Bombshell

by Calliope Stewart

"A halfling witch, a lonely Cthulhu, and the tattoo parlor that brought them together."

Blurb coming soon!

Expected release early 2024.

Genres: Paranormal, Friends To Lovers, Fantasy, Monster Romance

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2024

Reviews

[Robyn G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live in Port Haven.
Dallan and Effie have been dancing round each other for years and I mean years.
But Dallan wasn't giving up on Effie.
I understood Effies hang ups since she didn't exactly have the easiest or most loving up bringing and Dallan just kept showing up for her over and over again.
I'm so glad I read book one first so I could really appreciate continuation of Cash and Daphne's story!
I can't wait to see what more is to come from this world!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calliope Stewart does it again!! I absolutely love these characters. They made me laugh, tear up, and want to smack them upside the head, just like my friends in real life. We’re back in port haven, your favorite supernatural town with every mythical creature you can think of. Effie, a half nymph, half witch has to process so much she thought she buried (emotionally) 50 years ago while also learning to accept love and a mate in Dallan, the half Cthulhu half man.

[Syndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book and I adore it!!

First of all I love the fact that this couple starts in a business with benefits relationship. It means we get to watch them grow as a romantic couple, not a sexual one. They know they have hot sex and how to rile the other up but how do they fit together as a couple?

The plot was so intriguing and I loved the resolution. Everyone fit together so nicely and even subverted some expectations. It was well written and besides one mistake that I'm sure she's aware of it read really well. Easy to follow without being boring.

(Also the Twlight part was hilarious.)

I can't wait to read more in this series. This book seriously left me salivating for more and Calliope Stewart had multiple characters I'd love to see books about

Thank you for the copy and I can't wait to read more!

[Gleeful Goblin Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gleeful Goblin Review: This story is definitely two people who are pretty emotionally wounded and scared to open up, thinking they're not going to be accepted by the person they care about in return. Effie has never felt like she has a place to belong or people she fits with and it's made her so slow and hesitant to open up that it's been FORTY YEARS of a business with benefits between her and Dallan but she won't say they're **together**. "Truthfully, waking up in his arms had filled me with a warmth I so rarely allowed myself... which was exactly the problem. “Are you sure, Effie?” he asked once he’d shrugged the red plaid shirt he’d been wearing earlier over his shoulders again. He looked hurt, his gold eyes were filled with it as he searched my face for any sign that I was going to let him stay. “Yes, I have a lot of work to do, so shoo,” I tried to imbue my voice with a teasing lightness, like we were two friends sharing an inside joke. Dallan frowned, the tentacles on his face twitching as he sighed. “You can’t run from this forever, Lass, and I’m tired of pretending that we only do this for the sake of ink collection.” What did he mean by that? Was he ending our agreement? I wanted to stop him and ask what his words meant, but my pride kept me from opening my mouth or reaching out to grab his arm. Instead, I watched him leave with a heavy pit forming in my stomach as the front door of my apartment slammed with an echoing thud. Sitting on the edge of my bed I contemplated his words, trying my best to shake them off. I was doing the right thing. Anam Cara. That was what he almost called me. His soul máte. But I couldn’t be anyone’s soul máte. That meant that I was his true other half, but I couldn’t be anyone’s other half. I was an abomination—an affront to nature that should never have been created. A halfling, but not only that, the only one of my kind. How was I supposed to be the piece that matched Dallan’s when I’d never belonged anywhere in the first place? My pieces were all jagged and misshapen."

My heart just breaks for Effie for a lot of this book and for Dallan as well for different reasons. The push/pull between these two is pretty intense and will make you work for the HEA but it's a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking journey to get there. 5/5 Stars

[Kimberlea Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Is Meant To Be Will ALWAYS Find A Way

When I was reading the 1st book, I was so curious about Effie & Dallan’s relationship. Even as secondary characters you could feel the chemistry between them, and it was so hard to understand why they weren’t already together. Somehow I knew their story was gonna be a roller coaster of a ride, and boy was I right. I wasn’t expecting that Effie (and her acceptance of their mate bond) was the reason keeping them apart, and seeing them both suffer just tugged on all my heartstrings. Yet even with all the emotional struggles on both their parts, it didn’t diminish their chemistry, and seeing it front & center was definitely some of the best swoon worthy material 🙌🏻🔥 Watching their story unfold, as well as the impact of external drama on their deepening connection, and seeing Dallan’s unwavering support of Effie as she came to terms with her internal struggles was one of sweetest, hottest & heartwarming stories that you wouldn’t expect from a monster romance. I know some people didn’t agree with how Effie handled things, but IMO, putting yourself in her shoes & trying to see them from her POV, made her reactions a bit more understandable. I personally felt like how the events unfolded between them made perfect sense, and were very necessary for them to get to the point that they could move forward beyond just their business with benefits relationship. This world that Calliope has built is full of characters that will make you want to revisit this town as often as Calliope will let us, no matter how she makes that happen. Wanna know how a monster romance can be sooooo emotional 🤯 If you grab this amazing sweet, spicy & heartfelt book by Calliope, then you can find out 😉🥰 ✨Just be forewarned, while you can technically read this as a standalone, to get the full storyline & emotional experience (because the main characters from that book play a big part in Effie’s journey), please read Dragonfly first (it was so awesome, so you won’t be sorry, promise)✨❤️

[jenna boonthanakit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun monster romance!

I really liked this read! It was sweet and spicy, funny, filled with pining a bit of mystery and all the other worldly goodness you want from a monster romance. (I definitely recommend reading Dragonfly first but you could jump into this without).
Effie has never fit in, not with her tree nymph family, not with her fathers coven and even though she’s found solace with Dallon for the past few decades she still feels a bit out of place as a hybrid, the first of her kind. She’s always held a torch for Dallon but assumes their intimacy is a part of the job (collecting his special ink for tattooing through smexy time). Dallon is head over heels for Effie, has been all their time together and is finally hoping Effie realizes theirs more to their relationship. In order to help ensure the safety of her friends, Effie steps back into her father’s coven to seek help. She connects with an old friend (hoping to see more of Odette in the future), finds her magic has no bounds and learns she’s always had a place to call home/family.
This was a fun read, I really like Effie and her journey in finding herself and confidence. Dallon was amazing, he knows what he wants, he’s caring and patient and will do anything for Effie. I love the found family aspect, side and past characters and the setup for future books. Definitely give this one a go, 100% recommend!

[Ally Y. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Effie and Dallan's story is here, and wow. We get hints at what's going on with them in book 1, but to know how long it's exactly been in limbo is insane. Effie is understandably wary of forming a connection. Her whole life, she's heard the whispers or the outright comments calling her an abomination. A halfling daughter of a tree nymph and human wizard. She's never fit in with her mother's people or her father's. The only one of her kind she's felt and frankly been told she's an outcast. Dallan found her and gave her a job and a home. Their relationship has evolved. Dallan knows exactly what Effie is to him. She's his other half, but how can he convince her to give him a chance?

I completely devoured this book. Effie and Dallan 🥵🥵🥵. Like, oh my god, we find out real quick how the ink is made. I completely understood Effie's hesitation in allowing a relationship to grow with Dallan. Effie's relationship with her dad was heartbreaking. He was so dismissive of her. I love the new characters that were introduced, and I'm so ready for Odette's book.

P.S: 🤣 I absolutely lost it at the Twilight references.

[Denise Novak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bombshell is the second book in the Monstrous Ink series by Calliope Stewart. I really like her books and this one didn’t disappoint. The characters of Port Haven and especially the characters of the Monstrous Ink tattoo shop are well-developed and real. Which brings us to the characters of Effie and Dallon. Effie, a hybrid of wood nymph and witch, the first of her kind, collects Dallon’s ink to create a magic pigment used at Monstrous Ink (I love that name!). Dallon is a Cthulu. He is also the owner of Monstrous Ink. Dallon knows what he wants and he wants Effie. He is patient and willing to wait for her to realize she wants him too. Throw in some shady characters, a bit of mystery, a lot of spice and you have a very enjoyable read. Calliope does a very good job of creating the world of Port Haven. Her character development is excellent – you really like these characters and they are believable. This book can be read as a stand alone but you get a better understanding of Port Haven and its inhabitants if you read the first book in the series, Dragonfly. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[April Bruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this series was phenomenal. The trauma felt real and palpable, and the relation because Cash and Daphne felt like a forever kind of love. After that, I had really high expectations going into this one.

Now, to preface this, I love everything Calliope Stewart writes. I'd read her grocery list if she'd let me. But something about Bombshell fell flat for me. I didn't resonate with Effie, especially at the beginning. Dallan was way better, working through his frustration with his soul mate rejecting their relationship. Effie grew on me towards the end, but at first I was just irritated with her blatant grouchiness.

The story itself just wasn't as enticing as Dragonfly, which is understandable considering it was an abusive ex husband versus already mates immortals. I'm definitely going to keep reading this universe, because the magic system is intriguing and I love all of the characters, but this wasn't my favorite.

[Last Book Marauder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one since the friends with benefits trope are not usually my favorite, but I really enjoyed this one. Dallan was all my favorite parts about monster romances- he's sweet and understanding and kinda territorial. Effie is so guarded and it really took me a bit longer to warm up to her but I ended up loving her.

