Gabriel's Inferno

Gabriel's Inferno is a book that I will read over and over again in the next years. As a matter of fact this is my second reread of it, as I had read it when it came out back in July of 2012. I decided to reread all his books again while I am waiting for The Shadow to come out! So I have decided to review them all as well! Gabriel Emerson is a very dark character in this book. He is a Dante Professor in Canada at University of Toronto. He was adopted at the age of ten, and it was by a wonderful family, but his formative years were very sad. He is a stern professor but a good one, as a Dante specialist he needs to be! He is extremely handsome and sexy and he devotes his evenings to seeking pleasure. feels that he is beyond any hope of any kind of redemption. At a time in his life where he had gotten himself into a lot of trouble and had to come home for help, he was a cocaine addict and drank, and he had a girl he got pregnant and then she lost their daughter Maia when she was 5 months along. Gabriel secretly feels it is his fault as he ignored her, treated her bad, and did not give her what she needed. This is why he feels there is no hope. This is why he also feels unworthy of love, and will not see it in his lifetime. At that time when he was younger and had been expelled from college, he came home, and he is drinking on the porch when young Julia Mitchell sees him for the first time, she had been invited to dinner, she went into the house and everything was in shambles. Gabriel and his brother Scot had gotten into a huge fight, and her best friend Rachel, with her boyfriend left, she was so upset. Grace, Gabriel's adopted mother (and incidentally nurtured Julia as well as she had no mother) was up in her room crying and her husband had gone to get help for Scot at the emergency room and then to get Gabriel out of the mess he was in and to get him into rehab. Julia had gone back outside and sat next to Gabriel and they struck up a conversation. Gabriel had been drinking and kept referring to her as his "Beatrice", or his "brown eyed angel". They walked down to the apple orchard together and then talked and had one kiss and Gabriel gave Julia an apple for dinner. Then they laid together innocently holding hands until Julia woke up alone the next morning. She was so upset. She felt like she was lost without Gabriel already. This then is the beginning of them, and several years later Julia has gone to college to be a Dante specialist, and was hoping to run into her Gabriel again. She stayed innocent and always stayed hopeful that they would be together. Her father could not afford to send her to Harvard, and although she qualified for scholarships she went to Toronto herself to take her next stage of her degree there, and took Gabriels class! It is during this first meeting that Gabriel is so terrible to Julia in class-he does not remember her! His treatment of her is terrible and does not go unnoticed by Paul a big handsome farm boy from Vermont, who is Gabriel's student helper and teacher. He is instantly attracted to Julia and compares her to a timid rabbit! He from that moment on determines that he will be her protector. He does not realize Julia knows Gabriel from before and that he does not remember Julia. His cruelty towards her does not go unnoticed by others. After he gets back from his mother's funeral, things come to a head when Rachel comes to visit her brother Gabriel and she gets in contact with Julia and she sees how her brother is towards Julia and tells him that he had met her before! At this point Gabriel is conflicted, and he keeps having memories flash back in his mind he can't quite see. The book continues and we get to see how Julia and Gabriel finally reconnect with each other. There is so much mental and sexual angst in this book, and the best thing about this book is the beautiful way the author writes the story. There are many correlations between the story and the Dante's Inferno works. It makes the book so much more rich and special, it is not just a romance it is also a history of the world of Dante in a way, so I just fell in love with this author from the beginning and have read all of the books! I will be reviewing these books this week! I gave this book 5***** stars and I would have given it 10 stars if I could! Do yourself a favor and read this book! I know that once I read it, I knew I had stumbled on something so special!

"Then I'm glad I'm your first." Books in Gabriel's Inferno trilogy should be read in order: Book 1: Gabriel's Inferno Book 2: Gabriel's Rapture Book 3: Gabriel's Redemption Gabriel's Inferno, book 1 opens up with Professor Gabriel O. Emerson, Dante specialist for the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto giving a seminar. MA Grad student Julianne Mitchell, Julia is in class, but not paying attention. Professor Emerson addresses her in front of class which only causes her to shrink in her seat and not respond. When he catches her a second time he asks her to see her after class. But their meeting never happened and so they are off to a very rocky start. It should be noted the brilliance of Sylvain Reynard's plot and writing. Set against the backdrop of Dante's Devine Comedy the Gabriel's Inferno trilogy is rich on symbolism, depth, history and divine message. The ingenuity of using Dante's journey in professors Emerson's lectures, life lessons, experiences and parallels that can clearly be drawn between Dante - Gabriel, who after having moved through hell meets up with his Beatrice - Julia, to be guided from hell to ultimately enter paradise. Simply divine! "I'm going to be thrown out of Paradise tomorrow, Beatrice. Our only hope is that you find me afterward. Look for me in Hell." Their romance will be a slow blossom.... the epitome of courtly love. Quite the contrast to the previous life of Professor Emerson, respected and praised scholar by day and hedonist by night, roaming the clubs of Toronto for his next f***. He finds himself irked by Julia, but after learning more about her situation he feels both pity and sympathy while fighting a growing attraction to his student. Julia in turn appears to have love-hate for her professor. Both are broken with secrets they rather keep. More will unfold throughout and not everything is at it seems! Add to that the university's strict non-fraternization policy and you have nothing short of a forbidden whirlwind romance with suspense, intrigue, villains, lies, deceit, jealousy and love against all odds! HERO: Gabriel O. Emerson aka Dante Alighieri/33-35 years/Professor /Dante specialist for the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto/$$$$/dark brown hair/blue eyes/6'2". Professor Gabriel O. Emerson, or as Dante's Divine Comedy would have it, Dante Alighieri. But don't forget Gabriel the fallen angel... He has been through hell and he needs rescuing, except he thinks he is without a soul and unredeemable "She was both perfect and untouchable, a brown-eyed angel dressed in resplendent white, while he was older, world-weary and wanting." A larger-than-life hero, on my top -10 shelf. Nine words to describe Gabriel: Pretentious, mercurial, jaded, brilliant, broken, corrupted, enigmatic, commanding and unforgettable. "I will always be conscious of your absence." HEROINE: Julianne Mitchell, Julia aka Principessa aka Beatrice aka Rabbit/23-25 years/MA grad student/dark brown hair/amber eyes/virgin. And just like Beatrice came to guide Dante to paradise Julianne Mitchell, Julia has come to rescue Gabriel. Nine words to describe Julia: Shy, stubborn, smart, timid, chaste, tenacious, fragile, loyal and patient. "I don't expect you to understand. You're only a magnet for mishap, Miss Mitchell, while I am a magnet for sin." Even better the third time around! Book 1 ends in a good place, but with much more to come so I am happy to jump over to book 2, Gabriel's Rapture for the continuation of their story. As for ingenuity, symbolism and depth this is by far one of the best romantic fictions I have ever read! Brilliant, inspiring and interesting plot! Masterfully told! Unforgettable and swoon-worthy professor Gabriel Emerson! And... enough intrigue, suspense and romance to keep you glued throughout their saga! The coveted 6-star shelf! "You're gorgeous, Gabriel. You always were, you know." "Nature's cruelty-- the fallen angel retains his beauty. But I'm ugly on the inside." *** Hero rating: 5+ stars Heroine rating: 4 stars Sex scenes rating: 5 stars Sex scenes frequency: N/A Storyline concept rating: 5+ stars Storytelling skills rating: 5 stars Story ending rating: N/A Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 5 stars ************************************************ Overall rating: 5+ stars Would I recommend this series: Yes. Would I re-read this series: Yes. Would I read future books by this author: Yes.

