Falling for a Villainous Vampire: A Novel

The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures #3

by Charlotte Stein

The third standalone in Charlotte Stein's Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures series, featuring a blood-pumping enemies-to-lovers romance for the ages!

Marley Maples is sure she's finally evaded her vampire mortal enemy. Halsten has stalked her across oceans of time, and many, many lives. But now she's arrived at the age of thirty in Hollow Brook, with no sign of him. So she’s devastated when he suddenly shows and yet again tries to make her life hell. Until her two witchy best friends suggest a spell to make him forget all about her.

There’s just one he forgets his whole existence with it. All Halsten now remembers is being a big, hot, vampire Viking. And all he sees when he looks at Marley is his beloved little witch, his saviour, the light of his life. He goes from being a horror that haunts her nightmares, to a man who loves her and will protect her at all costs. And as much as she’s skeptical, she can’t help finding his fish-out-of-water, warrior ways and his desire to defend her endearing.

Maybe even a little sexy. In fact, it’s starting feel very sexy indeed.

And if she’s not careful, she’s going to lose herself to a man she swore to hate. A man who might return to her eternal enemy, at any moment…

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Romantasy, Audiobook

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 27, 2026

About the author

Charlotte Stein is the RT and DABWAHA nominated author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. For more on Charlotte, visit: www.charlottestein.net

Reviews

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Stein never fails to deliver a yearny, down-bad, simp of a pathetic man mmc.

Her spice always hits. Her FMCs are always confident af. Her books are always a good time.

She is an autobuy author and her books are perfect to pick up when you need a fun, sexy, quick read.

I especially loved the MMC in this one. He might rival Beckett for top spot. He's just so pathetic, I loveeeeeee him.

I think Phone made such a fun side character!

The only thing I wished there was a bit more of was the FMCs/characters from the first books but thats just me being greedy for cameos.

Audio Narration: 5/5
Narrator: Yael Rizowy
Length: 8 hours 33 mins
Style: Single Narrator, single POV
Thoughts: Utterly enjoyable reading experience from start to finish! This narrator always delivers and this was no exception. Her voice variation is excellent and brings each unique character to life. I loved her voice for Phone! Pacing and pausing were perfection and overall this audiobook was an absolute win!

5⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh to be engulfed in intense paranormal yearning. 4.5 stars rounded up!

My feelings on this story changed a lot from start to finish!
Honestly, by the 30% mark- I wasn't expecting to totally love it. It starts out a little bit quirky and eccentric, which I think are fun qualities in a book, but not my favorite for vampire romances. So I really thought it was going to be "just okay".
But actually- no! I am happy to say I changed by mind!

Light, fun and quirky quickly became emotional, romantic and slightly intense sometimes.
I mean, we're talking about a vampire who is so OBSESSED with his sworn enemy, that he offers to find the very root of his vampirism and rip it from himself - if it would make her happy.
I mean... are we serious right now? Halsten is who Edward Cullen wishes he was.

Once the romance and the intensity of this picked up, I forgot the actual plot. What was this about again?
It doesn't matter. Now it's about yearning.
(I'm joking, the overall plot is also enjoyable! Just slightly overshadowed by the rest)

Overall, this didn't disappoint me. It really took a turn and ended up being one of the best things I've read in a while.
It reminds me of a lot of the more recent paranormal romance releases, like Jenna Lavine's vampire series. So, if you're into those I would absolutely recommend giving this one a go too.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | St, Martin's Griffin and author Charlotte Stein, for providing me with the eARC of "Falling for a Villainous Vampire" in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: October 27, 2026

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

🧛‍♂️🖤 Falling for a Villainous Vampire 🧙‍♀️🔥

This one is hands down my favorite book in the series! Or maybe fangs down… 🧛🏾‍♂️🩸✨

I honestly was not expecting to love this quite as much as I did! Halsten is the absolute definition of “if he wanted to, he would.” 🖤

He was willing to do anything for Marley, and I loved him so freaking much!

Their star crossed love story was everything ❤️‍🔥

And special shout out to Phone.... truly a loyal sidekick for Marley!

And the ending was perfect! No notes. 😭✨

⭐️ 5 stars!

What to Expect
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
🧛‍♂️ Vampire Viking MMC
🧙‍♀️ Witch FMC
🧠 Magical Amnesia
♾️ Past Lives
🛡️ Protective MMC
🤷🏾‍♀️ If He Wanted To, He Would

🩸 🖤 🧛‍♂️ ✨ 🩸 🖤 🧛‍♂️🩸 🖤 🧛‍♂️🩸 🖤 🧛‍♂️

🎧 Narration: Yael Rizowy
📅 Pub Date: October 27, 2026
Thank you to St. Martin’s, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced ebook and listening copies.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an audio ARC from NetGalley. Thanks to all involved.

I rated this book 3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

The audio book itself was well done. It has one narrator (Yael Rizowy) who I think does a great job. On all of the characters voices.

This an an Enemy to lovers paranormal romance between a witch and a vampire who follow each other through time and lives after one another. I enjoyed the premise of the book and the romance between the characters. I thought both Halsten and Marley were funny and I enjoyed the humor between them. I found the ending a little abrupt- like we didn’t get to the actual issue till almost the end and then boom it’s solved. It was a quick and enjoyable book but I was left wanting a little more in terms of back story and romance.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like this book started out with quite a bit of promise. Had that cozy fantasy feel, humor, and an interesting premise. That being a witch is reborn again and again only to be hunted by a vampire who loathes her and chases her across time just to fill her. They are mortal enemies through time.

So when she’s finally had enough and decides to use her magic to protect herself, it has a small backfire. He doesn’t just forget her as she wants. He seems to forget everything. Add to this small complication that he seems to think she’s his savior and not the one who did this. What could go wrong?

Great premise, right? And it was fine until around the 60% mark and then seemed to kind of go sideways. The story zigged and should have zagged and it was not an improvement. Basically I was enjoying it but didn’t like how it decided to end along with the big climax moment.

It’s not a bad book. I just didn’t prefer the way it concluded. Three stars.

[Jess (GetbookedwithJessica) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook was very well done! Yael Rizowy did a fantastic job narrating all the characters and really brought out the humor, fun, and steam in this story. Her performance was definitely a highlight for me!

This had such a great premise and was the perfect cozy, quirky read for fall. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by Charlotte Stein, and this one was no exception! Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and fully buying into their relationship. The chemistry between Marley and Halsten felt a little underdeveloped, almost as if it came out of nowhere.

I also struggled with some of the inner dialogue and banter in the beginning. At times, the humor felt a bit forced, and there was a lot of information being told to the reader rather than naturally woven into the story. The pacing felt somewhat choppy, and the plot occasionally seemed to go in several different directions. The ending, in particular, felt rushed, as though we suddenly needed to wrap everything up and deliver the big reveal.

That said, this was still an enjoyable read! The premise was fun, the audiobook narration was fantastic, and there were plenty of entertaining and steamy moments. While it wasn't a new favorite for me, I can absolutely see fans of the series enjoying Marley's story.

[Katie May]

DNF at 15%

This is my first book of the author’s and it unfortunately was not for me very quickly. Reading some other reviews it sounds like this is their ‘style’ so if you’re already a fan this will likely be for you, but unfortunately I’m opting not to continue.

The ‘enemies to lovers’ trope is represented in this book by the 2 MCs calling each other ‘butt face’ or ‘butt hole mc face’ for 2 full chapters. And also trying to physically assault each other without any other plot or explanation. But also his accent is soooooo hot though. I’m baffled by the over use of the word butt instead of ass but then the F word is every other word. Chapter 4 I think is also just them having a conversation about times they tried to kill each other. WHYYYYYYYYYYY? By chapter 4 I should have some sense of the characters and plot besides them being haters?

As an interconnected stand alone that I am assured can be read on its own, there should be world building. If I can read this without reading the others, why does this book assume I have read the others and provide 0 world building?

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

All you need to know about this book is that I sent my best friend a voice message while reading it in which I was sobbing so hard it hurt and I accused the author of being a witch who repeatedly peers into my soul and knocks the wind out of my lungs by saying the quiet bits out loud.

*Netgalley arc review*

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, cute, quirky, and endearing. This book is a quicker read. It’s full of fun. Whimsy, and banter. Her enemy vampire looses his memory and doesn’t remember stalking her. When the tables turn, all she wants back is her sweet Viking vampire.

