Today’s review is about THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON by Kimberly Lemming. It’s the first book in the Mead Mishaps series, but it reads as a standalone. Here, Cinnamon suddenly finds herself on a quest with a demon to slay an evil witch who enslaves demon kind. Along the way they banter, kick butt, and fall for each other.
Author: Kimberly Lemming
Series: Mead Mishaps #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: January 2, 2024
Print Length: 288
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Official Synopsis
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.
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 favorites, and if so, Cin is clearly not one of them.
After Cin saves the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, Fallon reveals that all he really wants to do is kill an evil witch enslaving his people. And who can blame him? But now he’s dragging Cinnamon along for the ride whether she like it or not. On the bright side, at least he keeps burning off his shirt….
My Review
I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.
THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON is a title that speaks for itself. Cinnamon, a spice trader, walks home drunk, minding her own business, and runs into an injured demon named Fallon. A chase ensues and before Cinnamon knows it she becomes part of Fallon’s quest to kill a demon-enslaving witch. Adventure and banter ensue and Cinnamon begins to realize she like Fallon rather more than she wants to admit.
This first standalone installment of the Mead Mishaps series is a veritable good time. Go into it expecting entertaining banter, a straightforward quest, and some spicy romance. I enjoyed it as a fast-paced mood read and really appreciated that I didn’t have to “commit” to the series because it reads as a standalone. The author pokes fun at the names of Brie, a cheesemaker, and Cinnamon, a cinnamon grower. All in all, this book doesn’t take itself too seriously and I love it for that.
While the plot itself is rather simple, it served its purpose to free the demon race and bring Cinnamon and Fallon together. Some of the strongest scenes, in my opinion, are those that involve Cinnamon’s family. Their loving and boisterous dynamic really shines as does their love for each other. Cinnamon’s and Fallon’s several days long ride to the city allows for Fallon’s humor to pop out. It also lets Cinnamon introduce her heritage through food and spices (crawfish boil, anyone?).
Although the world building is minimal, Lemming incorporates just enough that the reader gets a sense the author has plenty of backstory to share. There are different types of demons, lands Cinnamon hasn’t visited, and a nice map at the front of the book. Since the story is dominantly character-based, I don’t feel the minimal world building is a drawback.
While I enjoyed reading about Cinnamon’s adventures, there were a couple of things that felt rushed. The first was the incorporation of the enslavement of demons by humans. This came out of the blue and felt shoehorned into the plot. I commend Cinnamon’s black and white opinion about it, but it lacked the emotional nuance I felt this heavy topic requires. Second, the spice seemed oddly timed and distractingly loquacious. I chalk the timing up to the relatively short length of the book and a personal preference for more relationship development rather than instalust. But the timing of the deeds after violent events was a bit jolting.
Overall, THAT TIME I GOT DRUNK AND SAVED A DEMON is a veritable good time. Despite some personal preference nitpicking, I enjoyed this book for what it is: a fast-paced, light fantasy with humorous characters and an approachable plot. It’s perfect as a mood read or palate cleanser or, simply, because it’s fun.
Rating: 3.5
Content warnings: blood, death, violence, sexual content (consensual), torture (implied), light BDSM
Reading format: Kindle e-book
This does sound fun, I’d love to read it if I have time. And I love that you enjoyed the family scenes so much. Adding in different relationships other than the main romance really works for me.
You should! It’s a fun read and a nice change of pace from the other fantasy books I read, which are usually figuratively heavier.
I was on the fence about picking this one up, but it sounds like something I’d enjoy. I also feel obligated to read a fantasy book with a crawfish boil in it. The cajun in me can’t resist. Just thinking about it makes me excited that it is now the start of crawfish season. lol.
I was on the fence for a little while, too, but I decided to just jump and try something different. It’s a fun read and you definitely have to go into it knowing it’s not something to take too seriously. 🙂
Lovely review Celeste..!!! I’m glad you enjoyed it too…
Thanks, Sahi!
You know…you’re right. Sometimes the title does speak for itself and OH MY GOSH is this one brilliant. Like, if I saw this on the bookshelf at Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million as I was browsing there is NO WAY I wouldn’t pick it up and the odds are heavily in favor of my buying it in hopes that it’s as fun as the title suggests but also just so I could setup conversations where people would ask me what I’m reading and I could tell them the title. Brilliantly played, just brilliant.
And even though I’ve not read it myself, having read your review means I can spend my weekend asking people, “Hey, have you heard about ‘That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon’?” or “Have you ever read ‘That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon’?” just to enjoy the reactions. Thank you for that Celeste! My weekend just became more bookish and more conversationally fun all at once :).
Ha, thanks for reading, Michael, and always happy to add to your conversational repertoire about bookish topics. This is just the first one of three, so expect to see my review some point for at least the second one, possibly the third. 🙂