I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, but it quickly took me by surprise! Holy Smoke is extremely well written! The attention to detail, no matter how small, is so appreciated! This book is witty, thrilling, and steamy! I found myself giggling in every chapter!
I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Jovi and Rogan. The book is packed with action, and the world-building is detailed without being overly confusing, which was a nice touch. It has more plot depth than many spicy romance novels, which I appreciated. Jovi, the main character, stood out to me the most—she's strong yet insecure, spicy yet sweet, cunning yet not too evil. I really liked how she was written.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I enjoyed Holy Smoke by Gin Griffith a lot. It was a supernatural romance that kept my interest from the start of reading. I am excited that it is the start of a series! The characters were well written and the story had a flow to it that did not overwhelm my brain as I was reading! Definite recommendation!

3 stars

I had fun reading this supernatural romance with all kinds of creatures, powers and secrets. It follows Jovie, who is a demon and Rogan, who is a human. I really liked the world, modern day with advanced technology mixed with the incredible abilities and strengths and with a very interesting plot. I found it engaging and kept my interest. I do wish there were more details and descriptions having to do with abilities, society and the different supernatural's. Jovie was unique, loved her style, and she had such mystery surrounding her. The chemistry between them was not really there for me, Rogan was very stiff and ridged on a lot of things, so it did not always work for me. I found Rogan’s teammates on the force extremely interesting, their dynamic and teamwork was so synced. I hope we got more from their perspective and back story. I did have a pretty fun time reading this, I was not surprised by a lot and the romance was only ok, so I rated it 3 stars. It was good, but there were a couple of points that did not work for me, I wanted more from the plot in some areas.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

3.5 ⭐️

Holy Smoke is a paranormal forbidden romance between a demon and a human who is supposed to kill her kind.

I really enjoyed the plot and am very intrigued to see what happens in the next book. I think the beginning of the book has a slow start but when the action begins, the story starts having a fast pace. It was interesting to learn about the world and species that surrounds this story since this is a new genre that I am reading. I recommend this story to anyone who is just starting to read these types of books and just wants to have some fun.

Jovi was a very interesting character since the beginning and even though she has a very childlike personality, I still really liked her. I love her IDGAF attitude and that she eats candy like if it were oxygen. How she challenges Rogan at every step is very entertaining and I am very excited to see their relationship strengthen in the next book.

Rogan is a character many can connect to since I think we have all felt at a point like him and I am very happy he met Jovi. I loved seeing him get frustrated by the pinked hair demon and how he changed his way of viewing the world.

I am very thankful that I was provided with an ARC of the story because I can say that this is a very enjoyable book and I am very excited to see where the storyline goes.

This was such an amazing book! I feel this book is the perfect start to a series. I was well written and it was easy to fall in love with almost all the characters. Jovi is a baddie and Rogan is something else entirely. I cannot wait to see what their next chapter brings!

The story follows the journey of Jovi, a cunning succubus, and Nash Rogan, a stoic demon hunter. Their relationship is tumultuous yet forms the heart of the story. Their journey is full of danger and unexpected alliances, making it a rollercoaster of intense emotions. Griffith's storytelling is good, with vivid characterizations and a seamless blend of romance and fantasy. The book's pace is fast and kept me on the edge of my seat, making it a truly immersive read. Despite the complexity of its subplots, This book has an engaging plot and dynamic protagonist duo, making it a promising start to the series.

I struggled to get into the book. I'm someone who enjoys world-building, and who enjoys the why's and how's with the who's.

I couldn't tell you if this book is set in a different type of realm, I couldn't tell you if the book was set in a smaller town versus a big city. I could tell you about the characters (kind of).

The writing at times seems immature. I cringed every second to third chapter.

IN SAYING THAT - it was decent when the writing wasn't juvenile. For me, it just wasn't captivating enough to hold my attention.

I think I would have liked this book if I was younger; early twenties.

DNFed @ 20%

This book unfolds as a dynamic fantasy saga, characterized by a whirlwind of fast-paced narratives interwoven with diverse subplots. While the narrative depth is commendable, the plethora of subplots occasionally creates a sense of complexity, warranting a more meticulous narrative structure for enhanced cohesion. The romantic facets, though passable, reveal characters with a touch of immaturity, leaving uncertainty about potential age differentials. The intimate moments, whether due to their execution or visual portrayal, exude an intriguing yet slightly peculiar quality. Overall, the debut book showcases promise, and a nuanced focus on plot refinement could catapult future installments into a realm of compelling storytelling.

Holy Smoke was definitely a bit different from anything I’ve read before, with the various shifters, mages, demons, angels, etc. it took me a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. The characters were well-developed, the side characters were great, there was enough angst and danger to keep things interesting, and the steam was good! I didn’t pay attention to whether this is a series or not, but I hope it is and we see more of the DE group in future books.

I received an advance review copy of Holy Smoke for free from NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In the realm of paranormal romance, Gin Griffith's "Holy Smoke" ignites a captivating tale of forbidden love and supernatural intrigue. The story revolves around Jovi, a succubus fleeing from her past, and Nash Rogan, a demon hunter sworn to protect humanity from the forces of darkness. Their paths collide in a clash of passion and danger, as Jovi's irresistible allure challenges Rogan's resolve to remain aloof from the temptations of the underworld. Griffith's writing style is both sensual and suspenseful, weaving a web of desire and danger that keeps readers enthralled from the first page. The characters are vividly drawn, with Jovi's fiery spirit and Nash's brooding intensity creating an electric chemistry that sizzles throughout the narrative. The supporting cast, including Jovi's fellow succubus, Lily, and Rogan's enigmatic mentor, Elijah, adds depth and intrigue to the story. One of the strengths of "Holy Smoke" is Griffith's ability to blend humor and heart into the narrative. The banter between Jovi and Rogan is witty and often laugh-out-loud funny, providing a much-needed reprieve from the darker elements of the plot. However, Griffith does not shy away from exploring the emotional complexities of her characters, delving into their fears, insecurities, and past traumas. The result is a story that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The supernatural world that Griffith creates is rich and imaginative, filled with demons, angels, succubi, and other paranormal beings. The author does an excellent job of balancing the fantastical elements of the story with the relatable emotions and struggles of her characters. The result is a world that feels both fantastical and grounded in reality. Overall, "Holy Smoke" is a gripping and entertaining paranormal romance that will appeal to fans of the genre. Griffith's skillful storytelling, memorable characters, and steamy romance make this book a must-read for those who enjoy a good love story with a supernatural twist.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harbor Lane Books for the review copy. I went into this book with no expectations and wanting to try something different. I really enjoyed my time with this story. It was funny and thrilling with a kick ass FMC and a very protective hero. I would definitely read more in the series.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, but it was a good read! Very fast once I got going, though there were a lot of subplots that made it a little hard to keep track of. Overall still an enjoyable read, and I'll be interested to see what the author writes next!

I really liked that book, it was an exciting reading experience, good story, good characters and great spice, i can really recommend it.

Holy Smoke - Gin Griffith
Trope/Genre - romance, fantasy, opposites, close proximity
Trigger Warnings ⚠️ - language, gore, fight scenes, smut

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What happens when a half demon hybrid falls in love with a demon hunter? A lot of fighting, love scenes, and sweets. Jovi has been trying to live peacefully away from her overbearing mother for years and it's a miracle she hasn't landed herself in any serious trouble. Until she meets Rogan, a MLE demon hunter, leader and the only human in his team. They both see something go down and is then forced into witness protection together, but problem is they both don't know who Jovi really is.

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The suspense and the thrills of this book makes me want to never put it down. The action was one thing right after another and the tension between the two characters was hot.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harbour Lane Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

For a first novel this was a good story. The concept, themes and tropes were great.

Unfortunately, the writing style for me came across quite juvenile and read more YA than adult. In addition, the spicy scenes just didn't flow for me.

There seemed to be a lot of plot jumping with side plots which made the story feel a bit all over the place.

I think with future attention to these sorts of issues the next books could be fantastic.

This book was absolutely delightful. I love both the female and male characters. She was perfectly bubbling and badass, and he was perfectly moody and macho and possessive. The stream and spice were just perfect. The side characters were fanstatic. The storyline with the futuristic aspects had me enthralled, and I can't wait to see what is coming next from this series.

Holy smoke was quick paced fantasy whirlwind of a story. I found that there were a lot of mini subplots happening that weren’t necessarily related to each other which was a bit overwhelming at times. There was the mafia plot, the fallen angel, Jovi’s mom and the romance plot. I would have liked it to be thought through a little more so it flowed better. The romance was okay. The characters seemed pretty juvenile. I’m not sure if there was an age gap between them but it felt like it. The spicy scenes were kinda awkward to me. Not sure if it was because how they happened or that visually they seemed a little odd. Overall, it’s a decent 1st book but I think with a little more clarity on the plot future books could be really good!

“You are pain. You are agony. You are the anguish of desire. You are the flames of retribution. That is what you are.”

“Holy Smoke” by Gin Griffith is a fantasy romance about Jovi and Rogan. Jovi, a demon, is trying to stay under the radar while looking for her father, all until she runs into Rogan. Rogan, a human in the special forces to hunt demons, is tasked with keeping Jovi alive even though demon creatures keep showing up mysteriously. Their attraction to each other is palpable but dangerous.

I did not get bored the entire book it was so good. I loved the grumpy/sunshine trope going to with Jovi and Rogan. A ton of action happens in the book and the world building is descriptive but not too overly confusing which was nice. It has more plot than a lot of spicy romance books so that is great. I liked the main character Jovi most of all, she’s strong but insecure, spicy yet sweet, cunning yet not too evil, I just liked how she was written a lot. I gave the book a 4 out of 5 stars, really good.

-Demons, Shifters, Angels
-Demon Hunter’s
-Strong FMC
-Enemies to Lovers
-Forced Proximity
-Grumpy vs Sunshine

Holy Smokes is right. Jesus this had me clutching my pearls. An insane dark romance that will defiantly make your heart race.