective, lust, firsts, honest, atone for sins, hurt, Professor, dark days, University of Toronto, Dante’s Divine Comedy, tortured past, charming, courting, shoe fetish, adopted, temper, fraternization, forbidden romance, broken, wealthy, black sheep.
Fallen Angel.
“I have a problem with anger, Miss Mitchell. I have a bad temper. I have trouble controlling it, and when I lose my temper I can be very destructive.”
“Wrath is one of the seven deadly sins,” she remarked, turning away from him to gaze out of the window, trying to alleviate the burning sensation in her middle.
He laughed bitterly. “Remarkably, I have all seven; don’t bother counting. Pride, envy, wrath, sloth, avarice, gluttony, lust.”
She lifted an eyebrow but did not turn around. “Somehow I doubt that.”
“I don’t expect you to understand. You’re only a magnet for mishap. Miss Mitchell, while I am a magnet for sin.”
Lobby was an upscale martini bar and lounge on Bloor Street. Gabriel, in true Dantean fashion, always referred to the club as The Vestibule, because he deluded himself that its inhabitants resembled the virtuous pagans who spent eternity in Dante’s vision of Limbo. In reality, however, Lobby and its patrons had far more in common with the various circles of Hell.
Gabriel did not want to bring Julianne there, let alone Rachel, for Lobby was his hunting ground, the place he always went to feed his hungers.
Gabriel sighed deeply, and placed both hands at the back of his neck. He wasn’t cross with her; he was cross with himself. And he felt ashamed. Part of him wanted to repel her intentionally- to stand naked in front of her, hiding nothing - so that she would see him for what he really was, a dark, sinister creature exposed by her virtue. Then she would walk away.
When he pulled away, he crushed her to his chest and whispered in her ear. “You strip me bare. You see through everything. You are the only one who has ever known everything and still wanted me. Only you, my beloved.”
Julia Mitchell
Twenty Three , student, Rabbit, virgin, intelligent, emotionally scarred, financially light, University of Toronto, muse, beautiful, loyal, shy, timid, friend, broken, sexually ready, furious when poked, independent, in love, adopted, forbidden romance, Julianne.
Angel.
As they continued their tour, Paul resolved in his heart to be patient. Very, very patient. And cautious, whenever he reached out a tentative hand to offer her a carrot or to gently stroke her soft fur with his fingers. Or else he knew he would frighten Rabbit away, and he wouldn’t have the opportunity to help her become Real.
Twenty Three , student, Rabbit, virgin, intelligent, emotionally scarred, financially light, University of Toronto, muse, beautiful, loyal, shy, timid, friend, broken, sexually ready, furious when poked, independent, in love, adopted, forbidden romance, Julianne.
Angel.
As they continued their tour, Paul resolved in his heart to be patient. Very, very patient. And cautious, whenever he reached out a tentative hand to offer her a carrot or to gently stroke her soft fur with his fingers. Or else he knew he would frighten Rabbit away, and he wouldn’t have the opportunity to help her become Real.
Sylvain Reynard
Possesses a most beautiful writing style. An intelligent idea using Dante & Beatrice and the parallel lives of Gabriel and Julia woven into a contemporary romance.
This is a hard book to review because so many reviews have been written. Everything has been covered. I was held captive by Gabriel’s charms. I was listening to the story being told in the third person.
Possesses a most beautiful writing style. An intelligent idea using Dante & Beatrice and the parallel lives of Gabriel and Julia woven into a contemporary romance.
This is a hard book to review because so many reviews have been written. Everything has been covered. I was held captive by Gabriel’s charms. I was listening to the story being told in the third person.
I found myself studying Sylvain’s style.
There is a breathtaking beauty that is hard to emulate with Sylvain’s storytelling. It appears at times very gentlemanly.
There is a breathtaking beauty that is hard to emulate with Sylvain’s storytelling. It appears at times very gentlemanly.
Gabriel’s physical appearance was almost a contradiction to his voice. He could come across very pretentious and pompous almost like he belonged in a historical romance novel in his choice of dialogue.
He gave her a puzzled look. “Of course I like you. And I would like to win your affection. Where we go from there is up to you.”
And then at times he would surprise me with his “Angelfucker” comments. LOL!
Gabriel had the ability to look at things from different angles. Some things displeased him. He had to fix them.
“I like to people watch,” she said shyly.
“Me to,” he admitted. “But you look like a Yeti.”
Julia reddened.
“Forgive me,” he hastened to add. “But surely we can do better than a lambskin rug that has been God knows where. It probably used to grace the floor of Christopher’s apartment. And who knows what kind of shenanigans went down on it.”
Did he just use the word shenanigans in a sentence?
And with that, Professor Emerson gracefully pulled his British-racing-green cashmere sweater over his pretentious bow tie and head and handed it to her. She accepted it and moved the objectionable Yeti-like carpet to one side.
Gabriel is quite the male lead , written by a male author. I often wondered whether any of Sylvain was injected into Gabriel. To write a man like Gabriel who has the body that doesn’t quite equal a Professor in my mind. He sounds like a UFC fighter - Ultimate Fighting Championship. He doesn’t look like he would be sprouting Dante and speaking as pretentiously as he did. Maybe I got it wrong with Gabriel's physical appearance.
I had this voice in my head that was the narrator of this story, it was British. I couldn’t shake it. It wasn’t American. Yes, folks I know Toronto is in Canada, but the characters were American.
?
What can I say. It is how it felt in my noggin. British.
“I tried to talk to you for days, but you spurned me.”
“What was I supposed to do? You’re an emotional rollercoaster, and I wanted to climb off. I never know whether you’re going to be sweet and whisper something that takes my breath away or say something so fucking mean it breaks my...” She stopped herself.
“We both have scars, Julianne. Mine just aren’t on the skin.”
What the fuck?
The thought scared the living hell out of The Professor. In addition to being an ass and a pompous prick, he was a knuckle-dragging, potentially mouth-breathing Neanderthal who felt some proprietary ownership over a younger woman he barely knew and who hated him. Not to mention the fact that she was his student.
“Don’t be scared, Rabbit. It’s not going to hurt.” He patted her arm. Paul’s heart was almost as big as he was, and so he was very sensitive to the pain of others.
“I like to people watch,” she said shyly.
“Me to,” he admitted. “But you look like a Yeti.”
Julia reddened.
“Forgive me,” he hastened to add. “But surely we can do better than a lambskin rug that has been God knows where. It probably used to grace the floor of Christopher’s apartment. And who knows what kind of shenanigans went down on it.”
Did he just use the word shenanigans in a sentence?
And with that, Professor Emerson gracefully pulled his British-racing-green cashmere sweater over his pretentious bow tie and head and handed it to her. She accepted it and moved the objectionable Yeti-like carpet to one side.
I had this voice in my head that was the narrator of this story, it was British. I couldn’t shake it. It wasn’t American. Yes, folks I know Toronto is in Canada, but the characters were American.
?
What can I say. It is how it felt in my noggin. British.
She was undoing him slowly, bit by bit, and he did not understand how.
“I tried to talk to you for days, but you spurned me.”
“What was I supposed to do? You’re an emotional rollercoaster, and I wanted to climb off. I never know whether you’re going to be sweet and whisper something that takes my breath away or say something so fucking mean it breaks my...” She stopped herself.
I did feel like this was a long book, but not in a bad way. Sylvain really expresses in words the Professor. We get a lot of fleshing out of his torturous character.
Listening to his inner thoughts can be quite humorous. My favorite times are when Gabriel drops his pompous voice and he gets all growly and says to himself, “Angelfucker,” or he swears.
The thought scared the living hell out of The Professor. In addition to being an ass and a pompous prick, he was a knuckle-dragging, potentially mouth-breathing Neanderthal who felt some proprietary ownership over a younger woman he barely knew and who hated him. Not to mention the fact that she was his student.
My fave scene was in the apple orchard. Gabriel wasn't quite himself. I loved the scene with the 'firsts.' He was so endearing , I wanted to cuddle him.
Paul was an interesting character used to raise Gabriel's hackles. I liked Paul, I liked his humor at Gabriel's expense and how he looked out for Julia.
He didn't stand a chance.
Paul was an interesting character used to raise Gabriel's hackles. I liked Paul, I liked his humor at Gabriel's expense and how he looked out for Julia.
He didn't stand a chance.
“Don’t be scared, Rabbit. It’s not going to hurt.” He patted her arm. Paul’s heart was almost as big as he was, and so he was very sensitive to the pain of others.
Rachel is a very likable character. She says it how she sees it and she makes no exceptions for Gabriel. A spade is a spade.
“Gabriel, get Julia a drink, would you ? And stop boring her with your antique crap?”
“She’s been broken, you jackass. That’s why she hasn’t kept in touch with me this past year. And now she’s finally crawled out of her shell, a shell I might add, that I thought she would never leave, and you’re forcing her back into it with your... your arrogance and condescension! So drop the Mr Rochester-Mr. Darcy-Heathcliff British stuck-uppity bullshit and treat her like the treasure she is! Or I’m coming back here and putting a pump in your ass!”
“Big brother, only you could make ordering a drink sound pretentious.”
Rachel has a very honest mouth on her. She is a good friend to have in your corner.
Rachel sighed. “My family is like a Dickensian novel, Julia. No , it’s worse. We’re a twisted mix of Arthur Miller and John Steinbeck, with a bit of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy thrown in.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“Yes, because I have the feeling there are elements of Thomas Hardy lurking below the surface. And you know how much I hate him. Mind-fucking bastard.”
Rachel believed that his coldness was his worst character flaw - his ability to say and do things without regard for the feelings of others, including his family.
“Big brother, only you could make ordering a drink sound pretentious.”
Rachel has a very honest mouth on her. She is a good friend to have in your corner.
Rachel sighed. “My family is like a Dickensian novel, Julia. No , it’s worse. We’re a twisted mix of Arthur Miller and John Steinbeck, with a bit of Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy thrown in.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“Yes, because I have the feeling there are elements of Thomas Hardy lurking below the surface. And you know how much I hate him. Mind-fucking bastard.”
Rachel believed that his coldness was his worst character flaw - his ability to say and do things without regard for the feelings of others, including his family.
Sylvain captivated me with these two broken characters and I can't wait to find out what Gabriel has in-store for me in Gabriel's Rapture. The ending was worth waiting for.
Rafflecopter Widget - FYI, the Louboutin winner will be gifted a Neiman Marcus gift card with shipping included. All prizes are international.
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Rafflecopter Widget - FYI, the Louboutin winner will be gifted a Neiman Marcus gift card with shipping included. All prizes are international.
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