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Bad Seed
He can literally take her breath away.
Sadie Nair is infuriatingly allergic to eggplant. The dangerous type of allergy that can put her in the hospital. When she has a terrible attack due to an incident with some surprise baba ganoush, she is saved by a tall, dark, and exceedingly handsome man who vanishes into the night.
Aubry Gene—not his real name—is on the run from his past as an enforcer in the Nightshade Mafia. His boss used him for his special skills, the skill of becoming an eggplant.
Yep. He can turn into an eggplant.
His life is in shambles with his old family chasing him across the country. The only company he has is his orange kitty Astin. It’s not safe for Aubry to be around people, much less the gorgeous woman he saved in the bar. But he can’t help himself. He’s addicted to Sadie, fantasizing about her curvy body molded around his. In particular, he can’t stop thinking about what she does to his eggplant. Even though he knows he has to get away to save her, he can’t.
He has to have her. She has to have him.
And neither knows that, with one spilled seed, he could kill her.
Sadie Nair is infuriatingly allergic to eggplant. The dangerous type of allergy that can put her in the hospital. When she has a terrible attack due to an incident with some surprise baba ganoush, she is saved by a tall, dark, and exceedingly handsome man who vanishes into the night.
Aubry Gene—not his real name—is on the run from his past as an enforcer in the Nightshade Mafia. His boss used him for his special skills, the skill of becoming an eggplant.
Yep. He can turn into an eggplant.
His life is in shambles with his old family chasing him across the country. The only company he has is his orange kitty Astin. It’s not safe for Aubry to be around people, much less the gorgeous woman he saved in the bar. But he can’t help himself. He’s addicted to Sadie, fantasizing about her curvy body molded around his. In particular, he can’t stop thinking about what she does to his eggplant. Even though he knows he has to get away to save her, he can’t.
He has to have her. She has to have him.
And neither knows that, with one spilled seed, he could kill her.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2025
5 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Mint
47 books2,203 followersEllen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She recently won the Top Ten Handmaid's Challenge on Wattpad where hers was chosen by Margaret Atwood. Her books, Undercover Siren and Fever are available at Amazon as well as a short story in the Lucky Between The Sheets anthology. Married, she lives in Nebraska with her dog named after Granny Weatherwax. Her hobbies include gaming, painting, and halloween prop making. The basement is full of skeletons because they ran out of room in the closets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 17, 2025
I've been eating eggplant salad and an eggplant/zucchini/tomato stew for the past few days in preparation for this book, I even had some moutabal the weekend prior. I feel kinda bad for consuming so many poor eggplants now, imagine if they were actually shifters in disguise??
That's the whole premise of this book, people who can shift into vegetables, and our lovely male MC Aubrey can turn into an eggplant!! Of course, the girl he falls for, Sadie, is allergic to eggplants. You can imagine how that goes.
Or maybe you can't, because Aubrey also used to be in a vegetable shifter mafia, and they're coming for him, so he's always on the run.
I loved all the punny names, starting with Aubrey's own, a play on the word aubergine. Then there's the Bells who are...bell peppers, Mr Ato (tomato), Mr Oli (broccoli), they added a certain whimsy.
My personal favourite vegetable that I could eat every day (and pretty much do) happens to be tomatoes, but I would NOT feel guilty about munching on the one in this story, no sir.
I also adore eggplants (I mean, just look at the start of my review), but after this book, I'll never look at them the same way again. After that last scene too, if I don't keep seeing that every time I look at one...
Bad Seed was so silly, but in the best way possible. There was a little dose of angst (he's an eggplant and can't tell her, but also doesn't know that it's him she's allergic to because she didn't tell him, and he's fallen for her so he wants to stay, but also feels like he has to leave to keep her safe), but it was mostly lighthearted.
There's a cute cat called Astin, who made me imagine a crossover in which he accidentally bites one of the cheese shifters from Ellen Mint's other book. Because Astin loves tacos apparently, tacos have cheese, what do the men in Why Cheese turn into? Exactly.
LETTUCE move on to the romance, I thought it was really cool that Sadie knew what she wanted and wasn't shy about it, and that Aubrey loved her just as she was and focused on pleasing her (again and again and again).
It was kinda funny how she couldn't figure out what he was after she kept getting hives though. Like, there must've been some secret unlisted eggplant in the ingredients of the food I ate, my boyfriend is definitely not an eggplant.
Oh, you know what else was hilarious? The veggie photo shoots!!! That eggplant one was felt through the screen, lemme tell you. But it's such a perfect job for Sadie to have, I couldn't have thought of a better one if I tried.
If you love goofy reads that feature arguably the hottest vegetable as one of the main characters, then you need to read Bad Seed. The eggplants in your kitchen would want you to.
*Thank you to the amazing author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
That's the whole premise of this book, people who can shift into vegetables, and our lovely male MC Aubrey can turn into an eggplant!! Of course, the girl he falls for, Sadie, is allergic to eggplants. You can imagine how that goes.
Or maybe you can't, because Aubrey also used to be in a vegetable shifter mafia, and they're coming for him, so he's always on the run.
I loved all the punny names, starting with Aubrey's own, a play on the word aubergine. Then there's the Bells who are...bell peppers, Mr Ato (tomato), Mr Oli (broccoli), they added a certain whimsy.
My personal favourite vegetable that I could eat every day (and pretty much do) happens to be tomatoes, but I would NOT feel guilty about munching on the one in this story, no sir.
I also adore eggplants (I mean, just look at the start of my review), but after this book, I'll never look at them the same way again. After that last scene too, if I don't keep seeing that every time I look at one...
Bad Seed was so silly, but in the best way possible. There was a little dose of angst (he's an eggplant and can't tell her, but also doesn't know that it's him she's allergic to because she didn't tell him, and he's fallen for her so he wants to stay, but also feels like he has to leave to keep her safe), but it was mostly lighthearted.
There's a cute cat called Astin, who made me imagine a crossover in which he accidentally bites one of the cheese shifters from Ellen Mint's other book. Because Astin loves tacos apparently, tacos have cheese, what do the men in Why Cheese turn into? Exactly.
LETTUCE move on to the romance, I thought it was really cool that Sadie knew what she wanted and wasn't shy about it, and that Aubrey loved her just as she was and focused on pleasing her (again and again and again).
It was kinda funny how she couldn't figure out what he was after she kept getting hives though. Like, there must've been some secret unlisted eggplant in the ingredients of the food I ate, my boyfriend is definitely not an eggplant.
Oh, you know what else was hilarious? The veggie photo shoots!!! That eggplant one was felt through the screen, lemme tell you. But it's such a perfect job for Sadie to have, I couldn't have thought of a better one if I tried.
If you love goofy reads that feature arguably the hottest vegetable as one of the main characters, then you need to read Bad Seed. The eggplants in your kitchen would want you to.
*Thank you to the amazing author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
July 12, 2025
A book about an eggplant shifter sounds weird AF... but you know what ? It worked. Ellen is one hell of a story teller and I can count on her to write the craziest shifter themed books that are actually good stories. I absolutely loved Aubry, Sadie and Astin. The banter is top notch, the puns endless and the spice...chefs kiss 😘🔥.
June 3, 2025
DNF at 15%
I wanted to like this one cuz it was my first arc I just couldn’t get behind the idea
Plot - I think the idea was creative and out of the box which could be a good thing for some but this one was just too radical for me
Characters - never heard of a mmc named Aubry but hey, the more you know
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc all thoughts are my own <3
I wanted to like this one cuz it was my first arc I just couldn’t get behind the idea
Plot - I think the idea was creative and out of the box which could be a good thing for some but this one was just too radical for me
Characters - never heard of a mmc named Aubry but hey, the more you know
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc all thoughts are my own <3
August 24, 2025
First, Thank you so much to Ellen mint and Netgalley for this ARC 😚
I knew id likely enjoy this book but i loved it even more than i suspected i would and im checking a steamy hot vegetable romance off my 2025 bingo card🤣
Sadie a curvy food photography who is allergic to eggplants, ends up eating eggplant and luckily is saved by a hot MMC who happens to have a epipen. This MMC is Aubrey an eggplant shifter, EGGcellent cook, and certified lover boy who is running from a mafia of other veggie shifters…
This somehow worked out perfectly and i ate it uppppp🤣 This was such a good blend of suspense, spice and banter. Im not even a banter girl and i found this so funny and at moments both the MCs were so comforting and supportive. Also, bonus points to the author because the puns were top tier.
I knew id likely enjoy this book but i loved it even more than i suspected i would and im checking a steamy hot vegetable romance off my 2025 bingo card🤣
Sadie a curvy food photography who is allergic to eggplants, ends up eating eggplant and luckily is saved by a hot MMC who happens to have a epipen. This MMC is Aubrey an eggplant shifter, EGGcellent cook, and certified lover boy who is running from a mafia of other veggie shifters…
This somehow worked out perfectly and i ate it uppppp🤣 This was such a good blend of suspense, spice and banter. Im not even a banter girl and i found this so funny and at moments both the MCs were so comforting and supportive. Also, bonus points to the author because the puns were top tier.
May 29, 2025
Oh my goodness how in the h3ll can I summarize this book? It’s hilarious, witty, beyond weird, strangely s3xy, and somehow morphs into an action-packed mafia romance… I absolutely loved the wild ride Ellen Mint had me on as a reader.
Sadie is a curvaceous photographer who specializes mostly in food styling, and she holds a second job at a sporting goods superstore to supplement her meager income from her fledgling company. When she meets a gorgeous, tall Filipino drink of water after an anaphylactic reaction to baba ganoush, sparks fly between them, and they’re soon at it like bunnies. But Sadie’s new hunk is keeping huge secrets from her, including his very nature.
On the run from warring organized crime factions who happen to be sentient produce shifters like himself, Aubry has never been interested in a woman for anything more than a physical release. Sadie, however, calls to his very essence, but neither of them have any idea just how d3adly he is to her.
Tons of sm3xy times turn into love, and without spoiling things I can assure you it’s a rollicking great time, with a satisfying ending.
I was fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and Story Origin, and I’m pleased to share my honest review.
Sadie is a curvaceous photographer who specializes mostly in food styling, and she holds a second job at a sporting goods superstore to supplement her meager income from her fledgling company. When she meets a gorgeous, tall Filipino drink of water after an anaphylactic reaction to baba ganoush, sparks fly between them, and they’re soon at it like bunnies. But Sadie’s new hunk is keeping huge secrets from her, including his very nature.
On the run from warring organized crime factions who happen to be sentient produce shifters like himself, Aubry has never been interested in a woman for anything more than a physical release. Sadie, however, calls to his very essence, but neither of them have any idea just how d3adly he is to her.
Tons of sm3xy times turn into love, and without spoiling things I can assure you it’s a rollicking great time, with a satisfying ending.
I was fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and Story Origin, and I’m pleased to share my honest review.
August 18, 2025
“So I boarded up the windows, went full eggplant, and hid in my crisper drawer for a few weeks.”
-Aubry
“I am a whole bucket kind of man—thighs, breasts…ass.”
-Aubry
“Who in the wild hell is this man? He’s a six-foot sequoia, wider than a door frame, rescues damsels from her own immune system, total fantasy nerd? Nope. Can’t be real.”
-Sadie
“As my brain’s processing how I can get naked without looking like a ferret trying to wiggle out of a sweater, my mouth talks. A lot.”
-Sadie
My only goal for tomorrow is to make it up to Jolibee. Then a trip to Manila Eats is needed for more food from my homeland. Man, some lumpia and pancit bihan would hit so good right now. 🤤
Okay. A mafia made of produce shifters. The what now? 🤯
As much as this works, the banter, the plot twist, and the anaphylaxis, it was very scary to know that Sadie cannot spot when her body is going through an attack. Someone please get her to the correct medical professional to teach her how to spot the signs. My anxiety about if she will die or not was way too real.
Over the past week, five books have been marked as DNF on my Goodreads list. This was better than all of those. Was it life altering? No. Did it entertain me? Over all, yes.
-Aubry
“I am a whole bucket kind of man—thighs, breasts…ass.”
-Aubry
“Who in the wild hell is this man? He’s a six-foot sequoia, wider than a door frame, rescues damsels from her own immune system, total fantasy nerd? Nope. Can’t be real.”
-Sadie
“As my brain’s processing how I can get naked without looking like a ferret trying to wiggle out of a sweater, my mouth talks. A lot.”
-Sadie
My only goal for tomorrow is to make it up to Jolibee. Then a trip to Manila Eats is needed for more food from my homeland. Man, some lumpia and pancit bihan would hit so good right now. 🤤
Okay. A mafia made of produce shifters. The what now? 🤯
As much as this works, the banter, the plot twist, and the anaphylaxis, it was very scary to know that Sadie cannot spot when her body is going through an attack. Someone please get her to the correct medical professional to teach her how to spot the signs. My anxiety about if she will die or not was way too real.
Over the past week, five books have been marked as DNF on my Goodreads list. This was better than all of those. Was it life altering? No. Did it entertain me? Over all, yes.
June 5, 2025
I don’t remember this episode of Veggie Tales???
June 12, 2025
This book was better than I was expecting!
"Bad Seed" is an MF (male-female) mafia style romance novel. A man who goes by Aubry is trying to run from the mafia he was aligned with after seeing something he never wanted to see. He moves to a small town where he meets a plus sized female named Sadie, who doesn't have much of a filter between her brain and mouth. She rambles a lot, which, thankfully, he ends up finding endearing. They don't expect much more than dinner and a hookup, but eventually, it becomes something more.
The story is pretty good! Seems pretty basic, though, right?
Well, what if we decide to make a bunch of the characters vegetable shifters?
It sounds ridiculous, silly, outrageous, even. However, Ellen Mint makes it work! I couldn't help but enjoy the puns in the names, as well (eg. Mr. Tom Ato and Mr. Brock Oli).
I admit, "Why Cheese?" was creative but seemed to be lacking a bit of depth, I think. It was alright, definitely unique, but I just couldn't fully fall in love with it. "Bad Seed" is definitely better, in my opinion, and I really enjoyed it! There's character growth, a bit of suspense, action, and some romance, of course. If for no other reason, you need to read this just to say you read a book about vegetable shifters!
"Bad Seed" is an MF (male-female) mafia style romance novel. A man who goes by Aubry is trying to run from the mafia he was aligned with after seeing something he never wanted to see. He moves to a small town where he meets a plus sized female named Sadie, who doesn't have much of a filter between her brain and mouth. She rambles a lot, which, thankfully, he ends up finding endearing. They don't expect much more than dinner and a hookup, but eventually, it becomes something more.
The story is pretty good! Seems pretty basic, though, right?
Well, what if we decide to make a bunch of the characters vegetable shifters?
It sounds ridiculous, silly, outrageous, even. However, Ellen Mint makes it work! I couldn't help but enjoy the puns in the names, as well (eg. Mr. Tom Ato and Mr. Brock Oli).
I admit, "Why Cheese?" was creative but seemed to be lacking a bit of depth, I think. It was alright, definitely unique, but I just couldn't fully fall in love with it. "Bad Seed" is definitely better, in my opinion, and I really enjoyed it! There's character growth, a bit of suspense, action, and some romance, of course. If for no other reason, you need to read this just to say you read a book about vegetable shifters!
June 13, 2025
I always love how unique these shifter stories are. They are original, bonkers, witty, and so much fun to read.
Eggplant shifter, sounds crazy right, but it works so well in this crazy shifter world with mafia threats and hidden identities, and the quirky additional threat of the FMC being allergic to eggplants.
The witty names were perfect as it explores a world of mafia vegetables, and Sadie being thrown into a world of chaos.
The romance was sweet, spicy and dangerous, it had great tension building, and I loved the bond between Aubry and Sadie.
It you want a read that's funny, unique, and something different, with banter and spice, away from the typical world of shifters - this is for you.
MF Romance
Curvy FMC
Shifter MMC
On the run
Deadly allergies
Cat Daddy
Toxic Ex
Mafia Families
Vegetable jokes
Eggplant shifter, sounds crazy right, but it works so well in this crazy shifter world with mafia threats and hidden identities, and the quirky additional threat of the FMC being allergic to eggplants.
The witty names were perfect as it explores a world of mafia vegetables, and Sadie being thrown into a world of chaos.
The romance was sweet, spicy and dangerous, it had great tension building, and I loved the bond between Aubry and Sadie.
It you want a read that's funny, unique, and something different, with banter and spice, away from the typical world of shifters - this is for you.
MF Romance
Curvy FMC
Shifter MMC
On the run
Deadly allergies
Cat Daddy
Toxic Ex
Mafia Families
Vegetable jokes
August 26, 2025
I had fun reading this very weird love story about a thick girl and her eggplant love interest.
The veggie mafia bit was fun and weird in a good way.
Some moments with the romance were a bit stretched out in places that did not have to be with Sadie being self-conscious or Aubry trying to keep it in his pants.
The allergy did not play as much of a role as I thought it would though it is present and does lead to angst-adjacent scenes.
Some lines took me out of the moments because they didn't hit as they were supposed to.
Still an enjoyable read for everyone who liked weird romance novels!
The veggie mafia bit was fun and weird in a good way.
Some moments with the romance were a bit stretched out in places that did not have to be with Sadie being self-conscious or Aubry trying to keep it in his pants.
The allergy did not play as much of a role as I thought it would though it is present and does lead to angst-adjacent scenes.
Some lines took me out of the moments because they didn't hit as they were supposed to.
Still an enjoyable read for everyone who liked weird romance novels!
July 22, 2025
Thank you to Ellen Mint and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and give my opinion!
I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this book aside from there being a lot of eggplant. Which of course was true - there WERE a lot of eggplants. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. The puns and eggplant jokes were fun. The world building of the vegetable mafia was unique.
The spice was spicy - how about that scene with the piano. *fans self*
I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this book aside from there being a lot of eggplant. Which of course was true - there WERE a lot of eggplants. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. The puns and eggplant jokes were fun. The world building of the vegetable mafia was unique.
The spice was spicy - how about that scene with the piano. *fans self*
September 17, 2025
This book was like, “Veggie Tales”, but less Christian and more sex, mafia, and allergies. You catch my drift?
Sadie is a curvaceous Indian food photographer who is allergic to eggplant. After mistaking baba ganoush as hummus and accidentally ingesting eggplant, she is saved by her knight in shining armor, Audry. Remember how I said Sadie is allergic to eggplant? Well Audry has a secret: He is a shifter, and his non-human form is an eggplant. What starts as a spicy fling where Sadie and Audry can’t keep their hands off each other, quickly turns into more after Audry almost kills Sadie after she ingests some of his, erm, “juice”. And to make matters worse, there is a veggie mafia war happening that Audry is smack dab in the middle of. Will he be able to beat Mr. Ato, or will this salad be a tossed one?
Not my typical book, I will say, but the premise had me extremely intrigued. A man who turns into an eggplant of all things? Sign me up! What I absolutely loved about this story was how obsessed Audry was with Sadie. Like he literally could not see her without wanting to rip her clothes off, and I found myself living vicariously through her. Especially during the scene when he tortures her with her rose while handling his business from behind. Yea, the book is smutty, and being that I consider myself a “smut slut”, I lived for every single spice scene..and took some notes for later! My favorite things in books are when the men are head over heels for the women, and that was this book. Sadie is a thick woman, and although she was a tad bit insecure about it, Audry would constantly tell her how much he was in love with her body and he literally worshiped her. What I wished for was maybe more romance…? I love smut don’t get me wrong. But for me, I like my smut to accompany the romance and I didn’t feel like a romantic connection between Audry and Sadie because all they seemed to do was fuck like bunny rabbits.
Another thing I loved about this book were the comedic moments. Sadie refused to tell Audry her allergy due to an ex of hers using it to hurt her, so Audry has no idea that HE is what she is allergic to. She also doesn’t know that he shifts into an eggplant so there were times when Sadie would have hives after being with Audry and she simply could not figure out where they came from. And then there is the fact that Sadie usually doesn’t have an allergic reaction needing her epi-pen unless she ingests eggplant, and then one night she ingests Audry’s, “juice” and she gets sent to the hospital. It’s not that I found her almost dying funny, it’s just the irony of her being allergic and Audry being what she was allergic too. Many comedic or ironic moments stem from that dynamic. Sadie was also a funny character. She tended to bable when she was nervous and she’d say the funniest or outlandish things. This is why I think the book would make the perfect pallet cleaner because it is lighthearted, spicy, and fun.
Something I wished we got more of in the story was Audry’s background. He can shift into an eggplant, and yet we don’t quite know the details. Were his parents vegetables too? Is he immortal? How does he age? When Sadie asks him some of these questions, he gives very vague answers and I ended the book still with so many questions about the mob he worked for, what exactly he did, and the limitations of this shifting power of his. The ending was a lot of action with no real explanation, so it was frustrating to feel like I didn’t quite have the gist of what was going on.
I also felt like the writing at times was a bit awkward. Like Sadie would be in one position and the next sentence she’d be doing something different with no interlude to explain how she got from one place to the other. The action scenes were like this as well, and I found them hard to follow because the positional descriptions would be off. Like it wouldn’t make sense for Sadie to be behind Aubrey, but his hands are around his waist. Stuff like that would be written and I’d have to re-read it. I also feel like I wanted Sadie to come into her own as a woman and have confidence in herself, but the book ends with no resolution to her self esteem issues. In the beginning, she believes she is only good enough to fuck a guy who looks like Audry, and many times throughout the story she puts herself down in relation to him. I really wanted to see her gain that confidence in herself, but we never really got to see it.
