Rating: 3.5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novella
Although the rest of Emery’s family tells him he has magic, Emery knows he has superpowers. But, when he wakes up in the morgue, it takes him a little while to remember this and get himself free. Emery has never actually died before, but is it dying if he comes back to life? Maybe he should ask that hot guy that touched him before a bus ran him over. But Emery swears that guy had wings, and what exactly is even happening now?
John is a Junior Reaper on his first solo assignment and it goes all kinds of wrong. Emery was the most beautiful man he had ever seen and when he touched him, oh, he wasn’t supposed to give him the actual Touch. And besides, Emery should not have been able to see John. But when the two men keep running into each other (yes, literally), awkward romance surrounded by crazy family and a band of demons is alive and well.
The author explains in the opening of this book that the story is a farce and that remains true all of the way through. The beginning was unique and Emery’s snark and self-deprecating humor had the makings of a fun story. As the story went further along, it lost some of the initial charm for me.
Emery has always been different from his family and when his superpowers emerged, his family just went along with the fact that he had magic. They never questioned it, never wondered where it came from or what Emery may also be capable of, they just went along with it. Emery never knew where it came from either, what it could have meant, or really anything at all about what he could do. He meets John who is a junior reaper, although some want to call him the angel of death. Emery’s powers react to John, which is how Emery winds up in the morgue.
The men are attracted to each other, but that’s as far as a romance goes. We are led to believe the men will develop a romantic relationship, but it is not seen on page. The book then veered toward who Emery actually is with the help of a group of side characters that seemed designed to provide comedic relief, but served the purpose of moving this book off course for me.
The book started out with promise, but the rest didn’t all work for me. I would not suggest this story for the relationship aspect, but you could certainly try this one if you are looking for an over-the-top farce set in the fantastical world of angels and demons.
A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.
