I wanted to love this one but I just didn't. The premise was great and I liked the characters. However, there is absolutely no world building or explanations for how it works. I felt really confused most of the time.

This was a very fun read and a perfect one for Halloween. I’m a big fan of forced proximity, so if you are too, I think you’ll like this one. I do think you need to read the first book to really understand the world.

Oh boy, I ate this up. A thick girlie managing a giant lumberjack of a guy?!? Please more! Did I always understand what was happening....nope. But I loved it anyway.

Also, the the drag out was just right. Not too long, but definitely some yearning.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced e copy, I devoured it.

I always enjoy a Charlotte Stein book, but this was kind of a mess structurally. The magic system didn't seem to be well thought out or well described--it was hard to get a sense of how it worked and what it looked like. Lots of telling instead of showing with backstory, which there wasn't enough of for either Nancy or Jack, but especially Nancy and her writing and the consequences of it. And then writing didn't seem to be a big part of her life after that anyway, but it's entirely what her magic is based on? There were also pacing issues and what felt like repetition in Jack's floundering as a human, probably because they are so siloed for most of the book and don't have many other characters to play off of--it's just the two of them together most of the time. The banter is always top-notch with Stein, but it can't quite save this one for me.

I think all the elements were there to make this an intriguing story, but I don’t feel like it was put together cohesively. I liked the grumpy/sunshine dynamics set up between Jack and Nancy in the beginning. However, I struggled with the dialogue and the overall flow of the writing in this book. When Jack and Nancy started interacting, I found the way he talked to her to be abrasive. Also, I did not like it when Jack called Nancy “kid” constantly. There were moments in the middle of the book where the story flowed well and the pacing was better, but overall it felt choppy. Thank you to NetGalley, as well as St. Martin’s Press, for an advance copy of this book!

There is just something about the Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures series by Charlotte Stein that I can't resist. I'm always hooked from the start (title and cover) until the very last word. This world takes so many fun and unexpected twisted turns while also pumping out a shabby chic/cottage core/cozy feel that every moment feels like a death defying adventure wrapped in a cookie scented hug. While Dealing with a Desperate Demon isn't quite as quirky as How to Help a Hungry Werewolf, it enhances the created world by carving out it's own space in the same universe.... I can't wait to see where Charlotte Stein will go with book 3.

Dealing with a Desperate Demon is a fun Supernatural exploration of how hard it can be to find love and feel loveable when one comes from an inherently toxic, and socially isolating background. It not only explores the idea that maybe the devil or in this case son of the devil isn't inherently bad but misunderstood and how those expectations on him combined with under socialization create a perfect storm for him to remain an outsider despite his best attempts to fit in.

What to expect: forced proximity, it's always been you, demons, literal hell scape, talking animals (well dog), witch powers, self-discovery, found family, bargains with the devil, veiled communication, hidden identity...

Trigger Warnings/Content Warning: parental neglect, parental abuse....

Will return later to attach Social Media Links....

Beauty and the Beast with a cinnamon roll demon! I loved Jack (the son of Satan) but he’s so awkward, earnest, and trying to learn romance via 90s rom-coms and I wanted to wrap him up and take him home.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series and I really didn’t enjoy the first book. I got about 25% through and I also didn’t like this one. I just think this series/writer is not for me. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

Monster romances can be very hit or miss for me. This one was a fun easy read to get through!

You could really feel the chemistry between them, and the banter? 10/10. I am a sucker for a good bit of banter, and honestly, this helped me buy into them even more.

This is a great read for anyone who may be on the fence with monster or fantasy romances. Its a good way to dip your toe in.

I absolutely love Charlotte Stein’s work—her books are always such a fun, cozy escape! This one delivers a delightful monster romance full of sizzling chemistry and banter galore. Jack, the big cinnamon roll demon trying to figure out humanity, paired with Nancy, the witch with a complicated past, makes for a charming and quirky duo. Their fake dating scheme turning into something heartfelt felt sweet and genuine, and the Beauty and the Beast vibes give the story a fresh spin.

The small-town setting and magical elements add a perfect romcom atmosphere that kept me smiling throughout. While the story felt a bit rushed at times, especially near the ending, and I wished for deeper emotional development and more of the colorful side characters, it didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment. The writing balances humor and sincerity nicely, making this a satisfying standalone read even as part of a series.

If you love light, fun paranormal romances with plenty of laughs and charm, this book is a great pick—plus the cover is absolutely adorable! I’ll definitely keep reading anything Charlotte Stein writes.

I love Charlotte Stein, and her work! It is always so fun! This book is a cute, cozy, fun monster moment that had chemistry and banter galore! Absolutely adore the cover and the book as well. I will always read anything this author rights!

I love paranormal Romance and I especially love it, and there is a romcom element to it. In this book, the characters are funny and the banter is fresh and the steam is good as well. It’s really just a fun book to read that feels like a fun romcom movie in your head

This book was the perfect amount of comedy, romance, & spice. The banter had me laughing with my whole chest. A fun read that leaves you cheering!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit, these characters, Nancy especially had me rolling my eyes. I honestly at one point couldn’t even remember her name when explaining the plot to my husband mid book. The willful ignorance, the cognitive dissonance… it’s strong with this one.

Jack trying to fit into humanity and trying to be obvious without being obvious saved this one for me. I felt a little thrown into the middle and felt this was a lot more tell than show. The side characters were wholly under utilized. I hate to say it but I think we could have done with a little less spice and a little more depth here. Having more of Cassie and Seth would have been a boon. There should have either been more or less Popcorn… he seemed like an afterthought to the author because he felt like an afterthought to Nancy. More hijinks around town and interacting with the colorful small town characters would have been fun.

I actually quite like the neat little bow this story tied up with - it fit her magic story. And since we get zero explanations about how magic and the supernatural really works it didn’t throw me off. But the ending was incredibly abrupt.

And if he beat her to saying something one more time I was going to crack. That small thing made the writing feel repetitive and boring.

The premise of this book was very cute. Big cinnamon roll demon and adorable girl who doesn't realize she's a witch. Very cute and romcomy. I enjoyed the characters and the setting of the book but it felt rushed to me. Like some details were left out and I felt like I wasn't sure how we got to some points quite a few times throughout the book. I wish we'd gotten a less hastier ending.

3 stars.

I really enjoyed the quirky and unique premise of this book—Jack, the Devil’s son, trying to learn how to be human with the help of Nancy, a witch with a complicated past, made for an interesting dynamic. Their fake dates turning into something more heartfelt was a sweet touch, and I liked how the story stands well on its own even though it’s the second in the series. Honestly, I found this one more enjoyable than the first book.

That said, I did feel like the story missed some chances to dive deeper emotionally. The characters were fun but didn’t quite grab me on a personal level, and some parts of the plot felt a bit rushed or uneven in pacing. The twists could have had more buildup to make them hit harder. Still, it’s a light, enjoyable read with a fresh take on familiar themes, especially if you like Beauty and the Beast-inspired stories.

Everyone knows why they’re picking up a book with this title and cover, and it’s so rewarding when a book like this meets, and exceeds, the promise of the premise. It takes just a few pages for the prologue to set the tone for the entire book, and the writing is excellent. The author balances the perfect amount of serious and silly, and that’s part of what I felt made this book so successful.

These characters are in their own little bubble, and I loved how much of this book is the two of them interacting. They are funny, and genuine, and you root for them the entire way. I felt the characters' experiences seamlessly wove a broader message into the lighthearted fun of this book.

I’m excited for books that deal in magical tropes or holiday themes, but I’ll often think these devices are used in place of good story telling. This book is a great example of what it looks like when a story is enhanced by these ideas, and not overpowered by them.
It was fun to read in July, and it will be even better in October!

I don't know how I feel about this book. Im kind of on the fence about it, there were a lot of parts that were fun and exciting but then there were also parts that were a little bit boring and make me skip through the pages. The book wasn't that bad but I think book 1 was better

Dealing with a Desperate Demon was such a cute paranormal romance!

Jack is known as the town misfit, and Nancy is the shy, quiet owner of the local bookstore. Jack approaches Nancy to ask for help with dating and pointers on how to be a normal human man, but Nancy isn't clued into that part of the lessons... yet anyway. Nancy is also a witch but hasn't truly figured out that truth out about herself yet, after being taught that there was something "wrong" with her, so she had to learn to suppress that part of herself until she almost forgot that it existed in the first place.

Both main characters struggle with their self-worth, but both learn and grow from guidance and closeness with each other, and it's a joy to watch them both grow.

It was clearly obvious that Jack was absolutely in love with Nancy, but she really just didn't see it, even though she was pining for him the whole time she was giving Jack "dating" tips. It was honestly a little silly to me that the author made Nancy that clueless for almost the entire book.

Jack also calls Nancy "kid," which definitely seemed weird to me, especially after their were spicy scenes in the book.

Overall, I definitely really enjoyed this book and would be interested in reading more by this author. Also, this was the 2nd book in a series, but I enjoyed reading it on its own.

Expected Publication Date: October 7th, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin and the author for the privilege of reading this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
I love paranormal romance but this one felt flat for me. Even though we know jack is a demon, based on the title of this book, we only learn he’s a one around the 50% of the book. It was way to long and takes away, for me, the paranormal aspect, as we don’t get enough time to accept the paranormal. Nancy is a witch, so she is not surprised and accepts his demonic side really well.
I hated how jack call her « kid ». From all the pet names that exists, this is the worst. For me, it just sounds condescending. But, maybe other people will like it.
Overall, it had potential, but the pacing was off.