Official Review: The Devil and Dayna Dalton by Brit Lunden

[Kristy Khem]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Devil and Dayna Dalton" by Brit Lunden.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Fantasy and romance creep through the pages of Brit Lunden’s thrilling tale, The Devil and Dayna Dalton. The story is set in Bulwark, Georgia and focuses on a young woman who is both likable and pitiful. Dayna’s life revolves around her mediocre career, frequent insults from her overly-critical mother, and her poor taste in men. To make matters worse, she still pines for the local sheriff although he’s married. However, her world turns upside down after a mysterious cloaked man saves her from vicious wolves. He commands her to sleep and she later wakes up in the hospital, but all she can think about is him. Her fear melts into intrigue. His eyes begin haunting her thoughts. Finally, she returns to the woods and finds him waiting for her. Who is this enigmatic stranger and what does he want with her?

I really enjoyed the mysterious elements in this book. In addition to fantasy, there were facets of mythology which weaved their way into the story. The entire tale exuded a spooky vibe from the very beginning when Dayna’s eccentric neighbor, Thelma Sweetpea, was introduced. Apart from the eerie characters, there were also unexplained happenings that are mentioned in the background of the main story. The full account of these wasn’t provided until the end, but enough information was given to stir my imagination. This added to the unpredictability of the story. I appreciated that the book held my interest until the end.

Dayna’s character was likable. I felt sorry for the hardships she had to endure, but her struggles were believable. Despite this, her spunky, independent attitude made her fun to read about. I laughed aloud when she discovered that she was wearing her lover’s shirt and shamelessly removed it in front of her neighbor. Moreover, loving someone who is unavailable is something that many people have experienced, just like Dayna. This made her quite relatable.

The only thing that I disliked about the book was that the romance felt rushed. Dayna’s romantic encounter seemed to be the climax of the story, but it happened very quickly. I think that the author could have increased the anticipation and chemistry between the characters. Dayna’s past and her association with the supernatural stranger could have been developed a bit more. Although I finished the story, I feel as if I didn’t get a good grasp of the stranger’s character and personality. In contrast, I appreciated that the intimate scenes were eloquently written.

This was a very short book, but I think it has the potential to develop into a more complex romance novel. At first, the book seemed professionally edited, but I noticed several instances where spaces were missing between words. I would recommend this book to young adults who enjoy paranormal romance and fantasy stories. This story won't appeal to people who like reading about realistic romances. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because it was interesting, it stirred my imagination, and I appreciated the eerie atmosphere of the story. I deducted a star because of the errors and because I think the romance between Dayna and the supernatural stranger could have been improved.

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The Devil and Dayna Dalton
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[Rachel Lea]

I love the title of this book--it's very punchy and attention-grabbing. I prefer more realistic romances, though, and like stories with more character development, so I will probably pass on this one. But thank you for your awesome review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This looks like an exciting read; I like that it isn't your conventional love story and has a main character that is flawed but also likable. Thanks for the great review!

[kandscreeley]

Parts of this are already reminding me of Twilight. Seemingly forbidden romance. A stranger who haunts her dreams. It sounds quite interesting, but I'm not sure it's for me. Thanks. Great review.

[Redrose2020]

You have my interest with this book. I enjoy paranormal books and while I feel it might have been done before, it also seems as if there was a different take on this book. Thank you. I can't wait to read it.

[Wyland]

I have really enjoyed your opening about Dayna. Just like Dayna’s attitude towards men, I think it’s a reminder about what we think of others as they might just be the ones to save or help us at the opportune time. Thanks for an enjoyable review.

[kdstrack]

I like how the author creates a emotional bond between the reader and the main character. Keeping the story unpredictable holds the reader's interest. This sounds like an interesting fantasy, paranormal novel. Thanks for your insightful review.

[Nisha Ward]

The stranger is a vampire, right? I mean, lycan enemies, power of compulsion, staying on the main character's mind...

I'm just saying...