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A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon
Not yet published
Expected 3 Feb 26A student finds herself accidentally betrothed to a demon—and investigating his connection to the magical irregularities plaguing her city—in this cozy, whimsical YA romantasy.
As a scholarship student at the magical Lyceum, Naomi would rather focus on deciphering ancient scrolls than dating. Especially since the only boys asking her out are less interested in a night in Naomi's company than an introduction to her influential aunt.
So Naomi devises an excuse to turn down her persistent She claims to be betrothed to a demon.
Her story works perfectly. Until she arrives home one night and finds the demon Daziel lounging in her rooms, insisting he's her betrothed. Naomi knows he’s lying—after all, the betrothal was never real—but the gorgeous and infuriating demon is surprisingly resistant to her banishing spells. And with his penchant for baking and home décor, it’s not so bad having him around.
Besides, she has other worries—like the ancient scroll she’s trying to translate, and the way the city’s magic has become suddenly unstable. But the more Naomi learns about the scroll, and the more she gets to know Daziel, the more it seems like she might be at the center of something bigger than she could have imagined.
As a scholarship student at the magical Lyceum, Naomi would rather focus on deciphering ancient scrolls than dating. Especially since the only boys asking her out are less interested in a night in Naomi's company than an introduction to her influential aunt.
So Naomi devises an excuse to turn down her persistent She claims to be betrothed to a demon.
Her story works perfectly. Until she arrives home one night and finds the demon Daziel lounging in her rooms, insisting he's her betrothed. Naomi knows he’s lying—after all, the betrothal was never real—but the gorgeous and infuriating demon is surprisingly resistant to her banishing spells. And with his penchant for baking and home décor, it’s not so bad having him around.
Besides, she has other worries—like the ancient scroll she’s trying to translate, and the way the city’s magic has become suddenly unstable. But the more Naomi learns about the scroll, and the more she gets to know Daziel, the more it seems like she might be at the center of something bigger than she could have imagined.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 3, 2026
10034 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Reynolds
6 books279 followersHi everyone! I'm Hannah Reynolds, the author of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON, a cozy romantasy out Spring 2026. I'm also the author of the GOLDEN DOORS series, three contemporary romances filled with family secrets and history set on the New England island of Nantucket.
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January 21, 2025
Hi! I'm Hannah, the author of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON. I wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes peek at the book and a little more insight on what it's about!
😈 A demon romance
📜 Ancient scrolls
🏛️ An academy for spell writing
🌬️ Magic winds
🌺 A stunning river city
I grew up reading cozy fantasy novels like HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE and DEALING WITH DRAGONS; Robin McKinley and Sharon Shinn. These were whimsical, romantic stories with strong heroines who made their own way in the world, saved the day, and also happened to fall in love. Reading them felt like coming home. I wanted to write a book infused with the same sense of joy as these childhood favorites, filled with humor, charm, and romance.
I love books about princesses and girls with special magic, but here I wanted to write about an ordinary girl from an ordinary village. What Naomi does have is drive and determination. That's what brings her from her home on the high plains to a sprawling riverine city on the other side of the country, to attend the fabled Lyceum, which teaches spellwriting at it's five different schools. Accepted into the School of Humanities, Naomi dreams of deciphering newly discovered ancient scrolls written in a forgotten tongue.
The only person Naomi knows in the river city is her slightly estranged aunt, a politician on the grand council. Students at the School of Government will do anything to meet a council member, including asking Naomi out over and over. Which is why she starts telling everyone she's betrothed to a demon. A great excuse, until she returns to her dorm one day and finds a handsome, mischievous demon with onyx black eyes and knife-sharp talons waiting for her.
A demon insisting they're betrothed and following her to classes, the pub, and her aunt's house isn't even the strangest thing in the city of Talum: the magic is off. The winds are strong and growing stronger, storms break at any moment, rain sings minor melodies, and all the birds have left the city. At first, Naomi is too busy with her friends, studies, and her annoying demon betrothed to care, but soon the winds start to demand her attention…
The city of Talum is modeled off of Provencal France, which was an absolute delight to research: thick sandstone buildings to protect against the strong winds; there are grand Belle Époque plazas and winding streets packed with bookshops and cafes. Golden light, cypress trees, lavender hedges, bright bougainvillea tumbling over stone walls. The time period is inspired by the turn of the (last!) century, with carriages both horse driven and powered by magic — but here women attend university, wear trousers, and hold positions of power. Jewish mythology, from ideas about demons to beasts of legend, are woven into the tale.
Writing A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON was pure fun. The demon is vain and arrogant and adventurous, and, when push comes to shove, loyal and brave. Naomi is practical and a little grumpy and ambitious and, secretly, a romantic. I'm a romance author above all else, and I hope this love story, set in a windswept city rich in magic, brings you as much happiness as crafting it brought me.
😈 A demon romance
📜 Ancient scrolls
🏛️ An academy for spell writing
🌬️ Magic winds
🌺 A stunning river city
I grew up reading cozy fantasy novels like HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE and DEALING WITH DRAGONS; Robin McKinley and Sharon Shinn. These were whimsical, romantic stories with strong heroines who made their own way in the world, saved the day, and also happened to fall in love. Reading them felt like coming home. I wanted to write a book infused with the same sense of joy as these childhood favorites, filled with humor, charm, and romance.
I love books about princesses and girls with special magic, but here I wanted to write about an ordinary girl from an ordinary village. What Naomi does have is drive and determination. That's what brings her from her home on the high plains to a sprawling riverine city on the other side of the country, to attend the fabled Lyceum, which teaches spellwriting at it's five different schools. Accepted into the School of Humanities, Naomi dreams of deciphering newly discovered ancient scrolls written in a forgotten tongue.
The only person Naomi knows in the river city is her slightly estranged aunt, a politician on the grand council. Students at the School of Government will do anything to meet a council member, including asking Naomi out over and over. Which is why she starts telling everyone she's betrothed to a demon. A great excuse, until she returns to her dorm one day and finds a handsome, mischievous demon with onyx black eyes and knife-sharp talons waiting for her.
A demon insisting they're betrothed and following her to classes, the pub, and her aunt's house isn't even the strangest thing in the city of Talum: the magic is off. The winds are strong and growing stronger, storms break at any moment, rain sings minor melodies, and all the birds have left the city. At first, Naomi is too busy with her friends, studies, and her annoying demon betrothed to care, but soon the winds start to demand her attention…
The city of Talum is modeled off of Provencal France, which was an absolute delight to research: thick sandstone buildings to protect against the strong winds; there are grand Belle Époque plazas and winding streets packed with bookshops and cafes. Golden light, cypress trees, lavender hedges, bright bougainvillea tumbling over stone walls. The time period is inspired by the turn of the (last!) century, with carriages both horse driven and powered by magic — but here women attend university, wear trousers, and hold positions of power. Jewish mythology, from ideas about demons to beasts of legend, are woven into the tale.
Writing A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON was pure fun. The demon is vain and arrogant and adventurous, and, when push comes to shove, loyal and brave. Naomi is practical and a little grumpy and ambitious and, secretly, a romantic. I'm a romance author above all else, and I hope this love story, set in a windswept city rich in magic, brings you as much happiness as crafting it brought me.
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November 9, 2025pre-read notes:
Got the ARC! ✨ I’m sorry you had me at ‘if you like howl’s moving castle’. I simply HAD to have this 🤭😩
Got the ARC! ✨ I’m sorry you had me at ‘if you like howl’s moving castle’. I simply HAD to have this 🤭😩
January 23, 2026
A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon by Hannah Reynolds
I really liked the premise of this story: Naomi accidentally lies about being engaged to a demon… and then somehow summons a real one. It’s a fun setup with a lot of potential to be my favorite kind of story.
I was hoping for more romance, romantic-comedy moments, and swoony scenes, but overall the book was just okay for me. The story focuses on Naomi’s daily school life and her work translating a scroll, which sometimes took away from the romance because Daziel was off playing sport or baking, I just wanted more moments of them together.
I genuinely enjoyed Naomi and Daziel’s relationship. I’m a sucker for a sunshine x grumpy trope, and this dynamic was done really well. Their interactions were definitely a highlight which I obviously wanted more of. LOL
The world-building could have used a bit more development, but I still enjoyed the fantasy setting. My biggest issue was with the final few chapters, they felt extremely rushed, almost like the story was cut short because the author hit the deadline or she was setting it up for a 2nd book. I hope there's a second book planned because the ending felt very rushed. It was pretty disappointing ending and I’m really hoping a sequel happens so we can get some closure.
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen Canada, Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the eARC.
I really liked the premise of this story: Naomi accidentally lies about being engaged to a demon… and then somehow summons a real one. It’s a fun setup with a lot of potential to be my favorite kind of story.
I was hoping for more romance, romantic-comedy moments, and swoony scenes, but overall the book was just okay for me. The story focuses on Naomi’s daily school life and her work translating a scroll, which sometimes took away from the romance because Daziel was off playing sport or baking, I just wanted more moments of them together.
I genuinely enjoyed Naomi and Daziel’s relationship. I’m a sucker for a sunshine x grumpy trope, and this dynamic was done really well. Their interactions were definitely a highlight which I obviously wanted more of. LOL
The world-building could have used a bit more development, but I still enjoyed the fantasy setting. My biggest issue was with the final few chapters, they felt extremely rushed, almost like the story was cut short because the author hit the deadline or she was setting it up for a 2nd book. I hope there's a second book planned because the ending felt very rushed. It was pretty disappointing ending and I’m really hoping a sequel happens so we can get some closure.
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen Canada, Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the eARC.
Want to read
May 19, 2025"A cozy romantasy in which a magic academy student deters unwanted suitors by telling them she's betrothed to a demon—only to return home and find a demon waiting for her, insisting she honor the engagement, and the city's increasingly unpredictable magic means she might have bigger problems"
November 17, 2025
First off, thank you so much for the ARC! It was much appreciated, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity.
This book was such a fun read, and one that made me have plenty of little squeals and squirms while these two cutie pies navigated their feelings & also the secrets they were both keeping.
I'm making it a spoiler because I will be discussing the ending, and the twists, yes plural, as our lovely MMC was holding a lot of secrets. First and foremost, his name. While I think it's cute that to him he is Daziel to Naomi, that isn't his name. So once Naomi found that out and she continued to call him Daz, I found that a tad off putting.
Next, I thought this book was a standalone - it was not. This book is book 1 of hopefully only a duology? However I saw no indication of that anywhere, in the marketing or anywhere else. So for this giant cliffhanger of Daz being the crown prince of the not demons (I forget the other name I'm sorry!) and him having to leave was upsetting.
Now, the annoying bits aside, I want to discuss the bits I loved:
The found family, friendship, and world building!! I never felt like I was being given too much information regarding this world, everything was seamless and while there was some aspects of the Shayd's (I remembered!) magic I didn't get, I felt that made sense since Naomi didn't know either. However, the passive racism towards the Shayds was sad to see, but poignant. It demonstrated that no matter if it's fantasy, or real life, hate comes from what you don't know.
As the story progressed I found there were bits that would happen, and then not mentioned again, an example being Dez's upset over his ring being touched in the beginning, and then the story pivoting back to it when it became relavent. To me, it showed that the author truly thought out the story, and didn't leave anything to be filler.
The puzzle piece aspect of discovering the clues "Ziz" and more, I'm not a puzzle type of person, but I felt excited to discover the pieces too!! It was spellbinding.
To say that my only qualm was the lack of realization of it not being a standalone & Daz's secrets, I enjoyed this book heavily and WILL be reading book 2!
This book was such a fun read, and one that made me have plenty of little squeals and squirms while these two cutie pies navigated their feelings & also the secrets they were both keeping.
I'm making it a spoiler because I will be discussing the ending, and the twists, yes plural, as our lovely MMC was holding a lot of secrets. First and foremost, his name. While I think it's cute that to him he is Daziel to Naomi, that isn't his name. So once Naomi found that out and she continued to call him Daz, I found that a tad off putting.
Next, I thought this book was a standalone - it was not. This book is book 1 of hopefully only a duology? However I saw no indication of that anywhere, in the marketing or anywhere else. So for this giant cliffhanger of Daz being the crown prince of the not demons (I forget the other name I'm sorry!) and him having to leave was upsetting.
Now, the annoying bits aside, I want to discuss the bits I loved:
The found family, friendship, and world building!! I never felt like I was being given too much information regarding this world, everything was seamless and while there was some aspects of the Shayd's (I remembered!) magic I didn't get, I felt that made sense since Naomi didn't know either. However, the passive racism towards the Shayds was sad to see, but poignant. It demonstrated that no matter if it's fantasy, or real life, hate comes from what you don't know.
As the story progressed I found there were bits that would happen, and then not mentioned again, an example being Dez's upset over his ring being touched in the beginning, and then the story pivoting back to it when it became relavent. To me, it showed that the author truly thought out the story, and didn't leave anything to be filler.
The puzzle piece aspect of discovering the clues "Ziz" and more, I'm not a puzzle type of person, but I felt excited to discover the pieces too!! It was spellbinding.
To say that my only qualm was the lack of realization of it not being a standalone & Daz's secrets, I enjoyed this book heavily and WILL be reading book 2!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
The story follows Naomi, a student who finds herself accidentally bethrothed to a demon after she invokes his name as an excuse to avoid going on dates with her classmates. When he shows up, they begin investigating his connection to the magical irregularities plaguing her city.
This story is whimsical and romantic. I really enjoyed how the relationship between Noami and Daziel developed, and the innocence of it. Naomi's character growth is fantastic throughout the story, and I loved seeing how that impacted her relationship with her peers, too. I also really enjoyed how the worlds of academia and court politics interacted with eachother.
The worldbuilding was not as fleshed out as I typically hope for, but it didn't detract from the story for me. I'm not sure if this is the start of a series, but I really hope it is as the ending lacked resolution for me and I'd love to learn more about the world and magic system.
Overall, this was a super sweet and cozy YA romantasy and I will definitely read more of this story and this author's works!
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
The story follows Naomi, a student who finds herself accidentally bethrothed to a demon after she invokes his name as an excuse to avoid going on dates with her classmates. When he shows up, they begin investigating his connection to the magical irregularities plaguing her city.
This story is whimsical and romantic. I really enjoyed how the relationship between Noami and Daziel developed, and the innocence of it. Naomi's character growth is fantastic throughout the story, and I loved seeing how that impacted her relationship with her peers, too. I also really enjoyed how the worlds of academia and court politics interacted with eachother.
The worldbuilding was not as fleshed out as I typically hope for, but it didn't detract from the story for me. I'm not sure if this is the start of a series, but I really hope it is as the ending lacked resolution for me and I'd love to learn more about the world and magic system.
Overall, this was a super sweet and cozy YA romantasy and I will definitely read more of this story and this author's works!
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 6, 2025
What a fun YA book!
The story comes at you quick with its introduction to her demon insanely fast. BUT I kind of feel like it works for how fun and goofy this book feels.
It’s a true YA where kissing feels exciting and like the beginning something novel!
I loved the main character. She’s level headed and honestly, her logic and reasoning are sound! Everything she does is justified. The most unrealistic thing she does is ignore something big and continue on like it didn’t happen, but that’s realistic too !
Our MMC is easy to love and his characteristics are consistently known throughout. You cannot picture anything other than a demon, but he’s got a great personality!
The story is packed full of surprises, challenges, and a little bit of romance! I thought it was a fun read and a great way to spend an afternoon.
The story comes at you quick with its introduction to her demon insanely fast. BUT I kind of feel like it works for how fun and goofy this book feels.
It’s a true YA where kissing feels exciting and like the beginning something novel!
I loved the main character. She’s level headed and honestly, her logic and reasoning are sound! Everything she does is justified. The most unrealistic thing she does is ignore something big and continue on like it didn’t happen, but that’s realistic too !
Our MMC is easy to love and his characteristics are consistently known throughout. You cannot picture anything other than a demon, but he’s got a great personality!
The story is packed full of surprises, challenges, and a little bit of romance! I thought it was a fun read and a great way to spend an afternoon.
September 28, 2025
such a fun one :)
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Originally reviewed on StoryGraph: 4.25 ⭐️ rounded down
Thank you to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway for this book and the author for sending me a free copy. Nothing was promised in exchange for this book.
This book was an absolute joy to read. I'd forgotten the premise of this book after I won it, but I decided not to reread it to go in as blind as possible. I was having a great time from the first chapter when Daziel showed up. I loved the concept of a girl accidentally summoning a demon because she was lying about being engaged to one.
I wish this book had a map in the front because I had a somewhat hard time picturing what was where and how far places were from each other. There might be one in the finished copy of the book, so the lack of one doesn't affect my rating.
I'm not Jewish and don't have much experience with the culture, but I really liked how rooted this book was in Jewish mythology and the religion. It's different from anything I've read before and I wish there was more Jewish inspiration in fantasy novels. I do think that a glossary would've been helpful in general, but also for people to better understand the Jewish/Hebrew terms.
I thought the magic system was interesting and easy to follow. I didn't understand exactly how it worked or what all the rules were, but everything made sense in the context of the story. I do wish there was more of an explanation of what kind of magic they could do versus a shayd, but I'm hoping if we get another book in this universe, it'll be expanded upon.
I liked Naomi as a character and found her relatable. She's a scholarship student struggling to keep up in a new environment. I loved how she wasn't perfect and she grew to prioritize her friendships and being kinder. She also learned that she was somewhat selfish and didn't take Daziel's emotions as seriously on the beginning. I liked Daziel too. He made mistakes, but I think he truly did what he thought was best with the skills and information he had. I do wish we got more of his backstory in this book. I felt the chemistry between them, but I wasn't fully invested because I could tell Daziel was hiding something and I knew that was going to cause some tension in the relationship.
The mystery was interesting and I liked seeing the characters working together through it and try different things. It wasn't the most engaging mystery I've read, but it worked with the plot and gave a more cozy, low-stakes feel. I also liked how it felt like a very small plot point in the beginning, but grew as it became more important to the world and characters.
The way that this book ended very strongly hints that there will be a sequel, but the book isn't marketed at all as the first in a series and I don't see anything on Goodreads about a follow-up. I'm rating this book with the assumption that there will be a sequel because I don't consider this book a complete story. If this book does end up being a standalone, I'll probably lower my rating since the relationship is up in the air and there are too many loose threads.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I'd absolutely recommend it to anybody that likes YA fantasy. It is very YA, so I probably wouldn't recommend it if you want fully mature characters or spice. I'd read another book by this author, but tend to stray from YA romances that aren't fantasy, so I'm not sure I'd read anything this author already wrote. I would definitely read a sequel to this novel though, without a second thought.
Thank you to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway for this book and the author for sending me a free copy. Nothing was promised in exchange for this book.
This book was an absolute joy to read. I'd forgotten the premise of this book after I won it, but I decided not to reread it to go in as blind as possible. I was having a great time from the first chapter when Daziel showed up. I loved the concept of a girl accidentally summoning a demon because she was lying about being engaged to one.
I wish this book had a map in the front because I had a somewhat hard time picturing what was where and how far places were from each other. There might be one in the finished copy of the book, so the lack of one doesn't affect my rating.
I'm not Jewish and don't have much experience with the culture, but I really liked how rooted this book was in Jewish mythology and the religion. It's different from anything I've read before and I wish there was more Jewish inspiration in fantasy novels. I do think that a glossary would've been helpful in general, but also for people to better understand the Jewish/Hebrew terms.
I thought the magic system was interesting and easy to follow. I didn't understand exactly how it worked or what all the rules were, but everything made sense in the context of the story. I do wish there was more of an explanation of what kind of magic they could do versus a shayd, but I'm hoping if we get another book in this universe, it'll be expanded upon.
I liked Naomi as a character and found her relatable. She's a scholarship student struggling to keep up in a new environment. I loved how she wasn't perfect and she grew to prioritize her friendships and being kinder. She also learned that she was somewhat selfish and didn't take Daziel's emotions as seriously on the beginning. I liked Daziel too. He made mistakes, but I think he truly did what he thought was best with the skills and information he had. I do wish we got more of his backstory in this book. I felt the chemistry between them, but I wasn't fully invested because I could tell Daziel was hiding something and I knew that was going to cause some tension in the relationship.
