Chosen (The Demon Gate #1) by Nicholas Bella

Chosen (The Demon Gate #1) Reviews

• 
  Elsbeth

  
  BR, September 6th with Julie.
  
  Excellent start of the series!!! A lot different than
  New Haven Series (season I - III)
  
  No sexfest this time, yet!!!
  
  I'll just refer to my fellow "Bellaholic" -
  Julie's review, cause I have the tendancy to quote excact the same things, so I'll safe myself the trouble!!
  
  I'll just confine myself with adding a pic of my "Raphael"
  
  
  
  And okay just one quote:
  
  

  “Well, that was sooner than I was expecting,” he said when he answered. “I don’t think it’s even been an hour since I’d last spoken to you.”
  
  “I need to talk to you.”
  
  “Just talk?”
  
  “Just come to my apartment tonight.”
  
  “Fine. I’ll meet you there.”
  
  “Okay.” I hung up and started the engine. My world was opening up a lot faster than I was ready for.

  
  

  God, why did I have to be chosen?
  
• 
  Ula'ndi Hart

  Overall book rating: 3.8 Short Stars
  Audio book: Michael O'Shea....ummmm 2?
  Book cover: 4 Stars
  
  I finally popped my Nicholas Bella cherry!!! Unfortunately, I popped it with one of the most ridiculous audio versions I’ve ever had the privilege to grace my ears with. I’m really truly sorry to say this but I can’t mince words here people.
  
  
  
  I do prefer my hot Italian MC’s NOT to sound like 85 year old grandmother while having intense forceful sex. And also, that accent was really not good. No. No no no then rather just read it in plain American English.
  
  Sad thing is, this narrator has a great voice, but for me this was just totally wrong. The feel of the book was approached in a “joking/full of himself” way I didn’t much care for either.
  It made Brian sound like a over confidant male ass and Raphael...well I’ll just have to go with perverted OLD person again. Hell I HATED his version of Raphael’s voice. Sorry again. Moving on.
  
  So I got myself the book and read the damn thing over from the start. Because a audio can MAKE or BREAK a book and if I left it at the audio...well. It would have been my first and last Nicholas Bella I have to admit.
  
  So, on to reading it and the actual book review.
  
  I have never read a “demon” book. It’s usually a sure fire avoid sign for me. It’s a personal taste thing really. But I also do pride myself in pushing my boundaries at least once in every genre and so I went for it. I’m happy to report that I actually enjoyed the read.
  
  That bonding scene....I’ve read other reviews on that specific scene and I can throw my vote behind it being yaw dropping. I still can’t decide if I’m totally freaked out about it or clapping in congratulations for the out of the box execution. Getting my head around that, because – well, picture brain and all, but yeah. Wow.... Okay who am I kidding, even if it makes me sound completely crazy I think it was done really great!
  
  
  
  I might just want to read the rest of it after all. I like dark reads and I prefer to give the book a more dark and brooding feel in my own head than the ...”something” the narrator chose.
  
  One thing though...when I’m thinking 300 year old hot Italian...I’m not thinking blond hair and grey eyes. The rest I can deal with. There's most definitely loads of potential.
  
  So let see how this goes down. Sorry for being a bitch. My deepest apologies about the rant and rave.
  
• 
  Drusilla

  I think I would describe the first part of this series as strangely weird. The plot is interesting but the characters feel strangely impersonal. I definitely miss the emotion in this book. 😕
  But that's probably also due to the fact that a rape is the opening act. And unfortunately, not as a subplot, but between the main characters, who are fated mates. 😢
  After that, it's just pretty hard to get into this story.
  However, the story itself is quite interesting as I said, so I'll keep reading ... for now.
  
  “I’m. Not. Gay,” I reiterated.
  “About that—”
  “About nothing! Fuck you.”
  “You will be, at least once a month. The Agoto likes to mate and we get together with our partners for a little bonding time. So, yes, Brian, you will be seeing me again and we will be intimate.”
  
  So, I’m not sure if I look forward to this …🥴
• 
  Sophia Triad

  That was a superweird short novel -although it is a book about demons so it has to be weird.
  Still it is weirder than weird.
  But I didn't mind. Maybe because I am not very normal myself.
  Anyway, Brian will change one day. He will become the host of a soul-eater demon. And that demon is mated with another demon who has Raphael as his host.
  
  Brian
  ...did not want to change
  ...did not want the way that he was changed beware there is a strong rape scene
  ...does not want to have sex with Raphael because he is not gay, but he has to because their demons want to
  
  The book is short, but there are 9 books about Brian the soul-eater published and I have already read three of them.
• 
  Nemo ☠️ (pagesandprozac)

  you know when something is so ridiculously bad it actually curves back round, horseshoe theory style, and ends up being good? yeah. that.
• 
  ❧ *´¸. Gwendolyn ❧ A Purely Organic BookOwl‘•´¸.*

  
  This book is unique and intriguing in its storytelling. Brian's POV but, the other voices do stand out.
  
  And, even as I read with the noted caution's of rape by other readers of this book, I still find myself adoring this read. the MCs are intriguing.
  
  The story is absolutely fab. The world is awesome to step into. I also like that the MCs are Men and not a Boys in action, voice and mannerism. The paranormal aspect is fantastic. And, now I am hooked on this fast pace intriguing demon drivin serial, and I am glad to have the next book in my hands. This series is somewhat original, Brian reminds me of Butch when he kills (BDB by JR Ward) he is even a cop. The intro and mating is unique....to say the least. BUT...
  
  
  
  There is fictional written rape in this book. If that is a HUGH niggle for you this may not be to your liking. This book has demons and they all do not have auras that embrace the feels of rainbows and unicorns.
• 
  K.A. Merikan

  Very entertaining
• 
  Al *the semi serial series skipper*

  Eh, I don't think I liked this one. The main character is raped by his mate. Yes, I understand that he also had no choice in it but I found it distasteful all the same. That ruined all the sex scenes for me, usually I like reading about a straight man discovering the joy of sex with men but I just couldn't forget him pleading with his mate. Not for me.
• 
  Mindy

  That was crazy weird. Onto the next one.
• 
  Line

  I have no clue how I really want to rate this.
  First of all it's a very short book (I know, I know it's the beginning of a serial), but it was just short.
  Also Brian is RAPED! I'm sorry to put it that bluntly, but the tip-toeing around, and the justifications: it's a 'fantasy' book and: "the demon wanted it NOW" and "Brian wanted it, because he came" are RIDICULOUS!
  The author could have chosen SO many other avenues, for Brian and Raphael to get together.
  Raphael IS possessed by one of the most powerful demons if Agent Smith is to be believed, and I'm sure a powerful demon could have used some of that power differently.
  It's just, the justifications used in this book can be found in COUNTLESS rape survivor stories, and I had a hard time accepting that it is used so callously, in a story where a demon is spit into Brian's mouth after the rape.
  
  
  So Brian, a police officer, meets Raphael, when he stops him speeding. All of a sudden (see above) Brian is possessed by a soul-eating demon. He has to eat a soul a day in the beginning, or else the demon will take over Brian's body and eat whomever. Brian decides that he will only eat evil people, and after a VERY short (and completely incomplete and ridiculous) introduction by Raphael to his new demon-life, he is left alone. Though for the rest of their days Raphael and Brian will have to get together once a month to fuck, because the demons demand it...
  
  Brian's first month isn't described, all we get is a sort of re-cap (apparently he's had a lot of sex with women, but none on-page) and he has eaten a lot of souls.
  The end of the book is Brian being contacted by Agent Smith, to help fight the evil demons on earth.
  
  I really don't know what to think of this, I might read the next book, but the rape and the subsequent justifications have sort of put me off!
• 
  MzBond

  The main character is unlikeable as fuck. That doesn’t make what happens to him okay. Don’t care how it’s labeled, it’s rape. Try to package it as two powerful men having steamy sex all you want, it’s rape. Just because he achieved orgasm, doesn’t mean it wasn’t rape. Just to be clear, it isn’t in dub-con territory, it’s rape. I wish the warning in the synopsis wasn’t so tongue in cheek and actually warned that rape/non-consensual sex was in it.
  
  Definitely wasn’t for me.
• 
  S.K.

  I went into this story vaguely aware that some people found there were problematic issues with the mating of the two MCs, and the warnings that content might be sensitive to readers. I wasn’t expecting the straight up rape up scene that I read. I must admit, that threw me quite a bit – I’ve read dub-con and non-con, but this was just – nope. I think that the warnings given need to be clearer as they are too euphemistic for what actually happened on page.
  
  The main character, Brian, was horrible – as in, I couldn’t find a single redeeming quality about him. He blundered around, getting himself into all kinds of trouble with secret societies and demon royalty with the subtlety of a dumper truck. He whined, constantly. His attitude towards women was abhorrent, and I was barely 30% of the way through the story before I decided that I really couldn’t give two sh1ts what happened to him. He was a complete dumbass.
  
  Raphael was one-dimensional at best, and you would think considering his age, he might have handled things better. He was barely on page (mainly because Brian was such a dumbass but I digress), but when he was there, it was all about how pretty he was whilst he acted like a complete AH.
  
  I was actually intrigued by the idea of the gates of hell, working to close them as well as secret societies and all sorts of demons, but it just wasn’t there. It was all about how powerful Brian’s demon was (told, not shown), him eating souls and sex. That was it. I know it was episode one, but there was pretty much nothing here that made me want to go back for episode two. I have read other Nicholas Bella books and enjoyed them, so I was a little disappointed in this one. I didn’t even find the story that dark – perhaps all of that will come in further episodes when it gets more into the demon gates? Or maybe I’m just a bit too dark in myself!
  
  2.5/5 from me. I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews.
• 
  Yeochingyu

  3.75 I have to admit the mating scene was a little... the part where Raphael was being forceful not the next part but I enjoyed this first episode.
  if you are looking for romance this is not it, still you can enjoy it so ...
  Here is straight-cop Brian
  ...
  and sexy-italian-demon Raphael
  

  Blond hair, gray eyes, chiseled Mediterranean model features all the way with a body to match. Maybe I should lay off the damn junk food. This asshole was giving me a complex. Fucking prick.

  
  
  the story is dark but still fun poor Brian was doing a lot of gagging, bad or good... well Brian's life is about to make a 180 change and it's not a fun ride (for him) MuHAHA well as far as I'm concerned I am enjoying this. :o guess I just let out my inner demon
• 
  Mimi

  Looking good so far.
• 
  Bkwrm24

  3 Stars 🌟
  
  This was an interesting one... a dark, very disturbing, at times hilarious....spicy as hell mind f**k, that's the best I've got for this one 😈 Dark fantasy lovers are going to eat this one up!!! I'd defiantly recommend for fans of that genre..who am I kidding, I have to read the next one just to see what happens 😬
  
  * I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
• 
  Hoa

  1. It's rape. But it's not important, because our MC is disgusting as hell. I will state reasons below.
  
  2. Brian is annoying and disgusting. He thinks about fucking all the time. Yes I know he's a bit... too horny but you don't have to show his lust all the time. So yeah, the rape scene can become sexy thanks to him.
  
  3. This is also why I say Brian is disgusting: IS THERE ANYONE TROUBLED WITH THE "KILLING PEOPLE IS OK AS LONG AS THEY ARE BAD/CRIMINALS/..." CONCEPT HERE? Brian is a cop, at first he was against killing but then accepted very quickly. If everyone thinks like this then people don't need law anymore. I agree there are cases when the criminals get away from prison but that's not the reason you can kill anyone you want.
• 
  ⚣Michaelle⚣

  3.7 Stars
  
  Did not like the non-con aspect of the mating & propagation, but the mythology and set up for what appears to follow in closing the portals to hell, redeeming some demons and culling criminals/evil individuals seems really quite interesting.
• 
  Lyndsey

  I am intrigued!
• 
  Jacq~Simply Book Lit

  The writing was soooo funny at times. Just magnificent!
  
