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Much Ado About Demons #1
Must Love Demons
You’d think being magically tethered to the hottest warden in all Verona wouldn’t be a hardship.
You’d be wrong.
Incubus Nico Azertiran has his dream job as a cherub-in-training. It’s the perfect position for a lust demon who’s more interested in happily-ever-afters than one-night stands. Or it would be, if he didn’t keep screwing it up. When a new cherub gadget misfires, Nico is left trussed to Verona’s most eligible warden, the incredibly grumpy, Sir Flame.
Flambeau Illume has a job to do. Someone’s murdering Verona’s rich and famous, and Sir Flame’s hot on the killer’s trail . . . until he has the misfortune to get magically lassoed to the most infuriating incubus he’s ever had the displeasure to meet. Except, maybe Nico isn’t so terribly awful. But how can he solve his case and keep Nico safe at the same time? Especially when the sweet demon seems to have a bullseye on his back.
Together they need to solve the crime, stay alive, and—if their luck changes—maybe even fall in love. Easy, right?
Must Love Demons is part of the Magic Emporium series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes, a lariat of love, a demon tail with a mind of its own, and a guaranteed HEA.
You’d be wrong.
Incubus Nico Azertiran has his dream job as a cherub-in-training. It’s the perfect position for a lust demon who’s more interested in happily-ever-afters than one-night stands. Or it would be, if he didn’t keep screwing it up. When a new cherub gadget misfires, Nico is left trussed to Verona’s most eligible warden, the incredibly grumpy, Sir Flame.
Flambeau Illume has a job to do. Someone’s murdering Verona’s rich and famous, and Sir Flame’s hot on the killer’s trail . . . until he has the misfortune to get magically lassoed to the most infuriating incubus he’s ever had the displeasure to meet. Except, maybe Nico isn’t so terribly awful. But how can he solve his case and keep Nico safe at the same time? Especially when the sweet demon seems to have a bullseye on his back.
Together they need to solve the crime, stay alive, and—if their luck changes—maybe even fall in love. Easy, right?
Must Love Demons is part of the Magic Emporium series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit scenes, a lariat of love, a demon tail with a mind of its own, and a guaranteed HEA.
332 pages, ebook
First published February 18, 2021
172 people are currently reading
678 people want to read
About the author
Meghan Maslow
23 books395 followersMEGHAN MASLOW is truly a rare breed. No, not a unicorn (although that would be sooo cool). She’s a—gasp!—extroverted writer.
She believes that life is meant to be lived. Preferably with lots of people around. Every day is an adventure, or should be. She’s spent a large portion of her life working and living in various countries in Africa. She’s multitalented, having perfected the art of eavesdropping in bars around the world while chugging local brews, and gabbing with anyone who isn’t quick enough to elude her grasp. She believes kindness is contagious, and learning to laugh at yourself is one of life’s greatest gifts (and challenges). She advocates for social justice, believes storytelling can be transformative, and surprisingly isn’t a misanthrope. She loves travel, reading, world music, Moscow Mules, awkward dancing, dreadlocks, her family, and um… writing.
She believes that life is meant to be lived. Preferably with lots of people around. Every day is an adventure, or should be. She’s spent a large portion of her life working and living in various countries in Africa. She’s multitalented, having perfected the art of eavesdropping in bars around the world while chugging local brews, and gabbing with anyone who isn’t quick enough to elude her grasp. She believes kindness is contagious, and learning to laugh at yourself is one of life’s greatest gifts (and challenges). She advocates for social justice, believes storytelling can be transformative, and surprisingly isn’t a misanthrope. She loves travel, reading, world music, Moscow Mules, awkward dancing, dreadlocks, her family, and um… writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
June 13, 2021
4 Hearts
Another win for the Magic Emporium series!
Here, the overall premise starts with Nico. He’s an incubus whose magic is not typical. Instead of being a lust demon, he’s a love one instead, where his presence allows anyone to instantly connect with their true match if they’re in close proximity. Having been kicked out of his legion of incubi because he’s different, Nico is currently a cherub in training, hoping to put his idealistic talents to good use.
One day, Nico accidentally magically ties himself to the most eligible bachelor around - the formidable, always grumpy phoenix, Warden Flame. Flame absolutely has no time for trivial frivolities such as dating, never mind being literally tied to an infuriating, albeit handsome, incubus. He has murders to solve, and as the body count continues to pile up, being hampered by a very distracting shadow is so not ideal.
Here, Maslow excels at the world building, portraying a realm where only fantastical creatures exist. She also develops her two polar opposite characters very well. Nico is the most awesome, sweetest person ever, kind and good and only wanting to help all find their true love despite him being personally very unlucky in both romance and life. Flame is for sure, full of intimidating bark (with a bit of bite), putting his warden responsibilities first and foremost. It’s not that he wouldn’t want a relationship, but love is simply not for him as his very essence of being a phoenix prevents him from falling for another. Of course, the rules of existence are not absolutes, and as these two are forced to work together, dodging one perilous situation after the other, it’s only logical that lust and near death experiences coalesce into feelings and smexy actions. Do either Nico or Flame dare hope that should they ever get untied that maybe, they just might be able to work out? Well, duh.
Despite this being a long 310 pages (a length that is not unusual for Maslow) it held my interest as Nico and Flame begrudgingly become friends, eventual partners in solving terrible crimes, and of course, find that elusive thing that everyone wants. Overall, this had some snark, very likeable MC’s, a good mystery with several action filled twists, and along with Hexes and Horns, is my top favorite in this loosely connected series thus far. Enjoy!
Thank you to the author for copy in exchange for an honest review
Another win for the Magic Emporium series!
Here, the overall premise starts with Nico. He’s an incubus whose magic is not typical. Instead of being a lust demon, he’s a love one instead, where his presence allows anyone to instantly connect with their true match if they’re in close proximity. Having been kicked out of his legion of incubi because he’s different, Nico is currently a cherub in training, hoping to put his idealistic talents to good use.
One day, Nico accidentally magically ties himself to the most eligible bachelor around - the formidable, always grumpy phoenix, Warden Flame. Flame absolutely has no time for trivial frivolities such as dating, never mind being literally tied to an infuriating, albeit handsome, incubus. He has murders to solve, and as the body count continues to pile up, being hampered by a very distracting shadow is so not ideal.
Here, Maslow excels at the world building, portraying a realm where only fantastical creatures exist. She also develops her two polar opposite characters very well. Nico is the most awesome, sweetest person ever, kind and good and only wanting to help all find their true love despite him being personally very unlucky in both romance and life. Flame is for sure, full of intimidating bark (with a bit of bite), putting his warden responsibilities first and foremost. It’s not that he wouldn’t want a relationship, but love is simply not for him as his very essence of being a phoenix prevents him from falling for another. Of course, the rules of existence are not absolutes, and as these two are forced to work together, dodging one perilous situation after the other, it’s only logical that lust and near death experiences coalesce into feelings and smexy actions. Do either Nico or Flame dare hope that should they ever get untied that maybe, they just might be able to work out? Well, duh.
