Tempted by Monstrous Lovers: A Monster & Paranormal Romance Anthology

by Lisa Edmonds, Genevieve Brandon, Mindi Briar

Ten Authors. Ten Original Stories. One Monstrously Delicious Collection.

Escape into the shadows with this collection of ten stories and novellas featuring mesmerizing monsters and paranormal paramours.

In these magical tales, destiny steps in and romance blossoms in unexpected places. Each story includes gorgeous original character art.

Featuring works by Genevieve Brandon, Mindi Briar, Lisa Edmonds, S. C. Grayson, Elisse Hay, Kristin Jacques, Desireé M. Niccoli, Holly Rose, Megan Van Dyke, and jem zero. Edited by Lisa Edmonds.

In this anthology, you’ll
Fairytale and mythology retellings
Why choose
Fated mates
Size difference
Fierce and fiery FMCs
Cinnamon roll MMCs
Protective MMCs and FMCs
Feminine rage
Sapphic and trans characters and stories
Ancient gods and goddesses
Low to high steam
Witches
Age gaps
Hurt/comfort
Touch her/him and die
Couples who slay together stay together

Pour a cup of your favorite beverage, turn out the lights, and steal away to hidden realms in this unique collection of supernatural and otherworldly romances.

Genres: Romance, Monster Romance, Dragons, Anthologies, Monsters, Mythology, Polyamory

608 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Lisa Edmonds was born and raised in Kansas. She studied English and forensic criminology at Wichita State University. After acquiring her Bachelor’s degree, she considered a career in law enforcement as a behavioral analyst before earning a Master's from Wichita State and then a Ph.D. in English from Texas A&M University.

For ten years, she was an associate professor of English at a college in Texas, where she taught a variety of writing and literature courses.

Now a full-time author, she shares a cute little Victorian-style home called the Storybook House with her husband and their cats. She enjoys writing, reading, traveling, spoiling her niece and nephew, and singing karaoke.

Reviews

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tempted by Monstrous Lovers anthology

Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form
Why I chose this book: I love monster/paranormal romance and anthologies are a great way for me to try new to me authors!

One huge bonus I loved for this anthology is lovely art before each story. Yay!

Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon


Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (I was really into the first few chapters but it slowed a bit for me)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Depth: 💔💔💔 (decent for such a short page count!)
Tension: ⚡⚡ (there was a lot of remembering and sweetness over tension)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (it was more poetic than explicit)
Sex Length: 🍑🍑
Steam Scale: 🔥
Humor: Just a touch
Perspective: third person from the heroine only
Character/plot focused? character
Story speed? slow
When mains are first on page together: end of chapter 1 (of 6)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: No
Mains: Elias and Sylvi - This is a M/F relationship between 2….humans I think? Human heroine that can do magic and human hero that is cursed with an almost dragon-like appearance

Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy setting – this takes place in Espa Brus
- human mains but the hero is cursed with a dragon/demon like appearance
- magic (there seems to be specific types – fire, plant, death, etc)
- hero is cursed - has horns and red hair and scales
- telepathy – the hero speaks to her in her mind and implies he can read her mind
- childhood friends to lovers
- arranged marriage
- shorter page count
- lower steam – 1 full scene in a shorter page count but the language is pretty light

My thoughts:
I was really into this one at first! It had some great building for me of this fantasy world and I appreciated the flashbacks so we saw how the mains met. Overall I did find it got a bit slow in the later chapters. The villain ending was anticlimactic which I’m actually not sure if I loved or didn’t like haha! I’m used to these scenes that annoy me with villains and I didn’t get that here so I was happy but it was also so….nonchalant. Overall I did like this story – it was my first by this author. The steam was a bit light to me.

Sex notes:

Safe sex: No?
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? Nothing on page
Chapter 6 – kisses, her on top sex – overall it’s fairly light and poetic, not the most explicit
Total chapters: 6



Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar


Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Depth: 💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale: 🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first person from both heroines
Character/plot focused? character
Story speed medium
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, about halfway through chapter 1 (of 6)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily for now for the mains
Epilogue: No
Mains: Claudia and Minerva – This is a F/F relationship between a velociraptor heroine and human heroine

Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy romance – this is a world of mixed humans and dinosaurs with plenty of marriages between the two
- sapphic relationship
- velociraptor / human pairing
- Minerva is a librarian, Claudia is an explorer
- some light grump (Minerva) and sunshine (Claudia) vibes
- locked in the archives together
- virgin velociraptor 👀
- average novella steam – 1 full scene with primal play and some praise

My thoughts:
Okay this one was so fun. I never thought I’d be writing the words ‘virgin velociraptor’ on my goodreads but here we are

This moved at a great pace and let me get to know the mains – had some sweet tension building and was just fun. Very fun!

Sex notes:

Safe sex: Nothing really to worry about here
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? Nothing on page and not a worry
Chapter 5 – 🔥 oral for Claudio and dildo for Minerva
Total chapters: 6



The King’s Bride by Lisa Edmonds


Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Depth: 💔💔 (I didn’t feel like I knew the world or characters quite as much in this one)
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale: 🔥🔥
Humor: Just a touch
Perspective: first person from all three mains
Character/plot focused? character
Story speed medium
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, chapter 1 (of 9)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for our mains
Epilogue: Yes, about a year or so later
Mains: Toved and Vosten and Aveline D’Corsay – this is a MFM relationship between a human heroine and 2 giant/troll-like brothers

Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy setting
- monster heroes – they start as beasts that run on all 4s, have thick, black fur, sharp teeth, claws and horns – but they are turned fairly soon in and become more ‘man’-like but still horned, 8 feet tall, and long black hair with gray-blue skin. Thye have textured area of their skin made of stone
- M/F/M – No M/M (they are brothers)
- piercings 👀
- they nurse her back to health
- mid to higher steam – 2 full scenes in a short page count

My thoughts:
Omg can I just say this was the first time I had read the word viscera and had to look it up and well, that’s not something I want the hero’s breath to smell like 😅

But it’s okay because it’s beast form so we can excuse it.

I liked this one a lot. I do wish I had just a bit more world building – I was curious about there being two realms and we only got some brief descriptions of the heroes’ world being a utopia. But I loved the tension building here, I loved how they rescued her and healed her, I loved them all together.

Sex notes
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? It’s quite strong
Pregnancy/children in story? I don’t think there’s anything on page
Chapter 5 – kisses
Chapter 6 – kisses
Chapter 8 – 🔥 kisses, oral for her by Toved, bj for Toved and Vosted does her doggy
Epilogue – 🔥 missionary with Tovod, bj for Vosted with some light anal play for her

Total chapters: 8 and an epilogue



Bride of the Forest by SC Grayson


Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Depth: 💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (it’s like half the story)
Steam Scale 🔥 (but it’s most of the book)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
Character/plot focused? character
Story speed medium
When mains are first on page together: takes a bit – chapter 3 of 8
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few months later
Mains: Drakkan and Esmeray - This is a M/F relationship between a witch heroine and a

“I have walked this forest alone for longer than your village has existed,” I admitted. “I am a God, and I need no companion. But watching the humans live their lives in the company of others for the past decades...it has made me want.”

Give this a try if you want:
- fantasy romance
- witch heroine
- forest god hero – he has antlers, retractable claws and sharp canines, a tail, pupils slitted like a cat’s
- unrequited longing (from the hero)
- never been kissed hero
- mid to higher steam – 1 full scene but it’s quite long and detailed spanning multiple chapters with primal play and vine bondage

My thoughts:
Oh I LOVED this one. Witches and Forest Gods? Yes, please. I loved the focus on the mains, the development of their first meeting. This had some good tension building and spice for being a shorter story.

I really liked Grayson’s writing and will be seeking out more from them. I’ve loved all the stories in this anthology so far but this has been my favorite (reading in order).

Sex notes

Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? It’s good – he’s definitely….assertive but she’s interested from the beginning
Pregnancy/children in story? nothing on page
Chapter 5 – kisses, breast play, oral for her
(continues from previous chapter) Chapter 6 – some dry humping to prepare her (another o for her)
(continues from previous chapter) Chapter 7 - doggy
Total chapters: 7 and an epilogue



That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in with the Monster by Elisse Hay


Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Depth: 💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale: 🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from both heroines
Character/plot focused? character
Story speed medium
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, chapter 1 of 14
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Mains: Cassandra and Medusa – This is a F/F relationship

Medusa, the fearsome monster, the mythical man-killer.
Trembling for me.

Give this a try if you want:
- Greek mythology romance
- Medusa retelling
- sapphic pairing – the seer and Medusa
- close proximity – Cassandra goes to her lair and spends most of the book bonding with her
- pets – Medusa has crows that both heroines are endeared with
- average novella steam – 1 full scene

My thoughts:
I did enjoy this twist on Medusa’s story – loved the imagery and background we are given for her. I think I would have enjoyed this one a bit more if I had brushed up on my Greek mythology first – there’s some well known key players within the plot and it’s been many years for me haha.

Sex notes:

Safe sex: No but it’s not a worry
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? No
Chapter 10 – 🔥kisses, breast play, mutual oral

Total chapters: 14

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up and I couldn’t put it down! It’s a collection of short stories that are both cozy and complimentary to each other. I found myself flying through each one while being so sad when it ended. I liked how there was a good mix of sapphic romance added in. My only complaint would be wishing they didn’t end so quickly! My favs are def Seed and Bone , the fmc and mmc are just so cute and I would love to see this as a full fleshed out novel. Psychopomp in Bloom which was such a unique and interesting take on a grim reaper style romance and Bride of the dragon prince just cuz yea I’m a huge sucker for a dragon shifter 🤣 this is a perfect cozy read if you want something you can relax and fly through. Thanks to Netgalley , the publisher and the awesome mix of authors for allowing me to read this early ❤️

[Chelsea Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of the book for review. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun anthology! I also liked the pictures of the respective couples at the start of each story!

Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon 4 Stars!
This one was super cute! I actually wished it was a little longer because I wanted to see more of Sylvi and Elias! I liked the story that was there and the way you got the past and the present. And murderous as it was, Elias putting heads on pikes was also very romantic!

Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar3 Stars!
This was also cute. I liked Claudia and Minerva getting to know each other. And I liked how Minerva realized a way that they could adventure together and that little surprise she made(?) for Claudia! Their little interaction in the closet was kind of adorable!

The Kings' Bride by Lisa Edmonds 3.5 Stars!
This is another one I would have liked to be longer. It was interesting getting to see the parts of Aveline's flight that we did, and the bits of past that she told Vosten and Toved, but I still would have liked that to be expanded on a bit. Especially would have liked more on her mother. Plus more on what happened to get the boys cursed and how they dealt with that. The end was honestly great, how Aveline was able to take care of it, but her Kings' were there to back her up.

Bride of the Forest by S.C. Grayson 4 Stars!
Esmeray and Drakkan were interesting! I liked how they both recognized that the forest was Esmeray's domain as much as Drakkan. I would have liked a little more on Esmeray's relationship with her sister, and all the feelings she felt about having cared for her, essentially raising her. Drakkan was weirdly adorable, in all his ethereal, godliness. The end was kind of cute, how Esmeray talked about wanting to tempt him out of the forest.

That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Own Ego and Moved in with the Monster by Elisse Hay 3.5 stars!
Interesting take on Cassandra/Medusa. I liked the way things were kind of turned around, how Cassandra realized what Medusa was actually doing. I did like how Cassandra was able to seduce Medusa. I liked how she made Medusa understand that she wouldn't be able to do anything Cassandra didn't want. The whole Perseus thing was over pretty quick, but it was interesting to see/read Cassandra describing it!

Girl Dinner by Kristin Jacques 3 Stars!
Honestly, I didn't really like this one all that much. Not entirely sure what it was...Daphne and Celeste were interesting as a couple (the whole eldritch thing notwithstanding). And honestly, I don't even mind the morbidness of things. But something about this was just not my favorite.

Meat Cute by Desiree M. Niccoli 3 Stars!
This was another story that I'm not sure what it was, but it held my interest yet at the same time didn't. Lady Leviathan and Ianthe trying to make things work was a study in size difference but also kind of cute. Again, not entirely sure where my issues were but I think this just needed to be longer, so we could get more growth on their relationship and explore of the world. Lady Leviathan seemed to feel guilty for sleeping as long as she did, and that felt like something that could have been really expanded on.

Psychopomp in Bloom by Holly Rose 3 Stars!
This one...I feel like this needed to be longer. Things were really rushed (I mean, I get it, novella, but still) and I didn't really feel any connection with either Cor or Sunny. It would have been interesting to see more of Cor's exploration of the human world. Especially because he mentions that he was allowed to keep seeing Sunny because it was hoped he'd discover the human life he hadn't thought he wanted. Like, I wanted to see more of that background. Or even more of Sunny's background; she was clearly alone and trying to make things work. And really, just needed more info/expansion on this one.

Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan Van Dyke 5 Stars!
This was definitely my favorite of this anthology! I liked Briannis wanting to help Zain once she figured out she could. Of course, I pegged the mate thing pretty quickly, but I did think it was sweet that she was willing to help even though she took a minute to realize why she could help. The reveal on Zain's help throughout the years was weirdly sweet, I liked that he did his best to get his other "brides" somewhere safe. I think my biggest issue with this one is that I just wanted more. It would have been interesting to see Zain's life before the curse. See if he and Briannis were able to find his family. Find out if he barbecued Finola and her father.

Just One Sip by jem zero 2.75 Stars!
I hate to say it, but this was my least favorite of these stories. I just disliked Rooney with a fiery passion. He pissed me off to no end, with his constant need to remind us that he was useless and didn't give a sh*t about himself. Every time we were in his head, he had to constantly point out that he was willingly getting himself into trouble and dangerous situations and he didn't care because why should he? And it just got old. I will admit that I liked him trusting Shard enough to take just one sip.

This anthology releases October 14, 2025

[Enelyae Is Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seed and Bone
- cute and fun.
- Love how she loved all of him and helped him see he was not a monster to her
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️.5

Her Velociraptor Librarian
- Skipped

The King’s Bride
- Why choose
- Definitely liked it. Always like Lisa’s stuff
- Love how the brothers let her face her fear on her own and only came when she asked
- Very empowering
- Loved the Healing together
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️🌶️.5

Bride of the Forest
- I liked it, it was fun and cute
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️.5

That time I let the Hero succumb to his ego and moved in with the monster
- okay that’s quite the title lol
- Skipped

Girl Dinner
- skipped

Meat Cute
- skipped

Psychopomp in Bloom
- what is a psychopomp? - Greek mythology- guide of souls
- Cute story and love that she taught him 😏
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 🌶️.5

Bride of the Dragon Prince
- I liked that one a lot
- Special anatomy 😉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️.5

Just One Sip
- Celestial being and trans MMC
- Rooney seriously has issues like wow, anger problems and does not want help
- It was okay, struggled with Roony’s attitude
- I liked Shard a lot tho!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶️.5

[Lil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Tempted by Monstrous Lovers! Some of the authors were ones I already knew and loved, and others were brand new to me, but now I’m excited to read more of their work. This anthology was exactly what I needed and kept me hooked the entire weekend.

