Starred review from October 1, 2023
Hawley shines with her follow-up to A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon. This banter-filled enemies-to-lovers romance features the half-demon Astaroth and badass witch Calladia Cunnington. Banished to the Earth realm by his nemesis after losing a bet, Astaroth finds himself suffering from amnesia. Despite having kicked his butt mere hours before for trying to make a bargain for her best friend's soul, Calladia gives Astaroth a place to stay for the night. When the demon Moloch tries to do away with Astaroth for good, and Calladia's house is blown up in the process, the demon and witch take to the road in order to stay under Moloch's radar and try to find a witch who can help restore Astaroth's memory. Along the way, the enemies find that they have more in common than they thought. VERDICT Full of witty dialogue and steamy sexual tension, the novel unfolds at a steady pace and draws the reader in. Though this is only her sophomore effort, Hawley is bound to become a staple for readers of paranormal romances. Recommend to fans of Katie MacAlister, Lana Harper, and Molly Harper.--Nanci Milone Hill
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2023
A gym-loving witch and an amnesiac demon set off on a quest to recover his lost memories. Brash and bold Calladia Cunnington loves nothing more than a good workout, and hitting the gym helps her work through her anxieties and fiery temper. A member of one of Glimmer Falls' magical families, Calladia calls on a combination of magic and physical strength to rescue a stranger who's being attacked by a demon, but soon realizes that the person she's saved is a powerful demon himself--and one she's been dying to vanquish. Astaroth is known for stealing souls, particularly the soul of Calladia's best friend. Calladia has been out for revenge ever since, but something is off with Astaroth: He has no memories of the last 200 years and he's stuck in the mortal world. Conflicted about punishing a man, or rather a demon, who has no concept of who he is, Calladia vows to help him regain his memory before exacting revenge. Astaroth is the villain of Hawley's previous book, A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon (2023), and while there's enough context about his misdeeds for new readers to get by, his redemption might lack impact for them. The tension between Calladia and Astaroth is pulled so tight that it's practically vibrating; it's a great start. Unfortunately, it's undermined by sexual attraction that arrives too soon. Even with amnesia, Astaroth hasn't lost his demonic charm, which frequently butts up against Calladia's tightly wound, quick-to-anger nature. Their banter frays the edges of an already thin line between love and hate, and they move onto lust pretty quickly. The rushed romantic entanglement does a disservice to an otherwise promising setup. A spicy, witchy romance mostly recommended for returning readers of the Glimmer Falls series.
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Starred review from October 15, 2023
Hawley proves she is a bewitching romance maven with this follow-up to the excellent A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon (2023). In addition to her talent for creating knotty, witchy spells, Calladia Cunnington is strong, beautiful, and always ready to jump into a brawl. She rescues a man from what looks like a mugging by a demon and discovers the victim is Astaroth, a member of the demon high council who has lost a wager and been flung to earth with no memories. Things go from bad to worse when she lets him stay in her spare room for the night, only to have his archnemesis show up and engulf her house in a raging inferno. Seeking help, Calladia and Astaroth embark on a quest to find an immortal witch who can restore his memories. The duo experiences a werewolf rugby brawl, fights demons, questions a dryad, climbs a tree house, and encounters all manner of paranormal beings as Astaroth begins to remember the true reason he must return to the demon plane. Sizzlingly sexy, endlessly imaginative, and laugh-out-loud funny, this is one of the most enjoyable paranormal romances of the year.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.