a rom com with a vampire and a first meeting in a bathroom
also hes not just a normal vampire but a conte with a big estate and they start to fake dating

what more do we need? did I say you get to have a ball as well? and he's super into her from the start ;)

magically. enjoyable. We follow along with a witch named Emma who tries to stand out from the coven. When she is tasked with a throwing her ball to make her claim in the coven. then after an incident, she is into fake dating a duke who turns out to be a vampire tryingt o appease his grandmother.

Now this is part of a series, but I had troubles reading it as a standalone, especially if you are not used to the modern day fantasy,

Would recommend for the fantasy and paranormal lovers on top of the fake dating trope. perfect for the fall time.

This book was super cute & so much fun to read! I really enjoyed the plot, the characters and overall just the entire dynamic of the standalone. It is a standalone so it can be read on its own but reading the other books might help before jumping right into this one!

Emma was so sweet and a witch who deserved so much better. Alaric was hilarious and the perfect fake boyfriend to Emma. Their interactions are sweet, slightly spicy, and overall they did a really good job at communicating for the most part.

This is the perfect, getting into spooky season vibes that I needed on a cool September day. Can't wait to read more from Linsey!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was an adorably cozy read full of loveable vampires and witches. Perfect for the spooky season reader that isn’t a huge fan of horror. Dual POV, this story follows Emma and Alaric as they, as the title suggests, fake date. There is a slight second-act breakup/miscommunication trope, but it really wasn’t bad and I didn’t find it off-putting. This book delivers the trope wonderfully and it’s a perfect read, especially for those who enjoyed the first book in the Charming Cove series.

Thank you to Linsey Hall, Bonnie Doon Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

3.5 Stars
What an adorable, funny read! Perfect for the autumn season!

How to fake date a vampire follows Emma, a young witch trying to prove herself with her coven. Currently on the bottom tier her position in the coven is in jeopardy she must throw the best ball the coven has ever seen! In her efforts to pull this off she meets Alaric the vampire duke with his own problems and as all great fake dating romances a deal was struck. Alaric would let Emma host her ball at his estate to prove she isn’t an outcast in her coven in return she must fake date the vampire duke to get his grandmother off his back, including the carnal rule THEY MUST NOT FALL IN LOVE.

My Thoughts:
I found the book very easy to read and I loved the fact it was a first person duel POV, we do see more of Emma than Alaric, the dialogue was easy to follow as was the storyline. Both the FMC and MMC were written extremely well with a lot of depth to them. Their funny little meet cute paired with their budding romance was fun to read and even had me laughing out loud in parts. The two bonded over their family trauma. It was interesting to see a new witchy coven dynamic with a more competitive nature. Alaric’s vampire side was a little disappointing to me as Hall decided to forgo the usual vampire myths an we saw the duke just drinking blood spiked alcohol and at times I forgot he was a vampire but his character depth was spot on. This is the second book in the series but can be read easily as a stand-alone, I would say this book is a perfect palette cleanser, cosy fall read


Thank you to NetGalley and Boonie Doon Press for giving me the opportunity and providing me with a feee eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review/opinions on this book

This is the second book in the Charming Cove series, which is incredibly cosy, and perfect for the time of year. Even though I really enjoyed reading this one, I felt it was a bit too similar to the first book. I would have loved a bit more of a difference in storyline.

I was so excited to get this title, but I am so disappointed - let me explain. The beautiful cover artwork, the premise, and even the first chapter sucked me in. I love when her friend called her a "muppet" and the bathroom scene was so embarrassingly funny. It only goes downhill from there, however, There are a lot of plot holes - why is this ball so important and, if it is so like the book claims, why give it to an apprentice and why only have one person plan it? It is a 500+ person event to make the feelings. the witch coven will use for the entire year. I've planned these kinds of events with only 1/5th the people and had a LOT more help. This is NOT a one person job, and certainly not one for an amateur. Second, the characters themselves and writing is just awful. I found myself skim reading around the 30% mark, and then I just didn't care. I hate it because this was one of the books I wanted most to read, especially for the season. I expected better and didn't get it. Another DNF at around 50%.

3.5/5 Stars

Sometimes you just want a cozy low stakes fantasy, and this is it!

I admittedly went into this book not knowing it was a second in a series, so the world building was a bit confusing for me - but that was totally on me.

This story follows Emma, an ordinary witch who is hoping to be a full member of her coven. In order to become a full member of her coven, Emma plans to throw a successful ball at the Duke of Vampire's Alaric's property. In order to get him to agree to hosting on his property, Emma enters a fake dating scheme to trick Alaric's grandmother that he is happy in a relationship.

This book is great for any one who loves Urban fantasy and is maybe easing their way into paranormal romances. The magic system and even the qualities of being a witch or a vampire aren't explored too much that it would be overwhelming to the reader. I did want to see a little more of the vampire aspect to Alaric as I felt the story was more focused on Emma being a witch. The pacing in this book is really good, and I enjoyed Emma and Alaric learning about one another.

The third act "break up" wasn't probably the one thing I didn't enjoy about this. I'm not a huge fan of miscommunication - and it was resolved in a few pages, but it just didn't feel fully fleshed out for the two to even break up.

