The Demon’s Bargain by Katee Robert: Paranormal Romance Review

trigger warning

Human/Non-Human Sex, Explicit Sex, Incidental Injuries for Magical Purposes

synopsis

If you’ve read the first book in the A Deal with a Demon series, The Dragon’s Bride, by Katee Robert you should already be familiar with Ramanu. A bargainer demon who works with Azazel, and who loves to get under dragon king Sol’s scales. They now get their own story, as they come to the mortal realm to make a deal with a witch desperate to reclaim a lost family heirloom in The Demon’s Bargain.

review

The chemistry between Ramanu and Lenora is immediate, and the on-page sex is explicit and steamy. I enjoyed how Ramanu’s non-human attributes (namely the horns and the claws) and Lenora’s powers played into their relationship. Lenora is by no means a damsel in distress, but all Ramanu wants to do is help and get her into their bed. Even if it means they will get their ass kicked by Azazel for breaking the rules once they get back down to the demon realm.

lets get inclusive

I love how inclusive Katee Robert’s books are. Many characters in this series, including Ramanu, are gender fluid or non-binary and referred to as “they”, even if they have a physical trait or two that would indicate them being classified as one specific biological sex. Lenora makes a point of asking Ramanu what language they want her to use while they have sex, such that she ensures she does not misgender them. I got super excited because I have never seen a moment like that featured on the page before.

There are also certain figures in this series that are not particular with their sexual preferences. My curiosity has been piqued with the promise of the succubus book in the future. If you’re on the hunt for reading material by a respectful, inclusive erotic romance writer with multiple books that would fit under the LGBTQ+ umbrella then Ms. Robert has written a whole list of books with your name on them. The worldbuilding is awesome.

In The Dragon’s Bride, most of the time was spent in the dragon’s territory. Readers get to explore the Shadow Market a bit in this book and also get a behind-the-scenes look at how the power structure works for bargainer demons. I was surprised to see the inclusion of other species like werewolves in this book (given that they are not a faction in the other realm), and I’m now wondering if such species will feature in the other shadow market books.

in conclusion

Overall, The Demon’s Bargain was another entertaining monster romance from Katee Robert. It was a little on the short side for my taste, but the author still managed to create an engaging storyline and well-developed characters. I think I have a good idea of where this book falls chronologically in the series, so I’m curious to see whether Ramanu and Lenora will make appearances in the upcoming books The Kraken’s Sacrifice and The Gargoyle’s Captive.

If a monster romance with a demonic bargain, lots of verbal sparring and witty banter, plus a heated and steamy romance sounds like something you’d enjoy, you’ve come to the right place, and The Demon’s Bargain should have a top spot on your TBR.