A review by half_bloodreader
There's a Monster in the Woods by Fae Quin

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

M/M Fantasy Romance
Smut

"He was pieced together by magic, and I was a man in search of enchantment."

Written in 1st person, past tense.

Set in modern times, but our introvert mc, Ellis, lives a reclusive old school lifestyle in a cottage between farmland and the woods.

First of all, have you seen that gorgeous cover? Go back and take another look!
Fae's artstyle is always to die for 😭 I'd found her art thanks to my comfort series All for the Game. Who knew she'd ever write books so I could feature her on my bookish content?

It's a short quick sweet read about kindred lonely souls finding companionship and comfort in each other. Some monster courtship/mating rituals? And, yes, Ellis being horny for Styx through it all 😹

They do spend a lot of wholesome moments before it gets to the explicit part, which includes primal kink, so beware in case it's not your jam, friends. Loved them playing with Rotho, the dog, and Styx accepting his mate's fur baby, like "I'm courting a human, I'll have to get used to their weird but endearing ways 😌"

Regardless of what kinks one is into, the writing is pretty, the descriptions so vivid and detailed, much like the artstyle Fae's gotten us used to. I could picture Ellis' home and the seasons perfectly. I could feel the summer sun and the Autumn golden light, see the vegetables glistening with water drops I could almost taste. I could smell the summer nights.

For a novella debut, she managed a lot, so I'm really curious what her novel will bring!

Also, I need to know how they manage the Rotho logistics after that end, Fae!!

Contains:
🍅 Bi mc
🌳 Small town
👨‍🌾 Town Outcast
🏡 Cottagecore
😈 Nonverbal "monster" love interest (more like magical being)
⏳ Slow burn
🍞 Courtship through gifts?
🐶 Cute Dog
🍂 Fall vibes though we go around the seasons
🥒 Very consensual, which is my jam (wait for permission to touch someone's face and I'm melting 😭) 
🌶️ In fact, enthusiastically consensual and feral
😱 Mention of sacrifices
🥗 Gardening
🥪 Juicy veggies & aromatic/condiments breads* 
🎃 # Justice for magical pumpkins 2022

*I'm hungry now. I also wanted to make a pun and call it Condimental Bread, which I'm trademarking. You know, condiments + continental bread? But I refrained. Or did I, since you're reading this heh 😏
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