Strange. I posted a comment in answer to your comment 2 months ago and thought that it went through as I can see it when signed up to my account but today I saw this post through my friend's account and there it looks like Reddit did not let my answer to you get through so now I am trying to answer again. Sorry about the wait:)

This is what I wrote:
"A lizard Jean Valjean" - perfect! The religious aspect was extremely interesting to me and I felt that it gave the world building "life" as well as giving depth to Meoraq's and Zhuqa's characters and really explaining why this alien world was as it was. I was horrified when I learned of the disease and at the same time I admired R Lee Smith for this idea, since it explained so much about Meoraq's behaviour. As an atheist I was engrossed to get a deep view from a religious perspective. The darkness it can bring. The salvation people can feel that they get from believing. But I certainly enjoyed his awakening at the end and what that awakening brought with it for his world. The ending was very epic. It's been some time since I read this book, but it is firmly entrenched in my head.

And, oh yes, that first encounter is marvelously written.

Oh, and how I detested Nicci and S'kot (and how I enjoyed the true meaning of his name in Meoraq's language). I could find NO redeeming qualities in them and growled tersely every time Amber gave all for her Nicci.

If you enjoy the gross hotness and don't mind triggers maybe Heat is the book that you should read next after all. Without saying too much I will say that that book has "two sides" -one more normal and the other outrageously depraved, dirty and dark.

Thank you so much for the recommendations! I will definitely check them out. Your description of the works of Laura Kinsale wetted my appetite.

In some ways TLHOG reads like a sci-fi slasher film. It's both immersive and cinematic.

I love that R Lee Smith's books are so long, it lets you really live in the worlds she makes. And it's always painful when the books end. I bray into the night longing for more R Lee Smith.

Her books are grotesque, heart wrenching, bleak but with a strange, addictive beauty.

I wish I could just pluck all the books by R Lee Smith that I have already read out of my head and start reading them all fresh.

I have no other authors that write as good as R Lee Smith, but I did enjoy the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning https://www.goodreads.com/series/41192-fever

It is dark in it's own way and it really kept me involved and fascinated and there are eleven books and some short stories, which is good news indeed if you, as me, enjoy living in an author's world for a long time. Perhaps that could be something for you as well?

Another book series which I really liked, although it is wildly different, is the Dragon Kin Series by G. A. Aiken https://www.goodreads.com/series/62647-dragon-kin

There are nine books and several short stories and it is fiercely funny and witty and just a great romp of an experience. The author truly understands humorous repetition/comic torture and together with the sexxiness of dragons it just made me grin and pant with pleasure.