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How to Seduce a Dark Lord
Not yet published
Expected 23 Feb 27A charismatic young necromancer decides the safest path to power is seducing a dark lord instead of becoming one in this witty and endearingly macabre queer paranormal rom-com by Bridgette Way.
Kieran Prentiss, necromancer prodigy and New York’s “Most Darling Devil,” has a secret: he’s a pacifist. Though the world expects him to rise as the next great villain, Kieran has no interest in ruling—or killing—anyone.
After an encounter with Dark Lord du Maurier—known to his fans as LdM, New York’s infamously fearsome and impossibly attractive ruler—an idea strikes: why become a dark lord when he can seduce one instead? Under the guise of managing LdM’s PR for the upcoming Dark Leader of the Northeast competition, Kieran enters LdM’s orbit with one goal: getting LdM to put a ring on it.
But when the competition goes awry, it becomes clear someone wants to oust LdM. Faced with assassination attempts, cutthroat political schemes, and evidence LdM's hiding a tender heart beneath his three-piece suits, Kieran’s carefully planned seduction unravels. As the line between scheming and true feelings blurs, Kieran must navigate falling for the man he’s been lying to since day one, secure his future as trophy husband, and avoid the assassins' crosshairs.
Kieran Prentiss, necromancer prodigy and New York’s “Most Darling Devil,” has a secret: he’s a pacifist. Though the world expects him to rise as the next great villain, Kieran has no interest in ruling—or killing—anyone.
After an encounter with Dark Lord du Maurier—known to his fans as LdM, New York’s infamously fearsome and impossibly attractive ruler—an idea strikes: why become a dark lord when he can seduce one instead? Under the guise of managing LdM’s PR for the upcoming Dark Leader of the Northeast competition, Kieran enters LdM’s orbit with one goal: getting LdM to put a ring on it.
But when the competition goes awry, it becomes clear someone wants to oust LdM. Faced with assassination attempts, cutthroat political schemes, and evidence LdM's hiding a tender heart beneath his three-piece suits, Kieran’s carefully planned seduction unravels. As the line between scheming and true feelings blurs, Kieran must navigate falling for the man he’s been lying to since day one, secure his future as trophy husband, and avoid the assassins' crosshairs.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 23, 2027
About the author
Bridgette Way
1 book7 followersBridgette (she/her) writes comedic fantasy novels about messy queer people finding happy endings. She lives in Naarm Melbourne, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong peoples, with her wife and two fantastically round cats. She has a PhD in Law and Legal Studies, an MA in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory, and a BA in Sociology.
Before the sun is up, you can find her typing like a gremlin to turn the stories in her head into books. During the day, she pretends to be a Serious Academic. The rest of the time, she’s either at the gym, eating something carb-heavy and full of cheese, or bothering her cats.
Before the sun is up, you can find her typing like a gremlin to turn the stories in her head into books. During the day, she pretends to be a Serious Academic. The rest of the time, she’s either at the gym, eating something carb-heavy and full of cheese, or bothering her cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read this for the romance and sadly it fell flat. There were one or two mildly charged scenes in the first half and then they were dating. They even had the talk. And yet I still felt like I didn’t know either of these characters. Their kisses and sex scenes were also pretty lukewarm. There was too much time spent on the competition and not enough on the romance, I think.
And that’s the other thing. I don’t really like competition plots. I’ve tried, I keep trying. They’re just never interesting enough. I did like that the love interest was the one competing this time around, but since this is only Kieran’s POV, I felt like a spectator watching another spectator, if that makes sense. So any of LdM’s wins felt unearned and any losses felt meh. I would have loved to see LdM’s perspective in this book.
It wasn’t all bad though. All the jokes about necromancy and their love of death were fun. The scene with Kieran’s family and LdM was so cute. This was an easy read, the side characters were great (I really liked Gerty). The world didn’t make a lot of sense, but I was willing to look past it.
I wanted to love it more, but oh well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
And that’s the other thing. I don’t really like competition plots. I’ve tried, I keep trying. They’re just never interesting enough. I did like that the love interest was the one competing this time around, but since this is only Kieran’s POV, I felt like a spectator watching another spectator, if that makes sense. So any of LdM’s wins felt unearned and any losses felt meh. I would have loved to see LdM’s perspective in this book.
It wasn’t all bad though. All the jokes about necromancy and their love of death were fun. The scene with Kieran’s family and LdM was so cute. This was an easy read, the side characters were great (I really liked Gerty). The world didn’t make a lot of sense, but I was willing to look past it.
I wanted to love it more, but oh well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
Want to Read
August 28, 2026This seems like Assistant to the Villain but gay. I love it 💀
September 14, 2026
Yum yum yum!!! I devoured this! It was so good! I thought Kieran’s whole quest to get the dark lord to marry him and then catching feelings himself was so fun! I loved how over the top Lord du Maurier was. He’s so funny and even though he’s like this big bad he still cares about all of the people who work for him and who live in his city.
The romance in this is a little on the back burner since there’s a lot going on with the competition and trust issues. If you’re looking for spice heavy this has a couple chapters and spicy scenes but not a ton! I really enjoyed the competition and all of the side characters I feel like it was so fun!
I definitely recommend this is you’re looking for a fun read! This was honestly such a good time!!
Read if you like:
Magical system
Necromancer
Assistant X Boss
Single POV
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
The romance in this is a little on the back burner since there’s a lot going on with the competition and trust issues. If you’re looking for spice heavy this has a couple chapters and spicy scenes but not a ton! I really enjoyed the competition and all of the side characters I feel like it was so fun!
