Thank you to NetGalley for the digital reading copy!
I really wanted to love this book, and it did have its moments, but by the end it was a firm 2.5 stars for me.
To start with the positives: I loved the setting, and Charming Cove really lives up to its name. With witches, vampires, familiars, and other magical beings roaming a contemporary town, it provides a fun atmosphere that is easy to enjoy.
Unfortunately, even a vibrant environment couldn’t save the story. The romance should have been the saving grace, but it felt more like a subplot and fell very flat, and I really didn’t buy the reason the two characters (who were obviously into each other for most of the story) refused to give into their feelings for so long. The plot about the coven ball was decent (though I’m not convinced it was strong enough to essentially become the main storyline) and I liked seeing Emma try to prove herself to the witches, but there was nothing overly exciting about the ordeal that kept me wanting to turn the page, and I kept finding myself getting bored. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good low-stakes fluffy romance, but when the characters feel shallow, the actual romance development takes a backseat, and the chemistry between the main couple is lacking, it makes becoming invested in the story very difficult.
I also have questions around the vampire lore - we never see the vampires act like vampires, or have mention of any particularly vampiric activities, so what exactly separates them from being human? A bit more clarity on the supernatural mythology could have added more authenticity to the world. I think I wanted more drama sprinkled throughout as well, since a big deal was made about the Duke being famous and everything, but we really didn’t see his alleged celebrity status affect his life all that much. And while the dual POV gave a nice insight into both characters’ psyches, I also think it highlighted how two-dimensional his personality felt when compared to Emma’s.
How to Fake-Date a Vampire is a simple, sweet story with a pinch of magic and a dash of small-town romance, but ultimately one that pales in comparison to other books in the fantasy rom-com scene.

Brilliant! Completely enjoyed reading this one, I love a good contemporary but add a vampire and that is the key to a brilliant success! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I thought this book was fun and did a great job of creating a magical realm that was a counterpart to our non magical world. I thought the there was great chemistry with the Duke and would recommend!

Overall, a quick and easy read. Must admit though, if I was in my 20s instead of 60 I would have enjoyed this more. A bit too much teen/young adult angst for me. Would still recommend.

This was a cute one, I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
What to expect:
- Vampires & Witches
- Romance
- Fantasy
- Fake Dating
- Magic
- Paranormal & Supernatural
- Grumpy Sunshine

I read this as a standalone, this is part of a series that I think is interconnected standalones. It is also set in modern days, I was a tiny bit confused as I hadn't experienced the world building from the first book BUT I think you can pick up wherever as it does end up piecing together very easily.

We follow Emma our FMC, a Witch who wants to prove herself in the witches' coven. She ends up in a fake dating situation with Alaric who is a Duke and a Vampire.
I really enjoyed this, I recommend this to people who are beginners to Fantasy Romances as this is very easy to read. This was a nice read for the beginning of Autumn/Fall.

Thank you Netgalley and Linsey Hall for the eArc, I cannot wait to read more!

I really enjoyed this book. A fun easy to read bit of escapism. The characters were interesting and well written and a different storyline. Recommended.

She wants to throw a ball at his castle he wants to make his grandmother happy but compromising will not be as easy as the Duke first thinks. In the end both of them will have wishes come true that they didn’t even know they wanted. This was such a cute book I got it yesterday and couldn’t wait to read it. What’s not to love about a reclusive Duke who is really a vampire and an independent woman who shatters his preconception of what women want. I really thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it funny and swoon worthy. I want to thank the publisher and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A solid 3.5/5 stars

Emma is a witch and Alaric is a reclusive vampire Duke who (of course) is swoon-worthy but mildly grumpy and private. Their worlds collide when they embark upon a mutually beneficial arrangement, they will pretend to be a couple so that Emma can use the Duke's home to host the Beltane ball and win the approval of her coven and the Duke can appease his grandmother with seeing him happy and in a relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

This was a quick, cozy read perfect for curling up with a cuppa and a warm blanket. The romance was light and fun and the characters were lovable, especially Penelope the skunk. This book makes an excellent palate cleanser on the heels of having read a series or a more high-stakes story.


