I love the "I love you" scenes! They were all so cute. I just wanted to be Emma during them. It was fast paced and I like books like that especially romance. I highly recommend. The romance and characters are just chef's kiss. I always wanted to keep going.

This is the most cozy and sweet book. I love every single character but Penelope stole the whole show. I really hope there will be more books to come. I can’t wait to see all of the adventures all of the characters can get into.

This book was the perfect cozy fall witchy read I needed going in to the season! It was so warm and imaginative and I love the humor that the familiars add to each of Linsey's books.

I have to say I preferred this book to the first one as I liked the idea that the two main characters had never met before and it was only a touch of insta love.

If you're looking for a low stakes romcom that will give you all the warm and fuzzies then this is the book for you!

Emma is a witch working to gain official status in her coven. In order to do so, she must host the best Beltane Ball ever. After an awkward encounter with Alaric, a handsome vampire and Duke, she agrees to pretend to date him in order to hold the ball on the stunning grounds of his estate.

Along the way, Emma finds her familiar, a spunky skunk named Penelope who enhances her powers, and friends in the town who help her with the ball. Emma also grows close with Alaric's grandmother and aunt, finding the family she always wishes she had and also finding family in her coven.

This is part of a series, but can also be read as a standalone. Its a cute, short read and perfect for spooky season. Penelope was my favorite character. Her obsession with food and sparkly things, and her sassy dialogue makes her so loveable. I adored her!

I did find the writing a bit repetitive at times, and the third act breakup was predictable, but I really enjoyed this book!

How to Fake-Date a Vampire was a very entertaining read, despite its paper-thin plot. I had really high expectations going into this book as fake dating is one of my favourite tropes, but even that element fell a little short. I am still giving this book a decent rating as I did have a good time reading it.

Alaric being a vampire made no difference to this story. The drinking of blood is mentioned a few times and maybe strength (can’t remember) but it’s also said that he isn’t immortal, can basically only move a bit faster than humans and sunlight doesn’t affect him. What’s the point of him being a vampire then? At least the witches actually did spells of a sort, there wasn’t any need for him to be a vampire.

If you took a shot every time the duke’s grandmother was referred to as ‘the dowager duchess’ you’d be on the floor in three chapters. It’s actually ridiculous how many times it is said in this book.

Using American English for a book set in the UK is a strange choice. I actually forgot this was set in the UK until it randomly mentioned they are in Cornwall. This obviously isn’t a major issue but you’d think a book set in the UK would use UK English.

The biggest conflict in this book is the witches’ collection of ‘joy batteries’ being smashed. Does the joy battery smasher get revealed? Nope. The conflicts in this book seem to have no effect. They never find out or even try to find out who sabotaged the batteries and the issue with the ghost gets resolved in the background.

My favourite character was 100% Penelope. Who doesn’t want a sassy little skunk as a familiar? She was hilarious and I loved how everyone would set a place for her at the table whenever they had dinner together.
Honestly, I really liked this book to begin with and it is an entertaining read but the further in I got, the more I realised how flimsy the plot was. The book was obviously written purely to use the fake dating trope, which is my favourite, but it means that an actual plotline didn’t come to fruition. So much of the ball planning happens off-page.

How to Fake-Date a Vampire was a decent read, but only if you’re going into it to expect a good time, not a good read. The actual writing wasn’t bad, it has a lot of potential, but the plot needed fine-tuning and just more content.

This is the perfect Autumn read.

This was a cute and cosy read with just the right amount of romance

I am really on a paranormal romance kick at the moment, and this is just another example of why this is always going to be a go to genre when I need a pick me up.

A light, fluffy book about a witch trying, and failing, not to fall in love with the vampire duke she's in a fake relationship with. I love a good fake dating trope, and this was done well.

Looking forward to reading more from Linsey in the future!