I do wish there was more background with Effie to justify how dismissive and closed she was with Dallan. We get to see small little flashbacks to her childhood but I definitely wanted more to understand her better. And her dad? I have so so many questions about him that I'm assuming that means he gets his own book at some point.

If you read Dragonfly and loved Cash and Daphne you'll be happy that they are heavily featured here. Honestly I just love all the monstrous ink crew and I can't wait for more of these characters to get their own books. I just love the little outcast family that they have created.

[Aleia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sweetest of sweet monster romances and yet there are plenty of times I felt myself holding back tears.

We have Effie a half-dryad, half-human woman and Dallan, the Cthulhu that loves her. Together they run a tattoo shop that specializes in tattooing monsters of all kinds. And the special sauce to their tattoos is an ink contained in Dallan’s tentacles that is only released when he … finishes.

Yep, so our couple platonically boinks. Well, it’s platonic adjacent to Effie and to Dallan it’s absolutely unrequited love. He’s been in love with Effie since he saved her half a century ago and brought her into the fold with the other monsters he’s more or less saved.

When we first meet them, they are going about their business of humping to get business supplies and Effie acting like she doesn’t know what they are to one another. They’re both immortal-ish so they have forever to figure it out. But then their best friends and fellow coworkers (the couple from book one in this series) fall pregnant.

Only Effie freaks out because the baby will be a halfling, half human half Gargoyle and she’s afraid the baby will kill her friend—just like she killed her mother. So now instead of focusing on ignoring how much she’s actually in love with Dallan, she focuses on saving her pregnant friend. This leads to a reunion with her mad-scientist father and the bourgeoisie world she left him in.

Is running from love important when you’re stuffing your vines (Effie’s dryad nature shows up via vines on her back) into couture gowns and failing at magic lessons with a Dad who made you feel like you were never enough? Maybe not.

There’s also a mysterious big bad they are chasing throughout the novel. This is a short novel and fast moving, you won’t want to put it down!

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already liked Effie and Dallan, when I read Dragonfly. Sure, we didn't see as much, because they were not the main characters there. But what I got to know was interesting enough to be excited about their story.

And it was so great! I felt bad for Dallan, that he had to wait 50 years to get the progress he wished for in their relationship dynamic. 🙈 But it was understandable. Effie had her trauma from her childhood. And trauma is something you don't easily overcome, and it takes lots of time. But she was never alone as Dallan supported her throughout the story. And her friends were there too. I loved, that we got to see Daphne and Cash, either.

In general, it was realistic with the situations and all struggles that came with it. The conclusion was well done. So, can't wait for the next.

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super excited to get this book! It’s such a good one. I loved everything about it and was captivated from the beginning. The plot was intriguing and kept me engaged throughout. I loved the depth the characters and plot had. It was well written.

One thing I love about this couple it’s that it starts off more as a business relationship turned lovers. I love watching them grow and watch their romance flourish. The relationship between them was passionate yet sweet. And I will say the spicy scenes were definitely a plus!

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! It was everything and so much more. It pulled me out of my book funk I’ve been in lately. If you’re looking for a monster romance then I highly recommend this book!

[Swan Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review will have mild spoilers. I am always a fan of Calliope’s books. Her stories have never disappointed. I didn’t enjoy this book and it was a fast read it just wasn’t one of my faves. I’m not sure why, it’s a great story. The female character learns to accept herself. The MMC is super sweet and is always there for the FMC. I think maybe it’s because the characters already had somewhat of a relationship prior to the book and I like more of when the relationship develops. There is found love in this story, magic, and other characters that find their strength and place in the world. Also it has good spice.

[A. Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about Effie and this book to start, but I loved it. The fascinating and entertaining side characters in the book made me laugh, and I didn’t figure out how the book would resolve until about 15 pages before the book ended. I really liked Effie, and I also liked (although it took 50ish years) that there isn’t a long period of the FMC fighting fate. And Dallan was a perfect complement for Effie. It was a sweet and somewhat light hearted monster romance, and I found myself completely drawn into the story. I can’t wait to read what comes next, as you can see the threads of the next relationships forming.

[Dominique - · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not get enough of Bombshell. I love a little bit of rejected mates and workplace romance. This series overall blends some incredibly well-written monsters with sweet scenarios that make some incredible books.

I could not get over how spicy this was from the outset! I really loved how the FMC and MMC were so willing to wind each other up and take full advantage of what that brings about. The book was also really sweet and I find it even more intensely adorable when the men are kinda spooky monsters.

This book was well worth the read! <3

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cathulu tattoo artist and his half witch half dryad mate have been in a "business with benefits" relationship for decades. Imagine sexy ink collection.

Dallan is patiently waiting for Effie to be ready to accept that they are Mates, but she is terrified that she is too damaged, too different to be a good mate.

Effie becomes terrified when her friend Daphne becomes pregnant, fearing her safety as the maternal mortality rate of halfling pregnancies is high. To keep Daphne safe, she must turn to the one man she despises, her father.

[Britt &#x1f43a; · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calliope does it again! I love her writing and how comforting it feels to pick up one of her books. I adored Dallan and Effie. I was VERY intrigued by their relationship while reading Dragonfly.

The PINING had me in a chokehold. I am such a sucker for some angst and this had the perfect amount. I enjoyed the plot just as much as I enjoyed the romance. I loved watching Effie and Dallan grow into each other but also in general. Effie has such a big heart and deserved all the love Dallan gave her. And the spice? ALWAYS enjoyable. Highly recommend picking this one up.

[Sav ও · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really exciting to read this one! In the previous book in the series, Dragonfly, you could feel that *something* was going on with Dallan and Effie. Apparently, that something is fifty plus years of dancing around a mare bond, and having a, ahem, business with benefits relationship. Though by dancing, Effie was the main one, poor Dallan was just waiting for her to be ready. But goodness, was the wait worth it! I’m excited for the next in this series, and I know who I hope it’ll be about. Super fun especially for the Halloween season!

[DemetraP · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. They have been friends with benefits for over 40 years. Yes, 40 years. She wants more but is afraid it will never work out. He is trying to give her space. He knows she is his fated mate.

I just felt like the hero didn't want her enough. Who sits around for 40 years and doesn't do everything to get their fated mate to love them?

Her mom died giving birth to her. Her dad was a terrible parent and disappointed that her magic was not strong like his. She is half wizard and half tree nymph. The only halfling of her kind. She is constantly thinking everyone will leave her.

[Dark Little Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's be real here for a second. If Calliope writes it, I'm gonna read it and I'm gonna love it. I've yet to read anything by her that I didn't love. I'm fortunate enough to be on her alpha team and always enjoy a reread upon release.

I loved Effie and Dallan. The way that he just lifts her up and is 100% in from day one is just absolutely dreamy. I also love Effie's spunky personality and was so pleased to get to see more of her.

I can't wait for the rest of the books in this series!

[Ah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a little bit to get back into the universe, but once I got farther in I enjoyed the read!

It’s a fun group of characters with a good dynamic between the two MCs. The relationship progressed quite slowly but we got some steam right from the beginning, the book is not overly spicy with a slow burn relationship.

The universe expanded greatly in this book and I look forward to learning more with the next set of MCs!

[Awesome Sauce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more!

Everyone needs to get their HEA stat! But seriously I am loving this world, characters and series. I do hope we get to see everyone at the tattoo shop find someone or maybe more than one??? Just putting that out into the universe.

This town is my new home and I think everyone should take the time and chance at visiting it. You never know you may find your own HEA in these books.

[Kalexreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this world and the characters in it! Effie and Dallan have been tiptoeing around each other in their “business relationship” for many years. They finally admit their feelings for each other, then have to deal with magical issues with their town and the mayor. Love the spice and they’re happily ever after.

[Susanna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so good!
I recieved an ARC for my honest review. You would be remiss in not reading the previous book Dragonfly. You don't have to, but it helps understand what's going on in this book. Loved Dallan, he was so very patient with Daphne and her emotional trauma. That ending was not quite what I expected. Cannot wait for the next book in this series!

[Wendy Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bombshell by Calliope Stewart is the second in the Monstrous Ink series. I enjoyed watching Effie and Dallan figuring themselves out. They already have a relationship at the start of the book - but Effie is a stubborn one. I loved Dallan. He just wants his soulmate. The magic in the world is cool. Looking forward to more in this world.

[Jadenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, i had a hard time of starting to read this book AT FIRST but when I was fully comprehending of what was happening in every chapter; i started to liking it. The romance (the tentacles *ehem*) and angst (got frustrated when the FMC didn't recognize the MMC as her mate yet) was balanced as well. The plot was never forgotten and that was what I loved about the writing of this book. A four star read for me. 👏

[Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great continuation to the series! The characters are unique and have distinct abilities and personalities. I enjoyed watching Effie and Dallan figuring themselves out. was sweet and spicy, funny, filled with pining a bit of mystery and all the other worldly goodness you want from a monster romance.

[Aimee C Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book in the series and I really liked Effie and Dallan. I was hoping for this story and it did not disappoint! There was so much going on and the chemistry was off the charts! Effie had never felt like she belonged but Dallan changed that. Really good story and i can't wait for the next one!

[Zoey Holbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know I needed a business with benefits book in my life till this.
So much drama happened, and lore drops galore in such a short book. I loved all the little twists and turns and the eventual dissipation of Effie's rules to keep it strictly business into a loving relationship willing to fight even magic itself.