Genre: Paranormal, Comedy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Whiskey November
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About The Book
QSFer Chloe Archer has a new cozy MM paranormal book out, A Monsters Hollow prequel: The Demon and the Librarian.
Yuki
Accidentally summoning a sexy demon at work totally isn’t my fault. It’s because of that new addictive soap opera, The Young and the Monstrous, I tell you! They just had to introduce a new mega-hot demon character, so of course I needed to do some research! But my insatiable librarian curiosity has gotten me into hot water, because now I’m magically shackled to a demon who claims he’s my mate. That can’t be a real thing, right? It’s got to be some kind of demon trick…
Kassiel
Being summoned is every demon’s fantasy. Some wait centuries for the momentous occasion. At barely two hundred years of age, I get my lucky day! The Interdimensional Gong of Demonic Destiny rings for little ole me! Wooing Yuki should be a walk in the park, but my trusty seductive wiles aren’t working on my prickly mate—and the clock is ticking. I only have two weeks to convince him to accept our bond or it will be permanently severed. My work is cut out for me, but I’ll do whatever it takes to sneak into his heart.
The Demon and the Librarian: A Cozy M/M Monster Romance is a 30k novella in the Monsters Hollow universe featuring: a dapper demon dandy with a penchant for fine clothing, a far too curious librarian, a summoning involving dirty limericks, a holy water fail, food as the way to any being’s heart, forced proximity, fated mates, and an HEA ending. *Previously published in the Fated Mates MM Paranormal Romance charity anthology of 2023.
The Review
Dear Reader,
This is billed as a cozy M/M monster romance and when I saw ‘cozy’ I thought ‘no on-page violence,’ which is true. I also thought ‘closed door’ which is NOT true! This novella provides some sexy sex. Cozy means it’s set in a small town that’s a safe space for nonhuman beings.
Spoilers ahoy. While this is a fated-mates story, that problematic (boundaries!!) plot device is treated intelligently, and creatively, as a negotiable though time-sensitive relationship prompt and not a Cannot Escape Lifetime Cage. The world building makes sense and is delivered fleetly, in just-enough doses. Best of all, this novella works as a stand-alone and doesn’t require you to commit to an entire series (though you may want to).
The Demon and the Librarian features two very different guys (Librarian: Yuki, new to town and to his job but already involved in a forum to which he can take his ‘hypothetical’ questions about what to do after accidentally summoning a demon; Demon: Kassiel, who’s thrilled to be summoned at only 200 years old and who, despite his built-in assumptions, respects Yuki’s agency and gives him all the information he needs to make an informed decision) who both value fidelity.
It’s sweet and comforting; also funny, clever, and notably polished. I was thoroughly entertained by the demon who loves to sew / design clothes and the librarian who, when he needs to know something, sure enough, goes for the books. Happy to recommend and would love to read more in this series.
The Reviewer
Whiskey November is an urban professional with close family & friendship ties to the LGBTQ+ community. She supports the work of GLAAD, Broadway Cares, and the Los Angeles LGBT Center, among others. She reads in excess of 250 books a year (romance, mystery, science fiction, history, and memoir) and is a self-published writer of contemporary and historical romance.