They Did the Monster Smash: 5 Romance Novels with Creature Comforts

This is the first in the series, a very funny and very filthy medieval romp! Annwyl the Bloody is a warrior. (Which is good, because it would be hard to find work as a dentist with that name.) She trains to fight her brother’s army with a handsome soldier but it’s Fearghus the Destroyer, a dragon, who really seems to understand her. Sure, her soulmate has scales, but Annwyl is willing to take a chance. And things are about to get really hot. (Dragon humor!)

You might know Ruby Dixon from her Ice Planet Barbarians series — alien romance! — but she’s written plenty of other books too, like this monster romance. Lady Iolanthe of Rockmourn Keep is 30, and she’s written off the possibility of finding a good marriage match. Then, her father gives her the good news that a wealthy man want to marry her. It’s a dream come true! There’s just that tiny detail that he’s a half-orc with green skin and tusks.

Lucy West is thrilled when she meets a handsome man at a speed dating event. But like with all new romances, there are always a few flaws. For instance, Viktor is actually centuries old. And made of reanimated parts. But everyone has their flaws, right? Lucy thinks she still wants to make things work (and make things work, nudge-nudge, wink-wink), but when Viktor’s past catches up with him, she’ll have to decide if she’s going to fight to be the bride of Frankenstein.

Cinnamon is a spice farmer who is on her way home after having one too many meads when she runs into a demon. The demon, Fallon, chases her all the way home and then into her home, where he explains that the goddess her town worships is actually a witch: an evil witch who has enslaved demons like him and he needs Cinnamon’s help to break her spell. Cinnamon doesn’t want to go on a demon rescue mission, but Fallon is a demon and she doesn’t want to find out what will happen if she says no. So off they go on an adventure that is funny, sweet, and spicy! This was the first monster romance I read, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It’s like an R-rated game of Dungeons & Dragons!

And last, but not least, is this m/m dark fantasy romance! It takes place in the Wastes, which is what the United States is called now that most of it has been destroyed by monsters. Danny is a poor kid who never dreamed he’d end up in the military. But here he is, part of a group trying to capture a monster known as Wyn the Soul Eater, who turns his victims into husks. And then something unusual happens: it becomes obvious that Wyn is fascinated by Danny, and something like trust begins to grow between them. Will Wyn ever let Danny see his face behind his dark hood? And what will happen to Danny if he can’t bring himself to destroy Wyn? (Just a heads up that this is a dark fantasy but, like, REALLY dark. There’s graphic sex but also graphic violence, so be ready if you decide to read it.)