40 Souls to Keep
by Libby Drew
Gay FictionAdded on January 11, 2026
Description
A healer. A helper. A race against time—and an otherworldly danger—to save a child. A male/male romantic suspense thriller with a supernatural twist.Seven years ago, Jase awoke with the mystical power to heal people—and no memory of his past. The only clue to his identity is the number forty tattooed on his arm. Driven by a mission he doesn't understand, Jase follows his visions to those he's meant to save. He is convinced that the fortieth person he's drawn to—a little girl named Macy Pearl—is the key to finally learning the truth . . . Social worker Lucas Jacobson has made a promise to protect Macy, orphaned when her parents were brutally murdered. So when Jase shows up in Naples claiming he's there to heal the child, Lucas is wary, despite his attraction to the enigmatic stranger.Then Macy is abducted, and Lucas has no choice but to trust in Jase. Scouring the city from its glitzy resorts to its seedy underbelly only deepens the mystery—and draws the two men closer. But Jase is certain of one thing: if Macy dies, a dark fate awaits them all."Drew maintains a high level of suspense as the men become lovers and determine who wants Macy and why, interspersing flashbacks to Jase's seven years as a traveling healer." —Publishers Weekly
Reader Reviews
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.The premise of this book seemed interesting at first, but the characters, and execution left me wanting. I found Jase to be a very manipulative, and unlikable person. It seems like his power was wasted on him, and his petty and shallow self. Having worked customer service jobs, the Burger King incident really pissed me off. He could have cost that kid his job, and he felt nothing. Sorry, I hate people who take advanta
CAUTION: Long Review & SpoilersThe mm-romance was well written, but the characters were plain, the plot had holes, and the ending was scant.The Characters+ Jase, the nomad protectorWhile much of the story was told in Lucas’s PoV, most of the character development occurred with Jase. However, it raised more questions than answers about him. I liked Jase’s mysterious persona in the beginning but by the middle of the book it irritated me. I did like his decisive use of mind-controlling ability, but
3.5This is going to be one of those books that you really love or sort of hate; I am somewhat stuck in the middle. The idea behind the book is somewhat brilliant, and the writing is excellent, I am just very dissatisfied with how it all came together, even though it does have the power to keep you reading. A great effort by Libby Drew, but by the end I kind of stopped caring for the MCs.A man awakes in a park with no recollection of how he got there, or who he is. A young boy is also at the park
