Hannah Reynolds

Afake demon fiancé becomes inconveniently real when a scholarship student’s romantic dodge backfires spectacularly.

Eighteen-year-old Naomi bat Yardena, who presents white and Jewish, wants nothing more than to study cryptography at the prestigious Lyceum. But persistent suitors seeking access through her to her influential aunt inspire Naomi to tell an elaborate lie about being engaged to a demon. The ruse backfires when bronze-skinned Daziel, an actual demon, materializes in her dorm, show more insisting that their betrothal is real. As Naomi grapples with her spell-resistant supernatural lodger—who brings her croissants and uses his powers to improve her living space—the natural magic around the nation of Ena-Cinnai becomes dangerously unpredictable. Daziel’s domestic charm masks a hidden agenda, which might have something to do with the destabilizing disasters and the ancient scrolls Naomi is deciphering. The magic system is intertwined with letterform spellcasting and primordial beasts that govern natural forces. Naomi emerges as a pragmatic, driven hero, while Daziel’s initial deception gives way to genuine vulnerability. Their romance showcases genuine affection built on shared experiences, support, and easy banter. The secondary cast members, including Naomi’s cryptography cohort and dorm-mates, serve their narrative functions well, although some figures lack the depth their important roles warrant. Although the pacing occasionally stumbles under multiple subplots, the central mystery provides satisfying stakes beyond the romance. Jewish cultural and religious elements throughout the worldbuilding enrich the book.

A cozy fantasy that intertwines academic intrigue, magical peril, and slow-burn supernatural romance. (Fantasy. 14-18)

-Kirkus Review show less

Rising high school senior Abby, a white, Jewish resident of South Hadley, MA, wants to be a historian, and she's starting by digging into her family history. Abby is particularly interested in tracking down any information about her recently deceased grandmother Ruth, who she called O'ma, whose parents sent her to America from Germany by herself when she was only four years old; Ruth's parents were later killed in Auschwitz. When Abby reads some of O'ma's old love letters from someone called show more Edward, she tracks him down and decides to spend her summer on Nantucket, where he has a house, to see what she can find out. But Abby runs up against Edward's grandson, Noah Barbanel, who is fiercely protective of his family - and also, incidentally, very handsome. As Abby digs deeper into O'ma and Edward's history, she begins to fall for Noah, but will he ever put her ahead of his family? And the necklace Edward referred to in his letters - where is it now?

Abby is a thoroughly engaging, lively Gen Z character. She has a loving relationship with her parents; though her mom sometimes irritates her, she still thinks she's the best mom in the world. Her religion and culture is a part of her life, from Shabbat prayers to bagels and cream cheese. She is a little scared of falling in love for real, and Noah calls her on it. And she is an excellent and tenacious researcher.

Sydney Taylor YA Honor Book

Quotes

You couldn't long for something - lust for it - then feel hollow as soon as you achieved it.
Could you? (20)

"Isn't it selfish to do what I'm interested in if I could do something else and have a bigger impact?" (Noah to Abby, re: studying biodiversity vs. business, 101)

But how did we record everything accurately? How did we make sure to pass the knowledge from one generation to the next?
How did we decide what deserved to be remembered, and what forgotten? (190)

"I've never had adults dislike me. I hate it. Your grandmother thinks I'm awful." (301)

"It's about trust, Noah. And being honest."
"It would have upset you."
"Then upset me! I'd rather be upset than oblivious! (323)

"You have to be as nice to yourself as you'd be to a friend. That's what my therapist says." (Stella, 331)

I'd thought people grew up once they became adults, but maybe no one ever really grew up. Maybe people were always capable of being petty and cruel, even people with all the power in the world.
But maybe they were also capable of changing. (335) show less

Daziel is the quintessential YA love interest: annoying in the exact way that makes him crushable, mysterious without being broody, and that irresistible mix of arrogant and earnest that makes you wonder if he’s worth the emotional work… until he proves he absolutely is. He’s the guy who shows up when you feel alone, and that’s when you know you’re done for.

Naomi is the classic bookish girl: practical, a little grumpy, deeply ambitious, and quietly romantic beneath all her logic. show more Their dynamic feels authentically teen — awkward, sweet, full of chemistry, and grounded in the kind of emotional stakes that make sense for their age.

This is a solid YA read, and I appreciate that it stays firmly within its age lane. Younger readers can step into it comfortably, and older YA readers will still enjoy the charm. As a grown woman, I found the romance a bit light and wished the worldbuilding had gone deeper — but that’s my lens talking. Teen‑me would have devoured this, carried it in my backpack, and absolutely daydreamed about finding my own Daziel. That’s the magic of this book: it knows exactly who it’s for and delivers a story that feels safe, sweet, and age‑appropriate without losing its spark.

A charming, magical fantasy romance with plenty of chemistry and a world I’d love to see expanded.

Thank you tot he publisher and Colored Pages Tours for the copy of the book that I read show less

This was such a fun YA cozy fantasy. Naomi's aunt is an important political figure and Naomi is tired of being asked out just so her dates can ask about her aunt, with the hope of actually getting to meet her, so she invents a fiance for herself who she names Daziel, and to scare them away even further, she makes him a demon. This farce works a little bit too well when she comes home from class one day and there's a demon named Daziel in her living room who says he came to meet his show more betrothed! She lets him stay after much discussion to really sell the story, but when weird things start happening with the weather around their part of the world, Naomi will need Daziel and her group of friends to help figure out just what's going on. The adults in town, the politicians whose job it is to deal with things like this, are too busy fighting amongst themselves to take the threat seriously, so it's imperative that they at least try.

I enjoyed this book very much. The story was intriguing with the way the kids went about solving the problem and following the clues. The world building was phenomenal, and the pacing was spot on. The characters were likeable and unique from one another, and getting to know them was interesting.

All in all, I enjoyed this cozy romantasy very much and happily recommend it.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Hannah Reynolds for the opportunity to read and review A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon. show less