Demons Prefer Blondes

August 8, 2011
Ayers kicks off her Demons Unleashed series with this underwhelming paranormal romance. When her friend buys a strange antique known as the Chest of the Damned, cosmetologist Lucy Gregory thinks that it would be fun to try to open it, having no idea of the chest's power or her own mysterious heritage. Paladin Demon Rafael "Rafe" Deleon isn't happy about being sent to Earth to retrieve the chest, but he's determined to find it before his enemy, Belial, and his Infernati warriors, get their hands on it. Sparks fly when Lucy and Rafe meet, and they struggle to deal with their mutual attraction as they try to keep the chest safe from the bad guys. Ayers's attempts at madcap humor and quirky situations soon grow tiresome, as do her clichéd characters. In a misguided bid for originality, Ayers includes far too many "surprise" revelations about the secondary characters and their real identities, resulting in a confusing rather than an enlivened plot.

May 1, 2011
Sassy cosmetologist Lucy Gregorys life turns inside out when her best friend, Serah, persuades her to open the antique box she purchased. After they do so, late at night in Lucys shop, Earth becomes a battleground, under attack by Belial, the prince of the northern region of hell. The Fore-Demon Council consequently assigns Paladin warrior Rafael Deleon to protect Lucy and retrieve the box. Lucy is stunned as her heretofore placid life of haircuts, perms, and pedicures completely morphs. In fact, Rafe tells her she is actually a succubus princess, then provides her with an imp protector whose outward appearance is that of a chimp. As the battle between Belial and Rafe heats up, Lucy quips her way to accepting her new reality, and vows to help Rafe keep the box safe. Readers who enjoy a hip, snarky heroine and a hunky, tortured hero will relish Lucy and her even-keeled foray into love and the paranormal world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)