The Devil She Knows: A hilarious new queer paranormal romcom

by Alexandria Bellefleur

Samantha Cooper is having a day from hell.

In less than 24 hours, her life has unravelled, leaving her single and with nowhere to live. Adding insult to injury, she’s trapped in an elevator with a gorgeous woman claiming to be a demon.

Daphne is not at all what Samantha expected from someone claiming to be an evil supernatural entity. She’s pretty, witty, dressed in pink, and smells nice. And she’s here to offer Samantha a deal she can’t refuse. Six wishes in exchange for one tiny trade—Samantha’s soul. There’s a glaring loophole in their contract, one Samantha fully intends to exploit so she doesn’t fork over her soul. After all, she only needs one wish to win her ex back.

Hell-bent to gather the last of the one thousand souls she needs so that she can be free of her own devilish deal, Daphne grants each of Samantha’s wishes . . . with a twist, so that Samantha is forced to make another.

As Samantha’s wishes dwindle and Daphne offers her glimpses into the life she thought she wanted, the unlikely pair grows close. Perhaps the girl of Samantha’s dreams is actually the stuff of nightmares, but Samantha and Daphne will have to outsmart the Devil himself if they want a chance at happily ever after.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Fantasy, LGBT, Queer, Paranormal, Adult

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2025

About the author

Alexandria Bellefleur is a bestselling and award-winning author of swoony contemporary romance often featuring loveable grumps and the sunshine characters who bring them to their knees. A Pacific Northwesterner at heart, Alexandria has a weakness for good coffee, Pike IPA, and Voodoo Doughnuts. Her special skills include finding the best Pad Thai in every city she visits, remembering faces but not names, falling asleep in movie theaters, and keeping cool while reading smutty books in public. Her debut novel, Written in the Stars, was a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner and a 2020 winner of The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction.

Reviews

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you so much to berkley for providing this arc!!

oh this was WONDERFUL.
i can safely say this is my favourite sapphic romance i have read in a long time. this was my first book by alexandria bellefleur but i have a strong suspicion it will be the first of many!!

this was hilarious at the same time as being so so sweet - if you enjoyed the funny/silly banter vibes alongside a super cool fantastical element of books like ‘my roommate is a vampire’ i think you will LOVE this one. i found both characters to be so entertaining, and the plot line of a demon coming to grant wishes was SO FUN. this story was so unique to me and i literally read it in a singular sitting. the romance was so perfectly done and the tension was wonderful. LOVED LOVE LOVED IT.

would highly HIGHLY recommend !! 5 stars!!!!

[lexie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

anddd the great book streak comes to an end 🫠 i was beyond excited to see the synopsis for this (and her latest release being sapphic no less!!) but our mc needed to grow a spine because she spent the entire time obsessing over someone that doesn’t give a flying fuck about her and it impacted her developed with the she-demon…with which there was no chemistry or romantic tension to be found??? i’m REALLY disappointed with this :(

pre- review: jaw dropped so far it shook hands and made a deal with the devil

thank you to netgalley and berkley for the arc

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s a wonderful life but instead of an angel saving you from cashing in that life insurance policy it’s a demon showing you six alternate realities and how deeply terrible your ex is

Read my full review

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the arc to review.

Bookstagram | Blog

[manju ♡]

god what an absolutely gorgeous cover

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

Do you ever read a book and think, damn that would make a really great movie. This book is definitely that for me!

This definitely gives off sapphic Bedazzled vibes. The 2000 version bc this is definitely too sexy to be compared to the 1967 version. And I mean this in the best way possible.

What’s to love…
- sapphic paranormal romance between a demon and a chef
- elevator meet cute (my fav!)
- Top tier TENSION + BANTER
- LOL funny
- Insanely fun concept
- quick and utterly binge-able
- 2000s romcom vibes
- sweet, reflective, and meaningful conversations

What’s not to love…
- pacing was not my favorite. We spent too long on wish sequences and not enough time on scenes with the two MCs interacting! I wanted MORE. The book (for me) really got interesting around 60-ish% mark - but then the last 40% felt so rushed. I wanted a lot less time spent on wasted on Hannah and I felt like it really need more conflict with the Devil.
- the romance comes off just a bit too insta-love for my taste
- For all that talk about the forked tongue I feel cheated we didn’t get to see it in action.

🌶️- Ch 14, very mildly explicit hands only scene

4⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[K.J. Charles]

What a glorious cover. Perfect for the book, lovely style, bursting with character. More of this please publishers.

A romcom in which a just-dumped woman sells her soul for wishes in order to get the girl back. This is played out via a series of scenarios that put Sam, the MC, back in contact with Hannah, the ex, as masterminded by Daphne, the demon. Obviously, as these play out Sam comes to understand that Hannah was not the one after all Some of the scenarios are absurd, some funny, and the last one, where Sam asks to go back to where it all went wrong, is a genuine gut punch.

This treads a fine line, in that it's a romance novel where the lead spends a lot of time with her ex and a lot more time thinking about her ex. This inevitably crowds Daphne off the page a bit; there's also the perennial issue of making us believe that the ex is totally wrong for the heroine without making us impatient with the heroine's mooning over an obvious wrong'un. Bellefleur pretty much pulls it off. Daphne has a strong personality, and is threaded well through the Hannah parts, and while Hannah does absolutely come across as someone Sam should not be with, we can also see her as a flawed person who made bad choices (that being a theme of the book) rather than a straight-up villain.

We definitely believe in Sam's personal growth from something of a pushover to looking for what she wants, and we believe in her moral core. also Daphne's demonic side is occasionally unsettling and genuinely hot though I regretted we didn't get the hinted-at tail action lol The ending isn't surprising, but definitely satisfying. Enjoyable.

[Brend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me and the bad bitch I pulled by not reading contracts and baking

[Sava (Fang Runin’s version)]

The devil was always a cunty woman

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ☆

”I would still find myself utterly and completely enchanted by you. You, Samantha Cooper, are a phenomenon. The passage of time? Matters little to me. But it will matter to you.”

i really wanted to love this because the concept seemed right up my alley. unfortunately, the majority of this book is centered on the fmc Samantha desperately chasing after her ex who blatantly doesn’t care about her at all. this is something that irritates me so bad in real life, so it made me view Samantha in a terrible light and that never changed. Daphne, the demon who’s granting all of Samantha’s wishes was my favorite part of the story. i liked how devious she is, while also being the reality check that Samantha needs. it’s frustrating that I was checked out for 80% of the book, because when Daphne and Samantha’s romance actually developed i thought they were so sweet together.. it just took too long to get to that point. i couldn’t get past Samantha and Hannah’s irritating dynamic and how pathetic they both were, it ruined the whole thing for me sadly.

↬ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Berkley Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[aphrodite · Rating 2 out of 5]

the most unrealistic part of this isn’t the deal with a devil, it’s that the devil would fall in love with the most bland, boring, pathetic woman on earth.

[Leyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is 5 stars too generous? Maybe- but it was fun and it’s Christmas so I don’t really care lol

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 rounded up to 2 stars for the first 30 or so percent of the book.

im unfortunately going to be brutally honest here… this was awful and i fear that is me being nice in my wording for how i felt about this book… 😬

i was very excited to give this one a try as the cover and premise were STUNNING but this fell so extremely flat for me. the fact that 70% of this book is sam trying to “win back” the most atrocious person i have ever read about was insane. it got to a point where the longer i read this the more insufferable everyone but daphne became.

the wishes went on 100x times longer than was necessary, them going on to 70% left absolutely no room for any development for sam & daphne. by the time we got to where they even start anything i was too over sam to care.

this is the second book of bellefluers that i’ve done and did not end up enjoying so i just think maybe her writing isnt for me.

[megs 🎀 · Rating 3 out of 5]

♡ thank you to Berkley and Alexandria Bellefleur for an ARC of this book! ♡

3/5 ⭐️

📖 plot & pace: this book was very different than anything i've ever read. bellefleur is undoubtedly very talented and creative! with that being said, i felt the plot was very repetitive.. of course, somewhat par for the course of the book, but it seemed we were going in circles until the last 20% of the book (which i LOVED!) also, personal opinion, but i feel like this book would've been told better in first person vs third.

👥 characters: i honestly loved daphne, despite being a demon and all. i hated hannah, and i got tired of sam very quickly. i get love makes you do stupid things but sam girlie, you are taking the CAKE. daphne is definitely questionable, but only because she was forced to be that way. she has so many redeeming qualities under the surface.

🤩 tropes: sapphic romance, deal with the devil, morally grey character

this was a good book, but not a favorite for me. it does get the award for most creative plot though! i wish the first 80% of the book delivered as hard as the last 20% did.

[Sana]

OHH, A SAPPHIC PARANORMAL ROM-COM? I'M SEATED

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

'BEDAZZLED BUT MAKE IT SAPPHIC.'

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Devil She Knows is a unique and chaotic romance full of fantasy, intrigue, and a healthy dose of banter. The story follows Sam, who after proposing to her girlfriend and getting dumped on the spot; makes a deal with the she-devil, Daphne, to go back and make her ex fall in love with her again. This romance was so refreshingly new and quirky! I loved the concept of Sam trying to get back to her ex all the while Daphne attempts to close the deal and give Sam the wake up call she needs. Their sexual chemistry was palpable and the way they were so quick with their sharp banter and barbs was so fun. Beyond the romance, the ever changing settings added an engaging layer to the story. Getting to explore different scenarios and backdrops kept the pacing lively and unpredictable. While the ending felt a bit rushed, I could see how Daphne and Sam fell for each other so fast. Sam pining for her ex for the majority of the story was not my favorite, however, the resulting character development was well worth it in the end. If you’re in the mood for a sapphic romance with a dash of paranormal magic, plenty of hijinks, and a devilish love story, this book is well worth the read!

~Many thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Sam’s Sapphic Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5✨ rounded up

Overall, I’d say this story was alright.

This story follows Sam, a pastry chef who is looking to propose to her girlfriend. When it comes down to it, she’s completely embarrassed at the restaurant and broken up with.

When going home, a demon meets her in the elevator, granting her 6 wishes, but there’s a twist. If she uses all of her wishes, she loses her soul to the devil himself.

I wanted to like the storyline of this novel, I did. But I found it boring and it felt as if it jumped around a bit.

Sam has literally no self worth and just lets a woman walk all over her yet STILL would sell her soul to a demon just to make her happy.

That part wasn’t bad, a little slow and dragged a bit. The part that I really didn’t like was the last half. Sam knew this demon for literally less than 24 hours and feels all of these things for a demon WHILE still trying to get her girlfriend back.

There were a lot of plot holes at the end and a lot of key information felt like it was missing. The ending was a major rush and honestly? A bit anti-climactic.

The idea of the story was great, I loved the idea of it. The execution just fell flat for me. A bit disappointed because I was looking forward to this one.

Please note: I received an arc copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy.

[Blaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Do you really want to make yourself small in hopes of making someone else happy?”
…
“You know what they say: the best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody new. Most people would’ve tried that before making a deal with a demon.”

The Goodreads description of this book tells you everything you need to know about the story, so I’ll jump directly to my thoughts.

The Devil She Knows was not what I expected. For a book marketed as a romance … there’s not a lot of romance. Oh, Daphne vamps around and teases Sam (the narrator has a great voice for it, btw), and they do fall for each other eventually. Sam and Daphne have long conversations about love and relationships—indeed, their arguments are full of passion and the best part of the book. But for most of the story, Sam is obsessed with her ex Hannah. Until, turning almost on a dime, Sam is effectively blindsided by her feelings for Daphne. It’s an odd, unusual pace.

Instead of romance, I’d argue that The Devil She Knows delivers an interesting Faustian bargain/morality tale. Sam is desperate to get Hannah back, but she’s unwilling to simply wish for Hannah to love her back, to take away Hannah’s free will. So Sam keeps wishing to change herself, and slowly learns what most people learn without supernatural intervention: a relationship will never work if you have to make yourself small, or change yourself into something you don’t recognize or like. The heavier moments are balanced by lighter ones, culminating in a final negotiation that had me hearing Homer Simpson singing “I’m smarter than the Devil!” 🤣 A bit unexpected, but like all of Ms. Bellefleur’s books, certainly recommended.

[Stuffl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm conflicted! I really like Alexandria's writing style and have read many of her books, which I enjoyed very much. There were moments in this book that I found really beautiful and interesting, but also many where I couldn't quite follow the plot. I don't think I was able to connect with the story 100%.

The basic framework of the plot was interesting and had a lot of potential: Sam is heartbroken. Her girlfriend, Hannah, rejected her marriage proposal and broke up with her. She would give anything to get Hannah back. But really anything? Even sell her soul to the devil? Daphne senses her desperation and they meet in the elevator. But will Sam make a pact with the demon Daphne?

I really liked Sam, but I have to admit that I lost patience at times because her perceptions were sometimes really strange. Daphne was a very interesting and great character. I would have loved to see her thoughts or perspective on things. A dual POV would have been great! Basically, we mainly saw Sam's development, but unfortunately, we didn't learn quite as much about Daphne.

The reason I have such mixed feelings is the romance part. I was surprised when Sam suddenly (even if it was after a long time) talked about her feelings for Daphne. Sure, there was an attraction—although I didn't find it particularly good—but where did these feelings suddenly come from? Especially since she was trying to win Hannah back the whole time. I even flipped back and reread a chapter or two to see if I had missed something. But no... I really missed the emotional connection.

The book didn't really captivate me. Unfortunately. Few romantic feelings, lack of connection, sloooow character development, but good banter, refreshing humor, nice spice.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

[Menestrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it and had good laughs while reading it. Just what I needed.

[pani tet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Цитуючи головню героїню - fuck it, shenanigans [i'm out].

Проблема не про те, якби я очікувала романс, а це не романс. Проблема в тому, що я очікувала цікавий сюжет (угода на бажання в обмін на душу з дияволицею в момент, коли все життя котиться з гірки!), а отримала прісний наїдок, розмазаний більше, ніж того потребується. Непотрібно довгий вступ, непотрібно довгі пусті діалоги, вода-вода, я заледве пробралась до перших подій - і для чого? Чесно, кинула після закінчення другого бажання героїні. Це такий абсурд в поганому сенсі, що слідкувати за ним було неможливо.

(Мені як людині, яка читає всі папірці, що зі мною взаємодіють, - від договору на банківські послуги до чеку з продуктового після покупки - страшно спостерігати не за угодою героїні з дияволом, а за тим, що вона навіть не прочитала цілий стос контракту, лише зі слів диявола прийняла рішення.)

Зазвичай я ставлю двійку, якщо книга мені не сподобалася та й по всьому. Одиницю ставлю якщо книга примудряється вибісити мене як спеціально блін.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mc wasn’t even over her ex until 70% of the way through 😒

This was a great beginning. But I needed a lot more between Sam and Daphne.

However, the narrator was awesome.

[vaishnavi ☆ﾟ⁠.⁠* · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC
eARC recieved from NetGalley.

this was SO much fun!! honestly, no notes. 10/10, five stars, I adored every second of it 🥹🫶🏻

the setup is perfect romcom: Sam is freshly dumped and basically homeless, ends up trapped in an elevator with Daphne… who claims to be a demon. cue the deal-with-the-devil plot, six wishes, your soul on the line, and a slow realization that maybe her ex isn't the "girl of her dreams" after all 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

I absolutely loved how Bellefleur leaned into the elevator-meet-cute and turned it into a whole theme: the chapter titles are elevator floor buttons!! what a clever, adorable touch 🥹

It's witty, playful, romantic, and just the right amount of devilish. perfect if you want something Halloween-adjacent that’s more fun than frightening. the book comes out this October, so add it to your spooky season tbr!! 🎃✨

pre-read જ⁀➴
╰┈➤ hehe 🤭🤭 i got approved for an arc of this sapphic rom-com and i loveeeee rom-coms. also, that cover is gorgeous 🥰

[Emmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a flopped proposal, Sam encounters Daphne, a demon, in an elevator. An unexpectedly pretty, witty, and pink-loving demon. Daphne offers Sam a tempting deal in which she’ll grant Sam six wishes. The catch? Sam must sign her soul away to the devil and Sam will do just about anything to win her ex back. On the plus side, Daphne will let Sam keep her soul so long as she doesn’t use all six of her wishes. Simple enough. Only things don’t go quite as planned, and the wishes aren’t exactly foolproof. 


It was sinfully good! I had to. I had to say it, and I’m not sorry. I absolutely loved the banter between Sam and Daphne. I thought it was great that Daphne was funny and loved all things pink. I would’ve liked for there to have been more of Sam and Daphne growing closer over time because their love story felt a bit rushed. Also, the word 'hell' felt a bit overused in the book. It was still an entertaining, funny, and spicy read. I recommend giving this sapphic rom-com a read. I’m just going to say it, and I swear it's the last one. The spice was hot as hell! 


I’d like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Aj · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so, so looking forward to this book. The cover is stunning, the blurb was intriguing and this would be my fourth book by the author. What tf was this?! To call it a romance would be a huge stretch. Sam spent literally 80% of the book trying to get her terrible ex back. We got maybe ten pages of “romantic” interaction before we got to the third act climax of the book. The very little “romance” we did get came out of nowhere, lacked any sort of chemistry, and was truly uninspired. We have a she demon incarnate with many mentions of a forked tongue in a sapphic “romance” and all you wrote was a dry hump!? And it’s not as if the author doesn’t write hot romances, I read Count Your Lucky Stars. Whoever reviewed this as a sexy read was lying.

How or why they fell in love in the span of literally 24 hours is beyond me. Daphne said that Sam was special and for the life of me, how this very basic, dumb woman was the most special girl she ever met out of her 2000 year existence will forever remain a mystery. Daphne was a waste of a potentially great character and this book was a waste of my time. Sam should’ve needed one wish to find out Hannah wasn’t it. The rest of the pages should’ve been spent on hijinks Sam and Daphne got into as Daphne tried to make Sam use the rest of her wishes and exploring (writing) the chemistry between the two. Major miss.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Admittedly, a love story involving a demon and a human is not something I would usually read, but it's Halloween! And it's Alexandria Bellefleur! And that cover--Jennifer Prince, take a bow!

But, guys, I was so bored and frustrated for the first 60% of this novel. Sam's refusal to use her brain and stop and think was maddening, especially when it had to do with her blind devotion to Hannah. I just didn't care, and it all took up way too much time in the narrative. And that means that there was very little time to devote to the build up the actual romance in this novel.

Daphne, on the other hand, was such a fun character. But because Sam spends most of the novel obsessed with another woman, the romance felt super forced. And it happens way too fast--not just in actual real estate in the novel but in the time within the narrative.

But kudos to Bellefleur because at the 51% mark, I was ready to DNF this novel and I'm glad I didn't. The last 30% of the book was a lot of fun.

2.5 stars but rounding down because it took too long to turn around and the romance suffers as a result.

[b.andherbooks]

pains me to say, but i'm tapping out at 40%. we are still too much hung up on the crappy ex and i just don't think i'll buy the HEA. too bad. I appreciate the author taking a big swing with concept though.

[taylor ❤️‍🔥 · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating: 3.75 ★

“𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

the last 24 hours of samantha coopers life have been nothing short of complete hell. her girlfriend turned down her public proposal and she has no place to live with her two cats. when she has a chance meeting a gorgeous demon named daphne who presents an offer she can’t refuse, she finds herself confront truths she didn’t even know existed.

i definitely had a fun time with this, it made me laugh so many times. almost every situation daphne put sam into was just so ridiculous in the best way possible? and the banter? top tier.

samantha being so utterly captivated by her ex hannah made me want to shake her the entire god damn book. i know that it was partially the point, but it felt like it had gone on too long that by the time sam and daphne started to form a relationship it was almost too late? we barely got any time with them and it left me wanting more of them just living life together. 🥲

𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆˚࿔

sapphic paranormal romcom?? 💳 TAKE MY MONEY 💳

𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘶𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

[Vini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The love interest is short, blonde, has blue eyes, and dresses like she's in the 50s? Sabrina Carpenter, is that you?

This was a lot of fun!! Contemporary romance with a silly speculative twist is sometimes a miss for me, but this was great! I love the cover, and I do always love a demon (hail satan!)

I think the tone of this was very good. It managed to keep the silliness of a demon showing you six alternate realities and how terrible your ex is, but still kept it grounded within the rules of the world and the characters. The best part for sure was the banter between Sam and Daphne, though! It's what immediately grabbed me from the first few chapters.

I do wish we had gotten more time to see them falling in love, but it didn't bother me that much! Also, this was the perfect length for a romance with this kind of plot; it went by so fast.

[Emily St. James]

A blast! We love when a Sabrina Carpenter demon wreaks havoc on our lives, don't we, ladies?