I definitely recommend this is you’re looking for a fun read! This was honestly such a good time!!
Read if you like:
Magical system
Necromancer
Assistant X Boss
Single POV
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Want to Read
August 28, 2026I could NOT resist this cover and title!!!!
Debut paranormal queer romance? YESSSSS
Debut paranormal queer romance? YESSSSS
Want to Read
August 28, 2026I am seated and ready for this
September 6, 2026
Kieran Prentiss, one of the top gifted necromancers, has no desire to become a dark lord. Having just graduated, everyone is waiting to see what he'll do next. Being a people pleaser, he keeps dodging the question while trying to figure out how to have a non-violent career that won't disappoint his adoring fans. After a run in with Dark Lord du Maurier at Kieran's graduation ball, he realizes being a dark consort fits all his needs. Now he just has to convince LdM to marry him, but it's harder than he anticipates since LdM is convinced that Kieran is trying to usurp him.
What a delightfully absurd book. I loved this so much. The magic system was interesting even though not fully delved into, and the idea that villains take over cities either by conquering or competing, and competing comes with benefits from the villain council is so great and funny. The fact that the competition is basically expecting bribes and cheating while being a legitimate body is honestly kind of too close to how it works in real life if I'm honest. I love that even with conquering cities. there are some dark lords who Kieran hasn't heard of because he hasn't even heard of their cities.
Kieran is such a fun protagonist. In a sea of novels with dual POV, I was so happy we were only in his head the whole time. It makes the uncertainty he feels more real for the reader. Especially in the third act, to not know what LdM was feeling really added some tension to relationship. I adored how all his complimentary phrases all revolved around death and decay because he finds death so beautiful. It was fun to see what new grotesque phrase he was going to use that was meant to be a good thing.
Dark Lord du Maurier has the air of a comic book villain but believes a dark lord should take care of his constituents, even if they are worms. His dead pan responses to Kieran are a great balance to how animated Kieran is. I loved how every time Kieran did something unexpected, LdM was basically like DASTARDLY VILLAIN, YOU WILL NOT FOOL ME WITH YOUR PLOYS. Rinse and repeat but in a fun way. Watching him start to slowly trust Kieran was really satisfying, and his close relationships with some of his workers was really sweet.
Shoutout to the scene where they are breaking and entering and Kieran insists they take off their shoes before walking through the house because it's unfathomable to wear your outside shoes in someone's house - even someone you suspect is your enemy.
The competition was fun and allowed the relationship to progress and move along with a believable timeline. It felt like the characters were actually in situations that forced them to grow. I found LdM's backstory to not be as compelling as I think it was meant to be, and the reaction in the third act to be a bit overblown considering they are both villains (albeit, not as violent as others), but I had so much fun with the rest of the book that it didn't really bother me.
This was a solid 4.5 for me and I would recommend this in a heartbeat.
Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the ARC!
What a delightfully absurd book. I loved this so much. The magic system was interesting even though not fully delved into, and the idea that villains take over cities either by conquering or competing, and competing comes with benefits from the villain council is so great and funny. The fact that the competition is basically expecting bribes and cheating while being a legitimate body is honestly kind of too close to how it works in real life if I'm honest. I love that even with conquering cities. there are some dark lords who Kieran hasn't heard of because he hasn't even heard of their cities.
Kieran is such a fun protagonist. In a sea of novels with dual POV, I was so happy we were only in his head the whole time. It makes the uncertainty he feels more real for the reader. Especially in the third act, to not know what LdM was feeling really added some tension to relationship. I adored how all his complimentary phrases all revolved around death and decay because he finds death so beautiful. It was fun to see what new grotesque phrase he was going to use that was meant to be a good thing.
Dark Lord du Maurier has the air of a comic book villain but believes a dark lord should take care of his constituents, even if they are worms. His dead pan responses to Kieran are a great balance to how animated Kieran is. I loved how every time Kieran did something unexpected, LdM was basically like DASTARDLY VILLAIN, YOU WILL NOT FOOL ME WITH YOUR PLOYS. Rinse and repeat but in a fun way. Watching him start to slowly trust Kieran was really satisfying, and his close relationships with some of his workers was really sweet.
Shoutout to the scene where they are breaking and entering and Kieran insists they take off their shoes before walking through the house because it's unfathomable to wear your outside shoes in someone's house - even someone you suspect is your enemy.
The competition was fun and allowed the relationship to progress and move along with a believable timeline. It felt like the characters were actually in situations that forced them to grow. I found LdM's backstory to not be as compelling as I think it was meant to be, and the reaction in the third act to be a bit overblown considering they are both villains (albeit, not as violent as others), but I had so much fun with the rest of the book that it didn't really bother me.
This was a solid 4.5 for me and I would recommend this in a heartbeat.
Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for the ARC!
September 13, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I loved the idea of a world run by superheroes and supervillains, and I also loved the idea of a necromancer deciding that the best path forward is to seduce a top supervillain to be that guy's dark consort instead of taking over a city himself, so I was very excited to read this book, and for the most part, it delivered in spades. Kieran, the darling devil of New York, is a powerful, people-pleasing necromancer who is squeamish about killing anyone, a PR master, and a big fan of Dark Lord du Maurier even before they meet. LdM is a powerful, paranoid dark lord who is mostly amused by Kieran joining him as his PR rep at the beginning, confident that the young upstart is making a bold ploy towards an underhanded assassination attempt and actually very much looking forward to it. Their interactions make the book, with Kieran slowly charming LdM and getting him to open up throughout the competition to make LdM the Dark Lord of the Northeast and dodging assassination attempts from mysterious entities. In terms of time span, it's kind of a fast-burn, since the competition is only held in a 6 week period, but their chemistry is electric and banter affectionate even before LdM slowly starts to trust Kieran and Kieran starts to feel conflicted about his own plans of seduction. The smut is quite hot, and the supporting cast for the most part is very fun too (special shout out to Gerty, my favorite vicious executive assistant, and Mittens, the best skeleton cat). The worldbuilding is fairly detailed, although some parts are a little bit complicated if you stare at it too long, like how cities can remain functional with dark lords trying to overthrow each other every year.
The main reason I'm taking a star off though is that as darling as Kieran is, it strains the limits of disbelief that he managed to be the top student in the villain school without ever having killed someone. In fact, the narrative actually seems to go out of its way to try and make Kieran as unproblematic as possible for a villain, making him squeamish about any kind of violence and agonizing over his plot to seduce LdM. It would have been more interesting to have Kieran less saintly, and I think would have lent the 3rd act breakup a bit more depth as well.
That being said, this is a great villain romance story with necromancers that you should definitely check out if fantasy M/M romance novels are your thing.
I loved the idea of a world run by superheroes and supervillains, and I also loved the idea of a necromancer deciding that the best path forward is to seduce a top supervillain to be that guy's dark consort instead of taking over a city himself, so I was very excited to read this book, and for the most part, it delivered in spades. Kieran, the darling devil of New York, is a powerful, people-pleasing necromancer who is squeamish about killing anyone, a PR master, and a big fan of Dark Lord du Maurier even before they meet. LdM is a powerful, paranoid dark lord who is mostly amused by Kieran joining him as his PR rep at the beginning, confident that the young upstart is making a bold ploy towards an underhanded assassination attempt and actually very much looking forward to it. Their interactions make the book, with Kieran slowly charming LdM and getting him to open up throughout the competition to make LdM the Dark Lord of the Northeast and dodging assassination attempts from mysterious entities. In terms of time span, it's kind of a fast-burn, since the competition is only held in a 6 week period, but their chemistry is electric and banter affectionate even before LdM slowly starts to trust Kieran and Kieran starts to feel conflicted about his own plans of seduction. The smut is quite hot, and the supporting cast for the most part is very fun too (special shout out to Gerty, my favorite vicious executive assistant, and Mittens, the best skeleton cat). The worldbuilding is fairly detailed, although some parts are a little bit complicated if you stare at it too long, like how cities can remain functional with dark lords trying to overthrow each other every year.
The main reason I'm taking a star off though is that as darling as Kieran is, it strains the limits of disbelief that he managed to be the top student in the villain school without ever having killed someone. In fact, the narrative actually seems to go out of its way to try and make Kieran as unproblematic as possible for a villain, making him squeamish about any kind of violence and agonizing over his plot to seduce LdM. It would have been more interesting to have Kieran less saintly, and I think would have lent the 3rd act breakup a bit more depth as well.
That being said, this is a great villain romance story with necromancers that you should definitely check out if fantasy M/M romance novels are your thing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was a delightful read and I am completely obsessed with it! Kieran and Dark Lord du Maurier are both such brilliantly fun characters and the story itself is packed with action, competition, and a lovely romance. Once I picked this book up I was unable to put it down until it was over because I just had to know what would happen with these two!
I had the best time following the story from Kieran’s perspective, from seeing him figure out a solution to him not wanting to be a great villain to charming his way into LdM’s life and eventually falling in love and finding his true calling. Kieran is just a fun character to follow because of how extremely powerful and charming he is but also because of how much he hates his public image of being powerful and charming. It was so interesting seeing him enact his plan to seduce LdM because it never felt entirely like a scheme. Kieran really did want to help LdM win the competition and along the way he really did start falling for him. And the more Kieran realized it was all real, the more himself he became, instead of the perfect image he was trying to use for his schemes. It was also delightful seeing LdM enjoy Kieran’s real personality shining through and being protective of him of course!
LdM is described as very villainous and scary and people treat him as such which makes it so much more fun seeing him as more human with Kieran. I loved how even while he was suspicious of Kieran’s intentions he was still considerate and protective of him. And his goals as the Dark Lord for New York and for his employees were all very considerate and not at all villainous. I really enjoyed how even though he definitely was capable of being villainous and was very powerful, he was still a good leader who took care of the people he was ruling over. Even more so, I was delighted watching him slowly fall for Kieran because these two are an amazing team and an even more amazing couple. Their goals and humour aligned and of course they both loved Kieran’s cat!
Their relationship may have had a few bumps in the road with some breaking and entering, bribing of judges, and of course some assasiantion attempts, but they managed to find their way back to each other. I think the humour and romance that was mixed into the competition of this book made a really great balance and kept the book light and fun. I was completely hooked on both the results of Kieran and LdM’s relationship but also the competition and was thoroughly satisfied with how this book concluded. This was such a delightful universe to dive into with some really phenomenal characters and I am so glad I picked up this story!
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!
I had the best time following the story from Kieran’s perspective, from seeing him figure out a solution to him not wanting to be a great villain to charming his way into LdM’s life and eventually falling in love and finding his true calling. Kieran is just a fun character to follow because of how extremely powerful and charming he is but also because of how much he hates his public image of being powerful and charming. It was so interesting seeing him enact his plan to seduce LdM because it never felt entirely like a scheme. Kieran really did want to help LdM win the competition and along the way he really did start falling for him. And the more Kieran realized it was all real, the more himself he became, instead of the perfect image he was trying to use for his schemes. It was also delightful seeing LdM enjoy Kieran’s real personality shining through and being protective of him of course!
LdM is described as very villainous and scary and people treat him as such which makes it so much more fun seeing him as more human with Kieran. I loved how even while he was suspicious of Kieran’s intentions he was still considerate and protective of him. And his goals as the Dark Lord for New York and for his employees were all very considerate and not at all villainous. I really enjoyed how even though he definitely was capable of being villainous and was very powerful, he was still a good leader who took care of the people he was ruling over. Even more so, I was delighted watching him slowly fall for Kieran because these two are an amazing team and an even more amazing couple. Their goals and humour aligned and of course they both loved Kieran’s cat!
Their relationship may have had a few bumps in the road with some breaking and entering, bribing of judges, and of course some assasiantion attempts, but they managed to find their way back to each other. I think the humour and romance that was mixed into the competition of this book made a really great balance and kept the book light and fun. I was completely hooked on both the results of Kieran and LdM’s relationship but also the competition and was thoroughly satisfied with how this book concluded. This was such a delightful universe to dive into with some really phenomenal characters and I am so glad I picked up this story!
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A well-paced and punchy supernatural romance debut from Bridgette Way brings to life an America full of villains, heroes, and normal everyday citizens, each not too unlike ourselves. Kieran Prentiss, one of the most powerful necromancers around, decides, as any directionless recent university graduate would, to ensnare Dark Lord du Maurier, current ruler of New York, so he won’t have to conquer anything and can avoid the necessary violence of becoming a Dark Lord himself. Way crafts compelling main and side characters and does just enough worldbuilding to allow the reader to become immersed in a kooky and endearing romp of a tale.
Way relies on classic rom-com tropes, like misunderstandings due to lack of communication, and superhero genre tropes, like secret names and combat tournaments, and gives them fun twists that sometimes blow up in our villains’ faces in entertaining ways. While much of this story is predictable, I found myself eagerly turning pages and was actively interested to see what Kieran did next. In a rare turn of events for myself, I even looked forward to when his original scheme would be discovered, and I was pleased with how the climax and conclusion of the journey played out.
This is the type of book that benefits from not doing too much differently structurally, which allows the reader to appreciate the creative characters and even the very current social commentary. Unlike some of the other “Dark Lord” focused stories that have come out in recent years, this requires very little to no frame of reference of fantasy or LitRPGs, and Way avoids the usual pitfalls of that sub-subgenre by setting this in a very recognisable New York City and therefore dealing with less abstract metaphors. I would readily recommend this book to those who enjoy rom-coms, those who like the grumpy/sunshine relationship dynamic, and folks who like their romances to have a little creativity and meat on its bones.
Way relies on classic rom-com tropes, like misunderstandings due to lack of communication, and superhero genre tropes, like secret names and combat tournaments, and gives them fun twists that sometimes blow up in our villains’ faces in entertaining ways. While much of this story is predictable, I found myself eagerly turning pages and was actively interested to see what Kieran did next. In a rare turn of events for myself, I even looked forward to when his original scheme would be discovered, and I was pleased with how the climax and conclusion of the journey played out.
This is the type of book that benefits from not doing too much differently structurally, which allows the reader to appreciate the creative characters and even the very current social commentary. Unlike some of the other “Dark Lord” focused stories that have come out in recent years, this requires very little to no frame of reference of fantasy or LitRPGs, and Way avoids the usual pitfalls of that sub-subgenre by setting this in a very recognisable New York City and therefore dealing with less abstract metaphors. I would readily recommend this book to those who enjoy rom-coms, those who like the grumpy/sunshine relationship dynamic, and folks who like their romances to have a little creativity and meat on its bones.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was so different than I was expecting (in a good way)!
How to Seduce a Dark Lord follows Kieran, a recent college grad, trying to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life - does he want to conquer a city? does he want to overthrow a current leader?. This is a world with villains and heroes, and lots of expectations. As Kieran tries to figure out his next move, maybe seducing powerful dark Lord du Maurier (LdM) is actually the best way to go.
I love that this book took the idea of heroes and villains and took a political spin on it. Our wonderful Dark Lord LdM is a villain, but like a socialist woke villain? I loved it. He cares so much for his people and his family, but won't hesitate to kill when it's needed. Kieran is a villain, but doesn't want to embrace the violent side, a pacifist villain. I loved that Bridgette let her characters get to know each other and work together before exploring anything romantic, although a little more tension would've been wonderful. The world was nicely done and made sense. There were trials. It was so fun.
My only wish, apart from more romantic tension but along the same page, was that prior to the third act breakup they had been together a little bit longer, it felt a little rushed, as did the final battle - felt like it could've been more, especially since it was what things were leading up to.
I definitely recommend for anything looking for a fun book with a new world to explore. I like the characters and the humor in the writing! I will definitely check out future books by Bridgette Way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for this eARC.
How to Seduce a Dark Lord follows Kieran, a recent college grad, trying to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life - does he want to conquer a city? does he want to overthrow a current leader?. This is a world with villains and heroes, and lots of expectations. As Kieran tries to figure out his next move, maybe seducing powerful dark Lord du Maurier (LdM) is actually the best way to go.
I love that this book took the idea of heroes and villains and took a political spin on it. Our wonderful Dark Lord LdM is a villain, but like a socialist woke villain? I loved it. He cares so much for his people and his family, but won't hesitate to kill when it's needed. Kieran is a villain, but doesn't want to embrace the violent side, a pacifist villain. I loved that Bridgette let her characters get to know each other and work together before exploring anything romantic, although a little more tension would've been wonderful. The world was nicely done and made sense. There were trials. It was so fun.
My only wish, apart from more romantic tension but along the same page, was that prior to the third act breakup they had been together a little bit longer, it felt a little rushed, as did the final battle - felt like it could've been more, especially since it was what things were leading up to.
I definitely recommend for anything looking for a fun book with a new world to explore. I like the characters and the humor in the writing! I will definitely check out future books by Bridgette Way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for this eARC.
September 2, 2026
Urban fantasy mixed with office romance, sprinkled with political satire and a dash of the macabre. How to Seduce a Dark Lord is a cozy and light hearted read despite the amount of assassination attempts and reanimated corpses. Definitely shares a lot of plot beats with a typical contemporary romance, so even if you aren't a big paranormal or fantasy reader I think you could have a good time. I of course was drawn in by the world building, which is on the lighter side but still engaging enough that I ate my way through this book in record time.
""And know this, little necromancer. However clever your plans, you will not best me". His red eyes burned as his magic flared. "I am Dark Lord du Maurier and New York City is mine.""
Kieran & LdM were a cute couple with a fun (if predictable / trope heavy) dynamic, supported by a robust cast of side characters that were equity as quirky and lovable as the leading men. Really enjoyed the amount of diversity throughout, and how naturally it was integrated into the plot. Overall a very impressive debut, will need to keep an eye on Way's future releases.
* Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review. *
""And know this, little necromancer. However clever your plans, you will not best me". His red eyes burned as his magic flared. "I am Dark Lord du Maurier and New York City is mine.""
Kieran & LdM were a cute couple with a fun (if predictable / trope heavy) dynamic, supported by a robust cast of side characters that were equity as quirky and lovable as the leading men. Really enjoyed the amount of diversity throughout, and how naturally it was integrated into the plot. Overall a very impressive debut, will need to keep an eye on Way's future releases.
* Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review. *
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am starting my spooky season reads early this year and I was stoked to see this on NetGalley. I read the synopsis and was quickly sold on this book. And it did not disappoint! 🎃✨ 5/5⭐️
If you are a fan of The Assistant to the Villain series or A Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating, you could easily get sucked into this book too! The writing style is cozy and light-hearted with plenty of humor to keep you locked-in. For me, I would consider this a light fantasy/paranormal book for people who may not like the complexities of some books that are in this genre.
Kieran is our protagonist who is a necromancer with a bit of an identity crisis — he loves death but hates killing. So he comes up with a harebrained idea: he is going to land himself a Dark Lord husband instead of being a Dark Lord himself. As you can imagine shenanigans pursue. The banter was great in this book. I liked Kieran and LdM’s dynamic. I locked my feet a few times with these two as I read.
The pacing felt a LITTLE slow at times. But that was the only negative I could find to this book. The plot development was great and the HEA payoff was top tier.
If you are a fan of The Assistant to the Villain series or A Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating, you could easily get sucked into this book too! The writing style is cozy and light-hearted with plenty of humor to keep you locked-in. For me, I would consider this a light fantasy/paranormal book for people who may not like the complexities of some books that are in this genre.
Kieran is our protagonist who is a necromancer with a bit of an identity crisis — he loves death but hates killing. So he comes up with a harebrained idea: he is going to land himself a Dark Lord husband instead of being a Dark Lord himself. As you can imagine shenanigans pursue. The banter was great in this book. I liked Kieran and LdM’s dynamic. I locked my feet a few times with these two as I read.
The pacing felt a LITTLE slow at times. But that was the only negative I could find to this book. The plot development was great and the HEA payoff was top tier.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cute book that actually had me guessing in a few places. It reads pretty fast, and I got it done in a day.
Theres not much in the way of chemistry for a bit of the beginning, and even though the book is quick you still feel like the romance took time. The very obvious 3rd act break up was annoying though, and we all saw it coming a mile away. If Keiran had a brain he would have burned or shredded those notes as soon as he was employed. I guess we wouldn't have had the annoying break up if he had a brain. To be so smart in so many ways and yet to leave obvious evidence of your evildoing just lying around ugh yk.
I do love that the diversity didn't feel forced. It fleshed out the Keiran well having a background that wasn't neon white. I like how witty and snarky he is, and how he's friends with someone who's significantly less powerful than himself yet treats her the same as any other friend.
Everything does end with a hea as it should, and honestly, I'd recommend this book to my friends who're okay with the 3rd act stuff.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Theres not much in the way of chemistry for a bit of the beginning, and even though the book is quick you still feel like the romance took time. The very obvious 3rd act break up was annoying though, and we all saw it coming a mile away. If Keiran had a brain he would have burned or shredded those notes as soon as he was employed. I guess we wouldn't have had the annoying break up if he had a brain. To be so smart in so many ways and yet to leave obvious evidence of your evildoing just lying around ugh yk.
I do love that the diversity didn't feel forced. It fleshed out the Keiran well having a background that wasn't neon white. I like how witty and snarky he is, and how he's friends with someone who's significantly less powerful than himself yet treats her the same as any other friend.
Everything does end with a hea as it should, and honestly, I'd recommend this book to my friends who're okay with the 3rd act stuff.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 rounded up
This was a quick, fun read just wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. A little more focus on the romance would have been chefs kiss.
Very cool world building and I really liked Kieran as our main POV MMC. He was sassy but also brilliant at his work (never mind not wanting to actually do it). Kieran and LdM have a great dynamic I just wish there was some more of it. The romance goes super quick and sometimes gets lost in the background of the trials to select the new Dark Lord. I liked that aspect of the book too as I think it was well written I just was hoping the romance would shine through more. The side characters are a nice addition to the story as well.
It seems like more than one side character had to pull out “but why are you with him if not to take advantage/overthrow him” it got a little tired to keep reading iterations of that sentiment like no one in this book knew Kieran well enough to believe the romance, why would you expect the reader to? I still recommend because it was entertaining though.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a quick, fun read just wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. A little more focus on the romance would have been chefs kiss.
Very cool world building and I really liked Kieran as our main POV MMC. He was sassy but also brilliant at his work (never mind not wanting to actually do it). Kieran and LdM have a great dynamic I just wish there was some more of it. The romance goes super quick and sometimes gets lost in the background of the trials to select the new Dark Lord. I liked that aspect of the book too as I think it was well written I just was hoping the romance would shine through more. The side characters are a nice addition to the story as well.
It seems like more than one side character had to pull out “but why are you with him if not to take advantage/overthrow him” it got a little tired to keep reading iterations of that sentiment like no one in this book knew Kieran well enough to believe the romance, why would you expect the reader to? I still recommend because it was entertaining though.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to Berkley Romance, Bridgette Way, and NetGalley for this ARC.
3.75⭐️
The style of this reminded me a bit of the “Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes)”. However, I was not fond of that book at all, and this I found to be much more enjoyable. “How to Seduce a Dark Lord” was cheekier, had better characters, and the writing was superior. It was an absurdly pleasant surprise.
I don’t think there were many missteps with the characters. LdM’s terseness was funny, and he was written quite well-rounded for such a serious personality. Keiran’s motivation to become his consort was an great premise, and his schemes/PR tasks made the story interesting. Their relationship felt deliberate and developed at a reasonable pace. Overall the tempo was measured but made sense with the storyline.
Here’s where I’m going to sound petty. The thing I disliked the most about the book? There’s a lot of fluttering of lashes on Kieran’s part. I understand the intent to imply he’s flirting or being coy, but I actually started to roll my eyes, under my lashes of course, as the story progressed. It’s such a disappointment that the author kept relying on it.
3.75⭐️
The style of this reminded me a bit of the “Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (and Other War Crimes)”. However, I was not fond of that book at all, and this I found to be much more enjoyable. “How to Seduce a Dark Lord” was cheekier, had better characters, and the writing was superior. It was an absurdly pleasant surprise.
I don’t think there were many missteps with the characters. LdM’s terseness was funny, and he was written quite well-rounded for such a serious personality. Keiran’s motivation to become his consort was an great premise, and his schemes/PR tasks made the story interesting. Their relationship felt deliberate and developed at a reasonable pace. Overall the tempo was measured but made sense with the storyline.
Here’s where I’m going to sound petty. The thing I disliked the most about the book? There’s a lot of fluttering of lashes on Kieran’s part. I understand the intent to imply he’s flirting or being coy, but I actually started to roll my eyes, under my lashes of course, as the story progressed. It’s such a disappointment that the author kept relying on it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well, that was an absolute gosh darn delight! You can go ahead and sign me up for anything else Bridgette Way writes right now. I don’t read much MM romance or paranormal romance, really, so imagine my surprise when I started this book that I hadn’t heard anything about, from a debut author, at that, and finished it in less than 24 hours.
Everything about this story just drew me right in. The premise of the government being run by heroes and villains. Kieran’s harebrained plan to seduce a dark lord, so he can gain his protection by association. The sabotage and assassination attempts. It all adds up to such a fun and engaging story. I love a good cast of side characters, too, and this one had just enough people in the inner circle to keep things entertaining, without taking away from the main characters. Honestly, my only complaint is that I finished it too quickly and now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with myself.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book!
Everything about this story just drew me right in. The premise of the government being run by heroes and villains. Kieran’s harebrained plan to seduce a dark lord, so he can gain his protection by association. The sabotage and assassination attempts. It all adds up to such a fun and engaging story. I love a good cast of side characters, too, and this one had just enough people in the inner circle to keep things entertaining, without taking away from the main characters. Honestly, my only complaint is that I finished it too quickly and now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with myself.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Yeah, this is definitely Assistant to the Villain if it was gay/MM and I ain't mad at it at all. It's such a good debut and you would never know this was the author's first book. I loved how dark this was while also being so funny, hot, and unique.
Kieran's plan is so funny because it is so half baked and absurd, but somehow it works and leads to such a great and unexpected love story between him and LdM. I loved that he loves death but absolutely hates killing, which is what leads him straight into LdM's orbit. Their banter was so good and there were so many moments that I acutally found really funny. It all just worked so well!
I also really loved the fantasy and paranormal elements and how things got REAL when Kieran definitely never intended for them to. Hehehe. It was just such a fresh and fun read and I had such a great time with it!
I really hope I get to read more from this author because if this is what her debut looks like, I just know the next book will be just as great.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bridgette Way, and Berkley for the eARC of this book.
Kieran's plan is so funny because it is so half baked and absurd, but somehow it works and leads to such a great and unexpected love story between him and LdM. I loved that he loves death but absolutely hates killing, which is what leads him straight into LdM's orbit. Their banter was so good and there were so many moments that I acutally found really funny. It all just worked so well!
I also really loved the fantasy and paranormal elements and how things got REAL when Kieran definitely never intended for them to. Hehehe. It was just such a fresh and fun read and I had such a great time with it!
I really hope I get to read more from this author because if this is what her debut looks like, I just know the next book will be just as great.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bridgette Way, and Berkley for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 15, 20264.5/5⭐️ 2.5/5🌶️
“How to Seduce a Dark Lord” was so much fun! LdM, was really well written beyond the typical Dark Lord archetype that is so popular right now. He was stoic, terse while also witty and lowkey thoughtful. Kieran was absolutely a gem; sassy, cute, soft, and cunning. I loved his scheming and his personality was so fun.
I loved Kieran’s plotting to become LdM’s consort and his reluctance to become a murderous Dark Lord. LdM being pro socialist healthcare for his constituents was delightful. This felt like Dark Lord vs the Capitalistic Machine.
While I read this I kept HOLLERING about the CHEMISTRY. It was palpable.
I wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it was. There is A LOT of Dark Lord trope happening in the book world right now, but this was perfectly executed with the wit, sexual tension, romance, character development, trials, and side characters. I absolutely loved this.
Anticipated Publication Date: February 23, 2027
A big thank you to Berkley and to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
“How to Seduce a Dark Lord” was so much fun! LdM, was really well written beyond the typical Dark Lord archetype that is so popular right now. He was stoic, terse while also witty and lowkey thoughtful. Kieran was absolutely a gem; sassy, cute, soft, and cunning. I loved his scheming and his personality was so fun.
I loved Kieran’s plotting to become LdM’s consort and his reluctance to become a murderous Dark Lord. LdM being pro socialist healthcare for his constituents was delightful. This felt like Dark Lord vs the Capitalistic Machine.
While I read this I kept HOLLERING about the CHEMISTRY. It was palpable.
I wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it was. There is A LOT of Dark Lord trope happening in the book world right now, but this was perfectly executed with the wit, sexual tension, romance, character development, trials, and side characters. I absolutely loved this.
Anticipated Publication Date: February 23, 2027
A big thank you to Berkley and to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've been in a big reading slump lately, but this kicked me right out of it. This kind of campy, witty rom-com is one of my favorite genres, and this fits in perfectly. I loved Kieran immediately and giggled my way through his first scene at the funeral. LdM is everything you could want in a tall dark and terrifying dark lord/necromancer. The romance was a little slow-burn, but I did enjoy the yearning from Kieran, and what I imagined was the yearning from LdM. On the whole, the plot was reasonably predictable, but it had enough tiny twists that I wasn't bored or annoyed at all. I appreciate that I knew it was a romance and therefore going to have a happy ending, because i was certainly stressed at some points. I loved the surrounding cast as well (will Mallory get her own story?) and I saw that the author signed on for a two book deal, so I am dying to know what's next in this universe. If you loved Sara Raasch or C. Rochelle or Maire Roche, you will absolutely love this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Picked this book up expecting a dark but lighthearted fantasy romance, and in a way, it is. The title is a bit cringy to me, but is a good description for a story that leans into a macabre and whimsical aesthetic. What was a pleasant surprise is that it's also about how we can choose to use our natural talents. That what ends up defining us aren’t labels like villain or hero, gifted or ungifted, but rather what we choose for ourselves.
It's a pretty fun premise: what do you do if you're a powerful, popular villain trying to hide that you don't want to ouse violence? The narrative shines by being descriptive and funny, Kieran somehow managing to be both vain and so likable. LdM bends the traditional description of villain by being thoughtful and protective of those under his protection. Exploring this alternate world is a treat, although it sometimes feels like part of the world building was held back.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
It's a pretty fun premise: what do you do if you're a powerful, popular villain trying to hide that you don't want to ouse violence? The narrative shines by being descriptive and funny, Kieran somehow managing to be both vain and so likable. LdM bends the traditional description of villain by being thoughtful and protective of those under his protection. Exploring this alternate world is a treat, although it sometimes feels like part of the world building was held back.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for this ARC of “How to Seduce a Dark Lord” by Bridgette Way. I first heard about this book on insta, and I was so intrigued! I love a campy villainous queer romance, and the book delivered.
At the very end of “How to Seduce a Dark Lord” in the acknowledgements, Way thanks all the authors that they have drawn inspiration from. Reading that list really brought home for me the tone and structure of the book, the world building, and the romance dynamics. All of my favorite authors! Way still has some growing to do as a writer - I found the sex scenes to be a bit clunky, and every person was described first in terms of race (instead of using more character specific descriptions). I loved the heart of the book: finding your own path and being true to yourself. A solid read that will please my fellow queer romance readers :)
At the very end of “How to Seduce a Dark Lord” in the acknowledgements, Way thanks all the authors that they have drawn inspiration from. Reading that list really brought home for me the tone and structure of the book, the world building, and the romance dynamics. All of my favorite authors! Way still has some growing to do as a writer - I found the sex scenes to be a bit clunky, and every person was described first in terms of race (instead of using more character specific descriptions). I loved the heart of the book: finding your own path and being true to yourself. A solid read that will please my fellow queer romance readers :)
September 19, 2026
Okay first of all this was such a sweet and funny book!
I loved Kieran and LdM’s dynamic from the beginning. They had me laughing out loud and giggling. LdM’s constant guard up thinking Kieran was going to end him made me laugh.
I also loved how Kieran was trying to be a yes-man in the beginning but he couldn’t help himself and let the bossiness slip from time to time. I was so happy with how their relationship changed over the storyline, especially the end.
If you’re looking for a book that is funny and romantic and exciting, this is the book for you!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for this electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🎉⭐️This book will be released February 23, 2027 ⭐️🎉
I loved Kieran and LdM’s dynamic from the beginning. They had me laughing out loud and giggling. LdM’s constant guard up thinking Kieran was going to end him made me laugh.
I also loved how Kieran was trying to be a yes-man in the beginning but he couldn’t help himself and let the bossiness slip from time to time. I was so happy with how their relationship changed over the storyline, especially the end.
If you’re looking for a book that is funny and romantic and exciting, this is the book for you!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for this electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🎉⭐️This book will be released February 23, 2027 ⭐️🎉
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To not be a dark lord, you must seduce one and become a consort instead ✍🏻
Accidentally ending up on the Villains’ side, Kieran is supposed to find a territory to overtake and become the new dark lord. Only, he really doesn’t want to.
Kieran is such a golden retriever and is SO cute! Of course he ends up crushing on his complete opposite, Lord du Maurier, the dark lord of NYC. I loved the dynamic between these two. Kieran really had to work to get into LdM’s good graces, super fun to see.
This was a slow burn, MM, single POV, cutesy paranormal romcom.
Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.
Accidentally ending up on the Villains’ side, Kieran is supposed to find a territory to overtake and become the new dark lord. Only, he really doesn’t want to.
Kieran is such a golden retriever and is SO cute! Of course he ends up crushing on his complete opposite, Lord du Maurier, the dark lord of NYC. I loved the dynamic between these two. Kieran really had to work to get into LdM’s good graces, super fun to see.
This was a slow burn, MM, single POV, cutesy paranormal romcom.
Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
RATING: 4.25/5 STARS
How to get lost in a good time - read this book! Featuring an alternate version of New York City where a villain rules over the city, a cute skeleton cat, and seduction schemes. I loved Kieran (the most adorable and funny MC) and how he broke through LdM's walls. The way Kieran described his necromantic powers and relationship with death was really beautiful, and the scenes where Kieran and LdM's powers complemented each other were so special. This book managed to strike the perfect balance of dark, comedic, and heartfelt. I would love to read more from Bridgette Way in this universe!
How to get lost in a good time - read this book! Featuring an alternate version of New York City where a villain rules over the city, a cute skeleton cat, and seduction schemes. I loved Kieran (the most adorable and funny MC) and how he broke through LdM's walls. The way Kieran described his necromantic powers and relationship with death was really beautiful, and the scenes where Kieran and LdM's powers complemented each other were so special. This book managed to strike the perfect balance of dark, comedic, and heartfelt. I would love to read more from Bridgette Way in this universe!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a fun read. This was my first read by Bridgette and I enjoyed the humor and wit of Kieran's character as well as LdM. With LdM, he was such an advocate for social welfare but also willing to chop off hands for people listening to music without headphones on public transportation. Definitely some laugh out loud moments. They were the perfect grumpy/sunshine couple.
This book screamed "miscommunication trope loading" from the beginning. Since I knew it was coming at some point, I didn't mind it AS much.
The plot was not spice heavy but there was some good tension building. There are some good plot twists throughout that will keep you engaged and guessing.
3.5/5
This book screamed "miscommunication trope loading" from the beginning. Since I knew it was coming at some point, I didn't mind it AS much.
The plot was not spice heavy but there was some good tension building. There are some good plot twists throughout that will keep you engaged and guessing.
3.5/5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As soon as I saw this cover I knew it was for me. The idea of seducing a dark lord and becoming his consort because you don’t want to have to rule is too delicious. Villains really do do it better. This is a romcom about necromancers in an alternate future. But still fighting for universal healthcare. I loved the way our main character talked about death and how it’s a beautiful part of the life cycle. And that not even a dark lord can escape the court of public opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was such a ridiculously fun surprise! A necromancer who would rather marry a Dark Lord than become one himself? I was immediately sold. Kieran and LdM (Lord du Maurier) had fantastic chemistry, and their banter kept me smiling the whole way through. The world building took a little for it to click for me, but once it did, I was completely hooked. Clever, chaotic, romantic, and genuinely hilarious. The perfect kind of unhinged fantasy romance with an absolutely satisfying HEA.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.
This book was very fun! I want to say to start that I'm not an avid fantasy/romantasy reader yet I wanted to try this one. The synopsis got me! And I'm glad to report that I had a great time with this book. I understood the magic system and enjoyed both both characters. I would definitely recommend this one for anyone wanting to read a romantasy book a bit different than the usual vampire/werewolf themes!
This book was very fun! I want to say to start that I'm not an avid fantasy/romantasy reader yet I wanted to try this one. The synopsis got me! And I'm glad to report that I had a great time with this book. I understood the magic system and enjoyed both both characters. I would definitely recommend this one for anyone wanting to read a romantasy book a bit different than the usual vampire/werewolf themes!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was an absolutely lovely romp through a sort of corporate fantasy world in which a select few are gifted with powers. It's superhero-meets-cyberpunk-meets-DND, and it somehow works. The characters are compelling, the plot is interesting and well-paced, and it all comes together nicely to create a story I won't soon forget. Highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a variety of genres and a romance that tugs at the heartstrings!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a fantastic read with a really fun world and two flawed main characters. I felt like I went on the emotional journey of this 22 year old man and his search for purpose and future while laughing at the antics of these two men falling in love accidentally. It was a single POV, so it was a little hard to see the LdM's progression but I loved how it all fell out. The ending wrapped up rather quickly for my taste but overall, highly recommended for a fun and funny ride.
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