This was a fun book, spice free (for those that love the spice). This was a rom-com with monsters. A fun quick read, especially for those times when you're in a slump or need to cleanse your reading palate. This was a "new to me" author and I enjoyed the book.

If you are looking for a funny, lighthearted monster romance with a lot of action and a really good plot, this is it. A. L. Brody introduces us to the world of Darla the Duchess of Death in a way that will keep readers not only chuckling the whole time, but full on laughing for most of the book. A book full of antics, coming into one’s own with the right amount of romance and death, Dating and Dismemberment was a pleasant surprise in all its facets.

I am not normally a fan of monster romance since it can get uncomfortably weird, but Dating and Dismemberment was just the right amount of weird in a not cutesy way that made it really good. Brody kept me wanting more the whole time, and the banter was bantering between our two main characters. Not only that but the world building was exceptional, and even from the start I was laughing. If you are looking for a fun read, I highly recommend picking this one up, and if your name is Kyle, well, I’m sorry for your future. Overall was a great fall read, with great writing, a unique world, and I can’t wait for book 2!

I read this one in a group and I'm so glad that I did. This book is a hilarious and darkly entertaining take on the dating scene, blending humor with some unexpected twists. The characters are quirky and relatable, making it easy to get invested in their wild adventures.

Our group had a blast discussing the outrageous scenarios and clever writing. The mix of romance and suspense kept us on our toes, and we found ourselves laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all. We could totally see this as a movie—imagine the comedic timing and the over-the-top moments brought to life on screen! Overall, it was a fantastic read that sparked lively conversations and left us all wanting more. If you’re looking for something fun and unique, this book is definitely worth picking up!

Smiled the whole time. A light-spice rom-com, campy and a heavy hand of monster humor. I want to be a monster in this world, it sounds like a delight.

What a fun and hilarious Monster Romance. This was not exactly what I was expecting from reading some of the other monster romances on the market. But I ended up liking this better than majority of the ones I’ve read before this can be considered more of a close door romance and therefore a wider appeal for book lovers if they want to step into the monster romance genre. There were so many laugh out loud situations and quotes. This is a great way to spend a weekend and forget about the seriousness of every day life right now.

One of the best romance books I’ve read all year!!!!!!!

Dating and Dismemberment is a cute monster rom-com, we are following Darla Drake also known as The Duchess of Death who haunts the wood of Camp Clear Creek and Jarko Murkvale who is a handsome tentacled monster who has come to take claim of her land.

I’d seen the author post about this book on TikTok and I was hesitant on reading it but when I got the ARC I was so excited.

Just a warning for all you smut lovers, this is not that. More so a closed door romance. However do not let this steer you away.

This book is more for me than make me swoon for the love interest and giggle. The relationship between Darla and her mothers head( yes I said her mothers head, mother is dismembered lol) but this relationship was so heartwarming and healing for me as someone who doesn’t have a relationship with her mother.

I will be chasing the high I got from this book for a while


Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

It was so funny and heartwarming and full of dismemberments.

I was hooked on this book from the content warning and on - lol - it’s not what you think (but be warned…bad things happen to characters named Kyle.) This is a unique twist on a feel good story I haven’t seen before. I definitely got vintage horror movie vibes throughout the book.

“Everyone needs pockets”

The characters are quirky and endearing and I quickly found myself rooting for Darla (The Duchess of Death.) The banter between Darla and Jarko and the other characters was so good!

✨What to Expect:
💜Monster/Paranormal Romance
💖Romantic Comedy
❤️‍🔥Enemies to Lovers
🔥Opposites Attract
🚫Forbidden
💋Strong FMC
☠️Touch Her & 💀
😂Hilarious Banter
🔪Cozy Dismemberment
🖤Fade to Black Spice

I'm kind of sad this is over. I thought this was a great ending to this series. Alex has definitely been on a journey throughout this series, so seeing everything come together at the end was a little bitter sweet. Things were revealed. Loose ends were tied up. And the romance was more permeant (although I wish it would have gone a different way). Overall, this was a really good book. I enjoyed listening to this entire series on audio. I will be reading more by this author because I really enjoyed this book and series.

Dating & Dismemberment was such a cute, cozy and fun monster rom-com. Heavy on the com. This book had me laughing from start to finish. I loved it!

I loved Darla and Jarko together. The banter and insults between them had me cackling 🤣
These are monsters we’re talking about so there’s quite a bit of gore but it was done in such a humorous way.

Darla and Jarko both prefer to hunt humans who hurt others and I liked how this new generation of monsters has a bit of a moral code. Their hunting scenes were some of my favorites.
Another thing I really enjoyed were all the parallels to real (human) life. From generational differences to figuring out who you really are and what you want out of life, there’s so much we can relate to.

I can’t wait for the next book!

What a read!

Monster Romance is not a genre I had previously thought I would like, but Dating & Dismemberment really caught my interest. I'm glad I decided to indulge myself because I CANNOT WAIT for book 2!

The Duchess of Death has lost her interest and passion for hunting. Something every monster in her family has excelled at for years. After taking a sabbatical from the hunt in an attempt to find herself, she meets Jarko. Jarko is everything Darla isn't. He lives for chaos and cooking, but wants to take her territory over.

How could she ever like him? Well, you'll have to read the book and find out.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the free book.

I never thought I’d be smiling so much during a creepy monster story, but Dating and Dismemberment was delightful.

Darla is the Duchess of Death and haunts the camp near her forest, when she develops some ennui, feeling bored with hunting humans. After a sabbatical, a new monster is in town to take over her campgrounds, and suddenly she’s not so bored after all.

Filled with monstery puns, a baby monster that would chew your limbs off, a severed head that complains about the TV shows on, and cute romantic tension, Dating and Dismemberment was a perfect RomCom for the spooky season. It was like a creepy version of a Hallmark movie and I couldn’t stop reading. I loved Darla and Jarko together and seeing them both progress and grow.

An adorable and entertaining story, I’m so ready for the next in the series!

Sure, here’s a more personal take:

Dating & Dismemberment has been a fantastic read. I went into it curious, but it turned out to be one of those books that really surprises you in the best way. I loved how the story threw in bizarre monster elements without losing its heart or humor—it’s a rare balance, and Daria Vernon absolutely nails it. There were parts that genuinely made me laugh out loud and others that were so unexpectedly weird I had to pause just to appreciate how well it worked. The romance wasn’t just tacked on, either; it had a real spark, even amidst all the quirky horror. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves their romance with a dash of the dark and unusual!

I was given this book by Entangled as part of their read along. I am so grateful I could be chosen for this as I have been eyeing this book!

I am sad to say I didn't make it past 10%. I really didn't like the writing style of the author and I was pretty bored. I tried a few times to pick it up and get caught up with the rest of the group but I just couldn't get into it.

Thank you again for choosing me and gifting me this copy... I wish it had worked out!

First of all to the Kyle’s of the world, quit being such dicks. 🤣 IYKYK.

I give this rating 5 stars because of the originality of the story. The diverse monster characters, it being a monster rom-com. My laughing my ass off just at the content warnings. 2 belle peppers because where there is some spice it’s very very mild, innuendos but for the most part closed door IMO.

I will say the word traverse in every conjunction of the word did get to me after awhile. But alas it was different and not ordinary like the book! 🙃

Darla, Duchess of Death loves to hunt assholes all probably names Kyle. She is meticulous in her hunt, but one day she stops to wonder if there is more to life. More than dealing with the head of Delores and the Kyle’s of the world.

Enter:

Jarko. The tentacle, space invading monster. Thrives on chaos. Wants solitude and an escape.

A great story of loosing yourself, finding yourself, hunting humans named Kyle for fun (cuz they are usually named Kyle 😉), healing, and budding romance.

Thanks for another great read along @entangled_publishing

What a fun read & a unique story!!

I love quirky books and this one absolutely fits the bill. If you’re a fan of monsters and creatures and romcoms, this is the perfect combo- and I happen to love both. 🥰🫶

The story follows Darla, a monster whose scare territory is a primarily a summer camp, where she takes pleasure in terrorizing bullies, misogynists & annoying picking on the kids attending the camp. When she starts to feel like her like is just the same thing day in and day out, she takes a break and ends up with a new monster encroaching on her space.

But this new monster is handsome, fun & chaotic…and is not willing to leave without putting up a fight.

What I loved most was the world created here- the unique monsters and all of their skills and quirks, the family dynamics between her and her mother & the whole tone of the story was just hilarious and sweet.

If you like books like Princess Bride & Assistant to the Villain with that tongue in cheek humor and camp sprinkled with romance, then you will absolutely love this book!!

[side note- the word traverse and all of its variations did trip me up for awhile in the story because it’s used very often, but once it was made clear that this word was to describe a specific action the character did & not just a synonym for her moving around, it clicked for me]


Thank you to Entangled for this book to review & for hosting such a fun read along!! :)

3.75 ⭐️

This was the perfect scary season read for someone who hates all things scary. I wasn’t sure going in how much I would like it because how much ‘com’ can you really put in a monster romcom? Turns out, the answer is a lot; I was laughing through the whole book! One-liners about guilt trips from your decapitated mom, how different monsters manage to find the right *holes* with each other, and digs at the way new moms are treated with subpar healthcare and no time off work? Count me in.

Beyond the humor though, I really loved the parallels to human life, finding your family, wanting to be independent, choosing your own path, and falling in love. Oh, and also all the shitty people of the world getting dangled from trees and chopped into small pieces, as they so deserved. Sorry to everyone named Kyle, you were really trashed in this book lol.

Darla and Jarko were a really cute couple, always challenging and pushing each other to get outside their comfort zones. Also, Jarko could cook, and that’s an instant win in boyfriend land. I was hoping to find out what other body parts Jarko had that were extendable, but maybe that’ll happen in book 2 since this one was totally fade to black.

If you’re looking for a monster book that won’t have you sleeping with the lights on, look no further!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I had a blast talking about it during the Entangled Insiders readalong!

A fun book for spooky season. Enjoyed the monster take on romance with Darla and
Jarko. I enjoyed the setting of the book at Camp Clear Creek. I can't wait for the 2nd book to come out.

A monster rom-com that follows Darla and Jarko. Their paths cross in the most unexpected way, leading to a serious of hilarious and chaotic events.
This book was absolutely amazing in every way. The humor added so much to the serious moments. The characters were done so well, you could relate to them, even though they're monsters. The settings were also nicely done. I really enjoyed seeing monsters with morals.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

Huge thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing me a final copy of Dating & Dismemberment for their read along.

I thought I knew what I was getting into after reading this blurb but it's truly a romcom between two monsters, heavy on the comedy and I loved it. I read this over the course of several plane rides and found myself laughing out loud (much to my embarrassment). I love this book because the characters are true monsters and not cute cleaned up versions to appeal to the masses. And not one monster you meet is the same.

I definitely saw a lot of myself in Darla, the FMC. Being lost with her career and the tough relationship with her mom. I also loved how confident she was in many aspects of her life. (Spoiler) Especially when she asked Jarko to stay and not move away. She knew exactly what she wanted and didn't hesitate one moment in the conversation. It was a refreshing change of pace.

All of the characters felt like they were built really well including the side characters. We got generous descriptions of each monster as well as emotional/personal back stories. If baby Manti isn't in the next book I will riot because I have to know how she grows up.

I def recommend this book as a comedic palette cleanser! The romance is really cute (closed door) and the concept is new and refreshing! 4 stars!

Just finished the Entangled Insiders read-long of Dating & Dismemberment by A.L Brody This book was such a good cozy time.
🧌Arc Review🧌
Dating & Dismemberment
A.L. Brody
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🚫
Darla is a monster who is in a slump and decides to take a break from the hunt, little does she know in the time of her sabbatical her territory has been requested by a new monster Jarko Murkvale, the sweet and endearing love story that blossoms was a treat. I am excited for the next book to see how their story and love continues to grow and develop.
I am not typically a person who picks romance books written by men, because welllllll we all know why, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised this was NOT one of those stories Darla is a bad🚨🔨🌶️ and she knows it. A. L Brody (@jasonpinter )will now be added to the list of male authors who I will read a romance from, he’s the only one on it but maybe one day we will get more added.

As always I would like to thank @netgalley, @entangledpublishing & @amara for my e-arc of this title in exchange for my honest review.