Seven Deadly Sins Books In Order

Publication Order of Seven Deadly Sins Books

Known for her ability to craft a highly charged erotic story filled with tension and romance, whilst simultaneously keeping it classy, Erin McCarthy is a renowned author within her field. Showing a clear understanding of both character and story, as well as putting enough in to tantalize the reader, she is able to construct a fully rounded romance novel. That’s definitely true in her Seven Deadly Sins series of novels, which manage to maintain a strong sense of her stylized fiction throughout. Combining both period drama and the supernatural, McCarthy has taken the historical romance in a slightly different direction this time. With her clearly confident handling of the more risqué elements as well, she’s definitely managed to come into her own here. Taking a look at lust and seduction, she has created a thematic arc that’s articulate and coherent throughout, as it understands itself and the manner of the material well.

Whilst the overall series may follow a thematic arc, they don’t continue on directly from each other in the narrative sense. Totaling three books so far in the franchise as a whole, there’s still plenty of room the expand on the stories, adding to them as time goes on. Whilst McCarthy hasn’t given any clear signals as of yet in regards to the series continuing, only time will tell whether she actually will or not.

My Immortal

Originally published through the Jove publishing label, this title was first brought out in 2007 on the 28th of August. Setting up the series, it manages to establish the themes that are to remain present throughout its entire run. Whilst it may work as a stand-alone title as well, it’s also best to read them in order if at all possible, as it allows the reader to keep them in context with each other.

Focusing more on the erotic, seductive and sensual side of romance with this particular series, McCarthy goes for something a bit more risqué this time. Creating a sense of tension within her relationship, she uses the friction well, while not toppling over in outright crassness. Keeping it witty as well, it’s not without her trademarked sense-of-humor either, retaining a sense of fun throughout. Using supernatural elements too, she’s on familiar territory, as the protagonist is both gifted and cursed with immortality. Given a period setting as well, it takes place on a New Orleans plantation, with magic and paranormal pacts surrounding the events. This builds a sense of ambiance and atmosphere that develops over the course of proceeding books as well. The characters themselves all have pasts shrouded in mystery too, as they must deal with their own sins and mistakes. This is something that’s central to the leading protagonist of Damien du Bourg, as he comes to terms with his own history. Then there’s Marley Turner, the foil to his centuries long era of inspiring lust in others, along with all those surrounding the both of them.

Set in the eighteenth century, it tells the story of a plantation owner named Damien du Bourg whose been gifted and cursed with immortality. After bargaining with a fallen angel, he’s been tasked with spending an eternity inspiring lust in others whilst not being able to feel it himself. This soon changes, though, when he comes into contact with Marley Turner, a young woman who suddenly brings up a passion he thought he could never feel again. Will they overcome his curse, or will they be doomed to be apart forever more? Can he find it within himself to forgive the sins of his own past? What will become of my immortal?

Fallen

First published in 2008 through the Jove publishing house on the 29th of April, this was to be the second book in the ongoing Seven Deadly Sins series. Whilst it doesn’t follow on directly from the previous novel, it does still retain many of the same ideas and themes from the first. McCarthy also manages to bring along some surprise twists and turn, keeping the formula fresh for her readers in the process.

With a lot of the ideas already well developed in the previous novel, this furthers the franchise by upping the ante. Creating a new situation with a new set of characters as well, it manages to draw up an entirely new set of themes to contend with. The central core premise of the books remains intact, though, retaining the concept of sins as the central hub of the novels. With a period setting once again, it also works at recreating the supernatural setting of the original too, bringing back much of the ambiance that made it work so well.

Taking place in the 1840’s, it heads once more to New Orleans, as it captures the spirit and the essence of the time. Meeting Gabriel, the fallen angel, he finds himself in an absinthe binge, which he wakes from to find that his mistress has been murdered. Unsure as to whether or not he’s done it, he soon falls into despair, right up till the present day when he meets Sara Michaels, a forensic scientist who may be able to help him. Will he ever be able to love again? What really happened on that fateful night? Can they ever redeem the fallen?

The Seven Deadly Sins Series

This series works not only as a light summer’s read with a few risqué elements thrown in, but also as a series to become fully invested in. Despite each title working as a stand-alone, there’s a clear thematic arc to their progression throughout, something which any McCarthy devotee will relish. Not only that, but it also provides engaging plot-lines and characters that resonate with the reader on a more grounded level. Marking somewhat of a departure from her previous franchises, this series works in that it offers something slightly more risqué. That’s not to say that it doesn’t retain much of her trademarked wit and intelligence, factors which have helped her greatly in the past. Providing her fans with something new and exciting, this really is a series that has the potential to continue for some time yet.