Tempted

(Angels Among Us #2)

by: Elise Marion

Publishing Date: 5/8/12

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Source: Bought for Kindle (Amazon)

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Description:

In a world full of the sick and dying, the hurting and desperate, and those lost in darkness, angels dwell. Messenger angel Sarah is focused, dedicated to the cause of heaven in the war against hell. For centuries she has watched other angels succumb to temptation and break the rules governing relationships between angels and humans. Sarah has vowed to never become one of the ‘Fallen’ angels, now demons cursed to wander the depths of hell for eternity. She knows that she is stronger than the others, incapable of emotional attachment and the feelings of love and desire that can be so dangerous to her kind. 

Jackson Bennett is alone in the world, and he prefers it that way. The former Army sergeant has seen more death than any human ought to experience in one lifetime. Even his dreams are haunted by the faces of those who have lost their lives because of him. He feels lost, purposeless, until an encounter with an angel reveals the secret purpose that he was made for. Born of a superior race of humans, Jackson learns of a special assignment. Should he accept, he will become an important part of world that exists between heaven, hell, and earth. After all that he has been through, Jackson doesn’t know if he’s ready to take on such a heavy responsibility; what he does know is that he could lose himself in the eyes of Sarah, the intriguing angel assigned to him. She is the only person who seems to understand the darkness and pain that have enveloped his heart; she is the only person capable of driving them away. 

In a battle between love or loneliness, divinity or damnation, Sarah’s choice once seemed easy. What she finds is that the black and white lines that once defined her world are now impossibly blurred and gray. What she finds is that she may not be not quite as strong as she thought.

My Review:
"Tempted" is the second book in the Angels Among Us Trilogy and it definitely was another tear jerker.
This is the story of Sarah who is a messenger angel who knows the rights and wrongs of what a angel is supposed to do...and one of those wrongs is getting involved with a human.  An angel could lose her wings over it and become one of the Fallen Angels.  It was just recently Sarah witnessed another angel become a Fallen since she had to make sure it happened.
Sarah is about to break her main rule though all because of a former soldier who has been dealing with his own insecurities and past issues from what happened during the time he was in the Army.
Jackson Bennett is alone due to almost causing harm to his family.  He suffers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after witnessing some of his fellow soldiers dying.  He blames it on himself and he is still having a hard time getting over it.  He is forced now to be by himself and spy on his son go to school in the morning when his wife drops him off.
Sarah is assigned to Jackson due to Jackson being special and coming into powers.  God, himself, wants Sarah to help Jackson come over to the good side.  She cannot force him though, he has to have his own free will to come over.  Jackson is going to learn the true reason on what happened that fateful night that change his life when he was in the Army and also find out the truth on what he is destined to do.  In the mean time though Jackson will have to fight his feelings for the beautiful woman, Sarah, who walks into his life and also believe her when she says she's not from his world and she can never be apart of his world forever.

My thoughts on "Tempted" are of course another tear jerker.  I should just prepare myself ahead of time when it comes to Elise Marion and her writing style.  She knows how to make a reader's emotions go haywire.  I am a huge fan when it comes to angels and it seems every time I read a paranormal romance book that involves angels, the water works start falling.
Elise Marion definitely made me fall in love with the characters in "Tempted" as well, just like I did in "Fallen."  I had already read a little bit on Sarah since she debuted in "Fallen".  She definitely was one female character who kept to her job as a Angel...although...Jackson is one male character, which I still do not know how Sarah kept from jumping on the minute she saw him.
Sarah helped Jackson's character and Jackson did the same thing for Sarah.  They definitely were meant to be with each other from the beginning.  Jackson with his demons inside of him, needed Sarah's love and caring to help him through and Sarah needed Jackson for his toughness and stubbornness.
"Tempted" actually left me wondering what will happen in the next book since there were some unanswered questions at the end, especially when the truth came about with Jackson and what he was supposed to do.  Also, with what eventually happened to Sarah.
"Tempted" is a book that will make you realize how tough it is for soldiers who suffer with PTSD.  Elise Marion definitely did her research on it and it definitely touched my heart.  You only get to see what the media puts out and not from a perspective of the soldier.  Even if it is fictional in "Tempted", you have to realize that PTSD is a very serious illness that affects soldiers/sailors/marines/airmen who have gone through war.
I recommend this book to paranormal romance readers, readers who love angels and demons, and readers who enjoy an emotional ride.  You'll definitely feel the pain and love from both characters and you'll want to read the next book right away.