Playing with Fire

Orion's Daughter #1

by A.J. Moran

Normally, when I get an order from the council of demon hunters, my mission is usually simple. Catch the demon. Kill the demon. Nothing to it. Imagine my surprise when I get a new order. One to capture and retrieve, for this is no normal bounty. This is one that could end up destroying the world as I know it.

A demon prince just so happens to be in the mortal world, chaos erupting wherever he goes, and if he isn’t returned alive well… the demon king himself will open the gates and release his horde upon the land.

But the prince is no ordinary demon. He just so happens to be a panty-melting incubus and he has me in his sights. How am I supposed to capture him when all I want to do is surrender and use my cuffs in the bedroom?

In over my head, my family sends me back up. Only it just so happens to be my brother’s best friend, who I have had a crush on for years. Add in the complications of a demigod, who is really good for releasing tension, and the attention of a full-blooded God and I have to wonder what have I gotten myself into, taking on this mission?

In order to succeed I must trust my training but what happens when the mind and the body are constantly at odds?

When secrets are revealed, who can I truly trust? Will I succeed or are we all doomed?

Genres: Reverse Harem, Fantasy, Paranormal, Why Choose, Demons, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 21, 2023

Reviews

[Nicole ࿐ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only good thing about this book was its short length.

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several of AJ Moran’s previous books; Playing with Fire is her best offering yet! It is a smart blend of smut and plot, set in the same universe as her Brookview Academy and Fae Warriors series. It is fast-paced and exciting. I loved the varied characters, specifically the demon hunter FMC and the men who love her, a demi-god, a god, a demon prince, and a dragon shifter.

I really liked how real the FMC, Samantha, seemed. She has a way of pulling men into her orbit, even as she tries to keep her emotional distance – a very “no strings attached” point of view. S3x is ok, but no feelings are allowed by either party. This doesn’t mean she is heartless. She still suffers loneliness and misses those connections, but she refuses to enter a relationship when she is inevitably bound to be killed by a demon.

The romance is fast burn and high steam. Samantha is entirely comfortable with her sexual needs and has been engaged in a long-term friends-with-benefits situation with the demi-god, Lex. When her needs get too strong, he knows just how to satisfy the itch. She is unable to resist the incubus demon prince, and they engage in several very public s3x acts (and end up in various states of undress). This book contains MF and MM scenes.

Be forewarned, Playing with Fire ends on a cliffhanger. I am anxiously waiting for the next book – for higher levels of smut and answers to some burning questions.

[kall.isreading · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was pretty decent, but the writing was choppy and a bit chaotic. Actions would happen but with nothing built before it.
I was just trying to get through it by the end.

[meli · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are so many spelling errors in this it's basically unreadable

[AllieTurnsPages_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

AJ has ONCE AGAIN came with a bomb to blow us all away. We get a little bit of all the goods we none can seem resist ;
•Dark PNR •Enemies to Lover •Greek mythology •unformed harem •Brothers best friend •MM relationship • Incubus
•One hell of a badass FMC whom has been broken an battered down. And a set of men when Who are bent and determined to pick up the pieces of her heart an put it back together. But what happens when the demon Hunter herself starts falling for the very demon she is destined to kill. Will fate come into play ? Or will she ultimately do the inevitable, even though it will break her heart, although she knows it’s what she’ has set out to do for so very long now. Talk about suspenseful and oh so intense! 😩
Aj has quickly become one of my favorite authors, even though her catalog isn’t quite the largest as of yet, I know she is going to continue to blow us away as she keeps pushing books our way!
First off, I love LOVE the fact that there are some crossovers from her previous series Brookview series and we get to see some of our faves from those books! I was smiling ear to ear the first time they popped up!
Sam is a demon-hunter, an she is bound and determined to be the best there is! Therefore she has a one track mind, well so she thought, then appears a demon prince, Demi-god, and a GOD just up an enters her world ! They also have a one track mind, her! Sam is a total badass, and is so relatable, like so many of us she struggles with the the do I deserve love!? Am i or will I ever be worth it? These men are here to show her she is, and so much more. She tried to keep them at arms distance, but the pull an connection she feels between them all, and not just her an the guys , yes ladies , we get some mm in this one and it’s 🥵 🔥 🔥 the dynamic of this whole group is just so dang fun and exciting! I didn’t want it to end!
I’ve shed so many tears through out this book; and then BOOM she hits us with that dang cliffhanger. I’m seriously surprised my kindle isn’t shattered 😅 I need to know why these demons are acting a fool sn causing a ruckus. Like I MUST know.
I can’t yet judge and say which is my favorite so far between the Brookview or this one; and even when we get book two , I don’t even know if it will be possible!
AJ you are a genius and a mastermind at what you do!! You never disappoint! Thank you so much for another thrilling , action packed, secrets waiting to surface, an lives flipped totally upside down! Will they all survive? Fight the inevitable, and be together!!!? They have too ! Sam is going to let those walls down; she’s going to see how truly these guys adore an want to worship her !!!!!

[Ally Y. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fast burn and fast paced all the way! Sam while tough has got it in her head to keep everyone at arm's length. She can't afford to let anyone close because the life of a hunter is dangerous and most die young. Raiden has had feelings for Sam but has never acted on them. Partly because it would be a betrayal to his best friend and another because he's keeping a big secret. Bellamy is a demon prince who's running away from his responsibilities. He doesn't want to rule the demon horde after living his life as the spare. Alastor is a god the son of Hades and Persephone. He's under his father's thumb and is following orders to return Bellamy home. Finally Lex is a demigod the son of Nyx. He owns and runs a bar that Sam frequents. He's got a friends with benefits relationship with her but wants more.

I think this book is the 🌶 book I've read by A.J Moran! Sam is surrounded by hot af men and they all want her. She's living the dream you know minus all the demon hunting. Cause that's dangerous now that they've banded together. I can't wait to see where this story goes! I can't believe it but I think this book beats out Splintered as my favorite! Speaking of Splintered I highly recommend you read that trilogy first because characters from those books show up in this one.

[TheheartofBrigid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing with Fire is the first book of the Orion’s Daughter Series by A.J. Moran. It is such a good start to a new series and I was pulled in from the very beginning.

💜 strong demon hunter FMC
💜 a demon prince, a Demi-god, a god, a dragon shifter, oh my 😏
💜 threat to society
💜 🌶🌶🌶 spicy spice

Samantha (Sam) is our FMC. She’s a college age student that is also a very powerful demon hunter. A new assignment that she’s been given flips her whole world completely upside down. The four men that keep inserting themselves don’t help with the situation. Can Sam figure out what is happening? Can she sort through all of the new and unexpected feelings that she has?

True to other series, A.J. Moran is masterful in world building. You don’t have to read either of the other series to understand this one. But, there are lots of Easter eggs in this that would make more sense and be more exciting when they appear. So if you have read them yet, I would suggest doing so now. This story does end on a cliffhanger. I’m so excited to read it and see what happens next. I may go back and read the other two trilogies while I’m waiting. Yes they are that good.

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The instructions were to capture the Demon Prince, not fall in love with him. Samantha is a powerful young Demon Hunter tasked with capturing a demon and putting an end to the chaos that is threatening humanity.

Things become even more complicated when the various men in Samantha's life begin to insert themselves in her task. What's a hunter to do when she has a Demigod, Incubus, Dragon Shifter and Demon each falling in love with her.

Tropes:

Kicka$$ Demon Hunter
Threat to humanity
Fast Burn slow Build
FMMMM
MM

Samantha has a lot of her plate; between dealing with the horde of demons entering into the human realm via an open portal to trying the navigate the unfamiliar feelings that she is starting to develop for her men.

This story hits all the trigger points: Action, Fast Burn Spice, Secrets, Betrayal, Loss and Pain.

This story ends on a Cliffhanger leaving more questions than answers

[Belinda Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing with Fire is just plain exciting. It is equal parts steamy and emotional and action packed.
Sam is the strongest Demon Hunter from the line of Artemis and she is tasked with sending a certain Demon Prince we met in Juliana's series Tristan's Brother Bellamy home.
But things don't go according to plan because she starts to fall for him along with Alistor who is Hades son also tasked to find and bring him home.
Along along for the ride is Sam's s friends with benefits Demigod Lex who is in love with her and Raiden who is her brothers best friend and also the one she's been in love with. He also happens to be a dragon shifter everyone knows this but her this is a big no no for sure.
Sam and her men are just so hot I can't wait to see how that cliffhanger is resolved because I don't want it to end like that and then the epilogue was a doosey also.
I know AJ will be bringing something exciting for book 2 and I can't wait.

[Between The Covers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally not for me - but if you like the RH style books this might tickle your fancy!

The spice is very frequent, but definitely not SPICY if you catch my drift…

I loved the concept; very well written, but the FMC falls very flat to me personally. Her love interests have so much more depth than she does which makes the book feel a bit off balanced.

The constant reminder of “I don’t do relationships” what feels like almost every other page is very repetitive and boring, which almost makes her become annoying in a sense..?
I had hoped for a more “I take what I want without guilt” for the dynamic she’s supposed to have, and for being a demon hunter.

I loved the dragon shifter and demon she’s hunting, was very disappointed her mother killed him in such a short, twist of events.. The dynamic with her brother is adorable and the encouragement with his best friend (the dragon) is wholesome and leaves you rooting for him to win her over entirely.

Overall the book isn’t bad! Some scenes are out of place, too short or just a bit tiresome, but if you enjoy RH books that are mainly spice with lack of cohesive storyline? This is your book!!


Plot - 3/5
Characters - 3/5
Spice - 2/5

[Allticketyboo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept and world building are actually pretty cool, but the writing is not great.

1. Why do the characters talk like victorian aristocrats despite being 20 something Americans? Apostrophes and contractions exist.

2. All the past relationships between characters were under explained and completely confusing. The blurb talks about an order from council members, but this is literally never mentioned, just her parents, so are they the council???

3. There are also so many instances where a chapter ends and then on the next page a character starts talking about something that happened off page, I'd find myself going back and re-reading the end of the last chapter thinking I missed something, what's all that about???

I ultimately felt absolutely no emotional connection to any of the characters or any investment in their relationship. The whole thing just felt incredibly lazy.

[StormEnchantra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off the Charts
Turn off the smoke detector!
Samantha a hunter sees the world a bit differently than most of us. You'll love her, she's strong and relatable. She deals with a question so many face, is she worthy of love? She's been in love with her brothers best friend Raiden her whole life. Does he secretly feel the same? There's a demigod Lex in the mix, a God Alastor, & the "enemy" Prince of Demons, Bellamy can they change what Samantha thinks she deserves? How will she capture Bellamy? What secrets will surface? Be prepared for live, action, secrets, and a loving life turned upside down. What sacrifices will be made and who can Sam trust to help get Bellamy home? Have tissues ready and be prepared to go without sleep. I want more! Wonderful surprises along the way as well.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series kind of ties into the Brookview Academy series. There are crossover characters which is so good to see. It is very face paced with a fast burn. It is so spicy I for sure thought my phone was going to melt while reading it. It also has a solid plot.

The FMC tries so hard to distance herself from the males in her life that want her, however her walls start to crumble. I mean, I don’t blame her for her walls coming down because the way they adore her is amazing 😍 It does end on a cliffhanger that leaves you with so many questions. I am so curious to see why the demons are creating so much chaos and how it is all going to pan out. This is another MUST READ series from AJ Moran 🖤

[thebookcritic_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

building book for the series

The story was alright. Definitely felt like a builder for the series. I feel like we were thrown into the world. Like do mortals know about the paranormal world? What is Samantha? Why is her mom assigning her partners? But I caught on rather quickly that this was a spin off. I like the MCs. A lot of the issues in the story could be resolved with communication. There’s a lot of miscommunication. Leaving Bellamy out of the plan was kind of messed up, especially since he needed to close the portal.

A few misspelled words. I don’t particularly care for epilogues in a continuing series.

[Laura Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, enjoyable, fireside read!

This book captured me from beginning to end. I really enjoyed that the adults were flawed, not the perfect parents that are so often written into literature these days. I liked the way the story wove the backstory in with the current day seamlessly. It was an interesting take on the inside life of a cult with a few unexpected twists along the way. I rather like the ending myself, though some will say it was unsatisfying. To me, it leaves it in a way that everything is wrapped up, and the reader can make up their own mind as to what happens next in the lives of each of these characters.

[Deborah Varnado · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start. All I know is this book brings the heat! From start to finish this story drew me in. I don’t think Samantha knows how good she has it.

I loved the mythological references, the characters were so delicious and the way they connected to Sam made me envious. There was constant action between the many steamy scenes which I couldn’t get enough of. That twist at the end was a shocker and I can’t even imagine what’s coming next.

[LizReadsDark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strong, intelligent FMC is so refreshing she doesn’t need her men but their great to have along! The storyline was fantastic the spice was 🥵 especially the end of chapter 40 with Lex & Bell 🌶️. I loved the fast burn pace and can’t wait for more! A.J always kills it with her character and plot development.

[Mrs A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this a bit blind not knowing what to expect. I want disappointed. I finished it in less than a day as I couldn’t put it down! The plot is fast paced and fast burn with plenty of action, drama, secrets and spicy times. The characters are complex and love the Greek mythological references too. There is some world-building too but I felt it would have been expanded a bit more.

Love the FMC- strong, sassy and can take care of her self. The harem builds slowly and has a brothers best friend, friends with benefits, age gap romance and enemies to lovers tropes and ⚔️ do cross too!

Ends on a cliffhanger! Can’t wait for book 2.
4.5 stars ⭐️

[Kimberly Wisniewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, I absolutely love this book. Sam is a total badass and her men are an interesting group. I enjoyed the start of this journey even though I shed some tears with this book. I’m definitely beyond ready for the next one in this series. I also love how the two previous series somewhat tie into this one.

[Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

🥺

I have no words to describe hiw much I loved this book .
When I found out during Brook's story that Sam has her own I was the happiest! I love reading books from the same universe.
Sam is so unique and her man are awesone in their own way.
Can't wait to read the next books ❤️❤️❤️

Totally recommend to anyone over 18+

[gonzo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lack of communication is the theme of this book. The fmc is annoyingly stupid. The action is glossed over like it doesn’t matter and the sex and her “feelings”…??? Are the most important aspect of the story. I really don’t care what happens next. I’m mad at myself for wasting a day reading this.

[Sydney Simmonds · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 24%

Has quite a bit of potential regarding plot but the FMC is literally only focused on sex with any MC even though the author tries to push a bad ass hunter narrative on her. Choppy writing and very little explanations and descriptions to a lot of action

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to start the next one in the series. The main female character is definitely a bad ass and I love all of her men. The characters are amazing.

[Kimmy Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it I couldn’t put it down. This book left me in a book hangover

[Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It definitely got me out of my reading slump. A demon prince, a God, a dragon, and a demigod. How could I say no to that harem 🖤

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great intro to RH without being overwhelming, it’s a dynamic group and as a lot of supernatural fun and lore

[TheLiteraryDoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be tuning in to the series because I enjoyed this so much. It was great characters and natural dialogue that grabbed me in.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a shame that the proofreading was so horrible or completely skipped. Made a decent story hard to read.

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥Playing With Fire🔥

💋By A J Moran💋


😈Samantha is a demon hunter. Due to her likely brief life expectancy she refuses to get involved in any real long term relationships.  However when tasked to contain the demon prince she ends up needing assistance when his Incubus powers affect her.  As she becomes closer to the men around her she. discovers that maybe it might be worth the risk.

   ❤️I love Sam.  She is beautiful inside and out and a complete bada$$$.  She has no qualms about satisfying her sexual urges and cares even less about what others think of her.  Her men are so sweet, always giving her what she needs, even if she's unsure.  I love her various interactions with the guys and how they all just fit together.

    🔥 I rate Playing With Fire 5 out of 5 stars.  It has fabulous characters, and exciting plot filled with intrigue, and enough hot scenes to start a fire!

   🌶If you love urban fantasy why choose romances then you'll love Samantha and her supernatural harem in Playing With Fire by A J Moran



#FriendsToLovers #ParanormalRomance #WhyChoose #ReverseHaremRomance #DemonLover #SpicyBooks #FirstInSeries #AJMoran #PlayingWithFire #ContemporaryRomance #UrbanFantasy

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.