***4 Stars***

I’m a huge fan of both the Beyond series & the Gideon’s Riders, HUGE, so to hear that another series, set in the same post-flares, dystopian world but far from the borders of Eden and the Sectors, was coming had me all kinds of excited. But, being a fangirl, I did take note that this series was not going to be like the previous ones, so I prepared and I have to say that I ended up really enjoying this book. There was a bit of information overload, since we are dealing with so much ‘newness’, but it was necessary and after getting used to it I loved getting to know the characters and simply wanting more.

I have to say, I really liked Knox and Nina and found it interesting how similar they were and yet different. Both are protectors and leaders and yet one is more about taking care of as many as possible, while the other is more selective which made for some interesting interactions everytime they found themselves in each other’s orbit.

As for the evolution of their relationship from strangers to lovers...the journey was interesting and enjoyable. There isn’t much waxing poetic style romance going on here ~ which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the situation they find themselves in ~ but there is a lot of finding themselves unable to stay away from each other and telling each other things that they didn’t necessarily mean to but couldn’t help themselves, which I actually enjoyed because it fit them perfectly. Both are just too pragmatic and hardened to be the lovey dovey type. I loved their flow and just how they got each other without trying too hard. The big ‘ole bump in their journey was laid out from the start, so it came as no surprise, but I loved how they worked it all out in the end.

This book was definitely more sci-fi/dystopian with romance added in, but it still had it’s smexy moments and it definitely had a lot of heart and humor. I truly enjoyed getting to know all of the characters ~ Gray and Dani are definitely the ones I’m most curious about ~ but they all fascinate me and have me looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in the series!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

I adored this book. I read it back in March, but it came with strong wording, from NetGalley, that I could only review it two weeks before it was published. AND THEN THEY CHANGED THE PUBLICATION DATE! (Curse you COVID-19). Which means I couldn't tell anyone about this book on Goodreads until now! It takes place in the near future and it's people living in a Dystopia who are trying to do the right thing and make the world better, yay! The people in both groups are super competent at their jobs (Bonus!) and the world building is fantastic. I can't wait to read what happens next.

I definitely recommend this book. :D

<blockquote><b>Deal with the Devil is Orphan Black meets the post-apocalyptic Avengers by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author duo Kit Rocha.</b>

Nina is an information broker with a mission—she and her team of mercenary librarians use their knowledge to save the hopeless in a crumbling America.

Knox is the bitter, battle-weary captain of the Silver Devils. His squad of supersoldiers went AWOL to avoid slaughtering innocents, and now he's fighting to survive.

They’re on a deadly collision course, and the passion that flares between them only makes it more dangerous. They could burn down the world, destroying each other in the process…

Or they could do the impossible: team up.

This is the first book in a near-future science fiction series with elements of romance.</blockquote>

3.5 out of 5 stars.

When I watched <i>Pacific Rim</i> for the first time, the story confused the hell out of me at the beginning. Right up until the brown-haired white protagonist and his brown-haired white rival were on the screen at the same time because, as it turns out, I hadn’t realized they were two different actors playing two different characters and had been trying to parse the movie assuming they were the same character. (Yes, one of them was Australian and the other American. I feel really stupid for not noticing the accents.) But after that was straightened out, I enjoyed the movie.

This is roughly similar to my experience reading <i>Deal with the Devil</i>. On the surface you’d think I’d love it, and I thought I might when I requested it via NetGalley. The series is <i>Mercenary Librarians</i> and I am a librarian. I love mercenary romance. There are angsty supersoldiers in it and I Iove me an angsty supersoldier. There are proactive women, post-apocalyptic surroundings, a team romance setup, and all of this should have added up to something I adored, but it was...fine.

Much like <i>Pacific Rim</i> it took me a while to identify one issue: voice. A distinctive narrative voice is what I really love in a book, and <i>Deal with the Devil</i> just didn’t get there. The characters' dialogue sounded enough alike that I found myself having to consciously tag their names with their roles and periodically look back a page or two to check who was saying what again in order to distinguish between the four guys on one team and two of the three women on the other. (If you’re wondering: Dani and Nina. Maya was more of an individual.)

And, like <i>Pacific Rim</i>, somewhere between a third and half of the way into the book the characters started to distinguish themselves--possibly because Rocha began seeding chapters from those other characters' points of view--and it became easier to read.

Unlike <i>Pacific Rim</i>, it wasn't over-the-top enough for the concept. When you have POST-APOCALYTPIC MERCENARY LIBRARIAN ROMANCE as the elevator pitch, you kind of expect something to live up to that. I wasn't looking for <i>The Road Warrior,</i> but I think the aim should have been a bit closer to that than the original <i>Mad Max</i>, which is where it hit.

I admit I haven't read any of Rocha's other romances and maybe this is exactly what Rocha readers want. If not, then I assume, given the publisher, that it might have been an editorial decision to keep some of the usual romance traits and tropes but to pull back on the ridiculous ones and exaggerated characterization, so as to appeal to a new audience. If so, I think it missed the mark because it removes some of the charm that the best SF romances possess. If you forgive me another <i>Pacific Rim</i> metaphor: I was looking for the equivalent of the scene where a jaeger picks up a container ship and uses it as a club BECAUSE OF COURSE IT DOES and what I got was the version where that was edited out because someone complained that container ships are flexible so they don't get ripped apart while at sea and in reality it would have broken under its own weight.

Also there wasn't enough of the librarian part of <i>mercenary librarians</i>. Judging by the ending, this is an aspect they're working up to--you can consider this one the origin story, perhaps--but if I'm promised MERCENARY LIBRARIANS then by damn I'm expecting MERCENARY LIBRARIANS.

So there you have it. This sounds like I’m ripping it apart, and I don’t feel that poorly about the book, but I’m disappointed when I envision the book I was expecting, given the concept. I saw the publisher, I saw the genre, I saw the synopsis and I was hopeful that it would take the bits I love about the SF romance genre and elevate them, but...it’s completely fine. Readable, entertaining...fine.

You might not have the same problem that I do—I’m probably in a minority with my <i>Pacific Rim</i> troubles and inability to distinguish between brown-haired white men speaking in different accents after all—and I’ll still be recommending <i>Deal with the Devil</i> to readers looking for SF or mercenary romance because I think a lot of people will enjoy it, but it’s not my favorite book.

It’s totally fine. Three and a half out of five stars.

This wasn’t for me,I really hoping it would have been. I think the writing was good and if I had read this years ago I would have enjoyed it a lot more then I did. Serious fans of this author will enjoy.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t fathom the darkness of the world, or the cruelty of the people in it. She knew every day that she was living on borrowed time. She’d simply decided to embrace that time. To make the most of every hour. Of every second. To Live.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley

Fans of the cancelled tv sci fi, Revolution, rejoice! With Maze runner post-apocalyptic vibes tied together with brilliance, sass and kick-ass, sexy heroes, Deal with the Devil was just what the doctor ordered.

Set in the near future, year 2086, in the crumbling ruins of Atlanta. Nina and her two closest friends make up the Mercenary Librarians. In a society scraping by after the power grid collapsed after the energy wars 45 years ago, knowledge is a scarce commodity. Only the small percent of the rich and powerful have access to it. Raiding vaults and hacking sensitive data is just another day at the office for the three women determined to protect and nurture their community eking out a living in slums. When they receive intel from a renegade squad on the hidden location of near mythological Library of Congress server, the opportunity is far too tempting to pass up. The problem is, can the Captain Garrett Knox and his team be Trusted?

Knox, a genetically enhanced super soldier, had dreams of heroism and upholding justice when he signed up for the Protectorate run by the all-powerful TechCorps. After realising his employers were more monstrous than the evils he witnessed on the streets in his youth, Knox and his team cut out their trackers and went AWOL. Now it falls on Knox to protect the lives of his loyal men. But when their biohacker, the only person willing to keep their enhancement implants from degrading, gets kidnapped, they’re forced to complete one more unsavoury mission or face a slow and painful death; deliver Nina alive or their Biohacker dies.

Deal with the Devil touches on political and environmental issues that have been steadily gaining focus in the last few years and gives credence and realism to the post- apocalyptic setting of this novel. Well written with an attention to detail only adds to the ease of slipping into the narrative to walk down the darkened streets Atlanta, much akin to Detroit in its worst era.

Each character was fleshed out and full of life and I’m happy to say I liked everyone. The dialog and banter between the two teams were fun and enjoyable. More than a few times I caught myself grinning from ear to ear or cackling out loud at their antics.

The pacing was really good too. Not once did I feel like a scene was dragging or there was too much talk and not enough action.

As for the romance between the Knox and Nina, spot on. Perfectly layered with tension, chemistry and fun banter between the two. Did not feel rushed and forced together. They complemented each other well, both as a romantic couple and as strategic leaders responsible for the lives of their team.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deal with the Devil. It’s was fun, unique and intriguing and once available for purchase, I will be adding a physical copy to my bookshelf as I know 100% I’ll be reading this one again and all that follow it in the Mercenary Librarians’ universe.

3.5 stars -- I think this is a really intriguing start to a series, though I do think I suffered somewhat for not having read the previous books set in this world. That said, this is certainly an action packed SF/dystopian romance and I think my fellow Ilona Andrews fans will have a lot of those same itches scratched in this one. I think this could be read as a standalone, too, if you don't want to commit to a full series, though the door is certainly open for future books. All in all, this is action packed and has a lot of attitude, and I think overall it will be a crowd pleaser for folks who enjoy plot driven versions of SFF romance.

This is one of those books I didn't know I needed until I picked it up. I mean, obviously I thought I'd enjoy it (because have you read Kit Rocha's other books???), but I wasn't expecting it to crawl under my skin and settle in the way it did. It worked for me on a lot of levels and OMG THAT ENDING!

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We'll start with Nina and Knox. Nina who is so cheerfully optimistic (although that might be the wrong word) despite everything she's endured. She genuinely wants to change things for the better and she finds a way to make it happen (along with her librarian sisters) no matter what roadblocks are thrown in her path.

Knox is...a little less optimistic. He's battle-worn and recent losses have ground him down to the point where he makes a few questionable decisions to save the people who look to him for leadership. But Nina rekindles the spark of decency in him (not that he was ever morally corrupt or anything. Yeah. It's complicated. Sometimes good people have to do bad things to protect those who matter most.) and THINGS HAPPEN.

Seriously. This book. It was very good. Very VERY good. A crumbling, post-apocalyptic world where living the good life comes at a high price and those who choose to fight are battling uphill while trying to protect those who can't protect themselves. And because it's something I genuinely adore about KR books, the core ideas of found family and forgiveness and accepting those around you as they are hit all my happy buttons. Nina's librarian sisters might not be her sisters by blood (or however you want to put it), but they are hers all the same. Just like Knox's team are his brothers.

And somehow, this big, blood-thirsty group makes it work. Eventually. You know, after a few battles and threats and other bloody things. (And OMG THAT ENDING!)

First of all, a big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

There's been a lot of hype over this book lately — and as I'd never read anything by writing duo Kit Rocha, I was curious if all the hype was worth it. Well, let me tell you right away: it totally is!

"Deal with the Devil" is one of these rare chimeras of a book that has a bit of everything. There's this thoroughly thought-through and detail-rich, dystopian world, similar enough to our own to bring goosebumps at times. There's not just one but two families of choice, each broken-but-lovable character with a unique voice and personality (no interchangeable, cut-board characters here). There's some brilliantly balanced prose, both fast-paced to keep up on our toes and pensive enough to allow the bigger picture and the philosophical questions raised to shine through; a prose that grabs you by the throat and shows instead of telling. There's care and love, for every character and their journey. There's sizzling, hot, gritty sexual tension and immensely satisfying emotional pay off on the romance side. There's the twist of a villain and the brilliant resolution — so brilliant I was really left thinking this book is a standalone.... And then, there's this epilogue, the one that flips everything you thought you knew over and makes you anxious for the next instalment.
All these elements are great on their own but could have easily feel clunky or too much, when sewn together. And yet, like Nina's final plan, they all work perfectly together despite their complexity.

I'm impressed, excited and really looking forward to more of this!

Long ago I read the first book in the Beyond series by Kit Rocha. I enjoyed the heck out of it, loving the subversions, the world, the characters. But for some reason - probably because I was getting burnt out on erotica and sex-heavy books - I didn’t read any further. I kept meaning to go back, but I haven’t yet. I will soon, because <em>Deal with the Devil</em> reminded me how of the awesome worlds that await me in Kit Rocha’s books.

This series takes place in the same world as the authors’ Beyond and Gideon’s Riders series. And from my vague recollection, the world is pretty similar - what with the Flares and all - but there’s only one real stand-out callback to the O’Kane’s. And I grinned when I read it.

All that being said, you do <strong>not</strong> have to read either of those series to enjoy this one. It fully stands on its own, immersing you in the world easily and completely. I love post-apocalyptic worlds. They’re like chocolate oranges to me. Irresistible, and I can’t get enough. The world has suffered from the “Flares.” These sun-flares took out the satellites, burned communications, destroyed what was left of long-abandoned infrastructure. The government had been corrupt for so long, leaving everything to crumble when they couldn’t hold up to the stress of the flares.

Into the void left by a fully-functioning government step the TechCorps. Recently merged technology and medical companies with all the latest and greatest. Generously they supplied solar power, water, food, medicine. Generously, they insinuate themselves into every aspect of lives until they had control. Now they sit, with an iron grip, on their domain.

Not everyone conforms to their rules, however. And so, in steps the Protectorate. Enhanced soldiers to protect the TechCorps interests.

This is why I like post-apocalyptic. They offer me hope, in a world that scares me more and more each day, where I can easily see us trudging, being dragged kicking and screaming as we are, along the roads that lead to these possibilities. Hope that we can survive, that we can be better, and that we can still persevere. And that’s why I stick to <em>romance</em> fueled post-apocalyptic stories. Because I desperately need all the hope I can get.

Nina, Dani, and Maya deliver that hope in spades. Nina’s got a persistent optimism; not naivete, just bone-deep belief that she can make things better. Even if it’s just for a small corner of the world, she’s going to do it. I loved her. She’s so incredibly <em>real</em>, and I understand her on a fundamental level. I can’t do all the amazing warrior stuff she can, but that optimism and hope is something that the world hasn’t quite beaten out of me yet, either.

Captain Garrett Knox, one of the aforementioned Protectorate super-soldiers has been recently <em>separated</em> from his position with the TechCorps. When an irresistible job comes up, to get Nina to a set of coordinates, Knox has no choice but to accept. This is an incredibly delicate position to write in. For some, Knox may cross too many lines. And I admit there was at least one time that I thought he should have told her before anything else happened. But, I also get why he did what he did. He was in an impossible situation, a situation (mostly) created by others that he couldn’t avoid. There were not an infinite number of paths forward. Knox chose the best he could.

Knox reminded me a bit of a storyline in (the reimagined) <em>Battlestar Galactica</em>. At one point the remnants of humanity - all 49,000 of them - settle on a barren planet running from the Cylons. Cylons are AI that became self-aware and rose up against humanity. They’re now humanoid and robotic. Alive, in a very real way. When they show up with the intent to take over, humans have a choice. Resist, fight, or try to survive.

Not all of those options were available to everyone. So when the Cylons put together a human police force, some humans joined with the goal of helping from the inside. What they didn’t realize was that even though they had some power, they never had enough to truly help humanity. They were derided because they appeared to actually be helping the enemy. In fact, a number of them were executed for treason. Bad choices for good reasons.

Knox joined with the intent to help. He tried to do the best he could with the worst possible choices offered him. And he did make a difference. Maybe not enough of one for himself, or for many others, but more than enough to land him on the TechCorp’s terminate list. At that point, his paths forward narrow considerably.

But when Knox meets Nina he begins to suspect that even he can’t sink so low as to turn her over to whomever wants her. He begins to admire and respect her will, her tenacity, and her ever-growing optimism. The casual build of their regard for each other works. I love seeing them find each other.

I also, desperately, loved the casual inclusive voice. Garrett had two dads. Conlan is bisexual (well, some sort of LGBT - I’m sure we’ll learn more as the series progresses). This is all normal. Nothing weird or even exploitative about it. It stated as simply as people talk about their mom and dad, or being interested in the opposite sex. Sometimes in books (and movies) it seems that being gay is included for fetishtic reasons. Or to satisfy some sort of voyeurism. I love that it is <strong>not</strong> used that way here. The fact that gay people exist, doing the normal things that hetero people do, is so refreshing. It’s beautiful and pushes home the point of how much we need representation in our media.

On top of that, you’ve got a plot that kept me engrossed and guessing. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

When I read that <em>Deal with the Devil</em> is “<em>Orphan Black</em> meets the post-apocalyptic <em>Avengers</em> in the vein of Ilona Andrews’ <em>Hidden Legacy</em> series…” my expectations were, understandably, high. So high. Because Ilona Andrews is my all-time favorite author. Lucky for me, <em>Deal with the Devil</em> delivers. <em>Deal with the Devil</em> is one hell of a ride, brimming with action, burning sexual tension, in an insanely intriguing post-apocalyptic world, that will keep you turning pages until the very end. I canNOT wait to read more in this world and with these fantastic characters.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC on #NetGalley for an honest review.