-Fake dating
-Grumpy/Sunshine
- Light, magical world
- Vampires that aren't typical

Many thanks to Bonnie Doon Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this fun book.

Emma is desperate to become a full witch in the Charming Cove coven. As an orphan this is the only family she has ever known. When she is offered an opportunity to move from apprentice to full member, she grasps it with both hands. This opportunity is to find and host the annual ball which is used to gather joy for the next years' worth of spells. Emma decides the only way to win is to have the ball hosted at the local Duke's estate. She did not count on the Duke being a grump.

Alaric the Duke of Blackthorn has come home to Charming Cove to spend time with his grandmother, Vivian. He is also trying to protect his grandmother from truths that his past girlfriend sold to the press. His return does not include hosting a ball and dealing with an apprentice witch. However, he has a great idea! Emma could replace the ex girlfriend, in a fake way, of course.

Will Emma convince Alaric to host the ball? Will Emma agree to be Alaric's fake girlfriend? Will it remain fake? When will Vivian realise that this has all been a ruse?

This is a lovely, light and funny found family story. This is the first of the Charming Cove stories I have read but I will definitely be going back and reading the first and any more from Linsey Hall. It was fun to read the story unfold and see how Emma and Alaric reacted to various situations. The side characters are hilarious and almost steal the show.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Bonny Doon Press and Linsey Hall for this early release copy.

I really enjoyed this book - more than the rating is telling you. I read this book in a day - absolutely inhaled it. However, (and I think that's quite a big detail but you tell me) there is nothing in this book that is vampiric. You could take out the vampire storyline and maybe 3 words would need to be changed. I'm not a vampire expert (apart from watching Twilight, True Blood and the Vampire Diaries so basically a master in the field) but to me vampires need to have at least 2 of these characteristics: be dead, live forever, drink blood, drink blood from the source, have fangs, be somewhat.. pale, not sleep, sparkle - I DONT KNOW but something. This vampire does none of these. It's alluded that he has some speed but that's it. There are mentions of drops of blood put into their martinis.. THAT'S IT! So yeah. Despite loving the story I was sorely disappointed by the lack of vampire in this how to fake-date a VAMPIRE. It's a great witchy magic-realism story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC! It is greatly appreciated 🙏

My final thoughts are that I had a great time, but I'd probably wouldn't read it again. So a solid 4 🌸

A little background on how I rate books: If a book is great but wasn't mind-blowingly good, aka I won't have the urge to re-read it, then it's a 4 or 4.5 tops. A 5.0 for me is always a book so outstanding or catching that I want to re-read it again.

While HTFDAV was very enjoyable (I did laugh a lot) it was also very foreseeable. It had the best contemporary romance has to offer, mixed in with some spooky season paranormal vibes (I mean, hey, witches and vampires) and I had a great time for sure. The dialogues were super funny, and the female lead is just such a mess (in a good way!) that I can relate to her SO MUCH. Penelope is also comedy/sass gold 🤌 If you haven't read this book yet, I'm definitely recommending you do. It's perfect for this year's spooky season. But alas, I wouldn't read it again. Well, not everything can be a fourth wing or ACOTAR, right? But I will keep an eye on this author for future releases. 👀

This is the prefect feel good witchy rom-com! Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes so nailed it from the begging,
I liked how he is the most guarded due to bad break-up how he decides to give himself a chance!

Totally loved it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“She drew me to her like the sun, and I was a helpless planet in her orbit”

• I wanted to first thank Netgalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC for my honest review! I haven’t read the first book in the Charming Cove series but I think this can definitely be read as a stand-alone. (I will be immediately going to read the first one now though!) If you enjoy witchy romances and “fake dating” tropes, this will not disappoint!

