**Thank you Netgalley and publisher for giving me an electronic ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

This book kept me hooked! I loved the romance and the build-up to the final fight. I could not put this book down.

The budding relationship between Megan and Angeline isn't as corny as some of the vampire romances we're used to reading. Nicole Stilling took time to develop each of the women into interesting and independent women. Both of them were doing well enough in their lives before meeting each other. They slowly realize that the other adds something positive to their life. It was a refreshing take on vampire romance.

(Full Review at www.thelitbuzz.com on 06/03/2020)

Nicole Stiling’s latest novel gives us vampires. What is it about vampires that draws us in so much. Paranormal isn’t usually one of my go-to’s but this was a fun and well-written change of pace.

Megan Denham is in the wrong place at the wrong time and all hell breaks loose. The 30-something realtor stops by a local gas station and walks right into an armed robbery. I won’t give away all the details but know, all hope was lost for Megan until something stepped in and saved her.

Our other main character is Angeline. Angeline is definitely not what she seems. The gorgeous veterinarian has secrets that she has kept for a very long time. She is drawn to Megan in a way she has not been drawn to another woman in ages. As the book progresses you learn of Angeline’s story, often through flashbacks. Stiling does a great job of giving you the history of this enigmatic character and how she become who she is today.

There is romance, there is a lot of action, history and well, vampires. It is a well-written book, my only hang-up is that at times it felt too rushed. There is a lot of detail coming at you in regard to Angeline’s character and her past life. That took away from the romance in my opinion. I would have liked more emotion between our leading ladies. It felt superficial in the love department. Lust, yes, I got that, true love, I needed more.

Overall, this was an engaging story that was a fun and exciting change of pace. If this book continues into a series, which I felt like that was the direction the ending gave us, I am totally here for it. Stiling is a great writer and I am so interested to see what direction she takes us next.

This was a fun and entertaining paranormal romance. This is the second book Stiling has written. While I liked her debut a little bit better, this was a very solid sophomore installment. If Stiling can just use a tiny more show and a little less tell -I’m sure the more she writes the more that will improve- I could see her becoming an automatic read author for a lot of people. She has some really good potential with two good first books.

I like it when a novel takes on a paranormal theme and then normalises it to contemporary life. I also like stories with a dual time line. The book opens with Angeline Miles being turned into a vampire by a lonely vampire in the 1920s. In the present day, Megan Denham gets caught at a gas station at the wrong time and really has a hard time explaining her injuries and the woman who saved her.

Megan is an interesting character who lives a normal life with a cat and normal friends. She’s balanced and sensible so even when she explains things to the police she has a hard time believing the events herself. I wish there had been a little more to Angeline. I didn’t really get the full sense of what she had been through from the 1920s to present day. I think there was more room to explore who she was and her unhappiness.

It was a quick light read and perfect for someone who isn’t a fan of heavy paranormal but wants to venture into the world of speculative fiction without being mired in constructs and terminology. Three and a half stars rounded up.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This is my first book by Stiling, but I am picking up her first novel because I enjoyed this one so much. It has been a while since I read a vampire novel I really enjoyed. I often think it is difficult to humanize vampires, make them seem/appear human and loving, while also admitting they have/sometimes kill. If an author can humanize them it is so much easier to believe in the relationships presented in a novel. This is especially true in a romance novel. Stiling did an amazing job with Angeline. Angeline may be in my top 5 vampires, and I hope we get to see more of her.

I would say give this one a go even if vampire novels are not your thing, I think you may be surprised. Going on my favorites list and will be rereading again very soon.

I want to start by saying that I've read a lot of vampire novels and this one is solid and actually surprisingly light on the paranormal. It might be a good fit for readers who like contemporary romance but often shy away from paranormal stories.

I liked Angeline (v) and Meghan (h). Angeline is a reluctant vampire who tries her best to help humans and animals and mostly stays under the radar. Her early life as a vampire was traumatic under her cruel maker Kathryn. Interestingly it was her life as a vampire that gave her the opportunity to live her life as a lesbian.

The pacing of this story felt a bit off to me, with almost all of the real action happening right at the beginning then in the last 10%. I'm not sure I really understood Angeline's attraction to Meghan and I wish we could have spent more time exploring that. The blood bond trope made sense to me but beyond that, I don't feel like the attraction was captured.

