A Match Made in Hell Review

A fantasy rom-com that deals with the devil (or is he?), A Match Made in Hell by Charlotte Ingham is funny (believe me I snorted and cackled a lot), swoony & sexy, and pleasantly insightful. Read my 4-star review below:

Out: Now

Willow, considered a failure by her mother, falls at 21 (to her death?) into what looks like hell. It is the dimension of Asphodel and King Sathanas rules over it. To be able to leave, she must pass seven tests without succumbing to sin, but how can she do that when Sath is a temptation she may not be able to resist?

I was instantly sucked into the witty but also ominous atmosphere of the beginning of Willow's story. The figurative speech nails the image it wants to convey, utilizing an almost quirky undertone and is creative as hell (pun intended). The 1st person POV is all-encompassing of events and personas. We have clear sight into the characters' psyche, and this is where I must applaud the author for succeeding in conveying a mood, a mindset, with just a simple but telling action.

The enrinchened details build this unexpected world for us wonderfully. 'Hell' is and isn't what you would anticipate. Asphodel can be awesome even with its otherworldly threats. It can be a dream, a feverish one, off-kilter sights everywhere to behold. Then it reminds you it's a nightmare. Sathanas is dangerous — his own brand of lethal and undeniably sexy. It is evident he has his own agenda. The mystery that surrounds him is enticing and you can't help but like him, when he's devily and also when he's more smirk-worthy and human.

The tests take an unforeseen turn into self-discovery lane. Impulsive Willow is determined to succeed, not really trusting herself to be capable of doing so, her turmoil singing in the narrative, becoming strength. With a healthy dose of snark, she tries to learn what she can about Asphodel and we enjoy it. Her obvious pull towards Sathanas and her attempt to resist is entertaining. The attraction between them is palpable, the impossibility of it even more appealing. It's a slow burn (believe me you'll get anxious), but its burn is delectable. The weaving of this modern-day fantasy is engrossing, often gasp-worthy and the scenes that are supposed to be intense and grip us do so swimmingly. I was very happy that a certain important event & gobsmacking twist happened at about 2/3rds of the book so we can see the consequences and not in a rushed manner.

There were scenes in the book, though, that needed a bit more oomph, for lack of a better word. I needed a bit more informative and constructive explanations on the mythology, much, much sooner. Her musings can be funny (there were moments when I was cackling), insightful and sometimes heart-squeezing, but they can slowly present repetitive.

Themes you find in this book include the crushing impact of guilt and climbing out of the psychological pit of failing to reach others' expectations. What heaven and hell can stand for in our mentality and about grief. It champions following through with things and not giving up. In all the fun and the swooning and emotions it provokes — and believe me I had a ball — you find that you remember, like the song says, that you can't always get what you want, but you may get what you need.