Book: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon
Author: Kimberly Lemming
Pages: 336
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Orbit Books
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Publication Date: January 2, 2024
Summary:
Spice trader Cinnamon’s quiet life is turned upside down when she ends up on a quest with a fiery demon in this irreverently quirky rom-com fantasy that is sweet, steamy, and funny as hell–perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and The Dragon’s Bride.
All she wanted to do was live her life in peace–maybe get a cat, expand the family spice farm. Really, anything that didn’t involve going on an adventure where an orc might rip her face off. But they say the Goddess has favorite, and if so, Cin is clearly not one of them…
After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all Fallon wants to do is kill an evil witch enslaving his people. And, who can blame him? But he’s dragging Cinnamon along for the ride. On the bright side, at least he keeps burning off his shirt.
My Review:
I received a free advanced readers copy of That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming from Orbit Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Orbit!
Cinnamon Hotpepper is a spice trader working on her portion of her family’s farm in a small town called Boohail. One evening she joins her fellow townsfolk in celebrating the newest batch of chosen champions who will fight in the name of the goddess Myva to protect the southern continent of Mytheglin from the demon hordes to the north. Centuries ago Myva created the Volsog gate and banished all of demon-kind into the icy lands beyond, but every 15 years the demons break through. Thus, a new set of champions are chosen to drive back the demons and protect the world.
Cinnamon is more interested in a mug full of ale and fistful of cheese. She’d rather get drunk and use the champion-choosing as an excuse to get there. After achieving her goal, she stumbles through the woods towards home where she sees a rockslide. Even in her drunken state she can hear the moaning of someone caught beneath it. Cin quickly rescues the trapped person only to discover he’s not a person. He’s a demon, and he ends up changing the way Cin sees the world in more ways than one. Cin ends up being the only person who can save the demon and his kind as well as the rest of the world, which is the last thing she had in mind for her life thank you very much.
The first thing I’ll say about this book is please read the content warning at the beginning. This book definitely has sex scenes as well as mentions of sexual assault (though none occurs in the book) and depictions of slavery. Take care of yourself if anything in the content warnings could be triggering for you.
That being said, I had a lot of fun reading this book. I don’t normally read a lot of romance, but this book was just the right mix of romance and cozy fantasy. The scenes depicting Cin and her family were very homey, and they reminded me of my own family. The idea of sharing a farm with my family is also appealing, and it was a cozy idea to have in the book. Cin has a strong sense of loyalty to her family, and the sibling playful squabbling made me miss my own siblings a bit.
I also really enjoyed the setting of this book. It’s a medieval setting in the fictional world of Mytheglin, and Cin’s hometown of Boohail is located in Kinnamo, a country in the most southernly part of the world. Kinnamo is clearly inspired by Louisiana as there are mentions of swamps, bayous, and trees festooned with hanging mosses. There are also scenes in which Cin catches and cooks both crawfish and an alligator, so it’s pretty clear where the inspiration for the area came from.
There’s also plenty of humor throughout the story to break up some of the more serious and somewhat gory scenes. For example, Cin’s family are spice traders and farmers, and each of the children are named after spices, which I thought was hilarious. Cinnamon herself is also really funny. She’s sarcastic and quick to voice her opinion. I liked how no-nonsense she was even when she was scared or had to do something she didn’t really like.
Finally, I will mention the spice factor in the story. It’s pretty obvious from the first chapter of the book that Cinnamon and the demon will end up together. They are extremely attracted to one another, and the demon seems to enjoy making Cin squirm. It does take a bit for it to happen, but there are some sex scenes throughout the book. Anyone looking for a cozy fantasy with spice will enjoy reading this book I’m sure. I’m still pretty new to reading romance, so it occasionally made me uncomfortable. The rest of the story was a fun time, though, for sure.
My Rating:
I gave That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming four out of five stars. The story features an interesting and hilarious heroine (against her wishes, but she still kicks butt), and it was a nice mix of cozy fantasy and romance. I really enjoyed the relationship buildup, the setting, and Cin’s sarcasm especially. I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the Mead Mishaps series!
Have you heard of the Mead Mishaps? Do you plan to read them? Let me know in the comments below!
Tea Rex Reads 