The Art Collector is the first novella in the paranormal romance series Demons Among Us, written by Katelyn Brehm. A slow burn romance plot that slowly builds the tension between the two main characters, adequately paced, and that takes the opportunity to give a more human side to the monster of this story, in a way that remembers to Beauty and the Beast.

Madelyn enjoys a simple life, when the company she works for lands a lucrative contract to value the paintings of a mansion with an infamous story. A relatively simple job, but which becomes much more interesting when her routine is interrupted by the mysterious owner of the house, the millionaire Thomas. On the other hand, we have Thomas von Dreiss, an incubus who has accepted loneliness in exchange for not falling to his hunger; but the apparition of Madelyn breaks his schemes, reigniting some feelings he didn't remember he had.

A story that slowly builds the tension between the characters, passing for all the states that we could expect from a romance story; maybe a bit more centered on the feeling aspect, preferring to not be steamy. It's exactly what you could expect from the genre, so at some points, it felt a bit cliquey.

The prose is clear and concise, making this a fairly quick read, perfect to do in a single sit. If you are looking for a classic contemporary paranormal romance, definitely you can give The Art Collector a try, as it is a really competent book, perfect to fulfill your crave of some intense romance.

Note: The following review contains only my personal thoughts as a judge and does not reflect the views of the team as a whole. No cuts or semi-finalists will be announced until Team Bookend Elves has read all of our books!