The mystery was interesting and I liked seeing the characters working together through it and try different things. It wasn't the most engaging mystery I've read, but it worked with the plot and gave a more cozy, low-stakes feel. I also liked how it felt like a very small plot point in the beginning, but grew as it became more important to the world and characters.
The way that this book ended very strongly hints that there will be a sequel, but the book isn't marketed at all as the first in a series and I don't see anything on Goodreads about a follow-up. I'm rating this book with the assumption that there will be a sequel because I don't consider this book a complete story. If this book does end up being a standalone, I'll probably lower my rating since the relationship is up in the air and there are too many loose threads.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I'd absolutely recommend it to anybody that likes YA fantasy. It is very YA, so I probably wouldn't recommend it if you want fully mature characters or spice. I'd read another book by this author, but tend to stray from YA romances that aren't fantasy, so I'm not sure I'd read anything this author already wrote. I would definitely read a sequel to this novel though, without a second thought.
October 20, 2025
Review: A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon by Hannah Reynolds
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Format: ARC courtesy of the publisher
If you’ve ever wished your fake dating excuse could conjure an actual demon who bakes, redecorates, and helps you investigate magical corruption… well, welcome to Talum.
Hannah Reynolds delivers a whimsical, cozy romantasy that leans into charm rather than chaos. Naomi, a studious scholarship student at a magical academy, is both book-smart and emotionally guarded, which makes her the perfect match for Daziel, a demon with charisma, a knack for domestic bliss, and more to his story than he lets on. Their dynamic is classic opposites-attract with an academic fantasy twist, and it works.
The narrative keeps things light and witty while also threading through bigger themes: belonging, ambition, and the fear of not being enough. Naomi’s gradual growth, especially in how she relates to both peers and power, is a highlight. The romantic tension is sweet and slow-building, grounded in mutual respect and a shared sense of curiosity, rather than just banter or drama.
The magical mystery plot adds stakes without ever tipping the story out of its comfortingly cozy tone. While the world-building is serviceable (more vibes than systems), it’s the kind of warm, inviting fantasy landscape you want to linger in: bustling markets, enchanted libraries, and yes, those adorable-sounding bakeries.
If there’s a drawback, it’s the lack of firm resolution. Several threads are left loosely tied by the end, which may frustrate readers expecting a self-contained plot. Here’s hoping it signals a sequel rather than a structural gap.
A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon is a gentle, page-turning delight—perfect for readers who want their fantasy soft, their romance slow-burn, and their demons lightly sarcastic and secretly softhearted.
Recommended for: Fans of Sorcery of Thorns, A Marvellous Light, or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches looking for a YA take with romantic fluff and magical intrigue.
Not recommended for: Readers craving intense action, elaborate world-building, or steamy romance. This one is more tea and spells than daggers and declarations.
Rating: 4 stars
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Format: ARC courtesy of the publisher
If you’ve ever wished your fake dating excuse could conjure an actual demon who bakes, redecorates, and helps you investigate magical corruption… well, welcome to Talum.
Hannah Reynolds delivers a whimsical, cozy romantasy that leans into charm rather than chaos. Naomi, a studious scholarship student at a magical academy, is both book-smart and emotionally guarded, which makes her the perfect match for Daziel, a demon with charisma, a knack for domestic bliss, and more to his story than he lets on. Their dynamic is classic opposites-attract with an academic fantasy twist, and it works.
The narrative keeps things light and witty while also threading through bigger themes: belonging, ambition, and the fear of not being enough. Naomi’s gradual growth, especially in how she relates to both peers and power, is a highlight. The romantic tension is sweet and slow-building, grounded in mutual respect and a shared sense of curiosity, rather than just banter or drama.
The magical mystery plot adds stakes without ever tipping the story out of its comfortingly cozy tone. While the world-building is serviceable (more vibes than systems), it’s the kind of warm, inviting fantasy landscape you want to linger in: bustling markets, enchanted libraries, and yes, those adorable-sounding bakeries.
If there’s a drawback, it’s the lack of firm resolution. Several threads are left loosely tied by the end, which may frustrate readers expecting a self-contained plot. Here’s hoping it signals a sequel rather than a structural gap.
A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon is a gentle, page-turning delight—perfect for readers who want their fantasy soft, their romance slow-burn, and their demons lightly sarcastic and secretly softhearted.
Recommended for: Fans of Sorcery of Thorns, A Marvellous Light, or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches looking for a YA take with romantic fluff and magical intrigue.
Not recommended for: Readers craving intense action, elaborate world-building, or steamy romance. This one is more tea and spells than daggers and declarations.
Rating: 4 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5 ☆ rounded up
Naomi lies about being betrothed to a demon to get away from dates, and she accidentally ends up summoning a real demon. There are many human x demon stories I've loved in the past, so I was excited about this one, though I struggled with some aspects.
Despite the title, this isn’t really a “guide” to dating a demon. Naomi spends much of the book trying to undo the summoning rather than actually navigating a relationship, and the romance itself felt more like a minor subplot. Most of Naomi and Daziel’s bonding happens around her academic work (like translating an ancient scroll), which ended up being the true heart of the story. That plotline was quite interesting (though confusing at times), especially the focus on language, translation, and unstable magic within the city.
The character dynamics were a highlight for me. Naomi and Daziel have solid banter, with a grumpy/sunshine trope that led to some genuinely funny moments, especially as Daziel tries to understand human customs. I wish we saw more of it. Their chemistry was present in flashes, but not enough for the romance to feel fully developed or emotionally satisfying.
The world-building could have used more clarity and depth. At times, I felt unsure about locations, magical rules, or the broader scope of the world before the plot moved forward. The final quarter of the book introduced a lot of new information very quickly, and the ending felt abrupt.
Overall, this was an enjoyable but uneven read. I’d describe this as a YA fantasy in an academic setting, with good humor and banter. The setup had a lot of potential, the academic magic is interesting, and the character banter is a lot of fun—but the romance, world-building, and ending felt underdeveloped for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Reader’s Group, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC. Expected publication date: February 3, 2026.
Naomi lies about being betrothed to a demon to get away from dates, and she accidentally ends up summoning a real demon. There are many human x demon stories I've loved in the past, so I was excited about this one, though I struggled with some aspects.
Despite the title, this isn’t really a “guide” to dating a demon. Naomi spends much of the book trying to undo the summoning rather than actually navigating a relationship, and the romance itself felt more like a minor subplot. Most of Naomi and Daziel’s bonding happens around her academic work (like translating an ancient scroll), which ended up being the true heart of the story. That plotline was quite interesting (though confusing at times), especially the focus on language, translation, and unstable magic within the city.