All in all, a whirlwind of a ride that I’d def recommended to other readers looking for something spicy, fun, and different.
Sadie is a curvaceous Indian food photographer who is allergic to eggplant. After mistaking baba ganoush as hummus and accidentally ingesting eggplant, she is saved by her knight in shining armor, Audry. Remember how I said Sadie is allergic to eggplant? Well Audry has a secret: He is a shifter, and his non-human form is an eggplant. What starts as a spicy fling where Sadie and Audry can’t keep their hands off each other, quickly turns into more after Audry almost kills Sadie after she ingests some of his, erm, “juice”. And to make matters worse, there is a veggie mafia war happening that Audry is smack dab in the middle of. Will he be able to beat Mr. Ato, or will this salad be a tossed one?
Not my typical book, I will say, but the premise had me extremely intrigued. A man who turns into an eggplant of all things? Sign me up! What I absolutely loved about this story was how obsessed Audry was with Sadie. Like he literally could not see her without wanting to rip her clothes off, and I found myself living vicariously through her. Especially during the scene when he tortures her with her rose while handling his business from behind. Yea, the book is smutty, and being that I consider myself a “smut slut”, I lived for every single spice scene..and took some notes for later! My favorite things in books are when the men are head over heels for the women, and that was this book. Sadie is a thick woman, and although she was a tad bit insecure about it, Audry would constantly tell her how much he was in love with her body and he literally worshiped her. What I wished for was maybe more romance…? I love smut don’t get me wrong. But for me, I like my smut to accompany the romance and I didn’t feel like a romantic connection between Audry and Sadie because all they seemed to do was fuck like bunny rabbits.
Another thing I loved about this book were the comedic moments. Sadie refused to tell Audry her allergy due to an ex of hers using it to hurt her, so Audry has no idea that HE is what she is allergic to. She also doesn’t know that he shifts into an eggplant so there were times when Sadie would have hives after being with Audry and she simply could not figure out where they came from. And then there is the fact that Sadie usually doesn’t have an allergic reaction needing her epi-pen unless she ingests eggplant, and then one night she ingests Audry’s, “juice” and she gets sent to the hospital. It’s not that I found her almost dying funny, it’s just the irony of her being allergic and Audry being what she was allergic too. Many comedic or ironic moments stem from that dynamic. Sadie was also a funny character. She tended to bable when she was nervous and she’d say the funniest or outlandish things. This is why I think the book would make the perfect pallet cleaner because it is lighthearted, spicy, and fun.
Something I wished we got more of in the story was Audry’s background. He can shift into an eggplant, and yet we don’t quite know the details. Were his parents vegetables too? Is he immortal? How does he age? When Sadie asks him some of these questions, he gives very vague answers and I ended the book still with so many questions about the mob he worked for, what exactly he did, and the limitations of this shifting power of his. The ending was a lot of action with no real explanation, so it was frustrating to feel like I didn’t quite have the gist of what was going on.
I also felt like the writing at times was a bit awkward. Like Sadie would be in one position and the next sentence she’d be doing something different with no interlude to explain how she got from one place to the other. The action scenes were like this as well, and I found them hard to follow because the positional descriptions would be off. Like it wouldn’t make sense for Sadie to be behind Aubrey, but his hands are around his waist. Stuff like that would be written and I’d have to re-read it. I also feel like I wanted Sadie to come into her own as a woman and have confidence in herself, but the book ends with no resolution to her self esteem issues. In the beginning, she believes she is only good enough to fuck a guy who looks like Audry, and many times throughout the story she puts herself down in relation to him. I really wanted to see her gain that confidence in herself, but we never really got to see it.
All in all, a whirlwind of a ride that I’d def recommended to other readers looking for something spicy, fun, and different.
July 12, 2025
I'm far more charmed by the idea of a vegetable mafia than I ever expected to be, and now I'm obsessed with it! The disdain for vegetables outside of your "family", the silly names that relate to their vegetable shifting talent, the nights in the crisper and references to their vegetables form....I love it all!
Bad Seed made me laugh in a way I haven't when reading a book for a while. Ellen has a way of blending the serious with the silly that is so impressive! And we love uber-supportive leading men! I saw it with her cheese shifters and again here with her eggplant shifter; she writes male characters that you just can't help but get attached to, whether they're supporting their girl through her traumas or commanding all of her pleasure.
There were times, though, that didn't gel with me in the story. Certain parts of the story had a character or two yelling or screaming when the situation didn't really have a need for it. An example is when Sadie and Aubry are hiding from a dire situation. They're having a normal conversation, and then Sadie starts yelling instead of talking, and I have no idea how they managed not to get caught in such a tense situation by all the shouting going on.
That being said, I did enjoy Sadie as a character. I loved her nervous rambling, and her job as a food photographer sounds like a lot of fun! The scenes with her snapping pictures were some of my favourites because of how she described her process and the subjects of her photos. And she finally got to live out her dream, though in a slightly unconventional manner!
Bad Seed was a hell of a fun read, and I can't wait for everyone to meet Sadie and her lovable idiot, Aubry!
Bad Seed made me laugh in a way I haven't when reading a book for a while. Ellen has a way of blending the serious with the silly that is so impressive! And we love uber-supportive leading men! I saw it with her cheese shifters and again here with her eggplant shifter; she writes male characters that you just can't help but get attached to, whether they're supporting their girl through her traumas or commanding all of her pleasure.
There were times, though, that didn't gel with me in the story. Certain parts of the story had a character or two yelling or screaming when the situation didn't really have a need for it. An example is when Sadie and Aubry are hiding from a dire situation. They're having a normal conversation, and then Sadie starts yelling instead of talking, and I have no idea how they managed not to get caught in such a tense situation by all the shouting going on.
That being said, I did enjoy Sadie as a character. I loved her nervous rambling, and her job as a food photographer sounds like a lot of fun! The scenes with her snapping pictures were some of my favourites because of how she described her process and the subjects of her photos. And she finally got to live out her dream, though in a slightly unconventional manner!
Bad Seed was a hell of a fun read, and I can't wait for everyone to meet Sadie and her lovable idiot, Aubry!
July 16, 2025
I never know what to expect from Ms. Mint. I thought her Coven of Desire series was a little out there. The books about shapeshifters are in another dimension. This book is no different. Ms. Mint writes the story so well, readers will forget that they are reading about a shapeshifting vegetable. There is no curse or anything with this one. Aubry Gene is a shapeshifting eggplant. This world is filled with a lot of vegetable shapeshifters and it works much like the mafia. Aubry is on the run. He heads to Loomis, California. Hoping to hide out for a little while. The one night Aubry goes out he meets a woman who is having a severe allergic reaction to eggplant. Aubry saves her and gets her the help she needs.
Sadie (Sadhvi) Nair has been on the look out for the kind stranger that helped her. She finally sees him at the Loomis Eggplant Festival. Unfortunately, Aubry's luck has run out. The people that he is running from are in Loomis as well. To blend in, Aubry spends a little time with Sadie. I love the irony and the jokes throughout this book. Sadie and Aubry hit it off and can not get enough of each other. Aubry knows that getting involved with anyone could put their life in danger. Can he stay away from Sadie to keep her safe? He has to, right? The Nightshades are on Aubry's tail. Aubry has some decisions to make that will effect not only his life, but Sadie's as well. I really enjoy books about shapeshifters that are not the norm. Ms. Mint does this so well with a dash a laughter mixed in as well.
Sadie (Sadhvi) Nair has been on the look out for the kind stranger that helped her. She finally sees him at the Loomis Eggplant Festival. Unfortunately, Aubry's luck has run out. The people that he is running from are in Loomis as well. To blend in, Aubry spends a little time with Sadie. I love the irony and the jokes throughout this book. Sadie and Aubry hit it off and can not get enough of each other. Aubry knows that getting involved with anyone could put their life in danger. Can he stay away from Sadie to keep her safe? He has to, right? The Nightshades are on Aubry's tail. Aubry has some decisions to make that will effect not only his life, but Sadie's as well. I really enjoy books about shapeshifters that are not the norm. Ms. Mint does this so well with a dash a laughter mixed in as well.
July 15, 2025
A brilliantly unique, fun & very different mafia romance with an Eggplant shifter 🍆
This sounds even more crazy than Ellen Mint's "Why Cheese" (with 4 cheese shifters) but it works so well with drama, secrets & revelations, allergies, twists, spice, obsession, love, passion, plenty of humor, vegetable mafia families running Vegas🍅🫑🍆 🥦 and a fantastic ending.
Sadie is a kind curvy Indian working as a photographer of products (mainly food) as well as in the local sports store. She lives in a town with an eggplant festival, which she'd enjoy if she wasn't allergic to the vegetable. After accidently eating some at the bar one evening (I was surprised her friends didn't stop her) she finds herself being rescued by a handsome Filipino who then introduces himself as a fantasy nerd and cat dad, though she's too embarrassed to let him know what caused her reaction.
Aubry had moved to the town to hide and is constantly worried that he'll be found. After he saved the lady's life he knows he needs to move on again, but he can't get her out of his mind, or resist taking her on just one more date. But he's got a secret, and not just that he's on the run from the Nightshade mafia family, and he's not sure how she'll react when she finds out he shifts into an eggplant.
I loved reading this (Astin the ginger furball is lovely and the names are brilliant) and can't wait to see what Ellen writes next.
I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This sounds even more crazy than Ellen Mint's "Why Cheese" (with 4 cheese shifters) but it works so well with drama, secrets & revelations, allergies, twists, spice, obsession, love, passion, plenty of humor, vegetable mafia families running Vegas🍅🫑🍆 🥦 and a fantastic ending.
Sadie is a kind curvy Indian working as a photographer of products (mainly food) as well as in the local sports store. She lives in a town with an eggplant festival, which she'd enjoy if she wasn't allergic to the vegetable. After accidently eating some at the bar one evening (I was surprised her friends didn't stop her) she finds herself being rescued by a handsome Filipino who then introduces himself as a fantasy nerd and cat dad, though she's too embarrassed to let him know what caused her reaction.
Aubry had moved to the town to hide and is constantly worried that he'll be found. After he saved the lady's life he knows he needs to move on again, but he can't get her out of his mind, or resist taking her on just one more date. But he's got a secret, and not just that he's on the run from the Nightshade mafia family, and he's not sure how she'll react when she finds out he shifts into an eggplant.
I loved reading this (Astin the ginger furball is lovely and the names are brilliant) and can't wait to see what Ellen writes next.
I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 5, 2025
Gleeful Goblin Review: Do you love Mafia romance but desperately wish there was sentient produce involved? You've never thought of it before now you say? Don't worry because Ellen Mint has got you COVERED. I'm personally not (typically) a mafia romance reader HOWEVER I have a deep and abiding love of the strange, unusual, and even absurd when it comes to my paranormal romance. This was my first sentient produce novel, though not my first sentient object novel. I've found that there are a few authors, now including Ellen Mint, that have a delightful gift for the total absurdity of sentient object romances. There is truly nothing like them. The dichotomy of a typically dark style of romance (mafia) mixed with an eggplant shifter seems like it shouldn't work and for some folks it might not! But for me, this book and the glorious genre it belongs to is the written version of a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich. Decadent, ridiculous, and a sticky sweet treat. 5/5 Stars
July 10, 2025
I don't know how the author did it, but she created a witty, spicy, mafia style romance with the MMC being an Eggplant Shifter. It's outlandish but it works. It's not like he is an Eggplant all the time; he can change at will and if the situation calls for it.
Sadie and Aubry were too cute together and Sadie's inner monologue was hilarious. Although Sadie felt that Aubry was out of her league because of how gorgeous he was; he never missed an opportunity to show her how desirable he found her. Aubry biggest fears were being found by the mafia family he ran from and causing Sadie's death due to her being allergic to eggplants, but nothing was going to stand in his way of having the woman he wanted most.
Sadie and Aubry had a few roadblocks to overcome, and it was a wild ride to reach that HEA they fought so hard for.
Sadie and Aubry were too cute together and Sadie's inner monologue was hilarious. Although Sadie felt that Aubry was out of her league because of how gorgeous he was; he never missed an opportunity to show her how desirable he found her. Aubry biggest fears were being found by the mafia family he ran from and causing Sadie's death due to her being allergic to eggplants, but nothing was going to stand in his way of having the woman he wanted most.
Sadie and Aubry had a few roadblocks to overcome, and it was a wild ride to reach that HEA they fought so hard for.
October 3, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, and Ellen Mint for sending me this advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was one of the stranger things I've read this year so far. Veggie shifter mafia romance is not something I ever expected to read.
It was really good, but not sure if it is the type of book I would seek out again. The pacing and worldbuilding were great, and it was really hard to put down. The plot twists were fantastic, and it's hard to write a review without spoiling anything!
Both Sadie and Aubry were awesome characters. I really enjoyed the banter, the humor, and the spice was fantastic too.
Overall this is a really fun book if you want to read something outside your comfort zone. I took a chance on it and wasn't disappointed!
This was one of the stranger things I've read this year so far. Veggie shifter mafia romance is not something I ever expected to read.
It was really good, but not sure if it is the type of book I would seek out again. The pacing and worldbuilding were great, and it was really hard to put down. The plot twists were fantastic, and it's hard to write a review without spoiling anything!
Both Sadie and Aubry were awesome characters. I really enjoyed the banter, the humor, and the spice was fantastic too.
Overall this is a really fun book if you want to read something outside your comfort zone. I took a chance on it and wasn't disappointed!
July 9, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I am all for weird romances and erotica (and weird shifter romances), but I didn't really enjoy this. It was fine but the worst parts of this book was the romance & sex. It definitely felt more like "crack fic" kind of sex scenes in that it was extremely over the top, I just didn't enjoy it. I did like most of the mafia parts and I enjoyed most of the shifter aspect of things. Just the sex & romance was where it fell flat. It did read incredibly fast though and that was a large part of why I didn't DNF it even when it wasn't grabbing me until we got further in the mafia plot.
I am all for weird romances and erotica (and weird shifter romances), but I didn't really enjoy this. It was fine but the worst parts of this book was the romance & sex. It definitely felt more like "crack fic" kind of sex scenes in that it was extremely over the top, I just didn't enjoy it. I did like most of the mafia parts and I enjoyed most of the shifter aspect of things. Just the sex & romance was where it fell flat. It did read incredibly fast though and that was a large part of why I didn't DNF it even when it wasn't grabbing me until we got further in the mafia plot.
July 15, 2025
I loved this book because it was such an unusual shifter story and funny. Ellen Mint can write shifters out of any object it seems and can make the story work. Basically, Sadie is allergic to eggplants and the hot man that rescues her at the bar is an eggplant shift (but she doesn't know that). Aubry is on the run and saves a girl at a bar. They bump into each other a few times before they get together. Then Sadie can't figure out why she is breaking out in rashes. :D Everything gets hectic at the end of the story but there is a HEA. I highly recommend this book. It's different but in a funny and great way.
I received this book as an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received this book as an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 15, 2025
I’ve been looking forward to this book for months, and wow — Ellen Mint went full sentient chaos and I loved every second.
This book is silly, spicy, and surprisingly heartfelt.
This is not your beginner sentient romance. This is for the readers who know exactly what they’re signing up for and want the spice, the silliness, and the emotional depth wrapped in a ridiculous (and very purple) package.
The heroine’s body image was addressed beautifully — it’s part of the story, not the whole story.
Was this absolutely unhinged? Yes.
Was it weirdly romantic and kind of hot? Also yes.
Do I regret anything? Absolutely not.
Now excuse me while I go reconsider my produce section loyalties.
This book is silly, spicy, and surprisingly heartfelt.
This is not your beginner sentient romance. This is for the readers who know exactly what they’re signing up for and want the spice, the silliness, and the emotional depth wrapped in a ridiculous (and very purple) package.
The heroine’s body image was addressed beautifully — it’s part of the story, not the whole story.
Was this absolutely unhinged? Yes.
Was it weirdly romantic and kind of hot? Also yes.
Do I regret anything? Absolutely not.
Now excuse me while I go reconsider my produce section loyalties.
August 1, 2025
I've been in a reading slump, and this book by Ellen Mint helped drag my reading dragon tail out of it.
Note, it took me a bit to read this as a late review, nothing to do with writing style, or anything, just my brain, but anyway. This book covers a plus-size female main character who is highly allergic to eggplant. The start of the book leaves you hanging on to the next page.
This is an instant-love romance, a romcom with a dark twist that features but doesn't center entirely on the mafia, which I found to have me by the toes fully. Sadie and Abury's nerdy banter and instant draw to each other is infectious to read, and the little cat brings you a chuckle.
Note, it took me a bit to read this as a late review, nothing to do with writing style, or anything, just my brain, but anyway. This book covers a plus-size female main character who is highly allergic to eggplant. The start of the book leaves you hanging on to the next page.
This is an instant-love romance, a romcom with a dark twist that features but doesn't center entirely on the mafia, which I found to have me by the toes fully. Sadie and Abury's nerdy banter and instant draw to each other is infectious to read, and the little cat brings you a chuckle.
June 2, 2025
Deadly Allergy
As crazy as it gets, Ms Mint knows how to write a funny story with all kinds of unbelievable plot curves. It’s an acquired taste and I’ve got it.
This time it’s a curvy woman who spends her time photographing fruit and vegetables and a mob enforcer on the run. Curious detail: he is also an eggplant shifter. And – she is allergic to eggplants.
Morbid ex (hers) and dangerous mafia vegetable shifters (his) make an unusual romance with side effects.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As crazy as it gets, Ms Mint knows how to write a funny story with all kinds of unbelievable plot curves. It’s an acquired taste and I’ve got it.
This time it’s a curvy woman who spends her time photographing fruit and vegetables and a mob enforcer on the run. Curious detail: he is also an eggplant shifter. And – she is allergic to eggplants.
Morbid ex (hers) and dangerous mafia vegetable shifters (his) make an unusual romance with side effects.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 15, 2025
Sadie is deathly allergic to eggplant when eaten. She needs to carry an EpiPen always. She is also full figured, insecure, rambles when nervous and a food photographer in Loomis, a small town. Loomis is known for their eggplant festivals. Aubry saves her at a taproom one evening. He is a mystery with many dangerous secrets. Aubry and Sadie run into each other at the festival and she wants to thank him for saving her life. This story is funny, with danger, romance and plenty of steam, plus a big orange cat called Astin.
July 15, 2025
You know I didn’t really know what I was getting into when I signed up for this book. At first I was like an egg plant shifter wtf that sounds weird lol. But you know what ? It actually worked out for the good. Ellen is one hell of a story teller and I can always count on her to write the craziest wackiest shifter themed romance books that are actually good stories. I loved Aubry, Sadie and Astin. The banter is top notch, the puns are endless and the spice...chefs kiss. 💋 can’t wait to read more.
June 3, 2025
Things I never thought I’d read about…a man who turns into an eggplant. Things I never thought I’d enjoy…also a book about a man who turns into an eggplant. This isn’t my first Ellen Mint book and I’ve definitely come to expect the unexpected and downright strange from time to time – but her books are so great and hilarious that I just can’t stop coming back for more! A mafia romance with a twist that’s sure to leave you asking….WTF (but in a good way) lol
June 7, 2025
An eggplant shifter and a woman deathly allergic to eggplant, how will that work?
Aubrey Gene and Sadie's story had me gripped, from the whole allergy issue, the eggplant reveal, and the mafia plot there was quite alot happening, and it was all tied together nicely, moving at good pace, to keep you hooked.There are some laugh out loud moments, aswell as darker points in the story. Overall there was a good balance between the light and dark sides to story, I would happily recommend this book
Aubrey Gene and Sadie's story had me gripped, from the whole allergy issue, the eggplant reveal, and the mafia plot there was quite alot happening, and it was all tied together nicely, moving at good pace, to keep you hooked.There are some laugh out loud moments, aswell as darker points in the story. Overall there was a good balance between the light and dark sides to story, I would happily recommend this book
June 8, 2025
Laughing at the seriousness
Sadie and Aubry are quite the the couple. They both encounter some issues that will have you cracking up regardless of the seriousness of the situation. This book is fantastic that way. After all if we can't look at life and laugh what are we really doing lol. I loved every moment. The creativity is not lost on me and had me grinning throughout this story. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did!
Sadie and Aubry are quite the the couple. They both encounter some issues that will have you cracking up regardless of the seriousness of the situation. This book is fantastic that way. After all if we can't look at life and laugh what are we really doing lol. I loved every moment. The creativity is not lost on me and had me grinning throughout this story. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did!
July 15, 2025
I had a lot of fun with this book. It’s quirky, steamy, and the right amount of weird. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I ended up loving the mix of humor and spice, especially with Aubry who's literally a plant man and can turn into an eggplant. The chemistry between him and Sadie surprised me, and the banter kept me grinning. It’s definitely a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which made it even more enjoyable. This was playful and a little offbeat and fun to read.
July 13, 2025
This is a quirky, funny, action-packed, over-the-top rollicking romance that may give you pause at first but will also give you some big feels, swoon and smiles. Sadie and Aubry were very likable, and I loved the star-crossed lovers vibe that I got from them. A very clever and delightfully cute read.
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