To say that I'm a fan of paranormal stories would be a major understatement. I absolutely love them, and when you look at my bookshelf, that love is incredibly obvious as most of my books are of that genre. I'm not picky when it comes to paranormal creatures. I like faeries/fairies/fey (or however else you want to spell it :P), vampires, witches/wizards/sorcerers, and of course, werewolves. The series that really cemented my love for werewolves was Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, although her YA Series also played a huge role. I loved the personality behind her werewolves, and their relationships amongst their pack. The fact that Elena was the only female, and also her feisty relationship with Clay. I love Clay. :) Now...you're probably wondering why I'm just rambling on and on about one series while reviewing another, well there is a reason. After reading Kelley's series, I haven't really looked for another couple that compares to Clay and Elena for me, but in Darkness and Light, I found one. :)
Jem and Sean aren't really like Clay and Elena when apart, but put them together and like Clay and Elena, they make for one super feisty duo. However, their story is completely different. Jem and Sean have an amazing backstory, seriously amazing! I don't want to give too much away, but I will tell a little bit. Jem and Sean have had lifetimes together. When they finally meet in this one, Jem's already married to a "gem" of a husband. Yes, that was a terrible pun, and it was also filled with sarcasm. Her husband, Peter, seems like a great guy right when you start reading, but as the book goes on, little pieces of their life are revealed. He tells Jem what to wear, doesn't let her work, and doesn't seem to like her having friends. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what eventually happens, since most emotional abuse eventually evolves, and you all probably know that it doesn't end well.
Amidst all the darkness that has developed in Jem's life, comes Sean. She'd already been dreaming about him, and then there he is. I absolutely loved everything about Jem and Sean's meeting, and their developing relationship. I especially loved how it changed Jem. With Peter, she was meek and didn't stand up for herself at all, but with Sean, her true self comes out, and she starts to actually liven up. I loved her transformation, absolutely loved it! By the end of the story, Jem was a strong, and amazing character that I loved reading about, and even when she wasn't strong, I was always eager to know what she was thinking.
Just like in Kelley's series, J.A. Belfield has created a pack with an amazing bond. I thought they were all amazing, even though some remained rather mysterious throughout the book. ;) Sean's brother, Ethan, was the pack muscle...and I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone how sexy he was. :P Their father, Nathan, was the pack Alpha, and I loved his relationship with Jem. He was so welcoming to her, and practically treated her like a daughter right from the start. Then there was Connor, and his sons, Kyle and Josh. We didn't learn too much about them, other than the fact that Josh has a bit of a crush on Jem, and that he's the young one in the group. :) I loved their dynamics together, and I never get tired of hearing about how much werewolves eat. haha
My favourite part of Darkness and Light was definitely Jem and Sean's relationship. I loved it! I loved seeing it develop, and seeing them discover and deal with the fact that this isn't their first lifetime together and that fate has entwined them forever. I loved their training, and their recreational activities...which can both mean very different things, and in the case of this story, they do. ;) haha I'm trying not to give anything away, but I must give a warning that there are sex scenes in this book. They aren't incredibly graphic, so I don't think they will bother anyone, unless you really don't like reading any kind of sex scene at all. I, personally, thought they were fantastic. ;) haha
Darkness and Light is an amazing story, and I loved reading it! It has an amazing main character, some fantastic secondary characters, and one remarkable storyline. I think that fans of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series (mostly of Clay and Elena) will really enjoy this story, and I know I will anxiously be awaiting more stories from J.A. Belfield! :D
***I received an ebook from the publisher for an honest review.