This was a quick and quirky story of a witch and a vampire duke that happened to need favors from one another. Overall, I liked it but wasn’t in love with it but it was a good quick read for me. The romance was cute and a little steamy while the plot was overall simple with it being all about family and the unconditional love families have for one another. The story was pretty short but what I loved most was that it was dual POV. All and all I would recommend this for anyone that’s looking for a short and sweet romance with little drama and so steam.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book! I loved Emma’s character and her development throughout the whole book. Penelope was probably my favourite character, she was so sassy!
I really didn’t connect with Alaric’s character, I felt his POVs didn’t give him a lot of depth or character growth, but I still enjoyed his contribution to the plot. There also was not a lot about them being vampires besides the fact that they drink blood, maybe that’ll be in the next book? I think Vivian is hilarious and I’d love a spin off about her adventures in life.

How to Fake-Date a Vampire is a cosy, warm hearted read full of humour. We follow Emma, an apprentice trying to become a real witch and become a member of the coven. She has to arrange a ball, however the location she wants is the house of a local vampire Alaric. In exchange for letting her host the ball in his house Alaric asks her to enter a fake relationship with her and romance and comedy ensues. Overall a really fun book that I highly recommend, another great instalment in this series.

Such a cosy, heart warming and funny read.

Penelope, the skunk, is a golden character - so funny!

The characters are such a joy to read, I would read more books with these characters no problem at all - I love every single one of them.

Perfect book for an afternoon in your armchair with a cup of tea.

I loved it.

Book title: How to fake Date a Vampire
Author: Lindsey Hall
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Publication date: August 31st, 2023


This was a great cozy read for me. Emma is trying to prove herself to her witch coven to go from apprentice to real witch. Her and a competing apprentice have to arrange a ball and the one who does better becomes a member of the coven. She tries to have the ball at the local exclusive vampire house, Alaric. As she tries to ask him he needs a favor from her as well, asking to fake a relationship with him for the good of his ailing grandmother.
I really liked this book. The characters are easy to love and set in a fun world. Her familiar, Penelope, is a skunk and is so funny, I just love her. It's an easy fun fall read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley & Bonnie Doon Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very sweet, quick rom-com involving a witch navigating a new fake-boyfriend that goes deeper than expected.

One thing that kept bugging me is how Alaric is a vampire but literally had no vampire drawbacks or positives--he was practically a human. Just a really rich guy who lives as long as a human. And drinks blood once in a while but it was barely mentioned. What's the point of dating a vampire if none of the vampire stuff actually happens? I know it's silly but this book may as well have been called How To Fake-Date A Really Rich Human Guy instead because that's what it was.

Still, it was a quick, easy, and light-hearted read. I hadn't read the first book but it was still able to explain everything well and I could follow along. So this can be read as a standalone.

BOOK REVIEW 📚 of How to Fake-Date a Vampire by Linsey Hall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the chance to review this story 💗

”It’s the Duke of Blackthorn, you muppet. That’s what the big deal is. Handsome, wealthy, powerful, famous.”

Book 2 in the Charming Cove series, How to Fake Date a Vampire was cosy, sweet, and at times, hilarious.
The seaside town of Charming Cove is all abuzz when the Duke of Blackthorn, a reclusive vampire, returns to his estate outside of the village. Emma Willowby, a witch and
a recent transplant to the Cove, couldn’t care less. After a chance, meeting in the bathroom, and seeing the gorgeous specimen that he is, (and wholly embarrassing herself), she hopes to never see him again. As an orphan, who was shuffled into multiple foster homes as a child, Emma has always longed to belong somewhere. Working tirelessly to improve her magic, she is competing against four other apprentices for an offical spot in the Aurora Coven. It isn’t going well.
When the opportunity to organise the annual Beltane Ball, a success that would mean a guaranteed spot in the Coven, is offered, Emma leaps at the chance. It’s imperative the Ball goes smoothly to allow the witches to gather the joy needed for next years spells. When Emma approaches Duke Alaric about holding the Ball at Blackthorn estate, he offers her a deal: his cooperation in exchange for pretending to date him, something that will bring happiness to his beloved, ailing grandmother. But during the preparations, she discovers he might not be the cold and unfeeling jerk his reputation suggests, and could Emma have discovered where- and with whom- she finally belongs?

I am really enjoying this series! HTFDAV is similarly sweet with tasteful spice, and I liked the new take on vampires, making them not the immortal beings of tradition. I found some moments so funny, like the hilarious Regina George-like introduction to the Duke.
The back and forth banter between sassy Emma and her fellow characters was great, and meeting some of the personalities from Book 1 was a nice touch. The Dual POV worked well, and was very important towards the end. The plot did leave me with some questions, for example; if she had been raised an orphan, how did Emma know she was a witch?
But with characters like a matchmaking Grandmother, a vain skunk named Penelope and tropes of ‘He falls first’, ‘Fake relationship’ and ‘Found Family’, this book was such a success.
This review will be posted on Goodreads.

I thoroughly enjoyed receiving this book as an ARC from Netgalley. The titles snagged me and I knew I needed to read more!

The book features fake dating (obviously) but it’s so much more than that. Emma finds a family within Alaric’s, comes into her own as an official witch, and even gets chosen by a rather picky and prickly Familiar, Penelope.

Emma and Alaric enter into an agreement to protect
each other’s interests but I think they both knew they’d end up falling for each other. I liked that it was clean and wholesome, light, and funny. It discusses grief and loss so there is a depth element to it.

I had no idea it was a part of a series so I will definitely go in and read the first one asap!

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this wonderful book.

This book was like a kiss of sunlight during a rough time. It felt so refreshing to dive into it, without falling on something that will torture your mind.

It’s easy, funny, cute, and adorable.

I loved reading how Alaric was seeing Emma - he was heels over head for her way before her and I love that. He was represented as a son of his father, but this duke was actually more of a grandson, than anything. He LOVED his grandma, and how he wanted to protect her… Alaric got my heart.

Yes, I do love vampires, but in this book, it’s not very highlighted though. We know that he is a vampire, and she’s a witch (love the mix, to be honest) but it’s not something that will play a major role in the plot.

The writing was fluid, and easy to understand.

Also, yes there is “spice” but not in an explicit way only once but even like that, the scene was cut short, and it was a pleasure. I’m starting to get - a lot - tired of the smut thrown at us for absolutely no reason.

Linsey Hall, you did an amazing job.

There is one thing that bothered me, is the “easy” plot on the grandma. I saw the end coming, at around chapter five, but I still really enjoyed my reading.

"How to Fake Date a Vampire" by Linsey Hall is a delightful blend of paranormal romance and humour. The story follows a young witch who enters into a fake relationship with a vampire duke to prove her worth to her coven. The arrangement seems straightforward, but as sparks fly between the two, things quickly become complicated.

Hall crafts a fun and engaging tale filled with witty banter, magical intrigue, and undeniable chemistry. The characters are likable and relatable, and their interactions add depth to the story. The fake dating trope is executed with a fresh twist, keeping readers entertained as the stakes rise.

While the premise may sound light-hearted, the book also touches on themes of identity and the consequences of revealing one's true self. Overall, "How to Fake Date a Vampire" is a charming and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of paranormal romance looking for a mix of humour and heart.

Review posted on GoodReads

Incredibly cute and funny fantasy rom com. I spend the entire book smiling and giggling. The FMC is cute and hilariously awkward. Very low stakes, so just cozy vibes all around.
Some of the tropes I encountered when reading:
-Fake dating (obviously)
-“Dislike” to lovers - though the dislike didn’t last long
-Only one bed
-“Grumpy” Sunshine (I think that was the intention. But they were mostly sunshine all the way through, especially when together)
-Animal sidekick (my favorite character is Penelope)
-Miscommunication (not a fave- but it was to be expected as it is primarily a romance book)
-Found family (all FMC really wanted was a family)

Overall an extremely enjoyable story. It can easily be read as a stand alone (I have not read anything else by this author, though I guess I will have to now, since I enjoyed this so much).

Faking it with a vampire duke—easy, right?

I’ve got one chance to prove to my coven that I’m worth my wand. But I'm going to have to make a deal with a vampire duke. I get to use his gorgeous estate in Cornwall to host the Beltane Ball--and in exchange, I'll pretend to be his girlfriend. But it's all a show for his grandmother.

My summary - A small town witchy romance. Quick & easy read that’s a very light fantasy, especially if you’ve already dipped your toes in the fantasy genre. I would recommend as an easy read to start in fantasy if you’re looking for that OR a light breezy romance read for anyone else.

3.75 🌟

I really loved the first book in this series and I jumped at the chance to read this ARC. This is a very light read and nor complicated to follow by any means.