This book is so cute, and very much a cozy fantasy. Really enjoyed the whole concept! Very easy to read. This book feels so magical!

Unfortunately I was unable to enjoy this as much as I wanted to. I loved the premise and I think our MC is written fairly well. The humor in this is very enjoyable and I love how goofy it felt overall.

However, my issue started in Alaric's first POV (spoilers ahead):
This was an extremely under edited chapter. It was repetitive, super 'telly' vs 'showy, AND it made the pacing of the romance feel as it if had just leapt ten steps ahead when they barely knew each other (and had only spoken like twice before this moment). Examples:

"I loathed the attention I received for being a duke, and she didn't give it. She made me feel like a person." (My note: This feels very one dimensional and cliche) I mean how many times have we seen this trope before?

"I'd been a right bastard when she'd asked to use the estate, but I was wary of letting anyone close after what Katrina had done." (My note: Goodness show don't tell) Can we not learn this naturally? It's such an telly way to show his trust issues.

"As a result, I was rarely in a position where I felt awkward. And yet, she managed to bring it out in me. I kind of liked it, though that was ridiculous." (My note: You guys have barely spoken.)

"I could tell her. I should. It was just that after Katrina's betrayal, I'd become gun-shy. . ."
"Damn it, I liked that about her. Not that it mattered--- it would be a long time before I trusted anyone again."
"And I liked it. No. I wasn't supposed to like anyone right now, especially after what Katrina had done."

My thoughts:
This man's POV needs a lot of work. They are super repetitive, one-dimensional and cliche, and there's nothing about them that makes him feel like a rich character. Not like Emma.

Another thing was, the transition between Chapter one and Chapter two was super jarring. I couldn't tell it was a completely different day and it confused me a lot for a minute there.

I think overall this book is really good and goofy and cute, but it could have some more depth and another round of edits.

Thank you SO much Victory Editing for my e-ARC!

This is a sweet, cozy read perfect for fall rolling in. I would have liked to see our fmc's backstory fleshed out a little bit more, we learn so much about the duke that it make emma come across a bit one-dimensional at times.

This book was super cute! I thought the scenario for them to fake date was semi-believable, which doesn't always happen. I want to live at the estate, it sounded beautiful. I would have liked there to be more character development with...really any of the characters. But I thought this was very cute. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cutesy romance, good fall vibes too. The estate gives me Pride and Prejudice vibes. It's cute, but I gave it a 3/5 because I was looking for more plot in general.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

What I liked: PENELOPE AND GRANDMA VIVIAN. They saved this book. Whenever they appeared my interest peaked a little bit. Penelope was a gem and great familiar to have around. Also the fact it was set in Cornwall.

What I did not enjoy: The main characters. They were flat and boring. Also the insta like from his side? Wasn't a fan. As soon as he spoke to her he noticed her lips and how his thoughts suddenly turned "darker". The whole plot around the ghost seemed boring to me. Perhaps it was just my taste in books, who knows.

Overall: Wasn't the worst book I read so far. If you like insta-love, not the best lines, magic, vampires & witches, this might be for you.
This just wasn't for me.

I'm a huge fan of fake dating and was excited to see this play out between Emma, our witch FMC and Alaric, our vampire MMC! thank you to Author Linsey Hall and Netgalley for providing this second book in the Charming Cove series.

Alaric was unlike any other vampire I've read about. He was essentially a human who drank blood spiked with alcohol at formal meal times, but I appreciated this softer aspect of him. The author didn't create him as a vampire for any blood lust reasonings, he was simply another of many magical beings who inhabit their community.

One of my favourite aspects of the story as following the coven and witnessing the competitive streak between the witches in a new way. It's been fun in both books to have a magical competition parallel to the romantic storyline and I'll definitely be reading any future books in the series!

