Lovely Dreamer

by Lindsay Murray

There's a monster living in my house.

I can't see it, but I hear it. Creeping around at night, shuffling through my things, and digging through my trash. It fixes the leaks in my roof, snuffs out the candles it doesn't like, and only occasionally growls at me from under the bed. But then the dreams start... and they're a little too real. The Monster is doing things to me. And I don't know if I like it or not.

And then I learn what it is. Noćnamora. Dream Walker. Nightmare.

I live in the house of The King of Nightmares... and he wants me as his pet.

This is an urban fantasy romance with horror elements. Please check the author's note before proceeding with the book.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Monsters, Romance, Magic, Ebooks

113 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2023

About the author

Lindsay is a bratty goblin who thrives on chaos, coffee, and astronomical amounts of chocolate. When she isn't caught up living in the world in her head, you can find her at one of her favorite bottle shops, a local craft store, or planning her next vacation to the mountains.

She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and cat. (And her twenty-seven imaginary friends.)

Reviews

[Cécile Smits · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when the monster under your bed doesn’t stay there?
That’s the question Lindsay Murray answered in Lovely Dreamer,the first story of a delicious new series,and i was the lucky girl that got to find out early in the ARC.

What i found was a Nightmare….one that fed off fear and,naturally,nightmares.
And Ava was the person that started feeding him when she came to live in his house.
She already had plenty of nightmares from what she was running from,and didn’t need any more.
But living in her new home,she found some of those old nightmares seemed to fade,and new dreams started to take over.
Dreams involving a certain monster….one that she felt around during the day,but never saw.
One that stole her food,and had an aversion to certain things she liked.
But the longer she lived in her new home,the more she grew accustomed to the monster,and he became less frightening.
And then another monster entered the stage…..one that took her monster away.
Would she ever get him back??
And if she did,would he still be hér monster??

A quick story that was the perfect introduction to a wonderful new world.
A world with creatures that may seem frightening,but once you get to know them…..aren’t as fightening as you think,and they have a delicious way of showing you why….
A world i can’t wait to hear more of,that’s for sure!!

[Darkdirtysmut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this novella with a smile on my face and a little bit lighter. This isn't my normal genre but I've read other books my Lindsay and am a fan of her writing.

There was so much about Ava that I could relate to, I could understand her fascination and comfort she found in knowing there was someone or something with her in her house. The loneliness wasn't so lonely. The blurred line between being fearful and feeling safe.

Her Monster, or Nightmare, feeds off dreams but there was something about Ava that attracted him. He survives on fear and nightmares but him and his "friends" had been starved for so long. All that changed when Ava quite ignoring the bizarre activities and figured out there was more to her house and she ensured there was always extra food and began interacting with her Monster.

He is by all rights a monster in not only name but in his true form. A being that's existed since the creation of time who is a "keeper" of sorts. Keeps balance within different realms and can slip between them.

What they find in each other was beautiful. He took her pain and demons and she healed him to his original being.

There's all types of paranormal creatures and people introduced and I can't wait to read more in this universe. Yes there's tentacles but there's no spice. There's a few potential triggering scenes so check trigger and content warnings but overall this was a well written paranormal story about a Monster under her bed that she saves not only his life but breathes life into those around her.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this short monster romance was great, the author was really good at writing dream scenes in a way that almost forced her images into my mind. Without having to try and imagine the scene I saw everything she described and it was trippy in the best possible way.

Sadly, the storyline itself sort of went haywire halfway through. All of a sudden, we find the small town the human FMC lives in is filled with supernatural beings she never knew existed and I was at a loss trying to understand where all these new characters came from. It felt like I was reading a side story from a different series, and I hate it when that happens!

I find a lot of short stories I read that are sold as standalone with no connected series end up being plugs for a separate series I've never heard of.

I'm not sure if that's what actually happened in this story and if not, the author took a very strange turn halfway through the book, either way, it lost its charm.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Why be scared of the Monster under your bed when he calls you "lovely" and does the dishes?

I ate this up. I loved the Monster. Him and Ava were so freaking sweet together. I just wish there was more depth to this story. While it was entertaining and swoonworthy, I felt myself wanting more. I wanted more buildup. I also felt myself wanting a dual POV👀 could be interesting to see inside the monsters mind. All in all, I did thoroughly enjoy this❤️

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typically I lean towards darker romance but once I read the description for this book I had to give it a try. I’m definitely happy I did. For it to be a quick read Lindsay did a great job of building this world and images of what what happening. The dream/nightmare scenes were *chefs kiss (and would have liked to see more of them but ya know.) I enjoyed all of the characters and being able to see the growth of the fmc. At this point I might not question things if there was a monster under my bed. Lol.

[Khadija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and short read, fair level of spice definitely a snack for a monster lover. I wish I knew what happened in the background though. The fight might’ve been able to add a little something more to the book. Left a little too much to the readers imagination.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Suzanne McNeill Taviner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how this story developed, how Ava didn't notice the odd things about her house until it got really weird! I also liked the way the monster connected with her and the way the relationship developed between them. Great read.

[bookishescape · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, it was good. I'm gonna be honest when I took this book I thought that it would be slow burn and end on cliffhanger because it says that this is book 1 in series, however it proved to be the opposite (I'm not mad at it at all, it's my mistake). This is short, spooky, steamy read, not really spicy (at least not in my opinion, I'm used to dark reads), it has dark elements (please check trigger warnings - there was a scene that took even me by surprise, and I don't have triggers, and just to put it out there it was not done by MMC). Speaking of MMC, he is morally grey character, a nightmare, a magic. He can controls dreams, he is really old (so you kind of have that age gap trope), he is powerful, and than the most important part he is weak only for her. And I love that part, I devoured this book, maybe it's lacking spice, but steam and just relationship between characters is immaculate, it's chef's kisses. The way he took her fears and the way he treated her, I love it. Ava also despite her fears she showed that she is strong.

All in all I loved the book, only thing I would change or add is a bit more of spice, and if book was longer maybe slow burn because it has really good ground for that (for example, now I'm not trying to spoil or anything, first part of the book was great but than the other part, you know the other part, it kinda just flew, it was really fast, I expected more emotions, more "happenings" on that part).

⭐️4,5/5

🌶2/5

[Michelle Frater · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was blown away by this amazing book and the glimpse I had of a breathtaking new world full of creatures both old and new. The two main characters were fascinating. There was something a little bit dark about Ava from the start. She liked to be frightened and didn’t shy away from the scary little house on the outskirts of town; quite the opposite, it drew her in. It was only a feeling at first, but she slowly realized that she wasn’t alone in the house. I loved all the spooky little things that started to occur, from creaking floorboards to disappearing food and candles that refused to stay alight. As she grows accustomed to her “roommate”, he infiltrates her dreams and they slowly get to know each other. Although complete in itself, the story felt like a bit of a teaser with so much more I wanted to know. That’s in no way meant as a criticism, it’s just that I wanted it to go on and on. It was beautifully written with a lyrical style that read almost like a fairytale. With intriguing side characters and a whole new world to explore, I hope there are many more books in this exciting new series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angela Plumeria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great but I was kind of shocked at the total lack of sex. Fun though and a quick read!

Loved the fantasy elements and really just wanted to see more of this world and characters. Might have to read it again soon. Author if you’re reading this, keep writing! We are waiting with anticipation. 😃

[gia v · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free. and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

.

.

.

The Monster’s Journal entires to Ava were sweet and added to his perspective without actually changing POVs.

I’m a sucker for a dark, morally grey, MMC who’s only sweet for the FMC.

While I enjoy a fast paced book, I think there were a few gaps, but overall it was a good quick read. I do suggest you read the TWs though if you want to be cautious!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story though I do wish there was more world building and depth. I did want to see more or understand more of some of the other characters, so I am keen to see more of Lindsay’s work!!

[ilabeaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story didn't turn out as dark as I thought it would and the spice was also about a 1.5 out of 5, but it was a decent short read.

Ava's moved into a new place and started noticing strange things. Things are being moved or disappearing and she has no clue how. She finds out she's actually living in the King of Nightmares home and starts to get to know him. Monster isn't as bad as he seems, in my opinion. Things are going well, until they aren't, and Ava and Monster have to face an old enemy.

The first half of the book kept me hooked. The details were great. I was curious about what this monster was about and boy did I get it. The storyline was progressing well, but then everything exploded within a few chapters and it was over. The ending felt abrupt and anticlimactic. I was hoping for a bit more to happen but for a short story like that, it fit.

I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shireen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book with a stuff your kindle day last year.
I had a really good time reading this! In the beginning i was afraid it would be spicy (i dont really like spicy) but this was just a nice short read.

[Lucy Saints · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read and a new spin on the monster under the bed.

The created world leaves enough space for more stories and I am intrigued.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Phyllica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE MY MONSTERS!!!
This snack bite monster romance was exceptionally fun to read and I am sad it is over. The writing style was beautifully done and intertwined a variety of creatures and elements into one wonderful story. You can tell the author took the time to create a full story in such a small package, but I fell in love with the characters and need more of their story. Can't wait to read about the side characters in future installments of the Beautiful Nightmare series.

"I live in the house of The King of Nightmares... and he wants me as his pet."

[Baiba Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect fall and Halloween vibes, friendship and the best slowburn romance, tentacles the right way… very little smut, but a lot of free space for imagination. Very good plot!

[Saraf Tarisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

What did I just read? It's so different from what I read. Those 'Dreams'. The writing was so perfect. I really felt like I was dreaming myself.

The first half of the book was great with those dreams and the FMC bonding with the monster. Meanwhile, the second part seemed like it was rushed with us being thrown in a place with a lot of monsters whereas it used to be just one or two. I also would have loved knowing the thoughts of the monster in some places at least. I just think it would have been more fun than. Other than that I really liked reading it & I would love to reread it only so I can read the dream scenes again.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nicole McElwaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ This was an easy read, I do feel like the writing style is suited for teens/YA. There was some spicy scenes. 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.
I love that the book was short, but there wasn’t a lot of time for character and world building. Halfway through, I felt like a ton of characters were throw in all at once. Near the end, I became a little confused and frustrated with what exactly was happening and what each characters role was in supporting the ultimate goal.
I’m going to look out for the next book in the series though!

[Claire (Sunbee) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received as a free ebook from BookSirens and writing this as a voluntary review.

Monsters Inc. but Sully is an eons-old Cthulhu-esque monster plucked straight from the annals of time and lives under our FMC's bed.

Ava, our FMC, runs away to a quaint-looking house on the outskirts of town due to unresolved trauma but she finds that the house has a supernatural occupant that makes itself known via consumed food and fixed ceilings. She slowly befriends the creature who can enter her dreams at will and over time, they end up becoming a little more than just roommates.

If you've always feared the dark space underneath your bed, this book will either help you overcome your fears or exacerbate them. I've always been scared of the dark and I wonder if I would feel less terrified if I knew the scary monster I visualize loved me and wouldn't want to hurt me. Unlike Ava, I hope to never find out and would not even want to get the chance to find out.

I liked the first part enough - it was cool to see how their relationship became plausible over time. The slow discovery and the eventual reveal were done well to make their friendship believable! I wish it could've been slower though; it was a little too insta-lusty for me but I'm sure that some people would prefer this pacing. I think that it would've helped more if we looked at the lore of the MMC and had softer, less sexually charged interactions to help see who they are as people outside of each other's perception.

The FMC underwent intense trauma (please check trigger warnings!) and I wished that the author spent a little more time exploring the impact and implications of it before it was fully resolved in a deus ex machina way. In a way, it felt underwhelming and cheapened the intensity of the series of events that led the FMC from becoming who she is in the present day. It also took away some of her agency in becoming a more resilient, capable individual since it didn't feel like she addressed it of her own volition.

I do understand that it was done to keep the story more lighthearted while using it as a vehicle to further the significance of the love interest's actions.

The latter half of the book made me feel a bit overwhelmed and off-kilter. We are introduced to multiple new characters that hint towards a bigger world but they feel like vehicles for plot and not persons. It would have been great if we could better see who they were outside of the labels they are normally associated with based on their race to help the world feel more alive and distinct.

