There's an old, old, old saying: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. But what about the road out of hell? If there even is one. And, if there is a road out of hell, can it be walked by one of the infernal? These are all questions raised by Jackie Kessler in her dazzling debut novel Hell's Belles. Not only is this a great book, but it's possibly one of the funniest, most romantic books I've read in years.

Jezebel is a woman -- loosely speaking -- who loves her job. For a demon from the deepest parts of the Pit, she's not all that bad. Sure, her job is to screw men to death -- literally -- and drag their screaming souls into the Lake of Fire, but at least she gives them a good time before they go. She's someone who takes her job seriously. Which makes it all the more difficult when the Lord of Hell makes an announcement.

Acting in the heat of passion, which, for a succubus is probably ninety percent of her time, Jezebel flees to Earth, where she proceeds to ensnare a witch. With the witch's help, Jezebel disguises herself as a mortal. Of course, mortals don't have infernal powers and that's a darn shame for Jezebel since there's a bounty on her head that might tempt even the former Queen of the Succubi to hunt her down.

The good news for Jezebel is that she meets the most infuriating man -- a man who won't even sleep with her when she throws herself at him. She also finds work at a strip club named Belle's in the heart of New York City. Still, a succubus on the run from hell might not find a strip club the safest place to hide, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the book is Kessler's idea of the reason for the existence of hell. It's a distraction. To say any more would ruin one of the books biggest surprises. Since I'm feeling generous, I'll let you have that surprise when you read the book. Don't say I never gave you anything.

I'll be honest with you. I'm not the biggest romance reader in the world. Or even in my own household, if you want to know the truth. However, the idea behind this book really grabbed me so I thought I'd give it a try and I'm glad I did. Kessler really knocks this one out of the park, if I might be permitted the use of a sports metaphor in a romance review. Jezebel is one of the most fiendishly engaging characters I've ever had the pleasure to read, a kinky, sassy woman who's not afraid to buck the highest powers of the universe to get what she wants while having a good laugh.

After reading Hell's Belles, I've discovered that not only is the road there paved with good intentions, it can also produce some hellishly good books. I can't recommend it highly enough. Kessler writes with an assurance and verve that belies her novice novelist status. I would say she's going places, but considering where most of this review's been talking about, I'm not sure I'd want her to go there. At least not until she finishes telling Jezebel's story.

Reviewed by Richard Jones
© October 2006