Despite this being a long 310 pages (a length that is not unusual for Maslow) it held my interest as Nico and Flame begrudgingly become friends, eventual partners in solving terrible crimes, and of course, find that elusive thing that everyone wants. Overall, this had some snark, very likeable MC’s, a good mystery with several action filled twists, and along with Hexes and Horns, is my top favorite in this loosely connected series thus far. Enjoy!
Thank you to the author for copy in exchange for an honest review
April 23, 2021
I found this one pretty funny because it kind of reminded me of Shrek with a bunch of fairy tale characters acting like jerks.
So we have a guy who is a "broken" incubus because he makes people fall in love instead of lust. Not good for business. So, he decides to get a job with the little cherubs who are cupids... you know, with the arrow that makes you fall in love.
Unfortunately, these little cherubs are not as sweet as they look. A bunch of little assholes actually. And, our incubus is a sweetie-pie.
Sweetie-Pie ends up getting stuck with (literally) a Phoenix with a bad temper who is also the local cop. oh, this whole thing is set in fairyland, not here. Which I liked. Nothing even slightly realistic here.
I got several laughs out of this book and loved the incubus, so I guess his spell worked on me.
So we have a guy who is a "broken" incubus because he makes people fall in love instead of lust. Not good for business. So, he decides to get a job with the little cherubs who are cupids... you know, with the arrow that makes you fall in love.
Unfortunately, these little cherubs are not as sweet as they look. A bunch of little assholes actually. And, our incubus is a sweetie-pie.
Sweetie-Pie ends up getting stuck with (literally) a Phoenix with a bad temper who is also the local cop. oh, this whole thing is set in fairyland, not here. Which I liked. Nothing even slightly realistic here.
I got several laughs out of this book and loved the incubus, so I guess his spell worked on me.
February 19, 2021
So much fun!
What I LOVED ❤️❤️:
Assholean cherubs
The Lariat of Love
A cranky Phoenix 😍
A sweet Succubus 😍
Morning Muffins
Chai Lattes
Cat mansions
Griffin jousts
Genie in a bottle
Murder & Mayhem
TRUE LOVE!!
My rec? Hell to the YESSSSSSSS! I can’t wait until this comes out in audiobook!! (Fingers crossed)
*Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for this ARC. All opinions are my own.*
What I LOVED ❤️❤️:
Assholean cherubs
The Lariat of Love
A cranky Phoenix 😍
A sweet Succubus 😍
Morning Muffins
Chai Lattes
Cat mansions
Griffin jousts
Genie in a bottle
Murder & Mayhem
TRUE LOVE!!
My rec? Hell to the YESSSSSSSS! I can’t wait until this comes out in audiobook!! (Fingers crossed)
*Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for this ARC. All opinions are my own.*
May 22, 2021
4.25 stars
Five stars minus 3/4 of a star for a few editorial faux pas.
What a treat! Of the Magic Emporium stories I’ve read thus far, this one shone in its originality and colorful, deftly drawn characters. Megan Maslow was on a roll. Nico and Flame were utterly delightful opposites. I would love for the author to someday gift us with Azrael and Raaf’s story.
Five stars minus 3/4 of a star for a few editorial faux pas.
What a treat! Of the Magic Emporium stories I’ve read thus far, this one shone in its originality and colorful, deftly drawn characters. Megan Maslow was on a roll. Nico and Flame were utterly delightful opposites. I would love for the author to someday gift us with Azrael and Raaf’s story.
September 8, 2021
There's something about Megan's writing that I just really, really enjoy. I have read the whole Starfig Detective series up until this point and even though she packs a lot in her books, it still all works for me. It doesn't seem to get so out of control that it doesn't become cohesive.
I enjoy that she has her own brand of humor and she has a distinct style that I am coming to recognize. Her characters are interesting (although, it's mainly been the gruff softy and the cinnamon roll so far, I'm still perfectly fine with that.) I think the plots have depth even though she interjects the a lot crazy names, it really just works.
I can't wait to keep reading more from her.
I enjoy that she has her own brand of humor and she has a distinct style that I am coming to recognize. Her characters are interesting (although, it's mainly been the gruff softy and the cinnamon roll so far, I'm still perfectly fine with that.) I think the plots have depth even though she interjects the a lot crazy names, it really just works.
I can't wait to keep reading more from her.
September 19, 2021
Reread/relisten
Still loved it as much as before. I couldn’t put it down and i loved the narration just as much as the first time.
I hope the author decides to give Rasf and Az a book that would be glorious!
4.5 stars
i really enjoyed this book, i couldn't put it down and the audiobook made it that much better.
i have listened to one other book narrated by Darcy Stark and i didn't like it at all, but this one was perfection. Nico's accent was mmmmhmm ;)
I loved the grumpy hero that Flame portrayed and the sweet sensitive Nico to balance him out.
I will definitely read this again the future. I also hope that Raaf and Az have a book, because that would be entertaining to say the least.
Still loved it as much as before. I couldn’t put it down and i loved the narration just as much as the first time.
I hope the author decides to give Rasf and Az a book that would be glorious!
4.5 stars
i really enjoyed this book, i couldn't put it down and the audiobook made it that much better.
i have listened to one other book narrated by Darcy Stark and i didn't like it at all, but this one was perfection. Nico's accent was mmmmhmm ;)
I loved the grumpy hero that Flame portrayed and the sweet sensitive Nico to balance him out.
I will definitely read this again the future. I also hope that Raaf and Az have a book, because that would be entertaining to say the least.
April 6, 2021
Yet another successful offering which hit all my buttons
I love Meghan's combination of magic, humour and plot twists which come out of nowhere like you've just been knocked flat with a piece of 2b4 (a plank of wood for those who didn't grow up with a joiner father like me).
This book is no exception and if I'd been a cartoon character reading this book, I'd have done the jaw hitting the floor bit!
Loved every single thing about this romance, from the opposites attract to the unexpected moments.
I love Meghan's combination of magic, humour and plot twists which come out of nowhere like you've just been knocked flat with a piece of 2b4 (a plank of wood for those who didn't grow up with a joiner father like me).
This book is no exception and if I'd been a cartoon character reading this book, I'd have done the jaw hitting the floor bit!
Loved every single thing about this romance, from the opposites attract to the unexpected moments.
April 7, 2021
Rather delightful!
May 22, 2023
I really really enjoyed this! More the relationship than the plot, but the plot was still enjoyable. Nico and Flame were so nice together, this was a very well done “forced proximity” book. They had a really nice slow burn, and their relationship development felt really well paced. I’m really looking forward to Az’s book whenever it comes out
October 23, 2022
I have only one question to the book… “Why are you so CUTE???”.
February 12, 2021
Somehow Maslow has outdone her Starfig Investigations series, and created something completely unique and absolutely wonderfully. Lovers of the sunshine one and the grumpy one trope REJOICE because this book has it in spades. Nico is absolutely sunshine personified, and Flame is an absolute grump to his core, but these two are so absolutely wonderful once they realize they belong together. AND this book had such a well done mystery. I put on my super sleuth hat, thought for sure I saw The Big Twist™ coming, and then had the socks knocked off me when I was so very wrong. Love, love, loved this book. With wit and humor you can expect from Maslow, this book is truly one you shouldn’t miss.