I was struggling with the amount of shame and kind of denial Angeline had about being a vampire though when I reframed it as a parallel to some people's struggles with being queer in a society that doesn't accept them it worked a lot better for me.

Overall a solid story but a much slower pace than I initially expected.

I enjoyed this book and I love sci fi’s with vampires and other supernaturals. The book was fun and entertaining. The dialogue was great and the chemistry was real. This is a winner

In the Shadow of Darkness by Nicole Stiling is not your average vampire novel. Stiling takes a detour from conventional lore so don’t expect the Van Helsing route of crosses, holy water and garlic. It is actually quite sober and watered down to a rare blood disorder (at least that’s how Angeline explains it).

Angeline Vallencourt is turned in the 1920s in a drive-by grab-and-bite by vampire Kathryn. The fact that she was rudely snatched out of her life (and against her will) leaves Angeline bitter and brooding for decades. Kathryn is not a barrel of laughs either, but rather a selfish sociopath who doesn’t really give very good guidance to her companion.

Meghan Denham (say that fast 10 times in a row) is in the wrong place at the wrong time when she meets a bullet in a botched robbery at a gas station. She gets rescued by a mysterious woman (present day Angeline) and from then on the two share a blood bond. The facts around the case baffle the local constabulary and they keep bringing poor Meghan in for questioning. Meghan has a tough time explaining something she doesn’t understand either.

As her attraction to Angeline grows, new bodies turn up. Oh dear.

I liked my first Nicole Stiling, she had an interesting view on the vampire lore but didn’t make it very sexy (I am more partial to the Gothic type of bloodsucker). It had some good moments and was entertaining enough. Not that I was clutching my pearls at any moment, I missed a real connection for that. Stiling’s writing style keeps you at an emotional distance.

We get to know about Angeline’s story through flashbacks. The romance part was a bit meager, I didn’t feel the real heat between Angeline and Meghan and it reflects in the one semi-explicit love scene. But like I said, there were plenty of good parts in the book so all in all an entertaining read.

f/f

Themes: sleepy Fog Hollow suddenly sees plenty of action, blood disease, Kathryn is a selfish bitch with a cruel streak, the night shift, vampires are few and far between, Merlin the cat, Meghan decides to take a walk on the wild side.

3.5 Stars

* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Vampire stories are always fun because you never know how an author will choose to create a universe based on folklore and intertwine it with a modern twist. In the Shadow of Darkness is unique in that the author decided not to reinvent the wheel by overloading the story with the complexities of the folklore and focuses on a budding friendship that blossoms into a love affair between a human and a vampire. It becomes more than just an unwise relationship between Megan and Angeline, but rather a fight for their lives when another vampire intervenes their happiness. Themes abound regarding humanity and vampirism that question whether they are so different after all despite tradition and expectation. In the end, it’s the darling characters of Angeline and Megan that will win you over whether you like vampires or not, and their predicament creates a intriguing mix of attraction, suspense, and passion that you won’t soon forget. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun paranormal romance. I really liked the main characters, how they met and their story. It was a different take than many other vampire stories I've read. The author kept me interested and the pages turning with the right amount of angst, humor and chemistry between Angeline and Meghan. I recommend.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story.

I love vampire stories - Dark Shadows, Buffy, Twilight - love them all.

The story of Katheyn, Angeline. Charlotte and Megan is told in two timelines - when they met and current day.

Kathryn is selfish and lonely- she turns Angeline on a whim.

Much to Kathryn's dismay, Angeline is a reluctant, remorseful vampire.

The story follows Angeline through adjusting to her new life and her relationships.

Nicely paced story hits all the marks - good descriptions, character growth, mystery, revenge and at long last, love.

I enjoyed the book and reccommend it as a light read to vampire lovers.

'In The Shadow Of Darkness’ by Nicole Stiling got my attention straight away – because who doesn’t love vampires, right? As a newly turned vampire Angeline Vallencourt, has to leave behind everything she knows and those she loves. Her life may now be long-lived, but without someone to love, it’s not all its cracked up to be. She has no choice but to spend time with the vampire who turned her – but is that really the best option for her?

Megan Denham meets Angeline under very strange circumstances. She can’t quite believe what has happened or the story Angeline tells her. But when people start dying in their small town, Megan has to decide who she trusts, and whether her feelings for Angeline are enough.

I really enjoyed this story as it had excitement, romance and characters I could really feel something for. Angeline’s story is told both in the past and present day, so we got to know how she became the woman/vampire she is now. She had to do things she wasn’t proud of and make the best of her situation. I liked her a lot the more I got to know her. Megan was braver anymore determined that she gave herself credit for. She was a loyal friend and open-minded. Angeline deserved to be with someone like her. This was a love story, but it was also edge-of-the-seat stuff too. It had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. A great, well-written story.

I was given this ARC for review.

Does this book have surprising twists? No, don't go reading this if you want a new take on the paranormal or want to be kept in suspense by the plot. Why 4 stars then you might wonder.. because it just is a very well written book that kept me entertained and invested in the characters even if the events playing out may not have been surprising.
The two different time lines used where one shows you Angeline's turning into a vampire and development into the person she is in the current time line work very well.
Megan and Angeline love might be a bit too insta for some, but if this writer starts with showing us instead of telling us that would have been less of an issue. Still, I liked their pairing and yes maybe the whole vampire thing is easily accepted but it is romance people and a good romance too!
So, give this one a shot of you like romance, vampire, murder and mystery in a small town and you won't be disappointed.

3.50 Stars. This was a fun and entertaining paranormal romance. This is the second book Stiling has written. While I liked her debut a little bit better, this was a very solid sophomore installment. If Stiling can just use a tiny more show and a little less tell -I’m sure the more she writes the more that will improve- I could see her becoming an automatic read author for a lot of people. She has some really good potential with two good first books.

If you have been reading my reviews for any length of time, I make it pretty obvious how much I love paranormal anything. But my absolute favorite of all supernatural creatures has to be vampires. I was really excited to get my hands on this vampire romance book especially with all the really good early reviews. I thought this was good and solid, but I was hoping I would have loved it instead. I’ve talked about it before but I think I’m picker on paranormal books because I love the genre so much and have read so many. I think my pickiness should be kept in mind when reading the rest of my review.

When it came to the actual romance itself I liked it quite a bit. I did want to be shown more how the characters felt about each other instead of being told, but I did enjoy the romance. The main characters are very likeable and the secondary characters were pretty well done too. The closer the mains got the more I was rooting for them. The chemistry is not off the wall but it was there enough to make them believable.

The main issue I had and why I can’t rate this more than 3.50 stars are the paranormal aspects. This book was extremely predictable. The main storyline about a crappy maker (I’m leaving this vague here) is one of the most recycled vampire romance storylines I’ve read. I knew all the big plot points to come and how the book would end by the time I was just one third of the way through. I know it’s hard to think of new things with vamps. I’m not looking for new mythology or anything drastic like that, I just wish I would not have been able to guess what happened at every turn.

On the good side most of the book was well written. It had a good flow and pace that I enjoyed. This book had flashbacks which I am never a fan of, but this was the perfect example of how flashbacks are supposed to be written and when to use them. They didn’t bother me in the least and instead they added to the story so I have to give Stiling big props for that.

While this was a very predictable story for me, I was still entertained. If you don’t read a ton of paranormal -especially vamp books- chances are you might enjoy this even more since the storyline might be new for you. Stiling writes well and I think she will just keep getting better. Also, the way the story ended this could be a start to a series. It looks like it could turn into a paranormal crime/mystery romance series which would make me very happy. It would also open this world up for lot of new ideas that Stiling could play with. Her debut book was a crime/mystery so we know Stiling can write in that genre already. So I will be keeping my fingers crossed but I will absolutely read anything new that Stiling puts out next.

I love reading vampire stories, but this is a different kind than I'm used to reading. For starters, the world is not full of vampires lurking in the shadows. Also, the love interest of the vampire in this story is not turned. Very refreshing!

This book is set in the present and past. It starts in Angelina's past in 1926. It is an exciting read and pulled me in from the first moment. In the second chapter were taken to present day and we meet Megan while fueling up her car. This scene also makes the beginning of the book an exciting read.

Stiling did a great job alternating between the past and present. The build-up in the past makes you understand the choices Angelina's making in the present and are delivered at the exact right time in the book. Also, it gives you a real insight into how Angelina experiences being immortal and have to live forever.

The main characters are both likeable and - apart from one being a vampire (duh) - realistic. I think, for me, the romance qualifies as a slow burn. There is not a lot of suspense in the book but the sexy scenes were well written and gave some nice tingles.

I would definitely recommend this book to people liking a vampire romance. If you don't necessarily like the heavy sex you mostly find in those novels, you may find just the right book here. I enjoyed reading it.

I have to say this is first book I ever read by Nicole and loved it! The vampire setting is awesome!
I saw this story from different point than usual stories I read so far and I think it fits. Keeps you interested and into the story from beginning to the end. I loved both characters. Their decisions, reactions to each other and the calm setting around them.
I honestly have nothing bad to say about this one. I really wish I could meet vampire in my lifetime!

4.5*

In 1926, Angeline Vallencourt was turned without her consent by Kathryn, a much too nonchalant vampire in search of a friend to roam the world with. Now herself a reluctant vampire, she tried to resist her new nature, to no avail. In today’s world, Angeline works at the Fog Hollow Animal Hospital and leads a quiet and discrete life, until she saves Megan Denham from a gunshot wound. She feeds her too much of her own blood and ends up bonded to her, albeit temporarily. When the police investigation into the violent death of the armed robber who shot her comes too close, Megan finds herself protecting her mysterious saviour.

I enjoyed reading this book a whole lot. It’s fun and clever, and well-written. When I reviewed Nicole Stiling’s debut novel last year, I wrote that I was looking forward to her next book, and I’m happy to say she didn’t disappoint. I tend to forget stories and only remember impressions and feelings and what I remember from Secrets in a Small Town is the atmosphere Stiling created. In this new book, she again sets an interesting atmosphere, but there’s a lot more too. There’s wit and humour, and just enough tragedy to take this novel to the next level. The relationship between Angeline and Megan is unusual and the complete opposite of her relationship with Kathryn, which borders on abusive. It’s a testament to Stiling’s talent that I never questioned the reality of either the chemistry between Angeline and Megan or their feelings, much less the existence of vampires.

The book I read before this one felt like a complete waste of my time, but In the Shadow of Darkness saved my day. Yet another reason to recommend it to anyone looking for a not-too-heavy not-too-fluffy romance.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I really enjoyed this paranormal romance novel. Note: while one of the leads is a vampire - thus paranormal - this is a very non-paranormal paranormal book - if that can be a thing.

Megan's life is cruising along - nothing fancy but it works. Until the night when she walks in on a gas-station robbery, gets shot, and wakes up a mile away with a woman standing above her having given Megan her blood to survive the gunshot wound.

Angeline has a blood disorder that makes her extremely photosensitive and basically immortal - okay she's a vampire. But all she wants to do after years and heartbreak is live a low-key life. She an overnight veterinary technician and likes it just fine. Until she saves Megan, and her carefully-crafted, below-the-radar life starts to get immensely more complicated.

Now tied together by a blood bond - and the fact that they genuinely like eachother, Megan and Angeline must decide if they can try to make a relationship work and figure out how to avoid the complications of Angeline's past.

Blood Disease.

It's 1926. Angeline is walking home from work and meets Kathryn, a beautiful read headed predator who attacks. Fast forward to present day and Meghan finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time at the local Gas 'N' Eats. She wakes up in a parking lot and finds Angeline, a beautiful brunette predator who saves.

This book alternates between past and present as we learn about how Angeline has been shaped into the <i>person</i> she is today. I liked the mystery and how things were uncovered a little bit with each progressing chapter.

Lately I have been reading books that are outside of my usual genre and have been rewarded for stepping outside of my comfort zone. This book is no exception. What I appreciate about this story is that it is very modernized. When I think of vampires, what comes to mind are caskets, castles, crosses, bodices, garlic, stakes through the heart, etc. This one sort of pokes fun at those things as just being silly stories told over time.

There was a bit of sarcasm and humor as Meghan tries to wrap her mind around the idea of vampires. And even more as she finds herself becoming invested in Angeline's welfare and trying to decide if one should get involved with a creature of the night.

So people in this small town are suddenly being drained of their blood and Angeline and Meghan try to find out who is doing the killing.

I felt like there was an opportunity to create more suspicion as to who was doing the killing. There were certainly some side characters that we could have been a red herring. And the romance was a little bit too insta love for my preference.

Overall it was a very entertaining read. I liked the interactions between Angeline and Meghan.

I recommend this to those who like to read about romance, murder, mystery, suspense, loyalty, loss, letting go, accepting love, and rare blood diseases.