Kalypso has a long list of things to be angry about, starting and ending with a spiky purple demon who reluctantly rescued her and five other women from the Dreadmoor. Trapped in the demon realm, Ozirax is the final barrier standing between her and her sister, so she’ll play nice for now. The only issue is… she’s never been nice, and when she drives away the one person she’s dedicated her life to, Kalypso is left without a purpose. Until she finds a demon warrior whose simmering anger calls to her own.
On the cusp of promotion in the demon guard, it must be a cruel joke from the gods that Ozirax ends up saddled with the rage-filled human woman. Kalypso is stubborn, vicious, and unafraid—the kind of distraction he doesn’t need—but she holds the key to his rise in rank. Work together, keep her in line, and the captain’s position is his. But there’s a cunning mind behind the spicy human fighting him at every turn with fists and blunt teeth, and with danger lurking in the Dreadmoor, she might be the very warrior their realm needs.
They’ve found their match, a mirror to the anger burning within. Kalypso has shown her colors, sharpened her defenses, but Ozirax is filling in the cracks of her broken pieces, and she’s not sure how to separate them again. Love has always been her weakness, but loving a demon? It might very well be her downfall.
The world has taught them to flare their spikes, but when passion blurs the lines of fury, can they walk away with their hearts intact?
For fans of fantasy monster romance, cozier fantasy, and queer stories, join Laura Winter and AK Caggiano in the Falling for Demons series of interconnected standalones, set in the same fantasy world. Follow six humans and their budding romances with the demons they once feared in a cozy, spicy setting.
Laura Winter is a passionate creator, minimalist, and van life dreamer. She's dedicated to writing character-driven stories with intricate plots that will keep you engaged until the last page. Explore new worlds, fall in love with characters, and enjoy an escape.
I freaking love this series! Behind on my reviews but full review to come!
🖤 What to Expect • Demon MMC • Human warrior FMC • Enemies to lovers • Forced proximity • Monster romance _ _ _ 🎧 Narration Style: Dual 📅 Pub Date: February 1, 2026 Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.
I always enjoy a re-read with audio narration to see how the narrators portrays the characters in the story. Raven Wildehood did an excellent job as Kalypso, she really showed how "grumpy" Kalypso can portray to the world. Alexander on the other hand, while he did great as Ozirax, he was a bit hilarious when he did the female parts. It was so high pitch and shrilly. I was cackling.
I received the ALC through Netgalley by Dreamscape Media. This review is my true and honest thoughts.
ARC Review Rating 4.5⭐ Spice 👀💎💰.5
As much as angry the main characters were, the story was pretty emotional at times. To be always be the strong one and keeping your walls up constanly. This book really did a good job portraying it. I really enjoyed that we get to see the FMC truly become her own person without to the need to constantly look out for her younger sister. The character development was just really good.
I did have a small issues, nothing too big. I felt the suspense about portal opening the hells and cursed monsters are being summoned out was a tiny bit slow, but then rushed towards the end. I wish we have gotten more foreshadow who the person was behind it was.
The spice was veryyy good, though, I am slightly tinyyy bit sad we didn't get more use of the tail options but you know I'm not mad about it (would have liked it lol). I enjoy that we get a bit of Kalypo as a dommy mommy and just throwing taunts towards Ozirax.
I am definitely 1000000% ready for book 4. It is Brioni's story and I absolutely adore her with the snippets we get in the books. A.K Caggiano does such a good job with the sunshine personality so I am soooo excited!!!
I received the ARC tfrom the author. This review is my true and honest thoughts
angry bi x angry bi is a pairing i am OBSESSED WITH. gimme them both idc i can take them.
these two were so mf funny i was grinning during this entire book. there are, of course, some heart wrenching scenes you’ll get a little teary over, but overall this couple is spicy (ha) and hilarious.
How Not to Woo Your Human Warrior (commonly referred to as 'woo' by the authors in a lot of their discussions/promotional material) follows Kalypso, a woman who has just woken up from being sold into sex slavery along with her younger sister and four other women. Thankfully, she was rescued and brought somewhere she was told was safe. The issue? The place is crawling with mythical demons, and they won't let her go or let her see her sister. She's placed with the city guard, where if she behaves, she will have the opportunity to see her sister. The issue with that? The spiky, cocky, angry, irresistibly hot demon that is her new squad leader.
I love these books because they are such a quick, fun read. I really appreciate the journey that Kaly and Ozirax go on together, learning to open up to the other and how to channel their anger with the world into something good. It's also hot as fuck.
For me, this one just didn't pack the same punch as Laura's last book, How Not to Charm your Human Colleague, and I think it might be that I just don't love the grumpyXgrumpy dynamic that the characters had. Their POVs were filled with angst (rightfully so) but it's something I'm not usually in the mood for.
I am so, so excited for the next release of these books. Move over Ice Planet Barbarians, make room for Falling for Demons!
This book knows exactly what it is and leans all the way in. We get a grumpy/cinnamon roll demon love interest and a spicy human warrior who is absolutely not impressed.
The humor is constant, not cheesy, and doesn’t try too hard. Just genuine situational chaos, cultural differences, plus action packed battles. We get a found family with a host of interesting characters. Some emotionally tender moments and character growth.
If you do audio, you are in for a treat. Narration by Raven Wildewood and Alexander Cendese is chef’s kiss. Their narration of the characters banter flows so naturally it feels less like narration and more like eavesdropping on their disasters in real time.
The romance builds in a way that feels grumpy, playful, but still sincere. Under the secondhand embarrassment there is real tenderness. Little moments of care and quiet respect. Some gentle neurodivergent representation, that was well represented and done. Then ofc that slow shift from “what are you doing? I hate you” to “I would die for you, but I still hate you…kinda”. Elite progression.
World building stays light enough that it never drags but rich enough to make the differences between demon and human actually matter. The characters growth is easily the best part. Equal parts sweet and completely unhinged.
The chemistry works because their personalities clash first then click. Reluctant tolerance to teamwork to feelings creeping in at the worst possible time. I loved that he nicknamed her “spicy” and it held through the whole book. Just, swoon.
If you like fantasy romance that does not take itself too seriously but still delivers heart this one is an easy yes. Come for the chaotic courtship, and found family. Stay for the warrior who slowly realizes they are being adored in the weirdest but most sincere way possible.
I’ll definitely be checking out the rest of the books in this series. A fun and charming time was had!
Special thanks to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia, and @laurawinters for the opportunity to receive an ALC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A thanks to NetGalley and Dream Media for access to the ARC audio edition of this book.
Here's how I would describe Kaly: She's the semi-feral cat that you tempt into the house on the coldest day of winter because you don't want to see her freeze to death. While she's reluctantly thankful for the warmth, comfortable furniture, and a full belly, she only begrudgingly lets you maybe pet the very top of her head. It's six months before you hear her purr for the first time, but eventually after enough time, treats, and just leaving her alone, she finally crawls into your lap one day of your her own accord, rolls over for belly rubs --which she accepts for all of sixty seconds before clawing your hand to shreds.
And yet...you adore her. You weren't doing anything important with that hand anyway.
I jumped into this book having not read the other two in the series, and I don't think it mattered. I'm still not entirely sure why Humans and Demons are in this...realm? That is not original to either of them, but is somehow the humans fault? So, there is some worldbuilding that may not be making it from book to book for anyone who follows up on that. BUT, the characters are likable, the romance itself is straightforward and steamy. Some drama at the end, which is to be expected of the genre (no, no third-act-breakup!) and then a happily ever after with a "soulmate" trope.
Lastly, I've listened to Alexander Cendese primarily narrate MM romance, so this was a twist. He still embodies the male lead really well, although his voice is so well suited to himbos (I"m sorry, it just is), and I'm not sure I'd categorize Oz as such. Raven Wildewood also did an excellent job, but...I'm not sure how suited their voices were *together*. But, I got through the book and it was over all enjoyable.
One thing about me that I learned from my deep dive into the romance community is that in a slut for a demon romance. Take me away and lock me up boys, if loving it is wrong then I don’t want to be right and you can lock me in irons. This series has become such a comfort read for me. Following each of these women as they learn to assimilate to their new lives in a demon realm and fall in love with their hunky loving caretakers is a great time for me. In this installment our heroine Kalypso is tall, muscular, scrappy, and a capable badass and we LOVE all of that about her. You know what we love even more? We love that Oz loves it. And he calls her his Spicy human? Just skewer me. I liked seeing our FMC basically get down to business to defeat the Huns in the sense that she got down with these protective warriors and joined their squad skillfully. I also loved that their friends and fellow squad mates had great personalities and were a great group of demons to have as side characters. Then last but not least, we love the spice. Four to five chilis for sure 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Creative as always demons, creative. First tension as angry rivals of sorts that turns tender as the story goes on? Hell yeah.
I love a story about two grumps who are secret cinnamon rolls underneath it all. Training, battles, emotional growth, and dyslexia representation. What more do you want? This book was yet again another tale that spoke directly to my heart - it’s so nice to be able to relate to a character and see them grow throughout the story.
Honestly it felt great to dive back into to this world. I really enjoyed how Kalypso and Oz’s relationship developed. As previous books in the series, this deals with some darker themes sensitively, including self harm and historical abuse. Saying that, If you’re after a low stakes, fun time with a generous amount of hot monster loving you should definitely check this out. These are my honest thoughts and thanks to the author for gifting me this ARC.
There really are monsters, but most of the demons are big, brave, not monstrous, and often funny (the rabbit incident is hilarious). Kaly and Oz have issues; there is a lot of angry sex. Oz's squad mates are great and add humor and warmth to the story. The worldbuilding is interesting, and the story is enjoyable.
“Granted, she’d made him sleep on the floor for three days, despite his hip still healing, but she’d dangled her hand over the edge for him to hold. That was more than he deserved.” I’M KICKING MY FEET
I love this series and this book just added to that. As an angry eldest daughter, Kalypso was very relatable to me. (Although, if hot demons "kidnapped" [saved] me, I would be much less resistant to it than Kaly was.)
The grumpy x grumpy dynamic was so fun and made it extra cute when they confronted their icky feelings. It felt like they were able to really understand each other because of their similar personalities. I also love how they didn't lose the sassy banter even as they started getting closer.
And of course, Ozirax, you supportive and accommodating king. Plus, come on, that slutty little crop top - yes. Very good, yes.
Overall, if you're looking for a sweet and spicy interconnected series, this is it. I've had so much fun reading the series so far and I'm looking forward to more!
some promising elements and a few oddities that add up to a good story
Rating: 3.75⭐️
I had seen this series before but not read any of the books. But the description of How Not To Woo Your Human Warrior included a rage filled main woman character, one who when kidnapped by demons used her anger to fight to reach her sister.
That sounded promising and it also stated it could be read as a standalone, so I picked it up.
I mostly enjoyed the story. Not having read the preceding novels, I don’t know how much of the missing world building is to be found there. What I did find was a story that dealt with some sensitive issues (parental abuse,DV,control issues and anger issues) yet framed them with some comedic humor that is a bit jarring. Or perhaps just odd that it feels out of place.
At least to me.
The storyline is good. A pair of sisters, already at odds, are kidnapped by slavers. And then rescued. By demons.
Kalypso or Kaly, the older sister has lived a tough life. Her history is slowly revealed over the course of the book, the reason she’s so excellent at fighting, so filled with rage, so quick with her anger. With her younger sister as her only focus. As one can imagine, none of those reasons are good.
Her sister, Kat, is an enigma for the most part, separated from Kaly, used as to keep Kaly compliant with the rules of the place they are living in.
That damaged dynamic is a realistic twist of the book.
Ozirax, the demon warrior in charge of Kaly getting settled into her new environment is an interesting character. This is the first time I’ve seen dyslexia written into a demon in this manner, and it’s a very successful element. Same for how it’s a part of Kaly’s story. This bridge is just one that makes their journey to a relationship work.
Other aspects of the story I think are well written are the various paranormal creatures that are battled or just met as part of this new world. The teams and political factions are very similar to an earth similar system and/or structure so there’s nothing new to explore.
What I find irksome about this and any other book is where the author has given a element of their series a name that’s either silly or odd enough that just seeing it, throws you out of the narrative. Example. The current storyline is dealing with a serious issue, then one of the characters mentions that they are living in Heck.
SMH. Demons in Heck.
Which would be funny if this was a comedy. And not a book dealing with child abuse, rage, anger management, and other sensitive topics.
Yes, I took rating points away because of that.
And because that wasn’t well written. You can have humor and traumatic experiences within the same novel but the writing has to be exceptional. This isn’t it.
It’s engaging at times. Downright awkward reading at times. Oz calls Kaly spicy immediately because she’s filled with rage over being kidnapped and drugged by slavers and separated from her sister. Anyone see a problem here?
It’s that sort of thing that occurs regularly throughout that makes this a ok read but not one where I’ll seek out the other books.
Falling for Demons-6 books:
“Six human women, betrayed by their own only to be rescued by the very demons they were taught to fear, find themselves trapped in a harrowing, magical city.
But the cautionary tales were wrong, and they’re quick to learn demons don’t inspire terror but temptation…”
▪️How Not to Court Your Human Captive #1 by A. K. Caggiano ▪️How Not to Charm Your Human Colleague #2 by Laura Winters ▪️How Not To Woo Your Human Warrior #3 by Laura Winters ▪️How Not to Tame Your Human Tease #4 by A. K. Caggiano ▪️How Not to Pursue Your Human Perfectionist #5 by Laura Winters ▪️How Not to Mesmerize Your Human Muse #6 by A. K. Caggiano
Spicy girl wakes up in a demon town and decides to start a fight.
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Plot In this story, we meet another of the fine ladies stuck in Heck - this time we get to hang out with Kalypso, a veritable ruffian as she explores the civil demon town.
Characters FMC I like Spicy. She's a strong individual, both physically and mentally, and cares so deeply for her sister that she'll put everything, including herself, to one side. Despite her initial difficulties, she fits in well within her new position and ends up proving herself to the other demons. I really enjoyed her tenacity and guile throughout the story regardless of what she faced, especially when it came to upsetting Ozirax.
MMC I liked Oz. He's an unfriendly and spiky individual, but fits so beautifully with Kalypso. She runs circles around him right from the start and I loved how he dealt with it.
The Rest The rest of the cast is great, and I especially liked the little twists with his family and the other guards.
The Chemistry These two have great chemistry, and I really enjoyed the colleagues-with-benefits arrangement at the beginning.
The Good I did really enjoy their 'I hate you' dynamic for the better part of the book. The constant bickering was good fun.
The Bad I think the only thing I didn't like was the voice actors doing voices for the opposite gender, with the male actor doing a slightly worse job on this front. But it was fine.
The Ugly No uglies.
The Wrap Up Be careful of spicy humans. They bite.
I read this with my earballs (thanks Jess ;)), and received this ahead of release. Massive thank you to Dreamscape Media for letting me get my paws on this early.
🎧 Audiobook Review: How Not to Woo Your Human Warrior by Laura White 🎧
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved. Loved. LOVED this book!
From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The narration by Raven Wildewood and Alexander Cendese was absolutely phenomenal — they brought these characters to life in a way that made it impossible to stop listening. Their voices captured the emotion, tension, humor, and growth perfectly. Honestly, the narration elevated an already great story into something unforgettable.
This might be my favorite book in the series so far.
Kalypso’s journey really hit home for me. Watching her learn how to live for herself — not out of obligation, fear, or expectation — was powerful. So many of us forget to choose ourselves, and seeing her slowly realize her worth, at her own pace, felt real and relatable. I loved that she wasn’t rushed. She was supported, encouraged, and gently pushed when she needed it most.
And then there’s Ozirax… 🖤 Kind, patient, and quietly struggling with his own identity. His battle with living up to his father’s expectations versus following his true calling added so much depth to his character. What I loved most was how, while helping Kalypso grow, he also found clarity and strength within himself. Their growth felt natural, earned, and beautifully intertwined.
As both characters evolve, the tension rises — because their world is being threatened by an unseen force, adding suspense and urgency that kept me glued to my headphones.
✨ Strong character development ✨ Emotional growth ✨ Slow-burn connection ✨ Fantastic narration ✨ Just the right amount of depth and heart
This audiobook had everything I love: emotion, growth, romance, and a story that sticks with you after it ends. The narrators truly brought the soul of this book to life.
🎧 I can’t wait for the next book in this series! If you’re listening — trust me, this one is absolutely worth it. 💥📚
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC of How not to Woo your Human Warrior by Laura White in exchange for an honest review. This plays no part in how I rated or reviewed this book.
If chaotic demon courtship manuals existed, this book would be the cautionary tale. How Not to Woo Your Human Warrior by Laura Winters absolutely understands the assignment — and then sprints full speed into the mayhem. We’ve got a grumpy-but-actually-soft demon MMC who is trying (and failing) to execute Operation: Seduce the Human. Meanwhile, our human warrior FMC is spicy, lethal, and approximately 0% impressed. The dynamic? Immaculate. The banter? Constant. The embarrassment? Secondhand and severe. This isn’t try-hard humor — it’s situational chaos done right. Cultural misunderstandings. Demon logic. Battle scenes. Accidental tenderness. And a found family full of chaotic side characters I would absolutely risk it all for. The romance progression? Elite. Underneath the teasing and disasters, there’s real softness. Quiet respect. Small acts of care. The emotional growth sneaks up on you in the best way. And I really appreciated the gentle neurodivergent rep woven in naturally — it felt thoughtful, not performative. Also — he calls her “Spicy.” The nickname sticks. I melted. The worldbuilding keeps things light and punchy — enough depth to make demon vs. human differences matter, but never so dense that it slows the pace. The real standout is the character growth. Watching them go from reluctant tolerance → reluctant teamwork → oh no feelings → oh no I would burn the world for you? Delicious. If you’re an audiobook girly? You won. Narrated by Raven Wildewood and Alexander Cendese, and when I tell you the banter feels like live eavesdropping on two disasters flirting mid-battle? Chef’s kiss. The chemistry in the narration makes it even more unhinged (complimentary). This book is equal parts sweet and feral. Fantasy romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers heart? Immediate yes. Come for the chaotic courtship. Stay for the warrior slowly realizing she’s being adored in the weirdest, most sincere way possible. I will absolutely be continuing this series because I am not done with this level of demon incompetence and emotional payoff. 💀🔥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was an entertaining, very fast read that packed a punch (pun intended?). This is the spiciest book so far of the falling for demons series. Thank you so much to the author for the advanced copy.
This novel contained so much, and yet I was still left, wanting slightly more. We are given two main characters that are angry by nature, one is angry and in control, and the other is angry and a human tornado. Literally, for most of the book, Kalypso is angry and impulsive. She goes through an extraordinary amount of change across the book, and her story isn't always easy. It makes sense why she is so angry, why she makes the decisions she makes, and thankfully, she is able to make that needed growth. I wish the emotional development we had at 73% had happened sooner. I also would have loved to have seen the storyline with her sister flushed out a bit more. It was so important, and yet we barely see her. This is, of course, explained and makes sense within the story. I just was left feeling wanting in this storyline. That being said, we had these lovely deep moments of her connecting with Oz. Just these great, iconic, noteworthy lines. Ozirax is so much more of a balanced feeling character. He is slightly less angry and more bordering on grouchy, and very prickly. I kinda loved when she'd refer to him as a purple cactus.
I loved watching the characters as they changed and grew. More importantly as they grew together. They communicated well, even though some of that communication was just "I still hate you". This book was the spiciest of the series so far, and while it was fun in the story. There was just something about the pacing with the plot that felt slightly off to me. BUT!! I was in a weird reading funk when I started this story, and honestly, all my opinions are colored by this viewpoint most likely.
I will revisit this book again. There were some truly iconic moments and quotes that will stick with me.
Kalypso is used to doing whatever it takes to survive and keep her sister safe. So when they're kidnapped by slavers, only to be rescued by demons and taken to the demon realm, she's ready to fight her way out no matter what it takes. But the demons are nice, and the life they're offering Kalypso and her sister is better than anything they could have achieved on their own. One disagreement later sees Kalypso alone, working as the only human in the demon guard, under the not-so-tender care of a spiky purple demon. Ozirax never expected to be put in charge of a rage–filled human woman, and finding her incredibly sexy is not helping him figure out if he cares to apply for the promotion everyone's pushing him towards or where the increased danger to the city is coming from.
It's fun and sexy and full of action, but it's also utter fluff that would benefit from a little more world-building. It could be that it's the third book in the series, but everything feels rushed. It's like everything that happens in between the five-alarm fire smexy scenes doesn't matter as much, when those are the scenes that made it fun. I loved the rest of the demon guard and the relationships between them. Kalypso's relationship with her sister and how their past shaped it and them is interesting, but barely touched on.
The narration by both Raven Wildewood and Alexander Cendese is brilliant. They bring all the characters to life, making it easy to distinguish who's talking when and feel like you're in the room with them, witnessing perfectly timed banter.
I guess I was more in the mood for plot and characters than spice, but there's no denying that it's a quick, fun listen that entertains from beginning to end.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the entertaining listen.
This book was very bleh for me and I'm not really sure why. It wasn't *bad*. I just never really got into it and wanted it to be over.
