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The Monster Hunter's Librarian
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Expected 17 Nov 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
2 days and 10:29:56
50 copies available
U.S. only
Navigating the stacks of a sentient library, as well as their simmering attraction to each other, a librarian witch and a monster hunter team up to save a mystical world from destruction.
As the newest hire at the Endless Library, Bells Mortevue finally has access to magic again and a chance to prove that the daughter of criminal necromancers can be trusted with power—even if it’s solely used to seek and sort books upon infinite shelves.
Except a certain monster hunter refuses to let Bells do her job.
Rhett Waltham doesn’t want help. Not when revealing the truth of his research would be a death sentence for his ailing human father. Preparing to risk his own life in a dangerous competition to save his dad, Rhett does not have time for a curious, tantalizing librarian witch who asks too many questions.
It’s clear the Library disagrees, as the sentient space itself forces the two together. Bells warms to the grumpy hunter as she slowly earns his trust, though she starts to suspect a sickness is stirring within the walls of the mystical dimension. And when a deadly magic threatens to consume the entire Library—and the monster hunter’s librarian—Rhett won’t let either of them go without a fight.
As the newest hire at the Endless Library, Bells Mortevue finally has access to magic again and a chance to prove that the daughter of criminal necromancers can be trusted with power—even if it’s solely used to seek and sort books upon infinite shelves.
Except a certain monster hunter refuses to let Bells do her job.
Rhett Waltham doesn’t want help. Not when revealing the truth of his research would be a death sentence for his ailing human father. Preparing to risk his own life in a dangerous competition to save his dad, Rhett does not have time for a curious, tantalizing librarian witch who asks too many questions.
It’s clear the Library disagrees, as the sentient space itself forces the two together. Bells warms to the grumpy hunter as she slowly earns his trust, though she starts to suspect a sickness is stirring within the walls of the mystical dimension. And when a deadly magic threatens to consume the entire Library—and the monster hunter’s librarian—Rhett won’t let either of them go without a fight.
Audible Audio
Expected publication November 17, 2026
About the author
Lauren Connolly
61 books1,493 followersLauren Connolly is an award-winning author of contemporary and magical romance stories. She’s lived among mountains, next to lakes, and in imaginary worlds. Lauren can never seem to stay in one place for too long, but trust that wherever she’s residing there is a dog who thinks he’s a troll, twin cats hiding in the couch, and bookshelves bursting with stories written by the authors she loves.
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Want to Read
August 8, 2026A witchy librarian with a dark past? A grumpy monster hunter on a mission?
And a sentient library whose one goal is to get this ship sailing?
YES PLEASE
And a sentient library whose one goal is to get this ship sailing?
YES PLEASE
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sexy, fun, and filled with yearning plus a sentient library.
Honestly this book would get 5 stars just because of the sentient library but of course it has plenty of other 5 star worthy features!
Whats to love…
- necromancy (look I know its weird that this is a favorite of mine, no I don’t care)
- bisexual red-haired MMC with a heart of gold, who can also kick ass and is ridiculously down-bad for the FMC
- female friendships that will make you want to text your bestie and tell them you love them.
- heck friendships in general are fantastic in this one
- interesting world & magic
- TENSION FILLED SWOONY SEXY ROMANCE
- high enough stakes to keep you interested but still feels cozy (imho)
- family forward but also found family
- hot librarian FMC
- side characters that try to steal the show (complementary)
- a murder of crows that guide the librarian through the library.
Whats not to love…
- I’m drawing a blank here. I really had a fantastic time with this book! I guess a downside is that we don’t yet have a book featuring the FMCs sister and the hot scary The Smith?
5⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Honestly this book would get 5 stars just because of the sentient library but of course it has plenty of other 5 star worthy features!
Whats to love…
- necromancy (look I know its weird that this is a favorite of mine, no I don’t care)
- bisexual red-haired MMC with a heart of gold, who can also kick ass and is ridiculously down-bad for the FMC
- female friendships that will make you want to text your bestie and tell them you love them.
- heck friendships in general are fantastic in this one
- interesting world & magic
- TENSION FILLED SWOONY SEXY ROMANCE
- high enough stakes to keep you interested but still feels cozy (imho)
- family forward but also found family
- hot librarian FMC
- side characters that try to steal the show (complementary)
- a murder of crows that guide the librarian through the library.
Whats not to love…
- I’m drawing a blank here. I really had a fantastic time with this book! I guess a downside is that we don’t yet have a book featuring the FMCs sister and the hot scary The Smith?
5⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 Stars!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and Lauren Connolly for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I love trying a new Lauren Connolly read and getting to read this one with a friend who also received an advance copy, even better! Elizabeth and I had a lot of discussion about Bells and Rhett too.
This is a standalone and takes place in our world but with magic hidden from humans. Bells (h) was a fantastic and she’s definitely close to the top of my favorite FMCs list by this author. Her curiosity, resiliency, and kindness were touching. Rhett (H) was more of a challenge to pin down. He’s in fight mode on multiple levels and I tried to give him grace for that, but I felt the romantic development far more on Bells’s side than his due to his reticence and secrets. However, he allow himself to reach for Bells eventually and pulls out the possessiveness I eat up in a main guy too. The library was neck and neck with Bells for what I enjoyed the most though. The plot, mystery, challenges, and ultimate outcomes kept this story moving along nicely and had me glued to my pages, hating when I had other obligations that tore me briefly away. There’s plenty here to engage with and get your mind churning with theories, right up to the end.
Written in first person, dual POV (with one special POV close to the end). No ow drama, maybe the tiniest smidge of om drama with another guy who flirts with the h. Both mains were experienced, the H’s experience was much more thought about on his end than hers was. I could have personally had less of that, even if it wasn’t detailed, just vague mentions of how he’d hooked up with others regularly but no relationships.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Librarian x Hunter
☆ Paranormal romance with secret dimensions
☆ MMC with magic
☆ FMC stripped of magic
☆ Grumpy/sunshine
☆ FMC with traumatic backstory
☆ MMC with current trauma
☆ Complicated fears and hang-ups
☆ New job, who dis?
☆ Magical competition plot line
☆ High stakes all over the place
☆ Unknown threats and dangers
☆ Cozy, magical, book loving setting
☆ Side characters that pop off the page
☆ Positive parent rep AND horrendous parent recollections
☆ Shout out to the magical animal companions
☆ Slow burn
The prologue sets up some of what young Bells goes through as a child, specifically losing access to her magic before she even has a chance to learn it. Side-note: the magical ruling body was horrendously wrong and once you get the full picture of what happened, I wanted to punch some folks. Then we join adult Bells as she embarks on her first day as a librarian in a magical dimension for the Endless Library. A way for her to be near magic and share her love of knowledge and curiosity. From the first intro to her, Bells is warm and bright, but riddled with doubts and insecurities thanks to her trauma and upbringing. My biggest wish as I inhaled the early chapters was that she would find where she belonged and of course, she does.
Rhett’s intro is equally complicated by emotions. He’s a hunter, gifted magically to be more athletic and physically capable, but his focus is on hunting for a cure for his ailing father. His options are to try and research in the library or to be one of the winners of a special competition that would grant him access to a healing object. Rhett appeared to be grumpy before the weight of his father’s survival fell on his shoulders, so understandably, he’s not the warmest guy. He was also raised outside of magical high society and is hiding his family issues from the magical ruling body.
The intro to the library is amazing, the setting in this story was, well, magical. It was atmospheric and I could almost sense the surroundings as the characters did. I wanted to crawl in and explore the rooms like Bells was able to. All the little details, like the rings librarians used to tap into the library’s magic or the guides the library chose depending on the requestor, layered this world. The side characters added their own magic and layers as well, particularly in how they emphasized certain aspects of the world or of the main characters. Rhett’s father was precious, Bells’s sister was hell on wheels. The Smith was hot, not gonna lie and I wanted to pet his dog lol.
Romance-wise, I had some qualms, even though I could see what the author was building. So Rhett is frantically searching and luckily, a helpful new librarian is constantly nudged to offer assistance. Pesky attraction combined with wrenching fear if someone learns his secrets don’t give off the best first impression vibes. But some moments shine between them early on and their inner monologues offer some help for the reader to see that too. When they start sharing traumas, the relationship suddenly takes off quite suddenly. Honestly, too suddenly. This was the only sort of negative for me, I liked the two of them together once they began connecting, but Rhett’s sudden possessiveness and commitment before he begins laying a true foundation with Bells didn’t ring true to me. There are steamy times on page and even a declaration of love later, which garners a reaction but not a return sentiment and that was a big miss in my book.
The plot was more intricate than I at first suspected and was more understandable how it came together. There are suspects and suspicions. Allies are brought in while investigations happen. Then Rhett makes some mistakes that are hurtful to Bells and made it hard to appreciate where he was in the relationship. Bells is hurt but doesn’t let his assumptions and protectiveness hold her back from participating. And the story moves on hyper speed in the third act. The action comes quickly, as do the reveals, the shocks, and how the good guys overcome. With Bells exuding the most main character energy of course.
The ending does tie up the major threads with a nice bow (iykyk). The ending is HFN though and I wish there had been more transition scenes highlighting how Rhett and Bells were when there wasn’t danger. I wanted that missing love declaration and more relationship-time. How they adjusted to the new changes, a hint at some of the side characters who were in peril with them but also came out the other side, maybe add in another spicy scene. I hope there will be more stories in this world and therefore some of this will continue to build, but a bit more in this book would have pushed it to a more satisfying level. I still loved the ending and that last moment of Bells connecting to the library, magic.
I love trying a new Lauren Connolly read and getting to read this one with a friend who also received an advance copy, even better! Elizabeth and I had a lot of discussion about Bells and Rhett too.
This is a standalone and takes place in our world but with magic hidden from humans. Bells (h) was a fantastic and she’s definitely close to the top of my favorite FMCs list by this author. Her curiosity, resiliency, and kindness were touching. Rhett (H) was more of a challenge to pin down. He’s in fight mode on multiple levels and I tried to give him grace for that, but I felt the romantic development far more on Bells’s side than his due to his reticence and secrets. However, he allow himself to reach for Bells eventually and pulls out the possessiveness I eat up in a main guy too. The library was neck and neck with Bells for what I enjoyed the most though. The plot, mystery, challenges, and ultimate outcomes kept this story moving along nicely and had me glued to my pages, hating when I had other obligations that tore me briefly away. There’s plenty here to engage with and get your mind churning with theories, right up to the end.
Written in first person, dual POV (with one special POV close to the end). No ow drama, maybe the tiniest smidge of om drama with another guy who flirts with the h. Both mains were experienced, the H’s experience was much more thought about on his end than hers was. I could have personally had less of that, even if it wasn’t detailed, just vague mentions of how he’d hooked up with others regularly but no relationships.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Librarian x Hunter
☆ Paranormal romance with secret dimensions
☆ MMC with magic
☆ FMC stripped of magic
☆ Grumpy/sunshine
☆ FMC with traumatic backstory
☆ MMC with current trauma
☆ Complicated fears and hang-ups
☆ New job, who dis?
☆ Magical competition plot line
☆ High stakes all over the place
☆ Unknown threats and dangers
☆ Cozy, magical, book loving setting
☆ Side characters that pop off the page
☆ Positive parent rep AND horrendous parent recollections
☆ Shout out to the magical animal companions
☆ Slow burn
The prologue sets up some of what young Bells goes through as a child, specifically losing access to her magic before she even has a chance to learn it. Side-note: the magical ruling body was horrendously wrong and once you get the full picture of what happened, I wanted to punch some folks. Then we join adult Bells as she embarks on her first day as a librarian in a magical dimension for the Endless Library. A way for her to be near magic and share her love of knowledge and curiosity. From the first intro to her, Bells is warm and bright, but riddled with doubts and insecurities thanks to her trauma and upbringing. My biggest wish as I inhaled the early chapters was that she would find where she belonged and of course, she does.
Rhett’s intro is equally complicated by emotions. He’s a hunter, gifted magically to be more athletic and physically capable, but his focus is on hunting for a cure for his ailing father. His options are to try and research in the library or to be one of the winners of a special competition that would grant him access to a healing object. Rhett appeared to be grumpy before the weight of his father’s survival fell on his shoulders, so understandably, he’s not the warmest guy. He was also raised outside of magical high society and is hiding his family issues from the magical ruling body.
The intro to the library is amazing, the setting in this story was, well, magical. It was atmospheric and I could almost sense the surroundings as the characters did. I wanted to crawl in and explore the rooms like Bells was able to. All the little details, like the rings librarians used to tap into the library’s magic or the guides the library chose depending on the requestor, layered this world. The side characters added their own magic and layers as well, particularly in how they emphasized certain aspects of the world or of the main characters. Rhett’s father was precious, Bells’s sister was hell on wheels. The Smith was hot, not gonna lie and I wanted to pet his dog lol.
Romance-wise, I had some qualms, even though I could see what the author was building. So Rhett is frantically searching and luckily, a helpful new librarian is constantly nudged to offer assistance. Pesky attraction combined with wrenching fear if someone learns his secrets don’t give off the best first impression vibes. But some moments shine between them early on and their inner monologues offer some help for the reader to see that too. When they start sharing traumas, the relationship suddenly takes off quite suddenly. Honestly, too suddenly. This was the only sort of negative for me, I liked the two of them together once they began connecting, but Rhett’s sudden possessiveness and commitment before he begins laying a true foundation with Bells didn’t ring true to me. There are steamy times on page and even a declaration of love later, which garners a reaction but not a return sentiment and that was a big miss in my book.
The plot was more intricate than I at first suspected and was more understandable how it came together. There are suspects and suspicions. Allies are brought in while investigations happen. Then Rhett makes some mistakes that are hurtful to Bells and made it hard to appreciate where he was in the relationship. Bells is hurt but doesn’t let his assumptions and protectiveness hold her back from participating. And the story moves on hyper speed in the third act. The action comes quickly, as do the reveals, the shocks, and how the good guys overcome. With Bells exuding the most main character energy of course.
The ending does tie up the major threads with a nice bow (iykyk). The ending is HFN though and I wish there had been more transition scenes highlighting how Rhett and Bells were when there wasn’t danger. I wanted that missing love declaration and more relationship-time. How they adjusted to the new changes, a hint at some of the side characters who were in peril with them but also came out the other side, maybe add in another spicy scene. I hope there will be more stories in this world and therefore some of this will continue to build, but a bit more in this book would have pushed it to a more satisfying level. I still loved the ending and that last moment of Bells connecting to the library, magic.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think if you like Romantasy tropes better than I do, you'll enjoy this one more than I did. I prefer more adult romance tropes but in a fantasy setting, whereas these feel like YA fantasy tropes mapped into an adult romance - nothing wrong with that, but not my fav. The world and story were cute, though, so I recommend giving it a try to see how you get on with it
Want to Read
May 23, 2026✨ 𝖆𝖗𝖈 𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙 ✨
the cover is giving assistant to the villain vibes ⋆˚࿔ 💜 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
the cover is giving assistant to the villain vibes ⋆˚࿔ 💜 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
Want to Read
February 27, 2026A grumpy monster hunter in a sentient library?! Sign me up! 🙋🏼♀️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lauren Connolly has been one of my favorite PNR indie authors for years. When she announced this fantasy romance with Berkley I was very excited! And I was right to be. This book is a really fun mashup of fantasy conventions that doesn't skimp on the romance.
Bells is a Witch who should have necromatic powers (if they hadn't been stripped from her as a child). Rhett is a Hunter who's competing in the Hunter Trials to save his dad from a mortal wraith bite. Bells works at the Endless Library where Rhett is doing research on how to heal his dad. They get to know each other (with a little sentient library assistance) and eventually the two uncover a more sinister plot they will need to foil together.
The book is a little slow to get going, since Rhett refuses to speak to bells for a long time. But once they join forces, the book picks up (both romantically and with a fantasy adventure). I had a great time with the fantasy portions, and I especially enjoyed the way the fantasy plot provided the conflict for the romance plot (no need for a lot of interpersonal angst when the world is ending, amirite?).
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Bells is a Witch who should have necromatic powers (if they hadn't been stripped from her as a child). Rhett is a Hunter who's competing in the Hunter Trials to save his dad from a mortal wraith bite. Bells works at the Endless Library where Rhett is doing research on how to heal his dad. They get to know each other (with a little sentient library assistance) and eventually the two uncover a more sinister plot they will need to foil together.
The book is a little slow to get going, since Rhett refuses to speak to bells for a long time. But once they join forces, the book picks up (both romantically and with a fantasy adventure). I had a great time with the fantasy portions, and I especially enjoyed the way the fantasy plot provided the conflict for the romance plot (no need for a lot of interpersonal angst when the world is ending, amirite?).
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
July 16, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.
I really enjoyed the story of a magical library especially because I think that libraries are amazing. I loved Bells and Rhett and their journey throughout the book. But I especially loved how Bells interacted with the library itself. I feel like she had a special bond with the library and truly cared to be the best librarian she could be. She goes above and beyond her duties by protecting the library and offering all patrons ways to enjoy it. Rhett was very broody at the beginning but I liked it especially since he is trying to hide his secrets. I felt the character development for him was good but I think I was hoping for a bit more background from him and how exactly he trained to be such a well hunter.
I really enjoyed the story of a magical library especially because I think that libraries are amazing. I loved Bells and Rhett and their journey throughout the book. But I especially loved how Bells interacted with the library itself. I feel like she had a special bond with the library and truly cared to be the best librarian she could be. She goes above and beyond her duties by protecting the library and offering all patrons ways to enjoy it. Rhett was very broody at the beginning but I liked it especially since he is trying to hide his secrets. I felt the character development for him was good but I think I was hoping for a bit more background from him and how exactly he trained to be such a well hunter.
Want to Read
July 3, 2026💫💜 The Monster Hunter's Librarian 💜💫
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Cozy Romantasy
• Librarian Witch
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Sentient Library
• Monster Hunter
• Forced Proximity
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: November 17, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Cozy Romantasy
• Librarian Witch
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Sentient Library
• Monster Hunter
• Forced Proximity
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: November 17, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
June 6, 2026
REVIEW OF ADVANCED COPY RECEIVED FROM NETGALLEY
4.5/5 stars
thank you netgalley for this advanced readers copy! i really enjoyed this story and getting to know bells and rhett. bells is a sexy smart librarian (great representation) and i loved her journey throughout the book. i did feel like her sister, fina, was more like a caricature than a developed character, though, and i feel like she could’ve been fleshed out more. the love story also felt a bit rushed to me, but the two of them are so cute idc! the magic system and the living library was also incredible and i loved all the different rooms. overall, this book has a great story with incredible representation and i loved reading it.
4.5/5 stars
thank you netgalley for this advanced readers copy! i really enjoyed this story and getting to know bells and rhett. bells is a sexy smart librarian (great representation) and i loved her journey throughout the book. i did feel like her sister, fina, was more like a caricature than a developed character, though, and i feel like she could’ve been fleshed out more. the love story also felt a bit rushed to me, but the two of them are so cute idc! the magic system and the living library was also incredible and i loved all the different rooms. overall, this book has a great story with incredible representation and i loved reading it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read an ARC. It does take a little while for the story to fully draw you in, but once it does, it pulls you in deeply. I particularly enjoyed the world the author created. You can tell that a great deal of time and thought went into building it, rather than simply throwing things together and calling it a day. The world feels developed and thoughtfully constructed, which added a lot to my enjoyment of the story.
October 30, 2026
Cute monster hunter/witch librarian book! Spicy, lots of action, and a magical library. What’s not to like?
May 31, 2026
I absolutely loved Lauren’s contemporary books and was so excited to try her fantasy stories, however, this book did not do it for me.
The beginning was gripping and the whole concept of sentient library was very niche. I loved how we get to see different parts and creatures within the Endless Library. I just wished the plot, romance, and characters were as interesting as the unpredictable library.
We have Bells, our FMC, who has been stripped off her witch magic and is now working as a librarian. My biggest issue with Bells was the significant lack of her character growth. Her self pitying monologues got very repetitive after a while and her “good samaritan” personality was very unrealistic. Her fear of losing her job because one single patron isn’t happy with her, was tad overboard and honestly very off putting. What made it worse was that everybody around her doubted her strength, and up until the end it stayed that way. She was physically weak (and I do not mind that), but I don’t see any emotional growth or healing as well.
Rhett, our MMC is a hunter looking for a cure for his ailing father and is very grumpy all the time for no particular reason. I don’t mind a grumpy-sunshine romance, but he was trying a bit too hard to be all “I am alpha male, I don’t need anyone.” His character was as one dimensional as it can get, with insta lust and insta love. He never believed in Bells and we never truly get to see their relationship progress. It was a very irregular cycle of dislike, lust, love, omgg I can’t see you hurt, woman of my dreams, and tada bam done, all in a span of few meetings.
The side characters were as bland as they can get. Rhett’s mom randomly appeared in the middle, Bells sister was a cringe wannabe baddie but in reality she was plain annoying, random ghost flirting with necromancer, and few librarians who would come and go as they wish? No seriously, what happened to the head librarian? I don’t remember seeing her end!!
The plot itself was very messy. We have this lore that is not explored. We have random revelations about Bells past happening at around 90%. We have her memories with her Aunt which are so weird and forcefully inserted. And finally, we have some trials happening that have no real reasoning or history and are just mentioned very surface level? It was too much happening and not enough progress at the same time. Of course the ending was so anticlimactic that made me roll my eyes all the way to the back of my head.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. Review provided voluntarily.
The beginning was gripping and the whole concept of sentient library was very niche. I loved how we get to see different parts and creatures within the Endless Library. I just wished the plot, romance, and characters were as interesting as the unpredictable library.
We have Bells, our FMC, who has been stripped off her witch magic and is now working as a librarian. My biggest issue with Bells was the significant lack of her character growth. Her self pitying monologues got very repetitive after a while and her “good samaritan” personality was very unrealistic. Her fear of losing her job because one single patron isn’t happy with her, was tad overboard and honestly very off putting. What made it worse was that everybody around her doubted her strength, and up until the end it stayed that way. She was physically weak (and I do not mind that), but I don’t see any emotional growth or healing as well.
Rhett, our MMC is a hunter looking for a cure for his ailing father and is very grumpy all the time for no particular reason. I don’t mind a grumpy-sunshine romance, but he was trying a bit too hard to be all “I am alpha male, I don’t need anyone.” His character was as one dimensional as it can get, with insta lust and insta love. He never believed in Bells and we never truly get to see their relationship progress. It was a very irregular cycle of dislike, lust, love, omgg I can’t see you hurt, woman of my dreams, and tada bam done, all in a span of few meetings.
The side characters were as bland as they can get. Rhett’s mom randomly appeared in the middle, Bells sister was a cringe wannabe baddie but in reality she was plain annoying, random ghost flirting with necromancer, and few librarians who would come and go as they wish? No seriously, what happened to the head librarian? I don’t remember seeing her end!!
The plot itself was very messy. We have this lore that is not explored. We have random revelations about Bells past happening at around 90%. We have her memories with her Aunt which are so weird and forcefully inserted. And finally, we have some trials happening that have no real reasoning or history and are just mentioned very surface level? It was too much happening and not enough progress at the same time. Of course the ending was so anticlimactic that made me roll my eyes all the way to the back of my head.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. Review provided voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is equal parts cozy and sweet and if you are looking for something along those lines that also has a sentient library, you are going to adore this book.
That being said, I liked this book and thought it was cutesy but for me this wasn't a 5 star read. The main character, Bells is very timid and I would have loved to see her grow more and maybe come out of her shell a little bit. Even her name seems a bit young sounding to me but alas, this is fiction and I think it fits with the theme. Rhett was fine but I wasn't really swooning over him though the relationship between him and Bells is sweet and I can see why they work together.
The side characters were interesting and added some additional intrigue to the story so I enjoyed getting to know them. The setting is wonderful and I adore the magic/sentient library and you can never really go wrong with books. Overall I think this is going to be a fantastic novel that many readers are going to love, especially if you are looking for something with a bit lower stakes that you can cozy up and just relax and read.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, I liked this book and thought it was cutesy but for me this wasn't a 5 star read. The main character, Bells is very timid and I would have loved to see her grow more and maybe come out of her shell a little bit. Even her name seems a bit young sounding to me but alas, this is fiction and I think it fits with the theme. Rhett was fine but I wasn't really swooning over him though the relationship between him and Bells is sweet and I can see why they work together.
The side characters were interesting and added some additional intrigue to the story so I enjoyed getting to know them. The setting is wonderful and I adore the magic/sentient library and you can never really go wrong with books. Overall I think this is going to be a fantastic novel that many readers are going to love, especially if you are looking for something with a bit lower stakes that you can cozy up and just relax and read.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A cute read but came off as a little jumbled; all the different elements aren’t treated with enough care to be cohesive.
There were a lot of elements I really loved. The magical library was great and all the aspects were well explained. I liked the ghost side characters as well. The inclusion of the trials was interesting but I think they felt out of place here.
The romance was a little off to me. After approximately 30 seconds of interaction, he is claiming “they can’t f’n have her” like I don’t think he even knew her name at this point. Would have liked to see more interactions with them. This book was quite long enough that there was no need to rush anything. He doesn’t have much personality besides grumpy and her only personality trait is insecurity.
There was a little too much going on but sometimes it felt like nothing was going on as scenes were repeated frequently. This could have been trimmed down to flow better. How many times do we need demonstrations of how the library works that don’t advance the plot at all?
Buy, Borrow, or Pass? This is a borrow for me
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There were a lot of elements I really loved. The magical library was great and all the aspects were well explained. I liked the ghost side characters as well. The inclusion of the trials was interesting but I think they felt out of place here.
The romance was a little off to me. After approximately 30 seconds of interaction, he is claiming “they can’t f’n have her” like I don’t think he even knew her name at this point. Would have liked to see more interactions with them. This book was quite long enough that there was no need to rush anything. He doesn’t have much personality besides grumpy and her only personality trait is insecurity.
There was a little too much going on but sometimes it felt like nothing was going on as scenes were repeated frequently. This could have been trimmed down to flow better. How many times do we need demonstrations of how the library works that don’t advance the plot at all?
Buy, Borrow, or Pass? This is a borrow for me
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A sentient, whimsical, mythical, and magical library. With a witchy librarian, a hunter, and the glorious setting of a cozy library that plays matchmaker.
The Monster Hunter's Librarian wasn't on my radar but it instantly became my comfort autumnal read and is the perfect fall weekend read. It's warmth, but also ghostly elements really took me by surprise. That's why I hope it gains momentum with readers and finds its audience. What I loved was the world building, but the characters Bells and Rhett have such memorable elements. Without giving anything away, we do have scenarios that are comparable to the Triwizard Tournament, and even the Yule Ball which are done creatively that it feels original. I hope this isn't the last time we visit this world and characters because there's so much to revisit.
Also a quote living rent free in my brain: “A sensation of having been found”.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the early copy! #BerkleyPartner
The Monster Hunter's Librarian wasn't on my radar but it instantly became my comfort autumnal read and is the perfect fall weekend read. It's warmth, but also ghostly elements really took me by surprise. That's why I hope it gains momentum with readers and finds its audience. What I loved was the world building, but the characters Bells and Rhett have such memorable elements. Without giving anything away, we do have scenarios that are comparable to the Triwizard Tournament, and even the Yule Ball which are done creatively that it feels original. I hope this isn't the last time we visit this world and characters because there's so much to revisit.
Also a quote living rent free in my brain: “A sensation of having been found”.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the early copy! #BerkleyPartner
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book didn't know what it wanted to be. Was it a paranormal romance? A mystery? A dark academia? It tried to do too much at once, so everything felt half-baked.
I really, really enjoyed the beginning. The story thrived when it introduced the world, the magic, and the library. When Rhett and Bells were at odds and the library was trying to push them together--I had so much fun! But Rhett's opinion of Bells changed wayyyy too quickly. When he came up with the nickname "Bow" for her because she wears bow ties...? I don't think I could've rolled my eyes any harder.
But I did enjoy these two together and the ending was suspenseful. The story was strong when we were in the library. I also really enjoyed the Warrior Games. But something about the story just didn't fully click for me. I'm pretty sure this is a standalone, but if there were more to the series, I wouldn't read them.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc for review.
I really, really enjoyed the beginning. The story thrived when it introduced the world, the magic, and the library. When Rhett and Bells were at odds and the library was trying to push them together--I had so much fun! But Rhett's opinion of Bells changed wayyyy too quickly. When he came up with the nickname "Bow" for her because she wears bow ties...? I don't think I could've rolled my eyes any harder.
But I did enjoy these two together and the ending was suspenseful. The story was strong when we were in the library. I also really enjoyed the Warrior Games. But something about the story just didn't fully click for me. I'm pretty sure this is a standalone, but if there were more to the series, I wouldn't read them.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc for review.
July 22, 2026
Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
This was such a magical read! I loved the idea of a sentient library and I felt like it was executed really well. I thought the whole magical world of the book was set up very well. I loved the cast of characters here! I felt that they all worked really well together. I thought Bells and Rhett had good chemistry and the yearning very well done! Overall, a great read for spooky season!
This was such a magical read! I loved the idea of a sentient library and I felt like it was executed really well. I thought the whole magical world of the book was set up very well. I loved the cast of characters here! I felt that they all worked really well together. I thought Bells and Rhett had good chemistry and the yearning very well done! Overall, a great read for spooky season!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book started off exciting for me, the magical library and witches and a monster hunter had me thinking it was a paranormal romance. Then it would make me think it was something else, because no one seemed that paranormal. It left me a little confused.
Overall the book was fun, the library was the best part. I think this could’ve been much shorter and achieved what it wanted to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC of The Monster Hunter’s Librarian.
Overall the book was fun, the library was the best part. I think this could’ve been much shorter and achieved what it wanted to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC of The Monster Hunter’s Librarian.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
rtc
September 28, 2026
I received an e-arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a pretty good read. It wasn’t perfect, hence the 4 stars instead of 5, but I enjoyed it immensely as my lunchtime read!
Belladonna Mortevue and her sister, Fina, had their magic unjustly bound for a crime their parents committed against them. Their parents were sent to the demon realm as punishment and the girls were bound and left with their auntie who was told not to teach them anything about magic. This is how they grew up, Bells being low key about trying to get info off her auntie while ‘helping her’ with the necromancy bone collecting and her sister raging and actively trying to rebel by learning common human ‘magic.’
Bells grows up to be a curious woman, full of questions about everything around her. Her sister grows up to be over the top and obnoxious, in my humble opinion. Unable to keep a human job for longer than 6 or so months, Bells finally lands a job at the Endless Library, with special permission from the magical enclave, and she’s determined to keep it. She’s obviously a worrier as she frets about losing the best job she’s ever had, a librarian at the Endless Library, a lot. This gives her the drive to be the best she can at her job. Makes sense since she is so full of questions and the Endless Library probably contains a lot of answers. But she also seems to enjoy helping people find answers to their own questions.
Rhett is a ‘young’ hunter frantically seeking out a way to cure his father as his mother, one of the best hunters of her age, is out on a job and no one is able to contact her. He’s quite grumpy and doesn’t need the beautiful librarian Bells making him lose his focus. He’s already carrying a lot of guilt over the death of his friend after all. He smartly takes a two-pronged approach to trying to save his father. One, win the hunter’s tournament and get the all-powerful healing chalice from the hunter guardian to cure his father. Two, do a sh*t ton of research at the endless library searching for another way to cure his father. But the library keeps pushing Bells into his orbit, knowing that he needs help.
Maybe it’s because I work in the library industry, but the idea of a sentient library was awesome! I wish there was a little more exploration of the Endless Library while Bells (aka Belladonna) is working there. I do love how the library responds when someone points out that there are patrons out there that aren’t getting their needs met. While it’s usually the library staff that have to notice and make the adjustments, here the library has an active hand in creating a solution.
Plotwise, man did it take forever for Rhett to actually get his head out of his butt and accept some help. We were almost a third of the way through the book before these two actually started talking. Their relationship felt like it went from 0 to 60 in a flash once they did finally start talking, which I wasn’t such a fan of. It’s like a switch was flipped in Rhett and her went from sort of hating her to lusting after her to being 100% absolutely in love with her. It was a waste of 100+ pages to not have them develop some sort of repour in the beginning and then the romance felt squished into the last -200 pages. Don’t get me wrong, the author tried to extend their romance by casually mentioning that a month or more goes by, but we were told this, not shown in anyway. To the reader it’s like a day has gone by because nothing else changes. If you missed that sentence, you wouldn’t have a clue so much time went by.
I also didn’t appreciate how everyone just assumes that Bells is weak and needs all the protecting. Like, ALL the protecting. Fina and Rhett were a bit overbearing about it. And I get that she sucks at classic weapon battles, but they also didn’t try very hard to help her improve at any point in time save maybe 5 minutes of attempting to throw a knife that was more like foreplay to smexy times. Maybe it’s just because I like to think anyone is capable, but Rhett’s excuses for not including Bells in most events really annoyed me and it serves him right that she found another way.
But that said, I really did enjoy this book. Scottie, Vale, The Smith, Rhett’s dad, etc were all great supporting cast. Fina, not so much. I can’t handle a side character whose mission in life is to be the center of attention by any loud and/or flamboyant means necessary. Her ‘snark’ was mostly just plain rude and overbearing. I’m glad she didn’t really come out of the woodworks until the last bit of the books cause oh boy was she a lot and her hell bent need to show up and undermine the enclave was just…annoying attention seeking, in my opinion. But the rest of them were like found family, in a way, for Bells.
I loved the library and everything involved in it. The magic of the world was pretty cool, and I hope we somehow get more of it in future because having it more fleshed out would be great. We get the library, the academy and the woods in varying degrees and I would love more. The library, obviously, gets the most attention with the woods following up because of Rhett doing the hunter challenges. The academy is barely covered and could use a lot more page time if this book turns into a series somehow. I enjoyed the small variety of tasks the Hunter gave the contestants. The animals, beasts and inhabitants were pretty cool too. In general I just wanted more!
The spicy/smexy times were alright. I think I maybe wasn’t as into them because they felt kinda fast, though I appreciated Rhett for pumping the brakes the first time saying he wanted their relationship to be further along before he ‘took her to bed,’ so to speak. If you are expecting a huge, detailed, type of encounters, you’re going to be a bit disappointed. The lead ups are decently descripted, but the act is more of a quick and done version. I think the classroom one was probably the best, though I didn’t like how they came about to the situation.
Tropes:
Grumpy-sunshine romance
Possessive/over-protective MMC
You could argue enemies to lovers…sorta
Insta-lust
Near insta-love
This was a pretty good read. It wasn’t perfect, hence the 4 stars instead of 5, but I enjoyed it immensely as my lunchtime read!
Belladonna Mortevue and her sister, Fina, had their magic unjustly bound for a crime their parents committed against them. Their parents were sent to the demon realm as punishment and the girls were bound and left with their auntie who was told not to teach them anything about magic. This is how they grew up, Bells being low key about trying to get info off her auntie while ‘helping her’ with the necromancy bone collecting and her sister raging and actively trying to rebel by learning common human ‘magic.’
Bells grows up to be a curious woman, full of questions about everything around her. Her sister grows up to be over the top and obnoxious, in my humble opinion. Unable to keep a human job for longer than 6 or so months, Bells finally lands a job at the Endless Library, with special permission from the magical enclave, and she’s determined to keep it. She’s obviously a worrier as she frets about losing the best job she’s ever had, a librarian at the Endless Library, a lot. This gives her the drive to be the best she can at her job. Makes sense since she is so full of questions and the Endless Library probably contains a lot of answers. But she also seems to enjoy helping people find answers to their own questions.
Rhett is a ‘young’ hunter frantically seeking out a way to cure his father as his mother, one of the best hunters of her age, is out on a job and no one is able to contact her. He’s quite grumpy and doesn’t need the beautiful librarian Bells making him lose his focus. He’s already carrying a lot of guilt over the death of his friend after all. He smartly takes a two-pronged approach to trying to save his father. One, win the hunter’s tournament and get the all-powerful healing chalice from the hunter guardian to cure his father. Two, do a sh*t ton of research at the endless library searching for another way to cure his father. But the library keeps pushing Bells into his orbit, knowing that he needs help.
Maybe it’s because I work in the library industry, but the idea of a sentient library was awesome! I wish there was a little more exploration of the Endless Library while Bells (aka Belladonna) is working there. I do love how the library responds when someone points out that there are patrons out there that aren’t getting their needs met. While it’s usually the library staff that have to notice and make the adjustments, here the library has an active hand in creating a solution.
Plotwise, man did it take forever for Rhett to actually get his head out of his butt and accept some help. We were almost a third of the way through the book before these two actually started talking. Their relationship felt like it went from 0 to 60 in a flash once they did finally start talking, which I wasn’t such a fan of. It’s like a switch was flipped in Rhett and her went from sort of hating her to lusting after her to being 100% absolutely in love with her. It was a waste of 100+ pages to not have them develop some sort of repour in the beginning and then the romance felt squished into the last -200 pages. Don’t get me wrong, the author tried to extend their romance by casually mentioning that a month or more goes by, but we were told this, not shown in anyway. To the reader it’s like a day has gone by because nothing else changes. If you missed that sentence, you wouldn’t have a clue so much time went by.
I also didn’t appreciate how everyone just assumes that Bells is weak and needs all the protecting. Like, ALL the protecting. Fina and Rhett were a bit overbearing about it. And I get that she sucks at classic weapon battles, but they also didn’t try very hard to help her improve at any point in time save maybe 5 minutes of attempting to throw a knife that was more like foreplay to smexy times. Maybe it’s just because I like to think anyone is capable, but Rhett’s excuses for not including Bells in most events really annoyed me and it serves him right that she found another way.
But that said, I really did enjoy this book. Scottie, Vale, The Smith, Rhett’s dad, etc were all great supporting cast. Fina, not so much. I can’t handle a side character whose mission in life is to be the center of attention by any loud and/or flamboyant means necessary. Her ‘snark’ was mostly just plain rude and overbearing. I’m glad she didn’t really come out of the woodworks until the last bit of the books cause oh boy was she a lot and her hell bent need to show up and undermine the enclave was just…annoying attention seeking, in my opinion. But the rest of them were like found family, in a way, for Bells.
I loved the library and everything involved in it. The magic of the world was pretty cool, and I hope we somehow get more of it in future because having it more fleshed out would be great. We get the library, the academy and the woods in varying degrees and I would love more. The library, obviously, gets the most attention with the woods following up because of Rhett doing the hunter challenges. The academy is barely covered and could use a lot more page time if this book turns into a series somehow. I enjoyed the small variety of tasks the Hunter gave the contestants. The animals, beasts and inhabitants were pretty cool too. In general I just wanted more!
The spicy/smexy times were alright. I think I maybe wasn’t as into them because they felt kinda fast, though I appreciated Rhett for pumping the brakes the first time saying he wanted their relationship to be further along before he ‘took her to bed,’ so to speak. If you are expecting a huge, detailed, type of encounters, you’re going to be a bit disappointed. The lead ups are decently descripted, but the act is more of a quick and done version. I think the classroom one was probably the best, though I didn’t like how they came about to the situation.
Tropes:
Grumpy-sunshine romance
Possessive/over-protective MMC
You could argue enemies to lovers…sorta
Insta-lust
Near insta-love
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Monster Hunter's Librarian
~Lauren Connolly
The Monster Hunter's Librarian by Lauren Connolly isn't the typical fantasy that simply hands you a table of contents and wishes you luck. Instead, it drops you into a library that decides where you're going. It doesn't wait for you to politely wander through the front door. It grabs you by the collar, drags you between towering shelves, and quietly locks the door behind you. Truth be told, by the time it does, you won't want the key anyway.
Belladonna "Bells" Mortevue has spent the last twenty years paying for a crime she never committed. Branded by the sins of her necromancer parents, she was stripped of her magic at just six years old and forced to grow up carrying a burden that was never hers to bear. Now, her only chance at reclaiming both her magic and her place in society comes through the Endless Library. With the approval of the Magical Conclave, she accepts a position as the library's newest librarian, if the library itself deems her worthy.
Equipped with a name badge, enchanted rings unlike any issued before, a pocket watch from the mysterious, and oddly named, The Smith, Bells is granted access to the library's endless corridors and ever-changing magic. But the Endless Library has plans of its own, and those plans keep steering her toward Rhett Waltham.
Rhett is a monster hunter with little patience for distractions, especially one as captivating as Bells. He's racing against time to save his human father, who has been infected by a wraith bite and is slowly transforming into one himself. If Rhett can't uncover a cure hidden somewhere within the library's impossible shelves or win the coveted Chalice of Healing through the warrior trials, the Magical Conclave will have no choice but to execute his father before the transformation is complete.
Both Bells and Rhett are carrying dangerous secrets. Yet while they're busy fighting their own battles, something far more sinister is spreading through the walls of the Endless Library itself. A sickness is quietly consuming the realm, and the library seems determined to force these two reluctant allies together before it's too late.
Connolly's biggest strength is her character work. Bells is the heartbeat of the story, and she earns every bit of that role. She's a woman who endured unimaginable trauma at a young age, lost everything she'd ever known, and learned to keep her hopes small enough to survive disappointment. Watching her slowly grow into someone who proves she's far more than the labels placed upon her is one of the novel's greatest rewards. Everyone sees her perceived weaknesses as liabilities, yet they're ultimately what make her strongest. Because of everything she's endured, Bells has become adaptable, resilient, and far more capable than anyone gives her credit for. My only real irritation was the repetitive worry about losing her job because of one patron refusing her assistance. Still, I understand it served as an important piece of both Bells' and Rhett's character development. A necessary evil, if you will.
Rhett is the quintessential grump, testing readers' patience almost immediately, but for good reason. If the truth behind why he's at the Endless Library comes to light, it could cost his father his life. Beneath the prickly exterior lies a man driven by love, guilt, and an aching desire to hold on to the people who matter most. And once Rhett finally claims what is his, he'll move mountains to protect it. That's the kind of devotion readers can't help but root for.
The supporting cast is equally enjoyable. Vale, Daniel, Fina, Uma, Scottie, Arnold, and The Smith all bring something memorable to the story. Scottie, in particular, steals nearly every scene he's in, delivering some of the funniest moments in the book while proving himself to be exactly the best friend Rhett needs. His growing friendship with Bells was another highlight. I sincerely hope Connolly has multiple sequels planned because this world has far too many intriguing characters to leave behind. I'd love to spend more time with Rhett and Bells, Uma and Arnold, Scottie, Fina, Vale and Daniel, and especially The Smith. I'd also love to dive deeper into the histories of The Warrior, The Witch, and The Wanderer, whose lore feels ripe for expansion.
Then there's the Endless Library itself.
For this unapologetic book nerd, the library is the novel's most captivating character. It's a living, breathing, sulking, conspiring entity with a personality all its own. One moment it's warm and welcoming, wrapping itself around its visitors like a favorite reading nook. The next, it's quietly unsettling, its walls humming with a creeping wrongness that gives the entire story a pulse.
The dual POV allows readers to experience both Bells' and Rhett's perspectives, making their growing relationship and individual struggles feel equally important. Bells captures your attention from the very first page, and her chapters transition seamlessly into Rhett's. The pacing remains steady throughout, though readers should know this is very much a slow burn. Rather than nonstop action, the story focuses on building romantic tension, unraveling mysteries, and the steadily spreading sickness threatening both the library and the realm.
If you enjoy slow-burn grumpy-sunshine romances, sentient settings with personalities of their own, found family, and a strong heroine you'll want to add The Monster Hunter's Librarian by Lauren Connolly to your reading list. Releasing on November 17, 2026, it's available now for preorder on Amazon.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley, and Lauren Connolly for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC for The Monster Hunter's Librarian. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of The Monster Hunter's Librarian.
~Lauren Connolly
The Monster Hunter's Librarian by Lauren Connolly isn't the typical fantasy that simply hands you a table of contents and wishes you luck. Instead, it drops you into a library that decides where you're going. It doesn't wait for you to politely wander through the front door. It grabs you by the collar, drags you between towering shelves, and quietly locks the door behind you. Truth be told, by the time it does, you won't want the key anyway.
Belladonna "Bells" Mortevue has spent the last twenty years paying for a crime she never committed. Branded by the sins of her necromancer parents, she was stripped of her magic at just six years old and forced to grow up carrying a burden that was never hers to bear. Now, her only chance at reclaiming both her magic and her place in society comes through the Endless Library. With the approval of the Magical Conclave, she accepts a position as the library's newest librarian, if the library itself deems her worthy.
Equipped with a name badge, enchanted rings unlike any issued before, a pocket watch from the mysterious, and oddly named, The Smith, Bells is granted access to the library's endless corridors and ever-changing magic. But the Endless Library has plans of its own, and those plans keep steering her toward Rhett Waltham.
Rhett is a monster hunter with little patience for distractions, especially one as captivating as Bells. He's racing against time to save his human father, who has been infected by a wraith bite and is slowly transforming into one himself. If Rhett can't uncover a cure hidden somewhere within the library's impossible shelves or win the coveted Chalice of Healing through the warrior trials, the Magical Conclave will have no choice but to execute his father before the transformation is complete.
Both Bells and Rhett are carrying dangerous secrets. Yet while they're busy fighting their own battles, something far more sinister is spreading through the walls of the Endless Library itself. A sickness is quietly consuming the realm, and the library seems determined to force these two reluctant allies together before it's too late.
Connolly's biggest strength is her character work. Bells is the heartbeat of the story, and she earns every bit of that role. She's a woman who endured unimaginable trauma at a young age, lost everything she'd ever known, and learned to keep her hopes small enough to survive disappointment. Watching her slowly grow into someone who proves she's far more than the labels placed upon her is one of the novel's greatest rewards. Everyone sees her perceived weaknesses as liabilities, yet they're ultimately what make her strongest. Because of everything she's endured, Bells has become adaptable, resilient, and far more capable than anyone gives her credit for. My only real irritation was the repetitive worry about losing her job because of one patron refusing her assistance. Still, I understand it served as an important piece of both Bells' and Rhett's character development. A necessary evil, if you will.
Rhett is the quintessential grump, testing readers' patience almost immediately, but for good reason. If the truth behind why he's at the Endless Library comes to light, it could cost his father his life. Beneath the prickly exterior lies a man driven by love, guilt, and an aching desire to hold on to the people who matter most. And once Rhett finally claims what is his, he'll move mountains to protect it. That's the kind of devotion readers can't help but root for.
The supporting cast is equally enjoyable. Vale, Daniel, Fina, Uma, Scottie, Arnold, and The Smith all bring something memorable to the story. Scottie, in particular, steals nearly every scene he's in, delivering some of the funniest moments in the book while proving himself to be exactly the best friend Rhett needs. His growing friendship with Bells was another highlight. I sincerely hope Connolly has multiple sequels planned because this world has far too many intriguing characters to leave behind. I'd love to spend more time with Rhett and Bells, Uma and Arnold, Scottie, Fina, Vale and Daniel, and especially The Smith. I'd also love to dive deeper into the histories of The Warrior, The Witch, and The Wanderer, whose lore feels ripe for expansion.
Then there's the Endless Library itself.
For this unapologetic book nerd, the library is the novel's most captivating character. It's a living, breathing, sulking, conspiring entity with a personality all its own. One moment it's warm and welcoming, wrapping itself around its visitors like a favorite reading nook. The next, it's quietly unsettling, its walls humming with a creeping wrongness that gives the entire story a pulse.
The dual POV allows readers to experience both Bells' and Rhett's perspectives, making their growing relationship and individual struggles feel equally important. Bells captures your attention from the very first page, and her chapters transition seamlessly into Rhett's. The pacing remains steady throughout, though readers should know this is very much a slow burn. Rather than nonstop action, the story focuses on building romantic tension, unraveling mysteries, and the steadily spreading sickness threatening both the library and the realm.
If you enjoy slow-burn grumpy-sunshine romances, sentient settings with personalities of their own, found family, and a strong heroine you'll want to add The Monster Hunter's Librarian by Lauren Connolly to your reading list. Releasing on November 17, 2026, it's available now for preorder on Amazon.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley, and Lauren Connolly for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC for The Monster Hunter's Librarian. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of The Monster Hunter's Librarian.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love that I know Lauren Connolly's voice. I found it so fun to see how she writes contemporary romance and then a romantasy. She has a clear voice and knows how to tell a story. I am always surprised and intrigued when authors decide to move away from their "usual" genre. But here she excelled and I can't wait to keep reading more romantasy or fantasy novels from her.
The Monster Hunter's Librarian was such a fun read. I was immediately pulled in by the world and the magic. I love when authors can take a magic system and turn it on it's head. I felt the mix of modern day and magic was well done. I really enjoyed the idea that magic lives in a dimension and that those who wield magic live in modern times and enter the dimension to use their magic. I also enjoyed how there seemed to be designations for the type of magic wielded but not necessarily a true hierarchy or the impression that one type of magic was better than any other. With the exception of necromancy.
The sentient library was probably my favorite part of the whole book. What do you mean there is a library that can show you different worlds? Or take you to the book you may need? Or keep you from hitting the ground if you fall? Or dry you off if you fall into water? Or build a new room simply because it was asked to? I loved that the library was it's own character that seemed to have it's own unique voice though we never really hear the voice.
I truly loved both Bells and Rhett. I loved how earnest and vulnerable Bells was. She simply wanted to find her place in the life and in the library. And because she just loved people and saw them for who they were, there was this beautiful kinship between her and the library. You could tell that she simply loved the library and the library responded to her joy and devotion. My heart broke for Bells in knowing her past and history. I could never imagine going through what she went through by her family and the magical community. But because of what Bells lost, it made her this person who fought for what she wanted and I found her to remarkably resilient.
Rhett was so grumpy but had a heart of gold. His only desire was to help his family but in order to help his family he may have to break a few rules. And because he was trying to save his family, I'll forgive him being rude to Bells. Mostly because he saw the light in the end. Or rather the library showed him the truth. Bells was trustworthy and could help him find the answers he sought.
One thing I do wish that had been a little different was the romance between Rhett and Bells. I can't say it felt like a slow burn. But it definitely felt like blink and there it is. There was the initial attraction but the romance never built in the same way I am used to when it comes to Lauren Connolly books. But at the end of the day, it didn't matter, because I was rooting for them anyways.
Despite the lack of romance, in my opinion, the friendships and platonic relationships were top tier! Rhett and Scottie. Vale and Bells. Bells and Fina. Bells and Arnold. I will say Bells truly made this story stellar. Her ability to connect with any character had those relationships leaping off the page. I also really enjoyed the bromance between Rhett and Scottie. There was something so pure and wholesome about the boyhood friendship that has stood the test of time and tragedy. I also loved how Scottie immediately took Bells in as soon as he knew Rhett was interested in her. He wanted to get to know her but also be a good a wingman to Rhett. The other part of the book that truly stood out to me was Vale and Bells' use of ASL. I loved the representation of the deaf community. It didn't feel performative or like an afterthought. I loved that Vale's significant other was deaf and instead of forcing him to adapt, both Vale and Bells took it upon themselves to learn ASL and adapt. Even more important, was the respect that both Rhett, Fina, and Scottie showed when coming into their home. Vale and Bells had implemented a no talking rule as they were learning ASL and everyone respected this rule. Scottie in how unique way wanted to learn because he saw it mattered to Bells.
I loved this story start to finish. I would love to come back to the Endless Library and the cast of characters. I would love to spend more time in this world and learning more about it's history. This is a must add to your reading list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this early digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Monster Hunter's Librarian was such a fun read. I was immediately pulled in by the world and the magic. I love when authors can take a magic system and turn it on it's head. I felt the mix of modern day and magic was well done. I really enjoyed the idea that magic lives in a dimension and that those who wield magic live in modern times and enter the dimension to use their magic. I also enjoyed how there seemed to be designations for the type of magic wielded but not necessarily a true hierarchy or the impression that one type of magic was better than any other. With the exception of necromancy.
The sentient library was probably my favorite part of the whole book. What do you mean there is a library that can show you different worlds? Or take you to the book you may need? Or keep you from hitting the ground if you fall? Or dry you off if you fall into water? Or build a new room simply because it was asked to? I loved that the library was it's own character that seemed to have it's own unique voice though we never really hear the voice.
I truly loved both Bells and Rhett. I loved how earnest and vulnerable Bells was. She simply wanted to find her place in the life and in the library. And because she just loved people and saw them for who they were, there was this beautiful kinship between her and the library. You could tell that she simply loved the library and the library responded to her joy and devotion. My heart broke for Bells in knowing her past and history. I could never imagine going through what she went through by her family and the magical community. But because of what Bells lost, it made her this person who fought for what she wanted and I found her to remarkably resilient.
Rhett was so grumpy but had a heart of gold. His only desire was to help his family but in order to help his family he may have to break a few rules. And because he was trying to save his family, I'll forgive him being rude to Bells. Mostly because he saw the light in the end. Or rather the library showed him the truth. Bells was trustworthy and could help him find the answers he sought.
One thing I do wish that had been a little different was the romance between Rhett and Bells. I can't say it felt like a slow burn. But it definitely felt like blink and there it is. There was the initial attraction but the romance never built in the same way I am used to when it comes to Lauren Connolly books. But at the end of the day, it didn't matter, because I was rooting for them anyways.
Despite the lack of romance, in my opinion, the friendships and platonic relationships were top tier! Rhett and Scottie. Vale and Bells. Bells and Fina. Bells and Arnold. I will say Bells truly made this story stellar. Her ability to connect with any character had those relationships leaping off the page. I also really enjoyed the bromance between Rhett and Scottie. There was something so pure and wholesome about the boyhood friendship that has stood the test of time and tragedy. I also loved how Scottie immediately took Bells in as soon as he knew Rhett was interested in her. He wanted to get to know her but also be a good a wingman to Rhett. The other part of the book that truly stood out to me was Vale and Bells' use of ASL. I loved the representation of the deaf community. It didn't feel performative or like an afterthought. I loved that Vale's significant other was deaf and instead of forcing him to adapt, both Vale and Bells took it upon themselves to learn ASL and adapt. Even more important, was the respect that both Rhett, Fina, and Scottie showed when coming into their home. Vale and Bells had implemented a no talking rule as they were learning ASL and everyone respected this rule. Scottie in how unique way wanted to learn because he saw it mattered to Bells.
I loved this story start to finish. I would love to come back to the Endless Library and the cast of characters. I would love to spend more time in this world and learning more about it's history. This is a must add to your reading list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this early digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's not every day you get to read an advanced reader copy as a buddy read. Thanks, RL, for pointing this one out. So glad Netgalley approved both of us for this book.
Look, I loved almost everything about this story. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, the action was fire, and the characters were super fun.
However... the romance? Absolute crap. This book would have been a 5 star if the romance had been better. By the end of the book, we don't even get the male love interest confessing his love to the heroine. Seriously!? Yes, WE as the reader get to know he loves her... but she tells him she loves him multiple times and he says NOTHING. She even makes note that he doesn't say "I love you". You'd think that would mean we would get a meaningful scene with him declaring his love, but nope. Nothing. Not even in the epilogue.
I would definitely read more books in this world. It was well thought out and had some really fun elements. Secret magical library? Yes, please!
Please note that I will be including spoilers... but I don't intend to spoil the overall plot... just my observations of the main characters and their relationship.
We get the story of Bells and Rhett... apart, they are great characters (though Bells is WAY BETTER than Rhett). Bells was stripped of her magic when she was 6 and she gets the chance to be a librarian for the magical community. She is ecstatic and watching her fall in love with the library (and the library fall in love with her) was so fun. She starts noticing things... including the cute new hunter guy... and she goes from sad, neglected person who doesn't feel safe or wanted to a FANTASTIC kickass at the end.
Rhett is trying to save his father from death and he has to do it in secret. He tries to study in the library while not letting anyone know what he's looking for (cause he's dumb and thinks he can do everything on his own), but the library isn't having that and keeps throwing Bells in his way. The matchmaking was SUPER cute... if Rhett wasn't such a macho ass.
He ignores Bells over and over and over again. But is totally sexually attracted to her. He finally makes his move because he's jealous of another guy. And their relationship pretty much goes immediately physical. He willfully ignores everything he's ever observed about Bells and constantly treats her like she doesn't have agency. It's written like he's just being protective, but it really didn't make me feel okay for their relationship.
We even get to the end of the book where, once again, he's ignored her agency... but got jealous. They get way too physical and she tells him she loves him... and HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING BACK!!! Other than telling her h's going to sex her up. UGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!! Dude.
But... the mystery/action/adventure was fun. I loved the ending with Bells (not the romance) and I would highly recommend it if you don't care about relationship development.
Safety deets
- Sadly, we hear about Rhett sleeping around with pretty much anyone... he's not picky, except he doesn't want any commitment. Gag me. I don't need to hear about how promiscuous a love interest is. Thankfully, we don't meet any of his ex-lovers... but they really could be anywhere.
- Bells has had sex before... I think. No details. (so why did we need so many details about Rhett?)
- This is kinda a happy for now ending. I actually would be happy if they broke up and Bells ended up with someone else that could love her better... though she always maintains a relationship with Rhett's dad, cause he's a treasure.
- Supportive sisters are the best... and friends.
- Great side characters, including Scottie... and The Smith.
Look, I loved almost everything about this story. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, the action was fire, and the characters were super fun.
However... the romance? Absolute crap. This book would have been a 5 star if the romance had been better. By the end of the book, we don't even get the male love interest confessing his love to the heroine. Seriously!? Yes, WE as the reader get to know he loves her... but she tells him she loves him multiple times and he says NOTHING. She even makes note that he doesn't say "I love you". You'd think that would mean we would get a meaningful scene with him declaring his love, but nope. Nothing. Not even in the epilogue.
I would definitely read more books in this world. It was well thought out and had some really fun elements. Secret magical library? Yes, please!
Please note that I will be including spoilers... but I don't intend to spoil the overall plot... just my observations of the main characters and their relationship.
We get the story of Bells and Rhett... apart, they are great characters (though Bells is WAY BETTER than Rhett). Bells was stripped of her magic when she was 6 and she gets the chance to be a librarian for the magical community. She is ecstatic and watching her fall in love with the library (and the library fall in love with her) was so fun. She starts noticing things... including the cute new hunter guy... and she goes from sad, neglected person who doesn't feel safe or wanted to a FANTASTIC kickass at the end.
Rhett is trying to save his father from death and he has to do it in secret. He tries to study in the library while not letting anyone know what he's looking for (cause he's dumb and thinks he can do everything on his own), but the library isn't having that and keeps throwing Bells in his way. The matchmaking was SUPER cute... if Rhett wasn't such a macho ass.
He ignores Bells over and over and over again. But is totally sexually attracted to her. He finally makes his move because he's jealous of another guy. And their relationship pretty much goes immediately physical. He willfully ignores everything he's ever observed about Bells and constantly treats her like she doesn't have agency. It's written like he's just being protective, but it really didn't make me feel okay for their relationship.
We even get to the end of the book where, once again, he's ignored her agency... but got jealous. They get way too physical and she tells him she loves him... and HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING BACK!!! Other than telling her h's going to sex her up. UGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!! Dude.
But... the mystery/action/adventure was fun. I loved the ending with Bells (not the romance) and I would highly recommend it if you don't care about relationship development.
Safety deets
- Sadly, we hear about Rhett sleeping around with pretty much anyone... he's not picky, except he doesn't want any commitment. Gag me. I don't need to hear about how promiscuous a love interest is. Thankfully, we don't meet any of his ex-lovers... but they really could be anywhere.
- Bells has had sex before... I think. No details. (so why did we need so many details about Rhett?)
- This is kinda a happy for now ending. I actually would be happy if they broke up and Bells ended up with someone else that could love her better... though she always maintains a relationship with Rhett's dad, cause he's a treasure.
- Supportive sisters are the best... and friends.
- Great side characters, including Scottie... and The Smith.
November 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Woah. This book blew my mind. I almost didn’t read it after I saw the page count and the author’s content warnings, but I’m so glad I did! This book is fully engrossing and very well-thought out. Even though it was technically a romance, it was soo much more than that. In fact, while the first half was mostly a grumpy-sunshine romance, I would call the second half an adventure fantasy with a side of thriller before I’d call it a romance.
First, the parts I didn’t love: The writing style was not my favorite, as it felt a bit childish despite the often dark or sexual topics. The most frequent descriptors of dialogue were “growled” or “snapped,” which made nearly every character seem rude and unkind, and not very likable. It just also didn’t feel realistic that the characters were THAT angry all the time. I wasn’t really a fan of Rhett, like, at all. His possessiveness was wayyy too much in ways that felt toxic. Bells often put up with it when she honestly shouldn’t have. Also, Bells was mostly very insecure and anxious and unsure of herself, then would randomly very calmly and confidently make a decision, and it didn’t feel like there was always consistency in her personality.
Now, the parts I loved: THE. PLOT. This was one of the more unique plots I’ve read, and I was so fascinated by the world the author created. The library having somewhat sassy sentience was just lovely. There were so many parts of the story that had me laughing out loud. Bells’ curiosity, worldview despite her upbringing, and deep love of all things related to the library were so wholesome and beautiful. I really enjoyed Bells, in general. The plot twist definitely caught me by surprise.
Honestly, the plot was so interesting and un-put-down-able that I don’t think it needed the romance. The sex scenes kind of detracted from the storyline for me (and it made me dislike Rhett even more…). The whimsy and the mystery and the uniqueness of world with all its alternate ways things worked were so deeply enjoyable. I laughed, I oohed and ahhed, I gasped, I flew through pages with dread and suspense, and I fell in love with the Endless Library.
Normally, a book this long would usually earn less stars from me simply because it’s usually unnecessarily long with dry or repetitive parts. This book was not that. The length was perfect. Actually, I wouldn’t have been mad if there was even more! The bows were nearly wrapped and pretty much every detail was relevant in some way. I was very impressed with the author, even if her writing style wasn’t my favorite.
I will miss the world of the Guardians. I really hope the author revisits it, perhaps with a sequel or another story from a side character’s perspective. Go check this book out and give it a chance. It’s worth your while!
Woah. This book blew my mind. I almost didn’t read it after I saw the page count and the author’s content warnings, but I’m so glad I did! This book is fully engrossing and very well-thought out. Even though it was technically a romance, it was soo much more than that. In fact, while the first half was mostly a grumpy-sunshine romance, I would call the second half an adventure fantasy with a side of thriller before I’d call it a romance.
First, the parts I didn’t love: The writing style was not my favorite, as it felt a bit childish despite the often dark or sexual topics. The most frequent descriptors of dialogue were “growled” or “snapped,” which made nearly every character seem rude and unkind, and not very likable. It just also didn’t feel realistic that the characters were THAT angry all the time. I wasn’t really a fan of Rhett, like, at all. His possessiveness was wayyy too much in ways that felt toxic. Bells often put up with it when she honestly shouldn’t have. Also, Bells was mostly very insecure and anxious and unsure of herself, then would randomly very calmly and confidently make a decision, and it didn’t feel like there was always consistency in her personality.
Now, the parts I loved: THE. PLOT. This was one of the more unique plots I’ve read, and I was so fascinated by the world the author created. The library having somewhat sassy sentience was just lovely. There were so many parts of the story that had me laughing out loud. Bells’ curiosity, worldview despite her upbringing, and deep love of all things related to the library were so wholesome and beautiful. I really enjoyed Bells, in general. The plot twist definitely caught me by surprise.
Honestly, the plot was so interesting and un-put-down-able that I don’t think it needed the romance. The sex scenes kind of detracted from the storyline for me (and it made me dislike Rhett even more…). The whimsy and the mystery and the uniqueness of world with all its alternate ways things worked were so deeply enjoyable. I laughed, I oohed and ahhed, I gasped, I flew through pages with dread and suspense, and I fell in love with the Endless Library.
Normally, a book this long would usually earn less stars from me simply because it’s usually unnecessarily long with dry or repetitive parts. This book was not that. The length was perfect. Actually, I wouldn’t have been mad if there was even more! The bows were nearly wrapped and pretty much every detail was relevant in some way. I was very impressed with the author, even if her writing style wasn’t my favorite.
I will miss the world of the Guardians. I really hope the author revisits it, perhaps with a sequel or another story from a side character’s perspective. Go check this book out and give it a chance. It’s worth your while!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
I absolutely loved the sentient Library and Bells Mortevue. She's capable, clever, and compassionate. I adored her little bowties and her sweet relationship with the Library and its patrons. The library truly felt magical, with so many beautiful descriptions of the different rooms and features.
I kind of hated Rhett Waltham in the first half of the book. I did appreciate the bisexual representation and I could sympathize with his situation, but he was such a jerk and so unnecessarily. I also felt like his shift from totally rude to devoted and affectionate was too abrupt. I think it kind of makes sense with his character portrayal as someone who keeps people away by default, but if you get past that wall and become one of his chosen few then he's going to be intense about it.
There were many other fun and intriguing side characters, I wonder if any of them are cameos from other stories (this is my first book by this author) or potential set up for future stories. I really liked the mushroom girl and the portal station with many cats. I also loved the relationship between Bells and her roommate and her roommate's boyfriend. Rhett's relationship with his father was super sweet, reminded me a bit of Kip's dad from Heated Rivalry the show.
I didn't care for Fina, her dialogue often read as awkward and immersion-breaking to me as it was trying too hard to be sassy. Similarly, some of Scottie's dialogue and antics came off as more annoying than funny, but to much less of a degree than Fina.
The mystery around the library and the tension of the Warrior trials was well blended and well paced. I think overall the story felt long, but I don't necessarily think much of it could be cut (except for that extended sequence of Fina ). I would absolutely not want to sacrifice any of the scenes of Bells and the Library, since I think those are the highlight of the book and make one of the climactic scenes feel well earned.
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
I absolutely loved the sentient Library and Bells Mortevue. She's capable, clever, and compassionate. I adored her little bowties and her sweet relationship with the Library and its patrons. The library truly felt magical, with so many beautiful descriptions of the different rooms and features.
I kind of hated Rhett Waltham in the first half of the book. I did appreciate the bisexual representation and I could sympathize with his situation, but he was such a jerk and so unnecessarily. I also felt like his shift from totally rude to devoted and affectionate was too abrupt. I think it kind of makes sense with his character portrayal as someone who keeps people away by default, but if you get past that wall and become one of his chosen few then he's going to be intense about it.
There were many other fun and intriguing side characters, I wonder if any of them are cameos from other stories (this is my first book by this author) or potential set up for future stories. I really liked the mushroom girl and the portal station with many cats. I also loved the relationship between Bells and her roommate and her roommate's boyfriend. Rhett's relationship with his father was super sweet, reminded me a bit of Kip's dad from Heated Rivalry the show.
I didn't care for Fina, her dialogue often read as awkward and immersion-breaking to me as it was trying too hard to be sassy. Similarly, some of Scottie's dialogue and antics came off as more annoying than funny, but to much less of a degree than Fina.
The mystery around the library and the tension of the Warrior trials was well blended and well paced. I think overall the story felt long, but I don't necessarily think much of it could be cut (except for that extended sequence of Fina ). I would absolutely not want to sacrifice any of the scenes of Bells and the Library, since I think those are the highlight of the book and make one of the climactic scenes feel well earned.
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Monster Hunter’s Librarian is a cozy, magical paranormal romance that follows Bells, a witch librarian who’s lost her magic, and Rhett, a homeschooled monster hunter desperate to save his dying father. They meet in the Endless Library - a magical, sentient library where Bells just started working and Rhett is desperately trying to find an answer. The story that follows is full of magic, whimsy, mystery and action.
The sentient Endless Library was easily my favorite part! It was so whimsical and full of little magical details that I wanted to move in immediately and stay forever. I loved Bells’ bond with the library, the supernatural world, and all the fun side characters (especially the magical animal companions and ghosts!). I felt like some of the character development and romance could have been worked out a bit more, as the shift from one feeling to another felt pretty abrupt at times. And while Rhett’s feelings were obvious to the reader, I really wish we had got a returned "I love you." by the end...
That said, there was so much to love here! Bells was clever, compassionate, and completely adorable, and watching her grow and find a place where she belonged was incredibly satisfying. Rhett’s protective, broody personality was the perfect opposite. The magical library, mystery, trials, found family, and cozy fantasy vibes kept me invested, and I’d absolutely read more stories set in this world. There are so many intriguing side characters and magical elements that I’m hoping this becomes a series!
✨️ Cozy romantasy with paranormal elements
🔔 Grumpy x sunshine
✨️ Librarian x Monster Hunter
🔔 Sentient / enchanted library
✨️ Slow Burn
🔔 Found family
✨️ Magical trials
🔔 Supernatural romance
✨️ Protective MMC
🔔 Cozy Fantasy
✨️ Mystery & Adventure
🔔First person dual POV
Thank you Lauren Connolly, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The sentient Endless Library was easily my favorite part! It was so whimsical and full of little magical details that I wanted to move in immediately and stay forever. I loved Bells’ bond with the library, the supernatural world, and all the fun side characters (especially the magical animal companions and ghosts!). I felt like some of the character development and romance could have been worked out a bit more, as the shift from one feeling to another felt pretty abrupt at times. And while Rhett’s feelings were obvious to the reader, I really wish we had got a returned "I love you." by the end...
That said, there was so much to love here! Bells was clever, compassionate, and completely adorable, and watching her grow and find a place where she belonged was incredibly satisfying. Rhett’s protective, broody personality was the perfect opposite. The magical library, mystery, trials, found family, and cozy fantasy vibes kept me invested, and I’d absolutely read more stories set in this world. There are so many intriguing side characters and magical elements that I’m hoping this becomes a series!
✨️ Cozy romantasy with paranormal elements
🔔 Grumpy x sunshine
✨️ Librarian x Monster Hunter
🔔 Sentient / enchanted library
✨️ Slow Burn
🔔 Found family
✨️ Magical trials
🔔 Supernatural romance
✨️ Protective MMC
🔔 Cozy Fantasy
✨️ Mystery & Adventure
🔔First person dual POV
Thank you Lauren Connolly, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Lauren Connolly for a copy of the eARC.
Bells is the newly hired librarian in a sentient library. It has been multiple years since she's been stripped of her magic as her parents are horrible necromancers who may have caused too big of an uproar. She is determined to keep her job as it allows her to use the magic that she has lost. She meets Rhett, a grumpy hunter who is looking to win the Guardian trials. He is also doing some extra research at the library in case plan A doesn't work. The pair soon find out there's a more sinister power behind everything & it is trying to ruin both Rhett's family, as well as Bells workplace.
This book was very enjoyable and made me chuckle quite a bit. It's very much a grumpy x sunshine trope but there's a lot of yearning included. I love how sassy these two are with each other. Both of them also don't seem to have the best temper which makes it even more hilarious because they are both angry yet aroused at each other.
The side characters are also memorable. We have Rhett's ghostly best friend, Scottie, who also seems to be the biggest flirt, but also the greatest wingman. I found him quite attractive as he doesn't really let his death get to him. Bells sister is also an enigma. I wish there was more about her throughout the story, but she really did make a scene at the end and I love her for it.
After reading this book, nonconsensual ghost fondling will probably live rent free in my brain. I also have to give it to the author for her mention of gray sweatpants. I recommend this book if you are just looking for something fun and easy to read. Of course, the sentient library was definitely a bonus for me. It was so much fun seeing how the library reacted to different people.
Bells is the newly hired librarian in a sentient library. It has been multiple years since she's been stripped of her magic as her parents are horrible necromancers who may have caused too big of an uproar. She is determined to keep her job as it allows her to use the magic that she has lost. She meets Rhett, a grumpy hunter who is looking to win the Guardian trials. He is also doing some extra research at the library in case plan A doesn't work. The pair soon find out there's a more sinister power behind everything & it is trying to ruin both Rhett's family, as well as Bells workplace.
This book was very enjoyable and made me chuckle quite a bit. It's very much a grumpy x sunshine trope but there's a lot of yearning included. I love how sassy these two are with each other. Both of them also don't seem to have the best temper which makes it even more hilarious because they are both angry yet aroused at each other.
The side characters are also memorable. We have Rhett's ghostly best friend, Scottie, who also seems to be the biggest flirt, but also the greatest wingman. I found him quite attractive as he doesn't really let his death get to him. Bells sister is also an enigma. I wish there was more about her throughout the story, but she really did make a scene at the end and I love her for it.
After reading this book, nonconsensual ghost fondling will probably live rent free in my brain. I also have to give it to the author for her mention of gray sweatpants. I recommend this book if you are just looking for something fun and easy to read. Of course, the sentient library was definitely a bonus for me. It was so much fun seeing how the library reacted to different people.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC gifted in exchange for review.
I had the most wonderful time reading this book. The world building was phenomenal. I loved the idea of this endless sentient magical library. I felt so protective of Bells from the first time I encountered her. The way the magical conclave punished her and her sister for their parents’ crimes was sick. I get why Fina hated them so much and why Bells didn’t want to tell her that she had gotten the interview and job at the library.
Rhett took longer to grow on me but now he’s one of my favorite characters. Under that gruff exterior, he’s just a big old marshmallow with a heart of gold.
There was some absolutely delicious spice in this story that was so well done.
The slow build of their romance was so fun to watch but my favorite part was definitely watching Bells form the relationship she did with the library, and its inhabitants. There was such a special bond there from day one and I loved that. I loved how kind her heart was, and how she formed her own special relationship with Scotty even when she and Rhett didn’t get along.
The way Lauren was able to convey how abandoned, touch starved and lonely Bells felt from childhood to adulthood was so poignant. She always had to shrink herself to be more acceptable and more palatable. She finally found the place that loved her questions, and a man who wanted to entertain all her curiosity, who saw her scars and kissed them because they were a part of her, and subsequently beautiful to to him. Rhett and Bells needed each other, and complimented each other so well. She helped him heal from all the guilt he felt about his role in Scotty’s death.
I hope we get to see more of this world and I will definitely be recommending this to all my friends.
I had the most wonderful time reading this book. The world building was phenomenal. I loved the idea of this endless sentient magical library. I felt so protective of Bells from the first time I encountered her. The way the magical conclave punished her and her sister for their parents’ crimes was sick. I get why Fina hated them so much and why Bells didn’t want to tell her that she had gotten the interview and job at the library.
Rhett took longer to grow on me but now he’s one of my favorite characters. Under that gruff exterior, he’s just a big old marshmallow with a heart of gold.
There was some absolutely delicious spice in this story that was so well done.
The slow build of their romance was so fun to watch but my favorite part was definitely watching Bells form the relationship she did with the library, and its inhabitants. There was such a special bond there from day one and I loved that. I loved how kind her heart was, and how she formed her own special relationship with Scotty even when she and Rhett didn’t get along.
The way Lauren was able to convey how abandoned, touch starved and lonely Bells felt from childhood to adulthood was so poignant. She always had to shrink herself to be more acceptable and more palatable. She finally found the place that loved her questions, and a man who wanted to entertain all her curiosity, who saw her scars and kissed them because they were a part of her, and subsequently beautiful to to him. Rhett and Bells needed each other, and complimented each other so well. She helped him heal from all the guilt he felt about his role in Scotty’s death.
I hope we get to see more of this world and I will definitely be recommending this to all my friends.
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