Improbable Heaven

by J.P. Noether

Messenger angel Kel didn’t want an important assignment any more than her angelic superiors wanted to give it to her. She’s already lost the paperwork and taken an unauthorized shortcut when she falls into a trap that succubus scientist Alba has set on the demonic side of the hinterlands.

Kel’s spotty record can’t take that many more black marks. She negotiates for Alba’s she’ll do anything the demon wants for thirty days. She’s read a book or two about succubi, and the prospect of a month of no-strings sex with Alba beats doing penance hands down. Even when Alba shatters Kel’s lurid hopes, assigning her to organize the library, it’s still better than going back to Heaven. For the first time in her existence, Kel finds out that she’s good at something, and Alba’s no-nonsense encouragement makes her want more than meaningless sex.

Unfortunately, Alba isn’t the only demon in Hell.

IMPROBABLE HEAVEN is a paranormal romance of approximately 50,000 words.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Lesbian, Queer, Paranormal, LGBT, Lesbian Fiction

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2021

About the author

J.P. Noether writes spicy queer speculative romance enhanced with magic. (Or maybe it’s technology– they’ve never been able to tell the difference.)

They live in upstate New York in a household consisting of three adults, two cats, and one human child.

Reviews

[AnnMaree Of Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and endearing tale on Kindle Unlimited, that was more than it appeared.

I'll admit I sort of thought this would just be an erotica farce, with some demon/angel loving. But it ended up being so much more, and infact there was only a few sexy bits - although quite a few allusions to them. It surprised me with a full plot and funny interactions, plus unique perspectives on angels and demons.

Kel is an Angel that has never fit-in in Heaven. She's the lowest on the totem pole and continually messes up, gets distracted, loses things, and makes mistakes as she struggles with the responsibilities and judgements of being a heavenly host but never quite succeeding. When she gets a task she hopes will prove herself, she ends up messing that up, too. By taking a shortcut she ends up in a trap of the succubus demon, Alba.

Alba is an alluring demon, but she's also incredibly smart and ethical. She is looking to further research to help her fellow demon brethren with energy supplements outside of humans. When this adorable angel is snared in her trap, she can't resist the urge to study her, thus makes a deal for Kel to be indebted to her for a month, and sets her to work organizing her library and papers.

Kel is all too eager to agree, but had thought the tasks set by Alba would be more naughty in nature, and was more than willing to oblige the succubus demon. But Alba insists she just wants her to work in her library.

A sizzling heat is obvious between the two, but Alba wonders if Kel is truly who she says. Alba also has to worry about a fellow demon, who is her nemesis and is always trying to sabotage her plans, and her targets.

It's a really interesting story that isn't too long I think 3 hours max? and I honestly had more fun with it than I thought I would. So I'd recommend people giving it a go, just obviously don't take it too seriously.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If an F/F angel/demon romance sounds like it might be your jam, get this! Kel, the angel who can never seem to fit in (i.e. find a place for herself that respects the way her brain works) and Alba, the succubus with a scientific bent, are a perfect match. I love how the sexiness is always entwined with consent. I love Alba’s library, which is a wreck before Kel shows up, and I love how Kel finds her confidence in a setting where she’s accepted. The danger is appropriately dangerous, the conspiracy is satisfyingly conspiratorial, and everyone gets their just desserts at the end. Including, for Kel and Alba, love. :)

Note: I beta read this, and the author is a friend and critique partner, but I hope my followers here know by now that I don’t show up here recommending a book unless I’m into it. <3

[Guerunche · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
I had no idea what to expect, but liked this quite a bit! Interesting premise, a little bit sexy but not nearly as much of that as you would think, given that one is a succubus. Very likable MCs in Kel and Alba. Kind of a sweet opposites attract romance, really - although a pretty significant challenge has to be overcome for them to get there. A clever one at that. Definitely recommend for a quick, unique read!

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

She’d found more peace in a handful of days in a demon’s library than she’d found in decades in Heaven.

3.5 stars. A very cute f/f angel/demon romance with a somewhat clumsy, neuro-divergent angel who's never quite fit in in Heaven, and a sexy, intelligent succubus who's actually trying to be a force for good. This was such a freaking adorable romance; I loved how kind and patient but snarky Alba was, and how she'd frequently get furious on Kel's behalf. Kel was adorable, and it was honestly kind of a relief seeing her interact with Alba and getting the care and attention she never did before. The romance was where this shone, and the bit of steam was great. The plot, unfortunately, was pretty lacklustre, to the point where I think I'd have enjoyed this more if it was just angel/demon fluff or sexiness. I never really got the villain's motivations, and the fact that the characters always knew what he was doing, but never made motions to stop him until he was right on top of them was kind of baffling? Unless I severely misunderstood something, idk.

Still, super cute, pretty sexy, fun characters and dialogue. Kudos!

[Anid Harker · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, for accuracy, because I am in fact a finicky bitch.
My friend! Wrote this! And graciously gave me an ARC.
So, on one corner we have Kel, ND AF messenger angel, has one (1) friend, likes books SO much.
On the other corner, Alba, not actually a Spanish demon, who is a scientist and an absolutely paranoid overthinker with superb home decor style. Has one (1) arch-nemesis.
In between them, an accidental debt, a Very Messy Giant Library, and the very sexy question of explicit, and specific, consent. Also, the aforementioned arch-nemesis.
At the core, this is a book about bookworms and finding your worth, and specifically, one bookworm finding her worth.
Contains sex scenes with surprisingly minimal genital description, which is quite an achievement actually.
My only problem with it was that it's a short book and, selfishly, I wanted more.
Improbable Heaven will be out next Monday the 26th.

[A.E. Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, fun read! Clumsy angel Kel just wants to prove that she's worthy of her work. While taking a shortcut to a job, she falls into a trap and finds herself ensnared by succubus Alba. While we immediately feel sparks fly between the two, there's clearly something more than physical attraction brewing. Alba assigns Kel to organize her library in exchange for her silence regarding Kel's bungled job... and as the plot thickens, we see both angel and demon eager to explore a relationship that makes them both feel worthy. A sexy paranormal romance I very much enjoyed!

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are certain expectations when you're reading an angel x demon (succubus) story, and if you're going into this book expecting a lot of spice, well, this isn't it. Yes, Alba exudes sensuality, but as the synopsis says, Kel's bargain's to tidy the library. Of course, things are bound to develop well beyond that.

It's a cute story, really, and very enjoyable, of a demon finding love, and a neurodivergent angel finally finding a place where she belongs. It's sweet, with a decent background plot, but it really is the pair of them that steal the show, and seeing them get closer is worth it.

[RA Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great romance but not steamy.

My one complaint about this book was that it was a story with a succubus as the primary love interest and had only one sex scene, which mostly glossed over the details. Plenty of fade to black opportunities missed as well. What was the point in making the demon a succubus specifically if there was going to be little to no sex?
Otherwise it was a solid and very sweet romance. Interesting world creation without too much time spent on details, but given enough for the reader to get the gist of the heaven/hell/hinterlands/void system.

[Misago · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasant surprise, considering what I expected. Fun characters (except the villain), and enough romance. Also, always a great thing, taking time to deal with the consent issue in the complicated situation.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clumsy angel caught in a trap set by a demon succubus? SAY NO MORE.

Kel is a messenger, a low-level angel. She's clumsy, adorable, eager-to-please, she’s wonderful(sign); Alba is a succubus. She's self-restraint and also a nerdy scientist. They made a bargain that Kel would stay with Alba for thirty days to do "anything she's been asking," but Alba secretly decided she wouldn't take advantage of her; the fact Kel is the one who‘s trying to seduce Alba in her awkward way is endearing and hot.

My knowledge of succubus is only from the TV show Lost Girls (Bo & Lauren!). I have this stereotype of "what a succubus is like" in my mind already. It was delightful that J.P. wrote a different kind of succubus. J.P. also creates excellent chemistry between Kel and Alba. I wish the book is longer tho; I want to know more about the world of Heaven and Hell, how they function and balance; I need more background story of Alba and Kel, and I wish there's more about the side character Sariel and her friendship with Kel. Still, I really enjoy this book!

(There's a short epilogue to Improbable Heaven, you can get it free by sign up for J.P. Noether’s mailing list.)

[Snail-Paced Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege of beta reading this book, so my current rating reflects the version of the story I read, which went through an edit between then and now. (I'll be updating it once I have a chance to read the final draft).

This story is a load of steamy fun! The worldbuilding is intriguing, setting neither heaven nor hell (or its occupants) as fully good or evil. The characters are a delight; I particularly love the succubus Alba, who is far more than just a good time in bed (even if she is, in fact, a VERY good time in bed.) It's very fun to watch Kel and Alba's relationship advance in a domestic-esque setting, and the side plot involving Alba, her scientific study, and the demon who'd love to bring her down with it adds in some extra tension.

I would absolutely recommend this to any paranormal romance lovers looking for something equal parts sweet and spicy!

[Duchess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book, I loved it

The writing's great, well-paced and engrossing. I could really tell why the two main characters fell for each other, and they're so cute seen through each others' eyes. The plot was interesting and had me getting genuinely worried for characters' wellbeing.

Also, it's really hot.

Would definitely rec this book. I'm going to go bug my wife into reading it next. I hope we get a sequel.

[Jess Belmont · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complete delight to read.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lowly angel with (probably) ADHD takes a shortcut and gets trapped by a studious succubus in this quirky spicy-ish sapphic novella.

What Worked For Me
The ADHD/ND Rep: While I don't remember the book advertising itself as such and no neurodivergent terms are used in the text, I was instantly struck by the angel, her struggles, and how (at least to me) they were a pretty bright glaring sign that this was an ADHD-coded character. While neurodivergence in general and ADHD in particular are something that get portrayed in sff fiction, I guess I just haven't come across this before, and I was surprised how much it meant to me to read about her struggles in such pointed, specifically relatable terms.

Concept and Aspects of Worldbuilding: I haven't always liked how so many of them are handled, but I do have a big affinity for angel/demon heaven/hell fantasies. I really liked how heaven was portrayed as not perfect here while hell was portrayed as having some positive traits. I also thought a few specific pieces of worldbuilding were really neat, like Heaven being made of kind of bubbles???

What Wasn't My Thing
The Pacing: This felt a little nontraditional for me, and some aspects of plot and character were a little thin. I usually don't say I wanted more from a book, but I actually felt like I would have enjoyed this more had some things been fleshed out and given more space to develop and breathe.

The Erotica Tone(?): This might have been advertised pretty well and I just don't remember; I think I picked this up because someone I follow said sapphic + angels/demons, and then it sat on my ereader for a while. Plus, I still struggle to always figure out how other people categorize erotica vs "just" romance, and find it especially hard to wade through that in the indiepub world. So, once again, no shade! That aspects just not always for me.

Who This Is For
Anyone looking for a very quick tropey sex-positive romance featuring angels and demons/succubi. Bonus for anyone looking for a ND-friendly read and ADHD rep. If you need really in-depth stories that don't pretty heavily rely on a single trope for plot tension, take a pass. Ditto if you're not a fan of explicit sexual content, even if most of that content is just talking about sex matter-of-factly. The explicit content is pretty hard to parse, because it's unabashedly tropey and doesn't hold back when the characters are discussing sex, but that could be bad for spicy readers who feel like they've been promised more than they actually end up getting.

Content Warnings
It's short enough that I don't think there's too much to point out. There's less actual sex than I've probably made it sound like, with only one sex scene that starts out explicit but then fades to black. A lot of the rest of the sexual content takes place in nonsexual scenarios and dialogue, which still doesn't water itself down or obscure much from my POV. Maybe also a warning for a very trope-heavy handling of magical kidnapping? And there's a side villain who's very manipulative and stalker-y.

[Ivy Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kel is quite unlike her Angelic peers. She lacks discipline and focus. For her entire life, she has believed these things make her deficient. When the opportunity arises to prove herself to the powers-that-be, she jumps for it. But, Kel — being Kel — ends up mucking it up. Horribly. She finds herself ensnared by a Succubus’ trap, and negotiates a thirty-day contract with her. Alba and Kel are complete opposites. At least, that’s what they were both led to believe. They create an unlikely pairing, both struggling with their preconceived notions of how the other side lives, and later, temptation. Kel finds an unlikely home with Alba. She feels appreciated. But most importantly, seen. But the ultimately question still remains if too much stands in the way of their unique brand of happily-ever-after?

Improbable Heaven was far from what I was expecting. In the best way possible. I was expecting it to be a little bit spicier, focusing primarily on the physical relationship between Kel and Alba. To my surprise, this story was a wholesome, heart-warming exploration of what happens when opposites attract. I fell in love with Kel — I wanted to squeeze her face and tell her that she’s perfect the way she is. I was enamored with how Alba subvert all expectations and proved herself to be a gentle, compassionate protector. It also doesn’t hurt that Noether writes beautifully. I was drawn in from page one, and struggled to put it down!

