A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch (Glimmer Falls, 2); Sarah Hawley

This was the book that I wanted to read first in the Glimmer Falls series. And really, there isn’t much of a reason why you can’t, perse, the book does do a very good job of recapping Mariel and Oz’s story so you don’t generally miss out on anything story wise. But you would miss out on just why/how Astaroth is the villain for the enemies to lovers’ aspect to make any sense at all. So, am I glad I read Mariel’s and Oz’s story first? Eh, only because I think it makes my enjoyment of Calladia and Astaroth that much higher.

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From the very start I really liked Astaroth’s snark. Yes, the book starts immediately after the events of “A Witch’s Guide” so he is at the epitome of his evil era, but I don’t know, I love me a character with a “devil may care” attitude, which is perfect for a demon. I also enjoyed Calladia more as a character. How she wields her anger and aggression and has stopped apologizing for being big, loud, and strong. I enjoyed getting to know why she has such anger issues and the way the author addressed the emotionally toxic and abusive relationships (both from a romantic and a parental standpoint). And while the amnesia aspect could feel a bit too convenient at times, it didn’t diminish the banter that Calladia and Astaroth had as they slowly moved from adversaries to lovers. This romance is slower of a burn than the first book, for sure, and the steamy scenes didn’t occur as often, but I still liked it better.

You see, Calladia and Astaroth’s sex life is one where they “battle” for dominance, but not in a way that ever feels cruel. Astaroth is a true blue pansexual, and is a willing switch, that it was a true delight to see, especially for a demon who is so strong and ruthless otherwise. They may be a chaotic pair, but it was still a really healthy sexual relationship. I mean, you have an eccentric demon falling for a brash witch, what else would they be but delightful chaos? I also felt that both characters genuinely helped and supported each other through their traumas in a way that elevated them to their best selves without having either of them change to accommodate the other.

Does this book have a lot of the same tropes as “Witch’s Guide”? Yes. But Calladia and Astaroth are such different characters with such a different dynamic that I felt like the tropes of forced proximity, one bed, enemies to lovers, evil moms, and political protests, worked better in this book. Plus, the side political issues lined up really well with what is currently happening in politics in America with a not so subtle metaphor about the importance of immigration, which was a bonus for me. At the end of the day, I love me an angry woman, and I love a man who loves an angry woman BECAUSE she kicked his butt. For a demon with such a long history of deception and cruelty, it was a nice surprise! Perhaps too much of a leap to believe that his lost memories would change him that much, hence the 4 stars, but I do like the person he became with his warrior queen. Battle couples ftw!