Title: Lovesick Gods
Author: Amanda Meuwissen
Series: The Lovesick Series, #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy, M/M Romance
Publication Date: October 2, 2017
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
Heroes aren’t meant to act like their villains—or fall in love with them.
The elements touch everyone on Earth—Fire, Water, even Light—but every so often someone becomes more attuned to their elemental leaning and develops true power. When an evil Elemental known as Thanatos arrived in Olympus City, it saw the rise of its first hero—Zeus. But the death toll caused by defeating Thanatos changed Zeus, who by day is young detective Danny Grant.
It’s been six months since Thanatos terrorized the city at the start of Lovesick Gods. Danny should be used to his duty behind the mask, but the recent past haunts him. His girlfriend left him, he snaps at the barest provocation, his life feels empty—he needs an outlet, any outlet to pull him out of his depression.
Enter notorious thief Malcolm Cho, the Ice Elemental Prometheus. There was a time when Danny welcomed a fight with Cho, filled with colorful banter and casual flirtations that were a relief compared to Thanatos. Even as a criminal, Cho had recognized the threat Thanatos posed and promised to help Danny stop him, but the day Danny needed Cho, he never showed. Cho was the reason so many people died that day—including Danny’s mother.
Danny decides to teach the man a lesson and fan the fire of their attraction into something more. At worst, he’ll get some no-strings-attached sex out of the deal and finally blow off steam; at best, he’ll get Cho to fall in love with him and then break his heart to spite him. Danny doesn’t expect to fall for Cho in the process, and he certainly can’t predict the much darker threat on the horizon.
Some of you might know I had the pleasure of working with the very talented Amanda Meuwissen as the editor of her most recent series, Lovesick. In honor of the release of the second book of the duology, Lovesick Titans, I wanted to share my thoughts on its predecessor—which I realized is a review that hasn’t yet made it over to my blog. So, forewarning, there’s obviously some bias here since I was involved in the editing of this novel. But I’ve felt such a connection to the story, even before my involvement, and I wanted to share my honest review of what has become one of my favorite books!
Lovesick Gods is the first part of a powerful tale about learning to find light, love, and hope in the darkest of places. What should be a cliche story about nemeses-with-benefits (which I’m already a sucker for) becomes something so much more because of the rich dynamic between characters and relentless pace of the plot. I absolutely love the way Danny and Mal’s relationship develops. On the surface, there’s no reason why these two should click, but they just do, and damn if that isn’t my favorite trope. And even though you know they’re going to end up actually falling for each other, that doesn’t make the one-step-forward-two-steps-back dance of their relationship any less frustrating. Each of them has their own challenges to overcome, with Danny trying to run from the past and his depression and Mal insisting on weathering it alone. Nothing about their journey is rushed, which makes the little things like sharing breakfast or a movie seem all the more gratifying. And the big things, like being able to admit secrets or fears to one another but no one else, seem all the more poignant and real.
It helps that the leads are fleshed out by an equally intriguing supporting cast of characters on each side. Danny has his crime fighting team and a family bound together by both love and tragedy, while Mal has his crew of lovable misfits and the neighborhood he strives so hard to protect. I especially love Dom, who’s just as hotheaded as one would expect of a Fire Elemental, and Andre, who has a flair for all things tech as a Metal leaning CSI.
On the plot side of things, you’re thrown into the action right from the start, which is always a plus for me. Between flashbacks that reveal the events that transpired over the past year, Danny trying to solve a string of impossible robberies, and Mal planning his latest heist, you’re kept on your toes the whole way through. It seems like a lot, but it’s all woven together seamlessly in a way that’s difficult to put down. Because the writing is so in touch with the interplay of the different characters’ abilities and personalities, the fight scenes are cinematic in nature and will have you on the edge of your seat. Also, major points for a villain with honestly terrifying abilities and hidden motives that unfold throughout the novel.
I really do love Lovesick Gods with all of my heart and absolutely can’t wait to dive back into Lovesick Titans next! I’m very excited for where Danny and Mal’s relationship leads them as they come to terms with their feelings and their increasing familiarity with the grey shades of the law. And there’s plenty that still needs to come to light, given the outcome of the climactic heist and Danny’s still-hidden intentions, which makes a strong set up for what promises to be an action-packed and satisfying finale.
I was super excited to receive my copy of Lovesick Titans in the mail yesterday, so be on the lookout for my (still slightly biased) thoughts there soon, too!
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