Tempted

Naughton's sexy, fast-paced Eternal Guardians series, in which superhuman warriors protect descendants of the Greek gods, continues in this riveting and unpredictable third installment (after 2010's Marked and Entwined). Isadora, princess of Argolea and descendant of the Horae, the goddesses of balance, is kidnapped by an evil warlock's servants. Demetrius, an Argonaut with a dark secret, rescues her but treats her contemptuously to mask his love for her. When evil goddess Atalanta strands the pair on a dangerous island as part of her plan to take over Argolea, Isadora and Demetrius trade antagonism for passion, with strong, vivacious Isadora taking the lead as darkness threatens Demetrius's tortured soul. Naturalistic, snappy dialogue, endlessly twisting plots within plots, a cast of complex and eminently likeable characters, and a romance as hot as it is complicated make this an entertaining and smoldering read. (Sept.)