Each story had something special: unique characters, vivid visuals, and chemistry that jumped off the page. I especially enjoyed how each short story started off strong and pulled me right in. The smut was done so well balanced with story, emotion, and heat. Every tale felt fresh, and none of them blended together, which is impressive for an anthology.

Overall, this was such a fun, addictive read. It gave me everything I wanted: variety, passion, and creativity. If you love monster romance, you’ll absolutely enjoy this collection.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨𝑀𝒾𝓃𝒾 𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Tempted by Monstrous Lovers

Tempted by Monstrous Lovers is a monster and paranormal romance anthology

Review of: Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan Van Dyke

When Briannis of Grimshire is selected as the next dragon's bride tribute, she finds herself at the mercy of the feared dragon who protects the lands. But all is not what it seems as Briannis learns of the curse and secrets that haunt this prince beneath the scales and what the fates have in store for her.

Tropes:
🧀Independent FMC
🥐Cinny roll MMC
🔥He cooks for her
💞Fated mates
💫Curses
🌶️Spicy

Novella in length, this Frog Prince retelling with a twist packs in humor, spice, and all the cozy fairy tale vibes! I’m so excited to read the rest of the stories.

So grateful to the author for the review copy opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed all of the stories included in this anthology. Be sure to read the content warnings.
Monster romance is becoming one of my favorite genres. Loving someone despite or because of everything is amazing.
I recommend this anthology to everyone who loves based on personality, but looks can be a plus😏. Also to people who enjoy reading spice, because all stories have it.

-monsters of all kinds (cosmic being, shifters, psychopomp, gorgon, kraken, dinosaur, etc.)
-spice unlimited
-cute moments
-obsession
-different pairings (mfm, ff, mm, mf)
-retellings (Medusa, frog prince, beauty and the beast)

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to rate each story individually as I was reading them and then get the average to rate my review and with that this anthology got a 4.55⭐
I went into this expecting the content to be on the darker side. Why? I'm really not sure. I just got the vibes somewhere along the way these were going to be dark romance and I was pleasantly surprised when all of them were fluffy in their own way. My top 3 were Seed and Bone, That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in With the Monster, and Bride of the Dragon Prince. Even though this is an anthology I wanted to leave thoughts about each story so if you don't want those details you can stop here knowing this anthology is packed with cute monster loving, some delicious spice, and all the best tropes presented in fun, exciting ways. 🖤

*Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon 5⭐
I would have loved for this story to be full length. There was definitely enough information presented in the story and with the 7 years they were apart it could absolutely happen. But I'll take my bite sized piece happily. Sylvi is a nature witch whose hand was promised in marriage by her father to the prince of a neighboring kingdom. Her prince is part demon and was called the cursed child by his father and kingdom and he was kept in a cage, locked away for most of his life. After she was forced to leave her home and 7 long years pass Sylvi has decided her life isn't the one she wants so she escapes and goes to the only place she can think of, back to her prince. Elias has waited all this time for her. Literally keeping hope alive and blooming waiting for her return. I wasn't prepared for how beautiful this story was. The heads on the stakes were *chefs kiss*

*Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar 4⭐
This story was super cute and my only complaint was it felt a bit rushed and I wanted more from it. Claudia has to return home to submit her 30 year art piece. Having spent the last decade out anthropological expeditions she is completely lost on what to present. She heads to the Great Library to find inspiration, never expecting to run into the most beautiful and captivating Velociraptor she's ever seen. Minerva takes her transcribing and copying old documents very seriously. She's the best at what she does and she doesn't have time for training new people that should know what they're doing or showing the human around that has no business being on this floor. Plans can be rearranged though 🤭 Cat & Mouse, if I catch you I eat you 🤭🤭🤭 Clever girl absolutely sent me and I love love love cloaca play so thank you!!!! 🖤🖤🖤

*The Kings' Bride by Lisa Edmonds 4.5⭐
Why choose, especially with siblings, is not my go to but I really loved this story SO much. Vosten and Toved are absolute consent kings. The praise and adoration was top tier. They both brought such different comfort to the table and it was so lovely. The way Vosten truly acts as the older brother by ensuring Toved is also receiving what he needs and wants. The way he braids Aveline's hair omg 😭 The way Toved sings to them and trusts his brother to guide him to ensure she is being worshiped. The way they both help her reclaim her power and deliver justice in her name. "A pair of monsters had helped me-monsters who'd seen a pack of dogs mauling an unarmed woman and came to my aid long before they knew I was fated to break the warlock's curse." Hurt/comfort for everyone and omg it was beautiful.

*Bride of the Forest by SC Grayson 4.5⭐
I think of all the character art these two are my favorite. Much like Drakkan, I also love that Esmeray's antlers match his 😭 Esmeray is a moon witch living in a village that borders a dense forest. The forest is said to be alive and unforgiving and that you should never enter because you won't come back. Esmeray has felt the forest watching her, calling to her for ages. On the night of the full moon she can't resist the call any longer and when no one will notice she slips away and runs straight into the unknown and, after a while, face first into Drakkan, the god of the forest. He's been watching her but after seeing her wear his mark, a tiara that has golden antlers adorning it, he called out and she answered. I absolutely love that there was no hesitation and Esmeray was immediately game. A good game of cat and mouse, a dash of "Make me your bride", and some surprise knotting 😏 left me 🥵

*That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in With the Monster by Elisse Hay 5⭐
This is the best Medusa retelling I have ever read and I want it to be longer than it was. I loved this one SO much. Cassandra is almost 40 and single. Everyone believes she is a seer but she really just pays close attention to the details no one else will. Pattern recognition on point (reminds me of my autistic husband, but I won't make assumptions 😅). After Perseus kills her best friend and caretaker she has no choice but to join him on his quest to kill Medusa and take her head. Cassandra has zero intentions on helping him and once they are on the island her lair is located on she convinces them to not only leave but to leave her there so she can do recon and prepare them to slay the beast. Cassandra just wants to warn her and be free of the threat of Perseus. "Monstrous as this Gorgon might be, I'd take her over 200 mercenaries and the ship's staff any day." Always and forever, in every way you spin it, we collectively choose the bear -_-
"Look at us, eating the cheese I prepared and making plans for the corpses she created. She didn't even realize we were a couple yet." I absolutely love Cassandra omfg, she was so funny and so real and so relatable. Their love was pure and cute and made me swoon.

*Girl Dinner by Kristin Jacques 4.5⭐
I never EVER expected for Vore to be hot and here and I to admit how wrong I was because Celeste could take me into her maw any fkn time omg. Daphne just wants to be a medical examiner and it's becoming increasingly difficult since she bruised the ego of the TA she used to be sleeping with. Celeste is a centuries old being that eats people and chose a college campus as her personal buffet. Daphne is originally intended to be a meal but when she's unjustly targeted by bullies Celeste steps up to the plate to rid her of the problem. When Daphne sees something she shouldn't and instead of being scared she decides to court the monster things take an interesting turn and we get such a fun dose of touch her and 💀

*Meat Cute by Desiree M. Niccoli 4⭐
Lady Leviathan is a kraken goddess as old as the oceans themselves. After waking from a century's long slumber she discovers the ocean is in an awful state. Pollution is everywhere, the sea life is sick and starving, and it is SO loud she can't even think. In an attempt to find the source of the noise she discovers a mermaid trapped in netting surrounded by hundreds of corpses that met the same fate. Lady Leviathan has always existed to protect the sea and the creatures that live within it and to begin to do her duty she sets to free this mermaid. "As long as I am here, you are not death's to claim." I really wish it were longer. This one really left me aching for more of Lady Leviathan restoring the balance to the sea and punishing humans because we suck 💀

*Psychopomp in Bloom by Holly Rose 4.5⭐
Sunny Day is an almost 35 year old flower shop owner. She loves doing weddings and birthdays and graduations, the happy things. Every now and again she gets the call for a funeral and it always weighs heavy on her but she's happy to help ease people's sadness, even if it's just for a moment. Cor is a reaper of sorts. He helps escort souls from the mortal plane to the spiritual one. He takes his duty very seriously while also offering a level of compassion no other being like him does. He is always a stickler about following the rules down to the letter until he sees Sunny at the church setting up flowers for a funeral. She takes a nasty spill and he can't help but to step through the veil and help her. A golden thread forms between them that won't allow either of them to stay away from one another, no matter how many rules forbid it. I love the flower arrangement meaning/breakdown at the beginning of each chapter. That was such a fun touch that added another layer to the story.

*Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan van Dyke 5⭐
I will always love a beauty and the beast type story where you fall in love with the beast to get the man that's been locked away. I REALLY love when the man can shift back and forth once the curse is broken AND when she actively wants him too. We're all monster fkers here babes, it's ok. 😂😘 Briannis lives in a village that believes they must offer up a bride to the dragon for protection every 5 years. If they don't then the dragon will punish them. A fire, a plague, a drought, whatever he sees appropriate. Briannis has been in the choosing before so she's familiar with the process and fears nothing as she approaches the ceremony grounds. When fate decides she's the chosen she has no idea the truth is so far from the reality she knows. Zain was cursed by a witch that he did not love to be stuck as a dragon until he found his fated mate, only problem is she wasn't born yet and he had to wait centuries for her. In the time he spent waiting the humans he promised to protect forgot the original agreement and everything they told their people was a lie. Briannis is the first human Zain can communicate with in his dragon form and she is determined to help him find his fated mate and tell her people the truth about this dragon.

*Just One Sip by Jem Zero4.5⭐
I almost didn't read this one because of the TW list. SA is a hard no for me but everything else in the anthology was no where near that realm so I went in hoping for the best and omg my heart. There is no active SA on page, there is mention, there is intent, there is no active SA on page. Rooney is a transman working in a seedy strip club. He's had a really hard time in life and carries himself with the biggest "I give no fks" attitude. Shard is an otherworldly entity that accidentally came to Earth and liked it so he stayed. When he meets Rooney he feels for this human a way that he never has felt in the centuries he's existed. After initially being rejected by Rooney for not being his type he changed into exactly the man Rooney would want and went to work to make Rooney his. There's a lot of problematic behavior on Shard's part that he openly admits to and is willing to be accountable for. It's problematic by human standards and Shard is not human. Rooney has had such a shit life that even Shard's red flags are really only slightly pink and things he can live with. I don't condone anything that happened, I loved every fkn minute of it though. It was just so pure, my heart I can't 😭😭😭

[Amy Kay ♥️ Books are my daily therapy ♥️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

TEMPTED BY MONSTROUS LOVERS: A MONSTER & PARANORMAL ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

By: Collaboration of Authors

Anthology

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 Star Review
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 5/5 Spiciness Level

This is an romance anthology collection of 10 novellas by 10 different authors, all with the common trope of having monsters in them.

Each story has unique character art at the beginning which is amazing!

THANKS:
Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this amazing book! This is my review.

#1
Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon:

This story is MF and was my favorite story of this anthology. It is about a noble Lady who befriends and falls in love with a demon boy during her childhood. As an adult, she flees her abusive home in hopes to find that boy who should now be a man and find safety with him to live her life with him. It is 6 chapters long with heavy spice in the final chapter.

#2
Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar:

This story is FF, a human and velociraptor. The human woman is an adventurer and part of a cartography team. The velociraptor woman is the librarian. The human needs to log a piece of art into the library as is the law. This is a reluctant tale of love. It is also 6 chapters. Heavy spice in chapter 5.

#3
The Kings’ Bride by Lisa Edmonds:

This story is MFM, a human woman and two cursed beast brothers. It is a gothic why-choose romance. After her last resort to flee from her kidnapper she ends up at a ruin of a manor house known locally as holding a den of monsters who kill unsuspecting travelers. However, instead of doom, she finds her own salvation and helps the brothers find theirs. They treasure her and treat her like a goddess. There are 8 chapters and an epilogue. Heavy spice in chapter 6 & epilogue.

#4
Bride of the Forest by S. C. Grayson:

This one is MF & is my second favorite! It is about a witch and a god of the forest. He’s noticed her in a way he has never noticed anyone. She feels him watching her from the woods, not knowing who or what he is. After never even speaking to a human before, he begins doing this with her. Lots of firsts for him! He claims her and makes her his queen! It is 7 chapters and an epilogue. Heavy spice in chapter 5, 6, & 7.


#5
That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in with the Monster by Elisse Hay:

This story is FF, a retelling of Medusa. Perseus is on a quest to find Medusa when the seer Cassandra is taken with him. She finds Medusa herself to warn her of Perseus’ plans to kill her. They fall for each other.

#6
Girl Dinner by Kristin Jacques:

This story is FF and is about a human med student and a cosmic entity who eats humans within a sexy Barbie-doll type body. The human was supposed to be her meal, but sparks begin to fly instead and she is devoured in an entirely different way. There are 11 chapters. Heavy spice begins in chapter 7, continues in chapter 8.

#7
Meat Cute by Desireé M. Niccoli:

This one is another FF between a leviathan goddess and a mermaid. The leviathan saves the mermaid bleeding and stuck in a net. She ends up helping all of the mer-people. This has some interesting lore on sea monsters! There are 5 chapters. Heavy spice in chapter 3.

#8
Psychopomp in Bloom by Holly Rose:

This story is MF and is about a human girl and a psychopomp- an Angel & something similar to a reaper, who escorts souls to their next destiny after death. He is curious about humans & what all being a human is. He has never been in any kind of relationship with one, living a shell of a life. When he meets her he wants to experience everything with her. He also wants to keep his job. Can he do both? This one has my favorite microtrope: HE is the blushing virgin. This one is longer at 11 chapters and an epilogue. Spice in chapter 11 & epilogue.

#9
Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan Van Dyke:

The character art for this one is on the book cover :) This is a MF, human woman and dragon story. Every five years there is a choosing in their village to select a bride for the dragon. They usually don’t survive the day. The dragon is trying to find his mate, the one who would break his curse. There are 10 chapters. Chapter 4, 7, & 8 have spice.

#10
Just One Sip by Jem zero:

This story is MM with a human and a displaced cosmic entity. The human is a stripper/exotic dancer who is not doing well in life. He does not seem to care about himself in the least. The entity takes a shine to him and begins doing what he can to care for the human, keeping him safe until his hard shell begins to crack enough to let him in. This story is very dark and gritty. Lots of emotion and spice. There are 10 chapters.

Happy Reading! ♥☻

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an anthology which contains a bunch of short stories by different authors. I love monster romance like its nobody's business. I devoured this book and need more already.


Seed and Bone:
This one is a forbidden love! A young woman has a strong connection to a childhood friend who is a monster. She has an arranged marriage, but escapes and seeks comfort from the monster she once knew. This was so sweet and spicy. My favorite part was when they laid in the field of flowers together.


Her Velociraptor Librarian:
This was the first dinosaur romance I have read and this was such a fun read! Minerva is a dinosaur who works at an Library. Claudia is the main human who is an explorer and makes maps/art for the archives. They find themselves a lot closer than they would have imagined and things really spice up. I would have never expected something like this to work, but it did. I enjoyed when they were in the forest together.

The King's Bride:
Aveline has been brutally murdered by the hounds that run rampant. Or so she thought? She has been rescued by two beast men who claim that she is their bride. Toved and Vosten are King's who worship Aveline as their Queen. There is lots of spice and it's written well.

Bride Of The Forest:
Drakkan is the God of the forest and is a mix of everything in the forest. I appreciated the picture in the beginning because he is a very unique character.

Esmeray is a witch who has always been drawn to the forest. One day after wandering in, she runs into Drakkan whk wants her to become his bride.

That One Time I Let The Hero Succumb To His Ego And Moved In With The Monster:
This was a fun mythological sapphic romance. Elisse is tasked with helping the "hero" slay monsters. Medusa is next on that list, but once Elisse meets her things take a much different turn.

Girl Dinner:
Daphne finds herself getting bullied as her ex continues to twist their relationship and how it ended. Celeste comes along and catches Daphne's attention for more reasons than one. There are lots of tentacles in this story and a lot of wetness. Celeste has some secrets about her identity to reveal before they can pursue each other.

Meat Cute:
Lady Leviathan awakens from her years of slumber and wanders upon a mermaid who is trapped in a net. Many things have changed since Lady Leviathan last awoke and she finds that humans have started to ruin the ocean. Slowly falling for Ianthe the mermaid, they work together to try to make things right again.

Psychop Omp In Bloom:
"Cor" is in charge of guiding spirits who have passed safely into the afterlife. He finds himself entranced by a girl named Sunny who works in a flower shop. There are some events that happen and secrets about Cor that Sunny has to learn about. This was my favorite story in the book. I think it was so unique and well written. I enjoyed all of the flowers and the meaning behind them.

Bride Of The Dragon Prince:
All women of age must present themselves as a candidate to become the bride of the dragon. Briannis just so happens to he chosen and finds so much more than she was expecting. Her village frustrated me immensely. They were all so dense and cruel. Zain, the dragon, was a pleasant surprise though!


Just One Sip:
Rooney works at a strip club and finds an unknown entity protecting him after a bad drug trip. Shard is able to travel between dimensions and is quite mysterious. Shard is definitely the possessive type and will go to whatever lengths necessary to get what he wants.


Thank you to Negalley, Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, and all authors for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked a lot of these books. Individually I’d give most of them 3 stars with a couple getting 4. If you only like to read MF then this isn’t the book for you. There are 4 MF books (Seed and Bone, Bride of the Forest, Psychopomp in Bloom, and Bride of the Dragon Prince) but most of the others are FF. Did I read this because I love Megan Van Dyke yes but I did find a few other authors to check out. I read this book as an arc.

Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon
Sylvi and Elias were childhood friends that were betrothed until something happened and she thought he was dead. What happens when she is escaping a wicked man and runs to his castle hoping he is still alive. This story was short and sweet. I loved reading about them and seeing their story.

Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar
Claudia and Minerva’s story wasn’t my cup of tea but for the right person it’s a good book. It is FF and Minerva is a velociraptor and Claudia is human.

The Kings’ Bride by Lisa Edmonds
This book is a why-choose MFM. Aveline, Vosten, and Toved were an interesting trio. They saved her from death and she saved them from their curse.

Bride of the Forest by S. C. Grayson
Esmeray and Drakkan were a fun pair. God of the forest and a human. I loved the whole thing with her making a deal with him just because she could.

That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in with the Monster by Elisse Hay
Medusa and Cassandra is a FF and while it’s not my normal read I did enjoy it. I found this take on Medusa interesting because while it still had the stone and snakes there was a different take on them. I also really found the crows cute but I love animals in books so.

Girl Dinner by Kirstin Jacques
Mind the content notes for this one because Celeste is inhuman and eats humans. Daphne and Celeste were different and I’m not sure what I think about it. This one is also FF. I did find myself skimming a lot because I found some parts of it a little too much for me. This isn’t something I’d normally read.

Meat Cute by Desireé M. Niccoli
Lady Leviathan and Ianthe is another FF pairing. I’m not sure what to say about this book to me it was a little bit weird.

Psychopomp in Bloom by Holly Rose
Sunny and Cor were another sweet pair as a psychopomp and human. I loved how when she asked for his name when he didn’t know what to say he said the first thing he thought of which is why she calls him Cor. I loved how he kept breaking the rules because he couldn’t stay away from her.

Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan Van Dyke
Briannis and Zain were the pair I was looking forward to reading about the most since I’ve read Megan’s work before. A dragon and a human who was selected by “fate” to be his bride. Zain isn’t just a dragon and when the forgotten history is revealed we learn a lot more about Zain and why the village selects a bride every 5 years. I loved this book and I read it last because I knew I wanted to end with a book I knew I would love.

Just One Sip by Jem Zero
Rooney and Shard were interesting in their own way. Again not my normal cup of tea but I still enjoyed it.

[Kendra Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting collection of paranormal romance stories. Each was very different from the others and a few of them had me reading about species I'd never read about or thought about in a romance setting.

Seed and Bone: Elias is half-demon and cursed and Slyvi is his opposite with magic of plants and growth. At one time they were betrothed to one another and here they find their way back.

Her Velociraptor Librarian: a very interesting story between a human, Claudia, and a velociraptor, Minerva. I liked the story arc between them, but this was my first read with a dinosaur. So, I have no basis for comparison, but it was different and a little intriguing.

The King’s Bride: Aveline is trying to escape a horrible fate and ends up unknowingly breaking the curse on the twins Vosten and Toved. They’re from another world and have been imprisoned by a warlock. This story was more my style, and I loved the unwavering devotion love and patience that they bestowed on her.

Bride of the Forest: Esmeray is a witch that has been blessed by the moon. Since her parent’s death she was to care for her sister, who has now grown up and now blessed by the sun. Esmeray is drawn to the forest and to the god Drakkan. Short and spicy. I really liked this story.

That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in with the Monster: Cassandra and Medusa, one a seer and the other a gorgon. I loved this story in the way they were both wanted the other and were careful to explore this safely and within each other’s own boundaries.

Girl Dinner: Daphne and Celeste were the stars of this one. Daphne a loner who had a past relationship ruin part of her life, and Celeste, a celestial being living on a college campus eating students. Makes for an interesting dynamic.

Meat Cute: Lady Leviathan, a kraken, and Ianthe the mermaid. Ianthe was caught in a net and Lady Leviathan manages to rescue her. Yet another first for me, this was a different species read for me. Interesting take on a massive size difference.

Psychopomp in Bloom: ≬⊱⨐⊹⫛/ Cor and Sunny Day were a cute spin on soul mates. But I’ll admit the spice was well written. My only thought was on vocabulary, mine is pretty good and still found myself looking up a few for this story.

Bride of the Dragon Prince: Briannis and Zain, this is a story of a human woman and a cursed dragon, he’s unable to shift back to his human form. I decided she is much more daring and fearless than I am. But I guess the fates had their destiny already decided.

Just One Sip: Shard and Rooney’s story was one definitely wanted more of and ended being one of my favorites in this collection. Shard is a celestial being that helps souls cross over and he sees and becomes obsessed with Rooney, a trans male stripper. I liked the dynamic and the interactions as thy both work through what this can be without losing who they are in their hearts.

[melissa thompson, · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is short stories and some of them I loved and the ones I did not like as much were still very well written. There is a little bit for everyone lgtbqia+ friendly, and all of the stories were creative. So let's get into the stories

Seed and bone Genevieve Brandon
I liked this story a young woman is fleeing a forced marriage she runs back to the only home she knew and there waiting is a demon she was close with years ago. This one really drew me in and I want to read more by this author

Her Velociraptor Librarian Mindi Brian
In an alternate earth dinosaurs and humans live side by side the dinos have evolved to be able to communicate. The main character is an explorer and she has to make art for the archives. She meets the librarian a velociraptor and sparks fly from the first meeting. I thought this story was fun with entertaining characters.

The Kings Bride Lisa Edmonds
I am already a huge fan of this author and this story did not disappoint! A woman in big trouble is rescued by creatures she never expected to survive. Now she is being pursued by two kings who just wanna make her happy. A wonderful sweet why choose romance.

Bride of the Forest S.C. Grayson
A young witch catches the attention of a forest God as they get to know each other they find love.

That one time I let the heros succumb to his ego and moved in with a monster. Elisse Hay
Mythology fans will definitely enjoy this one! Cassandra is supposed to be helping a hero defete Medusa but instead she decides to get to know the infamous and found more than she expected.

Girl Dinner Christian Jacques
This one was unusual and unique a med student meets a strange young woman that is so intriguing she can't help but to find out more about her. I don't want to spoil so I won't say much else.

Meat Cute Desiree and Niccoli
A horrible sound awakens The Lady Leviathan and as she follows the noise she finds a mermaid trapped in a net. The lady frees the mermaid and they team up to stop the destruction of their home. This story was very interesting and I enjoyed it.

Psychopomp in Bloom
Sunny Day owns a flower shop and one fateful day she meets an unusual man that she can't seem to forget. Sunny is determined to get to know this man better no matter how odd he behaved. This story was fun to read as well very likable characters and a comforting view of the after life.

Bride of the Dragon Prince Megan Van Dyke
Every five years a woman is picked to be the dragons bride never to be seen again. This time is different because the chosen woman can hear him. The dragon may have found the only person who can save him from his lonely life. Lovely story I absolutely enjoyed

Just a Sip Gem Zero
This is a well written story with a few really stellar lines. It's an interesting story quite different from stuff I have read before.

[Fedythereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the amazing authors who shared an ARC of this anthology with me !!!

Seed and Bone
A beautiful story of forbidden romance when she is promised to another but the way she loved him transcends time and space. He might be a monster but he is her monster and they love each other so completely that they will make you blush even when you’ll not be expecting it!

Her velociraptor librarian
Sapphic love and one of them is literally a dinosaur !!!! Omg I loved it !!! I definitely was not expecting to enjoy it that much !!!
Sweet and yet spicy. Hopeless and yet hopeful !!! So good !!!

The kings’ bride
Two of them?? Two ??? Hot and handsome and tall and absolutely obsessed with her, who would worship at her altar any day and have no problem to share? Omg !!! So good !!! And definitely spicy and even more !!! But … I so enjoy it !!!

Bride of the Forest
Oh. My. Oh my. Wow. Loved it. Absolutely did. So short and yet so intense I could not rip my eyes from the page. I felt enthralled by the power of the forest and undeniably enchanted by the excitement of the hunt. And a forest god … damn … he knows how to make a woman scream I guess!!! Loved it !!!

That one time I let the hero succumb to his ego and loved in with the monster
Cassandra and Medusa ???? Oh wow. That one is really a unique plot line !!! Really enjoyed it and it was spicy in a way I was not expecting but definitely enjoy !!! I guess everyone deserves an HEA, right?

Girl Dinner
Spicy, sapphic, tentacle monster romance … I mean when the girl you’re seeing, needs to feed but instead of eating you, eats your bullies, must be love, right? So good. So funny and oh so hot !!!

Meat cute
Intense, sea driven, it reminded me a lot of what Eris sounded like in the movie Sinbad but this time she has six eyes and she kinda falls of a mermaid … sapphic romance has always a sweetness that none other can replicate !!!

Psychopomp in Bloom
Loved it so so much !!! Omg!! This romance was so sweet !!! Yes, it had one moment of spice but truth is … the way the relationship between the main characters blossoms … feels so innocent and yet so intense that I couldn’t just not love it !!! Absolutely amazing !!!

Bride of the Dragon Prince
Beauty and the beast but instead of a beast … he is a dragon???? Omg this is so good !!! I am obsessed !!! It was incredibly amazing !!!! The dynamic between the main characters was so exciting and their tension was really thick despite it being short. And it was spicy as heck which … for a dragon … with a double potential … feels complicated but also terribly satisfying!!! I loved it !!!

Just one sip
Complicated and yet enthralling space gay monster romance … all those words would describe accurately what is appending in this short story. And yet … I enjoyed it so much!!! It was … riveting !!!

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

These monster romances were incredibly fun! There is a perfect mix of stories that range from cozy to full of tension to humorous. The romances in each one were gripping, and I loved how each included a different kind of monster.

The authors did a wonderful job, even in shorter format, of providing rich descriptions of each 'monster'/character and crafting intriguing plots and settings! I was really impressed by how well developed and unique the plots and world 'workings'/systems were in some of the stories! I loved so many of the characters and found their love heartwarming. I think each one does a great job of having more to say beyond the romance; of course, I loved the romances themselves (and the 'spiciness' of them!), but each story also had resonating and important themes to address. Whether that was through a character themselves or the storyline/plot as a whole, I was left simultaneously with a great story, a sizzling romance, AND an important message after each one. All of this - well developed characters, rich and unique plots/worlds, romance (of course), and deeper messages is truly impressive for these authors to have written into short stories.

The stories as a whole complement each other in the sense of being monster romances, but they are also so distinct that each one was absolutely gripping in new ways! The character art at the beginning of each story was both beautiful and actually very appreciated as a reader - I found myself going back to it while reading each story because it was an immense help in visualizing the characters/monsters!

I rated each story individually and took the overall average as my rating for the collection as a whole, for reference.

The "about each story" section at the start of the anthology does a great job of giving just enough information to jump into each one, and I don't want to spoil any of them because they are short, but here's a few standouts/comments from me:

My five stars (my favorites of the collection, though in no particular order):
- Seed & Bone
- Girl Dinner
- Meat Cute

Honorable mention (4.75 stars): Psychopomp in Bloom

I could absolutely see myself returning to this anthology for a fun, quick read of the stories. Again, I was just so impressed by how unique each story was; nothing at all felt like a 'redo' of common fantasy plotlines/romances!

Definitely check trigger warnings for each story, and know that these are explicit romances!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the Victory Editing Co-op for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5
I received a eARC for my honest opinion.

This anthology was so much fun! Ten short stories by both familiar authors I adore and several new voices I’ll definitely be checking out. Each story had its own plot, unique characters, and just the right mix of heart, humor, and heat. I loved that this collection celebrated all kinds of love—LGBTQ+, platonic, familial, and, of course, plenty of steamy monster romance. My only complaint? I wanted most of these to be full-length novels!

Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon
A lushly written fantasy romance about Sylvi, a nature witch betrothed to a cursed prince. The writing was beautiful, the world felt rich, and the emotional depth was incredible for such a short story. I need more from this world.

Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar
Adorable and chaotic in the best way! Claudia, an artist in need of inspiration, meets Minerva—a disciplined velociraptor librarian. A little rushed, but the flirty cat-and-mouse energy was delightful.

The Kings' Bride by Lisa Edmonds
A beautifully balanced MFM romance that focuses on trust, healing, and consent. It’s not usually my go-to trope, but the emotional weight and care between the characters made this one stand out.

Bride of the Forest by SC Grayson
Mythic and atmospheric. A forest god meets a moon witch who can feel his presence within the woods. This one had a wonderful Beauty and the Beast meets Hades and Persephone vibe—magical and sensual.

That One Time I Let the Hero Succumb to His Ego and Moved in With the Monster by Elisse Hay
A brilliant Medusa retelling that packed emotion, growth, and longing into such a short space. One of my absolute favorites of the bunch—beautifully done!

Girl Dinner by Kristin Jacques
An interesting and unique concept with Daphne and Celeste, though I was left wanting more. It had potential but didn’t fully land for me.

Meat Cute by Desiree M. Niccoli
Fun premise, but I wished for more worldbuilding and character development—especially around Lady Leviathan’s backstory. Still, a quick, spicy read.

Psychopomp in Bloom by Holly Rose
Utterly adorable! I fell in love with the characters and the concept immediately. The tone was whimsical and heartfelt—please, someone give us a full novel version!

Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan van Dyke
Megan never disappoints. This story was perfectly paced, romantic, and immersive. Strong characters, great chemistry, and a satisfying arc despite the short length.

Just One Sip by Jem Zero
This one didn’t click for me, so I ended up skipping it.

I want to thank FaRo Society for the opportunity to review this book.

[Jamie Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon was adorable. Sylvi runs for her life towards the only place she felt might give her safety. Poor Elias only had 1 person who even tried to understand him. Their love for each other was heartwarming.

I skipped over Her Velociraptor Librarian by Minid Briar after a few pages. Dinosaurs aren't my thing.

The Kings' Bride by Lisa Edmonds started off similarly to the first story, but it was just as good. Aveline is lucky enough that her strength of character leads her to Vosten and Toved. They men treat her like a goddess and help her get well deserved revenge.

Bride of the Forest S. C. Grayson fell a bit flat for me. The story of Esmeray and Drakkan didn't resonate with me at all, which feels strange since I love that aspect of nature.

I skipped the stories by Elisse Hay, Kristin Jacques, and Desiree M. Niccoli as they are all FF romances. Just not my jam.

Psychopomp in Bloom by Holly Rose could have been good, but was so awkward it was hard to read. It felt like a smutty, alternative version of City of Angeles with Nick Cage.

Bride of the Dragon Prince was okay. I personally feel like the premise of the village forgetting the true reason the Dragon visits didn't sit well.

I read a few pages of Just One Sip by Jem Zero and decided to pass on that as well. The story had a few triggers for me.

I can see how anthologies are a good way for people to find new authors, I'm not sure they are for me, unless I already know some of the authors. These were all new authors for me and I unfortunately didn't mesh with half of the stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical Escapes and Heartfelt Connections

Tempted by Monstrous Lovers is a tender, enchanting collection of stories that wraps you in a world where love knows no limits—be it species, shape, or shadow. Each tale offers its own little magical escape, where misunderstood monsters and paranormal beings find connection, acceptance, and that soft, powerful thing we all crave: love.

Even though the stories span a variety of tones and creatures—from brooding fae and cursed beings to gentle cryptids and ancient guardians—there’s a comforting thread running through all of them. These aren’t just romances; they’re stories about belonging, about being seen for who you are, and about finding peace in someone else’s arms, no matter how strange the path that leads there.

The writing across the anthology is strong, with each author bringing their unique voice to the theme. I found myself lingering over certain stories, not just for the romantic tension, but for the emotional healing that many of the characters go through. That soft emotional core really elevated the collection for me.

As with most anthologies, there were a few stories that didn’t land quite as strongly, but overall, the cozy, romantic atmosphere and the imaginative world-building made this a joy to read.

Final thoughts: A perfect pick for readers who want their romance with a little magic, a touch of mystery, and a lot of heart. This anthology is like a warm, moonlit blanket—comforting, a little wild, and full of wonder.

[Shreya · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

TROPES
💗Monster x Human
💗Strangers to Lovers
💗Arranged Marriage
💗Strong FMCs
💗Diverse Love
💗HEA

--💟💟--

TEMPTED BY MONSTROUS LOVERS is an anthology romance following ten authors and the ten different stories that they've blessed our eyes and kindles with 😂Each short story follows a different couple, and I'm very grateful that I got a chance to read this book! If you're following me, you probably know that I'm an AVID monster romance lover, so this book was right up my alley!

What I loved most about this book was the inclusivity. All kinds of romance is featured: LGBTQ+, platonic romance, family love, and more! It was about romance as a whole and I very much enjoyed that. Although I do wish that we had longer arcs, I understand that this is an anthology of short stories, and I think most of them came to a very fulfilling conclusion!

One of my favorites in this anthology was BRIDE OF THE DRAGON PRINCE , which follows Briannis, who is sacrificed as the next bride to the fearsome dragon, and Zain, the dragon in question, who is far from fearsome and actually is a total sweetheart! I loved that Briannis wasn't immature; she asked questions, fought for herself, but wasn't embarrassed or angry unreasonably. Everything about Zain, from his curse to the reasons behind Merilee's disappearance, all made sense. This was my favorite read, and that scene when Zain is having - ahem - lower region difficulties because the poor man doesn't understand what is going on 😂

Another story I enjoyed was PSYCHOPOMP IN BLOOM because just like Zain, Cor, our underworld harbinger of death, was just as awkward and sweet, and my heart ached for him when he so cutely dug through his pockets to pay Sunny for her flowers and proudly held up a quarter 🥺Ugh, he was such a sweetheart! Cor, however, knew exactly how to please Sunny, he and Sunny have my second favorite intimacy scene (my first is Briannis and Zain 😂) One thing I did find a bit cringe was Sunny's full name - Sunny Day. I like the joke, but it felt a little too odd in my opinion in the setting of the story. Also, the themes of love, friendship, and death, particularly with Bev and Sunny, was so sweet and powerful! My heart wept for Bev 😭

Speaking of intimacy, each chapter had ranges of how descriptive their intimate scenes would be, but I loved all of them! I think the authors did an incredible job of establishing chemistry first and then physical intimacy. Zain and Briannis's first scene was my favorite because I felt it was the most organic, but when he figured out what he was doing, Zain DID NOT hold back XD Our dragon became dirty-talking and dominant and he wasn't the slightest bit ashamed of it.

Overall, I loved this book, and I plan to purchase a copy of it because I enjoyed it so much! If you like anthologies, monster romances, spice and chemistry with all forms of love, then TEMPTED BY MONSTROUS LOVERS is for you!

Looking for more of my reviews? Want to contact me? Check out my blog! Shreya Reads, Reviews, and Writes

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, I gave this 2 stars because it was just 'ok'. I haven't read many anthologies but this one piqued my interest since it is about monsters and smut. We end up getting a total of 4 F/M pairings, 3 F/F, 1 MMF. and 1 M with a trans character and my issue is it isn't very inclusive because the options could have more opportunities for gender/gender neutral identifying characters. This anthology seemed like it tried to be all inclusive with throwing one and repeating a few same gender couples and calls it good. Last thing to note about the pairings, I wish they would have split up the stories more because all F/F couples were one after another and a couple of the F/M's were followed by another. It was confusing coming off reading about one, as it was easy to mean the story/characters if they were similar so we get lost about which one we are reading. As well as a few F/M stories began with a running away/chasing scene that was a bit redundant especially when placed so close together in the book.

There were a few stories that need more editing. Such as, the Medusa one because the 1st & 2nd chapters were combined and then what was supposed to be the 2nd chapter was repeated under the separate chapter heading. The others were just a bit of small edits.

If you want a few stories of monster romances, this would be worth looking into and reading to try out a few different types of monster/paranormal stories.




I was given a copy on NetGalley for my honest thoughts on this ebook.

[ChellesOfBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Content warning: there is an extensive list in the anthology for readers, but notable ones are death, gore, injury, threats of and attempted sexual assault, violence, monsters eating humans, homophobia, grief/loss, sex work, stalking, confinement, and explicit sexual content

Thank you to the authors for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

I applied for the ARC due to being a member of the street team for one of the participating authors. I knew before picking this up that it would definitely be out of my comfort zone, as I don't normally read a lot of monster romance/erotic couplings. However, I tried my best to come in with an open mind and find some new authors that I might enjoy.

My experience was split almost 50/50. I enjoyed some stories and appreciated how these authors managed to create a complete tale with obstacles and resolutions, whilst having a focus on their explicit sexual activities. And then there were stories where they went way beyond my comfort zone, and whilst I appreciated their craft, I had no business reading them or critiquing them as I was not the reader for such stories. I did read all ten stories and feel somewhat enlightened from my experience. I can't say I'll be rushing for more in this romance category, but I've gained a couple of new authors to follow, and absolutely loved the story I came into this anthology for, so I'll call that a success.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection has some wonderful monster romance stories, and I'd discovered many new authors which is a plus. The 10 novelettes were enjoyable to read. They had engaging and likable characters and some steamy romantic encounters in entertaining and well written stories.
Her Velociraptor Librarian by Mindi Briar
This is an FF romance story that's about Claudia who goes to the Great Library of Balexonia for inspiration for her thirtieth-year milestone entry for the library. She meets our librarian, Minerva, and they get locked in a room while looking through old manuscripts. What ensues was an entertaining story. Does Claudia find her muse for her thirtieth entry?
The Kings' Bride by Lisa Edmonds
This story is about Aveline whose being chased by the gamekeeper and his hounds through the cursed lands of Geedhollow. The hounds attack her, then she's rescued by Vosten and Toved who were cursed into hell beasts. Aveline their mate broke the curse and now they walk upright as Trolls. What ensues is an engaging story as they protect and defend Aveline against Forbright who wants her dead.
I'd volunteer to read and review this enjoyable copy I'd received.

[Lisa Conant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful variety of monster romance trope variations in this! There's was a why choose, Sapphic and those aren't my type so I skipped those.

But I really enjoyed Seed and Bone and Bride of the Dragon.

They're barely 100 pages but actually have a solid slice of life feel. Seed and Bone we have a boy cursed with demon transformation and a kindly girl who was his betrothed. She finds him 7 years later and he saves her and its really sweet how they reconnect. She sees the sensitive boy inside the man but also the very protective man he's now become when it comes to her. I loved that his physical traits didn't matter to her and he was kinda shy about it at first.

Bride of the Dragon is more spicy with Dragon x Human spice action but it plays into his curse as well. Fated mates, this one had more humor to it and really liked Zain and Briannis. There's enough history told that we understood who and why he's been feared. Their connection may be instant but it felt right.

Really dug those two stories and worth a quick read for less than an hour each!

[Ecem · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Tempted by Monstrous Lovers: A Monster & Paranormal Romance Anthology in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading all the stories in Tempted by Monstrous Lovers: A Monster & Paranormal Romance Anthology, but my absolute favorites were Seed and Bone by Genevieve Brandon, The Kings' Bride by Lisa Edmonds, and Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan Van Dyke. I loved all the stories themselves and the characters, and they stayed with me even after I finished reading.

Since this is an anthology, I knew going in that the stories would be short, but I still found myself wishing for more. I would absolutely love to read extended and more detailed versions of these three stories in particular. The worlds the authors created felt so rich and full of potential, and the relationships had such strong chemistry that I wanted to see them explored further.

I truly hope these authors consider expanding their stories into longer works in the future, because I would be first in line to read them.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted this book because SC Grayson has a story in it, and she posted the art for it. The art got me instantly. I think the art in this book was one of my favorite things. I loved being able to see the characters. I looked at the art before reading each story and then again after, and I loved the way my perspective changed through these two viewings.

I read every story in this anthology, but my favorites by far were The King’s Bride, Bride of the Forest, and Megan Van Dyke. These three stories were my favorites because of the deep emotional intensity in each of them. The worlds are fully built, the dynamics are fully established, the romancing is romancing, and on top of it all, the characters formed real connections that brought them out of the page and into my heart.

I don’t often read anthologies, so this isn’t that crazy of a statement, but this was my favorite anthology collection that I have ever read.

Thank you very much to Lisa Edmonds for an ARC of this book.

[ThatsSomeGoodSmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and the authors for a copy of this anthology.

Tempted by Monstrous Lovers is exactly what it promises—a darkly delicious escape into monster and paranormal romance. With ten original stories, this anthology delivers a satisfying mix of myth, magic, and spice, where the monstrous are just as likely to protect as they are to devour.

The variety is the real strength here. From dragon princes and forest gods to leviathans and velociraptor librarians, each author puts their own spin on love that defies the rules of humanity. Some stories lean playful and sexy, others dig deeper into pain, power, and acceptance, but nearly all manage to build chemistry fast enough to make the short form work.

This anthology balances spice and story better than most, and it’s a perfect pick for readers who love variety, unapologetic fantasy, and unapologetically weird love stories. I’d happily revisit some of these worlds in full-length form.

[Jo Fouracre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well well well this book was a lot n I mean lot more than I was expecting. 🫣 it has quite a few trigger points in 90 % of the stories: not one of them doesn’t include a raunchy sex scene or two:
I would most definitely recommend checking the trigger warning in the back for each book before reading. I really enjoyed Holly’s Rose’s short story with the ferry man that was cottage core with a bit of spice.
I adored Megan Van Dykes book with the dragon shifter that was fun and exciting with some exciting spice.
S. C Grayson’s short story really took my attention that was full on with psssion 🤭. Lisa Edmond’s book was very interesting with the demon type shifters .. he he and a three dome to boot. The rest of the stories were very good too but one of two were a little bit too much for me. Thank you so much for the fantastic opportunity to read this book

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like anthologies like this one because they give me a chance to discover authors and get a taste of different genres or tropes in a bite sized form that I was maybe on the fence about. I had no idea what a psychopomp was and hadn't really read sapphic romance, but Psychopomp In Bloom, Her Velociraptor Librarian and Bride of the Dragon Prince were my favorite stories, with the last one being for people who fell for the Beast before he was changed back to human with the power of Belle's love. There were some that I skipped based on the trigger warnings, which are always appreciated, and wished some stories I liked were longer but that's because I am greedy. Overall it is a nice way start the spooky season with monsters you maybe aren't familiar with.

[Yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the eARC!

This anthology features ten short stories by various authors. Each story includes beautiful character art, which is a concept I absolutely love!

So far, I’ve only read The King’s Bride by Lisa Edmonds, and I loved this short story. It’s an MMF story that begins with Aveline fleeing a hunter and his dogs, leading her straight into the path of two cursed monsters.

What really stood out to me was the deep emphasis on consent. Both Vosten and Toved go out of their way to make sure Aveline feels safe, cherished, and empowered. They don’t just desire her, they want to worship her and help her reclaim her strength and her power that was taken away from her.

I can’t wait to go back and read the remaining nine stories in this collection!

[Mary Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, this is definitely an adult book, pay attention to the alerts that the authors give you about their stories. There were two stories that I absolutely loved! The First Being Seed and Bone- loved both of the main characters for their dedication, bravery, and the gift of seeing beyond the obvious to who they really are. The second favorite was Bride of the Dragon Prince by Megan Van Dyke. If you have read her books, you will be familiar with her high quality writing and twists to stories. The rest of the stories were unusual in their pairings but good reads. I only skipped one story that I knew I wouldn't like. Worth your time if you like really different!