If you're looking for a good book to start your spooky season or just want an easy read / palette cleanser - this is would be such a good pick up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This delightful, light, fluffy read blends fantasy, romance, and magic into this sweet story.

The seaside setting of Charming Cove is… well, charming. It gives you a small town feel and is very warm and inviting. We don’t get to meet too many people in this town, but those who we do meet are likable characters. I would’ve enjoyed for the town and its residence to play more of a role in the story. I also would’ve liked more description of the setting and events. We got a little bit, but I wanted more. I wanted to be fully immersed in this fantasy world but felt like I was only able to dip my toes in it.

Emma and Alaric are easy characters to like, relate to, and ultimately root for. It's a dual POV, so we’re able to understand each of their points of view. However, we get more of Emma’s POV, and at times, when I was reading in Alaric’s POV, I had forgotten that and thought it was Emma’s until I read a sentence that didn’t fit quite right, and then I remembered it’s Alaric’s POV. I don’t know if I learned that much more about Alaric from being in his POV. I think the book could’ve just used Emma’s POV, which would’ve worked for the entire story.

The romance between Emma and Alaric is very cute and sweet. There is some language and one spicy scene, but it’s not too graphic. I thought they made a really cute couple, but it does lean on the insta-love side quite a bit. They fall pretty soon and quickly for each other, ignoring the rules they set when they first planned the fake dating scheme. At times, it was obvious they both were falling for each other but wouldn’t communicate their feelings, which was a bit annoying. I also wished we saw more of them together, trying to fake date, but much of the story is about Emma preparing for the town’s ball. It’s very predictable, but that didn’t ruin anything for me. Overall, I enjoyed their romance.

I also loved the found family element in this story. Emma just wants a family of her own, and she finds it within her coven as well as Alaric’s family. I love the relationships she builds with Alaric’s family members. I also really enjoyed Emma’s skunk familiar, Penelope. She’s sassy, caring, witty, and humorous. She brought some funny scenes throughout the story. She was a nice touch, and now I want a skunk familiar! (lol)

One big problem that I had was that Alaric is supposed to be a vampire, but he hardly acts like one. All of the traits we know about vampires do not apply in this story. He can be out in sunlight; he can eat and drink normal food and beverages; he doesn’t attack people for their blood, he gets it in a bag; he doesn’t sleep in a coffin…and so on. So, what makes this guy a vampire? I would’ve liked more evidence that he actually was a vampire!

Overall, the story was engaging and compelling. I think the pacing was great and didn’t really slow down too much. I wish it were a little longer so we got more time at the ball at the end, but it’s a pretty quick read. I’ll admit, it’s a little cheesy and a bit too fluffy at times, but this was exactly what I needed and wanted when I read it. It’s overly sweet, verging on too nice without a lot of conflict, but it was still a fun read. It’s light, whimsical, and magical, though I wish we had a bit more magic in it. It’s perfect for a fall read or spooky/Halloween feel-good read with some supernatural elements.

I definitely got cozy fantasy vibes from this book. Now, I want to read the first book in the series. I believe this is the type of series where each book can stand on its own without reading the others. Definitely recommend if you like warm, fuzzy rom-coms with a bit of enchanting magic and love!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

First if all, I loved the idea of this! Vampires, witches AND fake dating? Sign. Me. Up.
Unfortunately I felt a little underwhelmed by the delivery. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed reading about Emma and Alaric and I liked their story, but their romance as well as the other conflicts that Emma had to face all felt a little… shallow? I would have liked a little more depth to everything because a lot of the resolutions to Emma’s problems felt a little too easy which resulted in the plot feeling rushed.
In addition to that some parts just didn’t make sense to me. The most prominent one being: Why did Alaric and his family have to be vampires when they basically have none of the traditional vampire traits? They can walk around in broad daylight without any consequences (not even a little of a sparkle of their skin), you can take photos of them and see them in mirrors, they’re far from being monstrous (you never find out where they get their blood from), they don’t seem to feel ANY bloodlust (grandma just likes to have a little droplet of blood in her Martinis for fun) so they’re clearly not a threat to anyone ever, they eat normal food, they don’t even have a stupid garlic allergy! I could go on and on about how they’re basically just normal human beings with shit ton of money. Like I said, I still enjoyed this book. But the overarching question why the hell it was marketed as a vampire romance was the part that actually bothered me throughout the entire story.

How to Fake-Date a Vampire is a magical tale of romance, stunning displays of witchcraft, and familial love. Emma and the Duke (Alaric) enter a proposal - she’ll fake-date him to convince his grandmother that he’s happy, and he’ll let her host the Beltane Ball at his estate.

Emma and Alaric have an easy relationship that is fun to read about. At times, it does seem too easy, as they fall in love quickly, completely ignoring their rules of “no emotion”. Most of the secrets are revealed within the first few chapters, and forgiveness takes less than a page after a major argument. Whilst this made for a nice story, the lack of tension meant that the romantic get-back-together scene didn’t have much of a payoff.

