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Cover of Shots and Barbs

Shots and Barbs

by Lily Mayne

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️explicit·Deep Earth Dating #2
4.3 on Goodreads (1,904)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

Rivals-to-lovers between an overachieving event planner and her cocky monster client, with hilarious banter, scorching chemistry, and a feel-good HEA.

Synopsis

Nuni Look, I’m an extremely busy, handsome, charming guy. I am a paragon of physical perfection, I run a wildly successful architecture firm, and I take care of my family. I don’t have time to organise a ten-year anniversary party for my business, so it just makes sense to hire someone else to do the work. Except as soon as I see my new event planner, Anita Chaudhary, with her dark eyes and no-nonsense attitude and sensible shoes, I decide maybe I should be involved in the process. Just, you know, for the sake of being thorough. But mainly so I can keep butting heads with her. She’s competitive and cool-headed and infuriatingly competent, all of which I begrudgingly find attractive. And those sensible shoes of hers drive me wild. But she’s also human. And we all know that humans and demiurgus don’t exactly mix… Anita Nuni var Rorik is arrogant, pompous, egotistical, vain, bullheaded… need I go on? He’s a frat boy in an expensive suit. A know-it-all. A big, muscular demiurgus with perfect hair and flawless skin and a distractingly beautiful face. He rankles me like no one else. But I can’t stay away from him. Which is definitely not good. I’m his event planner, and my boss is extremely strict when it comes to… ahem… client relations. When our barbed words and competitive needling explode into something hotter than it has any right being, my job and reputation are on the line. I can’t stand the thought of being seen as irresponsible or less than the best, but I can’t stop myself when it comes to him. So we just have to keep it a secret. Shots and Barbs is a MF monster/human romcom and is the second in the series Deep Earth Dating, which features a range of diverse pairings and is for an adult audience only.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Nuni is the most chaotic, lovable monster himbo you will ever meet and Anita is NOT having it (until she absolutely is). This is a low-angst romcom that will have you cackling one page and fanning yourself the next. The monster intimacy scenes are creative and unapologetic. If you liked Berries and Greed, this one cranks the banter and the spice up to eleven.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.33 ★ (1.9k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

517 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2024

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Monster Romance

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Medium Burn

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dual Narration (unspecified)

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
monster romanceenemies to loversworkplace romancerivals competingopposites attractsecret relationshipforbidden love
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

romanticsteamyheartwarmingwhimsicalhumorousplayful

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

humorouswittybanter-heavywarmengaging

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

light

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

low

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

low angstcozy romcomcompetition as foreplaymonster x humansecret relationship tension

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

career womansnarky/sarcasticgeneral badass

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

golden retrieverrogue/scoundrelsecretly softmonster MMC

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

enemies to loversbantergrumpy sunshinepush and pullcompetitors to lovers

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
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Spice Level 5

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

intense / passionateplayful / funprimal / possessiverough / primaldirty talk heavy

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

dirty talk (sweet/playful)teasing controlplayful bantersize difference focustension

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

monstrous anatomyrough/aggressive intimacyprimal play (hunting/chasing)size differencepegging
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (3)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
explicit sexual contentdrug usebullying
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

paranormalcontemporary

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

workplace / officebig city / metropolis

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

monsters

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

bisexual MCchronic illness

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

addictive readromantic fulfillmentferal brain activatedfeel-good

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

vacationpalate cleanser readlazy Sundaybeach trip

Deep Earth Dating

Berries and Greed

#1 Berries and Greed

Shots and Barbs

#2 Shots and Barbs

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️explicit
PagesHow long the commitment is.517
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.33 ★ (1.9k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Deep Earth Dating #2
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