A Match Made in Hell

by Charlotte Ingham

Is it possible to resist temptation when you're falling for the devil?

At twenty-one, Willow was supposed to be turning into a responsible adult, not proving her mother right when she called her a failure. Now, thanks to one tiny (if fatal) mishap, she's landed in a dimension named Asphodel that looks suspiciously like hell.

Determined to redeem herself, Willow makes a deal with Asphodel's ruler, King complete seven tasks, resist the seven sins, and he'll let her return to her human existence. But when Sath is sin itself, temptation may be hard to resist . . .

A sinful fantasy romcom full of heat, heart and humour, for readers of THE EX HEX and A DEMON'S GUIDE TO WOOING A WITCH.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantasy, Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2025

About the author

Charlotte is a romance and fantasy writer from South Wales. When she's not dreaming up her latest plot twist, she can be found attempting to befriend every animal she meets (past accomplishments include hugging an alligator).

You can find her on Instagram @writesalotte.

Reviews

[Hades ( Disney's version ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for an ARC of this book!



I really liked this over all, and I had a good time. This was a very surface level, not super duper in-depth read, and that's FINE, some of the most entertaining books can best be described this way. I just personally wish it had a few more layers because I did infact like it SO much, I just wanted more from it. But as I always say , that's just me being greedy. There was such a high-level of realness the author brings to this book, especially our FMC, that I really enjoyed. Because let's be real.. most of us would be in Hell, wondering if we can get chicken nuggets. This was definitely a super cute and fun read. And a book I personally will be purchasing and reading again!

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d probably make a deal with a devil too, if that devil was a tall, handsome, broody man with a killer body.

I expected this to be a quick, sexy read - and it was definitely both but also, the emotional depth?! That was unexpected!

Whats to love…
- broody MMC, who’s really just a softy
- FMC with some serious emotional trauma
- mommy issues (FMC)
- Trials that this trial hater didn’t mind
- morally grey MCs
- STEAMY AF
- the banter was bantering
- I loved their romance so much! I was rooting for them big time!

What’s not to love…
- there was so much potential for some really meaningful character growth and yet, it fell so flat. I really felt let down by the lack of a resolution with Willow’s mommy trauma.
- The stuff with the sins got a little too weird for me at the end
- that ending was a little jumbled and rushed

🌶️- Publisher Age Rating = 16+ This is definitely New Adult, there is plenty of tension and 2 fairly explicit scenes Ch. 25 & 35

4⭐️| TikTok | IG |

Thank you NetGalley and SimonTeen for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews]

I am very confused. By the description, this book is clearly an adult romance (21 year old heroine to start) but it's coming from a YA publisher and is being marketed as YA. This is NOT YA. I think the book looks interesting, but it needs to come from the correct category. Women who write adult works get miscategorized as writing YA all the time as it is, we don't need publishers further muddying the water by doing stuff like this

[Nadja]

DNF

Nothing hurts my soul more than a gorgeous, drool-worthy cover wrapped around a book that reads like reheated leftovers. This cover? Chef’s kiss. This premise? I was READY. And then the actual story slapped me in the face with disappointment.

Let’s talk about Willow. My beloved main character. Except… no. From page one, she’s giving full Karen energy—“Can I speak to the manager of the afterlife?” vibes. Girl, you are dead. Sit down. Instead, she spends her time being impulsive, sarcastic, and eye-roll-inducing in the worst way. Authors keep thinking this “unapologetically bold FMC” thing is quirky and relatable. It’s not. It’s exhausting. Willow questioning the Devil himself like she’s got VIP access was peak delusion. Who are you!? What makes you special!? (Spoiler: nothing.)

The backstory reveal? Came too early, held zero depth. The mental health themes were clearly trying to land, but it all came off contrived and shallow. Yes, she’s sad about never being enough for her mom, but… that’s it? That’s the reason she’s here? That’s the grand tragic arc? Please.

And don’t even get me started on the Seven Deadly Sins trials. I was expecting tension, fire, drama. Instead, I got the literary equivalent of a PowerPoint presentation with stock clip art. Anticlimactic doesn’t even cover it.

Now romance. HA. The MMC has the sex appeal of a soggy paper bag—and the chemistry between them is about as sizzling as cold oatmeal. I kept waiting for the sparks, the tension, the swoon… instead, I got two mannequins standing awkwardly next to each other in the clearance aisle of Hell’s Walmart.

So yeah, I DNF’d at the halfway point because my patience is strong, but not “survive this book” strong.

If you love sarcastic heroines and tall, brooding love interests, maybe you’ll like this. But I also love those things, and I did not. So either I’m broken or this book is. (I’m going with the book.)

And here’s the kicker—I even tried the audiobook. Emily (the narrator) actually did a great job. Her voice was smooth, soothing, and honestly the only thing keeping me sane through Willow’s nonsense. But even the best narrator can’t save a sinking ship. Not even Emily’s voice could convince me to keep going.

I hung on until halfway hoping it would get better, but alas, no..

Final verdict: Gorgeous cover, tragic insides. Like buying a fancy cake and discovering it’s made of cardboard.

[𝘪𝘷 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 🧸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessed doesn’t even cover close to what i feel

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary]

A Match Made in Hell
by Charlotte Ingham
Romantasy New Adult
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Sept 30, 2025
Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing
Ages: 18+

After a mishap, Willow finds herself in Asphodel, the place between life and Hell, and there she makes a deal with its ruler, handsome King Sath. If she can resist the seven sins, she can return.

As she goes through the tests, she finds a connection with Sath, and the demons are plotting to unleash the worst monsters into Asphodel who will torture and kill the other humans there, including those with whom Willow has formed friendships with.


OK, the first thing I want to say is that the editors at Simon and Schuster need to read the entire story and make sure they are filing under the appropriate genres. This is in NO way suitable for children! It might be one scene, but there are pages of adult content (which I skimmed)! If that is taken out, then yeah, sixteen-year-olds could read this, but the eARC copy I got, NO WAY. This could have been a 'cozy' romance, but it was ruined by adult content! And with this LAZY practice, it's no wonder the 'conservatives' are taking books out of schools because of content! (I am not saying kids won't read stuff like this, but aiming it at them is wrong! It's like giving a book of demon summoning spells, claiming it's prayers to Jesus, to a Nun.)

With that aside, it was a good story. I felt for the character and her situation. I could see myself in a similar situation just because of one mistake, including the way... spoiler.... Though knowing Seth was the king of Asphodel, thus a demon, one would think to keep away from the temptation, but then again, bestiality is becoming a thing in books nowadays.

The cover and title have a little to do with the story, but to me they're portraying that ...possible spoiler...

I did like the book, but that one scene, especially since this is listed as teen/YA, lost it a star and my respect.

2 Stars

[Jackie ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for an early copy of A Match Made in Hell. All opinions are my own.

What to expect *⁀➷
➳ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
➳ King of hell 😈
➳ Enemies to lovers ❤️
➳ 7 trials

Description:
So, Willow is... dead. And even worse, she's in hell—well, Asphodel, but close enough. At the ripe age of 21, she feels like she wasted her life and still has so much to accomplish. Desperate to return, she makes a literal deal with the devil. If she completes seven tasks by resisting the seven deadly sins, she'll be able to return to her human existence...

So, was this good?... Meh, it was alright. I wouldn't say it was anything special. Honestly, throughout the whole book I just kept wondering, what makes Willow special? She's supposed to be resisting all the 7 deadly sins, and she's set up as exceptional for being able to do so, but why? She's not exceptionally smart, or selfless, or brave. She's just... meh.

And honestly, so is Sath (the king of Asphodel). He's definitely not the worst MMC I've ever read, but he's just lukewarm water. Not bad, but you definitely wish it was hotter.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to any romantasy readers out there, because there are just so many better romantasies. This was fine, but it didn't really bring anything new or interesting to the table. It's just a middle of the road ☆☆☆.

[Ewa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

If the relationship aspect and lore were more developed, I'd rate it a solid four stars. It felt a bit flat tbh but it was a quick, easy read.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5–4 stars🌟

‘A Match Made in Hell’ was a fun and easy read with an interesting take on the afterlife. Willow, a 21-year-old, finds herself dead and stuck in the in-between—Asphodel. To win the chance of getting free and back to Earth, she agrees to face a series of challenges, each one related to a different deadly sin.

One of my favourite things about this book was the complexity to the characters. Willow, the female protagonist, battles with various emotions throughout the book, which I think many readers can relate to. It’s inferred repeatedly that she isn’t good enough, a failure, or selfish. While I found her incredibly relatable, her thoughts did feel a bit repetitive at times. Willow’s character arc takes her from someone flawed and impulsive to someone who knows they’re flawed but can exhibit control and be better than they were.

Sath, another interesting character, wasn’t your typical devil. He was much softer than I expected, not as cruel. We don’t learn much about Sath; there’s a brief mention that wasn’t his real name but whatever it was isn’t revealed, which I found a bit disappointing. It felt unnecessary to make it a point if nothing more was going to come from it. As for their relationship, I found them to be a cute couple, but their romance wasn’t really all that focused on. It was a slow-burn, and I thought we were building up to something great, but the romance aspect fell a little flat on that part. Despite that, it was still a sweet romance.

The friendships between the characters was also a lovely addition. There was a nice balance between character interaction and plot development. I loved how Harper became the friend Willow never had while she was alive it was very wholesome to see that it took her death to realise what true friendship looks like.

As for the trials, I found them to be a bit underwhelming. The concept behind them initially intrigued me—each one being dedicated to the seven deadly sins—the trials themselves fell short. I expected them to be more brutal and challenging, and not so easily overcome. There were a few twists in the book which I saw coming and others I was surprised by. Willows ex and her former bestfriend as a couple? I saw that come img a mile away. However, the twist with the heart I did not see. It was so unexpected that in a way it also felt as if it had just been thrown in there last minute.

Another thing I felt as if fell short for me was the resolution of the demons and sending them back to Tartarus/closing the gates to hell; it was over within a chapter or so and didn’t feel like it was fleshed out as much as it could have been.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I felt that certain parts of the story could have been developed more.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

[Charli Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was able to fly through this because the writing was very basic but overall, i didnt enjoy it.

The cover, the blurb, the title, everything about this made it seem like it was going to be a fun Romantasy and in my opinion, also made it seem like there was going to be some adult content/smut, of which there is only one scene embedded in otherwise childish text. Constant use of the FMC saying “wait” because there was no way to connect their dialogues so she just makes them effectively re set and talk about something else, reaaally annoyed me. Why have i noticed that so many times!?

Anywho, it starts out funny enough with main character Willow realising that she is in fact dead and in some kind of Inbetween place. There was some promise for me here when its clear that Willow is hiding something about herself/her past that could warrant her being sent here. However this back story was revealed fairly early on and it didnt hold the depth I thought it would. I understood the drips of Mental Health issues it was meant to convey but honestly, it came across quite contrived and Willow increasingly more annoying and i wasn’t that empathetic towards her. I understood her pain over never being enough for her mother but this didnt hold enough weight for me to be the reason that she was suicidal/irresponsible and a bit of a drip.

Coupled with how impulsive she was, i found myself rolling my eyes constantly. She is everything wrong with new FMCs lately. Shes unnecessarily bold, impulsive, rude/sarcastic and its not the endearing or relatable trait that authors seem to think it is. Why are you questioning the Devil!? Who are you!? Why do you think youre more special than everyone else here to demand anything from him!? On that note, Sathanas.

Well we find out thats not his real name but what is it!? We never find out. For the King of Asphodel (Hell), he was incredibly weak. He wasnt actually that hot for a start: standard dark hair/tan skin stuff. Hes not particularly powerful or scary and he cries WAY too often. Again, i guess it was meant to make him different and us to feel his plight later but it was just a bit boring.

Speaking of boring, the “trials”. Willow has to go through 7 temptations in order to escape hell and she gets through them way too easily. Then, for the ACOTAR stans, remember in book 1 and the Tamlin heart thing that came out of nowhere and that was meant to be the reason for all this crap… yeah so that happens here. Then we’re given some info dump about why and who and what and when and none of it really makes sense or is cohesive enough for it to be the reason , ya know 😒. Then theres the stuff with the gates and i was just like, what!?😕😤

This is getting lengthy but needless to say i was super disappointed in this. I wanted it to be everything more than it was. Funnier, sexier, scarier even. It was just very bland and uninventive.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the eArc as always. All thoughts are my own.

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of this story and enjoyed it overall. Willow is a feisty, bold, and persistent FMC who is determined to redeem herself, but her plan ends when she dies during a night of partying. When she finds herself in a kind of purgatory, she becomes determined to return to Earth. Willow has to go through a series of trials related to the seven deadly sins to prove her worth, and if she succeeds she can return. But the deal she made with King Sath also says that if she fails any of the trials, she must stay in Asphodel forever.

At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of Willow. She seemed like a stereotypical party girl who made plenty of mistakes and was all talk and no action. But she showed an amazing amount of growth over the course of the story, and the more I learned about her life, especially her relationships with her mother, boyfriend, and friend, the more I understood her. They were all terrible! I ended up really liking Willow. She’s flawed and complicated and multidimensional. I appreciate her layers and how they slowly unravel throughout the story.

I liked Sath, too, though I wish we learned a little more about him. Mysterious and elusive, he is also sensitive and so gone for Willow. Love that! Willow and Sath have amazing chemistry, and their banter is fabulous. I enjoyed the slow build of their relationship, and though I wish Willow didn’t forgive quite so quickly (a little more groveling, please!), their romance was great. Who knew staying in Hell could actually be better than life on Earth? lol For Willow, that was kind of the case. Of course, there’s trouble brewing there, too, and the author did a great job of creating a vivid and immersive world with high stakes that kept me intrigued throughout.

This was a fun and spicy read and definitely one to check out if you like standalone romantasies. Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon Teen for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

[Britney ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was definitely a fun time. Who doesn't want to read about someone making a deal with the devil?? I genuinely loved this book there was so much giggling and feet kicking it should be criminal.

Willow was my favorite character. She was not a great person but the whole point was her being a better person so throughout the book you can really really see how she changes which I really like. It doesn't just tell you, you can see it chapter by chapter.

Sath is the shadow daddy we need in our lives and that's all I really need to say on him because?? Shadow daddy ruler of hell I'll take three please.

Beware that twist because I did NOT see that coming??

thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc

[clicktojointhemafia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars ೃ⁀➷ I can't think of anything to say proving how bland it was 😭

Perfect for fans of-
🔥 Trials (simple ones)
💗 Strangers to lovers
🔥 Little spice
💗 Flawed Characters
🔥 Fantasy Rom-Com


A Match Made in Hell follows our very flawed (and borderline annoying) FMC Willow, who dies after jumping off a cliff and discovers she's been sent to asphodel. Distraught and confused, she begins seeking a way to return to life to finish what she wished she could have. Just when it proves to be futile she finds a way by making a deal with the devil, the King of Asphodel, King Sathanas. She needs to complete 7 tasks, one for each sin to prove she is good enough for a second chance at life. If she fails, she'll be forced to stay in Asphodel...

This book would have done better with less of a colloquial tone. My personal preference when death and the afterlife is discussed is for it to be handled with more of a grave (pun intended) and serious tone, because it is genuinely such a vast topic with so many opportunities for symbolism and grand events.

This might be my fault for picking up the book to be honest though. It's literally a fantasy romcom so perhaps it wasn't up my alley. To be fair, I eventually liked the plot I just found Willow to be slightly annoying- her personality and the writing style of her internal monologue.

Willow is a girl with major mommy issues. And that's lowkey pretty much all we get about her. That and how she was a shit friend and also had a shit boyfriend. Her personality switch up at the end was cool but I feel like we needed more to it.

Sath AKA Sathanas was cool. Your regular love interest. He actually had some personality though which I appreciated. He's got this tough exterior but really he's a sad, tortured little boy. At the end his glamour wore off for me and he became mid. Aside from that we dont get anything else about him much.

They had good chemistry. Not OMG, amazing chemistry but it was there and I really wanted them to give in to eachother. Whatever transpired at the end, his actions made up for it completely. He's lowkey so wholecome.

I semi liked the plot. The trials plot is always wicked but these trials were so lame and completely HALF ASSED. Not an ounce of effort. It was like she just stuck with the first thought that came to mind and didn't bother developing it. Like come on!!! Trials testing sins can go CRAZY.

One more thing that it is FACT, is that the title is a MAJOR lie. 'A Match Made in Hell'- NOPE, it's more 'A Match Made in Asphodel', which is described as a middle ground AKA Purgatory between Tartarus (Hell) and Elysium (Heaven). It is literally stated that they aren't in hell, lol. Secondly, for this place to be a middle ground sort of afterlife place, it's not even bad. Everyone parties, drinks and does whatever they want. Only meh thing is the living quarters- which are really small and not great tbh, but they don't even have to pay so I wouldn't complain.

Overall, this is a light read, fantasy rom com that should have had the feel of high stakes but in reality it was really low and I couldn't have been less invested. But the vibes were nice and Willow and Sath had a cute romance.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review :)

2.5-3 starssss

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hot Key Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Willow White is 21, a university dropout, and - most distressingly - dead. She’s found herself in Asphodel, and she absolutely does not want to stay. She needs to get back to her life; she has to make her mum proud and she can’t do that stuck in hell, can she? Enter Sath, the King of Asphodel. He’s willing to strike a deal with her: if she passes 7 tests, she can go home. But should you make a deal with the devil?

This book was a lot of fun. Told in a first person narrative from Willow’s POV, we follow her in Asphodel as she tries to pass Sath’s tests so she can go back home. The prose was so easy to consume, and oftentimes pretty funny. Willow frustrated me at times - she seemed pretty oblivious to certain aspects of her own life - but then I remembered: she’s 21. The things I used to tolerate and accept and not question at that age were just as bad, if not worse. So I forgave her. Willow is a flawed, but loveable FMC and I definitely found myself rooting for her very quickly. Sath was, honestly, exactly what you’d expect: a tall, dark, and handsome brooding King of Hell with - shocker - a soft side. But I ate that up, because it was done well. Our side characters ranged from Harper, my little queen who lives life on the sunny side, despite being, you know, in hell, to the Sorter, a demon who sorts (get it) the dead and sends them on their way to the appropriate level of the afterlife.

The plot was fast enough paced that I was very quickly invested, but I felt we had enough time in between the action to get to know the main characters and experience a natural evolution in their relationships. I enjoyed the worldbuilding around the afterlife, and the use of the seven deadly sins as the basis for Willow’s tests. Despite this being a romance, there was a solid attempt at a B-plot that felt pretty realised, and I enjoyed exploring Asphodel in all its glory. The final part of the book was a little… shocking. I definitely didn’t see it coming, and though it happened pretty fast, it came together in a satisfying conclusion to me. One thing that niggled me throughout was, however, that I felt at times Willow was a little, dare I say it, OP? Not that she was uber powerful (she’s literally just a dead girl) but that she was made to be all flawed and such, but sometimes I felt things came a little too easy for her. Sorry for the vagueness, but I don’t want to be spoilery.

Anyway, let’s talk about the romance. Because it was pretty hot. Get it? Because they’re in Hel- Anyway. There was great chemistry between the two characters and the tension was built exquisitely well. I do love a slow burn, and I’d say this was towards the slower end of medium. Great banter, plenty of sparks, and a realistic build up that had be itching to get to the good stuff.

Overall, I’d say this is a fun ride into the afterlife with a lot of heart. If you’re a romance fan, I would definitely recommend setting some time aside to eat this up in a few sittings.

3.75 🌟 (rounded to 4!)

[Sarah ⟡ Tea & Tomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Simon Teen for the free gifts!

This was such a fun, steamy, and surprisingly emotional fantasy romcom. I loved how the story took the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins and turned it into something deeply personal, forcing the main character to confront her own flaws and insecurities. It wasn’t just playful and sexy, it had real emotional weight.

Sath was incredibly delicious, the perfect blend of charm and danger, and his chemistry with Willow was off the charts. Willow herself was everything I love in a heroine: strong, messy, and deeply human. I especially loved how she broke down under the pressure of her insecurities and then came back stronger than ever.

This story worked so well for me because it balanced humor, heart, and heat in such a satisfying way. It’s emotional, introspective, and irresistibly fun all at once. I’d recommend it to readers who love their fantasy romance with both spice and soul.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our fmc, Willow, has died and been sent to Asphodel where all she wants to do is go back to her life on earth. But in order to do so, she must make a deal with the devil to pass seven trials resisting the seven sins.

Overall, the concept of the story was good and interesting. I do feel like this is definitely not supposed to be characterized as YA and more so to New Adult. I had a great time reading this, I thought it was fun, a bit predictable but I did not take away from the story. I just wish there was a bit more oomph to it. I thought some of the trials could’ve been longer or done in a different order for example, I wish the pride trial wasn’t the first one. I didn’t think it was realistic of her to accept how she died first. I thought it was anti-climatic especially for the envy trial. I wish there was just more of a struggle for her to come to terms with instead of it being resolved in two paragraphs. Other than that, I had fun reading the dynamic between willow and sath.

Thank you to Simon Teen for the e-arc

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

10/10. in love with the devil now.

I really loved how nuanced this story was. I liked the fact it wasn’t just party girl goes to hell and suddenly decides to save it. I like the fact we got to explore Willow’s battle with her own self worth, especially in the context of resisting the 7 deadly sins. I do wish the sins were explored a bit more, I felt like some of them were glossed over a bit too quickly within a chapter and I think there’s more to them that we could have seen, perhaps Willow struggling with them a little. I also loved Sath and his backstory and him as the Devil was absolute perfection. He, unsurprisingly, was my favourite character.

I think there’s some real potential for exploration of more of the characters and their backstories. As well as the history of Asphodel and Tartarus.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A massive thank you to Hot Key books for sending me one of the beautiful copies of A Match Made in Hell to read and review and to Instabook Tours for organising and having me on this awesome tour!

I loved reading A Match Made in Hell, it’s such a light and cosy romantasy read and I finished it in one sitting whilst snuggled up on the sofa. Our FMC is Willow who arrives in Hell following her death. Unable to accept her fate, she strikes a bargain for her freedom with Sath, our brooding but charming ruler of Hell. The catch? She’s got to complete trials based on the 7 deadly sins. Complete them and she’s got a ticket to get topside, but fail any of them and she’s stuck in Hell forever…

Sath and Willow were such a cute match, I loved their banter and interactions, and it was great to see their relationship develop as they started to be more vulnerable with each other. There were hidden depths and vulnerabilities within them both which Charlotte cleverly draws out throughout and I liked that they both didn’t just miraculously heal these traumas, but instead took steps towards overcoming them and accepting who they were, including their flaws.

The world building was also great. Hell is used a lot in books but Charlotte definitely created a really vivid picture of Asphodel and the demons and human souls that lived there.

Overall it was a great romantasy read and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I think it’s a standalone but I am 💯 down to join Willow & Sath on any future Hellish adventures please!

[Faye Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willow very quickly finds herself sorted into Hell, and her challenges only really start there! She finds herself participating in 7 trials linked to the seven deadly sins. At first, I didn't think that I was in love with the FMC or the depth of the story, but by the time I reached the halfway mark, I found that I was invested in both the story and the character development of Willow.

A Match Made In Hell is marketed as New Adult, which felt spot on for me. Willow is only 21 and her character arc takes her from someone flawed and impulsive to someone who knows they're flawed but can exhibit control and can be better than they were. So some of the decisions she makes along the way feel right for NA, and it matches the tension and then culmination of the open door (but not overly graphic) sex scenes.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Lila Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Bonnier UK Audio and Hot Key Books for the Advanced Listeners Copy!

Willow’s life ends at age 21. She had a whole life ahead of her – a life in which she proves to her mother that she is not a complete failure. But now she’s stuck in Asphodel that feels distinctly like it’s hell – actual hell, that is. Willow tries to bargain with Sath, the King of Asphodel, to return to her life. But the trials she has to complete, that are based on the seven sins, are anything but easy – especially lust …

I was super excited to receive the ALC of “A Match Made in Hell” purely based on the cover :D The description sounded great, too – but my listening experience was a bit dimmed by my feeling that cover and description didn’t entirely match the story. Don’t get me wrong – I really liked the audiobook, but I could have loved it more, had I known what to expect. Cover and description make this seem like a fun and sexy paranormal romcom, and it certainly has those elements, but overall the story is much more serious and heavy.

Willow is a feisty character to begin with – it takes guts to bargain with someone you think is the devil, after all – but the story’s focus is essentially a coming of age story about a young woman who is beginning to understand the abuse she has been subjected to all her life – mostly by her mother, but also by her partner – and to garner self-confidence. I liked that Willow’s path is not straight and that she makes mistakes. Sath was a very much the kind of misunderstood broody love interest that I enjoy, and I really liked the true nature of Asphodel with all the different levels and possibilities.

Narrator Emily Mount does a fantastic job and brings the story to life, especially the emotional passages where Willow reflects on her past were very well done.

Overall I expected a more lighthearted fun story, but I was entertained in any case, so it’s a 4 out of 5 star rating from me.

"A Match Made in Hell" publishes September 11th :)

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy the first 3/4 of this book. It wasn't anything ground breaking and was generally predictable, but it kept my attention and I related to the FMC most of the time. I appreciated how this was a story about her learning to be herself, and realizing the people around her didn't actually care about her and letting go of the pressure.

But the 77% mark is where I was really disappointed. The trials over all were just too simple and shallow. Each a poor derivative of the seven deadly sins. The final one was extra disappointing, for her to see through the bullshit other ones but not be able to think at this, and then claim that what she did was on purpose...There were so many other ways that could have gone, while also having her character development. Especially considering how murky the rules seem to be.

It didn't seem like their romance was the focus of the story to me, but it was still cute. Personally though, this shadow daddy isn't for me, I need someone a little more proactive. Or maybe I only feel that way because I had the notion he was actually supposed to be a villain, but instead was lazy.


Favourite quotes:

"I’ve gained plenty of experience ignoring the voices in my head, and these demons have got nothing on my mother."

"Too much time spent pretending to be someone else meant that the real me became unleashed in all the worst ways, unable to contain herself at the most inopportune times."


Thank-you NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK, for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book up to about 80%, and then it broke my heart. I could not finish this novel past 87%.

Let’s get some things out of the way first. Firstly, this is supposedly YA but it absolutely should not be. The FMC is 21, the MMC is 26 (give for take a century). There’s drinking, implied alcoholism, and open door sexual content. I don’t think the taget audience for this is teenagers. This is New Adult, in my opinion.

Up until the book lost me, I thought it was an enjoyable read, and I didn’t have much of an issue with the romance. This book is the story of Willow White, a young woman who died in a tragic accident and has been sent to Asphodel to live out the rest of her afterlife. Sathanas, King of Asphodel, is her love interest. He’s running her through seven trials and if she passes them, she’ll be allowed to go back to Earth. We’ll talk about why he’s doing that later. I thought the setting of Asphodel was interesting. It seemed almost too nice to be considered the “neutral” afterlife. It’s also unclear what the boundaries of Asphodel even are. The ice prison area doesn’t have any demons but Sath seems to have authority over it so is it part of Asphodel or not?

I really liked Willow as a character. She has really big emotions, anger chief among them, and her mother is the reason why. Willow spends most of the novel haunted by her mother and her constant disappointment. As a result, Willow has decided to sacrifice her wants and needs and happiness for what she thinks her dead mother would want. Willow is determined to get out of Asphodel so she can live someone else’s life, rather than enjoying her afterlife. She feels young and scared and like she really just needs to be seen an matter to someone. She does tend to pick fights, especially with Sath, but he’s very good at disarming and defusing her. I was really rooting for her to see that she could be happy and free if she just chose herself for once.

