Romances That Go Bump In The Night
8 Must-Read Monster Romances While You Wait for the Wicker Movie
By Leah Thakur
Edited by Emilee Saigh
I, like all the monster romance lovers, will absolutely be sat for the “Wicker” movie. If that trailer was your first foray into the world of monsters and if it left you thinking…“do I like this?” then, welcome, my friends! Here are eight monster romances to introduce you to the genre, expand your TBR, and get you prepped for whatever will awaken in you during what I expect to be the movie of the year.
Yours, Insatiably by Aveda Vice
I’m throwing you right into the deep end with, arguably, the most beautiful monster romance I’ve ever read. Begin your Aveda Vice journey with the prequel novella, Feed, where Avirin, a succubus, meets Pye, a faerie. Avirin hires them for a night of, well, feeding in every way you can imagine. Their story continues in Yours, Insatiably as Pye and Avirin discover they’ll be working together for the foreseeable future, and despite all the ways this could end up poorly for them, the two realize they cannot deny their desires for each other. Their romantic relationship blossoms as Avirin enters a transformative journey to discover her true self with Pye—the only person at work who knows she’s secretly a succubus—at her side.
Morning Glory Milking Farm by CM Nascosta
Morning Glory Milking Farm is one of the most poignant reflections on capitalism and the millennial “American Dream” I have ever read. It also features a soft and kind cow man and many, many, many gallons of milk. We contain multitudes, people. Follow Violet’s journey as she leaves grad school and enters the workforce only to find she actually can’t land a good-paying job in her field. After joining the Milking Farm, she quickly falls in love with one of her clients and gets to finally build the life she deserves.
My Summer Girl by Maeve Black
While this is the last book in a series of interconnected standalones, My Summer Girl absolutely can be read on its own! Dulce is a cupid, which means she’s supposed to find love for others, not herself. But, she takes a leap of faith, quits her job, and decides it’s time to find herself. . .only to get (slightly but lovingly) stalked by the orc himbo Orkuna as he tries to bring Dulce to the Solaran Queen. But, Dulce’s situationship, Saephyn, is quick to search for her as well. Somehow, the four of these creatures end up in the queerest and most beautifully chaotic polycule I’ve had the experience of reading! After you finish reading all about how these characters get together and the absolutely delicious Solaran festival, go ahead and read Stupid Cupid and Dear Monster Claus to experience Dulce’s siblings finding love too!
Threads of Fate by Lexi Esme
If you told me years ago I would fall in love with a literal spider man AND the woman who (somewhat) welcomes him into her home, I would have laughed in your face. Then I discovered this book and thought maybe spiderwebs are hot? Rhianne and Sephtis should not work, considering she’s a human who almost died alone in the woods and he is literally a spider that saved her. But the man is obsessed and there’s only so much Rhianne can do to resist! Threads of Fate weaves together these two unexpected lovers as Sephtis learns the ways of humans and their hearts, all while holding a secret that could tear them apart, and Rhianne learns to let love in no matter the cost.
Not So Best Wishes by Clio Evans
This is the second book in the “Warts Inc” series, so go ahead and read Not So Kind Regards first, but then quickly return to this one because it’s fantastic! Mich is a manticore, new to the office, and finds himself in a rut. Thankfully, Lora and Cinder are there to help Mich in any way he needs. Things start getting odd around the office, a mystery no one seems to be able to solve, leaving people and creatures to get hurt. Get to know Lora, Cinder, and Mich in this delightful novella, and then think about reading the rest of the series to see what could possibly be going wrong at this office!
The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert
This is the first in Katee’s A Deal With A Demon series where six human women find themselves up for auction and sold to the highest bidder—one of the monster leaders of a territory in this realm. In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, Briar Rose has just escaped one horrible relationship just to find herself trapped for years in yet another marriage to the dragon, Sol. Except, Sol is warm and kind and protective of Briar Rose. If she lets herself trust again, maybe she’ll actually find everything she wants with him in this non-human world.
The Stone and the Star by Jillian Graves
A big, cold, stone man who actually has the biggest, warmest, fuzziest heart? I’m sat. Not to mention he’s the last of his kind in (possibly) the entire world and he’s just dying for connection. This is why I love a gargoyle romance! Astra is a professor and artist in-residence for the summer at Pittsburgh’s Fine Art Conservatory. Usually alone on campus, her only company is the gargoyle she can see from the window of her campus residence. Little does she know, she’s never alone because Colossus is indeed alive and watching her every move. One night, when Astra finds herself in danger walking home from her pottery studio, Colossus breaks his solitude to save her.From there, Astra is introduced to a world and a love she never could have imagined.
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
While alien romance is its own subgenre, I wanted to include this book here for two reasons: 1. I love Kimberly Lemming and 2. This man has a tail and tails are very important to me as a monster romance lover. In this story, Dorothy is a wildlife biology PhD student who wakes up on an alien ship that quickly crash-lands on another planet. With her lion bestie in tow, she bags not one, but two hot alien men—Sol and Lok—and they venture to safety across this planet while falling in love.
So… monsters are hot?
Short answer: yes! The world of monster romance is vast and I truly believe there is a creature for everyone. At the heart of this genre is self-discovery, transformation, and love in the face of difference and minoritization. I hope one of these titles piqued your interest in perhaps the same way a wicker Skarsgård did. As we wait for the cinematic masterpiece I genuinely believe will change lives, pick up one of these incredible novels and dive headfirst into the world of loving monster folk!
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