Hondo by Lynn Hagen is the first book in the Demon Warriors series.

Hondo is one of the Demon Warriors and is revered for his fighting skills throughout the Demon Realm. As the Demon Warriors see others finding their mates, all they can do is to continue their search. Demons only recognize their mates after they've slept with them, so many demons sleep around a lot in their search. Chris, a demon, isn't a member of the warriors because of his small size, but he's been hanging out with them for a hundred years, trying to catch Hondo's interest, but Hondo isn't very observant about Chris's adoration. In spite of that, Chris hasn't given up hope. Hondo looks upon Chris as one of his best friends and they hang out a lot, until one night when he allows Chris to help him apprehend Gammy, a nasty demon, and Takeo, another warrior, remarks that Chris likes him. Hondo denies it, but he begins to look at Chris differently. Chris becomes friends with Snooke after he saved Chris's life and Hondo dislikes him on sight, giving Chris hope that he might finally get his wish. Hondo has his hands full trying to protect Chris from himself and other demons that are targeting him. On top of that, strange things are happening, placing the Demon Warriors in peril as they risk everything to uncover the mystery before it is too late.

Ms. Hagen's story Hondo looks to be the beginning of another blockbuster series. Chris may be a demon, but with his quirky, irrepressible and loving behavior, he is unlike the typical idea of a demon and I loved him immediately. It was hysterical reading how he used his demon speed to drive everyone crazy with his wacky behavior. When he and Snooke got together, I couldn't wait to see what they would get themselves into. Snooke is a mysterious character with hidden depths that have yet to be revealed and I can't wait to learn more about him. It was delightful to experience Hondo's joy when he realized that Chris was his mate, but he should've known that his domineering attitude wouldn't work with Chris. I was captivated by the many different demon abilities and how they used them in their lives. It was obvious with the warriors, but abilities that the average demon had were not as easily seen. The love between Chris and Hondo was wonderful to behold as they began to trust and rely on each other.

Reviewed by: Teresa