This book is perfect for spooky season or any time of the year if you love vampires. It’s cute and spicy and will give you all the vampy feels!

Thanks to MacMillian and NetGalley

[Christiana Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful. Did I get an ALC for the third book in a series of stand alones? Yes. Did it cause confusion, or keep me from enjoying the book? No.

This is everything you’d want from a contemporary romance novel and more. She’s a witch who has been hunted by this vampire across many lifetimes. That’s all I’m telling you about the plot.

[Bbecca_marie · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Falling for a Villainous Vampire 🩸🍂✨ Review ✨ thank you so much partner @youhadmeathea @macmillan.audio for the free arc + audiobook!

Falling for a Villainous Vampire
by Charlotte Stein
with Yael Rizowy (Narrator)
out in one week, 10/27/26!

Marley thought she’d finally escaped her vampire mortal enemy after lifetimes of being hunted. But when Halsten shows up in Hollow Brook, her witchy best friends cast a spell to make him forget her—only for him to forget his entire existence, too! Now he’s a hot vampire Viking who sees Marley as his beloved little witch and the light of his life. Her eternal enemy has become her fiercely protective, unexpectedly charming admirer, and she’s starting to find him dangerously attractive. But what happens when the spell wears off and the man she’s falling for becomes her enemy again?

My thoughts 💭:

I split my time between audiobook listening and eyeball reading, and you really can’t go wrong with either version! The narrator was fantastic and really brought out all the fun and steam in this story. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by this author, and this one was no exception! It’s a cozy supernatural romance with witchy vibes, a swoony vampire, and just the right amount of spice to keep you turning the pages, or hitting play on the next chapter. This is the kind of story you’ll want to binge, especially when you’re craving something on magical and a little steamy. Charlotte Stein’s books always give me something to swoon over, and this one hit that seasonal sweet spot I look forward to every time. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

What to expect👇🏽
🖤 Supernatural small town
🎧 Fantastic audiobook narration
❤️‍🔥 Fated rivals
🩸 Vampire hero
🛋️ Forced Proximity
🍂 He falls first

Happy reading 📖 🎧🩸🍂

[Laurensliterarylair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and the author for the ALC.

This book was so cute. I was laughing so hard in the beginning and I just felt so much whimsical magical vibes. The narrator told the story in a way that felt so calming and really drew you in. I thought the narration was done so well and really made it feel like a movie in my head. I could picture the characters and settings with so much ease.

I loved the enemies to lovers. Halsten and Marley are so cute. I love their relationship and how it changes over time. I felt like this was such a fun lighthearted way to tell an enemies to lovers story and perfect in time for Halloween. I loved the witches and the vampires. It was giving charmed and I could feel the spooky vibes radiating from this story while also being a true rom com.

The plot was silly and fun. However there was also a lot of depth to the characters. The silly plot was paired with lots of self growth. (Also by silly I mean just cute and adorable)

I definitely recommend this book and hope other readers find it as cute as I did!

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falling for a Villainous Vampire by Charlotte Stein
The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures series #3 and conclusion. Paranormal romance. Can be read as a stand-alone. Prior main characters are included with minor roles.
Marley Maples is a witch. She remembers dozens of different lifetimes and each time, it ends fighting a vampire named Halsten. She’s a bit older this time but he’s found her in Hollow Brook. Her friends (prior two books) help her by putting a spell on him, but something is a little off. Now he’s worshipping her?

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Yael Rizowy who performs this full series. The audiobook ramps up the humor and passion with the pacing and emotional performance. Plus the vampire voice in the audiobook is just not something that can be imagined.

High humor, steamy content x 3, a form of amnesia, a sentient phone and I’m not talking about AI, magic, and an eternal love across lifetimes.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

[Sarah · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and StoryGraph for selecting me as the winner of an audiobook giveaway!

"Falling for the Villainous Vampire" (Book 3 of The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures series) by Charlotte Stein and narrated by Yael Rizowy

This is a cute witchy/vampire novel with lots of spice and humor. It is a standalone book within a series, though I am curious if some of the fun side characters were part of the earlier books. Overall, this is a good one if you're looking for spicy paranormal romance in time for the Halloween season 🧡🖤

[Claudia · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of Falling for a Villainous Vampire. The idea of an apparent enemies-to-lovers romance between a vampire and a witch finding each other across multiple lifetimes and centuries was really interesting, and the premise seemed like a cool idea.

Unfortunately, the choppy and disjointed writing style made it difficult for me to fully get into the story and connect to the characters.

*Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Charlotte Stein for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a very strong desire to go re-watch True Blood now, because Halsten gives such strong Eric Northman vibes. Plus he loves Chandler Bing and hates Xander Harris, so basically Halsten is, in many ways, a nostalgia TV icon who can extol the virtues of Costco hot dogs with the best of us.

This book is laugh out loud funny. Until is isn't, and then it is romantically sweet.

It's okay though, because it gets laugh out loud funny again too! A rom com that is HEAVY on the com.

Marley, a witch, has been reincarnated over and over after being repeatedly murdered, in increasingly absurd ways, by her vampire nemesis Halsten. She has just recently gotten enough of her memories back to remember that he exists when, surprise! He shows up! For the first lifetime, though, Marley has other witch friends, and together they cast a spell that takes away all of Halsten's memories of Marley.

Perfect, until he runs into her on the street and declares his eternal devotion to this beautiful sorceress and all Marley can think is "wtf?" Halsten is super sweet though, nothing like his jaded former self who rips arms off people and shoves faces into trains, and Marley feels conflicted. Guided by her sentient familiar Phone, a phone, she attempts to help Halsten learn about the modern world....even if he is remarkably fast at it.

Seriously, I was laughing so hard at this book. It is part of a series, but can definitely be read as a standalone. This was the first one of the series I read, but I will definitely be going back to the other two.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Charlotte Stein for the arc!

[Hope Mayhugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgally and St. Martin's Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to receive an arc of this book because it sounded right up my alley: a hot vampire obsessed with a mouthy witch whom he has stalked from one generation to the next? SIGN ME UP.

Unfortunately, I couldn't feel even a little engaged to the storyline or its characters.

Overall, the writing style was not my favorite. It felt very much like the reader is being "told" what was happening, not being immersed in the female main character's world. In my opinion, a strong storyline will give you a visualization of the characters and their world. This, simply, didn't deliver.

I also struggled in finding any connection with either of the main characters. Again, I felt like I was simply being "told" about their lives and this made it very hard to feel any sort of love or hate towards them. I really struggled feeling any sort of admiration with the FMC from the very start.

From my understanding, this is an interconnected standalone that is a part of a series. I hesitate to label this as a standalone though. The very first page in the book thrusts you into a backstory on how the FMC has been stalked by the MMC for over a hundred years (again, the FMC told us, but didn't show us). I felt like I needed more of that origins story from the very start to both understand and feel any sort of connection with the characters.

Overall, I give this book a 2 out of 5 stars. I feel like the bones for a great story are there. If the author can go back in and write in a way that "shows, doesn't tell" (as our grade school English teachers would say), this could be a solid book.

[SookandBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling for a Villainous Vampire is a single POV enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance. Marley is a witch who has been hunted across multiple lives by the vampire Halsten. Each time her soul is reborn, once she grows into her power, he’s suddenly there and she dies in violent, unexpected ways (was crushed to death by a filing cabinet really necessary?!). This time, though, she has friends in local witches Cassie and Nancy, and they help Marley cast a spell to make her enemy forget all about her. Unfortunately, it works TOO well and he forgets all about EVERYTHING. Now Marley has an amnesiac vampire on her hands, one who declares utter devotion to her, and she can’t help but be charmed by his wonder with the world while she tries to figure out how to fix her mistake without setting him on a course to kill her again!

I loved this one, a love the blend of humor, spice, and paranormal mystery. I still need to read the first in this series but enjoyed the glimpses of Jack and Nancy from book two. I loved Marley’s banter with “Evil Halsten” and her sweet but bewildered interactions with “Good Halsten” as he tries to adjust. I absolutely loved Halsten’s rants about Ross (the most evil of the Friends) and Xander (who brought misery on himself and others by inventing an imagined Zone of Friends to complain about) as he used TV as a way to learn about the world! 😹 Marley and Halsten together were absolutely perfect, adorable interactions and fantastic chemistry!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with a gifted ALC copy of Falling For a Villainous Vampire. All opinions are my own.

