I’m going to be honest – I struggled to write this review.

While reading “Under the Bed” by Rose Chase, I was conflicted. I did receive this book as an ARC, and I find it immensely important to be honest, but also only provide constructive criticism – and to follow through on what you’ve agreed to.

Let me start with what “Under the Bed” is about. You know that irrational fear we all had as children about there being a monster under the bed? This is that fear come to life, and turned into an enemies to lovers smutty romance novella. Honestly, it’s brilliant. I love this premise – it’s fun and dark and twisty, and that’s basically half my personality.

Stella, a boudoir photographer, just bought her first home that she hopes to also use as her in-home portrait studio. (I instantly connected here because I manage a boudoir portrait studio – seriously, this book called to me). Kastoron (affectionately called “Kassie” and “Kas”) is the demon who lives under her bed. He was tethered to Stella’s house by a spell a witch cast many years previous. The book starts with Stella moving into the house, and Kas being a general asshole. Very typical demon.

Stella girl has WAY more patience and forgiveness in her body than I do. She grows to ignore the demon’s obnoxiousness, and even develops a fondness for him. And let’s be real, for a demon, Kas is basically the nicest of them all – my favorite thing about him is that his whole personality is “yeah, I’m a demon from hell, but I’m not a monster. Consent is important….mostly.” And it’s honestly hilarious.

I did not expect this story to have a few laugh out loud funny moments. And this quote about soulmates – “your life won’t feel right or completely whole until you two end up together. Yeah, divine intervention plays into the feelings of passion and desire a little, but soulmates are also literally made for each other. Personality wise, hobbies, dislikes, habits, every little thing, they are tailored to each other to be the perfect pair.” UGH. *swooooon*.

The whole book did feel very disjointed from one spicy section to the next. I missed a lot of the story that lead from one scene to another because it just didn’t exist. Granted, this was a novella – it only took me about an hour and a half to read – but I’m a story-driven person. I want to know every detail, and I felt this lacked a lot in the plot department.

HOWEVER, the spicy scenes? WOOOOO, child. It was hellfire level hot. These were so well done – they weren’t dragged out, or the same thing over and over. And the use of shadow arms had me day dreaming about a demon (or Jason Asano from He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon aka Travis Deverell – more on that series coming soon).

TLDR: “Under the Bed” was a super fun adaptation of the monster under the bed nightmare/fantasy, where Stella buys a new house where a demon just happens to be tethered. While I found the general story a little lacking in the plot development department, I enjoyed this novella and couldn’t put it down. The spicy scenes were just the right level of spicy, and had me daydreaming about demons with shadow arms. Kastaron’s different take on a demon with morals made for a swoon worthy dark romance.