MAN OH MAN!
This book blew me away,

The dystopian setting of the book allowed for some unique explorations of science, capitalism and the military, food security and the preservation of knowledge.
Interspersed in between chapters were observations from scientists about each character and their abilities and their perceived flaws and I thought that was brilliant as it helped to show how the evil overlords thinks of them.

When you look at how Nina and Knox interact with their respective teams and the environment around them, you can tell from the start that they are meant to lead together. The story just brings them closer and closer together until it is impossible to truly imagine them separately.
Their backstories, which involve both of them having lost loved ones, just helps you to understand the pressures they put on themselves to be the ones in charge and who stand strong for the people they care for, no matter what.

The richness of the characters and their relationships with each other and the community at large was also amazing. Watching the almost sibling like play between Nina, Dani & Maya vs the best friends yet almost chain of command dynamic of Knox, Gray, Conall & Rafe just emphasises how they all compliment each other and it's easy to see the characters who might be especially compatible romantically.

Did i mention that the pacing of the story was fan-freaking-tastic?
There is also the fact that every character in this story serves a purpose and every scene helps to propel the story forward and set things up for the rest of the series.

All in all, it was a wonderful book and I cannot wait to read the follow up to this.

This was such a fun and exciting read. It has great characters, lots of action and witty banter between smart and sassy characters. It was quite the page turner and was very hard to put down.

The story is mainly told through the two main characters, with occasional insights from the others. Nina is the leader of the Mercenary Librarians. She and the other two women she works with escaped from a Corporation that used and abused them. They all have their strengths, but they mostly just want to help the less fortunate around them. I loved that they had a printing press/book binder that they used to give books to the people in the neighborhood. Plus they had other things going on to help them as well. I admired all of these women, Dani was ruthless and didn’t take shit from anyone, and Maya was sweet but could be just as tough as the other two.

The Silver Devils is run by Knox. He is a brooding super soldier who is looking for a way out for his team and to help people as well. I also adored his team, Rafe the incorrigible rogue, the logical Conall who helped keep Knox in check and Gray who was a little off putting at times, but always had everyones’s back. They make a pretty awesome team and it is of course inevitable that as they get to know the women they decided that they can not turn their backs on them.

The plot is pretty basically a road trip in a post apocalyptic world. There are no big surprises as far as plot twists, except for perhaps who the villain is. The fun is in the two groups coming together and becoming not only a team, but a family that cares about helping those who are in need. The romance that develops between Knox and Nina is steamy and at times takes over the plot, but in a fun way. I would have liked a bit more as far as world building. I didn’t know when I picked this book up that this is a companion book set in an already well established world. There is enough related about how the world works that makes the world seem realistic, but I would have liked just a bit more about the corporations that created this group of super humans. But the slight lack of world building certainly does not take away from the enjoyment of the story.

Overall, if you are looking for a fun science fiction road trip book with a steamy romance to take to the beach with you this summer than this is that book.

Deal With The Devil by Kit Rocha had some intriguing moments and colourful characters, some downright scary. The story was twist on twist that was a sound start to the Mercenary Librarians series.
Review copy received from the Authors via Netgalley

One of the things I’ve always loved about Kit Rocha is the world-building. Since this book is set in the future after a life-altering disaster, the people and places are different than what exists now. The way Rocha creates and explains the environment is phenomenal and will draw you right in. The character development goes right along with this – they are people you would want to meet (although probably only if you’re on their good side), but definitely imperfect. Everyone has flaws, and some characters make pretty big mistakes, however to me that only makes them more relatable!

Nina and Knox have a very…umm…adventurous beginning to their relationship. I loved seeing those two learn from each other and grow together. Not only do I adore Nina and Knox, but the entire crew is enthralling! I can’t wait to see more of them. Watching Knox’s team mesh with Nina and her girls is at times comedic, sweet, dangerous, and cringe-worthy.

This book is kicking off a terrific new series, and I for one am going to gobble up each and every one!

Finally a new Kit Rocha book. It feels like forever since I have been able to dive into one of their books. I was super excited when I learned about a new series. I had such high hopes for this new story in one of my favorite dystopian worlds. Unfortunately I really struggled while reading this. And it pains me but I can only give this book 3 stars. I don’t know if it was the characters, the storyline or maybe even the state of the world we’re currently living in, but it was hard to sit down and read this. The writing and world building were fine but something was missing. What’s frustrating is that I can’t figure out exactly why I feel this way. Overall I’d say this book was an okay read. It was entertaining but there was no wow factor. I just couldn’t fully get into it which I find very disappointing. For those of you that have read this author in the past, you’re used to and have come to expect scorching hot scenes, non-stop action and suspense. This book was lackluster in all those areas. I found the characters were hard to connect to. I really wanted to fall in love with them but it never happened. If I’m being honest, I didn’t care much about what happened to them in this book or future ones. I also found the storyline to be slow, especially the first half. At least the last part had a smidgen of plot twists and excitement. I never had the urge to pull an all nighter to finish this. A rarity for me. I’m hoping, starting a new series and being with a new publisher was just a hiccup in the road for these two writers and that the following books will be more of what I’ve come to love and expect from them.

I'm a longtime fan of Kit Rocha and a librarian, so this book is... a little TOO tailored to me. I also have sisters and so yeah, this one hit me in all the feelings. The writers are skilled at world building and creating compelling characters, especially interpersonal relationships.

I've been a fan of Kit Rocha for several years now, particuarly the two series they have which are set in the same world as Deal with the Devil, so I was really excited to hear about this new book, and new series, and the fact that they were moving to a major publisher. But the switch (they self published the other series') also made me a bit nervous: would aspects that I loved from a Kit Rocha book be toned down or absent, to try accommodating to that big publisher audience? I needn't have worried.

We meet Nina first, as she fights off multiple attackers before retrieving a mysterious package. Amongst the fighting, the authors put in enough casual details of the surroundings that you build up a clear image of the run-down city, and start to get a feel for Nina's personality. Knox has been following her, and when the story shifts to his point of view, you get more details about the city, the corruption running through it from the big corporations that rule the place, and the information that both Nina and Knox have some kind of biological enhancements to their genetics. Nina is super fast, and Knox himself is very strong, as well as having a communication chip of some kind wired into his head to help him keep in touch with his team. All of Nina's crew and Knox's Silver Devils have more to them than meets the eye; there's a bit of a superheroes, x-men quality to things, except all of these characters went through operations and years of training to change their bodies, rather than being born with the abilities.

Knox introduces himself, and offers Nina the job of finding the old server. Nina & co know that it is absolutely a trap of some kind, but decide to go for it anyway, and the two groups set off on a road trip like something out of The Walking Dead or Station Eleven, where you never quite know what kind of little local community you're going to find in the next desiccated town, or round the next bend of the road in the quiet forest. And through it all, both fully aware of the dangers, Knox and Nina start to fall for each other. The tension of knowing about upcoming betrayals and also the hope for a romance between two tired people working out kept me turning pages late into the night. But even knowing that there were big shocks coming for various characters when secrets got exposed, what actually happened did come as a twist to me.

In both the Silver Devils and Nina's little group, there are the found families and their unbreakable bonds that make a key part of any Kit Rocha novel. Other things I was really pleased to find, that I'd been wondering about: the chemistry sizzles between Nina and Knox from their first meeting, and builds to some exciting sexy scenes later on. There's also enough page time for the secondary characters that I'm already looking forward to seeing them get their own books later on in this series, and Kit Rocha has laid the groundwork for another excellent series of a corrupt system gradually being overturned the good guys, and the power of friendship, love and compassion.

I highly recommend Deal With The Devil, and I can't wait for the sequel! Overall, I'm giving this 10/10.

Thank you Tor for the e-review copy.

To know me is to know that I am a full fledged Kit Rocha fan. I discovered the writing duo with their Beyond series and the spin-off series Gideon's Riders, which are erotic but heartfelt stories set in a dystopian future. So when I saw that Kit Rocha was writing a series also set in a dystopian future landscape about mercenary librarians, I knew it was gonna be good, and I was right.

Deal with the Devil is the first book in the Mercenary Librarians series. Nina and her two besties, Maya and Dani, are extraordinary women. Each is enhanced in some way, with Nina and Dani possessing superhuman strength and fighting ability and Maya possessing perfect recall of anything she sees or hears. These ladies are lying low from the Protectorate, the evil corporation that runs the new world, when Garrett Knox literally knocks on their door with a proposition: Nina's team and Knox's enhanced team, the Silver Devils (formerly of the Protectorate) work together for the heist of the century. Of course, Knox's team has a secret, and Nina's team is smart enough to wait for the other shoe to drop.

Kit Rocha excels in world-building and storytelling. The action is thrilling, the longing is sexy, the wit is dry and delicious, and the you turn the last page hoping the next page starts a new story. Deal with the Devil. This series is romance, but it is just as much action/adventure. Smart women who kick ass make me happy and Deal with the Devil has them in abundance.

Deal with the Devil takes place in a post-apocalyptic United States, mostly in the South. Basically all my fears about corporate negligence and unethical business and scientific research practices like modifying and cloning humans and keeping the general populace in poverty and disarray because it's more profitable for the corporations and the 1% who run them.

In this world, we meet a group of three women and a group of four men who embark on a quest. The romantic tension and larger plot revolve around the two groups being at hidden odds. The leader of the men has been ordered by kidnappers to bring the leader of the women to exchange for one of his people. The romantic tension is high and well-done, if it is founded on a bevy of lies and secrets. Most of the plot relies on this journey and the romance and little on the conflict with the corporations.

This is a book that fans of romantic fantasy set in a dystopian future and focusing heavily on the romance, may enjoy.

I have been anticipating this book for months and was delighted to get an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Deal With the Devil was everything I wanted it to be. I’ve already read it FOUR times.

Today a drive from Atlanta to Chattanooga would take about two hours, maybe more with traffic and where you start in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. In Kit Rocha’s Deal with the Devil, it’s about 5 days with decomposing roadways, collapsed bridges, medical emergencies, armed bandits and other post apocalypse adventures. The Mercenary Librarians series is set in the same post-apocalypse future as Kit Rocha’s self published Beyond series, but on the other side of the former United States – in and around Atlanta. You don’t need to know anything about any of their previous books, but fans of the writing duo will recognize a few Easter eggs.

Deal With The Devil is a post apocalyptic road trip adventure with clones, super soldiers, enhanced brains, found family, banter, murderous women, and a side of romance. This is not a thriller where you are trying to guess who is the bad guy or where the twist will come. The bad guy is very explicitly the corporations that created the clones and turned desperate people into super soldiers and tools. The end isn’t even in question – the super soldiers and librarians will team up. The fun is how they get there.

Nina is a clone trained for battle, and she can fight. Her true strength as a bad-ass is not her fighting ability, but her community building ability. She has hope. She values kindness and compassion above survival or comfort. We see her fight occasionally in the book, but it is her heart and idealism that deals the fatal blow to Knox and his team of super soldiers. When Knox challenges her that the world is a brutal and hard place she says:

I’m going to keep trying. Even if it changes nothing.

The conflict is not as much about when and in how many ways Knox will betray Nina. The conflict is centered around how do we survive when survival is hard. Do we try to build a better world where survival is easier for more people, or do we circle the wagons and make sure only the people we care about are protected.

We wouldn’t be proper archivists if we spent all our time digging up the past. People didn’t stop creating after the Flares.” She dropped the last piece of wood on the pile. “We didn’t stop living. That’s an important thing to remember, I think.”

Nina is miles ahead of Knox emotionally. The biggest emotional arc is Knox letting go of the soldier Tech Corp created and becoming the person he wants to be.

Deal With the Devil sets the groundwork for the bigger fights to come in the series. The fights to come in the series are a proxy for what we face in the here and now. This may not be a romance, but Kit Rocha comes from Romancelandia and they have infused this book with hope. We are currently faced with an increasingly difficult survival and an uncertain future. What can we do to make the world better when we aren’t enhanced by genetic manipulation or implants to fight for a better world? Nina’s super powers aren’t what make her a force of change, it’s her choices. She preserves and she builds. She redistributes resources. She offers knowledge freely. She is a librarian.

We all have the power to put good out into the world.

Deal With the Devil is out July 28th. The Devil You Know, which I am already jonesing for, is out April 20, 2021.

In post-apocalyptic Georgia where scientific enhancements have become the norm for anyone who expects to survive, Nina is an information broker. She makes her living hunting for print or digital information, and then uses her funds to help keep her community afloat with both food and books.
Knox, is part of an AWOL military unit who is being blackmailed into capturing Nina in exchange for the safe return of his team's hacker. He sets Nina up by dangling the sweetest fruit a librarian could ask for, the information to a rumored Library of Congress repository. Things start getting complicated when Knox realizes that turning Nina over may not be as easy as he thought.