For Whom the Belle Tolls

This book, and author, are incredible. Lily is a relatable character, honestly ALL of the characters are relatable. The snark and sass are off the charts witty, the struggles the characters cope with are real life struggles, and the relationships between them all are just so REAL.I’ve followed and watched the Helle’s Belles series since the beginning, and this prequel not only does the story justice, it it truly bring the whole story to life.I struggle with so many of the things that so many of the characters struggle with. This story can make any of us feel seen in a profound way. I can’t put into words how important that is, this universal feeling of being truly seen. It’s almost as if Jaysea wrote my story, and my husband’s story, and my friends’ stories. We all live with trauma in various forms, that manifest in myriad ways. This book, and the series, makes me see and feel that I am not alone. None of us are, because ALL of us are beautifully broken and have the capacity to heal and grow and use our experiences to uplift ourselves, those around us, and learn how to say “Enough.”I will admit, with no amount of shame, that the cosmology that Jaysea has created has shaped my view of the afterlife. I was already pagan and had a similar view of what that could look like, but this fits my views better than I could articulate.Much like Lily, and by extension, Jaysea, I have had to take a good, hard look at my mortality. My illnesses aren’t terminal (pretty sure), but I am in debilitating pain every day. I take a small pharmacy’s worth of medications every day. I am going to die someday. We all are. So, what happens next? I deal with religious trauma, the same way that Penny and Sharkie and Lily did. And I have Lily’s mindset when it comes to people gleefully telling me I’m going to Hell. This book and series have, and still do, given me hope, and the inkling that maybe, I am enough after all. Just as I am. Just as I will be. That maybe I always deserved love and safety, just because I’m a person, not because I “earned” it.(And it really IS impossible to kink-shame a cat)So. We may look like frogs that decided to put in pants, but we can still kick ass.

As a fan of Hells Belles, I had to pick this up. Great story of managing trauma with a dash of fantasy war tossed in. My only complaint is that there were moments of character growth where the POV character would state, 'this was an important step to them, and s/he could see that,' which pulled me out of the moment. I'd say 4.5/5 instead of 5, but that's me. Would love for another book to appear!

A phenomenal book from cover to cover. Each character takes on a life of their own beautifully. I started with the tiktok series, so being able to take deep dives into these characters was amazing. I had to set the book down and stare at the wall within the first five chapters, and then again about every five chapters. If there is an afterlife, this should be it. If you like romance, if you like fantasy, if you like life in general, read this. Even if you’re scared to read something so new … do it scared ❤️🦈.

The long awaited novel from Jaysea Lynn was SO WORTH THE WAIT!!! I've been following her on TikTok for the past few years and was enraptured with her daily skits. When she announced that she was writing a book, I was beyond excited! Her storytelling is excellent and has a very natural pace. The characters are so well developed and the story as a whole is phenomenal! Lily is the spitfire we cherish and Beleth is the complete himbo package! There are spicy moments, heartwarming scenes, gut-wrenching flashbacks, and so much healthy character development. I am certainly looking forward to her next installment with great anticipation!!! Thank you so much, Jaysea, for sharing your creativity with us!!! 🫰🏻

I stumbled across this book by accident. I vaguely remembered seeing some of Jaysea’s TikTok’s, but was not a follower. This book was recommended on someone’s monthly wrap-up, and I am so grateful because this was amazing.As someone who grew up in a Baptist Christian (read: Fire and Brimstone) community, and spent most of their childhood having existential dread panic attacks in the top bunk of a bunk-bed because God was going to punish them for messing up (read: for being a child), this was a wholly cathartic experience.I loved the commentary on predatory religious practices and their ingrained misogyny. I loved the found family and the riotous humor. I loved the idea that there’s peace to be found for all of us after death, no matter what we believe.As long as we’re good. As long as we try. Which, of course, is all that anyone can do.Highly, highly recommend this book and anything else Jaysea sees fit to bless us with in the future.

