Imagine: You’re an atheist, but one day the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse show up, essentially take away any and all modern technology in one fell swipe (killing an untold number of people in the process), and then disappear into thin air without an explanation. Five years later, the earth stirs, and word carries that Pestilence, the first of the Horsemen, is on his horse, and he carries plague with him as he rides. You’re one of the only four people in your community without a spouse or children of your own and you drew the short straw on being the one to stay behind and try to kill Pestilence while the rest of your community evacuates far into the rural wilderness.

Only, Pestilence doesn’t die. And when he pleads for mercy, you don’t give it. And now you're his prisoner, so he can see you suffer like you made him suffer.

I read Pestilence once before when it was still an independently-published novel. I loved it then and I love it now. It’s enemies-to-lovers, medium burn, medium spice, dark, violent, and has a terrific storyline. The worldbuilding is outstanding, which is necessary with it being the first of a four book series. The first book sets the tone, and Pestilence has a lot of stuff to do and say to set up the series while also building the complicated and fascinating romantic relationship between Pestilence and Sara (our FMC).

My favorite part of the dynamic between Pestilence and Sara is the interplay between her endless human compassion and compulsion to try and save people and/or to soothe people because she’s a first responder and Pestilence’s insistence that he can’t and won’t stop doing his job but admits he doesn’t like having to kill people and doesn’t enjoy watching them die. Neither one of them can help who they are, and for most of the book neither one of them is able to change it. And therein lies the conflict between the two, and that’s where the sparks fly.

You want to know if there’s an HEA? I would call it HFN. After all, there are three more horsemen to come. But the book does end on an up note. It’s a great read!

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

I have previously read this title when it was independently published. This review is for the 2023 Bloom Books edition.

File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Dark Romance/Post-Apocalyptic/Romantasy/Kindle Unlimited/Science Fiction/Spice Level 2/Supernatural Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for letting me review this series!

I knew about The Four Horsemen series prior to it getting picked up by the publisher but hadn't quite jumped yet to read it! I loved this apocalyptic romance! These women were badass and it was great to start off with Pestilence!

If you’re able to turn the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse into your main male leads in a romance novel, you’ve gotta be pretty damn good at your job.

Sara has the privilege of killing Pestilence, and though she hits her mark, no one told her he and his horse are unkillable. In return, the horseman spares her from both death and disease, keeping her as his prisoner so she will know suffering as he has. You can imagine that this isn’t the best start to any relationship, but if you’re into enemies-to-lovers and opposites-attract romances, there’s a lot to enjoy amongst the pages of this book.

I’ve read plenty of books where the connection between two opposing characters comes too easily, but this one does not fall into that trap. The chemistry is there, to be sure, but Sara often wonders if she’s betraying her people every time she catches herself giving into his softer side. And for his part, Pestilence cannot understand why he feels the way he does toward Sara. It’s much too human, but the more he fights against it, the harder it becomes to deny how she’s changing him.

I love a good forbidden romance, and I’ve come to realize I can get behind a well-written slow-burn as well. I would say this book falls into both of those categories, and it adds gravity to the story. This could have been a silly little story about banging one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, but there’s a lot of weight to what Laura Thalassa is saying within these pages. The book is about the strength of love, and how humanity holds within it the power of their own destruction—as well as their own salvation.

What a fun read!! In this book our FMC is set on a mission to end the life of Pestilence the Conqueror. He and his brothers and brought the apocalypse to the world and she takes a chance at death to kill him and save the world, only to find out, he can’t die. Pestilence takes Sara captive and over the course of time she falls for her captor, only he falls first. The build up of their relationship and the whole I was meant to kill you and you are meant to kill me situation was so fun to read and keeps you wondering what the solution will be, or if there will ever be one. I throughly enjoyed this book and will be moving straight on to read “War” with high expectations!

The Four Horseman appeared on earth and brought with them a whole lot of death and suffering. When Sara tries to save her loved ones (and the whole country) from the disease that Pestilence is spreading, she doesn’t realise that he can’t be killed. So he takes her as a prisoner and forces her to watch as he continues his purpose of wiping out humanity.

You know it’s true love when your meet cute involves one setting the other on fire and watching you die a slow and painful death. There was plenty of action in this book and, like book 2, it brings up a whole bunch of moral questions. I sometimes totally get the idea that humans are beyond saving and maybe it’s time to start from scratch again. Then you’ll see a little slither of something that gives you hope that all is not lost.

“War” is still my favourite of the series so far, but I’m excited to read the other books in the series. I loved Rob and Ruth and wish everyone could be like them.

Favourite quote of the book:
“Hey, Pestilence,” I say, “I need to use the shitter.”

Thanks to #NetGallery and the publisher. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Format: Digital
POV: Single
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Age suggestion: 18+

This book was a wild ride y'all! The premise was something new and unconventional, which was nice on the one hand but for my personal taste a little too much on the other. I really liked how Pestilence had no experience with human emotions whatsoever and didn't know what was going on about 90% of the time. Sara was pretty funny and overall likeable.
Just as a heads up, this really isn't a plot driven story.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
I was completely transported and immersed into the apocalyptic world within this book. I really enjoyed the variety throughout; there was comedy, slow burn romance, and a sprinkle of torture. This was my first dystopianesque book and it definitely won't be my last. Sara was fierce, sharp-tongued, determined, compassionate, and honest. Pestilence was set in his ways, grumpy, at times brutal but ultimately misguided. He was a top-notch morally grey, anti-hero. This book really gets you thinking about differing perspectives, values, right versus wrong, and so forth. The tension between these two was fab. There was always something happening to keep me hooked, and I found myself flying through!

Thank you to Laura Thalassa, Bloom Books, and Net Galley for my copy of this arc.

I was provided an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

If you're looking for your next spicy BookTok read, look no further! I can assure you: PESTILENCE lives up to the hype (I literally read this whole book in one day).

PESTILENCE by Laura Thalassa takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the four horsemen have appeared to wipe out humanity. While three of the brothers sleep for now, Pestilence rides across the globe, spreading an incurable fever. In an attempt to help her town get away-- and save the world-- Sara tries to kill Pestilence. Too bad she didn't realize that he was immortal.

Pestilence and Sara have a... *complicated* relationship to say the least. It is really interesting to see their dynamic play out: he's an immortal being who hates killing and is forced to do so anyway and she is a human, who suffers from his lack of understanding of humanity while also still growing to care for him. Sara has to struggle with feelings of guilt for "turning against humanity" even as she realizes that Pestilence is just as human as she is. Meanwhile, Pestilence convinces himself that he hates humanity so that he can swallow destroying them, but he's also learning to be kind for this human girl-- who tried to kill him, mind you. Painfully. Even with all the bloodshed it is all oddly... heartwarming???

The author is really great at imbuing spots of humor even with all the bad things her characters go through. Seriously-- Pestilence has sex with Sara one time and he's immediately like, "LET'S GET MARRIED." It is hilarious. It also gives Pestilence this odd sense of innocence, because there's so much of humanity that he doesn't understand and hasn't experienced. And yet he is also the one who is willingly destroying the world and millions of families. It's this really odd dichotomy that you wouldn't think would work, but it actually does.

I also found the author's take on religion interesting. I like the idea that God doesn't really care about which religion you follow because it's not about being right or wrong. It's about being a good person, which isn't dependent upon one particular religion. Additionally, I really liked the discussion about how God doesn't really have a gender-- and why would they? Can humanity impose our own societal norms on a being that is intended to be so far above us? And why would such a being share our values or constructs? (No disrespect intended to people who are religious, of course! I just found it an interesting thought experiment, but I also recognize that I'm coming at this from a non-religious perspective, so apologies if my phrasing is off or anything!)

I honestly don't have anything super major to critique with this title: it's well written, it's themes are thought-provoking, and, of course, the steaminess is properly up to temperature if you know what I'm saying ;). I really loved it, and will definitely be looking forward to the next book in the series!

I read this series after they were first published and it’s still just as good as I remember! Thanks so much to Bloom and Netgalley for reminding me how much I enjoyed them. Plus, I love the new covers! Now I’m going to need to add these beauties to my book dragon hoard.

Pestilence starts off with a bang, literally. Sara tries to end Pestilence as he travels through her town to stop his advancement through the world. Lo and behold, Pestilence is immortal. Once he comes to, he’s a bit peeved Sara tried to unalive him and puts her through the ringer for it. Instead of infecting her like everyone else, he keeps her alive to torment. This book has:

Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Tension
Anti-hero
HEA

The drama and tension in this book is top-notch. Laura has a way of writing that flows well and is easy to follow. I devoured this book, flying through the pages and eager to continue reading. I’d definitely give this book and its sequels a read if you’re looking for a new fantasy romance series!

Pestilence captivated me from the moment I delved into its pages. As a fan of paranormal romance, I was immediately drawn to the intricate interplay between hope and the resilience of humanity within this dark and weighty narrative. The story itself is both thrilling and engrossing, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Thalassa's skillful character development adds depth and complexity to the individuals who inhabit this tale. Their well-crafted personas enhance the overall experience, making it all the more enjoyable and memorable.

Pestilence came to conquer and I caught it bad. This book is the epitome of morally grey. You start out with a world doomed to a slow, painful death and a morally conflicted woman desperate to save it from the first Horseman of the apocalypse, and everything explodes from there. Pestilence WANTS you to suffer, it is toxic in the ways it will break you into tiny peaces and then tenderly coax you back together again only to teach you a new meaning of pain. And the biggest evil is that you will love every moment. From the first transgression this enemies to lovers tale explores redemption, fate, duty, morality, the human disposition, loyalty and divinity. All with a healthy dose of slow burning steam to tempt your fall. Bring your guilt and tag along for the Horseman's ride to end the world.

This book.. holy wow. I’m not sure what it says about me that I enjoyed it so much. But let me tell you that DID. It had a little bit of everything that I didn’t expect, like the humor and well plot. But I loved it. Would recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks for the ARC! I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed this book. I think it’s a concept that hasn’t been done before and I think it was done really well . I especially enjoyed the relationship between both of the main characters, although the main female character was slightly irritating at times. It’s a great first book and definitely keeps the reader excited for the rest of the series. In addition, it explores themes are deeper than one would expect. I think it’s a great romance that shows the struggle between a character that’s not really human while also still feeling human emotions. I know that the rest of the series is going to be incredibly exciting!

Pestilence is the 1st book in The Four Horsemen Series and I loved it.
This is a dark fantasy romance between the 1st Horseman of the Apocalypse, Pestilence, and Sara the firefighter, who tries to kill him, only to realize he can't be killed.
As punishment, he takes her as his prisoner to make her suffer for what she did to him. However as they embarks on this journey through towns and cities as he spreads the plague, in spite of how badly he started off treating her and in spite of how much she hates him, their forced proximity causes them to slowly start developing feeling for each other and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship evolved throughout the course of the novel. I loved the banter and angst between them and I loved seeing their character development.

Although at times dark, this story was also engrossing, funny and entertaining and I couldn't put it down. It was a character driven story that was well paced, and at times emotional. It shows the darker side of humanity but also shows redemption and love.
This was a unique well written tale that was highly engaging and I can't wait to read the other books in this series. I would definitely recommend it.

Perfect for romance/ fantasy lovers! I love how fast paced the story is. Laura is one of my new favorite authors.

This was first published in 2018 as an e-book. It will now be published in paperback. And I have no business enjoying it as much as I did. Basically, a supernatural romance starring 1 of the Four Horseman, Pestilence, and a human woman, Sara Burns. There is a very slow lead-up to their "ahem" romance and you might be as aggravated by Sarah as I was, but Pestilence himself is written so charmingly (for an apocalypse-type monster), that you cannot help but be intrigued.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this e-arc.*

Firstly, I’d like to say that Laura Thalassa has a way with words and a way to work a reader’s emotions and I just love anything she writes and will write.

Secondly, this definitely was a different book and at times I felt it was disturbing but I knew exactly what I was getting into when I picked it up.

This is an apocalyptic romance with one of the horsemen. I mean, what else does someone expect to read??? It was going to be problematic and I was so here for it.

Review: This story followed Sara, an ex-firefighter trying to survive after the four horsemen arrived and Pestilence remained while his brothers slept. She and her friends decided who was going to harm Pestilence and she lost the bet.

Her efforts were unsuccessful and she ends up being his prisoner. And as punishment, he carries her around as he lays waste to the human race.

Her being around him did make him more human?! And he slowly became a bit of a softy.. but only for her though… and I will say, that was sweet to see. But I did, at times, have a problem with his dialogue and it almost felt childish.

And him being around her almost made her seem sympathetic to his cause. That was to be expected when she only spends time with him and saw how other people tried to also harm him and her, by association.

The spice in this book was definitely spicy and super swoon worthy. Slow burn vibes and watching them both be conflicted by their feelings, was hot.

Again, I knew what I was getting myself into and I will definitely read the rest of the books in this series.

Thank you to sourcebooks bloom for the eArc of this!

I’m sorry to say that this didn’t work for me. It was just terribly repetitive. Sara gets hurt, pestilence cares for her, she asks why, he answers about how he wants her to suffer, rinse and repeat. Add in some “I think I care about you more than I should” dialogue and inner monologue as the pattern goes on. I just got very, very tired of this. It would maybe have been one thing of the character started to grow on me, but I still felt like Sara was similarly thin in her characterization, and Pestilence just felt like a hot powerful guy.

I’m going to try Thalassa’s bargainer series at some point because I suspect it would go better for me. I think this just wasn’t to my taste.

I enjoyed reading this. The actual writing came off a little immature at times, but I enjoyed the plot, characters, and the smut. Would definitely read the rest of this series. And the cover is beautiful.

I totally understand where all the hype for this book now that I've finally given it and this talented author a chance. What a truly fabulous story. Yes, there are plenty of horrific, graphic and hellish scenes but the unplanned and very unusual pairing of Pestilence and Sara Burns was like nothing I've ever read before and i'm here to say I enjoyed every single word.

I'm not one who typically will seek out a story involving the aftermath of an apocolypse and/or something in the fantasy/paranormal world but the way Thalassa crafted this storyline, I couldn't help but be on board from the very first pages. With the horror of a plague that Pestilence was deigned to spread, I couldn't imagine how Sara would come to be his partner in every way possible. But the tenacious firefighter is clearly the only human who could tame the sexy beast while showing him just how precious life is and that not all mortals are evil and uncaring. In fact, it was a joy and a true bright spot against the backdrop of so much death and destruction that Sara's smart mouth and feisty ways along with her deep compassion for her fellow man began to chip away at Pestilence's newly-found conscience, resetting his own formerly-determined destiny with much surprise and fear.

The way Sara spoke her mind was my favorite part of this well-written book. I definitely have a huge girl crush on her and the way she handled herself no matter the situation. Her bravery at trying to stop Pestilence is what starts this incredible journey and as the days, weeks and months go by, I could feel the pain she endured at her captor's hands as well as the powerful pounding of her heart as she began to fall for him even when she knew better.

Much occurs in the book that is at times hard to read but I found the moments of grace and mercy softened even the harshest of scenes. There is a subtle poignancy to this storyline that is just so enticiing, it clearly tugged at my own sense of humanity, wondering how any of us might react when the end of the world as we know it is suddenly upon us. With the arrival of the Horsemen of the Apocolypse, what Sara learns about herself and the one horseman that she at one time was bound and determined to see gone is something that is powerful and decidedly heartbreaking all at once.

The way this book ends made my heart sing. I wasn't sure how open-ended it might be since I know Pestilence's 3 brothers get their stories told as well and I just wanted a bit of happy amidst all the doom and gloom. What Laura Thalassa does with those last few chapters along with that wonderful epilogue had me smiling broadly and I was beyond satisfied with how she perfectly rectifies any lingering doubts in my mind and for our couple that love can truly conquer all.

A very surprisingly heartwarming adventure, I happily give Pestilence 5+ brilliant stars!