750 pages never felt so short.
What It’s About
Demon’s Dream throws together two people who never planned on crossing paths or being stuck with each other. Demon Montana definitely lives up to his name. He’s hard, closed-off, and has rules carved into stone: no love, no intimacy, no feelings. Basically, keep it cold and keep it simple.
Then there’s Dream Castle (yes, her name is literally Dream, which I kinda love). She’s bold, quick on her feet, and the kind of girl who’s always trying to hold her family together, even when it’s falling apart.
When her brother makes a very bad deal with the wrong crowd, Dream ends up being the “payment.” Thirty days. That’s the deal. Thirty days to belong to Demon. She’s supposed to just follow the rules, keep her head down, and survive the month. Easy, right?
Except not so much. Because once she gets close enough to see past Demon’s icy walls and those sharp green eyes, she realizes he’s not just a monster. There’s more under the surface. And when cracks start to show, suddenly thirty days doesn’t feel like a contract. It feels like the start of something neither of them expected.
My Take
This book was 750 pages of pure enjoyment. My mom actually told me to read it, and I’ll admit I was a little nervous at first because of the length. But once I started, I couldn’t stop. Normally with books this long you feel the weight of every page, but with this one I blinked and suddenly I was on page 300.
Another thing I loved was the humor woven throughout. If I wasn’t giggling at Smoke’s casual “come here,” I was laughing at Demon’s son stealing the scene.
And although the description focuses mainly on Dream, the story also gives us her sister Dayana and Smoke’s journey. Their love story is just as wild, emotional, and beautifully messy as Demon and Dream’s.
Elle Kayson, you really did your big one with this book.
Rating
Buy it or shelve it? Definite buy. I loved this book through and through with zero complaints.
Plot: 5/5
There was never a dull moment. If it wasn’t Demon’s unpredictable ways, it was Smoke’s hilarious and sharp-tongued personality keeping me entertained.
Writing: 5/5
Any author who can write a book this long and make it feel short deserves all the praise. The pacing was excellent, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. I especially loved the male perspective of Smoke as a widower. Watching him struggle with the idea of letting another woman into his life felt real and honest. It wasn’t just an instant “these are my kids and now you’re their mom” situation.
Characters: 5/5
The growth in this book was so satisfying. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still all a little crazy, but Demon learns to feel more than just rage and hatred, while Smoke finally opens himself up to love again.
Spice: 5/5
It wasn’t as spicy as some of the other books I’ve read, but when the spice did happen, it was perfect. The connection between the characters made every scene worth it.
Final Take
Overall, this book was long but so worth it. Don’t let the length scare you—once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it down until you’re finished.
I can’t wait to read more from Elle Kayson.