Okay. First off - yeah, it’s a smutty book. OMG does it have smutty bits. But something I have learned, is that when most men write smut it is about the mechanics and hydraulics and frankly is a bit boring. When women write sexy scenes, it is about the overwhelming passion. This book has a lot of that in those scenes. The other thing this book has? Some very interesting characters. You find you CARE about them. Nobody’s dog dies. Several people get beat with a bat… but they are EVIL and deserve it, so that’s another good thing. And like all the best stories? They live happily ever after. Now go read this. You’ll enjoy it!

If you're not okay crying in public. I first found Jaysea, via the Facebook Reels ok her Hellp Desk Skits, then two days ago i saw the Reel with the audio book preview and went "Holy Crap she actually wrote a book about it!". So i immediately downloaded the Kindle version and ordered the paperback, which will hopefully be here in a few days. Four tissues and a dozen laughs later, I'm writing this review and wishing for another dozen books with these characters, this humanity and passion to carry me through the weekend. Jaysea, i don't know if you read these reviews, but thank you. This is what I hope our afterlife is like. This is what I want our universe to teach, do onto others, try, and that we are all warriors fighting impossible battles. I eagerly await your next book and have added you to my One-Click shelf. Thank you.

This book made me laugh, cry, question my life choices, and feel all the emotions. It kinda had it all. A beautiful spicy love story between two nerds, illness, death, war, found family, questioning motherhood, religious trauma, grief, loss, acceptance, new beginnings... all wrapped in a beautifully written and intriguing plot and excellent world development. I'm not usually one to highlight quotes in a book, but there were so many lines that were so powerful, beautiful, or hilarious that I ended up highlighting dozens of them. You'll be laughing one minute and crying the next, feel rage and disgust, and then smile at the warmth of love and life. The little details of true deep emotions the author captured make this book incredible.Wear your seat belt, bring tissues, and don't read this on your lunch hour and have to explain why your eyes are watering to your coworkers like I did.

From the very beginning, For Whom the Belle Tolls is exciting and engaging while also crafting perfect moments that I enjoyed basking in.Many stories, especially fantasy genres, can make me feel the need to rush to the end to get the characters out from under whatever drama/problem is ruling their life. With FWTBT I was able to spend time with Lily (and Bel) in the reality of their day-to-day and get to see the real them in moments of struggle, joy, and the mundane - if you can call grabbing coffee with Persephone that.I loved seeing Lily grow into the person she always was - a brave, loving badass - and find home in a place that could be seen as damnation, but really is salvation (Hell).The main, and side, character development and emotional depth felt immersive and realistic. This, paired with excellent worldbuilding, had me feeling like I was in a favorite dream with no desire to leave it.I can't wait to come back to this world, see Lily & Bel thrive, and others find their own happy (but not perfect) forever.

Lily is a recently deceased soul in the afterlife who finds herself a little bored and opts to fully engage in the place she has landed. In this exploration she finds a job, friends, family, and even some therapy.Even with reading the description of this book, I had no idea what I was getting into. I found myself crying, laughing, all the way through it, sometimes all in the same chapter. The spice was spicy. The themes were deep. The jokes were… well some were terrible and punny and others were laugh out loud.I loved the characters. My favorite was Carlton but I also really enjoyed Bel. This story switches between Lily and Bel’s POVs pretty seamlessly. It is clearly marked when it switches to the other and if there is overlap or change of time period, it is obvious without making the reader try to discern what is going on.I would recommend this book for someone who wants the full experience of life (and death) in a story. Please check the trigger/content warnings as this book has some heavier themes. It’s also has some dark humor. In short, this book is not for everyone.

