Reviewed by True

TITLE: Maniac

SERIES: Necessary Evils #7

AUTHOR: Onley James

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 266 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 16, 2023

BLURB:

Thomas Mulvaney was just a child when an error in judgment cost him everything. He vowed then that he would do anything to atone for his mistake. And he did. He never strayed from the right path. Until Aiden.

Aiden Mulvaney doesn’t exist. He’s a lie created by the father who disowned him and by Thomas Mulvaney, the only man Aiden had ever begged to love him. But that was years ago, when he’d still believed in fairytales. Before Thomas rejected him.

Thomas has spent years trying to have Aiden in his life while keeping him at arm’s length, but Aiden’s done with half-measures. He’s done with Thomas the martyr. He’s just done. So, he’s kept his distance. Trouble is, now, someone is threatening to expose a secret that affects them all.

No, not that one. A secret so shameful, Thomas won’t even utter it out loud. Can he and Aiden revisit the past and keep the family name intact, or will they both be buried beneath the weight of their memories as their old feelings resurface?

REVIEW:

Throughout the series, we could feel there’s so much going on behind the scenes between Thomas and Aiden. Thomas’s sons and partners already made assumptions about their relationship. Both always denied it. For some reason, Aiden left and made sure he wouldn’t meet Thomas anymore, only for the family business.

What we didn’t know as a reader, is Thomas couldn’t stay away from Aiden, over the timespan of all these years he contacted him, called him, and called him again, and yeah, retreated again and again.

It’s hanging there, right above Thomas’ head, the sword of Damocles.

Thomas has a deep dark secret and he’s threatened and blackmailed by someone who wants to expose Thomas, his family, and his past. When this happens it will be the end of Thomas, he will end at the hand of his own family, he is convinced of it.

So, Thomas did call Aiden again. Aiden hates Thomas, he hates him as deeply as he loves him. Thomas dismissed Aiden so many times, Aiden promised himself, no more, and if he did… he’ll never come back, ever.
He demands Thomas to talk. And oh boy, did he have a story to tell.

The family has to dig deep, deeper, deepest to get answers about who’s behind the threat.

Family together? Exhausting but so much fun! They are so skilled and thorough that when a job has to be done, it will be done, eagerly!

My heart hurt for Aiden, the love he felt, unanswered, was unbearable and heartbreaking.
It was quite devastating to watch Thomas in despair. Aiden was his rock.
And thank goodness, after all the pining we can finally enjoy them having some precious encounters.

I didn’t know what to expect from this final installment, I knew it was about Aiden and Thomas. I was satisfied, but for me, it was a bit too dramatic, Thomas felt a bit off, and I hoped for more romance, but I’m not sure. Still, together they were everything!
I did love the story, it was, as always, very captivatingly written, and very intense. All the family as we know them were emphatically present. I love them all hard and will dive into their stories again.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon