“Come with me, Lyssena, and I shall become your god.”
In a village ruled by rituals and gods who never answered, Lyssena had always obeyed. She was prepared for the marriage her family arranged, until the man she was promised to revealed himself as cruel and eager to break her. Cornered and alone, Lyssena lit the fifth flame. The one that should never burn, the one for the god with no name.
And something answered.
Erevos was not a god of mercy.
He was the dark beneath the altar, the shadow in the silence, the monstrous thing the other humans refused to worship. He heard her scream, and now she belonged to him. But claiming her was not so simple. Because Lyssena was a songbird who learned long ago how to sing behind bars.
A lush, dark monster romance filled with dread and devotion. A Prayer to No God is perfect for listeners who want their love stories dripping in shadows and sealed in blood.
A full list of detailed trigger warnings can be found on the author’s
The story was unique and had a lot of potential, but the execution was incredibly flawed. The characters had no depth, the writing style left them completely devoid of emotion and motivations. It was written as if everything happened to them, and they just accepted it and floated through life.
I was never convinced of any chemistry between the MCs because no emotions were developed. It also felt like an incredibly plain and simple, probably too simple, story with 3 named characters only really..and one of them only developed in the last 5%.
Now, I don't mark a book down for a lack of spice. But if the book is marketed as spicy and fails to deliver, I have to comment on it. There was 1 single scene of spice and for a book that is marketed as inspired by venom and is a monster romance and has THAT cover, one measly scene feels quite poor.
Lastly, the cover says book 1, but this does end with quite a tied together story so perhaps there will be more stories in this world, but I imagine they will be interconnected as the MCs in this had their story wrapped up.
Overall, this was quite a disappointment and I don't think I'll be reading any more.
3.5⭐️ & 2.5🌶 This author had a concept and ran with it, falling for a venom type creature. I'm all for the monster smut books. This was not your usual shadow daddy.
The FMC Lyssena is being given away to a knight from another area. She's lead a sheltered life. Women are seen and not heard in this world of subservience. You can not look a man in the eye without repercussions. There are 5 gods in this world. The 5th god's name has been lost. The gods must be prayed to everyday. Her knight in shining armor is anything but that. When she prays to the gods for help, it comes in an unusual form.
I loved the interactions between Erevos and Lyssena. The wonder on both of their sides as they begin to learn more about the other was very sweet. The differences in the separate worlds. The devotion they show each other in small ways is very cute. While there is some spice, this is a more plot centered tale. Overall, this is a cute tale filled with new experiences. I would definitely read the next book in this series.
Tropes and triggers: demonic creatures, ancient magic, patriarchal society, first time/love, he falls first, close proximity
It honestly took me a while to decide how I wanted to rate this book, because I’m stuck somewhere between 3½ and 4 stars.
I went into this one with some pretty high expectations—and honestly, I blame myself for that. 😂 First of all, Venom is basically my ultimate “hear me out” crush, so when I heard the MMC was inspired by him, I was immediately sold. Then you throw in an FMC who is on the thicker, possibly plus-size side? Okay, Nicole. You had my attention.
I will say, the plot was actually really sweet and endearing. I genuinely enjoyed the relationship between the FMC and MMC, especially because the MMC wasn’t just some terrifying monster. Underneath all the claws and teeth, this man was an absolute cinnamon roll. 🥹 He genuinely wanted to take care of her, make her happy, and give her the love and attention she deserved. And honestly? I ate that shit up.
HOWEVER.
We need to have a serious conversation.
If you are going to give me an MMC who is clearly inspired by Venom, put him on a cover looking like THAT, give him the teeth, the claws, the tongue, AND SHADOWS…
I EXPECT LEVEL-SIX-CHILI-PEPPER SMUT🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I mean, COME ON. We get ONE spicy scene?!
ONE?!
Are you freaking kidding me?! 😂
You gave this man Venom’s teeth, claws, that tongue, AND shadow powers, and then barely let him put any of those features to good use?! The potential was RIGHT THERE. I was sitting here reading like, “Surely we’re going somewhere with this…”
And then… nothing.
Respectfully to the author, I need compensation for the amount of potential that was left sitting on the table. 😂
Overall, I really did enjoy the book. The romance was sweet, the MMC completely won me over, and I loved seeing a plus-size FMC getting to be the love interest. I just can’t help feeling like this book could have been so much more satisfying if it had leaned harder into the darker, monster-romance side of things.
