The premise for this book was very interesting and I really wanted to enjoy the book. I think that the writing fell flat for me, it seemed a little flat for me. I also think that the title of the book also being the plot twist in the middle of the book was strange. Was the audience supposed to be surprised that he was a demon? I did enjoy the relationship of the characters and I think the overall idea of the book has a lot of promise, but it definitely needs editing.

Fun cute read. Plot was a little bit predictable., but it was cozy entertaining read. Jack was at times too hard on himself, but he is a demon so maybe that's why he doesn’t think he’s good enough?

Thank you for lending me an advanced copy for an honest review. I thought this book was super cute. I love paranormal romance and Popcorn was the star of the show in this book. The dialogue between main characters wasn't the best but in the end it's a good cozy Fall read. I never read book 1 not realizing until the end this was book 2 so I will definitely pick up book 1 now knowing this. Thank you St Martin's press for the opportunity to read this book!

I enjoyed this read. I love spooky-vibe type of book. This is the second in the series, but i did not read the first one. IMO, this can stand on its own. I enjoyed Jack and Nancy's relationship

ARC Review (Thanks Netgalley!)

As always, Charlotte Stein is a master at writing sex scenes, so naturally the ones in Dealing with a Desperate Demon were hawt! I also found some of the magic elements to be quite funny, such as the truck who communicates its thoughts through what songs it plays.

But ultimately, I did find the story itself to be a bit clunky and somewhat of a slog to get through. I recently read another one of Stein's books, Never Sweeter, which also had a MMC who did not feel worthy of love. This trope feels overused for my tastes.

I was super excited to receive this e-book by Charlotte Stein. I LOVED the first in this series, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf. It was so cute.

Dealing with a Desperate Demon has some of the best themes with redemption, overcoming flaws, and the classic bad boy/monster romance. It kept me fully entertained, and was a creative spin on a childhood favorite, Beauty and the Beast vibes—with a demon twist!

It’s a fun paranormal romance with great chemistry between the main characters and plenty of humor (I was giggling through most of it).

Thank you NetGalley and Kejana at St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this book!

Thank you so much to Charlotte Stein and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC of this book. This is a great retelling of Beauty and the Beast! It is a fun quick read with some spice. The main character banter is on point though. If you like Paranormal Rom Com this is the book for you. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I Highly Enjoyed this!

A quirky re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, only the beast just happens to be the son of the Devil himself. This is the 2nd in the series and while one can argue it could be read as a stand-alone, I feel you would miss a little backstory on side characters and the world building of this series as this one missed the mark on this and was almost too focused on the main duo to flush out our magical world.

I overall enjoyed the book with the misunderstood oddly cinnamon roll-esque MMC and peculiar FMC but it fell short compared to the first and left me a little underwhelmed. The beginning took me a little bit to get into because of where it starts in comparison to the epilogue of the first book and the pace of it but then other parts of the book fly by so quickly I’m left confused on what happened and how we got there. Most egregiously for me was the ending where our duo is escaping places (vagueness to work around spoilers) as it felt too easy. I wanted to see more development in their relationship as I feel it started slow then jumped ahead as if there were missing chapters. Again, trying to be vague as to not give spoilers…The MMC was also a little odd for me. For a demon that is supposed to be old and having the job that he does, its hard for me to wrap my head around the fact he doesn’t understand how humans act in at least a more general sense. Especially since other conversations prove that he is very intelligent and intuitive. I feel that made him more muddled and harder to connect with and understand.

I give this a 3 star because it was a cute read and the dialog was fun but left me wanting a more complete story. I would be interested to read more in the Santuary for the Supernatural series to see if it would flesh out the world building and because it gives a cute twist on Supernatural creatures.

Thanks to NetGalley, author Charlotte Stein and St. Martin's Press |St. Martin's Griffin publishing for this digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book is expected to be published on October 7, 2025

This was a pretty good book. The story was fun but lacked a little in the plot aspect of the story and was a little boring.

SPOILER ALERT

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me.
I didn’t connect with the characters, and I didn’t find the plot particularly engaging.
I didn’t really like the main characters's relationship, it felt a bit too much right from the start (when he gives her tons of money + when he reads all the books overnight, etc). It didn’t feel realistic, and even though I know realism isn’t really the point of the story, it still felt too disconnected for me. I really didn't like that Jack called Nancy 'kid'. I didn’t like that it was Jack who described himself like when he says, “Oh, last time it was hard not to mess up your bookstore.” I would have preferred if she had discovered that about him herself, and that we saw it from her perspective. I found Jack way too clueless, constantly putting himself down, and it got very frustrating. Same for Nancy in some moments, how she suddenly discovers she’s a witch for example.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was kind of touch and go for me- I really don’t like the “born sexy yesterday” trope and I find it a little lazy. Like, Jack’s been living on earth 10 years and can work a VCR but he doesn’t know how to hug? Eh. I also think this one could have benefited from a dual pov so we can understand how.

However, the smut was on point, and it was a fun read.

Dealing with a Desperate Demon is not like other books I've read. There is plenty of banter between Nancy and Jack but Nancy seems to be a rather naive MC. Jack is an awkward man that the reader quickly realizes is different because he isn't really a man but rather a demon. Nancy seems oblivious to any of these rather perplexing situations and doesn't even ask him to explain himself further. Jack needs Nancy to help him learn to act more human since he's been using old movies and books to guide him so far. This story is fun and romantic. Both have their own secrets.

3.5 / 5 Stars
This book was not what I was expecting it to be and I enjoyed it anyway! From the synopsis, I thought the book would be really campy, over the top, and not taking itself too seriously. Jack is the son of Satan in human form. Nancy is a bookstore owner. They decide to fake date (she doesn’t know he’s a demon yet). Hijinks and a good amount of horniness ensue.

I was expecting something super silly, and in fact, most of the book was really earnest and tenderhearted. At its core, I think this book is about two people who don’t see their own worth but see worth in the other. Its two people being seen, really and fully seen for their flaws and all, for the first time. They learn their own value through each other’s eyes and that was really beautiful in a lot of ways.

And there is some silliness thrown in in a fun way. Like Jack, pre-demon reveal, saying things like “As a normal human man, who does normal human man things, and definitely has been a normal human man for a while, what would a normal human man do now?” He even tells her that he has someone he is betrothed to (and that is why he needs to learn how to date properly hence the fake dating) and that said love definitely exists and lives in Canada, which is definitely something a normal human man would say and not a 12 year old boy who is trying to prove he is cool during sleep away camp. Once we get Jack’s demon reveal, getting to learn the rules of the magical world was super fun.

I just wish that Nancy’s story was a bit more clear. Her retelling of her past was a bit confusing, especially the prologue. It took me a bit of work to really put the pieces together once her backstory was explained. I honestly wish it wasn’t revealed in the synopsis so if you haven’t read it yet, don’t, or at least don’t read the last paragraph.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

This was hilarious and heartwarming, such a great rom com. She's working in a bookstore and her new employee happens to be a very handsome man. Also he's a demon. Enter all of the shenanigans!

The book started off so strong— it gave me One Dark Window (subjective) vibes in the way that it portrayed the heroine. What surprised me most is how much mental illness actually plays a role in the story. The blurb barely touches it, and I really wish the author and publisher had leaned into that more—it’s a big part of what made the book interesting.

Nancy runs a bookstore and ends up helping Jack, this gruff but kind of clueless guy, learn how to date so he can impress another girl. The setup is cute, and Jack’s whole “awkward and inexperienced but trying his best” attitude was very endearing. Their dynamic is sweet, and watching the shift happen was fun.

I do wish Jack had a bit more depth sometimes—he felt a little flat—and the ending felt blurred and rushed. Honestly, a cliffhanger would’ve made more sense. I loved the first half of the book. Spice is minimal, and it’s definitely not the focus of the book.

Dealing with a Desperate Demon
By Charlotte Stein

This is a paranormal romance that is a quick read, would be a great palate cleanser between other books.

I did enjoy the premise but felt the plot needed a bit more fleshing out.

Dealing with a Desperate Demon Honest ARC Review:

Nancy has practically given up on finding her own happily ever after. She has her bookstore and a lovable pet. That’s all she needs until she runs into Jack, big and burly, quirky social outcast.

Nancy and Jack stumble over their words, their actions in this lovable, quirky romance. Neither is confident in his or her own abilities and both must overcome obstacles.

A romance that’s perfect for October is a fun addition to your TBR.

⭐️ Fake Dating
⭐️ Paranormal Romance
⭐️Small town Romance

Thank you for sharing this ARC with me.

I couldn’t finish this book, I’m sorry to say I gave up. This was to far out there for me lol. Vampires are one thing but Goats, it was a deal breaker.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read and I found it surprisingly stressful! You kept cheering for the main characters and being surprised what happened next! I couldn’t put it down! The right amount of romance, mixed with paranormal and spice! Very enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!!


This book is unfortunately not my style. I think it has a great premise, but we the readers know that he is a demon already, but for her to not know so long in the book is quite annoying. Also her being called “kid” was not it for me.