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Marisol's Monsters #19
The Mortician and the Reaper
I tossed and turned, my sheets tangling around my legs as sleep eluded me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him - tall, imposing, and impossibly alluring. Grim. The Reaper. The bane of my logical existence.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered, punching my pillow. "He's Death incarnate, for crying out loud."
They say opposites attract, but this is taking it to a whole new level. I'm a mortician who's given up on love, and he's the embodiment of Death who's never experienced it. Talk about a workplace romance gone wrong. Or is it right? I'm still figuring that out…
♥♥♥ A Sweet & Spicy Monster Novella ♥♥♥
★28k words
★HEA
★Slow Burn
★Forbidden Love
★Fish Out of Water
"This is ridiculous," I muttered, punching my pillow. "He's Death incarnate, for crying out loud."
They say opposites attract, but this is taking it to a whole new level. I'm a mortician who's given up on love, and he's the embodiment of Death who's never experienced it. Talk about a workplace romance gone wrong. Or is it right? I'm still figuring that out…
♥♥♥ A Sweet & Spicy Monster Novella ♥♥♥
★28k words
★HEA
★Slow Burn
★Forbidden Love
★Fish Out of Water
115 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 24, 2025
4.5 rounded up.
Very good for a novella. Usually, they lack substance. This one didn't.
Very good for a novella. Usually, they lack substance. This one didn't.
November 4, 2025
Just kind of an inconsequential book. Like I thought the demon thing would come back but really the big conflict was whether Grim would end up with Simone which... Yeah it's a romance. I thought the whole demon thing they were hinting at with the first body was going to play a bigger role so the whole book I was waiting for that to happen and it just never did. Management was also built up to be this big scary problem but then Grim pops in and goes "I wanna be a real boy" and they were like "K" and that was it.
There's no conflict in this book. Other than our main character abandoning a newly human grim reaper to deal with New York by himself. Like her reasons were honorable but that was so dumb I couldn't stop ranting about it. Like there's an in between option here that isn't just "go figure this out on your own when you only just got used to wearing clothes, much less figuring out the ins and outs of a major city".
Ultimately not for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't enjoy it either. Just sort of a nothing sandwich of a book.
For future me, this book was about
There's no conflict in this book. Other than our main character abandoning a newly human grim reaper to deal with New York by himself. Like her reasons were honorable but that was so dumb I couldn't stop ranting about it. Like there's an in between option here that isn't just "go figure this out on your own when you only just got used to wearing clothes, much less figuring out the ins and outs of a major city".
Ultimately not for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't enjoy it either. Just sort of a nothing sandwich of a book.
For future me, this book was about
June 18, 2025
The Mortician and the Reaper by Marisol Knight is a cute paranormal love story with a bit of passion and a sweet emotional core. Simone spends her time bringing support and dignity to grieving families as a funeral director. She is a great employer and a nurturing older sister; however, she is also lonely with no prospects in sight. Grim Reaper (readers are never given another name for him😊) has spent centuries ushering souls to the other side. In the time that he has diligently completed his job, he has never interacted with the living souls he encounters. That is until Simone looks up and really SEES him even in his incorporeal form! What ensues is a lovely and sensitive story as Grim decides if he wants to shake off immortality to live with the woman he has come to love. Grim was so extremely cute as he embraced his new humanity. The epilog was nicely detailed as we caught up with Simone, Grim as well as Simone’s sister Layla and employee Malik.
https://theretiredreader.com/f/the-mo...
https://theretiredreader.com/f/the-mo...
June 27, 2025
Don’t let the morbid-sounding title fool you. This was a short, sweet, and surprisingly uplifting story about love, death, and what it means to be human.
The characters are beautifully written and instantly endearing. Simone, our FMC, is a dedicated mortician who pours her heart into her work, while Grimm, our MMC, is a weary grim reaper who’s lost his sense of purpose after centuries of guiding souls to the afterlife. When their worlds unexpectedly collide, the connection between them is immediate, sparking a heartwarming and passionate romance that feels both magical and grounded.
The chemistry is strong, the spice hits just right, and the emotional beats are genuinely touching. This book was the perfect little palate cleanser between heavier reads, and I’d happily pick up more of Marisol’s work after this delightful experience.
The characters are beautifully written and instantly endearing. Simone, our FMC, is a dedicated mortician who pours her heart into her work, while Grimm, our MMC, is a weary grim reaper who’s lost his sense of purpose after centuries of guiding souls to the afterlife. When their worlds unexpectedly collide, the connection between them is immediate, sparking a heartwarming and passionate romance that feels both magical and grounded.
The chemistry is strong, the spice hits just right, and the emotional beats are genuinely touching. This book was the perfect little palate cleanser between heavier reads, and I’d happily pick up more of Marisol’s work after this delightful experience.
July 8, 2025
A beautiful, unexpected love story!
What would happen if death chose love over immortality? I think Madison Knight perfectly captured it. This was a beautifully written story about a reaper who stumbles across a woman named Simone, that can somehow see him in his true form. They begin a friendship where they try to understand how this is happening. As grim learns about humanity and all the new feelings he is having, they both develop feelings for each other. When Grim's "bosses" find out what is happening, he is given a choice, either keep your immortality or be a human with all that comes with being human, including death. Grim must decide his own fate and if love is worth his immortality.
I loved this novella and definitely recommend reading it!
What would happen if death chose love over immortality? I think Madison Knight perfectly captured it. This was a beautifully written story about a reaper who stumbles across a woman named Simone, that can somehow see him in his true form. They begin a friendship where they try to understand how this is happening. As grim learns about humanity and all the new feelings he is having, they both develop feelings for each other. When Grim's "bosses" find out what is happening, he is given a choice, either keep your immortality or be a human with all that comes with being human, including death. Grim must decide his own fate and if love is worth his immortality.
I loved this novella and definitely recommend reading it!
August 30, 2025
4 ⭐️
The Mortician and The Reaper is dark, romantic, and hauntingly beautiful. Marisol Knight weaves a story that blends death, duty, and desire into something surprisingly tender. The connection between the mortician and the reaper is equal parts eerie and magnetic, with moments of heat that light up the shadows.
In such a short space, this novella delivers an unforgettable mix of gothic atmosphere, spice, and vulnerability. It’s a love story that feels otherworldly yet deeply human.
The Mortician and The Reaper is dark, romantic, and hauntingly beautiful. Marisol Knight weaves a story that blends death, duty, and desire into something surprisingly tender. The connection between the mortician and the reaper is equal parts eerie and magnetic, with moments of heat that light up the shadows.
In such a short space, this novella delivers an unforgettable mix of gothic atmosphere, spice, and vulnerability. It’s a love story that feels otherworldly yet deeply human.
February 5, 2026
I need sex dreams to stop being a thing in romance novels, especially before the characters have ever even kissed. It’s so jarring, for there suddenly to be spice in the building stage of feelings.
I did actually really like this overall. Loved all of the moments of consent. The main characters were both likeable individually, and together. I didn’t care for Layla, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. Quick & cute read!
I did actually really like this overall. Loved all of the moments of consent. The main characters were both likeable individually, and together. I didn’t care for Layla, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. Quick & cute read!
March 1, 2026
The Mortician and the Reaper is very fast, to the point, and I barely remember what actually happened in it. But as a novella, it had a decent plot, which I have to give credit to the author for. I thought there would be more of a demon or mystery aspect in it, but the entire focus is on the romance and Grim’s existential crisis. However, any complication seems easy to resolve. Overall, it was simple and not something to get too lost in.
January 3, 2026
Not Monster, persay...
I wouldn't say this is a monster spicy novel because the MMC wasn't a monster to start with in this book. However, he wasn't mortal either. It was an overall good book with one chapter of spice, but that level wasn't very high 2/5, more so due to lack of detail. I would read more from this author though.
I wouldn't say this is a monster spicy novel because the MMC wasn't a monster to start with in this book. However, he wasn't mortal either. It was an overall good book with one chapter of spice, but that level wasn't very high 2/5, more so due to lack of detail. I would read more from this author though.
February 2, 2026
I enjoyed this novella in which Simone finds out she can see the grim reaper assigned to her area. I liked the way things developed, and how Grim discovered his corporeal form and some joys of mortality, and the twist at the end with the choice Grim makes really resonated. It’s a cute paranormal romance with a dash of spice.
February 17, 2026
This book had some uncomfortable scenes front-loaded; it did not shy away from the duties of a mortician. Grim- who never gets another name, even in the epilogue- is an utterly smitten MMC who would do anything for the woman he is enchanted by. A few minor sub-plots got lost, but let’s be honest, we’re not really here for the plot, are we? It’s 115 pages of slow burn yearning and what it means to be human. Recommend if you’re looking for a palette cleanser, but sensitive readers be wary.
For me, this was three stars: enjoyable and entertaining, but I wish some of the sub-plots and side characters had been fleshed out more (ha ha jokes). The magical elements could have been a little more detailed as well. Another hundred pages would have done wonders for me.
For me, this was three stars: enjoyable and entertaining, but I wish some of the sub-plots and side characters had been fleshed out more (ha ha jokes). The magical elements could have been a little more detailed as well. Another hundred pages would have done wonders for me.
March 16, 2026
In this short novella our FMC is a Mortician and our MMC is a Grim Reaper. One night when she is handling an unexpected body, he comes to reap the soul, and then to both their surprises - she sees him. He's not sure if it's because of the body she touched or her respect for death, but being close to her makes him want to experience humanity, as long as its with her.
March 24, 2026
Surprisingly Sweet
This was more sweet than I thought it would be. Simone is so sure of herself and such a caretaker. Grim is just a sweet little reaper not accustomed to human feelings. Them coming together is beautiful and so much more lively than I expected, but since Grim wanted to experience all of the joys of life, I am not really surprised.
This was more sweet than I thought it would be. Simone is so sure of herself and such a caretaker. Grim is just a sweet little reaper not accustomed to human feelings. Them coming together is beautiful and so much more lively than I expected, but since Grim wanted to experience all of the joys of life, I am not really surprised.
May 14, 2026
Cute, but I don't care for the double epilogue to fit in three kids, nor the idea that true love equals more kids. Ugh. Overall I wanted things more fleshed out, over more pages, with dropped threads woven back in.
Also, the second book in a row I've read where the FMC falls in love with a literal reaper who goes by Grim. Go fig.
Also, the second book in a row I've read where the FMC falls in love with a literal reaper who goes by Grim. Go fig.
June 19, 2025
This book kind of reminded me of the movie “city of angels”
A good little novella to get out of a reading slump but there were a few scenes in the book I feel were a bit rushed and not thought through.
A nice little love story if that’s what you’re looking for.
I’d give it 🌶️/5 for spice.
A good little novella to get out of a reading slump but there were a few scenes in the book I feel were a bit rushed and not thought through.
A nice little love story if that’s what you’re looking for.
I’d give it 🌶️/5 for spice.
July 10, 2025
💜💚💛💙
Oh wow who would have thought a love story with Death could be so pure and wonderful. Honestly it makes sense, absolutely in love with Grim and Simone. That ending was pretty amazing, wish the story was longer.
Oh wow who would have thought a love story with Death could be so pure and wonderful. Honestly it makes sense, absolutely in love with Grim and Simone. That ending was pretty amazing, wish the story was longer.
July 19, 2025
being truly seen is such a blessing
I felt the love in every word. We’d all be so blessed to be loved like these two. A girl can dream and keep reading. It’s a cute short read that’s a slow burn but worth it.
I felt the love in every word. We’d all be so blessed to be loved like these two. A girl can dream and keep reading. It’s a cute short read that’s a slow burn but worth it.
November 17, 2025
I truly adored this story and needed to take some time to settle my emotions. Oh my goodness, I loved this story so much! Grim and Simone's journey made my "happily ever after" loving self smile, swoon, cry, and feel all the emotions. As a romance lover, I feel completely fulfilled! ❤️
December 17, 2024
3.5 stars.
Very sweet story, and I must say a beautiful cover. I would have liked a bit more spice, but lovely overall.
Very sweet story, and I must say a beautiful cover. I would have liked a bit more spice, but lovely overall.
July 10, 2025
3.5⭐️
September 11, 2025
3⭐
Check out my reviews here: Finally! Another 5⭐ Read!!! | August '25 Reviews
Check out my reviews here: Finally! Another 5⭐ Read!!! | August '25 Reviews
December 10, 2025
This was surprisingly cute and fluffy!
I think I went in to the novella feeling like this would be dark and gloomy, with angsty and mystery vibes but I actually was so surprised to learn how cozy and fluffy this felt. Yes, she is a mortician and damn good at her job and we get to experience death in its many forms but it remains surprisingly light.
The story also focuses on the romance between Grim and Simone, so there are a few loose ends by the end of the book. Nothing major, but something to keep in mind that while we get the HEA, not all mysteries are solved. Personally, I didn't mind that but I wouldn't have minded to see and experience more of this world.
I think I went in to the novella feeling like this would be dark and gloomy, with angsty and mystery vibes but I actually was so surprised to learn how cozy and fluffy this felt. Yes, she is a mortician and damn good at her job and we get to experience death in its many forms but it remains surprisingly light.
The story also focuses on the romance between Grim and Simone, so there are a few loose ends by the end of the book. Nothing major, but something to keep in mind that while we get the HEA, not all mysteries are solved. Personally, I didn't mind that but I wouldn't have minded to see and experience more of this world.
January 7, 2026
So sweet!
Grim is the sweetest grim reaper ever! I loved Simone & Grim's relationship from start to finish, and really enjoyed the epilogue.
Grim is the sweetest grim reaper ever! I loved Simone & Grim's relationship from start to finish, and really enjoyed the epilogue.
January 24, 2026
Short and sweet with the right amount of 🌶 🌶🌶
loved the character build on this one, was a fun quick binge read.
loved the character build on this one, was a fun quick binge read.
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February 2, 2026Didn't hold my attention. It seemed like it would be a good story. But something about the writing was off for me. I might try again later.
August 31, 2025
This was a good short love story I enjoyed it❤️
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews