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Mischief and Monsters #1
Monstrous Intent
Declan
It’s really hard to pretend like life is normal when you’re staring a monster in the eyes, though he’s both tempting and irritating in his human form. I put my days as a hunter behind me, unable to cope with the death and pain anymore, to become an upstanding citizen and for what? To assist Lake, a man who claims he’s not a monster but keeps talking about me like I’m edible and–even worse–wants to woo me? Between my old organization trying to pull me in and Lake proving that things aren’t quite what they seem, I’m dragged back into this world of fighting the things that humans fear the most.
Lake
The human is exquisite. The first moment he told me he was going to hunt me down, I felt my heart burst. He’s beautiful, sassy, angry, and going to be mine (even if he thinks he can refuse my charms). But what Declan doesn’t know about me is that there’s a reason I’m hiding as a human among monster hunters. And while he definitely doesn’t know why, he’s willing to work with me because the people around us strangely want Declan and me dead at the end of this (I mean, who would want to kill us? We’re amazing).
But honestly… what’s more fun than dragging a hunter off to the dark side?
Warning: This is a chaotic monster and a chaotic human. Stuff happens. People die (but they were bad, so it doesn’t matter, right?) and there’s plenty of humor alongside a budding romance.
It’s really hard to pretend like life is normal when you’re staring a monster in the eyes, though he’s both tempting and irritating in his human form. I put my days as a hunter behind me, unable to cope with the death and pain anymore, to become an upstanding citizen and for what? To assist Lake, a man who claims he’s not a monster but keeps talking about me like I’m edible and–even worse–wants to woo me? Between my old organization trying to pull me in and Lake proving that things aren’t quite what they seem, I’m dragged back into this world of fighting the things that humans fear the most.
Lake
The human is exquisite. The first moment he told me he was going to hunt me down, I felt my heart burst. He’s beautiful, sassy, angry, and going to be mine (even if he thinks he can refuse my charms). But what Declan doesn’t know about me is that there’s a reason I’m hiding as a human among monster hunters. And while he definitely doesn’t know why, he’s willing to work with me because the people around us strangely want Declan and me dead at the end of this (I mean, who would want to kill us? We’re amazing).
But honestly… what’s more fun than dragging a hunter off to the dark side?
Warning: This is a chaotic monster and a chaotic human. Stuff happens. People die (but they were bad, so it doesn’t matter, right?) and there’s plenty of humor alongside a budding romance.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 18, 2022
587 people are currently reading
1214 people want to read
About the author
Alice Winters
61 books2,695 followersAlice Winters started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to turn her ideas into written words. She loves writing a variety of things from romance and comedy to action. She also enjoys reading, horseback riding, and spending time with her pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
November 27, 2022
This first book in a new series was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.
Lake was pretty funny and very "Leland", but he was also a Big Sharp Pointy Teeth™ kind of monster, instead of a hitman.
[My take on Lake...]
I really liked current-teacher, ex-hunter Declan, too, playing the more serious character to Lake's irreverent silliness, but I have to admit that I would've loved a more in-depth back story for him, like more family history and how the DRD got their hands on him at only 15.
[My take on Declan...]
Also, this story contained your typical Bad Guys, of both the human and monster varieties, however, we were never given any specific plans of what either group was *actually* planning to do, other than a vague and extremely generic plan to "take over the world."
Okaaaaaaaaaaay, and how specifically?
I enjoyed the side characters of Sir Reginald (aka Fish Stick) and the mini-monster Mittens (a threat, not a name), who made me laugh with their antics, so I was happy they were included.
I'll definitely continue reading the next books, but I'm curious where things will go from here, as a couple of the top-level, evil assholes had already met their grisly ends by the conclusion of this story, which would seem to leave a bit of a power vacuum in the current chain of command.
I'd rate this one at 4 stars and recommend it to fans of Alice's brand of OTT fantasy romances.
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May 23, 2025
✅ Funny banter (slightly OTT MC)
✅ Romance (MM) / Enemies to lovers
✅ Some smut
✅ Monsters and hunters
✅ Pace and action
✅ 2 POVs
✅( 🆗) Plot
✅( 🆗) Characters and backstories (Lake is VERY similar to Leeland)
Declan used to work the DRD as a monster hunter, but after over a decade of hunting and killing chimeras, he got sick of it and decided to get out. He is now trying to live a normal, quiet life as an elementary school teacher. That is, until he gets pulled back into the DRD mostly against his will, and meets Lake. As soon as he meets him, Declan knows that Lake is a monster, but it makes no sense since Lake works at the DRD with monster hunters. Still, Declan’s sixth sense was never wrong before, so it means that a monster has infiltrated the DRD, and Declan is ready to kill Lake as soon as he gets the confirmation he seeks that Lake is indeed a chimera. On the other hand, Lake took one look at Declan and decided to woo the shit out of him, because why not? What could go wrong for a chimera trying to seduce an ex-hunter?
I feel like once you read one Alice Winters paranormal MM romance, you’ve read them all, but I’m not saying it in a bad way. It also means that if you enjoyed one of her series, you will most likely love them all. The OTT main character and grumpy/sunshine interactions between the love interests seem to be the baseline of all of her romances, but it never fails to make me laugh.
The world-building is quite simple but enjoyable. Chimeras are monsters that can take a human form if they are strong enough, and they live among humans and hunt them. In response to that threat, the DRD was created to train hunters and to do research on chimeras.
I like that chimeras were not all evil, and that some of them only wished to live quietly among humans or among themselves in small communities. Of course, most of them seem to view humans as prey, and there are the stronger, more intelligent ones that seek to take control over the world apparently. Honestly, their plan was not that detailed in the book, it was really just them wanting to take over so they could rule over humans because they were stronger so they obviously deserved it.
Lake reminds me a lot of Leeland in The Hitman series, but he’s a monster hiding among humans instead of being a hitman trying to remain anonymous in his everyday life. They are both a little too intense at times, way too careless most of the time, enjoy adventure and action way too much, and have a way of getting what they want even when it’s just ridiculous and makes no sense.
Declan is the grumpy one in the grumpy/sunshine dynamic. He is a nice enough character, well-developed and fleshed-out, but I would have loved to have more backstory. I am still wondering why he has no family, what was done to him when he was younger to make him such a good hunter, and how the DRD came to pull him into their ranks when he was only a teenager. Hopefully, we will get more details in the next book, because while I like him, having to background on him makes it harder to relate to him or understand some of his reactions and decisions.
The fact that Declan, an ex-hunter, now has a job as an elementary school teacher because he’s trying to live a normal life is really funny. It’s not a central part of the plot, it’s just to show how he’s done with the hunters and wants peace and normalcy, but it just seems like such a drastic change! Although as a teacher, I can attest that dealing with a group of 20 kids can be pretty intense and rough too.
Emma is one of Declan’s few friends and a teaching colleague. Honestly, I was wary of her for most of the book, because she just rolled with all of Declan and Lake’s craziness. Sure, they lied at first so she wouldn’t get suspicious of them, but when she was faced with monsters, violence, kidnapping, and everything that followed those two, she kept saying that she wanted to help however she could. At one point, I was expecting her to be an enemy in disguise or some kind of spy, because there is no way a sane person with no training whatsoever would stick around and endure everything she went through because of Lake and Declan. That being said, she was a nice, but bland sidekick, but I would still be happy to see more of her in the next book.
Sir Reginald and Mittens are the last members of this eclectic group. I think it’s the first time I read a book where useless pets are given more importance than relevant human beings, but if you enjoy Alice Winters’ over-the-top humor and you don’t get tired of running gags that go on for the whole book, then Mittens and Sir Reginald will make you smile for sure.
This is the perfect book if you are looking for Alice Winter’s usual over-the-top characters with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, some crazy banter, and a few sexy scenes here and there too.
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✅ Romance (MM) / Enemies to lovers
✅ Some smut
✅ Monsters and hunters
✅ Pace and action
✅ 2 POVs
✅( 🆗) Plot
✅( 🆗) Characters and backstories (Lake is VERY similar to Leeland)
Declan used to work the DRD as a monster hunter, but after over a decade of hunting and killing chimeras, he got sick of it and decided to get out. He is now trying to live a normal, quiet life as an elementary school teacher. That is, until he gets pulled back into the DRD mostly against his will, and meets Lake. As soon as he meets him, Declan knows that Lake is a monster, but it makes no sense since Lake works at the DRD with monster hunters. Still, Declan’s sixth sense was never wrong before, so it means that a monster has infiltrated the DRD, and Declan is ready to kill Lake as soon as he gets the confirmation he seeks that Lake is indeed a chimera. On the other hand, Lake took one look at Declan and decided to woo the shit out of him, because why not? What could go wrong for a chimera trying to seduce an ex-hunter?
I feel like once you read one Alice Winters paranormal MM romance, you’ve read them all, but I’m not saying it in a bad way. It also means that if you enjoyed one of her series, you will most likely love them all. The OTT main character and grumpy/sunshine interactions between the love interests seem to be the baseline of all of her romances, but it never fails to make me laugh.
The world-building is quite simple but enjoyable. Chimeras are monsters that can take a human form if they are strong enough, and they live among humans and hunt them. In response to that threat, the DRD was created to train hunters and to do research on chimeras.
I like that chimeras were not all evil, and that some of them only wished to live quietly among humans or among themselves in small communities. Of course, most of them seem to view humans as prey, and there are the stronger, more intelligent ones that seek to take control over the world apparently. Honestly, their plan was not that detailed in the book, it was really just them wanting to take over so they could rule over humans because they were stronger so they obviously deserved it.
Lake reminds me a lot of Leeland in The Hitman series, but he’s a monster hiding among humans instead of being a hitman trying to remain anonymous in his everyday life. They are both a little too intense at times, way too careless most of the time, enjoy adventure and action way too much, and have a way of getting what they want even when it’s just ridiculous and makes no sense.
Declan is the grumpy one in the grumpy/sunshine dynamic. He is a nice enough character, well-developed and fleshed-out, but I would have loved to have more backstory. I am still wondering why he has no family, what was done to him when he was younger to make him such a good hunter, and how the DRD came to pull him into their ranks when he was only a teenager. Hopefully, we will get more details in the next book, because while I like him, having to background on him makes it harder to relate to him or understand some of his reactions and decisions.
The fact that Declan, an ex-hunter, now has a job as an elementary school teacher because he’s trying to live a normal life is really funny. It’s not a central part of the plot, it’s just to show how he’s done with the hunters and wants peace and normalcy, but it just seems like such a drastic change! Although as a teacher, I can attest that dealing with a group of 20 kids can be pretty intense and rough too.
Emma is one of Declan’s few friends and a teaching colleague. Honestly, I was wary of her for most of the book, because she just rolled with all of Declan and Lake’s craziness. Sure, they lied at first so she wouldn’t get suspicious of them, but when she was faced with monsters, violence, kidnapping, and everything that followed those two, she kept saying that she wanted to help however she could. At one point, I was expecting her to be an enemy in disguise or some kind of spy, because there is no way a sane person with no training whatsoever would stick around and endure everything she went through because of Lake and Declan. That being said, she was a nice, but bland sidekick, but I would still be happy to see more of her in the next book.
Sir Reginald and Mittens are the last members of this eclectic group. I think it’s the first time I read a book where useless pets are given more importance than relevant human beings, but if you enjoy Alice Winters’ over-the-top humor and you don’t get tired of running gags that go on for the whole book, then Mittens and Sir Reginald will make you smile for sure.
This is the perfect book if you are looking for Alice Winter’s usual over-the-top characters with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, some crazy banter, and a few sexy scenes here and there too.
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November 28, 2022
Sigh… I have tried to like Alice Winters books because they’re so popular, but I just cannot get through them. They’re so chaotic and the humor would be great in smaller doses but it’s ALL THE TIME. No person is 100% always “on” their schtick so it’s just not realistic. And it’s EXHAUSTING. The characters all blend together because they all have the same nonstop wisecracking characterizations—they have the same voice, which I’m guessing is the author’s? I love funny books but I do like my romances to have a little…well, romance. Sweetness, pining, passion, whatever. Just, stop joking for 5 seconds and show us some real personalities with real feelings.
I think I finally am throwing in the towel. I just can’t enjoy her books. Two stars instead of one because a few of the jokes did make me laugh (before I was desensitized by the sheer volume of jokes), and because the premise was intriguing before the “humor” ruined it for me.
I think I finally am throwing in the towel. I just can’t enjoy her books. Two stars instead of one because a few of the jokes did make me laugh (before I was desensitized by the sheer volume of jokes), and because the premise was intriguing before the “humor” ruined it for me.
April 15, 2024
Reread/Relisten April 2024
Like any Alice Winters couple you have one OTT and the other that goes along with the shenanigans haha, Declan and Lake are no different! So if you like that you'll love this series, along with Fish Stick... I mean Sir Reginald and Mittens haha
Reread/Relisten July 2023
Enjoyed this waaaaay more this time around than the first time. I am excited now to read/listen to book two!!
3-3.5 stars January 2023
I liked it, but I didn't love it.
I felt as though we were thrown right into this universe without any real background. i got kinda confused about the chimeras, but it was sort of cleared up in the end... not really hahaha
i loved the humor as always with Alice Winters books (the sneeze, fish stick, and mittens) haha i just wished this had more background on both Lake and Declan, we got glimpses but nothing to make me fully connect with them as much as i wanted to.
I also think Jameson will be back to haunt them again in future books... just a prediction haha
Michael Ferriauolo's narration was stellar as always!
Like any Alice Winters couple you have one OTT and the other that goes along with the shenanigans haha, Declan and Lake are no different! So if you like that you'll love this series, along with Fish Stick... I mean Sir Reginald and Mittens haha
Reread/Relisten July 2023
Enjoyed this waaaaay more this time around than the first time. I am excited now to read/listen to book two!!
3-3.5 stars January 2023
I liked it, but I didn't love it.
I felt as though we were thrown right into this universe without any real background. i got kinda confused about the chimeras, but it was sort of cleared up in the end... not really hahaha
i loved the humor as always with Alice Winters books (the sneeze, fish stick, and mittens) haha i just wished this had more background on both Lake and Declan, we got glimpses but nothing to make me fully connect with them as much as i wanted to.
I also think Jameson will be back to haunt them again in future books... just a prediction haha
Michael Ferriauolo's narration was stellar as always!
December 1, 2022
After a couple of chapters, I got tired of Leland, sorry…Lake.
June 3, 2023
Re-read 31st May- 3rd June 2023.
Thought I’d do a re-read before starting the new one.
Original review.
I liked and enjoyed this but I didn’t love it.
Will I read the next one? Oh YES.
Okay so Declan used to be a monster hunter. Working for the DRD. But he got sick of that life and left. Now he teaches young children. While his job is much more satisfying his life is somewhat empty. But the DRD aren’t done with him yet and are determined to get him back.
And Lake. Well he works at the DRD but the second Declan meets him he knows he’s not human.
Is he?
Lake is definitely channeling his inner Leland and Declan reminds me of Jackson. So that’s a huge plus since they’re two of my favourite characters.
There’s a lot to like here. The characters are all good and I have to give a special mention to Mittens and Sir Reginald. For me it was the story that let the side down a little. But that said I’m still looking forward to the next one.
Thought I’d do a re-read before starting the new one.
Original review.
I liked and enjoyed this but I didn’t love it.
Will I read the next one? Oh YES.
Okay so Declan used to be a monster hunter. Working for the DRD. But he got sick of that life and left. Now he teaches young children. While his job is much more satisfying his life is somewhat empty. But the DRD aren’t done with him yet and are determined to get him back.
And Lake. Well he works at the DRD but the second Declan meets him he knows he’s not human.
Is he?
Lake is definitely channeling his inner Leland and Declan reminds me of Jackson. So that’s a huge plus since they’re two of my favourite characters.
There’s a lot to like here. The characters are all good and I have to give a special mention to Mittens and Sir Reginald. For me it was the story that let the side down a little. But that said I’m still looking forward to the next one.
August 7, 2023
I wish the world had been a bit more fleshed out. I'm pretty sure Sir Reginald isn't all he seems to be and I bet Mittens will be a lot like Cassel if they ever shift.
The story was fine, but I've read it before and so have you if you've read Hitman, VRC, or likely most of the other books Alice Winters has put out. I was hoping for just a bit more here.
November 29, 2022
I wanted to stop reading at 52% and I probably should have. I just don’t think this author is for me. I really enjoyed the light-hearted feel and cutesy dialogue, but it just never ends. It gets more ridiculous as it goes on and takes away from any of the moments that have real substance. I loved those moments too and was literally just trying to find them near the end. It’s a good plot, fun characters, and just had so much potential that it actually stresses me out with how dumb the dialogue made it feel at times.
October 6, 2023
Sass and action in a perfect blend
Alice Winters has a formula, and it works, so it's no surprise that we have a grumpy one and am utterly insane one who is devoted to the former.
Instead of an assassin, we have a guy hiding his true identity and doing his best to get away from his dodgy family and nail down his love.
If you've read any Alice, you know what you're going to get, action, adventure, sass, and bad-a**ery taking out the bad guys, with a side order of slapdash humour.
I very much enjoyed this book with its ridiculous character behaviour and the twisty turns.
Alice Winters has a formula, and it works, so it's no surprise that we have a grumpy one and am utterly insane one who is devoted to the former.
Instead of an assassin, we have a guy hiding his true identity and doing his best to get away from his dodgy family and nail down his love.
If you've read any Alice, you know what you're going to get, action, adventure, sass, and bad-a**ery taking out the bad guys, with a side order of slapdash humour.
I very much enjoyed this book with its ridiculous character behaviour and the twisty turns.
April 4, 2023
This was fun and fresh, I really like her books, they are always fun and I feel like I'm actually reading a story, not a p*rn with some story!
Read
November 18, 2022A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Monstrous Intent is the first book in Alice Winters new Mischief and Monsters series and I just loved it. My regular readers probably all know by now that I am a huge fan of Winters’ writing and this story is her style all over. We have humor and banter and craziness, characters that seem to hate each other but really want each other badly, and lots of excitement and suspense. Basically, if you enjoy Winters’ writing, this book is going to be right up your alley.
There is some nice world building here as the story unveils this world where monsters exist and hunters are tasked with taking them out.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Monstrous Intent is the first book in Alice Winters new Mischief and Monsters series and I just loved it. My regular readers probably all know by now that I am a huge fan of Winters’ writing and this story is her style all over. We have humor and banter and craziness, characters that seem to hate each other but really want each other badly, and lots of excitement and suspense. Basically, if you enjoy Winters’ writing, this book is going to be right up your alley.
There is some nice world building here as the story unveils this world where monsters exist and hunters are tasked with taking them out.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
April 28, 2023
Alice Winters often writes dark topics filled with murder, assassination, torture, themes of mass destruction, both n the real world as well as whatever alternate reality she has created and filled with the paranormal events and beings. Snarky, sharp, and irreverent humor with moments of serious reflection and empathy, however, brief, is her trademark. About our two guys: Declan is a former monster hunter for the Department of Research and Defense (DRD). He became disillusioned with the constant attacks and killings, so he left to become a teacher. Now with an increase in Chimera sightings and killings, the DRD wants its top hunter back and won’t stop until he’s part of the organization again. Then there is Lake. Lake is an enigma. He works for the DRD, but he's different and Declan is instantly aware of Lake and knows that he is "much more". This is a story guaranteed to hold the reader’s interest and keep them engaged with the characters growing relationships. Declan just hopes that Lake's invite to dinner didn't include him being the main course. Lake wants to devour Declan, but the dinner table is not where he has in mind. I did so enjoy the antics of these two guys and have book 2 waiting.
May 8, 2024
At this point I'm convinced that all of Alice Winter's stories use the same two main characters that get caught up in various ott life and death situations, flirting and bantering their way into falling in love. Lake is this world's chimera version of Leland (from The Hitman's Guide series), while Declan is its Jackson. Michael Ferraiuolo narrates both series and gives each set of characters the exact same voices and intonations, making it even harder to distinguish between them.
I always know what I'm going to get when I read one of these stories. It's why I always come back to them even though they are so ott and cringy that I'm always exhausted by the 75% mark. You've got to be in the mood for these silly stories, but when you are, well, there's nothing like them.
I thought this story was decent. It wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn't bad either. My main complaint was that almost all the background information about, well, everything is left amorphous or vague.
I didn't understand where the chimeras came from, how long they've been around, or how they were related to humans. I didn't know anything about Declan's time before joining the DRD, who his family is or was, or how he ended up being recruited at the age of 14. I didn't understand Lake's relationship with his family or exactly what he did with them. I didn't clearly understand the chimera stages and didn't understand why, if there were so many chimeras that were intelligent enough to infiltrate an entire government organization, didn't people know that you could actually talk to them? Declan thought the most they could do was convey single words. This made me wonder, again, how long they've been around.
Even saying all that, I know these stories aren't meant to be all that deep, so I can excuse it. I'll check out the next book in the series at some point. This book ended at a good stopping point. 3 stars
I always know what I'm going to get when I read one of these stories. It's why I always come back to them even though they are so ott and cringy that I'm always exhausted by the 75% mark. You've got to be in the mood for these silly stories, but when you are, well, there's nothing like them.
I thought this story was decent. It wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn't bad either. My main complaint was that almost all the background information about, well, everything is left amorphous or vague.
I didn't understand where the chimeras came from, how long they've been around, or how they were related to humans. I didn't know anything about Declan's time before joining the DRD, who his family is or was, or how he ended up being recruited at the age of 14. I didn't understand Lake's relationship with his family or exactly what he did with them. I didn't clearly understand the chimera stages and didn't understand why, if there were so many chimeras that were intelligent enough to infiltrate an entire government organization, didn't people know that you could actually talk to them? Declan thought the most they could do was convey single words. This made me wonder, again, how long they've been around.
Even saying all that, I know these stories aren't meant to be all that deep, so I can excuse it. I'll check out the next book in the series at some point. This book ended at a good stopping point. 3 stars
June 22, 2024
Lake and his antics made me laugh so much, and I fell for him much like Declan did, even if he was a "monster."
Alice Winters's books have basically the same couple in every series: a sunshine or unhinged mc + a grumpy mc who grudgingly goes along with everything the sunshine/unhinged one wants while pretending to be exasperated but secretly he loves it. They always have pets, and there's always some sort of law enforcement involved, either they work for or closely with them. Sometimes it's supernatural, sometimes it's not.
Despite this, I still had a blast and loved how OTT Lake was, and how sincerely Declan tried to resist until he couldn't anymore. And man, the way I loved their dumb pets Fish Sticks and Mittens? Amazing! 😂
Alice Winters's books have basically the same couple in every series: a sunshine or unhinged mc + a grumpy mc who grudgingly goes along with everything the sunshine/unhinged one wants while pretending to be exasperated but secretly he loves it. They always have pets, and there's always some sort of law enforcement involved, either they work for or closely with them. Sometimes it's supernatural, sometimes it's not.
Despite this, I still had a blast and loved how OTT Lake was, and how sincerely Declan tried to resist until he couldn't anymore. And man, the way I loved their dumb pets Fish Sticks and Mittens? Amazing! 😂
August 11, 2025
4⭐️ super funny banter. Best kind of grumpy/sunshine dynamic. I loved Lake and his persistence to break down Declan’s walls. I also really liked the original story and world-building. Monster vs monster hunter.
I feel like most of Alice Winters’ books are the same but I don’t even care. They’re a good time.
I feel like most of Alice Winters’ books are the same but I don’t even care. They’re a good time.
November 17, 2022
I'm just in awe of the inner workings of Alice Winters mind, truly. I don't know how she's able to continuously come up with these characters and stories, but I hope she plans to write for a very long time, because I cannot get enough of them!
Monstrous Intent introduces us to Declan and Lake, another delightfully engaging Alice Winters duo. Hunter and Monster, these two butt heads when Declan's old boss attempts to pull him back into a world he hoped to leave behind forever. What ensues is a fun, slightly stressful, and highly entertaining read.
I enjoyed this story a lot. It's not quite as over the top (and I say that with love!) as some of Ms. Winters other books, but it will definitely make you laugh out loud. And give you just a little bit of anxiety as Declan and Lake join forces to fight the monsters.
Lake sure does gives Leland and Felix a run for their money- he will keep you on your toes. Poor Declan, he didn't know what to do with him! The romance was more on the slow burn side, as Declan fought against everything that was being thrown at him, particularly his feelings when it came to Lake. These two are about as opposite as you can get, but they needed each other and I really loved seeing their relationship develop.
This story is completely resolved at the end, so I'm curious to see where we go next!
Monstrous Intent introduces us to Declan and Lake, another delightfully engaging Alice Winters duo. Hunter and Monster, these two butt heads when Declan's old boss attempts to pull him back into a world he hoped to leave behind forever. What ensues is a fun, slightly stressful, and highly entertaining read.
I enjoyed this story a lot. It's not quite as over the top (and I say that with love!) as some of Ms. Winters other books, but it will definitely make you laugh out loud. And give you just a little bit of anxiety as Declan and Lake join forces to fight the monsters.
Lake sure does gives Leland and Felix a run for their money- he will keep you on your toes. Poor Declan, he didn't know what to do with him! The romance was more on the slow burn side, as Declan fought against everything that was being thrown at him, particularly his feelings when it came to Lake. These two are about as opposite as you can get, but they needed each other and I really loved seeing their relationship develop.
This story is completely resolved at the end, so I'm curious to see where we go next!
January 2, 2023
Can’t take it anymore at 31%. Lake is exhausting; there’s zero chemistry between him and Declan; and the constant “humor” (that I’m fairly sure hasn’t made me laugh once) is cringe. Combined, these things have led to me already skimming, not caring how this turns out, and being pretty certain I’ll never try another one of this author’s books.
October 30, 2025
The fish. I'm still laughing 😂
Read
December 16, 2023It is my belief, that AW has created two MCs and just puts them in alternate universes in every series/book, with minor changes. That is why I enjoy the side characters more and pray they don’t get their own book because they gradually end up the same somehow. She can’t help it.
I know this because I’m actually a fan and mostly enjoy her work, this is only the second book I DNF. But the things that annoy me in every single one are 97% the same!
I know this because I’m actually a fan and mostly enjoy her work, this is only the second book I DNF. But the things that annoy me in every single one are 97% the same!
November 19, 2022
So exciting getting a new book in a new series from an author I love. And on top of that, I was lucky enough to get an ARC. So, in this world we have monsters & hunters. But just like humans, it appears that not all monsters are evil. Declan has left the hunting world behind & is currently a teacher. Lake has left his family behind & has turned himself over to the hunters and has struck an agreement with them. When Declan meets Lake, he knows there is something different about him, but he isn't 100% sure what. When Lake meets Declan, he decides that Declan will be his. You have the snark and danger that you come to expect from Ms. Winters. There was a time that Lake gets Declan to see that the monsters are not all evil & that some of them just want to live their life and protect their young & loved ones. We also get to watch Lake break down Declan's walls I love Mittens & Sir Reginald. I so can't wait to see where we go from here.
