Laugh Out Loud Fun!
Not Your Average Hot Guy
Not Your Average Hot Guy (Book 1)
Fantasy Romance, Occult Fiction, Occult Romance
St. Martin's Griffin
October 5, 2021
ebook, paperback, audiobook
313
"Fun, funny, hot, and heartfelt...The apocalyptic beach read that everyone needs." - Alix E. Harrow, Hugo Award-winning author
A paranormal romantic comedy at the (possible) end of the world.
From New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond, Not Your Average Hot Guy is a hilarious romantic comedy about two people falling in love, while the fate of the world rests on their shoulders.
All Callie wanted was a quiet weekend with her best friend. She promised she could handle running her family’s escape room business while her mom is out of town. Instead a Satanic cult shows up, claiming that the prop spell book in one of the rooms is the real deal, and they need it to summon the right hand of the devil. Naturally they take Callie and her friend, Mag, along with them. But when the summoning reveals a handsome demon in a leather jacket named Luke who offers to help Callie stop the cult from destroying the world, her night goes from weird to completely strange.
As the group tries to stay one step ahead of the cult, Callie finds herself drawn to the annoying (and annoyingly handsome) Luke. But what Callie doesn’t know is that Luke is none other than Luke Morningstar, Prince of Hell and son of the Devil himself. Callie never had time for love, and with the apocalypse coming closer, is there room for romance when all hell’s about to break loose?
“Great,” a female voice says, and I recognize the sarcasm like I would my own, “you summoned a male model. What’s he going to do without a catwalk?”
I may be slightly late to the party on this amazingly funny paranormal romance from Gwenda Bond, but I can assure you that Not Your Average Hot Guy will tickle every single one of your fancies and have you smiling at every turn.
Have you read a romance that starts off in an Escape Room? Callie’s mother runs one of the most successful Escape Room Establishments in the country, and therefore when she is invited to an Escape Room Convention (Yes there is actually a convention. I looked it up.) Callie is left in charge of the business with some minor supervision from Callie’s older brother Jake.
“Callie turns and smiles sweetly under the moonlight. Maybe she’s seen reason. I am a handy ally to have. And a devastatingly handsome one. I want to tempt her. Badly.”
Not only did I adore the vibrancy of the characters in Not Your Average Hot Guy, but I wish more books were this inclusive and featured so many unique characters that were without judgements and just openly and warmly accepted for who they are. It was awesome. Callie’s best friend Mags is transgender and I really loved that they were the voice of reason to Callie’s impulsiveness.
When a cult summons the right hand of Lucifer in the room that is Callie’s creation with an antique grimoire that is surprisingly real, Callie begins a journey that sets off the rest of the story. The real kicker is that the cult didn’t summon the right hand of Lucifer, they summoned the son of Lucifer, Luke Morningstar. I was glued to my e-reader.
Luke also shares his point of view in Not Your Average Hot Guy, and while he is runway ready in his good looks, he’s been slacking in his studies as the Devil’s Heir. Luke’s wholesomeness contrasts his determination to keep explaining to Callie that he isn’t trustworthy. This character development is the hero catnip that I live for. Callie is earnestly good which makes Luke reluctantly so—only because he’s determined to protect her goodness at any cost.
“I’ve also read enough to know it doesn’t matter if you want to be chosen. There are people who throw up their hands and let bad things happen and there are the people who stop them.”
This is the most fun kind of romance! Not Your Average Hot Guy has it all. There’s the delicious slow burn romance, and while it comparatively clean compared to other books that I recommend, all the other elements are so enchanting that you won’t miss it at all. The plot is smart, the banter is excellent and oh so fun, and the characters are completely unique and unforgettable. The overall plot also follows what should be considered a Holy Grail type of treasure hunt, which even features a trip to Hell. Honestly, Gwenda Bond deserves all the stars for this really unique take on Angel and Demon lore.
The conclusion to Luke and Callie’s story, The Date from Hell, releases at the beginning of April. Val has the scoop on this upcoming release so bee sure to read her review which should be coming soon as well! Do not snooze on this amazing story full of magic, romance, and so much fun!
Jes is a self-proclaimed bookworm, who recently moved from the PNW back to the Midwest. When her nose isn’t in a book, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and her three fur babies, or exploring the globe. She also firmly believes that you should start the day with coffee, and end the day in bed with a good book.
