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Jorax: A Halloween Monster Romance with Spicy Chemistry and a Cinnamon Roll Hero
A haunted house. A masquerade ball. A monster in a lab coat.
Syrryn
I came to this alien research facility to help cure a deadly disease—not to fall for the massive, stitched-up monster who works late in the back lab. Jorax is brilliant, brooding, and terrifying at first glance… but his hands are steady, his voice is gentle, and the way he touches me—like I’m sacred—undoes me completely.
Jorax
Syrryn is everything I was told I could never have. She’s clever and kind, radiant and fierce. And when she looks at me like I’m not broken—like I’m hers—I lose all reason. I’d burn down the world to worship her body and protect her heart. But someone like her could never truly want someone like me. Could she?
As Halloween night descends and the masks come off, Syrryn must decide what really a handsome lie… or the monster who makes her feel more desired, more cherished, and more alive than anyone ever has.
M/F. Open-door spice. 20,000 words. Beauty and the Beast • Size Difference • Touch-Starved • He Falls First • Workplace Romance • Halloween Masquerade
Previously published as “Monster’s Masquerade” in the Celestial Seductions Halloween Anthology.
By USA TODAY Bestselling author Alana Khan
Syrryn
I came to this alien research facility to help cure a deadly disease—not to fall for the massive, stitched-up monster who works late in the back lab. Jorax is brilliant, brooding, and terrifying at first glance… but his hands are steady, his voice is gentle, and the way he touches me—like I’m sacred—undoes me completely.
Jorax
Syrryn is everything I was told I could never have. She’s clever and kind, radiant and fierce. And when she looks at me like I’m not broken—like I’m hers—I lose all reason. I’d burn down the world to worship her body and protect her heart. But someone like her could never truly want someone like me. Could she?
As Halloween night descends and the masks come off, Syrryn must decide what really a handsome lie… or the monster who makes her feel more desired, more cherished, and more alive than anyone ever has.
M/F. Open-door spice. 20,000 words. Beauty and the Beast • Size Difference • Touch-Starved • He Falls First • Workplace Romance • Halloween Masquerade
Previously published as “Monster’s Masquerade” in the Celestial Seductions Halloween Anthology.
By USA TODAY Bestselling author Alana Khan
- GenresParanormal
96 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2025
42 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Alana Khan
156 books622 followersSexy Alien Heroes, Sassy Human Heroines, Stories That Satisfy
Alana Khan is a USA TODAY Bestselling author whose pen traverses galaxies and explores the extraordinary.
In a life as diverse as her stories, Alana boasts IMDB film credits, thrilling Harley adventures on open roads, and a stint as a professional spoon player—because, why not?
With a background as a psychotherapist, she delves into the human psyche, enriching her storytelling.
Join her on fantastical journeys through her novels, where cosmic romance and monstrous love merge with spice as hot as a Carolina Reeper chili pepper.
Sign up for Alana's free newsletter at https://alanakhan.com/
Follow me on Bookbub to be notified when my books go on sale: https://www.bookbub.com/search?search...
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/alana.khan.5...
Alana Khan is a USA TODAY Bestselling author whose pen traverses galaxies and explores the extraordinary.
In a life as diverse as her stories, Alana boasts IMDB film credits, thrilling Harley adventures on open roads, and a stint as a professional spoon player—because, why not?
With a background as a psychotherapist, she delves into the human psyche, enriching her storytelling.
Join her on fantastical journeys through her novels, where cosmic romance and monstrous love merge with spice as hot as a Carolina Reeper chili pepper.
Sign up for Alana's free newsletter at https://alanakhan.com/
Follow me on Bookbub to be notified when my books go on sale: https://www.bookbub.com/search?search...
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/alana.khan.5...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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October 9, 2025Of course I love this book—I wrote it. Let me tell you why.
Jorax is my spooky, sexy spin on Beauty and the Beast—set in space and wrapped in Halloween lights. I had such a blast writing this one. It’s got everything I adore: a brilliant but lonely scientist who looks like he was stitched together from spare parts, a brave human heroine who sees beyond the scars, and chemistry hot enough to melt a lab bench.
Jorax is my cinnamon roll monster—gentle, brilliant, and heartbreakingly self-conscious—and Syrryn is the woman who looks past his jagged edges and finds the man worth loving beneath. Their romance starts with science and ends in steam, with all the pumpkin-spice feelings (and actual spice) in between.
Writing Jorax reminded me how fun it is to blend heart, heat, and a touch of Halloween magic. It’s a monster romance that proves love can thrive anywhere—even in a galaxy far, far away, under the flicker of jack-o’-lanterns and the glow of starlight.
Hugs,
Alana
Jorax is my spooky, sexy spin on Beauty and the Beast—set in space and wrapped in Halloween lights. I had such a blast writing this one. It’s got everything I adore: a brilliant but lonely scientist who looks like he was stitched together from spare parts, a brave human heroine who sees beyond the scars, and chemistry hot enough to melt a lab bench.
Jorax is my cinnamon roll monster—gentle, brilliant, and heartbreakingly self-conscious—and Syrryn is the woman who looks past his jagged edges and finds the man worth loving beneath. Their romance starts with science and ends in steam, with all the pumpkin-spice feelings (and actual spice) in between.
Writing Jorax reminded me how fun it is to blend heart, heat, and a touch of Halloween magic. It’s a monster romance that proves love can thrive anywhere—even in a galaxy far, far away, under the flicker of jack-o’-lanterns and the glow of starlight.
Hugs,
Alana
November 16, 2025
I really wanted to like this one, but the writing felt too choppy and like the author cut out whole pages and didn’t blend the end product correctly. It also felt like the author couldn’t decide between writing like a Victorian romance piece, or a futuristic piece.
In other words, the book has a good outline, but just needs some more editing.
✨No cheating ✨No third act breakup ✨Some OM drama ✨Standalone ✨HEA
In other words, the book has a good outline, but just needs some more editing.
✨No cheating ✨No third act breakup ✨Some OM drama ✨Standalone ✨HEA
Read
September 7, 2025Of course I love this book—I wrote it! But let me tell you what I love most: the tender monster who doesn’t believe he deserves love, and the scientist heroine who slowly proves he does.
Jorax is one of my softest heroes: scarred, brilliant, and so touch-starved he practically aches with restraint. I wanted to create a monster who wasn’t dangerous in the ways we expect, but was dangerous in the way he loves. Reverent. Steady. Deep. And Syrryn? She’s smart, driven, and fiercely compassionate—even when she’s in over her head.
This novella is packed with Halloween vibes: haunted house, masquerade kisses, a spooky lab, and a love story that sneaks up on you just like a chill down your spine.
And when that slow burn finally ignites? It’s all needy hands, desperate mouths, and the kind of worship that leaves you breathless.
If you're into Beauty and the Beast with a sci-fi twist, or cinnamon rolls hiding in massive green bodies, I hope this hits the spot. It’s tender, steamy, and all heart.
Want more monsters and mayhem? Follow me here or join my newsletter for exclusive bonus content and sneak peeks! https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Jorax is one of my softest heroes: scarred, brilliant, and so touch-starved he practically aches with restraint. I wanted to create a monster who wasn’t dangerous in the ways we expect, but was dangerous in the way he loves. Reverent. Steady. Deep. And Syrryn? She’s smart, driven, and fiercely compassionate—even when she’s in over her head.
This novella is packed with Halloween vibes: haunted house, masquerade kisses, a spooky lab, and a love story that sneaks up on you just like a chill down your spine.
And when that slow burn finally ignites? It’s all needy hands, desperate mouths, and the kind of worship that leaves you breathless.
If you're into Beauty and the Beast with a sci-fi twist, or cinnamon rolls hiding in massive green bodies, I hope this hits the spot. It’s tender, steamy, and all heart.
Want more monsters and mayhem? Follow me here or join my newsletter for exclusive bonus content and sneak peeks! https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
February 4, 2026
Can't say that the depiction of professional interactions would have been tasteful and I dnfed the book early on. Sadly, I find this often to be the case with these types of novels that very few standards are upheld to what is appropriate at workplace and what isn't, and I am tired of this.
Why is the workplace depicted as some lawless fantasy playground or porn arena, whereas in home life or dating scenarios, romance readers are often more demanding and critical, and therefore, authors also tend to be more careful on how they depict consent and boundaries? It's almost as if workplace boundary violations aren't considered noteworthy, or they are even celebrated in certain fiction.
I think that work shouldn't be considered some detached sphere of distant faraway place in romance, it has everyday meaning and significance to many readers and should be depicted seriously because work environment matters, and the kind of depictions we have about it in culture also matter.
In this particular book, I feel for the MML for his awful boss and worry for the FML for being targeted by him, yet the same can be said for the innapropriate attitude from the side of the MML. The main characters both seem entirely incapable of distinguishing professional profile to that of seeing their new workmates or supervisors as piece of meat. It upsets me to no end to read that the first time the lead character meets a new colleague or a new subordinate, the whole focus seems to be on their appearance and if they could be their love match.
Thus I do not appreciate that female professionals are sexualised at work in this fiction. The pattern of being okay with power imbalances in depictions of what happens at work means that a portion of women's everyday struggles are triviliased and work sphere continuous to be male-coded in romance fiction.
So why is work still this gray zone? Why there appears to be so little concern, awareness or care for depictions of work-based harrassment or potential breach of professional code of ethics in (fantasy) romance, while home life is increasingly taken more seriously in fiction?
Why is the workplace depicted as some lawless fantasy playground or porn arena, whereas in home life or dating scenarios, romance readers are often more demanding and critical, and therefore, authors also tend to be more careful on how they depict consent and boundaries? It's almost as if workplace boundary violations aren't considered noteworthy, or they are even celebrated in certain fiction.
I think that work shouldn't be considered some detached sphere of distant faraway place in romance, it has everyday meaning and significance to many readers and should be depicted seriously because work environment matters, and the kind of depictions we have about it in culture also matter.
In this particular book, I feel for the MML for his awful boss and worry for the FML for being targeted by him, yet the same can be said for the innapropriate attitude from the side of the MML. The main characters both seem entirely incapable of distinguishing professional profile to that of seeing their new workmates or supervisors as piece of meat. It upsets me to no end to read that the first time the lead character meets a new colleague or a new subordinate, the whole focus seems to be on their appearance and if they could be their love match.
Thus I do not appreciate that female professionals are sexualised at work in this fiction. The pattern of being okay with power imbalances in depictions of what happens at work means that a portion of women's everyday struggles are triviliased and work sphere continuous to be male-coded in romance fiction.
So why is work still this gray zone? Why there appears to be so little concern, awareness or care for depictions of work-based harrassment or potential breach of professional code of ethics in (fantasy) romance, while home life is increasingly taken more seriously in fiction?
November 8, 2025
Short and Totally Sweet!
While this was a quick read I just love how Alana Khan brings her own occupational specialty (psychotherapy) to bear in the intricate crafting of her characters. She especially brought that into the struggles that Jorah had with his disfigurement. Thankfully, his future mate and love is a kind and compassionate person who was able to look past his surface to the real person underneath. This was not an exercise in pity but a real understanding that while surface features can be alluring it is ultimately the soul/person behind the looks that we live with. Even physical beauty fades with time but if you don’t like/love the person underneath it all you may be doomed to a very disappointing relationship failure.
While this was a quick read I just love how Alana Khan brings her own occupational specialty (psychotherapy) to bear in the intricate crafting of her characters. She especially brought that into the struggles that Jorah had with his disfigurement. Thankfully, his future mate and love is a kind and compassionate person who was able to look past his surface to the real person underneath. This was not an exercise in pity but a real understanding that while surface features can be alluring it is ultimately the soul/person behind the looks that we live with. Even physical beauty fades with time but if you don’t like/love the person underneath it all you may be doomed to a very disappointing relationship failure.
February 21, 2026
was confused
By the authors writing style. Felt like multiple people wrote chapters of the story. Parts flowed, some were distant and clinical like. Others but few drew you in.
Because of this I never became fond of the characters and frankly did not like the female lead. Spoiler her going out on obvious dates with boss was big heck no sign. Any mature women would have known snake. As fire her inner thought and observation, not great.
His character was not great but there is absolutely no way he would have worked under that Male that he suspected caused his injuries.
If he was so brilliant he could and would have gone somewhere else.
By the authors writing style. Felt like multiple people wrote chapters of the story. Parts flowed, some were distant and clinical like. Others but few drew you in.
Because of this I never became fond of the characters and frankly did not like the female lead. Spoiler her going out on obvious dates with boss was big heck no sign. Any mature women would have known snake. As fire her inner thought and observation, not great.
His character was not great but there is absolutely no way he would have worked under that Male that he suspected caused his injuries.
If he was so brilliant he could and would have gone somewhere else.
October 11, 2025
Skin Deep
Aw! What a beautiful romance about finding love and acceptance. Norax was so sweet and humble. A victim of a horrific lab accident he’s basically a quiet genius. When Syrryn joins the research center and becomes his lab partner, she opens a whole new world for him. I thought it was wonderful.
Aw! What a beautiful romance about finding love and acceptance. Norax was so sweet and humble. A victim of a horrific lab accident he’s basically a quiet genius. When Syrryn joins the research center and becomes his lab partner, she opens a whole new world for him. I thought it was wonderful.
October 11, 2025
Sweet
This was a sweet story of a scarred green skinned alien who is a brilliant scientist and a human scientist who work together and find love in the process. It was a sweet gradual build from friendship to love.
This was a sweet story of a scarred green skinned alien who is a brilliant scientist and a human scientist who work together and find love in the process. It was a sweet gradual build from friendship to love.
October 18, 2025
So this was SO cute. it's a low stakes, sweet romp with some good smut. Totally recommend if you need a sweet palate cleanser.
the heroine's actions in the beginning entertaining the other crappy male annoyed me but I see how it was needed to add some tension to the plot.
the heroine's actions in the beginning entertaining the other crappy male annoyed me but I see how it was needed to add some tension to the plot.
October 27, 2025
A monster who is brilliant, sweet, and sexy
What a wonderful story. Enjoyed the dramatic backstory to make this even more interesting. Who doesn’t fantasize about a guy who becomes the pinnacle of who we think they could be?
What a wonderful story. Enjoyed the dramatic backstory to make this even more interesting. Who doesn’t fantasize about a guy who becomes the pinnacle of who we think they could be?
November 18, 2025
The Other Side of the Monster
She was there to assist in finding a cure, but she found a gentle giant instead. Working together not brought them together professionally, but personally. A sweet romance with a promising HEA.
She was there to assist in finding a cure, but she found a gentle giant instead. Working together not brought them together professionally, but personally. A sweet romance with a promising HEA.
November 18, 2025
This had the makings of a great story but it went completely off the rails and jumped all around. I kept wondering if maybe sections were moved and then the book didn't get a proper read-through.
Overall it was confusing and had more telling than showing. Did not enjoy.
Overall it was confusing and had more telling than showing. Did not enjoy.
December 2, 2025
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
Delightful! Alana Khan is a terrific writer. While Jorax is supposed to be a Halloween read, it carries an important theme about diversity, brilliance, and love. Excellent!
Delightful! Alana Khan is a terrific writer. While Jorax is supposed to be a Halloween read, it carries an important theme about diversity, brilliance, and love. Excellent!
October 31, 2025
A beautiful romantic read
This book was a wonderful reminder not to judge a person by their looks. The characters were beautifully portrayed. The reading the reading was fun.
This book was a wonderful reminder not to judge a person by their looks. The characters were beautifully portrayed. The reading the reading was fun.
November 3, 2025
Sweetest Ever!
Okay this was absolutely the sweetest Halloween book ever! I am completely in love! So sexy and just freaking perfect! Ahhhhh so good! I just loved it!
Okay this was absolutely the sweetest Halloween book ever! I am completely in love! So sexy and just freaking perfect! Ahhhhh so good! I just loved it!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews