BLURB:

A pair of con artist demon exorcists scam the nation’s wealthiest . . . until one of them is possessed for real

Colton and Lucian make a living conning the desperate with fake exorcisms—Lucian is the charm, Colton the trick, and together, they’ve turned deception into survival. Their work is dangerous, their romance even riskier, but they’ve always found a way to stay ahead.

Until Lucian is truly possessed.

A powerful demon takes hold, twisting his body into something unnatural, horrific, wrong—and no priest, no con, no desperate lie can fix it. With time running out and Lucian slipping further away, Colton has no choice but to learn real magic, break every rule, and attempt the impossible.

Because if he fails, Lucian won’t just be lost. He’ll be something else entirely.

MY THOUGHTS:

Big thanks to Books Forward for the ARC!

The minute I saw the words con exorcist, I knew I had to read this. Like… a scammer out here fake-banishing demons for cash? Yes please. I was hooked right off the bat by the concept alone.

The story opens strong with Colton, a smooth-talking fake exorcist, and Lucian, a buttoned-up political figure who asks him to team up and play exorcist for real. Their banter? Hilarious. Their dynamic? Oddly heartwarming. I was laughing, totally locked in, and loving the cozy-meets-spooky fantasy world E.L. Dreads built so effortlessly in the beginning. I was SAT.

It had that perfect blend of eerie and cozy weird hauntings, flickering candles, a little tension, and just enough magic to keep things interesting.

But here’s the thing: as the story went on, the pacing really slowed down for me and I wasn’t as convinced of Colton and Lucian’s blossoming love. Even when Lucian got possessed (which should’ve been a major turning point), I found myself struggling to stay engaged. That early spark dulled out, and I honestly had a hard time pushing through to the end.

It’s not that the book lost its charm entirely, the spooky vibes and unique premise were still there but the momentum just didn’t hold up for me personally.

That said, if you’re into cozy fantasy with a hint of satire and a low stakes, spooky season feel, this might still be a great fall pick for your TBR. Think: exorcism shenanigans, sarcastic side eyes, and a dash of found family. Just go in knowing it starts strong and gets a little slower as it goes.