The Demon You Know

Title: The Demon You Know
Author: Barbara Elsborg
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Genre(s): Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Page Count: 233
Reviewed by: Jewel
Heat Level: 5 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
Blurb:

A good demon?

Ezra is a timekeeper in Hell, responsible for building and maintaining the clocks that tick away eternal torment. He’s never believed he deserves to be in Hell, and when the reason he’s there is revealed, he’s horrified…yet filled with hope. But is this just another form of torture? When Ezra’s given a chance to go to the surface, he’s determined to uncover the truth, but his fellow demons seem just as determined he won’t survive the journey.

A bad angel?

Roman doesn’t understand why an angel who failed his training the first time round has been given the job of policing paranormals in the UK’s capital city. He’s consumed by unhappiness. He might not be in Hell, but sometimes it damn well feels like it.

When Roman meets Ezra his failings come back to haunt him. Ezra makes him want to break the rules, but an angel protecting a demon? Discovery would bring an eternity of suffering, and with a boss none other than the archangel Michael, it’ll take more than a miracle for the lovers to stand together.

is about an angel who doesn’t believe he deserves what he has, a demon with no memory of how he got to hell, and meddling archangels with something to prove.

We met Roman in and so we know he is Micah’s (and now Inigo’s) boss. Roman is an angel and he essentially polices the paranormal beings in London. It’s a ton of responsibility and Roman takes it seriously. Of course, he also feels a bit hypocritical, at times, because he really doesn’t believe he deserves all he has and yet here he is meting out punishments for transgressions. Meanwhile, Roman is still punishing himself for what he perceives as past sins. He carries a lot of guilt, some of which really doesn’t belong to him. So Roman is not happy and has very little desire to even change that.

Ezra is a demon, but he’s never fit in in Hell. He has no memory of ever being anywhere else and he doesn’t know what he did to get there. Ezra’s a favorite target for abuse and he really wants nothing more than to be left alone. When he’s given a chance to return to the surface, even temporarily, he’s not about to screw it up.

When Roman encounters Ezra, he knows there is something “off” about him, but he can’t really see past his attraction. And that attraction goes both ways and is strong. But it could also be trouble, because Ezra is a demon, after all. Plus, another angel from Roman’s past is bent on making, not only demons suffer, but also Roman. Not a fan of Daniel. He’s a selfish and jealous and rather cruel prick. Not how angels are supposed to act, I suspect. But apparently, angels suffer from the same personality issues that human’s do. Who knew?

But when Roman and Ezra are together? Oh, my…our two MC’s are a horny duo, there is no doubt. Hot, very hot, and not just because the Hell thing.