🪄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 • 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐀 𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄 🪄 
 
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 
SPICE: 🔥.5 
 
I went into this book blind, but I’m happy to say it was a delight, and I loved it. This is Book 2 in the Charming Cove Series, but can absolutely be read as a standalone! This was a quick, easy read with a ton of heart and a sweet story of fake dating and found family. Needless to say, I was 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥!  
 
Emma is an apprentice witch trying to secure a permanent spot in her town’s coven so that she can find a place where she belongs. Alaric is a vampire Duke who needs to have a girlfriend in order to keep his grandmother in good spirits. When their first meeting goes less than perfect, they need to team up to get what they both want.  
 
This is an adorable fake-dating story (that doesn’t feel fake at all) and Emma and Alaric were absolutely precious together. I loved that Emma was a bit of a mess, and even though she struggled with her insecurities, she was just so endearing. Alaric was suave, caring, a little bit stubborn, and overall just swoony. I loved how they both couldn’t fight their attraction.  
 
The book was made even better by the cast of side characters that stole the show at times! Vivian, was a trash tv binge-watching treasure, and Penelope the skunk familiar (you read that right 😆) was the best kind of diva.  
 
Despite being a bit Insta-lovely, and having a bit of miscommunication, this book had enough depth to make it heartwarming, and the emotional bits enhanced an already cute love story.  
 
If you are feeling your witchy vibes, this is the coziest of the cozy stories and just an absolute delight from start to finish! 
 
Thank you, @NetGalley and Bonnie Doon Press, for the early review copy. This review is voluntary and honest.

This was such a cute paranormal romance, and a fast read. The tropes featured are exactly what you get, including the miscommunication break up, and it was the perfect light read. Loved the familiars too!

I was a little disappointed with the deviations made to vampires and that it was a bit too fluffy for me, but I would still recommend this book for an easy and fun read.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Emma is a struggling witch trying to land a permanent position in her coven. Alaric is a duke and the most eligible bachelor in their county. Their paths collide when Emma enters the men's loo by mistake. Alaric finds her odd but somewhat endearing. Now, Emma has an opportunity to secure her position in the coven by organizing a ball that is very important for the coven. Now, she needs to come up with the best venue to win against her nemesis who is competing for the same position. The duke's mansion has always piqued everyone's curiosity. It's known to be breathtaking but has been left unexplored. Due to a misunderstanding, the duke's grandmother mistakes Emma for his girlfriend. Now, the duke offers Emma to fake date him in exchange for hosting the ball on his property. Oh, and he's a vampire. And she can talk to ghosts.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was really cute and had some amazing laugh out loud moments. I really loved the cozy, fall and pumpkin spice everything vibes it gave. The characters were very enjoyable as well. I, however, felt the absence of proper world building. There was very little to nothing known about Vampirism.. which made the duke's personality seem very dull. The miscommunication annoyed me.
Overall, it was very well written and would be best enjoyed reading in October, for obvious reasons. This paranormal romance is a must read!!

A fake dating, vampire/witch, small town paranormal romance with surprisingly impressive emotional depth and a relationship you won't be able to help rooting for!! I loved both the MCs, especially his grandma, and the way that each of them has emotional baggage relating to their family.

Also, her skunk familiar, Penelope was the absolute BEST. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Anne Aguirre or Jessica Clare. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This is book two in the Charming Cove series but definitely can be read as a standalone!

"How to Fake Date a Vampire" certainly had its moments of swoon-worthy banter. However, it's important to note that the story did come across as a bit corny at times, which might not be to everyone's taste. Interestingly, the title suggests a strong vampire element, but the vampire aspect of the story seemed rather superficial and didn't play a significant role in the overall narrative. Instead, it was like any other male lead with easy access to a vast resource. One notable drawback is the pacing, which felt off at times. The story might have benefited from a more balanced rhythm to maintain reader engagement consistently. It was average for me.



Thank you Bonnie Doon Press and NetGalley for the earc.

