The Dalwick Demon

by Ashley Bennett, Alex Conkins (Illustrator)

"There is no God here, Iris. He could never bring you this sort of pleasure."

In her short life, Iris has known nothing but heartache. When she is thrown into the mouth of Dalwick Cave as penance for her supposed crimes, she expects to find herself face to face with death. Instead, she meets the Demon of Dalwick Cave. After getting to know the being behind the myth, Iris finds herself tumbling headfirst into carnal love. Can he show her that love can be kind? Will Iris finally learn that love and lust go hand in hand?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Monster Romance, Novella, Monsters, Demons, Paranormal

118 pages, Paperback

First published February 24, 2023

About the author

Ashley Bennett is a small-town paranormal and monster romance author from Baltimore, Maryland. She writes stories that are equal parts spice and swoon. When she's not writing, you can find her reading webtoons, playing cozy video games, and taking care of her houseful of rescue animals.

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Reviews

[Elena Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
“Iris Browne, you are sentenced to death for your crimes. May the Lord take pity on your soul."

Aquí he llegado con más curiosidad que otra cosa y no me ha decepcionado.
Se trata de un “cuento” romántico-erótico que no llega a las 100 páginas. En ella nos encontramos el típico argumento de una muchacha que hace un pacto con el demonio del bosque, y bueno entre una cosa y otra, pues sucede la chispa del amor o mejor dicho deseo.

<“-Humans are awful.
+Not all humans, Iris. Not all humans”

Como acabo de mencionar, no deja de ser un cuento por lo que su profundidad tanto, los personajes como argumento es casi inexistente. Los personajes se enamoran a la primera de cambio, aunque para mí es más deseo, además del hecho que hay más escenas subidas de tono, (ahora no se me hagan los inocentes que aquí uno sabe lo que viene a leer y no se sorprende llegando a la novela a lo oh vaya. Por favor.)



En conclusión. ¿Lo recomiendo? Sí, obviamente si es lo que quieres, pero si buscas una historia profunda o romántica, lo siento, pero búscate otra.

PD: Ahora entiendo por qué las muchachas ven a los demonios. Se tenía que decir y se dijo. Ya puedo arder tranquila en el infierno.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Iris is sacrificed to the demon below her town, she is expecting to be eaten and killed; instead, she is met with Selvyn, a generous and eager-to-please demon. The two make their way to the neighboring town for Iris to settle in, along the way, however, they find themselves unable to resist each other.

This is an incredibly sweet and steamy short story from Ashley Bennet. She has a way of making some of the most charming characters and Selvyn is just that.

[Sammie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute pallet cleanser novella, AB writes such squishy cinnamon roll monster heroes and I love it! Iris is a prostitute who has done what she had to in order to survive after the death of her parents. She’s condemned to die by the new town priest, and sacrificed to the demon of Dalwick Cave. Selvyn is a half demon, half human, and has been charged with helping the humans start a new life after being sent to his cave.

When he meets Iris and helps her, they develop a deep bond and start a physical relationship on their short journey to the next town. He’s convinced that he isn’t worthy of a lasting relationship with Iris, and she works to prove him wrong. These two were so sweet with each other and I just loved it!

[Tetyana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Інтригуюча зав'язка, багатообіцяючий початок і якоюсь мірою цікаві герої, все таки про демона з двома членами і повію я ще не читала😂. Але далі суцільне розчарування, стосунки героїв розвивалися занадто швидко, в мене було відчуття, що Айріс готова віддатися першому, хто проявить до неї доброту. Після їхнього першого сексу я відклала читання, потім повернулася і бурулька мене остаточно добила😂 Коротко кажучи сцени 18+ мені взагалі не сподобалися. Було цікаво дізнатися історію Селвина і причини його відчуження і ізоляції від людей, але я очікувала більшого.
Якби авторка більше розкрила їхній світ, магію і зменшила б обороти у швидкості відносин героїв, можливо, вийшла б доволі непогана історія.
Мені здається, це не моя авторка, вже друга книга і мимо, але я рада, що дочитала.

[May (toastyreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not think I could enjoy this little short story anymore, but I was wrong.

I remember reading it in Monsters in Love Vol 2 and I loving it. I loved the soft hero who is too kind for his own good. The strong heroine that asks for what she wants and takes what she deserves/needs. Then GODDAMN IT ASHLEY YOU ADDED THE EPILOGUE. I didn't think I needed babies to be included, but goddamn I did 😭 Wren is a sweet lil baby and I hope we see more of her (😏).

I don't always want babies as the HEA/epilogue but 🥺 it was such a nice addition and surprise.

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Iris did what she had to do in the town she was living in which was sleep around and have couple nights in a warm bed, but with a new priest in town who said she was dealing in witchcraft, stealing and whoring herself out she was to be sacrifice to a demon in the woods.

When she is tossed into the cave she's scared and meets Selvyn the demon but she's suprised he's not evil at all he's kind and helps her heal her cut and bruised feet.
Telling her he takes all the peoples who were tossed down here to another land to live another life. These 2 were to cute I swear Selvyn wad a cinnamon demon but when Iris wanted a dirty talking demon he delivered and he gave her all the pleasure with his 2 🍆🍆. It was yummy and delicious. They do have some conflict about Selvyn and him not wanting to stay in town but that gets fixed pretty fast.



No ow/om drama, no cheating, Drama, sexy times, no virgins (she was a Prostitute and was in bed with a client nothing happened it was after they did the deed)

Recommend-yed
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶

Slowinsta
Age gap
Mentions of physical/sexual assault
Mentions parent death
Religious truama
Dp/DVP
Temperature play
Rimming
Anal play
Degradation
Praise kink
Tail play
Hea
Epilogue

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

Iris is a FMC forced to prostitute herself because she’s living in poverty. She’s “sacrificed” to the Dalwick Demon for her supposed crime by being pushed over the ledge into his cave.
I was expecting a morally gray MMC, but got a cinnamon roll instead. They had some super spicy dirty talk together and the book was heavily focused on consent.
I think the story could have benefited from more time before the MCs made decisions, but it was still well done.

Spice: 3ish scenes

Triggers: coercive sex work, poverty and starvation, abuse (touched on but not detailed)

[пустунка · Rating 2 out of 5]

анотація була цікава. демон у печері? для мене щось новеньке. з плюсів: обсяг та легко читається. але як такого сюжету тут очікувати не варто. читати лише як щось лайтове, аби відволіктися. багато сцен 18+, які дуже кринжові, на половину я просто закривала очі. хоча задумка непогана, але перетворилося це на 100 сторінок палкого сексу, де більше нічого іншого немає. описів замало, історію героїв не розкрили. прочитала швидко і то, з половини рахувала час до кінця. головна героїня дуже дивна і застрибнула на першого ліпшого. те саме і до головного героя. історія про дівчинку-повію, яку віддали злому демону, бо вона грішна душа. для мене абсолютно не виправдано.

2/5, один раз прочитати можна. а шо? най буде.

[Mel Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prostitute gets thrown into cavern, fcks demon w mommy issues, HEA…did I miss anything?

Seriously, what else do you want to know? It’s a smutty smut smut novella - cramming all the Demon D into 120 pages or fewer. It’s some good Demon D too, oh uh …Demon Ds 😉

The MCs didn’t annoy me, and really, that’s all I’m asking for. I’m too old for that sh*t. Give me an unproblematic fluffy monster f*cker and you’ll be a no-questions-asked instant add to tbr author for me.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly sweet and very spicy. This surpassed my every expectation.

[Irena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Милоооо

[Oleksandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Плюс в цій історії тільки в тому, що тут є демон з хвостом, рогами да з 2-ма 🍆 😁

[Athanasia ♥︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The perfect combination of bittersweet and spicy

This is the second time I read something written by Ashley Bennett, and she hasn't let me down yet. This sweet, touching and spiced story was quite wholesome! I will definitely keep an eye on this author!

Tags:
Paranormal MMC👻👹😈
Sex worker FMC👀💥 🔥
SA (mentioned)💥🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
PA(mentioned)🪓 🔪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
parental death(mentioned)❤️‍🩹 💔
religious trauma🪔🕯🩸
🎇MMC HAS TWO 🍆🍆🎇
double penetration🍆🍑💦
double vaginal penetration🍆🍑🌮
temperature play😳 🥵 🥶
rimming🍆🍑💦
anal play🍆🍑💦
tail play 🤤
degradation😵‍💫
praise😈 👿 👹
use of a contraceptive💊 💉 ⚗️
monster smut👺👾🤤

[Grapie Deltaco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine!

I would’ve liked a lot more worldbuilding, a better sense of time (especially with how strong the insta-love is in this one) and some less immediate melodrama in how comfortable our young woman and demon are with each other.

I think some time before she’s sent to her death and when this intense romantic relationship starts would’ve made for good breathing room but the chemistry was sweet. It felt like I was missing a lot. I just didn’t believe that they were in love when they said they did.

I really love the potential of this magical town at the end of the cave, though, and think building up that lore would’ve been really fantastic.

The smut’s good.

I’m starting to see a pattern with this author in writing stories with amazing potential that ultimately leave me underwhelmed and slightly confused by the end of things.

Overall, good not great.

CW: explicit sexual content, dead loved ones, grief, references to past violence (specifically while navigating sex work), religious extremism

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean, I think it‘s totally fine to write smut without plot, but to write a plot that would take at least 100 pages in 5 just wasn‘t my thing…

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute & wholesome but everything happened very instantly which is what happens in novellas with a lot of plot 🤷🏼‍♀️

[james ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

another day another slay for ashley bennett

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think cozy monster romances are my jam and this one was so fun to read! we have iris who is punished and thrown into a pit to be tortured and killed by the demon of the town only to realize the demon isn’t the bad guy at all. she finds out the demon has been helping those thrown into the cave and takes them to a neighboring town.

he meets iris and instantly there’s good vibes but not only that he is such a cinnamon roll monster. and so nurturing as well. he just wants to take care of her. along the way they fall in love 😭😭

oh and he also has two 🍆🍆 which is always so fun!!!!

[Grey Story · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on reading the Leviathan Fitness Series, I expected this to be a little sweeter than it was but there was no promise of that going in so I guess that's on me. It was kinda cheesy at times, which WAS more like Leviathan Fitness.

It's a decent story but at only 106 pages, it's trying to stuff too much into the story for what's there. It would either need to be a little longer to give everything enough breathing room or cut down on the amount of stuff covered. As is, everything feels hella rushed.

It's not just instalust but instalove like 5 seconds after meeting. The transition to having sex so suddenly it gave me whiplash. There's multiple sex scenes but they in themselves also felt rushed, like there was no savoring what was going on, like the author had to rip through it as fast as possible. It also meant that it felt like there wasn't nearly enough preparation involved for ANYTHING they did! I was annoyed by that and it ruins the mood for sure - what little mood can be created from the rapidfire pace they push through the sex scenes, anyway.

The actual plot was decent enough but again, suffers from not having enough time really spent being properly developed so everything felt too rushed and forced. It was like a flip of the switch for characters to make huge life-changing decisions. Zero character development. If it needed to be short (part of anthology), the author could have easily focused more on just the smut part and left out some of the story building or sacrificed one of the sex scenes for more story/character development, etc. Like it could have been done, it just wasn't.

Anyway, overall it was alright but didn't live up to my own expectations. I still look forward to reading other stuff by Ashley Bennett.

[Yar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Швидко і так собі 😅
Селвин мілаш, за нього ставлю 2 ⭐️
Це було навіть не порно відео, а порно гіфка😆😆😆

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very cute, but the pace was way to quick... The author obviously wanted us to see it as more than just smut story, but with story moving so quickly it was impossible 😩

[☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Iris Browne, your crimes include prostitution, theft and witchcraft. It has been determined that you will be put to death by sacrifice to the demon that resides in Dalwick Cave."

I enjoyed this novella from Ashley Bennett! Accused of crimes - two of which may or may not actually be true - Iris is ripped from her life and thrown to the Dalwick Demon. NBD, right? Thank goodness our demon turns out to be a spicy cinnamon roll with a kick for saving damsels in distress!

I followed the tepid air wafting from the tunnel, journeying into the depths and likely closer to the demon himself.

This book was far sweeter than I expected, and I think it was the perfect length for the story it wanted to deliver. I enjoyed the overall setting while they travelled the caves and reached the other side of the mountain.

Something that surprised me was that I also enjoyed Selvyn's backstory. In such a short novella, I'm typically frustrated when we get details that (lets be honest here) take away from the spicy times. But knowing who he was and why he lived in the Dalwick caves was lovely and sad and gave me some great mid-story feels. I think it also lent a lot of strength towards the ending and reaching their HEA.

I wanted Selvyn to push boundaries with me - to walk the line without crossing it. I wanted to reclaim the things I've been made to feel ashamed of.

I think I got the AB fix I desperately needed! Now to watch for Mantras & Minotaurs later this year!

[Olexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐

[Lee ✨✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

How can a book be so cute but also so spicy in the matter of approximately 100 pages?? Absolutely loved my babies Selvyn and Iris 🥰🥰🥰 Would have loved more of this story!!

[Sam Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much better than I expected. I thought it was just going to be straight smut - which it was definitely spicy, but it had an overlying plot that I was really invested in

A sweet monster romance with a heafty dose of spice.

[abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review🫶
Ashley you have absolutely done it again.
I think this may be my favorite one yet.
This book is a true masterpiece, it has everything you need and more. Selvyn- I have never been more immediately in love. The most considerate, compassionate, kind.
Iris- I adore you. Such a strong woman who is still vulnerable and kind hearted.

a quote that I love so fucking much:

“I hadn’t wilted in the time I’d spent with him in the dark. I’d bloomed.”

and the nicknames and pet names he has for her???? the LITERAL BEST. (you have to read it is amazing)

this book was absolutely phenomenal. if you love a monster romance, read this now🧚‍♀️

[Emmy Jeanz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Bennett's Leviathan Fitness series, but The Dalwick Demon was unfortunately a major disappointment for me. The writing was just so poorly written and choppy. The writing style of this story was just so bad, it ruined the story for me.

[a &#x1f52e; · Rating 4 out of 5]

To preface: I am part of this author’s Patreon and she posts ARC copies of her books as part of her Patreon as one of the perks to her subscribers. So since this is technically an ARC I am reviewing it as such.

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.

I loved the characters and the overall plot, but I had some issues with the pacing and the “conflict resolution”.

The magic system and Selvyn being a half human, half demon hybrid called a Cambion; I loved that, I hope we get more information on the magic and the different types and how it works. What other species of supernatural creatures live there?

My main issues with this book is that, this book has the potential to be much bigger than the novella size. I think that making this just a novella, requires that everything move faster but even this was a bit too much. I believe from the start of the book to right before the time jump in the epilogue, it all takes place in a matter of a handful of days. We don’t get exact confirmation but it seems as if it’s about 3-5 days total. Their lust for each other and their actual feelings are not the issue, unless you don’t like insta love, then it might be an issue.

The bigger issue is that Selvyn has had this amount of guilt, self-inflicted penance, etc. for DECADES, and he gets over it like the flip of a switch. There’s very little thought process about it, he goes from, “I’m leaving her”, to “I’m staying” in all of a matter of pages.

All in all an enjoyable read. I am rating it a solid 3.5 stars, rounding up for GoodReads.

[Alien Peen Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iris has had a rough life, but she is a survivor, and does what she must to survive. When the new priest of her town decides she is to be the sacrifice to the Dalwick and throws her to her fate, she comes face to face with the infamous being himself. What she was not expecting, was him to bandage her feet and feed her.

Selvyn has had countless sacrifices thrown down to his mercy, over the many decades he has been the Dalwick Demon. However, none have ever ignited such desire in him. Iris is different, and he’s not sure he will be able to resist her, even though he knows he should…

It’s really hard for me to cry from a book, but damn did this one do it in all the best ways. I LOVED this book, I devoured it in one sitting. I went in kinda blind, not sure what to expect, except that I love Ashley Bennetts writing, and omg was I so pleasantly surprised.

I honestly think my experience was better the less I knew so I’m not gonna say much! But- If you love a sweet and steamy story of 2 characters with tragic backstories, who have been fucked by a society filled with prejudices and fear, who are afraid to allow themselves to be happy, then this book is for you!

Alien-ness:👽👽👽🔘🔘(2 PEENS👀)
MC’s Together: 🫂🫂🫂🫂🔘(together pretty much right way)
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔘(spice starts earlier in this one, around 30%)
Spicy: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🔘 (3-4 full yummy steamy senes)
Sweetness:🧁🧁🧁🧁🔘(omg so freaking sweet)
Angst: 😈😈😈😈🔘 (definitely an angsty read)
Action: 🔘🔘🔘🔘🔘 (no action)

[R1vana · Rating 3 out of 5]

“There is no God here, Iris. He could never bring you this sort of pleasure."

A two hour novella between a human prostitute that gets banished for being a prostitite, stealing and Not doing witchcraft by the church bigotry.

They push her in a so called hellhole where she meets a half demon called Selvyn. First impression wasn’t good since Iris was so scared . But seeing him take care of her wounds, feeding her, et cetera made her feel attracted to him. Definitely not his ripe torso and the two pp hanging there. 😏😏

It’s unfortunate that there is lack of character growth, while I liked Delvyn, i wasn’t attached to Iris’s character as much. And there were also many cliché scenes when they were getting to know each other.

HEA guarantee tho.

Tropes?
-misunderstood hero
-duo POV
-monster x human romance

All because of this woman.
My angel.
My flower.
My Iris.

kinks? tail play, dp; forked tongue, degrading

TW/CW: death of parent; religious bigotry; abuse mentally and physically toward sex worker