Lenora made a mistake. She trusted the wrong man, and in a moment of weakness, he stole a family heirloom from her. Her only chance to get it back will be during Samhain, when the Shadow Market opens and magical folk gather for three days to celebrate, and unfortunately she can’t do it alone. She needs a demon.
Ramanu’s entire existence is making bargains. They’re a bargainer demon, after all. They’ve had their eye on Lenora for some time now, so they’re pleased when she summons them to help with her little thief problem…especially because it means spending time in close proximity with her.
Lenora thought she could get away with a bargain that didn’t require seven years of service, but when Ramanu informs her those are the terms, she decides to go it alone…even though the demon wants to tag along to the market. But as the clock ticks down and all Lenora’s attempts to reclaim her amulet fail, making a deal with Ramanu might be the only option she has…
And they might take her heart right along with her soul.
Author's note: For all tropes, tags, and CWs, please check the author website.
Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over two million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.
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⚠️Trigger Warnings: Overtly Sexual Themes, Minor Sex-Related Injuries, Graphic Murder⚠️
❗This review contains some spoilers❗
This just keeps getting crazier and crazier!! I am losing my mind over the ridiculousness of this series in the best, most delightful way possible. I have read a ton of smut in my time, but I don't think any of it compares to this one. It is so absurd that it cures my anxiety more and more with each book. I can't tell you how many times I've laughed hard enough that I sounded like a mentally unstable seal. However, the plot is beginning to feel repetitive, with the premises of each book being identical to each other (that was expected, though). The dialogue in this particular book is especially cringe to the point of me face-palming myself so often my forehead is sore, and the plot progresses so quickly that little makes sense in the story, the romance specifically. I don't mind much, though, since one does not choose this series for its complex plot and multilayered characters. 😂 😂 😂
Speaking of said characters, I did end up liking both Ramanu and Lenora, despite their lack of character development. To be fair, the book is under 200 pages, so, understandably, it isn't enough to create a thorough, satisfying character arc. I have been eager to read Romanu's story ever since I met them in book 1 and found out that they had their own short story. Unsurprisingly, I found their point of view to be the most entertaining so far. Not only are they absolutely hilarious, but they also have a fascinating perception of the world around them. Since they have horns instead of eyes, the only way they can actually see the world around them is through a strangle magic that allows them to read people's auras which also determines their shapes and features. Personally, I have never come across such an odd and authentic use of the sense of sight (unless you count Daredevil's radar sense), which I think is fascinating. As for Lenora (I love that name), this is the first time in the series where the female lead is non-human. In fact, Lenora is a witch, a badass one at that. She is strong-willed, brave, and talented, with a thirst for vengeance and a complete disregard for other people's suffering. She straight up ignored someone screaming as if they were being murdered. She also had an insanely horny great-grandmother who had the hots for Ramanu, but that's neither here nor there. She did get that grandma's fiery attitude, though. 😂😂
Moreover, while the book isn't big enough for a realist development of the relationship between the demon and the witch, that is NOT what's important about this romance. In the beginning I felt a little disappointed that this particular monster does not have an unusual number of dongs like those before him, but that only lasted until I got further into the story. Well, let me tell you guys...I am still thoroughly flabbergasted by the things I've read. It started smoothly with the magical ribbons used creatively for kinky reasons. Then it escalated some more with Lenora using a pink strap-on she magicked into existence to peg Ramanu (if you don't understand what I'm talking about, PLEASE google it, film your reaction, and send it to me), and ending with the most mind-blowing bonus chapter I have ever read. Let me tell ya...I DID NOT see that coming. I saw the title 'The Sex Theater' and thought I was prepared for what was to come. I was wrong... The chapter detailed the performance of a petite woman having theatric sex with an anatomically correct minotaur in the middle of the stage. No, you are not misreading this...👀🫠
Finally, if there's one thing in this series I'm enjoying that has nothing to do with smut, it is the easter eggs building up Azazel's story more and more with each hint. There is just enough information about the plot and the romance between him and Eve that's making me eager to have their book in my hand at last. I don't know when that's happening, though, as there's another book ahead of this, and it isn't coming out until 2024. Saaaad!!🥹🥹
Have I convinced you to read this series yet? Or have I completely scared you away?
2.5 stars, the cover is great and I liked having a non-binary main character. Otherwise I feel like Katee Robert has been going downhill for me with recent releases and I should probably stop picking the reads up but then I’m always pulled back in. 😅 This is part of the Peculiar Tastes/Shadow Market series that 6 authors collaborated on, I’ve read 2 so far and they’ve just been okay-ish.
In this one, Lenora lost her family’s amulet. Not only is it a heirloom but the amulet also has some of the most powerful protective spells in existence laced into it. So she definitely needs to get that back and Samhain is the time to do it. Along the way she meets Ramanu, a demon bargainer with gargoyle blood in their lineage. A lot of insta love and lust, a lot of telling instead of showing. This story is linked up with Katee’s Deal with a Demon series, Ramanu was in that series as well as we hear about that realm and how it’s time works, and characters from that series as well (Azazel, Sol, and the dragon’s bride).
An erotic romance novella about a witch and the non-binary demon she wants to make a bargain with. I really liked this one- it's very steamy but also has a decent amount of plot and characterization for the length.
This was... fine. My biggest complaint is I feel like Katee Robert laid it on a little thick at times. Some of the themes & messages were explained on page.. like it get it. We don't need you to explain in detail why consent and language are important discussions. Your readers are smart, assume they can read between the lines. We don't need you to spell it out for us
After the source of her family's power is stolen from her, Lenora summons a bargainer demon to make a deal - but she is terrified of giving up control.
This book dealt with one of my favorite themes in romance - power imbalances. Lenora has always been stronger or weaker than her partners, and in either case she is terrified of being vulnerable in love, of being truly known. How Lenora and Ramanu navigate this is one of the highlights of this book. The Shadow Market is a fascinating place, and I enjoyed getting plunge into it finally and learn more about the magical world of this series.
On the other hand, the ending of the book was a little abrupt. After the build up and the high stakes of getting the necklace back, how Kristoff is ultimately dealt with felt sort of underwhelming. I also wished we learned a bit more about where Ramanu was coming from - beside the well fleshed-out Lenora, they were just a little too low on background.
It took me a second to realize what book this was and where it fell on the timeline of Katee's monster romance series. This book follows Ramanu, who works for Azazael (the bargainer who signs all the humans up for their 7 year contracts), after they are summoned by a witch in need.
The monster series books all happen in parallel - they are what happens after the monsters take their humans and leave Azazael's land. So this book happens around the same time as well, with reference to Ramanu befriending Briar (from book 1), and I noted that in The Kraken's Sacrifice they had told Catalina they would be indisposed / gone for a few weeks… turns out, with Lenora.
I thought it was a fun twist to add a book for the mysterious Ramanu, and I'm glad they got a fun cover.
I'm still not 100% sure what Ramanu looks like - they have a set of horns on their head, and another set where their eyes should be… so they see auras/colors, not clear people? I think?
I really enjoyed Lenora as a character. She's a powerful and capable witch, and I liked that Ramanu saw that, enjoyed that, and wasn't intimidated by that.
The steam was hot. There was pegging! The plot, to me, took a definitive backseat (I didn't care). I wish we learned a little more about the possible "Celestial blood"/history Lenora had… maybe it'll pop up in another human's book? Wishful thinking.
“It’s too soon for something as reckless as love, but in this moment, I know I can love Ramanu.”
QUICK SUMMARY The Demon’s Bargain is part of both the Peculiar Tastes and Deal With a Demon series, the latter of which is the series I’ve been working my way through this past year. Honestly, I could have skipped this installment - it felt more like a companion piece than anything else, and a weak one at that. It lacked the character, atmosphere, and smut that I’d come to expect of the Demon series, leaving a lot to be desired.
The whole “they/them/their” pronouns was absolutely horrible to read in a story when it’s a singular person. I almost couldn’t finish the story because of that. I honestly don’t even remember much of the actual story other than the awful pronoun usage.
Ramanu has been a fave since they first stepped onto the scene in The Dragon's Bride. Now our favorite NB bargainer demon get's their chance to find love, and while their whirlwind romance and electric chemistry with the witch, Lenora, moves fast, there's no shortage of sweet moments between these two.
But that really is my only complaint with this novella - it moves at the speed of light. Lenora summons Ramanu for their help in acquiring a powerful amulet that her ex-boyfriend stole, and the chemistry between witch and demon is instant and intense. This isn't the greatest spice Katee has ever written, but there are some really raw and vulnerable moments between the pair (especially on Lenora's side), and their more horizontal encounters are fun.
I still maintain that the climax with Ramanu unleashed makes the read worth it. I loved getting to see what they're truly capable of.
The Demon's Bargain is entertaining and fast-paced, and a solid entry in this series. Not my favorite, but still very much enjoyable.
This was okay. It was a really short read and surprisingly heartfelt which was amazing to see especially since it does touch on nonbinary and also proper pronouns and respecting your partners terminology. It was all really refreshing to see.
That being said, the spice was a bit underwhelming for me. That could also be because I expect so much from Katee Robert in this arena though. Not my fault she's set the bar high 😤
I’m so happy Ramanu got their book. Their cameos in the other stories are fun, so I was looking forward to seeing who they got paired with. Lenora was quite the firecracker and kept Ramanu on their toes. Their love story was super fast burn, but still lovely.
This was amazing! I loved finally seeing Ramanu getting their own story and finding someone. Their love interest is introduced earlier in the series, but you don’t know until this book who it is. I loved the setting this book takes place in as week. All of the characters and side characters were amazing. I loved the banter and the sassiness from both MC’s. I wish this one was longer and that we got to see more of them together! I can’t wait to read the last book in this series!
I definitely liked this one better than the Kraken’s Sacrifice. (Ended up reading that one before this one but I’d recommend reading this one before Krakens Sacrifice because they make a cameo in that one). For me it still wasn’t as good as Dragon’s Bride but this one was still really really good. I loved both Ramanu and Lenora. Ramanu is just, they are just amazing. And the chemistry and banter between these two was adorable. I loved it. I absolutely loved that they actually had a conversation on what pronouns Ramanu wanted to be called (They/Them). This one definitely had more plot than spice ratio than the other 2. But what spice there was was pretty damn good too. All in all this was really good.
Lenora and Ramanu are pretty instalove and I wasn’t sure I bought how quickly they developed feelings for each other, given everything else going on around them. There was too much telling, not enough showing and character development for my preference. The world-building is on the light side; this will probably work best for those who have already read The Dragon's Bride.
I‘m cishet and can’t speak to the representation for Ramanu being nonbinary. They describe their gender as being like a “coat of many colors” that can shift depending on their mood, circumstances, or day. I want to give a heads up that there was a lot of emphasis on their genitalia during sex scenes just in case that would be hurtful to nonbinary readers.
Characters: Lenora is a dark witch. Ramanu is a blind (possibly bisexual or pansexual) nonbinary Bargainer demon with crimson skin.
Content notes: self-harm for blood magic, NMC does not have eyes (senses auras and emotions that sometimes show them a picture of what they’re looking at), descriptions of NMC’s genitalia during sex scenes , on page sex, pain play, bondage, pegging, public sex, voyeurism
Who knew willingness to kill your beloved one's opponent, could be a love language is a demon's lone language?
Usually, to like Katee Robert's books you have to be THAT GIRL a girl that likes spicy fantasy and on the most part I am. I love her easy flowing writing and her lack of understanding the concept of heteronormativity. In this novella she also presntes a mostly bisexual/pansexual cast and addresses many issues such as nonbinary language, voluntary childlessness, while narrating a beautiful story of a demon falling in love with a blood witch and their quest to regain a magical heirloom. Charmingly crafted!
There are two main flaws to this book: 1 - the editing is lacking at times. Definitely could have used some extra polishing on that. 2 - This used to be book 1.5 in the A Deal with a Demon series. My KU copy says it is book 1 in the Peculiar Tastes series. But then Goodreads says it’s book 2 in the Peculiar Tastes series. Basically, everything’s fake and nothing matters lol
Overall, though, a really fun, engaging short read!
It's not like I'm reading these books for the plot or characterization, but this one felt a little weaker compared to the rest. I'm going to blame that on the choice to have this book take place over like a day and a half. As always, I appreciate Katee Robert's inclusivity and emphasis on consent and communication in intimate moments. And I also appreciate a demon getting pegged.
3.5 stars rounded up! I adored our main characters and the story was very interesting. However, I do feel like the relationship could’ve been developed better. Regardless- looking for something to read by the pool? With some magical sex, violence as a love language, and faithful friends? Grab this!