This was a great book! I was laughing so hard during parts. My husband was wondering what I was laughing at!! I would definitely recommend this book to all my family and friends.

Unfortunately this was a DNF. I could not bring myself to finish after months and months of trying. No fault of the author - personal issues.

This was an entertaining paranormal read. I think expectations will make a difference on how it is perceived. Going in expecting more romance, I had to reframe that expectation.

This was my first book by this author. Luke and Callie spend most of their time in hell and they are trying to speak to Luke’s father Lucifer. This was my first paranormal romance. I did enjoy this book. There was a lot of fun and exciting action to this. I wouldn’t mind reading another book by this author again.

I received this ARC through the publisher and I am voluntarily reviewing this book, opinions are my own.

I unfortunately couldn't get into this one, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it to someone else!

This book is a sequel and i didn’t read the first book so maybe it played a factor as to why i didn’t enjoy this as much as i wanted to. This story is packed with biblical and mythical references which i found interesting and quite entertained by the twists and turn of the plot. But overall that’s about it

I finally got to this one after picking it up several times and putting it back down.

Eventually DNF at 27% - not for me.

The Date from Hell by Gwenda Bond is the second book in the "Not Your Average Hot Guy" series. Callie, a human, is dating the Prince of Hell, Luke. But Lucifer gives them a job to do, and it's not a simple task at all. This was a fun, lighthearted read, and I enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

“A now-fake grimoire rests on the pedestal, the pentagram a reminder of a trap laid for Rofacale that caught me instead. The beginning of everything, and nearly the end.”

Luke, “The Date From Hell”


The sequel from Hell.
Literally.

Gwenda Bond brings readers back to Lucifer’s realm with her follow-up novel to “Not Your Average Hot Guy“, which published in October 2021. If you haven’t already done so, I’d definitely recommend going back and reading that book before diving into “The Date From Hell’ and then readingthe review that LitBuzz Bee Jes wrote about it here. Callie and Luke get into some very interesting situations during their initial adventure, and trust me, you’re going to want to experience every single devilish detail from page one. (You can also check out my IG post for “Not Your Average Hot Guy” and the handsome devil who helped me review it here.)

Where do we start?
“The Date From Hell” picks up shortly after the end of Not Your Average Hot Guy. Callie and Luke, officially a couple, have been spending a lot of time together. Callie has found a way to gain entrance to Hell without having to forfeit her life, and spends vast amounts of time in the library researching the laws of Hell.


Nerds, go with me on this one… Callie’s experiences with Hell remind me of Divergent by Veronica Roth when Four says to Tris “Fear doesn’t shut you down; it wakes you up.” Callie and Tris must be cut from the same cloth because rather than be fearful, timid, or intimidated, Callie doesn’t falter. She faces situations head on and with gusto. I love a strong, resilient female character. Bring it on, world!

Bond’s interpretations of Heaven and Hell, and frankly everything in between, are fresh and exciting. The original story was ridiculous in all the best ways. Each chapter was more ludicrous than the last and it kept me turning the page to see what shenanigans and hijinks would happen next. “The Date From Hell” carries on that fun and entertaining theme through a quest to find the Holy Grail, but underneath the antics are complex behaviors and ideas as food for thought. Callie and Luke rely more on each other in this novel while learning what life is like in the other’s shoes. (Literally, Callie uses some of Luke’s powers and it’s surreal to say the least!)


Callie and Luke challenge Lucifer with the idea that not all souls belong in Hell long-term, especially those whose crimes and sins weren’t all that bad to begin with. Callie believes that souls can be redeemed, and shouldn’t need to spend the rest of eternity as Lucifer’s subject, and issues a request for testing her theories on redemption. Lucifer anticipates Callie’s challenge and agrees to a test case… but Lucifer is never known to play fair. He agrees to their demands with the caveat that it is done with a soul of his own choosing, and they only have 72 hours to prove the soul is redeemable. Luke is dumbstruck, because he had plans to take Callie on a real date and maybe take things to the next level, not go on a rescue mission to save a seemingly irredeemable soul.

I’ve always wondered about the afterlife and the beyond, and it gets a little serious in my brain. I really appreciate the fun and quirky world that Bond created in this series. Magic can be real if you are on the lookout for it. Being the sassy Sour Patch kid that I am, I’m hopeful that whatever there is beyond this short human life, I’ll be able to get there and continue harassing friends and loved ones for a long eternity.


A cartoon character isn’t going to be the one to tempt me into wicked ways, but I know a handsome devil would…
Who should read this?
Pick up “The Date From Hell” if you’re looking for a fun and fast-paced novel to take you out of the mundane, every day real life nonsense that we’re all dealing with in 2022. Luke and Callie just might be what the doctor ordered. If you’re in the mood for another paranormal romance, check out this review by bee Kristin for “Forged in Fire” by Juliette Cross, another hive favorite.

3.5

Romance sequel coming in hot! I love to see a couple grow over a few books, rather than fall in love in seconds. My Date From Hell follows almost immediately on from where Not Your Average Hot Guy left off and I love how the relationship builds slowly.
This is an unusual concept for a romance as well, Callie is a recent history graduate struggling to find her place and Luke just happens to be the Prince of Hell. How they end up together was covered in the first book and this book continues into their first overnight date which of course turns into a quest for the Holy Grail somehow.

Fun, different and sweet. If you are looking for something imaginative and adventurous, this series is one I’d definitely recommend. Thank you @stmartinspress for my copy.

Considering that I have never read the first book in this series I had a really good time reading it. Glenda Bond did a superb job of giving a recap about the adventures of Callie and Luke in the first book in the series so I didn’t feel really out of the loop or confused about what was going on as I settled into the world of this book. Callie and Luke go on a fun adventure of a date to save a wayward soul name Sean so that Lucifer himself will have proof that souls can be redeemed and changes can be made to Hell. The Date from Hell was a fun and easy read filled with adventure and mishaps.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for giving me access to an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I felt this book was much slower and a bit boring compared to the first book. The same charm wasn’t present, and it wasn’t until the latter half of the book that any cohesion was felt.

The Date from Hell was a super cute romance book and I really enjoyed it. It was a fun beach read and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author!

Callie and Luke jaunting all over the place on a search for the Grail with lots of steamy bits? Oh, YES PLEASE! This book is amusing, spicy, and so much fun!

Callie is in Hell, and loving every minute of it since it allows her to spend lots of time with her love interest, Luke. They just want to have a romantic time and maybe make some positive changes in the underworld, but instead, they are sent on a mission. Nothing is ever easy, I guess.

The character dialogue and wordplay are awesome in this book. It would make a great beach read, but honestly, any time of year is great for this gem. I read it very quickly, which kinda made me sad because it was just so darn cute! Is it a serious book? Definitely not. But it's a great time. Who knew the Pope drove a Ford Focus? HA!

I missed up a little with this book. This is the second book in the series and there is so much that you need to know before reading the second. I was unaware of this. However, I was able to jump in and pick up some facts as I went. The story brings in some King Arthur history. I did grow to really like the characters. However, I felt like the story was a bit all over the place.

Gwenda Bonda really created such a fun world with the series! Each set of characters I end up liking more and I really enjoyed the plot of this one!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

This one was a super funny take on the over saturated romcom market, not a first round pick but a great second round option.

An adventure filled romance, one where the leading man happens to be the devil's son. Callie and Luke have faced obstacles in the past, but when they ask Lucifer if they can change some of the rules of Hell, the adventure he sends them on may have the highest stakes yet. The question is can they save a lost soul? It's a fun lighthearted read with a bit of myth and mystery involved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

Luke and Callie just want to go on a date, but their plans are put on hold when Lucifer offers them a deal.: prove it's possible to redeem a soul, and thy can make some changes in Hell.. Of course, Sean doesn't want to be redeemed and leads them on a merry chase around the world.

I was not able to finish this book before it was published. It has been recommended for purchase.

I really enjoyed this second book in this series. You definitely have to read the first one, or else you'd be a little lost.

Overall I really enjoyed this continuation. It went in a different direction than I was thinking (because Lucifer was involved lol), but I enjoyed the plot and the twists and turns along the way.

I loved seeing Callie and Luke together, trying to figure out how to make their relationship work with their commitments to their families, and what they truly want out of life. I loved seeing the interactions with all the side characters and getting updates on their lives since the first book as well.

I feel like if you can suspend your disbelief, you'd probably enjoy this one too. I would say it's not as romance heavy, it's more focused on the plot of what Callie and Luke are trying to accomplish in hell. The romance is more of a subplot, imo.

And I had no idea how this would end even though I took some guesses, but I think the ending was perfect.

I would definitely check out other novels by this author in the future.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.