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Ministry of Supernatural Affairs #1
Demons and Diplomacy
A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver-tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose.
1851, London. All supernatural species have emerged from hiding, a result of The Great Revelation, led by Her Majesty, the vampiric Queen Victoria, and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert.
Cora Hastings is the British government’s Species Ombudsman, a human tasked with keeping the peace between supernatural creatures. It’s run-of-the-mill enforcing the newly created shifting parameters, negotiating contracts between species, and generally making certain all Londoners are treated equally.
That is, until the Devil himself decides he wants to leave his hellish home and see the results of Prince Albert’s greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition. His arrival could upset the uneasy peace between creatures, and worse—he’s brought his son.
The Marquis of Hell is diabolically good-looking, unnaturally perceptive, and, well, a demon. Cora navigates her sinfully seductive diplomatic assignment as best she can, until she catches wind of a secret conspiracy set to come to fruition at the opening of the Great Exhibition. This leaves her with an impossible Either Cora enters an unholy alliance with the Devil’s son, or she watches as her world is torn asunder….
1851, London. All supernatural species have emerged from hiding, a result of The Great Revelation, led by Her Majesty, the vampiric Queen Victoria, and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert.
Cora Hastings is the British government’s Species Ombudsman, a human tasked with keeping the peace between supernatural creatures. It’s run-of-the-mill enforcing the newly created shifting parameters, negotiating contracts between species, and generally making certain all Londoners are treated equally.
That is, until the Devil himself decides he wants to leave his hellish home and see the results of Prince Albert’s greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition. His arrival could upset the uneasy peace between creatures, and worse—he’s brought his son.
The Marquis of Hell is diabolically good-looking, unnaturally perceptive, and, well, a demon. Cora navigates her sinfully seductive diplomatic assignment as best she can, until she catches wind of a secret conspiracy set to come to fruition at the opening of the Great Exhibition. This leaves her with an impossible Either Cora enters an unholy alliance with the Devil’s son, or she watches as her world is torn asunder….
Audible Audio
First published August 25, 2026
About the author
Megan Frampton
42 books1,090 followersMegan Frampton writes romantasy and historical romance under her own name and romantic women's fiction as Megan Caldwell. She loves reading danmei, listening to K-pop (SHINee!), and defending the Oxford comma. She lives in Brooklyn with her daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This started so well. Interesting world and plot, a great main character, and I liked the author’s writing style. Cora actually reminds me a little bit of Veronica Speedwell, very resourceful with her multifunctional cane, which I loved.
But then the romance happened.
I like slow burn. A lot. Sadly that’s not what we have here. This is also not my favorite type of romance. Everything happens too soon and with not enough built up. Which means that I, well… yes, I hated it. Shocker.
Anything Cora did or thought related to Marcellus gets a -1 because she sounded like a completely different person. There is also a dub con scene around 25% and it was so out of the blue. He forced himself on her and kissed her, but she apparently loved it? And when he pulled back, she kissed him again? I was shocked, confused and honestly a little disgusted. Why was that necessary? 😭 I know that after the fact she says it was consensual but that’s not what it looked like.
The MMC is also boring. He has a low voice, and laughs and smirks and he’s the Devil’s son. If I didn’t think about it too much he was fine, but when I did think about it he just felt one dimensional. He’s basically a glorified babysitter for his dad, the Devil, but has zero life besides that. I would have loved to know more about him but I got nothing. I guess he likes to cook? And that’s the extent of his depth. For someone who is supposed to be very evil, he’s incredibly blank. It feels like the author forgot to give him a personality.
Cora’s friends, Hannah and Lily, also felt like they were just there to supplement the romance. They only showed up at the end of the day to talk about the latest developments with Marcellus or what to wear, and then disappeared into the background once their part was done. Those were honestly the most boring scenes.
Overall, there was a lot that I liked, but a lot more that I didn’t.
Side note: I don't think I’ve ever seen an author actually use the word ‘penis’ during a smut scene. That was unexpected 😳 and also terrible. I didn’t like it 😂
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: i requested this on a whim, but i’m kinda loving it? 👀 just give me a good slow burn, please and thank you 🙏
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!
But then the romance happened.
I like slow burn. A lot. Sadly that’s not what we have here. This is also not my favorite type of romance. Everything happens too soon and with not enough built up. Which means that I, well… yes, I hated it. Shocker.
Anything Cora did or thought related to Marcellus gets a -1 because she sounded like a completely different person. There is also a dub con scene around 25% and it was so out of the blue. He forced himself on her and kissed her, but she apparently loved it? And when he pulled back, she kissed him again? I was shocked, confused and honestly a little disgusted. Why was that necessary? 😭 I know that after the fact she says it was consensual but that’s not what it looked like.
The MMC is also boring. He has a low voice, and laughs and smirks and he’s the Devil’s son. If I didn’t think about it too much he was fine, but when I did think about it he just felt one dimensional. He’s basically a glorified babysitter for his dad, the Devil, but has zero life besides that. I would have loved to know more about him but I got nothing. I guess he likes to cook? And that’s the extent of his depth. For someone who is supposed to be very evil, he’s incredibly blank. It feels like the author forgot to give him a personality.
Cora’s friends, Hannah and Lily, also felt like they were just there to supplement the romance. They only showed up at the end of the day to talk about the latest developments with Marcellus or what to wear, and then disappeared into the background once their part was done. Those were honestly the most boring scenes.
Overall, there was a lot that I liked, but a lot more that I didn’t.
Side note: I don't think I’ve ever seen an author actually use the word ‘penis’ during a smut scene. That was unexpected 😳 and also terrible. I didn’t like it 😂
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: i requested this on a whim, but i’m kinda loving it? 👀 just give me a good slow burn, please and thank you 🙏
⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!
May 3, 2026
✨😈 Demons and Diplomacy 😈✨
5 star read
Bestie really said yes to the son of the Devil 💅🏽
And he cooks for her??? Yeah… I was sold 😍
Demons need love too 😌
This was such a fun read set in a supernatural Victorian London. The worldbuilding and political setup pulled me in right away. I’m very happy this is a series. I will absolutely be continuing.
Sidenote... the Devil was truly unhinged and I loved how she basically gentle parented him 🤣
❤️🔥What to Expect
• Demon MMC
• Human FMC
• Forced alliance
• Political intrigue
• Supernatural London
• Victorian setting
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
5 star read
Bestie really said yes to the son of the Devil 💅🏽
And he cooks for her??? Yeah… I was sold 😍
Demons need love too 😌
This was such a fun read set in a supernatural Victorian London. The worldbuilding and political setup pulled me in right away. I’m very happy this is a series. I will absolutely be continuing.
Sidenote... the Devil was truly unhinged and I loved how she basically gentle parented him 🤣
❤️🔥What to Expect
• Demon MMC
• Human FMC
• Forced alliance
• Political intrigue
• Supernatural London
• Victorian setting
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
June 27, 2026
Demons and Diplomacy is a cozy, witty romance with a sprinkle of mystery.
Based on the title I had thought it would have more “spooky” themes, but it was very much romance and problem solving focused.
The story is set in London, complete with a FMC who is SERIOUS about tea, after the Great Revelation. That title is attributed to the event where the Queen revealed she is a vampire, and it was discovered that the world was full of other beings (besides only humans)
It’s a great comparison for society and demonstrates relationships and reactions that people have when around people with differences. Basically highlighting the importance of accepting “people’s” differences.
It was an easy and fun read. The FMC was very witty and had the gentle personality of an all-loving angel. There was some good banter between the FMC and the Devil’s son, and I really liked their secret trysts.
I will say the climax and ending seemed to be underwhelming, and it was all resolved very quickly. It didn’t really hurt by rating, but I wish we would’ve had more substance because we spend so much time building up to it.
Overall, this was a delightful, exaggerated commentary about tolerance for people who are different than you - and how to have diplomatic interactions.
I read this as an ARC thank you to the author and Berkley. Release date: August 25th
Based on the title I had thought it would have more “spooky” themes, but it was very much romance and problem solving focused.
The story is set in London, complete with a FMC who is SERIOUS about tea, after the Great Revelation. That title is attributed to the event where the Queen revealed she is a vampire, and it was discovered that the world was full of other beings (besides only humans)
It’s a great comparison for society and demonstrates relationships and reactions that people have when around people with differences. Basically highlighting the importance of accepting “people’s” differences.
It was an easy and fun read. The FMC was very witty and had the gentle personality of an all-loving angel. There was some good banter between the FMC and the Devil’s son, and I really liked their secret trysts.
I will say the climax and ending seemed to be underwhelming, and it was all resolved very quickly. It didn’t really hurt by rating, but I wish we would’ve had more substance because we spend so much time building up to it.
Overall, this was a delightful, exaggerated commentary about tolerance for people who are different than you - and how to have diplomatic interactions.
I read this as an ARC thank you to the author and Berkley. Release date: August 25th
July 1, 2026
An alternative Victorian England, where humans have become part of a society that includes fae, demons, and other supernatural beings sounds interesting. Queen Victoria is a vampire. Humans are at the bottom of the pecking order. Our main character is a woman serving as an ambassador (ombudsman) to other species and the Devil is visiting with his entourage. The FMC has chemistry with the Devil’s son, a demon, who is going to inherit his father’s role at some point. Seems like an “against all odds” set up!
The main subplot is that someone is trying to kill supernatural beings, and the FMC is teaming up with the MMc to figure out who the villain is. Humans being the weakest of the beings makes for some head-scratching, but I tried to suspend my disbelief.
Berkley cut back on historical romances and [allegedly] told authors to pivot to romantasy. This is what we get. Megan Framton is an established historical romance author writing a historical romantasy for the first time. There are shades of her old style, but the pace is off. At the end of the first act, around 25%, we have a kiss that comes out of nowhere. In a traditional historical, that might have worked, but a part of this first section is spent world-building, so the leap in the relationship between the main characters hasn’t been developed as much and the action feels abrupt and unnatural.
The main subplot is that someone is trying to kill supernatural beings, and the FMC is teaming up with the MMc to figure out who the villain is. Humans being the weakest of the beings makes for some head-scratching, but I tried to suspend my disbelief.
Berkley cut back on historical romances and [allegedly] told authors to pivot to romantasy. This is what we get. Megan Framton is an established historical romance author writing a historical romantasy for the first time. There are shades of her old style, but the pace is off. At the end of the first act, around 25%, we have a kiss that comes out of nowhere. In a traditional historical, that might have worked, but a part of this first section is spent world-building, so the leap in the relationship between the main characters hasn’t been developed as much and the action feels abrupt and unnatural.
August 25, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
When Berkley reached out to me to review this ARC, I was so excited. Demons & Diplomacy was at the top of my list of paranormal romances to read this fall, and it didn’t disappoint!
In this historical fantasy taking place in Victorian England, magical creatures have just revealed their existence to the human world. Now humans have to live alongside werewolves, fairies, and more- even Queen Victoria is a vampire!
Main character Cora is a Species Ombudsman, aka a diplomat tasked with ensuring smooth relations between humans and magical creatures. When she gets assigned to escort the Devil around London, she’s surprised to learn that his son, the Marquis of Hell, is incredibly handsome.
Guys, this book is absolutely hilarious. I love the banter between Cora and the Marquis. Cora’s also amazing on her own- her thoughts and observations about the magical world are incredibly witty and entertaining.
If you’re looking for a swoon-worthy fall read full of magic and surprisingly cozy vibes, look no further than Demons & Diplomacy!
When Berkley reached out to me to review this ARC, I was so excited. Demons & Diplomacy was at the top of my list of paranormal romances to read this fall, and it didn’t disappoint!
In this historical fantasy taking place in Victorian England, magical creatures have just revealed their existence to the human world. Now humans have to live alongside werewolves, fairies, and more- even Queen Victoria is a vampire!
Main character Cora is a Species Ombudsman, aka a diplomat tasked with ensuring smooth relations between humans and magical creatures. When she gets assigned to escort the Devil around London, she’s surprised to learn that his son, the Marquis of Hell, is incredibly handsome.
Guys, this book is absolutely hilarious. I love the banter between Cora and the Marquis. Cora’s also amazing on her own- her thoughts and observations about the magical world are incredibly witty and entertaining.
If you’re looking for a swoon-worthy fall read full of magic and surprisingly cozy vibes, look no further than Demons & Diplomacy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
With thanks to Berkley/NetGalley for the ARC
August 14, 2026
This was an absolute delight to read. The “Post-Revelation” world and guide was hilarious, and at times I felt like the guide was helpful not just to the supernatural aspect of this story, but to the real world. Cora and Marcellus were PERFECT, and I loved the way that they grew towards each other. Also, the Devil being compared to a debutante was hilarious! Such a great read!
August 26, 2026
Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Ms. Frampton for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. An honest review was requested but not required.
The premise of this was so interesting, an alternate-history London set during Victoria's reign in which species have outed themselves en masse and humans are aware they're now at the bottom of the totem pole. I really liked Cora, too, who came across as a "modern girl" in Victorian times. Another reviewer said she was reminded of Veronica Speedwell and I think that comparison is apt. The beginning of this book was SO good and I was tearing through it. Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell, was described in such a way that I... well, I kept picturing Zhang Linghe, sorry NOT SORRY NOT EVER.
In summary I was prepared to really really REALLY like this.
However, and I want to get this off my chest fast, like ripping off a bandaid, because I *really* don't want to have to say it:
-The romance between Cora and Marcellus had very little foundation and an inexplicable conclusion
-The mystery of who wanted to kill/discredit/frame/I'm not sure the Devil was so weak as to be a nonissue, but also the mystery-solving efforts were completely half-assed
-Poor Marcellus has... no actual life? He's second in command but all he does is play social secretary for his dad? I'm confused. I was expecting, well, MORE, I guess
-What happened to Dante? He, and to a somewhat lesser extent Cora's girl friends, were such afterthoughts
To recap, I wanted to like this, I started off very much liking this, but the overall execution left something to be desired. Despite everything I liked the author's style a lot and I think with a little polishing up this could have been a 4 star book at least. I would definitely try another book by this author.
3 stars
The premise of this was so interesting, an alternate-history London set during Victoria's reign in which species have outed themselves en masse and humans are aware they're now at the bottom of the totem pole. I really liked Cora, too, who came across as a "modern girl" in Victorian times. Another reviewer said she was reminded of Veronica Speedwell and I think that comparison is apt. The beginning of this book was SO good and I was tearing through it. Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell, was described in such a way that I... well, I kept picturing Zhang Linghe, sorry NOT SORRY NOT EVER.
In summary I was prepared to really really REALLY like this.
However, and I want to get this off my chest fast, like ripping off a bandaid, because I *really* don't want to have to say it:
-The romance between Cora and Marcellus had very little foundation and an inexplicable conclusion
-The mystery of who wanted to kill/discredit/frame/I'm not sure the Devil was so weak as to be a nonissue, but also the mystery-solving efforts were completely half-assed
-Poor Marcellus has... no actual life? He's second in command but all he does is play social secretary for his dad? I'm confused. I was expecting, well, MORE, I guess
-What happened to Dante? He, and to a somewhat lesser extent Cora's girl friends, were such afterthoughts
To recap, I wanted to like this, I started off very much liking this, but the overall execution left something to be desired. Despite everything I liked the author's style a lot and I think with a little polishing up this could have been a 4 star book at least. I would definitely try another book by this author.
3 stars
August 25, 2026
happy pub day to demons and diplomacy by megan frampton!! thanks to berkley romance, i had the opportunity to read this early — and it was so fun!! it takes place in 1850s london, where supernatural beings and humans coexist (although it was a rather recent revelation), when the devil and his entourage visit from hell. cora hastings, the new interspecies ombudsman is tasked with accompanying them on various outings — but it quickly becomes evident that someone is plotting against this visit — and rather aggressively. sooo, cora and marcellus, the devil’s rather handsome son, investigate both the attacks and their growing attraction and affection for each other.
ahhh i had such a wonderful time reading this!! it was so full of magic, shenanigans, and flirtinggg!! cora is perceptive, dedicated, and brave — and i loved reading how she learns more about the worlds and people around her. marcellus is obviously rather taken by her from the beginning and i adored the little dance they had between flirtation, action, and scheming. i def recommend and look forward to reading more of the author’s works!!
ahhh i had such a wonderful time reading this!! it was so full of magic, shenanigans, and flirtinggg!! cora is perceptive, dedicated, and brave — and i loved reading how she learns more about the worlds and people around her. marcellus is obviously rather taken by her from the beginning and i adored the little dance they had between flirtation, action, and scheming. i def recommend and look forward to reading more of the author’s works!!
August 22, 2026
I've been a fan of Megan's historical romances, so I requested this on her name and that title.
I liked Cora. She's level headed and smart and absolutely the person I'd want to be around if there was a catastrophe. Marcellus is bland and more of a cliché than anything. Together they might have chemistry, but I didn't really see i lt on the page.
Plot wise, it's okay. It seemed like I was dropped in the middle of this happening and was already supposed to know the new world dynamic. The mystery part of the story was lacking and at times the romance felt forced. I know it sounds like I didn't enjoy it, I did, yet I wanted more depth.
Overall, I was intrigued by the set up and the promise this series has. I'll definitely be read the next book.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Cora. She's level headed and smart and absolutely the person I'd want to be around if there was a catastrophe. Marcellus is bland and more of a cliché than anything. Together they might have chemistry, but I didn't really see i lt on the page.
Plot wise, it's okay. It seemed like I was dropped in the middle of this happening and was already supposed to know the new world dynamic. The mystery part of the story was lacking and at times the romance felt forced. I know it sounds like I didn't enjoy it, I did, yet I wanted more depth.
Overall, I was intrigued by the set up and the promise this series has. I'll definitely be read the next book.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
August 26, 2026
This book was so cute! I absolutely loved that it was a rom com, a mystery, and a paranormal romance all wrapped into one little package. I thoroughly enjoyed that things weren't as expected, and that it was modern day and regency era as one. The devil comes to London and it is definitely not what I expected! I blew through this book in a day because I needed to see what Cora and Marcellus were up to. The tension and yearning was sweet, but also devilish 😉
I would absolutely read more by Meghan Frampton
I would absolutely read more by Meghan Frampton
August 17, 2026
I can see how some said to the author, “We’ll take historical romance, but make it romantasy.” But this book is so funny and so fun, I don’t care about the hows or whys it came about. Is this the start of a series? I hope so. I want more! Thanks to Berkley for the arc.
September 11, 2026
The characters were entertaining, and Frampton's wit is fantastically dry, but Cora's clinical eye and practical nature really detracted from the swoon.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
May 11, 2026
This was such a fun and easy read! When I read the description I knew I had to read it and was not disappointed. Normally I would want more world building with a fantasy book, but with Demons and Diplomacy I didn’t need it. I enjoyed all the characters and loved that it took place in 1850s London. The relationship between Cora and Marcellus, although a little rushed, was very cute. And I really liked the Incomplete Guide to Navigating Supernatural Species inserts in between each chapter. If you like historical fiction and romantasy, this book is perfect!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!
