Thank you so much Hachette Australia, Hodderscape and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this spectacular book, which is currently one of the few books I’ve rated five stars this year for! This is a MASSIVE review, so prepare for some reading!

If you are a lover of tropes such as;

-Forced Proximity
-Grump x Sunshine
-Only One Bed
-Coffee Shop Romance
-Murder Mystery
-Morally Grey MC’s

Please, please put this on your TBR immediately!

This story is a Dual Point of View following Kim Hani and Seokga the Fallen Trickster God, as they embark on a mission to track down a Demon responsible for a series of murder mysteries in Korea that threaten the mortal world's existence. Both characters are driven by significant motives; Seokga, exiled from the heavenly kingdom by his brother following a failed Coup, now resides in the mortal realm striving for redemption by pursuing the same demons he once conspired with to overthrow his brother. Kim Hani, formerly known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, is the primary reason why the Gumiho are disgraced and prohibited from consuming men's livers and souls. She is determined to safeguard her past secrets, even if it means assisting the trickster god and leading him off the Scarlet Fox's path.

I am obsessed with the fact that we get TWO morally grey main characters in this story. Their questionable decisions added depth to the plot, and I found myself engrossed in their interactions with one another. The witty exchanges between them had me chuckling, and the natural progression of tension between them was captivating. Despite their contrasting personalities, both characters are strong-willed, intelligent, and focused on their individual objectives. Kim Hani and Seokga were enemies before this book takes place, something that is explained and bought up throughout the story (something that is rarely done, and I GREATLY appreciate it when it is!). This is possibly my favourite Grumpy x Sunshine pairing of all time and it’s going to take a LOT to beat in the future. I also love that we get some great side-characters who all had their own stories and personalities.

I've never delved into Korean Mythology or Lore before, but I found it fascinating to explore and research while reading this book to help me better understand and picture the story in my head. The perfect balance of information kept me engaged without overwhelming me, even with no prior knowledge. The lore and mythology was the basis in the world-building, creating a magical fusion with 1990's Korea that held my attention throughout the entire storyline.

The Storyline. Honestly, I was completely taken aback by the ending. It's rare for me to go from laughing at character interactions on one page to feeling utterly shocked by an ending, as was the case with this book. The real villain caught me off guard, and the writing skilfully maintained a sense of mystery and suspicion around many secondary characters. The depth of character development with Kim Hani and Seokga the Fallen truly enriched the overall plot, especially considering the story unfolds over just two weeks.

I’ve read that this book was inspired by K-Dramas, thus, some elements (such as the writing and dialogue) might draw comparisons to Young Adult Fantasy rather than Adult Fantasy. And yes, we get some spicy scenes between our MC's.

I am restlessly praying to the bookish gods, as well as to you, Sophie Kim, to please consider turning this into a series! Ever since I finished reading it, I can't get this book out of my mind, and I crave any scrap you’re willing to give me!