My actual rating for this book is about a 4.5 (rounding up, because it’s such a small note, it’s almost not worth mentioning). The pacing was quick, to the point I remember thinking, “blink and you’ll miss it.”

All in all, I am delighted to have read this book and I will definitely be reading more from J.P. Noether in the future!

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kel is a messenger angel. Her job is to deliver messages. She tries to go through a shortcut in one of her deliveries, only to get caught in a trap laid by Alba, a succubus. Kel and Alba make a deal. Kel needs to do whatever Alba wants for 30 days. Unfortunately for Kel, the succubus doesn't ask for sex. Instead, she orders Kel to clean her messy library.

The story was good, albeit quite short. The characters were interesting, and the world building was nice. The book didn't delve deep into the angel-and-demons setting, but still gave us enough information for our imaginations to grow wild.

Kel and Alba's relationship grows quickly. Even though Alba suspects the little angel to be a spy, she can't help but feel drawn to her. And Kel... well, she was attracted to the sexy dark-haired succubus since she first laid her eyes on her.

Not a dark story (no gore or killing), and definitely not an erotica. There was only one sex scene, but it was short and simple. Not overly descriptive. All in all, a cute and short story.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if it sounds like a cliché. Kel has to be the sweetest and most adorable angel to ever have wings.

Unfortunately, her life in heaven is just as chaotic as Alba's library.

Bound by a promise she starts to organize the mess of a demon's research which bit by bit brings back the meaning her own life had been missing.

Mix that with a nerdy and sexy demon girl, and you have a match made in heaven and hell.

The only problem is, that Kel has to try harder than one might think to finally get her feathers ruffled by this hot succubus, whose only concern seems to be protecting her little angel.

My heart was melting over and over again until these two cuties finally found their own little heaven in what has become a very well organized demon lair.

[Eel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, if lacking

I was prepared for the lack of spicy scenes, but there is an abundance of conflicted pining from the FMC Kel. This angels wants to get dd!

There’s a unique form of heaven with hierarchies and questionable authority. No mention of God at all, but Lucifer makes an actual appearance. I wish there was more domestic scenes between the love interests.

A cute if lacking angel x demon romance.

[Faye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huh, at first I thought this was going to be a 4 or 5 star read, as the premise was really good and I liked the mystique about Alba the demon as well as the quirky personality of Kel the angel. Sadly it was rather a disappointment because of pacing issues, boring plot with poor character development and an inconclusive romance. I still technically enjoyed it, thus the 3 stars, but it could've been so much better.

[Christina P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly fun and delightful read

I went into this book without much in the way of expectations. I'm not a huge fan of romance type novels.

However, this book was well written with engaging characters. It was a quick and fun read. Perfect for a bit of relaxation and entertainment.

[Alexis Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this story! not at all what i was expecting and it was very cute! i do however wish it was longer- but it was an adorable story about two women who are from complete opposite ends of the spectrum learning about each other! i also love how even though the story revolves around sex, it wasn’t over done at all! very cute story!

[MissAlice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devilishly wonderful and angelically imaginative. In this book, Heaven and Hell align for a common goal and lots of steamy scenes are had. A demon succubus and an ostracized heavenly Angel find a way to meet in the middle and the results are fire. Really enjoyed this book and wished for more chapters even after the Epilogue.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, quick read. The demon, Alba, is a rather nerdy succubus which I think is hilarious. Kel, the angel, is perhaps slightly mental non-conforming (I'm not an expert). In any case, they make a cute couple and their romance is sweet. Can't comment on the sex scenes though - I skip these.

A small quibble: I don't think Alba has once called Kel by her given name. That's weird to me.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

In case you read the summary and we’re wondering “wait is this...” you should know that the word ‘ineffable’ appeared 3% into the book so it absolutely is.
Please note: this is a feature, not a bug.

[Joysé · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

I’m usually not into fantasy based stories. But i’m thinking it might be a thing for me. I was so caught up in this story I forgot to do anything for myself. I loved it. I enjoyed the characters. It was easy to get lost in them.

[Liz C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful, fun, Kel is maybe a little scarily relatable.

A great book for passing an hour or so!

[Alba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish it was longer

[Peter DeWolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious and delightful. I never considered that “consent” would be important to a succubus, but it actually makes perfect sense.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing concept, fun characters, satisfying resolution.

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

entertaining, lovely little romp