Well that's an interesting premise. This genre isn't my favorite but Stephens has a fluid and engaging style that kept me reading even as I rolled my eyes. Good characters and a bit of humor made this a good read.

Y’all Elizabeth MFing Stephens did the damn thing with this book. She’s on a glorious roll this year.

I honestly had no idea what to expect going into this book. I love Elizabeth’s writing, and I was willing to give a new to me romance subgenre a chance with her at the helm.

I was not disappointed!

This book had everything you can ever want in an ES heroine and hero with Vanessa and Roland. The misunderstandings, the obsession, the swooning, it was all there!

The thing that grabbed me from the beginning was the anxiety rep from the heroine, and the diverse represenation of the characters written. I just absolutely loved the world building. I was so enthralled with how everything was explained and the story flowed seamlessly throughout.

Plus it has some of my favorite tropes: office romance, forced proximity, and fake dating.

This is Elizabeth’s very first trad published book, if you like her stuff or this seems like it would be right up your alley, you can pre-order it now! The release date is next week, 27 May!

This such a cute steamy romance. I loved the pacing and the action scenes. Our characters were diverse and despite short appearances not one dimensional. The descriptions of mental health were so well thought out and received. I could relate to the FMC. Our MMC was the perfect mix of broody and in love. The only reason I rated 4/5 stars is that the PR/fake dating storyline (which had seemed to be the whole premise of the book) kind of died midway through. It was more of an introduction turned background issue. I would have loved a bit more of the fake dating trope. It was kind of glossed over and not really impactful to the overall story. However,
I still enjoyed the book and would recommend to other readers! It still made me feel good and was perfect for a reading slump. I probably would re-read again myself!

4.5 stars

This was so much more that I expected to be honest and I had a blast! The story was intriguing and at times incredibly funny. I love a “touch her and die” MMC that actually fits well in the story being told. Having the enemies-to-lovers turned fake-dating but be fairly short-lived really worked for me personally. Often a drawn out enemy vibe makes the characters get too cruel to each other and I’m too soft I fear. I had fun with the villain to hero story line as well, it was well fleshed out and at times we could feel the turmoil of the MMC.

My only issue was with some of the FMC’s traits and background, particularly the clumsiness. I didn’t really understand the point of it. I did understand the anxiety due to her childhood trauma however I feel like the trauma was either not well fleshed out or made me think it was going in a different direction. I genuinely thought for a bit that maybe she was also an alien but was found by her parents and when she didn’t have powers they acted the way they did. However that may have just been me looking for a reason for the neglect and abuse beyond just shitty people doing shitty things.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

First she wrote Kane and I because obsessed. Then she gave me Adam and I swooned so hard it was ridiculous. But I thought what will I do if she tops that. Then she wrote Calai and I was a goner, lost with no way to return. Because give me the guy that will burn down the world for me! And oh baby did she take that pretty literal. Now we have Roland Casteel and I’m certain I’ll never be the same. Not to mention in the midst of those top tier book monster/berserker/viking boyfriends she gave me Abel, Echo, Starling, and Vanessa and my heart is so full thanks to those beautiful, brave, fierce women. Elizabeth Stephens is a gifted and exceptional writer and belongs on every bestseller list there is. This book was hilarious, endearing, captivating, unique, and sexy in a delicious sort of way. It’s one of those books you can finish and easily go back to beginning and start it all over again. I was absolutely giddy over Roland when my heart wasn’t breaking and rooting for Nessa. And I haven’t even talked about the amazing cast of secondary characters who give you all the warm found family vibes you can’t help but want to be apart of. This was just so effing good! And I can’t wait to see what she does with this series because the subplot is absolutely incredible! I’m torn between wanting the next book in this series and demanding she get back to working on the Beast of Gatamora. Why is she pulling my heart in so many directions? It’s really amazing to love an author so much and know they deserve all the praise and recognition, but to then read a book that undoubtedly is about to lunch them into the stratosphere! That’s just magical! Early congratulations on the astronomical success this book is due to receive Elizabeth!

The setup? Vanessa is a quiet, ultra-competent PR powerhouse who just wants to do her job and stay out of the spotlight. Her newest client? Roland, aka The Pyro—a fire-wielding supernatural wildcard with a bad reputation and no idea how to handle the very intense feelings he develops for Vanessa. He’s smitten. He’s confused. He’s mad about it. And he is not subtle.
As Vanessa works to turn him into a hero, their professional boundaries go up in smoke in the steamiest, most delightful way.
With fated-mates energy, sharp banter, playful world-building, and a romance that burns hot from start to finish, this one’s tailor-made for lazy afternoons, beach days, and late-night reading binges.
I loved everything about this book and I cannot wait until I can start handselling it at the store.

