Cover Image: Demon on the Down-Low

Demon on the Down-Low

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Hamish Mulherne is a kangaroo shifter who also plays drums in the super popular band Hunter's Moon, but he's been not-so-secretly in love with the band's bass player, Tiff, for four decades and she's finally settling down...with sibling jaguar shifters. Instead of pining, Hamish is contacting Supernatural Selection to find his perfect match--for a date to an impending wedding, and probably for a marriage himself.

Zeke Oz is a low-level minion demon who is the single applicant for the Sheol work-release program. The Supe council had been leaning on the Host for some reforms in Hell, and this was the compromise. Zeke doesn't know why more demons didn't escape to the Upper World when he did, but he's relishing this freedom even if it's not a perfect situation. He has an Angel Interface observer monitoring him from within a glowing cylinder that hovers in close proximity at all times. And, he's barely paid enough to afford a little bit of human food from time to time. Well, he makes enough in wages, but he has to turn over most of that to his demon overlord, Melchom. The Supernatural Selection spells have all been taken offline, however, due to some match irregularities, leaving Zeke at loose ends. It's a big surprise when Hamish arrives for his matching appointment.

Hamish isn't picky about his lovers, which is a big problem for Zeke. Zeke has been ordered to make Hamish happy, and Hamish won't engage in the process. If Hamish isn't satisfied, though, Zeke will lose his job and have to return to Sheol. He makes a couple promising matches for dates, but they both turn out disasters for different reasons--and that's when Hamish realizes that Zeke being nearby REALLY makes him happy. But Zeke has been a demon slave his whole existence, and Hamish doesn't want to force him into a different kind of servitude. With a little luck, and some pre-concert champagne, these two make the most unlikely of connections.

This is the third book in the Supernatural Selection series, and sports the return of all five couples from this series and the linked Fae Out of Water books. It's a culmination of paranormal power, which is lucky for Zeke as he has some close-to-home attacks to weather, as well as the heart-tearing decision of whether to collect Hamish's soul--on Melchom's orders. The end is pure Orpheus, with a dash of sassy drummer and a splash of demon in transition. The biggest enemy was in plain sight the whole time, and I liked how we knew that, without knowing the full extent of it until the climax. In the end, this is such a fun world, with such loving and lovable characters that I was sad to see it brought to a close...

Imagine my delight when I learned there is a NEW book coming out this week! Look forward to a review in the coming days.

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It's not everyday you read about a low level demon matchmaker and a kangaroo shifter rock star! This was a fun paranormal escape read, with delightful characters and an interesting plot. Zeke, the demon matchmaker (or as it turns out, mismatchmaker, though there are forces at play that were wreaking havoc on his plans) has one last client, Hamish the drummer for Hunter's Moon, who got into the matchmaking website before it was closed down. Tasked with making him happy, in his quest to get Hamish a date, it turns out that the perfect partner is in reality Zeke himself. But there are some interfering supernaturals who try to get in the way of their HEA so it takes some ingenuity and persistence to achieve it. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding around the Heaven/Hell/Angels/Demons philosophies and it was great to see previous series characters in cameo appearances. A wedding, a paintball fight, trips to the Faerie world and the Underworld - it all adds up to a funny, sexy, sweet and unique romance for a couple who deserve their happy ending.

Review has been posted at Amazon, BN, Kobo and Goodreads.

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4.5 - 5 Demon on the Down-Low was the perfect ending to a series I really didn't want to end. Even so, I'm really happy that both Zeke and Hamish go the HEA they deserved. ;)

I’ve lost count of how many series finales I’ve read in the past few months. *sigh* It’s always sad to say good-bye, but I’ve loved the Supernatural Selection series and I’ve also loved Zeke since he was first introduced in Single White Incubus. If the series had to end, Demon on the Down-Low was the perfect way to wrap it up… even though I wasn’t really ready.

I’ve said before that I’m a huge fan of E.J. Russell, but my absolute favorite characters are her quirky ones. The characters that make me giggle and fall in love with them, just for being who they are. This series was full of them and Zeke was one of my favorites. Hamish and Zeke together were adorable. The other thing I loved about this series was getting to see characters from the Fae Out of Water series. They jumped in to help “save the day” on more than one occasion.

There was a bit more intrigue in Demon on the Down-Low, mainly because readers (and the characters) finally discovered who the “bad guy” was in Supernatural Selection. It wasn’t exactly who I expected, but I wasn’t surprised either. The wrap-up actually involved the characters from the previous books in this series, as well as the characters from Fae Out of Water, so it was like a big homecoming 😉 I loved every minute of it. Since Hamish was first introduced in the Fae Out of Water series, it’s the perfect excuse to start a re-read from the beginning with Cutie and the Beast (one of my favorites from that series.) Actually, it doesn’t take much to convince me to re-read a series I loved the first time around. 😉

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The Supernatural Selection series is just plain fun to read! All of the characters are quirky in their own ways and I enjoyed seeing past characters make an appearance. Hamish and Zeke were perfect for each other. Fingers crossed this isn't the end of the series!

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Gosh I was anxiously waiting for this book because I just knew it was going to be great! And it was!! I loved Demon on the Down Low and the entire Supernatural Selection series! E.J. Russell has brought this interesting world of fae to life and I want to read more!!

Hamish is a kangaroo shifter and drummer for the wildly popular Hunter's Moon. He has unrequited love for the band's bassist, but she's just gotten married to twins. He is flapping in the breeze and doesn't quite know what to do with himself. Not ready for a pity party, he signs up with Supernatural Selection-a fae matchmaking dating service.

Zeke Oz is the demon in charge of Supernatural Selection through the Sheol work-release program. He thought it was going to be the best gig yet-only it has turned into one huge error after error! He's on notice and told point blank to find Hamish his perfect match or get fired, and sent back to Sheol. The bigger problem is all the matchmaking spells are out of commission and Hamish isn't exactly helping. Zeke is forced to use his wits to match Hamish with his best possible match.

Hamish is bummed that date after date go southward. He really is interested in Zeke anyway. How can he get the demon to go out with him? And then there's the awful rules and bullying AI to contend with! Geez that AI has been a real piece of work throughout the series-grrr. I wanted to find out how this would all come out, so I was flipping those pages faster and faster!!

I loved these two together. I liked how Hamish turned Zeke's opinion of him around. He really is thoughtful and caring! Zeke is a loveable geek and whip-smart too! I knew he was being manipulated, but just not by who! Definitely a good mystery to unravel! I also enjoyed seeing all my favorite couples from this world and how they were getting along! Such a fun world to read! I hope we get more!!

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While I enjoyed both Zeke and Hamish and their love story, for some reason this last? in the series wasn't as good as the first two for me. I did like Russell's take on the Host and how their "lore" had become confused and obscured over the years (perhaps on purpose?), so that was fun. But there were so very many people from all her different series in this world that all the couples loving on each other raised the sweetness quotient of the book from "awww" to "Oh my God! I need insulin, stat!" on occasion. Is it worth reading? Yes. But be prepared for the occasional mountain of sugar or sugar alternative of your choice.

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So many times you read a series and the stories become either too predictable or they just don't pack the same punch as the first one. That didn't happen here. The Supernatural Selection series has firmly etched in my top 5 all time favorite series, with each book bringing a mix of sweet and slow-burn heat, lots of laughter and a growing cast of characters to love. The consistency of this world is flawless.

Zeke is in trouble. As a demon in the work release program, he's got so many rules and limitations, not to mention people controlling his every move, that any mistake could be a nightmare. And he thinks he's made two big ones (see books 1 and 2). Despite ending in awesome HEAs, the investigation into what went 'wrong' is ongoing and matching has been suspended at the agency.

Until Kangaroo shifter and rock drummer Hamish inexplicably manages to fill out the interest form (that was taken down) and get an appointment (when there aren't any. Hamish has been pining for the band's bassist and when she entered a poly relationship with siblings, he's given up on love. He shows up seeking a mate, but he's not picky. As long as they aren't a crazy groupie, he's open.

Everything about Zeke and Hamish is cute - from their meeting to the dawning realization that they might be the match. Glimpses of past couples, extended character storylines, and the awesome use of the word johnson, and this is another home run.

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By FAR my least favorite in the series.

