The book's beginning was pretty interesting, and I almost liked it ... but in the end, I couldn't really get into the storyline. Mostly, I think it was because I couldn't understand (or didn't agree with) some of the choices the characters made. ( )

There is much to love in this lush novel from Ravenous Romance; here are my five favorites.
Sin eater: One gifted with magic, able to absorb the sins of a dying person so that person’s soul is free to go unencumbered to heaven. In Keta Diablo’s paranormal erotic romance The Sin Eater’s Prince, the sin eater is Owen Rhys, a pariah in his small village in Wales. Since his father died, Owen’s only friend is Carys, the physician’s assistant. Owen harbors a secret longing for Carys’s employer, the unbelievable beautiful healer Andras Maddock. Andras has his own magical secret: he’s a long tooth, a vampire. Their undeniable attraction puts Owen in grave danger.

1. The hypnotic cover. From under a gray hood, the vampire stares at us. His eyes are icy blue, his hair and long eyelashes black, his gaze both beautiful and terrifying. This is Dagan, a nasty--but gorgeous--vamp who threatens to put a serious damper on Owen and Andras’s relationship. The cover perfectly captures what Owen feels: attraction and revulsion at once toward this terrible being.

2. The Welsh language and lore. The native, Celtic language of Wales is notoriously difficult (and un-phonetic) for English speakers. They spell Wales “Cymru,” for crying out loud! Keta Diablo’s story is laced with strange Welsh folklore, history, and myth, as well as those lovely Celtic words. Lest the reader be unable to keep up, though, there is a glossary of Welsh terms, from Annwyn to Uffern.

3. The vampire’s prayer. Dagan offers an eerily beautiful but chilling prayer to his Dark Lord, the devil. For readers who like their vamps scary and dangerous, the vampire’s prayer delivers just the right touch of evil. An excerpt:

“Whatever flows through your body, flows through mine. I am in your likeness, he who feeds on the warm, red elixir of life. I am the dreaded vampire, a blessed composition of your energy, lust and desire. My day is the mortal’s night, my sustenance their blood. When earth has witnessed its last day, I shall rise again and serve you for all eternity. “

4. The kisses. In this very sensual novel, Owen and Andras crave one another’s touch. No parts of their heavenly bodies go unexplored as they make love desperately, ecstatically. Each encounter begins when Andras looks into Owen’s beautiful green eyes…and then they kiss. Keta Diable is skilled in the art of taut sexual tension, turning up the heat until it boils over with every steamy kiss in passages like this:

“Owen’s touch on his arm, the taste of his lips melding with his, sent a jolt of unbearable pleasure rushing through him. The sin eater’s fingers wound their way into the hair at the back of his neck and Owen drew him deeper into the kiss. Andras parted his lips with his tongue, evoking a breathless moan and a defenseless surrender of his body against Owen’s. “

5. Carys. Even a boy-meets-boy romance can use a female character to root for; in The Sin Eater’s Prince, that woman is Carys. Loyal, determined, and clear-headed (despite her tendency to believe in Welsh superstitions), she is a true friend to both Owen and Andras. Carys is less damsel in distress and more Celtic warrior woman.

Lovers of paranormal erotic fiction will find The Sin Eater’s Prince irresistible for these, and many other, reasons. It contains a well-crafted world of British Isles magic, wonder, and romance. ( )

A fast-paced guilty pleasure that kept me reading and excited about what was coming next. I loved the historical setting coupled with the folklore and superstition spun into this erotic story. The voice and dialogue was consistent and nicely used which strengthened the quality and enjoyment. The supernatural is grounded and flows with the plot line. A sexy book that is great to snuggle up with at bedtime or read to relax on vacation. Keep in mind, it is for mature adults and has some explicit sexual scenes.

Although not overtly distracting, I stumbled over some cliche descriptive references used primarily in the first half of the story. It’s fine for a character to use cliches or be cliche, but the author must take great care not to fall victim to writing them, which is harder than a person thinks! We all do it, we just have to try not too. The setting and character development was good, but eye color was overused. I wanted to know different and important physical details or mannerisms, and began to care less what eye color each person had, and frankly lost track. These are the only reasons I chose to give the book 3 instead of 4 stars. ( )