There are books you approach with measured expectations, and then there are books that promise chaos right on the cover. The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating proudly announces itself as the latter. With a dagger, a rose, and a title that knows exactly what it’s doing, this romantasy leans hard into familiar tropes while gleefully setting them on fire. It’s unserious in the best way and surprisingly thoughtful where it counts.

The Cover

The bold sans serif title set askew grabs the viewer’s attention (the parenthetical aside keeps it). Clean and simple typography meets an intriguing illustration of a dark rose and a dagger to set the tone for The Dark Lord’s Guide To Dating. I’m happy to tell you it carries through the book.

Interior

The advanced reader copy was tidily crafted and easy to read. Special nod to the clever chapter titles and their snarky asides.

Did the design affect whether I bought the book?

I received an advance reader copy through NetGalley for review purposes. However, the cover did influence my decision to request The Dark Lord’s Guide To Dating.

Imagine a group of stereotypical characters that you might find in a fairytale or Romantasy, then make a caricature of each and add a layer of snarky humor, that’s the cast of The Dark Lords Guide To Dating (and Other War Crimes).

The bright and beautiful blonde heroine, locked away in a tower but possessed of great magic and intelligence, showcases the epitome of goodness.

The dark and brooding magical shadow-daddy, deemed The Villain of the Western Realms (among other things), takes pleasure in being ruthless and cunning.

A cast of villainous hench-folk (and friends) includes: Spymaster, thug, wizard, and butler.

Tertiary characters are one-dimensional and there to serve the plot.

This exaggerated sense of characterization and veneer of humor make The Dark Lord’s Guide To Dating feel more like a sexy satire than a serious fantasy romance.

Dual point of view, first-person narration, witty banter, and a skillful delivery of expected tropes make The Dark Lord’s Guide To Dating a quick and enjoyable read, despite its high page count.

A few overused words and phrases grated against the flow simply by existing, but tapered off after the first quarter of the book.

The characters seem to have a sense of self-awareness. They poke fun at the stereotypical role they fulfill, even while turning it on its ear. This lends a fresh feel to this mash-up of all the tropes.

Advanced reader programs ask that reviewers not quote from the book until it is matched with the released copy. I’ll probably forget to update this, so take my word for it – the verbal sparring and snarky comments are the highlight of reading The Dark Lord’s Guide To Dating.

Autonomy & Consent. Nothing is sexier than being acknowledged as a complete and independent individual with free will.

Good vs Evil. Hunt calls the question is it preferable to be an honest villian or a shady hero?

Friendship & Trust. The inner sanctum is earned. Loyalty-challenged need not apply.

The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating skirts the line between earnest Romantasy writing and satire. Are we to believe the writer was all in on building this world, or was making fun of the genre? Perhaps it was a bit of both.

I genuinely enjoyed the humor and irreverent treatment of the fairytale Romantasy plot. The characters were lovable, and the spice was spicing. I was irritated that after 500+ pages, it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, and the characters, while outwardly portrayed a degree of happiness, were left unfulfilled.

Romantasy addicts will want to give this a go. Readers who appreciate a bit of humor and a tongue-in-cheek approach to formulaic stories will enjoy this.

If you prefer serious Romantasy or High Fantasy, you may want to skip it.

Ends with unanswered questions, expect a sequel.

Do you go for books that make you laugh?

May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.

Happy Reading!