Summary: Julia Mitchell begins her graduate studies at the University of Toronto. There she takes a seminar taught by Professor Gabriel Emerson. Gabriel is a Dante specialist, with a dark past, and lustful needs. Gabriel and Julia have an undeniable chemistry and soon realize that they have a past connection. My Take: I really had to think about how I felt about this novel. I literally wrote a pro's and cons list about it. So, because I like to end on a positive note, I'm going to start with what I didn't like. I had issues with Julia. She's so naive at times and not in an endearing way. Gabriel is hot, but he's got issues that are a bit twisted. The way Gabriel and Julia speak to each other is so formal and almost made the story feel like a historical romance. However, keep in mind that these people are in the academic world, so maybe that's how they speak to their lover's. *giggles* The length of the book was too long for me too. I also felt like there was such a build up to a big "ta da" and once it was revealed, I felt a bit let down. I guess I expected more juice. OK, on to the good points. The cover was sexy and had me interested immediately. The writing was flawless and had a great flow. It kept my interest and I had a hard time putting it down. As the story developed, Julia matured a bit and you could see her finally have more confidence in herself. Gabriel really was hot and I looked forward to reading every bit with him. He's definitely a sensual, romantic, hunk of man. The love scenes were definitely hot (and a bit frustrating). I liked the supporting characters too. I would be interested in seeing where their stories go as well. OK...so for a rating, I went back and forth on whether or not to go with a 3 or 4. I went with the 4 because I liked the ending and it left me intrigued about seeing what will happen next. I also find myself thinking about the book positively more and more after I've had time to absorb it. [...]

After I stopped lavitating and gasping for air I decided to finally write my review :). It took a while though :). I don't even know where to begin. Usually, when I finish reading a book I start to compare it to the other similar books that I have read and think about what I liked and didn't liked. I compare stories and characters in them. It helps me to choose winners for my top 5. I'm a sucker for romance novels :). After I finished reading Gabriel's Inferno I had a really hard time trying to place the book in any category. Not because book was bad or confusing, but because romance bit in the book was so out of this world that I thought it deserved it's own category. There wasn't any books I could compare to. I felt like I should be comparing it to a beautiful painting, statue, a song or some other piece of art. You know when sometimes you read in a book, or hear in a movie, when girl says to a guy "You ruined me for any other man."? Well, this book did just that. It ruined me for any other romance novel:). English is not my first language, God, it's not even my second. So I only hope that my review will do the justice... Ok, first things first. Cover! The reason that I got the book in the first place was the cover. It got my attention right away. I really appreciate that the author put some thought in choosing the cover. I have read some good books which had a covers that didn't do them justice and was a huge turn off. But in this case cover lured me in. I felt like there was something mysterious about the man on it. His eyes were telling me a story, even though he was not looking at me. It felt like he was trying to fight some demons and I wanted to know more about them. WARNING SPOILERS! Gabriel. Hmmm... :). He has to be one of my favorite alpha males of all times. Highly educated, intelligent, professional (at the beginning), mysterious, a bit arrogant and at times very mean. There was something wrong with him, I just couldn't put my finger on it ( well I could, but it felt like there was something more than the words being said). The way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her and the way he acted when she was around, I didn't liked one bit. And that's why I kept reading :). I wanted to know what in a hell was his problem. I got the impression that there was something more that the written words. Like it was something in between the lines. The other thing that I like was that author softened him a bit after a while, but at the same time was able to keep his personality intact. Because I have read many stories where male characters have been turned in to a circus monkeys dressed in a pink dresses doing backflips to impress a girl. Don't get me wrong, Gabriel swept Julia of her feet alright (boy did he ever). But he did it while still being him self, confident and a bit dominant, just minus the bad attitude towards Julie. Julie. Oh Julia... Young, smart, beautiful, a bit naive and crushing on her professor. At the very beginning I really thought that she was loosing it. Even though I wanted to believe her story, there were som moments that I thought that the whole thing was just in her head and that she was imagining things that wasn't there. Or maybe she was mistaking him for someone else. But again, her side of the story was very convincing. I didn't knew what to think. I had a feeling that I will get my happy ending I just had no idea how author going to spin it and which direction he is going to take to give it to me. I was blown away after I read a scene when everything finally became clear about who was who. When Julie finally snapped after getting tired of dealing with Gabriel and walked out of his apartment, Gabriel finally realized who she really was and called her Beatrice. But it was too late. I really liked that author didn't rush to bring them back together, because I felt like Gabriel deserved to suffer for what he did to her :). I have heard many say that after you read a good book you always want to talk to the authors, ask them a bunch of questions how, why and what. Because even though you kind of get your happy ending there is always something that makes you wonder. I say screw that! What I would like to do is to travel back in time, get in to Sylvains head when he started writing the first book and say there until he finished the second one :-). The whole story (both books) sucked me in and kept me in it until the very last word on the last page. It felt like I was holding on to every single word for dear life. I understand that there are some readers who didn't get the story and gave bad reviews. It's not an easy read. And maybe it felt like it was just too much. But I'm glad that it wasn't an easy read. Even though I'm not familiar with the books author was referring to, it made want to read them. God, it made me want to learn Italian just to read them:). Analyses and quotations of Dante's books was beyond amazing. The story broke my heart, made me angry, saduced me, made me happy, made me sad and sometimes made me laugh. Overall, beautifully written, nicely edited. Well polished books. Bravo! And congratulations to the author. .

I heard so much about this book that I admit I had high expectations for it. In some ways, the praise was merited; the more intelligent and thoughtful writing style (as compared to FSOG), for example. Gabriel, despite his apparent flaws, materialism and curtness manages somehow to be compelling; a bad boy of classic literature that has style and roguish charm. The 'heroine' (and I use that term loosely), is the Achilles heel of the series, and in no small way. I despise her; I can't use any other word I'm afraid, so it's difficult for me to call her the 'heroine' because I don't care for her a whit. She is weak, simpering and whiny; she is the consummate and perpetual victim, content to constantly remind people of that aspect of herself. I've had the misfortune of knowing people like her, so perhaps that is why she leaves a particularly bad taste in my mouth. It sounds as if her life has been difficult (there are plenty of people that could be said about, including Gabriel), but she almost seems to revel in her weakness and cultivate it as one might tend to a valuable plant. She has no problems allowing other people to fight HER battles for her, while she is content to sit on the sidelines and sniffle to herself about how 'Gabriel hates her' or 'Christa said something mean'. It's disgusting and thoroughly unappealing. She has a chance on several occasions to be honest about various things and despite the author's desire to try to shove down our throats what a paragon Julia (the main character) is, Julia doesn't take that honourable road, and in fact lies in at least one instance. When Christa confronts her and says some rather snippy and rude things to her, she ducks her head for about the hundredth time and has to suppress tears. How can Julia manage to cross the street? Isn't she afraid someone might honk at her or flip her off? She is a TIRING character; she wears, she grates. Then by way of explaining why she didn't confront Christa more she says that when good is silent it allows evil to hear itself (paraphrase). So we see here that Julia does see herself as 'good', righteous, wounded, despite claiming she doesn't. And then we're supposed to feel pity because she got into Harvard and didn't want to saddle herself with debt to go to such a prestigious school?! BOO bloody HOO! If your education is that important and you have that opportunity, invest in yourself and take out loans if you have to. She is so helpless and weak I don't know how she's managed to get to the age of 23 and out in the real world; she should be in a cloister or something. At least she has a supportive father, even if he isn't as emotional and affectionate as she would like. And then there's her whole reaction to gifts. We're supposed to believe that Julia is the epitome of kindness yet except for sending flowers to her friend's mother's funeral, I don't see it. The greatest joy comes in giving to another and having that recipient receive and accept your gift; when a friend or lover takes the time to pick out something for you, puts thought into it, that person is giving of themselves and opens them-self up for hurt, ridicule, judgment. Julia protests strongly even when Paul wants to give her something simple like a CD. She finally accepts it, but she is pretty vehement when Rachel tries to give her gifts and she has to be guilt-ed into taking it. It's fine and appropriate to demur and initially refuse a gift, in particular a large one - but Julia's refusals seem more affected than genuine. Once you continually try to refuse a gift - especially a small one - it wounds the giver. She has so many opportunities to remedy things, clear the air, but she seems to wallow in self-pity over her unrequited love of Gabriel, clinging to the fact that he doesn't recognise her as the girl from the apple orchard and uses that to reinforce how pathetic the situation is. I just can't say enough about how much I dislike Julia; even when she speaks or considers things her 'inner voice' is childish, immature, as if it's the thoughts of a tween rather than a blindingly intelligent Master's degree candidate. She writes his name on a notebook like a lovestruck 13 year old that reads Tiger Beat magazine but she won't let a few simple words pass her lips that might rectify the situation? Instead she is content to hold a grudge against Gabriel for not remembering their kisses in the apple orchard years prior. So I'll finish reading the book because I like Gabriel and Rachel and Paul - unfortunately evil Christa is one dimensional - and because I paid nearly $10 for the bloody thing but it will be while holding my nose over Julia. She doesn't deserve Gabriel, frankly.

I don't really know where to start with this review. I don't want to talk about the plot too much because I don't want this to be a spoiler review. I also have a hard time putting this in the Contemporary Romance category, but I don't know how else to classify it. It's definitely not a paranormal romance, but it's not "just another romance" novel either. It's more of a grand love story... Gabriel is a relatively young professor, yes, I still think that 33 is young! He reads older because of his darkness and his intellect and quite frankly, the way he treats Julia. In the beginning he treats her like a child. Julia is 23 and a grad student that ends up at the college he teaches at when, due to extenuating circumstances, she is unable to go to Harvard. Her area of study, Dante, just happens to be his specialty. It becomes obvious quite early on that it's not a coincidence. Clearly they have history that isn't fully revealed until about half way through the book. I love the darkness of this story. Gabriel is clearly a tortured man who believes that he is completely beyond redemption. I rarely highlight passages of the books I read but this really struck me and I had to save it. "I don't expect you to understand. You're only a magnet for mishap, Miss Mitchell, while I am a magnet for sin." That says it all for me. This is the precise moment that I fell in love with Gabriel. I like Julia throughout the book, but her insecurity drives me insane at times. I know that there is a reason for it, but until that reason is fully revealed it's almost too much. Gabriel and Julia go through a lot to be together. Their relationship is also forbidden because of their positions in the University. They each have demons that they have to face, and eventually share with each other to get past the darkness that they are immersed in. They seem to be on the right path, but they still have a long way to go I think. I am not going to say anything else about the plot except to say that , for me, it flowed well. I think that SR did a wonderful job with the plotting and the way the story unfolded was really quite natural. I know that it seems like Julia should have told him about their connection earlier, but for the sake of the story in it's entirety it needed to be done this way. Otherwise it would have ended up rushing the story and the relationship between Julia and Gabriel. The book seems long, but I was enjoying it so much I didn't want it to end so that didn't bother me at all. In reading we do find out that SR isn't a fan of rushing into things! There is a nice build up of tension that follows to the very end of the book. I have read a couple of "romance" novels by men before and I will say that this one was the most sensual. Not that men are incapable of writing love scenes, but the scenes in this book are very beautifully written and while some of them leave the characters unsatisfied they will leave you panting for the next one! I can't write a review of this book and leave this out. I remember reading Dante as assigned reading in some of my college classes, but this book made me want to read Dante for fun. I loved the way he compares the Julia and Gabriel to Dante and Beatrice. It makes me want to find out everything I can about Dante and Beatrice. I thoroughly enjoyed Gabriel's seminars on Dante and would love to have been sitting there in class with him as a professor!

There are many layers and themes to "Gabriel's Inferno," and every one of them is part of the human journey. It's not enough to explain it as a story of redemption, though certainly that's an important part of it. And it's completely inadequate to describe it as a love story, even though I was rooting for the lead couple almost from the start. The depth of the story can't be accommodated by oversimplifications. Gabriel Emerson is a professor of Italian studies at the University of Toronto and an expert in Medieval literature. When a graduate student, Julia Mitchell, rattles his self-assurance merely with her presence in his Dante seminar, Gabriel reacts poorly and tries to provoke her. He can't understand why he responds to her so strongly. The feelings he has for Julia frustrate, then intrigue him. He's not accustomed to the sort of affection and tenderness she inspires. Gabriel has a dark past, and though he's achieved a high level of professional success, his personal life is characterized by a cold austerity. He's brilliant, impatient, snobbish, carnal, and unrepentantly materialistic. He also believes he is condemned to live out his existence alone and unforgiven. In contrast, Julia is innocent, kind, uncertain of her own strengths, and only embarking on her academic career. She possesses something else that Gabriel lacks: the memory of a key moment they shared in their past which transformed both of them. He doesn't realize the connection he has with Julia is rooted in his personal history. Julia knows, but isn't sure about Gabriel's clarity on this, nor of his feelings for her. At first, this imbalance is a complication that almost upends their relationship. But as their love deepens, that shared history truly becomes their destiny. Sylvan Renard skillfully shows us how Gabriel and Julia come to terms with what it means to reconnect at a point in their lives when Gabriel has made more than his share of mistakes and Julia is just establishing her own life. Gabriel sees her unconditional love as the source of his redemption even as he acknowledges his selfishness in doing so. And Julia, who has experienced confidence-shattering heartbreak, struggles with her own worth and her belief in Gabriel's love. Their journey is difficult, and often subject to doubts, secrets, sorrow, and even the vagaries of academia. It's a testament to Reynard's skill as a writer that he never allows the story to become weighted down. Some of the most serious scenes with strong implications for Gabriel and Julia are elevated by humor. (The presence of a snarky, omniscient narrator is a great touch in such moments.) We feel the joy of their sweet, intimate confessions and the heat of their physical passion. And we enjoy the supporting characters whom Reynard infuses with enough life to embellish but not dominate. Other key elements of "Gabriel's Inferno" aren't even human. Art and literature play important roles as the author uses some of the most famous works in history to enhance and complement the story. There are strong reoccurring parallels between Gabriel and Julia and the story of Dante and his beloved muse Beatrice. Paintings by Botticelli, Caravaggio and Rembrandt also underscore crucial parts of the novel. Reynard skillfully weaves such motifs through the story so that even an artistic novice can gain an appreciation for them. Undeniably, it's the characters who make the book what it is. Gabriel Emerson is insolent, cruel, and by his own admission, an ass. Yet he never becomes a parody; his edges are softened just enough to make him sympathetic, and by the time Gabriel's arrogant veneer dissolves, we're already in love with the man underneath. Julia's childhood left her with scars both physical and emotional. Her confidence often ebbs, and it's painful to see this intelligent girl lack trust in her own judgment. But her strength and determination shine through in some surprising moments, and the reader understands why Gabriel loves her so wholly. "Gabriel's Inferno" is a joy to read, and a true accomplishment for Sylvain Reynard. We're fortunate he wrote it.

I don't usually read romance novels except on planes, and this was a good one to have for a 15-hour plane ride. It wasn't SO engrossing that I couldn't put it down to go and do something else, but it kept my attention relatively consistently. The story isn't terribly exciting: a damaged man and a damaged woman finding each other again after having met briefly when they were younger, and must deal together with their dark pasts in order to move toward a future together. There were several things that I liked about the book: - The references to Dante (I am not a Dante scholar and have only briefly read Paradise Lost in a poetry anthology so take this with a grain of salt), the Bible, and other literary works were well-chosen and worked. It didn't feel forced or contrived. - Like what another reviewer said, I didn't feel like I lost brain cells after reading the book. - I was quite impressed by how the male author was able to capture the sense of vulnerability and insecurity that the female main character would have felt, and equally impressed by the way that the intimate scenes were described. None of it felt too over the top. Of course, this is a romance novel--the book described an ideal(ized) romantic relationship, but I was pleasantly surprised by level of accuracy with which the author wrote about men and women's desire for love and intimacy. Areas that were lacking: - Some of the writing. I am a bit anal about writing and I REALLY don't like when people use "for..." as an explanation, e.g., "She didn't want to ask. For she was afraid that she would..." - Relatedly, I found some of the writing involving parentheses really distracting, e.g., "(Parenthetically, it should be noted that even Gabriel's feet were attractive.)". It was just a little bit too much. It's almost as if the author couldn't quite decide whether it was better to be funny or to be serious. I think this came at the expense of the tone of the novel. - I would have liked to a more developed view of of WHY Julia and Gabriel were drawn to each other in the flashback of their first encounter. I think if the author made it more of a spiritual experience, particularly for Gabriel, then it would have been more convincing. Right now you have to assume, on the basis of various scenes and the story as a whole, that the interaction was extremely important, but the flashback itself didn't tell much. All in all a good, entertaining read. I agree with another reviewer that this is a very good standalone novel and I'm not sure if I would want to read the sequel.

Questo libro definisce l'amore romantico per eccellenza, l'amore che tutti sognano di trovare! L'autrice narra la storia un modo fluido, dando una visione completa e profonda dei personaggi principali con molte citazioni letterarie. Lettura consigliatissima!

When I first read Fifty Shades of Grey it was out of curiosity since romance was not my genre of fiction reading, I then read it several times, bypassing the bdsm (was educational) but it does not float my boat, thought this was an exceptional and erotic love story and the best romance story I ever read. Subsequently when I could read no more, I suffered from withdrawal and bought several authors who all came out of the woodwork to capture the FSOG audience, I threw all those books in the garbage. There are currently 6 authors I will re-read in this quality of romance and Sylvain Reynard (SR) is at the top of the list. Not into bdsm romance, chic lit, YA, paranormal, vampires etc. Stumbled over the Gabriel Inferno/Rapture and stayed up till the break of dawn enthralled with this erotic love story, with an intellectual point of view. I love books that have a takeaway, and the Gabriel series did that for me, I am so intrigued with Dante and Beatrice and Renaissance art and literature I was left wanting to know more. Not particularly inclined to poetry but am open to experience what I never learned. Some might balk at the religious inference but the life of Dante was during the 13th century when religion and politics influenced each other, keeping in mind Dante's questioning of his life and his redemption was based on biblical teachings and it was obvious Dante was of the catholic faith. I loved the life of St. Francis of Assisi even though I am not of the catholic faith; the current Pope is an example of St. Francis. The Gabriel series made me yearn to visit Assisi. I thought SR captured the relationship between Dante and Beatrice and skilfully wove it into the lives of the Professor and Julianne and made it current. Who did not fall in love with this troubled, enigmatic, sexy Professor? His sartorial elegance seemed to be a cover for how conflicted he feels about himself and his demons. I loved that he was not a pretty package and that he was so highly educated and intellectual and enjoyed the finer things in life, some of which was not so complimentary. I was somewhat perturbed by the way he `worshiped' Julia, as if she was the epitome of perfection, which she was not. But it later turns out he was seeking redemption - maybe thru her own goodness and spiritual beliefs, he somehow finds the better parts of himself as his love for her evolves and escalates into a heated affair to the exclusion of jeopardizing his job and tenure the University of Toronto. Thought the Professor's choice of radio stations were boring......CBC and BBC!! I loved that the Manulife building is a place I have known and all the familiar sights and sounds of Toronto, what a pleasant change to most books written in and around the U.S. Julia with her innocence and her abiding love for Gabriel who captured her heart at 17 and influenced her career as a Dante specialist, takes us on her tumultuous journey from her troubled childhood to becoming Gabriel's post grad student unbeknownst to him at the time. I loved that she never gave up on him no matter what, or maybe until she thought he deliberately broke her heart. I loved all the intellectual bits and pieces and the reality of politics even in academia. I loved the whole premise of love, forgiveness, faith, redemption which gives us all hope thru our own belief system. I loved the whole courtship until it was no more, loved all of the experiences in Italy, made me want to pack my suitcase and take off and go drink some wine in Italy. I loved the storytelling between these two and how healing her love was to Gabriel who was trying to escape his demons. Courtship today is unheard of. Looking forward to the release of Gabriel's Redemption and the continuation of this most passionate, romantic love story that just grabs your attention from the first go and doesn't let you go. Well done SR, you are a keeper, now have purchased the whole trilogy for my bookshelf.

Definitely solidly in the romance category, with all that that entails. But gripping in it's exploration of deeper themes such as religion, faith, grief, pseudo-religiousity, academic snobbery. I would definitely say this is an epic of tge romance genre. I read this after watching the first three movies, and still greatly enjoyed this book.

I read this book when it was a Fanfic. I'm very grateful to the author for give us such a great gift, so now that it's a book I bought it to give my thanks for it.

"Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. Love still stands when all else has fallen." - by Blaise Pascal - 5 stars! For the synopsis of this story please read the blurb. I prefer to cut to the chase of the matter. This is not your usual romance book. It was totally refreshing to read something different. The pace is rather slow but it's perfect and it suits the shy and sweet heroine, Julia. There are a lot of emotions buried, although I was anxiously awaiting for them to 'explode'. I felt that this book is somehow embraced by an underlying stillness. Just beautiful! The sensual undertone of Gabriel's Inferno is ever-present and utterly palpable. I was totally stunned that a man could write with such sensuality and so romantically. I don't mean to be condescending. Not at all. That's a compliment. I'm just surprised that this came from the pen of a male. I truly loved the atmospheric density and the depth of the characters. Gabriel's Inferno is extremely character-driven - much more so than plot-driven. I was totally captivated by Gabriel and Julia. Furthermore, I truly enjoyed to read about Gabriel's lecture "Lust in Dante's Inferno: The Deadly Sin against the Self." Gabriel is the epitome of the tortured hero. Wonderful! What I loved most were his hands - they're so enticing! Yes, Gabriel's risen! Gabriel and Julia were perfect for each other. Julia is intelligent, kind, beautiful, and innocent. On the one hand, she helps Gabriel to find atonement. And on the other hand, Gabriel is the first man who truly loves her. Every touch and every look has a deeper meaning. This incredible sensuality envelopes your own skin. You close your eyes and you can feel it. It makes you shiver, your head begins to float, you want to crawl under their skin, into their heads. It grabs you and you can't let go anymore. Your heart is beating faster...and you're spellbound! Ahhhhhh, be still my little heart and calm down...deep breath...in...out...in...out. You just crave for more. Loved, loved how the author described the touch of hands, fingers, and thumbs - this is so subtle. How Gabriel's finger traced Julia's skin and body - so marvellous! *SIGH* This first long kissing scene in Gabriel's office is hands-down THE MOST SENSUAL AND EROTIC DESCRIPTION OF A KISS I EVER - AND I MEAN EVER - READ! *SWOON* This left me totally breathless. I already mentioned a few times in my former reviews that kissing - if it's done right - is far better than sex. If there were any doubts yet, this author has proven otherwise. The author has sexual tension down to a fine art. It's downright electrifying! Sylvain Reynard writes with great care for details, and he does it with such ease one could get a bit envious. On top of that, he writes superb dialogs! He has either done his homework or has extensive knowledge about literature, art (paintings and sculptures), food & wine/liquor, flowers, music. Loved these quotes: "Why not think that sometimes - just sometimes - you can overcome evil with silence? And let people hear their hatefulness in their own ears, without distraction. Maybe goodness is enough to expose evil for what it really is, sometimes." "Sometimes goodness doesn't tell everything it knows. Sometimes goodness waits for the appropriate time and does the best it can with what it has." "When I am an old man and I can remember nothing else, I will remember this moment. The first time my eyes beheld an angel in the flesh. I will remember your body and your eyes, your beautiful face and breasts, your curves and this." He traced his hand around her navel before dragging it lightly to the top of her lower curls. "I will remember your scent and your touch and how it felt to love you. But most of all, I will remember how it felt to gaze at true beauty, both inside and out. For you are fair, my beloved, in soul and in body, generous of spirit and generous of heart. And I will never see anything this side of heaven more beautiful than you." I am not a connoisseur of Dante's work, therefore I have to thank Sylvain for an enlightening journey. He gives the readers a chance to get a glimpse into his life and work, maybe even a bit into his mind. I'm more into the works/artworks of Alberto Giacometti, Jean Tinguely (he worked with steel and created very special constructs and he did 'recycling' on a high level), Gustav Klimt, Charles and Ray Eames, and Le Corbusier. And I do love all kinds of interesting quotes. Finally, I have to say that Gabriel's Inferno is such a great musical treasure trove! I had to download a few very good songs, and Matthew Barber accompanies me all day long. He's got such a great and smooth voice. Sylvain, I came to a conclusion, and I don't know if I'm right or wrong...but if I'm right...then please let me tell you that I am deeply sorry for Maia. This story is about love, despair, fear, trust, redemption, and atonement. Be prepared for a very emotional story! I can't recommend this book enough. And I'm already sure that I will reread it and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel!