Reviews: A WITCH’S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING A DEMON & OFF THE MAP

Hey everyone! I’m back today to share two reads that were both just so much fun.  If you like witchy rom-coms and road trip books, you’re definitely going to want to check out both of these.

Author: Sarah Hawley

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Publisher:  Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

As a fan of all books with witchy vibes, I knew I had to read Sarah Hawley’s new romcom A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon. I mean, who can resist that fun title?!  Well, I’m happy to report that the story itself is every bit as fun as the title and had me laughing out loud from start to finish.

The story follows Mariel Spark, a young witch who is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen for centuries.  There’s just one problem – Mariel is a train wreck when it comes to actually using her magic.  If she tries to cast a spell, you’re going to want to duck and cover because it’s probably going to be a disaster.  Mariel’s mother seems to thrive on pointing out what a failure and a disappointment she is, which only adds to Mariel’s frustration and makes her spell casting even worse.  While Mariel’s spell mishaps are hilarious, Mariel is still a very sympathetic character because her mother is just the worst.  It is during one of these spell mishaps that Mariel accidentally does something that will forever change her life – she summons a soul-bargaining demon, Ozroth the Ruthless.

Ozroth the Ruthless, as his name implies, is a legend in the demon world when it comes to bargaining for mortal souls.  Only here’s the thing, Ozroth the Ruthless isn’t exactly ruthless anymore. He had a mishap of his own during a bargaining session with a warlock and now Ozroth has a mortal soul in his body.  That soul has not only made it more difficult for him to trick mortals into giving him their souls, but it also makes him catch feelings easier, which has all but destroyed his reputation for being ruthless.  When Ozroth lands in Mariel’s kitchen, he finds himself in quite a predicament. He can’t leave her side until he secures her soul, but since Mariel accidentally conjured him, she has zero interest in giving up her soul, which leaves them at a hilarious impasse.

This might be the most unique use of the forced proximity trope and I loved every page of it!  The chemistry between Mariel and Ozroth was fantastic, even though neither one wanted to admit that they were starting to catch feelings for each other, and their banter as Ozroth tried and failed repeatedly to get Mariel to give him her soul had me just cackling away, as did their attempts to hide Ozroth’s demon identity, both with comical costumes and by pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend.  As funny as they were together though, what actually captured my heart here was that they were each the main one who saw the other’s personal worth.  Ozroth saw Mariel for so much more than a failed spell caster, while Mariel saw Ozroth as so much more than a failed soul bargainer.  The connection that blossomed between them as they try to build each other up just warmed my heart and had me very invested in them finding a way to break this deal so that they could willingly be together.

I would recommend A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon to anyone who enjoys paranormal romances and anyone who loves their rom-coms to be heartwarming, a little steamy, and laugh out loud hilarious  4.5 STARS

Off the Map Goodreads

Author: Trish Doller

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

I’m a sucker for a good road trip book so I was thrilled to learn that Trish Doller’s new novel Off the Map would feature a road trip across Ireland.  As if that wasn’t irresistible enough on its own, I was sold as soon as I saw that cover with the couple sitting on top of an upside down SUV, literally promising me a wild ride!

Off the Map follows Carla Black, who has traveled from Florida to Ireland to attend her best friend’s wedding.  Readers of Doller’s Beck Sisters series will recognize Carla’s best friend and her fiancé right away, Anna and Keane from Float Plan.  Once Carla arrives in Dublin, the plan is for her to meet up with Keane’s brother Eamon, who will drive her across the country to the wedding destination.  That plan goes a bit off the rails, however, when Carla and Eamon hit it off better than anyone else could have anticipated and their trip across the country takes quite an unexpected and possibly life changing turn.

Carla is a bit of a free spirit and has been traveling around the world on her own for the better part of a decade now. She returns to Florida to work just long enough to save up enough money to bulk up her travel funds and then heads out again.  Carla doesn’t do relationships and she never goes home.  What I love about Doller’s characters though is that they’re complicated and messy. It turns out that Carla doesn’t go home, not because she doesn’t want to, but rather because her beloved dad, who has dementia, has asked her not to.  He wants her out there living her life to the fullest, not watching him slowly forget who she is over time.  So she’s out there on her own, trying to keep her promise to him. I loved Carla’s free spirit, but it definitely broke my heart to learn the real reason behind her extensive traveling.

Eamon is just as complicated and equally as lovable as Carla.  He is struggling because he feels like his life has just stalled out. He makes digital maps so other people can travel, but yet he has been nowhere himself.  He is also tired of always being the responsible one in his family and really just wants to cut loose and go on an adventure.  Meeting up with Carla turns out to be just the right person at the right time as she encourages him to throw caution to the wind and show her around Ireland rather than driving straight to meet his family.

I really adored this journey for both characters.  There were of course lots of fun, shenanigans, and sexy, steamy moments to be had along the way, but the best part was the conversation.  Carla and Eamon opened up to each other about their hopes, dreams, fears, and so much more. I enjoyed watching them grow close and I loved that they were each able to get some things off their chests that it seemed like they had been holding in for a long time.

Off the Map is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys humorous romantic adventure stories balanced with weightier, more emotional topics like dementia and loss.  4 STARS