So I’m landing somewhere around 3½–4 stars. I liked it, I enjoyed the characters, and I would absolutely read more from this world—but please, for the love of God…
okay damn i’m actually really glad i got an ARC for this book (thank god for fb groups). yes i absolutely fuck with Venom… and no he’s not even a hear me out at this point, so this book was right up my street.
i really enjoyed the premise and i think Nicole did well drawing you in and i was attached so fast (i really didn’t even question the speed of the relationship timeline). my only qualm is that i wanted more😭 what i wouldn’t have given for this book to have been dragged out more!! there’s so much to discover, not just with Erevos and Lyssena’s relationship but with the entire Void, so i could’ve easily read a couple 100 more pages of this. i’m so glad we get to see more of Rolam in the next book and maybe my prayers will be answered (pun intended).
Title: A Prayer to No God Author: Nicole A. Sterling Genre: Monster Romance Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🌶️ Main Characters: Lyssena + Erevos Book Type: Standalone
This was the sweetest monster romance I’ve read in a while. I absolutely loved Erevos and how he took care of Lyssena. He made her human items he knew she needed and learned to create a device to help her breathe in his world.
The spice is minimal but the story makes up for it and I highly recommend if you’re looking for a sweet monster romance read.
A Prayer to No God by Nicole A. Sterling is a masterclass in atmospheric, high-stakes dark romance that completely consumed my attention from the very first page. Sterling crafts a bleak yet beautifully vivid world where the gods are silent, leaving Lyssena trapped in a horrific arranged marriage. When she takes the ultimate gamble and lights the forbidden fifth flame, the introduction of Erevos—the nameless, monstrous deity who answers her call—shifts the story into a gripping psychological dance. I was instantly captivated by the contrast between Lyssena’s quiet resilience and Erevos’s terrifying, possessive nature.
What makes this book truly stand out is the exquisite balance between dread and profound devotion. Rather than a standard damsel-in-distress trope, Lyssena is a resilient heroine who knows how to survive, making her dynamic with the shadow-dwelling Erevos feel intensely earned and complex. Sterling’s writing is lush and dripping with gothic tension, weaving a romance that feels both deeply unsettling and fiercely romantic. If you are a reader who craves stories sealed in blood, shrouded in shadows, and anchored by unforgettable characters, this dark monster romance is an absolute must-read.
I have been so looking forward to this and I was absolutely NOT disappointed. Nicole does an amazing job of pulling you into Erevos’s world.
I loved their relationships progression. Erevos REALLY tries to make her happy. He has limited human interactions so he doesn’t always hit the mark. But he tries.
They are both inexperienced and Lysenna teaches him to kiss. They learn together and it’s hot but also kinda cute.
Erevos, a shadow demon that has been attached to Lyssena since she was a child. He is protective of her, yet he kept his distance until she called for him in her darkest moment. He came to her and brought her home, finally.
Lysenna, is so sweet and kind. She just wants to be married to a good man like her father, and have the love her patents have. She ends up married, but not to the Knight she was dreaming about. She married herself to the dark god instead of the terrible man she was sold to. My heart broke for her when she realized how deeply her family betrayed her.
Rolam, I NEED his story. He has such a heartbroken feel to him. I loved how he was able to help Lyssena and Erevos. Rolam has more experience with humans so he was able to be a friend to Lysseana and help her understand Erevos and his ways.
🌶 1/5 😊 5/5 💙💙💙 Honestly did enjoy reading the book but did feel the cover art and description was slightly misleading as I felt there was really only a very small amount of spice. The book itself was well written and a very fluffy type of romance in my opinion it didnt go that dark but didnt get any spice until over halfway in and at that point there was hardly any book left. The two main characters were definitely more than willing and described as "mating like rabbits" but only wrote out one scene of this occurring! Like I mentioned, I did enjoy it but dont think I would read it again or would have read it in the first place if it was more accurately described.
okay, sue me. i liked this book. like—really liked it.
my unfiltered reactions were absolutely cinema-worthy. it was so unexpected but so easy to like. my most unexpected moment was finding out that Erevos was this clueless, adorable demon-god. he’s just there to do anything—everything—for Lyssena. i was down bad for their crumbs—had me melting on every page. is it bad that i wanted more? yes, absolutely. again, sue me. get me in jail. i deserve time out.
