The Devil Inside

By: Nicky James

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Their love was innocent and pure…

Until they were forced to believe differently.

Until they were brutally schooled on the “right” way to love.

Oakland is not gay.

Jameson is not gay.

Being gay is wrong. It is immoral. It is a sickness they must fight. It is the devil inside that needs to be purged.

At least that’s what they’ve been conditioned to believe.

They’ve spent years trudging through the wreckage left behind after eight months in conversion therapy as teenagers.

When their lives collide again fifteen years later, the denial they’ve lived with for years gets harder and harder to fight.

They loved each other once. Can two broken men find a way to love each other again?

The Devil Inside is a higher angst, second chance, MM Romance novel with a HEA.

**Please heed trigger warnings.**

©2020 Nicky James (P)2022 Nicky James

Gut-wrenching

I read the book as an arc and loved it, though it was not an easy read. The audio captures the characters and the emotions really well. Nick J Russo is a talented narrator and he brings these men to life.
Grab the tissues before you start!

Beautiful and Gut Wrenching!

There’s something quite special and unique that I find in Nicky James storytelling. Her rich and beautiful truths hit the soul.
This was another one of her stories that I did not want to end.

Nick J. Russo did a spectacular performance!

Excellent audio involving rough subjects

I really enjoyed this audio. Suicide , homophobic parents, addiction and conversion therapy. All rough subjects involved. Nick J Russo does a tremendous job. He had to bring a lot of rage to this audio which is some thing I have not heard from him in previous audiobooks. He was visceral and incredibly believable. Not a sweet love story if that’s what you’re looking for, but a bit of real life. Highly recommended.

Enjoyable!

Lots of feels for Jameson and Oakland. Your heart goes out the self inflicted punishment they went through. Happy there was an HEA!

just wow!!!

THE STORY:
Where to start with this review??
Oh My Gawd!!! The Devil Inside is such a powerful second chance story by one of my favourite authors, the queen of angst – Nicky James.

This book isn’t for the faint hearted. The complexity and depth of character of Oakland and Jameson are outstanding!! It is beautifully written with well-timed wit to add relief and balance to an otherwise difficult story.
As always, Mrs. James knows just how to keep her readers engaged with the addition of endearing side characters.

The understanding and respect with which Nicky James tells her stories is commendable. She takes exceedingly difficult topics (in this case the aftereffects of conversion therapy) and presents them to her readers with compassion as she aims to educate us to the many facets of mental health.

I cannot recommend this book enough!! Definitely one of the most compelling reads for me for 2020!!

THE NARRATION:
Again, Nick J Russo did a stellar job with this book!! The emotions and feels that he imparted into his performance was outstanding.
Nick made me feel the characters emotions, their hurt, their anguish. He also made me feel their love.

Congratulations on another amazing collaboration!!

Top 2022 LISTEN and yup 2020 read.

This book is simply put amazing. I read this book in 2020 and now listened to it and it is a top 2022 listen for me. I was an emotional mess listening to Nick bring Oakland and Jameson to life. I felt the story was even more heartbreaking hearing it vs reading read. I FELT a the story.

It is a huge 5 stars and I wish I could give it more. I know anything I write here is not even doing these beautiful men justice. I could NOT stop listening with the tears flowing. (And I listen when I go walking)

Jameson and Oakland are so heartbreakingly beautiful. My heart ached in pain for these men’s past and the future they were fighting for. They are scarred inside and out because of what their parents put them through and what has been trained in their minds in conversion therapy.

This is a second chance romance with guys that fell in love as boys and never let that love go as men even though they tried to fight it for so many years.

Please take the trigger warning seriously. There’s self harming, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and mentally unstable men. Everything these guys fight through daily just hurt my heart.

However, they are survivors and with the love of an unexpected family, Micah, Wally, and most of all Geraldine they find the support they need in these three wonderful people.

There’s all the angst but Nicky gives us the step by step heal these men need to have their HEA. Brilliant. Just brilliant and beautiful story

A new favorite!

This book is not just about two men who love each other. It’s about the horrible affects of conversion therapy on a survivor’s mental and physical health. I shed tears while listening, which is uncommon, The author handled the subject matter with a cruel honesty deeper than I’ve considered delving into before. I will be reading more.

Hard but beautiful

The Devil Inside is a lovely story but it’s a hard one. Two broken men, shattered by the event of their past find their way back to each other. Oakland and Jameson go through so much before they get to their happy ending. This audio is very angsty and if you get triggered by self harm, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse this may not be for you, but I promise if you can get through that you will love this story!

Great Listen

Wow, this was not an easy light listen, such heart wrenching story, full of pain, hardships and sharp edges. Both Jameson and Oakland went through such an intense character development and definitely earned their fragile HEA. I felt their pain and struggles as well as enjoyed bright moments they had together. Narrator did an amazing job telling this story. This author narrator team is one of my favorites and The Devil Inside was a perfect listening experience.

Sad and beautiful

An intense, heart wrenching story of two men who went through conversion therapy when they were 17, and the long lasting effects that’s had on them.

Nicky James never really gives us the story we are expecting. While I didn’t love all of the substance abuse, it also obviously made sense.