Jenny Will Eat You Now

by Gillian Daniels

Sometimes you want to eat the ones you love…right? In this gorgeous horror-romance, immortal rusalka Jenny Greenteeth stalks a handsome academic through Boston after a chance encounter leaves her hungry and curious about the world she’s been hiding from.

River monster Jenny Greenteeth prefers to keep her own company beneath the streets of Boston, where she’s lived for hundreds of years. With a conviction that she is far superior to humans—who are petty, dangerous, and fragile—she has no qualms about satisfying her hunger with their flesh. That is, until she comes face to face with a human man who, for the first time, she doesn’t want to eat (but also…she kind of does). Confused by these conflicting feelings, Jenny is intrigued.

So, when two city-dwelling cryptids take up residence in her station, she (begrudgingly) asks them to help her find this mystery man. Along the way, Jenny experiences the modern world for the first time—discovering catcalling, pigeons, protests, fashion, friendship, and Dunkin’ Donuts. On her quest to find the man she couldn’t eat at first sight, Jenny finds herself falling in love. And as she falls in love, two conflicting hungers grow within her—the hunger to be seen and understood and the hunger for human flesh.

Genres: Horror, Romance, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

Gillian Daniels writes and works in Boston, MA. Since attending the 2011 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop, her poetry and short fiction have appeared in Strange Horizons, Flash Fiction Online, and Nightmare Magazine among others. Here's a full list of publications.

Her debut novel is Jenny Will Eat You Now (September 2026).

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. On the surface this looks like your standard monster rom-com, but it’s so much more than that. Using monsters that us “weird girls” (read: neurodivergents and outcasts) often lean on and sympathize with, Daniels creates an incredible metaphor for what it’s like to feel as though you exist outside of society, without the rulebook everyone else seems to have grown up with. I see so much of myself in Jenny and her journey, and I bet other weird girls will too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Solstice Books for the arc!

[Richard Bankey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author, Goodreads and the publisher for the ARC. Interesting story, easy to read. 3.5 stars.
Stacey Bankey

[Jenny Strange]

JENNY WILL EAT YOU NOW so perfectly blends unhinged “weird girl” fiction energy with horror and a splash of romance, and absolutely delivers on originality.

As an autistic person with alexithymia, I could not stop giggling with delight at the plights of Jenny Greenteeth, an immortal swamp creature who is struggling to understand the attachment she is feeling towards a human man who, under normal circumstances, might just be her lunch. But instead, she feels something else? But, what could it be?

JENNY WILL EAT YOU NOW really puts a fresh spin on the concept of “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”

Delicious and delightful. Highly recommended!

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like if Someone You Can Build a Nest In smooched a book of European folktales on the streets of Boston.

A sweet, gruesome, poignant story of a feral immortal woman who finds herself pulled between the competing desires of "not wanting to fit the stifling mold of what humans deem socially appropriate" and "being incredibly starved for literally any form of connection and companionship." Perhaps she has found the one human man who might just accept her exactly how she is... he looks like the perfect meal, in more ways than one.

Perfect for folks who:
~ love horroromance
~ love Boston and associated Massholes
~ enjoy when characters have a very distinct voice (Jenny has such an old-timey way of speaking)
~ have ever liked someone so much you kind of literally want to eat them (haha jkjk, unless...)

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This was such a weird and beautiful book! We follow Jenny, an ancient ‘monster’ living in a flooded train station in Boston. She does eat people, and she takes on their characteristics when she does, allowing her to appear more human. She’s been happily living her life until one day her home is invaded by a man who she couldn’t bring herself to eat in that moment. She becomes obsessed with tracking him down, falling into a partnership with a satyr and a Selkie to help her navigate the modern world.

Jenny is so conflicted in this book. She fixates on this man and she can’t decide if she wants to eat him or not. She’s experiencing a bunch of new and confusing feelings and she needs the help of her new friends to help navigate this. The book is really quite sweet if you read it one way. The man in question used to search for monsters, putting videos out on the internet that are better researched than most and his heart is still lying in that direction. He’s fascinated by that world even though his life has been gobbled up by the mundanity of adulthood. He’s a little unsure of himself,

There is some quite visceral stuff in this book juxtaposed against all the tenderness. Jenny and her satyr friend don’t really have too many qualms against killing people. It’s quite functional and matter of fact, it’s her food source.

The book is really about change and adapting to it. Jenny is emerging into the modern world and trying to get by in her search for this man. Her companions have their own catalysts for change they have to deal with.

I thought this was a lovely read!

[Rat Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Gillian Daniels for this arc.

Jenny Will Eat You Now (a meat cute) blends horror and heart harmoniously, an ancient water creature spots a man in her domain of an abandoned train station. Something about her just wants to eat him up… Literally.

Deep in the abandoned tunnels of Boston lives Jenny Greenteeth, an immortal rusalka who has spent many a year happily alone feasting on any humans that cross her path. But with the arrival of an unexpected human Jenny feels a strange pull that she’s desperate to explore. With the help of two other supposedly mythical creatures by her side Jenny begins the hunt for the human who has captured her attention with unexpected results.

At times sweet and at times gory, Jenny Will Eat You Know is a fun little romp filled with metaphor and unexpected joy.

[Ali Bunke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillian Daniels’ Jenny Will Eat You Now follows Jenny Greenteeth, a river monster living beneath Boston who devours anyone she meets until she encounters a man she surprisingly doesn’t want to eat. With help from two fellow cryptids, she sets out to find him in the human world, a journey enriched by the worldbuilding and her ability to travel through waterways.

What makes the story stand out is its emotional core. Jenny doesn't want to reshape herself into something acceptable yet she longs for a connection where she can be fully seen. Despite the horror elements, the book is unexpectedly touching, and I found myself accepting Jenny exactly as she is and rooting for her happiness. It’s a truly unique romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a spooky little monster story with a touch of romance in there as well.

This is full of metaphor, which is always fun. I love when a monster romance is full of depth and alternate meaning (I mean, they all are, but this one was clearly trying with that).

This was a really unique story, but there was something about the writing that kept me from getting really invested in it and the characters. I can't quite put my finger on what it was exactly.

But I do think a lot of people will enjoy this. I think it's for both the monster romance lovers and the horror lovers.

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

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to libro.fm for this ALC!

I was just talking to a friend about creature features the other night, so when I saw this on Libro, I immediately knew I had to read it right away. This "meat cute" is both deeply strange and adorable, my favorite kind of rom-com. Funny while still being introspective, I'm so glad this is going to be out on time for Halloween this year. Would recommend for those who might not like to be scared, but still like the language/themes of spookier novels.

[Britney Ireland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of #JennyWillEatYouNow I was so excited to get approved for this book.

The cover is absolutely AMAZING!

I am giving the story 3.5 stars. I found it easy to read and follow the storyline. Jenny was awesome! As a monster who eats people the book was entertaining.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Gallery books for sending me an arc I won in a goodreads giveaway!
I love this “meat cute” so much!!!
Finally a monster romance where the fmc is the monster! This is what I’ve been looking for. Jenny is too relatable.

[Katie]

Gross and cute without diminishing the grossness.

[Kit Frey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jenny. I love Jenny’s world. I would love 40 more books about Jenny, please.

[Jenna Satterthwaite · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most unique, viscerally beautiful books I've read. Ever.