Lust and Other Drugs

Mytho Investigations #1

by T.J. Nichols

Police officer Jordan and dragon shifter Edra might have to work together, but they don’t trust each other—even if sparks do fly between them.

If anyone finds out Jordan’s a mytho sympathizer, it could kill his career. No one can know that he frequents the satyr dens and uses the drug Bliss. A dead satyr might not get much attention, but two dead humans who appeared to overdose on Bliss? That shouldn’t even be possible.

And it might not be an accident.

Edra, Mythological Services Liaison, has been covering up mytho crimes to protect the community’s reputation. With a mayoral election looming, the last thing his people need is a scandal like this one.

To get a murderer off the streets, Jordan and Edra will be spending a lot of time together, and it won’t be easy to keep up with their deceptions. Or keep resisting each other.

Cover Tiferet Design

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, M M Romance, Urban Fantasy, Dragons, Romance, Shapeshifters

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2019

About the author

TJ Nichols (they/them) is the author of the Studies in Demonology and Familiar Mates series. They write mostly gay fantasy and paranormal romance, but sometimes gay action/horror as Toby J. Nichols.

After traveling all over the world and Australia, TJ now lives in Perth, Western Australia.

Free gay shifter novella when you join TJ's newsletter: http://tjnichols-author.com/lp/

You can find TJ on
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Reviews

[Shin Mon Thway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always loved the books where mythological creatures coexist with humans. 😌 And this is a very intriguing book with an impressive world building. And quite a different take on how it’s usually portrayed.

Edra is a dragon shifter who acts as a liaison official between human cops and Mythos. Ten years after the collapse of the worlds, humans are still struggling with the idea of coexisting with the creatures that they thought only exist in mythologies. Bigotry and hate crimes are sky rocketed and the tensions between the two species are getting worse and worse. And there’s Satyr drugs on the street, a dead Satyr, two human corpses and murderers on the loose. That’s where Jordan comes in. A really pretty human police officer who was branded as the Mytho sympathizer and perhaps the only one who truly cares for the justice for Mythos. Edra knows it’s never a good idea to mix business and pleasure but Jordan could possibly the only chance of his happiness in this chaotic and strange world. Will Jordan be brave enough to be the mate of a dragon shifter?

Despite what the blurb says, I’d say this is more murder mystery than a romance because there’s so little of it in this book. 🙂 This book is heavier on world building and plot centered rather than being romantic and sexy. If you are looking for heat and swoon worthy romances, look elsewhere because there literally has none in it. 😁 There are some flirtations but that’s it. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of it and different mythological creatures in it though. It’s truly fascinating. The ending is somewhat cliffhanger and HFN-ish. However since I’m hooked on finding out what will happen between Jordan and Edra and the future of this world, I might still pick up the second book in the series. 😌


3.5 I might breathe fire but you stir the fire in my heart stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫






Disclaimer: An review copy of this book was provided by the author for an honest and unbiased review.

[Serena Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interdimensional conflict, refugees from the mythological world with nowhere to go and very few rights, humans trying to deal with the fact that they are not the only intelligent life on Earth, and a movement called “anti-integration” that thinks humans are superior and wants the mythos imprisoned or worse. At the core of this fantastic novel is some very creative worldbuilding with a reason why all kinds of mythological creatures have appeared in human reality with no way back. Human politicians and regular citizens alike have to deal with sentient beings most of them do not even see as worthy of their attention nor do they allow them to be citizens. Internment camps are the initial “solution”, but since Europe is beginning to integrate mythos, as they are called collectively, into their societies and some countries believe that mythos deserve equal rights, the US will have to come out of the Dark Ages and do something too. Sound familiar? I just loved these very clever parallels between what we see out there in 2019 and this novel!


Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Achim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Lust and Other Drugs is not the first story where paranormal beings are revealed and have to coexist with humanity though while not exactly unique it's nevertheless different. The premise of this book: there was always a parallel world populated with all those beings which humanity knows from their legends and myths but the connection was lost until a scientific experiment went wrong. A lot of different results were anticipated even disastrous ones but no one expected to suddenly see dragons flying through the sky. It took some time but then it was clear that the experiment led to the destruction of the parallel world with parts of it collapsing into the human world and with it came a lot of refugees and mythological creatures.

The story starts a decade after the collapse so the worst uproar is over and the first structures are established but of course not to the advantage of the mythos, as they are called now. 10 years are also not enough to grant them citizenship in the US while humanity is still discussing if they can be seen as people. It certainly doesn't help that the refugees didn't only loose their world but also part of their magic i.e. werewolves are stuck permanently in mid-shift and vampires lost their glamour and therefore appear like the monsters from human nightmares. Even worse, they brought their own order, structures and belief with them and here is what makes Lust and Other Drugs different to most of the other stories with the same topic: there is nothing quirky or lightly-exotic. It's a clash of cultures and a common ground is only established by subduing and ignoring one of them. Prejudice and misconception spread wide on each side and the human majority is not really interested to even try to understand.

So there is no wonder I enjoyed the world building, especially because it's based a lot on showing the situation and not only telling about it and Nichols doesn't make the mistake to glorify the mythos as peacefully and essentially in accordance with nature. There are sketchy characters everywhere and a lot of the actions even those of one of the MCs are at least questionable. Could be a nice noir mystery, even more so that the events are taking place shortly before the election of the mayor of San Francisco where the candidates' agendas couldn't be more different, so politics is supposed play a major role in the story. If you add the fact that the new transfer to the homicide department is secretly an addict of a lust inducing satyr drug and after pushed into the alibi role of a mytho contact develops an interest in the mytho liaison then the stage is set for a nice trip into the shady side of society and its dangerous current.

Did the author deliver? Where my expectation fulfilled? Regarding the mystery: no. The purpose of having a case at all seemed to have a more detailed view on the world and its state and to create an opportunity for Jordan and Edra to meet and start their forbidden romance. There was no real investigation, the political pressure was nothing to talk about and the final solving of the mystery was so half-hearted that it disappointed and I don't even talk about my doubts about the election result.

What about the romance? Have to admit I didn't have the same expectation about the romance as I had about the mystery. Given the setup and the serious world building it would have taken a small wonder if there was anything else than a HFN at the end of the first book. I just wouldn't have believed it. They had and still have to fight to overcome their professional trust issues, personal insecurities and preconceptions and then there is also the question how such a relationship is supposed to survive. There is a strong attraction and something has to give in the next book but it's not here and now and that is also because Nichols made their situation also more difficult by adding unnecessary road blocks with their definition of dragon mating restrictions (don't expect more than a one-sided handjob). As it is the book only ends with something HFN-ish.

I just hoped that TJ Nichols would have made as much effort with their mystery as they did with their world building and I further hope we get a bigger step into a romance in the next book even if it still has to be a fragile one.

[smatchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t love this book, though I found the premise interesting. I think the author very accurately predicted what would happen if mythological creatures came into the human world, it would be disastrous for the “mythos”, just look at how disgusting humans are to each other.
Other than that, the story was kind of disappointing in the romance aspect. For much of the book, Jordan and Edra seem attracted to each other but like they don’t really like each other. I will stick to Louisa Masters for my paranormal-human romance!

[Stephan · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: A copy of Lust and Other Drugs was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.

I always find T.J. Nichols’ worlds to be fascinating and full of detail, and this one is no exception. The paranormal world has collapsed into ours, and along the way, much of what makes the races what they are has been lost. Werewolves are stuck half-shifted, the vampires have lost their beauty, and the knight has lost his sword. The struggle to adapt on both sides is complicated, and full of the racial tensions still seen in the modern world.

I really enjoyed both of the main characters and their flaws. In addition to the physical attraction, I really feel the mutual recognition they feel as they get to know each other and do their best to do what is right within the limitations of the world they live in and the jobs they hold. They both know how to play the politics game, even if they risk a lot along the way. The gender expression struggles of the MC add depth to his character. The wrap-up of the primary plot did feel like it had a skip in it, as if once the truth had been revealed there was no need to get into the details. It was a tiny bit of a let-down, but then the story did conclude with a great peek into the growing personal relationship.

On a personal note, I would have preferred the collapse was not blamed on the Hadron Collider, as anti-scientific sentiment is already far too prevelent in the world and arguably a major source of emerging and reemerging crises. This is a minor piece of the plot, and could have easily been swapped for a magical accident… or a made-up foreign government’s project… perhaps a cult’s ritual… or heck, maybe no known cause at all.

[Dieter Moitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Fantasy, the first pages operate like some sort of non-legal contract between me and the author. The latter tries to “sell” the framework for her/his story, and I either accept the framework, sign on the dotted line (and therefore “buy” it). Or I don’t. The main arguments to make me “buy the story” are simple: I need to get hooked, I need to be drawn into the new, imaginary world the author proposes; I need to feel authenticity, some degree of probability, no matter how far-fetched the new universe seems on first sight (I mean, Olympic gods? Wizard schools? Talking, god-like lions? Hobbits? Not very likely to exist. Yep, but—read them all, “bought” them all). To make a long speech short: I found T.J. Nichols’ universe very, very far-fetched—and I bought it whole-heartedly. Because this was one helluva unputdownable book!

Let’s see. The universe we discover is modern-day San Francisco. No Middle Earth, no Hogswarth, no Narnia, alright. But. A scientific experiment has gone wrong, and BOOM!, a foreign world has collapsed on our good, old Earth. New inhabitants are now stranded all over the globe: the so-called mythos. Dragons, shifters, vampires, satyrs, merpeople, werewolves, and other legendary creatures. Cohabitation is strenuous at best of times, those mythos being considered by many as little more than animals, and sometimes the organization created to make integration happen (Mythological Services) is hard put to defend their people. We meet Edra Tendric, a dragon shifter knight who deals mostly with settling disputes amongst mythos and who, because he looks so human, has been asked to work as a liaison officer with the SFPD. And we meet Jordan Kells, a handsome gay police officer recently promoted to homicide, who has a guilty penchant for wearing make-up and fancy lace-and-silk underwear in his free time. Jordan being weary of hook-ups, he’s recently given in to the strange lure of the mythos’ drug Bliss, which can make you have a very good time all by yourself, orgasm included. That’s an even guiltier secret because mythos are forbidden to sell that non-addictive drug to humans. To complicate things further, it’s the last week before the mayoral election takes place. And the current mayor running for his own succession is as anti-mythos as they come, doing all in his might to stir up public opinion against them. In that deleterious atmosphere, a satyr is gruesomely murdered; then, two persons are found dead—they’ve apparently overdosed on Bliss even though mythos claim that’s impossible. Edra and Jordan are forced to work together; they have to struggle with journalists only too happy to spread Fake News, they have to fight against biased police officers… and they try to come to terms with their mutual attraction, which would compromise the whole case if it became public.

Now, told like that, the story doesn’t look like much. The blurb doesn’t do it justice either. What made me “buy” the story, then? What made me enjoy this book? T.J. Nichols opens it with a succinct yet sufficiently detailed prologue that tells about the scientific disaster and subsequent collapse of the mythos’ world. And then the story proper begins; Edra is introduced in what one guesses an everyday peace-making situation where he has to arbitrate between different mythos claimants. And just like that, the reader is thrust into the strange, new, post-collapse San Francisco where mythical creatures roam the streets. And the reader is hooked. This reader was, at any rate. Even though shifters and such are not really my cup of tea, I immediately accepted the oddness of Nichols’ world because… it felt so familiar! Edra may not be human, but a humanoid capable of turning into a dragon, albeit a smallish one, his history, his character, his calm and determination make him seem like an old friend. Jordan, insecure yet strong and wilful, with his guilty “otherness” and his painful past, is the second pillar that “grounds” the plot. Then there’s the whole “anti-refugee”-atmosphere that reminds of the current state of affairs in many a country. Nichols handles that aspect just as skilfully as she treats the slow-burning, slow-blooming romance aspect. A good, focused pace is maintained throughout the book, which offers us Edra’s and Jordan’s POVs in alternating chapters. I opened the book after coming home from work, not knowing what to suspect. I went through the first pages… and before I knew it, I had read three quarters of the book, and it was way past midnight; I almost had to force myself to put the book down then (one needs one’s beauty sleep, after all). Finished it the following evening (I just hope I took my eyes off the book long enough to say “Hello” to my boyfriend when he came home, although I’m not sure I did…)

You get it. This was a thrilling read. I can’t wait for the next book of the series to be released—after all, I need to know if, and how, the relationship between Edra and Jordan develops.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been originally posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!

[Britin71 · Rating 4 out of 5]

La planète Tariko où vivaient toutes les créatures mythologiques comme les Dieux, les vampires, les sirènes… est entrée en collision avec la Terre. Depuis, les Mythos cohabitent tant bien que mal avec les humains.

Très bonne surprise que ce roman où l’univers créé par l’auteure est riche et particulièrement bien travaillé 💗

À cause du titre, je m’attendais à une histoire légère et axée sur le sexe mais il n’en est rien.

Édra est un dragon qui, à cause de sa ressemblance physique avec les humains, est choisi comme émissaire Mytho auprès de la police de San Francisco afin de faciliter les relations qui sont souvent tendues entre les créatures fantastiques et la police humaine. De son côté, Jordan est un flic qui fait tout pour paraître « normal ». Il est gay et l’assume mais il cache à ses collègues et amis ses penchants pour la lingerie fine et le maquillage, et surtout sa dépendance à une drogue Mytho. Tous les deux font semblant d’être ce qu’ils ne sont pas.

Le gros point fort du roman, c’est l’univers. Les mythos ne sont pas considérer comme des citoyens, tout juste mieux que des animaux. La ségrégation fait rage entre les Hommes et la race inférieure des Mythos. L’auteure a vraiment bien retransmis les injustices qu’ils subissent et les préjugés débiles dont ils sont victimes.

La romance est au second plan. Édra et Jordan devront d’abord s’apprivoiser avant d’espérer plus. Dans ce premier tome, nous n’en sommes qu’aux prémices de leur relation.

Le livre ne se finit pas sur un cliffanger mais il nous manque certaines réponses. C’est pourquoi je suis impatiente de découvrir la suite de cette nouvelle saga hyper intéressante 💓🐉

[LOLA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edra a is a dragon. Jordan a cop.
The whole story deals with them trying to figure out a murder.
Politics is making that difficult.
The police work and mythological aspects were the best parts of the book. Not a lot of sex or much romance.
Good world building. Didn't care for some aspects of this tale. I would have liked to see more development between Jordan and Edra. Just a bit lacking in substance.
A decent read. Would like to read another story with in this world.
(MMRG/DBML)

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the Demonology series, I was definitely impressed by TJ’s work. This book has very much pushed TJ in my favorites column and a one-click for sure. Man, what a story. Mythical creatures, a quest to solve murders, and a relationship possibly brewing in background. Packed with mystery, suspense and a whole lot of chemistry. I loved these characters. So many paranormals in one spots. It's so, so good.
When faced with hatred, bigotry and racism of a kind every day, you learn quickly to hold things close to the vest, so to speak. Humans never really wanted to know the mythical creatures they read about were real. They were in denial. And purposely blind to it. But when the collapse of the mythical world occured, they had no choice but to open their eyes to what was in front of them. And it caused a HUGE uproar. Mythical beings would never be anything more than animals to most. They are supporters, those trying to make things better, but hatred and fear is a powerful thing and motivator. Humans don't like the temples, the dens, nothing. Yet, they have no problem with other humans committing murder, having and selling drugs, orgies and all kinds of things. And the anti-mytho are getting worse. Especially when political offices are full of them.
Now there are false arrests, murders with dismemberment, murders to set people up and more. Edra is trying to police things from his end, but being a dragon kind of hinders a lot. He can 'police’ his kind, but no one else. So he has to liaise with human police and he's dreading it. Jordan is pro-mytho, but he's also different himself. He's human, but his desires run different and if anyone found out, it could cost him everything. But he wants things done right, in spite of being fought at every turn. He wants justice for the Mytho done wrong. He cares, even if he's scared. And the chemistry between the two of them are scaring the crap out of them both. Time is running out, political lines have been drawn, and Jordan and Edra both don't know where they will be standing when the smoke clears.
These characters. Man. When know for being a certain way from stories, it hard to be when the collapse caused their appearances to be monster like. Definitely has made things tough for the Mytho. Of course, humans just being assholes don't help either. Heaven forbid anyone is different. Makes me not want to be human sometimes lol. Even if these are fictional characters. Because we all know how difference is tolerated. With Edra, literally, his whole world was gone. His home, his mate, his everything. And to be shoved in a world where acceptance isn't welcome. It sucks. Bad. But Edra is a sneaky little devil and I LOVE it. Being a knight (cop) in his world, he still polices his kind. He just doesn't have his sword anymore. But being a dragon kind of helps with that. He just knows what he does, he has to kind of not tell Jordan.
Jordan is up a creek no matter what he does. He has to hide who he is from the start. And pray his ex doesn't blab about his kinks. But now he has to work with a liason who doesn't want to be there, doesn't trust humans (who could blame him), and lies to him. On top of it, he not really expected to solve the cases because it was again a Mytho and Mytho supporters. His hands are tied everywhere he turns. If he doesn't toe the line, he loses his job, and then what. But the worst of it all, Edra. Edra is getting under Jordan's skin. And Edra knows two of Jordan's secrets. The connection between them is explosive, but because of the tension from everything else, it's hard to know what to do. He just wants. Everything.
I want the next book like right now. Seriously. Lol. Right now. The way it was left off was such a tease but so incredible. The build up to it alone makes it amazing, but once it happens, it's like you can't breathe. You guys will be missing out if you don't read this book. Highly recommend.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/

[Qin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent fantasy book that spreads itself too thin by attempting to spin it both as a (bland, meh, and very slow-moving) love story and a (rather slapdash, if not cheesy) social commentary of the politcally correct mould about migration and tolerance. The strong world building and decent character drawing (Edra is more than passable as a supernatural, while Jordan as a sturdy and reliable toppy femme gay breaks relatively novel ground in fantasy) insured that the book never actually sinks under the weight of all that unneeded superstructure, yet even this virtue eventually became a sin, as the author loves to harp, if not outright preach, pro and cons about the same concepts (mostly the social stigma that comes with associating with, or pandering to, mythos) as if they were leitmotive. Add to this the the weak, almost desultory sleuthing intrigue, extremely tentative and feeble HFN ending, and the choppy, uninventive, repetitive writing, and the 2,5 mark is entirely justified in my eyes. Let me sample a little of the phrasing:

"He barely knew the man, but knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't mind getting him out of his clothes and checking out his slinky underwear."

"By the afternoon there were two very different spins on the story. One was that it had been rivalry among the satyrs over drugs and sex and that they should have curfews and the dens should be shut down."

"The last thing he wanted to do was go out, but he couldn't blow off his friends again. For the moment there was nothing he could do on the case. They had no leads, and the body had been dumped just out of range of the cameras on the temple. He didn't want to have nothing when Edra called. And Jordan knew him well enough to know Edra wouldn't sit back and wait."

"He needed to go out, even if he didn't want to. Maybe he'd meet someone he'd be interested in and who'd be interested in him. But he'd already met someone, someone he was missing."

"You look bland," Mason said between mouthfuls of chips.

"That's exactly the look I was going for." He knew he didn't look bland- -his office was bland, boring, and entirely safe."

Since those samples come from two or three pages chosen at random (there are worse offenders, and barely any string of paragraphs comes off free from these lexical and stylistic blemishes), there really is something amiss with Mrs Nichols literary chops. Her dialogues and pieces of narrative smack of a premature first draft which she did not polish.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

Lust and Other Drugs is the first book in T.J. Nichols’ new Mytho series and it’s off to a great start. The world building here is just fabulous and so creative. The idea of all these mythological beings suddenly crossing into the human world leaves open so many interesting angles. Nichols showcases the conflict as both sides struggle to adapt to their new reality, and it is clear that even ten years later, neither side has fully come to terms with the situation. But while the mythos are mostly making do as best they can, many humans are still hostile to the mythos, making their assimilation into the human world almost impossible. I liked the way Nichols plays with the idea of standing out and being different, as of course they are so many real world parallels. Here we see that mythos who can “pass” for human have a much easier time being accepted, while groups who have a less human appearance have a much harder time. There is also little acceptance for the different mytho cultural norms, such as various religious observances or methods of conflict resolution. As with the real world, differences are often feared and shunned. We see how that plays out with Jordan, who likes to occasionally dress in a more traditionally feminine style, with makeup and lace undergarments. He hides that side of himself from almost everyone, knowing being different and standing out will cause trouble for him, especially as a member of the police force. So the story delves into some interesting big picture issues here and Nichols does a nice job incorporating these ideas into the story.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Joanne Mccorkell]

DNF @ 42%

I feel awful but I personally didnt enjoy this book.

I loved the idea, Edra is dragon with some law enforcement exprience in his own world. Jordan is a human policeman, trying to help interigrate the mythos with humans.

While these are the main characters at 42% in, I felt no connection between them, infact I wasnt even liking Jordan.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great world building. Mytho creatures forced to live with humans when the worlds collide. A good murder mystery and loved the 2 MCs and there slow burn.
Unfortunately, men in lacy lingerie doesn't o it for me and I keep asking myself how satyrs held things if they only had hooves

[Dallie]

DNF - Not a huge fan of drugs, but really not a fan of the main characters fucking other people on page. I was excited for the dragon/cop aspect, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Elaine White · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 Review, of Second Edition:

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **

Lust and other Drugs, by T.J. Nichols
Mytho, Book 1
★★★★★

258 Pages
3rd person, dual character POV
Themes: romance, shapeshifting, creatures
Triggers: mentions of drug taking, addiction, violence
Genre: MM Romance, LGBT, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifters

World-Building: ★★★★★
Heat: ★★★☆☆
Chemistry: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★★
Romance: ★★★★☆

~

INTRO

I originally read the first edition of this series (books 1-2, at the time) in November 2019, but it's been a while and I've read a lot of books since then. Although I remember certain scenes, characters and events, I was a bit vague on the story as a whole, so I can confidently say that I went into this second edition with fresh eyes.

And...I still loved it. I still stand by my original review (after re-reading it, before writing this) and I loved that I was able to both fondly remember the series, as well as have that rare experience of reading it for the first time again. I can't pinpoint how or why that feeling was possible, but I honestly felt like I was reading it again for the first time, and that everything was new and amazing.

CHARACTER

The story starts with Jordan – a detective who is denying his addiction to a mytho drug, Bliss. The way his addiction is explored, with Jordan denying it, justifying it, lying to himself, convinced he's not an addict, is smart and realistic. Jordan is an emotional softie, a top who feels unwanted because he likes to wear lace, silk and make-up, with a history of bad relationships where men reject him once they find out about his likes.

Then we're introduced to Edra – a lesser dragon mytho who lost his mate during the collapse, ten years ago. Now, he's alone, clinging to his traditions, where he was called a Knight, and was considered the mytho version of police, protecting his city. Now, he does the same job, at Mytho Servo – the public service office of mytho, who try to police mytho. It's Edra's job to clean up as many messes as possible, so that the police don't get involved. There's no trust between the mytho and police, leaving Edra playing devil's advocate half the time, while working on a shoe-string budget.

A tricky case comes along, just as Jordan has returned from undercover work on a black market illegal trading case. With no other cases, Jordan is landed with the mytho case, and steps on a few toes when he starts suspecting and investigating humans of committing crimes against mytho. With no one ready to accept mytho as victims, or even humans with rights, Jordan's poking around gets him noticed by the wrong people.

With an election on the horizon – one pro-Mytho advocate against the current anti-Mytho mayor – Jordan doesn't want to be stuck in the middle. But when he crosses paths with Edra, who is trying to clean up the mess of the case, it's an instant clash. Leading to gradual respect, grudging trust, and two men working together who have the same goal of solving the case. The attraction is fought on both sides, but eventually can't be denied any longer, and leads to a long, slow burn, intense chemistry, and a sizzling connection that lasts the entirety of the book.

PLOT

The story deals with a crash of two vastly different worlds – one human, and the other full of mythological creatures from fairytales. When they collide, it's a political nightmare, and humans – as usual – react badly.

The way humans behave towards mytho is very reminiscent of so many historical events that it's both frightening, but also shows the author's skill in weaving real human emotions into an urban fantasy story. When the mythological creatures appear, humans treat them as lesser beings.
As usual, humans played scientist and screwed the Mytho world, bumping two worlds into one and destroying the other. Instead of accepting their error and working together, they did what humans always do – they blame someone else. The fact most mytho are animal-based creatures let the humans slap the “monster” sticker on the problem, justifying their bad behaviour. The poor mytho – their world destroyed, their traditions treated with contempt, and some hunted for sport – are expected to shut their mouths and tolerate it, since they don't have any rights anyway.

The way this was all woven into Jordan's work as a police officer, and Edra's work as a Mytho Servo liaison, means that we get to see the multiple, cruel ways the Mytho are mistreated by humans. Everything from internment camps, segregation, prejudice, violence and no legal rights, are explored through their work, naturally exploring the reality of life as a mytho rather than rushing to list and info-dump them.

Using the Prologue to explore the crash of worlds, how it came about and the consequences, sets up the worldbuilding well, while leaving the rest of the story to add the intricate details seamlessly. This Prologue is both clever, in that it gives a quick but condensed view of the collapse, while also being useful in introducing the reader to the background without inserting info-dumps into the main story. This allows the main story to focus on the details, the characters, and the main plot, expanding upon the world formed in the Prologue.

WRITING

I've been a fan of T.J. Nichols' style of writing and storytelling for years. This one is no different. Even though this was an ARC, I think I only saw one or two small errors that will inevitably be cleaned up before publishing. I did see one inconsistency, early on – at the den, Edra tells the satyr to ride him, but during their encounter neither 'ride' the other, unless the mytho have another meaning of the term that's not explored. Other than that, it was brilliantly clean.

The plotting was clever, the pacing well done, and the storyline engaging.

The criminal investigation takes centre-stage, while the relationship is secondary, but it never feels like one is ignored in favour of the other. The two are woven together well, using the case to throw Jordan and Edra together where their chemistry fizzles on a slow simmer.

Though it takes 89% for any intimate contact between Edra and Jordan, there's a logical and plot-driven reason for that, and I loved how it added an extra bit of tension and anticipation to the story. Edra's aversion to kissing, and Jordan's slow exposure to mytho life, history and traditions, made for a constantly engaging romance. Jordan had a lot to learn, and Edra tried to make allowances for the differences between them. As the older of the two – at 130+ in mytho years – Edra constantly tries to be the wise and logical of the pair, while Jordan is more driven by his emotions.

There is a definite series ARC – the relationship between Edra and Jordan, as well as the political tightrope between mytho and humans – but each book has a singular criminal investigation that is wrapped up by the end of the book. While it makes a great individual novel, it also makes it more exciting to binge-read the series and creates anticipation between novels.

OVERALL

Lust and other Drugs is a clever, engaging novel with a well-rounded plot, an intriguing investigation, and a relationship with so much chemistry it sizzles right off the page. Jordan is endearing, Edra protective, and both easily relatable despite Edra's mytho status. The story revolves around a cleverly paced and plotted investigation that keeps you engaged from the start, with enough clues, hints and politics, to keep you reading right until the very end.
The addition of Jordan and Edra's chemistry, their personalities and individual quirks, make them just as interesting on their own.

~

Favourite Quote

“Everyone deserved justice, even if they had fur and fangs.”

-----------------------

Original 2019 Review:

T.J. Nichols never disappoints!

This was such an intriguing concept. The worldbuilding was amazing, the plot original and unique, and the characters entertaining and lovable right from the start.
Jordan is a cop with a personality, who likes to wear a little lace, lipstick and silk lingerie at home and on the weekends. While undercover, he discovered the Mythos drug Bliss and became mildly addicted. Edra is a lesser dragon who was a Knight in his own world. When the world crashed into the human world, he got stuck as something unwanted, relegated to a social services style organisation where he can maintain his Knight over-view of the Mythos creatures. Their jobs soon overlap.

There's a handy little news/historical Prologue that sets up the background of the worlds colliding so that you can enter the story without a lot of info dump. It lets you know how the worlds came together, that things are hard and far from settled, and hints at the challenges to come.

Together, Edra and Jordan were amazing! Both so unique, individual, and interesting. Jordan's natural fears and struggles to assimilate the two sides of his personality - the cop and the one that liked pretty things, like lingerie and make up. Edra, a creature out of his own world and treated like a second-rate animal by humans. Their chemistry was off the charts from the start, but I also kind of loved that the whole story wasn't just about their relationship.

There was some sex on page, but it wasn't together. It happened to show you their personalities and their lives before they began to feel anything for each other. Their relationship together was much more complex, subtle and VERY slow burn. But I loved that. I loved that it didn't progress too quickly, because that wouldn't have been right for the characters. And the moments Jordan and Edra did share positively SIZZLED.

I loved every second of it. I can't wait to read Book 2. I love that it will continue the story of Edra and Jordan, rather than introducing two new main characters. I can see these will be going on by paperback bookshelf alongside the Studies in Demonology series.

[Free_dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review

While I love Fantasy, I’m usually not big on crime/mystery novels, so I was a bit unsure whether I wanted to read “Lust And Other Drugs” or not. In the end, it was the cover that convinced me to give this a try. And I’m so glad it did, because this book was absolutely brilliant!

As I said above, I’m not a big Mystery reader, so I can’t really judge the quality of the crime solving part of the novel. I can only say that I enjoyed it and was glad it didn’t take up a huge part of the book. It’s essential to the plot, but it’s just one essential part among others.

The romance is a very slow burn. There’s an instant spark between our MCs, but they don’t tumble into bed or into a relationship right away. It takes time and it’s not easy. While relationships between a mytho and a human might not be forbidden, it is most definitely taboo. And very bad for Jordan’s career in an anti-mytho police force. And Edra has good reasons to be wary of humans in general, especially the human police. I really enjoyed the slow dance of attraction and the UST was so scorching hot.

The Fantasy part was actually really interesting. While a lot of the elements aren’t exactly new (dragons, collapsing worlds, magic,…), the author managed to give it a very unique twist. For once, the end of the world isn’t caused by evil magic, but by a mundane human experiment gone wrong. And it’s not the end of the human world, but the end of another realm. All our fairy tales and myths are based on the mythos, that used to visit our human world. The world building was very well done and made perfect sense to me.

I loved the politics, the way the world reacted to the sudden appearance of mythological creatures and how the daily life works now, 10 years later. Again, it all made sense. Humans are always wary of anything that’s “different” and after such a huge upheaval, it only follows that humans want to go back to what’s “normal”. They become more intolerant and humans that don’t fit in are also viewed with hostility.

Jordan was rather surprising. He loves wearing lingerie and likes to put on eyeliner and lipstick every now and then. I’m usually not really into femme MCs, but the way the author described the feeling of the silk against skin was incredibly sensual. And the way Edra reacted was just hot as hell.

Overall, I really, really loved “Lust And Other Drugs”. The ending is a very open HFN and it’s obvious there’s more to come. The love story doesn’t really have a satisfying result and the crime isn’t fully solved either. But it didn’t end on a cliffhanger. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series. I want to know what happens next!

The cover by Tiferet Design most definitely did it’s job. It’s what caught my attention in the first place and what ultimately made me decide to read the book. I think it looks really great and totally fits the story.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say enough good things about either the world building or the character development in this novel. Let’s start with the premise, which has a whole host of supernatural beings, “mythos,” who’ve been forcibly relocated into the human world, a world that regards them with suspicion, distrust, and discrimination. They’re suddenly less than second-class citizens, cut off from their original homes, and the results can be pretty devastating. It makes for a sometimes gritty but always intense landscape and some tense interactions, which is how our two protagonists, human cop Jordan and dragon-shifter Edra, the Mythological Services Liaison, end up working together on a case that will have huge ramifications for the relationship between their two communities. I loved the dynamic between Jordan and Edra, which is always, always complicated by the fact that they come from different factions that have different agendas-- Edra protects his community at all costs, Jordan feels the tension between what he thinks being a cop should be and what it often is. They’re from different backgrounds (obviously) and have different pasts and things that drive them, and yet they still manage to grow closer together, and that’s kind of everything. I like Jordan, but I absolutely loved Edra: he’s smart, he’s driven, and he has some wickedly funny insights into human behavior. He’s very clearly dragon, not human, and seeing the world through his eyes is sometimes poignant, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes humorous, and always super interesting. It’s clear from where this story ends, with the central mystery resolved but the connection between Edra and Jordan still very much in progress, that there’s more to come for these two, and I could not be happier about that.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://optimumm.blog/2019/04/02/revi...

Jordan is a police officer and a human who has to work as a liaison agent with a dragon shifter, Edra.
Both men don’t trust each other, but they both have one goal, make sure that the peace and justice between humans and mythos are served.

Lust and Other Drugs by TJ Nichols is book 1 of a new series Mythos. I loved The Studies in Demonology series and was happy to start this new one.
After human scientists had made Terakon on Earth (a parallel planet where all the mythological creatures of our tale lived) collapse, Mythos and humans have to live together. It’s not easy, humans being humans they hate mythos and refused to integrate them into our world, even if it’s them who have destroyed their world. Mythos all suffered from the collapse, they lost their magic, their home, family, they also lost some of their abilities, and with all of that, they now have to fight to have a decent life. In this tense climate, Jordan and Edra try to work together and to trust each other.

Jordan is a human who loves to wear lingerie and addicted to Bliss. Bliss is a kind of drug created by Satyrs that give a powerful orgasm. Jordan is a pro-mythos rights, and he believes that they are human (at least the ones able to talk) and should have rights. He’s lonely in this fight, but he has the support of the mythos’ community and the help of Edra.

Edra is a shifter Dragon, a knight. Back then, in his world, he was like a police officer, and he served justice. Now, on Earth, he works at Mythos-Service, and helps the mythos to settle with houses, school, work and every problem they can have. He’s also the liaison agent with Jordan and hopes to help his community to finally have justice and respect by humans.

I liked the book even if, at first, it was confusing. The plot and the story are original, and I love fantasy when two worlds collide. The MCs are interesting, but something was missing with them. I found them empty even if they’re very complex…I don’t know how to explain it.

It’s the first book of the series, so it’s the book where the background is set, and the characters and universe are introducing to us. It was a little bit too long, too repetitive and sometimes I had the feeling of reading the same thing with different words.

I’m curious about the next book. Now I know the universe, the MCs, the background, I’m curious to see how it will be developing.

It’s 3 stars for the Dragon and The “Elf”

[BeckieLouLou · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. Audiobook. Excellent series following the same couple. Great world building, great romance, great action and external drama, great narration. Magic, shifters, humans. Worlds collided 10 years ago and beings from another dimension enter contemporary Earth. Excellent pacing with the events unfolding in a rational way, A leads to B naturally while we learn the world and meet the inhabitants, really well done. Such an interesting story with a wonderful balance of action, light angst, light drama, medium spice and lovely mated romance.

Binged all seven books back to back, congruence is perfect, no tedious recap. Recommend reading at least close together since there are quite a few characters. I usually need a break after book 3/4, but not here, I kept going and never got bored. Stayed interesting the entire time, absolutely enjoyable journey from strangers to everything, we see it all, including two epilogues! Two!

Narration by Roberto Scarlatto is excellent, varied voices, good emotion interjected into the words.

HEA, fated mates, human, dragon shifter, magic, medium spice, police officer, addiction, vampires, werewolves, elves.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
J'aime bien quand il y a une explication à l'arrivée de créatures surnaturelles dans le monde des humains. Ici, elle est assez originale. J'ai eu l'impression que ce 1er tome ne donne encore qu'un tout petit aperçu de la mythologie de cet univers mais c'est déjà plutôt intéressant.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié le traitement fait sur l'intégration des "mythos" dans le monde humain, c'est assez révoltant et en même temps tellement réaliste quand on sait à quel point notre société est raciste.
Pour ce qui est de l'enquête, je ne l'ai pas trouvé très bien menée, j'ai parfois eu l'impression que les 2 enquêteurs ne posaient pas les bonnes questions et la résolution vient sans climax/moment de tension. C'en est presque trop facile.
A suivre, par curiosité.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lot darker than I'd expected, and my personal enjoyment was dimmed by my dislike of (and nearly agonizing frustration with) all the injustice.

Bigots just piss me off. Even fictional ones. And it's hard to enjoy all the sexy times when I'm still fuming over something a barely-mentioned side character said two chapters ago.

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rounding this up from 3.5. This is a unique story and it took quite a bit for me to get into it. I had to put it down for a bit and come back to it. I did enjoy the story after I came back to it.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[book_reader_addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book. A lot of world building and learning about the collapse of the world of the myths and our world. A slow burning book, since the rest of the series is about the same couple. In this first book they feel lust and a connection and start to become something more than friends.
🌶️🌶️

[Christina Sturgill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3/5 🌟
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Jordan and Edra

[Maijie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lust and Other Drugs is the first book in the Mytho series.