Going into this book, I expected a light, superhero romance - that's what the cover art and blurb suggested, and I wasn't familiar with the author's past work. So let's just say I was pretty surprised when the story turned into spicy alien/monster romance midway through, although that story was to die for.

I enjoyed the plot so much. There's a big focus on morality, what good vs evil actually looks like, and the potential consequences of integrating super powered aliens living in our society. The pacing was great, we get tiny hints at what's coming ahead of time, and the story feels fresh and interesting all the way through. The big reveals are spectacular, the baddies are well built, and the book wraps up in a very satisfying ending.

That said, I didn't vibe with the main characters as much as I would have liked. There's insta-love that doesn't feel at all plausible, although the dual POV slightly helped me get over that. My main gripe however is that the FMC keeps being described as a badass genius, but we don't see that at all during the story. There's a lot of focus on her trauma, anxiety, and journey to find her confidence, but I'm not a fan of how she gets babied and rescued every five seconds in the same sentence as being called badass. The dynamic felt a bit icky to me as a result.

Overall this was a fresh story that I truly enjoyed. If you're a fan of the author's work, or into modern romance focused stories that bring so much more to the table, you'll love this one.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

OMG they way I enjoyed this book immensely. The way I connected with Vanessa. Loved that while she was a baddie, she was a bit shy. Pyro/Wyvern was just the right balance for her, imo. I could feel the tension between these two. I need more of this universe!

2.5 stars rounded up. It took me awhile to get into this. It was a lot of stop and starting and that could be because the only other story i read from this author was a short novella with loads of spice and it was so good i rated it 4 or 5 stars. I think what went wrong for me was that it took a minute to get into the meat and potatoes, the spice, and the characters. I didn’t know what the main plot was, even towards the end of the book.

There was so many different plot points. It was hard to follow and focus on what should be going on. With the PR company situation, then the Lois Lane situation, and then finally the “intruders” and memory shift. I feel like the last plot point could have been in another book. It felt rushed and sloppy. Sorry.


The spice. From someone who wrote such a spicy fantasy book, we didn’t get much until like 70% into the book. Which is unfortunate because this author writes spice good and I was looking forward to it.

The characters…man! I feel so bad but I did not find any of these characters likeable! The main MC was way too aloof, strange, and anxiety filled for my liking. And coming from someone whom has anxiety it was just a bit much especially since she’s a ceo of a PUBLIC relations company. Very strange. Roland was just like a pawn to me. He didn’t have any personality. It went from him being rude to her to, “she’s my girl!”, to I love her. It was such love bombing done wrong and they had no chemistry. And the fact that he called her a B****. And the excuse she made for it…ick.

I wanted to like this so much because once again my first impression of this author was so good. Hopefully future books I like more and I hope this author continues to write more monster/paranormal, romance

It took me a little bit to get into this story, but as soon as the fake dating trope was revealed I WAS IN! If you love a possessive hero who falls first, falls hard and immediately says, "she's mine," then read this book! Elizabeth is amazing at writing alien/normal person romance, and I'm very interested to see where the next book goes based off the hints I got in All Superheroes Need PR.
What didn't work for me at the beginning was Vanessa's clumsiness. It's Bella Swan level ridiculous, and her high anxiety makes it even worse when she's in situations she's not prepared for. Obviously it ties into the 'damsel in distress' aspect of the story with Roland becoming a 'hero' but this woman is 34-years-old. I wanted her character to be less clumsy and hesitant, especially with what we learn about her traumatic childhood, and that she's actively seeing a therapist to help with her anxiety.
I wanted more of that to be explored, and to see Vanessa's arc from shy person who can barely get a sentence out to becoming a stronger force. She runs her own company! All of her employees are super loyal and feel comfortable showing up to her house unannounced! She's very supported by her adopted family and co-workers but it comes off as coddling.
There were several moments that I truly loved: Vanessa and Roland negotiating the length of their fake dating contract (she says three years, he says 15!), his mission to marry her after a certain number of dates, how he stops cursing when he's around her. He's just obsessed with her, and I loved it!
I wanted the writing to be tighter. It's a stream-of-conscious narration with little dialogue in some chapters, and so many ellipses and echoes of the same words. If you've read any Mariana Zapata novels, the writing is similar, so if that isn't your favorite, this may feel the same.

This book is utterly delicious! I’ve enjoyed Elizabeth Stephens Xiveri Mates series, and was very excited when she started talking about her upcoming superhero series. This was such a delight of a read, I read it in a single sitting! (I’d started it with my eyeballs and was struggling, but when I got an audio copy, I zipped through because I could not put it down!) Vanessa and Rowland are excellent and I love the development of their relationship. I also love Vanessa’s friendships and family. This was such a great read, and I cannot wait for the next part of the series!

A sci-fi, diverse romance for the ages.

Diverse characters, though it can always feel gimmicky to say that. This book is different, it’s about seeing myself as represented and seeing other marginalized folks able to be just a character, without the constant explicit oppression, and normalizing it that way. Which is so impactful that it made me stop and realize how often that doesn’t happen.

Rollo is SOOO DOWN BAD like he’s so obsessed with her and new to love that it’s adorable to witness.


Vanessa is so shy, and her ability to be a soft black girl makes me want to cry tears of joy because it’s what we deserve

There were times I thought there was literal fire coming off the page, and it wasn’t Rollo

It has everything I love
Romance
Black women being loved on
Superhero’s
Humor

(Gives a little Hancock at times because Rollo is pretty morally grey)


Rollo said Touch her and die isn’t enough…

touch her and the WORLD WILL BURN


SPOILER SO DON'T READ BELOW
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If you don’t like straight monster romances, then it’s not for you.

Over two decades ago, forty-eight young, gifted superheroes fell to Earth and were eventually marketed as opposing heroes and villains. Now, PR director Vanessa Theriot must run a campaign for the newest recruit to the hero team.

This book was not what I was expecting! It started with some world building and expanding on the backstory of our female main character, before shifted into a spicy monster romance with omegaverse undertones. I would have liked more of a focus on the PR campaign as well as on the other superheroes. I also found it hard to emphasise with Vanessa at times, as there are only so many times a character can be clumsy or awkward without it getting annoying.

That said, it was a quick, fun read that I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a book with more spice than plot.

A recommended read for fans of kinky speculative romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was nothing like i expected. It took a bit for me to get invested, but once I was, I did not want to put it down. Elizabeth did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life, and creating such a fun world for them to live in. I'm a sucker for Superheroes vs villains and this was done so well. I enjoyed most of the references to shows/movies/books we see in our lives as well. Definitely enjoyed my time and will be reading more from this author!

This is not my typical type of read, but I found that I actually really enjoyed this book. I absolutely loved the main characters, Vanessa and Roland. My first impression of Roland wasn’t the best, but it didn’t take much time for him to redeem himself. Roland was a great protector for Vanessa and had some pretty hilarious internal dialogue. The epilogue had me cackling. They are truly perfect for one another. I did NOT expect that plot twist but it was very well executed. This is my first read from Elizabeth Stephens but I’m excited to check out her other books.

*I am extremely picky with giving 5 stars to any book. I’ve read hundreds of books and have only given 5 stars to a handful of them. This was really good and I would highly recommend it!

Oh man, did I love this book. A lot of Superman/The Boys and little of Warren Peace from Sky High, from a superhero perspective, this book was giving and I want more! I know Elizabeth Stephens is good for a series so I think I'll get it.

Stuff that was amazing: Roland is a total mess for Vanessa and I love it. The character growth for both of them was delightful. Seeing Vanessa stand up for herself and others when she need to but also still not being comfortable or shutting down in every situation was so realistic because love doesn't just cure PTSD and Trauma.

This book is also classic morality chain. Roland will be good for Vanessa and Vanessa only. He says it several times, "I'm doing this for her", "I'm a hero for her."

Other stuff: Incredible representation across the book. FMC: Black woman, Doctor: Lesbian, Best Friend: Trans woman, Adoptive family: Black and Latino, MMC: Alien (lol).

I know this book isn't even out yet as I write this review but I need book 2, like right now.

Really loved the world building, wasn't totally convinced by the romance. The premise of this book was really good but it got lost a bit when the plot veered too much into hot and heavy. Which generally isn't a bad thing, but I wanted a bit more action and getting to know the universe! Hope there is more focus on the fantastical elements in the next book.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

DNF @36% - Now, this isn't necessarily a bad book. It is just painfully not my thing. I picked this up because I thought it would be a fun romcom. That isn't really the vibe of this one though. It's one of those books where the mmc is just super primal, and possesive, and the fmc is weak damsel in to be rescued. I don't want to yuck someone's yum, and I definitely understand that people like this sort of vibe, but I can't preface this enough I HATE IT. I tried with this book because the concept was good but I just couldn't do it. On top of that I also just think that the writing could a bit chaotic, and hard to follow at times for me.

These two are fire from their first meeting. (no pun intended)
He gives her the ability to be someone she didn't know she was. He also gives her something else she needs in her life. A hero.
She makes his flame ignite. He wants to be a hero for her, save the world for her because before her, there was no goodness in his heart.
They give each other something both of them desperately need. Love.
And God help anyone who tries to come between them!
It is my humble opinion that this author can totally dominate any genre she takes on!

It's rare that a romance author does something truly original-- Elizabeth Stephens achieved this with this book! Fun, action-packed, sexy and unique-- this romance stands out in the pack.