1. Trigger Warnings: 1/1 point.WOW. I have so many big feelings about this section. The trigger warnings in this book are real, so necessary, and SO well done. But what really destroyed me is how Lily takes her trauma and her past and reclaims it on her own terms. Watching her heal, fight for herself, and rewrite her story was absolutely breathtaking and permanently altered my brain chemistry.This book healed me in ways that I didn’t even know I was broken.Full. Freaking. Point.2. Characters: 1/1 pointLily is SUCH a bada$$... both physically AND emotionally. Her character arc and emotional growth? Life changing. Gorgeous. Stunning.Now add in a cinnamon roll MMC with actual emotional depth (we love to see it), laugh-out-loud banter, a little girl obsessed with sharks, a grumpy cat side kick, goddesses who love trivia and $ex jokes, and a sentient house with attitude?Total and utter perfection. Full point.3. Plot: 1/1 pointI am never going to shut up about this book. The plot had everything. Not only was it an incredible emotional journey from trauma to healing for so many characters (and for the reader), but it also delivered high stakes, action, and literally the fate of the whole universe hanging in the balance.Full point.4. Smut: 1/1 pointThis one was a slow-burn friends-to-lovers with a delicious amount of tension and just enough good smut.I love when a book sneaks in a little comic relief during the spicy scenes because it makes everything feel so much more real. For Whom the Belle Tolls totally nailed that balance. It was hot, fun, full of love, and had that perfectly realistic, slightly chaotic energy I crave.Also… am I the only one slightly alarmed by how stupid hot I find sensitive wings? No? Just me? Cool, cool.Anywhoo. Full point for smut!5. Fun-to-read: 1/1 pointA customer service desk in hell called… wait for it… the HELLP Desk?! Come on, y’all. You already know this book was a fun ride. Lily and her sass are such an icon. She’s going to be living rent-free in my head forever.The banter? Immaculate. The spice? Delicious. The love, the growth, the found family, the trivia nights at a demon bar? Iconic.Full point for fun to read.Overall: Thats a full 5 stars and I'm going to give it 3/5 chili peppers for the spice. I loved everything about this book and I cannot recommend it enough!

I loved all of her skits on the app, but I was not prepared to begin reading her book that had me so invested in the entire history of Lily and Beleth! I laughed out loud, cried, and remembered many similar moments in my own life. Jaysea wrote an incredible tale and has created a world in a universe that keeps the reader curious, engaged, and aroused on every level! I have never been into a lot of erotic literature, but this was just a well written love story with fine detailing. The erotic scenes were filigree on an already masterful art piece. They were well placed and congruent with the story being told. I cannot wait to read more about the other denizens of Hell. She did a beautiful job with this first book, not to mention how she draws people in with her skits. I look forward to many more hours discovering the Afterlife with her beloved characters, witty quips, sexy scenes, sarcastic and sardonic responses of the Hellp desk all under a very simple umbrella of love. Thank you for one of the reads I've had in years!

This book was super cute and had me way emotional in a good way. I was completely surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I stumbled upon it late one night after needing something to fill a void from finishing another book that left me shook and agry because I hate reading something I like, only to find I now have to wait a year or more (who knows) to read the rest of the story to know what happens. I was desperate for a change. A finished story for once! At 2 am I found this book, only to discover not only was it a huge hit on tiktok(I don't do tiktok anymore), but that 95% of the reviews were five stars AND it is a complete story, no other books(no waiting, what?!) That never happens..... Here I am after a week of severely late night reading sessions after work, so much missed sleep, and a grin on my face to how cute this book was. I couldn't put it down. I know what you're thinking, and YES there was plenty of spice, but this story gets you right in the feels ( it might trigger women who struggle to conceive or never could, so it is a trigger warning for sure with that one)..... I came out of it wanting to love my people more, hold them tight, and never let go. This book made me even more grateful for my life. It was worth being utterly exhausted at work from all the sleep I missed and chores I neglected because I couldn't put it down. Ask my laundry pile, because it certainly won't give this book five stars. Anyway, this story was great. I feel lighthearted after reading it and super happy. Thanks for a great read, Jaysea Lynn! Your imagination and interpretation of the afterlife was absolutely lovely. You've got me out here hugging all of the demon babies in my family and grossing my adult children out with all of my staring, infinite hugs, and "I love you"s I keep giving them when I see them or text them. It's so bad, my family thinks I have a terrible secret I am keeping to myself that I am not ready to tell them. My fiancé thinks I might have hit my head unknowingly. I'm going to see how long I can weird them out with this "new me"😂😅🤷🏼‍♀️

I just finished reading "For Whom the Belle Tolls" by Jaysea Lynn on KU, and wow, what an incredible experience! As a fan of Jaysea's storytelling on TikTok, I was already hooked by her skits and characters, but this book took my admiration to a whole new level. I truly wish she would post those skits on YouTube—I miss them!This book wrecked me in the best way possible. It hit me in all the feels like no other book ever has. Sure, I've laughed and cried while reading before, but this one had me in tears for hours during the first few chapters. It was an emotional roller coaster. I probably looked like I needed medical intervention! There were moments when I was cackling like a nut job, and other times I was shaking with mirth. Chapter 40 had me sobbing uncontrollably, as if someone had just run over my pet.What I loved most is how Jaysea touched on so many of my own traumas, hurts, precious memories, and dreams. Her ability to weave these elements into her storytelling is nothing short of phenomenal. It's clear that she has found her true calling as a storyteller.I can't wait for the hardcover edition to come out—come on, birthday! Jaysea, if you ever read this, thank you for creating a book that touched my soul in a way very few ever have. I'm eagerly looking forward to any potential future series featuring these characters. There's only one book series I've followed since sixth grade(in my upper 30s), and now I can confidently say I will follow this one for the rest of my life.Get writing, girlie! You have a lifelong fan in me!

It’s been a long time since I actually sat down to write out a book review. If there was going to be one worth that effort, this book would be it. To start, it has the most amazing world building. I think this might be truly my favorite ever depiction of the afterlife. The characters were fantastic and fantastically written. It’s been a minute since I read a book that made me tear up so consistently (with all kinds of emotions) that I had to keep a box of tissues next to me while I read. I felt like this book was a perfect balance of funny, with just the right touch of irreverence, heartwarming, heart wrenching and had the perfect amount of spice. I would highly recommend you give it a read!

I don't even know where to begin. The world is so different and unique. The world building was just right - not over done at all. The characters are so believable and true. I felt like I was right next to Lily. And I love the dual POV and getting to see Beleth's side of things helped with the story line a lot. The way this novel touches your heart, makes you laugh, gives you the warm fuzzies, keeps you thinking, I couldn't get enough. I thought it was long when I started, but I didn't want it to end. This is easily one of my favorite fantasy romances. I cannot wait for the next story! I'm gonna rematch all the tiktoks from the very beginning to hold me over in the meantime!

I have been following Jaysea on TikTok for a very long time. I fell in love with her Hell's Belle's series of skits. She was so creative with the storylines and with her characters. When her book came out, of course, I had to read it.This book has such an interesting premise. Everyone who dies goes to the Afterlife for Judgment. They get to choose how they want to be judged based on their own religious preferences. All religious beliefs are real here. Souls who go to Hell are not always in need of punishment. The first two levels of Hell are actually therapy levels. The worldbuilding and lore are fantastic. I love everything about it.Lily is a great main character. She does a lot of healing despite having earned her Paradise. I love the way she builds relationships with the characters I fell in love with in the Hell's Belles skits. Jaysea does a fantastic job adding humor and small joys, along with levity and serious contemplation. Everything is well thought out, and each character feels three-dimensional.There are some explicit sex scenes that I skimmed because spice isn't really my favorite thing. I think if you're looking for the spicy stuff, you will definitely get what you're hoping for.This is a long book—almost 700 pages—but I still wanted more. I can't wait for the next book in the series. The ending made me smile because it introduced a well-known character. I can't wait to see more of the characters I love from the skits introduced into the Afterlife with their full histories. It's going to be great.

I knew this book would hit me upside the head with emotions and intensity before I read it. I have followed the story on TikTok and fell head over heels for the characters within. What I had not realized was the degree to which this story would settle into my chest and bloom. I cried within the first 15 pages. Barely restricted tears kept popping up time and time again as this tale unfolded.The love story that brings these characters together is one founded on intimacy. Not the lustful kind, though, as the book and characters establish, there is a great deal of lust present. No, their love story is one founded on the deep intimacy of sharing. Of knowing. Of experiencing. They fall in love smoothly, believably, gloriously. There is no doubt throughout the book that this pairing makes sense. They are not two hot people the author shoved together because they thought it would be fun. This book screams of characters that come together because they were meant to; the author simply communicated how.Beyond the romance of this story is a rich world, filled with a perspective on the Afterlife that I would like to believe is reality. The ideas within are both comforting and challenging. I found myself having to sit with the complex emotions that came up around the experiences the characters had in life, as well as their post-death reactions to it. I sat with the familiarity of their thought-processes. I sat with the fears. I sat with the doubts. I sat with the way these characters addressed these feelings. Inspired.This book is not going to be for you if you are not comfortable with adult romance that comes with explicit, open-door scenes of adults engaging in adult activities. These, I must say, are a fun addition to the compelling romance that is fueling them, but are not the core of this couple. Just to be clear.This book also likely will not be for you if you are someone who gets offended by the themes of deconstruction from Christianity, or who is opposed to a non-biblical version of events. These are things that I, personally, love about this book, but if you don't, just move along.Finally, this book addresses some pretty awful events. Triggering events. Ones that are more discussed as existing, but are not described in detail, thankfully. Still, they might leave a hollow feeling in your chest if you are not prepared for that. Read the author's note at the beginning and decide for yourself how much you are comfortable with. As someone who experienced several of the things listed, I will simply add that I did not personally find it overwhelming or upsetting. I have been in therapy for many years, but I think that the author did a beautiful job of addressing these subjects respectfully and empathetically.Overall, I found this book to be exactly as my title describes. Impactful. I have more things to journal about and bring in to therapy because of this book, in the best possible way. I found the love story and individual characters to be gloriously beautiful. It was touching to read the changes these characters undergo with time. I loved it. Unlike most books I buy digital copies of, I am getting the physical copy and I already bought the audiobook as well.

This book. . . This. BOOK! I have been utterly blown away. Every chapter left me enamored and craving more. The epilogue only increasing this. The story is amazing, the characters are relatable and real—their emotional depth, their social walls and their openness, their traumas and joys. I read it over the course of four days and only put it down when I had to go to work (I took it with me and read on my breaks too).I cannot recommend this book more. It is powerful and emotional and painful and deep and more than a little bit spicy ;). Above all though, it is kind. It is officially my favorite book, and that is no small feat.I first was introduced to Jaysea Lynn back in the earlier days of Hell’s Belles on TikTok and immediately fell in love with the series. After taking a year off from social media, I returned to find that her book was finally done and scrambled to order it while spending the days waiting for its arrival rewatching the entire series from start to current finish. I knew it would be amazing, but even with my high expectations for this book, I couldn’t have been prepared for how incredible it is, nor how much of an impact it made on me. To see these characters through this medium—my favorite medium—is eye-opening and freeing, like they were always meant to be on the page. In a lot of ways I relate to the character of Lily (we’re even roughly the same age) and still deal with some of the same troubles she deals with in her story. Seeing those things, while making me feel a little called-out, was also cathartic and therapeutic. All things in this story are treated with respect and realism, and reading through it all has been a gift. I will CERTAINLY be rereading.I’m rambling at this point, so I’ll close here. My thanks goes out fully and completely to Jaysea Lynn for her incredible work.

Read this book if you want to laugh, cry, and kick your feet up like a cliche girl at a sleepover wanting to know about a persons crush.I am so happy that I was able to listen to this book. I have been waiting for this book to come out since Jaysea was teasing us with it on TT. Now Jaysea, you did amazing and I cannot wait to buy the physical copy because I am a book goblin and I need my hands on it as well. I love the way your words flowedas easily as silk does and ripped my breath out of me at certain points. The way that you can see the care and amount of emotions that have been put into this book is written in the pages of this book.I absolutely love Lily and Bel, from the first time I saw her TT videos, and finally being able to read the backstory and their love story made me extremely happy. The found family trope is strong with this story and I thoroughly loved her adoption of Sharky was a dream that came true. Lily and Bel are not without their faults but the way you can see that they aren't there just for show and that they actually work through their issues and mental problems is fantastic.I do not suggest this book for those under 18 since there is a fantastic amount of deliciously heard spicy scenes. It didn't feel like your standard romantasy book where it was mostly worldbuilding while trying to make sure you got key moments or romantic notions. It felt right. It felt like there was a lot of care and a lot of effort put into this book and it made me feel things I haven't felt in a long time so thank you. It made me cry it made me scream and made me laugh like I love. I took my time with the audiobook and I am so glad I did, it prolonged the more time my mind was in the world.I can't wait to read more... please tell me that we get a certain other couples love story as well please.... I'm begging you.