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Love in Hell #1

The Devil's Waltz

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It's been five years since her sister died on a demon-hunting mission. Five years since Camille Morgan swore off the family business. Now a college sophomore, Cami is determined to get her bachelor’s degree in political science and move far away from Seattle and all things paranormal.

When she barely survives a demon attack thanks to the wildly charming and attractive Xander Kane, she's convinced the near-death experience is a stupid ploy—her parents' last-ditch effort to drag her back into training. Except her savior isn't a hunter. Or even human.

Xander is a demon. The crown prince of hell, to be specific. And he plans on using her to destroy all demon hunters once and for all.

Will she betray her family to gain her independence or will she fight back, risking everything—and everyone—she loves?

10 pages, Audible Audio

First published February 1, 2024

78 people are currently reading
6527 people want to read

About the author

Jessi Elliott

23 books401 followers
Jessi Elliott is a new adult and young adult paranormal and fantasy romance author.

She lives in Ontario, Canada with her adorable calico cat, Phoebe.

When she's not working on her next book, she likes to hang out with friends and family, get lost in a steamy romance novel, watch Friends, and drink coffee.

You can find Jessi on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Join her newsletter to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ibmmLg
Instagram: https://bit.ly/39YAnsQ
TikTok: https://bit.ly/3JgKlaV
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kb7D4Y

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5 stars
81 (15%)
4 stars
191 (37%)
3 stars
164 (31%)
2 stars
62 (12%)
1 star
18 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
Profile Image for Miranda.
304 reviews5,626 followers
January 29, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ but rounding up for Goodreads.

Hades/ Prince of Hell is one of my favorite book settings, so I was really looking forward to this one. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a low spice (I think maybe one scene happens) demon/demon slayer book.

I was a little sad that they never went to the underworld and that everything stayed up in the mortal world. I was hoping for more spice and to feel more chemistry between the main characters. But I'd still recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, easy read!
Profile Image for Linds (honeyy.fae).
249 reviews89 followers
January 4, 2024
My very first book I’ve ever read by Jessi Elliot, and I’m a fan! This was such a fun, easy to read paranormal romance!

☕️ TROPES & THEMES ☕️
✔️ enemies to lovers 🤌🏽
✔️ demons vs demon hunters
✔️ adorable and swoon-worthy banter
✔️ spicy pnr
✔️ angst
✔️ anxiety rep
✔️ first in a series

Not only was this book angsty, full of tension between our two main characters- but it was also cute?? Like, I was swooning over the texts between Xander and Camille. 🥹

Jessi did an outstanding job making the reader feel like they were there with the characters for each scene. The vibes of Seattle were there and with a paranormal touch too? *chef kiss*

Camille had my heart from the get go. I always think about how I would be in all the stories I’ve read, and frankly Camille’s anxiety and close call panic attacks are absolutely what would happen to my arse if I ever came face to face with a demon who wanted to ☠️ me, unfortunately. This made her so enduring and likable though, how real she seemed! And then as the story went on, the reader watched her sort of evolve and get stronger as the stakes got higher.

Xander, bless. He is a secret cinnamon roll. I loved his character and his eccentric bestie-not-bestie Blake.

I definitely didn’t see that ending coming, and omg. NOW WHAT?! Is it too soon to ask for book 2?! 🤣
Profile Image for darling_book_mage.
165 reviews11 followers
January 23, 2024
My rating: 3.5⭐️
Goodreads round off to 4⭐️


I was very excited to read this book because of the tropes and come on, its demons and demon hunter, what more could you ask for.

Things that I like/enjoyed in this book:

• Xander - prince of hell, half demon. Okay, so I really like how much of a smooth talker Xander is.

• Camille - daughter of demon hunters, smitten kitten. She’s got butterflies all over her stomach when it comes to Xander (can’t say I blame her with how smooth he is).

• Harper - the badass best friend of Camille

• Blake - Xander’s demon bodyguard

• Demon/demon hunter plot which kind of reminded me a little bit of Supernatural.

Bonus Points: Anxiety representation and character interviews towards the end of the book.

-

What fell short for me in this book:

Camille. She’s in this list because of her poor decision making skills. I can’t say much without spoiling it, but, come on.