The world building and surrounding characters were a highlight of the book! The Duke’s grandmother is incredible, with exuberant energy, great outfits, and a possible romance with a ghost. It was heartwarming to see how Emma craved a family, and the Duke’s grandmother wanted the same. The magical gardens, skunk familiars, and ghostly apparitions are a wonderful hallmark of Lindsey Hall’s Charming Cove Series!!!

I am always a sucker for vampire books and this one was a fun one! This is my first Lindsey Hall book (I think) and it was a pleasure to read. I'll definitely pick up more by her.

I really enjoyed this witchy romcom and a little different take on vampire lore. I absolutely loved a Modern Girl's Guide to Witchcraft and this was a great next piece to the series. Emma and Alaric were adorable, Emma's familiar was so fun, and the found family dynamic for Emma was heartwarming.

Grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, found family - can't go wrong! A fun, light fall read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a cosy fantasy with hints of rom-com set in the modern world. Charming Cove seems like such a lovely place and I really wish it existed in real life. What brings the rating down for me from a solid five star read to a 3.5 is the fact that the book was supposed to be about fake-dating a vampire. But there's nothing indicating that the person is actually a vampire except for it being mentioned and that they spiced their alcohol with a bit of blood. That was very disappointing to me since I'm a huge vampire fan. It really felt like the duke was just a "regular" bloke with a titel and money. The other thing that kind or irked me was the fact that the book was more about Emma and her preparations for the upcoming event than it was about actually fake-dating the duke. But except for that it was a really cosy read and I did enjoy it. I just wish it could have been a bit more.

This was such a fun book! I loved every second of it! I’m a sucker for vampires and witches… the charming cove series is a fun series and I have enjoyed reading the books so far!

Special thanks to Net Galley for providing me with this ARC!

Fake dating for the win! This book was incredibly cute! Vampires and witches make for a romance story to make your heart melt! Loved the fake dating troupe and then supernatural aspect just made it even better! With October around the corner it’s the perfect book to put you in a festive mood! I definitely wish I could have had more about being a vampire or a witch but it was such a sweet romance!

I cannot wait to read more magical books by this author too!

#fakedating #witch #vampire #romance #lindsayhall #howtofakedateavampire #bookreview #netgalley

A fantastic cosy paranormal romance that I devoured in no time at all.

Definitely what I needed following a few serious reads beforehand. I adore a witch/vampire romance and always appreciate when authors make these magical beings “original” to their stories. For example, Hall’s vampires can come out in the day, don’t drink from humans and so on.

This was a fake dating/opposites attract with a dash of miscommunication story and it was spooky perfection. Penelope the familiar was the cherry on the cake!

I need to get my hands on the next book in the series asap!

I loved this sweet witchy rom com with my whole heart. It was just what I needed. Emma, Alaric, and Penelope are lovable and endearing. I especially loved the world building and magical humor that gave this book extra sparkle. Highly recommend for a feel good romance read!

Emma is a witch who is relatively new to Charming Cove. She's working on securing a spot in her coven, and when given a task, she makes a deal that could change everything.
🌙
It's time for the Beltane Ball, and the person who finds the best venue gets the chance to host it. Emma suggests Blackthorn Hall, but the Duke who lives there isn't interested. Alaric is a vampire and Duke of Blackthorn. He wants his private life kept private, but when a witch with big ideas comes calling, he realizes they could help each other. He needs a fake girlfriend to fool his interfering Granny, Emma wants to use his family home for the ball. Win/Win. As long as no one finds out, of course...
👻
Linsey Hall knocked it out of the park again with the cozy vibes. The second book in the Charming Cove series has even more of the good feels. The cozy seaside village, crazy found family, quaint shops, and magical hijinks all add to the atmosphere. I also can't forget the ridiculously cute familiar that steals the spotlight in these books. Penelope the skunk was a fūcķing delight, and I'd love to share some bacon sandwiches with her any day.
🦇
Overall, the story was a good one, but it was a little *too* similar to book one. A magical challenge, sabotage, FMC hates the MMC for an easily explainable miscommunication, FMC doesn't know her powers, the outdoor §ex. It's all done well, but it's a copy of the first book. I enjoyed Emma and her exploration of her powers, but Alaric was kind of left swinging in the wind. Nothing really made him a vampire besides the fact that he put blood in his cocktails. It was like the author just needed another supernat to check a box. I will say he got some points back for having his very own Beauty and the Beast library. But then he lost more again for instigating that ridiculous 3rd act breakup.
🦨
Even with those complaints, I had such a fun time reading this. It's the most cozy, ease in to spooky season type of book. And the humor and comraderie alone keeps you interested. Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC, I had so much fun being back in Charming Cove!

(3.5 stars rounded up.)

I absolutely loved this trip back to Charming Cove!! It would work well as a standalone, but I enjoyed cameos from Aria, Boris and Catrina from Book 1.

This was the cutest little feel-good story. My fav character has to be Penelope 🦨 so sassy and fun! 🥓 I would love a side story of Pen and Boris 🦡

So glad I received this eARC, I can’t wait to see whose story is next in this series! 🔮