April 6, 2021
Wow, this was really fun and cute tale. Nico and Flame are a cute pair.
February 25, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
I love the creative and irreverent world building in Meghan Maslow’s Starfig Investigations series, and she brings some of that magic to Must Love Demons, her contribution to the Magic Emporium collection. The stories are written by various authors with each book being a standalone connected by a shop called Marden’s Magic Emporium that appears anywhere (Room of Requirement style), but only once and only to those in dire need. Nico has personal knowledge of the shop as a previous employee, which comes in handy when the door pops up. Overall, the story is fun, filled with quirky characters and Maslow’s trademark creature archetype-upending (including boozy, chain-smoking cherubs).
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
I love the creative and irreverent world building in Meghan Maslow’s Starfig Investigations series, and she brings some of that magic to Must Love Demons, her contribution to the Magic Emporium collection. The stories are written by various authors with each book being a standalone connected by a shop called Marden’s Magic Emporium that appears anywhere (Room of Requirement style), but only once and only to those in dire need. Nico has personal knowledge of the shop as a previous employee, which comes in handy when the door pops up. Overall, the story is fun, filled with quirky characters and Maslow’s trademark creature archetype-upending (including boozy, chain-smoking cherubs).
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
October 17, 2021
I didn't know what to expect going in since this isn't the typical book I would pic up. However, I did really enjoy it. Nico and Flame were such fun characters and I loved taking the journey with them while the fell in love. It was funny, it was interesting with some great originality and world building and it was steamy. I don't really know what more I could've asked for. Overall a really enjoyable read.
March 27, 2022
Such an awesomely FUN ride!
With plenty of sexy times, suspense and mystery. Throw in a few psychopaths and you have a recipe for a great story. Exactly what I expect from one of my favorite authors!
With plenty of sexy times, suspense and mystery. Throw in a few psychopaths and you have a recipe for a great story. Exactly what I expect from one of my favorite authors!
February 16, 2021
A tantalizing tail
I want my very own fire peacock and demon and while I wouldn’t mind being lassoed to one or both of them—preferably both—cherubs stink. As in, I think they should all be banished far, far away. I so wish I could visit Flame’s place, maybe in another life I’ll be a cat. I did feel bad in a laughing way for Nico and his clothing problem but I love how big Nico’s heart is and how protective Flame can be. I’m enchanted by them, from how vocally Flame and Nico fought to be free of each other to how fiercely they fought for each other. “I’ve never been more sure of anything. Or anyone. You’re it for me.” They made my heart fly and swish with joy and happiness. I adore them so much. They couldn’t be more opposite and yet they match in all the ways that matter. A clever tail full of twists and turns like you wouldn’t believe.
I want my very own fire peacock and demon and while I wouldn’t mind being lassoed to one or both of them—preferably both—cherubs stink. As in, I think they should all be banished far, far away. I so wish I could visit Flame’s place, maybe in another life I’ll be a cat. I did feel bad in a laughing way for Nico and his clothing problem but I love how big Nico’s heart is and how protective Flame can be. I’m enchanted by them, from how vocally Flame and Nico fought to be free of each other to how fiercely they fought for each other. “I’ve never been more sure of anything. Or anyone. You’re it for me.” They made my heart fly and swish with joy and happiness. I adore them so much. They couldn’t be more opposite and yet they match in all the ways that matter. A clever tail full of twists and turns like you wouldn’t believe.
April 7, 2021
Fun and intriguing!
This was so much fun! The world here feels so vivid! And it’s quite exciting how everything turned out, completely took me by surprise. I did wonder why the book was so long. I thought it would be over quickly but boy was I wrong. You just never end up ever suspecting the right person! So fun!
And Nico is just such a sweetheart. Whoever heard of an incubus who wants to be a cherub! That opening scene was truly awesome! 🤩 I don’t want to leave this world! Can we have more please???
This was so much fun! The world here feels so vivid! And it’s quite exciting how everything turned out, completely took me by surprise. I did wonder why the book was so long. I thought it would be over quickly but boy was I wrong. You just never end up ever suspecting the right person! So fun!
And Nico is just such a sweetheart. Whoever heard of an incubus who wants to be a cherub! That opening scene was truly awesome! 🤩 I don’t want to leave this world! Can we have more please???
June 10, 2022
4.5 stars
Squee! Loved loved loved it. I loved Flame and Nic. The setup was well done and I liked how everything was over the top. It felt bright and magical. There’s some action, some danger, a grumpy phoenix, a sweet incubus, and love.
Squee! Loved loved loved it. I loved Flame and Nic. The setup was well done and I liked how everything was over the top. It felt bright and magical. There’s some action, some danger, a grumpy phoenix, a sweet incubus, and love.
September 8, 2022
This started out so good but went downhill fast, especially after the 50% mark. While the characters, the pacing of the romance and the fantasy elements were done really well in the first quarter, things started to drag after that and eventually deteriorated into a disorganized mess with too much happening, amateur writing and terrible pacing.
My favorite aspects in the first 25% were the humor and the author's fresh and unique take on the fantasy elements. Nico is a kind, soft-hearted and sensitive incubus whose magic focuses on love instead of lust. Flame is a grumpy phoenix shifter with a heart of gold that he keeps carefully hidden to avoid getting hurt. The author did a fantastic job introducing these characters using a humorous and original take on many fantasy tropes and general situations. I can't explain what type of humor it was or what made it work, but it reminded me a lot of the movie Shrek.
I also liked the grumpy-sunshine dynamic between the MCs and how the author used the good old 'magic-device-binds-them-together' trope to create a forced proximity situation that made the MCs grow closer over time. In the background, there was a mystery related to somebody altering potions which had led to several deaths and I assumed the rest of the story would focus on this mystery while continuing the slow burn romance between the MCs. Unfortunately, the author had other plans and what she ended up doing didn't work for me.
Info-Dumping/Fading Humor
While I loved how the author introduced elements of this world by showcasing Nico and Flames' daily lives and the people they interact with, there were large sections where the author decided to info-dump information just for the sake of sharing it. For example, when Nico and Flame attend the auction and later the jousting. Neither event was important for the MCs (except for the life-threatening situation they ended up in - more on that later) and the author spent most of the events sharing tons and tons of information about the world and the various fantasy creatures. Not only was most of the information pointless, but the volume of the information was absurd. It felt like the author had challenged herself to include every single fantasy creature in existence, which led to the narrative being cluttered up with paragraphs of pointless information that didn't advance the plot in any way.
As a result of this new approach to worldbuilding, the humor also faded away. We weren't given small bits of information and then getting a chance to see how that information played out in the world (often to humorous results) but the information was being shoved at us with no lasting impact. While I had laughed to the point of tears in the earlier part of the story, I didn't laugh once after the 25% mark.
Repetitive Plotbeats
At 50%, Flame and Nico start sleeping together and that's when their relationship became boring because everything they did was repetitive. The sex scenes were repetitive, the whole thing about Nico's clothes constantly getting burnt up and him ending up naked was done a million times, they explain the magic binding device to every character they meet, they frequent the same locations over and over again, they have the same conversations over and over and the bantering between the MCs and other characters became repetitive (for example, every conversation the MCs had with the wolf shifter cop colleague included the same topics and same jokes). Even the magic binding device stopped being a source of tension because the MCs adjusted to it very quickly. All the conflict and tension that had existed earlier in the story had vanished, leaving me bored.
Competing Plotlines
By far, the biggest problem with the story is that the author tried to do way too much and most of what she wanted to do wasn't necessary. We start out with the potion mystery and the magic-binding device issue. Those were great. But then things got a lot more complicated, but this wasn't done properly. A whole new mystery was added and we get tons of clues and suspects being thrown at us from all sides, but because the focus kept switching between the two mysteries, it was difficult to keep track of which clue related to which mystery. Add in the existence of way too many characters, the constant bantering, OOT plot shenanigans that made no sense or were ridiculous, a THIRD mystery plotline and everything felt like a mess.
Amateur Writing
Not only was the story messy and disjointed, but the overall writing quality got worse as the story progressed, with the pacing being all over the place, the mystery being constructed very poorly and the characters often acting OOC or specifically behaving in the exact way that the author requires for a certain scene with no consideration for what happened before. Some examples:
For the mystery, you could tell that the author tried really hard but it was poorly done. There ended up being three mysteries . Throughout the whole thing, the villains behind all three situations were glaringly obvious and it was also obvious when a clue was a clue versus being a red herring. Why was it obvious? Because the obvious explanation made the most sense. Alternate theories or alternate suspects were so far off the mark that even the characters dismissed them. In fact, the characters identified one of the villains from the very start and he was the only viable suspect for two of the three mysteries. When I realized that the strongly hinted-at villain was actually the villain, I was shocked. It made the book feel like it was written for children.
Not only that, but the villains all give lengthy monologues to explain their motivations and activities. The author tries to turn this into a humorous situation by poking fun at the villain-monologues-about-evil-deeds thing but this fell completely flat for me. Just because you poke fun at how amateur a specific plot beat is, it doesn't make it any more enjoyable when you use it yourself. Not only was this not funny, but it added to the childish feel of the whole thing.
I also got confused by multiple plot holes that the author left lying around. For example:
+ Why are the cherubs so insistent on running their operations when they don't seem to get much out of it and they know their methods/ideology are flawed, to the point where they need to use powerful political connections to avoid criminal convictions? How is the cherub's business continuing to survive when nobody would ever pay for such a ridiculous service?
+ Why is Flame constantly talking about how he's the best investigator in the world, yet he rarely goes to work and his criminal cases barely progress?
+ Why was Flame only carrying his little dagger when he and Nico ended up in dangerous situations, yet he's carrying multiple magic weapons in a later scene when they catch the incubus breaking into Nico's home?
+ Why was Nico using 'normal' magic to make the binding device more visible (which implies he can use different types of magic), yet he can only use 'love-enhancing' magic when his life is threatened?
+ Why did Flame never buy/give Nico any flame-resistant clothing when Nico's clothes were getting literally burnt up nearly every day from Flame flaring up and the author repeatedly emphasized that Nico can't afford to replace his clothes?
Conclusion
Despite the very strong start, this book felt like a compilation of different ideas that needed to be restructured and cut down to create a cohesive story and a lot more attention needed to be devoted to the mystery plotline. It's really upsetting that the story went downhill so fast and so badly because the author's humor and her fantastic imagination made me eager to try her other books. Now I'm not so sure.
My favorite aspects in the first 25% were the humor and the author's fresh and unique take on the fantasy elements. Nico is a kind, soft-hearted and sensitive incubus whose magic focuses on love instead of lust. Flame is a grumpy phoenix shifter with a heart of gold that he keeps carefully hidden to avoid getting hurt. The author did a fantastic job introducing these characters using a humorous and original take on many fantasy tropes and general situations. I can't explain what type of humor it was or what made it work, but it reminded me a lot of the movie Shrek.
I also liked the grumpy-sunshine dynamic between the MCs and how the author used the good old 'magic-device-binds-them-together' trope to create a forced proximity situation that made the MCs grow closer over time. In the background, there was a mystery related to somebody altering potions which had led to several deaths and I assumed the rest of the story would focus on this mystery while continuing the slow burn romance between the MCs. Unfortunately, the author had other plans and what she ended up doing didn't work for me.
Info-Dumping/Fading Humor
While I loved how the author introduced elements of this world by showcasing Nico and Flames' daily lives and the people they interact with, there were large sections where the author decided to info-dump information just for the sake of sharing it. For example, when Nico and Flame attend the auction and later the jousting. Neither event was important for the MCs (except for the life-threatening situation they ended up in - more on that later) and the author spent most of the events sharing tons and tons of information about the world and the various fantasy creatures. Not only was most of the information pointless, but the volume of the information was absurd. It felt like the author had challenged herself to include every single fantasy creature in existence, which led to the narrative being cluttered up with paragraphs of pointless information that didn't advance the plot in any way.
As a result of this new approach to worldbuilding, the humor also faded away. We weren't given small bits of information and then getting a chance to see how that information played out in the world (often to humorous results) but the information was being shoved at us with no lasting impact. While I had laughed to the point of tears in the earlier part of the story, I didn't laugh once after the 25% mark.
Repetitive Plotbeats
At 50%, Flame and Nico start sleeping together and that's when their relationship became boring because everything they did was repetitive. The sex scenes were repetitive, the whole thing about Nico's clothes constantly getting burnt up and him ending up naked was done a million times, they explain the magic binding device to every character they meet, they frequent the same locations over and over again, they have the same conversations over and over and the bantering between the MCs and other characters became repetitive (for example, every conversation the MCs had with the wolf shifter cop colleague included the same topics and same jokes). Even the magic binding device stopped being a source of tension because the MCs adjusted to it very quickly. All the conflict and tension that had existed earlier in the story had vanished, leaving me bored.
Competing Plotlines
By far, the biggest problem with the story is that the author tried to do way too much and most of what she wanted to do wasn't necessary. We start out with the potion mystery and the magic-binding device issue. Those were great. But then things got a lot more complicated, but this wasn't done properly. A whole new mystery was added and we get tons of clues and suspects being thrown at us from all sides, but because the focus kept switching between the two mysteries, it was difficult to keep track of which clue related to which mystery. Add in the existence of way too many characters, the constant bantering, OOT plot shenanigans that made no sense or were ridiculous, a THIRD mystery plotline and everything felt like a mess.
