One of my main problems with hardcovers these days is that they had better bloody well be worth the price. Kensington has sweetened Ms. McKenna’s latest release by chopping the usual price by several dollars, but still – twenty bucks is twenty bucks. So is Kev McCloud’s long-awaited story worth it? No way. Not in my opinion.

The McClouds (see previous nine gazillion books) have vanquished the vile, nefarious, evil Dr. Osterman and his henchmen, who apparently subjected the McClouds’ childhood years to physical and psychological torture. They have avenged themselves but have all but given up hope of finding their lost brother – until they receive confirmation that he still lives.

Kev lives, indeed he does, and the only thing that has motivated his survival through years of pain and torture is the image of his angel, who he glimpsed for a split second eighteen years ago. She guides him. She inspires him. He would be nothing without his angel. Never mind that he is a polyglot, inventor, self-made millionaire, anonymous philanthropist, killing machine, and all-round aw-shucks shy guy – he only cares about his angel.

She appears one day in the form of Edie Parrish, supernaturally-gifted comic book writer, loner, and occupational doormat to her father, who has links to the perfidious Dr. Osterman. (Fancy that.) Amazingly enough, Edie’s comic superhero looks exactly like Kev, and, when he turns up to one of her book signings, well, hey ho, never mind that Dr. Osterman’s evil protégés want to control their minds for evil purposes – stop where you are and commence the sex.

This leads to the first of many problems, which I am not describing in detail because they are a) tedious, b) distasteful, or c) both. There is too much sex; it becomes tedious and, therefore, meaningless in its frequency. There is too much swearing; the words lose efficacy and also become tedious in their frequency. And there is too much violence, action, and gore: It is inappropriate, disgusting, and gratuitous.

Actually, the catch phrase in the above paragraph – “too much” – could well apply to the rest of the book. The villains are too e-e-e-e-e-evil for words. Edie is too much a doormat – until she “liberates” herself and becomes too annoying. Kev is too unhealthily obsessed with Edie. They are both too stupid in falling into bed, and into so-called love, within hours of meeting each other. And the whole thing is just too, too, too over the top.

I liked the scenes involving past couples, who seem to inhabit the real world rather than La-La Land, and I liked Kev’s adopted family, who overshadow everyone else. That was all. I hope Ms. McKenna is finished with the McClouds, who have fallen into a character rut and no longer interest me. I hope Bruno gets a story, unrelated to the McClouds. But finally, I hope Ms. McKenna’s next book is worth every cent the publishers charge. This one is not only a waste of time and money – it is also a shameful waste of talent.