Dating & Dismemberment was such a cute, cozy and fun monster rom-com. Heavy on the com. This book had me laughing from start to finish. I loved it!

I loved Darla and Jarko together. The banter and insults between them had me cackling 🤣
These are monsters we’re talking about so there’s quite a bit of gore but it was done in such a humorous way.

Darla and Jarko both prefer to hunt humans who hurt others and I liked how this new generation of monsters has a bit of a moral code. Their hunting scenes were some of my favorites.
Another thing I really enjoyed were all the parallels to real (human) life. From generational differences to figuring out who you really are and what you want out of life, there’s so much we can relate to.

I can’t wait for the next book!

What a read!

Monster Romance is not a genre I had previously thought I would like, but Dating & Dismemberment really caught my interest. I'm glad I decided to indulge myself because I CANNOT WAIT for book 2!

The Duchess of Death has lost her interest and passion for hunting. Something every monster in her family has excelled at for years. After taking a sabbatical from the hunt in an attempt to find herself, she meets Jarko. Jarko is everything Darla isn't. He lives for chaos and cooking, but wants to take her territory over.

How could she ever like him? Well, you'll have to read the book and find out.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the free book.

I never thought I’d be smiling so much during a creepy monster story, but Dating and Dismemberment was delightful.

Darla is the Duchess of Death and haunts the camp near her forest, when she develops some ennui, feeling bored with hunting humans. After a sabbatical, a new monster is in town to take over her campgrounds, and suddenly she’s not so bored after all.

Filled with monstery puns, a baby monster that would chew your limbs off, a severed head that complains about the TV shows on, and cute romantic tension, Dating and Dismemberment was a perfect RomCom for the spooky season. It was like a creepy version of a Hallmark movie and I couldn’t stop reading. I loved Darla and Jarko together and seeing them both progress and grow.

An adorable and entertaining story, I’m so ready for the next in the series!

Sure, here’s a more personal take:

Dating & Dismemberment has been a fantastic read. I went into it curious, but it turned out to be one of those books that really surprises you in the best way. I loved how the story threw in bizarre monster elements without losing its heart or humor—it’s a rare balance, and Daria Vernon absolutely nails it. There were parts that genuinely made me laugh out loud and others that were so unexpectedly weird I had to pause just to appreciate how well it worked. The romance wasn’t just tacked on, either; it had a real spark, even amidst all the quirky horror. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves their romance with a dash of the dark and unusual!

I was given this book by Entangled as part of their read along. I am so grateful I could be chosen for this as I have been eyeing this book!

I am sad to say I didn't make it past 10%. I really didn't like the writing style of the author and I was pretty bored. I tried a few times to pick it up and get caught up with the rest of the group but I just couldn't get into it.

Thank you again for choosing me and gifting me this copy... I wish it had worked out!

First of all to the Kyle’s of the world, quit being such dicks. 🤣 IYKYK.

I give this rating 5 stars because of the originality of the story. The diverse monster characters, it being a monster rom-com. My laughing my ass off just at the content warnings. 2 belle peppers because where there is some spice it’s very very mild, innuendos but for the most part closed door IMO.

I will say the word traverse in every conjunction of the word did get to me after awhile. But alas it was different and not ordinary like the book! 🙃

Darla, Duchess of Death loves to hunt assholes all probably names Kyle. She is meticulous in her hunt, but one day she stops to wonder if there is more to life. More than dealing with the head of Delores and the Kyle’s of the world.

Enter:

Jarko. The tentacle, space invading monster. Thrives on chaos. Wants solitude and an escape.

A great story of loosing yourself, finding yourself, hunting humans named Kyle for fun (cuz they are usually named Kyle 😉), healing, and budding romance.

Thanks for another great read along @entangled_publishing

What a fun read & a unique story!!

I love quirky books and this one absolutely fits the bill. If you’re a fan of monsters and creatures and romcoms, this is the perfect combo- and I happen to love both. 🥰🫶

The story follows Darla, a monster whose scare territory is a primarily a summer camp, where she takes pleasure in terrorizing bullies, misogynists & annoying picking on the kids attending the camp. When she starts to feel like her like is just the same thing day in and day out, she takes a break and ends up with a new monster encroaching on her space.

But this new monster is handsome, fun & chaotic…and is not willing to leave without putting up a fight.

What I loved most was the world created here- the unique monsters and all of their skills and quirks, the family dynamics between her and her mother & the whole tone of the story was just hilarious and sweet.

If you like books like Princess Bride & Assistant to the Villain with that tongue in cheek humor and camp sprinkled with romance, then you will absolutely love this book!!

[side note- the word traverse and all of its variations did trip me up for awhile in the story because it’s used very often, but once it was made clear that this word was to describe a specific action the character did & not just a synonym for her moving around, it clicked for me]


Thank you to Entangled for this book to review & for hosting such a fun read along!! :)

3.75 ⭐️

This was the perfect scary season read for someone who hates all things scary. I wasn’t sure going in how much I would like it because how much ‘com’ can you really put in a monster romcom? Turns out, the answer is a lot; I was laughing through the whole book! One-liners about guilt trips from your decapitated mom, how different monsters manage to find the right *holes* with each other, and digs at the way new moms are treated with subpar healthcare and no time off work? Count me in.

Beyond the humor though, I really loved the parallels to human life, finding your family, wanting to be independent, choosing your own path, and falling in love. Oh, and also all the shitty people of the world getting dangled from trees and chopped into small pieces, as they so deserved. Sorry to everyone named Kyle, you were really trashed in this book lol.

Darla and Jarko were a really cute couple, always challenging and pushing each other to get outside their comfort zones. Also, Jarko could cook, and that’s an instant win in boyfriend land. I was hoping to find out what other body parts Jarko had that were extendable, but maybe that’ll happen in book 2 since this one was totally fade to black.

If you’re looking for a monster book that won’t have you sleeping with the lights on, look no further!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I had a blast talking about it during the Entangled Insiders readalong!

A fun book for spooky season. Enjoyed the monster take on romance with Darla and
Jarko. I enjoyed the setting of the book at Camp Clear Creek. I can't wait for the 2nd book to come out.

A monster rom-com that follows Darla and Jarko. Their paths cross in the most unexpected way, leading to a serious of hilarious and chaotic events.
This book was absolutely amazing in every way. The humor added so much to the serious moments. The characters were done so well, you could relate to them, even though they're monsters. The settings were also nicely done. I really enjoyed seeing monsters with morals.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

Huge thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing me a final copy of Dating & Dismemberment for their read along.

I thought I knew what I was getting into after reading this blurb but it's truly a romcom between two monsters, heavy on the comedy and I loved it. I read this over the course of several plane rides and found myself laughing out loud (much to my embarrassment). I love this book because the characters are true monsters and not cute cleaned up versions to appeal to the masses. And not one monster you meet is the same.

I definitely saw a lot of myself in Darla, the FMC. Being lost with her career and the tough relationship with her mom. I also loved how confident she was in many aspects of her life. (Spoiler) Especially when she asked Jarko to stay and not move away. She knew exactly what she wanted and didn't hesitate one moment in the conversation. It was a refreshing change of pace.

All of the characters felt like they were built really well including the side characters. We got generous descriptions of each monster as well as emotional/personal back stories. If baby Manti isn't in the next book I will riot because I have to know how she grows up.

I def recommend this book as a comedic palette cleanser! The romance is really cute (closed door) and the concept is new and refreshing! 4 stars!

Just finished the Entangled Insiders read-long of Dating & Dismemberment by A.L Brody This book was such a good cozy time.
🧌Arc Review🧌
Dating & Dismemberment
A.L. Brody
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🚫
Darla is a monster who is in a slump and decides to take a break from the hunt, little does she know in the time of her sabbatical her territory has been requested by a new monster Jarko Murkvale, the sweet and endearing love story that blossoms was a treat. I am excited for the next book to see how their story and love continues to grow and develop.
I am not typically a person who picks romance books written by men, because welllllll we all know why, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised this was NOT one of those stories Darla is a bad🚨🔨🌶️ and she knows it. A. L Brody (@jasonpinter )will now be added to the list of male authors who I will read a romance from, he’s the only one on it but maybe one day we will get more added.

As always I would like to thank @netgalley, @entangledpublishing & @amara for my e-arc of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Need a creepy cute romance? This one checks off all the marks! I wasn't sure I'd enjoy a romance written my a man buuuut this one was hilarious and perfect in every way!

Dating & Dismemberment is one of the most delightfully fun books I’ve read in ages! It’s the laugh-out-loud story of Darla, a self-assured monster who’s gotten a bit bored with her routine of stomping on bad guys and then returning to her mom's, uh, decapitated head. But things take a turn when a dark and mysterious stranger swings into her territory, stirring up Darla’s need to defend her turf while sparking her curiosity about life (and maybe even love) beyond hunting humans.

Brody absolutely nails the humor and heart here. Darla is so much more than her terrifying exterior, and the story hilariously navigates what it means to figure out who you really are and who—or what—you might want to be. The characters are lovable (and pretty gross), and the story line is oddly heartwarming, making this the perfect beginning to a series I can’t wait to devour. If you’re up for a mix of laughter, light horror, and some very unconventional romance, add Dating & Dismemberment to your TBR!

This was something…I mean it had potential and it was there but it didn’t deliver for me. The banter was funny but it felt like the story line was super rushed.

A fun romp of a romance, full of camp counselors and a little bit of righteous revenge and teenage rebellion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Omgosh! I loved this! I haven’t laughed so much with a book like this ever. I had a smile the entire time. The banter was perfection. The author has gained a new reader. I can wait for the next book.
Thank you Entangled for the copy.

I absolutely loved this fun monster rom com! The whole thing had me giggling and laughing out loud through most of it. I loved their dynamic. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes so I was definitely here for it.

I want all the monster rom-coms now!

First off, I love A.L. Brody AKA Jason Pinter's writing. I adored The Reaper's Son and I knew I would love this too. This is a cozy monster love story, funny, filled with banter and fun. If you love monsters and rom coms, this is for you. Darla is your FMC, typical monster with typical monster problems (who knew, monsters are just like us). Enter Jarko, a monster encroaching her territory that will turn her world upside down and inside out. I enjoyed the banter between these two, I loved him pushing her to explore more and get out of the rut she was in. All around good book and remember "couples that slay together, stay together."

I was given this ARC by Entangled to participate in a read-along and unfortunately this is immediately falling flat for me. I'm not sure if it is the style or writing or the story itself.