Devoted (Hopeless Blessed Book 2) by Lark Taylor

Devoted is the second in the Hopeless Blessed series, and some prior reading is required. Another angel has found his mate and this time it's Micah's second in command Ezekiel. Unlike Micah, Ezekiel's mate is human and we all know the complications that can come from being fated to someone not of the supernatural world.

From the blurb:

Fate always has a plan.

Even if you don’t agree with it.

Ezekiel

Starting that online game was my attempt to find happiness. Something to fill my life other than the demands of Heaven and the rest of my unit.

I didn’t expect to find Sam.

Even with screens between us, Sam makes me feel more alive than I have in millennia. I find myself counting down the minutes until I can go online and be with him.

He’s my perfect match. In any other circumstances, I’d be doing whatever it took to make him mine.

But I’m not human. And, unlike humans, I have no say over who I spend eternity with. Fate decides who my mate will be, whether it’s the person I love or not.

Sam lives in the same city as me. If he were my mate, I’d have met him by now. I’d feel a pull towards him that I couldn’t ignore.

The right thing to do would be to end this. To put up walls between us to keep both our hearts safe. Instead, I find myself tearing down the barriers, falling faster for him every day.

I know how this story will end, but I can’t stop myself. I don’t care what plans fate has for me.

I want to make Sam mine.

Devotedis a gripping, hurt/comfort, angel x human, MM PNR romance. The second in the Hopeless Blessed series, each book follows a different couple with a guaranteed HEA.

Rogue's review:

- Fantasy
- Fated mates
- Mental health rep

This is the second in the Hopeless Blessed series, and this is Ezekiel and Sam's story. This is definitely best read as part of the series, as there are recurring characters. I enjoyed this book so much, I adored Zeke and Sam and their story. Zeke and Sam meet online, playing a game and develop a deep friendship without ever meeting in person. Zeke finds himself drawn to Sam but is torn as he knows he has a fated mate out there and doesn't feel the pull to Sam that the others did towards their fated mate. Sam, for his part is equally reluctant to meet in person as he has OCD and has had trouble in the past with partners not understanding that, or even wanting to try.

Sam's struggle with his OCD is central to the story, but it's only a part of the story and not Sam's whole character. I loved him, he's funny, bright, brave, and just so perfect for Zeke, who has his own issues stemming from an abusive childhood. I loved how these two complemented each other so perfectly, accepting the other as they were finding ways to work together towards their happy ending. All things don't run smooth, of course and the big fly in the ointment is the big bad from the first book in the series, who honestly can do one. I cannot wait for that one to get some comeuppance, because it's coming and it will be glorious.

Sam's struggle with his OCD is so wonderfully done, I really feel like it's given me a whole new understanding of a condition that I really knew very little about. I loved this whole story, the other angels in the seraphim get their moment here too, with more about the twins, Noah, Benji and Micah and Nox all appearing too, and leaving me wanting more.

I can't wait for the next in the series, it can't come soon enough.


Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's review:

"𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸'𝚖 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙. 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚣𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚣𝚢."

First off, huge kudos to Lark for putting the spotlight on how OCD can affect a person's life other than what mainstream media portrays. I felt such a kinship with Sam while reading this. How something can be perfectly fine one day, but another day your brain decides nope! Absolutely not! The constant worrying. My god I could go on, but I will stop myself before it becomes a rant.

Ezekiel is the second in command on Micah's squad of Seraphim. We didn't know too much about him before his story and what we learn about his past broke my heart. It seems none of these paranormal men escape their pasts without trauma following them. After a request from Micah for him to find some hobbies outside of their group, Ezekiel joins an online game and begins chatting with Sam. It isn't long before those chats become the highlight of Ezekiel's day which should be a happy thing, but for someone who knows fate has given him a mate out there somewhere it's more a worry.

On the other side of the screen, Sam finds himself in the same predicament. Ezekiel has become the person he looks forward to speaking to at the end of a stressful day. However, Sam also battles with his OCD on a daily basis and sometimes he doesn't win the arguments with his brain. It's hard for him to open up with Ezekiel since so many people have let him down in the past. The decision is taken out of both their hands when Sam ends up in trouble and Ezekiel can't help but save the day.

I loved seeing the growth in Sam with his relationship with Ezekiel. Ezekiel let him be himself and never shamed him for it. So did all the Seraphim for that matter. Sam finally had a place with people who not only accepted and cared for him, but didn't make his mental illness seem like a burden. Ezekiel had someone who adored everything about him and didn't hate him when he lost his temper on occasion. They really were sweet.

We learn who the next couple is in this series and let me tell you it's not going to be an easy road for those two. My heart already hurts for them. I am excited that it seems like more mates are heading the Seraphim's way and I am not just talking about the next book's MCs. I'm guessing all these mates showing up may be what this team needs in order to defeat that b*tch Gloria in the future once and for all!

SNik's review:

Second in series (Hopeless Blessed), best if read in order. Paranormal. Fated mates. Mental health representation. Found family. Dual POV. 

Archangel Ezekiel has come to doubt fate recently, because he has begun to have feelings for his gaming partner Sam, but doesn’t feel the pull that Sam is his fated mate. Sam doesn’t know anything about Zeke other than he inexplicably trusts the man, certainly more than he trusts his stupid brain when his OCD makes him doubt if his feelings are reciprocated until finally fate gives them a big push. 

My favorite parts of this story are whenever Ezekial and Sam communicate and share their thoughts and feelings honestly, there was so much swoon when they speak their true thoughts about and to their partner. The supportive Seraphim family are really spectacular, as Ezekial never doubts they will embrace Sam and care for him just as equally as he does. Sam is such a strong character in that no matter how hard he struggles he fights every day and never give up and that is saying something. A great couple added to this really great world and found family.

Angel's review:

I'm going to be honest, when I first started reading this book I had a hard time getting into the flow of it in the beginning. However, as I continued reading, the more invested I became in the story, along with becoming attached to the characters as well.

Ezekiel has had a rough life, he lost his mom, been abused by his dad, and his dad also encouraged his anger... He has a difficult time managing his anger, but the one thing that makes it better is playing a game with his online friend Sam.

Sam believes he's not capable of having someone love him due to the horrible thoughts his OCD whispers to him, but when him and Ezekiel's friendship deepens, the red-headed man shows him that he's worthy of love.

I'll start by saying I love and deeply appreciate the mental health representation that was heavily featured in this book. Not only was OCD was talked about and discussed, but there were several other instances of mental health being discussed, and I just found that to be really incredible. I unfortunately was one of the people who didn't know the full extent of what living with OCD was like day-to-day, but now thanks to this story I'm better educated. (Thank you, Lark, for teaching me something I didn't know about previously.)

I want to talk about the amazing characters themselves! Ezekiel and Sam just work together, even when they were talking online not knowing what the other looked like, they had a bond and a connection to one another. And after they met, that bond just grew further and really blossomed into something beautiful. I adored how Ezekiel took the time to educate himself on OCD, and how he truly listened to Sam about what his triggers are. Him along with the rest of the Seraphim all rallied around Sam to make sure his triggers could be prevented to the best of their ability, which was so sweet!

Sam and Ezekiel's relationship is so beautiful, their relationship is the type of relationship I want! Accepting, full of understanding, communication.. and trust.

Aside from the terrific MC's the side characters were fantastic as well, I loved being able to see the men that make up the Seraphim in a more in-depth way. I'm so curious about them all! I want them all to get their happy ending and to find their mates! I'm really excited to see where else this series goes as this book was incredible!

Devoted is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription