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Sugar & Vice #3
Edge of Mercy
Not yet published
Expected 23 Jun 26In this fight, feelings are the most dangerous weapon of all.
In the gripping conclusion to Allie Therin’s slow burn urban fantasy MM romance series, an empath and an empath hunter face off as the fate of an alternate-universe Seattle—and their own future—hang in the balance.
Caught in the crosshairs of a deadly conspiracy, empath Reece Davies was forced to embrace his darker nature to protect the enemy he’d fallen for. Now, joining forces with others like him, drawn to chaos and vengeance by the corruption in his veins, Reece is being hunted…by the very man he saved.
Evan Grayson, a notorious empath hunter known as the Dead Man, was engineered to never falter from his mission—until he met Reece. Even corruption can’t cool their desire for each other, but with Reece’s dark side in control and all of Seattle at stake, Grayson must stop him, no matter the personal cost.
As the battle between the two enemies heats up, so does their forbidden attraction. But the danger is growing and closing in on them from all sides. Because Grayson isn’t the only one hunting the empaths—and they both may have finally met their match…
In the gripping conclusion to Allie Therin’s slow burn urban fantasy MM romance series, an empath and an empath hunter face off as the fate of an alternate-universe Seattle—and their own future—hang in the balance.
Caught in the crosshairs of a deadly conspiracy, empath Reece Davies was forced to embrace his darker nature to protect the enemy he’d fallen for. Now, joining forces with others like him, drawn to chaos and vengeance by the corruption in his veins, Reece is being hunted…by the very man he saved.
Evan Grayson, a notorious empath hunter known as the Dead Man, was engineered to never falter from his mission—until he met Reece. Even corruption can’t cool their desire for each other, but with Reece’s dark side in control and all of Seattle at stake, Grayson must stop him, no matter the personal cost.
As the battle between the two enemies heats up, so does their forbidden attraction. But the danger is growing and closing in on them from all sides. Because Grayson isn’t the only one hunting the empaths—and they both may have finally met their match…
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 23, 2026
3 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Allie Therin
12 books903 followersAllie Therin is a bicultural author of award-winning romance and urban fantasy. She also is, or has been, a bookseller, an attorney, a Parks & Rec assistant, a boom operator, and a barista for one (embarrassing) day.
A longtime fan of romance, mystery and speculative fiction, she now strives to bring that same delight to her readers. Allie grew up in a tiny Pacific Northwest town with more bears than people, although the bears sadly would not practice Spanish with her.
A longtime fan of romance, mystery and speculative fiction, she now strives to bring that same delight to her readers. Allie grew up in a tiny Pacific Northwest town with more bears than people, although the bears sadly would not practice Spanish with her.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Want to read
August 14, 2025THERE'S GONNA BE A THIRD ONE FUCK YES FUCK YES FUCK YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Want to read
November 13, 2025Words cannot express how badly I want this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Jeeeeeeeze what a way to end this amazing series!
Honestly, I had absolutely no clue where Allie was going to take this story, or how she could possibly find a conclusion which would leave everyone happy.
The tension just kept ramping up over and over as all things seemed to be indicating no way out for Reece and his corrupted empath friends Alex and Cora.
For Evan, the Dead Man, it seems his path is now an irreconcilable collision with the man who has stolen his attention - as he no longer has any feelings - and who he once swore he would protect from anything.
But Reece is corrupted now, he's joined forces against those who seek to control the empaths, and do much, much worse, as we discovered in book two.
So how can Evan not bring him in? The odds are stacked against him, evidence is piling up that Reece has been involved in multiple incidents, including murder, and things are looking bleak.
Fortunately, Reece's big sister Jamey won't ever give up on her brother, she's using every bit of her detective brain to show Evan that things are not as they seem, and it's this parallel plotline - with insights into the villains' plans - that keeps the reader on the edge as the story continues to grow.
No spoilers here, but I will just say that the multiple POVs once again is an intriguing narrative choice, I just wish they were more clearly delineated because sometimes the jump is a jaring one and it takes a minute or two to work out whose head we're in away from the main ones of Reece and Evan.
Not to say I don't enjoy it, I do love getting the villain monologuing their way to doom as it were, I just wish there'd be a more clear textual divide in the formatting.
As with the first two books, the UST between Reece and Evan is off the charts, even more so here where they're apart for at least half of the book, resorting to snarky texts and ever more flirty interactions as the actions of the opposition force them unknowingly closer together.
The twists and turns are magnificent, you never know what's going to happen next, but Allie keeps a tight control of the storyline, so things don't ever become a deus ex machina, instead it seems that the incredible can only be the ultimate outcome.
Everything about this book worked for me, apart from the fact it ended! I want so much more in this universe that Allie has created. I want to see Reece and Evan after the major threat to their lives has been removed.
I want to see what Alex and Cora will do, I want to know what happens to the empaths in the future, I just need more of this alternative Seattle.
Loved, loved, loved!
