Beautiful Nightmare

by Katee Robert

For one awkward sleep paralysis demon, scaring humans should be simple—except Gemma’s first solo haunting goes hilariously wrong in this tantalizing dream of a short story by New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert.

When Gemma’s supposed to terrify her appointed victim, she ends up captivated instead. Caleb, a romantic who believes in all things supernatural, finds her adorably pink-skinned, horned form more alluring than alarming. But as their steamy night unfolds and unexpected feelings bloom, Gemma must choose between her demonic duties and the human who makes her feel anything but monstrous.

Katee Robert’s Beautiful Nightmare is part of Scared Sexy, a deliciously dark collection of Halloween romance where things that go bump in the night might just steal your heart. These seductive stand-alone stories blend chills and heat in the perfect Halloween treat—each designed to be devoured in one sitting.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Novella, Paranormal, Audiobook, Paranormal Romance, Short Stories

52 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2025

About the author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over two million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

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Reviews

[Clace · Rating 2 out of 5]

My sleep paralysis demon watching me read this at night :

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡 · Rating 1 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 1 star!

no 🫩

・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・

pre-read:

at this point, i have no expectations and i’m just finishing this series for the sake of completing another series!! 💀

[ashlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

it’s giving adult monsters inc😭

[Alina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆

Beautiful Nightmare was a fun, fast-paced read with just the right mix of drama and romance. I really enjoyed the characters and the story kept me interested the whole way through.

[Dawn Solaris · Rating 1 out of 5]

★彡 1 star 彡★

➷ Sleep paralysis demon? Stay tf away from me (⊙ _ ⊙)

Being the dumbass I am, I went into it thinking, “oooh fun paranormal shit”?!

Sadly, it was just shit.

The FMC is a Princess Bubblegum-meets-Mike-Wazowski (Celia, if I’m being frank). The MMC is a gingerbread.

There.

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and corny story, all I saw was hot sexy babe which totally made this short read. Nice character chemistry too.

[Paige (on and off) · Rating 2 out of 5]

All I could picture while reading this was Celia from monsters inc 😅

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and a little awkward, but I didn't really feel the connection between the characters. I really liked the concept, it's why I'm giving it three stars instead of two, but not the delivery... 

Gemma is a sleep paralysis demon in training, finally being given her first solo victim, but nothing goes according to plan. She feeds on fear and Caleb isn't scared at all. He's attracted to her and she is about to break every rule.. 
Gemma was hilariously awkward and so worried about not being good at her job. She hates the taste of fear, lust on the other hand..
Caleb was such a sweetheart, I love how he wanted to get to know her and make sure she really was okay with them being together. 

But, I really didn't feel their connection beyond the lust..
Also, I didn't like that plot twist at the end, it didn't really make sense to me.. 

P. S. As someone who experienced sleep paralysis before, imagining Ralph there the next time it happens it's gonna give me nightmares..

[naz · Rating 2 out of 5]

the hell was this.

Don't get me wrong I was trying really hard to get into it, but the guy is in his 40s and is obsessing over a sleep paralysis demon.. that is not hot whatsoever.

This story is about a sleep paralysis demon that isn't good at her job, which is feeding from the fears of a human. When she tries once again on a human she notices that he is turned on by her instead of afraid.... <---- i can't this premise nope.

I'm just thankful it was short lol

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ at this point i should just finish the series

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

✰ the collection on amazon
✰ the collection on goodreads

this short story had a really unique concept that lured me in! basically, gemma is a sleep paralysis demon in training, but she is not very good at it. and caleb is the human she is tasked to scare, but he has a much different reaction than fear. and in this world, demons feed off the strong emotion of fear, but they also can feed on other strong emotions… like lust lol. i really loved this set up, i really adored the emphasis on consent, and i feel like this had some gender fluidity exploration that i also appreciated! i just wish it was a bit more sexy, especially considering the set up.

trigger + content warnings: talk of sleep paralysis, anxiety mention, talk of broken healthcare systems


bonus: not me reading this the day after the critical role campaign 4 character art drops and this main character is giving tyranny! yes, i am pretending tieflings are demons for this comparison lol. (art by solelle!)

♡ Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood ★★★
♡ Falling by Christina Lauren ★★
♡ Spicy Little Curses by J.T. Geissinger ★★
♡ Space Vampire by Ruby Dixon ★★★★
♡ Beautiful Nightmare by Katee Robert ★★★
♡ My Boyfriends Are All Monsters by Kimberly Lemming ★★★★

blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | substack

♡ The Dragon's Bride ★★★

[˚₊꒰ა Jii ໒꒱₊˚ (catching up) · Rating 1 out of 5]

˙₊➴ ꒰ 1.5-stars★ ꒱ ꒷⊹࣪˖

❝ Because nowhere in the sleep paralysis demon manual was there a section containing ‘What to Do If Your Human Gets a Boner’. ❞

‧˚ ꒰ 💭 ꒱ thoughts ₊˚⋆

Oh what a beautiful thing to be promoted from the nightmarish life/job Gemma was suffering from🤷🏻‍♀️

╴╴⊹ ꮺ˚ Scared Sexy Collection 🎃 ╴⊹˚ ╴╴
⟢ ♯01 ∼ hot for slayer 🦇꒰ 3.5✩ ꒱
⟢ ♯02 ∼ falling 🪽꒰ 1✩ ꒱
⟢ ♯03 ∼ spicy little curses 🪦꒰ 2✩ ꒱
⟢ ♯04 ∼ space vampire 🪐꒰ 2✩ ꒱
⟢ ♯05 ∼ beautiful nightmare 💭꒰ 1.5✩ ꒱
⟢ ♯06 ∼ my boyfriends are monsters 🪙꒰ 1✩ ꒱
╴─ ⟢・⸝⸝ Overall rating ~ 1.83 stars ☆.ᐟ ─ ╴

˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆

Need to finish this series before all my Halloween vibes are gone, so reading all the remaining novellas todayyy!🫣🧡

[enola · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was wierd, but maybe I like wierdness

pre-read:
when in doubt about what to read, start novellas🫡

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

if Monsters Inc was for adults 😂😂😂

[Reads With Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

But yeah the demons are basically just doing a monsters inc situation

[katie ⋅♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a short & fun read! I loved the idea of a demon falling in love with a human. I also felt like the FMC was cute and relatable with feelings of inadequacy. such a cute short story!

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Release Date 🗓️: September 23, 2025
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Thank you to Netgalley, Katee Robert, & Brilliance Publishing for a copy of the arc in exchange my for honest review!

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[ariyel ੭ (back!) · Rating 2 out of 5]

‎ ── ⋆˙⟡ 2.75 stars! ★
⌗ ❪ mini review ❫ ⸝⸝

౿ ݁ my thoughts. ⟢ this was actually so stupid but at least it wasn’t horrendous. like yeah it was definitely cringe and yeah i wish we didn’t acknowledge the hooves but i weirdly didn’t hate it?? the fmc was a mess. she’s terrible at her job. embarrassing on every level. but it was fine. the mmc though… i’m sorry. you’re pushing forty and acting like that??? kinda insane. that was the most off putting part for me. still not good but easily one of the less painful ones in this series.

౿ ݁ pre-read. ⟢ i mean. i hated like half of these but i’m basically almost done so it wouldn’t make sense to bail now.


𓏲 ⟡ scared sexy ⊹◞
⌗﹒ 01 hot for slayer — 5 ☆
⌗﹒ 02 falling — 1.5 ☆
⌗﹒ 03 spicy little curses — 1 ☆
⌗﹒ 04 space vampire — 3 ☆
⌗﹒ 05 beautiful nightmare — 2.75 ☆
⌗﹒ 06 my boyfriends are all monsters — ?? ☆

[Giulia ❀ · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know what, if he wasn’t 40, I could have given this novella 3 stars. Also, it wasn’t explained nor resolved the “aging problem” of this too-old-for-my-liking man, so like now what?

[｡.•*¨*•♬✧maeve ✧♬•*¨*•.｡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️1.5/5 ugh i’m sorry ive enjoyed this series as little filler books between bigger reads but this one was just not it…..it’s giving monsters inc but mature?? i don’t know if it’s just because i listened to the audiobook for this one but it was so cringey omg😭 i like my book men very dominant and this was definitely the opposite of that so if you’re not into that, then this isn’t for you!

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🌶️3.5/5 pretty basic, just a lot of it bc it’s so short!

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paranormal romance novella
night paralysis demon fmc x pediatrician human mmc
insta love
shape shifting
etc.

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this was very minimal in all parts which made it hard to grow attached to but it was really just a driving audiobook book for me:)

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i would recommend this collection to anyone who needs quick, spicy, paranormal reads! this might have been my least favorite but the others are better!🖤✨

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ Thoughts
Not much of a review but this one was my least favourite so far, it had it's cute moments but I didn't care much for the plot

Plot Summary
Sent to terrify her latest victim, Gemma instead finds herself drawn to Caleb, a hopeless romantic who welcomes her horned, otherworldly form with fascination rather than fear. Their passionate night sparks feelings she never expected, leaving Gemma torn between her duty as a demon and the human who makes her feel anything but monstrous.
My Bookstagram

[Liv Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no inclination to get fucked by Mike Wizouski

[Kelsey S · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what? Hell yeah. This was entertaining.

Now, if you had asked me before I started this novella if I would enjoy a monster/demon romance, I would’ve said “doubtful“. But this was super cute and a little bit spicy. Do I think I will be reading more monster romance in the future? I don’t know, it probably would have to be the right circumstances, and I’d have to be in the right mood. But I actually really enjoyed this.

I’ve seen a couple of reviews referring to Monsters Inc. and that maybe is why they’ve rated this a little bit lower, but I must’ve blacked out during that movie because I don’t even remember anything from it and so therefore that didn’t bother me.

Honestly, it gave me Anya and Xander vibes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But if Xander was even more of a golden retriever and was a hot doctor that heals children.

Tropes: she’s a demon/he’s a doctor, golden retriever MMC, fish-out-of-water FMC

🌶️: 1.5 open door scenes

[lyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

literally no

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars: Monsters Inc but make it smutty

Welp… I’ll NEVER be able to see Monsters Inc with innocent eyes anymore 😭 cause after this diiiiirty book? I won’t be able to NOT think about “monsters” sneaking into a room to do *questionable* things 🫠Uffff 😮‍💨talk about tainting my innocent (NOT 🤡) mind 🤣.

Gemma (70) has been training to be a nightmare demon (with sleep paralysis 🫣) which requires her to feed off of people’s fears as her sustenance. It all changes when she’s left alone in charge of a human, who actually is captivated by her 😅.

How?

Well, instead of him screaming, cause he’s scared, she sees that his bedsheet starts tenting up 🫣.

Yeah, you know why 😅.

And Gemma can’t help but be attracted to Caleb (~40), who she finds out is a doctor of children (pediatrics ❤️), something she finds incredibly interesting 👀.

What I liked/loved:
—the reverse age gap 😮‍💨
—the fact that they 🔥 under the circumstances 😮‍💨
—the premise/storyline- ummm hello. Monsters inc!!!
—the ending 🥹
—the connection

What I didn’t like/wanted more of:
—the ending 😐. It. Just. Ends. Sigh. It implies an HFN but I wanted more. Shoot. Give me a recap of their future please 😭
—for it to be longer 🫠

Overall, I enjoyed this 👏🏻

⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd/omd
-HEA/HFN/no epilogue but ends a week later ❤️

[veerali · Rating 1 out of 5]

why would anyone even write this??!!

[almu · Rating 1 out of 5]

★

consent king!!! but he's a ginger

[Salma · Rating 5 out of 5]

i giggled so much listening to this and just for that, i’m giving it 5 stars🤣

[Mairi Swan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew it was a short one like the rest of the series but it didn't feel quite nice like the others

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
Gemma is a demon in training and it’s not going well. She’s been given the lowest of supernatural powers, sleep paralysis, and scaring humans should be easy but, well. This is her last shot. Her first solo outing target is a man named Caleb and things go a little off the track…into the erotic zone.

the heart of the story…
I haven’t read many stories involving demons as the main character so this was enlightening. I really liked Gemma who was such a misfit in her own world. Loved the form she created for herself (bubble gum pink skinned with purple hair) and she was delightfully insecure. But it kinda worked for her when she connected with Caleb.

the narration…
Andi Eloise seemed to literally inhabit Gemma. She captured her angst and curiosity. I highly enjoyed her performance.

the bottom line…
This was such a cute story, even with all that steam. Gemma didn’t quite capture scary but she nailed sexy with Caleb. I had no idea how this was going to end and am quite pleased where it landed.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the complete collection. All opinions are my own.)

[Mai H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Halloween #6

[paula ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 ⭐

At first I thought it was horrifying, then I got used to it and it didn't seem so disastrous. Still, I feel like it's the worst so far