Alexandria Bellefleur has carved out a distinctive niche in contemporary romance with her charming, witty explorations of queer love, but with The Devil She Knows, she ventures into entirely new territory. This paranormal romance reimagines the classic deal-with-the-devil trope through a sapphic lens, delivering a story that’s equal parts heart and heat, comedy and contemplation. While the execution doesn’t always match the ambition of its premise, Bellefleur’s signature warmth and emotional intelligence shine through, creating a reading experience that’s more sweet than sinister, more thoughtful than terrifying.
A Proposal Gone Wrong, A Deal Gone Right
The story opens with chef Samantha Cooper at her absolute lowest. Within twenty-four hours, she’s been rejected by her girlfriend Hannah after a botched marriage proposal, lost her home, and found herself trapped in an elevator with a pink-clad demon named Daphne who offers her six wishes in exchange for her soul. It’s a setup ripe with possibility, and Bellefleur milks it for all its worth. The premise immediately raises the stakes while establishing the emotional core that will carry the narrative: Sam’s desperate desire to win back Hannah, even at the cost of her immortal soul.
What sets this story apart from typical Faustian bargains is Bellefleur’s sharp subversion of expectations. Daphne isn’t your standard demon. She’s fashionable, surprisingly empathetic, and bound by her own two-thousand-year contract to collect one thousand souls. The dynamic between Sam and Daphne crackles from their first interaction, mixing antagonism with attraction in ways that feel both inevitable and earned. Their banter is razor-sharp, with Daphne’s sardonic wit perfectly complementing Sam’s stubborn determination.
The wish mechanics drive the plot forward with relentless momentum. Each of Sam’s wishes to win Hannah back gets twisted in increasingly creative ways by Daphne, forcing Sam to confront uncomfortable truths about her relationship, her desires, and what she’s willing to sacrifice for love. Bellefleur uses these reality-bending sequences to explore fascinating questions about free will, the nature of love, and whether we can ever truly know another person.
Characters That Linger Long After the Last Page
Samantha Cooper emerges as a wonderfully complex protagonist. She’s a talented chef who’s poured everything into her career while neglecting her own needs and desires. Her desperation to win Hannah back initially reads as romantic devotion, but Bellefleur peels back the layers to reveal something more nuanced: a woman who’s internalized the belief that she’s not enough, that she needs to change herself to be worthy of love. Sam’s journey from self-sacrificing doormat to someone who recognizes her own value forms the emotional backbone of the novel.
Daphne, however, steals every scene she’s in. Bellefleur has crafted a demon unlike any other in paranormal romance. She’s not evil incarnate but rather a weary immortal who’s spent two millennia bearing witness to humanity’s worst impulses. Her pink aesthetic and sharp fashion sense mask a deep melancholy and surprising moral complexity. The gradual revelation of her backstory—how she became a demon, the impossible contract binding her, her desperate quest for freedom—adds layers of tragedy to her character that elevate her beyond mere love interest.
The supporting cast deserves mention as well. Hannah, Sam’s ex, could have been a one-dimensional obstacle, but Bellefleur gives her enough complexity to make her more than just the girl Sam needs to get over. She’s ambitious, image-conscious, and yes, somewhat shallow, but she’s also recognizably human in her flaws. The moments where Sam’s rose-colored glasses finally come off regarding Hannah provide some of the novel’s most emotionally resonant scenes.
Prose That Sizzles and Stumbles
Bellefleur’s writing shines brightest in dialogue and character dynamics. The verbal sparring between Sam and Daphne delivers consistent entertainment, with quotable lines and genuinely funny moments that prevent the story from becoming too heavy despite its supernatural stakes. The author has a gift for making her characters feel lived-in and real, even when they’re discussing contracts with Hell or visiting the fourth circle.
The romantic development between Sam and Daphne unfolds with admirable patience. Bellefleur doesn’t rush their connection, instead allowing it to build naturally through shared experiences and genuine emotional vulnerability. The moments of intimacy—both physical and emotional—feel earned rather than obligatory. The chemistry is palpable, and the eventual relationship feels like a true partnership of equals rather than a savior dynamic.
However, the pacing occasionally falters under the weight of its own ambition. The middle section, where Sam makes multiple wishes in quick succession, sometimes feels repetitive despite the creative variations Bellefleur introduces. The reality-shifting sequences, while conceptually interesting, occasionally blur together. Some readers may find themselves wishing for more time spent developing the central relationship rather than cycling through wish-gone-wrong scenarios.
The world-building presents another mixed bag. Bellefleur’s vision of Hell and its bureaucratic hierarchy is inventive and often humorous, complete with filing systems relocated from Limbo and demons with distinctly human quirks. Yet the rules governing demonic contracts and wish fulfillment sometimes feel inconsistent or conveniently flexible. The climactic confrontation introduces complications that, while dramatically satisfying, raise questions about mechanics established earlier in the story.
Themes That Resonate Beyond the Romance
Where The Devil She Knows truly succeeds is in its thematic depth. This isn’t merely a paranormal romance with a gimmick; it’s a thoughtful examination of self-worth, toxic relationships, and the difference between wanting someone and truly knowing them. Bellefleur uses the fantastical premise to explore painfully real questions about what we’ll sacrifice for love and whether changing ourselves for another person ever leads to genuine happiness.
The book offers sharp commentary on ambition, image, and the cost of success. Sam’s relationship with Hannah crumbles under the weight of unrealistic expectations and Instagram-perfect aesthetics. Through Sam’s various wishes, Bellefleur demonstrates how wealth, success, and even perfection can’t fix fundamental incompatibilities. It’s a refreshingly honest take on modern relationships in the age of social media curating.
The queer representation feels authentic and central rather than incidental. Sam’s experience coming out in a small Southern town, her delayed exploration of relationships, and her journey to self-acceptance add meaningful texture to her character. Bellefleur doesn’t shy away from showing how internalized shame and delayed self-discovery can impact romantic relationships. Daphne’s own long existence offers interesting parallels, as someone who’s witnessed humanity’s evolution, including its slow progress on LGBTQ+ rights.
Minor Flaws in an Otherwise Engaging Read
While the core story captivates, some elements don’t quite land. The resolution, though emotionally satisfying, relies on a contractual loophole that feels simultaneously too convenient and insufficiently foreshadowed. Readers expecting a darker, grittier take on demons and damnation may be disappointed by the relatively gentle treatment of infernal matters. Bellefleur’s Hell is more bureaucratic nightmare than eternal torment, which suits the book’s tone but may not satisfy those craving genuine darkness.
Additionally, some secondary plot threads feel underdeveloped. Sam’s career as a chef, while important to her character, takes a backseat once the supernatural shenanigans begin. Her relationships with friends and family could have been explored more deeply to better contrast with her obsessive focus on Hannah. The pacing of the final act rushes through emotional beats that deserved more space to breathe.
The ending, while ultimately hopeful, may strike some readers as too tidy. After the emotional rollercoaster of the journey, the resolution feels almost too easy. However, this fits with Bellefleur’s overall approach to romance—she’s interested in getting her characters to their happy ending, not prolonging their suffering unnecessarily.
The Verdict: A Devilishly Good Time
The Devil She Knows represents both an evolution and a continuation of Alexandria Bellefleur’s work. It maintains the warmth, humor, and emotional intelligence that made her previous books successful while pushing into new generic territory. This is a paranormal romance that prioritizes character development and emotional truth over spectacle and supernatural worldbuilding, for better and worse.
For readers who loved Bellefleur’s Written in the Stars, Hang the Moon, and Count Your Lucky Stars, this offers familiar pleasures with a fresh twist. The queer romance is front and center, the banter sparkles, and the emotional journey satisfies. For those new to Bellefleur’s work, this serves as an excellent introduction to her particular brand of romantic storytelling—earnest without being saccharine, funny without sacrificing depth.
The book works best when embraced as a character-driven romance that happens to feature demons rather than a demon-focused urban fantasy that includes romance. Readers approaching it with those expectations will find much to love. Those seeking extensive supernatural worldbuilding or darker explorations of demonic bargains may wish for something with more infernal bite.
Ultimately, The Devil She Knows succeeds because it understands that the most interesting supernatural element isn’t the wish-granting or reality-bending—it’s two wounded souls finding unexpected connection and healing in each other. Bellefleur has crafted a love story that argues the real magic isn’t in changing reality to suit our desires but in changing ourselves to recognize what we truly need.
Final Thoughts
The Devil She Knows stands as a charming, thoughtful entry in the paranormal romance genre that proves Alexandria Bellefleur can expand her range while maintaining the qualities that made readers fall in love with her work in the first place. It’s not without its flaws—pacing issues, occasionally repetitive middle sections, and a slightly too-convenient resolution prevent it from being a masterpiece. Yet the strength of the central relationship, the sharp character work, and the genuine emotional resonance make it a thoroughly enjoyable read.
This is comfort food with substance, a book that makes you laugh, swoon, and occasionally stop to think about your own relationships and self-worth. In an era where paranormal romance sometimes prioritizes spectacle over character, Bellefleur reminds us that the best supernatural stories are ultimately about the most human concerns: love, belonging, and learning to value ourselves.
For Fans Of
Readers who enjoyed The Devil She Knows might also appreciate:
- The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – Another contemporary romance with supernatural elements that balances humor with heart
- Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper – A witchy romance that similarly explores getting over an ex while finding unexpected new love
- The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner – For those wanting more sapphic romance with magical elements and sharp character dynamics
- In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan – Features similar themes of questioning what we think we want versus what we actually need
- Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall – For readers who loved the banter and queer romance elements
Previous Works by Alexandria Bellefleur
For those new to Bellefleur’s work, her Written in the Stars series showcases her talent for contemporary queer romance:
- Written in the Stars – Her debut novel featuring a fake dating setup between an astrology-loving optimist and a skeptical astronomer
- Hang the Moon – A Christmas romance about reconnecting with your ex’s best friend
- Count Your Lucky Stars – Completes the trilogy with another delightful exploration of found family and second chances
Each book demonstrates Bellefleur’s gift for creating warm, emotionally intelligent romances with genuine chemistry and satisfying character growth—qualities that translate beautifully into the paranormal realm with The Devil She Knows.