I’m an avid reader, and it’s rare that a week goes by without me consuming at least one novel. But I’m currently a full-time college student, and so a few weeks ago, as I was beginning to brainstorm for this review, I realized I couldn’t actually remember the last novel I’d finished (though I’m currently halfway through several).
Somewhat desperate since I didn’t think any of the ancient literature from my liberal arts program would be quite right for this blog (Lucretius’s On the Nature of the Universe or Ovid’s Metamorphoses, anyone?), I checked out several e-books from my library and speed-read them, trying to find something worth reviewing… but all of them had at least some content that I wasn’t comfortable recommending.
So, out of sheer desperation, I took advantage of a flash sale on The Supervillain’s Bodyguard by H. L. Burke… and discovered I couldn’t put this book down.
(Well, metaphorically, at least. I read the e-book on my computer since I don’t have a Kindle, so no, I didn’t carry my laptop around with me for two days.)
Superhero fiction isn’t a genre I frequently read, but as a fantasy-lover, I really found myself drawn to the blend of the real-world setting (I absolutely loved the road-trip plot) and the superhero/villain powers. There’s something in this genre for everyone—not all readers gravitate towards the intricate worldbuilding of most fantasy, so if you fall into this camp, I definitely encourage checking out this book for something more approachable.
But in addition to the genre itself, the main characters, Cas and Jael, were brilliantly written. I love to see a strong male protagonist, and Cas absolutely fulfilled that, but he was also tender and gentle when necessary. It was beautiful to watch him slowly melt Jael’s initial reserve, and I love how both characters forced each other to learn and grow through their developing relationship. (One of my favorite romance tropes is childhood-friends-to-lovers, so finding that in this book was a happy surprise!)
While The Supervillain’s Bodyguard is a fast-paced and fun adventure story, Burke does a wonderful job of weaving in deeper themes as well. I loved that Cas is a Christian character who isn’t ashamed to talk about his faith, but his beliefs never take over the plot. It’s subtle enough to be enjoyable to non-Christian readers, but as a Christian myself, I appreciated that bit of character development.
It’s also refreshing to see a fictional romantic relationship built not only on physical attraction, but also on a true friendship and self-sacrificial love for each other. All three ingredients were blended beautifully to create a romantic adventure story that has lots of action and fun banter on the surface, and lots of depth resting below.
In short, if you enjoy superhero fiction and romance, this is absolutely the book for you. And even if you tend towards fantasy or realistic fiction, I highly encourage you to give The Supervillain’s Bodyguard a shot—it’s a very approachable entry point into this genre, and a fantastic story in its own right!
The Supervillain’s Bodyguard is the eighth book in a series, but has an independent plot, and can be read as a standalone novel.
Caveats (including some spoilers): mild action/violence (no gore), Cas and Jael share a bed out of necessity and Cas wakes up with his arm around Jael, Jael is tempted to sleep with Cas in a moment of despair, a few brief kisses and two passionate kisses (one right before a proposal and one after marriage), a few instances of d*mn and h*ll (along with various substitutes).
