Caroline Abbott works at a high end stationary store that sells a lot of wedding-related stuff, like save the date cards, wedding invitations, and thank you cards. She's used to dealing with bridezillas, so her newest customer, Tiffany, doesn't throw her much, but the identity of Tiffany's fiance does. It turns out that Tiffany is getting married to Alex Wilder, Caroline's first crush. The last time they saw each other was when she was 12 and he was 14. He gave her her first kiss and then disappeared.
It's a shock to see Alex again, especially like this. When she was a kid, Caroline never realized that Alex came from a wealthy family. It's a bit strange that he's getting married so quickly, only a month or so after meeting Tiffany, and he doesn't even seem to like her much. But Caroline tries to be professional, do her job, and not ogle Alex, who is definitely no longer the gawky boy he used to be. Then she accidentally discovers that Tiffany is cheating on Alex, and things become even more complicated.
This was one of my Book Bonanza purchases. I tend to be drawn to illustrated covers, and this looked cute and fun. I went into this expecting a zany romantic comedy in which Caroline and Alex would awkwardly try to reconnect while dodging Tiffany's probably over-the-top attempts at getting revenge against Caroline and/or Alex. Instead, the writing style made me question what genre I was dealing with - Caroline's first person present tense POV felt more chick lit than romantic comedy, to me - and Caroline and Alex's early flirtation, prior to Caroline discovering that Alex was one of her newest customers, had me wondering whether it was actually going to be Alex who cheated first rather than Tiffany.
While Caroline and Alex didn't kiss or even spend much time together until after Alex learned about Tiffany's cheating and ended their engagement, it still felt uncomfortably like Tiffany was set up for failure. She was horrible and annoying and, even so, I felt a bit sorry for her. From the sounds of things, after the initial shine of their relationship wore off, Alex basically stopped paying much attention to Tiffany, spent most of his time at work, and procrastinated on getting her an engagement ring. Yeah, Tiffany was a gold digger who rushed him into a wedding, but he let himself be rushed. It was like he just couldn't be bothered to break up with her and was going to marry her because it was easier than telling her "no."
Which, honestly, didn't make him an appealing romantic hero. The parts of the book from his POV came across as wooden and boring, and my impression of him only worsened after he and Caroline decided to succumb to their attraction to each other. I think readers were supposed to see them as a better, more solid couple than Alex and Tiffany, but instead I saw Caroline as Alex's Tiffany 2.0. Just like with Tiffany, their relationship started off with lots of bouts of fantastic sex (fantastic for them - I considered the first person present tense sex scenes to be gross and stilted). When things got tough just before the end of the book, though, and Alex had to make a decision between trusting and supporting Caroline or doubting her, he chose the latter. It emphasized that these two characters still didn't really know or trust each other, and the happy ending, after Alex did a bit of groveling, felt hollow.
Also, this was a very small part of the book, but I still wanted to bring it up: I didn't like the way the author used Alex's younger brother, James. Alex had two siblings, his sister Meredith and his younger brother James. James was autistic. It was mentioned that he worked as an accountant in the family business and seemed to be pretty good at it. At one point, Alex thought about how James had told him that he felt like their parents were babying him (he still lived with their parents, and it sounded like they were very protective). Alex privately agreed with James...but also expected that James would one day move in with either Meredith or him, so I didn't really see how he was any different from their parents, not even entertaining the idea that James might want more independence. It also bugged me that, while Meredith got a small speaking role in the book, James didn't. For someone who was supposedly so important to Alex, he had almost no presence.
Caroline had a group of friends who all gave off "future heroine in this series" vibes. However, none of them particularly drew me in, and after the issues I had with Save the Date, I have no intention of trying another one of this author's books.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.
Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.
Sebastian Ellingham isn’t known for being a happy vampire. And when his long estranged wife comes to town expecting to pick up where they left off, things take a sharp turn toward cranky. Sure he’s been protecting her for centuries, but her assumption that he’s still available (he is) rankles.
His answer is to hire a woman to play his fiancée. The lucky victim is Tessa Blythe, sister of one of the town’s deputies, librarian in need of a job and, oh yes, reluctant Valkyrie. Playing along with Sebastian is all about the end game for her, the position of Dean of Library Studies at the local private academy.
When unexpected sparks fly between them, they agree to mutually deny the attraction. Fate, however, has other plans…
The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée is book five in the Nocturne Falls series by Kristen Painter.
Sebastian Ellingham, the vampire, is basically a Mr. Darcy. He’s cranky, keeps to himself, and takes responsibility seriously. He’s got a big heart yet no one in his family truly understands him and his estranged wife takes advantage of him.
Tessa Blythe, the Valkyrie and librarian. She’s given up on her protective powers. She loves her books, all things intellectual, and the quiet life. Her sister is a deputy sheriff in Nocturne Falls and convinces Tessa in moving to town.
What started out as a job interview ends up with her sister setting her up to act as the fake fiancée for Sebastian, so he can get his estranged vampire wife to sign divorce papers.
I adored Sebastian and Tessa. Their relationship was funny and sweet. They ended up helping each other heal from past experiences. They also helped each other find what was missing in their lives. The romance is a sweet one. I also loved how Tessa ends up being his fake fiancée. Now for the estranged wife. She is a piece of work and boy does she cause problems and drama.
“They were a perfect fit, the recluse and the bookworm. The weapons collector and the sword wielder. The vampire and the valkyrie.”
The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée was a fun read. The plot is fun, the characters are unique, and the supernatural world is enjoyable. This story is perfect for a summer read or a rainy day.
Rated: 4 Stars
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Challenges (2019):
An island vacation at a 5-star resort for her brother's wedding should have been relaxing. But for single mom Lena Oserkowski, it's stress-inducing. As long as she stays away from the water, her biggest fear, it'll be okay, right? Except when her son gets into trouble at the pool, Lena ends up needing her own rescue. To her surprise—and mortification—a gorgeous stranger comes to her aid. Suddenly her trip just got a whole lot more interesting.
Elliot Debusshere is disillusioned with his wealthy playboy lifestyle and wants nothing more than to bring some meaning and purpose to the charity he runs. When he saves a quirky, beautiful woman from a case of heat exhaustion and meets her son, Tyler, he has no idea the answer to his problems might have just fallen in his lap. Literally. But pleasure has a sneaky way of mixing with their business, leaving both dazed and confused. Elliot isn't father material—except the longer he spends with Lena and Tyler, the more he wants to be. Now he just needs to prove it.
Former surgeon and self-professed life-long bachelor Evan Manning has one thing on his mind—to reclaim the career that a car accident stole from him. But when he’s forced to return to his hometown of Red River, Evan comes face-to-face with the gorgeous woman who’s haunted his dreams for the last year—the woman he rescued from the burning car that injured his hand. Now Evan needs her help. In a month, he’ll have the job opportunity of a lifetime…he just needs a wife to get it.
Artist Grace Matheson is down on her luck again…until she walks into Evan Manning’s office. When her sexy former hero hears that she needs work, he offers her a job and a home—if she’ll pretend she’s his fiancée. Grace knows she shouldn’t fall for him. Once the month is up, Evan will be back to his old life. But the more time they spend together, the more real their feelings become—and the more likely heartbreak is.
So, first let me address an issue with KU. Authors publish these books on KU, knowing that page views get more money. The story advertised is 6% of the total book. Now, the rest is filled with other stories and thats fine, but why?!? Why are those stories included? Why not publish them independently? So, I read just Doctor's Fake Fiancee and then returned the book. So many authors are frustrated with KU for the manipulation that occurs and filling 94% of a book with other stories that aren't mentioned anywhere seems shady to me.
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