Narrator: Yael Rizowy
Time: 8 hours 33 minutes

Falling For a Villainous Vampire is the second book I’ve read in The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures world and it was such a fun paranormal romance. Give me a storyline with past lives and love over the centuries and I am hooked!

I loved the tension and attraction between Marley and Halsten and their history together was chef’s kiss! There’s some fun chaos with the couples from the other two books and their familiars that add a great found family vibe and some good old curse breaking.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Paranormal Romance
* Past Lives
* Witch & Vampire
* Enemies to Lovers

𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🌶️.5

If you’re looking for a fun, cozy paranormal romance for your spooky season TBR I definitely recommend Falling for a Villainous Vampire and it’s great as an audiobook listen.

[Rain · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this Advanced Listener Copy of Falling for a Villanous Vampire by Charlotte Stein, narrated by Yael Rizowy.

We follow Marley Maples, an immortal witch and her enemy, Halsten as he attempts to make her life miserable, life after life. Without any reprieve, Marley's friends take it upon themselves to put a spell on Halsten, with the intention of getting Halsten to forget Marley. The spell works in a way none of them expected as Halsten has forgotten his own existence. He treats her in stark opposition to how he behaved in lives past. But why?

This whirlwind romance is cute, spicy, and fun. It's playful tone doesn't take away from the plot and the emotions Marley feels. I enjoyed the presence of each character. There were some high stakes at the end which was an entirely different tone than the rest of the book. However, it did make sense, plot wise.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and now is the perfect time to dive in!

Falling for a Villanous Vampire by Charlotte Stein will be available on October 27th, 2026.

[Madison Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Charlotte Stein for this ALC!

This one had me hooked from the moment I started it! When I read the blurb of this book and found out that he is her mortal enemy and has stalked her across her many lifetimes, I knew this one would be a blast!! It did not disappoint!

This one was fun, silly, steamy, and the yearning and tension is off the charts!! This one is a bit of a slow burn, but once the steamy scenes start, they sure do not stop.

Yael Rizowy did a great job at narrating our main characters and side characters!! The voices flowed very well together and I could tell who was who. The voice for phone, was not my favorite, but overall a very great job!!

Overall, I enjoyed this read! If you’re looking for a fun, slow burn, and all the tension you could ask for… this is your next read!

[Mandy · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I wanted this to be the best book in the series, what with a vampire for an MMC. It was the reason the ARC appealed to me enough for me to request it. Instead, this was the worst of the three. This FMC was the least likable, this MMC was the most simpering, and this plot held my attention the least of the three. All of that is what my rating is based on. In terms of preference, which did not influence my rating, it had so much more 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ than I prefer that I skimmed whole sections of chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this eARC/ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Sowmya · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Neither of us give a **ck we were once enemies" sums up this book. Neither the audiobook nor the listener give a **ck.
It seems like a pattern with cozy-ish fantasy romance; they start with a bang revealing plot, conflict, characters and the mystery. Then they slog slog slog till the final reveal as if that will be enough. The FMC's spell not only gives the vampire amnesia but gives her lobotomy as she thinks with her "needs" than brain or even her heart.
The only sensible character is the "sentient phone", kudos to AI advancement.
Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for this advance reader copy. All reviews and opinions are my own

[jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

what if your nemesis who’s a vampire and has followed you in every life was actually the love of your life… this was really fun and quick read!! i do think the last like 30% of the book was a bit quick and over with and i wish we got to see a bit more of them after the reversing of the spell but i still had a good time nonetheless!!!

thank you netgalley for the arc!

[Tm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I feel like there’s not enough amnesia books out there. It’s such an interesting storyline imo.

I love all the paranormal elements. The fmc is named Marley and she’s a witch. She keeps getting reincarnated life after life after getting killed.
The mmc is named Halsten and he’s a vampire. Hes the villain who keeps stalking her in every life just to end it.

To finally rid herself of him, Marley and her friends devise a plan to erase her from his memories. Then he can’t keep trying to kill her.
Things don’t exactly go the way Marley planned and Halsten gets complete amnesia. When he sees Marley again for the first time it’s definitely not hate he’s feeling!

This was so interesting and so much fun to read! I feel like I flew through it. I already want to reread it!

This book has some of my favorite troupes!
-enemies to lovers
-amnesia
-reincarnation

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the eARC.

