Book Shelf: Torian (Hunting Her #3) by Eden Summers

He's my nemesis.
My tormentor.
A notorious criminal with a smoldering smile to mask the devil hidden beneath.

Conniving. Threatening. Brutal.
He stalks me from the shadows.
Makes me itch to place him behind bars.

But he has an offer I can't refuse.
A major risk with the perfect reward.

I can't let down my guard.
Can't be tempted to trust him.

Not even when I begin to understand his corrupt ways.

Because the only face the devil shows is the one he wants you to see.
And all I’m seeing is hunger.

More info on Goodreads..... 


Review: 

Torian is the third novel in the Hunting Her series and is without a doubt Eden Summer’s best book yet! Darkly thrilling, evocative and passionate, Torian is a captivating novel of danger, revenge and romance built in a world where crime and family go hand in hand with startling consequences….

Cole Torian is the ruling head of an infamous crime family, whose reputation for being a brutal, calculated killer is well known. Keeping his control is important to Cole but there’s one thing more important; family. And Cole is determined to protect his…even if it means playing a dangerous game with member of the police force. FBI Special Agent Anissa Fox is a cold hearted SOB, or so she’s been told. The daughter of a disgraced agent, Anissa has fought tooth and nail for her position, and has finally been able to arrest the patriarch of the Torian family for sex trafficking and enslavement. It should be her crowning achievement, but Nissa is tormented by thoughts of the Torian prodigal son, Cole, a man she despises and wants to see behind bars with his father. Then the unexpected happens and Nissa finds herself facing a deal with the devil; help Cole and he’ll give her the one thing she craves—justice for his father’s victims, but as the attraction between them intensifies, Cole and Anissa quickly realise that criminal and agent may not be so different after all….

Eden Summers has absolutely blown my mind with Torian! A dark masterpiece of sexual tension, unexpected passion and explosive situations, this novel lives up to its promise and more. After enjoying Hunter and Decker, Torian was already geared to be a fantastic read, with each inclusion of Cole throughout the previous two novels ramping up my desire to see him front and centre. Eden Summers writes both Torian the story and the man beautifully; layered, nuanced, deceptive, complex, conflicting and enthralling.

There’s a dark brutality to the story and the characters that will draw readers in as Summers details a series of events where not everything is black and white and grey seems to be the colour of choice. I simply adored both of our protagonists. As the novel unfolds through the varying perspectives of both Cole and Anissa, I really felt I got to know the characters exceptionally well, with a lot of surprising insights into their motivations and true natures coming to light as Torian progressed.

It almost goes without saying that I knew I was going to like Cole. Eden Summers has always written tortured, misunderstood heroes perfectly and it doesn’t help that much of what people say and think about Cole is somewhat true…..he’s a bit of a naughty boy, but he’s also loyal, determined and lives by his own code of morals. He’s also cocky, arrogant, intelligent and basically your ultimate panty-dropping bad boy. And I love him.

Plus, there’s FBI Special Agent Anissa Fox! A woman I thought might have been the devil after Decker but now can’t get enough of. In my history of reading there have been two female characters who have gone from being the villain in my eyes to someone I’ve come to love; Aphrodite from P.C. and Kristin Cast’s House of Night series and Nan from Abbi Gline’s Rosemary Beach series. Until now. Until Anissa Fox. Anissa is someone who comes across as a cold-hearted b**** but while she is a genuinely capable and intelligent woman, there is also a side to her that is somewhat gentle and vulnerable, a side very few see. Anissa has had to fight for her position in a male dominated industry and takes her job as an FBI agent very seriously which puts her in confliction with her blossoming desires and feelings for the very man she should be trying to bring down.

Torian sees two people who should be worlds apart—criminal and FBI agent—come together with explosive results. They’re technically toxic in a lot of ways for each other, but the push and pull between them is undeniable and so electrifying. Between the brutal, but so sassy and on point verbal exchanges and their desperate need to push each other, Anissa and Cole’s relationship truly lights up the pages. It’s obsessive and passionate and unexpectedly tender at times as they eventually give into their desires. It’s highly intriguing reading as they can’t stay away from each other but despite their differences and different ideals where morality and justice is concerns, they’re surprisingly similar in a lot of ways. Oh and the sex scenes? Seriously H.O.T!

Explosive in nature and thrilling with unexpected revelations and developments, Torian is a spectacular read. At no point did I want to put this novel down and as it came to a close, I was already desperate to see what Eden Summer’s had planned for Cole and Anissa next. I’ll be counting down the days until I can read their next story and highly recommend Torian as either a standalone or as part of the overall series—you won’t be sorry you gave it a go!

Rating:
Source: Sent for review by author (Thank you Eden!)
Publisher: Published by author
Format: Kindle eARC
Release Date: May 25th 2019
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Final Thoughts: Absolutely brilliant, this is Eden Summers at her best--I'm ready for more!