• The relationship seemed a little rush. I guess it would fall under the instalike trope. I don’t necessarily have a problem with insta- tropes, however, there was no build up between Camille and Xander (as much as I like their chemistry together).

-

Overall, I enjoyed The Devil’s Waltz. It could have definitely been better. I enjoyed each character. I’m hoping the next book we get more than what was given in this one like some character growth Also that ending, what in the actual hell.

You might like this book if you like demon/demon hunter, forbidden love, lovers-enemies-(maybe)lovers, instalike, paranormal, witty banter (which I only saw between Blake and Camille).

-

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. This in no way impacted my opinions.
Profile Image for Nyxie.
189 reviews42 followers
December 23, 2023
I was really excited at the beginning because it started off strong but about 57% in everything kind of fell off.

I felt their relationship was a bit rushed and the way she acted to his betrayal was disappointing. There was no buildup.

I would have really liked to get more world building on how the Organization first came to be, how her parents got to be in charge, stuff like that.

Also, her friends get kidnapped and she knows every demon out there is after her head and she's just going to school? For being a Department/Division of the Government their isn't much security or protection for her as I thought.

I was really excited about this, but it just ended not being my cup of tea.

**I received this as an ARC, but I will always be honest in my reviews**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kirsten | Bookish.kir.
690 reviews322 followers
January 29, 2025
I had such high hopes for this book. And while I did enjoy the story I just wasn’t as captivated as I thought I would be. I loved the idea of the half human/half demon, prince of hell being sent to deceive the daughter of the demon hunters, but after that secret is revealed I felt events got too rushed. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I will leave it at that. I did enjoy the story enough to recommend to those who are looking for a low spice, easier paranormal read and to continue on with the series (because of course I need to know what happens after that cliffy).

3.5⭐️
Profile Image for Odd.
109 reviews
January 22, 2024
If you’re looking for forbidden romance mixed with demons and the supernatural, then this book is for you!

Beware the cliff hanger! It’ll make you wanting more, more, more!

Camille and Xander have an interesting dynamic and I cannot wait to see how it plays out in the second book.

I also wouldn’t mind seeing something blossom between Harper and Blake because their banter is borderline flirting, but I don’t think that’s something you’ll see, at least for awhile if the author chooses to go that route. 👀

Keeping my eye out for the next one.

✨I was provided an ARC but the review is completely my own opinion✨
Profile Image for monica ✨ romantasyreader.
736 reviews1,185 followers
April 18, 2024
THE WASTED POTENTIAL!!!! I will never get over it.

Camille is the daughter of the leaders of a secret demon hunting sector of the government. Xander is the prince of hell. They’re enemies. They shouldn’t. But when Xander is sent to trick Camille into helping his mom - the queen of hell - they do.

Honestly the tension and build up was so fun. But once she found out who he was, this book deflated so fast for me. There was nothing going on but planning and the fallout from the betrayal that just wasn’t high enough stakes for me.

actual rating 2.5.
Profile Image for Cheyenne Mcdonald.
656 reviews33 followers
February 16, 2025
I couldn’t put this down! I flew through it and that ending…🤯🤯🤯. Can I please have Xander to myself.

If you like forbidden love, demons/demon hunters, funny banter, great best friends, some super sad scenes, and a super quick read; o recommend this!!!!

BRB fixing to go start book 2!
Profile Image for kim  |  novelhaus.
382 reviews44 followers
January 28, 2024
4 stars, 7.00 on CAWPILE

Thank you to R&R Tours and Jessi Elliot for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this! It was a fast read that never dragged and kept me reading to see what was happening next!
The strongest bit for me was Xander. He was cute and smooth and hot and a mystery, definitely fun to read and I loved the fact that we got both POVs in this story.
I really enjoyed Cami too. She was strong even when she was scared and I love that kind of vulnerability in a character.

I had a few small issues with the overall pacing of the plot. I felt that they got together too quickly and then, of course, the big reveal came rather fast, putting the romance on hold, which made me sad because I really loved the dynamic they had together in those beginning stages.

The ending came up really fast too! I felt it came too fast (lol pun??) and I wish we had a bit more story before the end. But the cliffhanger is a cliffhanger and I'm gonna need book 2.
Profile Image for Trisha.
425 reviews78 followers
February 5, 2025
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted copy of this book! Because how was I supposed to say no to a demon romance??

3.5 rounding to 4 because I too am weak and would keep going after the hot demon that shows an interest in me regardless of his plans and allegiances. At least I’m not lying to myself about it 🤷🏻‍♀️

This was a fun and fast read the follows Camille, who refuses to join the family demon hunter business after the loss of her sister, and Xander. A casual half demon on a mission to bring her to Hell and bring down the humans.

Was there a lot of substance in terms of character development? Eh. Did it read more as a contemporary romance than paranormal? Yes. (And that is not a knock on contemporary romance!! It’s just a different genre with conventions that I personally don’t care for!)

Am I starting book two immediately? Also yes.
Profile Image for Nash Reads.
270 reviews231 followers
April 27, 2025
3.5⭐️ I really liked this book. Urban fantasy romance with a hellish twist. I dont think that it wasn't anything ground breaking. I thought the character were good and I liked the story. It just didnt feel full if that makes sense. I wish there was more depth to the world and overall plot.
Profile Image for Emily Salls.
128 reviews
July 1, 2024
If any of you reading this ever watched supernatural the tv show then this book is for you! I absolutely loved it and hope there is more to come!
Profile Image for Sudeshna Banerjee.
1,327 reviews39 followers
February 15, 2024
The Devil's Waltz is a spicy paranormal romance that will keep you glued to the book from the first page to the last. The story is about Camille Morgan, a college student who wants nothing to do with her family's legacy of demon hunting. Xander Kane is a charming and mysterious demon who has his own agenda. When their paths cross, sparks fly. Danger is surrounded in every corner.

Jessi Elliott has created a captivating world of demons, hunters, and magic, where nothing is as simple as it seems and betrayal is always a possibility. The characters are well-developed and have realistic flaws and emotions. Cami is a strong and independent character who struggles with her past and her feelings for Xander. Xander is a charming and charismatic hero who hides a dark and painful secret. Their chemistry is quite hot and their romance is steamy as well as sweet.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns that will keep you hooked until the end. The writing is engaging and flawless, with nice dialogues and vivid scenes. The book is a perfect mixture of action, suspense, humor, and romance, that will appeal to fans of paranormal and fantasy genres. If you are looking for a thrilling and entertaining read, you should definitely check out The Devil's Waltz by Jessi Elliott. You will definitely enjoy reading it as much as I did.
Profile Image for rissys.bookshelf.
169 reviews1 follower
June 27, 2025
✨ The Devil's Waltz ✨

~ Forbidden Romance
~ Snarky Banter
~ Mental Health Rep

✨ My thoughts ✨
So... I am obsessed with this one. I have been a big fan of Jessi's work. This one didn't disappoint me. Camille (Cami) is one favorite FMC. Her struggles though the book felt real. I loved seeing work though things. Xander was such a smooth MMC. He's just so dang dreamy. The banter in this entire book was so good. The spice in this book was just chefs kiss. I enjoyed all of the side characters too. I enjoyed the fast pace of everything. I enjoyed how the world was set up. It was easy to follow. The ending had me in complete shock. I need book two right now! If you are a lover of paranormal romance with a demon hunter and demon this one is for you. I can't recommend this one and all of Jessi's work.

The Devil's Waltz is book one in Love in Hell series. It is recommended for 18+. As always please check TW before reading.

✨ I want to thank Jessi for an E-ARC copy of this book. These are my own true thoughts and feelings.
Profile Image for Belinda Smith.
541 reviews15 followers
April 7, 2024
I was expecting passion and danger, but this was not what I expected. It felt like an underdeveloped plot where nobody knew what to do with the information they received at any point of time.

Camille was an FMC who was very inconsistent. She was cooped up in her room for a week after she found out who Xander really was. But, she was fine the very next day after watching two of her friends die in front of her…. Which was odd. I mean, she was flirting and having fun the next day.

Xander couldn’t oppose the Queen’s demands till one day, he was fine with it. He never questioned her decisions and did everything he was ordered to…till he wasn’t. No idea what brought up this change of mind. There was no reason behind his change of mind.

There was no sense in their romance. It was more like she couldn’t let him go after she caught feelings for him. There wasn’t a reason as to why she still liked him or wanted him back…after every issue created by him for her.

There were just too many inconsistencies to enjoy the read.
Profile Image for The_bookish_cave_of_wonders .
152 reviews10 followers
February 14, 2024
This was a really fun, easy to read paranormal romance. I haven't read anything by Jessie Elliot before, but this book was a great dip in the pond for me. This story was definitely an enemies-lovers to enemies-lovers, I know it sounds weird. But when you've read it, you will get it 🤣.

The male main character is a secret cinnamon roll, smooth talking prince of hell who is easy to fall for. The female main character could do with some lessons in good decision-making skills, but she grows as the book develops, and it's really great to see her story unravel further.

The concept for this story was great, and whilst the spice wasn't quite up there for my own personal tastes, the chemistry between the two main characters was electric. overall, I found this an enjoyable light read and would definitely recommend it to those who like an easy paranormal romance read.
Profile Image for Lacy.
869 reviews47 followers
March 11, 2024
I beta read The Devil's Waltz a billion years ago. Okay, maybe it wasn't that long ago. But I immediately fell in love with the story. There have been some changes made between then and the published edition. I loved trying to figure out who Xander was in the draft I read. But I also really enjoyed getting a more fleshed out version of Xander with his POV in the published book. I'm not sure which version I enjoyed the most. I did choose to listen to the audiobook this time around. The narrators didn't exactly match my version of Camille and Xander but they were still enjoyable. And even though I already knew the cliffhanger, I was still shocked. Again. I can't wait for book 2.

Profile Image for Kayla Brunson.
1,595 reviews274 followers
dnf
April 5, 2024
I'm going to have DNF this one. I'm halfway through and am finding it very boring. The characters are flat and the writing isn't keeping me engaged. I'm not invested and rather pick up something else with hopes of enjoying it.
Profile Image for Alexandria Williams.
524 reviews63 followers
February 14, 2024
✨BOOK TOUR✨
📖: The Devil’s Waltz
🖋️: Jessi Elliott
🗓️: 2/27/24
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 5 of 5
💬: “The darkest parts of me light up for her.”

Tropes & Themes:
✨Lovers to Enemies…to Lovers?
✨Forbidden Romance
✨Snarky Banter
✨Mental Health Rep
✨Demons vs Demon Hunters

‌Five years ago, Camille’s sister was killed by a demon and she promised herself to stay away from the family business. With demon hunting no longer in the cards for her. She’s focused on being independent from her parents, attending college, and plans to leave far far away once she gets her degree.

“Are you really going to stand there and pretend you weren’t sent here on purpose?”

One night after work, Camille finds herself targeted by a demon. What she isn’t expecting is for a skilled, charming demon hunter to come to her rescue.

“A demon can’t check in on his best half-demon pal?”

Xander, the Prince of Hell is placed on a mission by his mother to corrupt Camille. With his best friend and bodyguard by his side. Xander and Blake must complete the mission to avoid the consequences.

With the Queen of Hell thirsty for power. Cami finds herself in a tough position that will test her loyalty to her family and her feelings for Xander.

“I think you broke her, mate.”

Can Camille stay loyal to her family when her friends, family, and innocent lives are in danger? Will Xander push his feelings to the side to please his mother?

“I did what I had to do.”

Find out in The Devil Waltz!

