Kindle Edition Amazon Books2Read.com TarrantSmith.com Category:  Romance Publisher: Tarrant Smith ISBN-10:  1090612786 Type: Fiction Pages: 267 Copyright: May, 1, 2019 ISBN-13: 9781090612786 Price: $3.99 (eBook) To be loved by an ancient god is both thrilling and terrifying. His enemies are your enemies. Which is fine, except that he's immortal and you're not. Earned Tarrant Smith the 2020 Georgia indie Author of the Year Award in Romance The Love of Gods was awarded Literary Titan's Silver Book Award for June 2019.  Lugos had given his word when the world was still young, before he’d endured the wrenching pain of her soul being torn from his. Lifetime after lifetime she’d returned when he’d needed her most, when the apathy of his kind had eaten away at his resolve and his heartfelt vow seemed pointless. One would think he’d be able to protect a single mortal, after all, he was a god. But two long centuries had passed since he’d held her, since he’d been whole. Now, she was back and Lugos had a decision to make; claim the only woman he’d ever loved, or deny his soul’s deepest craving and grant Keely a chance at a peaceful life without the dangers that populated his world. For five years, Lugos had chosen the latter with the hope that the fates might overlook them this time. That was still his plan when the goddess Rhiannon called seeking his help. Lugos should have known better.

Gorgeously Written Paranormal Romance
I immediately fell in love with this novel – ‘The Love of Gods: The Legends of the Pale Series, Book 1,’ by Tarrant Smith is a sexy, thrilling, romantic paranormal fantasy that blends romance and mystery with a taut storyline, fascinating characters, and intriguing mythology. I simply could not put this book down, as it is a page-turner from page one!

The reader is immediately introduced to the protagonist Lugh (Lugos) Grant, a handsome, intelligent god who mingles with humans as he navigates life afterlife. In this lifetime, he resides in Georgia, and he happened to connect with his love for all eternity, Keely. Though he is magnetized to Keely, he makes every attempt to protect her from all of the challenges of becoming involved with a god. He, among several other gods and goddesses, live among humans in the “Pale” – a community that exists in parallel to the 3D world of humans – along with witches, shapeshifters, demons, fairies, and several other otherworldly, magical entities. They have adapted to current times, oftentimes cloaking their powers, and live seemingly “normal” lives. There are a number of characters in this story, and the author creates a believable world where the characters have depth and the dialogue is witty and realistic.

Lugh is called by the goddess Rhiannon to Kentucky, where he meets with others to learn about the murder of a witch, Seraphine. Lugh has many resources and is incredibly powerful, and he begins to investigate the troubling situation. He and Keely, while falling in love with one another, experience grave danger. Lugh is faced with a decision – what can he do about this relationship, and how many more lifetimes can he endure being apart from Keely?

The author does an excellent job of richly describing characters who exhibit depth - and developing the fast-paced narrative – mixing myth with the real world to create a believable storyline.

As I finished this first novel in the series, I was left wanting more! I am anxious to pick up the second novel. If you enjoy paranormal romance, this is a book you won’t want to miss! It’s appropriate for older teens as well as adults. I passed it along to my teen daughter, who also feel in love with the characters.

4 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite (4 out of 5 stars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Love of Gods is a dramatic work of romantic paranormal fiction penned by author Tarrant Smith and is part of The Legends of Pale Series. In a world where gods come down to earth and interact with humans on a regular basis, our central hero is Lugos, who prefers the company of the common man to any of his godly kin. Lugos is a man of many names, but when he poses as Lugh Grant, he falls for bartender Keely. Lugos tries in vain to protect her from the repercussions of loving a god, but when the leader of the Pale, Rhiannon, asks him to aid her, it leads to a lot more pain and heartache than Lugos could anticipate.

There's a complex cast of characters to get to know as the novel progresses, along with the system of the gods, the Pale, and how they relate to one another after centuries of relationships, betrayals and aiding one another. Author Tarrant Smith has built fantastic lore here which is well worth engaging with but does take time to separate from the main love story. Lugh and Keely make a great combination for their epic love story, and I particularly enjoyed Keely's realistic dialogue and reactions to the situations she's put in. Lugos is a chiseled and brooding hero which romance fans are sure to love, and mischievous other gods who get in his way are also delightful to read about. Overall, The Love of Gods is a romantic work sure to please fans of interpersonal drama and epic love stories.

This is DEFINITELY going on my bookshelf and I'll be waiting impatiently for the next!
True love is different for each of us. But, for me, this story explained in glorious detail how I define true love. Lugos and Keely have met before in many different times and in many different lives – at least for Keely. Lugos is a god and knows Keely in each of her forms and lives but Keely has to meet and love him anew in each of her human lives. Introducing Keely into the supernatural world of the Pale is always dangerous and has cost her life in every time past. This time though, Lugos is tired of losing his one true love and vows to do whatever it takes to stay with her. With wonderful supernatural characters and a world the same as – yet adjacent to – our own, this story quickly envelopes the reader in an experience that is magical, emotional, and intimate when it comes to our two main characters. Well written, and vivid in the creation of the Pale and its inhabitants, this story shows us that even gods, even shifters, and yes, even demons, are capable of true love and are more like us than not. For a wonderful story about love throughout lifetimes and the age old fight to survive in any world, this is a great read. I will definitely be reading the second story in this series!