Snake Believe

Monster Between the Sheets

De: Karla Doyle

Narrado por: Tom Campbell, Lexi Evans

CORA: Sent to Screaming Woods to write a magazine piece on its resident monsters, I'm ready to meet hairy beasts, ogres, vampires . . . what I'm not prepared for? A snake man. I'm terrified of snakes. Now I'll have to talk to a man-sized one on a daily basis, because he owns the motel where I'm staying. Once the initial shock of coming face to face with a walking, talking snake passes, I start to see Leroy for the man beneath the monster exterior. And the more I get to know my snake man, the more I realize my biggest fear would be losing him.

LEROY: At nineteen, I unknowingly drank the poisoned party punch that turned many of Screaming Woods' residents into monsters. Twenty-plus years later, I wouldn't change back if I could. I have the best of both species in me. My new anatomy has definite advantages, and because of them, I'm frequently propositioned. But that's not the kind of proposal I seek. I'm the loneliest snake in town until the day Cora walks into the motel I own—and promptly faints at the sight of me. The lovely magazine reporter is only in town to interview monsters for an article, but I know from the first day that I won't want to say goodbye to her. My charms have never failed me before, but I'm a one-hundred-and-eighty-pound embodiment of her biggest fear. That won't stop me from trying.

Contains mature themes.

©2023 Karla Doyle (P)2024 Tantor

Sweet, adorable, and crazy hot

Karla Doyle has something special with this series. This novella is charming, cute, and sexy. The fantastical town of Screaming Woods twenty years ago underwent an unlikely calamity in which everyone who drank punch at a party turned into a random type of monster, most of which are humanoid. In this book Leroy the snake man finds love with a lady journalist visiting town. Leroy is a nice guy who is very talented in the bedroom. No violence, a little bit of swearing, and a bunch of steam. A happy ever after and no cheating.

Shake Scared, Slither in the Sheets

Time to return to Screaming Woods where monsters are real and they just want to get more tourism and business!
Korra is a shy, homebody columnist who writes about tips for high, rich lifestyles that she isn’t comfortable living. Given a chance to get a front page story, she travels to the cursed town of Screaming Woods, where 21 years ago, a chemical added to the town’s party punch changed those who drank humane drinking it into an array of monsters.
She is given a room at our friend from the first book, Leroy, the snake man’s, charming hotel. But this ends up being a problem for Korra; she is terribly scared of due to a childhood incident.
I like this angle on the plot of finding the monster in. We know all the citizens were humans. But also Korra has to push through her literal fear to see the thoughtful man Leroy is outside his scaly tongue and forked tongue.
I find this world of Screaming Woods so fascinating, how everyone turned into different types of monsters. And which traits they gained and kept from their human counterparts. I would love more short stories in this town by Miss Doyle in her fun writing style. Like Fred! Fred deserves someone!
I do wish the story was about an hour longer to flesh out the rapport building more naturally like our darling couple in the first one: “Now You See Me.” This one didn’t flow as naturally for a pairing.
I also wanted more 411 with the past of Leroy and the siren. AND a full description of the monster football game. I mean, all kinda of monsters tackling each other with their different anatomies! What fun.
And getting to meet Leroy’s human bother would have been a nice touch too.
Lexi Evans also did an incredible job; why she is my favorite female narrator. I especially enjoyed how she added the hissing effect to Leroy’s vibe in her chapters, when he was excited. I wish Mr. Campbell would have done that as well (similar to Mr. Logan Anare portrayed Leroy in book one.) But Mr. Campbell has a rich tone fit for a romantic lead.
I will give the spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ if the pacing was more naturally, I would have given it another one.
I am proud of proud of Korea’s multiple personal growths in this book. And charmed by our hotel manager. See why as you come to meet the delightful monster residents in Screaming Woods.

A Bit Redundant, but Fun

Okay, well the main thing was that I found it extremely redundant 😂 the dialogue was really repetitive. It was fun for a short, monster story. Admittedly it’s not a type of book I would usually pick up, but I’m glad I tested the waters. Honestly, it was more of a slow burn than I expected!