Release Day Blitz ~ Angel Undone by Leta Blake ~ (Reviews, Excerpt + Giveaway)

Release Day Blitz ~ Angel Undone by Leta Blake ~ (Review, Excerpt + Giveaway)

Title:  Angel Undone

Publisher:  Leta Blake Books

Release Date:  7/18/2016

Genre: Gay Urban Fantasy

Tags:  angel, wings, erotic content, blasphemy, urban fantasy

Heat Level: 5

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 25,000 words

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Synopsis

The Archangel Michael is tired. He fought wars and shoved his brother Lucifer out of heaven all before the Dark Ages rolled around. His role as protector of Israel now encompasses all of humanity, and while he performs his job perfectly, there's little personal joy in it.

Until one night in a bar when he meets Asher.

Michael isn’t sure what it is about the vulnerable, self-deprecating Asher that calls to him, but something about the restrained depths of Asher, his gentle smiles and encyclopedic knowledge of flowers, tugs at Michael in a way that can’t be denied. Too bad romance isn’t part of his mission.

Facing an eternity of perfect submission to God’s authority, rebellion stirs in Michael. Questions of free will, angelic vocation, and the role of love and lust demand answers that just might cost Michael his place in heaven.

Excerpt

Angel wings aren’t easy to fold into the shape of human scapulae, but Michael is accustomed to the strain and hardly breaks a sweat. He forces the long primaries to bend into the upper wing coverts, and then, in moves like feathered origami, he tucks it all in again, before smoothing them under flawless human skin.

He glances in the modest hotel room’s bathroom mirror and pulls on the dark brown shirt that will set off his eyes, before running a hand through his blond, curly hair. The light of his angelic grace glows from his pores, too bright to escape notice, and with a small exertion of will he tamps it back.

Though human form is confining and uncomfortable, the time has long passed when dropping down in a blaze of angelic righteousness was appropriate. Now covert operations pay the dividends of souls delivered from jeopardy. Even if Michael’s skin feels too tight, and his wings are already aching, protection is his business and discomfort is a small sacrifice.

After tightening the laces on the leather, soft-soled Clarks he keeps for nights of trawling the Mercy Street bars, he kneels by the sliding glass door to the balcony and looks up at the stars. It’s a fallacy that heaven is up there somewhere. Heaven is everywhere all at once, and yet when Michael dons human skin, he finds his eyes drawn to the sky when he prays.

He rises. Time to go.

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***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review***

Michael's existence revolves around protecting those who are in need of his assistance. Once a great warrior in a divine army, Michael has always felt a calling to lending a hand and keeping humans safe. 

"...protection can be hidden in a handkerchief given at just the right moment, a steadying hand across a busy street, a drive home on a night of too many drinks, or safe delivery to a house away from hands that hurt small bodies. But, occasionally, a desperate soul requires something more intimate..."

When he's given a new mission, helping Asher to finally accept who he is, he's immediately drawn to the man. In his time serving God, the Father, there has only ever been one other he's ever felt a deeper type of connection with and it wasn't this intense. For the first time, he's actually questioning whether or not he can return heaven, his missions and giving up Asher.   

         4 Stars!

Short. Sweet. Sexy. Angst filled. 

All words I would use to describe Angel Undone. While this story deals with God, Angels and in a way faith, the religious undertones, at least to me, were very light. I expected a lot of struggling with one's faith and their relationship with God, or harsh criticism of religion and homosexuality. This wasn't the case. 

I wondered if the story was going to be full of morally ambiguous Angels who are the antithesis of how we see Angels. Again not the case. Instead, this is a story more about admitting to yourself what you want, what you need, and not being ashamed of it. Michael and Asher are both similar in the fact that they risk the way their father looks at them when the truth is revealed.  There is the fear of disappointment and anger and loss of love and respect. However ,while there is plenty of angst, there is also romance and passion and a bit of humor thrown in from none other than the most famous fallen Angel of them all. 

I enjoyed reading Angel Undone and while it was not my favorite story by this amazingly talented author, I definitely recommend it.  


 
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

This was a very different kind of read to what Leta Blake has us used to. For one, it isn't overly angsty, but it still retains some of that dramatic flair that she characterizes her. The theme is another difference, as it deals with Archangels and God and faith in a lighter way than I anticipated, this was a nice surprise, by the way. I expected something darker and what we got was a sweet, moderately angsty read with several twists. 

I loved that there weren't really absolutes, not good and bad, or heaven and hell, but the idea that heaven is everywhere, and that even Lucifer and his fall from it, was dealt with in a lighter way. 

I liked Michael and Asher and how Michael couldn't stop himself from being attracted to Asher, to the point he started questioning his Father's motives to giving him that particular assignment and letting himself be swayed by Lucifer because he wanted to be with Asher. And Asher was adorable, sweet and shy and unsure of how to admit to being gay. There was no way he could resist Michael's allure. They worked well together, they had great chemistry and I loved their scenes together, especially after the big revelation. 

All in all, while not what I expected, it was a very good, enjoyable, short read, that left me with a smile in my face!

Rating: 4 Stars!!!

Meet the Author

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake's educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

You can find out more about her by following her online:

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