There Is No Devil

Sinners, Book #2

By Sophie Lark

ISBN# 9798405150949

Author’s Website: sophielark.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review

This book picked up where There Are No Saints left off.  Mara is now living in Cole’s lush home.  She is getting used to living in his orbit, where he bestows lavish gifts on her.  They spend all their time together. 

Meanwhile, a predator still waits for his perfect opportunity to pounce and rip Mara to pieces.  And, Cole will not lose her so soon after finding her.  He knows that the only way to keep his girl safe, is to kill Shaw.  But he realizes that Mara must come to that conclusion as well.  Cole lives in the dark and he must bring her into the dark with him, if they are to survive.

It’s been a while since I read the first book, There Are No Saints.  I was honestly a little confused when I started to read this.  Cole and Mara were just in this perfect bubble living together and not much was really going on.  I didn’t even remember them moving in together.  There was no immediate threat that was present at the end of the first book.  I had to take a little look-see at the end of the first book to get my head straight. 

Cole and Mara’s unlikely relationship continues to develop.  She pulls him into her light making him experience things in a whole new and wonderful way.  Meanwhile, he is pulling her into the darkness simultaneously.  She finds that living in the dark is freeing in its own way.  It empowers her to no longer have to live as a victim to things others do.  The two find an unlikely balance in the middle of both their natures.

“Everyone is a mix of good and bad. Can the good cancel out the bad? I don’t know. I’m not sure I even care. If there’s no objective measure, then all that matters is how I feel. Cole is a shade of gray I can accept.”

Of course, they still have to deal with Alastor Shaw, the one person that could rip their happiness to shreds.  Despite Mara’s adamant declarations that Shaw is the Beast of the Bay, the police are still tracking Cole.  How can they dispatch the threat while being watched so closely by a law enforcement that doesn’t believe them?

Overall, this book read fairly easily and quickly.  I still think it should have all been one book.  The first book ended awkwardly; the second book started the same way.  Once I shook the cobwebs out of my head, it was a fairly straightforward story to understand and follow.  And, I can’t stop routing for the ‘bad’ guys … or maybe in this case the better of the bad guys?

Unfortunately, this book just ended so strangely that I think it did affect my rating and overall enjoyment.  The epilogue was just so odd.  I thought we were about to get a romantic proposal and instead got some weird pretend murder, I don’t even know.  I think this author could definitely use some work on wrapping her books up a little nicer.  And, the book could use a little polishing overall.  It seemed very raw.  I thought the concept of this duet was neat though and definitely something a little different.