This is a good first read from Murray. I recommend this more if you're looking for urban fantasy or you're more inclined to looking branch out to monster fuckery coming from the dark romance genre.

[mal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lovely Dreamer is a dark romance novel by the author Lindsay Murray which features subgenres of horror, fantasy, supernatural and monster romance. The novel is a narration of events which unfold in the protagonist Ava's life when she moves into a old, shabby-little two bedroom house on the outskirts of the town with a creepy tree and some weird looking herbs in the front yard. It takes her 6 months to realise that there's a monster living under her bed and indulges into a friendship with it as apparently the thrill and fear which comes along with scary stuff arouses her in some odd way. Their friendship charts its course as she communicates with him in various ways possible and their friend-ship changes its course of direction when her worst fears manifest into her dreams and he draws power from them, strengthening himself.

Tropes : Age gap, human x monster, grumpy x sunshine, soulmates, no one loves me x i love you more than anyone can, he's scary but he's hot

Honestly, i relate with Ava a lot because even I imagine a large, strong, scary-looking man pinning me down to my bed, grinning at me with an evil smile. Alex is so adorable please! i'd adopt him anyday! OH DEAR LUCE, HES SUCH A HOT MONSTER TO SIMP OVER! THE LEANING AGAINST THE DOOR FRAME GOT ME CURLING MY TOES!

The plot was good but i think a bit of foreshadowing and better world building would be good or its portrayal could have been done in a better way. The dialogues was good, and writing was immersive as well but the transition into dreams was a bit off and not smooth.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are three words that cover this story.
Deep, Dark, Delicious.

You need and want to find the time to sit down and read this novelette in one sitting. I say this because as soon as you have started reading, Lindsay’s writing skill will have their beautiful claws stuck into you and will not let you go till you get to the end of this journey.
This is a wonderful story that covers the coming out of a lovely traumatised loner into a world and space she never knew existed into a role that she never would have thought herself capable of coping with.
Along the way you will meet some wonderful characters from backgrounds that are very different from the world that you and I live in. These characters are not just dumped on us though, they, there worlds and their places in them are explained so well and this is all so believable.
To a large extent this story is a monologue, but it is told so well it is like a good recipe…moresome! (I know that is not a word, but you get my drift) The book is strong and does not hold back. It is very believable and you will not help yourself, but you will be reaching out and shouting for at least two of the characters as the story progresses.
Be ready for a rollercoaster of a journey and waiting with anticipation for the next book at the end.
This is such an excellently written and enjoyable story; you will truly enjoy this as you curl up in a comfy chair.
I received a free ARC of this book. I am completely and freely leaving this review of this wonderful novelette.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

I loved the essence of this storyline, it just needed a little more structure towards the end to tighten up the plot and flesh out the world. I have so many questions about this world and not enough answers! There were a couple of repetitive sentences and incorrect tenses used, but overlooking those, this book was easy to devour.

Ava hadn't had the best life since an assault in high school, but she felt drawn to an old house she rented despite it being slightly in disrepair. Bad things in her past have shaped her reading preferences, turning horrible memories into dark fantasies that she did feel some level of shame over. Slowly coming to the realization that her house had a monster living in it who was becoming increasingly obsessed with her, Ava was surprisingly curious about this hidden world of monsters she had no idea existed.

"I even seriously considered leaving and getting a hotel for the night. But I knew I wouldn't. Because even though I'd never been this terrified in my life, I'd never felt this alive." - Ava

Even after reading the book, Ava's monster was still ambiguously defined and his backstory murky. Monster fed off nightmares, but more than that he was able to control and even destroy using them as weapons. I loved how protective he was over Ava and constantly gave her affirmations when she wasn't feeling the best about herself.

"You poor, dear, beautiful thing. Oh, your dreams are so delicious. I am so pleased with you." - Monster.

Lovely Dreamer isn't monster smut, in fact, there wasn't a whole lot of spice at all when it came down to it. I'd classify the book as more of a paranormal romance with a monster love interest. Though the book was a decent length, it needed to be twice as long to include all the things missing from the storyline.