From the snarky banter, the angst, the lies, and the tension. This book will have you easily turning the pages faster and faster to find out what happens next.🤌

That cliffhanger!!!🤯 I loved this book so much and can’t wait to see what happens next in the series. Blake is my favorite besides the FMC and MMC. I hope he gets together with a certain character.😏

Thank you R&R Book Tours for allowing me to join this tour! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

#rrbooktours #rrbtthedevilswaltz #thedevilswaltz #loveinhellseries #jessielliot #paranormalromance #spicyromance #spicyromancebooks #spicyreads #mustreadbooks #enemiestoloverstrope #demonromancebooks #demonromance
Profile Image for Jodie.
2,278 reviews
March 4, 2024
When this one came into the store, I was drawn to the beautiful cover. And then got intrigued by the description, and when I saw that one of my favorite authors (Maria Snyder) read it and loved it how could I resist? So glad I picked it up and gave it a whirl. Loved the characters, and their layered development. I thought the storyline moved along well, and I enjoyed the world building. I hope in the future, as this series progresses that we get more from Xander's perspective. I think it is a more unique point of view and would have made for a more dynamic storyline. Don't get me wrong, I like Camille, but you don't get a lot of novels from the male villain's perspective and I really enjoyed Xander's voice. My only real negative about this one would be the editing of the book, which is not the author's fault. There are little grammatical errors here and there (mostly sentences missing 'the' or 'to') throughout the book. The most obvious, I am listing here in hopes that either the author or the publisher may see them to correct them in future editions - page 48, Blake's first entrance, I believe what Xander is saying is "since when do you knock," but the sentence ends with only the word Since. Page 135 into page 136 ends and starts on the same sentence, it is printed twice. Page 192 there is a paragraph duplicated toward the bottom of the page. And in the bonus content, Camille's interview, her name is misspelled in the title of the interview. Don't let those errors stop you from reading this, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and honestly can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Adrienne Klassen.
314 reviews4 followers
August 5, 2024
I'm struggling to rate this. I feel like 2 stars isn't enough, but 3 might be pushing it.
This is marketed as a dark romance, but it really doesn't get "dark" until the end (which was SO WEIRD...But more on that later).
I really didn't get any personality from either of the main characters. Camilla, an early 20s University student, who works at a failing coffee shop, and has a bad relationship with her parents. Xander, half demon half human, mid 20s, secretly the prince of hell, has a weird and quirky body guard named Blake who is British with pink hair. It's just... awkward. There didn't feel like any depth for these characters, especially considering the story line.

Let's skip to the ending. A HUGE cliffhanger. The whole big climax or the book basically happens in the last chapter, and literally doesn't solve anything. Plus, like two big revelations are made, with no explanation. And again, it just... ends. Suddenly. It feels forced, anti-climactic, awkward, and just weird.

I always read the authors notes at the end of a book, and she mentions she has rewritten this book 3-4 times. And honestly, you can tell. It's a bit choppy and feels almost overly thought out, so it doesn't read smoothly. I truly admire authors, and I know I wouldn't be able to do what they do, so i can't hold too much judgement.
Profile Image for T.A. Beasley.
Author 7 books117 followers
November 3, 2024
The Devil's Waltz was an enjoyable paranormal romance about a devil hunter, who doesn't want to accept who she is and the prince of hell, who is drawn to her.

I liked the connection that built over the course of the story with Cami and Xander. Cami stood her ground on not being a demon hunter until she met him. She was a damsel in distress at times in the story, which annoyed me. The action toward the end of the book was wonderful and suspenseful. I do like the characters on opposite sides having to come together to take down a bigger threat.

I recommend The Devil's Waltz to those who like paranormal romance.





Profile Image for Kaija.
1,485 reviews28 followers
January 16, 2025
What in the world is up with that ending?!!! I have so many questions!

First this is a wild ride, who doesn’t love an enemies to lovers demons/demon hunter romance?

This was so good and SUCH a page turner! I loved every second of Camille and Xanders story (so far)

I’m dying to know what happens next for Xander because SO MANY QUESTIONS
Camille has been so busy running from what her family is that I cannot wait to see what’s in store for her next!

I was gifted a copy from The Nerd Fam in exchange for a review all thoughts are my own!
Profile Image for Taylor McKay.
50 reviews10 followers
February 20, 2024
This spicy paranormal romance kept me intrigued and wanting more till the end. I loved the different pov’s and character development. Give me anything with banter and forbidden love! The only thing I would add is more spice and chemistry between the characters. Otherwise the book will be a recommendation!
Profile Image for Sammy Storey.
318 reviews2 followers
August 31, 2024
it started off good and then just kinda fell flat. She was willing to give it all away for a demon after like a month even though they killed her family? I don’t know
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