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Hell Bent #0.5
My Demon Romance
Hell Bent Prequel
100 pages, ebook
11 people are currently reading
1255 people want to read
About the author
Aurora Ascher
8 books1,607 followersAurora Ascher is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling fantasy & paranormal romance author. She loves misunderstood monsters, redeemable anti-heroes, and epic happily-ever-afters. A woman of many creative pursuits, Aurora is also a professional musician and visual artist. She currently resides in Montreal with her trusty espresso machine and her endlessly patient husband, whom she sometimes doesn’t see for hours until she emerges from her writing cave like a bear in springtime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 17, 2025
3 ✧
My Demon Romance by Aurora Ascher is a paranormal prequel novella to the Hell Bent series, following Natalie—a romance writer with a soft spot for demon love interests—who happens to cross paths with Eligos, a bored Duke of Hell in desperate need of distraction. But just as he starts enjoying his new mortal muse, Hell’s most feared demon hunter is on his trail… 🪽🔥 Will this villain get the happy ending he never thought he wanted?
Note: This novella is only available in PDF/Kindle format as a freebie via the author’s newsletter. 💌
───♡─────────────
♡ What I loved most:
• I liked the spontaneity of the MCs’ meeting—completely by chance, and oddly charming 💫
• Double POV made the story much more enjoyable 🖋️
• Natalie was incredibly relatable—her inner monologue was chaotic, funny, and so familiar 📚
• The spice was genuinely hot without overshadowing the plot 🔥
• The ending was heartwarming and took me by surprise in the best way 💗
✘ What didn’t work for me:
• The overall vibe was a little off—written very well, but the pacing and plot felt a bit Wattpad-ish 🤷♀️
• Everything went a bit too smoothly—no real suspense, no build-up, just… everything going perfectly 😶
• I had to re-read parts after putting it down for a day—it just didn’t stick in my brain 🧠 (but maybe it's just exam stress)
• POV changes weren’t marked clearly, which caused a few “wait, who’s talking?” moments 🔁
• It felt rushed toward the end, but that’s probably a side effect of being just ~100 pages ⏩
❀ Overall:
This was a cute, steamy little intro to the Hell Bent universe—romantic, fast-paced, and fun. I enjoyed it, but I needed a little more spark ✨ I’m hoping the full-length books bring more depth, tension, and polish!
「Hell Bent series」
#0.5 My Demon Romance — 3 ✧
#1 My Funny Demon Valentine — 4.5 ✧
#2 My Demon Hunter — 4.25 ✧
#2.5 Mistified — 4.25 ✧
#3 Demon with Benefits — 4 ✧
#4 Guardian Demon — 4.25 ✧
#5 Beauty and the Demon — TBR
#6 Fallen Demon — TBA
My Demon Romance by Aurora Ascher is a paranormal prequel novella to the Hell Bent series, following Natalie—a romance writer with a soft spot for demon love interests—who happens to cross paths with Eligos, a bored Duke of Hell in desperate need of distraction. But just as he starts enjoying his new mortal muse, Hell’s most feared demon hunter is on his trail… 🪽🔥 Will this villain get the happy ending he never thought he wanted?
Note: This novella is only available in PDF/Kindle format as a freebie via the author’s newsletter. 💌
───♡─────────────
♡ What I loved most:
• I liked the spontaneity of the MCs’ meeting—completely by chance, and oddly charming 💫
• Double POV made the story much more enjoyable 🖋️
• Natalie was incredibly relatable—her inner monologue was chaotic, funny, and so familiar 📚
“Her mind was usually a hot mess of disorganized to-do lists, pointless anxieties, and half-cocked plot ideas.”
