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Monster Smash Agency #3
Lessons with the Mothman
Elias - freelance consultant to Monster Smash Agency, and prestigiously rare moth fae - has never been in love. Granted, he's never been interested in the emotion, but with his friends mating with their clients, the new curiosity is keeping him up at night. If only the act of loving made any logical sense. And if only he could find someone to draw him in like the moth to the flame.
Victoria is looking for facts not feelings. She wants to understand why the monster species are so much more satisfied than humans, than her. But the handsome mothman who volunteers to aid her study wants to stimulate more than her intelligence. She's willing to explore their physical chemistry, but she wants no part of his designs on her heart.
Some lessons can't be taught, and love is certainly one of them.
Victoria is looking for facts not feelings. She wants to understand why the monster species are so much more satisfied than humans, than her. But the handsome mothman who volunteers to aid her study wants to stimulate more than her intelligence. She's willing to explore their physical chemistry, but she wants no part of his designs on her heart.
Some lessons can't be taught, and love is certainly one of them.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2025
109 people are currently reading
1071 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Moon
40 books5,252 followersKathryn Moon is a country mouse who started dictating stories to her mother at an early age. The fascination with building new worlds and discovering the lives of the characters who grew in her head never faltered, and she graduated college with a fiction writing degree. She loves writing women were are strong in their vulnerability, romances that are as affectionate as they are challenging, and worlds that a reader sinks into and never wants to leave. When her hands aren't busy typing they're probably knitting sweaters or crimping pie crust in Ohio. She definitely believes in magic.
You can reach her on Facebook and at ohkathrynmoon@gmail.com
You can reach her on Facebook and at ohkathrynmoon@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
February 22, 2025
(in a whorish tone) ok kathryn....... i see you
i was terrified of this book lowkey because every mothman book i've ever read has been CRINGE! but honestly this title is misleading because elias, our title mothman, is actually a fae? even though i found myself pretending that he didn't have weird dick probes and an actual mane still
the thing i love about kathryn moon books and i keep CRAWLING back is the fact that each one feels so fresh and unique despite still sticking to a comforting and rhythmic romance pace!!! this one had so many surprising elements that i'd never read before in books like a female main character who found it difficult to climax but it was never the intention to *fix* her. and the male main character was love bombing because he's never experienced it before and UGH it was just so interesting and had such emotional character depth despite being a literal moth porn story.
i will say i loved the role play elements of the smut and i thought it fit in so nicely with the main characters' angst and character dynamics. was not a fan of the tentacle threesome at the end. sadly, i keep finding myself wishing kathryn moon would write some regular smegular romance at this point because i LOVE her writing and her characters but i often find myself pretending-i-do-not-see-it when she introduces minotaurs and krakens and everything into her stories
but anyway this slayed after a meh second installment in the series
i was terrified of this book lowkey because every mothman book i've ever read has been CRINGE! but honestly this title is misleading because elias, our title mothman, is actually a fae? even though i found myself pretending that he didn't have weird dick probes and an actual mane still
the thing i love about kathryn moon books and i keep CRAWLING back is the fact that each one feels so fresh and unique despite still sticking to a comforting and rhythmic romance pace!!! this one had so many surprising elements that i'd never read before in books like a female main character who found it difficult to climax but it was never the intention to *fix* her. and the male main character was love bombing because he's never experienced it before and UGH it was just so interesting and had such emotional character depth despite being a literal moth porn story.
i will say i loved the role play elements of the smut and i thought it fit in so nicely with the main characters' angst and character dynamics. was not a fan of the tentacle threesome at the end. sadly, i keep finding myself wishing kathryn moon would write some regular smegular romance at this point because i LOVE her writing and her characters but i often find myself pretending-i-do-not-see-it when she introduces minotaurs and krakens and everything into her stories
but anyway this slayed after a meh second installment in the series
March 14, 2025
I enjoyed these weird little freaks and their deeply analytical approach to falling in love. Hated the dick tendrils though they filled me with deep primordial fear. But that’s what monster romance is for, sexualizing fear and disgust amiright gang? No? Just me?
January 16, 2025
I will never say no to a slutty little mothman
January 28, 2025
DNF. Look, I just couldn't get into this. I liked the previous books well enough but this was just bad. The story is meandering and dull and the couple just doesn't seem to have any chemistry. I really had to push myself to read past the first few chapters. Oh, and it's NOT a monogamous MF relationship like I was lead to believe.
- The whole premise of a girl wanting to study monster mating habits and relationships is interesting but this didn't grip me in any way. The story was slow and not very interesting and Victoria is kind of dull and boring. The only "interesting" thing about her is her past affair with a professor who's class she's still in (ew), her fiance cheating on her with her sister (which she doesn't seem to care about either) and her watching a couple mate turns her on (which is kind of awkward imo since she's there in a professional capacity). Her only character trait seems to be being weirdly hypersexual and bland.
- Then there's Elias, who creeped me the FUCK out. This guy is just weird, controlling and manipulative the WHOLE time. He's basically exploiting dumb ass Victoria's hypersexual nature and low key forcing her into situations and being a stage 5 clinger for literally NO reason.
He has nothing in common with her but goes above and beyond to help her research and they fuck a few times... That's really it. Not much romance or connection or anything and the whole work intrigue back plot felt convoluted and boring and then they decide they're in love... Eh. Alsoooo, we're told in the beginning he doesn't get / understand love and that it's basically sex / attachment but he's the one who "falls" for her first / is all in love, but it really comes across like he's a controlling pervert creep and Victoria is such a horndog she allows it.
- INCOMPATIBLE LIFESPANS?! I absolutely hate when we're supposed to root for a couple where one party is going to die ages before the other.
- What the hell was that random threesome? I thought this was MF and a romance and I got a bunch of weird (not very well done) smut and the "relationship" felt like an afterthought.
- her "research" WAS ANECDOTAL?! literally this whole thing is her interviewing random monsters, there's no set questions or control group just her perving on a few monsters and drawing wild conclusions. And getting sexually involved.....I hated it.
- The smut was not great. The dirty talk and roleplay was mediocre and the scenes did not do anything for me. Eh. None of it really came across well to me and it wasn't very hot IMO. Also watching a gay couple fuck in front of you for "research" and then grinding on your boss / the guy helping you with these interviews was gross to me. Like completely inappropriate given the situation.
- The whole premise of a girl wanting to study monster mating habits and relationships is interesting but this didn't grip me in any way. The story was slow and not very interesting and Victoria is kind of dull and boring. The only "interesting" thing about her is her past affair with a professor who's class she's still in (ew), her fiance cheating on her with her sister (which she doesn't seem to care about either) and her watching a couple mate turns her on (which is kind of awkward imo since she's there in a professional capacity). Her only character trait seems to be being weirdly hypersexual and bland.
- Then there's Elias, who creeped me the FUCK out. This guy is just weird, controlling and manipulative the WHOLE time. He's basically exploiting dumb ass Victoria's hypersexual nature and low key forcing her into situations and being a stage 5 clinger for literally NO reason.
He has nothing in common with her but goes above and beyond to help her research and they fuck a few times... That's really it. Not much romance or connection or anything and the whole work intrigue back plot felt convoluted and boring and then they decide they're in love... Eh. Alsoooo, we're told in the beginning he doesn't get / understand love and that it's basically sex / attachment but he's the one who "falls" for her first / is all in love, but it really comes across like he's a controlling pervert creep and Victoria is such a horndog she allows it.
- INCOMPATIBLE LIFESPANS?! I absolutely hate when we're supposed to root for a couple where one party is going to die ages before the other.
- What the hell was that random threesome? I thought this was MF and a romance and I got a bunch of weird (not very well done) smut and the "relationship" felt like an afterthought.
- her "research" WAS ANECDOTAL?! literally this whole thing is her interviewing random monsters, there's no set questions or control group just her perving on a few monsters and drawing wild conclusions. And getting sexually involved.....I hated it.
- The smut was not great. The dirty talk and roleplay was mediocre and the scenes did not do anything for me. Eh. None of it really came across well to me and it wasn't very hot IMO. Also watching a gay couple fuck in front of you for "research" and then grinding on your boss / the guy helping you with these interviews was gross to me. Like completely inappropriate given the situation.
March 10, 2025
I had my moments of doubt when I started this book, specifically because Victoria had cheated in a previous relationship. However, I loved the complexity that was examined with that, even if it wasn’t the focal point of the book. She spent so much of her life putting on a mask and I admired her for acknowledging all parts of herself. She was intelligent and closed off from genuine romantic attachments, but grew to be a more authentic and confident version of herself. Elias was so pompous and ridiculous but I adored him. He needed some helping hands to see where he went wrong, but he was not a malicious person. He was such a safe place for Victoria to experiment and they were so sweet together in the end.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: cheating (past relationship), harassment from professor who was also ex, power differential in past relationship, unhealthy parent child relationship
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: cheating (past relationship), harassment from professor who was also ex, power differential in past relationship, unhealthy parent child relationship
May 16, 2025
4.4 my favorite of the three by far
January 18, 2025
Another super sexy Monster Smash Angecy entry. 🌶🌶🌶
4 stars
4.5 on the spice scale
4 stars
4.5 on the spice scale
January 15, 2025
I want to start off by saying I think there are 2 types of people with a book like this - those who will love the type of relationship these MCs have and those who will hate it. Unfortunately I fell into the second, mainly because I went into this expecting a monogamous, MF romance, and that’s not quite what I got. Because of the previous books in this story, I also expected there to be a mating bond, which there isn’t. It felt very different from books 1&2 which is fine, but I went into it expecting one thing and I got something else.
This book does contain one of my biggest pet peeves….. incompatible life spans lol
This book does contain one of my biggest pet peeves….. incompatible life spans lol
January 16, 2025
The Bridal Store Scene Was Criminal
You know what you did. How dare you kick that poor sweetie pie snobby puppy of a mothman like that.
You know what you did. How dare you kick that poor sweetie pie snobby puppy of a mothman like that.
July 8, 2025
3.5ish ⭐️ or slightly less.
I love a snobby mothman who finds emotions exhausting! Elias was a sexy weirdo in the best way possible.
The writing was great and the book was not short on spice, but I did find the chemistry between the characters to lack at certain points.
Overall a fun read if you’re looking for something a bit strange (complimentary) but super steamy.
I love a snobby mothman who finds emotions exhausting! Elias was a sexy weirdo in the best way possible.
The writing was great and the book was not short on spice, but I did find the chemistry between the characters to lack at certain points.
Overall a fun read if you’re looking for something a bit strange (complimentary) but super steamy.
January 9, 2025
Elias - freelance consultant to Monster Smash Agency, and prestigiously rare moth fae - has never been in love. Granted, he's never been interested in the emotion, but with his friends mating with their clients, the new curiosity is keeping him up at night. If only the act of loving made any logical sense. And if only he could find someone to draw him in like the moth to the flame.
Victoria is looking for facts not feelings. She wants to understand why the monster species are so much more satisfied than humans, than her. But the handsome mothman who volunteers to aid her study wants to stimulate more than her intelligence. She's willing to explore their physical chemistry, but she wants no part of his designs on her heart. Some lessons can't be taught, and love is certainly one of them.
"The more I know about her, the more I feel I know about myself, like a mirror I'd never bothered to look into before."
Before I start off, I want to say thank you so much to Kathryn Moon for sending me an e-ARC copy of Lessons with the Mothman. I've been so looking forward to the continuation of the Monster Smash Agency series and it's been so wonderful making this series the first read of the past three years.
I feel like I have been looking forward to Elias' book since he was first introduced and even more so after the ending of Howl for the Gargoyle last year. His character is so interesting to me and I loved the progression and growth of his character throughout this one and how well he was matched up with Victoria chemistry wise and with the way that they sort of struggled in order to get to where they eventually end up. I think that the fae within this series are so interesting and I loved getting to see a bit more of how much of an outlier Elias is in regards to them.
Victoria was a really lovely character and I think she really stole the show for me in regards to the characters in the book. Her journey was an interesting perspective that I've never personally read before and I really loved how inquisitive she is and especially appreciated Elias' love of her intelligence.
I also always love the fact that we get to see the other characters from the previous books throughout this series and getting to see the different perspectives of dynamics was really fun!
I will say that out of the entire series so far, I think this one is my least favorite. I enjoyed myself very much which is why its getting four stars but there was some sort of emotional tie that I was personally missing from this particular story that I had with the previous two stories. I have no idea if this series is continuing but if it does, I will definitely be picking up the next one so don't let my thoughts here dissuade you from picking it up. I think that Kathryn Moon is a really fantastic author and I really hope that we do get more from this series!
July 26, 2025
What is it about Mothmen?
Wow, another amazing, sweet, funny, and smart monstrous romance from Kathryn Moon! I especially enjoy the story’s scholarly look at monster intimacy.
Yes, it’s deliciously sexy and romantic, but what delighted me even more was how thoughtfully written it is. There are layers and layers of meaning and emotion, and so much wisdom.
Friends have had a variety of reactions to the story, so it’s possible that I find the romance to be delicious because Victoria’s anthropological point of view mirrors my own. Elias’s masterful demolition of Victoria’s ability to disassociate herself from sex with irresistible role play is especially delightful for me to consider. I will share that I toured all the BDSM and role play areas at Kink.com’s HQ, and spent a week immersed in the hedonism of Burning Man but felt like an anthropologist the whole time, not a possible participant.
Elias is a rare and ancient moth fae and a freelance sexworker for the Monster Smash Agency. The agency matches humans with monsters, sometimes for people who want a sexual experience only possible with a monster, sometimes people who have more psychological needs. Elias is so rare that the Agency allows him to pick his own clients.
In appearance he is described as being “ethereal and eerie, tall and entirely inhuman, with large onyx eyes and shimmering antennae.”
Victoria is working on her Masters thesis, a study of monster sexuality and interspecies relationships, and her topic intrigues Elias. Specifically, she wants to study why monsters are more sexually satisfied than humans. It turns out that, as a sensualist with a cerebral nature, it’s a topic that Elias has informally studied on his own. Victoria has written the Agency to request interviews, but is open to an encounter too.
Elias agrees to broker interviews, but he also has questions of his own that he is working through. Is he capable of a sustained relationship? What would it be like to find that one person?
The scene where Victoria discovers Elias’s playful male parts for the first time is just brilliant.
What else I loved…
::The roleplay scenes are clever and, well, joyous, for some reason, even the deliberately degrading ones
::How Elias’s dirty talk could be filthy and affectionate at the same time
::Elias and Victoria are so articulate and smart
::How their consent, and listening, and respect is so sensual
::The neurospicy rep (demisexuality) is perfect
I have two other favorite Mothman books!
::Live, Laugh, Lurk by Elsie Winter
::Sweet Berries by CM Nascosta
I discovered the intensely erotic escapism of monster romances during COVID, and Kathryn Moon’s were some of the first I read (also Kimberley Lemming, Katee Robert, and Lillian Lake). Moon just keeps getting better. Highly recommended.
Wow, another amazing, sweet, funny, and smart monstrous romance from Kathryn Moon! I especially enjoy the story’s scholarly look at monster intimacy.
Yes, it’s deliciously sexy and romantic, but what delighted me even more was how thoughtfully written it is. There are layers and layers of meaning and emotion, and so much wisdom.
Friends have had a variety of reactions to the story, so it’s possible that I find the romance to be delicious because Victoria’s anthropological point of view mirrors my own. Elias’s masterful demolition of Victoria’s ability to disassociate herself from sex with irresistible role play is especially delightful for me to consider. I will share that I toured all the BDSM and role play areas at Kink.com’s HQ, and spent a week immersed in the hedonism of Burning Man but felt like an anthropologist the whole time, not a possible participant.
Elias is a rare and ancient moth fae and a freelance sexworker for the Monster Smash Agency. The agency matches humans with monsters, sometimes for people who want a sexual experience only possible with a monster, sometimes people who have more psychological needs. Elias is so rare that the Agency allows him to pick his own clients.
In appearance he is described as being “ethereal and eerie, tall and entirely inhuman, with large onyx eyes and shimmering antennae.”
Victoria is working on her Masters thesis, a study of monster sexuality and interspecies relationships, and her topic intrigues Elias. Specifically, she wants to study why monsters are more sexually satisfied than humans. It turns out that, as a sensualist with a cerebral nature, it’s a topic that Elias has informally studied on his own. Victoria has written the Agency to request interviews, but is open to an encounter too.
Elias agrees to broker interviews, but he also has questions of his own that he is working through. Is he capable of a sustained relationship? What would it be like to find that one person?
The scene where Victoria discovers Elias’s playful male parts for the first time is just brilliant.
What else I loved…
::The roleplay scenes are clever and, well, joyous, for some reason, even the deliberately degrading ones
::How Elias’s dirty talk could be filthy and affectionate at the same time
::Elias and Victoria are so articulate and smart
::How their consent, and listening, and respect is so sensual
::The neurospicy rep (demisexuality) is perfect
I have two other favorite Mothman books!
::Live, Laugh, Lurk by Elsie Winter
::Sweet Berries by CM Nascosta
I discovered the intensely erotic escapism of monster romances during COVID, and Kathryn Moon’s were some of the first I read (also Kimberley Lemming, Katee Robert, and Lillian Lake). Moon just keeps getting better. Highly recommended.
February 7, 2025
Tropes:
~monster romance
~age gap
~sex worker hero
~lessons in seduction
~rich hero
This was an interesting one. Victoria is a PhD student whose dissertation is focused on monster sexuality, and Elias is a mothfae who takes an interest in her project (and her) and decides to assist. Along the way, they decided to enter a no-strings-attached sexual relationship, but of course in these books emotions always end up developing haha.
There were some parts that dragged a bit, and it was very smut heavy when I at times wanted more of the domestic scenes between them, but I kinda adored how both of them were so logical about falling in love. I could see how some folks could see them both as being too cold or clinical, but I found it a bit relatable tbh lol. I also appreciated that Victoria didn't easily achieve orgasm, and that Elias respected her wishes about just wanting to enjoy sex without the pressure of an orgasm.
I saw a review mention how they didn't like the fact that he'll probably outlive her, but I appreciated that we just didn't even really acknowledge that or need to find some magic "fix" to her being a mortal human. Just because one of them might not live forever doesn't mean that they shouldn't still enjoy loving one another, especially when Victoria should hopefully have quite a few decades of life left. I will admit that the threesome scene at the end felt...odd. It just was very disjointed and not at all sexy in the way I'd have wanted a threesome scene to be for them, and I'm confused why it was even included except to show that they have an open relationship when it comes to sexual encounters.
I definitely think that I prefer Kathryn Moon's why choose romances, but this series has been a smutty little palette cleanser for me that I overall have enjoyed.
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
"And the touch of a hand lit the fuse
Of a chain reaction of countermoves
To assess the equation of you
Checkmate, I couldn't lose"
~monster romance
~age gap
~sex worker hero
~lessons in seduction
~rich hero
This was an interesting one. Victoria is a PhD student whose dissertation is focused on monster sexuality, and Elias is a mothfae who takes an interest in her project (and her) and decides to assist. Along the way, they decided to enter a no-strings-attached sexual relationship, but of course in these books emotions always end up developing haha.
There were some parts that dragged a bit, and it was very smut heavy when I at times wanted more of the domestic scenes between them, but I kinda adored how both of them were so logical about falling in love. I could see how some folks could see them both as being too cold or clinical, but I found it a bit relatable tbh lol. I also appreciated that Victoria didn't easily achieve orgasm, and that Elias respected her wishes about just wanting to enjoy sex without the pressure of an orgasm.
I saw a review mention how they didn't like the fact that he'll probably outlive her, but I appreciated that we just didn't even really acknowledge that or need to find some magic "fix" to her being a mortal human. Just because one of them might not live forever doesn't mean that they shouldn't still enjoy loving one another, especially when Victoria should hopefully have quite a few decades of life left. I will admit that the threesome scene at the end felt...odd. It just was very disjointed and not at all sexy in the way I'd have wanted a threesome scene to be for them, and I'm confused why it was even included except to show that they have an open relationship when it comes to sexual encounters.
I definitely think that I prefer Kathryn Moon's why choose romances, but this series has been a smutty little palette cleanser for me that I overall have enjoyed.
If this book was Taylor Swift lyrics:
"And the touch of a hand lit the fuse
Of a chain reaction of countermoves
To assess the equation of you
Checkmate, I couldn't lose"
December 21, 2025
Very spice-forward, but the characters aren't just generic puppets and have unique personalities, struggles, and development.
January 17, 2025
I liked how it differed from previous books and some more common tropes. It's more smut than plot and sweet
January 17, 2025
Monster Smash Agency Series :
1 Games with the Orc (2022) - ✅ 4.5 ⭐
2 Howl for the Gargoyle (2023) - ✅ 4.5 ⭐
3 Lessons with the Mothman (2025) - ✅ 2.5 ⭐ - it's not my cup of tea 😏
Book Four - coming late 2025
1 Games with the Orc (2022) - ✅ 4.5 ⭐
2 Howl for the Gargoyle (2023) - ✅ 4.5 ⭐
3 Lessons with the Mothman (2025) - ✅ 2.5 ⭐ - it's not my cup of tea 😏
Book Four - coming late 2025
November 24, 2025
1.5 ⭐️ autumnal buddy read for york!
I mean it’s just 300 pages of smut at the end of the day isn’t it? I just don’t know what him being a moth had to do with anything!!!!! think I was expecting a different approach to his cryptid-ness but he really could have been anything and it wouldn’t have made a difference and that is sad to me 💔
I mean it’s just 300 pages of smut at the end of the day isn’t it? I just don’t know what him being a moth had to do with anything!!!!! think I was expecting a different approach to his cryptid-ness but he really could have been anything and it wouldn’t have made a difference and that is sad to me 💔
January 28, 2025
L’ho trovato vero e l’ho trovato onesto. E sono molto contenta che la protagonista non sia stata magicamente “curata” da Elias perché la sessualità non è per tutti uguale e non per forza non riuscire a venire ogni singola volta con un tocco è un peso o un limite nella relazione, non rende il rapporto meno reale o soddisfacente.
Una ventata di aria fresca tra i vari mate che si innamorano in due settimane e vengono non appena si guardano.
Una ventata di aria fresca tra i vari mate che si innamorano in due settimane e vengono non appena si guardano.
October 26, 2025
you know it’s bad when this made the Loch Ness monster book we read read like Shakespeare.
read with Kat and Hol on the way to York!! it made time pass. fast. it also made me regret my entire existence! relentless!
read with Kat and Hol on the way to York!! it made time pass. fast. it also made me regret my entire existence! relentless!
October 28, 2025
i know this is probably a given considering he's a moth-man but he's such a weirdo
(a terrifying buddy read)
(a terrifying buddy read)
January 19, 2025
I don’t think this one was for me. There was plenty of steam, but the romance part of it threw me. I’m not a fan of open relationships in M/F romance and the kraken threesome (which made me uncomfortable) paired with their relationship dynamic at the end of the story kinda ruined it for me. I knew they weren’t going to be mates or anything, but I didn’t expect he would continue working for the agency and they’d have an open partnership. There’s not really much of a story other than the relationship and spice. The sex scenes were not great, but maybe if someone is really into that kind of play they’d like it. I don’t know this was a weird read for me and I’m still processing how I felt about it
Maybe I wouldn’t be as salty if this was on KU, but I paid for it and it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.
Maybe I wouldn’t be as salty if this was on KU, but I paid for it and it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2025
To be fair, I went in with expectations to the moon for this book. I literally had the release day in my calendar and pre-purchase the Kindle version. 😔
Moon is my favourite erotica author, Mothman is my favourite Cryptid, I REALLY enjoyed the last two Monster Smash Agency books, the mysterious/sardonic Moth bartender character previously introduced intrigued me etc etc you get the gist. There was a lot of antipation and expectation for this on my end.
-spoilers below-
- I didn't really like Victoria. I wasn't sure what her exact issue/blockage was or what changed to make it go away. She didn't seem ashamed for what she did to Brett, and the professor affair storyline sorta just fizzled out without going anywhere. I thought it might come back for an exciting climax?? (He makes a move on her/blackmails her that he'll tell Brett. This would also involve her family/Brett storyline, which, similarly, didn't go anywhere.) Also, we barely go into whatever her dissertation is about and never hear her discoveries or theories. I feel there was so much untapped potential here of her getting excited and coming to conclusions with Elias witnessing her light up or learning something from her.
- Elias was fine until the cringey "interrupting Victoria's sister's wedding dress shopping scene." He's supposed to be ancient and intuitive, so this seemed so oddball out of character. I understand he's never been in love before, but it was hella rude and out of line. Like you'd have to be a real idiot to think that was a good idea.
In general, Elias and Victoria were written so similarly: introverted, studious, lonely - that I don't see how they really complimented one another or changed the other for the better?
The roleplay was fun. The spice was nice for the most part, but every once in a while, Victoria would think something super unsexy and just....I dunno. Maybe I was the one too in my head to enjoy this as much as I wanted to!! I am the one with blockage!!
2.5/5 rouge on nipples
Moon is my favourite erotica author, Mothman is my favourite Cryptid, I REALLY enjoyed the last two Monster Smash Agency books, the mysterious/sardonic Moth bartender character previously introduced intrigued me etc etc you get the gist. There was a lot of antipation and expectation for this on my end.
-spoilers below-
- I didn't really like Victoria. I wasn't sure what her exact issue/blockage was or what changed to make it go away. She didn't seem ashamed for what she did to Brett, and the professor affair storyline sorta just fizzled out without going anywhere. I thought it might come back for an exciting climax?? (He makes a move on her/blackmails her that he'll tell Brett. This would also involve her family/Brett storyline, which, similarly, didn't go anywhere.) Also, we barely go into whatever her dissertation is about and never hear her discoveries or theories. I feel there was so much untapped potential here of her getting excited and coming to conclusions with Elias witnessing her light up or learning something from her.
- Elias was fine until the cringey "interrupting Victoria's sister's wedding dress shopping scene." He's supposed to be ancient and intuitive, so this seemed so oddball out of character. I understand he's never been in love before, but it was hella rude and out of line. Like you'd have to be a real idiot to think that was a good idea.
In general, Elias and Victoria were written so similarly: introverted, studious, lonely - that I don't see how they really complimented one another or changed the other for the better?
The roleplay was fun. The spice was nice for the most part, but every once in a while, Victoria would think something super unsexy and just....I dunno. Maybe I was the one too in my head to enjoy this as much as I wanted to!! I am the one with blockage!!
2.5/5 rouge on nipples
January 18, 2025
How does Kathryn do it? How do these books keep getting better?
This book is everything I adore about this series, intelligent, thought provoking, prickly yet loveable characters, and scorching hot!
I am once again bereft that the Monster Smash Agency isn't a real thing, and I am desperate for more books in this world.
This book is everything I adore about this series, intelligent, thought provoking, prickly yet loveable characters, and scorching hot!
I am once again bereft that the Monster Smash Agency isn't a real thing, and I am desperate for more books in this world.
January 19, 2025
I'm not sure a book had the right to be THIS hot.
It's borderline dangerous territory.
It's borderline dangerous territory.
Read
March 10, 2025
Trigger & Content Warnings
Infidelity recounted
Sexual harassment by ex-partner & current professor mentioned
Infidelity recounted
Sexual harassment by ex-partner & current professor mentioned
March 7, 2025
It’s probably not a surprise that a series of standalones about monsters who are connected through an upscale sex working agency includes a lot of sex. Like the first two, this is VERY SPICY. This time featuring some creative role play! Elias is as delightfully eccentric, thoughtful, determined, and rigorous in the bedroom as out.
Other than the monster sex though, what keeps me coming (pun intended) back to this series is the nuanced conversations about relationship dynamics, the importance of communication, and vulnerability. And women who learn how to articulate and embrace what they want in bed and outside of it.
Victoria as a researcher felt so real. Trying to reclaim her own identity after a complicated past letting herself be forced into boxes that never felt quite right. I loved how she and Elias found their footing together.
The way Moon communicates Elias’s loneliness is so deftly done, subtle throughout and profound when all the pieces click for both the reader and Victoria. And at the same time his prickly pretentiousness that made him an enjoyable side character is still there. I particularly loved watching him continue to open up to his male friends and their mates - Rafe, Khell, Theo…Hannah in particular has a great cameo in this book! It’s giving found family which gets me every time, especially when the most reluctant one gets drawn in.
Both Victoria and Elias take themselves a bit more seriously than most of the other characters in the series thus far, but there are still plenty of giggles and quirky moments mixed in. Definitely more emotionally ambitious! Very curious to see where the next one goes!
Other than the monster sex though, what keeps me coming (pun intended) back to this series is the nuanced conversations about relationship dynamics, the importance of communication, and vulnerability. And women who learn how to articulate and embrace what they want in bed and outside of it.
Victoria as a researcher felt so real. Trying to reclaim her own identity after a complicated past letting herself be forced into boxes that never felt quite right. I loved how she and Elias found their footing together.
The way Moon communicates Elias’s loneliness is so deftly done, subtle throughout and profound when all the pieces click for both the reader and Victoria. And at the same time his prickly pretentiousness that made him an enjoyable side character is still there. I particularly loved watching him continue to open up to his male friends and their mates - Rafe, Khell, Theo…Hannah in particular has a great cameo in this book! It’s giving found family which gets me every time, especially when the most reluctant one gets drawn in.
Both Victoria and Elias take themselves a bit more seriously than most of the other characters in the series thus far, but there are still plenty of giggles and quirky moments mixed in. Definitely more emotionally ambitious! Very curious to see where the next one goes!
Read
January 31, 2025I forgot to review this book. What happened? I dnf’d, then decided to f by skimming the last 10% of the book and then read the epilogue. Because I knew I wasn’t going to like the ending because… I really don’t like how most fae are written.
SPOILERS
I get it. It’s how fae have canonically been written- no mates, live long so their human is going to die on them eventually, and they are jaded af. Oooh! Let’s throw in a threesome because, well, you can’t have a fae without them fucking everybody and everything! They are 🧚♂️too🧚♂️✨magical✨🧚♂️for🧚♂️monogamy🧚♂️
Urgh. No, I can’t with the sex worker mmc that stays a sex worker at the end. This was a HFN, which I consider pretty much all of Kathryn Moon’s to be (except for few exceptions. FEW.) No shaming sex workers. But in my fantasy lala land, this doesn’t really jive for me because frankly, I’m a jealous broad. It’s ok to be a stud for hire before they meet. But if it’s not a one night stand with the fmc, (which is fine if it is) he needs to evaluate.
So anyway. Why do I keep reading her books when I have trust issues with her? Because I like her writing. And because last year I read almost 200 books and now I’m scraping the barrel.
SPOILERS
I get it. It’s how fae have canonically been written- no mates, live long so their human is going to die on them eventually, and they are jaded af. Oooh! Let’s throw in a threesome because, well, you can’t have a fae without them fucking everybody and everything! They are 🧚♂️too🧚♂️✨magical✨🧚♂️for🧚♂️monogamy🧚♂️
Urgh. No, I can’t with the sex worker mmc that stays a sex worker at the end. This was a HFN, which I consider pretty much all of Kathryn Moon’s to be (except for few exceptions. FEW.) No shaming sex workers. But in my fantasy lala land, this doesn’t really jive for me because frankly, I’m a jealous broad. It’s ok to be a stud for hire before they meet. But if it’s not a one night stand with the fmc, (which is fine if it is) he needs to evaluate.
So anyway. Why do I keep reading her books when I have trust issues with her? Because I like her writing. And because last year I read almost 200 books and now I’m scraping the barrel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2025
2.5 stars
This really fell flat for me. I didn't feel any connection or chemistry between the characters. They have a moderate amount of sex and the MMC is suddenly saying “I'm in love”. I couldn't tell you anything about their personalities or what they like about each other; the characters just felt really under-developed. I didn't warm to the MMC at all - it felt he really pushed some boundaries, was manipulative and clingy. He's described as “smart, curious and intuitive” - I didn't see that in him at all.
At about 85% they finally start communicating what they want from the relationship/non relationship. Then they have a random threesome with a character who was never mentioned before (I skimmed it), there's a time skip, they said I love you and then it was the epilogue.
The sex scenes also felt lacklustre to me. Maybe they just weren't the type of scenes I enjoy reading, but they didn't work at all and the dirty talk was kind of cringe. There were also lots of times where the scene cut off partway through, or a chapter started and they're already having sex; that was weird to me.
I'm also a bit annoyed because I paid for this book (which I really do) and it was a let down.
This really fell flat for me. I didn't feel any connection or chemistry between the characters. They have a moderate amount of sex and the MMC is suddenly saying “I'm in love”. I couldn't tell you anything about their personalities or what they like about each other; the characters just felt really under-developed. I didn't warm to the MMC at all - it felt he really pushed some boundaries, was manipulative and clingy. He's described as “smart, curious and intuitive” - I didn't see that in him at all.
At about 85% they finally start communicating what they want from the relationship/non relationship. Then they have a random threesome with a character who was never mentioned before (I skimmed it), there's a time skip, they said I love you and then it was the epilogue.
The sex scenes also felt lacklustre to me. Maybe they just weren't the type of scenes I enjoy reading, but they didn't work at all and the dirty talk was kind of cringe. There were also lots of times where the scene cut off partway through, or a chapter started and they're already having sex; that was weird to me.
I'm also a bit annoyed because I paid for this book (which I really do) and it was a let down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2025
This was fine. Kind of weird, and I wasn't sure what to expect given the fact that neither character was very interested in love or romance for themselves. It ended up working okay for me, but this definitely wasn't my favorite Kathryn book.
I love sex lessons, but that wasn't really what this was, despite the title. This was more research adjacent no-strings (on one side only) sex that was all about Elias trying to fall in love to see what that's like, and Victoria trying to get some physical needs met with someone who won't expect her to orgasm. And they were very compatible. Elias had a secret goal of actually cracking the code to her orgasm, which is both kind of sweet and kind of manipulative. The role playing was interesting, and the almost academic approach to it was something I haven't read in a while.
This has been a pretty inconsistent series for me, and my feelings about this book in particular were kind of all over the place. I always like a peek into Kathryn's mind, but mostly I just want to go reread Lola.
I love sex lessons, but that wasn't really what this was, despite the title. This was more research adjacent no-strings (on one side only) sex that was all about Elias trying to fall in love to see what that's like, and Victoria trying to get some physical needs met with someone who won't expect her to orgasm. And they were very compatible. Elias had a secret goal of actually cracking the code to her orgasm, which is both kind of sweet and kind of manipulative. The role playing was interesting, and the almost academic approach to it was something I haven't read in a while.
This has been a pretty inconsistent series for me, and my feelings about this book in particular were kind of all over the place. I always like a peek into Kathryn's mind, but mostly I just want to go reread Lola.
January 21, 2025
Kathryn Moon knows how to write a spicy romance with complex and compelling characters and that is definitely what she did here. Elias and Victoria are two academically minded introverts who are both seeking something although they aren't quite sure what that is, until they find each other. Elias acts as a Monster Smash Agency liaison and research assistant to Rebecca's PHD research on monster romance. I was quite surprised at both of the MCs willingness to start a physical relationship without any hesitance on either side. Their relationship forms alongside of Victoria's research. What I found odd, and what I am seeing as controversial amongst other reviews, is the breadcrumbs of interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict existing within and amongst the characters that is never explored on page and left me lacking. The story did not feel concluded at the end, which was disappointing.
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