Jason Blackwell thought he had finally escaped his father’s world of magical medicine. All he wants is a normal life as a practicing veterinarian. No supernaturals. No unpredictable magic. Just a small town, regular animals, and walking away from his family secrets…and lies.
Until he’s woken in the night by Levi—an incubus attired in a fancy suit with a Southern drawl, too much charm, and an annoying tendency to always get his way. Jason is his only chance to find his missing brother.
And they have only two weeks to find him…or the demon dies. And finding Levi’s brother might just be the key to figuring out his own father’s disappearance.
Pulled back into the life he thought he had left behind forever, Jason now returns to the shadows and secrets of the supernatural world. Only this time, there’s no hiding from the truth about himself—and his family’s troubled legacy—or from the magnetic demon who pulls at his heart.
But when you make a bargain with an incubus, there is always a price to be paid. The only question is whether Jason and Levi will live long enough to regret it…
Infernal Hearts is a supernatural enemies-to-lovers romance about a magic practitioner and a misbehaving incubus who discover that every deal has a dark side.
This was such a sweet queer paranormal romance, and I absolutely adored Levi, he’s hilarious! The banter had me grinning, the chemistry between him and Jason was sizzling, and I was rooting for them the whole way. The world was so unique, and there was a great mystery to unravel that kept the plot moving. A solid, swoony paranormal romance I highly recommend! Big thanks to Entangled Publishing for the gifted ARC.
This book had a very strong start! I loved that it was a queer paranormal story! We follow Jason, a human who has completely stepped away from the magical world, and Levi, an incubus looking for his brother. The two team up to help solve this mystery of this small town. This is a classic rivals(enemies?) to lovers romance that I think many will enjoy!
Although the start of this book was strong, I feel like the pacing about mid way through until the end was a bit off. Some parts felt very sped up and almost like they came out of nowhere. I also wish we saw more of them warming up to each other. Although I did think they were very cute with each other!
I also wish the ending was a bit different, I feel like it was a bit weird that some of the people got a redemption in the end. I wish their characters weren't magically better people or forgiven in the end.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but the pacing was a bit off/rushed in my opinion. However, I would still recommend to people if you enjoy Paranormal Romances!
Jason Blackwell is determined to leave the world of magical medicine behind, stepping out on his own to live a normal life as a veterinarian in the small town of Windy Peak. When Jason's father goes missing around the same time Levi, an incubus searching for his missing brother, arrives in town, Jason decides to make a bargain with Levi to work together. Jason must return to the supernatural world and the secrets his father left behind. Failure is not an option. If Levi cannot find his brother in fourteen days, then Levi will die.
Infernal Hearts was a fun paranormal romance. This book had a lot of entertaining characters and a magical world that I enjoyed hidden in the small town of Windy Peak. I loved the grumpy/sunshine trope between Levi and Jason. Their banter was one of my favorite parts of this book. However, I felt that this book could have been more. The search for Levi's brother was overlooked in parts of this book and the main focus was the romance between Jason and Levi. I felt like this focus caused some weird pacing and an ending that seemed to come out of nowhere. This left me with some questions at the end of this book. Overall, I still enjoyed this story and would read more books centered in this fantasy world.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review Infernal Hearts. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really loved this! Great fully-realized characters, with lots of chemistry and banter I could read all day. The world is lush and exciting, with simmering sexy scenes, and a thrilling mystery at its core, and a ticking clock always at the heels of the protagonists. This struck the perfect balance between character and plot.
Not for me, I'm afraid -- I was brought in by the promise of a central romance consisting of an incubus and a magician who's trying to leave the magical world behind him, and neither ended up being exactly what I was looking for.
When I read a romance with an incubus I want it to tackle the ontological concepts around a demon and love; this demon was a transformed human who was more or less just a normal guy (who could magically manipulate people and also make them want him, could make Deals, and who got more powerful with sex). When I read a story about a magical practitioner who's leaving the magical world behind, I want him to have actual power -- spellcasting, binding -- that will not just make him safe from the demon he's tackling but give him power, even the possibility to reverse their dynamic; rather, this is a guy who could make potions to help heal various creatures. There are some hints that there might be a deeper power there in that Jason's immune to magic powers, but it felt oddly executed enough to me (more on that in a moment) that it didn't quite hook me to read further about that.
Generally, the magical abilities and demonhood felt more like using the concepts as staging for the central romance rather than really getting into the meat of what it would be like for them to be those things. This might just be me -- if you want a lighter look at magical practice and demonhood rather than really biting into it, I think this might be a good fit for you as a reader! And in all fairness, it is signalled pretty early that it will be like that -- the first thing that happens is making a potion so that a vampire doesn't need to bite people, so that sort of sets the tone for how the book wants to engage with its supernatural concepts: by defanging them.
There were a few moments in the story so far that also threw me out of my suspension of disbelief: that a man who was the son of the only veterinarian in town would get thrown out of his business (and lose his boyfriend to his dad's business) and then just... start a second veterinary business and not leave town? That after 3 months away from doing medicine for 'creatures' he considered it "an understatement to say [he] was rusty at treating them" (I went back at this point to check if it was 3 months or 3 years, because I couldn't imagine it being just 3 months). That Jason could have worked with magic and around magical creatures his entire life -- not just as clients but coworkers and friends as well! -- and just found out now that magic didn't work on him. That Levi would repeatedly attempt to sexually and verbally manipulate Jason into bed, but then consider consent the most important thing when Jason was drunk (I mean, great, no problem with the concept -- just that it didn't feel established to me). I think all these things can be in a text if the contradiction is the point and it's leaned into, but it didn't quite sell me on being deliberate choices.
The mystery -- the disappearance of two apparently unrelated people that bind Levi and Jason together to try to find them both -- was compelling, and if I return to this book in the future, it'll be to find out how that resolves. It wasn't over-signalled and was pretty subtle, in that at 40% I have hints of what it might be but no solid theories or answers.
The writing itself was perfectly competent and nicely polished; I didn't notice any errors. It was, however, a bit lacking in depth or a sense of the author's style; it's a debut book, though, and I imagine a personal style will emerge over time as Haliwell keeps writing. (That's the same for most of these issues I had -- they're all ones that feel like they come from inexperience with grounding them, and the actual writing is proficient, and he clearly likes the concepts that I'm into, so I'm confident that I'll enjoy later books in Haliwell's career!)
In short, if you're looking for a steamy romance with some magical window dressing and a compelling mystery, competent (if not particularly distinct) writing, and don't mind some ungrounded character choices or inconsistencies, give this one a try. Unfortunately, I'm not the reader for that.
An Incubus gets stabbed with a magical dagger and walks into a "paranormal" vet's office... it sounds like the beginning of a joke, but what it actually is is the beginning of a beautiful story that shows how no matter how you see love, it truly can change everything.
Jason and Levi, they're as different as can be and yet somehow I wanted them to work, I wanted them to have a happy ending, I wanted them to have the ending that neither of them thought they could have.
I know I'm a day late for pub day but I wanted to reread that ending before I put my final thoughts into words. Those thoughts finally fell into one that encompassed how I felt after this book, believe, in love, in magic, in possibilities, and even if the ending doesn't look how you thought it would, it will be ok.
I do have to say this, while I'm normally pretty picky about romance and spice (I will fully admit to changing ratings by a star or more based on spice being needed and/or well done), this book does it really, really well, it's the sweetest love story and the spice, there is spice and it makes sense, shows vulnerability it makes you feel for these characters and what they're going through speciallyly when even they don't know what tomorrow holds.
One final thought, I've never wanted a big fluffy dog more just to be able to name him Grover or maybe Snuffleupagus.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy of this e-book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Date Read - June 2, 2025 Publication Date - July 7, 2025
*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @authordannyhaliwell, @entangled_publishing and @netgalley!
Infernal Hearts was very fun to read! I thought it would be dark and intense, I mean, look at that cover! While it has those moments, it mostly felt cozy and intriguing. From the moment I read the funny dedication, I knew I would like Danny’s writing style and I was not disappointed! I got attached to Jason right off the bat and while it took longer, Levi grew on me too. I found the storyline creative and because it didn’t feel like something I’ve read before, I loved being carried along for the ride! If you like books with queer rep, spicy paranormal romance and mystery, you have to try Infernal Hearts!
Get excited to read Infernal Hearts, available July 7! 🎉
This was a delightful surprise! I loved the blend of supernatural mystery and slow-burn romance. Jason, a veterinarian trying to escape his magical past, gets pulled back in when Levi, a charming and mischievous incubus, shows up injured on his doorstep. Their mission to find Levi’s missing brother (and maybe Jason’s missing father) quickly becomes a deeper, emotional journey. The banter between them was top-notch, and watching their connection grow felt genuine and rewarding. I especially appreciated how Levi’s character evolved beyond the typical incubus trope. While the mystery sometimes took a backseat to the romance, I didn’t mind; it made the emotional moments hit harder. If you enjoy paranormal MM romance with humor and heart, this one’s worth reading.
this was genuinely such a fun ride. queer paranormal romance is very much my vibe and the main characters completely won me over, especially levi. his and jason’s dynamic was messy in the best way, full of banter, tension and some very solid spicy moments.
the worldbuilding was incredible and so entertaining, though it did lose momentum, especially towards the end. the pacing felt a little messy, getting too fast to actually be able to enjoy what was going on.
still, i was absolutely here for the vibes and the chemistry, and this book delivered exactly that. i’ll definitely be reading more from this author.
thank you to Entangled Publishing for this ARC—opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Such a cute and quick read! Queer romance Supernatural beings and a bit of mystery, who could ask for more! This was adorable, which just enough supernaturalness to hold my attention, the MMC are funny and their banter is on point, who wouldn’t want to watch a romance develop between an incubus and a human (who may not be so human after all).
I really enjoyed watching the growth of the main characters, watching them overcome prejudices and past trauma was wonderful to see, Jason and Levi are a cute couple and have a shared history even they don’t know about until late in the book. This book may not be for everyone but it sure was fun to read and a nice palate cleanser as well. If you like queer romance and the supernatural, and are looking forward to for a cute fun read check this book out when it’s published!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Infernal Hearts follows Jason and Levi, a human and an incubus who make a deal with each other after their loved ones have gone missing. For Levi, this is his brother, Dane, who has been missing for decades. For Jason, it's his father, who has been missing for the past couple of days.
Jason and Levi's relationship is very sweet, although Levi is very heavy on the flirting - not surprising for an incubus. Jason is determined to hold Levi back at arms length but as the two work closely together, the attraction is undeniable.
I'm hoping for a Rani and Theresa book next. I need to see what that forked tongue can do, if you get my drift.
the banter is great and I love how the main character goes through this change slowly it was cute to see and read. I like this book it gives a good story and its smooth and I like reading it. its adorable main characters.
First off, thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this. I jumped at the opportunity to get a chance at reading this early.
This is a fantasy/romance book with magicians, an incubus, a magical world and more! I will say, I wish we saw more of the magical powers from everyone, but you still see something. I would also say this is a bit of dislike to lovers romance. Overall, I felt like I was flying through this book. I enjoyed the world, main characters and the side characters. Our main characters are Levi, the incubus and Jason, the magician. Jason is a truly gifted magician, he has a great understanding with magic, but he wants to become a veterinarian. His father doesn’t agree and that leaves distance between them. On top of that, his fiancé leaves him and continues working with his dad. Didn’t like him from the start anyway! Levi stumbles into Jason’s life while looking for his father. This only set things further in motion as they cross paths again. I loved their dynamic from the starts! They had a lot of push and pull in their relationship. This book also has a mystery element. Levi’s brother is missing and Jason’s father is missing, they end up making a deal to work together to find them. This made me think, what are the odds that both of them have family members missing??? Jason is a little hesitant because he was trying to distance himself from magic, but wants to find his father. From there Levi and Jason are on this journey together and start to develop feelings. Because Levi is an incubus, Jason is a little hesitant and he’s a serial relationship person. I loved the epilogue and how things turned out for them! Everything worked out in the end. I enjoyed all the twist and turns and the mystery aspect. I was able to guess some things and others left me surprised at the reveal! This is a pretty quick, and enjoyable magical read.
Jason Blackwell thought he had finally escaped his father’s world of magical medicine. All he wants is a normal life as a practicing veterinarian. No supernaturals. No unpredictable magic. Just a small town, regular animals, and walking away from his family secrets…and lies.
Pulled back into the life he thought he had left behind forever, Jason now returns to the shadows and secrets of the supernatural world. Only this time, there’s no hiding from the truth about himself—and his family’s troubled legacy—or from the magnetic demon who pulls at his heart.
But when you make a bargain with an incubus, there is always a price to be paid. The only question is whether Jason and Levi will live long enough to regret it…
Infernal Hearts is a supernatural enemies-to-lovers romance about a magic practitioner and a misbehaving incubus who discover that every deal has a dark side.
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Infernal Hearts was an incredible read for me. I truly enjoyed the supernatural and paranormal elements, which reminded me of my deep love for this genre. However, what captivated me the most was the bond between Levi and Jason. This was my very first MM read, and I was thrilled by how authentically their connection was portrayed. It was so easy to immerse myself in their story, forgetting that everything unfolded in such a brief timeframe. It didn’t feel rushed; instead, it was exceptionally well-developed. I appreciated how they were opposites yet so perfectly aligned with each other. This book could easily serve as a fantastic palette cleanser. It’s not excessively lengthy, yet it offers genuine development and connection within its pages. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more works by this author.
Book Blurb: Jason Blackwell thought he had finally escaped his father’s world of magical medicine. All he wants is a normal life as a practicing veterinarian. No supernaturals. No unpredictable magic. Just a small town, regular animals, and walking away from his family secrets…and lies. Until he’s woken in the night by Levi—an incubus attired in a fancy suit with a Southern drawl, too much charm, and an annoying tendency to always get his way. Jason is his only chance to find his missing brother.
Rating: **** Feels: Curiosity, Adventurous, Adorable, Sweetness Style: Paranormal Romance, Queer Romance (MM) First published : July 7, 2025 : 267 pages Kindle
What do you get with a broken heart and someone who never really used their heart? Oh such adorableness. These two. Levi and Jason were just so much fun to watch and they were thrown together to accomplish their goals. I think we all know what it feels like to have a broken heart and it was heartwarming to watch this pair work together and stumble their way through "feelings". Cause one of them may not do such things as "feelings". This was light on the paranormal in a good way that it added to the story but did not take it over. I enjoyed seeing their friends interact with them and how each of them kinda handled having an addition the the circle. The whole concept of a Vet who treats magical beings was just so fun also, magical potions and magical healing !! I really enjoyed that concept and aspect of the story.
Favorite Quote: "Fine we'll do it the boring way." He rolls his eyes and counts with his fingers. " A pen, a paper, and a knife."
This book has: Queer Paranormal Grumpy x Sunshine Found Family Slow Burn Deals with a Demon Forced Proximity
Thank you to the Author, Entangled publishing and Netgalley for this gifted copy
This is a paranormal queer romance about a cynical man reluctantly teaming up with a suave Southern incubus to solve the disappearance of their family members with a happily ever after.
Jason is a magical doctor treating supernaturals like his father, but instead wants to leave magic behind to be a vet. Levi is an incubus who has two weeks to find his long-lost brother, or he will dissipate into oblivion, per his Maker's last dying command. When Levi is drawn to Jason's small town on his quest to find his brother and discovers Jason's father has gone missing also, they make a deal to help each other find their missing relatives.
I liked this quick romantic read and thought it had an interesting plot. Some of the plot twists I could see coming early on because of the way the characters were written, but the story was still enjoyable. It ends with a happily ever after and wraps up everything nicely. This is perfect for those who like monster romance or enemies to lovers vibes.
Loved it!! It was so much fun!! The banter in here is perfection and Jason and Levi were everything together!
Jason was a cute cinnamon roll character! I loved his compassionate and healing heart.
Levi was a fun sexy incubus that had no filters and so entertaining. I also loved his other real side that we got to see as the story unfolded.
I enjoyed the two of them together. They really complimented each other well and the chemistry was amazing!
The story was a mix of fun, suspense, mystery, and romance all wrapped in an entertaining package.
If you enjoy fun reads with golden retriever, playboy incubus, banter, magical deals, magical beings, unpredictable twists, sweet romance, hurt/comfort, loyal friends, secrets, and so much more than be sure to get your copy today!
Thank you Danny Haliwell, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
I flew through this one. It was such an easy read. Levi made the story, in my opinion, with his quick comebacks and hilarious inner dialogue. I loved watching Levi pull Jason out of his shell. Our guy Jason, isn’t in a great place when Levi forces himself into Jason’s life, but the story develops nicely around their relationship.
Together, they work together to solve a double missing person’s case while being funny, flirty, and adorable. Jason is a magical doctor that no longer wants to help magical creatures and Levi is a magical creature (an Incubus) that requires medical attention. It’s quite harmonious.
Unfortunately, this one wasn’t it for me and I’m disappointed because I was so intrigued by the premise of this paranormal MM romance. A vet for magical creatures & a demon incubus team up to find their lost family members? Sounds promising!
The constant pop culture references to things like Quickbooks, Grindr, Calvin Klein, Androids/iPhones, Target, and even Tylenol PM took me out of the story too much though. The banter between the two MMCs was okay, but most of the other dialogue (& sometimes the inner monologues) was clunky enough that none of the relationships between characters seemed at all believable.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was such a cute MM paranormal urban romance! The world building was pretty easy. Levi as the demon MMC was so loveable and had a good backstory. Jason aka Jay is our human MMC and is also so sweet.
Jay is now a vet but was raised to be a magical doctor by his father in hopes of taking over his practice one day. His father had a huge issue with Jay’s career choice so they had a falling out. His father goes missing shortly thereafter. Right around when Levi ends up on Jay’s porch in need of a magical doctor or else he will die. Levi reveals that he is looking for his brother as they are the two last succubi in the world. Levi and Jay decide to make a deal to help each other find their loved ones. Except Levi has two weeks to find his brother before he vanishes into oblivion.
Read this if you like:
🧪 MM paranormal romance 🧪 World with magical beings such as chimeras, phoenix’s, faeries, vampires, etc. 🧪 one bed trope 🧪 forced proximity 🧪 a chapter long spicy scene
This debut novel was a fun ride! I really enjoyed delving into a world where I didn’t have much background & learning more about the supernatural, & human, characters that lived there. I felt like the MC was relatable in multiple ways: a tumultuous relationship with his father, trying to make his own way in the world, & falling in love with someone whose life drastically differed from his own. If I feel like I connect with a character on a personal level, it feels like a win to me.
This was such an amazing paranormal queer romance! Levi was absolutely hilarious and the banter had me smiling and kicking my feet! Levi and Jason’s chemistry together was undeniable! The world itself was so unique in every aspect and had a great mystery to unravel that kept everything moving. I highly recommend!
A very big to Entangled Publishing for the gifted ARC!
3.5 rounded up to 4 I really enjoyed this quick read! Although some parts felt a little rushed and I feel like the whole Micheal aspect didn’t really add much to the story for me. Really liked Jason & Levi. Kinda grumpy X sassy goin on there. Magic was interesting but I wish there was more of it! Overall a pretty quick and cute read
I absolutely loved this queer, paranormal romance! Jason and Levi make an amazing couple and I really enjoyed their story! It was sweet and spicy! The magical aspect was really cool and the mystery kept me intrigued. The author did a fantastic job when writing this book!
Stayed up until 1 AM because I couldn’t put this one down. This book had me hooked from the very first chapter. It’s fast-paced, addictively entertaining, and gives me everything I want in a dark fantasy read: drama, danger, and just the right amount of heart. 🖤
📖 The twists kept coming, and I was genuinely surprised by how emotionally invested I became in the characters. It’s one of those reads that doesn’t let up in the best way.
If you’re in the mood for a story that’s easy to devour and hard to forget, definitely add this to your TBR.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the gifted ARC!
I loved this queer paranormal story it was so nice to read one as I don’t find as many often but I really enjoyed this arc. I do feel there was some plot gaps with characters which didn’t end up being tied up but the witty banter between Levi and Jason was really enjoyable.
I absolutely loved this book! Levi’s character completely stole the show for me. He starts off as your typical sex-driven incubus, but watching his emotional journey unfold was everything. His development felt authentic and gradual, and I was totally hooked as he began to experience real feelings.
This spicy male/male romance had the perfect blend of steam, heart, and supernatural charm. The chemistry was off the charts, and the magical elements added such a fun and immersive twist. I laughed, I swooned, and I didn’t want it to end. If you’re looking for a swoony, fiery, and fantastical romance, Infernal Hearts is an absolute must-read!
This was a sweet romance between opposites, with the addition of a mystery to solve. I enjoyed it overall, but found it pretty one-note.
Since it was a short book it jumped into things pretty quickly, never giving me a chance to really connect with the characters. And while the mystery was interesting enough, there were no side plots going on. I would’ve liked a bit more depth to everything.
Book Review: Infernal Hearts by Danny Haliwell Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC | Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Infernal Hearts by Danny Haliwell is a queer paranormal romance with emotional weight, fast-paced banter, and a supernatural mystery at its core. It’s also a debut that isn’t afraid to swing big—with a magical veterinarian, a dangerously charming incubus, family secrets, soul-bonding consequences, and a ticking clock that forces two broken men to rely on each other when they least want to. The book doesn’t always stick the landing, but when it does, it delivers something fresh, heartfelt, and undeniably entertaining.
The story follows Jason Blackwell, a magical practitioner who’s walked away from the supernatural world after a tragedy fractured his family and shattered his trust in magic. Now a small-town veterinarian, Jason has tried to carve out a quiet, ordinary life away from the high-stakes magic of his father’s clinic. He’s not just disillusioned—he’s grieving, guarded, and tired of pretending the past didn’t leave a mark. Then Levi shows up. An incubus with a Southern drawl, a tailored suit, and a dangerously persistent smirk, Levi is looking for his brother—and Jason is the only one who can help him. What follows is a reluctant alliance turned slow-burn attraction, all wrapped in a race-against-the-clock mystery that pulls Jason back into the world he swore he’d never return to.
The relationship dynamic between Jason and Levi is the beating heart of this book, and it’s where Haliwell shines brightest. The chemistry between them is believable from the first moment they meet. Levi is everything Jason doesn’t want to deal with: magical, seductive, emotionally evasive, and relentlessly flirty. Jason, on the other hand, is controlled, guarded, and deeply skeptical. Their personalities clash in a way that’s electric but not overwrought. There’s no manufactured bickering just for drama’s sake; instead, their tension grows from who they are and what they’ve been through. Levi uses charm to hide fear and trauma. Jason uses distance to stay safe. Watching them slowly dismantle each other’s walls feels earned, not rushed.
Although it’s marketed as an enemies-to-lovers story, that’s not quite accurate. If anything, it leans more into “distrust-to-lovers” or “grumpy-sunshine.” Jason is the grump, Levi is the literal demon of temptation, and their dynamic is less antagonistic and more emotionally wary. Their eventual intimacy isn’t just about lust—it’s about vulnerability. That’s something that sets Infernal Hearts apart from some of its genre peers. There’s heat here, yes, but it’s the emotional grounding that makes it work. When they come together, it feels like something more than just chemistry. It feels like survival.
The world-building is where the book stumbles. The supernatural elements—particularly the lore around demons, Deals, and magical families—are interesting but underexplored. The magic system is more implied than explained, and major concepts often arrive late in the narrative or are mentioned in passing without much elaboration. For instance, the mechanics of how demons are made, what exactly Levi’s powers entail, or why certain magical consequences unfold the way they do—these details are either delivered too quickly or left vague. Readers who want rich, immersive fantasy settings with clear magical rules might feel shortchanged. On the flip side, if you’re someone who prefers fantasy as a backdrop for character-driven stories and romance, this may not bother you as much.
What helps balance this is the emotional texture of the story. Haliwell doesn’t shy away from themes of grief, legacy, abandonment, and the weight of expectations. Jason’s estranged relationship with his father is one of the most compelling threads in the book, and Levi’s quiet devastation over his brother’s disappearance adds depth to what could have been a one-note seductive character. There’s a real sense of hurt underneath all the humor and flirtation, and it gives the story weight.
The plot moves quickly, sometimes a little too quickly for its own good. There are moments where I wanted more time for reflection, more grounding in the stakes of the magical world they’re navigating. Still, the pacing keeps the pages turning. The mystery of the missing father and brother is engaging, even if some twists are predictable. Others do manage to surprise, especially near the climax, where the story takes a darker turn that’s both emotionally satisfying and thematically resonant.
Side characters get some attention, but not a lot of depth. Rani, Jason’s friend and magical ally, stands out as a highlight—smart, snarky, and clearly capable of holding her own story. Other characters felt more like background players than fully formed individuals. There’s a clear opportunity for expansion here if Haliwell decides to continue writing in this world, and I hope he does.
One thing worth noting: this book walks a line between NA and adult. There’s spice, but it’s not overly explicit. The focus stays on emotional connection, though the sexual tension is definitely present. It’s the kind of story that uses physical intimacy to reflect emotional stakes, not just titillation, which works well for the tone and themes.
As a debut, Infernal Hearts isn’t perfect. The prose is clean but occasionally lacks distinctiveness. Some dialogue feels a bit too modern or repetitive for the stakes at hand. Certain plot beats, especially around how Jason’s immunity to magic works or how demons function in this universe, needed more time and detail. And yet, for all its flaws, the book has a compelling emotional core. It’s rare to find a paranormal romance that prioritizes character growth as much as this one does—and that’s what kept me engaged all the way through.
Ultimately, Infernal Hearts is a character-driven romance with just enough mystery and magic to keep it sharp. It’s not trying to be high fantasy, and it doesn’t pretend to reinvent the wheel. What it does offer is heart, chemistry, and a well-paced story about two men learning how to live—and love—without running from who they are. For fans of queer romance, supernatural twists, and emotionally scarred leads who find strength in each other, this one hits the right notes.
I mean who doesn’t love a cute little queer paranormal romance about a human and an incubus?? This was such a quick and fun read and had me giggling and kicking my feet. The story line was so different and I love the banter between Levi and Jason, their connection was well paced and swooney in the best way. I always love a good paranormal/supernatural book and this one was done in a very unique way, it was refreshing and clearly captivating since I read it in one sitting! The double twist at the end was done so well (I did guess it) and transitioned the story to end perfectly. I’d love to see more from this author in the future, his writing is easy paced, fun, flirty and enjoyable!
I was given this E-Arc by the incredible Entangled Publishing Team and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read this early!
Infernal Hearts releases July 7, 2025 and I highly recommend!!