Axe and Grind

The trite sequel to Hutton’s Strike and Burn turns the focus onto Axe MacKenzie, “a smokin’-hot multimillionaire tech wunderkind with an ego the size of his bank account,” and Josie Greene, a chronically ill shop worker whose characterization leans into the “not like other girls” trope. Axe hires Josie to serve as the basis for She’s the One, the disturbing artificial companion he’s designing. For Josie, this entails fake-dating Axe so he can gather data, even as the demons from their respective pasts creep closer. Josie takes the job for the stellar health benefits and the promise of independence from her overbearing mother; meanwhile, vigilante Axe hopes to use the project to catch suspected sex trafficker Niles von Grafenhagen. Josie and Axe grow closer through their dates, but Niles’s interest is also piqued: he becomes obsessed with both She’s the One and with Josie herself when he realizes she’s the inspiration for the AI, putting her in grave danger. Though Axe’s insistence on using Josie as the model for his “perfect woman” is supposed to be romantic, it comes across as creepy and violating, especially as Josie’s valid concerns are repeatedly dismissed. Weak characterization does little to make up for the unsettling premise: both Axe and Josie read more as amalgams of tropes than genuine people. All but the most diehard series fans will be disappointed. (Jan.)