• 
  Susan65

  Audio review by
  The Blogger Girls
  
  Oh wow, so not what I was expecting, even with the warning in the blurb. But wow, what an intriguing start to a new series about demons, non-consensual mating, and saving the human race from not just one, but many different kinds of demons. And here we thought climate change was caused by humans. Ha!
  
  This was a relatively quick audiobook, and Michael O’shea did a great job performing both Brian, our bad luck cop, and Raphael, our resident rapist demon. You never once get the two mixed up as Raphael is Italian, I think…but whatever ethnicity he might be, he is still a very sexual demon and he rocked Brian’s world, in more than one way.
  
  Seriously, this is not a love affair nor a romance, and there is non consensual sex between a human and demon, a nasty alien-like slimey being dripped into Brian’s mouth, the changing of a straight cop into a powerful demon who is forced to have gay sex with his new “mate” to survive. And don’t mistake the word “mate” for love and romance…nope, no way. Think of it as a vampire who sire’s another. So, yeah, this is not a book or series for everyone, and even though I enjoyed his writing, the narrator’s performance, and the dialogue, I might have to take a break before I go onto the next book. Even I need to ponder what I just listened too.
• 
  Sabrina

  DNF @43% (trust me, that was enough)
  What the fuck did I just read....
  
  Its not even dark; I’ve read darker stories. This is just a mess.
  
  Also the whole STRAIGHT UP RAPE scene was not cute nor romantic AT ALL. I am not one to romanticize rape, if I see it in a book I call it what it is; it disgusts me but if the plot continues to be coherent then I can work around it; not this time.
  
  I found Brian to be unlikable as hell just as Raphael. Brian was a fuckboy through and through (all he thinks about is sex, he calles women “females” like they are a wild specie, he only thinks of them in terms of sex and he thinks moaning and enjoying sex is so woman like. Ugh fuck off. why do female authors insist on putting down women in M|M books? They are either sex objects for the males, stupid, evil and if they smart and strong they are lesbians. What.
  
  Raphael is just....a rapist. Condescending, no remorse about raping his supposed mate, forced Brian to enjoy his rape but not before threatening to kill everyone he loved if he screamed then told him they needed to continue having sex because the demon or whatever. He thinks Brian should be grateful (after violently kidnapping him, violently raping him and forcing him to achieve orgasm while taunting him) of his new “gift” even though Brian never asked for it. Any of it. The dude was straight and had no sexual interest in any guy whatsoever. Not even when he first met Raphael did he expressed any sexual interest. He was just an attractive man, that’s all.
  
  This makes light of rape victims that have orgasms during their rapes (it does happen its just not talked about). If they had an orgasm it must mean they wanted it, right?. If you want to write a rape scene just write the damn thing like it is. Don’t try to sugar coat it and have one of the MC’s go all soft and sweet on his rapists.
  
  The sex scenes were not hot at all, the writing was all over the place and too quick to be enjoyable and God knows what other clusterfucks I would have encounter if I continued reading.
  
  *sigh* I had such high hopes for this...
• 
  Kynthos-the-Archer (Kyn)

  
  I am very entertained. Enjoyable characters and intriguing world-building. It got the vibe of a superhero story although it is all about the demons. Good demons, bad demons and rotten humans. Good versus bad. The race against time to save the world, that sort of route.
  
  I must say I absolutely adore the mating part although it also involved freakish tentacled creature that has nothing to do with tentacle sex (too bad that but we can't have it all). I love that the victim of the forced bonding has no control whatsoever over the situation and later no control over.. his body's conditioned reaction towards his unwelcome mate and still get mind blowing orgasm from the mating. I find that hot and very erotic. It's also way cool that the painful encounter has left the guy with lots of perks to die for apart from some other not so nice deals he has to learn to live with.
  