Emma Willowby has been trying to break into the local coven for awhile now. She grew up without a group or family to call her own so she's trying to find her place. One of her problems is that she hasn't quite figured out what her magic actually is yet so she can't really judge her own strengths. Something that would definitely get her into the coven would be successfully planning and pulling off the Beltane Ball but, in order to be chosen as the planner, she needs a venue. The most fabulous venue around would be the local duke's estate. But she'll need his buy-in and he's notoriously hard to get a hold of.
Alaric is bemused by the woman that he meets first in the local pub's men's bathroom, then as the goat she is working on training headbutts him. She is refreshing, unique, and doesn't seem to be entranced by his title or his pots of money. So when his grandmother, who has been looking rather worn lately, asks about his fiancee, Alaric sees Emma as his perfect chance to make his grandmother happy.
There are, of course, the requisite misunderstandings and deceptions around a fake relationship. There is also the last Big Misunderstanding which is blessedly short but a little out of left field. I think a number of people will make note of the fact that the title of this book has the word "vampire" in it but, other than the fact that they live the same number of years as humans and drink blood in their dinner drinks, we don't get to learn much about the lore of vampires in Hall's world which is disappointing.

Three stars
This book comes out August 31, 2023
Follows The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic
ARC kindly provided by Bonnie Doon Press
Opinions are my own

Emma and Alaric’s journey is a cute, joyful and romantic story based on the idea that out there, somewhere, you'll always find a family that suits you.
And if this premise doesn't make you cry already, I don't know what could!

You got me, I'm a sucker for the found-family trope, but how couldn't I be?! We're social animals, we crave the right type of attention and dream about finding the right person who'll have to deal with us for the rest of our days. Isn’t it romantic when you put it like that?

Jokes aside, I really liked this book: it's a good old-style romance, with barely any spiciness, but more deep meanings. Also, the supernatural part was just ideal for my taste: Emma’s Coven and magic were perfectly balanced in the story, even if I’d have liked to know more about the early stages of discovering to be a witch and Alaric’s vampire existence.
One of the most important aspects, the narration, is also chef’s kiss: the story takes place in more than a month's length but doesn't seem like it. I felt it was rushed near the end, though; I’d have liked an epilogue more than a hurried finale.

Thanks to Bonnie Doon Press and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

p.s.: to whom may concern, even if “How to Fake-Date a Vampire” is the second book in a series, it’s a stand-alone story; so it's not necessary to read the previous one and you're not missing anything from it for this particular story

Thank you Netgalley and Bonnie Doon Press for this ARC!

- This had so many of the elements of what made me love the first book in this series! The coziness of Charming Cove, the silly familiar, and the incredibly sweet MCs! I think I liked the first book more, but I still really enjoyed this one!
- I loved the development of the witchy magic system in this! The first book was so focused on plant magic that it was really cool to read about the coven and see more different kinds of magic.
- I wish there was more development in the vampire lore. There are a few things that are mentioned throughout, but it would've been interesting to know more.
- The romance is so sweet! Seeing Emma slowly realize how much she fits into Alaric's life was so fun, and I loved every moment with Vivian and Madeline.
- I loved Penelope! And I was so glad we got to see Boris (and Aria) from the first book!

I'm not from Insta-love and here is what we have.

This book reminded me of those readings of when I was a girl that we had the protagonist who sees the male protagonist for two seconds and describes it to you in great detail as if 15 minutes had actually passed. And already there... he didn't convince me.

How To Fake-Date a Vampire is the second in the Charming Cove series. I didn't read the first one but I didn't feel it was necessary.

Here we find a slightly crazy, funny story and one of those that I read when I was 14 years old. That's bad? Not at all. I just didn't get to connect and I didn't get to like it like I thought I would. I didn't think it would be like that and that's why I was a little disappointed. But it's not bad.

It's light, with short chapters, we go deeper into the story from the point of view of our two protagonists and that makes it much more interesting.

Thanks Bonnie Doon Press for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good lighthearted, quick read. The pacing was good and consistent throughout.

The story is about a witch named Emma who makes a deal with a Duke vampire, Alaric, to be his fake girlfriend so she can host her coven’s ball on his estate. Of course though, feelings get involved and things get complicated.

Personally, I think the story was too perfect. And in comparison to the first book, The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic, I saw a lot of the same things. Girl who was trouble with her magic ends up in love with the best looking and richest guy in Charming Cove. (There are more similarities but I don’t want to spoil).

I liked Alaric but it seems there isn’t anything special about vampires? I was expecting something special about the guy, but he just drinks blood in a glass. No super powers or abilities. Kind of a bummer. His personality was cute though!

Emma was an alright character but even as a witch pretty unbelievable. According to her she isn’t a good witch but can pull off things other witches can’t at crunch time? Hmm.

What I did like was the help from friends and family in the story. The magical parts and there descriptions were great to read. And I LOVED how they met in a bathroom.

This book has fake dating, miscommunication, found family, and small town.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc of this book. The review is my honest opinion.
#NetGalley

How to Fake-Date a Vampire by Linsey Hall Review 🪄

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

How to Fake-Date a Vampire is a sweet witchy vampire romance that was a very easy and quick read.

The romance between Alaric and Emma was a soft sweet fake dating to real dating trope that melts your heart in places at the way he cares for her.

Emma's relationship with Alaric's family was so cute, the grandma was my favourite character of the whole book! I also really enjoyed that she developed her powers through the book and was able to help make others happy with them 🥰

Now for why it's a 3 star read, I did struggle with the writing style and found it to be quite blunt. It often felt a bit immature that made me think it was more suited for younger readers if there wasn't the minor spice.

Although Alaric is a 'vampire', none of the standard vampire tropes exist within this world. This is fine if not for there was nothing to even make him a vampire other than drinking tiny bit of blood from a glass. Really, he just didnt need to be a vampire 😅

Overall, it was an easy and soft autumny style read to me but I probably wouldn't read another book in the series due to my dislike of the writing style.

Genre/Tropes 💙:

○ Witch x Vampire Romance
○ Fake Dating
○ Famous MMC
○ Minor Miscommunication
○ Small Town

This book was fun, light and easy to read along with. The story itself was quite cliche but the characters were interesting. It’s quite comical most of the time and I personally expected it to be something different.. However that being said it was a good read still :)

Finished in a day!!! Had me so hooked! The story follows Emma (a witch) and Alaric (a duke who’s also a vampire) in the modern world. THERES DUAL POV I REPEAT DUAL POV!!!

Emma volunteers to organise the Beltane Ball but she needs a venue 👀 Alaric needs to cheer his grandmother up and also lives in beautiful estate perfect for a ball.

So they start dating. Fake dating.

This book is a mix of pride and prejudice, the golden compass and beauty and the beast!!
What i love about this book is there’s no ‘a billion chapters long world building period’ - it’s straight to the point but very easy to understand. Very witty and funny loved every word!

This is such a fun and cute read. I love fake dating especially when it turns into more but they are fighting it for whatever reason. This is also set in a small town, which I love, and has some incredible side characters. Vivian, his grandma, and Penelope, her familiar, are definitely my favourites and anyone who disagrees is simply wrong. There is very little that I didn’t love about this book.

Emma and Alaric are beyond cute and I love them. `They’re so good together and you can really feel the chemistry. It’s a cozy and fun read with just enough conflict that it doesn’t get boring. And when I say conflict its because my brain is not working great and I cant think of another word, not because there is much actually conflict (violent or otherwise). I also loved how everything was resolved on this book, it was done so well and made me so happy. Seriously I almost cried happy tears because it was so cute.

I haven’t read the first in this series yet but after this I have to. It can be read as a completely standalone if you want. I think this is one of the best books I have read so far this year, highly recommend!

Thank you to the author and publisher for this ARC copy, this is an honest review.