Exercising a Demon

Possessive Love

by H.L. Day

Love comes in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes it has horns and a tail.

Jacob’s in love. Again. Only, his future husband likes muscular men, and Jacob, well… isn’t. A few sessions at the gym, and he’ll have the leather-clad motorcycle courier eating out of his hand, though. And no, he won’t switch his attentions to his hot new personal trainer. Honestly, he won’t.

Valvach’s not your typical demon, preferring books over torture. Which goes down about as well as you’d expect in Hell. A move to the surface gives him the opportunity to start anew. To stay, he’s going to need to make a friend, someone to help him blend in. And sweet, curly-haired Jacob is the perfect candidate. If he can’t lick him, he can at least spend time with him.

When friendship blossoms into a passion that knows no bounds, Jacob and Val believe they’ve found the perfect match in each other. However, Hell isn’t so accommodating, and they find themselves with a fight on their hands to prevent being torn apart and relegated to different planes of existence.

Exercising a Demon is a MM paranormal romantic comedy featuring a demon who’s more of a lover than a fighter, a human who might finally have found the man/demon of his dreams, steamy sexual liaisons involving a tail, and a sweet demon/human pairing who accept each other for who they are and embrace each other’s quirks.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Friends To Lovers, Demons, Gay

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2023

About the author

H.L Day is a teacher and a writer. She enjoys writing far too many different sub genres to stick to one thing so writes everything from rom-coms to post-apocalyptic sci-fi. It's just the way her brain works. H.L Day lives in the UK with her elderly black cat that she accidentally stole from her next door neighbour.

Want to sign up for my newsletter, you can sign up here. https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...

Other links
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/HLDay
My FB group Day's Den - https://www.facebook.com/groups/22145...
My FB page - https://www.facebook.com/HLDay/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/HLDAY100
Website: https://hldayauthor.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/h.l.day101/...
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/h-l-day

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.5 stars ⭐️

Low-angst paranormal romantic comedy.

This was so much fun. Val is such a cutie-patootie cinnamon roll demon.
Supernatural beings that struggle with human etiquette are my number one weakness (number two is tails).

Humorous, romantic, and all-around happy feelings — Exercising a Demon was a delightful read. The interactions were hilarious and the characters absolutely adorable.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,25 stars.
At times sweet and funny, at times a bit bland.
I enjoyed the first half more than the last. The last chapters espescially were predictable and a bit boring.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was adorable. Val is the sweetest, a demon who hates torture and so comes to the “surface” to try to find a place to belong. He still needs to “feed” on suffering, so he becomes a personal trainer, where he meets the vivacious, but somewhat easily obsessed, Jacob. Their relationship begins as a true friendship before it develops into something more. Val doesn’t know how to be human, so Jacob helps him understand social queues in a way that is accepting and hilarious. I loved Val’s almost excessive love of all living creatures, and his observations of the world are endlessly quotable. Jacob is as good a fit for him, as he is for Jacob. There is almost zero angst in this, which is generally fine, but I wish the stakes had felt a little higher during an event at the end. Nevertheless, this was a lot of fun, and I definitely recommend it.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hilarious, I had so much fun reading it and I laughed non-stop. Also, it was such a romantic story that it left me feeling so good and warm inside.
Valvach is a demon that doesn't like torturing people in hell, so he asks his parents to intercede for him with Lucifer and he agrees to allow Valvach to live on the surface for six months. The demon is all over the moon as he truly loves living among the humans, mostly not having to cause people pain. Then there is Jacob, a guy who thinks he's found his future husband and decides to join a gym to become what that other person looks for in a partner.
I couldn't stop laughing at Val's comments. He didn't understand human behaviour most of the time but he just went with the flow because he loved being on the surface. It was so sweet to read how he fell in love with Jacob and how he accepted his friendship as the only thing he could have. Val just kept telling Jacob he had everything he was looking for in a boyfriend, Jacob just couldn't see it.
Jacob was kind of an obsessive guy, which made him perfect for Val. They were soooo perfect together, so attuned to each other that I felt extremely happy when Jacob finally realised his feelings. They were so hot together, but also funny and adorable. Their connection felt real and the chemistry was off the charts.
I giggled so much while reading this book. Val's cluelessness regarding human etiquette was amusing and Jacob's comments about demons and his fixation on depraved sex made me laugh so much. This book was great, a wonderful and funny read, with a lovely couple that made me have such a fantastic time.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valvach is a demon who doesn’t like torturing people - this is unheard of because demon’s feed on human suffering. So next best thing, he moves to the “surface” and becomes a personal trainer at a gym 🤣

Jacob is unlucky in love. He sets his sights on whatever hot, new unavailable guy crosses his path and when he hears that the newest object of his affection likes muscles he joins a gym!

This book had me dying with laughter! Val has to pretend to be human but he’s not very good at it and this leads to all sorts of funny scenarios and conversations. The dialogue shines in this!!

“If you take away the muscles, what have you got left?”
I knew that one. There was a whole page on human anatomy in my encyclopedia, and I’d had to study it as well for my personal trainer certification. “Bones,” I announced proudly.

It’s a little spicy and a lot silly - a really fun way to spend a few hours.

ARC Review~

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob and Val ❤️

4 Stars ⭐️

Omg, I freaking loved this story!! It was sweet, spicy and whole lot of hilarious!! I could not put this down, it was laugh out loud funny. I whole heartedly recommend, especially if you need some laughs from some really adorable characters!!!

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *

[QuietlyKat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny, I laughed a lot.

3.25 stars. Rating would have been higher but for a number of small things that are personal nitpicks. If the blurb interests you, don’t let my 3 star rating dissuade you, it was fun.

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is just a hot hot mess.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

I’ll admit that the title was what drew me to this book, as I’m a sucker for a play on words. But as soon as I began reading, I was sucked into this romantic comedy with two very sweet MCs. Neither man really fits in with the world, but they fit with each other very well. I was rooting for them from the start. This book is part of the multi-author Possessive Love universe where demons find their happily ever after, and works perfectly well as a standalone.

Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute blast. Lite and airy. And funny as hell. I really enjoyed the story line with it's fish... or.... demon out of water, size difference, and friends to lovers tropes.
Val convinces Lucifer to let him live on the 'surface', the human realm. And needs to successfully assimilate within a two month trial period. he has a literal mind and doesn't get human idioms, doesn't understand meal plans and hasn't met an animal that he couldn't turn into a pet.
Jacob wants to build up his muscles so he can impress a leather wearing himbo. He joins the gym Val works at, and ends up with Val as a personal trainer. On their second meeting, Jacob finds out Val is a demon and the two make a deal. He'll help the demon fit in, if Val helps him win his himbo.
This was the first of the Possessive Love stories that I've read. A great start for the series.

[Demetra Roussakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Val is not a typical demon; he would rather read than do torture. Jacob seems to fall for the wrong guys and when he went to the gym, he met Val, who became his personal trainer. Loved the interactions between them. Val didn’t understand human saying and Jacob helped him out. Loved the world building and the loophole to keep Val on the surface. Cannot wait to read more from this author.

[Edga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valvac, demon from Hell, just wants to read and live quietly, specifically he really doesn't have the heart for torture. Unfortunately, he’s a demon, and he’s supposed to be evil. Sick of playing by the rules Val escapes Hell in search of freedom on Earth, only to discover it’s harder than he thought to live there!

I absolutely loved this - I found myself smiling and sniggering throughout. Val and Jacob's chemistry is off the charts, and it seems that they were meant to be! I love that they bonded, as well as just wanting to rip each other's clothes off, but it isn't only about the sex. Their personalities and connection were so well written, I loved their quirks, and they're both hilarious in their own way...😂

Jacob is so unsurprised that Val is a demon , he takes it all in his stride

'“What happens now? Are you going to eat me? Is that why you lured me here? Oh my God! Are you going to defile me first?” Was it my imagination or was there a glint in his eye when he said that last part? “Are you going to throw me down on the carpet and force me to carry out depraved sex acts?”
“No.”
“Oh!” Was that disappointment in his voice?'

Val certainly isn't what Jacob expected. Since when are demons gorgeous, oddly polite, and hilariously clueless of the modern world? When Jacob agreed to help Val to blend in more, the book just gets funnier and funnier. Val is so nice, very undemonlike. In fact, out of the two, Jacob is much more scary than Val! He's not called the Monster Twink for nothing! This really is an adorable story. Sweet all the way through, humour galore, and lots of monster smut, ( which Jacob loves, of course 😉).

'He (Jacob), lay back, spreading his arms and legs like a starfish. “Are you going to force me to carry out depraved sex acts?”

Yes. Yes, I am. Lots of them.”
“Thank fuck for that,” Jacob said. “Just make sure they’re especially depraved."

I would. There were three things in life I didn’t have any intention of giving up. Books. Jelly Babies. And Jacob. My love for all three knew no bounds.'😍

And so Val sums up this cute romance beautifully. 100% recommended.

[369Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
A delightful and light-hearted romance between a not-so-evil devil and a human. Val has never liked torturing people in hell like other demons, and is given the chance to try and live on “the surface,” feeding on human suffering through the means of being a personal trainer. Jacob is a human determined to win the affection of his rugged and elusive crush, but thinks he needs to get a muscular body to get his attention. Val decides that Jacob will be the perfect friend to teach him all about human ways of life, and will give him free lessons in return. What ensues is an adorable and hilarious friends to lovers plot that he includes too many pets, questionable cooking, demon anatomy (yes, that tail is prehensile!) and a couple that is willing to do whatever it takes to be together.

I really enjoyed this book! Both main characters were hilarious, and the commentary was awesome. The plot was paced perfectly, and the romance was very cute.

Perfect for those who love an adorable and light-hearted monster book!

[Flick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute!

Jacob and Val are absolutely adorable in this. I’ll admit at first Jacob annoyed me a bit with his obsession with Randall but really quickly I realised he was actually a little insecure and lost. I loved though that even when he could be a touch annoying, he was still a genuinely good person. He was kind and accepting and though a little flighty at times also loyal. I hated to see him hurt but in a way I’m glad he realised that there were people who really cared and that they were the ones who deserved his time. Val was the cutest demon ever. His distaste for torture and genuine pleasure in helping people (because he’s he was feeding himself but he also seemed truly invested in helping them too) combined with his eccentricities made him adorable and lovable. He’s the kind of guy you want to get to know because being in his presence in honestly joyful. I’m so glad they were able to find their HEA though my heart broke for them when things got tough. I’m glad though they pushed through and found a way to be together.

[Sherry Hassanali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an adorable book 😍

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun!!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute!

Oh that was so cute and I love how Jacob turns into a sex kitten out of thin air. This one is funny with Val's questions and misunderstandings about humans and what they were saying.

[Julie Underhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exercising a Demon by H. L Day is part of Possessive Love series by various authors. It is a very cute story about a demon who doesn’t belong in Hell and how clueless he is when he finally gets to come to the surface, if only for a little while. Valvach is a demon who hates torturing people in Hell. He loves to read and longs to be able to spend time at the surface to see what life would be like there. He talks his parents into it who in turn talk Lucifer into allowing him to venture there, but only for two months. After that time he must prove in an interview that he is able to live incognito there and survive. One thing that has to happen is that he must find a place that gives people pain because that is what he feeds on. He tries several places and luckily finds work at a gym as a personal trainer where he gets enough pain through other people’s workouts to satisfy his need. It’s there that he meets Jacob who has fallen deeply into infatuation with a motorcycle courier at his work. He tries everything to get him to notice him and finally decides to go to a gym to bulk up. While there he works with Val and accidently finds him in his demon form in the restroom. Val then tells him his story and that he needs a friend to show him what he needs to learn to be able to stay at the surface. Jacob decides to help him and when he visits him at his apartment is appalled at just how clueless Val is. So he starts on the road to teaching Val everything he can so he can pass his interview. As this is going on Jacob also learns a lesson about choosing someone to love based on what is on the outside, not the inside. When he does, he realizes how much he cares for Val, who has also come to the realization that he wants Jacob as his own, too. They spend a few blissful weeks together before his interview, which they think they are prepared for, until Lucifer shows up to conduct it and things fall apart. Luckily one of Jacob’s friends comes up with a solution to get him back so they can be together again. I really enjoyed this book. I was laughing out loud in many places because of what Val thought was “normal” to have in his life on the surface. He was such a cutie, being earnest about wanting to learn about humans but he just couldn’t figure out how to do it, especially what some idioms and other words actually meant. Jacob was single minded in trying to get Randall, the courier, to notice and want him and was very disappointed, mostly in himself when he realized that wasn’t going to happen, just like previous relationships never happened. But when he realized that Val was always there for him and saw the real person he was inside he couldn’t help but fall in love. And after that happened the love scenes were very hot, especially when Val was in his demon form. Jacob’s friend, Melissa, was also integral in helping him, even though she was quite snarky, and I enjoyed the scenes that included Val’s parents and his brothers and him being in Hell. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how Jacob was going to get Val back, if ever, after he got sent back to Hell for some infringements that happened, but the solution was very creative and lots of fun. All in all I really liked this book and highly recommend it. It was a fun read and I hope Ms. Day writes more in this genre.

[myqueerbookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exercising a Demon by H.L. Day

This book is part of a multi-author series, Possessive Love, but can be read as a standalone.

ARC REVIEW

« demon x human »
« a cinnamon roll demon »
« strangers to friends to lovers »
« lots of animals »
« low angst »
« a human with a misguided fixation »
« “murder twink” »
« an abundance of laughter and sweetness »
« a loophole »
« HEA »

“What are you doing?”
“Tasting your smile.”
“You can’t taste a smile.”
“You can, and I did. And it’s just as sweet as I knew it would be.”

This is the first book I have read by H.L. Day. This book was an absolute delight to read. Val is a demon who doesn’t fit in in hell. He doesn’t like the screaming, the blood, torturing humans, or any of the jobs hell has to offer. He wanted to try something new. The deal was that Val could go to the surface for 6 months and after that time he had to show that he could pass for a human. In the human world, Val gets a job as a personal trainer. Val needs to feed on the suffering of others, making a gym an ideal feeding ground. Jacob joins Val’s gym in order to build more muscle so that he can be his crush, Randall, type. This is where his misguided fixation comes into play. He is fixated on making Randall his boyfriend by changing who he is even though from the very beginning we know Randall is scum based on how he talks about his ex. I don’t know how he could hear that and still want him, but I regress. Val agrees to be Jacob’s personal trainer. Jacob sees Val in his true form, forcing Val to tell Jacob the truth. They come to an agreement where Jacob agrees to be Val friend and teach him how to be human, and Val will be Jacob’s personal trainer and help him build muscle.


Val is the sweetest. He is clueless to the modern world, human idioms, and social norms. The things he says or misunderstands had be laughing. Jacob is never mean about it; he is very patient and understanding with Val. After Jacob goes on a disastrous date with Randall where he sees his true colors, he finds himself on Val’s doorstep. Jacob finally sees what has been in front of him – Val. Both Val and Jacob have their own quirks that make them different, but they fit together so well. They are perfect for each other. During sex, Jacob is a bossy little twink. There are sexy times with Val in his true form which involve is tail and horns (HOT).

This book was a perfect balance of sweet, adorable, funny, and hot. It was a delightful read!


[I received a free copy of this book via Gay Romance Reads and this is my honest review.]

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny, sweet with lovely characters

Rating: 4.25🌈

Possessive Love is a 15 multi-author book series about demons in love. I love to explore a collection like this because of the opportunities to revisit authors I already enjoy to finding new ones to discover.

In the case of Exercising a Demon (Possessive Love) by H. L. Day it’s an author I’m happily familiar with. Day is on my auto read list and Exercising a Demon is a terrific sample for those readers not familiar with the author to get a feel for Day’s work.

Our main characters in this paranormal love story are a human named Jacob and a demon named Valvach. Jacob is sort of a human magpie when we meet him. He loves things sparkly and shiny, without looking like them too closely. Like the man he formed an immediate crush on and has decided he wants to become his boyfriend. All based on just seeing him.

Then there’s Valvach, a demon who doesn’t exactly fit in with the rest of his demonic family and their love for the family work in Hell. Valvach prefers reading, being helpful, and, adores animals. Not great characteristics for the lower realms.

The two meet cute and then everything becomes immediately more adorable as clueless bumps up against almost blind determination until reality and a family from hell wants to set things right.

The relationship is slow to develop but so cute. The characters are clueless but engaging, and their goals are so very important and rewarding that it’s easy to cheer them on.

Exercising a Demon (Possessive Love) by H. L. Day is the second book I’ve read in this collection and it’s another winner. Funny, with lovely characters. A definite recommendation.

Now to see what the next one has to offer!

Check out the rest of the Possessive Love series! 15 books by 15 authors
- [ ] A Slice For My Demon by K.L. Hiers & Mozzarus Scout
- [ ] Cuddly Demon by Aster Rae
- [x] My Demon Husband by Jax Stuart ♥️
- [x] Exercising A Demon by H.L Day ♥️
- [ ] Drop Dead Demon by B. Ripley
- [ ] The Demon’s Dealbreaker by Delaney Rain
- [ ] My Demon Rebound by Ashlynn Mills
- [ ] Curiosity Caught the Demon by Travis Beaudoin
- [ ] My Saintly Demon by RM Neill
- [ ] Terrible Lovely Demon by Odessa Hywell
- [ ] Son of the Arch Demon by Amanda Meuwissen
- [ ] Recalling My Demon by Colette Davison
- [ ] The Demon Undertaker by Alex J. Adams
- [ ] Gift for a Demon by Emily Alter

[Nancy Lockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh so much. Jacob and Valvach were really cute together. I particularly loved Valvach. Who couldn't love a demon who would rather read than torture souls? He doesn't like the blood, tears, or screaming and lets his brothers do most of his work. He dreams of going topside and be among humans. He gets his wish and obtains a job as a personal trainer to get in his dosage of suffering he needs to stay alive. Jacob, who tends to fixate on men he can't have, has decided that Randall the delivery guy would notice him if only he muscled up. He ends u going to the gym that Valvach works at and Valvach becomes his trainer. Valvach decides to makeJacob his friend so he can blend in better with humans and pass his inspection in a few months. Jacob thinks that Valvach is really eccentric because notably does he have a cast, rat, and bunnies but also a pigeon, a duck and tortoises as pets in his apartment. Valvach still has trouble holding onto his human form especially when he is attracted to someone, such as he is to Jacob. He runs to his bathroom and changes into his demon form where Jacob who is worried about him walks in on him. Job is shocked but also intrigued once he is convinced that Valvach doesn't want to eat him. He agrees to help Valvach become more "human" in exchange for beefing him up to get Randall. Jacob soon learns that Randall isn't all that great and finally realizes that he is really attracted to Valvach. Valvach admits his feeling to Jacob and they start a relationship. However, Lucifer himself comes to administer Valvach's inspection and finds out they are in a relationship which is against the rules unless a demon is summoned. Valvach has to return to the underworld. Jacob's work friend Melissa finds a summoner to bring Valvach backhand thinks of a ingenuous way to keep Valvach in the human world with Jacob. This was a really cute book and made me laugh out loud with some of the things each MC did. If you like rom-coms, you will love this book.

[Elizabeth D · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 I liked Val a lot but had a bit of trouble with Jacob in this otherwise cute paranormal romance. But it took until 45% of the book for Jacob to *finally* learn the lesson that looks aren’t everything and maybe shouldn’t be the sole reason you fall for someone. Maybe I was trying to bring too much reality to a book like this, and I should have been treating it more tongue in cheek, but I was honestly kind of offended by Jacob’s extreme objectification of people, and I found the fact that he built his supposed relationship with Randall into so much to be kind of creepy, especially as this is apparently his modus operandi. Not even talking to someone, knowing next to nothing about them, objectifying them completely, and deciding based on that that they would have a relationship culminating in marriage—oh, right after he changes everything about his own physical appearance to become Randall’s type. It just seemed so shallow and immature, I found it difficult to like him.

Val, by contrast, was weird and quirky but it made perfect sense because he’s a demon navigating the human world for the first time. I liked their interactions together, and I enjoyed the book a lot more once it was about the two of them and not Jacob’s misguided attempt to win over Randall. (I mean, I guess it’s a good thing he was so obsessed over Randall at the beginning because it prevented him from doing the same thing to Val, and he actually got to know him instead.) Melissa was a bit abrasive, but I really enjoyed her solution to the HEA.

I received an ARC from GRR. This is my honest review.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think what I love most about Val and Jacob is that past the obvious physical differences (giant demon with horns and tail, slender human with curly hair and glasses) they’re fundamentally similar people. They’re deeply oblivious in ways that shouldn’t be as charming as they are (Val has some excuse, as he’s a demon in an entirely new environment, and humans are weird, but Jacob is just…Jacob. And it works). They’re not quite like the rest of their peers, and they deserve to be appreciated for all their geeky, nerdy glory: Val’s love of reading and animals (I see and appreciate you, Mr. Whiskers) and Jacob’s love of numbers bring them the same level of fulfillment and joy. It’s easy to see why they’d get each other, and why they appreciate each other, beyond, of course, the physical chemistry (plenty of that to go around too). I love the touches of absurdity and fun around the sweetness and the steam, and while I’m not touching Val’s jelly babies obsession with a ten foot pole (I’ll leave it with I’ve tried jelly babies and I definitely don’t get the appeal, I don’t care what color they are) I will treasure his early cooking attempts, like Jacob’s first encounters with the gym, as delightful blends of the ridiculous and the weirdly heartwarming (hard pass on the curry with chocolate sprinkles tho). Points also for the creativity that went into the HEA. All in all, this one is a lot of fun.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faking it and making it

Unexpectedly enjoyable and sweet for all that this is a slightly ridiculous and fluffy book.

Jacob has a habit of loving the wrong people. Not that he truly falls for someone once he knows them and gets shot down, but that he decides to pursue people who are either unattainable or who he knows very little about and don't actually suit him well. His most recent pursuit has him needing to get super fit, which leads him to a gym and a most unlikely trainer.

Val has never been good at being a demon in hell and really wants to live on the earthly plane. The only thing is that while he isn't good at being a demon, he really doesn't get being human either. After some weird actions Val makes a deal with Jacob, free training for "human lessons", starting an odd friendship.

Jacob and Val really do learn from one another and it is so enjoyable watching them together and how they work things out. It was really quite tense there at the end when it comes to figuring out a lasting relationship with the whole demon and human thing, and I've got to say I really didn't see that ending coming but it was delightful. The demon bit was nicely quirky and the relationship was fun, making it a good read overall.

[SNik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of a multi-author series (Possessive Love) but all are standalone stories. Paranormal. Valvach is a demon who doesn’t really like the job of torturing people in hell, so he negotiates to go live on the surface pretending to be human, as he works as a personal trainer feeding on the suffering of his exercise clients. Jacob really wants to get the attention of the buff work courier, but he’s a numbers guy not a gym guy, but he wants to try to work out to get the man’s attention. Fortunately, Val agrees to help him as his trainer, and Jacob agrees to tutor Val on all things human. This is a sweet fish out of water story, with Val really clueless about human idioms, social norms and conversational skills, and Jacob is so invested in helping Val acclimate and he enjoys teaching him. Their friendship grows but the clock is ticking on the possibility that Val will have to return to hell. Both Jacob and Val were funny and kind and committed to their friendship, and once they were intimate the falling in love was easy. Reading this story was highly entertaining and I enjoyed the humor and friendship as well as the steamy interactions. 4.5 rounded up

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After enjoying H.L. Day’s Demon Inside, I was eager to dive into another of the author’s books. While not perfect, Demon Inside was a story that had me hooked and eager for more. When I stumbled upon Exercising a Demon, I was unsure. It seemed entertaining, yet the feel of it seemed quite a bit removed from the Demon Inside, which is why I had my doubts. In the end, I opted to give it a try – and I’m glad I did.

