I think I enjoyed this more than the 1st book in the series - the interactions between Raphael and Elena felt more "real" and I think the characterizations overall were better. I absolutely love how lush the descriptions of the angels are - how beautifully Nalini Singh describes the colours and then when you add in the individual scents as well - it's a clever device that really builds a strong picture of each character. I think my favourite is Illium - wouldn't mind my own personal "bluebell" thanks. Raphael is deliciously dark - just enough loving to keep the action hot without crossing the line into romance/erotica. My only gripe is that the major conflict was resolved a little too quickly for my liking (and I guessed Lijuan's present at the ball) but all in all this was another great read and I am rushing on to start book 3.