This was a really action-packed and exhilarating first book of a series. The characters were all quite likeable too. My only gripe was that being called "Mercenary Librarians", I expected more about books and the libraries of information mentioned in the story, but it turned out to be very minor, and not much touched on those elements at all. It was a disappointing in that respect as that was what drew me to want to read the book. I also did not except that the romance would play such a big role.

Love, love, love this new series!!!
Deal with the Devil has aspects of the Beyond series, but enough uniqueness to make it a page turner on its own. Can't wait for the next book....5 stars!!!

Kit Rocha has returned to writing dystopian that’s a similar to world that they have built in the Beyond series. However, I should warn readers right off the bat that although there are some similarities, the style is quite different.

The Beyond series took a more erotic approach whereas this new series still has the same worldbuilding style and new characters, but has a more true dystopian theme to it. It reads much more like an Urban Fantasy to me, which makes a lot of sense given the publisher that it’s being distributed with. I do like the book, but I kind of wished that some new ideas were introduced.

Nevertheless, I do like the worldbuilding. I think readers tend to get confused when it comes to the dystopian genre because it’s so different to the society we live in, so it’s nice to see more books being published with more of this idea in mind. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.

*ARC Review*

No spoilers, but this is a rather good book! Set in the same world as their Beyond and Gideon series, the Mercenary Librarians are kick ass super chicks that trade in and protect knowledge. It's an interesting premise and the execution, while slow in spots (perhaps due to new series worldbuilding?), is captivating and engaging. If you love Kit Rocha you won't be disappointed in the action - the fight scenes are fantastically done. Definitely recommend!

I honestly cannot wait for this to be the next big post apocalyptic tv show or movie. This was a delightful story about a group of people doing their best to save the world the best way they knew how, with books. The fight scenes were extremely well done and the sense of rising tension as they were running out of time made it feel like things were moving a thousand miles a minute. I can’t wait to read the rest of these stories and will definitely be recommending this to everyone.

I was so thrilled to read a new Kit Rocha book (love this writing team) but, honestly, I had a difficult time getting into this book. Usually I can devour one of their books within a day or two. This one I'd read a chapter and then I'd put it down for a few days and then I'd come back later because I received this as an ARC and promised to review. Perhaps, it was because the first eight chapters are heavy in world building with so many details and so many characters with constant action (like in every single chapter and almost every few pages). I had a tough time keeping characters apart and remembering who had what talents (or lack of). The new dysfunctional world was fascinating and the ideas for this dystopia are awesome. Also loved the idea of librarians, even though technically these ladies weren't really "librarians." However, it became tough to weed out what was going on, what the author was holding back and in general following. Seemed like the story kept throwing in a new curve ball but it often didn't feel natural, but came off almost forced as in it was felt the story needed something and to toss in something else action-packed to happen.
Then, the characters. Sigh. First, I had a tough time caring about anyone other than our heroine, Nina, who the story spent the most time developing. The men...I get that they're hot alpha soldiers but I didn't connect with any of them and they all blended together (which made keeping them apart a nightmare). The h/H interactions lacked the usual heat I expected with Kit Rocha. I mean, it came in small bits but later...a lot later.
I give this 4 stars because the world is complex and developed with wonderful talent.

If you've read Kit Rocha before, you'll recognize many of their hallmarks here: found families, gritty cage fights, fighting back against oppressive and corrupt power structures. (And there's a little nod to Dallas and his burgeoning empire for Beyond series fans!) If you haven't read Kit Rocha, you won't feel lost--no one world-builds like they do, and while it can be a bit confusing to figure out who the characters are in relation to the short briefs from the organizations that trained them where they're referred to by numbers, the whole dystopian world is vivid and realistic and every detail is thought out.

Of the two MCs, Knox was more clearly drawn for me; I didn't feel we got deep enough into Nina, except to learn that she's compassionate and forgiving, and for that reason, the romance felt a little too quick. I wish there was more about the library aspect of the work Nina and her team are doing and about how Knox and his team will cope after the actions of this book, but I imagine that will be fleshed out in future books, and I will definitely be reading them. This is an intriguing start to a new series and I'm looking forward to Dani's and Maya's books.

This book is amazing! Absolutely amazing. I mean, Mercenary Librarians. Who really needs to hear more? That was all I needed. Oh wait, there is a ROGUE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS! Full of action, secret government agencies, and badass super soldiers, Deal with the Devil is a fast paced adventure that will keep you engrossed well past your bedtime.
I know from experience.
Best part? It’s the beginning of a new series! There will be more books!
Set in a dark and dangerous future, Mercenary Librarians introduces us to Nina and her crew of mercenaries who are doing their best to keep their community safe and productive. When a bounty is placed on her head, Nina finds herself facing a life altering decision. Fight, or team up with Knox, the man who wants to hand her over to a bitter enemy.
There’s a lot going on in this book. Set after a major climate event, there are no longer reliable satellites, reliable infrastructure, or a reliable government. Although, have we had a reliable government? Nina, along with her crew members Maya and Dani all have connections to the Franklin Center for Genetic Research. Raised to be super soldiers, they have suffered years of brutal training and abuse. Escaping the Center’s clutches took some incredible maneuvering and levels of forgery that is mind boggling, and the three women do their best to keep their community safe.
Knox and his crew have ties to a different, but equally dangerous entity, TechCorps. When one of their own is taken hostage, Knox and his crew have no choice but to fulfill their demands. It was really fascinating to watch these two groups of very troubled and traumatized people begin to work together and build trust with each other. Showing vulnerability is a completely alien emotion to both of the crews and the authors do a wonderful job of showing how hard it is to gain and earn trust when you don’t trust anyone yourself.
The romance in this book grows in a very real and organic way. Nina and Knox are more than just hot and bothered by each other, they have to put in the work to overcome past trauma, betrayal, and hope for a future in order to make their relationship have the slightest chance of succeeding. There are also the seeds of some future romances that I hope show up in future books.
If you love urban fantasy or dystopian sci-fi with a touch of romance, you will love this book. I can’t recommend it highly enough and loved every single page.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

As someone who's an avid follower of Kit Rocha, I was not disappointed by this book. The writing is great, and I loved the characters. I thought they were very well fleshed out, full people. It was cool to see a continuation of the world in a different part of the destroyed United States, and see how different places handled the destruction.

While I enjoyed the heck out of this - WHY do authors insist that their characters have to be "sexy" to make a story work? I didn't realize this was heavier on the romance than I like, particularly in my dystopian novels. As a result, I didn't connect with the characters as much as I'd hoped to. For romance fans, you're going to likely love it! For me? It was engaging, I skipped more than I like to, but I will be handselling this to some customers I KNOW will love it!

I really enjoyed this book, but I feel like I'm absolutely the wrong person to review it - it's post-apocalyptic cyberpunk road trip romance, which is two genres I don't know well and one that I tend to avoid, so while I think it's done well, there were bits of the setting that I skimmed that I suspect would be precisely the thing that made this book awesome for another reader.
Things I liked - Nina and her crew and the way they worked together. The portrait of how to practice idealism and community in a world where this is counter to survival, and balance this with enough pragmatism to make it work. The fact that Nina and her crew really were kind of superhero level strength, and use that to protect the things that they actually want to do, which is archiving and reprinting books from pre-apocalypse earth, and helping people preserve their food crops. Superheros who mostly live a quiet life is an insufficiently explored genre in my view. Similarly, I liked Knox and his crew and the fact that they had all tried to hold on to some sense of ethics and conscience even while operating in an utterly unethical environment. They are decent people in an inhumane situation and despite appearances to the contrary, they don't actually have the same resources, both financial and physical, that Nina and her friends do.
I also really enjoyed the humour in the book.
Things I didn't like - look, a plot that is predicated on the hero setting out to entrap and betray the heroine, no matter what his motives for doing so, is going to be hard to read. Knox really did have good motives for his betrayal, but even after he decided not to betray Nina and to find another way forward, he spent way too much time not telling her, even though it was clear that a) he needed to do so for purely pragmatic reasons and b) she wasn't going to be happy when he did. Also, he absolutely should not have started a sexual relationship with her while he was still keeping her in the dark about his plans. To me, this was a huge problem and he was very lucky things didn't go worse than they did.
I'm looking forward very much to the other books in this series. I really enjoyed spending time with all the members of both Nina and Knox's crews, so I'm excited to read their stories.

I've not read any other Kit Rocha books, so I'm not sure how this compares to their other books, but it was fun. I was initially intrigued by the ideal of mercenary librarians in a post-apocalyptic world, and although part of me wishes there was a bit more library stuff, I wasn't disappointed. The feel was a bit like the Librarians TV show, but with less magic, more technology and the steaminess level taken to the next level. With this being the first in a series, I'm hoping some of the side characters are explored a bit more in the next books, because they were all interesting and likable.

I really liked this book. I usually am not into apocalyptical books. It falls into science fiction and that leaves no room for magic. This book was fun and I liked the characters. The title of the series is the Mercenary Librarians which I had to admit was what caught my eye. The author wrote a setting that was relatable and characters that battle the choices between good and bad and the consequences of those choices. The banter between those characters is funny. I've never read this author before. I think I will look for other things she had written.

Deal with the Devil is an action-packed, humorous, engaging, and sexy sci-fi/dystopian novel. I thought this book was a great introduction to the Mercenary Librarians series. First impressions are everything, and I think the authors did a great job in laying the groundwork for this series. The world-building was done in a very clear and interesting way, which kept me intrigued until the end. The main characters Nina and Knox were very likable and were a great fit. I liked that the progress of their relationship had a steady pace and took time to develop instead of being instant. The authors really gave them time to get to know each other. The side characters were also amazing. Both Nina and Knox have their own crew that they are responsible for, and you could really feel how much they cared for each of them.

What I loved most about this book was just the combination of action, suspense, and romance. The banter between the characters were also done really well. The authors told a lot in this book without making it feeling busy. They were able to introduce each character and make you care for them. I enjoyed getting snippets from their POV, which gave me an idea what was going on in their heads. They were all very unique and interesting in their own ways, and I really look forward to seeing them grow throughout this series. There were a couple of twists added to the plot which I loved. It makes me even more excited to see what will happen next. I think this book was a great introduction to the world Kit Rocha built, and I loved what I read so I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Please add this to your must read list if you like urban fantasy and post-apocalyptic stories with amazing characters and great writing. Overall, this book had me when the description included the words "mercenary librarians." SIGN ME UP! And it did not disappoint.

The book centers around a world in the not to distant future that was fairly frightening in its possible reality. Both Knox and Nina are products of their environment (literally). The world they inhabit is post-apocalyptic. The world-building done is stellar and immersive, but doesn't weigh you down in the way books sometimes can. I would say it is on par with some of the best - like Nalini Singh and others writing at the highest levels. The first half of the book can be a little slow at times - but what we learn and see is critical to our understanding.

I love that both Nina and Knox are both truly tough - but there is no sexism or suggestion that Nina is less because she is a woman. Her sex is somewhat neutral. The main crew of characters view the men and women as equals and formidable ones at that - each being respected for their considerable skills.

I really hope there are more books in this series - because I NEED more! I need to see where things are going with this group and the overall story line.

Loved it. One of the best of 2020 so far.

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own..

This book is a delight! I haven't read any of Kit Rocha's other books before (although I've followed Bree on twitter for ages), but this is a good entry point and I'm definitely interested in checking out their other stuff sometime soon. It's very much "the grumpy one is (reluctantly) soft for the sunshine one" so if that's your trope catnip, you'll be very happy. Hero and heroine both have devoted crews (if "girl gang" is your trope catnip you will <i>also</i> be very happy) and there's a lot of delightful loyalty feels. I haven't seen much dystopian romance on the mainstream market lately so this feels really fresh and new! I like the worldbuilding, especially the almost frontier homemaking aspect of Nina's neighborhood "library". Solidly recommended!

Wow, I cannot believe that it's been two years since I've read the last Kit Rocha book.

To be honest, I had a bit of a hard time with this book. The idea is good. It's set in the same post-apo/dystopian world as the Beyond series. But except for the Flares, there is very little in common. It takes place in a different part of America, and I could not find any direct reference to the previous series. (Meaning, I did not notice any mention of the character from the Beyond series. But if I missed some and you find any, please, let me know! I was really curious to see if there would be some.)

While the world and the story were not a problem, the characters were. I could not connect with any of them. They seemed like vaguely similar to some characters from the Beyond series but way less fleshed out. I did not like any of them. I did not dislike any of them. I just did not really care about them in a way. As if they were just shells, a mirror reflection. Something was missing from them.

I wanted to write a couple of sentences for each character, but then I realised that there is nothing much I have to say about them.

So, while I said that the story was good, I also have to say that it was somewhat predictable. The twist? It just felt like the foreshadowing was done by Hulk.

And while in the past I read Kit Rocha's books mainly when I wanted to just relax, I still enjoyed them very much. Because the characters were fun and the writing was well-done, it just drew you to the story, and I was missing this here a bit. Sometimes I just read a chapter, and then I stopped for two days. I have to say that sometimes I caught myself skimming through certain parts just to make some progress.

I don't want to say that this is a bad book. More of an okay book. I'm not angry or even disappointed by it. It's more of the same case as with the characters. I don't necessarily care. And while I give this three stars, I do not think I will continue reading this series.

Absolutely amazing!!!!

I have been a fan of Kit Rocha for years and was lucky enough to have been given a chance to read and review the first book in their new series early! It was so good!!! Well written with fantastic character-building. This book compares well with the Beyond series, which I was a bit worried about, except that the sexy times are not quite as intense (at least so far). There were even a few somewhat obscure references to things from that series. There is plenty of intrigue, lots of action, girl gangs, soldiers, and of course, some romance.

The epilogue was just WOW!!! All parts of it!!! I am so excited to see where this series goes. I would absolutely give this more than 5 stars if I could. And I most definitely recommend it to anyone who it a fan of this trope!!!

I received an ARC through Netgalley.

DwtD by Kit Rocha is book one in their new Mercenary Librarians Series and introduces the reader to a new dystopian world. Just like their O'Kane universe, DwtD tells the story of the post catastrophe era where law and order have another meaning than before.
The storyline is set in former Atlanta and tells Nina and Knox's story.
It's a fast paced read, action packed, raw and gritty - an unputdownable, hanging on the edge of my seat read that kept me in suspense from chapter one til the end.
I recommend the book. 5 stars.

One of my most anticipated books for 2020 and I wasn't disappointed! It had everything I wanted: intriguing characters with interesting backgrounds, fun and witty banter, cool actiony things! this book and series would make such a good netflix series or movies! I can picture all the badassary up on a screen.

I won't say anything spoilery cuz we still got a way to go before this one comes out but I love ladies who can kick ass and our Mercenary Librarians are just that! Knox and his team were not prepared for them which, makes for a particularly funny scene in the trucks lol.

I must say though, while i did love our MCs Knox and Nina, some other characters stole the show for me. In this one we get POV from the other characters, even as Knox and Nina are the main POVs. We get to slip inside some of their teammates heads. Even before I got a Rafe point of view I adored that guy, because of course i fall for the lovable flirt and on the flipside, I fell for Dani too cuz she's so murderyyyyy! So yeah, I'm really interested in knowing more about them. And I'm shipping these two like whoa!

Also we get a little O'Kane mention of sorts, so if you're a fan of the Beyond books like me you will be all !!! about the brief mention :)

This was a wild, fun, ride with some twists that had me going :O, especially that ending OMG!!! I need book 2 in my eyeballs nowww!!!