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Nocturne Falls #1
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs and all.
After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. What she doesn't know is her groom to be is a 400-year-old vampire.
Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. His past means love is no longer an option. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real.
Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets...
After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. What she doesn't know is her groom to be is a 400-year-old vampire.
Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. His past means love is no longer an option. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real.
Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets...
370 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2015
3643 people are currently reading
10529 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Painter
182 books3,418 followersKristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning paranormal romance, paranormal women's fiction, and cozy mysteries. The former college English teacher can often be found on twitter @Kristen_Painter, Facebook at www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor where she loves to interact with readers and her blog: http://kristenpainter.com/blog/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,311 reviews
November 27, 2017
It was good enough. I like the idea that the town is like a Santa's Village for Halloween. Hmmmm, Halloween Town! What a great idea! I'm going to make millions!
Curse you, Tim Burton! You foiled me again!
Anywhoo....So, yeah, the town is awesome and I will probably read more of the series for that alone. I want this town so much! *Grabby Hands*
But, the hero and heroine were a bit on the bland side, and there is less chemistry between these two than the amount of chemistry I know in my brain. Let me just say, that's not much.
And, speaking of cats... the cat probably has more personality than the H or h. His name is Captain Underpants, so I already approve of this. He is fat. Like amazingly fat.
A small cow walked toward him and meowed.
“What on earth is—Stanhill mentioned you brought your cat. He failed to mention the creature is the size of an SUV.”
Oh, and by the way, that's the funniest thing the hero ever says, so don't be expecting him to be entertaining in any way. But, he does fall in love quickly, as does she. Like, within days of meeting they both express their undying love for each other.
Let's just say that boring vamp dude has a mansion and our heroine was a waitress in Brooklyn.
If you are hoping the insta-love and blandness are balanced out by steamy sex scenes, think again. And honestly, I really don't blame the author for never giving us the dirty. I don't think these characters have it in them. You know how authors say that their characters come to life and lead the story? I'm guessing she thought of these two like pandas when they try to get them to mate at the zoo. They are basically sex-less creatures. Not interested, and that works out great for us because we don't want pandas to be a bunch of Pepe LePews. It would be gross and totally spoil our image of pandas. These book characters supposedly have sex. We hear that it happened. But, for all we know, they were lying to make us think that they are hotter than they are. Cuz, these two ain't hot. Nothing even close.
No. Just. Don't.
The next book features a werewolf sheriff in the town, so I might check it out. The vamp from this book has two single brothers - one man-whore, and one who is bitter with a broken heart. Sigh. If it were either of these twotropes stories, I would pass for sure, but maybe werewolf cop will be okay. Plus, a cop in Halloween Town might be fun. Maybe he will learn that Christmas exists and want in on it. That's another great idea! I'm full of them!
Curse you, Tim Burton! You foiled me again!
Anywhoo....So, yeah, the town is awesome and I will probably read more of the series for that alone. I want this town so much! *Grabby Hands*
But, the hero and heroine were a bit on the bland side, and there is less chemistry between these two than the amount of chemistry I know in my brain. Let me just say, that's not much.
And, speaking of cats... the cat probably has more personality than the H or h. His name is Captain Underpants, so I already approve of this. He is fat. Like amazingly fat.
A small cow walked toward him and meowed.
“What on earth is—Stanhill mentioned you brought your cat. He failed to mention the creature is the size of an SUV.”
Oh, and by the way, that's the funniest thing the hero ever says, so don't be expecting him to be entertaining in any way. But, he does fall in love quickly, as does she. Like, within days of meeting they both express their undying love for each other.
Let's just say that boring vamp dude has a mansion and our heroine was a waitress in Brooklyn.
If you are hoping the insta-love and blandness are balanced out by steamy sex scenes, think again. And honestly, I really don't blame the author for never giving us the dirty. I don't think these characters have it in them. You know how authors say that their characters come to life and lead the story? I'm guessing she thought of these two like pandas when they try to get them to mate at the zoo. They are basically sex-less creatures. Not interested, and that works out great for us because we don't want pandas to be a bunch of Pepe LePews. It would be gross and totally spoil our image of pandas. These book characters supposedly have sex. We hear that it happened. But, for all we know, they were lying to make us think that they are hotter than they are. Cuz, these two ain't hot. Nothing even close.
No. Just. Don't.
The next book features a werewolf sheriff in the town, so I might check it out. The vamp from this book has two single brothers - one man-whore, and one who is bitter with a broken heart. Sigh. If it were either of these two
March 15, 2017
I'm rating this book 4.5 stars. When I originally looked into reading this I was weary about the mail order bride concept. But it turns out it wasn't an issue at all. In fact it was pretty absent throughout the book. I almost loved this read. I had no issues with this book at all. Which is a rarity for me. The only thing I would change is I think the relationship between Hugh and Deleny could have used some intensity and better kiss scenes, extra. One of my favourite concepts in this read was definitely the town. The author executed it perfectly. And I loved how all supernaturals lived there and not just vampires. I loved how humans weren't put down in this book also. When you read many books where there's a human with a supernatural race like a vamp or werewolves. It's common for the humans in the book to be looked down upon as the weakist race. And or stupid. I really liked Delenys character. Especially her love of baking and outspokenness. The supporting characters were perfect. I look forward to reading about their stories in the future. One thing I loved was that the author didn't wait out all the issues that were in the plot and with the characters. An example would be the mafia issue was taken care of quickly and not overly drawn out. I also liked how the book focused more on their relationship then anything else. Overall I loved reading this and will definitely continue this series. I will warn other people thinking of reading this that if your not into paranormal/fantasy this is not for you.
May 15, 2016
Review written May 14, 2016
2.7 Stars - Sweet, safe and slow
I listened to the 8:45 hours audiobook narrated by B.J. Harrison. — This was a low-priced $2.50 WSfV deal and I took a chance but I'm sorry to say it didn't fully do it for me. It isn't a bad romance story but nearly good enough in my opinion.
**********************************************
After watching her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy pretends the New York girl Delaney James to run away as a "mail order bride". Our sweets baking heroine takes another womans (Annabelle) identity and quickly travels south to Nocturne Falls to hide for a while. ~ In this cute small "Halloween" town, loved by a lot of tourists, lives a man who doesn't want, or has even asked for, a bride. The hero, Hugh Ellingham, is a noble 400-year-old vampire who only agrees to meet Delaney (aka Annabelle) to make his overbearing dominant grandmother (who ordered the bride from NY) happy. Or is he?
I'm a bit dissapointed because I sincerely feel that this vampire romance has a good storyline plot, a terrific twist, and all opportunities to be a amusing (chuckling fun) lighthearted romance read. —As the cover also kind of promise.
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride started very well but then it slowly fell apart for me. I expected amusing romantic nonsense, fluffy vampire adventure with speed, and as a listener truly feel some excitement. But (yes I'm whining and complaining) it soon became quite flat and dull. I never cared for these characters or their story. I was bored. I expected quite honestly much more from this book.
It is maybe me ... but you can't love them all. Sigh!
**********************************************
I LIKE - no, sorry but not so much
2.7 Stars - Sweet, safe and slow
I listened to the 8:45 hours audiobook narrated by B.J. Harrison. — This was a low-priced $2.50 WSfV deal and I took a chance but I'm sorry to say it didn't fully do it for me. It isn't a bad romance story but nearly good enough in my opinion.
**********************************************
After watching her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy pretends the New York girl Delaney James to run away as a "mail order bride". Our sweets baking heroine takes another womans (Annabelle) identity and quickly travels south to Nocturne Falls to hide for a while. ~ In this cute small "Halloween" town, loved by a lot of tourists, lives a man who doesn't want, or has even asked for, a bride. The hero, Hugh Ellingham, is a noble 400-year-old vampire who only agrees to meet Delaney (aka Annabelle) to make his overbearing dominant grandmother (who ordered the bride from NY) happy. Or is he?
“Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year.”
I'm a bit dissapointed because I sincerely feel that this vampire romance has a good storyline plot, a terrific twist, and all opportunities to be a amusing (chuckling fun) lighthearted romance read. —As the cover also kind of promise.
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride started very well but then it slowly fell apart for me. I expected amusing romantic nonsense, fluffy vampire adventure with speed, and as a listener truly feel some excitement. But (yes I'm whining and complaining) it soon became quite flat and dull. I never cared for these characters or their story. I was bored. I expected quite honestly much more from this book.
It is maybe me ... but you can't love them all. Sigh!
**********************************************
I LIKE - no, sorry but not so much
nevermind
May 7, 2016DNF at 36%
I have been on a REALLY bad streak of vampire books this month. I thought this one would be light, fun, and inoffensive. And it did start off well, as some other reviews mentioned.
Just a couple chapters in I ran into a problem, but I decided to keep going. And then there was another problem, and another. And I decided I'd had enough because I have so many other things to read and sometimes I just don't want to deal with vampire portrayals I don't like.
So, each of the three problems I mentioned above is really all one: the ex-girlfriend of this book's hero. Her name is Piper. The H and h (Hugh and Delaney) run into her in town one day and she's immediately a bitch. It's clear she's bitter about the breakup of her five-month relationship with Hugh, and it's even implied she's drunk. Delaney looks like a total, levelheaded saint next to her (naturally).
The next time we see Piper, it's at a pub where Hugh and Delaney are going to have dinner. They all run into each other and the bar and Piper is a bitch who sloshes her drink around (again, being a future alcoholic is implied), telling Delaney that Hugh WILL break up with her, yadda yadda, Delaney has witty, calm comebacks and Hugh thinks she's awesome.
After Hugh and Delaney leave the pub to have pizza that's somehow shockingly good despite not being made in New York (GASP!!!), they go back home only to find Piper is there. Piper has done some sleuthy Googling and found out that Delaney is not who she's been saying she is. She causes a scene and is shown out.
So now Delaney has to explain herself to Hugh, who's understandably angry that a stranger has taken up residence in his house. She had witnessed her mobster boss murder someone, so she ran and ended up in a matchmaking agency. She stole the file of a woman who'd been matched, called the woman and explained that the match had been cancelled, then traveled to take the woman's place, all so her boss wouldn't be able to find her and kill her.
And how does Hugh react? He's perfectly understanding! Because this was totally normal-person behavior. Piper is psychotic, Delaney is an innocent victim who cons her way into a stranger's home for a perfectly good reason!
This double standard way of reacting to the non-normal behavior of different women made me decide to put this one down. I don't like when women are pitted against each other in fiction just so one can be held up and the other torn down. I don't care if it happens in real life. I don't care that some exes are evil and bitter. I'm tired of this portrayal of them. This only further reinforces how girls are taught to act and not to act in order to attract or repel the attention of men. I hate it and I'm asserting my right to refuse to read about it.
I have been on a REALLY bad streak of vampire books this month. I thought this one would be light, fun, and inoffensive. And it did start off well, as some other reviews mentioned.
Just a couple chapters in I ran into a problem, but I decided to keep going. And then there was another problem, and another. And I decided I'd had enough because I have so many other things to read and sometimes I just don't want to deal with vampire portrayals I don't like.
So, each of the three problems I mentioned above is really all one: the ex-girlfriend of this book's hero. Her name is Piper. The H and h (Hugh and Delaney) run into her in town one day and she's immediately a bitch. It's clear she's bitter about the breakup of her five-month relationship with Hugh, and it's even implied she's drunk. Delaney looks like a total, levelheaded saint next to her (naturally).
The next time we see Piper, it's at a pub where Hugh and Delaney are going to have dinner. They all run into each other and the bar and Piper is a bitch who sloshes her drink around (again, being a future alcoholic is implied), telling Delaney that Hugh WILL break up with her, yadda yadda, Delaney has witty, calm comebacks and Hugh thinks she's awesome.
After Hugh and Delaney leave the pub to have pizza that's somehow shockingly good despite not being made in New York (GASP!!!), they go back home only to find Piper is there. Piper has done some sleuthy Googling and found out that Delaney is not who she's been saying she is. She causes a scene and is shown out.
So now Delaney has to explain herself to Hugh, who's understandably angry that a stranger has taken up residence in his house. She had witnessed her mobster boss murder someone, so she ran and ended up in a matchmaking agency. She stole the file of a woman who'd been matched, called the woman and explained that the match had been cancelled, then traveled to take the woman's place, all so her boss wouldn't be able to find her and kill her.
And how does Hugh react? He's perfectly understanding! Because this was totally normal-person behavior. Piper is psychotic, Delaney is an innocent victim who cons her way into a stranger's home for a perfectly good reason!
This double standard way of reacting to the non-normal behavior of different women made me decide to put this one down. I don't like when women are pitted against each other in fiction just so one can be held up and the other torn down. I don't care if it happens in real life. I don't care that some exes are evil and bitter. I'm tired of this portrayal of them. This only further reinforces how girls are taught to act and not to act in order to attract or repel the attention of men. I hate it and I'm asserting my right to refuse to read about it.
August 17, 2017
3.5 stars!
This was a fun book to read with decent main characters and secondary characters that will likely have their own books.
Delaney James was a fun and likeable character who’s running from the mob after witnessing a murder at the Italian restaurant she works at. She loves all things chocolate and sweet. When she gets nervous, she starts spouting off cooking stats. She flees NYC when she escapes into a matchmaking business and takes one of the files.
Hugh Ellingham is a vampire that has a busy body for a grandma and she’s matched him up so he will marry and have vamp babies. This woman wants some grandbabies! But the last wife Hugh had that he tried turning to a vampire died and he's got a lot of guilt over that. Not vampire dead but dead dead. So he’s not really on board with this plan of his grandma’s.
The setting of Nocturne Falls was fun and I would love to go there myself! What a cool place to live. Halloween 365 days of the year. Who doesn't love that?!
Only thing that I was not a fan of is the instalove in this book. I just have a hard time with that in any book.
Final thoughts: Fun read, low in steaminess, high in instalove but has a sweet romance and plenty of fun characters to keep you entertained. I will continue with the series because I enjoyed the first book more then expected.
This was a fun book to read with decent main characters and secondary characters that will likely have their own books.
Delaney James was a fun and likeable character who’s running from the mob after witnessing a murder at the Italian restaurant she works at. She loves all things chocolate and sweet. When she gets nervous, she starts spouting off cooking stats. She flees NYC when she escapes into a matchmaking business and takes one of the files.
Hugh Ellingham is a vampire that has a busy body for a grandma and she’s matched him up so he will marry and have vamp babies. This woman wants some grandbabies! But the last wife Hugh had that he tried turning to a vampire died and he's got a lot of guilt over that. Not vampire dead but dead dead. So he’s not really on board with this plan of his grandma’s.
The setting of Nocturne Falls was fun and I would love to go there myself! What a cool place to live. Halloween 365 days of the year. Who doesn't love that?!
Only thing that I was not a fan of is the instalove in this book. I just have a hard time with that in any book.
Final thoughts: Fun read, low in steaminess, high in instalove but has a sweet romance and plenty of fun characters to keep you entertained. I will continue with the series because I enjoyed the first book more then expected.
November 10, 2015
This was a light and fluffy PNR that mixed romance and humor to moderate effect. After the initial exciting start the plot slowed to a walking pace and the romance and humor was just not quite enough to keep me fully engaged.
The premise was pretty interesting. Restaurant worker, Delaney James, accidentally witnesses her mob boss shoot one of his thieving employees. She goes on the run in order to avoid suffering the same fate as the thief. She hides out in a random shop which turns out to be a dating service. With the manager busy Delaney takes the opportunity to peek through some of the files and discovers that the service is due to send a women to the far away town of Nocturne Falls to be a potential bride for a man who lives there. Since the information folder has no picture Delaney decides to impersonate the girl. Better to be a mail order bride than to get whacked by the mob! Unfortunately for Delaney her husband to be is a vampire who is not even aware that his overbearing grandmother has decided it is time for him to wed. The town of Nocturne Falls is a haven for the supernatural and masks their presence by passing itself off as a 365 days a year Halloween themed town.
It really should have been a book filled with hilarious mishaps from start to finish, but while there was definitely some humor none of it was as hilarious as I was hoping for. The romance and the characters were both OK, but not particularly memorable.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: I took a bit of time to warm to B.J. Harrison's narration, but in the end I thought he did a decent job.
The premise was pretty interesting. Restaurant worker, Delaney James, accidentally witnesses her mob boss shoot one of his thieving employees. She goes on the run in order to avoid suffering the same fate as the thief. She hides out in a random shop which turns out to be a dating service. With the manager busy Delaney takes the opportunity to peek through some of the files and discovers that the service is due to send a women to the far away town of Nocturne Falls to be a potential bride for a man who lives there. Since the information folder has no picture Delaney decides to impersonate the girl. Better to be a mail order bride than to get whacked by the mob! Unfortunately for Delaney her husband to be is a vampire who is not even aware that his overbearing grandmother has decided it is time for him to wed. The town of Nocturne Falls is a haven for the supernatural and masks their presence by passing itself off as a 365 days a year Halloween themed town.
It really should have been a book filled with hilarious mishaps from start to finish, but while there was definitely some humor none of it was as hilarious as I was hoping for. The romance and the characters were both OK, but not particularly memorable.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: I took a bit of time to warm to B.J. Harrison's narration, but in the end I thought he did a decent job.
August 7, 2015
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride left me surprised on so many levels.
First I was surprised how light hearted this was. It's really a total cute & fluffy PNR. I kinda expect this to be more, well, I don't know actually. Just I guess her previous works I've read are heavier- less cute. Which doesn't actually have any impact on how much I enjoy reading Painter's works. Just like with every other book I read of hers, VMOB is written superbly well. Painters prose is as always beautiful and has depths. So no surprise here. Just utter enjoyment.
The story line. Well, let me tell you. I thought after reading around 10% that I had it all pegged down... and then I got surprised. Because well this is a fun, cute PNR. And we set out with the whole Mail Order Bride thingy.... hence I thought, well I got it all worked out.. Then Painter went and changed the ballgame, and left me well surprised. She managed to do that on several occasions in this novel. Every time I thought - I have it all worked out... she gave the story a different twist. So the plot is action packed, fun, cute and with some great surprises.
The character building was done well. And again there were characters I kinda thought I had totally worked out, then Painter threw me out of the loop by simply showing a different side to them. Saying this I should mention, that I wasn't surprised by how meticulous Painter's character building was. It's just like in her previous works. Well done. I liked the MCs, loved their sense of humour. But I more so enjoyed the entire crew. I really feel like I got to know the crew from Nocturnal Falls - and I wanna read more about them.
Talking about humour. This is really witty. It's a fun take on the entire PNR craze and it had me snickering on many occasions.
The world building is clever. It's set in this time and age, but with all the classic supernaturals you can think of. Which kind of surprised me. Her previous works were much heavier when it comes to world building. But honestly, the way this is done, is perfect. It's just the right thing for the setting and story.
And lastly I was kinda surprised that there was no explicit smut. Let me point out the I couldn't care less. I love the way Painter written the entire romance. And even sans smut this sizzles. There is so much chemistry between Delaney and Hugh, which for me was more than enough.
My only problem? I wanted more! I am hoping that there will be more of these.
But.... Painter hasn't said if there would be more and how many, or when .. nor who they will be about.
I was happy and all smiles after finishing The Vampire's Mail Order Bride, which I simply devoured. Thoroughly entertaining and one of the best cute & fluffies in 2015!
So if you looking for a fun and entertaining PNR, that is exceptionally well written?
This is a must read.
First I was surprised how light hearted this was. It's really a total cute & fluffy PNR. I kinda expect this to be more, well, I don't know actually. Just I guess her previous works I've read are heavier- less cute. Which doesn't actually have any impact on how much I enjoy reading Painter's works. Just like with every other book I read of hers, VMOB is written superbly well. Painters prose is as always beautiful and has depths. So no surprise here. Just utter enjoyment.
The story line. Well, let me tell you. I thought after reading around 10% that I had it all pegged down... and then I got surprised. Because well this is a fun, cute PNR. And we set out with the whole Mail Order Bride thingy.... hence I thought, well I got it all worked out.. Then Painter went and changed the ballgame, and left me well surprised. She managed to do that on several occasions in this novel. Every time I thought - I have it all worked out... she gave the story a different twist. So the plot is action packed, fun, cute and with some great surprises.
The character building was done well. And again there were characters I kinda thought I had totally worked out, then Painter threw me out of the loop by simply showing a different side to them. Saying this I should mention, that I wasn't surprised by how meticulous Painter's character building was. It's just like in her previous works. Well done. I liked the MCs, loved their sense of humour. But I more so enjoyed the entire crew. I really feel like I got to know the crew from Nocturnal Falls - and I wanna read more about them.
Talking about humour. This is really witty. It's a fun take on the entire PNR craze and it had me snickering on many occasions.
The world building is clever. It's set in this time and age, but with all the classic supernaturals you can think of. Which kind of surprised me. Her previous works were much heavier when it comes to world building. But honestly, the way this is done, is perfect. It's just the right thing for the setting and story.
And lastly I was kinda surprised that there was no explicit smut. Let me point out the I couldn't care less. I love the way Painter written the entire romance. And even sans smut this sizzles. There is so much chemistry between Delaney and Hugh, which for me was more than enough.
My only problem? I wanted more! I am hoping that there will be more of these.
But.... Painter hasn't said if there would be more and how many, or when .. nor who they will be about.
I was happy and all smiles after finishing The Vampire's Mail Order Bride, which I simply devoured. Thoroughly entertaining and one of the best cute & fluffies in 2015!
So if you looking for a fun and entertaining PNR, that is exceptionally well written?
This is a must read.
October 5, 2025
3,5 stars rounded up
“Cappy, this place is like Willy Wonka does Halloween. This is like Stepford meets the Addams family. Who built this place? Tim Burton?”
Oh dear, it is that time of the year ... when I get this little itch to read a few books that are loosely concerned with Halloween.
As I have never been or ever will be (never say never, but seems I am old enough now to venture the "never"-word) a fan of the horror genre, the books I seek need to present the theme on a light, maybe even sugary basis. No tricks for me, only treats, thank you very much!
So, no Tim Burton-ish images:
but something kitschy and cosy-like:
Anyway, this will suffice by the way of a long intro.
Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls series fairly meet my needs in this respect.
The books, including this one, the intro to her series, delivers exactly what they promise: light and fun paranormal romance with quite likeable characters, quirky small-town setting and some plot to go with the romance not getting too overwhelming. Also, if smut is not your thing, I think these books are safe for you to try (some kissing and cuddling and referring to couples having sex, but nothing explicit). They also do not take themselves too seriously, which is always a plus!
The setting is pretty irresistible: halloween-all-round-the-year small town to hide the existence of its paranormal denizens.
While the chemistry between the MCs in this particular book does not exactly leap off the page, they are both pleasant. With some minor drawbacks to drive the plot forward, most of the time they act like adults who actually discuss problems when they arise and try to sort them out.
A nice little read altogether. Narrator B.J. Harrison does credit to it all.
“Cappy, this place is like Willy Wonka does Halloween. This is like Stepford meets the Addams family. Who built this place? Tim Burton?”
Oh dear, it is that time of the year ... when I get this little itch to read a few books that are loosely concerned with Halloween.
As I have never been or ever will be (never say never, but seems I am old enough now to venture the "never"-word) a fan of the horror genre, the books I seek need to present the theme on a light, maybe even sugary basis. No tricks for me, only treats, thank you very much!
So, no Tim Burton-ish images:
but something kitschy and cosy-like:
Anyway, this will suffice by the way of a long intro.
Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls series fairly meet my needs in this respect.
The books, including this one, the intro to her series, delivers exactly what they promise: light and fun paranormal romance with quite likeable characters, quirky small-town setting and some plot to go with the romance not getting too overwhelming. Also, if smut is not your thing, I think these books are safe for you to try (some kissing and cuddling and referring to couples having sex, but nothing explicit). They also do not take themselves too seriously, which is always a plus!
The setting is pretty irresistible: halloween-all-round-the-year small town to hide the existence of its paranormal denizens.
While the chemistry between the MCs in this particular book does not exactly leap off the page, they are both pleasant. With some minor drawbacks to drive the plot forward, most of the time they act like adults who actually discuss problems when they arise and try to sort them out.
A nice little read altogether. Narrator B.J. Harrison does credit to it all.
December 31, 2017
This was really cute. Sweet romance with light suspense. Delaney is on the run from the mob and winds up in a small Georgia town where most of the residents are secretly supernaturals and they pretend to celebrate Halloween all year. There, she pretends to be the "match" of mysterious recluse Hugh, who turns out to be a vampire. Things get interesting when she figures out his secret. This book was free for Kindle and I'll definitely read the next one in the series.
March 13, 2016
3.5 Nocturnal Stars!!
Delaney James is a fun and likable character who spurts out chocolate facts (she’s an aspiring candy maker) when she’s nervous, loves to bake, and loves her ginormous cat Captain. Delaney’s life takes a turn when she witnesses a murder at the mob owned restaurant she works at. She flees the restaurant to a nearby store which turns out to be a matchmaking business and that gives her the escape she needs from New York. She off to Nocturne Falls, the town of Nocturne Falls is a haven for the supernatural and masks their presence by passing itself off as a 365 days a year Halloween themed town and every day is Halloween. All she had to do was pretend to be someone else, which she has no problem with, the only problem is…..she’s a very bad liar.
Hugh Ellingham's grandmother is intrusive and overbearing but he loves her, after all it is because of her that he and his brothers are still alive after 300+ years. Her continuous hold on him was growing tiresome but he would do this one last thing for her, meet a girl that she claims was the perfect match for him and be nice to her for 30 days.
“She’s a lovely young woman from upstate New York, but you should be very thankful for those romance novel reading, tween movie watching women. They’ve had a big hand in making our town a success.”......“And Julian’s love life, once he learned to spray himself with glitter.”
Hugh figures she’s one of those vampire lovers that would do anything to claim one as a husband, well Hugh also figures she was going to be highly disappointed if she thought that she was going to claim him! However, Delaney was nothing like he imagined, arriving with her 27 pound cat Captain (Fancy Pants), she was like a breath of fresh air and it didn't take long for her to completely to win over his assistant Stanhill and then himself.
“A small cow walked toward him and meowed. “What on earth is....Stanhill mentioned you brought your cat. He failed to mention the creature is the size of an SUV.”
I really enjoyed this fun quirky book and look forward to reading the rest of the series, it’s Twilight meets Guardians of Eternity since there are more than vampires and werewolves, we get a mixture of paranormal creatures specifically Witches and Gargoyles. Nocturnal Falls is a town where super naturals hide in plain sight, and with so many creatures cohabiting things are bound to get interesting.
My final thought: Fun read, low in steam but has a sweet romance and plenty of fun characters to keep you entertained.
* Audio book narrated by B.J. Harrison who does a great job.
January 2, 2018
I want to move to Nocturne Falls! Imagine Halloween all the time. Tourist think the residents are putting on a show but they are actually vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. I have a feeling this is going to be a fun series. 😁
April 12, 2022
The cover and blurb should set your expectations just fine, but in case you missed it, this is a really light romance with paranormal influences. The worldbuilding is kind of kitchen sink and without a lot of worry over fitting everything together. Like, there's a Valkyrie at one point but no mention of the theology that'd need to support it. Which makes this very much a taste-based read.
Fortunately, I'm in the mood for something light and enjoyed this well-enough. I was engaged with Delaney right off and loved spending time with her. She's quick-thinking and determined and not afraid to face tough truths (like that her mob-connected boss just killed a guy and it's maybe time to take extreme measures not to be in town any more). There are some convenient events to put her into the Nocturne story, but not so many that I minded.
Hugh is harder to engage with. Because he's pretty much a giant coward. He's all "My wife died and I can't take the pain if it happened again" so his primary motivation is all fear. Also, being negative motivation*, it stops the plot dead every time it comes up, leaving Delaney to break stalemates time and again. Add a bit of unilateral idiocy and he's pretty much a waste.
Okay, it wasn't that bad. Hugh was fine when he wasn't all Mr. Mopey-Pants (of the East End Mopey-Pantses, obviously, as he's titled and junk). The plot wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I mean, mobsters from central casting and a scorned Other Woman could be expected. But the family Dame, Hugh's mother, was interesting and the town was a fine setting, so I was entertained.
So this is four stars that rest solely on mood/taste based enjoyment. It's light fluff, but hit the spot for me. If you're worried, the tone is clear right up front, so you'll know in a sample if it's a fit or not, I think.
A note about Chaste: Sex happens and is referred to. But it's off screen and references are non-specific. There's a post-coital discussion scene but again, no sexy details. So I call this chaste, but I can see it might be a close call for others.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
Fortunately, I'm in the mood for something light and enjoyed this well-enough. I was engaged with Delaney right off and loved spending time with her. She's quick-thinking and determined and not afraid to face tough truths (like that her mob-connected boss just killed a guy and it's maybe time to take extreme measures not to be in town any more). There are some convenient events to put her into the Nocturne story, but not so many that I minded.
Hugh is harder to engage with. Because he's pretty much a giant coward. He's all "My wife died and I can't take the pain if it happened again" so his primary motivation is all fear. Also, being negative motivation*, it stops the plot dead every time it comes up, leaving Delaney to break stalemates time and again. Add a bit of unilateral idiocy and he's pretty much a waste.
Okay, it wasn't that bad. Hugh was fine when he wasn't all Mr. Mopey-Pants (of the East End Mopey-Pantses, obviously, as he's titled and junk). The plot wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I mean, mobsters from central casting and a scorned Other Woman could be expected. But the family Dame, Hugh's mother, was interesting and the town was a fine setting, so I was entertained.
So this is four stars that rest solely on mood/taste based enjoyment. It's light fluff, but hit the spot for me. If you're worried, the tone is clear right up front, so you'll know in a sample if it's a fit or not, I think.
A note about Chaste: Sex happens and is referred to. But it's off screen and references are non-specific. There's a post-coital discussion scene but again, no sexy details. So I call this chaste, but I can see it might be a close call for others.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
January 30, 2016
2.5 stars
February 8, 2019
It was snappy. It was OK. It went by fast. I wasn't extremely invested in it, but it it wasn't bad. Made for good bedtime reading. Likely won't read another one tho.
March 21, 2018
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs and all.
This is a fun, well written supernatural, cozy mystery. The first of the Nocturne Falls series.
I think Delaney is a wonderful character and Hugh is charming and sweet. Their budding romance runs into a small problem when the mob boss that Delaney is on the run from tracks her down, however being surrounded by supernatural friends has it's plus side.
This is a fun, well written supernatural, cozy mystery. The first of the Nocturne Falls series.
I think Delaney is a wonderful character and Hugh is charming and sweet. Their budding romance runs into a small problem when the mob boss that Delaney is on the run from tracks her down, however being surrounded by supernatural friends has it's plus side.
June 3, 2022
I read two very distressing books in a row and needed a book that wasn’t going to stress me out as a little breather and this was the perfect choice. That’s not to say I thought this book was perfect but it wasn’t stressful and no dogs or cats died and for that, I am SO thankful!
Things start out very wild when Delaney walks in on her boss murdering someone! Ooops! And she accidentally-on-purpose recorded it too. She realizes she may be next and runs into a nearby open shop which just so happens to be a mail-order bride service and this leads her to the perfect escape plan. She steals the identity of another woman, grabs Captain Underpants who is her chonky cat, some clothes, and hightails it to Nocturne Falls to meet this woman’s dream lover.
I told you it was wild. Just don’t think too hard about this madness and you’ll be fine. That’s what I did anyway. Nocturne Falls is a town much like Salem, MA without the horrific history and with real paranormal creatures wandering about. It’s a place where every single day is Halloween. Sounds fantastic to me. I want to move there and never leave too. Anyhow, Delaney moves in with this dude looking for a lovemate for 30 days because I guess that was part of the Mail Order Bride contract. Sounds a bit sketchy to me so I told my brain to shut up and continued on. Turns out the dude wasn’t the one who put in the application but he goes along with things for ummm reasons.
He’s a vampire. I’m not spoiling anything if you’ve read the title. But if you didn’t I am sorry. He doesn’t act super vampiry however. He’s only a little bit angsty and dramatic. He doesn’t run around at night compelling people with his otherworldly eyes and biting necks and draining silly tourists. He doesn’t abuse his powers like that creep from Dark Prince https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Hugh here is quite normal and a little boring as far as vampires go, truth be told. He’s like a sugar cookie without the frosting. He’s good enough.
As I said, this wasn’t a stressful book. It’s a good mildly funny choice if you’re looking for something to distract yourself for a bit with some fluffy insta-love. Yeah, I said it because it’s true. It’s not a deep and emotional relationship that grows here. It’s pretty much love at first sight with a few easily knocked out obstacles which is both a good thing and a not-so-good thing. The big dilemma is taken care of early and the characters fall fast so there isn't a heck of a lot left to work with besides interfering grannies and ridiculous ex-girlfriends but hey kudos for zero heart-crushing angst because I didn’t want any of that today. The chemistry was meh and the sexy times were all off the page - so don’t say I didn’t warn you about that if you go into this thinking it’s something else if you know what I mean. But the characters liked each other and Captain Underpants deserves his own story and the series setup was fun so I’ll give the next one about a werewolf a look-see when I need something that isn’t going to destroy all of my emotions.
Three stars because I did like it.
Things start out very wild when Delaney walks in on her boss murdering someone! Ooops! And she accidentally-on-purpose recorded it too. She realizes she may be next and runs into a nearby open shop which just so happens to be a mail-order bride service and this leads her to the perfect escape plan. She steals the identity of another woman, grabs Captain Underpants who is her chonky cat, some clothes, and hightails it to Nocturne Falls to meet this woman’s dream lover.
I told you it was wild. Just don’t think too hard about this madness and you’ll be fine. That’s what I did anyway. Nocturne Falls is a town much like Salem, MA without the horrific history and with real paranormal creatures wandering about. It’s a place where every single day is Halloween. Sounds fantastic to me. I want to move there and never leave too. Anyhow, Delaney moves in with this dude looking for a lovemate for 30 days because I guess that was part of the Mail Order Bride contract. Sounds a bit sketchy to me so I told my brain to shut up and continued on. Turns out the dude wasn’t the one who put in the application but he goes along with things for ummm reasons.
He’s a vampire. I’m not spoiling anything if you’ve read the title. But if you didn’t I am sorry. He doesn’t act super vampiry however. He’s only a little bit angsty and dramatic. He doesn’t run around at night compelling people with his otherworldly eyes and biting necks and draining silly tourists. He doesn’t abuse his powers like that creep from Dark Prince https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Hugh here is quite normal and a little boring as far as vampires go, truth be told. He’s like a sugar cookie without the frosting. He’s good enough.
As I said, this wasn’t a stressful book. It’s a good mildly funny choice if you’re looking for something to distract yourself for a bit with some fluffy insta-love. Yeah, I said it because it’s true. It’s not a deep and emotional relationship that grows here. It’s pretty much love at first sight with a few easily knocked out obstacles which is both a good thing and a not-so-good thing. The big dilemma is taken care of early and the characters fall fast so there isn't a heck of a lot left to work with besides interfering grannies and ridiculous ex-girlfriends but hey kudos for zero heart-crushing angst because I didn’t want any of that today. The chemistry was meh and the sexy times were all off the page - so don’t say I didn’t warn you about that if you go into this thinking it’s something else if you know what I mean. But the characters liked each other and Captain Underpants deserves his own story and the series setup was fun so I’ll give the next one about a werewolf a look-see when I need something that isn’t going to destroy all of my emotions.
Three stars because I did like it.
May 16, 2015
**I was lucky enough to receive and ARC of this book from the author**
As followers of my reviews will know I am a HUGE Kristen Painter fan and so when I got the opportunity to read and ARC of her new paranormal romance series "Nocturne Falls" there was no way I could resist.
I will admit to being a little nervous as this series is quite different from her previous Urban Fantasy collections but I needn't have worried because this book is genius!
Set in a town where every day is celebrated as Halloween this book has a much lighter, more humorous take on the world of the paranormal and their interactions around humans and I think will appeal to paranormal romance lovers everywhere.
As with all Kristen's books the secondary characters are so well developed by the end of this story you want to know more about their lives too! I'm telling you if packing up and moving to Nocturne Falls was an option I would already be there!
Love this new series! Love this new town! Bring on book 2!!
An EASY 5 stars from me and a HUGE recommendation to paranormal fans to pick this up ASAP!
V""V
As followers of my reviews will know I am a HUGE Kristen Painter fan and so when I got the opportunity to read and ARC of her new paranormal romance series "Nocturne Falls" there was no way I could resist.
I will admit to being a little nervous as this series is quite different from her previous Urban Fantasy collections but I needn't have worried because this book is genius!
Set in a town where every day is celebrated as Halloween this book has a much lighter, more humorous take on the world of the paranormal and their interactions around humans and I think will appeal to paranormal romance lovers everywhere.
As with all Kristen's books the secondary characters are so well developed by the end of this story you want to know more about their lives too! I'm telling you if packing up and moving to Nocturne Falls was an option I would already be there!
Love this new series! Love this new town! Bring on book 2!!
An EASY 5 stars from me and a HUGE recommendation to paranormal fans to pick this up ASAP!
V""V
November 8, 2023
Nocturne Falls sounds like an amazing place. I wish it was real because this book was a ton of fun to read!
The Vampire's Mail Order Bridge was, again, a fun and enjoyable read. The whole town definitely gave me the Halloween Town kind of vibe.. which probably made me love the book even more. Now the town, I loved. However, the MCs ugh.. sigh.. not so much.
Hugh and Delaney.. need some spice in their lives and in their "relationship." It didn't even feel like they were in a relationship throughout the book. More like friends.. with lame ass benefits. Their chemistry seemed off to me and I guess I was just expecting a lot more from them. I mean it's a romance people! GIVE ME INTENSE ROMANCE SCENES!
Without the lack of romance, everything else was really good. Now the characters were enjoyable enough separately - just not together. I really enjoyed Delaney's character since she worked at a bakery.. and I used to work at one of those. It brought bake some memories (good and bad). Overall, it was an enjoyable book. The one thing I would change is the chemistry... and make that shit explode into rainbows, hearts, horseshoes, clovers, and balloons. Yup, all of that.
The Vampire's Mail Order Bridge was, again, a fun and enjoyable read. The whole town definitely gave me the Halloween Town kind of vibe.. which probably made me love the book even more. Now the town, I loved. However, the MCs ugh.. sigh.. not so much.
Hugh and Delaney.. need some spice in their lives and in their "relationship." It didn't even feel like they were in a relationship throughout the book. More like friends.. with lame ass benefits. Their chemistry seemed off to me and I guess I was just expecting a lot more from them. I mean it's a romance people! GIVE ME INTENSE ROMANCE SCENES!
Without the lack of romance, everything else was really good. Now the characters were enjoyable enough separately - just not together. I really enjoyed Delaney's character since she worked at a bakery.. and I used to work at one of those. It brought bake some memories (good and bad). Overall, it was an enjoyable book. The one thing I would change is the chemistry... and make that shit explode into rainbows, hearts, horseshoes, clovers, and balloons. Yup, all of that.
May 25, 2015
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter
Delaney James is on the run from a former mob boss. She masquerades as a potential bride for Hugh Elligham. Little does she realize that the town of Nocturne Falls is filled with real magic and otherworldly life. And that being the love interest of a vampire can be life changing.
A fun, new kitschy series by Kristen Painter. I love strong women heroines that don't take any shit and Delaney is definitely that girl. From seeing her boss commit a crime and not having the slightest hesitation in informing the police, to standing up to Hugh's grandmother, this girl stands for the right thing. She doesn't let Hugh get away with hiding either.
“I did not freak out.” Three-hundred-and-seventy-seven-year-old vampires did not freak out. “I just felt like I was feeling something and wanted to be sure.” Excerpt from The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
Delaney James is on the run from a former mob boss. She masquerades as a potential bride for Hugh Elligham. Little does she realize that the town of Nocturne Falls is filled with real magic and otherworldly life. And that being the love interest of a vampire can be life changing.
A fun, new kitschy series by Kristen Painter. I love strong women heroines that don't take any shit and Delaney is definitely that girl. From seeing her boss commit a crime and not having the slightest hesitation in informing the police, to standing up to Hugh's grandmother, this girl stands for the right thing. She doesn't let Hugh get away with hiding either.
“I did not freak out.” Three-hundred-and-seventy-seven-year-old vampires did not freak out. “I just felt like I was feeling something and wanted to be sure.” Excerpt from The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
November 3, 2016
3.5// Super cute easy read( listen to- did the audible version). Enjoyed this one... wished it had some more steam.. but cute book for sure!
May 17, 2015
This was a bit of a surprise for me since most everything I had read by Kristen Painter was pretty much on the serious side of urban fantasy with possibly a touch of humor at best.
This was a fun romp and Delaney and Hugh made a great couple for this story. The humor was good, a bit of a serious background story added to making it a bit more of a quality story that you could get involved in and kept it from being too light and funny.
The basic story is Delaney takes the place of a matchmaking service’s choice for the vampire of the title through a bit of madcap and serious set of events. The story was never boring and the two main characters were great, the secondary characters need a bit of work but this is book 1 of a series and I expect we will get a new story and a new couple with each book and learn more about each one as we go along.
I can’t write too much about the story since anything beyond chapter 1 would be a spoiler and this is most definitely a book you want to discover the events as they unfold.
Bottom Line: A great story, not too light, not too heavy, just enough of a serious edge to avoid being brushed off as “chic lit”. Great entertainment level and I am giving it 4 Stars (I expect the books will get better as the series unfolds) and Highly Recommended as easy reading with high entertainment value. (I almost gave it 5 Stars just for not overusing the "I have a secret" plot device, I HATE that. Almost perfect touch on that subject)
This was a fun romp and Delaney and Hugh made a great couple for this story. The humor was good, a bit of a serious background story added to making it a bit more of a quality story that you could get involved in and kept it from being too light and funny.
The basic story is Delaney takes the place of a matchmaking service’s choice for the vampire of the title through a bit of madcap and serious set of events. The story was never boring and the two main characters were great, the secondary characters need a bit of work but this is book 1 of a series and I expect we will get a new story and a new couple with each book and learn more about each one as we go along.
I can’t write too much about the story since anything beyond chapter 1 would be a spoiler and this is most definitely a book you want to discover the events as they unfold.
Bottom Line: A great story, not too light, not too heavy, just enough of a serious edge to avoid being brushed off as “chic lit”. Great entertainment level and I am giving it 4 Stars (I expect the books will get better as the series unfolds) and Highly Recommended as easy reading with high entertainment value. (I almost gave it 5 Stars just for not overusing the "I have a secret" plot device, I HATE that. Almost perfect touch on that subject)
February 9, 2020
A few days ago I joined Audible Escape. Probably not my brightest idea, especially when it comes to productivity. But sometimes a girl just needs a little (or a lot as it'll be the case to make the subscription worth it) romance in her life.
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride was one of the first suggestions and i decided to give it a try on account of it being the first in a series. Also it summary sounded fun - stolen identity, running from mobsters and a vampire in a desperate need of a bride. And it was! So much so that the moment I finished it I borrowed the second book of the series The Werewolf Meets His Match.
While the book was filled with cliches, it also had some surprises. Most notably Ms. Painter choice of when to end her novel. On several occasions I was sure 'This is it, this is the end' only to see that I have X number of hours/minutes left. As this is first in a series I kind of expected a HFN instead of a true HEA so that might have coloured my expectations.
I had a bit of a problem with Hugh, the male lead. It's not him, it's me. I have an unhealthy obsession with Ilona Andrews book Iron and Magic so I'm ruined for characters named Hugh as I always expect them to be Hugh D'Ambrey - utter assholes and warlords extraordinaire. So every time I heard his name I expected the Preceptor of the Iron Dogs and instead I got a cultured if somewhat of a jerk vampire. Still this Hugh has his charms and Delaney more than made up for my disappointment that I'm not getting my D'Ambrey and Elara fix.
Delaney isn't the brightest bulb out there and I had more than one 'she's too stupid to live' moments in the beginning. To be honest at first i was wondering if I would make it to the end of the book and had no idea I would end up actually liking it! But after she gets to Nocturne Falls she improves a lot. I'm chalking up the first few chapters to panic as no one can be expected to make rational decisions when in panic mode. Ultimately Delaney won me over with her cute quirks and hilarious inner monologue.
The set of supporting characters fleshed out the world and is what ultimately made me decide to continue on with the series. Stanhil especially won me over but the Sheriff and the gargoyle are close seconds and I really want to see them set up with mates of their own. So I'm on to see what will happen with the Sheriff. I can't wait to see how his story turns out!
The Vampire's Mail Order Bride was one of the first suggestions and i decided to give it a try on account of it being the first in a series. Also it summary sounded fun - stolen identity, running from mobsters and a vampire in a desperate need of a bride. And it was! So much so that the moment I finished it I borrowed the second book of the series The Werewolf Meets His Match.
While the book was filled with cliches, it also had some surprises. Most notably Ms. Painter choice of when to end her novel. On several occasions I was sure 'This is it, this is the end' only to see that I have X number of hours/minutes left. As this is first in a series I kind of expected a HFN instead of a true HEA so that might have coloured my expectations.
