Goldilox and the Three Weres: Review and Giveaway: Archangel's Heart by Nalini Singh

With today's review, we are caught up on reviews for the Guild Hunter series. Sad, right? Thankfully, we get to end this review streak with a bang or rather a giveaway! Stick around until the end to enter for a chance to win a copy of Archangel's Heart!

Archangel's Heart
(Guild Hunter #9)
Nalini Singh
Release: November 1, 2016
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New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us into a dangerous and exhilarating world where a deadly, beautiful archangel and his once-mortal consort are caught in a fury of twisted darkness…

One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to Sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory.

Accompanying her archangelic lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, guild hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Secrets echo from within the stone walls of the compound, and the deeper Elena goes, the uglier the darkness. But neither Raphael nor Elena is ready for the brutal truths hidden within—truths that will change everything Elena thinks she knows about who she is…

Nothing will ever be the same again.

Review:
Guys. I'm convinced that Nalini Singh can do no wrong when it comes to her books. I have loved every single one of hers that I've read which is pretty much the whole Guild Hunter and Psy-Changeling series. They're two of my all-time favorite series that I've read several times since reading them for the first time last year. I might be a bit biased though. I'll have to read her Rock Kiss contemporaries to see if my observation holds up.

While I am always eager for whatever comes my way with this series, this book definitely blew all of my expectations out of the water. I'm going to keep this review spoiler free but it might spoil previous books in the series.

Archangel's Heart opens up two years after the shocking ending of Archangel's Enigma and everything has been relatively peaceful with the Cascade seemingly on pause. Things start to happen when Elena and Raphael are summoned to a meeting with the rest of the Cadre by a group known as the Luminata. Everything is not as it seems when they arrive at Lumia.

Raphael and Elena's relationship has reached a point where they trust either implicitly and have become rather stable in their love for each other. Throughout this book I was delighted with how comfortable they have become with each other. They've grown and changed as individuals and as a couple. It was like reading about an old married couple but in all of the best ways. They are true partners now despite the differences in their power levels.

I loved the fact that we got more of Aodhan in this book. Unlike some of the others, much of his past is still a mystery. All we knew was that he was taken and tortured at one point and it resulted in him retreating from the world and not wanting to be touched. Our beloved Sparkle is coming back to life now and it is glorious! We get a couple of bits and pieces of his backstory in this book which makes me even more intrigued by him. I can't wait to get more of his story. I'm going to be honest. I totally ship Aodhan and Illium together. I can't be the only one who wants them to become a couple, right?

I know I've mentioned this in previous reviews but I love the worldbuilding in these books so much! This world just keeps getting bigger and more intriguing as the series progresses. And, as with previous books, the pacing and the mystery were on point in this story. I read the whole thing in a single sitting because I literally couldn't put it down. I loved that we got to learn more about members of the Cadre and more about Elena's family. After this book, I really want a novella about how Hannah and Elijah met or just a short story from their points-of-view! I'm fascinated by them! We also got to meet new characters that I hope show up more in later books.

Overall, Archangel's Heart was an excellent installment in a strong series that continues to prove why its newest books are always on my most anticipated list each year. It's the perfect blend of urban fantasy and paranormal romance! I'm dying to see where Nalini Singh takes the story next! *crosses fingers for an Aodhan or Illium book next*

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley