How do you categorise a novella set in Hell, featuring a whip-lashing demoness assigned to punish an aristocratic rake, the fallen angel Lucifer, Cerberus, and a termagant fiancee who dares to invade Hell armed only with chutzpah and a cacophonous violin?

Original, witty and imaginative.

On her blog, Goodreads author [a:Olivia Waite|4710174|Olivia Waite|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1299867644p2/4710174.jpg] pleads for readers to write anything, however negative or vicious, about [b:Damned if You Do|12983756|Damned if You Do|Olivia Waite|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320029683s/12983756.jpg|18143191]. As a fan of Ms Waite, her wish is my command.

I had a problem with the physical description of Idared, the demoness. She has olive-green (sometimes green) skin, can extend, retract, or dispense with her demoniac wings and barbed tail and, when on the earthly plane, can assume almost any form she pleases. That's a very broad palette from which to paint, and I had difficulty following Idared's quick-change metamorphoses. At the end of the story we find her sans wings and tail, but are left wondering if she settles down on the mortal plane in her green-skinned incarnation, or transforms herself into something more alluring.

The debut of Ms. Greening with her ear-splitting violin makes for timely comic relief, but a few more paragraphs of background would have been welcome.

Finally, I wonder if Ms Waite really meant 'nadir' when she was describing the aerial flight of Idared and Lambourne. I've gone over the relevant passage several times, trying to picture the choreography of the scene, but keep coming to the conclusion that 'zenith' might have been better.

If the above quibbles have given Ms Waite some respite from her suspense, I shall be more than satisfied.

I hope she'll forgive me for concluding that [b:Damned if You Do|12983756|Damned if You Do|Olivia Waite|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320029683s/12983756.jpg|18143191] is a damned good read. ( )

4.5

*Book source ~ Many thanks to the author for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lord Lambourne, Benjamin Davis, is dead and in Hell. He’s been damned for the sin of lust, a lot of lust, and after a year facing every torment he thought possible he’s been assigned to the luscious demoness Idared for more punishment. Idared has just been promoted from Great Marshal to Knight. Such a promotion in Hell is rare. Idared’s hard work and unparalleled skill with the whip have paid off and now, instead of torturing a group at a time, she has the charge of one person, Benjamin. However, the heat between them has nothing to do with Hell itself and everything to do with lust. Can they do something about it without disturbing the balance of Benjamin’s sin and not get caught? Is the risk worth it?

This is an outstanding well-written short with fully fleshed characters and the world of Hell is described so well I could practically feel the heat. The steamy scenes are exceptionally hot without being overly graphic. The tension of getting caught runs as a delicious undercurrent and when the summons from Lucifer comes it elicits dread that they were discovered. However, the summons isn’t what they think and the twist is surprising. This is the first story I’ve read by Olivia Waite, but it will most definitely not be my last. ( )