Not once has Allie Therin let me down. She's a mastercraftswoman when it comes to urban fantasy and world building, providing enough to give a flavour of our real world to anchor the setting, but providing all the needed differences to bring the sense of danger and strangeness.
I've loved every single thing she's written and I cannot see that ever changing.
ARC kindly received from the author/publishers Harlequin via NetGalley, I am voluntarily leaving a review
Honestly, I had absolutely no clue where Allie was going to take this story, or how she could possibly find a conclusion which would leave everyone happy.
The tension just kept ramping up over and over as all things seemed to be indicating no way out for Reece and his corrupted empath friends Alex and Cora.
For Evan, the Dead Man, it seems his path is now an irreconcilable collision with the man who has stolen his attention - as he no longer has any feelings - and who he once swore he would protect from anything.
But Reece is corrupted now, he's joined forces against those who seek to control the empaths, and do much, much worse, as we discovered in book two.
So how can Evan not bring him in? The odds are stacked against him, evidence is piling up that Reece has been involved in multiple incidents, including murder, and things are looking bleak.
Fortunately, Reece's big sister Jamey won't ever give up on her brother, she's using every bit of her detective brain to show Evan that things are not as they seem, and it's this parallel plotline - with insights into the villains' plans - that keeps the reader on the edge as the story continues to grow.
No spoilers here, but I will just say that the multiple POVs once again is an intriguing narrative choice, I just wish they were more clearly delineated because sometimes the jump is a jaring one and it takes a minute or two to work out whose head we're in away from the main ones of Reece and Evan.
Not to say I don't enjoy it, I do love getting the villain monologuing their way to doom as it were, I just wish there'd be a more clear textual divide in the formatting.
As with the first two books, the UST between Reece and Evan is off the charts, even more so here where they're apart for at least half of the book, resorting to snarky texts and ever more flirty interactions as the actions of the opposition force them unknowingly closer together.
The twists and turns are magnificent, you never know what's going to happen next, but Allie keeps a tight control of the storyline, so things don't ever become a deus ex machina, instead it seems that the incredible can only be the ultimate outcome.
Everything about this book worked for me, apart from the fact it ended! I want so much more in this universe that Allie has created. I want to see Reece and Evan after the major threat to their lives has been removed.
I want to see what Alex and Cora will do, I want to know what happens to the empaths in the future, I just need more of this alternative Seattle.
Loved, loved, loved!
Not once has Allie Therin let me down. She's a mastercraftswoman when it comes to urban fantasy and world building, providing enough to give a flavour of our real world to anchor the setting, but providing all the needed differences to bring the sense of danger and strangeness.
I've loved every single thing she's written and I cannot see that ever changing.
ARC kindly received from the author/publishers Harlequin via NetGalley, I am voluntarily leaving a review
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I love this urban fantasy that Allie Therin has created: a parallel universe where empaths are deemed both a danger and a solace for a society that can’t really decide whether they are heroes or villains. But in the ‘Sugar & Vice’ series, they are increasingly seen as threats that should be managed, blamed and possibly neutralised when the murders pile up. That narrative keeps gaining traction when experiments gone wrong have made empaths the guilty party, and best exemplified in the dynamic between the emotionless empath-hunter Evan Grayson and the impulsive, emotionally-laden empath Reece Davies.
As the third book in the series, ‘Edge of Mercy’ isn’t a standalone, even for those who have read the first 2 books might find themselves scrambling to keep up. It’s a direct continuation of the cat-and-mouse chase that has already been set up from the last book, and definitely not a gentle glide into the sequel as it plunges you into (what can be) empath-management, the politics surrounding it, as well as the opposing sides that Evan and Reece have found themselves on. But it’s gratifying to see that they still watch out for each other without admitting it and how their decisions reflect the conflict they wrestle with each time this happens.
There’s a lot going on, though, maybe too much at times. If the multiple POVs offer more outsider perspectives, they also detract from the main pairing and their actions, resulting in a lack of Grayson/Reece together moments. Grayson/Reece’s connection for much of the first half is limited to reluctant and snarky texts and they do spend quite a bit of time apart in this until at least the halfway point and beyond. It takes quite a bit to get them physically together and even then, their weird mix of trust, suspicion and unwavering devotion leads to a somewhat convenient climax with an ending that still leaves a few questions unanswered.
Even so, Therin’s plot is complex and thoughtful, and both her writing/characterisation sharply nuanced. It makes me wonder if she is going to delve a little deeper into this world though, if only to get the loose ends tied up.
*ARC by the publisher via Edelweiss
As the third book in the series, ‘Edge of Mercy’ isn’t a standalone, even for those who have read the first 2 books might find themselves scrambling to keep up. It’s a direct continuation of the cat-and-mouse chase that has already been set up from the last book, and definitely not a gentle glide into the sequel as it plunges you into (what can be) empath-management, the politics surrounding it, as well as the opposing sides that Evan and Reece have found themselves on. But it’s gratifying to see that they still watch out for each other without admitting it and how their decisions reflect the conflict they wrestle with each time this happens.