In many ways Exercising a Demon was a simple read, and I did find myself wishing there had been more depth to many elements of the story. However, this detail was not enough to lessen my enjoyment of the story. The simplicity of it was part of the reason why I devoured it so easily, hooked on the entertaining things that were playing out. It was a story that amused me on many fronts, and I could not get enough of how things came together. It was light, easy, and fun, which is sometimes the perfect reading material. If you’re looking for such a tale, then I certainly recommending giving this a read.

All in all, Exercising a Demon was another addictive read from the author. I will certainly be looking to read more in the future.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jacob is in love (again) and his future husband likes muscular men which is something Jacob clearly is not and so he decides to go to a gym so that the leather-clad motorcycle courier will be keen on him. His personal trainer is hot but he is determined to not switch his attentions to him. Valvach is a demon but is not typical as he prefers books to torture. He decides he wants a fresh start and so wants to swap Hell for the surface. He needs a friend to help him fit in and stay and sweet curly-haired Jacob is the perfect candidate even if he can't lick him. When friendship becomes a passion they believe they have found the perfect match in each other but Hell is not so accommodating and they find themselves with a fight on their hands to prevent them being torn apart.

I enjoyed this story which had the necessary elements of an opposite attraction between a demon and a human and acceptance of their differences. I loved the way that ditzy Jacob gave his affections away so easily until he found true love which showed him what being in love really meant. Easy to read, feel and understand. This is a MM story with mature content.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val is a demon who feels like he’s never fitted in, be it with his family or what he’s required to do in Hell. He despises torture and loves to read books so when the opportunity to leave arises he takes it.
Jacob is a delightfully quirky and geeky man who doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to dating. After joining the gym where Val works as a personal trainer circumstances have Jacob helping Val to become fully assimilated with humans within a certain timeframe.

This is a very enjoyable and engaging romantic comedy that kept me entertained from start to finish.
Val’s enthusiastic attempts at passing for a human are hilarious, especially when it comes to his pets and his favourite foods. I enjoyed how the friendship develops for these two wonderful characters leading to some very steamy times when they give in to the undeniable chemistry between them.
There’s some angst caused by others but Val and Jacob beat the odds and get their well deserved HEA. This is a heartwarming fun romance that left me smiling.

[kadairh · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars (very rare for me, hugely enjoyed this). Just loved this, the humour, the paranormal, all offset by banal human emotions (or not so much banal as it turns out).

A demon who doesn't like torturing. A human who is focused on a lightweight partner until he realises the demon is for him. A match made in .. hell?

Valvach goes to Earth surface from Hell as doesn't like his day job of torture and manages to convince his parents and Lucifer to do this. He takes a job at the local gym as he needs to be able to inhale pain as a form of food to survive. Jacob is bulking for his love interest Randall, the local leather clothed courier, and meets Valvach. Valvach needs to pass the test as agreed with Lucifer to be able to pass as human convincingly and knew he wasn't able to, so needed someone to help him. Thus the arrangement between Valvach and Jacob is set up, which works pretty well until Jacob discovers Valvach is a demon.

And so the relationship between the two starts, combined with merriment with Valvach's propensity to want to keep any animal he finds, and the (thank goodness) eventual erosion of Jacob's infatuation with Randall.

I like the supporting character of Melissa and the complication of her not entirely altruistic friendship, although that seemed to even out at the end.

Wonderful fun, have really been enjoying reading this author.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was fun! Val is a demon that does not enjoy torture. Which is a bit bad, since demon literally feed themselves on the pain of others. So what can he do instead once he persuades his parents to let him go to earth? He goes and becomes a trainer in a gym.
We all get that, right? Absolutely perfect.
There he meets Jacob, who wants to become buff because his crush only apparently only likes really built guys. The thing is, Val and Jacob have much better chemistry than Jacob and his horrible horrible crush.
Reading them finding their footing is absolutely hilarious and I can only recommend this book. It has a bit of a similar vibe to TJ Klune‘s Blasphemy! (which you should really read, it‘s on his blog), which just means that you‘ll not be able to stop laughing.