Caly was annoying. Oh sure, humans are way weaker than demons, but let's put her in the guard, where she'll inexplicably excel (but not via strategy or something, via strength and *anger*). Oz was boring. I think we were supposed to get some "I don't want to be here but since I am, I'll be great" vibe from him, but he just ended up seeming kind of pitiful for never standing up to his father (who is huge and scary, so Caly stands up to him instantly because of course she does). I didn't care for their enemies to lovers thing. They were never really enemies except that Caly hates everyone.
The relationship between Caly and Cat was just... weird. Like, oh now I have a chance to ghost my sister so I'm going to because... she looks like our mom who was mean? It was so dumb and contrived.
I liked the relationship between the members of the guard, including Caly. They were supportive and gave each other shit in the right balance. But all the other demons were new characters and I honestly have no idea of any of their names, personalities, or colors. There were too many new characters. The first two books in the series had really limited secondary casts and it worked well. Here, the number of characters exploded. I'm sure some of them will be mains in later books but **shrugs**.
The big bad in this story was both obvious and kind of dumb. He was mad he wasn't picked as a guard and was stuck on desk duty, yet was able to defeat Oz (our super star and top pick for the new captain) super easily. But then Caly was able to defeat *him*. Sure. Ok.
I'm glad it's over. It was only 6.5 hours on audiobook but it seemed like 20. I might pick up the next book in the series at some point, but not soon.
4.0 ★— Disassociating with demon romance, that's what I'm doing. This audiobook gave me exactly what I wanted based on its blurb: a strong warrior heroine falling for her demon handler turned casual hookup, and I fully enjoyed myself.
This is a pretty fast-paced story, with the books in this series all revolving around the premise of a kidnapped human woman ending up with a demon love interest. I haven’t read the other books, but I had absolutely no trouble following this one, so I’d say it works very well as a standalone!
Kalypso is an FMC with the kind of unusual traits I love to see in romantasy. She’s tall (something even the demons around her comment on) and she’s a muscular, tattooed fighter. Over the course of the story, she becomes a warrior and ends up working under the MMC. The romance itself moves quickly, with their physical relationship starting early on, and I liked that they felt evenly matched. Two bisexual, angry warriors finding their footing together was a neat dynamic!
The smut scenes were plentiful, though nothing that really blew me away. Still, this made for a very fun audiobook to throw on as a palate cleanser and something light, smutty, and easy to enjoy.
🎧 Audiobook Note 🎙️ Narration Style: Dual I really liked the female narrator, but I didn’t love how the male narrator handled the Kalypso's lines in the MMC POV chapters. That particular tone was a little grating for me personally. Otherwise, I thought both narrators did a solid job overall and made the listening experience very pleasant.
This was such an angsty, spicy and fun read. I have fallen in love with the Falling for Demons series, co-written by Laura Winter and A. K. Caggiano.
Kalypso is one of the six human women recused from slavers and brought to the demon realm, Heck. She is strong, stubborn, angry, and fearless. All she wants is to find her sister and get the HECK out of there!
Ozirax, the tall, spiky, cocky, and equally angry purple demon is tasked with training and overseeing Kaly as she is added to the City Guard. Together, their squad is responsible for protecting Heck, its citizens and patrolling the Dreadmoor to keep the evil creatures at bay.
Together, Kaly and Oz train, hone and develop not only their physical skills and abilities but also begin to break through the hardened emotional defences, mend the broken pieces, and acknowledge their trauma and fears. With a number of SPICY times in between.
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, performed by Raven Wildewood and Alexander Cendese, because the narrators do this book the absolute justice it deserves, bringing these two spiky, angry characters to life and making me unable to stop listening.
I love the Falling for Demons series and cannot wait to read the next book as I need to learn more about Brioni’s story (How Not to Tame Your Human Tease).
Eyes forward, sword up, heart true. You’ll enjoy this book (and series) if you like: - Cozy, Monster Romance - Angry/Angry - Reluctant partners - Dual POV - Spicy Bargains - Queer Stories - He Falls First, and HARD - Eww, Feelings - Tattooed & Pierced MMC
Thank you Laura Winter, Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the Advanced Listener Copy (ALC).
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.
Kalypso has been doing her best to protect her sister, but when she’s rescued by demons and separated from her, she’s angry. And all that anger is pointed straight at Ozirax. Ozirax is absolutely done with this human woman, but she’s the only thing standing between him and a promotion within the demon guard, and, honestly, he doesn’t need the distraction. But Kalypso isn’t weak and helpless, and as they work together and she proves that she belongs there, it becomes clear that the two of them need each other. But can they let their walls down and allow themselves to be happy or have their hearts hardened too much?
Okay so this one was a military romance and I was ALL FOR IT. Kalypso is spicy – has an attitude, has no problem pummeling anyone into the dirt, determined to be the best of the best. I’d say this is grumpyXsunshine, but to be fair, this is more a battle of the grumps because wow they both had attitudes. I loved that she was just as strong and badass as him, and watching the both of them allow the other into their hearts bit by bit was absolutely satisfying. I loved the two of them together – the banter, the spice, the romance, the little glances and things they thought about one another without realizing it was fantastic. I loved this book, just as much as the second. I think this series just keeps getting better and better with each book. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series, especially if the audiobooks are just as good as this one because wow this was a great read. I definitely recommend it.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of the audiobook ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Full disclosure - I was drawn to this book because of the title before learning it was book 3 in a series. So I have not read the previous two books, but after reading this one, I think they can be read independently and not in order. However, I enjoyed this one so much, I will be going back to read the other two.
How Not to Woo Your Human Warrior is a fun, cheeky, sexy enemies to lovers (with Demons!) story. The main characters are Demon Ozirax and human Kalypso. They're both big, bold, angry, and merciless fighters. But Kalypso is out of her element, uncertain of who to trust, and missing her sister (Kat) whom she's been separated from since they were taken/rescued by the Demons. In a twist neither sister expected, Kat wants to stay where she is. She feels like their lives are finally going in a positive direction and wants Kalypso to stop trying to protect her.
There are a lot of different converging storylines along with the main potential love themes: battles, sabotage, postering, learning to trust, alongside the "scratch an itch" type initial coupling.
I think this is a fun, mature read, with good inclusion of consent and plot to go with the spice.
The audiobook was excellent, with dual POV and great narrators. Life is too short to read boring books and I plan to make the time to read the two previous installments. I appreciate being introduced to this series and this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is book 3 in a series of interconnected standalones. I have not read the first 2 in the series and can confirm this is easy to read on its own. You don’t get as much back story as I’m sure you would starting at 1 but it’s not hard to get up to speed.
6 women snatched from earth and saved by sexy alien men. Very Ice Planet Barbarians vibes. Except… this definitely had more plot than I expected. Especially for such a short book. I found myself drawn into it and invested in how it would play out.
Although, I did not care for the forced conflict between the sisters. It was too harsh for such a brief moment in the plot. It felt like a cheap way to progress the storyline. The fmc just seemed sooooo unnecessarily angry and violent in the beginning. I’m glad she settled down to a more reasonable level of grumpy and snarky because I almost stopped listening. She just wouldn’t listen to anyone.
Once the fmc chilled out and the hate sex commenced, everything got way more fun. The banter and tension was very well done.
Dual narration by Raven Wildewood and Alexander Cendese. The narration was good but I had to adjust before I could enjoy the story. I’m so sorry but I struggled with the male narrators female voice. All I could hear was SpongeBob 😭 It was pretty distracting for me personally.
Overall this was a fun read. I don’t hate that I read it but I’m not all that excited about it. It would probably work best as a palate cleanser. Something quick and easy to read.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the (ALC) review copy via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me a copy of the audiobook ARC!
Kalypso speaks to me on a spiritual level. She wakes up angry, she sleeps angry and her existence is just angry. Incredible feels though. She is entitled to her anger, given she’s now trapped with a bunch of demons (and she isn’t allowed to access her sister). We then follow the trials and tribulations that Kalypso goes through to try and get to her sister, but then enter Ozirax. Ozirax is a purple and spiked (literally) demon who is tasked with being Kalypso’s buddy (also literally) in order to get his big promotion. So we continue to follow these two as they go from enemies, to buddies with benefits, to silly and goofy and in love!!
It was nice to follow these two through their love story. There was a lot of messaging regarding opening up and being freer with your emotions, which I can appreciate as someone who struggles to open up.
I think my biggest gripe with Kalypso’s sister. She got them both in the mess of being trapped on this alien planet, but gets mad at Kalypso (!!) for ‘controlling’ her, but all of her actions point at being a bad decision maker, SO WHY ARE YOU ANGRY?? Other than this, whilst it felt fast paced (I feel like it might have benefited from more chapters) I did enjoy this light hearted book and would recommend if you’re looking for something with demons and humans and some spice (a decent, but not annoying amount imo) then I do suggest this book!
How Not to Woo Your Human Warrior is the third book in the Falling for Demons series. Each novel in the series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading them all chronologically because of the world building of Heck and several characters make appearances in different novels.
Admittedly I do not often read a grump x grump main character couple in a romantasy novel. But Kalypso and Ozirax have some great banter, and both feel like real personalities in this world that have gone through trauma. Prickly to their core they do actually go in swinging, but both soften up and realize the support the other offers in a world that is cruel and antagonistic.
Kalypso is a fierce, funny, and deeply driven by her love for her sister. She is also the dyslexia representation within this novel which I enjoyed reading the perspective of. The squad becomes Kalypso’s unexpected anchor, offering warmth, humor, and belonging in contrast to the anger she carries. Ozirax is weighed down by expectations, an emotionally abusive father, and a problematic promotion but he finds comfort and understanding in Kaly. The found family dynamic within the squad adds warmth and humor, making Heck feel like home despite the chaos.
Thank you to the authors for this advanced copy for review.
This cozy human/demon romance and fantasy occurs between a human and he rescuer in a demon town he guards.
Kalypso is a human woman rescued by demon guard Ozirak who is wary of her. Kalypso lives to protect her sister who was also rescued but they have been separated. Ozirak and Kalypso make a deal which involves Kalypso behaving and serving as a guard on Ozirak's squad in order to see her sister, and if Ozirak is successful then he gets a promotion (that he deserves). The story evolves with tension and attraction growing between Kalypso and Ozirak and a decent amount of spiciness.
The book includes topics such as domestic violence, family expectations, and blackmail. Tropes featured include enemies to lovers, found family, forced proximity.
I liked this book and the growth of both characters. Kalypso has been through a lot and Ozirak's positive balances her rage out. Likewise, Kalypso shows Ozirak that he should go after what he wants, even if it's different from what's expected. I will be reading the other books in this series.
I received a copy of this book in advance of its publication from NetGalley for a review. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed listening to the narrators. Their use of different voices for different characters and tone change appropriate for scene changes or emotional scenes added to the story and made it a great audiobook experience.
We’re finally back in Heck, and this time the dynamic is different. Kalypso is the fighter of the group, aptly nicknamed as “spicy”.
I loved this story, and I wouldn’t expect anything else from Laura. Lovable, powerful characters, who embrace their strengths and flaws in order to become the best versions of themselves. Kalypso is no exception. Though she starts feisty and angry, we learn her reasons for it, and love her all the more for it. Oz sees that in her, and loves her for it too. What I loved most, is that Oz doesn’t try to change who she is. He loves her at her angriest and also at her happiest, and that never changes. He respects her fury, determination and her fight, and respects her all the more for it, where in the real world, unfortunately, most men would be intimidated by a woman like Kalypso. That is absolutely their loss, because this dynamic was absolutely everything and I loved this book with my whole heart. Such a small and cosy series, but so impactful nonetheless.
It goes to show that you don’t need a large epic fantasy plot to showcase some incredible life lessons and beautiful life stories, much in the way that T Kingfisher achieves that with her Saints of Steel series.
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5 Dyslexia representation Grumpy x grumpy Anger management Bi-sexual mains (not heavily explored, only mentioned)
This is a tough one for me. This installment of the bigger series strayed from the single house, cozy, whimsical vibes and brought in a ton of action all over Heck and even beyond their borders. Aside from all the slashy action and extra spice I found myself bored at times, and sometimes struggled to picture the events happening with the way they were described. This one also didn’t seem to include as many ties to the larger series, while the others have these cute little Easter’s eggs that you come across in the next book or reference the previous one. This just felt like a deviation. However, I’m such a huge fan of grumpy pants and this does an admirable job of keeping them grumpy with each other long enough to avoid any insta love. I liked the progression from enemies, to FWB, to lovey lovers. Oz has been my favorite MMC! I also feel like there was missed opportunity for some poly action here! Both mains are Bi, angsty, and explorative m; I would have loved a little sharing activity! Will absolutely be continuing the series!