Debut time! Aurora Ascher is a new author to me. But I’m glad I requested the arc.

The story about Ash, the demon Prince and Eva is refreshing and funny.

Apparently Hell isn’t that much fun and Ash and his brothers decide to escape from it. They act out as juvenile delinquents and Ash tries to keep them out of trouble. When he meets Eva, she rocks his world, since she is able to see his true (demon) form. Strange things are happening.

But will Ash and his brothers be able to stay on earth and learn more about those ‘feelings’ humans are jabbing about? Hilarious and cute. Four out of five stars from me and I’ll be definitely be on the lookout for more stories on the demon brothers. Great job, Aurora!

I have tried to start this one several times over. I had high hopes for this one, but I have not been able to get more than 30 minutes into this book. I did not finish.

I forgot how much spice were in these authors books lol 😂 and having it start right at the beginning was fun but I wish there was a bit more plot development first. I like my stories to have a bit of adventure before the spice kicks in - but nothing wrong with how this turned out! I loved watching Ash develop feelings and redeeming his soul. I can’t wait for Mist’s story!

I could NOT get into this one. I kept trying, kept picking it back up and giving it another shot, but I'm over halfway in and it's taken weeks to even get here. The writing felt very cringey, like it was trying too hard to be funny over telling a story and overall, I felt very 'told' instead of 'shown' in general. The male characters in this book - including MMC - don't seem to have any qualities that would set them apart from your average misogynistic finance dudebro and I could be reading into things but MMC almost sounds like he's admitting to sexually assaulting women in several inner thought monologues.

Fun, Spicy book with a great intro into a world of demons who just want to stay in the human world and be good. I enjoyed this book, I look forward to the rest of the series and getting to know each "brother" demon. This is definitely spicy but funny and cute at the same time, I would call it a cozy fantasy with spice.

If you like fun romance with demons, angels, and all sorts of ethereal being this is the book for you. It’s instalove romance cutesy with a funny cast and fun story. If you want dark or gothic vibes this is not the place for you.

# My Funny Demon Valentine (Hell Bent, #1)
# 3/28/2025 ~ 3/29/2025
# 5.0 / 5.0

DNF at 73% :( I started this one on the plane a few months ago and don’t have the motivation to continue. While the initial paranormal concept was great, the execution fell flat. I didn’t think the characters had much chemistry, and they felt pretty one dimensional. I feel like the fantasy element could’ve been better developed and made more original. It seemed like the “rules” for the world were made up on the fly. I also would’ve preferred faster pacing and more action.

Thank you so much to Kensington for sending me an ARC of My Funny Demon Valentine. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀:⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲:🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: 5/5
𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: 4.5/5
𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4/5
𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4/5
𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 3.5/5

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this! The concept of demons escaping Hell and Ash’s theory on their evolution was fresh and fun.

Ash, our awkward, shy, cinnamon roll-ish Prince of Hell, totally stole my heart. Watching him try to understand emotions for the first time was unexpectedly sweet—and his instant connection with Eva? So good. The chemistry between them? Absolutely 🔥

That said—I ordered book 2 before I even finished this one and pre-ordered books 3 and 4. I’m officially hooked. I'm especially excited for Meph’s story, and I’m very curious about Belial (he gives off major tortured hero energy, and I’m weak for it).

The only thing that left me wanting more was the unresolved storyline with Eva’s parents. I felt so bad for Jacqui and wish we got more closure there.

I can't wait to jump into the next one!

This book was good, but honestly, I expected more from it? I just kept hearing such amazing things about it, and then it fell a little flat for me.

I’ve been getting more into paranormal romances lately and have been particularly drawn to those with demons. My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher is the first I’ve read with a demon, and though it went in some completely unexpected directions, I really enjoyed it. It was first published in 2021, but the reprint is out today. It’s the first in the Hell Bent series, all of which is being republished over the next year.

Why I Chose This Book:
I first heard about My Funny Demon Valentine in the Buzz Books 2024: Romance sampler, which highlighted over 20 upcoming romance publications. I was instantly intrigued. First, it stars a demon, which I’ve been getting interested in recently. Second, that demon loves music. What a fun combination!

What I Liked:
- Four demon “brothers” escaped from Hell to live on Earth
- Asmodeus (Ash) was cursed thousands of years ago to be all but invisible to others and have all his sense dulled; hearing is the only sense working well
- Thus, he loves music!
- Ash and Eva, a human musician who actually sees him somehow, instantly hit it off
- But Ash and his brothers are being hunted! Danger!
- Eva gets embroiled into all of their issues…
- Multiple perspectives (Ash; Eva; her parents; his brothers)
- Kind of campy but tons of fun

Rather than just a romance, My Funny Demon Valentine has elements that reminded me of horror comedy: These four demons have escaped from Hell, they’re being tracked by gargoyles and the Hunter, and they need special blood to evade their captors. Meanwhile, one of the group, Asmodeus, has spent the last 3,000 years cursed to have suppressed senses and be practically invisible to others. He loves music, though, and is drawn to a musician he’s just met, Eva. What’s more, she can actually see him. (Why? You’ll find out!)