Amateur Writing
Not only was the story messy and disjointed, but the overall writing quality got worse as the story progressed, with the pacing being all over the place, the mystery being constructed very poorly and the characters often acting OOC or specifically behaving in the exact way that the author requires for a certain scene with no consideration for what happened before. Some examples:
For the mystery, you could tell that the author tried really hard but it was poorly done. There ended up being three mysteries . Throughout the whole thing, the villains behind all three situations were glaringly obvious and it was also obvious when a clue was a clue versus being a red herring. Why was it obvious? Because the obvious explanation made the most sense. Alternate theories or alternate suspects were so far off the mark that even the characters dismissed them. In fact, the characters identified one of the villains from the very start and he was the only viable suspect for two of the three mysteries. When I realized that the strongly hinted-at villain was actually the villain, I was shocked. It made the book feel like it was written for children.
Not only that, but the villains all give lengthy monologues to explain their motivations and activities. The author tries to turn this into a humorous situation by poking fun at the villain-monologues-about-evil-deeds thing but this fell completely flat for me. Just because you poke fun at how amateur a specific plot beat is, it doesn't make it any more enjoyable when you use it yourself. Not only was this not funny, but it added to the childish feel of the whole thing.
I also got confused by multiple plot holes that the author left lying around. For example:
+ Why are the cherubs so insistent on running their operations when they don't seem to get much out of it and they know their methods/ideology are flawed, to the point where they need to use powerful political connections to avoid criminal convictions? How is the cherub's business continuing to survive when nobody would ever pay for such a ridiculous service?
+ Why is Flame constantly talking about how he's the best investigator in the world, yet he rarely goes to work and his criminal cases barely progress?
+ Why was Flame only carrying his little dagger when he and Nico ended up in dangerous situations, yet he's carrying multiple magic weapons in a later scene when they catch the incubus breaking into Nico's home?
+ Why was Nico using 'normal' magic to make the binding device more visible (which implies he can use different types of magic), yet he can only use 'love-enhancing' magic when his life is threatened?
+ Why did Flame never buy/give Nico any flame-resistant clothing when Nico's clothes were getting literally burnt up nearly every day from Flame flaring up and the author repeatedly emphasized that Nico can't afford to replace his clothes?
Conclusion
Despite the very strong start, this book felt like a compilation of different ideas that needed to be restructured and cut down to create a cohesive story and a lot more attention needed to be devoted to the mystery plotline. It's really upsetting that the story went downhill so fast and so badly because the author's humor and her fantastic imagination made me eager to try her other books. Now I'm not so sure.
October 26, 2023
I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals - 4.5 stars
This review ran in Feb 2022 but forgot to post the review here!
Confession time. I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I began listening to Must Love Demons – I picked it principally because of Darcy Stark, whose narration in Eden Winter’s Diversion series has so impressed me that I’ll take any opportunity to listen to him! The synopsis promised a grumpy/sunshine romance between an incredibly sweet demon and an incredibly grouchy warden (investigator), with a bit of mystery and magic along the way – and I’m pleased to report that the audiobook delivered exactly that; a fun and sexy love story, a mystery that is intriguing but which doesn’t overshadow the romance and a pair of well-drawn, chalk-and-cheese protagonists who are perfect for each other. Oh – and the narration was awesome, too.
Incubus Nico Azertiran was kicked out of his Legion because his magic doesn’t work the way an incubus’ magic is supposed to – instead of spells that create lust and sexual desire, his magic causes people to fall in love with their soulmates. Luckily for him, he’s managed to land a job as a cherub-in-training, learning how to fire cupid’s arrow (literally) – but he’s not doing so well and keeps screwing up. It’s not entirely his fault though – a seven-foot incubus having to using bows and arrows designed for creatures half his size is bound to be awkward.
He’s on desk duty at Cupid Inc. when he’s confronted by a very angry – very handsome – phoenix shifter who also happens to be one of the city of Verona’s most effective and most feared wardens. Sir Flambeau Illume – known by most as ‘Sir Flame’ – has come to demand his name be taken off the lovestruck list; he’s sick and tired of having arrows shot at him every hour of every day by enthusiastic cherubs, despite his previous complaints, his insistence that he doesn’t want to find love, AND the restraining edict he obtained – and he wants it to stop. NOW. Nico tries to explain that the list doesn’t work like that; the cherubs don’t make it, they just follow instructions and fire their arrows at whoever is on the list. Sir Flame doesn’t care. He just wants them to leave him alone.
Well, of course that isn’t what happens. The next day, Flame is on the way to meet an informant – he’s investigating a recent spate of poisonings of high-profile citizens – when a series of mishaps sees him accidentally bound to Nico by a Lariat of Love, a magical rope that binds two people together until they fall in love. Needless to say, he’s not impressed.
Neither is Nico. He’d been on a training exercise when he’d been told who his target was to be, and adamantly refused to fire his arrow at someone who had made it very clear he didn’t want to find love. Unfortunately however, the arrow – with its attached lariat – was loosed in Nico’s altercation with his trainer, and the trainer has no idea how to remove it. Nico suggests to an angry Flame that they should visit Cupid Inc.’s R&D department straight away to get it removed, but Flame has a job to do; he’s got several murders of the rich and famous to solve and hasn’t got the time for detours. Being well and truly stuck together, Flame has no alternative but to take Nico along with him to the meeting with his CI, and by the time they finally make it to Cupid Inc. the place is in darkness. There’s no help for it – Flame takes Nico back to his home for the night, where the difficulties of their situation become even more apparent. After an awkward night and morning, Flame once again has to take Nico along with him as he continues his investigations, and to his surprise, finds Nico to be intelligent, helpful and enjoyable company. Flame can’t help but be drawn to Nico – but this is more than just because he’s an incubus and therefore built to inspire attraction and lust in others. The stakes are raised considerably when Nico appears to have attracted the wrong kind of attention and becomes a target – and Flame is forced to face up to the truth of his feelings for the gorgeous demon. But once the lariat is removed – what then? Will Flame remember what Nico has come to mean to him? Or will his emotions reset – as they’ve done throughout the seven-hundred-plus years of his life?
This is such a fun listen. The fantastical world populated by mythical creatures and magic the author has created is vivid and imaginative, and the two leads are intensely likeable with chemistry that sparks and sizzles from the moment they meet. Nico is the sweetest demon ever (!). He’s big-hearted and a bit shy, finding the attention he attracts by virtue of his spectacular good looks uncomfortable, and he just wants to find someone who will see beyond his looks and his heritage and get to know the real him. He’s looked down on, his magic seen as worthless by other incubi, and the cherubs don’t really want him either because his magic is stronger than theirs and doesn’t produce the sort of insta-love their clients seem to want. He’s set up for failure at every turn, yet he maintains his optimism; he’s kind and bright and really dedicated to helping people to find their true love despite not having much luck in that department himself. Flame is his polar opposite; grouchy, no-nonsense, impatient and intimidating. It’s not that he’s uninterested in love, it’s that he knows it’s not for him; as a phoenix shifter, his regenerative powers make it impossible for him to fall in love, so instead, he’s devoted himself to his job and hides his inner softie beneath sharp-tongued arrogance.
There’s a lot going on in this story, but it never feels rushed and the author makes the romance work, balancing the fast-paced plot with quieter moments of intimacy and introspection that round out the characters, clearly showing their deepening affection for one another and just how well they complement each other.
Must Love Demons is part of a multi-author series called Magic Emporium; each book features a shop called Marden’s Magic Emporium which, rather like Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement, appears – only once – to those in dire need. I haven’t read or listened to any of the other books – Goodreads shows a dozen in total, and not all of them are available in audio – and there is a short prequel to the series called In Fair Verona (also narrated by Darcy Stark) which introduces Nico and sees him having to solve a murder.
Darcy Stark delivers an exceptionally good performance here, with clear and appropriate vocal characterisations for all, and it’s well-paced, expressive and expertly differentiated throughout. He adopts a slight accent for Flame that sounds vaguely European, and adds a gruff, gravelly note to his voice that really fits the character’s grumpiness, but is also able to bring out Flame’s hidden vulnerabilities by means of a softened, warmer tone. He portrays female characters convincingly, and most impressive of all, the English accent he uses for Nico is easily one of the best I’ve heard from an American narrator, with none of the usual giveaways and slip-ups, and he maintains it consistently throughout. He’s a fabulous voice actor, too, and I felt as though I really got to know Nico and Flame through his interpretations of them because he captures their personalities so perfectly. The only criticism I can level is a tiny one – I noted a few mispronunciations here and there, but really not enough to mark down the performance overall. It’s wholly engaging and animated, and adds considerably to the appeal of the story and characters.
So Must Love Demons proved to be an unexpected hit. I see the author has several audiobooks out narrated by Greg Boudreaux (I feel a glom coming on!), but Darcy Stark has fast become one of my favourite narrators, and I’ll be looking for more of his work, too.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
This review ran in Feb 2022 but forgot to post the review here!
Confession time. I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I began listening to Must Love Demons – I picked it principally because of Darcy Stark, whose narration in Eden Winter’s Diversion series has so impressed me that I’ll take any opportunity to listen to him! The synopsis promised a grumpy/sunshine romance between an incredibly sweet demon and an incredibly grouchy warden (investigator), with a bit of mystery and magic along the way – and I’m pleased to report that the audiobook delivered exactly that; a fun and sexy love story, a mystery that is intriguing but which doesn’t overshadow the romance and a pair of well-drawn, chalk-and-cheese protagonists who are perfect for each other. Oh – and the narration was awesome, too.
Incubus Nico Azertiran was kicked out of his Legion because his magic doesn’t work the way an incubus’ magic is supposed to – instead of spells that create lust and sexual desire, his magic causes people to fall in love with their soulmates. Luckily for him, he’s managed to land a job as a cherub-in-training, learning how to fire cupid’s arrow (literally) – but he’s not doing so well and keeps screwing up. It’s not entirely his fault though – a seven-foot incubus having to using bows and arrows designed for creatures half his size is bound to be awkward.
He’s on desk duty at Cupid Inc. when he’s confronted by a very angry – very handsome – phoenix shifter who also happens to be one of the city of Verona’s most effective and most feared wardens. Sir Flambeau Illume – known by most as ‘Sir Flame’ – has come to demand his name be taken off the lovestruck list; he’s sick and tired of having arrows shot at him every hour of every day by enthusiastic cherubs, despite his previous complaints, his insistence that he doesn’t want to find love, AND the restraining edict he obtained – and he wants it to stop. NOW. Nico tries to explain that the list doesn’t work like that; the cherubs don’t make it, they just follow instructions and fire their arrows at whoever is on the list. Sir Flame doesn’t care. He just wants them to leave him alone.
Well, of course that isn’t what happens. The next day, Flame is on the way to meet an informant – he’s investigating a recent spate of poisonings of high-profile citizens – when a series of mishaps sees him accidentally bound to Nico by a Lariat of Love, a magical rope that binds two people together until they fall in love. Needless to say, he’s not impressed.
Neither is Nico. He’d been on a training exercise when he’d been told who his target was to be, and adamantly refused to fire his arrow at someone who had made it very clear he didn’t want to find love. Unfortunately however, the arrow – with its attached lariat – was loosed in Nico’s altercation with his trainer, and the trainer has no idea how to remove it. Nico suggests to an angry Flame that they should visit Cupid Inc.’s R&D department straight away to get it removed, but Flame has a job to do; he’s got several murders of the rich and famous to solve and hasn’t got the time for detours. Being well and truly stuck together, Flame has no alternative but to take Nico along with him to the meeting with his CI, and by the time they finally make it to Cupid Inc. the place is in darkness. There’s no help for it – Flame takes Nico back to his home for the night, where the difficulties of their situation become even more apparent. After an awkward night and morning, Flame once again has to take Nico along with him as he continues his investigations, and to his surprise, finds Nico to be intelligent, helpful and enjoyable company. Flame can’t help but be drawn to Nico – but this is more than just because he’s an incubus and therefore built to inspire attraction and lust in others. The stakes are raised considerably when Nico appears to have attracted the wrong kind of attention and becomes a target – and Flame is forced to face up to the truth of his feelings for the gorgeous demon. But once the lariat is removed – what then? Will Flame remember what Nico has come to mean to him? Or will his emotions reset – as they’ve done throughout the seven-hundred-plus years of his life?
This is such a fun listen. The fantastical world populated by mythical creatures and magic the author has created is vivid and imaginative, and the two leads are intensely likeable with chemistry that sparks and sizzles from the moment they meet. Nico is the sweetest demon ever (!). He’s big-hearted and a bit shy, finding the attention he attracts by virtue of his spectacular good looks uncomfortable, and he just wants to find someone who will see beyond his looks and his heritage and get to know the real him. He’s looked down on, his magic seen as worthless by other incubi, and the cherubs don’t really want him either because his magic is stronger than theirs and doesn’t produce the sort of insta-love their clients seem to want. He’s set up for failure at every turn, yet he maintains his optimism; he’s kind and bright and really dedicated to helping people to find their true love despite not having much luck in that department himself. Flame is his polar opposite; grouchy, no-nonsense, impatient and intimidating. It’s not that he’s uninterested in love, it’s that he knows it’s not for him; as a phoenix shifter, his regenerative powers make it impossible for him to fall in love, so instead, he’s devoted himself to his job and hides his inner softie beneath sharp-tongued arrogance.
There’s a lot going on in this story, but it never feels rushed and the author makes the romance work, balancing the fast-paced plot with quieter moments of intimacy and introspection that round out the characters, clearly showing their deepening affection for one another and just how well they complement each other.
Must Love Demons is part of a multi-author series called Magic Emporium; each book features a shop called Marden’s Magic Emporium which, rather like Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement, appears – only once – to those in dire need. I haven’t read or listened to any of the other books – Goodreads shows a dozen in total, and not all of them are available in audio – and there is a short prequel to the series called In Fair Verona (also narrated by Darcy Stark) which introduces Nico and sees him having to solve a murder.
Darcy Stark delivers an exceptionally good performance here, with clear and appropriate vocal characterisations for all, and it’s well-paced, expressive and expertly differentiated throughout. He adopts a slight accent for Flame that sounds vaguely European, and adds a gruff, gravelly note to his voice that really fits the character’s grumpiness, but is also able to bring out Flame’s hidden vulnerabilities by means of a softened, warmer tone. He portrays female characters convincingly, and most impressive of all, the English accent he uses for Nico is easily one of the best I’ve heard from an American narrator, with none of the usual giveaways and slip-ups, and he maintains it consistently throughout. He’s a fabulous voice actor, too, and I felt as though I really got to know Nico and Flame through his interpretations of them because he captures their personalities so perfectly. The only criticism I can level is a tiny one – I noted a few mispronunciations here and there, but really not enough to mark down the performance overall. It’s wholly engaging and animated, and adds considerably to the appeal of the story and characters.
So Must Love Demons proved to be an unexpected hit. I see the author has several audiobooks out narrated by Greg Boudreaux (I feel a glom coming on!), but Darcy Stark has fast become one of my favourite narrators, and I’ll be looking for more of his work, too.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
February 23, 2021
4.25 stars
Incubus with love magic instead of lust who works as cherub in training -- and a fire peacock phoenix warden with hundreds of years of experience who swears off love (.
THIS IS SUCH A FUN READ!!! I'm having a fabulous time with this universe and all the supernatural beings. I LOVED the mystery as well, and boy the villain in this is totally loony!
Nico is totally adorable, and I can understand why Flame thinks this romantic demon is precious and wants to protect Nico at all cost. I love Flame and his grumpy mood and protective stance. The relationship may start with both of them tethered to each other physically but I enjoy how that moves towards the bound of the heart as well.
I wish Ms. Maslow provides epilogue of sort though, because this ends immediately after their case is solved, and I sort of want to see Nico and Flame several months ahead. Especially if Flame really
But anyway, yes, this is FUN! If you follow Magic Emporium series (all stand-alone, by the way), give this one a try.
Incubus with love magic instead of lust who works as cherub in training -- and a fire peacock phoenix warden with hundreds of years of experience who swears off love (.
THIS IS SUCH A FUN READ!!! I'm having a fabulous time with this universe and all the supernatural beings. I LOVED the mystery as well, and boy the villain in this is totally loony!
Nico is totally adorable, and I can understand why Flame thinks this romantic demon is precious and wants to protect Nico at all cost. I love Flame and his grumpy mood and protective stance. The relationship may start with both of them tethered to each other physically but I enjoy how that moves towards the bound of the heart as well.
I wish Ms. Maslow provides epilogue of sort though, because this ends immediately after their case is solved, and I sort of want to see Nico and Flame several months ahead. Especially if Flame really
But anyway, yes, this is FUN! If you follow Magic Emporium series (all stand-alone, by the way), give this one a try.
February 24, 2021
Oh, this was really good! It stacks the tally three to three in good vs bad books in this series. This one happily standing in the "good" category. It's my first book by Meghan, so I had no idea what to expect. This went so far beyond what I could've expected my expectations can't be seen from that distance. It's that good. And Nico and Flame are the epitome of the "grumpy and sunshine" trope and I adore them for it.
November 29, 2024
Nov 2024 - 4 stars
This had been on my mind and I've been struggling with focusing on new books so figured I'd give it a re-read. I found I enjoyed this much more the second time.
Good pacing, I appreciate that there's a fair amount of content after the final climax. Sometimes books just randomly end after the big action moment, but this managed to be complete still without feeling the need to tie everything up in a perfect bow.
The MCs also have surprisingly good communication. When Flame thinks he should probably reveal some information to Nico, he doesn't waffle around: he just tells him.
They don't get along initially, Flame really is a huge grump - though in his defense he's being harassed by cupids so when he finds himself tethered to one I can see why he might be less than thrilled - but he is actually the biggest secret softie. Nico was wonderful, sweet and insecure, and just in need of some loving.
Great narration. This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Darcy Stark, and I'll definitely be checking out more. The accents were consistent and I thought the story was really well acted.
The villains are terribly OTT, but in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way that I can work with.
My main complaint: hello, where's the sequel?
Dec 2022 - 3 stars
This had been on my mind and I've been struggling with focusing on new books so figured I'd give it a re-read. I found I enjoyed this much more the second time.
Good pacing, I appreciate that there's a fair amount of content after the final climax. Sometimes books just randomly end after the big action moment, but this managed to be complete still without feeling the need to tie everything up in a perfect bow.
The MCs also have surprisingly good communication. When Flame thinks he should probably reveal some information to Nico, he doesn't waffle around: he just tells him.
They don't get along initially, Flame really is a huge grump - though in his defense he's being harassed by cupids so when he finds himself tethered to one I can see why he might be less than thrilled - but he is actually the biggest secret softie. Nico was wonderful, sweet and insecure, and just in need of some loving.
Great narration. This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Darcy Stark, and I'll definitely be checking out more. The accents were consistent and I thought the story was really well acted.
The villains are terribly OTT, but in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way that I can work with.
My main complaint: hello, where's the sequel?
Dec 2022 - 3 stars
January 18, 2022
overall cute and avoids many of the genre-typical pitfalls. really could’ve done without all the sex shaming tho. I love that Nico is a different kind of incubus. I hate that he deals with it by promoting the toxic idea that sex without love isn’t as good, or that romantic love is in some way superior to sexual intimacy. it works for Nico—that doesn’t mean he needs to shit on other peoples preferences.
ESPECIALLY in a book where true love apparently means that you stop valuing all of your other relationships! which, side note, fucking y i k e s
and by this logic, I suppose we’re meant to assume his aromantic bff is also asexual, or else she’d be having the dirty icky not-making-love kind of sex? and uh aro isn’t a sub-category of ace, kthxbyeeeeeeeee
also… uh… there’s nothing wrong with Nico choosing not to work if he doesn’t want to work. like if he wants to work, great, but feeling like he has to work cuz unless he’s a good little servant to capitalism, he won’t be being his best self is also really fucking gross
ESPECIALLY in a book where true love apparently means that you stop valuing all of your other relationships! which, side note, fucking y i k e s
and by this logic, I suppose we’re meant to assume his aromantic bff is also asexual, or else she’d be having the dirty icky not-making-love kind of sex? and uh aro isn’t a sub-category of ace, kthxbyeeeeeeeee
also… uh… there’s nothing wrong with Nico choosing not to work if he doesn’t want to work. like if he wants to work, great, but feeling like he has to work cuz unless he’s a good little servant to capitalism, he won’t be being his best self is also really fucking gross
February 18, 2021
I am having such a good time gobbling up the books in the multi author Magic Emporium series. They are just so much fun! All the books in the series are set in different worlds and include the appearance of a magic shop which never appears in the same place twice and only appears when the MCs need an item in dire need. The catch? The save me sack ( a magical bag) picks the item they will get and usually the MCs have no idea what the item is needed for. All they know is that at some point in the future they will need the it.. It's also never manned by the same exact staff. In each book, there are different creatures working there. I swear when that magical door appears in a book I get so excited I could burst because you have no idea what to expect!
Must Love Demons was definitely a winner for me. I love myself a broody MC who hides a heart of gold and Flame fits that to a T. Something else I enjoyed was how although Nico is an incubus demon, he is the sweet and sensitive MC in the book. The demon is over 6 feet tall yet all he wants is to help people fall in love and find happiness. He dreams of it happening to himself almost as much. Nico was just so cute and I liked how he wasn't a stereotypical bad ass. The badass in their relationship was Flame. He was a Warden which is basically their version of a paranormal police force and he is NOT happy when he first encounters Nico working at Cupids Inc.
Circumstances place Nico and Flame together for the foreseeable future and Flame's guard starts to go down more and more around Nico. He sees the demon for who he truly is, a kind soul, and not some lust driven sex fiend. Nico also ends up being pretty helpful when it comes to the investigation Flame has been tasked with working. I have to say I did not see the ending coming which is always a great surprise.
The romance/steam was good and there is a solid HFN feeling when the book is done. I don't ever really place books in the HEA category when the MCs haven't actually been together that long and there is no epilogue showing them going strong in some sort of future. I really liked this addition to the series and it has helped me discover some new to me authors, including this one whose past books I plan to check out.
** This book was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review **
Must Love Demons was definitely a winner for me. I love myself a broody MC who hides a heart of gold and Flame fits that to a T. Something else I enjoyed was how although Nico is an incubus demon, he is the sweet and sensitive MC in the book. The demon is over 6 feet tall yet all he wants is to help people fall in love and find happiness. He dreams of it happening to himself almost as much. Nico was just so cute and I liked how he wasn't a stereotypical bad ass. The badass in their relationship was Flame. He was a Warden which is basically their version of a paranormal police force and he is NOT happy when he first encounters Nico working at Cupids Inc.
Circumstances place Nico and Flame together for the foreseeable future and Flame's guard starts to go down more and more around Nico. He sees the demon for who he truly is, a kind soul, and not some lust driven sex fiend. Nico also ends up being pretty helpful when it comes to the investigation Flame has been tasked with working. I have to say I did not see the ending coming which is always a great surprise.
The romance/steam was good and there is a solid HFN feeling when the book is done. I don't ever really place books in the HEA category when the MCs haven't actually been together that long and there is no epilogue showing them going strong in some sort of future. I really liked this addition to the series and it has helped me discover some new to me authors, including this one whose past books I plan to check out.
** This book was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review **
March 6, 2022
I think I'm going to love this series. So good.
February 21, 2021
I so need more Meghan’s books in my life!
LOVED her amazing stories 💛
And Nico’s tail 💙 aww 🥰 so cute 🤗
LOVED her amazing stories 💛
And Nico’s tail 💙 aww 🥰 so cute 🤗
October 31, 2021
I wish it had an epilogue though :/
May 21, 2021
Read for a group challenge and yeah because there were demons. This one was sweet and adorable. Nico was the big friendly giant trying to fit in with cherubs and Flame, the grumpy phoenix aiming for first knight.
I felt sorry for Nico, he’s so sweet and innocent, the guy just needs hugs. He’s so overpowered the contrast was a little strange. I liked how everyone gathered around him. Didn’t see the twist coming.
Favourite part was the dragon and I liked how Flame and Nico influenced each other. The ending was cute. Felt long, a bit of mystery and annoying cherubs. Hoping there’s more of Raaf and Az.
I felt sorry for Nico, he’s so sweet and innocent, the guy just needs hugs. He’s so overpowered the contrast was a little strange. I liked how everyone gathered around him. Didn’t see the twist coming.
Favourite part was the dragon and I liked how Flame and Nico influenced each other. The ending was cute. Felt long, a bit of mystery and annoying cherubs. Hoping there’s more of Raaf and Az.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2021
An aside, so much is going on in the world right now, I'm listening to Clair McCaskill right now before Trumps defense lawyers make their case. Sigh. This book has been a balm on my soul.
Also, my god, I was so excited Eliot Grayson was invited to be apart of this extended universe. When I joined her ARC I had no idea the treasures I'd be invited to read.
My official review starts now.
Nico is an incubus whose magic is love and not lust. Simply being around him can cause others to see their true love, regrettably his magic does not work for himself. A drift with no legion to support him he has taken a job as a cherub in hopes of using his gift to bring others together but is hugely unhappy as it turns out cherubs are jerks.
Flame is a phoenix warden driven to advance his career. Flame is unable to form long term emotional attachments because of a quirk of his phoenix powers. He's resigned to being alone focused on his career. Unfortunately the cherubs have set their sights on him to find him a match, none of their attempts have he seems immune to their magic and their continued harassment has thoroughly vexed him. Cupid meddling leads Flame and Nico being literally tethered together.
Now stuck together Flame still has a case to solve and unfortunately Nico has to come along for the ride. Flame has his hands full trying to keep Nico safe as it seems that someone wants him dead.
These two are delightfully mismatched and perfectly complimentary. This couple is versatile and while I find that verse/switchy couples are off putting as they tend to be handled sloppily this couple was very well handled and I enjoyed their dynamic very much.
The sweet slow burn of their relationship was a joy to read! The mystery was engaging and the twist didn't begin to reveal itself until the very end. I had an inkling something was off, but wow, those guys suck!
I really enjoyed learning more about Marden's after already reading a few books in this series I was delighted that the save-me sack has a name. Hah.
I feel these characters and this setting have potential for further stories and I'd love to return to Verona. I know there's a prequel I'll be checking out but uhm I'd like to know what Raaf plans on doing about "the situation" lol.
ARC provided for an honest review.
Also, my god, I was so excited Eliot Grayson was invited to be apart of this extended universe. When I joined her ARC I had no idea the treasures I'd be invited to read.
My official review starts now.
Nico is an incubus whose magic is love and not lust. Simply being around him can cause others to see their true love, regrettably his magic does not work for himself. A drift with no legion to support him he has taken a job as a cherub in hopes of using his gift to bring others together but is hugely unhappy as it turns out cherubs are jerks.
Flame is a phoenix warden driven to advance his career. Flame is unable to form long term emotional attachments because of a quirk of his phoenix powers. He's resigned to being alone focused on his career. Unfortunately the cherubs have set their sights on him to find him a match, none of their attempts have he seems immune to their magic and their continued harassment has thoroughly vexed him. Cupid meddling leads Flame and Nico being literally tethered together.
Now stuck together Flame still has a case to solve and unfortunately Nico has to come along for the ride. Flame has his hands full trying to keep Nico safe as it seems that someone wants him dead.
These two are delightfully mismatched and perfectly complimentary. This couple is versatile and while I find that verse/switchy couples are off putting as they tend to be handled sloppily this couple was very well handled and I enjoyed their dynamic very much.
The sweet slow burn of their relationship was a joy to read! The mystery was engaging and the twist didn't begin to reveal itself until the very end. I had an inkling something was off, but wow, those guys suck!
I really enjoyed learning more about Marden's after already reading a few books in this series I was delighted that the save-me sack has a name. Hah.
I feel these characters and this setting have potential for further stories and I'd love to return to Verona. I know there's a prequel I'll be checking out but uhm I'd like to know what Raaf plans on doing about "the situation" lol.
ARC provided for an honest review.
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