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Ceasefire #1

The Devil You Know

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My name is Mavi StClair.
I’m a monster with a pretty face. An assassin in trade. Guilt, remorse, it’s never touched me. I’m as cold as they come and just as professional.
Dealing death has always come easily, and I inflict it with ease. It fuels and feeds the twisted darkness inside me.
My downfall begins with a single night of untamed passion leaving me hungering for more of him.
One wicked soul recognizing another.
Now he owns me.
The lines of what I know are blurred.
I'm playing his game.
A pawn, eternally tangled in a web of secrets and lies.
He won’t let me go.
Taking pleasure in my fall from grace.
Question is, can I save myself before I'm damned completely?

*This is a dark erotic paranormal romance and contains certain triggers some readers may not enjoy. Due to scenes of an adult nature, this book is for 18+ only*

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2018

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About the author

Claire Marta

76 books1,314 followers
Claire Marta is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes addictive, dark, hot stories. A native Brit, she lives in Italy with her daughter and husband. She loves drinking copious amounts of tea and goes walking when brainstorming one of her twisty book plots.

You can follow me for News and Updates on my books on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/clairemartab...

If you love my book then why not join my Facebook book group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/89872...

I also have a website:
https://clairemarta.wixsite.com/clair...

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5 stars
192 (42%)
4 stars
134 (29%)
3 stars
80 (17%)
2 stars
28 (6%)
1 star
19 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
Profile Image for Kat valentine ( Katsbookcornerreads).
690 reviews1,103 followers
February 16, 2019
What a total mind f##k!!! So friggin twisted and dark as hell,but I loved it!!! Their are so many twist's and turns and a lot of who the hell are the bad guys anyway!!! Just about the time you think you've figured things out Claire pulls the rug right from out from under you and your like what the frigg just happened ! And her characters are so deeply screwed up and warped especially Mavi she is a assassin for gabriel and she has a real taste for killing and f##king and when she comes across Max a mysterious tall dark sexy guy she meets and has some mind blowing sex ,it's like he becomes her new addiction,but she knows that max is more then he seems and when she finally finds out that he is more then just a typical demon and that he's actually lucifer and he wants her to kill his generals so they can't take over hell. Mavi has no choice, he owns her soul and she needs to find her brother nate. A ass kicking book with lots of action and hot sex! Claire did one hell of a great job on this book!!! Great paranormal erotica done right with a great storyline too!!💖💋
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
2,168 reviews1,438 followers
February 27, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS.
ARC BOOK REVIEW.

I absolutely loved "The Devil You Know" by Claire Marta.

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From the minute I started reading this I was hooked.
I'm a sucker for a dark depraved read and this one for me definitely hit the spot.
I do so adore me a twisted Heroine that struggles but eventually embraces her dark side and with Mavi StClaire we get this in spades.

giphy (2)

She is one bad flower as the mysterious Max liked to call her.
And this is one girl who makes no apologies for who she is and keeps her cards close to her chest, trying to keep everyone at arm's length is in her very nature.
And this includes the secretive but decadent Max.
As for the mysterious Max, loved him so much also, he himself comes enveloped in secrets and lies a matching bookend to match Mavi's depravity and darkness a born manipulator who oozes sexual charisma and luckily for Mavi he likes his girls a touch on the psycho side.

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I loved all many side characters portrayed here each and every one was a well rounded and diverse individual and there was also never a dull moment in regards to the action portrayed here this book was packed.
A playground for heaven and hell, filled with battles and conflict galore.
I'm being a bit Vague as I don't want to spoil this, you just need to dive right in and immerse yourself in this violent and bloody world.
so this felt fresh.
In a sea of paranormal offerings, it came across as original and different making it really stand out in its genre.
It also helped that "The Devil You Know" was all sorts of hot and sexy.
With Plenty of appeal here to tempt a sinner or a saint.
It had so many twists and turns that I never saw coming and it was fully ramped right up to its shocking finale.
Totally gobsmacked at the ending and can't wait for the next chapter of this addictive story.
Enjoy.
I was provided with an ARC of "The Devil You Know - Ceasefire Series Book 1 " By the author of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

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Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
Profile Image for Al *the semi serial series skipper*.
1,659 reviews764 followers
February 17, 2019
This book annoyed me to hell and back. Maybe it's been a while since I've read anything BDSM themed, maybe that's why I found this one difficult. I thought Mav was pathetic and nothing she did could change my mind.

I know she was bound to the devil but I just could not understand her craving him so much that her soul needs him and yiddy ya. She is suppose to be the most lethal assassin, people hear her name and they shit their pants but I thought she was a lethal as a bunny rabbit. Everyone took advantage of her, everyone used her. She knew this but somehow still got caught in the same trap over and over again. Pathetic.

I also did not enjoy the way Lucifer treated her, I know he's the devil so it's not going to be roses and chocolate but I wanted her to show some back bone and kick his ass in the little way she could. But no, her soul wants him. Don't even get me started on her pity party.

TW
Profile Image for Ashley Lloyd.
Author 12 books123 followers
May 22, 2018
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review with absolutely zero idea what kind of book it was. Let me be clear - this book is raunchy and raw and erotica is totally not my thing. But I loved this book!

This story follows Mavi, assassin for archangel Gabriel. Mavi is one helluva complex character and becomes even more real and relatable as you read. This is a story that dwells in the supernatural/paranormal world. In fact, if you like the TV show, Supernatural, you will love this quest as Mavi and her friends/teammates work to find the balance between good and evil.

This book will have you questioning what you thought you knew about the characters and what you assumed about heaven and hell. Overall, it’s a very good read. I gave it 4 stars because I honestly don’t know how to judge the erotica portions since I don’t really read that usually but I loved everything else and will definitely read this author in the future.
Profile Image for Kerry Pruett.
584 reviews10 followers
July 14, 2018
WOW! I wasn't sure what I was in for when I started this book. I was drawn in from the beginning. I was intrigued. I have always loved the books and movies of Angels against the devil and all other mythical creatures. This story just brings a new adult version to those I already had. I always knew the devil was a SOB but I think he may have met his match in Mavi. I can't wait to read the next one, and see if or how Mavi wraps the devil around her finger. Well maybe they team up and make a hell of a couple, but then again the Devil may still her soul for good and be the death of her. I can't wait to read and see
Profile Image for Janneke Wolbers.
452 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2019
I really liked the concept of this story.
However some parts left me confused and made me read back a few times before i got it.

There were also a few times where the story jumped from one spot to another.
October 24, 2019
This book was just okay. If you are looking for lots of fuckery then this is for you. I need more action with a somewhat good plot. The characters were robotic instead of engaging almost like a script being played out. There was no depth and somewhat confused me at times. This book kept my interest enough to finish but that's about it. I won't be finishing this series.
April 12, 2018
Dark, intense, exciting, and fun! The heroine is strong and smart but not perfect. All the side characters are interesting and have a lot of depth. The plot is great with several twists and turns. Loved this book and can't wait for the next one!!

Reviewed by: Amanda A.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews10 followers
Want to read
July 16, 2018
💝FREE on Amazon today (7/16/2018)!💝

Blurb:
My name is Mavi StClair.
I’m a monster with a pretty face. An assassin in trade. Guilt, remorse, it’s never touched me. I’m as cold as they come and just as professional.
Dealing death has always come easily, and I inflict it with ease. It fuels and feeds the twisted darkness inside me.
My downfall begins with a single night of untamed passion leaving me hungering for more of him.
One wicked soul recognizing another.
Now he owns me.
The lines of what I know are blurred.
I'm playing his game.
A pawn, eternally tangled in a web of secrets and lies.
He won’t let me go.
Taking pleasure in my fall from grace.
Question is, can I save myself before I'm damned completely?
Profile Image for Kandace .
131 reviews1 follower
August 15, 2019
Interesting

This book started off as a 3 star read for me. It was kinda confusing at first and took me some time to catch on, but once I did I really liked it. The ending is CRAZ-E.
Profile Image for Maddy.
179 reviews70 followers
May 30, 2019
Kick ass heroine who did not take any crap (hooray!). Yes she is messed up, takes a bit too much delight in causing pain and seeing blood fly...but hey, no one is perfect.
We have a dark brooding handsome guy. Murders and mystery. What more do you want?
OK i kinda guessed who our gorgeous 'hero' was quite early on, but all the other things came out of no where for me and i loved it!
Profile Image for Alice Roux.
Author 44 books131 followers
March 30, 2018
You know when you're reading a booking that is so fucking good you forget to stop for lunch or to drink something or to pee?!

Well that was this! Claire Marta's newest book - The Devil You Know is soooo fucking hot I nearly burned my eyeballs. Angels, Demons, assassins, sex, violence, chemistry that melts your skin - this book has it all. I devoured it.

Keep your eyes peeled for this baby at the end of the month. If you like dark, paranormal and sexy then you're in for a treat!
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,052 reviews102 followers
May 14, 2018
Ugh!!!!!

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The beginning had me hooked, a badass assassin, I'm a sucker for a strong female role. but with all that being said, and all the many bad a** qualities she possessed I felt she was weak. At 60% of this read, I was rolling my damn eyes. The pity parties, the " I'm a freak" . The I can't do anything right. I wanted more badass assassin back, not the sad crybaby who seemed she could not stop spreading her legs for a man who literally used her as bait and let her a** get rapped ( like literally) , or falling for every damn trick in the book the man through at her, Jesus! Get yourself together ugh!!!! And with all her pathetic emotions, she just seemed useless, assassin my a**. Yeah I get she was going through stuff, but that's life baby, she knows better then anyone, and yet she was in pieces. Yeah I'm a little upset with how this story went downhill faster then a avalanche.
Profile Image for Socially Book Nerd .
511 reviews48 followers
March 13, 2018
Yet another great series in the mist for this Author! I loved it. Mavi is delightfully wicked. Cease Fire is a crew I'd love to be part of. The Devil himself is after her and the crew of Cease Fire, keeping you turning the pages to see what happens next. Don't get me started on the demons and their discretions. Claire brings them to life, as if I will pass one on the street. a definite must read!
Profile Image for Lou.
326 reviews4 followers
July 18, 2018
I've been really naughty! I read that book when it first came out and I'm only now writing my review, and its July!!
This book was an incredible read, it dark, twisted, emotional and erotic. The Devil You Know pushes the boundaries of your imagination, it reveals all the hidden corners in your mind, the places where your dark desires hide.
This story has created a world and characters that suck you in and keep you there. It also leaves you wanting; no needing; more. I reached the end, but I still didn't feel ready to leave these characters behind.
This book has been written extremely well. Claire’s characters are so full of emotion and personality, each character shows that they are multi-layered and displays the many different traits depending on the situation they face.
These characters have definitely worked their way under my skin and they will continue to have a place in my heart long after the story ends!
Profile Image for Betty Shreffler.
Author 21 books1,543 followers
March 3, 2018
I LOVED this book! It satisfied my craving for a dark, erotic, paranormal book and left me with a book hangover, wanting more. The female lead is strong and kicks butt which is how I like the female leads to be. The chemistry between Mavi and Max is off the charts and I especially enjoyed every intimate scene they had together. There were so many twists and turns that kept me eagerly turning the pages. I fell for the bad guy male lead, who's oh so bad, and oh so yummy. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a good dark, erotic, action packed, and steamy PNR romance. Can't wait to find out what happens in book 2!
Profile Image for Fantasy Land Romance Reader.
2,828 reviews70 followers
April 20, 2018
For my first Claire Marta story, I fell in love. I love paranormal stories and I love dark stories, and this one is both. There are a strong heroine and hero add, demons, vampires, and angels and you have a huge hit.

Mavis is a human that works for an angel as an assassin. She kicks a$$ and doesn't have a problem doing it. She loves her job and doesn't let anyone get in her way. But when she notices Max her juices start flowing towards him.

These two have a chemistry that blows you away. I love Mavis from the start, and Max is yummy! I loved this book and can't wait for the next one! I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy for my honest review.
Profile Image for Anna Edwards.
Author 79 books706 followers
April 10, 2018
Wow! Just Wow! Dark, Sexy and Paranormal. What is there not to love about this book. Nothing, that's what.
Claire has done a marvellous job with the characters. She's woven intricate individuals that I'm so in love with. Mavi struggles with her dark side, Max is HOT HOT HOT. A must read, even if you aren't into paranormal normally because it's such a good story.

Loved it and highly recommended.
Profile Image for Ida Jolley.
727 reviews15 followers
October 19, 2019
What an amazing read by Claire Marta. A very dark, erotic, paranormal story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. My first book by this author that I have read. It has a lot of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, a strong female character who takes charge. Mavi will kick a$$, and so will the rest of her male characters. A fantastic book.
Profile Image for Nikki Landis.
Author 103 books1,945 followers
April 30, 2018


Sometimes wicked, dark, sexy things are awfully good for the soul. This is no exception with The Devil You Know, a deliciously twisted and erotic tale that pushes the envelop in PNR and stretches the imagination to all the hidden corners of your mind, seeking out your darkest and most insidious desires. I devoured this book in nearly a day and didn't want it to end. Both shocking and riveting, TDYK will take you on one WILD RIDE.

I loved Mavi and her take charge, no bull, strong woman and sexual charged badass assassin attitude. She's one hell of a female lead, both villain and hero, seductress and 'bad apple'. She's not your typical heroine and I loved her uniqueness and spunk. So many times I shook my head but that was one of the fun parts.

No spoilers here but this story has some FANTASTIC twists, shocking scenes, and sexy erotic romance that will BURN YOU. Not to mention a little BDSM. Make sure you've got time when you sit down to read because you won't want to put it down. A thrill ride from start to finish, albeit a dark and sadistic one. Truly a work of art.

I LOVED this book. YOU MUST READ! Highly recommended. 5 damaged, erotic, thrilling STARS!

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Word Building: 5/5
Story Flow: 5/5

Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5
Profile Image for K.M. Lowe.
Author 37 books586 followers
February 11, 2020
This is the first book I've read by Claire Marta, and I did enjoy it. It's a twist of paranormal, erotica, and BDSM. It's sexy, dark, and addictive. The story was captivating enough with plenty of twists and turns. There is a cliff hanger, but I look forward to reading book 2.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
2,118 reviews81 followers
July 2, 2018
Lots of paranormal elements

*SPOILER ALERT*
Be ready for a cliffhanger at the of this book. Mavi is a harass character who works for an angel, but has a barely leashed darkness in her. I liked the story here. The minions of he'll get together to try to defeat Lucifer and take over Hell, is a new approach especially when all the sex is added.
Profile Image for Live, Laugh, Love .
428 reviews16 followers
September 8, 2020
This book was done right, twists and turns, and hot sex! Claire did an amazing job with this story. I cant wait into dive into book 2.
Profile Image for Valerie Z.
102 reviews36 followers
December 29, 2019
DNF @ 66%

I regret the day I decided to read this novel.

Profile Image for Ambrosia.
142 reviews
May 24, 2018
The writing was good, the plot very interesting! The twist and turns mindblowing.
But yes, because there is a but, i was disappointed with how easy it was for the hero to share the heroine. That's just a big no for me, an alpha just doesn't share his woman. All his men could take her in the ass or in the mouth but her vagina was for him only. I'm sorry but how stupid is that? And i'm not even gonna talk about the rape scene.
It's a pity because except for that this book was really good and grabbing, the hero was a complex as he should be but definitely not possessive enough.
It ends on a cliffhanger and i really want to read the next book.
Profile Image for Dawn Higgins.
870 reviews16 followers
September 25, 2018
I love a dark read,throw in the paranormal as well and i was hooked,this didn't dissappoint me at all,only the one gripe for me was a few typos and the plot got a bit slow half way through,but saying that the paced picked up along with lots of twists to the story with helpings of hot steamy rauchy sex.....phew!! If you love Demons, Archangels,Shifters and Warewolves you are in for a fantasic ride with plenty of action and lots of sex.The fabulous characters in the form of Max (Lucifer),plus one badass heroine Mavi and a playground for heaven and hell and you are in for a hell of a ride.
Profile Image for Nicola Rose.
Author 9 books248 followers
May 13, 2018
The Devil will melt you...

Another book that's left me feeling like I just watched an awesome episode of Supernatural! Loving the demon books right now! This was SO good. Mavi takes no prisoners, I love her. And that ending?! Gahhh!

( As for the beginning?! Award for boldest opening sentence in a book goes to this author!!)

This is some dark, bloody, and erotic reading...  And I cannot wait for the next book!
Profile Image for Emma Luna.
Author 20 books1,453 followers
March 9, 2019
Book: The Devil You Know (Ceasefire Book 1)
Author: Claire Marta
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewer: Emmasromaticreviews17 on Facebook
Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first time that I have sat down to write a review and I am not quite sure that I have the right words to describe how great this book actually is. I think the less you know about the actual plot the better as I enjoyed discovering things I was not expecting. This book is categorised as a paranormal romance but I am not entirely sure this sums it up as there was not a great deal of romance involved. When I started reading I did not know what to expect or whether I would enjoy the book but the more I read the more I realised that the characters and the plot were seeping into my veins and I was becoming addicted. I wanted to know the secrets of all the characters and I wanted to see where it was going to lead and I am so glad I did because this book is great.

Mavi is an assassin for the archangel Gabriel. She is a cold hearted, professional killer who does not show remorse. She knows that there is a darkness within her but does not fully embrace it, instead chooses to keep everyone at arm’s length. But all that changes one night when she meets the dark and mysterious Max. After a night of intense and frankly downright hot sex she is drawn to him despite the fact they are both clearly hiding secrets from each other. Max is dark and dangerous and a natural manipulator. He oozes sexual charisma and Mavi cannot help but be drawn to him.

This book takes place in a paranormal world that is about to turn upside down as the four generals of hell are rising up to overthrow the Devil from Hell. Ceasefire is the middle ground between the human world, heaven and hell and a balance exists where everyone knows the rules and the only rule is that you cannot kill anyone else. Angels, demons, shifters, werewolves, vampires and people with magic feature and the different way they are presented keeps you wanting to know more.
I loved Mavi’s no nonsense attitude and it was great to see such a strong heroine that was not afraid to embrace her bad side or her sexuality. Her uniqueness as a character lay in the fact she was both hero and villain, both seductress and enamoured, and this makes her not your typical heroine but I was still drawn to her. But Max was unbelievably hot even when his secrets and lies are exposed it was still impossible not to be sucked in to his world.

To say this book features shocking twist and turns is a massive understatement that does not do the plot of Claire Marta’s writing justice. However, at times I did find that I had to go back and re-read sections to fully understand what was happening and occasionally felt like the plot was a bit jumpy. But this is something that you can live with just to find out what happens next to the characters. The sex scenes are hot, steamy and downright dirty with a mild element of BDSM. But I should also point out that there a scenes that some readers may not enjoy and feature trigger elements which are not for everyone. There are scenes of rape which I personally felt that Mavi did not react normally to and this was the only aspect of her character that I did not understand or relate to. It felt unbelievable for her not to have a reaction to her experiences.

There is sex, violence and lots of twists and turns in this fantastic paranormal read. But beware because it ends in one hell of a cliff-hanger that will have your head ready to explode and your fingers itching to see how quickly you can download the next book. I loved reading this book and cannot wait to see what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews

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