Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Gideon is a centuries old vampire who has channeled all his abilities and passion into being a protector, inadvertently joining Logan’s pack as the Oracle has brought them all together. He also fell in love once, long ago, and had his heart broken. Gideon’s vowed to never let anyone in again. Of course, through circumstances, Taj—the incubus who broke his heart—is back in his life. But something is definitely off.
Taj was banished to the human realm before the realms were closed, but he had no resources or know how. Fortunately, he met a human, Erich, who not only gave Taj stability, but taught him how to survive. They are inseparable best friends and Erich is the only constant in Taj’s life. When Gideon reappears and their lives intertwine, Taj has to take Erich into account for all that he does.
But there are nefarious beings at work, and Taj and Erich’s new job isn’t all that it seems on the surface. Desperate to stand on his own, Taj doesn’t want to fall into the habit of letting Gideon take over and make things better. But when danger comes knocking, Taj and Gideon are thrown together and they can no longer deny what their hearts want: each other.
In this second book in the Chosen Champions series, things are heating up. Part of the larger Chosen One universe, this series can be read on its own, but this book needs to be read in order following Logan, the first in the series. Blake laid the groundwork in the first book, and both MCs were introduced there, though Taj had a much smaller role. However, the author did a great job of starting the tension between the two, and priming the reader for this next book. Two things happen here, as with classic Blake books. We have the love story between Gideon and Taj intertwined with the mounting danger facing the human realm that the pack, at the direction of the Oracle, are tasked to handle.
So first off, I’m a sucker for reunited lovers and this book has everything I love about this trope. These two guys crashed and burned years ago, both getting in their way. But their love was deep, and it has persisted for decades. Back in each other’s lives, they have to work through everything within themselves and with each other before they can have their HEA. There’s chemistry form the start, and these guys are explosive in the best way. So as the story progresses, they learn about themselves as they are now, and about each other. The love between them grows into something real and solid and wholly believable.
As for the nefarious plot, well, I don’t want to give anything away. But things aren’t what they seem, there is clearly something VERY BAD going on, and this pack is mixed up in it. With the help of the hellhounds, they are working to not only find out what it is, but how to put a stop to it. The rising tension certainly fits the tone of the book, series, and larger universe. And while some things are resolved, other’s are left hanging in preparation for more books in this spin-off series.
This series has drawn me in and I’m looking forward to the next book. The through-line mystery is mounting in complexity, tension, and danger. And we meet the second MC of the next book, having already met Aleron. Things can only get more tangled, but I’m waiting to see how complex it gets before it’s all resolved. If you’re a PNR fan, this is definitely a series you’ll want to check out.
