Mothman Is My Boyfriend: Ten Tales of Cryptid Love and Lust

With this quirky and bighearted collection of linked romantic shorts, Coyle (Goblin Mode) invites readers to small-town Cryptid Creek, where humans and folkloric creatures live side by side—and sometimes date. Mothman, seven feet tall and boasting both wings and antennae, works at the local coffee shop and communicates by psychically transmitting his emotions, which creates an intense sensory feedback loop when he kisses nonbinary bookstore owner Lucy in the cute “The Moon and the Mothman.” A butch lesbian sasquatch who goes by Sas and uses he/him pronouns engages in a sweet, somewhat awkward courtship with a femme bartender in “Dream Girl.” More obscure cryptids also get their time in the spotlight: in the horror-tinged “Night Shift,” the Flatwoods Monster hires a psychic to rid her house of a ghost, while Cactus Cat proves irresistible to his coworker in the erotically charged “Yearn for It.” Sex scenes are implied or fade-to-black, but sparks still fly in the lustier pieces, including “Practice Makes Perfect,” which pairs two trans men, one a human, the other a lake monster. Both the poignant, atmospheric “Ripple” and the tender “A New Leaf” deal with life and love after loss. The inclusive vibe, gentle humor, and endearing cast of creatures will appeal to anyone seeking cozy monster romance. (May)