My Boyfriend is a MONSTER

by J.h. Coates

Her ex-boyfriend beat on her.
The new guy might literally eat her.
Boy can Lily pick them.

After fleeing her abusive boyfriend, Lily tries to salvage what’s left of her hopes by attempting to create the life she has always dreamed of. With the help of her friends she starts to put the pieces of her old self back together. However, she still can’t shake the feeling that a “Monster” is out there. But the people we label today as Monsters are nothing compared to what is in store for Lily. Because she is right, there is something out there with the makings of childhood nightmares. Question is does it want her for love, or does it want her for dinner?

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2016

About the author

Jesus Christ, Really? 

I'm really nothing special, so what do you want to know? I was born. I had a mom and step dad that kept a roof over my head, fed and clothed me, so I guess there was that. I wanted to write at an early age but sucked at school so it was kind of a hard thing to segway into. It got worse as I got older because I was easily distracted and influenced with little effort.  So while I was decimating my academic career, I will say, I did have a lot of fun. Kind of got myself together but then decided to put college off for a bit (10 Years) and tried stand up and then decided to enroll in something that was a sure fire bet of getting a job when I finished, FILM SCHOOL. I dicked around with that for a while and got nowhere. I did however fulfill a childhood fantasy and bought a Video Store. You know, just before Netflix slaughtered Blockbuster and every other home video retail business. Looking back at the fact that I had not taken a single business course and I had no business sense whatsoever leads me to now realize that that might have played a small role in the businesses demise as well. I also opened up an upscale adult clothing store in a nice part of town which also tanked because perverts don’t want upscale. They’re perverts and thus should be treated like such. With blacked out windows and business addresses in sketchy neighborhoods. Worked for some banks and communication companies but hated it, so nothing stuck. Got really sick and ended up living in a hospital for a while where I started writing down story ideas until they started melding together and finally grew into a book. 

I adopted some kids. Worked with children’s protective services. Started to foster and work with other families looking to adopt or foster traumatized children. I then released a second book but had an adoption fall through that hit me extremely hard so I took time off writing for a while. But now I’m back at it, writing and podcasting. 

Let’s see where this thing goes.

Reviews

[Anne Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read, and taken note of Mr Coates' latest blog...

Firstly, I have reviewed this on Amazon and given the same review and a 3 star rating. However, my reasoning stands.

This is a very good book IF you get passed the glaring faults of bad proof reading (and doing it yourself Mr Coates is no excuse!), extremely gratuitous bad language (although, having read the blog it seems you yourself pepper your own language with swear words, but there is no excuse for the 'C' word).

As previously mentioned, the book flows along at a rather rapid pace, quite a lot of plot is captured amongst the pages. I loved the heroine, Lily and her hero Nathan.

The fight scenes are very well described and you can imagine them very easily - which is good because the book actually starts with Lily recovering from a bad beating (thankfully, not graphically described - escept for her injuries as she tries to clean herself up).

There are a lot of moments that didn't quite flow for me - the fact that the hero 'giggles' a lot, despite being a rough, tough, Monster type - for me it just didn't jibe with the rest of his character, however it doesn't detract from the book itself.

I will be getting the sequel when written and can only hope that Mr Coates asks someone else to read it through (or has been given the funds for an editor).

Whoever rated this book based only on the first chapter was not doing themselves any favours because the book gets better and better the further on you get into it.

Todd and Martin are my favourites so far, and if you didn't like tea beforehand you will certainly have a better appreciation of it when you're done reading.

So - my recommendation is read it, let the flaws slide because all in all they don't ruin the book.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot was a little here and there, it felt like the author was switching stories within the book, however it was still fairly enjoyable. BUT quite and quiet, their, there and they're, were and we're were constantly being used wrong throughout the book, driving me crazy and making me question how the hell the book managed to get published with such glaringly obvious mistakes. So if you can ignore little things like the misuse of words read the book. If not stay clear, trust me you'll be pulling your hair out by the end.

[Nikki Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 horrifyingly romantic stars.

My Boyfriend is a MONSTER is the story about Lily, a girl who was horribly abused by her ass of an ex boyfriend, who found the courage to leave him. While working as a barrister in a coffee/tea shop, she encounters Nathan and slowly begins a relationship with him. However, unbeknownst to Lily, Nathan is not what he seems, and through the story we're shown how terrible the monsters that are chasing him are. This is not a stand alone, and the story leaves us with A LOT of questions that I am eagerly anticipating the answers to.

What I liked:

- Bo and Louis, Nathan's brothers. They. Are. Hilarious. We need more of them!! The other two siblings are cool, too.
- How strong Lily turned out to be, and how she stood up to Rick
- The slow build up with the relationship between Lily and Nathan. I read a lot of romance, and sometimes its good to read a story without instalove/lust

Here are the things I didn't like:
- The story is too long. I'm typically a romance reader and those books are normally about 25% shorter. Now, longer is good.....but I felt like a lot of the stuff was filler, and I was somewhat skimming through certain parts. For example, the Preacher told the story about the witch.........I don't get the point of that. It was a great tale, but I think it took away from the story at hand. Again, I mostly read romance, so, maybe this is a bit more common in the Horror-Romance genre.
- There are a bit of grammatical errors. This is a big deal to me, because normally I don't mind a few grammatical errors here or there. I especially understand when it's an independent author because they do not have the same resources as someone who works with a publisher.


Here we go:
Story/Plot: 3 1/2. It would be a 4 star story if it was streamlined.
Characters: 5. Great characters!
Romance: 4
Chill Factor: 4. Some of these characters were CREEPY. Brrr.
Favorite Secondary Character: Bo or Louis. Love those guys.
Least Favorite Character: Rick. What. A. Tool.
Recommended for: Fans of thrillers with a little romance. Or romances with a little thriller
HEA/Cliffhanger?: There is no major cliffhanger. But there are a lot of unanswered questions....I'm especially curious about how the relationship will be now that Lily knows that Nathan isn't human.
Bottom line: This is a pretty good debut for this author. However, it needs to be further edited and possibly streamlined (that might just be a personal preference, though). If grammatical errors bother you, you may have an issue with this book. But, if you can ignore it, you'll be treated to a great story. If you're a fan of this genre, I definitely recommend that you give this a try.



A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Hartshorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time I read this book I did not like it. This book has been revised and I have to say I like this one a lot better. I think I would call this a horror story because there are quite a few truly horrifying scenes that just makes you cringe. The monster characters in here are pretty violent, angry, and at times lovable. At least when it comes to Nathan. The way the five members of the Caesar family interact is interesting to say the least. Then there’s the interaction between Lily, her lovable but vulgar friend Todd, his mellow partner Martin, and her friend Jeanette. Let's just say that with Todd and his crazy antics, no day is ever boring for these four. I think the part of the book that really caught my attention was the interesting tidbit about Nathan’s lineage. It is going to be interesting to see where the story goes from here.


The book starts with Lily waking up one day in excruciating pain, and finally taking a good look at herself in the mirror. The image looking back at her is someone she never wants to see again, helping her find the courage to finally leave her abusive relationship with Rick. Fast forward some months later, and she still struggles with the crippling fear her ex-boyfriend’s name gives her. Since she left her old apartment she has been living with her bosses Todd & Martin, who are always there for her no matter what. Todd thinks it is high time that Lily should date, especially when Nathan, the hot new neighbor arrives. When Lily finally meets Nathan, she has to agree. He makes her feel safe, extremely shy, but more than ready to start a new relationship.

Just when she thinks she is finally free of Rick, he appears again bringing more pain, and suffering to her and her friends. Rick is not the only thing that is concerning Lily and her friends now, though. People are dying around the city. Each found with their heart missing, and no suspects yet in sight. Unbeknownst to them, Monsters around the world are converging to Chicago on the hunt for Nathan, leaving bodies behind. How would Lily feel when she finds out that Nathan is also a monster who sprouts claws, and fangs? Who also happens to eat hearts…...

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Boyfriend is a Monster" is humorous but dark paranormal tale featuring a cast of unique characters with various abilities. Then there are the human characters who provide an added bit of flavor to the mix.

Lily is a Battista who wakes up after being severely beaten by her boyfriend, Rick. This is not the first time this has happened but it will be the last because Lily has decided to leave and move in with her gay bosses, Morgan and Todd.

Meanwhile, in Europe, Nathan Cesar a Chakran warrior would like to live in peace but this will not happen because Yaroslav, another warrior has found him and wants to engage him in battle. Nathan reluctantly kills him and destroys his body in a manner fitting a warrior. He also realizes he must now leave his precious bookstore and move on.

Nathan moves to Chicago. He locates a space for his new store and rents an apartment in the building where Lily and her bosses live. Soon his brothers arrive with the books for his store. Side note: Nathan's brothers are Cajun and hysterically funny. One goes to the tea shop where Lily works and they strike up a conversation where he learns the art of making a good cup of tea. Soon, Nathan visits the shop where he discovers he is enamored with Lily. Although she does not want to admit it Lily likes him too. However, this newfound happiness may be short lived when from both their pasts threaten to tear them apart before they even have a chance to get together.

This book is told from multiple character's points of view. Sometimes, it was a bit too many. Additionally, at times some of the dialogue between characters was overly long and unnecessary. One final criticism is this book needed some professional editing for grammar ( i.e. improper use of to, too). This seems to be a common issue plaguing many self published books. However, these things were not enough to destroy my reading pleasure.

This book is unique in every sense and I can't wait for the next book in this series to be released. Do yourself a favor and put "My Boyfriend is a Monster" on your 'to read' list.

[Lynn Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, Funny, Romantic, Horrifying and a little Gross = A Killer Book

First off, this is a beach read, a really great beach read. I have only read the current Fight Back Edition and not the previous ones, so I did not notice any grammar problems (not saying there was no mistakes, I just did not notice any). Also the description said this edition was over 40 pages lighter than the previous edition, so it seemed to flow fine. I also agree with a couple of the other reviews, the dialogue is just as good as any Hollywood Movie and some of the villians are quite creepy, yes there seems to be a few bad guys (and girls) and not all working together. It is easy to follow and a lot of fun, including laugh out loud moments a plenty. I loved Nathan and Lily, but my favorite secondary characters were Todd and the brothers, Louis and Bo. The creepiest characters were the pshchotic knife wielding lovers for hire, I have a feeling they are a big part of the next book. Yes, Warning, this book is a series, the first book ends the original series nicely and doesn't leave you with a cliffhanger as much as anticipation, with clues at the end of what we can expect from the 2nd book.

[Gail Ofterdinger-Ledgister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The dialogue between the two gay guys is priceless, as good as any Hollywood script. I was feeling that the ending was too swift and too many unresolved story lines were introduced quickly, but then I read the author's end notes and I now see that more is planned in the next volume. These unresolved issues were just teasers for the future. As far as the criticism of Lily being willing to jump into a new relationship immediately after escaping an abusive one, well, that's how life is sometimes. What is more unbelievable is her willingness to accept the new man's (monster's?) situation. Fangs, claws, inhuman strength and a taste for human hearts might just be a date destroyer. Isn't this why we love fiction? I know I want more from this author. Many thanks to Goodreads for sharing a complimentary copy.

[Khalia Hades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohmyglob! The Horrawr! lol I loved it. The story was quite convincing. Easy read. Marvelous.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from the author and Making Connections Group in exchange for a honest review.

The story starts with Lily recovering after getting beat up by her boyfriend Rick. She has finally had enough and decides to leave him. Her two bosses Tom and Martin said she could stay with them. She works at their coffee shop Sips. On the other hand, Nathan(the hero) is being chased by an assassin. He gets the better of him and the assassin dies. Now, Nathan has to relocate again to avoid being killed. Marcus has been after him a long time although we do not find out the reason in this book. Nathan moves to Chicago and opens a bookshop a few blocks from Sips. Nathan and Lily meet and you have to read the rest of the book to find out the outcome.

My honest opinion is that I felt the book jumped around too much between different storylines. I did not feel connected to the hero or heroine. Lily has just left an abusive relationship, but the minute she meets Nathan she does not appear to have any problems being with another man. She should have had some kind of trust issues. It did not ring true to me. Some conversations seemed overly long and did not further the storyline. I am the type of reader where the hero and heroine have to have some kind of difficulty, problem, or conflict in order to keep my interest.

Overall, the book had potential. It just was not my cup of tea.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I re-read a newly edited version of this book. It has been massively edited and is a much smoother read now so you can enjoy the story and not get hung up on the poor proofing.

This definitely ends in a cliff-hanger. But the story is good. I love the interactions between Nathan and Lily. It is nice to read about a male who isn't a jerk (maybe a monster, but a nice one) and was endearingly shy with the girl he likes.

Nathan's family is full of crazy other monsters who interact in a clearly loving but fairly violent manner. Sort of like my older brother, loving but protective. And they are hysterical.
Lily works at a coffee shop named sips, where she is the queen of making tea. Turns out monsters love tea. Lily's bosses/roommates are hysterical and its nice to see how they all interact and play off each other.

The story starts with Lily recovering from a beating by her boyfriend. Its nice to see the play of a human ex, vs a monster and the question of what really makes a monster.

In addition to the Lily/Nathan romance there is an entire other story building up to a huge monster show down. While the two stories intertwine it definitely seems like this book was more about building up the relationship and starting the monster war in motion, but I am hoping the next book is a little more explanatory about the monster politics and power play going on.

[Sharon Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

'My Boyfriend is a Monster' is the first book in a series about a young woman named Lily, who is moving on from an abusive relationship, and Nathan, who has a terrible secret. When Lily starts falling for Nathan the truth is going to come out.

Okay, first off there are a lot of spelling and grammar issues with this book so if you're pedantic about this sort of thing you might find it difficult to read. That said it is definitely a compelling read that just takes a bit of time to get into as the pacing is slow in a few parts of the story.

I really enjoyed the interactions between the characters. There's a good dose of humour in this book and this shines through the most in the characters dialogue exchanges, which at times were laugh-out-loud funny. The characters are all well written and felt real. This is what made it so compelling for me. It was easy to worry for these people when awful things started to happen.

There are times when this book reads like a romantic comedy and times when it is full-on, gory, horror. I like both genres so this was a good read for me. Overall I'd recommend this book to those who enjoy paranormal romance!

[Imogen Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book and then got the newly published version sent to me and so reread the book.
Firstly I would like to say that I love the way that the characters are portrayed in the book and I love the intricate, well thought out back stories that come with them, Lily's particularly. All of the characters have been written extremely well to have their own fun and quirky traits which allow them to become well loved by the reader.
However, I was quite disappointed at how slow the book was to get into the story as it seemed to almost lack a story line altogether. I was also disappointed with the frequent, seemingly unnecessary swearing that seemed to crop up. Don't get me wrong, swearing in a book can help the reader to feel the right emotions that the characters encounter but it sometimes seems as though a child has got hold of the book and haphazardly put swear words in it.
Overall, I liked the book but it was a little too weird for me

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this for free off amazon, and while the synopsis looked interesting I thought the book was just okay. The main storyline between Lily and Nathan had an interesting outlook but my worry was with all the tangents the author went on. There was a bigger story than the romance between Lily and Nathan, between some people hunting for Nathan and it wasn't too clear why these people were hunting for him. Overall I gave it three stars. I think the story would have been better to just have a storyline and not several.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love most of all how unique this story is.
Loved the book; can't wait for the second one.
I think readers of fantasy books will enjoy this book.
I found this book to be extremely entertaining, and really look forward to reading more from this author. I highly recommend this book.

[Mary Hartshorn · Rating 1 out of 5]

No warning between characters conversations. Long boring, especially when it came to the brothers interactions. I do not recommend this book.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good intro to a story I plan on finishing. It was worth the read simply for my new favourite gay couple, it was also a great take on the human/supernatural being relationship

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were many errors but the story is worth overlooking them. I enjoy the characters and will read the sequel.

[Anya · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

love