• The spice was genuinely hot without overshadowing the plot 🔥
• The ending was heartwarming and took me by surprise in the best way 💗
✘ What didn’t work for me:
• The overall vibe was a little off—written very well, but the pacing and plot felt a bit Wattpad-ish 🤷♀️
• Everything went a bit too smoothly—no real suspense, no build-up, just… everything going perfectly 😶
• I had to re-read parts after putting it down for a day—it just didn’t stick in my brain 🧠 (but maybe it's just exam stress)
• POV changes weren’t marked clearly, which caused a few “wait, who’s talking?” moments 🔁
• It felt rushed toward the end, but that’s probably a side effect of being just ~100 pages ⏩
❀ Overall:
This was a cute, steamy little intro to the Hell Bent universe—romantic, fast-paced, and fun. I enjoyed it, but I needed a little more spark ✨ I’m hoping the full-length books bring more depth, tension, and polish!
「Hell Bent series」
#0.5 My Demon Romance — 3 ✧
#1 My Funny Demon Valentine — 4.5 ✧
#2 My Demon Hunter — 4.25 ✧
#2.5 Mistified — 4.25 ✧
#3 Demon with Benefits — 4 ✧
#4 Guardian Demon — 4.25 ✧
#5 Beauty and the Demon — TBR
#6 Fallen Demon — TBA
May 31, 2025
This is a cute prequel to my funny demon valentine. I enjoyed Eligo’s and Natalie’s story. It was a cute spicy demon romance. I would have gotten it done sooner but I was in a slump.
June 6, 2023
After hearing bits and pieces about Eligos in the other books, I knew I had to read this one. And I’m so glad I did!
Natalie is quite the spitfire. She’s also an author who writes…paranormal romance. And she’s also very open to things, lots of things…even demon things.
But there’s a little trouble in paradise before Eligos (Eli) figures out that she is the perfect human woman for someone like him. The connection between them was strong, I could feel it. Their chemistry sparked and I loved how he was so confused, yet elated at these new, fluttery feelings he had toward this tiny human. They were very different, yet she was accepting of him, all of him.
This is the prequel to the HeII Bent series, but is best read after book 2, My Demon Hunter. It was perfect and satisfied my curiosity and gave me some insight on the elusive Eligos mentioned in the previous books. If you e read and loved the first two books, you’ll definitely want to read this one.
You can get this prequel by signing up for Aurora Ascher’s newsletter: www.auroraascher.com.
Natalie is quite the spitfire. She’s also an author who writes…paranormal romance. And she’s also very open to things, lots of things…even demon things.
But there’s a little trouble in paradise before Eligos (Eli) figures out that she is the perfect human woman for someone like him. The connection between them was strong, I could feel it. Their chemistry sparked and I loved how he was so confused, yet elated at these new, fluttery feelings he had toward this tiny human. They were very different, yet she was accepting of him, all of him.
This is the prequel to the HeII Bent series, but is best read after book 2, My Demon Hunter. It was perfect and satisfied my curiosity and gave me some insight on the elusive Eligos mentioned in the previous books. If you e read and loved the first two books, you’ll definitely want to read this one.
You can get this prequel by signing up for Aurora Ascher’s newsletter: www.auroraascher.com.
January 17, 2026
2.5 stars maybe, it didn’t feel complete for me but maybe it will for someone else
I loved the start of the Hell Bent series and read them before the author got a trad publishing deal so when I ran across a prequel novella that is best read after reading book 2, I had to give it a go. It’s certainly an interesting story but came across to me as half-baked, possibly because I’ve seen the depths and level of connections the author creates in a full story.
Written in third person, dual POV (epilogue from a third POV). No ow/om drama and both are experienced. I believe it’s mentioned that the H hadn’t been with anyone in a while however because he was focused on his mission.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Demon MMC x human FMC
☆ Romance writer FMC
☆ Demonic general MMC
☆ She sort of knows the supernatural exists on some level
☆ ONS turned situationship kinda
☆ MMC feels stuck
☆ Demonic reveal does not go well
☆ FMC does some of the pursuing
☆ On page violence
☆ Protective MMC and FMC
The h and H meet at a country club and immediately become enmeshed in a snappy argument that ignites lust between them and leads to a ONS. It’s a fast burn and they have good dialogue and chemistry. When their weekend meet-ups at her apartment lead the h to want more, she asks for them to have a conversation. It leads to the H revealing his demonic form, the h being scared, and him running away. This is where she ends up pursuing him because he falls into a bit of despair over her reaction and she’s blowing up his phone mad that he didn’t give her a chance to calm down after being startled.
