The Demoness of Waking Dreams

by Stephanie Chong

Published by: Mira Books

Rory’s Rating: 

Even ANGELS can be tough… Ex-cop Brendan Clarkson is an angel with an edge. His tough exterior is the perfect camouflage for his job-hunting down the most dangerous criminals on earth. Brendan’s a self-reliant and demanding lone wolf, constantly on the brink of clashing with his superiors at the Company of Angels.

Brendan is the perfect angel to track and capture demoness Luciana Rossetti. Luciana’s cool, green-eyed beauty masks her true nature: inside, she’s a dangerous and malevolent killer. Yet, she sees what most people don’t-that beneath the layers of Brendan’s rugged shell beats the heart of a passionate lover.

They are perfectly matched. Yin and yang. Angel and demon. Man and woman. But only one of them can win the battle of wills, of strength and of desire.

Rory’s review:

Tough cop Brendan Clarkson is working undercover in one of Detroit’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Despite an ominous feeling that he just can’t shake, he proceeds to investigate a warehouse when he realizes someone is following him. Before he even has a chance to find out, his whole body feels like it explodes. As he lies dying, he prays to the patron saint of police officers. St. Michael hears his plea and saves him – by turning him into an angel. Brendan quickly learns there is so much more in the world that he initially thought. He is now an investigator for the Company of Angels and his newest assignment is demoness Luciana Rossetti.

He instantly knows she is different, he can feel it. However, he is not one to neglect his duties and he captures her. Only nothing is as easy as it seems. There are others who want Luciana for their own twisted reasons, both on the good and bad side. As Brendan struggles to process what is happening, he feels himself drawn to Luciana in a way he thought was no longer possible.

Both of the main characters are well developed in this novel. This is the second entry into the series. I haven’t read the first one (Where Demons Fear to Tread) and did not feel as if I was missing anything, but apparently the first novel features Luciana – so if you’d like to know more about her, check it out. Luciana is not your typical damsel in distress, she is a powerful rogue demoness and she doesn’t take failure lightly. She also likes to be in control of a situation, which is what scares her most about Brendan. Brendan, on the other hand, is a tattooed, tough angel investigator. He does what he needs, but his dreams are haunted by his human death. Only once he meets Luciana, his dreams are haunted in an entirely new way. They are perfectly matched for each other, but they stand on opposite sides of good and evil. I loved reading their story.

The Demoness of Waking Dreams is not quite like anything I’ve ever read before, but I loved it. Neither angel or demon is wholly good or bad, there are shades of grey to every character. Brendan is a lone angel, refusing to work with a team. Luciana is a rogue demoness, operating outside of the traditional demon hierarchy. They are more perfect for each other than they realize. It is definitely not a traditional romance, so don’t look for any type of satisfying ending. However, Luciana and Brendan’s relationship is very sensual and steamy. I can’t wait to see what happens next, if there is any type of resolution in their relationship. 4 stars.