Rakish (Dark Delights Book 6) by KT Yarrow

Julian only wants to live a life outside of the guild but they won't let the former paladin go easily. Valac hasn't been to the surface for more than a thousand years, but there's something about Julian that makes him want to stay.


From the blurb:

He wanted to take a stand. But he didn’t have to stand alone.

Julian Heroux doesn’t want to be a paladin anymore. The guild used to be a force for good, but now they’re turning on their own members and hunting down those who disagree with them. To take a stand and free himself from the rising tyranny within the ranks, he turns in his guild ring and quits. But they won’t let him go without retribution.

Valac hasn’t touched mortal soil in centuries. When duty finally calls him back, his mission is simple: find out what happened to Lilith, and choose a suitable candidate to replace her. The last thing he expects is to be captivated by a stubborn former paladin with an unbreakable moral compass. Julian is the first human who’s never treated him like a monster. He should focus on his mission, but Julian Heroux proves to be an irresistible distraction.

Valac recognizes something in Julian, and he won’t let the guild destroy it. He’ll have to make new alliances to protect what’s his, and Julian will have to reckon with enemies that he once thought of as family.


SNik's review:

Sixth in series (Dark Delights), best if read in order due to overarching storyline. Paranormal. Found family. Slow burn. Dual POV. Heed content warnings. 

Julian is a loyal paladin but as he sees the Guild changing he decides to quit and strike out on his own. A chance meeting with the behemoth Valac has Valac keeping an eye on Julian and when there is trouble he is right by his human’s side. 

I’m still absolutely enjoying this series, each demon/paladin couple is fantastic, and the cinnamon roll demons that have no hesitation when pledging their eternal commitment are swoon. Both Julian and Valac are such likable characters, Julian with his strong sense of right and Valac with his fish out of water but nobody better mess with me vibes. The times when Julian is in danger were heartwrenching, but as he gets over the betrayal by the guild Valac is there for him to lean on in every way Julian needs. I do wish we got more time with Julian and Valac getting to know each other, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I can’t wait for more from this series.


Rakish is currently available as an e-book