I received a copy of this book from the author, and this is my honest opinion
I received a copy of this book from the author, and this is my honest opinion
November 22, 2022
Classic Alice Winters. You know what you get, and that’s something I appreciate about her books. I still think that her stuff is better in smaller doses, because somehow I always manage to go from “how did I ever think that I wouldn’t love this!” to “dear god isn’t it done yet?” when reading it, but this one was definitely one of her better ones. Then again, the first books in her series usually are, so that’s true to the formula.
Lake is basically Leland and Declan is Lane but without being blind, so that’s fun. Grumpy vs sunshine is always great. My favorite thing was everything with Sir Reginald aka Fish Stick (singular), because that shit was hilarious. Mittens was fun too, especially the reason for her name. I cracked up a lot.
There was no evil psycho villain and no kidnap torture thing, so that was good. The plot didn’t feel too random, but it’s not so deep either. All in all, a promising start for a series that I hope I’ll continue to enjoy.
Lake is basically Leland and Declan is Lane but without being blind, so that’s fun. Grumpy vs sunshine is always great. My favorite thing was everything with Sir Reginald aka Fish Stick (singular), because that shit was hilarious. Mittens was fun too, especially the reason for her name. I cracked up a lot.
There was no evil psycho villain and no kidnap torture thing, so that was good. The plot didn’t feel too random, but it’s not so deep either. All in all, a promising start for a series that I hope I’ll continue to enjoy.
June 14, 2023
I so wanted to tap out when I realized the book was 99% bloodshed and 1% relationship. I exaggerate, but it felt like it. I only kept going because I like this author and the nucleus in many of their books of the odd couple relationship and assorted sidekicks. Realized that the books that I liked featured humans fighting bad guy humans. The vampire detective books were more human like, too. The constant barrage of monsters vs monsters was draining. I kept putting it down to take a break.
I liked Declan and Lake was amusing. Wish they had been in a different story.
I liked Declan and Lake was amusing. Wish they had been in a different story.
December 11, 2022
✮4 Stars✮
💗
January 28, 2023
Meh not for me. I found the attempt to be funny all the time ultimately tiresome and unrelatable. Characterization all over the map
December 1, 2022
"We're both going to die aren't we?"
"Probably. But man, we're going to go down majestically."
That quote right there sums up the tone of this entire series opener. I freaking loved this book and can now see why many others have compared Lake to our beloved Leland from the Hitman series. If you liked this book and haven't met Leland yet? Check out his series here: The Hitman's Guide to Making Friends and Finding Love. You will thank me later, promise. But back to Monstrous Intent. It contains all of Winters trademark banter, OTT moments, and of course a bit of sexy times sprinkled in for good measure. Lake may be a monster and an absolute lunatic, but he sure is a lovable one. Declan was grumpy AF to Lake's sunshine and it was so much fun watching Lake rile him up.
"You fucking ate a granny, Lake?"
This one ends with a HFN ending as there is more to come with this series. The plot has many more directions it could go in since even though some major players have been taken off the board, we still don't know all the people playing the game and why. If that makes sense. I'm still not convinced Emma, an ex-coworker of Declans, isn't some secret spy. I would have run for the hills if I had been in her shoes. I also have to mention Mittens because she is most definitely an epic pet. I wouldn't want to snuggle her in my bed, but I'd totally want her on my side in a fight. If I mention Mitten, I have to mentioned Sir Reginald. I was convinced that it was going to come out that Lake's beloved pet was really dead, but like Declan I guess I was wrong. I had a lot of fun with this read and cannot wait for more. I also wouldn't say no to getting to know Indigo and Sy better, as in them having their own books! Just putting that out there into the Universe!
"Probably. But man, we're going to go down majestically."
That quote right there sums up the tone of this entire series opener. I freaking loved this book and can now see why many others have compared Lake to our beloved Leland from the Hitman series. If you liked this book and haven't met Leland yet? Check out his series here: The Hitman's Guide to Making Friends and Finding Love. You will thank me later, promise. But back to Monstrous Intent. It contains all of Winters trademark banter, OTT moments, and of course a bit of sexy times sprinkled in for good measure. Lake may be a monster and an absolute lunatic, but he sure is a lovable one. Declan was grumpy AF to Lake's sunshine and it was so much fun watching Lake rile him up.
"You fucking ate a granny, Lake?"
This one ends with a HFN ending as there is more to come with this series. The plot has many more directions it could go in since even though some major players have been taken off the board, we still don't know all the people playing the game and why. If that makes sense. I'm still not convinced Emma, an ex-coworker of Declans, isn't some secret spy. I would have run for the hills if I had been in her shoes. I also have to mention Mittens because she is most definitely an epic pet. I wouldn't want to snuggle her in my bed, but I'd totally want her on my side in a fight. If I mention Mitten, I have to mentioned Sir Reginald. I was convinced that it was going to come out that Lake's beloved pet was really dead, but like Declan I guess I was wrong. I had a lot of fun with this read and cannot wait for more. I also wouldn't say no to getting to know Indigo and Sy better, as in them having their own books! Just putting that out there into the Universe!
February 22, 2023
Audiobook Review
Usually, I listen to Michael Ferraiuolo reading to me an Alice Winters book, I inhale it immediately and love every minute of it. For this one, I listened for three hours, set it aside, and forgot to go back to it.
This is a beyond slow burn, slow burn. I'm glad I came back to it as once I hit 60% the story picked up and got better.
Anyways, in this new series we have Lake (Leland) a true monster who hates being one and Declan (Jackson) who was a hunter who killed monsters but retired to teach kids
I just finished rereading the first assassin's book so when I was reading this one, the characters really stood out.
The world was unique but I would have loved to know more about it. Monsters that attack and kill humans and humans getting used to these attacks is very interesting.
These two don't actually hook up until near the end but I loved the humor between them.
But the true star of the book was Sir Reginald. Please let me find out that it's not just a beta fish.
Usually, I listen to Michael Ferraiuolo reading to me an Alice Winters book, I inhale it immediately and love every minute of it. For this one, I listened for three hours, set it aside, and forgot to go back to it.
This is a beyond slow burn, slow burn. I'm glad I came back to it as once I hit 60% the story picked up and got better.
Anyways, in this new series we have Lake (Leland) a true monster who hates being one and Declan (Jackson) who was a hunter who killed monsters but retired to teach kids
I just finished rereading the first assassin's book so when I was reading this one, the characters really stood out.
The world was unique but I would have loved to know more about it. Monsters that attack and kill humans and humans getting used to these attacks is very interesting.
These two don't actually hook up until near the end but I loved the humor between them.
But the true star of the book was Sir Reginald. Please let me find out that it's not just a beta fish.
November 27, 2023
4.5⭐️ - this is pretty typical Alice and I love her for it. This was funny, exciting, tense, sexy, and just fun to enjoy.
I don’t read many shifter/monster books but this reminds me how much I love them when done well. This had mystery and intrigue, while being fairly fast paced.
Lake and Declan had such a hysterical dynamic. Lake was super lusty for Declan instantly, while Declan wanted absolutely nothing to do with Lake. Naturally Lake wore him down, much to Declan’s dismay.
I don’t read many shifter/monster books but this reminds me how much I love them when done well. This had mystery and intrigue, while being fairly fast paced.
Lake and Declan had such a hysterical dynamic. Lake was super lusty for Declan instantly, while Declan wanted absolutely nothing to do with Lake. Naturally Lake wore him down, much to Declan’s dismay.
July 25, 2023
Wonderful, whacky, characters , tons of laughs. A great read.
November 17, 2022
Alice Winters does it again….. She brings us a new series with new Characters that we absolutely fall in love with and extends her crazy lineup of people whose fictional lives we are pulled into and fully invested in. What do you do when what you believe to be the worst thing on Earth, may just be the best thing that’s ever happened to you? This is the difficult question that Declan is trying to answer…. Declan is a former monster hunter who has left the business to try to live a normal life, but is pulled back in against his will. Lake is a man with a secret who feels like Declan may be his only hope at living a life he wants to have while beating those who want to stop him. This book is filled with the normal Love, Laughter (Achoo! Oops! ..) and just downright craziness that you expect from an Alice Winters story and new pets too! If you are a fan, grab this, it will be a one sit-down read. If you are new to one of my Favorite Authors, great starting point as you will be pulled down the rabbithole with the rest of us quickly! Someday I would love a book for the Fans where all of her crazy characters are pulled into an alternate reality and interact….madness! Thank you Alice for another wonderful trip into your imagination!
November 6, 2022
Oh Lake, Lake, Lake. You really shouldn’t play with your food. 🤣 Declan doesn’t quite know what to make of the other man, except there is just something about him…. In a world of monsters and monster hunters, Declan just wants to live a “normal” life, whatever that means. He is tired of death and killing. But his old life doesn’t want to let go. Enter Lake. Now they have to work together to stop the monsters from taking over their city. Although who is really the monster here: the hunters or those they target? These two are absolutely hilarious. This book is full of all the typical snark and sass you would expect from an Alice Winters book. There is a certain zaniness that seems to come automatically included. I laughed out loud more than once. Declan never stood a chance once Lake decided that the other man belonged to him.
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