Getting Cozy with Demons #1 - Oh No! There's an Incubus in my Hot Spring by Ember Holt
✱ REASONS WHY I WOULD CONTINUE WITH THE SERIES: This book gave me enough cozy magic, charm, and spice to make me want to see where the worldbuilding goes next. The sentient Struggle Ducky alone is a reason to keep reading, and Apollo’s backstory has so much mystery that I’m curious to see how it unfolds in future books. Even with some elements that felt rushed towards the end, the overall vibe was enjoyable enough to continue.
✱ FOUR STAR READS, to me, are still very entertaining, bingeable, and a good time and are a potiential re-read for me.
About the Book
Oh No! There’s an Incubus in My Hot Spring (Getting Cozy with Demons #1) by Ember Holt
After Sylvia catches her boyfriend cheating, she decides to start fresh by purchasing a rundown hot spring lodge in the middle of nowhere, Colorado. What she didn’t expect was a rival determined to sabotage her… or an incubus demon bound to her hot spring who offers her a magical bargain that’s equal parts dangerous and tempting. What begins as a practical agreement quickly slides into something intimate and emotional, forcing Sylvia to choose between protecting her business or giving into the rapidly growing bond she shares with Apollo.
Tropes
💧 Spicy Romance
💧 Incubus x Witch
💧 Magic + Small Town
💧 Emotion-sensing MMC
💧 Strangers to Lovers
💧 Fated Mates
💧 Forced Proximity
Notes:
* Cozy fantasy romance with medium-to-low spice (🌶🌶◌ ◌◌).
* Sentient rubber Ducky named Charlie is a highlight and adds quirky charm.
* Apollo has soft, loyal, golden retriever energy and falls first.
* Sylvia is a confident, capable Latina lead with strong determination.
* Loved the mentioned of being confident about natural hair textures.
* Fast-paced and easy to binge in one sitting.
* Relationship avoids messy miscommunication; very steady and supportive.
* Found family elements add warmth to the story.
* Competitor-driven external conflict carries the tension.
* Some plot threads and emotional beats near the end feel rushed.
* Apollo’s past and the late plot twist introduce slightly emotional stakes that may feel unresolved.
* Ending leans more “family movie wholesome” than romantic relationship heavy.
* Could benefit from a few additional chapters to develop reactions and conversations.
* Romance and spice taper off near the end, leaving me wanting more. Luckily, it’s only the first book in the series, though i’m unclear if the characters will return in future installments.
Review: I loved the quirky nature of this book. The characters are sweet with each other, and even though the story is low stakes, the drama still feels meaningful. You can really see how each moment affects the characters, and everything ties together in a fun way. I do feel like the book could have been a bit longer, especially toward the end, but overall it was a nice start to a unique cozy fantasy romance stand alone series.
Oh No! There’s an Incubus in My Hot Spring is a charming, spicy, supernatural cozy with romance, magic, and small-town vibes. It is the kind of book you can read in one sitting or in long, comfy stretches. The pacing is fast, and the opening pulled me in right away. Sylvia, a businesswoman starting over after catching her boyfriend cheating, buys a run-down hot spring lodge and heads to Colorado for a fresh start. From the moment she arrives she runs into all sorts of issues, mostly caused by her petty competitor Mark. That is also when she discovers Apollo, the incubus who is tied to the mountain and her new property. At first she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. She just wants to run her business, but with her competitor constantly blocking her, she ends up needing Apollo’s help more than she expected.
What begins as a practical deal slowly turns into a very sweet and spicy connection. Apollo falls first and falls hard. He is protective, gentle, and deeply caring. His moments with Sylvia and Charlie, the struggle ducky, add so much charm and warmth to the story. The found family element is fun, and I liked that their relationship stays steady and supportive without messy miscommunication. There is a tiny simmer of unspoken feelings, but it’s understandable.
The external conflict keeps things moving, and Sylvia’s confidence, cultural background, and determination make her easy to root for. She feels like a real woman trying her best, which I appreciated. There were a few things that held this back from being a five star read for me. Apollo’s backstory and the plot twist near the end left me with some questions, and I also wondered what happened to certain storyline threads. Everything gets resolved very quickly after some dramatic moments, and I felt those scenes needed more time, especially reactions and conversations that would have helped the story flow better, in my opinion. The ending felt sudden yet still wholesome, a little unbelievable at times, but it leaned more toward a family-movie style wrap up. These things didn’t ruin the story, but it did feel like they took away from what was otherwise a cozy, comforting, spicy romance. I honestly think the book would have benefited from a few extra chapters so everything could have intertwined better.
I also would have liked a little more romance and spicy moments toward the end. It felt like the book shifted away from that just when I was hoping for more. Maybe the author will explore some of that in later books or bonus scenes, because I think it would have made the book more fun.
Even with those notes, the magical world is fun, the characters blend together well, and it is a very easy book to binge. It is a low-angst, sweet, lightly spicy read with great chemistry and a lovable cast.
Rating (Through My Perspective): 4 stars
✓ Plot - ★★★★☆
✓ Characters - ★★★★☆
✓ Writing - ★★★★☆
✓ Entertainment - ★★★★★
✓ Relationship - ★★★★☆
✓ Cozy Read - ★★★★★
✓ Humor - ★★★☆☆
✓ Drama - ★☆☆☆☆
✓ Spice - 🌶️🌶️🌶️ ◌◌ - medium-to-low spice, but when it’s written it’s nicely written.
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