Read my review of the first book in the Jericho’s Boys series, Paladin.
Often, when the hurt/comfort trope is applied in romance novels, the character doing the comforting comes from a much “better” place (in terms of emotional well-being or general life status) than the hurt character. Darker romances, on the other hand, tend to put the characters on a more equal footing, for both the hurt and the comfort. In this particular instance, Levi and Shiloh both have significant family baggage on both sides, even if due to vastly different circumstances. The way these two men connect is not through trauma bonding so much as trauma acknowledgment; of course, being aware that a relationship is potentially toxic doesn’t make it any less toxic.
However, the unexpected bond that develops between Levi and Shiloh is perfect for the darker world that Shiloh comes from and the “kind of dark but with important moments of light” world in which Levi has found his true home and family. The titular characters of this spin-off series are something of a blend of the psychopath and “feelings faction” heroes from the original Necessary Evils series, but James still finds a way to subvert the “insta-love” trope into a genuine connection between unexpected lovers. That the physical chemistry is always explosive doesn’t hurt, and James especially leans into the consent is always sexy conceit with this story in ways that are appropriate to the characters and circumstances.
Shiloh’s appearance in Levi’s life is carefully orchestrated, though no one could have predicted Levi’s reaction to said appearance. James does good work playing with shades of gray in this story, creating an initial villain who is terrifying in his treatment of Shiloh even while the idea of him going up against Jericho (much less the greater Mulvaney family) is laughable. I’d have been disappointed if this character ended up becoming the story’s complete “big bag,” but the plot thickens in a more than satisfying manner. The way the stakes get upped results in appropriate cameos from the extended cast we love from this world and some truly satisfying character development for the two main characters.
James sets up more than one potential follow-up in this book, and each is so intriguing that I know I’ll be happy no matter which she chooses to write first. Both books available in this series so far have been absolute treats, and while they don’t quite follow the same formula as the Necessary Evils books, I know that readers won’t be disappointed to spend more time in this world.
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
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