August 25, 2026
4 1/2⭐ | "You wanted to see if it felt the same without the power," he said, finishing my thought. "And now, how do you know I used my power? It might have been impulse, Hastings. You in the moonlight being irascible might have proved too tempting for me."
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I am very happy to report that Demons and Diplomacy absolutely delivered the wonderfully weird, romantic, supernatural Victorian adventure I was hoping for.
First of all, the premise alone had me sold. Victorian London, Queen Victoria is a vampire, supernatural species have recently revealed themselves to humanity, the Great Exhibition is about to open, and Cora Hastings (the government's Species Ombudsman) is somehow responsible for keeping the peace when the Devil himself comes to town. And naturally, he brings his ridiculously attractive demon son with him. What could possibly go wrong?
Cora was such a delightful FMC. She's intelligent, capable, organized, and genuinely committed to making this strange new world work. I loved that she approaches diplomacy with a practical, almost relentlessly reasonable attitude, even when she's dealing with demons, vampires, faeries, and whatever else happens to cross her desk. Marcellus was exactly the kind of MMC/love interest I wanted from this book. He's charming, mysterious, a little morally gray, and obviously dangerous on paper, but there's so much more tenderness to him than I expected. And yes, the fact that this demon prince cooks absolutely worked in his favor. A demon who can cook? Obsessed.
I really enjoyed Cora and Marcellus together. Their chemistry was apparent almost immediately, so if you're looking for a super slow-burn romance, this probably isn't it. But I liked that their attraction gradually developed into something more meaningful as they spent time together. Their banter was fun, their secret moments were even better, and there was a sweetness underneath all the supernatural chaos that made me genuinely root for them.
The world-building was probably my favorite aspect of the book, though. I loved the idea of the Great Revelation completely changing society and forcing humans and supernatural beings to figure out how to coexist. The little excerpts from the various guides and handbooks at the beginning of chapters were such a fun way to introduce the rules and history of this world. It made the setting feel established while still allowing us to experience a society that's essentially learning how to live together in real time.
There's also a surprisingly thoughtful thread about prejudice, acceptance, and what happens when people who have been feared or misunderstood suddenly become part of everyday society. The supernatural elements make it whimsical, but the underlying commentary about treating people as individuals rather than defining them by what they are gave the story a little more substance than I expected.
And then we get the mystery. What starts as Cora trying to manage the Devil's visit turns into something much bigger when a conspiracy threatens to disrupt the fragile peace between species. I actually enjoyed the investigative side of the story more than I expected. Watching Cora and Marcellus work together to uncover what was happening gave the book a nice balance between romance, fantasy, and political intrigue.
My one real complaint is that I wanted more from the climax. After so much buildup, the final resolution felt a little too quick, and I would have loved to spend more time with the mystery unraveling and the consequences of everything that happened. I also wish we'd gotten a bit more character depth, particularly with Marcellus, because there are clearly pieces of his history that I desperately want to know more about. Regardless, I still had so much fun reading this.
This is the kind of book that knows exactly what it is: charming, romantic, whimsical, a little ridiculous, and completely committed to the bit. It's Victorian historical fantasy where the Devil can show up for a vacation, Queen Victoria is a vampire, and your government-issued job description apparently includes babysitting supernatural royalty. Sign! Me! Up!
Demons and Diplomacy was one of those books I was excited about before reading, and thankfully it lived up to the hype for me. I'm already looking forward to spending more time in this world and seeing what Megan Frampton does with the rest of the series. If you like supernatural historical romance, demon MMCs, political intrigue, forced alliances, witty banter, alternative Victorian worlds, and a healthy amount of tea, put this one on your list.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I am very happy to report that Demons and Diplomacy absolutely delivered the wonderfully weird, romantic, supernatural Victorian adventure I was hoping for.
First of all, the premise alone had me sold. Victorian London, Queen Victoria is a vampire, supernatural species have recently revealed themselves to humanity, the Great Exhibition is about to open, and Cora Hastings (the government's Species Ombudsman) is somehow responsible for keeping the peace when the Devil himself comes to town. And naturally, he brings his ridiculously attractive demon son with him. What could possibly go wrong?
Cora was such a delightful FMC. She's intelligent, capable, organized, and genuinely committed to making this strange new world work. I loved that she approaches diplomacy with a practical, almost relentlessly reasonable attitude, even when she's dealing with demons, vampires, faeries, and whatever else happens to cross her desk. Marcellus was exactly the kind of MMC/love interest I wanted from this book. He's charming, mysterious, a little morally gray, and obviously dangerous on paper, but there's so much more tenderness to him than I expected. And yes, the fact that this demon prince cooks absolutely worked in his favor. A demon who can cook? Obsessed.
I really enjoyed Cora and Marcellus together. Their chemistry was apparent almost immediately, so if you're looking for a super slow-burn romance, this probably isn't it. But I liked that their attraction gradually developed into something more meaningful as they spent time together. Their banter was fun, their secret moments were even better, and there was a sweetness underneath all the supernatural chaos that made me genuinely root for them.
The world-building was probably my favorite aspect of the book, though. I loved the idea of the Great Revelation completely changing society and forcing humans and supernatural beings to figure out how to coexist. The little excerpts from the various guides and handbooks at the beginning of chapters were such a fun way to introduce the rules and history of this world. It made the setting feel established while still allowing us to experience a society that's essentially learning how to live together in real time.
There's also a surprisingly thoughtful thread about prejudice, acceptance, and what happens when people who have been feared or misunderstood suddenly become part of everyday society. The supernatural elements make it whimsical, but the underlying commentary about treating people as individuals rather than defining them by what they are gave the story a little more substance than I expected.
And then we get the mystery. What starts as Cora trying to manage the Devil's visit turns into something much bigger when a conspiracy threatens to disrupt the fragile peace between species. I actually enjoyed the investigative side of the story more than I expected. Watching Cora and Marcellus work together to uncover what was happening gave the book a nice balance between romance, fantasy, and political intrigue.
My one real complaint is that I wanted more from the climax. After so much buildup, the final resolution felt a little too quick, and I would have loved to spend more time with the mystery unraveling and the consequences of everything that happened. I also wish we'd gotten a bit more character depth, particularly with Marcellus, because there are clearly pieces of his history that I desperately want to know more about. Regardless, I still had so much fun reading this.
This is the kind of book that knows exactly what it is: charming, romantic, whimsical, a little ridiculous, and completely committed to the bit. It's Victorian historical fantasy where the Devil can show up for a vacation, Queen Victoria is a vampire, and your government-issued job description apparently includes babysitting supernatural royalty. Sign! Me! Up!
Demons and Diplomacy was one of those books I was excited about before reading, and thankfully it lived up to the hype for me. I'm already looking forward to spending more time in this world and seeing what Megan Frampton does with the rest of the series. If you like supernatural historical romance, demon MMCs, political intrigue, forced alliances, witty banter, alternative Victorian worlds, and a healthy amount of tea, put this one on your list.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4/5
Demons and Diplomacy is a really fun historical fiction with lots of supernatural creatures and a lighthearted, but captivating romance.
It follows Cora, the interspecies Ombudsman for the British government, who is informed that she will be personally responsible for taking care of their upcoming visitor's every whim. Oh, and that upcoming visitor just so happens to be the Devil himself. When the Devil arrives with his very, very handsome demon son (and Marquis of Hell), Marcellus, in tow, things quickly evolve into madness when portals get opened and an anonymous attempt is made on the Devil's life. Therefore, Cora and Marcellus must team up and start spying in order to figure out who has it out for the Devil.
For some reason, this book just really pleasantly surprised me. I guess I was expecting a stuffy, rigid, super slow-burn novel, but this is much more whimsical and spicy than I ever imagined. It's also much more romance-geared than I thought it would be, which I found to be perfectly delightful.
Cora is a likable protagonist, with enough anxiety to be realistic, but enough confidence to make her heroic. I found it unusual that a woman would hold such an important place in government in the 1850s, but this is addressed in the book as basically: what human is brave/stupid enough to WANT that role? But Cora is great at her job and cares about her career very much. I think it's a refreshing story about a woman in the 1800s, even if it's entirely fictional and kind of unrealistic that a woman would ever obtain that job. But why am I even thinking about that aspect when there are literal demons and faeries and like dog men things in this book? Also Cora is a tea A D D I C T. She always needs a stiff drink after anything mildly stressful happens and that drink is tea. She has whiskey at one point and I was like, "so you DOOOO drink???"
Marcellus is a really fun character, even if I don't really understand what makes him so empathetic when his dad is literally the Devil. He's a little bit of a bad boy, but not so morally dark that he's unlovable. In fact, he's actually a pretty decent guy lol. I'd like to find out more about his backstory because he's honestly nicer and more moral than most actual human men I know. So idk.
The relationship between Marcellus and Cora is bordering on insta-lust, but not so much that it turned me off. I like when there's an instant connection, but not usually when characters are just immediately tearing each other's clothes off. In this, Cora is definitely attracted to him immediately, but their relationship grows a little bit more personal before they start going crazy. However, this is definitely NOT slow-burn, so don't expect that. Sorry! It's very enjoyable, though.
I really liked the world Megan Frampton built overall. There are explanatory excerpts from their world's handbook, essentially, that give a little backstory and explain the protocol for interspecies communication and etiquette. Finding out this is the first book in a series excites me, as the world Frampton has started building has a lot of potential. All these creatures definitely make for a fun read.
Overall, don't expect Pride and Prejudice and Demons, expect something much more fast-paced with an insta-connection that draws you in immediately. Very fun!
Demons and Diplomacy is a really fun historical fiction with lots of supernatural creatures and a lighthearted, but captivating romance.
It follows Cora, the interspecies Ombudsman for the British government, who is informed that she will be personally responsible for taking care of their upcoming visitor's every whim. Oh, and that upcoming visitor just so happens to be the Devil himself. When the Devil arrives with his very, very handsome demon son (and Marquis of Hell), Marcellus, in tow, things quickly evolve into madness when portals get opened and an anonymous attempt is made on the Devil's life. Therefore, Cora and Marcellus must team up and start spying in order to figure out who has it out for the Devil.
For some reason, this book just really pleasantly surprised me. I guess I was expecting a stuffy, rigid, super slow-burn novel, but this is much more whimsical and spicy than I ever imagined. It's also much more romance-geared than I thought it would be, which I found to be perfectly delightful.
Cora is a likable protagonist, with enough anxiety to be realistic, but enough confidence to make her heroic. I found it unusual that a woman would hold such an important place in government in the 1850s, but this is addressed in the book as basically: what human is brave/stupid enough to WANT that role? But Cora is great at her job and cares about her career very much. I think it's a refreshing story about a woman in the 1800s, even if it's entirely fictional and kind of unrealistic that a woman would ever obtain that job. But why am I even thinking about that aspect when there are literal demons and faeries and like dog men things in this book? Also Cora is a tea A D D I C T. She always needs a stiff drink after anything mildly stressful happens and that drink is tea. She has whiskey at one point and I was like, "so you DOOOO drink???"
Marcellus is a really fun character, even if I don't really understand what makes him so empathetic when his dad is literally the Devil. He's a little bit of a bad boy, but not so morally dark that he's unlovable. In fact, he's actually a pretty decent guy lol. I'd like to find out more about his backstory because he's honestly nicer and more moral than most actual human men I know. So idk.
The relationship between Marcellus and Cora is bordering on insta-lust, but not so much that it turned me off. I like when there's an instant connection, but not usually when characters are just immediately tearing each other's clothes off. In this, Cora is definitely attracted to him immediately, but their relationship grows a little bit more personal before they start going crazy. However, this is definitely NOT slow-burn, so don't expect that. Sorry! It's very enjoyable, though.
I really liked the world Megan Frampton built overall. There are explanatory excerpts from their world's handbook, essentially, that give a little backstory and explain the protocol for interspecies communication and etiquette. Finding out this is the first book in a series excites me, as the world Frampton has started building has a lot of potential. All these creatures definitely make for a fun read.
Overall, don't expect Pride and Prejudice and Demons, expect something much more fast-paced with an insta-connection that draws you in immediately. Very fun!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for this review copy.
3.5 stars!
I was so excited to see this new book from this author! I've really enjoyed some of Megan's previous books and this micro-genre of a human having a job dealing with mythical creatures, and everyone playing it straight, is one of my absolute favorites. This was a fun version of that set in a historical period.
In this book we have Cora, the supernatural ombudsman and Marcellus, son of the Devil. I really enjoyed both our leads, both on our own and as a couple. Cora is fun, good at her job, and has interesting friends (that I suspect may become leads in later books). Marcellus is generally broody, as one would expect as someone from hell, but he isn't just a typical morally-grey hero. He is very nice to Cora. I will say that I think Cora's personality kind of fades as the relationship develops and there is a bit of insta-lust and they get together far earlier than I would have liked.
You definitely need to be 200% okay with anachronisms with this book. This is not a typical historical romance. As noted, our leads get together very quickly rather than having the slowburn plodding of many HRs and there's a lot more talk of consent than what you'd expect in the Victorian period. In many ways, this makes sense in the world. Thing probably would change a lot if Supernatural creatures were revealed and Queen Victoria was a vampire. However, all these changes are pretty convenient to the plot. I feel like we cannot overstate how destabilizing for Europe the reveal that Hell is real would be. There were many, many sectarian wars in Europe and I think there would at least be some conflict if something as religiously important as this happened. As a non-religious person from a non-religious household, I learned what transubstantiation was for the first time in my European history class in high school while learning about wars. I okay with the anachronisms but a little disappointed that the book seemed uninterested in exploring how this would change the world beyond at the interpersonal level.
In general, I found the plot interesting but sparse. I wish the mystery, the anti-supernatural politics, the royal politics (very handwavy about how succession will work if the Queen is immortal, the Glorious Revolution was a century ago - where is parliament???) were more developed because what was there was interesting. Because the relationship develops earlier, more time goes to that rather than to a broader plot. I do wish that this book has retained the slower burn of other historical romances - personally, I find books where the leads get together earlier to be more boring and have less tension - but that didn't ruin the relationship for me. I still liked seeing them develop their partnership. I think one way I would have liked this more would have been if there was more an exploration of the culture of Hell. If it is more egalitarian, it would make sense why Marcellus has a different approach to relationships. That type of navigating different practices would have been interesting to see.
I will definitely continue the series. I really like Frampton's writing and this world is intriguing. I hope later books will flesh out the dynamics of this new London more.
3.5 stars!
I was so excited to see this new book from this author! I've really enjoyed some of Megan's previous books and this micro-genre of a human having a job dealing with mythical creatures, and everyone playing it straight, is one of my absolute favorites. This was a fun version of that set in a historical period.
In this book we have Cora, the supernatural ombudsman and Marcellus, son of the Devil. I really enjoyed both our leads, both on our own and as a couple. Cora is fun, good at her job, and has interesting friends (that I suspect may become leads in later books). Marcellus is generally broody, as one would expect as someone from hell, but he isn't just a typical morally-grey hero. He is very nice to Cora. I will say that I think Cora's personality kind of fades as the relationship develops and there is a bit of insta-lust and they get together far earlier than I would have liked.
You definitely need to be 200% okay with anachronisms with this book. This is not a typical historical romance. As noted, our leads get together very quickly rather than having the slowburn plodding of many HRs and there's a lot more talk of consent than what you'd expect in the Victorian period. In many ways, this makes sense in the world. Thing probably would change a lot if Supernatural creatures were revealed and Queen Victoria was a vampire. However, all these changes are pretty convenient to the plot. I feel like we cannot overstate how destabilizing for Europe the reveal that Hell is real would be. There were many, many sectarian wars in Europe and I think there would at least be some conflict if something as religiously important as this happened. As a non-religious person from a non-religious household, I learned what transubstantiation was for the first time in my European history class in high school while learning about wars. I okay with the anachronisms but a little disappointed that the book seemed uninterested in exploring how this would change the world beyond at the interpersonal level.
In general, I found the plot interesting but sparse. I wish the mystery, the anti-supernatural politics, the royal politics (very handwavy about how succession will work if the Queen is immortal, the Glorious Revolution was a century ago - where is parliament???) were more developed because what was there was interesting. Because the relationship develops earlier, more time goes to that rather than to a broader plot. I do wish that this book has retained the slower burn of other historical romances - personally, I find books where the leads get together earlier to be more boring and have less tension - but that didn't ruin the relationship for me. I still liked seeing them develop their partnership. I think one way I would have liked this more would have been if there was more an exploration of the culture of Hell. If it is more egalitarian, it would make sense why Marcellus has a different approach to relationships. That type of navigating different practices would have been interesting to see.
I will definitely continue the series. I really like Frampton's writing and this world is intriguing. I hope later books will flesh out the dynamics of this new London more.
August 31, 2026
Megan Frampton just released her new novel, Demons and Diplomacy, the first in her Ministry of Supernatural Affairs series. Set in 1851, it’s an alternate Victorian era England following the “Great Revelation.” Supernatural beings live among us, and in fact, Queen Victoria is a vampire. With so many species now openly living together, a new job opened up: Species Ombudsman, meant to smooth over interactions between differing beings. Cora Hastings is the only ombudsman so far, and her latest assignment is to help the Devil and his entourage (including his hot demon son, Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell) during their month-long stay in London. But someone doesn’t want demons in town, and Cora and Marcellus must figure out who’s instigating the attacks. Their attraction to each other only further complicates what should have been a straightforward assignment.
What I Liked:
- The whole premise. I love books about demons, and I’m enjoying the new rise in historical romances with a supernatural bent. That Cora has a job specifically meant to help the different species co-exist more peacefully is absolutely perfect! The setup for this was smart and fun, and I liked seeing Cora get to know her unexpected new charges… especially the Devil’s irresistible son, Marcellus.
- Blending work and pleasure. Look, it’s usually frowned upon to engage in romantic entanglements while working within a professional capacity. But Cora and Marcellus don’t waste much time in confessing their mutual interest in each other. Theirs is a quick, no-fuss romance, and only encouraged by Cora’s roommates/friends. The bigger issue is what to do when the four-week trip is over. Can a long-distance relationship work between them? Is it what either one of them wants?
- Promoting understanding and acceptance of beings different from you. In between chapters are excerpts from the “Incomplete Guide to Navigating Supernatural Species in the Post-Revelation World.” Though brief and often humorous in nature, they actually end up having important lessons woven in. These words are applicable in our real lives, too. We should all love and respect people for who they are, even if they’re different from you.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Humor style. The entirety of Demons and Diplomacy is written with a particular style of humor, and while it will likely work for many, it wasn’t my cup of tea. For me, it was somewhat distracting and slowed down the overall pace of the book.
- Ending was rushed. By contrast to the above point, the book came to a rather abrupt end. The reveals and solutions came so easily, and it ultimately felt kind of anticlimactic.
Final Thoughts
Demons and Diplomacy is a fun and quirky book for fans of the Victorian era, supernatural beings thrown into the mix, and a healthy mix of mystery and romance. I will look out for the next book in the Ministry of Supernatural Affairs series.
Special thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
What I Liked:
- The whole premise. I love books about demons, and I’m enjoying the new rise in historical romances with a supernatural bent. That Cora has a job specifically meant to help the different species co-exist more peacefully is absolutely perfect! The setup for this was smart and fun, and I liked seeing Cora get to know her unexpected new charges… especially the Devil’s irresistible son, Marcellus.
- Blending work and pleasure. Look, it’s usually frowned upon to engage in romantic entanglements while working within a professional capacity. But Cora and Marcellus don’t waste much time in confessing their mutual interest in each other. Theirs is a quick, no-fuss romance, and only encouraged by Cora’s roommates/friends. The bigger issue is what to do when the four-week trip is over. Can a long-distance relationship work between them? Is it what either one of them wants?
- Promoting understanding and acceptance of beings different from you. In between chapters are excerpts from the “Incomplete Guide to Navigating Supernatural Species in the Post-Revelation World.” Though brief and often humorous in nature, they actually end up having important lessons woven in. These words are applicable in our real lives, too. We should all love and respect people for who they are, even if they’re different from you.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Humor style. The entirety of Demons and Diplomacy is written with a particular style of humor, and while it will likely work for many, it wasn’t my cup of tea. For me, it was somewhat distracting and slowed down the overall pace of the book.
- Ending was rushed. By contrast to the above point, the book came to a rather abrupt end. The reveals and solutions came so easily, and it ultimately felt kind of anticlimactic.
Final Thoughts
Demons and Diplomacy is a fun and quirky book for fans of the Victorian era, supernatural beings thrown into the mix, and a healthy mix of mystery and romance. I will look out for the next book in the Ministry of Supernatural Affairs series.
Special thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Ministry of Supernatural Affairs series. I got an ebook of this for review from NetGalley..
Thoughts: This was a quick and fun paranormal romance. I enjoyed the witty banter between the two main characters and enjoyed the world here. The story itself it a pretty straight-forward political mystery as the two main characters join forces to figure out who is trying to assassinate Satan.
The story follows Cora, Great Britain's Species Ombudsman who has been tasked with keeping peace between supernatural creatures. Cora's job gets a lot more challenging when she finds out she will coordinate Satan's visit to London. Satan wants to see the sites and is a bit of a spoiled debutante type of guy. However, Satan's son, The Marquis of Hell, is a whole different beast. The Marquis expects organization and perfection, and as he and Cora work together, they both seem to be finding perfection in each other. When someone seems bent on assassinating Satan, the two must join forces to stop a diplomatic incident from occurring.
This was an incredibly fun romp with lots of witty banter, lots of crazy circumstances, and also some very steamy romance scenes. The world-building here is also fun, if a bit loose. This is a world where supernatural creatures were revealed to humans not that long ago and now the Victorian world is trying to cope with that. The story is very focused in London.
Cora is your no-nonsense type of Victorian lady with a bit of a spicy streak. I enjoyed her a lot. I also really enjoyed the Marquis of Hell and Cora's two best friends (a succubus and a fairy). Most of the other side characters are fairly underdeveloped and don't feature much in the story. The chemistry between Cora and the Marquis is fantastic and so much fun.
This book does suffer from a bad case of insta-love, but it is done in a cute and fun way. So while I don't love that, I didn't hate it for this book either. There is a solid plot here. So the romance is well balanced with a good story and an intriguing world. There are some things that feel a bit rushed, like the first kiss. There are also some things that feel a bit inconsistent (like all the talk about how weak humans are but then using them to prevent conflict). However, this isn't a book to take too seriously.
This was incredibly easy to read and flowed well. This book practically read itself. I didn't want to put it down, and I was eager to pick it back up again. It was fun and left me feeling happy.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was a fun and entertaining paranormal romance set in Victorian London. I am happy to have read it and plan on continuing the series. If you enjoy humorous paranormal Victorian romance similar to Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, I think you would enjoy this book. Also if you enjoyed this maybe check out the Parasol Protectorate series as well, it is very similar in tones and themes to this one.
Thoughts: This was a quick and fun paranormal romance. I enjoyed the witty banter between the two main characters and enjoyed the world here. The story itself it a pretty straight-forward political mystery as the two main characters join forces to figure out who is trying to assassinate Satan.
The story follows Cora, Great Britain's Species Ombudsman who has been tasked with keeping peace between supernatural creatures. Cora's job gets a lot more challenging when she finds out she will coordinate Satan's visit to London. Satan wants to see the sites and is a bit of a spoiled debutante type of guy. However, Satan's son, The Marquis of Hell, is a whole different beast. The Marquis expects organization and perfection, and as he and Cora work together, they both seem to be finding perfection in each other. When someone seems bent on assassinating Satan, the two must join forces to stop a diplomatic incident from occurring.
This was an incredibly fun romp with lots of witty banter, lots of crazy circumstances, and also some very steamy romance scenes. The world-building here is also fun, if a bit loose. This is a world where supernatural creatures were revealed to humans not that long ago and now the Victorian world is trying to cope with that. The story is very focused in London.
Cora is your no-nonsense type of Victorian lady with a bit of a spicy streak. I enjoyed her a lot. I also really enjoyed the Marquis of Hell and Cora's two best friends (a succubus and a fairy). Most of the other side characters are fairly underdeveloped and don't feature much in the story. The chemistry between Cora and the Marquis is fantastic and so much fun.
This book does suffer from a bad case of insta-love, but it is done in a cute and fun way. So while I don't love that, I didn't hate it for this book either. There is a solid plot here. So the romance is well balanced with a good story and an intriguing world. There are some things that feel a bit rushed, like the first kiss. There are also some things that feel a bit inconsistent (like all the talk about how weak humans are but then using them to prevent conflict). However, this isn't a book to take too seriously.
This was incredibly easy to read and flowed well. This book practically read itself. I didn't want to put it down, and I was eager to pick it back up again. It was fun and left me feeling happy.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was a fun and entertaining paranormal romance set in Victorian London. I am happy to have read it and plan on continuing the series. If you enjoy humorous paranormal Victorian romance similar to Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, I think you would enjoy this book. Also if you enjoyed this maybe check out the Parasol Protectorate series as well, it is very similar in tones and themes to this one.
August 28, 2026
There was quite a bit of this that was really fun to read, Cora's character in particular; but if you are looking for something that blends fantasy/supernatural with historical romance I don't feel like this is really it. This says it takes place in 1851, but aside from taking place during Queen Victoria's reign there is absolutely nothing to indicate that this is taking place at that time. Honestly, there were several times I genuinely forgot this was in a historical setting because all of the societal pressures that typically accompany historical romance in particular were missing.
Cora's parents were basically hippies. They believed in equality for all, going with the flow, and acceptance of all others. This leads to Cora being the only person who applies to be the Species Ombudsman for the government (aka an interspecies mediator and ambassador). This has led to her meeting many great friends, especially her fairy and succubus housemates, and has also led to her getting a crash course in every species she's encountered. Her goal is to demonstrate the importance of her position, and ideally get budget approval to train more in her role.
Suddenly, though, she is assigned to escort the actual Devil for an entire month along with his entourage. That entourage includes his son Marcellus, and he and Cora hit it off rather quickly. Devilish antics (both of the actual Devil, who is compared to a drunken debutante as well as spicyness) occur and, while falling in love and getting in each others pants, Cora and Marcellus also have to solve assassination attempts and put a stop to whoever is attempting to foment chaos between England and Hell.
Cora and Marcellus have some fun banter, but their entire conflict centers around not a miscommunication but a complete lack of it (which is the type of miscommunication trope I hate). Like, for real, they don't even try to talk out the problems. They are also very open and not all that secretive about both their romance and their spicy escapades, which doesn't fit with what I would normally expect from the time period....Nor does Cora working in a fairly high profile government role, but I digress.
There is a world-based reason for the shift/lack of 1850's-style societal expectations, but it is such a real-world-blowing-up explanation that this may as well not take place in our world. So, while I had a good time reading it, I wish it would have either taken place in a more modern time or taken place in its own made up built world. This felt like it tried to ride a weird line between the two.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Megan Frampton for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Cora's parents were basically hippies. They believed in equality for all, going with the flow, and acceptance of all others. This leads to Cora being the only person who applies to be the Species Ombudsman for the government (aka an interspecies mediator and ambassador). This has led to her meeting many great friends, especially her fairy and succubus housemates, and has also led to her getting a crash course in every species she's encountered. Her goal is to demonstrate the importance of her position, and ideally get budget approval to train more in her role.
Suddenly, though, she is assigned to escort the actual Devil for an entire month along with his entourage. That entourage includes his son Marcellus, and he and Cora hit it off rather quickly. Devilish antics (both of the actual Devil, who is compared to a drunken debutante as well as spicyness) occur and, while falling in love and getting in each others pants, Cora and Marcellus also have to solve assassination attempts and put a stop to whoever is attempting to foment chaos between England and Hell.
Cora and Marcellus have some fun banter, but their entire conflict centers around not a miscommunication but a complete lack of it (which is the type of miscommunication trope I hate). Like, for real, they don't even try to talk out the problems. They are also very open and not all that secretive about both their romance and their spicy escapades, which doesn't fit with what I would normally expect from the time period....Nor does Cora working in a fairly high profile government role, but I digress.
There is a world-based reason for the shift/lack of 1850's-style societal expectations, but it is such a real-world-blowing-up explanation that this may as well not take place in our world. So, while I had a good time reading it, I wish it would have either taken place in a more modern time or taken place in its own made up built world. This felt like it tried to ride a weird line between the two.
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Megan Frampton for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver‑tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose. In 1851 London, the Great Revelation has forced supernatural species into the open under the rule of a vampiric Queen Victoria and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert. Cora Hastings, the government’s Species Ombudsman, enforces new laws, negotiates interspecies contracts, and keeps civic order amid djinn, vampires, selkies, and demons now living in polite society. When the Devil himself decides to visit London to see Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition, he brings his dangerously attractive son, Marcellus. Cora must escort the infernal pair through the city and manage their disruptive presence while uncovering a conspiracy timed to the Exhibition’s opening. Faced with threats to the fragile peace and to Britain itself, Cora is forced into an uneasy alliance with Marcellus. As politics, paperwork, and desire collide, she must choose between duty and an unholy partnership that may be the only thing standing between order and catastrophe.
What a great start to a new series! This series will be perfect for fans of Gail Carriger and the TV show Lucifer. The setting—an alternate Victorian London still adjusting to seismic social change—offers familiar trappings (tea rituals, public exhibitions, deference to rank) reframed by supernatural politics, creating a richly textured backdrop for courtship. Some people want to go back to the old ways and Cora knows it's her job to prevent any violent plotting. Cora is a pragmatic, competent heroine whose devotion to duty and dry wit ground the story, while Marcellus provides the brooding, devoted counterpart whose demonstrations of care evolve into genuine intimacy. The romance unfolds amid witty worldbuilding and gentle satire—bureaucracy meets infernal absurdity—so readers who appreciate slow-burning attraction, period manners, and clever reimagining of historical figures will find both charm and heat here. I love that Cora lives in a boarding house with a fairy and a succubus! I had to laugh when the author detailed the super hot son of the devil...who loves to cook. The book balances cozy domestic details and grand-scale stakes, delivering emotional payoff alongside the escapist pleasures of Victorian romance with a fantastical twist.
This book is set to be published August 25, 2026. Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
https://romancelibrarian88.blogspot.c...
What a great start to a new series! This series will be perfect for fans of Gail Carriger and the TV show Lucifer. The setting—an alternate Victorian London still adjusting to seismic social change—offers familiar trappings (tea rituals, public exhibitions, deference to rank) reframed by supernatural politics, creating a richly textured backdrop for courtship. Some people want to go back to the old ways and Cora knows it's her job to prevent any violent plotting. Cora is a pragmatic, competent heroine whose devotion to duty and dry wit ground the story, while Marcellus provides the brooding, devoted counterpart whose demonstrations of care evolve into genuine intimacy. The romance unfolds amid witty worldbuilding and gentle satire—bureaucracy meets infernal absurdity—so readers who appreciate slow-burning attraction, period manners, and clever reimagining of historical figures will find both charm and heat here. I love that Cora lives in a boarding house with a fairy and a succubus! I had to laugh when the author detailed the super hot son of the devil...who loves to cook. The book balances cozy domestic details and grand-scale stakes, delivering emotional payoff alongside the escapist pleasures of Victorian romance with a fantastical twist.
This book is set to be published August 25, 2026. Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
https://romancelibrarian88.blogspot.c...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a very middle-of-the-road read for me. It's cute and charming; however, there's nothing all that unique or standout about it. I can't say, even several days later, that it's something I've given another thought to. It was well-written, if not slightly repetitive in word choice and plot points, and I enjoyed the humor. If you enjoy a low-stakes, quick-burn romance with historical and/or paranormal elements, then this is a TBR add for sure.
What I really enjoyed about this story was the women characters, specifically Cora. Cora is a very strong-willed, intelligent FMC. She's incredibly capable for being in her position, and I appreciated seeing her be successful in moments of struggle. I think her friendships are very genuine and admirable. I just wish the MMC was up to her caliber, because she was an excellently written FMC.
My biggest issues lie with the establishment of the romance, the world-building, and the slowness of the pacing. While "paranormal entities finding home in Victorian London" was a cute and fresh idea, there was little room for actual world-building. The little interjections between the chapters were all too try-hard for me to have any interest in reading them and did nothing to explain any of the setting or reasons for paranormal beings taking over. As for Marcellus and Cora, being a demon, I expected Marcellus to be even more morally grey or even worse. He's a prince of Hell. Instead, he's very one-note and bland. There's really no build-up to the love, as it's all centered on Cora's lust. It made for a very lackluster moment when exciting relationship things between them do occur. And oddly enough, a lot of the romance is overshadowed by the plot, yet a lot of the plot is overshadowed by the romance.
If you're looking for a quirky, silly paranormal historical romance, then there are better books out there: India Holton, notably. However, it's an admirable addition to the genre and, if you've exhausted your other options, this would certainly scratch that itch.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
What I really enjoyed about this story was the women characters, specifically Cora. Cora is a very strong-willed, intelligent FMC. She's incredibly capable for being in her position, and I appreciated seeing her be successful in moments of struggle. I think her friendships are very genuine and admirable. I just wish the MMC was up to her caliber, because she was an excellently written FMC.
My biggest issues lie with the establishment of the romance, the world-building, and the slowness of the pacing. While "paranormal entities finding home in Victorian London" was a cute and fresh idea, there was little room for actual world-building. The little interjections between the chapters were all too try-hard for me to have any interest in reading them and did nothing to explain any of the setting or reasons for paranormal beings taking over. As for Marcellus and Cora, being a demon, I expected Marcellus to be even more morally grey or even worse. He's a prince of Hell. Instead, he's very one-note and bland. There's really no build-up to the love, as it's all centered on Cora's lust. It made for a very lackluster moment when exciting relationship things between them do occur. And oddly enough, a lot of the romance is overshadowed by the plot, yet a lot of the plot is overshadowed by the romance.
If you're looking for a quirky, silly paranormal historical romance, then there are better books out there: India Holton, notably. However, it's an admirable addition to the genre and, if you've exhausted your other options, this would certainly scratch that itch.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 26, 2026
Author Megan Frampton is back with Demons and Diplomacy where she takes her classic historical romance and adds a sci-fi twist!
Victorian era London looks a little bit different, The Great Revelation has occurred champion by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, whom is a vampire… the veil has been dropped, and other worldly creatures have come out of hiding, including succubi, werewolves, fairies, and ogres… now, London Society is trying to figure out how all these species can live together alongside humans, and the British government has hired a species ombudsman to help in the process.
Cora Hastings may have been the only person who applied for the job, but she’s also the best person suited for it. So when she’s informed that the Devil himself along with his entourage will be making a visit to London in time for the great exhibition she’s ready and willing to make sure their visit goes smoothly…
Along with the devil’s entourage is his son, the marquee of hell and core finds herself working hand and hand with him quite closely… so closely it becomes hard to tell the difference between duty and her attraction to the son of Hell!
I really enjoyed that Megan Frampton continued in his historical romance for her shift into a new genre. I think sci-fi lens well to this time. And it makes for fun twist to the familiar. I really enjoyed her characters from Cora to the marquee and of course Cora‘s feisty multi species roommates. I think she did a good job flushing out these characters in this new and confusing time.
As for the romance, I do love a good forced proximity and the power dynamic between the devil son and Cora is balanced by the Marquis fish out of water experience well-being in this realm. I did find that their lack of communication about the status of their attraction and relationship to be somewhat predictable and frustrating. I wish they had a more unique conflict, keeping them apart other than their species and where they live.
Overall, I did have a lot of fun with this book and I’m curious to see where Megan goes from here. I couldn’t determine a logical next couple from this cast of characters so I guess the skies the limit!
Victorian era London looks a little bit different, The Great Revelation has occurred champion by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, whom is a vampire… the veil has been dropped, and other worldly creatures have come out of hiding, including succubi, werewolves, fairies, and ogres… now, London Society is trying to figure out how all these species can live together alongside humans, and the British government has hired a species ombudsman to help in the process.
Cora Hastings may have been the only person who applied for the job, but she’s also the best person suited for it. So when she’s informed that the Devil himself along with his entourage will be making a visit to London in time for the great exhibition she’s ready and willing to make sure their visit goes smoothly…
Along with the devil’s entourage is his son, the marquee of hell and core finds herself working hand and hand with him quite closely… so closely it becomes hard to tell the difference between duty and her attraction to the son of Hell!
I really enjoyed that Megan Frampton continued in his historical romance for her shift into a new genre. I think sci-fi lens well to this time. And it makes for fun twist to the familiar. I really enjoyed her characters from Cora to the marquee and of course Cora‘s feisty multi species roommates. I think she did a good job flushing out these characters in this new and confusing time.
As for the romance, I do love a good forced proximity and the power dynamic between the devil son and Cora is balanced by the Marquis fish out of water experience well-being in this realm. I did find that their lack of communication about the status of their attraction and relationship to be somewhat predictable and frustrating. I wish they had a more unique conflict, keeping them apart other than their species and where they live.
Overall, I did have a lot of fun with this book and I’m curious to see where Megan goes from here. I couldn’t determine a logical next couple from this cast of characters so I guess the skies the limit!
July 21, 2026
This cozy fantasy historical world had a ton of potential that I felt just didn’t really pay off in the execution. While I’ve loved Megan Frampton's historical romances and was excited for her foray into this new genre, I’m not sure this one worked for me. It was surprisingly boring, and the pacing didn’t help with this. In a world with all kinds of supernatural beings, there should be loads to keep me interested, but I found this leaned more into the “workplace drama” of it all.
I also just didn’t really find Cora, our protagonist and sole narrator, that interesting of a character. She was lacking some of the depth I need in a single pov romance, especially first person. While her humor was fun, and I did enjoy it, that seemed to be the crux of her personality aside from being an HR rep (and you know those vibes). Maybe if we had gotten Marcellus’s POV, I would have felt differently, and this would have felt less flat and one-dimensional in its storytelling.
Things I did like: this intriguing world and the setting of the Victorian era, the side characters, though I think this was at the detriment of the main romance. The chapter intermissions were fun and gave some more context to this expanding world. One of Cora’s best qualities is her interest in other species and her willingness to get to know all types. It did endear me to her in moments when she was being accepting and overall compassionate to those different from her. THAT truly was the star of this novel, and I appreciated this underlying message of understanding.
Although this wasn’t my fave of Frampton's, I do enjoy her writing style, and I hope that if she expands on this world, we get more of the depth of character work I’m used to seeing in her historicals. There were a ton of interesting characters that I wanted to know more about!
3/5
Thank you to the publishers for the eARC.
Alternate historical world, kind of a workplace romance, paranormal HR, dog companion, investigation, he feeds her, the devil is a spoiled debutante, great exhibition reimagined
I also just didn’t really find Cora, our protagonist and sole narrator, that interesting of a character. She was lacking some of the depth I need in a single pov romance, especially first person. While her humor was fun, and I did enjoy it, that seemed to be the crux of her personality aside from being an HR rep (and you know those vibes). Maybe if we had gotten Marcellus’s POV, I would have felt differently, and this would have felt less flat and one-dimensional in its storytelling.
Things I did like: this intriguing world and the setting of the Victorian era, the side characters, though I think this was at the detriment of the main romance. The chapter intermissions were fun and gave some more context to this expanding world. One of Cora’s best qualities is her interest in other species and her willingness to get to know all types. It did endear me to her in moments when she was being accepting and overall compassionate to those different from her. THAT truly was the star of this novel, and I appreciated this underlying message of understanding.
Although this wasn’t my fave of Frampton's, I do enjoy her writing style, and I hope that if she expands on this world, we get more of the depth of character work I’m used to seeing in her historicals. There were a ton of interesting characters that I wanted to know more about!
3/5
Thank you to the publishers for the eARC.
Alternate historical world, kind of a workplace romance, paranormal HR, dog companion, investigation, he feeds her, the devil is a spoiled debutante, great exhibition reimagined
August 22, 2026
Synopsis:
A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver-tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose.
1851, London. All supernatural species have emerged from hiding, a result of The Great Revelation, led by Her Majesty, the vampiric Queen Victoria, and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert.
Cora Hastings is the British government’s Species Ombudsman, a human tasked with keeping the peace between supernatural creatures. It’s run-of-the-mill work: enforcing the newly created shifting parameters, negotiating contracts between species, and generally making certain all Londoners are treated equally.
That is, until the Devil himself decides he wants to leave his hellish home and see the results of Prince Albert’s greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition. His arrival could upset the uneasy peace between creatures, and worse—he’s brought his son.
The Marquis of Hell is diabolically good-looking, unnaturally perceptive, and, well, a demon. Cora navigates her sinfully seductive diplomatic assignment as best she can, until she catches wind of a secret conspiracy set to come to fruition at the opening of the Great Exhibition. This leaves her with an impossible choice: Either Cora enters an unholy alliance with the Devil’s son, or she watches as her world is torn asunder….
Review:
Demons and Diplomacy is a cozy period mystery romance that will make you want to keep on reading until the very end. If you like found family, morally grey MMC’s, skilled FMC’s, and cozy autumn reads, this book is for you!
Overall, this book has a strong plot, and the mystery kept me intrigued from start to finish. The relationship between the FMC and MMC was funny, cute, and engaging. I’m someone who is big on books having plots AND being character driven, and this book hit both of those marks for me. As someone who usually isn’t a big cozy romance reader, I was pleasantly surprised by this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for an ARC of Demons and Diplomacy!
A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver-tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose.
1851, London. All supernatural species have emerged from hiding, a result of The Great Revelation, led by Her Majesty, the vampiric Queen Victoria, and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert.
Cora Hastings is the British government’s Species Ombudsman, a human tasked with keeping the peace between supernatural creatures. It’s run-of-the-mill work: enforcing the newly created shifting parameters, negotiating contracts between species, and generally making certain all Londoners are treated equally.
That is, until the Devil himself decides he wants to leave his hellish home and see the results of Prince Albert’s greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition. His arrival could upset the uneasy peace between creatures, and worse—he’s brought his son.
The Marquis of Hell is diabolically good-looking, unnaturally perceptive, and, well, a demon. Cora navigates her sinfully seductive diplomatic assignment as best she can, until she catches wind of a secret conspiracy set to come to fruition at the opening of the Great Exhibition. This leaves her with an impossible choice: Either Cora enters an unholy alliance with the Devil’s son, or she watches as her world is torn asunder….
Review:
Demons and Diplomacy is a cozy period mystery romance that will make you want to keep on reading until the very end. If you like found family, morally grey MMC’s, skilled FMC’s, and cozy autumn reads, this book is for you!
Overall, this book has a strong plot, and the mystery kept me intrigued from start to finish. The relationship between the FMC and MMC was funny, cute, and engaging. I’m someone who is big on books having plots AND being character driven, and this book hit both of those marks for me. As someone who usually isn’t a big cozy romance reader, I was pleasantly surprised by this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for an ARC of Demons and Diplomacy!
August 28, 2026
3.25⭐️
The devil's coming to town and he needs...a diplomatic escort?
Cora is a likeable FMC. I just didn't love her. I did at first. In the beginning both she and this novel reminded me of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, and I very much liked that vibe! I ate the first half of this book up. And even up until about 75% was good.
Back to Cora. I love an FMC with a backbone who keeps her wits about her. She's good at her job and the only one that can, or wanted to, do it. Her personality just kind of took a turn when it came to Marcellus.
Now Marcellus and the Devil? They fell very flat for me. They did not come off ominous or foreboding in any sense. She kept saying how afraid she was, of them, of what they might do, when that never translated. I did get the debutante side of it all though.
I liked Marcellus even with him not being scary at all. I think had the author leaned into the charm being the trait he got it would've been more fitting. He should've been more slick. More sly. More captivating. So much so that she wasn't sure if those were her real feelings or not. Thralled and entranced.
I loved her friends and I wish that would've been played up more. I would have liked to see them in more parts of the story, not just at the ends of the day.
I really liked the writing style itself. I felt so drawn in for so much of the book. The history of this world and the creatures that inhabit, or don't inhabit, it. How it was just a more fantastical London. It did start to get a little repetitive in spots and the 'whodunnit' was predictable and anticlimactic. But I had fun getting there up until that 75% mark. Then the pacing kind of bottomed out. It felt too rushed and tied into too neat of a bow. But god I enjoyed it immensely beforehand.
It was a decent read, and I am very much looking forward to reading more in the future. I really hope it embodies more of what started off so very well.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The devil's coming to town and he needs...a diplomatic escort?
Cora is a likeable FMC. I just didn't love her. I did at first. In the beginning both she and this novel reminded me of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, and I very much liked that vibe! I ate the first half of this book up. And even up until about 75% was good.
Back to Cora. I love an FMC with a backbone who keeps her wits about her. She's good at her job and the only one that can, or wanted to, do it. Her personality just kind of took a turn when it came to Marcellus.
Now Marcellus and the Devil? They fell very flat for me. They did not come off ominous or foreboding in any sense. She kept saying how afraid she was, of them, of what they might do, when that never translated. I did get the debutante side of it all though.
I liked Marcellus even with him not being scary at all. I think had the author leaned into the charm being the trait he got it would've been more fitting. He should've been more slick. More sly. More captivating. So much so that she wasn't sure if those were her real feelings or not. Thralled and entranced.
I loved her friends and I wish that would've been played up more. I would have liked to see them in more parts of the story, not just at the ends of the day.
I really liked the writing style itself. I felt so drawn in for so much of the book. The history of this world and the creatures that inhabit, or don't inhabit, it. How it was just a more fantastical London. It did start to get a little repetitive in spots and the 'whodunnit' was predictable and anticlimactic. But I had fun getting there up until that 75% mark. Then the pacing kind of bottomed out. It felt too rushed and tied into too neat of a bow. But god I enjoyed it immensely beforehand.
It was a decent read, and I am very much looking forward to reading more in the future. I really hope it embodies more of what started off so very well.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Demons and Diplomacy was such a surprisingly fun read! To be transparent, I read a few pages from the first chapter a few weeks ago and then, set it aside, as my mind began to wander. However, when I picked up the novel again and re-started it, I quickly realized how engaging it truly was; which goes to show how much a second chance can change one’s perspective.
Frampton’s writing style was elegant, yet accessible (I was pleased when she used a few terms from the Victorian era of which I was not aware). As such, I was enraptured and my attention focused for the majority of the story. Cora was a well-written protagonist and was relatively refreshing, for her internal dialogue proved she was level-headed despite being completely enamored with Marcellus. He obviously was swoonworthy, although I do wish he had been more upfront with his feelings, considering Cora continuously mentioned how astute he was. Their chemistry was incredible too— so much so that I am clamoring for a sequel/continuation, as they were given far too little as an established couple.
While Demons and Diplomacy exceeded my expectations, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the issues in pacing. For all of the world building and wonderful development throughout the novel, the last quarter felt oddly rushed. The climax also lacked in action and suspense— the reveal was obvious and was a disservice to the buildup and work that Cora and Marcellus did. Had Frampton upped the stakes and/or drawn out the peril the characters faced, it would have made for a much more satisfying ending. Moreover, I found it a bit too convenient that Marcellus’s decision at the end wasn’t met with any obstacles.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Demons and Diplomacy and look forward to reading more of Frampton’s work.
Thank you very much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this ARC!
Frampton’s writing style was elegant, yet accessible (I was pleased when she used a few terms from the Victorian era of which I was not aware). As such, I was enraptured and my attention focused for the majority of the story. Cora was a well-written protagonist and was relatively refreshing, for her internal dialogue proved she was level-headed despite being completely enamored with Marcellus. He obviously was swoonworthy, although I do wish he had been more upfront with his feelings, considering Cora continuously mentioned how astute he was. Their chemistry was incredible too— so much so that I am clamoring for a sequel/continuation, as they were given far too little as an established couple.
While Demons and Diplomacy exceeded my expectations, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the issues in pacing. For all of the world building and wonderful development throughout the novel, the last quarter felt oddly rushed. The climax also lacked in action and suspense— the reveal was obvious and was a disservice to the buildup and work that Cora and Marcellus did. Had Frampton upped the stakes and/or drawn out the peril the characters faced, it would have made for a much more satisfying ending. Moreover, I found it a bit too convenient that Marcellus’s decision at the end wasn’t met with any obstacles.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Demons and Diplomacy and look forward to reading more of Frampton’s work.
Thank you very much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cora Hastings is the Species Ombudsman for the British government in 1851. The Great Revelation allowed supernatural beings to come out of hiding including the vampire, Queen Victoria. Cora is needed to smooth things over between species and promote equality. Her current assignment is to accompany the Devil and his entourage around London and to the Great Exhibition. Among the Devil's entourage is his eldest son, Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell who takes an interest in Cora. However, not everyone is thrilled with the Devil's visit and Cora and Marcellus soon discover a plot to unleash chaos and harm the Devil himself.
Demons and Diplomacy is a sweet and spicy paranormal romance set in Victorian London. I really enjoyed the premise of supernatural beings integrated into society and humans having to adapt to having the least power. Cora is also a fun character, her job is unique and she is adept at interspecies communication due to her calm demeanor, insight and communication skills. I love that she describes the Devil as a fussy debutante. Marcellus is a demon and definitely has devilish characteristics, but doesn't seem to embrace all of the aspects of Hell. Their relationship starts slowly as Marcellus challenges Cora, who is just waiting for this assignment to end. The heat rises, however, as Cora realises she can let loose and have some fun. The writing around the spicy scenes was enticing. I do wish that there was more focus on the plot to take down the Devil, the whole conspiracy seemed to wrap up quickly and easily. I also wish Marcellus's character had been more developed, including details about his time in Hell. Likewise, I was very interested in Cora's fairy and succubus roommates and would have loved to see those friendships in more detail.
This book was received for free in exchange for an honest review.
Demons and Diplomacy is a sweet and spicy paranormal romance set in Victorian London. I really enjoyed the premise of supernatural beings integrated into society and humans having to adapt to having the least power. Cora is also a fun character, her job is unique and she is adept at interspecies communication due to her calm demeanor, insight and communication skills. I love that she describes the Devil as a fussy debutante. Marcellus is a demon and definitely has devilish characteristics, but doesn't seem to embrace all of the aspects of Hell. Their relationship starts slowly as Marcellus challenges Cora, who is just waiting for this assignment to end. The heat rises, however, as Cora realises she can let loose and have some fun. The writing around the spicy scenes was enticing. I do wish that there was more focus on the plot to take down the Devil, the whole conspiracy seemed to wrap up quickly and easily. I also wish Marcellus's character had been more developed, including details about his time in Hell. Likewise, I was very interested in Cora's fairy and succubus roommates and would have loved to see those friendships in more detail.
This book was received for free in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 2.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this Arc!
Rating aside I had a TON of fun reading this book. Cora is such a fun character to follow, and I found myself laughing at her thoughts all throughout the book. The world itself was also super interesting and reminded me of The House on The Cerulean Sea with the use of magical creatures to demonstrate themes of acceptance and diversity.
Where this book fell flat for me was with the romance. Marcellus had no personality to me and was ether in a state of acting somewhat evil or in sexy banter mode. Now don't get me wrong I love a good somewhat evil, sexy banterous love interest but I just feel like we were told he was this way and never really shown. For example, it mentioned he loves to cook but we never actually get a romantic moment where he cooks for Cora or to see him cook at all.
I truly believe this book would have been a five-star read for me if Marcellus had been deleted completely and this book was just Fantasy especially with how much I enjoyed the world and species Ombudsman aspect. With the way it is now, I was never sold on ether aspect because they didn't have enough room to be fully fleshed out so it felt like the story was switching between romance and fantasy rather than being a romantasy.
I think best case scenario for me to be excited about book two it needs to start with "Marcellus went back to hell FOREVER" so we just get to follow Cora around being awesome at her job and carrying her cool as hell cane.
Looking at the authors past work it seems (I think) this was one of the only non-historical romance novels she has written. With that in mind I could definitely see myself picking up more of her fantasy leaning books in the future because of how much I loved the world and I see the author finding her grove with romantasy in future novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this Arc!
Rating aside I had a TON of fun reading this book. Cora is such a fun character to follow, and I found myself laughing at her thoughts all throughout the book. The world itself was also super interesting and reminded me of The House on The Cerulean Sea with the use of magical creatures to demonstrate themes of acceptance and diversity.
Where this book fell flat for me was with the romance. Marcellus had no personality to me and was ether in a state of acting somewhat evil or in sexy banter mode. Now don't get me wrong I love a good somewhat evil, sexy banterous love interest but I just feel like we were told he was this way and never really shown. For example, it mentioned he loves to cook but we never actually get a romantic moment where he cooks for Cora or to see him cook at all.
I truly believe this book would have been a five-star read for me if Marcellus had been deleted completely and this book was just Fantasy especially with how much I enjoyed the world and species Ombudsman aspect. With the way it is now, I was never sold on ether aspect because they didn't have enough room to be fully fleshed out so it felt like the story was switching between romance and fantasy rather than being a romantasy.
I think best case scenario for me to be excited about book two it needs to start with "Marcellus went back to hell FOREVER" so we just get to follow Cora around being awesome at her job and carrying her cool as hell cane.
Looking at the authors past work it seems (I think) this was one of the only non-historical romance novels she has written. With that in mind I could definitely see myself picking up more of her fantasy leaning books in the future because of how much I loved the world and I see the author finding her grove with romantasy in future novels.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Berkley for the ARC!
This was a super cute historical romance meets paranormal romance, but...it didn't SUPER work for me.
To start, it's like the book couldn't tell if it wanted to be a cozy story or if we wanted to have high stakes/people almost dying? It fell into this sort of middle ground that I didn't particularly care for. I would say it leans more cozy, but I don't know that I would call it cozy.
I...honestly think this would have been better without the romance, if I'm being honest. It felt so...forced. The MMC is essentially a wet blanket with no personality, and the FMC is absolutely smitten with him from day one. Okay, sure. You do you girl. But they've barely said 100 words to each other, and then BAM there's a random kiss that's of...questionable consent...and then she kisses him back. And then we go back to the story like nothing happened? I...don't understand? Is this a historical romance thing that I'm just not aware of?
I also thought it was a...choice...to give the FMC a disability aid (a multipurpose cane), but not a disability, and then to reiterate several times that she doesn't NEED it, she just likes to carry it around because it's useful. It gave me the ick.
Being said, I DO think the plot was super interesting, and I can definitely see fans of historical romance really enjoying it. Cora, outside of her relationship/interactions with Mr. Wet Blanket, was fun and competent, and my anxious self really liked her and "got" her. I would have LOVED for the focus to truly have been on her/her job and the story and not...whatever this romance was. Or have that romance be a slower burn, because being blindsided at the end of the first act did NOT work for me.
Overall this was a super fast read and fun, but I don't think it's anything overly extraordinary or groundbreaking.
This was a super cute historical romance meets paranormal romance, but...it didn't SUPER work for me.
To start, it's like the book couldn't tell if it wanted to be a cozy story or if we wanted to have high stakes/people almost dying? It fell into this sort of middle ground that I didn't particularly care for. I would say it leans more cozy, but I don't know that I would call it cozy.
I...honestly think this would have been better without the romance, if I'm being honest. It felt so...forced. The MMC is essentially a wet blanket with no personality, and the FMC is absolutely smitten with him from day one. Okay, sure. You do you girl. But they've barely said 100 words to each other, and then BAM there's a random kiss that's of...questionable consent...and then she kisses him back. And then we go back to the story like nothing happened? I...don't understand? Is this a historical romance thing that I'm just not aware of?
I also thought it was a...choice...to give the FMC a disability aid (a multipurpose cane), but not a disability, and then to reiterate several times that she doesn't NEED it, she just likes to carry it around because it's useful. It gave me the ick.
Being said, I DO think the plot was super interesting, and I can definitely see fans of historical romance really enjoying it. Cora, outside of her relationship/interactions with Mr. Wet Blanket, was fun and competent, and my anxious self really liked her and "got" her. I would have LOVED for the focus to truly have been on her/her job and the story and not...whatever this romance was. Or have that romance be a slower burn, because being blindsided at the end of the first act did NOT work for me.
Overall this was a super fast read and fun, but I don't think it's anything overly extraordinary or groundbreaking.
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