You’ve probably already heard of this smash-hit monster romance about a pink-haired sistah named Cinnamon and a demon (but not really?) named Fallon. While tarrying on the path home to her family’s spice farm after a drunken festival to celebrate the band of heroes sent to kill the demons threatening the realm, Cinnamon is attacked by one. After hitting him in the face with a bundle of her namesake spice, she finds out that demons aren’t evil–they’re the cursed victims of a hell of a propaganda campaign, and she has not only the antidote to their magically induced psychosis but the skill and wit to undo the curse forever. With a little help from Fallon’s rock-hard abs and handsome face Cinnamon is convinced to go on a quest to reveal the truth–and maybe get a little something for herself along the way.
Usually, this is where I tell you the plot is not important because all romances are the same and that’s why we read them but this time, that’s not quite true. There’s actually a pretty good fantasy quest story here, with a lovable company of adventurers gathered along the way, tricky challenges, and epic battles. The only thing is that–okay, you know how in most fantasy novels romance is there, but not explicitly? Kind of a slow build and fade to black before returning to battle? That Time I Got Drunk and Saved A Demon does this in the reverse. The magic and adventure elements are there, but the lore explanations and fights are handled quickly so that there’s plenty of page time for graphic spicy scenes and cozy cuddling and cooking together.
This book is also hilarious. Cinnamon is very much a carefree Black girl, and her narration keeps it real. Every smartass thing you’ve ever wanted a heroine to say in a fantasy tale and then some comes out of her mouth, and the fact that everybody else has jokes too make the dialogue a lot of fun. Cinnamon’s family is fun, and when she Fallon get together, there are a lot of cute cultural touches that bring some of the comfort rituals of Blackness into the romance–she makes Fallon crawfish boil, he helps her take her braids down, and so on.
The banter’s good, the quest is magical, and the spice is hot. This was a lot of fun to read, and I might snag the rest of the Mead Mishaps series to take to the beach this summer.
Seasonings and spice to That Time I Got Drunk And Saved a Demon.
(Beautiful people, this book was a lot of fun. And while I always say they don’t all have to be deep(and this wasn’t), this was smart and funny and much more clever than I thought it would be. It’s also pretty hot. To read other romances with diverse couples, check out this booklist. For all kinds of diverse books for diverse readers, check out the Equal Opportunity Bookshop. If you purchase anything there, we do get a little commission, which we’ll probably use to buy the rest of this series and review it. Now, go and read something good! Peace!)
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