Dance with the devil

Dani is a fighter with superhuman speed and an inability to feel pain, which makes her an invaluable part of the Mercenary Librarians, last seen in The Devil You Know (2021). Supersoldier Rafe Morales can't deny the sexual tension between the two of them, but he won't act on it until Dani agrees to more than just sex. But they've got bigger problems: the death of the VP of Security for TechCorps has left a power vacuum, and Dani and Rafe go undercover to investigate a potential rebellion brewing inside the company. Rocha's third Mercenary Librarians book gives a closer look at the enemy, from the glittering city on the Hill to the lengths TechCorps will go to smash community-built infrastructure. Dani, Rafe, and their found family of genetically enhanced misfits spend as much time kicking ass as they do organizing a community center, while building a network of allies trying to save Atlanta. Fast-paced, action-packed, and very sexy, Dance with the Devil fulfills the promise of the series while leaving open opportunities for a sequel.

Rocha's third "Mercenary Librarians" book (following The Devil You Know) sees that trio (Nina, Maya, and Dani), along with the Silver Devils (the former Protectorate squad), ready to lead the rebellion against the TechCorps as it struggles to retain control of Atlanta. When a contact within TechCorps shows interest in helping them, Dani knows that as a superhuman assassin who cannot feel pain she is one of the few to be able to infiltrate the Hill, where the most protected and prestigious of the TechCorps leaders live. Undercover and surrounded by the enemy, Dani will have to rely on Rafe Morales, the Silver Devil who might break through her thick shield of self-reliance. When they both have to face their past, it will take all of their strength and skill to ensure that they, and all of Atlanta, survive. Fans of J. D. Robb's "Eve Dallas" and Nalini Singh's "Psy/Changeling" series will likely enjoy Rocha's postapocalyptic setting, fast-paced action, and strong female characters. VERDICT Rocha has crafted a solid ending for the arcs of Nina, Maya, and Dani, but still leaves room to continue with some of the secondary characters.--Kristi Chadwick