When evil stirs in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, heroes come in both ordinary and extraordinary packages.
Ignatius Faber knows a few things for absolute certain. He’s half-demon, his father is the unequivocal prince of darkness, and demons want to destroy his city. And if he doesn’t make the first move on his crush, they’re never going to be anything more than a teenage fantasy that’s lasted into his thirties.
Lalo Pavia grew up hard and fast, orphaned at a young age. As an autistic, he’s learned to approach life cautiously. He throws his energy into gardening and photography—allowing both to provide a buffer between himself and the rest of the world.
Except for Iggy.
Can they find triumph, life, and even love in the middle of a city in flames?
Their fight for the mile high city has just begun.
Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.
Despite the juxtaposition of a hero whose father is literally the devil, I thought there was precious little to recommend this book. Initially, I liked some of Iggy’s commentary and the demon-hunter concept seemed like it would add some mystique. However, Iggy suffered from a couple of key character traits that were complete turn offs for me. First, although he’s about forty years old and has been best friends with Lalo, who is autistic, since high school, Iggy still demonstrates behavior that clearly indicates he takes Lalo for granted and/or is insensitive to Lalo’s needs. One prime example is asking Lalo to pick up sandwiches from a popular downtown eatery during the lunch rush when it would have been perfectly do-able for Iggy himself to pick up the sandwiches and/or make other arrangements for lunch. The other turn off was Iggy’s expectations for sex when he and Lalo embark upon a romantic relationship. Mostly, I found myself disgusted that Iggy thought it was not a problem to wake Lalo up with a blowjob despite apparently never having discussed engaging in sexual activities while one of them is unconscious.
This title is MM Romance of supernatural horror variety.
I usually like that, my go to thing, my cup of thing totally.
Unfortunately despite the promising specs this one turned out to be a total miss. It's a horrible mess, train wreck, for me. I regret making myself wade through all that. I read it at daytime and had difficulties keeping myself awake while doing so. It was very repetitive, boring, and then the amount of incoherent babbling and endless rounds of fast food scenes and so on as well as incomprehensibly Buffy parody where people near 40 act like teens in a vampire slayer series and new people with no prob w/ demons keep piling up on the scene near as fast as demon bodies. Only Buffy's a classy classic and it actually works whereas this does not. Nothing made any sense and for goodness sakes it wasn't hot either not in the least, not even seen that. Endless running around in circles like headless chicken.
One of those who don't seem quite seriously written even but more or less parodylike and I never like that- or then it was just so bad that it seemed that way. I've read or browsed through even worse, but that doesn't mean this wouldn't be very bad in my taste. I just hate, hate, hate when the genre is treated like this, with this much disrespect by those-not-one-of-us-who-do-take-it-quite-seriously.
I don't know to name anything I actually liked. Everything and everyone here was so lame and even the cover model didn't match the description.
Not recommended unless you know the author's style and happen to enjoy it. I'm sure some do. It's a matter of taste, I know. This is only my personal experience.
Original, unpredictable and exciting! A unique and hilarious take on demon and Lucifer. I enjoyed the characters and the story itself. It did feel a little rushed at times like towards the end but overall it was different and enjoyable to read.
DNF at 30%. Felt more like an outline than a full story and the characters felt like TV show archetypes. As much as I love good autism rep (which it seems like this has), it wasn't enough to keep me interested in the story.
I always LOVE authenticity and detail Dahlia has in her books, it's so unique and refreshing to read, especially in this book. Here comes the Son was a delight to read full demon hunting, relationship shinangans and righting the world over meal times. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT, I'm left with some unanswered questions though and the need to know more.... but I'm hopeful that is because there might be another book in the horizon, maybe? Hope so, although if not, I wouldn't be disappointed. 4.5 Stars
*ARC kindly given in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much*
This book has everything I love. It has Denver, which is arguably one of my favorite places to be. It has Lucifer with all of the ambiguity of tradition. Trust me, that’s important to the story (although he’s a bit of a dick. Don’t get me wrong. This is not a spoiler. He’s still, you know, Lucifer.) There is murder. Lots and lots of murder, in creative ways. There is fire. There are women, who love women, and who don’t exist just to be a crutch for men.
There is an autistic main character. He’s got a POV and everything. And a happy ending. AND he keeps all of his autism (there is no magical mystical “cure,” no creepy puzzle people coming along to make everything all better) while kicking ass, taking names, and being everything to an equally ass-kicking and name-taking main character.
This book was full of delightful twists and turns. While some of the demons are truly mono-dimensional, they’re demons. It’s okay for them to be all bad. Other than that, there are no characters who only have one strength, or one space for them to exist in. Stereotypes exist to be torn down, and Here Comes The Son does exactly that. I have other things I want to say about this book, but I’m trying to think of a way to do it that doesn’t involve spoilers. The book involves the supernatural, but it brings science and technology into the story in a way I haven’t seen done very often. Religion exists, and is neither proven wrong nor right. It’s just there. Some of the religious characters are bad and some are good. The only absolute in the book is the love Iggy and Lalo share.
It feels weird, to sit here and say “I felt pure joy and warmth” when I’m reading a book about a demonic war on Denver. But that’s where we are now. I loved Iggy and Lalo, and Wendy, and Lalo’s foster family, and Shell. The ending was transformative, and if it doesn’t move you then I don’t know what to tell you.
Childhood friends, a first crush turned into more, battles with demons, and more junk food than you can shake a stick at all done Dahlia Donovan style. HERE COMES THE SON is a little different than what I would normally expect from this author with its supernatural elements and loads of action, but it still has that same draw-you-in storytelling that she does so well. Iggy and Lalo are terrific characters, and I couldn't help but root for them as they tiptoed around a relationship or defining said relationship. The connection between this pair is obvious from the start, and I absolutely loved Iggy's understanding of Lalo's needs, and his determination to put those needs ahead of everything else. As the parent of an autistic child, I always appreciate Ms. Donovan's attention to detail with autistic characters, and Lalo is no different. Lalo certainly has his triggers to deal with and they all ring true. I found myself smiling quite often as I read and recognized so many similarities to things I see every day. Seeing Lalo and Iggy grow toward a lasting relationship was heartwarming and fun. In addition to our romantic couple, we get a whole cast of quirky and fun characters to enjoy. From Father Sal with his blatant hints to Wendy and her lab, and even the devil himself, Lucifer, the secondary characters are just as interesting and fun as Iggy and Lalo. Even the demons, bad as they are, have their own personalities and quirks that help keep the story moving. This intriguing take on demons and the devil is a thoroughly entertaining story from beginning to end. It's a wonderful mix of action and danger tempered with witty dialogue and silly situations. I really liked the way things wrapped up even though I was left with some questions that have me hoping to see these characters again.
This is my first time reading this author so I wasn't sure what to expect going in. Turned out to be a fun afternoon with this gang.
Iggy is our resident demon slayer. His character was a touch self-absorbed, but not in an evil way, more of an oops I forgot the world doesn't revolve around me way. .. oh did I mention his pops was Satan? Seems he has a touch of dear old dad in him.
Lalo is a blast. He has his issues but he also had a dry wit to him that was hilarious. He also was quick to see things others didn't. Something that benefited him on numerous occasions okay except the whole drone thing that would not have been my first choice for sample collection, though it was kind of funny.
Wendy was a wonderful addition to the story line. Intelligent, caring, just a touch overly excited at times (tends to happen with a mind like hers). Like Lalo, her mind operated a bit differently allowing her to pick up on things others would miss. Whereas Lalo seemed to be more visual attuned to the world Wendy saw outside the box.
Together they made a pretty kick-arse trio.
The priests are hiding something, seems their agenda may be a lot more selfish than they let on. They were an added bit of mystery and suspense in the story line.
Overall it was an entertaining story. Easy to read new adult paranormal with a pretty solid plot line and some great characters. I occasionally had trouble with the lull in the storytelling and some of the characters actions/ reactions didn't (IMO) fit the scenes. It is hard to explain that part it felt more like a maturity thing, Iggy is 40'ish and at times he acts 16. I did enjoy the budding romance between Iggy and Lalo. I found my curiosity was a bit more engaged the further I got into the story. There are a few twists and "omg no way" moments ... some had me laughing others had me white-knuckling.
Ignatius (Iggy to his friends) is half demon, his father is the Prince of Darkness, Lucifer. His siblings (they numbered in their thousands) have been picked off one by one, and now his favourite brother lays slain in front of his own eyes. Iggy is a loner, and he likes it that way, he can’t afford to get too close to people. They can’t find out who or what he is.
Being an orphan that was moved from foster family to foster family. Lalo has difficulties bonding with the families, having autism, Lalo has trouble communicating what he needs, but Iggy gets Lalo (ever since Iggy rescued Lalo from the school bullies, they’d been friends ever since.)
After slaying his brothers killer, Iggy is off to see the one person he truly can be himself with, Lalo. And to complicate matters Iggy has deep feeling for the cute guy, but no matter how many hints (subtle or not) Lalo hasn’t noticed. Iggy won’t admit to love, it’s only lust, and Iggy can handle lust, love is a completely different story.
Poor Iggy, Lalo just wants to offer comfort, but he’s not wired that way, sure he thinks his best friend is hot, but he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship, so Lalo will just sigh and wonder if they could ever be together as a couple.
The story then goes on to tell us about the demons that are trying to take over the city, and how Iggy is a reluctant demon killer, he’s good at his job, he just doesn’t apply himself. Love how the couple come together and work at both their new relationship and the demons that are planning to take over the city.
Autism is always a sensitive subject to write about, but it was well written, and I can’t wait to see if the author brings out another book.
This story is a gem of a read. Why you ask? Let me try and tell you. The story has all the good ingredients of a great story, you have good versus evil, multi-dimensional characters. One of which is autistic and the author has done a great job of showing us, how different life is for someone that is autistic, what they have to deal with on a daily basis, but the character is not just an autistic character he is a fully rounded sweet loving guy, that refuses to use bad language, which makes me smile all through the book. We have Iggy Lalo’s childhood friend, why has very deep feelings for Lalo, but he struggles to get those feelings across to Lalo. So, you have a continual struggle as the characters get ever closer together. Iggy is half Demon and the sun of Lucifer. He has been trained by priests to hunt and destroy demons Someone is out to destroy earth or humans, and all fingers point towards Lucifer, but are the Jesuits who they say they are? Join the boys and their friends as they fight demons and try to unravel the mystery of the current attacks. The journey is a thrilling chase and mysterious puzzle, with plenty of action, lots of deaths and nail-biting moments. Add a little love, and lots of laughs, with great characters. Which creates a perfect blend of story. Not only does the author have great characters and a strong storyline, but she has woven all the different strands and sub plots together perfectly and paced everything nicely. She has managed to write a unique and refreshing story.
Iggy is roguishly handsome, his “I’d do me” attitude at odds with his demon killing abilities. Demons have killed all of Lucifer’s children, only Iggy is left. Trained by Jesuits, he’s not sure anymore if the priests are the good guys.
Lalo is autistic. Iggy’s best friend and possibly something else. Iggy tries not to push but he wants Lalo to be his. Lalo needs his routines to keep him balanced. Life is getting more confusing, adding Lucifer, several helpful friends, and his developing feelings for Iggy to the mix is a recipe for disaster.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the characters eat so much, the good stuff too, sweets galore. Strong friendships are also a plus. The story wanders a bit in places but I’m guessing that a result I’d Lalo’s autism and Iggy’s doing everything he can to shelter him.
The author is autistic herself so I don’t doubt the authenticity of Lalo’s condition. The demon hunting (given what we learned in the story) seemed plausible also. The sexual relationship between the leads is mostly off page and what there is in the book isn’t too explicit. I do have a lot of unanswered questions though. I’m really hoping there will be another book.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
I have a lot of Dahlia’s books and I love them all. This one was no different. This book is M/M and supernatural. Ignatius is a half-demon and a son of the devil himself. Lalo is an orphan and has a hard time in life. Gardening and photography are his great passions. Iggy has loved Lalo for a long time. This book is different from any other book I have read involving the devil. Iggy and Lalo have been led to believe many things by a religious group. As things progress in the book, they realize not everything they have been told may have been true. Maybe the devil isn’t as bad as he has been made out to be. Maybe he was trying to keep the balance between good and evil. Maybe there is someone worse than the devil. I loved this book so much. Iggy and Lalo’s friends and family are fantastic. While the devil isn’t out right helping them, he may not be as bad as they thought either. I enjoyed this twist on the devil and this whole book really. I can’t say enough about this book or the characters. Dahlia you have done it again. This is a fantastic book.
Touted as an urban fantasy, I was actually fairly disappointed with this book. Ignatius is the son of Lucifer and fights demons for the Jesuits, but is not Catholic, but is gay and dating Lalo who is autistic and seems to be the number one focus of the book. The plot is scattered and no one ever really gets any answers to anything. Even Lucifer doesn't know having suffered a head injury in the 1980's, and most everyone else ending up dead before pertinent information can be shared. Our band of heroes mostly stumble aimlessly through the book, stopping frequently to eat. The story seems more geared towards Lalo and depicting his life with autism, while interesting on one hand, extremely boring on the other, especially when one has been lured in with a "superhero son of the devil fighting demonic bad guys" promise that never comes to fruition. Very little "romance" happening in the book and should not be considered as such. Sex scenes are few and vague as if DD found them embarrassing, and since Lalo presents as very childlike, it's somewhat of a blessing that it was mostly omitted.
This book is interesting. It is a different take on demons and Lucifer. One of the main characters is autistic and that plays a lot into the story. Iggy is the son of Lucifer. He had a human mother. He is the last surviving child. Lalo is the autistic man who likes him. Well they like each other. But demons are showing up in Denver and Iggy destroys them. But a lot start showing and they figure out something big is going to happen.
I love the premise of this book- M/M with a paranormal twist. Iggy and Lalo are meant to be. Their friendship blossoms into a real romantic relationship. Iggy is the half demon and the last son of Lucifer, but he constantly fights to keep Denver safe. He is so attentive to Lalo’s needs it’s just sweet. He is the perfect partner for Lalo and when they team up with the menagerie of others the real story kicks off. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!
Interesting concept of a book. Loved Iggy and especially Lalo. There was a big good vs demon struggle that was big picture, but also oddly focused on playing out in Denver. The plot wandered a bit, and I was really interested in what happened after, which was fleshed out a bit in the epilogue. Maybe there is another book coming.
I loved Lalo, he and Iggy were great characters and they were lucky enough to have a kickass group of friends. I really liked how Lalo wasn't magically "cured" by what happened to him, he did everything he had to as himself. All in all a very enjoyable read with a totally unexpected ending.
This is an entirely different take on demons and Lucifer. It has an autistic MC, a lesbian character and a non binary character. Absolutely loved reading this book!! No super smexy times, but a lot of love, affection and understanding.
This was an awesome read, demon or at least half Iggy and his best friend Lalo , this story had chemistry action and brings a whole new light to autism.
🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars 🔥🔥 Heat Level: 2 (romance is an aside to the main story)
An awesome supernatural adventure, with wit, humor, and heart! I loved it!
I love Dahlia’s work. It’s real, raw and authentic, with just the right amount of sharp wit you can’t help but appreciate. This is an awesome adventure into the world of Lucifer and his children. Iggy and Lalo are fantastic characters and play off each other perfectly.
Iggy is charming and charismatic with a heart that has almost always belonged to Lalo. Their friendship and eventual relationship is the backbone of the story. The story follows Iggy, the half-demon, last son of Lucifer and his fight to keep Denver safe. Lalo is his perfect partner. They balance each other out and Iggy is so caring and always aware of what Lalo needs and when. They join a band of colorful characters that work together to fight the darkness. This is a fast-paced, action-adventure with fantastic wit and just the right amount of humor. Honestly, Dahlia Donovan’s stories are a must-read and this one is an exceptional Urban fantasy to sink your teeth into!! A great read!!