  About the writing, I like that the author favours showing more than telling. It's nice that the author did not take away the reader's ability to think and feel for themselves like many other authors of such genre usually does by insistent spoon feeding their readers. On the not so great side of this book, it is the annoying typos and some minor writing hiccups.
  
  Overall it is an engrossing read and most importantly it made an impression and the story stays in my head. On top of that, I thirst for more this story after finishing it. That surely is a good sign.
  
  
  *Reviewed on April 22nd, 2019
  
• 
  H.

  I don´t understand the high ratings.
  The straight MC gets raped by the supposed Love Interest.The Rapist doesn´t show the slightest remorse.He just told his victim to get over it and be grateful for the best sex of his life(after threatening to kill everyone who comes to his rescue,if he screams);just because he came,a result of physical reaction to prostate stimulation,and only after that(we get told,that Brian is horrified and hurting;he´s not in the closet and rape fantasies aren´t a kink of him).And not to forget,he´s one of the Chosen,a gift he got for beeing raped,so everything´s okay,right?
  
  The offender keeps on beeing arrogant and condescending,telling Brian that they are now mated for eternity and he has no other choice as getting fucked at least once a month by his rapist(their Agotos wouldn´t have it any other way,hooray for beeing possessed by a demon).
  
  I finished this Book and started the second one in the hopes,his "mate"shows some remorse about treating Brian this way or get´s some punishment,but it doesn´t look like that will happen.
  
  I can´t recommend this series to anyone.I´m just glad,it was for free on Kindle unlimited.
  
• 
  Lila Hunter

  This was an entertaining story. It does have a non-con scene twenty percent in, but I think the author did a good job balancing what was happening and how Brandon processed his responses. I'd say this is a short to read between longer works or when looking for something a little out of your comfort zone.
  
  The concept is interesting, and the characters grow on you. Books about demons aren't something I read often but I'll read the next story in the series. I just don't know when.
• 
  Cocktails and Books

  Well, this was something much different than I thought it was going to be. I don't mind a good m/m romance, but when one of the heroes basically rapes the other at the beginning of their romance....I'm out.
• 
  Tina

  
  Another must read for every Bellaholic! :)
• 
  ♥️Victoria ♥️ ♥️love books♥️

  DNF 20%
• 
  pauliree

  Lots of sexy times in this but a bit shallow for me, will read on because of the sexy times :)
• 
  Madhu MaBookYard -

  I’d like to think that I was a guy with high moral standards, but I also knew what was important when the stakes were high.
  .
  My Rating : 3.25/5 🌟🌟🌟✨
  .
  This book follows our main character Brian, and the repurcussions of a speeding ticket. The book started off really good. The interaction between Brian and Raphael was filled with chemistry and I loved the Lawman/Paranormal angle of it. Now, even though I liked the first few chapters, the book went downhill after that for me. There are some triggering topics dealt with and then Raphael did things I wasn't really comfortable reading with, and even though the plot and the storyline justified the act, I felt like it wasn't necessary? Okay, I get the demons and the mates are pretty rare, and there are more important things in the plot to concentrate on, but COME ON!!! And don't even get me started on Adriel. I mean, I knew it was a Dark Romance going in, but what I didn't get was the plot, the characters and the way it was put together. I can't really point one thing, but towards the end, it was a gravy and I'm still comfused as to what happened and how the story is going to go forward. Overall, Eventhough I liked the dominating part of the steamy scenes and the forced admission, and the anter and stuff, I still wasn't sold on the way it was put together. Will I read the next book? Yes. Absolutely. Because I want to know what happens next.
  .
  Thank you so much GRR for the gifted review copy!
  .
  .
  Book 61 - February 2022 / Arc / GRR
  Tags : PNR MM Romance, Forced Bond, Dark Romance