Final Thoughts
My Funny Demon Valentine goes from a cute and sexy paranormal romance to a book with our characters on the run and facing shocking revelations. It’s campy, spicy, and a ton of fun to read. This is also the first in the Hell Bent series – already published independently and being republished by Kensington over the next year. I’m excited to continue the whole series! The next book is My Demon Hunter, coming out this March.

Gave this book a 5⭐️ because it honestly shocked me. I thought it was going in one direction, and it completely changed course. I could not put it down and whenever I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about what I had just read and couldn’t wait to get back to it.

I am such a fan of this rom com monster romance lol for fans of ice planet barbarians and Mead Mishaps, yall would enjoy this! Lol I want more, please

The romance in this book isn’t just about hearts and promises—it’s fate entwined with danger, longing tangled with power. Every stolen glance and whispered word carries weight, set against a world as alluring as it is treacherous. I loved it!

3.5 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️

Thank you Kensington Publishing for the e-arc!

This was definitely a very entertaining read, the banter and dialogue between the MCs and all the side characters was super entertaining! The overall premise of the realms and how the demons ended up where they are was also really interesting!

I definitely enjoyed the relationship between the MCs eventually but it was very insta-love for my liking. Eventually the draw to one another is explained but even considering that, it was fast. So took a minute to really feel like I’d caught up to where they seemed to be.

The story is fast paced and really funny (albeit a bit choppy at times). I enjoyed the musical elements and the role it plays in the MMCs story. Overall, I had a good time with this one!

This first of what I assume is a several book long series does a great job world-building, introducing somehow “nice” demon “brothers,” and starting what is likely several fated mate stories with Eva & Ash.

Ash is a demon who has been cursed. He’s made some mistakes in the past, which sent this lust demon into invisible territory. Any women who may want him find him uninteresting or essentially not there, except for Eva. Eva spots Ash on a night when he and his brothers have escaped from hell and can’t seem to get him out of her thoughts. Ash, on the other hand, assumes she is just interested in his brothers, as usual. When a shootout/turned paranormal fight breaks out, Ash saves Eva but unfortunately exposes her to his world.

Eva, through some twist of fate, has been predisposed to weird beliefs by her atypical parents. This, plus her undeniable attraction to Ash puts here firmly in like with him, with or without a second form she may have seen. These two sizzle as they dance around trust issues and other baggage. This story definitely had me rooting for the bag guys, which is a fun and new way of framing a love story. I enjoyed the HEA standalone nature of the story, but also liked the additional characters introduced here (I assume they all get paired off in the future).

This was a fun romcom. I loved the banter between the brothers, and it even had some demon lore in there which I found interesting. I thought it would be more of a fun mindless read, but it actually had more "substance" to the story, which was a nice surprise!

I might just continue this series! It's a nice palette cleanser from the fantasy or thriller books I usually read.

Okay my primary question is: in a world full of monster romances, HOW has this series never crossed my path before??? I know the series was originally indie pub, and this edition is the newly edited version for the trad pub, and though the rest of the books are coming out trad soon, I literally finished the book and turned around and got ALL the other indie copies immediately, because I just can’t wait that long for the rest of them to come out!! This was so fun, so heartwarming, with such innovative character details and fantastical worldbuilding for a well-executed urban fantasy. Ash is sexy and sensitive and a musician, which we adore, and Eva is an amazing FMC whose growth in agency, compassion, and confidence is so enjoyable to watch throughout the book. Plus, the side characters are hilarious and I am so excited to read all their individual books. Cannot recommend this enough! 4⭐

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel before release day!

From the first page I was obsessed! While I thought this was a demon romance on valentines day but I was pleasantly surprised when there was more to the plot than demon smut.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster—funny, steamy, adventurous, and full of twists that kept me hooked. I found myself cheering for Eva and Ash while cursing those trying to keep them apart, and embracing Eva's mother for her warm acceptance of Ash and the demon brothers. The characters, especially the loyalty between the demon brothers, were the story's biggest strength, and I loved the depth of their relationships. Though demons arent usually my thing, I was drawn in by the characters and humor. Eva, a bold musician, was perfect for Asmodeus, and the multiple POVs, though not my favorite, worked well here. This series isn’t standalone, but it’s worth it, and I’m excited for the next books