Series: Charming Cove #2 (Standalone)
Publication Date: 31st August 2023
Genre: Small Town Witchy Romance
3.3 Stars
One Liner: Nice but not great
***
Emma Willowby is an outsider in Charming Cove and has only one chance to prove her worth. She makes a deal with a Vampire Duke, Alaric, to use his estate to host the Beltane Ball. In return, she agrees to be his fake girlfriend for his grandmother.
They have ground rules, of course. However, Emma cannot afford to fall in love with him and lose her anonymity. But what does the future have in store for her?
The story comes from the first-person POV of Emma and Alaric. Emma has a larger share.
My Thoughts:
The book is a standalone and can be read without book one. Though we have Aria in this one, she has only a minor role (with a paragraph of backstory). Oh, little Catrina appears too!
The writing is easy to read, way too easy at times but works well if you want something lighthearted. The pacing is decent, too.
I found the first-person voices hard to distinguish in book one. While that aspect is slightly better here (I still got confused in a couple of chapters), Alaric’s characterization seems to have been a lost opportunity.
Alaric being a vampire is another disappointment. Negating all popular vampire myths is fine as long as we are provided with something else to remember that he and his family are vampires. However, apart from adding a dash of donated blood to their champagne and martini, there’s nothing vampirish about them. It seems like having a human sounded ordinary, so we have a highly humanized version of a vampire. Sorry, but that’s lazy.
Emma is decent and someone I should root for. Yet, she appears judgmental in quite a few instances. Also, the repetition of her opinions (without additional information) makes her sound whiny instead of someone who needs to be loved and cherished. The emotional quotient just isn’t there to feel for her.
The magical elements are well done. I like the concept of revelation sticks and joy batteries. I’d have liked it if the party was a little more elaborate.
Penelope the skunk is Emma’s familiar. She is the highlight of the book. Just like Aria’s Boris, Penelope has a smart mouth and is a treat to read. Yeah, both familiars have almost human-like thoughts and actions, but I don’t mind since they make the book better.
Third-act breakups are not mandatory in romance. But if the book insists on having one, it should not be half-baked and bland. This one feels like a summarized version. And she forgives him so easily! Ugh.
The ending is cute and has HEA, so that’s something. The side characters like Vivian, Madeline, Holly, and Harold are sweet too. However, I liked book one a lot better. The town and the magic in that one were interesting, even if the romance was a bit fast-paced.
To summarize, How to Fake-Date a Vampire is a steady-paced and lighthearted small-town witchy romance. Don’t expect much, though (not even vampires).
Thank you, NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press, for the eARC.
#HowtoFakeDateaVampire #NetGalley
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