Demons and Diplomacy

Ministry of Supernatural Affairs #1

by Megan Frampton

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….

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Historical, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy Romance

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

Megan Frampton's love affair with books began when her parents moved her to a remote town in New Hampshire where there was only one television station. And then the TV broke. She devoured every book of fiction in her well-read parents' library, finding special joy in Georgette Heyer and the fairy tales collected and translated by Andrew Lang. Megan majored in English literature at Barnard College and worked in the music industry for fifteen years. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband (her former intern) and her kid.

Reviews

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨😈 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.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to Berkley/NetGalley for the ARC

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Matilda Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

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...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy!

What if the Devil (yes, THE Devil) and his entourage decided to visit Victorian London for some sightseeing and fun?

Set in 1851 London where a vampire Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, rule over a society that includes trolls, succubi, satyrs, shifters, fae -- and oh yes, humans -- this is an intriguing mix of historical fiction, paranormal romance and a cozy mystery, with a great deal of humor.

Human Cora, sensible and straightforward, is a government liaison, tasked with keeping the peace between the various species. When she is assigned to facilitate the Devil's 'vacation', she's immediately drawn to his wickedly handsome son, Marcellus. But an assassination attempt during their first outing reveals dark undercurrents and Cora and Marcellus must work together to uncover who wishes his father harm.

I greatly enjoyed Cora's BFFs, Lily (a succubus) and Hannah (a fairy) and the rest of the supernatural boardinghouse denizens, as well as her bosses, a djinn and a dog/monkey hybrid. Since the plot hinges on an actual historical event, the amazing Great Exhibition, I felt more detail about those wonders should have been offered, for readers not familiar with British history.

We are also dropped into this world post "The Great Revelation", where supernatural beings were integrated into Society......how exactly did this happen? Did they exist all along and were hidden? That aspect isn't really explained in a satisfactory way. As the first book in a series, I felt it needed more grounding.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read an Advanced Reader Copy of the book thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House.

What an absolutely delightful read! This one reminded me so much of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Set in an alternative Victorian London, Cora Hastings holds the newly created job of Species Ombudsmen. Society has recently changed after the Great Revelation, in which the world learned that the supernatural creatures of myth were real. Cora's job is to keep the peace between the different species that now openly inhabit the world, and she is very good at her job. I love that we have an alternative historical setting, but one that is still finding it's footing. Yes, the supernatural creatures are out in the world, but they haven't been for long. It's fun to see a "new world" as it is, still being created.

Her tidy life takes an unexpected turn when she learns she is expected to escort the Devil and his entourage around London for a month. The Devil himself is difficult to manage (she compares him to a spoiled debutante), but the biggest issue is his incredibly attractive son, and the growing attraction Cora feels towards Marcellus.

Cora is a delightful character, and the supporting characters are just as entertaining. This book was cozy and sexy is all the right ways, and I hope to see more books set in this engaging and wondrous world.

[Lisa Vieira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel takes place in Victorian England following the “Great Revelation,” where demons, djinn, vampires, selkies, and the literal Devil now exist in polite society—and the true heroine of the story is a government employee seeking expanded departmental funding. Cora responds to supernatural chaos with policy proposals, careful species terminology, and thoughts about weekly reports, which is iconic. The worldbuilding is vivid and sometimes hilarious (Cerberus at a pub table? humbeetles??), but what makes it shine is the contrast between the assorted supernatural debacles that Cora faces and bureaucratic normalcy. Also, Satan wanting treacle tart and roller skating is not something I knew I needed, but here we are.
The romance centers on the devil’s son, Marcellus—a MMC who’s growly, devoted, and devastatingly good at acts of service. Once the story moves past an early dub-con kiss (which I did not love), the chemistry becomes scorching. There’s something so attractive about a prince of Hell who worries about her safety, feeds her like it’s a sacred ritual, and calls her “[his] revolutionary.” The commonplace elements threaded through the multi-species politics (tea cozies, strawberry jam, solid affection) make this a truly enjoyable read.
It’s messy, funny, occasionally lore-questionable (this is not strict Judeo-Christian canon), and self-aware. Between the satire of “Hell as a interdepartmental staff meeting”, the surprising impacts on women post-Revalation, and a slow, spicy romance, this book is chaotic in the best way. 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for early access!

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book. Hell as a bureaucracy, the pairing of an eminently sensible heroine with a more outrageous hero, the historical period reimagined as paranormal -- all of it ticks my boxes.

I really wanted to love the book itself too, and there were parts I really did like, but I felt like there was (necessarily) so much focus on the world-building that the character development suffered by comparison. I fully understood that Cora and Marcellus had pants feelings for each other (it was mentioned with extreme frequency!) but beyond that it was hard to tell how they developed REAL feelings for each other. Cora seems to think it's revolutionary that Marcellus cares about her pleasure, but even in an alternate historical setting, that should be the floor of what she expects from a partner. As for Marcellus, he spends so much time smirking and being smug that it's hard to tell what he might or might not be feeling.

Having said all that, I do think that the series has great potential, and I will definitely pick up whatever comes next. I generally am a big fan of Megan Frampton's books, and I love that she took a big swing here with something very different.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

[Kassie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4

This is such a unique genre blend… it’s part historical fiction, part mystery, part romance, and part paranormal/fantasy. I always appreciate unique stories like that, it’s such a good opportunity to create something special.

In this case, I almost feel like it was too ambitious, though. There simultaneously was a lot of world-building but also not enough, because I still had questions how all the different species and world’s interacted. The character development here was somehow clear, I understood exactly who the characters were, especially our main characters but they never clicked for me in the banter, tension, and chemistry sense.

I loved the running parallels between 1850s London and Hell, and how in some ways, Hell was nicer/better than our real world. I also really enjoyed all the different species of creatures, it wasn’t just humans and demons. There were also vampires, dhampirs, fairies, succubi, trolls, and the list goes on. I wish we would have gotten more from that part of the world-building.
All in all, a solid read that lays down a foundation for the series. I’m interested to see where this goes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Megan Frampton for allowing me to read an early copy of this book!

[Kels O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun palette cleanser. It’s historical meets fantasy romance novel.

Set in the Victorian era England, instead of an Industrial Revolution came the Great Revelation where creatures thought to be myths revealed themselves starting with Queen Victoria as a vampire. It follows Cora (our FMC) as a species ombudsman - where her primary duties involve solving inter-species conflicts that is until the Devil comes to town. The Devil, his heir Marcellus and other demons arrive in England in preparation of the Exhibition where Cora has to entertain as well as prevent any incidents to strengthen the diplomatic ties Hell and England. During the visit, there are attempts to kill the Devil so Cora and the heir pair up to prevent further incidents and who’s behind the mess.

It’s lovely, not too serious story about Marcellus and Cora slowly falling for one another. You get to explore the ‘new’ world along with them. It has some found family aspects and a dog sidekick. I enjoyed the authors writing style. The slow burn pays off. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for this world.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

[Taylor - TheTayloredPage · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's 1851 in London. After Queen Victoria reveals that she is a vampire, suddenly Creatures of all types are able to live in the open. Cora is only a human, but her even temperament and open-mindedness make her the perfect person to serve as a human-Creature liaison. She's competent and functional and not at all emotionally prepared to be paired up with the Devil's son to ensure his father's visit to the Great Exposition goes smoothly.

I loved the concept of this book! It's a fun setting and getting to explore what London would be like with all manner of odd beings was exciting and humorous. Serious, reserved Cora was a good foil for the charming and gregarious Marquis of Hell and they made for a pairing with a lot of promise, but unfortunately I felt their romance was lacking. There was very little tension building and the payoff was lackluster and disappointing. I did not feel invested in them as a romantic partnership.

I would be interested to read further books in this series, especially if they follow Cora's roommates - a fairy and a succubus.

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC of this book.

[Gabby S-Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
This was my first book by Megan Frampton, and I will definitely be continuing with the rest of the series once published. I’m always a fan of a demon x human romance, and I had a really fun time with this one. It was a light, entertaining read with relatively low stakes and, thankfully, no third-act breakup.
I would classify this more as a historical paranormal romance than a romantasy. The romance develops fairly quickly, which worked for me, though readers who prefer a slower burn may feel differently. I also enjoyed the political intrigue woven throughout the story, as it helped keep the plot moving without taking away from the romance.
One of my favorite characters was the MMC’s father, the literal devil who is unhinged but really just wants to enjoy his vacation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
The spice level is open door. The story is told in first person from the FMC’s perspective.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This standalone gave me a lot of the same charm and relationship dynamics as Assistant to the Villain. Set in a Victorian England where Queen Victoria is a vampire and supernatural creatures revealed themselves after the Great Revelation, the story follows a plucky, pragmatic FMC as the devil arrives in London with his retinue and a very handsome heir.

There’s a bit of mystery, a slow burn romance, and open door spice, but overall this is a very cozy, low angst fantasy. The stakes never feel overwhelmingly high, so it’s more comforting than edge of your seat, which also meant it took me longer to read because I wasn’t desperately racing to see what happened next.

Still, this was such an enjoyable read, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a standalone fantasy romance with cozy vibes, supernatural worldbuilding, and a strong emphasis on the romance.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

[Jennifer Kafka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton was such a fun surprise for me. It starts off feeling like a cozy fantasy with its charming atmosphere, witty dialogue, and lovable characters, but it also brings a little spice toward the end that added just the right touch. The writing was easy to fall into, and I found myself flying through the pages without effort.

I especially loved the humor and banter throughout the story. It had a lighthearted charm that made spending time in this world really enjoyable, while still keeping me invested in the characters and where the story was headed. Overall, this was a delightful, cozy read with heart, humor, and a bit of romance mixed in perfectly.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publicity and Penguin Random House for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

This is a historical and fantastical urban fantasy where iconic historical figures are supernatural creatures and the shenanigans that come from that.

Overall, I did enjoy this, but I did expect to enjoy it a lot more.

I found the main character really annoying and I think that's the main reason this wasn't more likable for me. I found the constant and repetitive "I want to kiss him" to be so very annoying.

This was a dramatic and busy story with something always going on, but that main character really squandered this book's potential.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Petalsandpaperbacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cora the FMC was the standout for me—competent, kind, and deeply inclusive in both her work and outlook. I loved the unique premise of her acting as a type of diplomat for multiple species in Queen Victoria’s England—it made the world feel fresh and engaging.

Add in a sexy demon, a fairy bestie, and a great supporting cast, and you’ve got a charming mix of humor, heart, and just enough heat to keep things interesting.

[Lindsay Brazil · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

The cover is what originally drew me into the story.
It took me a while to get into but ultimately was an enjoyable read.
I wish the incomplete guide pages had been chapter names or something like that. I liked those I thought they were cute and informative.

[maddie's reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the arc!

4.5 stars

Rtc!

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have questions. Almost all of these questions are some version of: But why though? Mainly, is now really the time for that? Like, right now? Really?

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this! I enjoyed it!