The road to Hell is paved with good intentions . . . and sometimes unicorn puke.In the span of a few months, mortal TouchStone Abby Sinclair has been trapped in a painting, had her memories stolen, and been Tithed to Hell, killed, and brought back to life by the OtherFolk. Now she’s pregnant and torn between her incubus lover, Brystion, and her elven king of a husband, Talivar. Otherworldly love … Talivar. Otherworldly love triangles notwithstanding, she’s more than content to set the political drama of magic and mayhem aside and quietly settle into motherhood. But nothing is ever that easy . . .
Years ago, Abby’s best friend, Melanie St. James, virtuoso violinist and DoorMaker to the CrossRoads, lost her soul to the Devil in return for an enchanted violin. Now the magic of her violin is fading, and the Devil is calling in her debt to serve Him as His TouchStone. In an effort to escape the terms of this reckless bargain, she flees to the CrossRoads with her lover, Nobu.
But reneging on a deal with the Devil isn’t the wisest of moves, especially when He knows Abby is the only one who can bring Him what He wants. And when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Abby and her friends to find a way to stop the violin from consuming Melanie’s soul before it’s too late, even if the journey takes them straight into Hell itself.
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Abby Sinclair is a mortal TouchStone, a special human who helps Otherfolk cross between the Faery and human worlds. She is irreversibly tied to an incubus while married to the elven king of the Unseelie Court. Abby struggles to deal with not only her pregnancy but the two men in her life. When the Devil comes to collect her friend, Abby risks everything to help Melanie and her Shinigami lover to escape. What excuse will Abby concoct to be with both her incubus and her elf? Can she help her friend successfully thwart the Devil? And at what cost?
Brystion is the incubus irrevocably bound to Abby. Talivar is the elven ruler of the Unseelie Court and Abby’s husband. The two OtherFolk males negotiate a way to remain with Abby and her unborn baby. When the Devil’s TouchStone causes upheaval, the two men band together to keep their love safe from harm. Can Brystion and Talivar find a working compromise? Will they be able to protect her and the baby from the Devil?
Abby has always been such a fun and interesting heroine. I adore her snarky wit and personality, especially when dealing with the OtherFolk and their ways. I admire how Abby is striving to find a peaceful and plausible way to be with both Talivar and Brystion. She understands both men are equally important, so she refuses to hurt either by choosing one. What I love the most about Abby is her loyalty to friends and loved ones. She is not afraid to risk everything, including her health and baby’s welfare, to help those important to her.
I have always liked Brystion since book one. He and Abby have this chemistry that I always enjoy reading. I love how Brystion quoted an iconic Black Butler quote. Black Butler is a favorite Japanese animation of mine, so seeing the quote made me laugh. Talivar is steadily growing on me, which is odd because I love everything elven. I like that he is willing to accept Abby’s baby regardless of its parentage. What I love about Talivar and Brystion is how they have accepted Abby’s importance in the other’s life. They refuse to make her choose between them, instead they formed a compromise to remain with her. All three know it is not going to be easy, but they are willing to make it work.
A SYMPHONY OF STARLIGHT is book four in Allison Pang’s urban fantasy series, ABBY SINCLAIR. It is best to read the prior three books to understand everything that is happening in the story. Sadly, I have not read A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT, book three in the series, yet that did not hinder my ability to follow the storyline. I love how the author delves into Japanese mythology, something I have not fully explored outside of anime. I generally do not like a heroine with two heroes; however, I like this author’s approach. Since it is not ménage, their relationship made it easier for me to accept.
A SYMPHONY OF STARLIGHT is a wonderful return to an awesome series. I am ecstatic the author returned to this world and characters. I cannot wait for the next installment.
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies