I was super taken with this concept as soon as I started reading: a world where a scientific accident caused the world of human mythology to collapse and all of the mythic creatures to appear on Earth--and suddenly more real than humans are ready for. Figuring out how these new inhabitants of the planet fit into the cultural landscape and overall ecosystem has been a challenge. And, as we all know, humans are quite often not a very empathetic, sympathetic, or inclusive species. When dragon shifter Edra finds himself working as a mytho liaison officer with Jordan, a mytho sympathizer who is struggling to move up in the department, it's not just the worlds of the humans and the mythos that collide. The two have an immediate connection that they try to deny in the name of getting their work done...but neither humans nor mythos can keep things bottled up for long... ( )

*Disclaimer: A copy of Lust and Other Drugs was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.

I always find T.J. Nichols’ worlds to be fascinating and full of detail, and this one is no exception. The paranormal world has collapsed into ours, and along the way, much of what makes the races what they are has been lost. Werewolves are stuck half-shifted, the vampires have lost their beauty, and the knight has lost his sword. The struggle to adapt on both sides is complicated, and full of the racial tensions still seen in the modern world.

I really enjoyed both of the main characters and their flaws. In addition to the physical attraction, I really feel the mutual recognition they feel as they get to know each other and do their best to do what is right within the limitations of the world they live in and the jobs they hold. They both know how to play the politics game, even if they risk a lot along the way. The gender expression struggles of the MC add depth to his character. The wrap-up of the primary plot did feel like it had a skip in it, as if once the truth had been revealed there was no need to get into the details. It was a tiny bit of a let-down, but then the story did conclude with a great peek into the growing personal relationship.

On a personal note, I would have preferred the collapse was not blamed on the Hadron Collider, as anti-scientific sentiment is already far too prevelent in the world and arguably a major source of emerging and reemerging crises. This is a minor piece of the plot, and could have easily been swapped for a magical accident… or a made-up foreign government’s project… perhaps a cult’s ritual… or heck, maybe no known cause at all.
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