Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption.
When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide.
An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love and redemption, "Gabriel's Inferno" is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man's escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible...forgiveness and love.
My Review ...
I’ve read this book two years ago and re-read it countless times since. And, yeah, I still haven’t managed to write a review. So, here goes …
I remember seeing it while browsing on Amazon and being intrigued by the synopsis. This is how it became one of my favorite series.
Gabriel’s Inferno is one of those books you either hate or love. There’s no way in between.
It’s a love story between a University professor and his student. And it’s so much more than that.
This book it’s also a story about loss, about pain, friendship, redemption and forgiveness.
I think you’ll find the characters really … interesting.
Let’s start with Julia.
This girl had had a very difficult childhood which made her grow up introverted, shy and unable or unwilling to stand up for herself. She kind of allows everyone to be rude and condescending to her without fighting back which, at times, was really annoying.
She might be smart and pretty but she always fades into the background and prefers to go unnoticed.
Gabriel.
There’s a lot to say about him and, at this point in the series, many of those things are not complimentary.
He’s curt, condescending, rude, arrogant and, once or twice, downright mean. This is how he chooses o show himself to the world and he’s more harsh with himself than anyone else.
On the inside, though, there’s a sensible, tender and very much hurt man who’s been kicked by life one too many times.
The past has shaped him into who he is today, a man who’s desperately seeking for his angel to pull him out of the darkness even if he doesn’t realizes that.
You’ll also find an interesting array of secondary characters each with his own specific role in the successful development of the story.
Reading this book has been a rollercoaster of emotions and, I’ll be honest and say that I loved it and hated it at the same time.
It made me feel so much that, at times, I wanted to strangle one or the other and, other times, I wanted to hold them tight and comfort them.
This is not an easy read. Most people are or will be unable to see past Gabriel’s behavior and just trash the book. I was tempted to do the same once or twice but I promise you, it deserves a chance.
I agree, many things are not easy to digest and certain actions or decisions are hard to understand. Nothing is simple or easy when it comes to Julia and Gabriel.
What I want you to keep in mind while reading is that this is just the beginning of the story, of their journey.
Those two have too many scars to ever be normal and at this point, it’s actually impossible for them to be like any other couple out there.
Their love is also way too much. They burn to fast, to bright and are unable to see the consequences of every step they take.
The novel might be considered too long since it has a little over 500 pages but it’s definitely fast paced. Not once have I felt like I was too bored to keep going or, on the other hand, I never had the feeling that there’s something missing.
If there’s something you feel it was left unfinished most probably you’ll find the answer in the next installment but I think it was pretty well structured and what was supposed to happen here has been sorted out in the end.
The writing style is really good and I loved all the literary and art references. SR sure made me want to re-read some books I haven’t touched in years.
About the way it ended I can say it was predictable. If you’re not planning on reading the next two books that should do it for you but remember that Gabriel and Julia’s story doesn’t stop here. It’s not over yet. All in all, it was a great book I highly recommend.
I don’t know how coherent was my review or how many will agree with my statements. I know I haven’t managed to express everything this novel has awakened in me and I’m not sure it’s entirely possible either. At least not without guiding you through the book step by step. Even then it’s kind of hard since you’ll be going from sad to angry to frustrated to annoyed and so on.
You’ll just have to take my word for it. Go ahead and read it but keep an open mind. Be patient and see behind the façade and you’ll understand everything better.
Those moments when you’ll have the feeling that what’s happening can’t be possible or it’s just surreal perhaps you can remember that there are persons who feel too much, burn to bright and live to intensely. Remember who Gabriel and Julia are, what they are and then and only then judge them.
There are books that stay with you forever and Gabriel’s Inferno is one of them. I never regretted giving it a chance and never will. It touched my soul in unexpected ways.
Thank you, Sylvain Reynard.
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In The Series
I am honoured to have had all three of my novels appear on the New York Times and USAToday Bestseller lists. I was a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 and 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards. "Gabriel's Inferno" was a Semifinalist for Best Romance in 2011 and "Gabriel's Rapture" was a Finalist for Best Romance in 2012, in the Goodreads Choice Awards, as well. The final novel in The Gabriel Series, "Gabriel's Redemption," debuted at #6 on the New York Times Bestseller list. It was a Finalist for a 2014 Goodreads Choice Award as Best Romance.
My next book is "The Raven," and it releases from Berkley on February 3, 2015. It's already available for preorder. But before "The Raven" releases, I'm publishing a prequel novella to it entitled "The Prince," which releases January 20, 2015. "The Prince" is available for preorder now.
I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself.
I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, food, drink, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.
I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House.
For more information, see my Twitter account or my website.
I also do not check my Goodreads email.
To email me, please use the below addy.
info@sylvainreynard.com
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