DNF 43%

Based on the synopsis it was made for ME ! But it was such a disappointment . It was poorly written and felt like a weird Halloween Disney Original Movie but not in a good way...

One Hollow Love by MK Ahearn is a paranormal romance and the story of Soleil and Jax.
 
This is the story of Soleil who is very sheltered and a good girl. But she wants to be more independent and therefore visits the town’s fall festival and she experiences the beauty of Halloween. That also includes the demon Jax and he’s so charming and witty and I absolutely love him.
 
I loved how Soleil takes her fate in her own hands and discovers a whole new world because of it. Soleil and Jax are very different and even from different worlds and I love how their romance is stronger than all the realms. Their chemistry is just amazing, and I would love a Jax of my own.
 
One Hollow Love not only has amazing characters but also shows the Halloween spirit and is just a book after my own heart. Highly recommend checking out this book. 4,5 stars.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)

Review: One Hollow Love by M.K. Ahearn (DNF at 30%)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With a premise promising Howl’s Moving Castle meets Hocus Pocus, I was fully prepared to fall under this book’s spell—whimsy, romance, and autumnal magic sounded like the perfect blend. Unfortunately, One Hollow Love fell painfully short of those expectations.

What I found instead was a story that read like a hastily written ’90s Halloween TV movie—thin on plot, thinner on world-building, and weighed down by instalove that lacked any real chemistry. The dialogue felt stilted and uninspired, and the prose failed to capture the charm or depth of its supposed inspirations. (And, if I’m being brutally honest, I’ve encountered more engaging writing in fanfiction.)

While I’m sure this book will find its audience, I can’t in good conscience recommend it when there are so many stronger, more polished alternatives in the genre. A disappointing miss for me.

Rating: DNF (2/5 for effort, but not execution) ⭐

This one was a little bit of a miss for me but i still enjoyed myself while reading this.

As a high fantasy lover this book was lacking on the worldbuilding side and i didn't really feel a connection to the characters.
We follow our fmc who has never got to experience Halloween before, One night she escapes and on her nightly adventour stumbles over the half demon jacks. They have somewhat of a fling.
As he doens't come back the next year she decides to enter the demon realm and find him.

The idea of the story was actually quite interesting but i think it could have been executed a bit better. it felt as if the story wasn't really thought through to the end.

Still i had fun reading.

Oh, how I wanted to love this based on the concept. I'm glad the trigger warning for OCD was listed at the beginning of the novel, but it was too much for me personally. Again, reviewers should have the ability to see trigger warnings before requesting books.

I couldn't get into this, no matter how hard I tried. I really wish I could have since it sounded so interesting but no luck there.

It was okay, I tried to like it, but I don't think it was for me. It's hard to describe the pacing as both slow and fast, slow in the parts you want to be fast, and fast in the parts you want to be slow. It's quite predictable but there's also no reason for the main character to suddenly be ride or die immediately for the love interest to the point of giving everything up. It's okay for light reading.

One of the rare cases where I really was craving MORE writing. I wanted more worldbuilding, more of the characters, etc. A fine read, but I actually think it just could have used more.

This book had an interesting concept and some compelling moments, but it didn’t fully capture my attention. While the characters were relatable and the storyline had potential, the pacing felt uneven, making it a bit hard to stay fully engaged. It was an okay read, but not one that I’ll be rushing to revisit.

One Hollow Love by MK Ahern is a beautifully complex and captivating story that blends elements of magic, forbidden love, and self-discovery in a world where realms collide. The story follows Soleil, a human yearning to break free from the constraints of her ordinary life, and Jax, a mysterious half-demon with a dark past. Their connection ignites on a fateful Halloween night, setting the stage for a year-long journey that explores love, destiny, and the thin line between worlds.

Ahern crafts a compelling and emotionally charged narrative that keeps the reader invested in the characters’ growth and struggles. Soleil’s journey to balance her love for Jax with her need for independence is nuanced and relatable, especially as she contends with the manipulative influence of her father. Jax, with his secrets and alluring magic, is a perfect foil for Soleil, creating a deep, almost magnetic attraction between them. Their instant love is undeniably intense, even as they face the obstacles of both their different worlds and the darker elements in their lives.

The themes of trauma, parental death, OCD, and the darker sides of love are handled thoughtfully, adding depth and emotional weight to the story. The spooky, cozy fall vibes provide a perfect backdrop for the unfolding romance, drawing the reader into the atmosphere. However, the book doesn’t shy away from intense moments, touching on abuse, murder, and assault, which may be triggering for some readers.

While the insta-love trope might not be for everyone, it works well within the context of the story, heightening the sense of urgency and fate between Soleil and Jax. The magic, demons, and witches keep things intriguing, and the tension between the realms adds an exciting layer to the plot.

Overall, One Hollow Love is an engaging and emotionally intense read that will resonate with fans of forbidden romance and supernatural fantasy. Ahern’s writing captures the essence of both the enchantment and the darkness of love, leaving readers eagerly awaiting what will happen next in this haunting and spellbinding world.

Arc Review:
Overall Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 3 🔥🔥🔥
Cover Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
🍂Forbidden Love
✨Magic and Witches
🍂Halloween Romance/Fall Read
✨Lucifer Coded MMC
🍂One (Demon) Horse
✨OCD Rep
🍂Insta-Love
✨Calls Her Little Flame🔥
🍂Touch Her and D!e☠️
✨A Very Rhys Coded Demon King
🍂Spicy
✨There’s a Really Cute Cat

What a perfect book for the spooky season. I really enjoyed reading this book I thought that the writing was good and the characters were good. I liked Soleil’s character and her development through the story the way she really found herself once she escapes her bedroom and I liked the representation for ocd from her character. I also really liked Jax’s character he was so sweet to Soleil always putting her first and caring about what would make her happy also can I say how much I loved him calling her little flame🔥 it just was the perfect nickname for her and I was so their for it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this read, I really enjoyed it.

Couldn’t enjoy this book. Unfortunately had to force myself to finish. The pacing was all over the place and the plot line was nonsensical. Parts felt like they were very immaturely written too but then other parts felt like they were overcompensating and going way to much the other way and being over the top adult.

This was NOT for me. The plot was lacking - after all the build up and comparison to other movies and books it fell flat. A girl locked in her room for ages (I mean we aren't even really sure how long) and suddenly she breaks free on Halloween. Okay, I was ready for something big to happen, some big thing to unwind. A conflict, some serious action. Like why was she locked away? Does she get back at the people who held her captive. And I am never for instalove/lust. It just does nothing for me. This is basically a very long book with no world-building about a one night stand that goes no where and nothing is done. Just not for me.

This book had potential to be exceptional. I truly appreciated the concept and storyline; however, it fell short of my expectations. Throughout various sections, I found myself wishing for a different approach to the writing, particularly in terms of enhancing the world-building and developing the characters to be more relatable and engaging. Certain parts felt hurried when they could have benefited from more detail, while others seemed to linger when they needed to progress. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my reading experience overall and would be open to exploring more works by this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This felt like a sort of rough first draft. The world building was missing, the characters felt disjointed, and I wanted more from the overall plot line.

This book gave me Halloween Town x Supernatural vibes and I absolutely loved it. This was such a fun read. It had me all giddy. I enjoyed all the twists and turns. I loved how equally smitten Jax and Soleil were for each other. I know some might not love insta-love but this book is a perfect example of why I do. If you are looking for a cute, fun, & quick read for spooky season this is the one for you!

2⭐️
2🌶️
“I love you across every realm and universe, until time is no longer.”

One Hollow Love had some solid elements, but overall, it just didn’t fully land for me. Jax definitely has the makings of a good shadow daddy, and I loved the neurodiversity representation in Soleil—it was refreshing and well-handled. The support Jax gave was heart warming. The world-building had a good foundation, too; I could see the potential in the setting and where it could go.

I found myself pushing through to the finish, hoping for that extra spark to pull me in, but it felt like the story didn’t quite reach its full potential. For me, it just didn’t hit the dark romance mark I was looking for.

Tropes:
⭐️Soul Mates / Bonds
⭐️Magic
⭐️Neurodiverse FMC
⭐️Demons & Witches

Thank you M.K. Ahearn and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review⭐️

This book felt super rushed to me and felt like it hopped around a lot without really telling me how we got there. I appreciated that the chapters were short, and the book is much shorter than I usually read, but I felt like I was missing a lot of context.
It’s likely just a me thing, though, so I wouldn’t not refer it to others especially if they’re looking for a sexy Halloween book (definitely had some Sabrina vibes).
Enjoyed, it just wasn’t for me at the time.

This book was such a great pallet cleanser - I absolutely adored the characters and the story telling!

This book gave the perfect spooky but not scary Halloween vibes. The first half kind of reminded me of Sabrina the Teenage Witch in a really good way. The book was off to a good start set in a small town on Halloween where the FMC encounters a mysterious, charismatic demon. She can’t get him out of her mind and this leads her to discover a whole new world she could never have imagined.
The concept was really good but the pacing of the plot and the world building felt more rushed than I personally prefer and the character development was also a bit more high level than I prefer. Things kind of went zero to 100 super fast without really bringing me on that journey - again a personal preference as I enjoy a slower pace. It’s only 253 pages though so I’m not sure how this could have been done differently.
This was still an enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a fun, sexy, spooky read that isn’t much of a time commitment then this is for you!