This RITA® Reader Challenge 2013 review was written by Tabs. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Paranormal Romance category.

The summary:     

The prophecies were there but no one listened. Until now. They are the Lords of Deliverance and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride.

Jillian Cardiff came to this remote mountain town to forget the demon attack that almost killed her. Instead, she rescues – and falls for – a gorgeous stranger who has no memory of anything other than his name. Handsome, charming and protective, Reseph seems like the kind of man that Jillian can trust. But with hints of a troubling history of his own, he's also the kind of man that can be very dangerous . . .

Reseph may not know his background, or why he mysteriously appeared in Jillian's life, but he knows he wants to stay. Yet when Jillian's neighbours are killed and demon hunters arrive on the scene, Reseph fears that he's putting Jillian in danger.

And once it's revealed that Reseph is also Pestilence, the Horseman responsible for ravaging the world with death and destruction, he and Jillian must face the greatest challenge of all: can they forget the horrors of a chilling past to save the future they both desire?

And here is Tab's review:

I’m a big fan of Larissa Ione's Demonica books and Lords of Deliverence spin-off books.  I like that the world-building and mythology is interesting and complex but not completely impenetrable and I thoroughly enjoy all of the antiheroes, profanity, violence with real consequence, and snappy witticisms that abound.

That being said, I tend to find the paranormal adventure aspects of Ione’s books much more successful than the romantic aspects.  I mean, I always believe that Ione’s characters thoroughly enjoy having hot sex with each other and intend to continue having the aforementioned hot sex for decades to come, but I am not usually convinced that the sex is just one aspect of a complete love.

As a romance, I thought Rogue Rider was just stellar.  The initial “snowbound with a mysterious amnesiac” premise really helps this along.  Because Jilian and Reseph are on their own for a good chunk of this story, they’re able to build a strong intimacy before the paranormal world comes barging in to blow the whole thing to bits.

When Jillian finds a hot naked guy unconscious in the snow near her isolated farm and takes him, it’s against her best judgment.  She does her best to try and keep as much distance between them as possible but Reseph is so forthright and guileless that it’s difficult to maintain.  Also, he’s wicked hot, doesn’t really like to wear clothes all that much, and makes it crystal clear upon regaining consciousness that, should she be into it, he’d totally love to have sex with her.

“He was already halfway to the tiny master bathroom. Despite her annoyance, she couldn’t peel her eyes away from his body as he strode across the wood floor. Every muscle was a fluid work of art as they powered his strides, bunching and rippling. And that ass… sweet Jesus, he had the nicest set of glutes she’d ever seen. He disappeared into the bathroom, and she swore the last flex of his butt muscles was just for her. Oh, this guy had to go.”

Yeah, Reseph’s great.  Not only is he completely likeable as an easy-going amnesiac who suspects that he might have been a real asshole pre-amnesia, but he is also sympathetic as a tortured soul of epic proportions.  I mean, even his attack of THE ANGST once he gets his memories back is tolerable.

Jillian is a great match for Reseph but is also a great character on her own.  She’s tough and durable and does not cave under pressure.  Not even when said pressure is “your boyfriend used to be possessed (sorta) by a demon who killed millions of people.” She is excellent at standing up for herself and does not take crap from anyone, be they supernatural or not.  I also love that she is not a complete liability during dangerous situations.  She can handle herself most of the time but doesn’t hesitate to remove herself from the situation when the paranormal violence quotient ramps up to code red.

Overall, I thought this book had a strong romance, two incredibly likeable protagonists, and nicely wrapped up the apocalypse/horseman stories while still setting up the next book set in this world.

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