I never had a true grasp of the whole picture, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. All that being said I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in the series, starring Axel.

More reviews at www.ratherbookish.com


*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Summer Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

*BOOK REVIEW*

BOOK: Lovely Dreamer
AUTHOR: Lindsay Murray
PLOT: Ava decides to move into a small cottage with a strange tree outside of it, and a strange landlord. When she moves in, strange occurrences begin to happen. Her trash is eaten, she throws away rotting chicken and that's also eaten, bones that she throws away are eaten, her dirty laundry is cleaned and folded, her dirty dishes are cleaned, you get the drift. One night she feels a slimy thing on her legs. She feels like there's something watching and following her in the house, and soon realizes that there's a monster residing in the house with her. One night, she has a dream of one of the most traumatic events in her life, and decides she wants to leave that house and live somewhere else. The monster makes up for causing that nightmare by giving her gifts. The monster is going to do anything in his will to keep Ava there with him. Ava stays and soon they're communicating through an old journal and Ava learns more about the monster and his friends. But will what she learns cause her to actually flee the house, or will it cause romance to blossom between Ava and her Monster! This book was such a fun read! I had a hard time putting it down because I enjoyed every second of it! The monster is a new addition to my book husband harem! I can't wait to read more books by Lindsay. She's a master storyteller!

RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[PleaseGoAwayImReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this from the author, and here is my honest review: when I finished this novella I literally said out loud, alone in my room, “ This was so good!” The whole vibe of the story sucked me in.

Ava lives alone in a tiny, rundown house on the edge of town. It’s not much to look at, but she fell in love immediately when the landlady was showing to her, so she committed to a 2-year lease. The house came with a few seemingly odd, random stipulations: never dig up the herb garden; keep one specific kitchen cupboard locked and unused; and never ever remove the large, dying tree from the backyard. Mmkay…

As the days go by, odd things begin to happen— food disappears from the garbage, dishes seemingly wash themselves, and food starts disappearing from the fridge. What the heck?

Ava is not alone in the house. There is a monster living under her bed. She hasn’t seen it, but has caught the tiniest suggestion of a glimpse in the corner of her eye. She can hear it moving, occasionally. What to do? She can’t afford to move again. So… she starts talking to it. Asking it questions. And so begins a wonderful little journey of forced proximity, interspecies communication, slow burn attraction and dream exploration— all packed into this little gem of a story!

If you like good world building, sweetness, humor, supernatural characters, and the wonder of magic— you need to read this one!

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like (or are just interested in trying) a spookier romance option then you will probably find Lovely Dreamer to be a decent novella that you can knock out in a few hours. Mind the triggers.

The story was interesting. I also felt the FMC had a decent amount of character development for such a short amount of time. There is some juicy sexual tension in the first half too. Just, don't expect a full on smut book.

Unfortunately, the plot went a bit off the rails in the second half and too many random new characters get introduced. It was a fun concept, but a bit too much going on for a novella.

I did enjoy seeing Ava's character growth as her past starts to unfold more. However…

SPOILERS AHEAD!

.

.

.

.

.

.

I was super confused as to the point of that random SA scene for our character who is trying to heal. It served no purpose to the characters or the plot and was kind of a lot crammed into the book for no reason that I could see. Additionally, I found it pretty cringe that the SA was carried out by a minor in an adult book. I genuinely have no idea why that was in there. It didn't help with the magic, it glossed over and undid the previous healing Ava had been going through, it made the Monster's promises kind of pointless. It felt out of place and it took away from the rest of the story in my opinion.

I received an ARC but this is still my honest review.

[Booksta · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝑨𝒗𝒂. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕. 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉. 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆, 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆. 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆. 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒊𝒏. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”



𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖊𝖝𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖙:

💜 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
😈 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴
❤️‍🔥 𝘕𝘰𝘤́𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢. 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨
⚔️ 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳
🐙 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴
❤ 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
☠️ 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳


Hello 𝘕𝘰𝘤́𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢, hello Monster smut. Wow what a read. This was a nice short monster read with magic all around. I am excited that this isn't just a standalone because I need more. This was a bit different than other monster smut books and I am not mad about it.


"𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕, 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚. 𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆."


This book has everything from the ultimate 𝗼𝗹𝗱 monster magic being, witches, dragons...all the amazing shifting creatures. I like the world building and all the different characters. I just wish there was more details about everyone and more smut I am not gonna lie. Lol. Bookstagram has corrupted me and now I expect smut in every book I read. I mean can you really blame me?!?!


"𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒖𝒏. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑺𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒖𝒏. 𝑰𝒕’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏. 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒖𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕."



**𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺.**

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two main characters, Ava and the monster, were both so much fun and I enjoyed learning more about the monster from Ava's perspective. The humor balanced out the light horror elements and more serious/traumatic topics really well, as did the sexual tension. I loved the relationship between Ava and the monster, it was really cute and worked well within the story. Finally, I really enjoyed the additional characters that popped in, it was a fun way to expand the paranormal world of the story.

I really appreciated the content warning at the beginning; I personally found it helpful to be warned about some of the content that could be triggering and the warning helped me be emotionally prepared so I wasn't too upset. Also, I think Lindsay Murray did a good job not going into anything graphic which also helped.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short paranormal romance with a bit of action. The romance is really sweet, in part because it is a bit odd and the concept and storyline are interesting. There is a content warning, so please read it before starting this story. That being said, I didn't find it graphic and it didn't take away from the story for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anastey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSiren and Lindsay Murray for an ARC of this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This novella had so much promise, and would have been a million times better as a full novel. I hope the author decides to revisit it in the future. I would love to give it a second chance as a longer book.

The first half of the novella was awesome. Nice slow burn, the two main characters learning about each other and forming a friendship. It was so good, and because I enjoyed the first half so much is the only reason I didn't give it a lower star rating.

The second half felt like a completely different book. It was like you flipped a switch, and the energy was so chaotic, and a ton of random character came out of nowhere with very little explanation, and also an attempted R@pe too. None of it made a single bit of sense, and I still have no idea what the heck happened even after reading it a second time.

I wish there had been more time to set the other characters up, explore the worldbuilding, and explain why these things were happening.

I will check out the author's other books. I loved the writing style in the first half of the book and hopefully I will find something I enjoy a little more than the novella.

[Xanth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, from the BookSirens club, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a short and sweet novella, following Ava who just moved into a cozy little cottage where weird things start happening in the night and in her nightmares.
Turns out, the ancient creature haunting the cottage has taken a special interest in our FMC.

I ate this up in about 2hrs and I thoroughly enjoyed the slow romantic built-up between the characters, the plot is very sweet despite it having some dark themes woven in. There are some nice spicy scenes between FMC and MMC but they're not very explicit, and I personally would've loved something a bit more explicit, considering,...ahem... the MMCs shape and appearance.

I had a bit of trouble with the second half of the story, where it felt like an action plot point was just thrown in to have some dramatic intrigue, but I think the story would've worked fine without it. There is also one SA scene that caught me completely off guard and I still don't know how to feel about it (don't worry, this didn't involve the MMC).

Overall, I give this 3.5* and maybe 2* for the spice.

[Mile Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, okay! 😂 Picked up this book and wasn’t sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised!

First thing, this was a short read.⏳ Something to pass the time or read at the end of the day to wind down and relax.

Second surprise, the storyline was good!👌🏼It didn’t delve deep into the characters backstories or a significant amount of character development, but again, short read! The plot was good. The male lead wasn’t your stereotypical good guy, bad guy. He was an interesting mix. The female lead had her moments.

This was a slow burn romance…🔥Well, as slow as eight chapters will allow.

I agree with other reviewers in that the initial story was REALLY good until suddenly, you have A LOT of characters coming in at once. It blindsided and confused me a little😵‍💫 but it wasn’t too bad. I accepted my fate and stopped caring for new characters by the fifth introduction made.

The story has trigger warnings and I did find one scene with the witches triggering. ⚠️⛔️ So be aware of that.

The main character’s relationship was so well written and developed. I enjoyed reading through this book. 💪🏼