I like the scenes of them together, there needed to be more on page emotional connection imo. Some of their time is apart following the reveal or told and not shown. Then there’s a challenge that presents itself because of the H’s mission on Earth and it does get violent in a shocking way given the rest of the book. Even when they’re safe and actually talking and connecting more, we get some of that summarized too. It’s a novella, but I could see how just a little more fleshing out would have made this feel more complete for me.
The way that the two of them end up being safe involves a bit of sacrifice and I didn’t feel like enough relationship development had occurred to warrant the feelings that were being expressed. The epilogue is sweet and it does offer a lovely connection to the second book in the series. It’s a HEA for them and an adorable peek at the main couple in love and happy.
I loved the start of the Hell Bent series and read them before the author got a trad publishing deal so when I ran across a prequel novella that is best read after reading book 2, I had to give it a go. It’s certainly an interesting story but came across to me as half-baked, possibly because I’ve seen the depths and level of connections the author creates in a full story.
Written in third person, dual POV (epilogue from a third POV). No ow/om drama and both are experienced. I believe it’s mentioned that the H hadn’t been with anyone in a while however because he was focused on his mission.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Demon MMC x human FMC
☆ Romance writer FMC
☆ Demonic general MMC
☆ She sort of knows the supernatural exists on some level
☆ ONS turned situationship kinda
☆ MMC feels stuck
☆ Demonic reveal does not go well
☆ FMC does some of the pursuing
☆ On page violence
☆ Protective MMC and FMC
The h and H meet at a country club and immediately become enmeshed in a snappy argument that ignites lust between them and leads to a ONS. It’s a fast burn and they have good dialogue and chemistry. When their weekend meet-ups at her apartment lead the h to want more, she asks for them to have a conversation. It leads to the H revealing his demonic form, the h being scared, and him running away. This is where she ends up pursuing him because he falls into a bit of despair over her reaction and she’s blowing up his phone mad that he didn’t give her a chance to calm down after being startled.
I like the scenes of them together, there needed to be more on page emotional connection imo. Some of their time is apart following the reveal or told and not shown. Then there’s a challenge that presents itself because of the H’s mission on Earth and it does get violent in a shocking way given the rest of the book. Even when they’re safe and actually talking and connecting more, we get some of that summarized too. It’s a novella, but I could see how just a little more fleshing out would have made this feel more complete for me.
The way that the two of them end up being safe involves a bit of sacrifice and I didn’t feel like enough relationship development had occurred to warrant the feelings that were being expressed. The epilogue is sweet and it does offer a lovely connection to the second book in the series. It’s a HEA for them and an adorable peek at the main couple in love and happy.
August 17, 2025
Free prequel novella to the hellbent series. Just have to sign up for the author’s newsletter.
Eligos, Duke of Hell, is bored. That is until he meets Natalie. Spunky, fierce Natalie never ceases to surprise him. What started as a quick rump in the car becomes weekends of amazing sex and great conversation. Before he knows it, he’s attached, but he’s a demon and being with her on earth breaks all sorts of rules. Some rules, however, are meant to be broken.
Since it’s a novella, the story moves quickly. The couple is attached way sooner than usual. Natalie’s cold to hot reaction to Eligios in the beginning, gave me whiplash. I can see why a board demon would want to keep a pet human who entertains him, but I don’t see how he would associate that human with love. The progress of these feelings is not fully explored. This prequel, however, left me with a lot of questions about Mist who is the main character in the second book of the series. I’m excited to learn more.
Eligos, Duke of Hell, is bored. That is until he meets Natalie. Spunky, fierce Natalie never ceases to surprise him. What started as a quick rump in the car becomes weekends of amazing sex and great conversation. Before he knows it, he’s attached, but he’s a demon and being with her on earth breaks all sorts of rules. Some rules, however, are meant to be broken.
Since it’s a novella, the story moves quickly. The couple is attached way sooner than usual. Natalie’s cold to hot reaction to Eligios in the beginning, gave me whiplash. I can see why a board demon would want to keep a pet human who entertains him, but I don’t see how he would associate that human with love. The progress of these feelings is not fully explored. This prequel, however, left me with a lot of questions about Mist who is the main character in the second book of the series. I’m excited to learn more.
February 5, 2025
After reading this one and my funny demon valentine. I think I'm in love with Mist. And now I'm so sad I have to wait until March to read the next book ❤️
April 10, 2025
If you're looking for a cute, short read that won’t waste your time—My Demon Romance has you covered. It’s fast-paced, which is a relief because who’s got time for slow burns when you can have a demon and a spitfire writer get down to business in record time?
Enter Natalie, a sassy, independent, and paranormal/fantasy romance writer who’s been stood up at a bar (because, of course, she has). She's also incredibly open-minded, to put it lightly. Ahem—she’s open to a lot of things. And yes, even demon things. So when Eligos, our brooding, bored demon rolls into her life, what was supposed to be a quick, "no strings" fling quickly morphs into an unholy mess of feelings, attraction, and general demon chaos. Oops.
I have to admit, the chemistry between Natalie and Eligos is steamy. You know, the kind of chemistry that makes you want to fan yourself. Eligos starts off confused about feelings—because, you know, he’s a demon, and they don’t exactly get down with the whole emotions thing. But watching him try to navigate this strange, fluttery feeling toward this tiny human is adorable, confusing, and absolutely hilarious.
But of course, every romance needs a little drama. Natalie and Eli aren’t exactly a perfect match on paper - she’s a fiery human, and he’s an ancient demon who's being hunted.
This book was a wild, snarky, spicy ride, and I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for a quick read that’s funny, sweet, and really hot, grab this one. It’ll give you all the paranormal romance feels with just the right amount of demon spice.
Enter Natalie, a sassy, independent, and paranormal/fantasy romance writer who’s been stood up at a bar (because, of course, she has). She's also incredibly open-minded, to put it lightly. Ahem—she’s open to a lot of things. And yes, even demon things. So when Eligos, our brooding, bored demon rolls into her life, what was supposed to be a quick, "no strings" fling quickly morphs into an unholy mess of feelings, attraction, and general demon chaos. Oops.
I have to admit, the chemistry between Natalie and Eligos is steamy. You know, the kind of chemistry that makes you want to fan yourself. Eligos starts off confused about feelings—because, you know, he’s a demon, and they don’t exactly get down with the whole emotions thing. But watching him try to navigate this strange, fluttery feeling toward this tiny human is adorable, confusing, and absolutely hilarious.
But of course, every romance needs a little drama. Natalie and Eli aren’t exactly a perfect match on paper - she’s a fiery human, and he’s an ancient demon who's being hunted.
This book was a wild, snarky, spicy ride, and I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for a quick read that’s funny, sweet, and really hot, grab this one. It’ll give you all the paranormal romance feels with just the right amount of demon spice.
November 3, 2025
I had no idea that there was a novella prequel before the Hell Bent Series began. Let me tell you -- Mist makes sense now after reading the 4 books that have been released now for the series. Without spoilers, this should definitely be read. It's obviously not recommended or required. I didn't know about this novella before starting the series and really didn't feel like I missed anything, however, it gives perspective into the other demons within the other books. So, I highly recommend it. It's short, but makes it point and has that same amount of heat in it you get from the rest of the Hell Bent Series.
(Oh also -- I figured this out too -- there's another novella called 'Mistified' 2.5 which, again, not required but follows the 2nd book in the Hell Bent Series. Both these are found on Aurora's website and free for ebook.)
(Oh also -- I figured this out too -- there's another novella called 'Mistified' 2.5 which, again, not required but follows the 2nd book in the Hell Bent Series. Both these are found on Aurora's website and free for ebook.)
May 19, 2025
I read this novella between book 1 & 2 and I really liked the placement there. It can absolutely be read first, but it gave a redemption to Mist before I got to his story that I really appreciated having when I got it. That being said I loved the story of Eligos and Natalie. This is a very fast paced, instant attraction (with fun bantering and bickering), spend eternity together story. Not a lot of world building or lore, though there is some. It's spicy, it's silly, it's cute. It fits in so well with the other books in the universe and I definitely recommend reading it before you read book 2 in the series to have the full picture of what Mist is going through and working with. Happy reading!
April 27, 2025
I read My Funny Demon Valentine and My Demon Hunter first, and this prequel made me appreciate and understand those stories even better.
It’s sweet to read about each demon waking up to and become aware of what love is. This story also fleshes out the concept of possessiveness these demons feel for their mates. The demons become aware their partner is choosing to be with them of their own free will, not as a captured beings. Plus, I just love the growly “mine.” Mist has by far been my favorite character because of his tragic backstory, so watching him start conceptualizing love has been beautiful to read.
It’s sweet to read about each demon waking up to and become aware of what love is. This story also fleshes out the concept of possessiveness these demons feel for their mates. The demons become aware their partner is choosing to be with them of their own free will, not as a captured beings. Plus, I just love the growly “mine.” Mist has by far been my favorite character because of his tragic backstory, so watching him start conceptualizing love has been beautiful to read.
January 7, 2026
3.5 ⭐
This is a cute and short prequel to the Hell Bent series. It's a story about Eligos and Natalie (who were hunted by Mist, as we know from book 1).
I didn't know that this prequel (and also the 2.5 book) existed until I finished reading the second book in the main series. So I decided to read both novellas (that you can find for free on the Aurora Ascher website ) before starting book 3.
I think, the ideal way to read the books is to start with book 1 (My Funny Demon Valentine), then this one, then book 2 (My Demon Hunter).
The book was nothing extraordinary, but worth reading just to find out more about Eligos, who was referred to a lot in the story. 😈💘☺️
This is a cute and short prequel to the Hell Bent series. It's a story about Eligos and Natalie (who were hunted by Mist, as we know from book 1).
I didn't know that this prequel (and also the 2.5 book) existed until I finished reading the second book in the main series. So I decided to read both novellas (that you can find for free on the Aurora Ascher website ) before starting book 3.
I think, the ideal way to read the books is to start with book 1 (My Funny Demon Valentine), then this one, then book 2 (My Demon Hunter).
The book was nothing extraordinary, but worth reading just to find out more about Eligos, who was referred to a lot in the story. 😈💘☺️
October 5, 2022
This is the story of Eligos and Natalie. Again a perfect Demon romance. Fluffy, funny and entertaining. Adorable, relatable characters, wholesome conversations. I love Auroras writing so much! There is no unnecessary drama, instead mature handling of tricky situations and feelings. Her sense of humor is everything!
I hope for everyone that writing will bring Aurora joy and riches forever! so she will never stop writing demon romances!!
PS You can get this story by subscribing to the newsletter.
I hope for everyone that writing will bring Aurora joy and riches forever! so she will never stop writing demon romances!!
PS You can get this story by subscribing to the newsletter.
July 9, 2025
Oh my, do I ever love this series so far, I’ve read books one and two and stumbled upon her website where I downloaded this and her short story Mistified from it. This short story is a prequel to the Hell Bent series and it is so good, as most amazing short stories though they do leave you wanting more and in this case it’s not from bad writing, it’s from wanting to know more about all the characters in the series which is coming… just not all in one book, gives me something to look forward too!
November 2, 2025
3,75⭐️
My Demon Romance is a fast, steamy little prequel that pairs Natalie, a romance writer with a chaotic, overthinking brain and Eligos, a Duke of Hell who’s way too bored for his own good. What starts as a casual hookup quickly turns into something neither expected (and honestly, it’s kind of adorable).
It’s short, hot, and funny in that “I didn’t plan to like this much” way. I loved Natalie’s messy relatability and the banter, but the story moved really fast. Like, blink and they’re in love. Still, it’s a fun escape with just the right dose of demon chaos.
My Demon Romance is a fast, steamy little prequel that pairs Natalie, a romance writer with a chaotic, overthinking brain and Eligos, a Duke of Hell who’s way too bored for his own good. What starts as a casual hookup quickly turns into something neither expected (and honestly, it’s kind of adorable).
It’s short, hot, and funny in that “I didn’t plan to like this much” way. I loved Natalie’s messy relatability and the banter, but the story moved really fast. Like, blink and they’re in love. Still, it’s a fun escape with just the right dose of demon chaos.
December 27, 2022
Hello Lovelies
What a lovely quick read. I honestly enjoyed this book. I would have loved more of the book perhaps a longer version. I absolutely adored the banter and the miscommunication (and not the icky kind). I loved the fact that Natalie was no-nonsense and always got straight to the point. Eligos was in my mind handsome as hell well obviously since he is a Duke of hell. I loved how he didn't understand his feelings but he kinda went with it.
Give it a read, I loved it.
xoxo
E
What a lovely quick read. I honestly enjoyed this book. I would have loved more of the book perhaps a longer version. I absolutely adored the banter and the miscommunication (and not the icky kind). I loved the fact that Natalie was no-nonsense and always got straight to the point. Eligos was in my mind handsome as hell well obviously since he is a Duke of hell. I loved how he didn't understand his feelings but he kinda went with it.
Give it a read, I loved it.
xoxo
E
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2025
This is the epic paranormal romance scenario! Natalie, a romance writer about monsters, meets a demon and what a way for fiction to blend in with real life. Well, real life for the characters. This is the first in the Hell Bent series and I love it! Absolutely adore the humor and Eli was adorable. My favorite part is when he was arguing about why would a human want to fall in love with a demon? Why indeed... Well, you need to read to find out about their story.
December 14, 2024
This was a wild ride, and I loved every minute of it! I couldn't put it down for a minute.
The pacing was perfect, the action of all kinds was detailed and rich. The spice felt like it belonged and wasn't just there for the sake of it.
Perfect across the board, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
The pacing was perfect, the action of all kinds was detailed and rich. The spice felt like it belonged and wasn't just there for the sake of it.
Perfect across the board, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
September 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this novella. it was spicy, funny and had a nice HEA. I anticipate that it will serve as a good introduction into the full series.
I was able to get a kindle copy of this free simply by signing up for the author's newsletter.
If you plan to read "My Funny Demon Valentine" and the following books, I would recommend starting with this.
I was able to get a kindle copy of this free simply by signing up for the author's newsletter.
If you plan to read "My Funny Demon Valentine" and the following books, I would recommend starting with this.
February 23, 2025
I actually gave this book a 4.5⭐️ I cried multiple times, I loved this book😭😭 it makes more sense that I’ve read this book, but there aren’t really any spoilers if you have read my funny demon Valentine! 🤭
February 28, 2025
What do a demon and a romance author have in common? Really hot, steamy sex. Eli and Natalie meet as a quick fuck that turns into so much more. This teaser story definitely sets expectations for the Hell Bent series and I look forward to a more in depth story with the other demons.
August 1, 2025
the story was cute. i love the aspect of not everything is evil. things can change and believe second chances can be good. i am a true reader in the hell bent series and this make alot of aense when other characters mention this time line.
October 21, 2025
I began reading this series with My Funny Demon Valentine and immediately fell in love with the series! so, of course, I had to read this one, too. This book kept my interest from beginning to end and was easy to read.
September 29, 2022
Quick fun read.
December 2, 2022
Super cute short story, I could've read a full length. Loving the series
January 9, 2023
I liked it a lot.
A quick(ie) 😏 fun and entertaining read!
A quick(ie) 😏 fun and entertaining read!
February 5, 2025
Loved it!! Natalie is strong and independent. She knows what she wants. I loved the interaction between her and Eligos, their banter was top tier. Onward to the series!!
February 8, 2025
3.5/5 rounding up.
A cute little demon romance, it gave exactly what was meant to be given.
A cute little demon romance, it gave exactly what was meant to be given.
February 13, 2025
This is a great beginning to a series I am excited to read.
February 14, 2025
Good short story prior to the Hell Bent series. Enjoyed the banter and action and look forward to more from this author!
February 15, 2025
This was a fun little read. I would give it a 3.5 only because I wanted a little more, more backstory, more spice, more ending. But other than that a nice prelude to My Funny Demon Valentine.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews