Devil's Due

by J.P. Jackson

Dominic Ronove is a contract demon who'll get you anything you want, for six years, and a small token of your appreciation.

Malik Parsa is an easy-going gay twenty-something with a conventional everyday existence - until he meets Dominic Ronove.

Imagine Dominic's surprise when he discovers Malik isn't human, and every other supernatural creature in the city wants to get their claws into him.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Horror

146 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2022

About the author

J.P. Jackson is an award winning author of dark urban fantasy, paranormal, and even paranormal romance stories, but regardless of the genre they always feature LGBTQ+ main characters.

J.P. works as an IT analyst in health care during the day, where if cornered he’d confess to casting spells to ensure clinicians actually use the electronic medical charting system he configures and implements.

At night, the writing happens, where demons, witches and shape shifters congregate around the kitchen table and general chaos ensues. His husband of 22 years has very firmly put his foot down on any further wraith summonings and regularly lines the doorway with iron shavings and salt crystals. Imps are most definitely not house-trainable. Ghosts appear at the most inopportune times, and the Fae are known for regular visits where a glass of wine is exchanged for a good ole story or two. Although the husband doesn’t know it, Canela and Jalisco, the two Chihuahuas, are in cahoots with the spell casting.

J.P.’s other hobbies include hybridizing African Violets (thanks to grandma), extensive travelling and believe it or not, knitting.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky, but cool as hell! That would be the perfect description for this book here.



Hands down one of the coolest books I've read this year. In a deliciously creepy, fascinatingly mysterious, and at times quite gory, funny and sweet manner.
Yep. You heard that right. I said creepy and gory AND funny and sweet. This book manages to deliver them all, in an irresistibly devilish package. Just all around brilliant if you ask me.

This is one tale that will make you root for the evil, in all his shady son of a bitch glory, and occasionally question your sanity in a couple of clear cut 'WTF IS WRONG WITH ME BECAUSE I LOVE this' moments.
And it will keep you turning pages in a downright compelling manner because you simply MUST know what comes next.

But this is not all. There's more!

The plot is nail-biting edge of the seat gripping and irresistibly engrossing. The characters are mysterious and with a mind of their own. The atmosphere is delightfully creepy and the hellhound steals the show.
There's smut too. The smoking hot smutty MM kind. But trust me when I say: This ain't no smutty MM romantasy! It's a bloodthirsty, spine-chilling, gory tale of the dark variety, in all sorts of shades of grey. With triggers galore and demonic rituals, the occasional rotting zombie and witches with a hidden agenda, all sorts of supernatural creatures and the occasional 'I sure as hell didn't see that coming' twist. The pain in the ass of a hellhound is just the cherry on top of a deliciously devilish cake.

The book is not perfect. What book ever is? And yet...
It's bloody brilliant if you ask me.

Find this review and more over on my fantasy and romance blog The Magic Book Corner

[Audi♡]

DNF 58% after the 2 mcs are done with their date....one goes home and bangs his roommate.
yuck.

[David Nigro]

A deal with the devil is a frequent subject in literature. However, the costs of this contract are not always the same.

For some people, life is not enough. We hope that we'll be able to achieve all our dreams and that our reality will be completely magnificent. But life takes work; sometimes prospering, sometimes flopping. Either way, we're never satisfied.

We’ve seen many examples in literature where ambitious people sell their soul to acquire their deepest desires: prosperity, beauty, celebrity.

But the devil shouldn’t be messed with. No one reads the fine print.

J.P. Jackson’s unique style adds a freshness to this theme that kept me page turning until I ran out of pages. A must have for you bookshelf.

[J.P. Jackson]

New book coming out July 19, 2022 with Rebel Satori's Queer Space Press.

[M.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy, Amazing, Fun, and Lovely (can I say that about this book?)

When it comes to horror, it can be hit or miss for me. Plus, in general I’m really picky about the books I read since I don’t have a lot of time to sit back and read, which means I’m even a harder fan to please because there is nothing worse than wasting my time on a bad book. Anyhow, this book Devil’s Due. Well, this novel hit all the right chords with me. The characters were great (all of them even the side characters, which got bonus points). The plot was interesting; the setting was well crafted (even though I wanted a bit more), and although I had a few bits and pieces figured out, I wasn’t sure where the story would end up (which is a huge plus for me). I loved everything about this novel and I really wanted to find something to nitpick on, but I couldn’t find anything. The idea of a contract demon whose job it is to find and take people’s soul, that had bad news written all over it, but J.P. Jackson made the story work and it was glorious. Yes, there were some icky parts, but nothing was as bad as I thought it would be. There were also some sensitive topics in the book that were handled quite well and didn’t make me cringe. The writing was fun and enjoyable; the characters, including the demon, were likeable. The romance was skillfully written (since J.P. Jackson is a gay man, I would accept nothing less; and to be clear, there are a lot of authors who get this wrong [which annoys me to no end]). Really, I have nothing about this story to pick on. If you want to read something that has the right mix of creepy and fun, this is the book for you. Also, you can read this book in one sitting, which is a plus.

[Blake Allwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a devilishly good time.

I like Mr. Jackson's writing a lot, especially all the yummy sexy bits. This book doesn't disappoint. I recommend this book if you like dark romance with an urban fantasy flair.

I received a free ARC copy of the book for my honest feedback.

[Bobbi bobbijoreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dom is a centuries-old demon earthside from hell, scouting for desperate humans to sign over their souls in exchange for 6 years of success. He unexpectedly meets Malik, their chemistry is undeniable but there's something extra special about this gorgeous man Dom can't quite put his finger on.. While busy fighting off a coven of witches and fulfilling contracts for souls that are due, Dom can't stop thinking about him.

Demons, vampires, witches, werewolves, and angels, Devils Due has a smorgasbord of supernatural characters. Although it is a quick read with 146 pages, the plot is solid and there is a fulfilling amount of mm spice. 🔥 Although this is a stand-alone it has an open ending and could easily have a sequel (a girl can hope). Another great read by JP Jackson.

[Colin Dereham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, this author drew me in with another addictive read. It’s a genre I rarely consume, yet he’s a storyteller of such wily and seductive skill that I was racing through page after page. Only a master manipulator could sabotage my subconscious like this: have me rooting for the devil, turn good versus evil on its head and get me to swallow it hook, line and sinker without a second thought. There’s devils galore, a feisty witch or two, hellhounds and the odd zombie. Make no mistake, this is not queer urban fantasy of the MM romance variety. Bedroom scenes fade to dusky grey and love’s got nuttin’ to do with it - it’s ghoulish, it’s calculated, it’s bloodthirsty and it’s a hair-raising thrill ride.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dom is many things - suave, handsome, a good employer, a demon who collects human souls.
Mal is the sexy young guy Dom has set his sights on.
Neither man has any idea what they've gotten themselves into.

At the heart of this excellent short story is an intriguing mystery soaked in a fascinating paranormal cosmology, with power plays and bargains struck between various supernatural figures.

Devil's Due is a dark, mesmerising, sometimes gory tale with a fascinating central character that I sincerely hope we see more of in the future.

[Kevin Klehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is devilish and dark right from the start, but what else would you expect with a J.P. Jackson novella.

The contrast between Dominic Ronove and the younger Malik Parsa in voice and character set a tone for this story of two very different lives (and I mean "very" different) which eventually come together as the first instalment of a larger tale.

The pace kept this a page turner, going back an forth between two men who will eventually be lovers, but not before a hint of what's to come in the next in the series.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this is the best book iv read from Jeff Jackson
I just loved it really looking forward to the next book
Jeff writing is so good you got it all
Horror
Funny
World building
Fantastic characters
Just brilliant 👏

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first JP Jackson book-but it won’t be my last!

Devil’s Due is a story that uniquely sets up a demon, Dom, whose job it is to collect souls, but he becomes intrigued by Mal.

Suffice it to say these two become entangled and our story takes off in a very unexpected way!!!.

Cheers to Jeff Jackson for surprising me!!!

[Kathy Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

J.P. what a mind blower! If you like books with a twist, then you'll love this one! A must read! Great job!

[Ryan Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

The trope of “making a deal with the devil” is commonly explored in literature in both horror and comedic form; it can be tricky to make this feel fresh in contemporary fiction. That said, Jackson is in no way beating a dead horse here, so to speak. He has managed to entertain me and convince me that there’s still a way to feature both the contractual negotiations between Hell and humans and the inevitable consequences of said agreement in a fascinating new light. His book explores more than the conventional “you get what you deserve when entering into a contract with Hell” scenario, though you see the process and drama attached to the “collecting.” There are layers; you want to overlook Dom’s nature and see so much more in him.

Jackson has penned a narrative that compels you to empathize with, though maybe not cheer for—yet, the villain or the supposed love interest who is, at the very least, deeply morally questionable. (Umm, did I mention he’s a demon?) It’s a tale that dares to question the very fabric of Good and Evil and authenticity and manipulation—or do I mean persuasion? It’s a thought-provoking journey that will leave you pondering long after you’ve turned the last page. Devil’s Due is a quick read, more novella than a novel, and the ending is a cliffhanger, so there’s definitely potential (and a desire from this reader) to continue Dom and Malik’s story. And not just theirs. There’s a plethora of intriguing B-characters who have just begun to reveal their secrets and agendas.

Read my full article review at ryanlawrenceauthor.ca/blog

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominic Ronove (Dom!) is a badass demon who is very good at his job, giving humans whatever they want for six years before they have to repay the debt, often bloodily and always without mercy.

Malik is a cute, intelligent guy who moves across Dom’s radar and peaks his interest, setting in motion events which Dom has to fight had to control, without not much success.

Seriously, this author’s writing is getting better and better. I thought he had really found his true voice in Summoned and this book is just as brilliant. Sexy times mix with dark humour and delicious amounts of gore, offset by Malik’s sweetness and Dom’s brutal elegance.

But what makes this stand out is the humour, with darkly funny situations and whiplash dialogue which keeps the book moving on at a smart pace. I’m not going to spoil it for you. Find out for yourself! The cover is deceiving. Dark though it is, it sparkles with wit and love. The two main characters, Dom and Malik, have real chemistry but be warned, nothing is as it seems…

[Ta · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun and refreshing book. The devil is very pleasant, the plot delightful. A bit short, but I already will be buying the sequel.

However, I can't recommend this book to anyone. The typos are astounding.

"taught" instead of "taut"
"devine" instead of "divine
"jestures" instead of "gestures"

The last one absolutely killed me. Spellcheck is free. There is no reason whatsoever for a book to be sold for money and still have this kind of errors.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

JP has become a fave of mine, I love his writing style, be warned this is a dark book.
I was hooked from page one, I loved Dom and Malik the connection they have. And I want
Cerberus 🥰 his funny as hell.
There is some twist and shocking turns and im looking forward to book two 😍

[Gareth Jones-Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good storyline.
I just want book 2 now, there has to be a book 2