2.5 ⭐️ The plot was tenuous at best. I didn’t feel anything between the characters so their romance felt bland. I did like the premise for the novel but it fell flat. I didn’t start to like it until the last 15% or so. Everything just felt very 2D and listless. Even the spicy scenes didn’t hit.
I feel like with more work this writer will produce some excellent work though.
A venom inspired Hades and Persephone. Yes please! I was ready to be devoured by this book and I was. The tension between the two main characters will have you kicking your feet and squealing. The way he helped her heal and the way she helped him explore the pleasure of flesh and emotions was exquisite.
Lyssena calls to Erevos (the forgotten god) to help once her family has sold her to a horrible knight. Erevos worships Lyssena as a god herself and does whatever he can to get her to stay. His growing love for her was a beautiful thing to watch and Lyssena’s growing confidence and exploration with Erevos was wonderfully done.
This is hands down one of my favorite books of the year! A Venom inspired MMC in a monster romance? SIGN ME TF UP!
Erevos, the God without a name, the forbidden candle, the God no one prays to. When Lyssena lights the forbidden flame and asks for a God to save her from an abusive arranged marriage, Erevos answers but he is not what or who Lyssena thinks he is. The world building, the spice, the characters? OH MY GOD! Everything is so beautifully done. Quite a quick read but I became so emotionally invested almost IMMEDIATELY! I could not put this book down! I am obsessed with these characters and this world. The fact that Nicole is doing another book set in this world with Rolam (he makes a special appearance in this book), I’m trying to patiently wait for his story!😭
Erevos, oh Erevos, the male that you are. So kind and gentle and protective, I adore him. I will never be over him and he is forever a part of my favorite book boyfriends.
Lyssena is so sweet, strong and levelheaded. I admire her so much, Nicole did a wonderful job with her character development. The woman she becomes after Erevos takes her away, how strong she becomes, how strong she already was and just needed to be given the tools to use that strength.
Books like these, monster romances, often have such beautiful commentary on how tired women are of being treated like dirt by the men in their lives. How tired they are of being used, even by family. How we all just want a big (sexy) monster to save us from this cruel world and treat us like goddesses walking the earth, or in this case Erevos’ realm.
Five giant shadow stars! Nicole, I love you and can’t wait for book 2!
First of all, this was my first monster romance, so I went into this completely blind… and now I fully get the hype. Consider me converted.
I always knew I had a thing for Venom, but this book unlocked something in me because Erevos? Absolutely feral. That man/demon was HOT!
But besides the obsession with Erevos, the storytelling itself was incredible. The writing felt immersive and calming at the same time, like I could completely disappear into the world. The imagery was beautiful, the pacing was perfect, and the dual POV worked so well.
What I especially loved was how the FMC’s situation felt. A woman trapped in a life that was slowly destroying her, clinging to beliefs and expectations that never truly served her… and then comes this terrifying, obsessed demon who sees her completely. I ate that up.
The obsession, the tension, the emotional moments, the atmosphere… everything just worked for me. I genuinely did not want this book to end, and I already need book two immediately.
I have been clawing at my cage for this book before I even officially got it. I am so thankful to have arc read it. This book has had me hooked since the very first page.
Lyssena thinks her life is perfect and filled with love by her family, but that was just some of the bars to her carefully crafted cell. She truly is the perfect girl, telling no lie and praying to all four gods like she’s been told to. When her life suddenly takes a twist, she sees all the lies she has been fed. With a last effort for survival, she prays to the one god she’s never even heard of, let alone knew the name to. To her surprise, the darkness hears and comes to her rescue. Erevos has never tasted devotion before like she has to offer, and he doesn’t plan to let his little songbird to feel such pains ever again.
I was feening for this book and definitely need more. I think this book has the most highlights from me that I have ever done. I got it in ebook form, and a physical copy is not a need, but a must!
This was so good. I would say this is a slow burn but with care. It’s a beautiful story. This is more of a romance than a dark romance. Which I loved. The relationship between the two is grown. The writing is not childish (ty for this). The author is not shy about showing true emotion that is realistic for the age of the FMC. She is 23 and speaks as if she is 23. Why do I admire this so much? Because it is realistic. She is curious and even though she is shy she does still ask her questions to learn. He is also curious about her and does the same.
I truly loved how he was so kind and wonderful. The way he treated her with respect and love was so beautiful to read.
You will read about two different beings that were taught what to expect/how to live, to learn how to live freely with one another.
Been on the countdown for this book for months! And it doesnt disappoint.
Interesting mix of Venom, religion and dimensions. Get to meet another demon who will get his own book 🤞
Great story, just the right length in pages and spice mixed in.
He has watched her and comes when she calls for help, he is the only one who answers. She is now in the void, wrestling with idea of gods, attraction and who she is.
Couldn't recommend more!
Book quote: “I will always take care of you. I will always choose you, and my greatest desire is for you to choose me in return"
Wow, I can not say enough about how delightfully surprised I was to find this newer author! I will definitely be checking out everything she puts out - this was THAT good!
“For those with a crush on Venom. I, too, wanted to get railed by him. This is for you.” - I mean comeeee onnnn with an introduction like that you know it’s going to be a good time.
I can’t be the only one who loves a soft sheltered FMC learning how screwed up the world is, no clue what that tropes called but holy character development this one was ✨flawless✨ I loved reading Lyssena grown and learn!
And do not get me started on Erevos, he is the perfect MMC, terrifying yet an absolute marshmallow for the FMC. *chefs kiss* melted my heart CONSTANTLY - has me over here sobbing at my husband to offer me honey 🍯🙃😂
“You taught me that fear can be faced. That darkness is not always cruelty. That power does not have to mean harm.”
M/F Can be read as a standalone Storyline based with smut sprinkled in for a fun level of spicy without sacrificing anything. 🌶️🌶️ World building was next level! Character development was soooo satisfying That tongue though 👅😏🥵 He literally grows a whole.. just for her 👀
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & 1.5🌶️. Oh monster oh monster, how I have missed you. And this was a shadow daddy matter bending god to boot.
Does he loosely remind me of venom? Yes. But the character of our MMC Erevos is so much more and becomes an absolutely curious sweetheart. The similarities end with those teeth and eyes.
I will admit there was a few themes I found a little less savoury in the way he knew her from a child. But I guess because he’s an ageless god type creature it’s not weird for him? But that’s the main issue I had and why it’s not a 5 star read for me personally.
I did enjoy the storyline and the world building was interesting. I want to find out so much more in this world. A monster whose body is shaped by the emotion he feeds on you say? Lust = aubergine?!?! YES!
More lust sprouting peen please.
I cant wait for Rolams happy ending in ‘A Sin To A Demon’ and he can also collect pearls for me anytime he likes. I would happily chat interior design at those tea parties too…
This book was kindly sent to me by the author for an opportunity to read in advance and review. This review has been left honestly and voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A Prayer to No God was the cutest read I’ve read in 2026!
The love between Lyssena and Erevos were so adorable. I definitely loved the build-up between the two. Also, Erevos’s love for Lyssena!? You should definitely read if you like obsessive monsters. 😉
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I was not confused while reading, the book was adorable and well-written. It wasn’t bland or made me feel like I was pulling through lazily.
Love-Dynamic: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lyssena and Erevos are so cute together. The way Erevos acted while saving Lysenna (read for context), was so sweet and you could tell Erevos was already dedicated to him.
Overall, this is a highly recommended monster romance! 💝
This is for those who truly enjoyed Venom and even fantasized about him🖤 this fluffy monster romance was my first to have fluffy in it. Erevos is by definition a sweetheart. Going out of his way to adjust his life to learn things for his human. Learning with each other, discovering things about each other and growing as one. Lyssena has learned the hard way of being groomed by her parents and discovered herself along the way. Guiding her through this was her newly found love, her God—Erevos. I highly recommend reading this book and giving it a chance. It will make you laugh and your heart turn into a puddle.
🙏 👥🕯👅😈 📚: A Prayer To No God 「✍️」 Nicole A. Sterling 🔌: @nicoleasterling 📄№: 283 ᵖᵃᵍᵉˢ
ᖇEᐯIEᗯ: 18% into the book and in love with Erevos. Lyssena's devotion is admirable, even if the other gods didn’t listen. This doesn't feel like your average monster romance. It was more fluffy and focused on the characters learning about each other, which I enjoyed. Both characters are virgins, and while there is spice, there isn't a whole lot, but what is there is very nice! (Understandably so, as mentioned, virgins.) That deer has seen some things! (IYKYK) This book is like if Venom was sweetheart cinnamon roll, and wanted to create a world where you belong with him so he can learn more about you. When the monster isn't really a monster, and will literally do anything you ask. The story had heartbreak in the form of misplaced devotion and disappointing family dynamics. The emotions portrayed landed, had good world-building, and who wouldn't want a god or demon to answer your pleas/prayers? I wish it had delved deeper into why he was so fascinated by her. I loved how safe she felt, and how that opened her up. The Void seems so interesting, loved everyone we met there. The shadow bending was a definite favorite. I want that in real life!
A friend recommended this one, and the title did the rest. No god. Two words that sound like despair and turn out to be a door.
The cover pulled me in a different direction. There are undertones of Venom in it, and I wanted to see how a romance would work when the male lead could not look more other, more monstrous. What I found was a book far more interested in who gets called a monster than in what one looks like.
Lyssena lives in a village of rituals and gods who never answer. She has always obeyed. She is prepared for the marriage her family arranged, right up until the man she is promised to shows her exactly what he intends to do with her. Cornered, she lights the fifth flame, the one that should never be lit, the one for the god with no name. Something answers.
Here is the move that makes this book more than its premise: the man with the human face is the danger, and the enormous shadow thing from the Void is the one who asks her what she wants. Monster romance has been making this argument for a while now, and Sterling makes it cleanly. Erevos is fearsome to look at and unfailingly tender in practice. Curious, attentive, devoted, genuinely interested in a world that is not his. He wants to understand hers before he touches it.
That matters because of what Lyssena is carrying. The trauma of purity culture runs through the whole book, and Sterling does not treat it as backstory. It is the water the village swims in. A woman raised inside a system that taught her desire is monstrous meets an actual monster and discovers he is the safest room she has ever stood in. The genre takes the accusation literally and then disproves it. That is not a metaphor I am imposing. That is the plot.
The subtitle is doing real work too. Dark and fluffy is not a contradiction here; it is the method. The cozy register keeps the nervous system settled enough to look straight at the harder material, and it makes room for a world without hierarchy between men and women, humans and gods, where connection is built on curiosity and recognition rather than laws that call difference a sin.
The prose is simple in a way that borders on spoken word poetry. Short lines, a lot of white space, incantatory repetition. It will not be every reader's texture, and I will say that plainly. For me, it worked as a kind of dream logic that made the Void feel enterable rather than described. I quickly got inside Erevos' shadows and didn't want to leave.
Lyssena is described as a songbird who learned to sing behind bars, and what I appreciated most is that she does not lose the song when the cage opens.
If you like your monsters curious, tender, and devoted, and you want a love story that treats being fully seen as the actual prize, this is your book.
I am looking forward to book two, and to more of Rolam, who quietly stole every scene he was in.
An ancient void demon spent years watching her, crossed dimensions to save her, consumed the prayers of an entire kingdom, bound her soul to his... and then casually informed her that he had a cock.
That pretty much sums up my experience with this book.
The premise is fantastic. A society worships several gods, except for one forbidden, nameless god whose name cannot even be spoken. Women are treated as second-class citizens, raised to obey, pray, and never question. As a child, the FMC prays to the forgotten god anyway, and years later, at her lowest moment, he answers.
The worldbuilding and mythology were easily the strongest parts of the story. The idea that prayers and devotion are feeding an ancient entity who is not a god at all, but a demon, was genuinely interesting. The reveal that there is no god answering these prayers, only a creature growing stronger from worship, felt imaginative and surprisingly unsettling.
Unfortunately, I found myself far more invested in the theology than the romance.
The idea of the MMC is fascinating, but not particularly developed. He spends much of the book silently watching the FMC, which fits his otherworldly nature, but I never felt like I truly knew him. For an immortal void demon who has been obsessed with her since childhood, I wanted more. More history. More motivation. More insight into what made her different from every other worshipper.
The romance itself felt undercooked. I understood why she found comfort with him. Her family betrayed her, her society failed her, and he was the one being who consistently chose her. But comfort is not the same thing as love. By the end, I still wasn't entirely convinced either character was in love. He was fascinated by her. She was safe with him. The emotional connection never fully developed beyond that.
As for the spice... monster romance readers may want to temper expectations. There is very little of it, and what is there felt surprisingly ordinary considering the setup. For a book marketed as monster romance, there wasn't much that actually felt monstrous.
In the end, this worked better for me as a dark fairy tale than a romance. The atmosphere, mythology, and central concept kept me turning pages, and I finished it in a single day. I just couldn't shake the feeling that there was a much bigger, deeper story hiding underneath the surface.
A very memorable premise. An enjoyable read. I only wish it had explored its own ideas a little further.