The world has been thrown in a disarray when supernatural beings who were only known to humans through stories and myths got relocated in the human world due to the destruction of their home Tariko. As a result of the experiments done by scientists, the barrier between the two worlds collapsed forcing the mytho to try and integrate in a world that fears and hates them for being different. Being taken out of Tariko, some of the mytho suffered terrible changes physically, thus adding to the hardships they have while living the human world.

Edra, a dragon, has been assigned to work as an intermediary to the San Francisco Police Department. Though wary and uncertain that any trust can be built between the mytho and the police, Edra would have to learn to work with the man assigned to be his liaison. Jordan is an openly gay police man who is also silently sympathetic and supportive of the mytho. Being gay, Jordan personally knows how it feels to be discriminated. This does not however prevent the fear he feels of being found out as someone supporting the mytho as it would mean career suicide. However, meeting Edra and having to work with him on a case that will have huge ramifications for the relationship between their two communities has forced Jason to examine his true feelings and his principles.

One of the strongest point of this book is the world-building and lore. T.J. Nichols has created a fascinating world filled with supernatural creatures from myths and legends while injecting her own touch to the lore surrounding them. The little details regarding mytho daily life and culture that they are trying hard to retain adds a wonderful layer on making them feel more real. The character development and the relationship of Jordan and Edra was handled wonderfully. I love their dynamics. The tension and the chemistry between them is palpable. Their relationship is complicated with Edra always wanting to protect his community at all cost including doing some morally shady things and Jordan wanting to do his job and what is right. Add in the fact that they have their own pasts that drive them and the fact that they are two totally different species with such a huge cultural difference. Despite all that, Edra and Jordan grow closer together and are willing to give whatever is between them a chance to develop into something more.

Jordan is an interesting character but I love Edra more. He's funny, witty, driven and has some really sharp and unique insight into human behavior. Seeing things through his eyes give such a different color on things some of which are hilarious while others feel poignant and heart-breaking.

The overall mystery is alright nothing really remarkable. The appalling treatment of the mytho which reminded me of the real-world treatments of refugees is very painful to read because of how realistic it felt. The novel's pacing was a bit slow in some parts and at times there are too many things happening at once that it can be a bit overwhelming. The main plot for the book was resolved however, Lust and Other Drugs does feel like a beginning of a series and it has raised a lot of questions that needs to be answered. The romantic relationship between the two leads is a happy for now scenario but any consequences on the events that transpired wasn't shown yet.

Still, Lust and Other Drugs was an enjoyable read. This is more of a paranormal, procedural/mystery MM book. The romance is there but it was never the highlight or the main focus of the story. This would be a 4 star out of 5 star and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book via GRR and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise for this series and all the fun details, but ultimately it feels very much like a preamble. I do plan on continuing with the series, but I hope it moves away from the procedural feel this had for the first two-thirds or so.

That is just not my personal favorite kind of narrative, but I was expecting the supernatural world-building to make it more interesting coming from TJ Nichols. But it was just too drawn-out and slow moving, especially since it wasn't setting up any bigger picture plot point, beyond showing how messed up the cops, and humanity in general, were in their handling of the Mythos "creatures".

The Mythos have only been trapped in the human world for 10 years, so they're still struggling to wrap their heads around human customs. One of the most interesting things about this portrayal is that, as different as the two worlds are, it's only the humans that think different automatically equals wrong. 

The Mythos have different customs among their own species and fully expect everyone to just respect these differences for what they are. I found the commentary on many of the cultural barriers amusingly clever from the Mythos perspectives. Often in very succinct ways. (On sex: "It's fun. Why did humans makes it bad?") This part was really, really fun and clever. There just wasn't enough of it. It was the best part of the book, but unfortunately a very small part.

And other than the appalling (but no doubt 100% realistic) way humanity as a whole had reacted to the Mythos world collapsing into theirs, all the other plot points are a little underdeveloped. 

There is A LOT going on here, and I wouldn't quite call the beginning an info dump, but it did have my head swirling a little bit. Granted, my brain is not at 100% right now, but I love complex world-building, the more intricate the better, so I don't think it was just me. It really felt like the author hadn't quite worked out some of the details with enough clarity to smoothly integrate into the story.

I did like both the MC's and their chemistry, but the forward movement of their relationship was a bit uneven in a few places in a way that felt like a mistake, especially from Jordan's side. He was all over the place from one extreme to the other with his concerns about getting involved with a Mytho, and there were a few instances where it felt more like choppy writing than indecision on his part. (Also, it's mostly just UST between them until the very end, if that's going to bother you.)

I also really liked Jordan's desire to express his femme side and the challenges he faced on that front, but I wanted to see that play out a little more with Edra since it was clearly supposed to be an important part of their connection. And there needed to be WAY more conversation about the whole mating thing. That felt much too willy-nilly considering the high stakes.

I LIKED the original take on dating/mating (this is not a fated mates situation) and how it forced them to take things slow physically, but it just felt like we skipped a few beats with the emotional development. Or like they happened off-page. Or like I needed a smidge more internal dialog for once :) I don't know, it was just a little choppy with the relationship-building. The details were there for a strong foundation, but the execution didn't quite feel polished.

I don't think I've ever read a story with a dragon that I didn't like, so it's no surprise that I particularly loved Edra. And I loved that there were a lot of lesser-used species populating this world. I mean, SATYRS played a huge role in the story. And psychopathic mermaids!! But the human awfulness overshadowed the fun paranormal bits by a landslide. 

I definitely wanted more from the mythos perspective and less from the humans. While theoretically it's 50/50 split between Edra and Jordan's POVs, they both spend most of their time dealing with the human BS.

There's no cliff-hanger here, but there's also not anything happening with high enough stakes to merit a cliff-hanger. It just...ends. There's no resolution to anything beyond the election of a new mayor, and the mystery wasn't written about in a way that you were supposed to try to solve it on your own, so it was just there until it wasn't. (The MC's acted like they solved it conclusively, but we didn't get enough details at the end to make that judgment, so I'm not sure how to feel about that...except the bigger problem is that I don't actually *care* so... :)

It's definitely not a self-contained story, but there's no clear idea of where it's going from here. With a new mayor, it would be so much fun to watch the Mythos integrate into the human world more, but I'm not sure that's where we're headed. And while I get that the whole point is that the "creatures" act more humane than the humans...that makes for a pretty bleak world, especially since this isn't a save the world quest type of story. These guys are just getting on with daily life, making the best of this shitshow of a life they've been dealt.

The framework *is* interesting enough that I'd like to see where it goes. I'll have to get more even, developed character-, relationship- and world-building to see it on from there, but it's very intriguing so far. I know what Nichols is capable of, so I have faith that all this setup is going to payoff. (I'm also interested to see how Jordan's use of Bliss plays out because I couldn't quite get a handle on how we're supposed to feel about that...)

I would recommend this to anyone who likes procedurals, as long as playing along with the mystery-solving isn't a requisite. But if you're new to this author, start with the fantastic Warlock in Training series. It's world-class storytelling, and this one is still very much up in the air.

**This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program**

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was interesting, but the jury's still out for me on how far I'll go with this series.

There were some things in this world building that hit me differently from other books with shifters, to wit:

Although shifters can pass as humans, there are very specific biological differences with dragon shifters - no nipples or belly button, as they are hatched (although I think there is still an umbilical cord involved even with eggs, right?) This was kind of . . . ew . . . to me. Especially as nipples can be such a big part of sex. Hmmm. In other books with shifters that I've read, there really hasn't been anything biologically different enough in the human form to give me hesitation. This sort of shoves the different species (or whatever classification you may wish to use) situation in your face and honestly, sex between different species would, in fact, be . . . ew. In other books it has been easy to suspend that kind of thought and just go with the fiction, but this book emphasizes the differences between human and non-human to the degree that it intrudes in a negative way. Another example is Edra thinking about the fact that if he mates with Jordan, he will never be able to have sex with Jordan in his dragon form. That is kind of depressing/sobering, especially as I think of the human form as less dominant than the other form. In other words, a dragon shifter is more dragon than human; the human bit is really just a mask. I'll have to see how this goes in book 2 (I'm also hopeful there is NOT a lot of weird kink related to biological differences like forked tongues, no gag reflex, and being able to turn one's head more than a "normal" human could).

On the more prosaic side, it was hard to buy into Edra's connection with Jordan. I never felt any real passion there, just physical need. Jordan I could believe but only because he is presented as a bottomless well of physical (sexual) need. I'm not feeling much of an emotional aspect from either MC. I'm also not buying Jordan's ease with the fact that Edra is looking for a lifelong commitment, and we're not talking the of the human variety. With so little beyond the physical connecting these two, how could Jordan be so casual about the ramifications? Seems out of place for human nature.

It's also kind of overtly emphasized that Jordan has to work within the concept of Edra's mating rituals. Funny how it's never the other way around.

As often happens in these books, I have to wonder about the "age gap". If Edra is 134, how long will he live? Where is he in his age span? If he mates with a human, will he vastly outlive his mate (in which case he would be setting himself up to have yet another painful separation). Again, I don't normally dwell on this aspect with shifter stories, but this book has really emphasized Edra's age several times.

Lastly, the whole concept of Bliss is all over the place. For example, we read this (bolding mine):
“Bliss isn’t a stimulant or an erection powder. It’s an arousal drug. It teases the senses, quickens the heart. Sensations intensify, and the brain does most of the work.”

But then we read this (bolding mine):
“How much Bliss would a human need to take to overdose?” Leonaris shook his head. “It’s not an overdose. The pleasure just lasts for longer. That can be dangerous because one can forget to eat and drink, and being erect for hours on end can also do damage to men.”

Those sound pretty contradictory to me.

Then there's the question of whether Bliss can be toxic to humans. First we are told this (bolding mine):
Helena glanced at Edra. “Perhaps too much is toxic to humans?”
“No. That was ruled out before the dens were allowed to open.” Tests had been run on the compounds, and the chemical makeup of Bliss was less harmful than many pharmaceuticals on the market. It was magic that made it work. Labs had tried to replicate it, and had managed something that only produced a smile. Satyrs had then been banned from selling it to humans.
“Too much magic?”
“You can’t overdose on magic, officer.”

But then we are told this:
"My understanding is that humans don’t usually eat their drugs. You smoke them or inject them. Did the woman inject Bliss?” Jordan stared out the windshield at the crime scene. They were preparing to move the body.
“Why does that matter?”
“If it’s injected, the body can’t digest it. The heart rate and body temperature increase too quickly—”
“And never stops.”

So if the question is "can Bliss be toxic to humans?" then the answer is very obviously a yes. There's also inconclusive discussion about whether it is addictive to humans. Judging by Jordan, I would say that it definitely is . . . as would be anything that lights up the old pleasure centers in the brain of a person who is prone to addiction. After all, sex can be addicting, so certainly a drug that replicates that feeling would have the same possibilities. On the other hand, if magic is what's lighting up those receptors, then maybe some/all of the other nasty ramifications of a chemical drug are avoided and so the "drug" is actually more benign? I really can't tell.

Despite all of these points, I did enjoy the story and the world that was created. I have a very big weakness for femme characters, so it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Jordan is just that, despite being sexually dominant.

If he had a boyfriend, he’d have to hide his lingerie. It didn’t fit the image of what a top should be.

That was really unexpected, and I love it. Fortunately, it appears that Edra is on board with it. Ooh la la!

I am moving on to book #2, and I'm interested in seeing if some of these aspects will be resolved or dealt with in a way that won't keep me from enjoying the story.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mytho One: Lust and Other Drugs - 3.5 stars - 5/11/24
Mytho Two: Greed and Other Dangers - 3.5 stars - 5/20/24
Mytho Three: Envy and other Cravings - 3.5 stars - 6/4/24
Mytho Four: Vanity and other Monsters - 3 stars - 5/30/24
Mytho Five: Sloth and other Delights - 4 stars - 6/2/24
Mytho Six: Wrath and other Troubles - 3.5 stars - 6/22/24
Mytho Seven: Gluttony and other Hungers - 3 stars - 11/12/24
Mytho Eight: Ogres and other Dating Dilemmas - 3.5 stars - 12/3/24
Mytho Nine: Weddings and other One-night Stands - tbl

[Daniel Lorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mm romance read — with dragons

Excellent and fun world building, great characters and a strong slow build romance with some pretty hot action. Looking forward to the next instalment.

[L.E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the next book, stat!