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Tiffany Hunt’s The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating – And Other War Crimes Tis the perfect storm of irreverent humour, romance, moral greyness, and fantasy. I would not consider myself a ‘dark romance’ girlie, and thankfully this is not a novel which is overtly dark or brutal in its romance, however dark or brutal the titular Dark Lord may be.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a Dark Lord in possession of a vastly powerful artefact must be in want of a spouse… specifically one whose bloodline is needed to unlock said artefact. Kazimir Blackrose isn’t in the habit of asking nicely, and kidnapping his spouse-to-be and using them to unlock an infinitely powerful magical object will be very on brand, he just has to find one he can stand. Enter Arabella Evenfall, a beautiful, reportedly fiery, perpetually contrary young noblewoman whose Hero’s blood is just what he needs. Joined in a marriage of convenience, both Lord and Lady Blackrose must reckon not only with new feelings, new strengths, and new limitations, but with each other.

Funny, fun, sexy and filled with politics, The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating  – And Other War Crimes was a delight to read, holding my attention from page one all the way through to the end. I really enjoyed both characters, and moving between their points of view. I think Hunt has a real talent for sympathetic characters, despite his actions I never once felt Kazimir was in the wrong, which given some of his actions is an impressive feat! I enjoyed the side characters, especially Vex and Griffin, and I was impressed by Hunt’s ability to develop such a wide cast without sacrificing clarity. There were still some questions at the end, which I am sure will be unpacked across the rest of the series, and which make me intrigued to learn more about the cast, particularly Kazimir.

I will admit I struggled with the repetitive nature of the plotline, after a point it felt like we cycling through the same events each day, working through the same issues, without really moving forward. This can sometimes be a problem in books were training is a really core element of a character’s progression, but I think combining this with the push-and-pull of Kazimir and Arabella’s relationship made the book lag towards the end. I also feel there a few little things which I wish had been addressed, only because omitting them made me question where the plot was heading – for example (spoiler ahead) once Arabella and Kazimir consummate their relationship there is no mention of any kind of contraceptive, and neither character bring it up at all, which made me wonder if a surprise pregnancy was on the cards (it wasn’t), but that could have been really easily addressed.

Ultimately, I think this is a series which has great potential, from the last few chapters you can tell Hunt has a much greater plan for these characters and their adventures. I look forward to the next instalment.

3.25 stars.