Then I got to about 80%, and the book stopped making sense. There’s a twist in this novel that I did not see coming. Usually, I’m pretty good at picking up on foreshadowing, even if only in hindsight, but I cannot find any implication in the text that what happened after wrath would happen. There are a few things that kind of maybe could be foreshadowing, like Sath being surprsied that Willow might want to quit the trials, but they’re falling in love so it makes sense that’d catch his interest. As a result of the twist, Sathanas retroactively becomes a huge creep. Williow somehow manages not to spin out like she’s been doing every time any little thing seems like it’s going wrong throughout the novel. The characters just completely stop being themselves and I honestly thought that it was a red herring. I really thought that instead of the horrible reality we were left with, Willow was still being tested. I gave up on that hope at around 87%. I just don’t have the desire to finish this book anymore. I can’t get behind Sathanas and Willow. I lost hope in them when the words “how could you do this to me” were uttered. I’m angry that Willow finally chose herself, her friends, her love, and she lost. I really see the twist as a total loss. Even if she and Sathans completely make up, he’s still a liar and worse.

I really wanted to love this book, and I really did for a while, but it completely fell apart in the homestrech. As a reader, I really felt betrayed. Part of what I love about romance novels is that they’re an exercise in how people can change, for the better, because they want to be for the person they love. I enjoy the dual character arcs of both protagonists. This one… if anything Sathanas became worse.

AND ONE MORE THING this book compares itself to The Ex Hex and Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch. It's an accurate comparison to The Ex Hex because that book also face plants in the last act but ASTAROTH WOULD NEVER.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Allison • Alli’s Fairy Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Simon Teen for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

• My Reading Experience: ENJOYED!!
• Book Spice: Level 1.5

• Content Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the premise of this book—following the main character as she navigates limbo (or purgatory) after her death in a desperate attempt to return home was intriguing. Her fierce determination to escape and reunite with her life kept me invested from start to finish.

While part of me wanted to see more glimpses of her life between the trials she had to face, I think including those scenes might have actually diluted the impact of the story. The focused pacing worked well for me.

The romance wasn’t exactly swoon-worthy, but it was sweet and fitting for the main character. I found myself rooting for them and hoping they’d get the happy ending they deserved.

Speaking of endings—I was a little nervous it would wrap up in a cringy way, but thankfully it landed just right. Yay!

[Sophie Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This was a fun and easy read, with an interesting take on the afterlife. Willow is a 21 year old who finds herself dead and stuck in the in between, Asphodel. Where she agrees to face a series of challenges, each one related to a different deadly sin, to win the chance of getting free and back to Earth.

The writing style flowed well and was easy to read and I enjoyed the feistiness of Willow as a FMC. I wish there was more of a build up in Willow and Sath’s relationship, as it all seemed rushed towards the end. I enjoyed the premise of the trials but again felt like these could be dramatic and difficult.

Overall, I did like the book, I just felt parts of the story could have been developed more.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, all views are my own.

[Chezza's life · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Arc review*

Ummmm well I'll start with the last 30% of the book was the best park.

The rest was just not my cup of tea and before anyone says, yes I have read rom coms and books with banter before. This just felt very flat.

I just hope others enjoy it more than me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read in exchange for an honest review

[Lena Dahl]

dnf @35%

[felicia]

Free on SimonTeen

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine you wake up in Hell and decide it’s a mistake. You’re told there’s a way out but you have to resist the seven deadly sins in order to escape. Easy. Right?

This book honestly surprised me! I read it in one sitting because it just pulled me in and I just had to know what happened! The writing was fantastic and I honestly love Charlottes take on hell.

Willow was such a fun character to follow, she honestly wasn’t that great of person (hence why she ended up in hell) but she did want to be good. Just sometimes what you think you are and who you are tend to not align and I think Willow portrayed that really well! She was strong, hilarious and quite determined.

Sath (still don’t know how to pronounce his full name ) He was so entertaining! Everytime he interacted with Willow I was giggling. As always, I wish we got to see inside of his head, but I don’t think not having it took anything away from just how lovely this book was as a whole! The ending had me gagged, it was such a quick twist that I got whiplash!

Overall, a great YA book! Thank you Simonteen for an ARC all thoughts are my own! :)

[Erika Knickerbocker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great concept

Loved the idea. Loved Harper. Would have liked to see more of that friendship. Not a fan of the MCs.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*