Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton
Tracy’s Rating: 2.5/3 of 5 stars
Series: Ministry of Supernatural Affairs, #1
Release Date: August 25, 2026
Cora Hastings serves as Britain’s Species Ombudsman in a Victorian London where supernatural beings have publicly joined society after the Great Revelation. Her role places her between humans and supernatural species, requiring diplomacy, order, and practical problem-solving. Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell, becomes central to her assignment when he arrives with his father, the Devil, and his characterization leans into charm, temptation, and demonic influence. The supporting characters, including Cora’s friends and the supernatural figures surrounding the diplomatic visit, mainly function around Cora’s work, the developing romance, and the broader political tensions of the setting.
Cora is assigned to escort and manage the Devil’s visit to London ahead of the Great Exhibition, a diplomatic responsibility that becomes more complicated once threats against supernatural beings begin to surface. As Cora and Marcellus work together, the story combines historical romance, paranormal politics, mystery, and fantasy elements. The central conflict involves maintaining peace between humans and supernatural society while uncovering a conspiracy connected to the exhibition and the Devil’s presence in London.
When I learned that Megan Frampton was trying her hand at Romantasy, I was all in, I have read all of her Historical Romances and love her writing style, so I was rather surprised to find that she had written this book in the first person and that it just didn’t flow as well as her previous books had. I thought the premise had a lot of promise, especially with its supernatural version of Victorian London and Cora’s role as a government liaison between species. The worldbuilding and political setup were interesting, but the romance developed too quickly for me and did not have enough emotional build-up to make the connection feel fully earned. Also, the first-person narrative made Cora’s thoughts around Marcellus feel repetitive and sometimes disconnected from the high-stakes situation around her. While I can see the appeal for readers who enjoy light historical paranormal romance with banter, this one did not work for me.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
