Retribution

Dark-Hunter, Book #19

By Sherrilyn Kenyon

ISBN# 9780312546601

Author’s Website:  https://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Abigail Yager’s parents were brutally murdered in her home when she was just a little girl.  And the killer came looking for her, but never found her.  She was taken in by a family of Apollites and she’s seen first-hand what Apollo’s curse has done to their race, causing them to wither away and die at the age of 27.  The family has groomed Abby to be a lethal killer and now she’s hunting the Dark-Hunters as she believes they are killing humans and blaming it on the Apollites.  However, there is one Dark-hunter she wants to kill more than all the others.  The one she saw in the mirror that night her parents were killed.  Jessie “Sundown” Brady.

Jessie lived a brutal and bloody life when he was a human.  He was the biggest baddest outlaw to be found.  He and his buddy, Bart, were unstoppable.  Until the day Bart betrayed him anyway.  Jessie was turning his life around and trying to be good so he could deserve the woman he fell in love with.  But he never expected to be gunned down by his best friend on his wedding day.  Then what he did to his fiancé after was unthinkable.  It caused him to sell his soul to Artemis to avenge Matilda.  And he’s been a Dark-Hunter ever since.

Jessie doesn’t understand the hatred Abby has for him when their worlds finally collide.  He’s done nothing but try to protect her and her family all these years.  A decedent of Matilda’s, he would do anything for her.  But now she has killed a Guardian and unleashed plagues on the world.  The only way to appease the spirits is for her to sacrifice herself.  Jessie would do anything for Abby, even if she hates him, but this could be the one problem even he can’t fix for her.

After reading the synopsis of this book, I didn’t think I was going to like it.  However, I ended up loving Sundown!  Although, I felt I was missing something as I couldn’t recall him ever being mentioned in the previous books.  But I love a bad boy, and he more than fit the bill.  The only thing sexier than a bad boy, is a reformed bad boy. He definitely fits the bill.

Abby has been lied to ever since her foster family took her in.  They made her believe their lies and she doesn’t know what is the truth and what isn’t at this point.  After getting to know Jessie, she doesn’t believe he could kill her mom or try to kill a child.  But then how did she see him in her home the night of the murders?  I think Abby is a tough woman, but she is completely misguided.

I enjoyed the characters in this book.  Ren, Sasha, and Jessie’s squire, Andy!  Andy’s dramatics over his car were over-the-top, but humorous!  And, sadly I can imagine quite a few guys acting that way!

I enjoyed most of this book, but I found the ending to be confusing.  It was hard to keep straight what was actually happening vs what was a vision of the past that Abby was seeing when it came to the Butterfly, Buffalo, and Coyote.  I wish that had been more clear for me.

The edition of the book I read also included a bonus chapter of the birth of Ash’s first blood child.  It really had nothing to do with this story, but I always enjoy more Ash content!

I’m reading this book eight years after it was published.  I have to say after seeing all the recent allegations that Kenyon’s husband poisoned her, it was weird seeing the dedication to this book to include him.

Overall, this was a decent read and I hope to see more of Sundown and some of the other new-to-me characters in the future!