Red-Haired Ash Reads

Elliot is a ghoul who has been working at Broth with a Bite in the Creepy Court Mall for eight years. He works inside the “special kitchen” of the restaurant preparing food for customers who have the same nutritional issues as he does, aka human flesh. He has no problem working alongside the humans in the other kitchen, until the new guy starts and he quickly realizes he wants Ricky, which is kind of forbidden for their kind. 

Like all of Mayne’s books, this was fantastic. From the very beginning I was hooked on Elliot and Ricky’s story. Ricky is an adorably sweet himbo guy who just wants to get out of his parents house and live true to himself. He quickly starts falling for Elliot and finds that with him he finds true peace and happiness. I adored Ricky and how he accepted Elliot as he was without question. It was great having a character accept a monster without any stress or tension between them from the beginning.

Elliot is an ethical ghoul, which basically means he doesn’t hunt for his food or get it from unethical places. He works in this restaurant because free meals are provided and honestly, he is a lazy creature. I liked Elliot a lot and how he didn’t rush his relationship with Ricky. Yes it was a fast pace, but he still checked in and made sure he wasn’t pushing too fast. Also I really liked that when he realized how far he had fallen for Ricky, he instantly knew he needed to tell the truth. It was great seeing a character not hide their truths from a potential life partner. 

Ricky and Elliot’s relationship was fast paced and very sweet. These two really fell hard and fast for each other over a matter of days it seemed but you could really feel their growing love for each other with each chapter. I really loved these two and how their relationship played out. I do wish we had gotten a little bit more of their story though because I wanted to see them as a couple living together. 

Overall, another fantastic story from Mayne. I can’t wait to read what she will write next and I wouldn’t say no to a follow up story featuring these two. 

TW; homomisia; fear of coming out; alcohol consumption; non-human MC who has to eat humans to survive;

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