There’s a lot going on, though, maybe too much at times. If the multiple POVs offer more outsider perspectives, they also detract from the main pairing and their actions, resulting in a lack of Grayson/Reece together moments. Grayson/Reece’s connection for much of the first half is limited to reluctant and snarky texts and they do spend quite a bit of time apart in this until at least the halfway point and beyond. It takes quite a bit to get them physically together and even then, their weird mix of trust, suspicion and unwavering devotion leads to a somewhat convenient climax with an ending that still leaves a few questions unanswered.
Even so, Therin’s plot is complex and thoughtful, and both her writing/characterisation sharply nuanced. It makes me wonder if she is going to delve a little deeper into this world though, if only to get the loose ends tied up.
*ARC by the publisher via Edelweiss
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Edge of Mercy is a fantastic conclusion to the Sugar and Vice series. Allie Therin helps her characters overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, as well as solve a long running mystery in a plot filled with wonderful twists and turns.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book picks up immediately after the huge cliffhanger at the end of Twisted Shadows. This series must be read in order, both for the mystery and suspense related to corrupted empaths in an alternate universe Seattle, and for the wonderful slow burn romance between empath Reece Davies and Evan Grayson, aka the Dead Man, who can’t even touch each other.
It’s no secret that I adore these characters and their slowest slow burn romance. In fact, early in this installment, Reece and Evan’s romance takes a back seat to figuring out the overarching mystery. The trick is that Therin manages to make both the mystery and the romance equally satisfying for the characters and the reader. Sure, there are some loose ends, but that just makes me hope that it’s not the last we’ve seen of these amazing characters.
I love Edge of Mercy, and this entire series. If you are a fan of a slow burn, opposites attract queer romance with a dose of mystery and alternate reality thrown in, Allie Therin’s entire Sugar and Vice series is a must read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book picks up immediately after the huge cliffhanger at the end of Twisted Shadows. This series must be read in order, both for the mystery and suspense related to corrupted empaths in an alternate universe Seattle, and for the wonderful slow burn romance between empath Reece Davies and Evan Grayson, aka the Dead Man, who can’t even touch each other.
It’s no secret that I adore these characters and their slowest slow burn romance. In fact, early in this installment, Reece and Evan’s romance takes a back seat to figuring out the overarching mystery. The trick is that Therin manages to make both the mystery and the romance equally satisfying for the characters and the reader. Sure, there are some loose ends, but that just makes me hope that it’s not the last we’ve seen of these amazing characters.
I love Edge of Mercy, and this entire series. If you are a fan of a slow burn, opposites attract queer romance with a dose of mystery and alternate reality thrown in, Allie Therin’s entire Sugar and Vice series is a must read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think I still have the same quibbles about the world building as I did with the first two books (like, were empaths created or did they evolve spontaneously? SURELY there are some empaths who enjoy contact sports?! Why are they all so uniform in what does and doesn’t cause harm, humans don’t work like that? Unless they WERE the product of experiments and then we’re back to my first and overarching confusion about the world building) but honestly the ship was landed SO GOOD on an emotional level I just can’t help but adore the ride. Also I demand a spinoff book with Gretel and Alex, they are such delightful weirdos together??? Gosh that really was worth the wait and the buildup as long as you’re OK with the world building possibly making less sense than the X-Men 😂
(This is an honest review given in exchange for a free earc. Y’all, please this entire trilogy ASAP and thank me later, iajs.)
(This is an honest review given in exchange for a free earc. Y’all, please this entire trilogy ASAP and thank me later, iajs.)
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
4.5 rounded up
In the riveting conclusion to the Sugar & Vice series, Reece and Evan find each other on opposite sides of the empath conflict and no less drawn to each other.
Fast-paced and deliciously angsty, Edge of Mercy is nearly impossible to put down. I have yet to encounter an Allie Therin book that didn't grab me by the throat (in a sexy way), and this is certainly no different.
If you enjoy queer sci-fi mystery romance with lots of yearning and angst, this is absolutely the series for you.
In the riveting conclusion to the Sugar & Vice series, Reece and Evan find each other on opposite sides of the empath conflict and no less drawn to each other.
Fast-paced and deliciously angsty, Edge of Mercy is nearly impossible to put down. I have yet to encounter an Allie Therin book that didn't grab me by the throat (in a sexy way), and this is certainly no different.
If you enjoy queer sci-fi mystery romance with lots of yearning and angst, this is absolutely the series for you.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
ALLIE THERIN YOU NEVER DISAPPOINT ME!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the eARC!
I'll be back to write a review when it's not 3.02am and my work alarm is set to go off in 3 hours and 8 minutes 😭🫠
Reece and Evan were worth every moment of missed sleep 🙏❤️
I'll be back to write a review when it's not 3.02am and my work alarm is set to go off in 3 hours and 8 minutes 😭🫠
Reece and Evan were worth every moment of missed sleep 🙏❤️
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews