Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Hannah Reynolds (A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon)!
Meet the Author: Hannah Reynolds
Hannah Reynolds is the two-time Sydney Taylor Honor author of young adult romantic comedies. She grew up outside of Boston, where she spent most of her childhood and teenage years recommending books to friends, working at a bookstore, and making chocolate desserts. She received her BA in Creative Writing and Archaeology from Ithaca College, which meant she never needed to stop telling romantic stories or playing in the dirt. After living in San Francisco, New York, and Paris, she came back to Massachusetts and now lives in Cambridge.
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About the Book: A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon
A student finds herself accidentally betrothed to a demon—and investigating his connection to the magical irregularities plaguing her city—in this cozy, whimsical YA romantasy.
As a scholarship student at the magical Lyceum, Naomi would rather focus on deciphering ancient scrolls than dating. Especially since the only boys asking her out are less interested in a night in Naomi’s company than an introduction to her influential aunt.
So Naomi devises an excuse to turn down her persistent suitors: She claims to be betrothed to a demon.
Her story works perfectly. Until she arrives home one night and finds the demon Daziel lounging in her rooms, insisting he’s her betrothed. Naomi knows he’s lying—after all, the betrothal was never real—but the gorgeous and infuriating demon is surprisingly resistant to her banishing spells. And with his penchant for baking and home décor, it’s not so bad having him around.
Besides, she has bigger worries—like the ancient scroll she’s trying to translate, and the way the city’s magic has become suddenly unstable. But the more Naomi learns about the scroll, and the more she gets to know Daziel, the more it seems like she might be at the center of something bigger than she could have imagined.
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Sometimes playful plot ideas simply pop into my head — like what if you were a busy student trying to get rid of unwanted suitors, and you did so by claiming you already had a boyfriend? What if you lived in a fantasy world, attended a magical academy, and claimed you were betrothed to a demon? And what if doing so accidentally summoned a demon — who insisted you really were betrothed? From there, the story poured out of me. Add in my own love of ancient languages and history, and we had a mystery about ancient scrolls; plus my adoration of Provence, France, gave me a beautiful inspiration for my setting.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon is steeped in Jewish mythology, and I did lots of research into the fascinating ways ancient and medieval Jews viewed magic. Many of them believed in demons, who lived in the wilderness, and invented ways to ward them off or banish them: incantation bowls, amulets, spells. I incorporated many of these and other details into my world. And the setting is partially inspired by Provence, where strong winds blow, so I did plenty of research into the architectural details of southern France, as well as into the flowers and the food.
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?
Whimsy, romance, and humor! My goal is to bring joy to readers, to make them laugh out loud. To make them sigh with happiness. If you’re not grinning ear-to-ear while reading A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon, I’ve done something wrong.
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
My heroine, the scholarship student Naomi, at first dislikes Daziel – the demon she accidentally summoned. Then she gets used to him, and then she starts to actually like his company. Then she secretly starts to like him… However, smooth sailing rarely comes in romance! The hardest scenes for me to write were when Naomi and Daziel got into intense, epic fights. They have good reasons to be shouting at each other! But sometimes I found myself getting just as upset at they were.
YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?
Tea and chocolate of any kind. (But there’s a lot of pains au chocolat in this book, so I had no choice but to eat a fair amount of those).
YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?
Writing actually brings me a ton of joy – it feels to me the way mediation or running feel for others, a time to unwind and center myself. I write every day, and it’s second only to reading in terms of relaxation.
YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
I’m currently rereading Persuasion! When I have a book launching, it’s difficult for me to concentrate on other new books, so I like to revisit old favorites. Persuasion is a comfort read, filled with yearning, romance, and Jane Austen’s enduring wit.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’m not entirely sure yet, but I’m not done telling romantic fantasy stories… If you’d like to read more about Naomi and Daziel, let me know on Instagram, where I’m @hannahelisawren, or drop me a line through my website, www.hannahreynolds.net – I love hearing from readers!
Title: A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon
Author: Hannah Reynolds
Release Date: February 3, 2026
Publisher: PenguinTeen
Genre: Cozy fantasy, Romantasy
Age Range: 12+
