Unbound

Risk Leidolf, both man and hellhound with the ability to shift, has been bound to the evil witch Lusse who assimilates the power from other witches into herself to strengthen her own power. Sent to capture Kara Shane, he finds himself drawn to her, torn between protecting her and killing her. When she encounters a hellhound, Kara finds herself immobilized and terrified. All her childhood memories flood her mind. Can she trust Risk to help her find sister Kelly? Will this uneasy matching and quest for the missing twin lead to freedom or will the power of carefully built alliances unleash a power that will destroy them all? This book was a wonderful shocker for me. I don't normally choose the werewolf and beast combo in my paranormal reads but I loved this book. I hate Alpha males and Risk is definitely the ultimate alpha in the original sense of the word --- the alpha leader of a hellhound pack --- but I loved the character of Risk! He may be an Alpha hellhound but he uses his mind and imagination too to create all sorts of subtle alliances. The characterization draws the reader in from the first pages. The reader experiences their inner conflicts. The paranormal man-beast Risk is so much more than just a genre indicator --- Risk lives it, the reader experiences it, and the dramatic tension is grounded in it. Kara's mixture of fear and independent spunk makes her a perfect match for the hero and a reading delight. Lori Devoti's fictional world creates intriguing reflections and variations on the theme of power with imagery, plot and characterization. The well-researched underlying Norse mythology creates a vivid setting for the final action. As a former student of Medieval Norse literature, I particularly appreciated how Lori Devoti transformed the mythology to create a breathtaking image and unique paranormal fictional world. Unbound took me from from werewolf scoffer to hellhound lover.

Risk is a hellhound, a being who can change from dog to human at will. His kind was used on the Wild Hunt when the gods made them hunt for souls. Although Wild Hunts are no more, there are still some hellhounds left in the world and the witch Lusse uses them. Risk has been her slave for over five hundred years hunting witches so she could drain them of their powers. His latest assignment is to bring him Kara, a powerful witch who doesn't know about her own powers. He meets her while she is searching for her identical twin sister Kelly who has disappeared. Risk has not given in to the dark side of his nature although his owner has constantly used torture on her slave to make him obey. When he sees Kara, he knows he can't give her to Lusse but he is bound to the witch and when she calls he must come to her. He tells her Kara has a twin. She tasks him with finding and bring them both to her. However, someone has put a bounty on witches and Risk needs Lusse to gain entrance to the portal where the witches are being held. Risk decides to risk his own life to free his beloved Kara and her sister. Based on Scandinavian legends, UNBOUND is an exciting romantic fantasy. Lori Devoti is terrific at creating characters that readers will empathize with especially Risk, a being in bondage who has to endure all forms of tortures and obey a power hungry malevolent being. The witch is evil personified and more wicked than the "wicked witch of the west"; she insures readers will enjoy hating her. The audience will demand a sequel starring Risk's son. Harriet Klausner

Shapeshifters, trolls, an ancient God and a witch with the blackest of hearts range themselves against an innocent who knows nothing of the power she possesses. Risk Leidolf is a Hellhound. Hunting is in his very blood and bone. Bound to the whims of the witch Lusse for almost five hundred years, his strong will has kept him sane and made him the Alpha leader of her pack, but the cost to his humanity has been steep. He fights merely to survive. Freedom is a fantasy, unattainable, until he senses the true power of his most recent prey, Kara. Kara has always depended on her twin. Kelly was the strong, courageous one, Kara the follower. When her twin disappears, Kara is determined to find her on her own since the authorities aren't of much use. The only person who offers to help search also embodies her deepest fears, and has a hidden agenda of his own. Stronger than fear is her need to find her sister, and her overwhelming desire for Risk. Their connection, their shared passion is beyond anything she has ever hoped to experience. As her world shifts around her, she discovers her own hidden strengths, and pits them against ancient powers in an attempt to save her sister and her self. Lori Devoti's dark world drew me in from the first page. Her deft characterization and fascinating alternate reality kept me hooked through the final phrase. Diana Troldahl Romance Writers of America

For over five hundred years, hellhound, Risk Leidolf, has been collared and chained in service to Lusse, a powerful, immortal and oftentimes cruel witch. Unable to break the ropes that bind him to her, Risk has spent his lifetime doing her dirty work. His current assignment is to find and bring to her a certain witch so that she can in turn take her power. When Risk comes into contact with said witch, plans change because there is no way he is going to turn over someone like Kara Stone to someone like Lusse, especially when he finds out that Kara is a twin. Kara Stone is looking for her twin sister who disappeared days ago. Trying to get help at a bar she knows her sister frequented, Kara runs into brick walls when no one is willing to help her. Undaunted, she vows to continue to look for Kelly, but her methods change just a bit when she comes into contact with Risk Leidolf. Attracted to him when she knows she shouldn't be, Kara does the unthinkable. She falls in love with Risk, not knowing exactly what he is. Coming to an agreement, things change when Risk must come clean about his true hellhound status. When Kara finds herself unable to trust Risk, she must resort to desperate measures to find her sister. Measures that can get her killed. Will Risk be able to save her or will the evil Lusse win? Oh what a tremendous read Unbound was! The title alone was enough to make me want to read it, and as I opened the pages, I settled in for a pleasant read. Pleasant doesn't even begin to describe the utter amazement I experienced at the hands of author Lori Devoti! Unbound knocked my socks off with its complete and unrelenting plot. I love shape shifters, and Risk was my first hellhound; for that alone I fell in love with him. Despite the cruelty he faced at the hands of his owner, he continued to search for ways to end his imprisonment. His loyalty to and adoration of Kara was written in such a way that I could feel the emotions pouring out of him at the thought of his being unable to save her. Lori Devoti has a new fan! Unbound is now happily filed on my keeper shelf under "O" for outstandingly wonderful! Talia reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Hellhound Risk Liedolf might be the Alpha in his back, but he's bound by the witch Lusse and compelled to do her work. And her work is witch-hunting. Lusse drains every witch he brings in, consuming her powers and adding them to her own. Risk has learned two painful lessons--witches can never gain enough power and they never give up what they seize. But when Risk tracks down an unusually powerful witch and learns that she is an identical twin, he wonders if he could turn the situation to his advantage. Twins are magic, and a pair of witch-twins might just have the power to break Lusse's hold over him. What happens to the witches afterwards doesn't concern him--can't concern him. After all, they're just witches, right? Kara Shane has been getting more and more desperate as she's searched for her missing sister. She's even gone to a horrible bar following a clue her sister left. There she's jumped by her ultimate nightmare--not one but two huge dogs, fighting over her like mongrels battling over a bone. When she wakes up and discovers she's been abducted by a super-sexy guy, she realizes that her world may never be the same. But this 'man' (Hellhounds are shapeshifters) talks to her of strange things--witches, magic, and power. Sure her twin, Kelly, played with magic, but everyone knows that's fantasy, don't they? Although Risk's mind may be free, his body is not. And Lusse ups the pressure on him when she announces she has his son as hostage against his behavior. He can play on Lusse's greed for a while, telling her that he can't turn over Kara until he also tracks down the second sister, but Lusse is already suspicious of him, of his tendency to go 'too human.' Getting emotionally involved with Kara is certainly not a part of Risk's plan. But tracking down Kara's sister leads to an even bigger mystery and an even larger threat. When gods get involved, even witches have to take cover. Author Lori Devoti switches from comedy to paranormal in a strong adventure. Torn between her fears and her growing strength, Kara makes an interesting and complex character, learning to trust herself and to trust others around her. Risk is simultaneously powerful and dominated by the women around him--an intriguing combination. I haven't seen shapeshifting Hellhounds used in urban fantasy before, and the idea works. Devoti mixes in a bit of Norse mythology, opening the doors to what seems a far bigger universe than could be encompassed in this single adventure. I certainly hope we'll see more of Lusse and demi-divine Jorman in future stories. UNBOUND is a well written and engaging story. I confess I almost missed my subway stop because I couldn't put it down--and had to scramble to make it off.