I had a bit of a problem with Hugh, the male lead. It's not him, it's me. I have an unhealthy obsession with Ilona Andrews book Iron and Magic so I'm ruined for characters named Hugh as I always expect them to be Hugh D'Ambrey - utter assholes and warlords extraordinaire. So every time I heard his name I expected the Preceptor of the Iron Dogs and instead I got a cultured if somewhat of a jerk vampire. Still this Hugh has his charms and Delaney more than made up for my disappointment that I'm not getting my D'Ambrey and Elara fix.
Delaney isn't the brightest bulb out there and I had more than one 'she's too stupid to live' moments in the beginning. To be honest at first i was wondering if I would make it to the end of the book and had no idea I would end up actually liking it! But after she gets to Nocturne Falls she improves a lot. I'm chalking up the first few chapters to panic as no one can be expected to make rational decisions when in panic mode. Ultimately Delaney won me over with her cute quirks and hilarious inner monologue.
The set of supporting characters fleshed out the world and is what ultimately made me decide to continue on with the series. Stanhil especially won me over but the Sheriff and the gargoyle are close seconds and I really want to see them set up with mates of their own. So I'm on to see what will happen with the Sheriff. I can't wait to see how his story turns out!
January 21, 2021
I love the idea of a town where everyday is Halloween as cover for its real supernatural residents.
As a romance - just ok, typical instaluv with complications. It was PG13 and, while lightly entertaining, it could have been better.
April 13, 2017
This is my first book by Kristen Painter.
This is my first book with a mail order bride.
This is the first book that I find difficult to classify...calling it a funny paranormal romance isn't enough.
Delaney is a Pastry Chef who works for The Mob.
How could I resist?
I love my baked goods, I love The Godfather. Throw in some broody vampires. How could I walk away?
A man without a sweet tooth was not to be trusted.
Sound Advice.
She didn’t think it was really mobbed up. Well, maybe it might be a tiny bit. The crucifix next to the pictures of Al Pacino and Marlon Brando was a little on the nose.
I'm inspired and am doing this the next time we have a family reunion.
Just kidding....or am I?
Welcome to Nocturne Falls – where every day is Halloween.
The small town setting and effortless cover for supernaturals was really clever and funny.
After a couple of paranormal series, you get tired about supernaturals in hiding or the mysterious new guy with a secret. It's been done to death.
I liked that the characters didn't have to conceal their true form or live in mortal danger. I think Immortal danger would be more accurate.
No stabbing, no silver arrows, no wooden cross, no scheming mortals.
But don't mistake this for an endless party, there was a mystery and lots of drama to keep you occupied.
The conversations and situations make you smile often but the humor isn't forced. It was natural, constant and warm.
“You felt like you were feeling something? Oh, men slay me.” She stopped walking. “And?”
He came to a halt beside her. “And what?”
“Did you feel what you were feeling?”
He frowned. “Now you’re mocking me.”
This book gets 4 stars because :
1 Character Development
The characters in this book were so well written, their motives and personalities made their actions believable. You end up with an engaging story.
I didn't find myself thinking - Why did he do that? She wouldn't do that...Was that necessary?
Maybe it's skill or instinct on the author's part but this was good writing
2 The Halloween Cover
I loved this bit.
3 Curiosity factor
The supporting cast, other family members were interesting and you want to know what happens next in this spooky town.
You have a good time and you won't be satisfied with just one book.
4 Beyond genre limitations
This book had the usual romance, humor, paranormal aspects but what I really enjoyed was the mystery, plot and background drama.
It was a complete dessert platter.
This book loses one star because :
1 The End
If I had to look for a fault, I felt the end was a bit rushed.
This is my first book with a mail order bride.
This is the first book that I find difficult to classify...calling it a funny paranormal romance isn't enough.
Delaney is a Pastry Chef who works for The Mob.
How could I resist?
I love my baked goods, I love The Godfather. Throw in some broody vampires. How could I walk away?
A man without a sweet tooth was not to be trusted.
Sound Advice.
She didn’t think it was really mobbed up. Well, maybe it might be a tiny bit. The crucifix next to the pictures of Al Pacino and Marlon Brando was a little on the nose.
I'm inspired and am doing this the next time we have a family reunion.
Just kidding....or am I?
Welcome to Nocturne Falls – where every day is Halloween.
The small town setting and effortless cover for supernaturals was really clever and funny.
After a couple of paranormal series, you get tired about supernaturals in hiding or the mysterious new guy with a secret. It's been done to death.
I liked that the characters didn't have to conceal their true form or live in mortal danger. I think Immortal danger would be more accurate.
No stabbing, no silver arrows, no wooden cross, no scheming mortals.
But don't mistake this for an endless party, there was a mystery and lots of drama to keep you occupied.
The conversations and situations make you smile often but the humor isn't forced. It was natural, constant and warm.
“You felt like you were feeling something? Oh, men slay me.” She stopped walking. “And?”
He came to a halt beside her. “And what?”
“Did you feel what you were feeling?”
He frowned. “Now you’re mocking me.”
This book gets 4 stars because :
1 Character Development
The characters in this book were so well written, their motives and personalities made their actions believable. You end up with an engaging story.
I didn't find myself thinking - Why did he do that? She wouldn't do that...Was that necessary?
Maybe it's skill or instinct on the author's part but this was good writing
2 The Halloween Cover
I loved this bit.
3 Curiosity factor
The supporting cast, other family members were interesting and you want to know what happens next in this spooky town.
You have a good time and you won't be satisfied with just one book.
4 Beyond genre limitations
This book had the usual romance, humor, paranormal aspects but what I really enjoyed was the mystery, plot and background drama.
It was a complete dessert platter.
This book loses one star because :
1 The End
If I had to look for a fault, I felt the end was a bit rushed.
December 20, 2017
2.5 stars
June 17, 2015
This review was originally published at Vampire Book Club and based on a copy provided by the author.
I’ve always loved Halloween. It’s the day after my birthday, so I think at some point I decided it was a holiday all about me. But I also love the witches and ghosts and werewolves, and especially the vampires. So I’m kind of sad that I can’t really move to Nocturne Falls, Georgia “where every day is Halloween.” It has street names like Black Cat Boulevard, and shops like Hats in the Belfry and The Hallowed Bean. Supernatural creatures roam the streets entertaining tourists and posing for pictures. But what those tourists don’t realize is that the vampires, werewolves and witches are real.
Hugh Ellington is one of those vampires living in Nocturne Falls, though his brother Julian is the one most likely to be seen posing with tourists. Hugh has been a vampire for more than three hundred years. He lost his wife during the transition and vowed never to marry again. But his grandmother has decided that she’s waited long enough for great-grandchildren and has taken matters in to her own hands. Unbeknownst to Hugh, she’s signed him up with a supernatural matchmaking service. His prospective mate is scheduled to arrive in a week’s time and spend a month living with him.
Delaney James dreams of owning her own sweet shop one day. But for now she works at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn. She’s always doubted the rumors of her boss’s mob connections, until she records him committing a murder. Fleeing for her life, Delaney ducks in to the office of a dating service called Eternamente where she finds the file of a woman her age who’s been matched to a man in Nocturne Falls. She decides to pose as Annabelle and hide out in Georgia until her boss stops looking for her. But she doesn’t realize that the man she’ll be staying with is a vampire.
I really enjoyed Delaney, especially her love of candy. She recites chocolate facts when she gets nervous and makes up food-themed curse words. I found Hugh a little frustrating, but likable despite his issues. All their secrets are revealed much sooner than I expected, which avoids some of the mistaken identity romance clichés and allows them to deal with the mobsters pursuing Delaney. But I still felt like they committed rather quickly given that they started out planning to spend thirty days together.
The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride is a charming, lighthearted romance comparable to Molly Harper’s Half Moon Hollow series. Nocturne Falls has a more diverse group of supernaturals though, including cat shifters, Fae and gargoyles in addition to the vampires, witches and werewolves. I always love how Kristen Painter incorporates unusual creatures in her supernatural worlds, so I’m looking forward to meeting more residents of Nocturne Falls. And I’m especially excited to see more of the town. I can’t get enough of the Halloween kitsch!
- See more at: http://vampirebookclub.net/review-the...
I’ve always loved Halloween. It’s the day after my birthday, so I think at some point I decided it was a holiday all about me. But I also love the witches and ghosts and werewolves, and especially the vampires. So I’m kind of sad that I can’t really move to Nocturne Falls, Georgia “where every day is Halloween.” It has street names like Black Cat Boulevard, and shops like Hats in the Belfry and The Hallowed Bean. Supernatural creatures roam the streets entertaining tourists and posing for pictures. But what those tourists don’t realize is that the vampires, werewolves and witches are real.
Hugh Ellington is one of those vampires living in Nocturne Falls, though his brother Julian is the one most likely to be seen posing with tourists. Hugh has been a vampire for more than three hundred years. He lost his wife during the transition and vowed never to marry again. But his grandmother has decided that she’s waited long enough for great-grandchildren and has taken matters in to her own hands. Unbeknownst to Hugh, she’s signed him up with a supernatural matchmaking service. His prospective mate is scheduled to arrive in a week’s time and spend a month living with him.
Delaney James dreams of owning her own sweet shop one day. But for now she works at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn. She’s always doubted the rumors of her boss’s mob connections, until she records him committing a murder. Fleeing for her life, Delaney ducks in to the office of a dating service called Eternamente where she finds the file of a woman her age who’s been matched to a man in Nocturne Falls. She decides to pose as Annabelle and hide out in Georgia until her boss stops looking for her. But she doesn’t realize that the man she’ll be staying with is a vampire.
I really enjoyed Delaney, especially her love of candy. She recites chocolate facts when she gets nervous and makes up food-themed curse words. I found Hugh a little frustrating, but likable despite his issues. All their secrets are revealed much sooner than I expected, which avoids some of the mistaken identity romance clichés and allows them to deal with the mobsters pursuing Delaney. But I still felt like they committed rather quickly given that they started out planning to spend thirty days together.
The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride is a charming, lighthearted romance comparable to Molly Harper’s Half Moon Hollow series. Nocturne Falls has a more diverse group of supernaturals though, including cat shifters, Fae and gargoyles in addition to the vampires, witches and werewolves. I always love how Kristen Painter incorporates unusual creatures in her supernatural worlds, so I’m looking forward to meeting more residents of Nocturne Falls. And I’m especially excited to see more of the town. I can’t get enough of the Halloween kitsch!
- See more at: http://vampirebookclub.net/review-the...
November 8, 2015
I had a really fun Halloween. Well, a fun reading Halloween. Out here we don’t get trick-or-treaters, but I did get to read The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter. Truthfully, I am not a vampire lover. As anyone reading my reviews knows, after working in the morgue, the whole ‘kissing the dead’ thing just really doesn’t do it for me. But in this case, the mythology Kristen developed made it a whole lot more fun for me.
Delaney James is in a bad spot. After seeing her boss at the restaurant shoot someone, and getting caught at catching him, she is on the run. Slipping into a business to slip her pursuers, she finds it to be a dating service. Snatching a file off the desk, she finds herself posing as a match for a groom-to-be. Hummm . . . gunned down by a mobster, or faking being a bride wannabe? Easy peasy.
Only, it really isn’t. Because not only does her possible groom not actually WANT to be a groom (those pesky moms and their manipulations in order to get grandkids can be a real pain – even if they are really, really old) he is a 400-year-old vampire. Uh. She certainly didn’t expect THAT!
The town of Nocturne Falls, where Halloween is a 365 day event, is a character in the book all on its own. A great one at that. This is book one, and I can hardly wait to dig into the next. Great fun with a light and fluffy attitude!
Delaney James is in a bad spot. After seeing her boss at the restaurant shoot someone, and getting caught at catching him, she is on the run. Slipping into a business to slip her pursuers, she finds it to be a dating service. Snatching a file off the desk, she finds herself posing as a match for a groom-to-be. Hummm . . . gunned down by a mobster, or faking being a bride wannabe? Easy peasy.
Only, it really isn’t. Because not only does her possible groom not actually WANT to be a groom (those pesky moms and their manipulations in order to get grandkids can be a real pain – even if they are really, really old) he is a 400-year-old vampire. Uh. She certainly didn’t expect THAT!
The town of Nocturne Falls, where Halloween is a 365 day event, is a character in the book all on its own. A great one at that. This is book one, and I can hardly wait to dig into the next. Great fun with a light and fluffy attitude!
November 17, 2015
2.5 stars (ok, and some fun)
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show...
I liked the author's sense of humor--sweet and zany, without the over-the-top snarkiness so often found in humorous PNR. The premise of the town populated by supernaturals pretending to be pretending to be supernaturals is fresh, and I enjoyed how the heroine (an aspiring candymaker) calmed herself down when feeling stressed by reciting trivia about chocolate or sweets.
Unfortunately, the dialogue is somewhat choppy; there is very little description; and there is little sense of the developing romance between the H and h. It also contained my least favorite trope.
I might read another book in this series; maybe the flow will be better in the next one...
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show...
I liked the author's sense of humor--sweet and zany, without the over-the-top snarkiness so often found in humorous PNR. The premise of the town populated by supernaturals pretending to be pretending to be supernaturals is fresh, and I enjoyed how the heroine (an aspiring candymaker) calmed herself down when feeling stressed by reciting trivia about chocolate or sweets.
Unfortunately, the dialogue is somewhat choppy; there is very little description; and there is little sense of the developing romance between the H and h. It also contained my least favorite trope.
I might read another book in this series; maybe the flow will be better in the next one...
Currently reading
January 11, 2021Pre-review:
I got a free book! Will read up soon!
More to come.
I got a free book! Will read up soon!
More to come.
October 27, 2017
This might be a first; my favorite part of this book was the setting, I absolutely adore Nocturne falls....
The problem might be that I read all the books in the Jane Frost series with the exception of the latest book before I read this.... I really enjoy that series( with the exception of the ridiculous love triangle) The characters are also wonderful and the setting of Nocturne falls just is the icing on the cake... Jane gets all kinds of yummy treats from Delaney‘s bakery, so because this book is about Delaney I thought I’d thoroughly enjoy it.... BUT not so much, unfortunately....Still adored the town, but I felt as though the characters were all just so underwhelming....Not to mention that Delaney and Hugh fill in mad love in about three minutes, now I’m not entirely against Instalove, but three minutes, really? I will read more from this series because I do love this town so much and I know how terrific the Jane Frost series is, but I have to admit I’m a little disappointed with this one...
narration: I thought he did a really good job, he had a very sexy British accent I must say(To clarify I don’t believe that is his regular accent he just did it very well) pretty sure he reads the entire series and I am just fine with that💚
The problem might be that I read all the books in the Jane Frost series with the exception of the latest book before I read this.... I really enjoy that series( with the exception of the ridiculous love triangle) The characters are also wonderful and the setting of Nocturne falls just is the icing on the cake... Jane gets all kinds of yummy treats from Delaney‘s bakery, so because this book is about Delaney I thought I’d thoroughly enjoy it.... BUT not so much, unfortunately....Still adored the town, but I felt as though the characters were all just so underwhelming....Not to mention that Delaney and Hugh fill in mad love in about three minutes, now I’m not entirely against Instalove, but three minutes, really? I will read more from this series because I do love this town so much and I know how terrific the Jane Frost series is, but I have to admit I’m a little disappointed with this one...
narration: I thought he did a really good job, he had a very sexy British accent I must say(To clarify I don’t believe that is his regular accent he just did it very well) pretty sure he reads the entire series and I am just fine with that💚
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