Lured into the catacombs deep under New York City, the heroine has been wondering the dark maze for days. Starving and seriously wounded, she's willing to fight to the death as a Chosen One should. But she's saved by a beast. Blinded in the battle, she can't actually see him but she can feel him. He's covered head to toe in silky fur and he makes it quite clear that he's disgusting; an abomination but the heroine isn't convinced. Sure he's gone a furious temper and touch of madness but she positive he would never turn that anger on her or hurt her physically. He's got the ability to laugh and joke about him condition but it's always with a bottom layer of self pity and deep hurt at the loneliness this life is. On top of the fact that he's a beast, he's being hunted. Even if he could go to surface and endure the scorn and disgust of the people, he doesn't dare venture too close as the men who hurt him want any chance to recapture him again. Not remembering who is was or what exactly was done to him, he resides deep under ground, using his frightening abilities to slay the hordes of demons slithering around in the darkness. But with the heroine under his care, he begins to lavish in the ability to speak to another person. Someone to come home to after a day at war, someone to laugh with and a beautiful body to curl up to to chase away the loneliness. But it's hard for someone who looks like him to trust a woman when she tells him she finds him attractive. He thinks she must be just as crazy as he is and in his self conscious behavior and harsh words he could have very well have chase her away. But the heroine was strong. She's brutally honest and will tell him when he's throwing a pity party and when he needs to just buck up and trust her. And soon they fall into an easy love affair. But time tis running out. The demons are swarming and the end in close. The heroine is slowly dying from the poison in the demon bite and the men hunting the hero are closing in. I liked this book. But the synopsis at the back ruined the surprise. It tells you who the hero is before the reader is allowed to solve the mystery! You can't treat the hero's character as a puzzle and then give us the damn picture! I was so disappointed. I guess it wasn't much of a surprise anyway but still.... I liked this story, I felt it went on for a tad longer than it needed to but I loved the heroine's character. She was strong and accepting no nonsense from anyone. She's had a hard life but in no way did it make her a bitch or a hard ass. The hero was interesting, stuck in a mid way shift after evil doctors experimented on his brain, he is still able to laugh and my god does he know how to treat a woman! Library book go a long way apparently. Nice book with great characters. Satisfying end to the series. ( )

Fabulous take on the Beauty and the Beast trope. I loved the underground Manhattan setting and the no-nonsense heroine. The tortured hero was great too, but the heroine really steals the book. Charisma's strong and competent and takes not crap from anyone, even the hero's dysfunctional (to put it mildly) family. ( )

I enjoyed this final book in the Chosen series and part of the Wilder family saga. This story is the endgame of the fight between good, current seven year service of The Chosen, and evil, satans representative on earth, Osgood. Alexandr Wilder must act as Guardian of the people living below street level in NYC, try to regain his memories, and save Charisma Fangorn. Charisma Fangorn has to fight evil, find her source of strength as one of The Chosen, and help Guardian find his memories. Together they have to fight evil or satan will rule for the next 1000 years. I reread both series before purchasing Wilder and was entertained by them all. ( )