The character dynamics were a highlight for me. Naomi and Daziel have solid banter, with a grumpy/sunshine trope that led to some genuinely funny moments, especially as Daziel tries to understand human customs. I wish we saw more of it. Their chemistry was present in flashes, but not enough for the romance to feel fully developed or emotionally satisfying.
The world-building could have used more clarity and depth. At times, I felt unsure about locations, magical rules, or the broader scope of the world before the plot moved forward. The final quarter of the book introduced a lot of new information very quickly, and the ending felt abrupt.
Overall, this was an enjoyable but uneven read. I’d describe this as a YA fantasy in an academic setting, with good humor and banter. The setup had a lot of potential, the academic magic is interesting, and the character banter is a lot of fun—but the romance, world-building, and ending felt underdeveloped for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Reader’s Group, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC. Expected publication date: February 3, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First of all, Hannah Reynolds knows how to write a YA romance. I loved the chemistry between Daziel and Naomi—actually, I mostly just loved Daziel, who is incredibly charming. I also loved that this was clearly a universe where everyone is Jewish. From the first few pages, when one of the characters says "mazel tov" to Naomi, and it's just a given that he would use that phrase, I was hooked. But, after I finished reading, I started thinking more about the implications of having a fantasy universe where everyone is Jewish, but where some aspects of Jewish culture have been lost. For example, Naomi is trying to translate "Language X"—a language that has been lost—but when we see the characters for "Language X," they are Hebrew. So much of the culture is steeped in Jewishness (the matronymic names, the Sanhedrin, the twelve regions, the sheydim, etc.), and so much of that culture is expressed using Hebrew words. Then I started to think about when in time this story takes place. Naomi's aunt tells her that the year 5540 was 120 years ago. I assume, since there is so much Jewishness in the book, that this roughly equates to the Jewish year. If the book takes place in 5560 or so, that would place it about 120 years ago from the present day, or, in the 1900s. As the characters have carriages, servants, and only rudimentary technology—plus, there is a lot of discussion about women wearing pants—I think this checks out. But I don't understand how Naomi is a human in this alternate universe, which is also clearly in the past, yet all understanding of Hebrew has been lost. I hope the final version of the book includes an author's note that explains the Jewish origins of the mythology, culture, and traditions Reynolds included to create this fictional world. 4 stars.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
How can you not be romantic about completing the group project together?! All jokes aside, this is a delightful new work from Hannah Reynolds that blends her love of ambitious, charming characters, research quests, and Jewish mythology in a new fantastical environment—the city of Talum, where Naomi is a scholarship student at the university-like Lyceum. Naomi loves cryptography and is from a backwater of the kingdom, but she has a politician aunt that all the other students wish to meet. Knowing this, Naomi invents a demon fiancée—demons are a part of the kingdom, existing in ambiguous detente with humans—and is shocked when he materializes. Daziel is equal parts charming and underfoot, and the journey that he and Naomi go on together towards respect and love is lovingly rendered. At the same time, the natural elements that sustain the kingdom are failing and the secret to restoring them lie in a series of fragmented scrolls written in a lost language. Naomi, her classmates, and Daziel work together (racing against time, of course) to decipher the scroll whilst navigating environmental upheaval, political machinations, and falling in love (of course of course). Secrets abound and are revealed, class and species differences crop up in mostly believable fashion, and our heroes' next chapter is set up neatly in the denouement. But seriously, this is a book about the egalitarian division of labor in a group project, and the sweet, sweet taste of completion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a fun YA cozy fantasy. Naomi's aunt is an important political figure and Naomi is tired of being asked out just so her dates can ask about her aunt, with the hope of actually getting to meet her, so she invents a fiance for herself who she names Daziel, and to scare them away even further, she makes him a demon. This farce works a little bit too well when she comes home from class one day and there's a demon named Daziel in her living room who says he came to meet his betrothed! She lets him stay after much discussion to really sell the story, but when weird things start happening with the weather around their part of the world, Naomi will need Daziel and her group of friends to help figure out just what's going on. The adults in town, the politicians whose job it is to deal with things like this, are too busy fighting amongst themselves to take the threat seriously, so it's imperative that they at least try.
I enjoyed this book very much. The story was intriguing with the way the kids went about solving the problem and following the clues. The world building was phenomenal, and the pacing was spot on. The characters were likeable and unique from one another, and getting to know them was interesting.
All in all, I enjoyed this cozy romantasy very much and happily recommend it.
5/5 stars.
*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Hannah Reynolds for the opportunity to read and review A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon.
I enjoyed this book very much. The story was intriguing with the way the kids went about solving the problem and following the clues. The world building was phenomenal, and the pacing was spot on. The characters were likeable and unique from one another, and getting to know them was interesting.
All in all, I enjoyed this cozy romantasy very much and happily recommend it.
5/5 stars.
*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Hannah Reynolds for the opportunity to read and review A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Naomi is a student at a magical school, trying to avoid people only asking her out to gain access to her influential aunt — so what better excuse than to pretend to be betrothed to a demon? No one can refute that, surely! And then the demon Daziel himself shows up...
Meanwhile, as she's trying to figure out whether to banish him or just let him tutor her so she can pass her classes and not lose her scholarship, she also needs to figure out the puzzle of translating some ancient scrolls. And to make things even worse, the magical winds of the world have gone awry and all the birds have disappeared...
This story has:
- Amazing wit and banter, especially between Naomi and Daziel! I found myself actually laughing out loud so many times.
- Unbelievably cool world-building, with a really interesting magic system
- An amazing cast of characters, from Naomi's housemates to her badass aunt
- Slow-burn romance with a demon who's also a bit of a golden-retriever boyfriend
- A really cute salamander sidekick (how can you not love a lil animal sidekick???)
I truly was drawn in by this cozy read, and the twists and turns delivered an absolutely perfect ending. Stands alone but I loved it so much that I'm dying for more in this world! Sequel, please!
Would definitely recommend.
Meanwhile, as she's trying to figure out whether to banish him or just let him tutor her so she can pass her classes and not lose her scholarship, she also needs to figure out the puzzle of translating some ancient scrolls. And to make things even worse, the magical winds of the world have gone awry and all the birds have disappeared...
This story has:
- Amazing wit and banter, especially between Naomi and Daziel! I found myself actually laughing out loud so many times.
- Unbelievably cool world-building, with a really interesting magic system
- An amazing cast of characters, from Naomi's housemates to her badass aunt
- Slow-burn romance with a demon who's also a bit of a golden-retriever boyfriend
- A really cute salamander sidekick (how can you not love a lil animal sidekick???)
I truly was drawn in by this cozy read, and the twists and turns delivered an absolutely perfect ending. Stands alone but I loved it so much that I'm dying for more in this world! Sequel, please!
Would definitely recommend.
August 18, 2025
If you love whimsical, cozy fantasies with immersive world-building and swoon-worthy romance, You need to add A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON to the top of your TBR list!! From page one, I was rooting for Naomi — an ambitious, intelligent, and slightly snarky heroine who finds herself in over her head when she accidentally summons a demon and finds herself betrothed to him. Daziel was charming and mischievous, the perfect foil to Naomi, and I couldn't help but laugh some of his antics. Still, Hannah Reynolds takes time and care to craft a genuine romance between two characters who see and understand one another. I also enjoyed watching them work together to translate ancient scrolls and determine why Talum's magic has suddenly become unstable.
I finished the book finding myself wishing I could visit the city of Talum. The bakeries with all the delicious treats! The cozy pubs and bookshops! It's so easy to escape into the pages of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON and feel like you've been whisked away into another world. I'm ready to enroll in magic school now please!
Pick this up for unforgettable characters, a stunning fantasy world, and a plot that will keep you turning pages!
I finished the book finding myself wishing I could visit the city of Talum. The bakeries with all the delicious treats! The cozy pubs and bookshops! It's so easy to escape into the pages of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DATING A DEMON and feel like you've been whisked away into another world. I'm ready to enroll in magic school now please!
Pick this up for unforgettable characters, a stunning fantasy world, and a plot that will keep you turning pages!
November 12, 2025
I enjoyed the story's premise. Which was why I picked it. Naomi conjured a fake betrothal with a demon to ward off boys who wanted to use her for her connection to her aunt. She mistakenly used a random demon's name, and soon after he showed up. Right from the beginning Naomi and Daziel were a great couple. I will point out what I didn't like first—the time period. I had no clue what year it was. Did I miss it? How did it take a week to get home? Yet the demon can disappear with a snap of his fingers?! Another meh moment was all the spell dialogue which was a big part of the book. Why were the students trying to figure out old scrolls when huge natural disasters were happening at the same time? Okay now to the good parts. I loved the two main characters. Both were wonderful. I found Daziel to be humorous, kind, and giving. I loved how Naomi grew as a person and as a good friend. Together they were perfect for each other. The slow-burning kiss was perfection. Supportive characters added to the lovely story. Overall, it was a good romance. I'm hoping there will be a sequel because the ending was not to my liking. At all. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Language: R (25 swears, 4 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
Sick of the government-track boys asking her out to get an introduction to her aunt, Naomi (18yo) deters them by saying she’s betrothed. To a demon. When one spurned suitor asks what her betrothed’s name is, Naomi makes one up: Daziel. Then a demon claiming to be her betrothed shows up in her rooms, and he stubbornly refuses to be banished.
The story, the magic, and the budding romance were all fun, though I was confused about the world where it all took place. There is obvious Jewish influence, with Naomi’s aunt as a political leader part of the “Sanhedrin” and mentions of “rabbis,” but no one is described as Jewish and there is no mention of Judaism by name. Further complicating matters are the presence of French boulangeries and the use of British terms. These vocabulary choices without a clear explanation of the world I was supposed to be imagining were distracting, though in the end they weren’t important details to the story. And I even learned a couple of new words.
Naomi is depicted as White on the cover, and Daziel is described as having “bronze” skin. Also, Jelan and Gilli are implied to be gay. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for mentions of murder.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Sick of the government-track boys asking her out to get an introduction to her aunt, Naomi (18yo) deters them by saying she’s betrothed. To a demon. When one spurned suitor asks what her betrothed’s name is, Naomi makes one up: Daziel. Then a demon claiming to be her betrothed shows up in her rooms, and he stubbornly refuses to be banished.
The story, the magic, and the budding romance were all fun, though I was confused about the world where it all took place. There is obvious Jewish influence, with Naomi’s aunt as a political leader part of the “Sanhedrin” and mentions of “rabbis,” but no one is described as Jewish and there is no mention of Judaism by name. Further complicating matters are the presence of French boulangeries and the use of British terms. These vocabulary choices without a clear explanation of the world I was supposed to be imagining were distracting, though in the end they weren’t important details to the story. And I even learned a couple of new words.
Naomi is depicted as White on the cover, and Daziel is described as having “bronze” skin. Also, Jelan and Gilli are implied to be gay. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for mentions of murder.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
January 18, 2026
3.25 stars
This was a fun read that I felt like was very different from other books. I loved that there was such a difference in the religious beliefs that are of the foundation of this world.
I like the comedy that came with the MMC being a demon who seems pretty sheltered from human life. There was many times it made me smile or laugh a little. I will say, I felt that the author could have gone more into depth about the struggles the MMC was facing being discriminated against in the human regions. It was mildly addressed but I feel like more could have been said or done about it.
I also like how they used language as a main plot point. It was very interesting to learn about language while reading! I don’t think I have ever read a book that delved into this before.
Whole overall I did really enjoy the content of this book, I feel like the last 25% of this book we were bombed with a lot of information about the MMC that had been hidden from us. Also, I felt like it ended at a weird spot with not a real hea. Which I am assuming will come in later books??
Overall fun, I hope to see more in the world!
This was a fun read that I felt like was very different from other books. I loved that there was such a difference in the religious beliefs that are of the foundation of this world.
I like the comedy that came with the MMC being a demon who seems pretty sheltered from human life. There was many times it made me smile or laugh a little. I will say, I felt that the author could have gone more into depth about the struggles the MMC was facing being discriminated against in the human regions. It was mildly addressed but I feel like more could have been said or done about it.
I also like how they used language as a main plot point. It was very interesting to learn about language while reading! I don’t think I have ever read a book that delved into this before.
Whole overall I did really enjoy the content of this book, I feel like the last 25% of this book we were bombed with a lot of information about the MMC that had been hidden from us. Also, I felt like it ended at a weird spot with not a real hea. Which I am assuming will come in later books??
Overall fun, I hope to see more in the world!
January 24, 2026
This was actually everything to me. The romance was so sweet but complicated, there was great character growth, and the storyline was so interesting. There were so many witty remarks that made me giggle, but there was also tension and suspense that made me unable to put the book down.
I loved the idea for this story, loved the academic setting, and totally fell in love with Daziel and Naomi. They were so mature in their relationship but also perfectly captured the insecurities and changes that come with being a young adult and experiencing this phase of life. All while solving millennium old mysteries and being star-crossed lovers! I adored Naomi but the main character for me was absolutely Daziel. I am obsessed with the personality he brought to this story. The supporting characters were enjoyable and incorporated well into the book, too.
My only slight complaints were that I felt like the magic system was never fully explained and there were a lot of made up words I simply did not ever understand. I also wish we would’ve gotten an epilogue (solely because I wanted to read 100 more pages of Naomi and Daziel existing).
I loved the idea for this story, loved the academic setting, and totally fell in love with Daziel and Naomi. They were so mature in their relationship but also perfectly captured the insecurities and changes that come with being a young adult and experiencing this phase of life. All while solving millennium old mysteries and being star-crossed lovers! I adored Naomi but the main character for me was absolutely Daziel. I am obsessed with the personality he brought to this story. The supporting characters were enjoyable and incorporated well into the book, too.
My only slight complaints were that I felt like the magic system was never fully explained and there were a lot of made up words I simply did not ever understand. I also wish we would’ve gotten an epilogue (solely because I wanted to read 100 more pages of Naomi and Daziel existing).
November 13, 2025
📖 Bookish Thoughts
This was such a pleasant surprise! I went in expecting a fun demon dating romcom, but it turned out to be quite the Romantasy. The magical academy was set in a river city, and now I want to go visit the city of Talum. I was also pleasantly surprised by the immersive the world building and magic system. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style.
The reveal about Daziel genuinely surprised me. He wasn’t the soft himbo demon I thought he was at first, and I liked him even more for it. And his devotion to Naomi was so adorable even when she was being extra grumpy! Naomi was maybe a little too grumpy for my liking.
Overall this was an easy 4.75 for me, and I’m absolutely waiting for the audiobook so I can reread it.
🖤 What to Expect
• Cozy romantasy
• Magical academy
• Demon betrothal
• Sunshine X grumpy
• Magical winds
• Spell writing
⸻
⭐ Final Score: 4.75 stars
📅 Pub Date: February 3, 2026
📝 Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was such a pleasant surprise! I went in expecting a fun demon dating romcom, but it turned out to be quite the Romantasy. The magical academy was set in a river city, and now I want to go visit the city of Talum. I was also pleasantly surprised by the immersive the world building and magic system. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style.
The reveal about Daziel genuinely surprised me. He wasn’t the soft himbo demon I thought he was at first, and I liked him even more for it. And his devotion to Naomi was so adorable even when she was being extra grumpy! Naomi was maybe a little too grumpy for my liking.
Overall this was an easy 4.75 for me, and I’m absolutely waiting for the audiobook so I can reread it.
🖤 What to Expect
• Cozy romantasy
• Magical academy
• Demon betrothal
• Sunshine X grumpy
• Magical winds
• Spell writing
⸻
⭐ Final Score: 4.75 stars
📅 Pub Date: February 3, 2026
📝 Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
November 20, 2025
Hannah Reynolds has crafted this magical story with an intelligent FMC who accidentally (but on purpose?) gets herself betrothed to a demon. On top of wonderful world building, the author builds the characters, their relationships, and the plot with such ease.
Admittedly, I was a little hesitant about Naomi at first - she's a little too dismissive of Daziel - but as the story progresses her work ethic, kindness, insecurities, and loneliness reveal themselves. The author really brought the characters to life with great detail and complexity.
The academia background paired with the mysterious environmental changes was brilliant. Wrap politics - allies, treaties, power, money, etc - around that and this was complex enough to be real without being tiresome.
I truly loved this book and can't for more!
Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Admittedly, I was a little hesitant about Naomi at first - she's a little too dismissive of Daziel - but as the story progresses her work ethic, kindness, insecurities, and loneliness reveal themselves. The author really brought the characters to life with great detail and complexity.
The academia background paired with the mysterious environmental changes was brilliant. Wrap politics - allies, treaties, power, money, etc - around that and this was complex enough to be real without being tiresome.
I truly loved this book and can't for more!
Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 16, 2025
#APracticalGuidetoDatingaDemon #NetGalley
Naomi and Daziel's romantasy draws upon Jewish culture and mythology, a much absent part of this genre. She's a student who conjures up a fake boyfriend. In an effort of misdirection, her actions come to fruition with Daziel's appearance.
There are moments of levity and action in this book. Still, would like to see how her core group develops, those in the dorms and those working alongside her with the scrolls. There's descriptions of these characters but feel more one on one interaction would have given the reader more an investment. The cover art too is a little creepy, though like the FMC's attire.
This ARC was provided by the publisher, Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Naomi and Daziel's romantasy draws upon Jewish culture and mythology, a much absent part of this genre. She's a student who conjures up a fake boyfriend. In an effort of misdirection, her actions come to fruition with Daziel's appearance.
There are moments of levity and action in this book. Still, would like to see how her core group develops, those in the dorms and those working alongside her with the scrolls. There's descriptions of these characters but feel more one on one interaction would have given the reader more an investment. The cover art too is a little creepy, though like the FMC's attire.
This ARC was provided by the publisher, Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2025
Naomi is a student who needs to maintain her grades to keep her scholarship. Boys keep asking her out because she has an influential aunt and they want to meet her. Naomi pretends to be engaged to demon and it works until she names the demon. He then materializes and insists that their betrothal is real. She knows she made it up but has to go along with it or be outed as a liar. She is dedicated to working on solving the translation on an ancient scroll that may hold the key to fixing the wonky magic in her world.
Naomi and Daziel grow closer as the events evolve until the truth comes calling. Can they overcome this? This is an engaging YA romantasy. Since it is YA there is no spice to speak of but it doesn’t hurt the developing romance between the characters. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a cozy romance. I received a free digital advance reader copy for review.
Naomi and Daziel grow closer as the events evolve until the truth comes calling. Can they overcome this? This is an engaging YA romantasy. Since it is YA there is no spice to speak of but it doesn’t hurt the developing romance between the characters. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a cozy romance. I received a free digital advance reader copy for review.
January 11, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A cute cozy romantasy with serious grumpy/sunshine vibes. The vibes shift about three quarters in when suddenly the plot becomes much more serious (a mission to save the world will do that) which was a little jarring, but the cute cozy vibes maintained for the most part. The main characters were well matched as a romantic couple, but a little hard to relate to. The world building was pretty good but the rules of magic were a little loose at times. I will say though it was incredibly refreshing to read a book that defaulted to Jewish terms and religious structures- we completely take it for granted when the backbone feels overly Christian so it was nice to see a fantasy without the literal Jewish religion but with a backbone (sitting shiva, rabbis, etc).
A cute cozy romantasy with serious grumpy/sunshine vibes. The vibes shift about three quarters in when suddenly the plot becomes much more serious (a mission to save the world will do that) which was a little jarring, but the cute cozy vibes maintained for the most part. The main characters were well matched as a romantic couple, but a little hard to relate to. The world building was pretty good but the rules of magic were a little loose at times. I will say though it was incredibly refreshing to read a book that defaulted to Jewish terms and religious structures- we completely take it for granted when the backbone feels overly Christian so it was nice to see a fantasy without the literal Jewish religion but with a backbone (sitting shiva, rabbis, etc).
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you G.P. Putnam & PRH Audio for the free gifts!
I felt like the title was a bit misleading. There wasn’t much of a “guide” to dating a demon, since Naomi spends most of the book trying to get rid of Daziel after accidentally summoning him. I also didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between them. Most of their bonding happens around her academic work, which is actually the main focus of the story, and the romance felt more like a very minor subplot.
That said, I did find the story around translating the ancient scroll and the unstable magic in the city to be interesting. I just wish I’d realized sooner that this was what the book was really going to center on, rather than navigating a relationship with a demon.
Rachel F. Hirsch was nice to listen to. She had a steady, calm narration style that suited the characters well.
I felt like the title was a bit misleading. There wasn’t much of a “guide” to dating a demon, since Naomi spends most of the book trying to get rid of Daziel after accidentally summoning him. I also didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between them. Most of their bonding happens around her academic work, which is actually the main focus of the story, and the romance felt more like a very minor subplot.
That said, I did find the story around translating the ancient scroll and the unstable magic in the city to be interesting. I just wish I’d realized sooner that this was what the book was really going to center on, rather than navigating a relationship with a demon.
Rachel F. Hirsch was nice to listen to. She had a steady, calm narration style that suited the characters well.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
While following the story of Naomi, a scholarship student at a prestigious school, we see her accidentally betrothed to the wild demon Daziel. As she is just trying to live her life, keep her scholarship, and both discover and translate a lost language, Daziel insists that they are technically betrothed because she said his name along with her "i-have-a-boyfriend" lie while trying to keep political suitors at bay. Add a little end-of-the-world activities and we really get an adventure.
I liked this book. It had a funny start, a slow middle, and an action packed ending to bring it all together. I think it was a little long for the content provided and would have been more satisfied with an actual ending instead of it being open ended for a second book. However, the writing, plot, and world were interesting and I would likely read the next in the series.
While following the story of Naomi, a scholarship student at a prestigious school, we see her accidentally betrothed to the wild demon Daziel. As she is just trying to live her life, keep her scholarship, and both discover and translate a lost language, Daziel insists that they are technically betrothed because she said his name along with her "i-have-a-boyfriend" lie while trying to keep political suitors at bay. Add a little end-of-the-world activities and we really get an adventure.
I liked this book. It had a funny start, a slow middle, and an action packed ending to bring it all together. I think it was a little long for the content provided and would have been more satisfied with an actual ending instead of it being open ended for a second book. However, the writing, plot, and world were interesting and I would likely read the next in the series.
January 3, 2026
A Practical Guide For Dating A Demon is the coziest of cozy YA Romantasy novels. To say Naomi is dedicated to her studies is an understatement, so much so that she has fabricated a betrothal to a demon to keep the boys at bay. Who has time for romance? When an actual demon shows up at her door, it's clear that this white lie worked a little too well. From fake dating, to friendship, to love, Naomi and Daziel's story is very sweet. I particularly loved the setting: an elite school of magic in a magical land. There are ancient scrolls, a forgotten language to decipher and mythical creatures, and they are inspired by Jewish mythology! I very much enjoyed this adventure and I am curious as to whether Hannah Reynolds has a sequel in store. I want to know what Naomi and Daziel get up to in the future!
Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC!
January 2, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!
This is giving Disney romantasy. Our FMC was a little hard to connect with at first. She seemed too timid but also grumpy? Our MMC was giving Demon Jacob from The Devil is A Part-Timer. He was upbeat and cheery and made me giggle but I did wish we saw more of him as his true self. I kept reading purely for Daziel. Ending felt rushed but concluded okay. There was also a good bit of grammatical errors that overall weren’t too big of a deal but, to me, were eye catching.
A light and easy, romantasy book. Easy to follow and overall good plot. I will say this is a maybe recommend. If you need something easy and quick with fantasy elements and no spice, this is your book.
This is giving Disney romantasy. Our FMC was a little hard to connect with at first. She seemed too timid but also grumpy? Our MMC was giving Demon Jacob from The Devil is A Part-Timer. He was upbeat and cheery and made me giggle but I did wish we saw more of him as his true self. I kept reading purely for Daziel. Ending felt rushed but concluded okay. There was also a good bit of grammatical errors that overall weren’t too big of a deal but, to me, were eye catching.
A light and easy, romantasy book. Easy to follow and overall good plot. I will say this is a maybe recommend. If you need something easy and quick with fantasy elements and no spice, this is your book.
January 16, 2026
\\\\\ 4.5 \\\\\
I had a fantastic time reading this one. It was everything you can wish for in a cozy fantasy: sweet, funny, heartfelt, I really enjoyed it.
Read if you like:
Fake betrothal
Sweet relationship
Hidden identity
Cozy fantasy
Slow burn
Young adult
Naomi was such a nice character to follow. She was really focused on her studies, and I loved how her accidental betrothal to a demon switched things up for her. She had a bit of adaptation to go through once Daziel entered her life, and it really opened her up to things, particularly working with others and making time to experience life.
I loved that even though Daziel looked a bit mischievous at first, he had so much more to him and truly made an impactful difference in Naomi's story. He was charming and so easy to love. Add to this the cute lizard Paz accompanying him everywhere, just chilling around in every scene, and it was making me so happy every time.
Naomi and Daziel made a perfect team, and I loved seeing them work on finding what was going out in the city and how to decipher the ancient scrolls. They had a super sweet relationship, and it was well-developed, you could really see the evolution in their feelings and I quite enjoyed it.
The academia set-up was pretty interesting, and it was a great mix with the political world involved around our characters, too. The Jewish culture integrated in this fantastical environment was quite interesting. The world building wasn't intense, pretty easy to follow as the story went on.
I would have wished for a more satisfying ending, though. Too many things were left unresolved for me to really feel like this story ended. But still, it was a fantastic one!
Thanks to PenguinTeenCA for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
I had a fantastic time reading this one. It was everything you can wish for in a cozy fantasy: sweet, funny, heartfelt, I really enjoyed it.
Read if you like:
Fake betrothal
Sweet relationship
Hidden identity
Cozy fantasy
Slow burn
Young adult
Naomi was such a nice character to follow. She was really focused on her studies, and I loved how her accidental betrothal to a demon switched things up for her. She had a bit of adaptation to go through once Daziel entered her life, and it really opened her up to things, particularly working with others and making time to experience life.
I loved that even though Daziel looked a bit mischievous at first, he had so much more to him and truly made an impactful difference in Naomi's story. He was charming and so easy to love. Add to this the cute lizard Paz accompanying him everywhere, just chilling around in every scene, and it was making me so happy every time.
Naomi and Daziel made a perfect team, and I loved seeing them work on finding what was going out in the city and how to decipher the ancient scrolls. They had a super sweet relationship, and it was well-developed, you could really see the evolution in their feelings and I quite enjoyed it.
The academia set-up was pretty interesting, and it was a great mix with the political world involved around our characters, too. The Jewish culture integrated in this fantastical environment was quite interesting. The world building wasn't intense, pretty easy to follow as the story went on.
I would have wished for a more satisfying ending, though. Too many things were left unresolved for me to really feel like this story ended. But still, it was a fantastic one!
Thanks to PenguinTeenCA for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
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