Such a fun paranormal romance. This was a quick and light hearted read just in time for fall. Marley is trying to evade a vampire who is out to get her. However when she casts a spell and the vampire becomes nice, more truths about her past come to light. Is the vampire really her true enemy?

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was something. A very high-energy story, it kept me engaged and frustrated and wondering the entire time. This has the signature fever dream feeling all of the author's work seems to bring, but it worked phenomenally well here and aligned with the unending nightmare that is the FMC's many lives.

This book is a little referential, and it makes sense when the author shared that bits of this story have been rattling around in her head for two decades. This isn't a bad thing; the story is so interminably sad, in a way, that the levity is appreciated.

It's difficult to explain what this story was to me without spoilers, but it's safe to say that, while I went in a little sceptical and grew more so when we were thrust into action from the start, the structure of the story, quite particular and something that might not work for everyone it may be, was ultimately very well suited for accomplishing what this novel was. I felt off-kilter and strange, sure, but I found that to be thoroughly rewarded when everything that had gone on became apparent and sorted itself out. This story was absolutely delightful and a tough but heart wrenching read.

As for my more critical points...this book might have been five stars if it were just a little less frantic and a little more grounded in logic. The way things fall into place with the memory-wiped version of Halsten were a little lacking (though the revelations we get later really make that beautiful, a repeated experiment for two bonded souls). The worldbuilding here seemed weak, although I must confess I haven't read the other two books before this one. And one thing that really disproportionately bothered me is that she lied and sent her friends out of the country on a wild goose chase -- I mean, who the hell does that?

[Dr. Tana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. It had such a great premise. But the inner dialogue and the banter at the beginning seems forced to be funny and holds lots of info that is told to me. It did not get interesting till about 50% in and I almost stopped reading but then the action catches up and there is some pretty funny scenes. The FMC is a little hard to follow because her dialogue and personality is so erratic but I think that was meant to be. Maybe it’s just not my kind of romcom. Good writing and well thought out story. This is an honest review of an ARC given to me by NetGalley.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't mind me, I just wanna cry because this is the last in this series 🥺

I loved this just as much as Dealing With A Desperate Demon, and Charlotte Stein is absolutely going to be an author I follow (especially for more paranormal stories if more ever come out!).

The humor? Top notch.
The heat? Strap in.
The heart? Get ready for yours to break and ache and melt and flutter.
The AUDIO?!?!?! The ACCENT?!?!?!? Utter perfection.

I could NOT get enough of this. Marley and Sten are fabulously entertaining and complex characters. They both have this sort of dry humor, plus Sten's re-bodying, if you will, into his ancient Viking self is perhaps the most hilarious MMC I've read in a while, and I literally laughed at points. Add to that Marley's sentient Phone, literally called Phone, who is a little sassy all on her own!

I am kind of at a loss for words with what to say about this one because it was just such a fun time! The setup with Halsten and Marley in a constant, centuries-long, cat-and-mouse type of chase (with Halsten trying to kill her in every lifetime) was really interesting, and despite being able to have a pretty good idea of the romance underneath it all and how that connected to what was happening, I appreciated that I wasn't able to infer ALL of the 'why's' and 'how's', which made some of the reveals toward the ending more satisfying!

Even though both Marley and Sten are hilarious, they're also both quite layered. Naturally, being chased and targeted for murder in every lifetime will naturally traumatize a person, so I really felt for Marley, who both keeps people away to protect them yet desperately desires true love, connection, friendship, and a sense of belonging somewhere and with people permanently. 'Evil' Halsten is so dry and hilarious, seemingly cold, so it's such a whiplash in a thoroughly fun way when he becomes his ancient Viking self again. Still the same level of humor (if not more) because of his passion for protecting, revering, and adoring Marley - so much passion, in fact, that he's kind of absurd and ridiculous and silly (in the BEST way, it's not annoying). But as they get to know each other (again?), I liked seeing how, even though Sten comes right out of the gate professing his undying (literally) love for the 'beautiful sorceress' that is Marley, he truly has feelings for her because of her kind heart, and she comes to love him for the goodness that was always inside of him.

Following Sten and Marley as they work to get him to understand/navigate the modern world while also trying to figure out the intricacies of how the memory spell went wrong, if there's an underlying curse, and how right Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Friends does and/or doesn't reflect reality was an utter blast! Throw in some funny Twilight references, the talking Phone, some spice, and this story was perfect! Again, I was glad that there was still some mystery and questions surrounding why Halsten has been following her for centuries and if there was some more going on with the memory spell or an underlying curse. The way everything unfolded in the end, both in terms of the romance and that mystery, was PERFECT!

I really just can't gush on about this one enough, so I'll end it there. But I recommend this one to anyone who loves paranormal romance, romcoms, witches and vampires, or just purely wants a feel-good, funny story that also has heart and a good plotline to drive the story forward and keep you intrigued even beyond the romance!

Perfect for getting into the fall season, and I HIGHLY recommend the audio!

AUDIO NOTES:
NEW FAVORITE NARRATOR alert! The way Yael Rizowy captured not only the dryness of Marley's character, the humor and ACCENT of Sten, the robotic sass of Phone... it absolutely BROUGHT THIS TO LIFE! Excuse the caps lock, but this is just one of the best narrations I've listened to recently!

All the characters felt so real, the humor hit harder, the emotions were felt, the pacing was great! It flowed really well, and Rizowy's voice was perfect for Marley's character and the story as a whole, in my opinion.

I think this is a MUST on audio!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC, as well as to Macmillan Audio for the eALC. All opinions are my own.

[Tiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC through Netgalley for my review.

TLDR: The story was predictable, but I enjoyed it.

I’ll start by suggesting if you’ve read one of Charlotte’s recent novels, you’ve read them all. I read this trilogy, as well as 2/3 of another ‘stand-alone’ trilogy (When Grumpy Met Sunshine, My Big Fat Fake Marriage) and you’ll find the following tropes in most of them:
** Grumpy & Sunshine
** Miscommunication + Stream of Conscious chatter from basically all the characters
** Plus-sized FMC who feels so tiny compared to the super-tall/large MMC
** Fake dating/marriage (this novel was the exception)
** Only one bed
** “Enemies” to Lovers
I use quotations on the enemies because for most of the above-mentioned novels, the FMC & MMC are not enemies. They’re making assumptions about how the other person feels based on their own trauma/insecurities and deciding the other person hates them, rather than having a grown-up conversation to clarify things.

TO BE CLEAR: This is not intended to be an attack on the author or the stories. I like some of these tropes so Charlotte’s novels are the literary equivalent of comfort food for me. I know what I’m getting when I pick them up and I love to get cozied up in a favorite reading spot with a cup of tea and read from cover to cover. When I get to the first flustered kiss, I squeal and kick my feet in the air like a teenager talking on the phone with her best friend.

I think one of the best qualities of the novels I’ve read by Charlotte is the lack of alpha-male mentality in the MMC. The MMC usually has some degree of emotional intelligence and actually tries to communicate…aside from when Big Feelings well up, he forgets how to speak, and he turns tail and runs (physically or mentally).
There are conversations about boundaries and consent; there are scenes with some after-care.
There are toxic characters in the book, but they’re used as a foil for the MMC and/or plot devices for conflict.

In terms of the romance, this was not a slow-burn at all. They do the horizontal boogaloo fairly early into the story and it’s basically a ‘fuck or die’ set-up (admittedly, I eat this up in fanfiction so I’m not complaining). After that, their character development is the sexual equivalent of impulse buying: indulgence,self-recrimination, repeat cycle. I was raised in America’s bible belt so this is basically my comfort zone.

My biggest complaint about this story is how frequently the word juicy is used to describe body parts. Juicy is the new moist; please use sparingly. I can only take so many flashbacks to the aughts when sweatpants with Juicy on the backside were trending (if they’re trending again, I don’t want to know).

Slight spoilers for this specific novel:
I cackled aloud when Halsten lifted a machete from behind the couch. Who is giving this man weapons? How much money, exactly, did he spend at that emporium?
I KNEW Hannigan wasn’t a crotchety old pantywaist for nothing. So glad to finally have it resolved and the town will definitely be better without him and his fun-sucking committee.
Slight derailment though: Hannigan was a relatable villain when he was just a communal ray of misery. We all have a Hannigan in our lives, but I had a suspicion from How to Help a Hungry Werewolf that he was some kind of supernatural being (let’s be honest, there are people IRL who hate themselves and redirect it to bystanders rather than fix their own issues).