Devil's Mate

Lovers of the Damned #4

by Colette Rivera

Love’s price is redemption.

Happiness isn’t for Lucifer. He chose to be the villain and no matter his initial motivation, he embraced being bad. Now he can’t even make amends. Luc will never have the life he fell to Earth to find.

Luc doesn’t deserve his fated mate, and yet there he is, strolling into a bar.

Dex Colt’s life has been on hold for years. It’s time to move on, sell the home that feels like a tomb, and take back his life. Starting with the gorgeous guy asking to join him for a drink. Usually, Dex would say no to more than a quickie, but there’s something special about Luc, and there’s no harm in agreeing to a date. Right?

As it turns out, harm doesn’t begin to cover it. Dex’s best friend drops the bombshell that magic exists, and reveals that Luc isn’t the sweet man he appears to be. He’s the Devil.

It’s no surprise Lucifer’s mate is the best friend of the man he once tried to kill. A mate who hates him is the universe’s retribution. But Dex inspires a better world. If Luc can mend all that he’s destroyed, he could give Dex a gift even greater than his love. And if Dex will have him, together they might truly have it all.


***
Devil’s Mate is the fourth and final book in the Lovers of the Damned series. This fated mate MM paranormal romance ends in a HEA. While the romance stands alone and each book features a different couple, this series is best read in order due to an overarching plot. Content warnings can be found using the look inside feature and on the author’s website.

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 2, 2026

About the author

Colette (she/they) is an author of queer paranormal romance novels living in New Zealand. Colette loves to write couples who take care of each other and show their soft sides in love, even when they’re prickly in other facets of their lives. Sugar, spice, and magic are key ingredients in all of Colette’s books.

Reviews

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Redemption arc achieved. I say this every time, but Luc and Dex may be one of my favourite couples in the series.

Thanks to Colette Rivera for the ARC!

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it was first announced that Lucifer would be getting his own book I was a bit leery. I mean, he tried to murder Ollie in a horrific way right in front of his mate! He also caused issues in Ash's mating with Harper. Needless to say, the demon brothers have not been a fan of his for quite some time. This is a change, as we find out before all the things went down with Lucifer's realm, the quartet were close friends for hundreds of years. Onyx is even Lucifer's blood related brother. I wondered if there was room for forgiveness in their hearts because I did not think Dex would mate with the devil knowing his closest friends hated him.

Poor Dex. He's been stuck in a sort of rut since he lost his parents. Still living in their home, never letting anyone get too close for fear of losing them as well. It broke my heart because he was such a sweetheart. He even kept Ollie at arms length and he considered him his closest friend. He knew it was time for a change and the first order of business was selling his parents condo and getting his own place.

"𝙳𝚎𝚡 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚒𝚝."

On his way out of town as promised, Lucifer is drawn to the coffee shop where Dex works. I'm sure you can guess that finding his mate was not something Lucifer was expecting after all he'd done in his past, but the chance to speak to his mate is too much to ignore. It was actually kind of cute. Lucifer was different with Dex. He didn't want to start their meeting off with a lie, so he skirted around the truth while still giving insight into who he was as a man. It also helped that he was drop dead gorgeous and Dex had been on a dry spell for some time. Even better when these two find out that their kinks line up to a T. That's fate for yah though. She knows what she's doing.

"𝙸'𝚖 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎. 𝚂𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍, 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚕𝚕 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎. 𝚂𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘."

Of course in order for Dex and Lucifer to get their HEA, Lucifer has to find a way to get his brothers to forgive him. It's not easy and there are other outside forces that are making things even harder, but I agree with the demons that it appears fate was determined to bring these couples together. After all, every demon in their original group has found a mate connected to one of the others. If that isn't destiny, I don't know what is.

[Ashley Rose Dead.inside_but_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 4th and Final Book in the Lover's of the Damned Series. The series does have to be read in order as there is an overarching plot! This isn't super dark but there are some heavier topics around grief so just check the CWs before heading in 🖤

🌶🌶🌶

I know I have said this with the previous books but I love the twist on the fated mates this series has! It's not your normal plot so if your a lover of fated mates this is definitely one to check out!

Spoiler free review!

Lucifer has been our big bad through the last 3 books this book all the truths get laid out and we now have the questions of "Does Lucifer deserve forgiveness" and "Can he redeem himself?"
Lucifer has hurt alot of people and we find out that fate still gives Lucifer a mate but not just any mate, Dex is best friends with a man who Lucifer almost unalived. If Lucifer wants ANY chance to be with Dex he has to start mending bridges but how do you say "welp sorry I almost deleted you from the world I was acting a bit irrational" 🫣
This was such a brain scramble because on one side your like NOPE I would absolutely never forgive someone who did this but on the other side your like JUST HEAR HIM OUT! 🤣 Even though this sounds like it would be super angsty it's not! It's not this long drawn out thing which I appreciated because this would have gotten tedious very quick. Once all these truths come out the real big bad is discovered and these guys have to some how band together to handle that! So I hope your ready for the twists and turns with this one! It's was an awesome finale to the series 😍

[Catherine Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devil’s Mate is a gripping start to the Lovers of the Damned series, delivering a powerful mix of dark paranormal romance, emotional depth, and undeniable chemistry. From the opening chapters, the story pulls you into a dangerous, seductive world that is difficult to put down.

The characters are complex and compelling, particularly the male lead, whose dark, dominant presence is balanced by surprising vulnerability. The heroine is strong, determined, and emotionally grounded, making her a perfect match rather than a passive counterpart. Their connection feels intense and fated, with tension that builds steadily and pays off in a deeply satisfying way.

The pacing is excellent, blending suspense, world-building, and romance without any one element overpowering the others. The darker themes are handled well and enhance the emotional stakes rather than feeling gratuitous. As a book one, it sets up the series beautifully while still delivering a complete and rewarding romantic arc.

I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy dark paranormal romance, fated mates, morally gray heroes, and emotionally charged stories with a strong romantic core.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elizabeth D · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 This was an epic conclusion to the series! There were occasional glimpses even in book 1 that maybe there was more to Lucifer than meets the eye, and I really enjoyed getting his POV, seeing his character growth, and also dealing with his genuine repentance over some terrible actions. He’s much more fun as a complex character than a one-dimensional villain.

Dex is struggling with a lot, and while no one anywhere would ever have suggested that throwing the Devil at him would help with that, it works surprisingly well. Luc’s focus is totally different when it’s on Dex, and Dex gets the chance to ask for things he’s wanted but never dared put in words before. I loved seeing him get more confident and more comfortable as the book progressed. The two of them support one another really well.

When I imagined Luc’s redemption, it was almost completely on a personal level, so I wasn’t expecting just how epic this got. It was delightful to see everyone thinking big and fighting for what they believe in.

I loved all the demons getting their HEA, and I’m looking forward to the spin-off series.

I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest review.

[monika_is_booked · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucifer finally finding his Mate after centuries of impersonating evil itself. Will he be able to redeem himself and prove himself to be worthy of his fated human? Or will his long history of destroying everything in his path be too much for him to be deserving of unconditional love?

What. A. Finale!! Full of forgiveness and the will to be better. To do better for himself and for the family Luc desperately wants to be a part of. To find a solution for the witches, damned just for existing and for Dex, who needs closure over the death of his parents. Impossible? Maybe. But with the right people at your side, nothing is ever so broken, that it can't be fixed and nothing is beyond the bounds of possibility.
Fates Mated with a heavy dose of redemption, found family, forgiveness and a healthy amount of sizzling spice. Go add this series to your TBR asap!!

[Christina | readingthroughatlanta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this final conclusion with Luc and Dex.

I didn’t know how we would get Luc’s redemption arc, but it felt honest and raw and real. And it doesn’t happen in a vacuum and it rightfully takes time for the others to jump on board, including Dex. I appreciate Dex’s growth - despite his pull to Luc - he is able come to his own decisions, articulate his fears, and ultimately play a huge part in the overall plot.

And duh we still get a great romance, some fun spice (that hunting scene at the club? yes please!), and found family aspects that were hard won and wonderful.

Sad to leave this group but excited for what’s to come from this author!

I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Demetra Roussakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe the series is finished and I loved them all. We had met Lucifer in the other three books and thought he was unredeemable. Boy was I surprised as the story went on. Dex is the friend of Ollie who lost his parents a few years earlier and is in still in pain. One night one, Dex was out drinking and Luc sat next to him. They started talking and hit it off. A few days later, they were going to go on a date, when Ollie spotted them and told Dex what really happened to him because of Luc. Luc realized that Dex was his mate, but didn’t want to stop him from entering the eternal realm to see his parents again. I loved how Luc and Dex worked and how Dante, Ash and Onyx forgave him from what happened in the past. I loved this world and cannot wait for the spinoff series to come.

[Em (Diversify Your Shelf)]

*i got an arc*

CW: at the front of the book. Notable ones: death of MC's parents (in the past); other MC is the villain in his brothers' lives; MC who desires consensual non-consent (with safe words but there is a hand on his throat at some point) ,

Luc is having a bit of a problem (or perhaps more than one): he has apologised to his brothers but they don't believe his sincerity and understandably don't want a relationship with him. He is respecting those boundaries (somewhat begrudgingly) and wants to leave Shearwater Landing but something is keeping him there... or is it someone?

[Henna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars

Ok, Lucifer, you got me!
I'm on his side now. Yes, he made mistakes and stupid decisions but hey, personal growth even after millenias is a good thing.
I loved how Luc's and Dex's dynamics worked. They both were exactly what the other needed - fun how fate works like that.
It was lovely to see the four demons and their mates make amends, and become a real found family.
Sad to see the series end but next up is vampire coven series, and the first book sounds promising.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series so much. We have finally got to Lucifer's story and it's a doozy. I really enjoyed watching him trying to do better, be better after all the horrendous things he's done in the past. I loved his awkward honesty and internal arguments. Dex is such a sweetie. So broken and overwhelmed with grief and finding it so difficult to move forward. These two were so good together. Supportive and lifting each other up and the spice ... Wow!

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luc's redemption was a fantastic ending to this wonderful series. Finally finding Dex just when he had given up was worth the centuries of being the villain and Luc was so perfect Dex. He matched every need Dex had been afraid to acknowledge, they were wonderful together.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*

[bookish_royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★.5 RTC

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a finale!
I’m sad to say goodbye. Luc finds love but needs to fight for it and it is a HEA for the damned.
Loved it