What's not to like about the Paladins, gorgeous modern day knights secretly battling invaders from a parallel world. Paladins possess an amazing ability which allows them to resurrect from almost any fatal wound, but who are burdened with the knowledge that one day they will awaken from death devoid of humanity, as violent and insane as their enemies.

Paladin warrior Jarvis thinks about what a poor candidate for a long term relationship he is with his final death looming closer and closer while he's trying to talk himself out of his attraction for the freckled farm girl Gwen. So when a half dead Jarvis is found by Gwen Chase and her brother on their family farm, Gwen notices that Jarvis has the same abilities as her brother and she decides to try to find some answers. As Gwen begins asking questions about her brother's ability to heal as quickly as Jarvis, he knows he can't give her the answers she seeks. All he can offer is the here and now that their mutual attraction demands. After all, how on Earth will Gwen still love him when she finds out the truth?

The Paladins series is a fun world to visit, I like the camaraderie with the other Paladins and hopefully we'll get to see these characters again in other books.
If you like your romance with suspense and danger, go in knowing that it is pretty mild in this book. If you like your romance focused on the characters with a splash of the paranormal, then you'll like this one. ( )

When Gwen finds a handsome man injured and conscious behind her alpaca farm, her life begins to change. To her shock, the man's wounds begin to heal on their own--just like her younger brother, Chase. Gwen has sacrificed everything to keep her younger brother home and secure since their mother died. The injured stranger, Jarvis, noticed Chase's skill and offers to train him in martial arts to help control his temper, but that's not his only reason. He's attracted to Gwen, but he knows he can't tell her his secret: that he's a Paladin, fighting off alien invasions on a regular basis, and that her brother shares the Paladin genes--and is doomed to die again and again and recover from his wounds.

I've wanted to read this series for a few years, and I was disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or I entered the series on a wrong book. From the beginning, too much was assumed that I knew what was going on in this world. Large tracts of the book weren't about romance, either, but focused on Chase as he trained and learned about the Paladins. Actually, Gwen wasn't even part of the dramatic climax of the book. It just didn't grab me. At the very least, it was a quick read. ( )

I am not sure how it happened, but while I was reading Darkness Unknown, it had me in its grasp. I even managed to overlook the fact that the heroine was a freckled country girl, the type I normally don't find attractive, but the moment I finished, my mind started backtracking and suddenly flaws were bombarding me left and right.

I don't want to critique the book a lot, I really don't. Cause I love Paladins and the read was pleasurable, but I still feel obliged to tell everything as it is. And it doesn't live up to its predecessors.

The story was interesting and had a huge potential, but the writing was lacking. I feel as if I was cheated.

The author had so many intriguing scenes developing - some action, some emotion based, though it ended abruptly. Either by summation, or simply without resolving anything, thus leaving loose ends in the story.

The other thing I noticed was the importance of the secondary character. I did like Gwen's brother and his role in the Darkness Unknown was both, interesting and important, but I think he managed to overshadow Jarvis and Gwen's relationship. And speaking about it, I would have to mention that the romance was a bit childish and considering Jarvis was supposed to be a bad-ass Paladin, I didn't feel the darkness, or intensity I thought I should've felt about him.

After everything I just mentioned I have no idea how I managed to enjoy the Darkness Unknown, but it was a good light read, probably just the kind of relaxing I needed after the long day of work. Plus, I am looking forward to other books (Hunters story next), cause no matter my disappointments, I still can't shake this attraction towards the Paladins. Go figure!

Some books are to be tasted; others swallowed; and some to be chewed and digested. ( )

This book was frustrating to read because the action didn't get intense till the very end. I would have liked more connection to the previous books in this series also. I liked how the heroine is into knitting. :) ( )