I am vastly disappointed by Demon on the Down-Low because I really enjoyed the second in the series, Vampire with Benefits. And this one had SO much potential, but it really fell short for me.

I hate, hate, hate it when authors try to blend two different series, and I hated it here. I haven't read the entire Fae Out of Water series, but I could tell that this book tied in heavily with those books. There are a ton of characters thrown in and barely introduced, and I got the distinct sense that we were already supposed to know their entire backstory. Just NO. If I had read Bad Boy's Bard, that would have helped a ton, but I DIDN'T, and I hate that I felt like I had to in order to get the nuances of this story.

I struggled with how draggy this book was. It's a fairly long story, clocking in at 320 pages, and I had to really push myself to finish. I enjoyed the individual characters, but the side plots and the extensive dating ruse got old.

I also was bummed that we didn't get the perfect match thing from the first two books. I loved the opposites-attract angle of the first two stories in the series, and I felt like this one floundered a bit. I couldn't quite see the appeal between Hamish and Zeke, and it felt a bit like they were both just... well, desperate.

The plot was too muddled for me, and the relationship too weak. I'm bummed. Not the way I wanted to finish an otherwise very good series.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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Hamish is a kangaroo shifter and he is miserable. The woman he’s been in love with for years has found her own happy ever after. He needs a date to a wedding and since he’s had no luck on his own he engages a supernatural dating service. Where he meets Zeke, a demon and an abject failure at matchmaking.

As they start spending time together their attraction for each other becomes undeniable. Soon they are knee deep in love and trying to find their way out of the hole they’ve fallen into.

I really enjoyed this story. Zeke was such a clueless demon. Watching him learn about the human world was fun. His reactions to music, food, and sex was so sweet. He found such a good match in Hamish, after all, it’s not just any boyfriend who would literally go to hell to save you. Cute book.

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This book is my favorite in the Supernatural Selection series, mostly because I think Zeke the demon is kind of adorable.

Zeke’s a low-ranking demon who has been assigned to work at the supernatural dating agency as part of a work-release program for the infernal realm of Sheol. That’s how he meets Hamish, a kangaroo shifter who wants to find a significant other of his own after spending too many years pining after someone who isn’t interested in him. Because of problems with the agency’s matchmaking spells (detailed in the first two volumes in the series), they have been disabled, and Zeke is forced to try to matchmake for Hamish on his own. Zeke’s first attempts to match up Hamish don’t go so well. The more time Zeke and Hamish spend together, though, the more each recognizes that the other might just be perfect for them. But Zeke is a demon, and by nature they are aren’t creatures known for happy endings.

I absolutely loved Zeke. He believes that his demon status means that he doesn’t deserve good things, but he’s atypical for a demon in that he tries very hard to help others. Because of the terms of Zeke’s work-release program, his freedom to do anything in the human realm is very limited, but he’s so grateful for even little things after enduring the torments of Sheol. Once he starts accompanying Hamish outside the matchmaking agency, Zeke is so enthusiastic about everything he encounters that it’s just very sweet. I always root for the underdog, so watching Zeke blossom under Hamish’s attention and care was completely satisfying. The two of them are adorable together, too, heart eyes and all.

I liked other aspects of the novel as well. The author includes a riff on Orpheus and Eurydice; Hamish is a drummer in a band, and he gets a chance to use that skill to rescue Zeke from Sheol. The description of the relationship between angels and demons was inventive and perfectly sets up the end of the story. And if you’ve been reading the series and have been annoyed by the AI (Angel Interface), you’ll definitely be pleased by the outcome.

I do wish that I had read all the Fae Out of Water books before starting this one. Characters from that series as well as the Supernatural Selection romances appear in this novel, and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who at times.

If ever a story about a demon could be described as fluffy, it’s this one. I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a cute paranormal romance to read.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

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m/m
Demon on the Down-Low is a terrific addition to the Supernatural Selection series. This sweet tale answers a lot of questions from the earlier books. Zeke is a fabulous character and Hamish is a lucky drummer. I absolutely adored this story and recommend it heartily. This book can be read standalone but will be so much better if you’ve read Single White Incubus and Vampire with Benefits first.

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