{"id":6559,"date":"2026-06-11T10:31:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T10:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=6559"},"modified":"2026-06-11T10:31:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T10:31:45","slug":"when-the-city-is-safe-again-by-sean-mejias","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=6559","title":{"rendered":"When the City Is Safe Again by Sean Mejias"},"content":{"rendered":"

A thoroughly human novel with superhuman characters<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Davey is the devoted husband of SolaRae, NYC\u2019s superhero darling, the first hero to emerge in the city and the face of endorsements for subway safety and whatever other brands can get their hands on her. Davey doesn\u2019t mind a life of being Rae\u2019s sidekick; he\u2019s a therapist husband who is always there to welcome her home after a long day of saving the city. But it isn\u2019t always easy being married to a hero.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe woman who once lit up half of Midtown without breaking a sweat could now snore softly beside him. It reminded him that he wasn\u2019t just her support system. He was her landing pad. She was his, and he was hers. She, however, was also the city\u2019s.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The H-gene is a recent evolution in women, providing them with powers that lie dormant until one day they are exposed. SolaRae can harness and manipulate the sun\u2019s heat, and she can fly. She spends her days saving the city with fellow heroes Echona, OwlHeart, and LunAva, her younger sister. But behind each of these women is a partner who unflinchingly supports them and is experiencing something very rare that they can\u2019t talk about to just anyone.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Through his connections, Davey is able to track down the partners of the city\u2019s other heroes and set up a support group for them. The group is a safe place for them to talk about the secret double life that they witness daily, and open up about the emotional impact of being in a relationship with a literal superhuman. Group is a place for Davey, Jose, Eric, and Cass to let off steam and be completely unfiltered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same ritual every Thursday. Burnt coffee, tired jokes, the smell of men trying their best. It wasn\u2019t therapy, but it was close.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

When the City is Safe Again <\/em>leads with Davey at the forefront but also follows his little community as they navigate life in the shadows of superheroes. From the dangers of heroing to the quiet, precious moments in between, it follows them through heartbreak, injustice, laughter, and the wonderful, messy spectrum of emotions that accompany life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This novel hits all the beautiful emotional notes of being human\u2014 it\u2019s infused with love, community, and joyful banter, and it\u2019s realistically balanced with grief, stress, and navigation of a world that isn\u2019t always kind. It takes the traditional idea of superheroes and spins it in its own way, one that doesn\u2019t focus on action but instead on humanity. All of this is elevated by atmospheric prose that brings coziness into a hectic city and makes superheroes feel natural.<\/p>\n

At the heart of this story lies a meaningful message about mental health. When the City is Safe Again <\/em>is a necessary representation of men being emotionally vulnerable and supportive of their friends and loved ones. Davey\u2019s steadfast and resolute love for his wife and friends is refreshing to read. On top of that, it also features awesome women being superheroes\u2014and not just in the cape way! We need more books like this\u2014normalizing working mothers, stay-at-home dads, affectionate men, and all the different ways people can live outside of stereotypes and patriarchal expectations.<\/p>\n

When the City is Safe Again <\/em>is a novel for readers who love to get to know characters like close friends, who care deeply about mental health, and who appreciate the small delights of life that shine brightly amidst the lows.<\/p>\n

The post When the City Is Safe Again by Sean Mejias<\/a> appeared first on Independent Book Review<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A thoroughly human novel with superhuman characters Davey is the devoted husband of SolaRae, NYC\u2019s superhero darling, the first hero to emerge in the city and the face of endorsements for subway safety and whatever other brands can get their hands on her. Davey doesn\u2019t mind a life of being Rae\u2019s sidekick; he\u2019s a therapist […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6559"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6559"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6559\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}