• Charming Cove is full of amazing characters, both living and dead 👻 I really loved Emma and her desire to have a place in Charming Cove and have a family finally, after doing without her whole life. Alaric was as you’d expect any vampire duke to be, but his grand gesture at the end would’ve swept me off my feet as well 🤭 The real star of the show here is Penelope and her wittiness - I love the concept of an animal being a witch’s “familiar” and helping them like a little sidekick. (Think Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch)

• This was such a cute read and perfect for anyone looking to get into the spooky mood with October approaching quickly! I cannot wait to see what’s up next for Charming Cove ✨

Sunshine meets grumpy broody vampire- always a win. I enjoyed this! Perfect for a fall release. Thank you NetGalley for allowing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Cute, short and sweet. Not particularly memorable, but rather enjoyable anyway. 🙂

New witch in town Emma is trying to get in good with the local coven, and is recruited to plan the Beltane ball. She agrees to be vampire duke Alaric's fake girlfriend in exchange for hosting the ball at his estate.

Super easy read, this has a cozy feeling to it. The romance is adorable, as they come from different worlds and try to find a way together. Entertaining light romcom to curl up up with by the fire and a glass of wine (or a cuppa).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Thankyou Netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

As soon as I saw this I just had to request it straight away, I read The Modern Girls Guide To Magic back In August and I absolutely loved that. I didnt think it could be topped, but wow this one had me smiling and a few little tears. It was everything that I love in book. And of course like the first one my favourite character was the familiar. Penelope the skunk who'd of thought i'd love a skunk so much! I really enjoyed the whole family side to this book and how the relationships developed.

I really hope there is going to be a 3rd in the series because I need more!

Emma seizes an opportunity to prove herself to her coven, striking a deal with the vampire duke. She pretends to be his girlfriend to appease his grandmother, securing access to his estate for the Beltane Ball. Oh, and she has a skunk as her adorable familiar 😍.

I found this book delightful! It was fast-paced, engaging, and had a charming quality, making it a perfect autumn read. My favorite character was Pennelope, and I related to her knack for snacks.

However, the book had some repetition due to the dual POV, often rehashing the same information. Additionally, it tended to over-explain things, which I felt wasn't necessary. Despite these flaws, I still thoroughly enjoyed the read!

This book was cute but at times a bit silly. I’m giving it two and a half-ish stars. The book trope is obviously in the title. At times I felt it was very repetitive constantly mentioning that it wasn’t a real relationship. I also noticed that Emma suddenly started saying the word "bum" towards the end of the book. She said it so frequently to the point of it being odd and distracting. There was a missed opportunity for more character development. The story seemed rushed at the end. There was all this build up and it fell flat to me on the end. I did enjoy most of the characters but like I said before, I think the character development could have been better. Overall it’s a fun read and I enjoyed revisiting Charming Cove

Book Review 📚
How To Fake Date A Vampire by Lindsey Hall - 4.5/5 ⭐

I jumped so quickly to read this book, after having huge success with reading The Modern Girls Guide to Magic. This is the 2nd book in the Charming Cove Series and I enjoyed this book equally as much as I enjoyed the first.

Hall has such a talent for writing these romance fantasy books, it's actually amazing. I'm not usually a romance fan, but hall is the one author I will run to for a romance. They're fun, cute and just simply amazing reads. So light and easy to read yet full of mysteries and questionable actions. I love it.

The characters in How To Take Date A Vampire are strong with unbelievable development along the way. It helps that our FMC is "looking" for herself. But Hall always makes the journey seem realistic and life-like. Yes ok fantasy isn't life like, but the problems they face are very real life. I can't wait for more in this series and I'll definitely be ordering my physical copy to join The Modern Girls Guide To Magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

A witch walks into the bar bathroom and says to the vampire...

It sounds like a setup to a joke, but really its this laugh out loud adorable story about Emma your adorable neighborhood witch and Alaric your typical brooding vampire duke. The real star of the show might be Penelope, our absolute queen of a familiar.

Emma has to plan a ball to get into the good graces of the Coven, since she hasn't really found a knack for charming goats or her magic. Unfortunately for her the key to success is charming the very un-charming Duke. Turns out she isn't the only one in need of a favor since like all Dukes the time is counting down for him to get married... To keep the pressure at bay he needs a little witchy help. The banter and conflicts are real and natural even in the supernatural setting and it is totally a must read feel good book for spooky season!