Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion

by Ariana Nash

FROM THE AUTHOR WHO BROUGHT YOU 'SOS HOTEL' COMES A NEW DARK COMEDY MM...

I should have asked what happened to the last pool boy…

The money’s good and my rent is scarier than the rumors about Witherborne Mansion.

All I gotta do is clean the pool, keep my head down, and not get involved.
Then I meet Theo. The hot mess, party boy vampire-heir who is absolutely not my type.

His brother wants him dead. Not getting involved.

His mother cares more about political ambitions than her sons. Doesn’t matter to me.

The neighbors are something scarier than vampires. Not my problem.

But when a body shows up in the Witherborne’s pool it becomes my business. Literally.

I’m the only human in a house full of vampires, trying to work out who did it.
Now I’m involved, it’s definitely my problem, and Theo is beginning to matter to me in ways that can’t end well for either of us.

My name is Owen, I'm just the pool boy, and my chances of survival are absolutely zero.

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Vampires, Romance, Gay, Fantasy, LGBT

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2026

About the author

Born to wolves, Ariana Nash only ventures from the Cornish moors when the moon is fat and the night alive with myths and legends. She captures those myths in glass jars and returning home, weaves them into stories filled with forbidden desires, fantasy realms, and wicked delights.

Her debut novel Silk & Steel hit Amazon's:

#1 LGBT Bestsellers Horror
#1 LGBT Bestsellers Fantasy
#1 LGBT Fantasy Hot New Releases
#1 LGBT Horror Hot New Releases - for 3 months!

Join her Goodreads group here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Sign up to her newsletter here: https://www.subscribepage.com/silk-steel

Reviews

[Lucie V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✅ Vampires
✅ Nice characters
✅ Pace
✅ Simple & Straightforward world-building
✅(🆗) A lot of things are happening
✅(🆗) Romance development
❗️❗️Trigger warning: dead body, almost drowning
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

3.5 stars

Please don’t hate me!
I usually devour Ariana Nash’s books, but I struggled a little to get into this one. It reminded me more of her SOS Hotel series, with more humor and a lighter plot than Silk & Steel or The Prince’s Assassin, but I didn’t care about these new characters as much as I usually do.

Owen is the new pool boy at the Witherbornes' mansion, and he is trying his best to keep a low profile and leave his con life behind him. He wants a fresh start away from trouble and far away from dangerous guys who seem to always get him into trouble, which is easier said than done when he has to see Theo Witherbornes every time he works at the mansion.

I didn’t think being a pool boy came with such extensive knowledge about pools’ ecosystems. Owen seems to genuinely love his job, and the author injected just enough technical information about pool care to make it believable and realistic: it’s more than just a side job; Owen truly knows his shit, but it’s not boring or too detailed either. It did convince me, however, that I do not want to have a pool and have to care for it. Too much trouble.

Theo is flamboyant, and not your usual vampire (he faints when he sees blood). He also likes to put his life all over social media and create funny trends such as #Thowen. Things get even more complicated when a dead body turns up, and Owen can’t forget about it, or his need to investigate and find out how the previous pool boy died, and who killed him.

I feel that neither Owen nor Theo has found who they want to be, or who they are supposed to be yet. There is room for a lot of character development, as well as relationship development, and I am eager to see how it will play out in the next book. While I do like Theo and Owen, and there is an obvious attraction between them, I do not feel much of an emotional connection yet.

This is a funny mystery/murder story. It is fast-paced and a quick read, and reminds me more of the SOS Hotel series than Ariana’s other, darker fantasy series. It is easy to fly through this book, to get attached to Owen and Theo, and to smile while reading about their shenanigans. I do feel that a lot happened in a very short amount of time, though. There is the murder of the previous pool boy to elucidate, the weird things happening at the Whiterbornes’ neighbors, Owen’s mysterious past trying to suck him back in, with someone appearing to stalk him, and the romance budding between Owen and Theo. I did enjoy the fast pace and the quick read, but I do think I would have liked this story more if it had been longer or if Owen’s past had not been a focal point, because it was a lot at once.

On the plus side, this means there is potential for a lot of development and focus on Owen’s past and his ex in the next book. I am also curious about Fleur: how will she be relevant? Where exactly did she come from, and how are the Witherbornes going to handle this? Is she going to just crash in their pool house forever?

I do have questions, and I am not madly in love with these characters yet, but I will read the next book for sure. Ariana Nash is an auto-buy author for me, and even if this book didn't land with me the way her previous works did, I still had a good time reading it. I enjoyed the fast pace and it was a quick read, perfect to get some entertainment, flashy vampires, and creepy magic.


Follow me on Instagram 🙂

[Ariana Nash]

OUT NOW!




'JUST THE POOL BOY AT VAMPIRE MANSION'

I mean, that title says a lot about it, right there. 😄

Here's a little teaser about the characters:

Owen: Pool Boy

Ex-con trying to be a brand-new, very boring man.
Lives by rules because the rules keep him out of trouble (mostly).
Allergic to attention, social media, and getting involved.
Says exactly the wrong thing the second his mouth opens.
Soft heart he keeps insisting he doesn't have.
Can't walk away from a stray, a corpse, or a pretty disaster.
Talks to pools like they're people.
Buried his wild side six feet deep but it's clawing its way up.
Broke, guarded, and falling for the worst possible person.

Theo: Vampire Heir

Party boy with a smile for every camera.
Loud, sparkly chaos hiding a whole lot of dark.
A vampire who sunbathes, fears blood, and breaks every rule of his kind.
Flirts like it's a competitive sport.
Wants to be loved for who he is, not what he is. Deeply lonely.
Stows away in a stranger's car (Owen) and refuses to leave.
His brother wants him dead. His mother is worse.
Hot mess. Knows it. Owns it. Weaponizes it.

*

And I am so excited for you to meet them!

Of course, Pool Boy is going to get compared to SOS HOTEL, and we all miss the hotel trio. (Zee is currently sulking that he's not getting his own book). But this world is fresh and fun, with its own kind of chaos, and while it has silly and dark SOS HOTEL vibes (it's still me writing it, after all), it's new and exciting too.

Come along for the ride 😄💦

OUT NOW!

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I blinked, thoughts tripping over themselves again. I’d just been drugged, dragged through a broken window backwards by some kind of evil tree creature, brought my potential boyfriend back from the dead, talked to my dark self, closed a gate to some kind of supernatural prison hell, seen things I was pretty sure humans were never supposed to see, and Theo was flirting?"

Oh she's done it again! Another cracker of a short-read, hilarious, MM paranormal dark comedy romance from Ariana Nash. This one will be loved by fans of the fabulously successful SOS Hotel series, which also comes highly recommended, starting with SOS Hotel: For a Supernaturally Safe Stay!

Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion is Owen and Theo's story. Owen is the pool boy and Theo is the (apparent) party boy, vampire son of the mansion owners where Owen works.

But all is not as it seems at Vampire Mansion, and when Owen finds a body floating in the pool things go from bad to worse with hilarious (and deadly!) consequences....

What To Expect:

🩸MM romance (but secondary to the story)
🩸Human/vampire
🩸Dark themes, but also funny
🩸Dark comedy
🩸PNR
🩸Grumpy/sunshine
🩸Fabulous storytelling
🩸HEA

A definite hit and a fun, darkly comedic palate cleanser!

4.5 stars

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really enjoyed the start to this new series and I am looking forward to the next installment. That being said, the first 50% was clunky and slow for me.

After 50%, the story and mystery really started to pick up and I also became more invested in the characters along with the chemistry between Owen and Theo. I'm intrigued by Fleur and Theo's brother Bentley. I feel like Bentley is just misunderstood lol. I am also eager to learn more about Owen and all that he has going on.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loved the SOS Hotel series.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've been following me for a while, you know I adored Ariana's SOS Hotel series. So when she announced this book and the fact that it had those same chaotic vibes? YES PLEASE. Did it disappoint? Not even a little bit. This was fantastic and I can't wait to see what's next for this cast of chaotically awesome characters. We've even got a new MC with a mystery behind him. Totally human. Or is he? Too bad I can't binge read the series right away to find out faster.

[Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Four stars.

Firstly, this was so much fun. If you loved SOS Hotel, this matches the vibe completely. Full on shenanigans with a maybe sweet romance growing in between? This brought me out of a small slump and I'm so grateful.

I love Owen. He's totally just a pool boy, the same way Adam was totally, 100% human (IYKYK). I both love and hate that Owen has a secret because this is the kind of thing that makes me want to keep reading. Hate it because book two isn't here yet 😭.

And sweet babi Theo. From his initial description I anticipated disliking him but I adore him and can't wait to see more of him in future books.

The only reason I'm not rating this five stars is because I found the beginning to be a little slow and I took some time to get into it. But once things start moving it takes off.

Definitely recommend adding this to your TBR for the chaos vibes 😌

[isthisakink · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5. I’m into it. It was clunky in the beginning, kinda choppy and a little disjointed, but once it smoothed out and things picked up, it was really good. There’s still plenty to learn, too, so that’s another tick in the positive column. I will always hate when everything is all figured out and explained by the end of the first book. There’s no mystery or fun after that. I am invested. The chaos and the sweetness and the hilarity go well together, the characters are complex and inviting, and the story is ridiculous in the best ways. It’s good soup.


—I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews (GRR). All ratings, reviews, and unwanted opinions are my own.—

[Kez Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun rom-com blend of mm romance, and supernatural mystery, with a pool boy investigating a murder, and trying not to fall for the vampire playboy.
There is lots of family drama, a building romance and chemistry, and paranormal chaos.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I REALLY liked this one!

Our sweet little "pool boy" and the party boy Vampire-heir, LOVED their love/hate banter, the found family aspect and the spice ❤️

I loved that it had a mystery storyline as well as a love story!

Definitely worth a read, fun, fast and easy to fall into!

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This feels like the start to another great series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The neighbors’ pool had just tried to eat me, and I needed to get to the bottom of it. Not literally.

The pool guy with a shady past teams up with a vampire bad boy influencer to investigate a murder. After he gets out of prison, Owen wants nothing more than to avoid trouble. Unfortunately trouble finds him in the form of Theo, the heir to the local vampire family. Oh and the dead body in the pool.

I’d spent two years being careful Owen in prison, good Owen out of it, the version of me that didn’t scare anybody and didn’t get involved, and he’d spent his whole life being the Theo on the other side of someone’s screen, the heir with the weight of centuries on his back. The face of the generation of vampires that had to live with the coming out.

This book was very interesting. I've read a ton of character-driven books lately, and this one was very much focused on the plot instead. There's a lot going on in this book, from the mysterious body of the former pool boy showing up in the Witherborne pool, the insane Witherborne family dynamics, their creepy neighbours, Owen's past misdeeds showing up to haunt him, and the developing chemistry between Owen and Theo.

“Who am I kidding? You are so my type,” I said aloud, knowing he couldn’t hear. “Chaotic, thrilling, funny, unpredictable, sexy as heck. Unreliable, probably sleep around, terrible boyfriend material. Trouble all the way through to the bones. Why can’t I find a nice boring golden boy? Because it’s boring.” I mocked myself, getting into it. “You’re going to die on the sexy bad-boy hill, Owen.” But it would be a hill worth climbing.

My favourite part of the book was the chemistry between Theo and Owen. They're both incredibly lonely and have a surprising amount of things in common. Their relationship/friendship develops slowly- so slowly that I thought the book was YA. There is very little spice in the book, but I never doubted their attraction for one another. We also have the cutest of nicknames (Freckles and Fangs OMG 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰) and forehead kisses and literal touch-him-and-die vibes 🤩.

Theo was bad for me, in a good way. And maybe I could be good for him, in a bad way?

This book wasn't really what I expected from the blurb, and the slow burn plot line had me very confused about the pacing until I realized that this is just the first book of at least 2 about the same characters. Everything seemed to be moving so slowly but it makes sense now that I know there's a second book. While I enjoyed it, I finished the book kinda frustrated about the number of plot lines extending into the second book. There was a preview of book 2 at the end and I wasn't even remotely tempted to read it. I think that tells me that while the book was good and the plot dynamic, I prefer more of a balance between the plot and character development. All I know about the 2 MCs is a bit about their past/family issues, that they're lonely and that they like each other. Quite a bit happened but it feels empty without more of a connection to the characters- for me personally, at least. Like eating too much candy.... you're left a bit queasy and know you need to go find something substantial to balance it out.

He knew exactly what he was doing, knew how to tease, and I was here for it, falling into deep waters all over again. I might drown in Theo Witherborne, but in that moment, I realized it would be a fine way to go.

Rating: 3.75 stars
Angst: 2/5
Steam: 1/5

I received an advance copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.

My favourite part of the book actually happened between Owen and Bentley, Theo's younger brother:

“What I’m saying is,” he continued. “You want old-school vampire, that’s me. Sneaking about, creeping into bedrooms, stalking maidens⁠—”
“A pervert, got it.”
“Right. What? No. Haven’t you read any dark romances? Human females adore being stalked and intimidated.”
I laughed. “Human females?”
His eyebrows pinched together. “What do you know about human females? You’re gay.”
I laughed harder. “I know they probably don’t like being referred to as human females. Was your date tonight an AI girlfriend?”
“Fuck you, pool boy. I’m in a relationship with a wonderful female.”
“Is it your reflection?"

Top notch banter 😆

I normally don't mention typos and other issues but I really hope someone proofread this because there are a lot of errors still.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ooof this is going to be a hard one to rate, because whilst there was a lot here to enjoy, this book had SO MUCH GOING ON that it just felt overwhelming. It also didn’t seem to know if it was going for high-level comedy or out and out horror at points. Also, this is not a standalone as I had thought, but the start of a series; there are many open plot lines at the end of this book that will no doubt be picked up in future books.

First of all I will say that I really do like this author’s writing; it’s fun and clever and although cheesy at times, all in all her books are a good read. That being said, I think this one just overreached; it was just too much in a short space. Spoilers incoming:
✨ Vampires and their coming out to the world (not really explained. Also Vampires in this world are born basically human and have to die and be brought back in order to become full vampire. Which brings up all sorts of biological questions which are not answered).
✨ A murder mystery with a dead ex pool boy (who had a friendship? Relationship? With love interest Theo, which was not really explained)
✨ MC Owen has a mysterious criminal past and an evil ex who has destroyed his life, but Owen doesn’t want to talk about it (fodder for a future book, I assume, but not explained in this one)
✨ Theo’s brother Bentley is constantly trying to kill him (apparently sibling rivalry!? Just boys being boys, vamps being vamps y’all. But other than apparently extreme jealousy and bad parenting, the repeated attempted fratricide is not explained)
✨ A girl with amnesia and apparently the ability to give salient plot points away when needed is found in the pool and now lives with Theo with very little explanation… (again, I assume this will be picked up in a later book… not explained here)
✨ I’d also argue that one of the main draws in vampire books is y’know, the biting. This doesn’t happen in this as Theo is repulsed by blood (but how does he survive, I hear you scream? It’s not explained) and I feel like if you take away the sexy biting, just don’t make ‘em vampires, y’know. That’s just me though.

So as you can see, it’s a bit of a mess, imho, with too many elements just not explained at all or not enough. I think some people will love the chaotic nature and many, many plot lines, but I prefer my series to start out simple and build up.

This does sound like I hated this book. I didn’t, it was a fun read with good writing and some interesting ideas. I think some people will adore this, it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to the author for an advanced eARC through GRR 💕

[Demian Grimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion is a fun, chaotic start to a new series. There are flashy vampires, murder, strange magic, humour, and a fair amount of ridiculous moments. It’s definitely more on the entertaining side than the emotionally intense side, and that’s not a bad thing. 😄

I have to say that for the first part of the book, I was interested but not fully engaged… I just wasn’t completely hooked. Thankfully, things picked up later on, and that’s when I became much more invested in the mystery and the characters. And just as it got really good, the book ended. 😑 The audacity! 😜😜

I really liked Owen and Theo. Their relationship is definitely a slow burn (there isn’t a great amount of romance or spice), but I did enjoy watching them get closer. There is still a lot we need to learn about both of them, but what we do know raises a lot of questions… but it also made me more invested in them. Theo is flamboyant and chaotic, a vampire who faints at the sight of blood 😅, and a “social media darling.” Owen is the ex-con pool boy, trying to keep his head down and create a new life for himself while staying out of the social media eye... I think you can guess how this last part goes for him. 😆😆
That said, I’m not as emotionally connected to them as I thought I would be. I think the single POV also plays a role in that. The whole book is told from Owen’s POV, and that can be limiting in some ways when reading a romance. Both Theo and Owen are interesting and complex characters, so I’m hoping the next book gives them more space to grow, individually and as a couple.

There is also quite A LOT happening in this book. There’s the murder mystery, Owen’s past, the strange neighbours, the Witherborne family, Fleur, and the developing relationship... all competing for our attention. I enjoyed the fast pace, but the story might have been juggling a liiiiittle bit too much, to be honest. But I had no problem following everything that was going on, so it wasn’t really that big of an issue for me.

And two more things before I go and finish this review. One, I actually kinda loved Bentley, and I’m quite curious about him. And two, I absolutely do not want a pool. I knew that before, but this book confirmed it. 😂

All that said, Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion is a quick, entertaining read with a lot of potential for the rest of the series. I’m curious to see where the story goes next.

I received a copy of this book from the author, and this is my unbiased review.

[☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hey, pool boy?”
Should have kept on walking.

Ar. I. Ana. What has happened? What wild ride did I just reach the end of? I am windswept and thunderstruck and I have been left wanting sooooo much more of #Thowen!

I might drown in Theo Witherborne, but in that moment, I realized it would be a fine way to go.

I'm a longtime Ariana Nash fan, and I can't help but compare this series-opener to other series they've written. For me this book's tone sits between her more serious MM fantasy stories and SOS Hotel - It was funny, sexy, and full of action, but also hit a little deeper. The prose and immersive descriptions were so on point, I felt like I was right there with Owen wandering through the Briar's garden, or staring up at buildings that need no names to draw you in.

Theo was absolutely delicious - he was the perfect blend of flirty and sincere, that never made me second guess his true intentions with Owen. And that first kiss? Scorching. Like I can't. Read this book because that scene will live rent-free in my head for awhile.

"Don’t I have to invite you in or something?” I’d meant it as a joke, to lighten the tension, but his face turned to thunder.
He glared. “That is highly racist.”

This book has to set the record for the most dysfunctional family you somehow manage to come to adore. I loved Bentley, Geraldine, and even aloof, cryptic Leander and how they dysfunctioned as a family unit. Some of the side characters, like Owen's friend Bet or Fleur didn't seem wholly needed but added a little depth to some of the scenes. I can't wait to see how the Witherborne's turn up in future books to help (or hinder) Owen's attempts at keeping the pool at a perfectly balanced pH level.

Overall I really, truly loved this book and cannot WAIT for Book 2!

*I received an ARC from the author but my review is all my own opinion.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝙻𝚘𝚘𝚔, 𝚖𝚊𝚗. 𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚘𝚕𝚜."

Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion is the newest wacky series by Ariana Nash. The writing is definitely a different vibe than her usual work IMO. I do agree there are similarities with the SOS HOTEL series, such as wild shenanigans going seriously wrong, all while the characters are trying to do everything right. And it all starts with Owen being the unlucky guy to end up the most recent pool boy at a mansion full of bloodthirsty vampires.

𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚟𝚊𝚞𝚕𝚝 𝚊 𝚏𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎. 𝙸𝚏 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘. 𝙸𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝."

Theo was an interesting character to get to know. He's known as a rich playboy who spends his time at parties and shmoozing. When we first meet him, he comes off as a total d-bag. Owen totally agrees. I thought that was going to be it. His whole personality. I should have known better. Nash has a way of making you fall in love with characters that normally you'd tend to hate. It sneaks up on you, with little glimpses of what truly lay behind the mask. We get all that and more with Theo.

"𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝, 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚋𝚒𝚐. 𝚂𝚎𝚎𝚗. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝."

Owen, dear human Owen, wears his own mask as well. Owen has a past. A past he wants nothing to do with. He has his new job in pool maintenance and is determined to stay on the straight and narrow with the help of his bestie aka his parole officer. He doesn't have time for rich philanderers and he definitely doesn't have time for dead bodies. Nope. None.

Unfortunately for BOTH Owen and Theo I don't think things are going to go the way either of them are hoping for. From possible murderous pools and highly suspicious neighbors to random visitors popping up out of no where with no idea how they arrived, these two end up on quite the adventure. And though we've touched on the building romance and conquered one enemy, I have a feeling there is much more to come for the residents of Vampire Mansion.

[Elyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I was provided a free e-copy of the book by the author for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks you for this!

I am really happy that Ariana Nash is writing again. While I am more a fan of her darker and more serious work, I was eager to start this new series.

This book has some dark themes but are brought in the story with humour and have a similar silly vibe to the SOS series.

Our main character is Owen, a pool boy that just got a new job at the mansion of a prestigious vampire family, The Witherborne. Owen wants to leave his past life behind and just focus on the job. Like he said: he prefers pools over people.

Theo, is the oldest vampire son and seems like a rich and spoiled party playboy, that spend most of his time being an internet and social media star. He is not that great of a vampire and faint at the sign of blood. His brother Bentley is constantly trying to kill him, so he can become the family heir in his place.

Owen is trying to not get involved, but failed miserably when he discovers the dead body of the previous pool boy floating in the vampire’s pool.

A lot of things are going on at the same time and not that much get resolve; Owen decides to investigate and Theo decides to tag along and become friend with him. Those two are clearly attracted to each other, but the romance is on the slower side.
The Witherborne neigh bough is hiding something and seems shady, a strange amnesic girl appears in the pool and Theo ex-boyfriend wants him back.

This was a good introduction to this new series, I had fun reading it, and I am curious to learn more about Theo and Owen, but I feel something was missing and I cannot put exactly my finger on it.
The pace was fast and it was a quick enjoyable light read.

[patrícia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ariana Nash, my first MM queen, is back with another dose of absolute chaos. 🖤

I’ll be honest: I wasn't in the best reading mood for this one, and I think that affected how much I enjoyed it. Not the book's fault — absolutely mine. 😂 Because the more I read, the more I realised this has that very particular Ariana/SOS Hotel energy that I love: crazy shenanigans, ridiculous situations, unhinged banter, and what the hell is happening now? moments.

And honestly, I dare say this has the same universe-ish vibe as SOS Hotel. 👀

There is A LOT happening here. Vampires, murder, secrets, supernatural weirdness, questionable life choices, and enough chaos to keep things moving. The banter was probably one of my favourite parts, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Owen and Theo.

This is definitely a slow burn and very much a "preparing you for what's to come" kind of book. Not everything is wrapped up neatly, and there is clearly A LOT more coming. Normally that might frustrate me, especially because I don't have the patience for endless series anymore, but here? I actually liked it. It feels like Ariana is laying the foundations for something much bigger.

#Thowen #GoldenRetrieverEnegy #HotPoolGuy #PoolGuyAtVampireMansion

Even when I wasn't fully invested, the book still managed to make me laugh and kept me curious about where all this madness is going.

Ariana, you will always have a special place in my reading heart. You were my first MM queen, after all. 🖤

Now I'm curious to see where all this chaos is taking us… because clearly, we're only getting started. 👀

[Emilyrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was on the fence about whether to rate this 3 or 4 stars; it's probably 3.5 stars if I could do halves because despite there being a lot I loved, there were also a few little niggles that brought it down for me. I loved the humour and wittiness throughout from Owen's commentary and Theo's responses. Some details really brought these characters to life like Theo's repeat texting or Owen's gushing explanations about pools (which should seem boring but somehow wasn't at all). I thought they had good chemistry together, I liked the character development around Theo's family and there was a lot going on regarding the pool and neighbour.

I wish that more had been said about Owen's background because it was all a little bit smoke and mirrors at this stage and I didn't really buy in to the idea that Owen was a 'bad guy' purely because he said he was. There were quite a few references to this and nothing backed up the assertion. I was also confused by the random mirror-image thing by the pool and I wish that Fleur's character had been dealt with a bit more as she seemed to just be accepted immediately like it was all normal. I enjoyed how things progressed with Owen and Theo (despite me wanting to shake Owen several times for just walking off). I hope that the next book develops things properly between them and we see them take steps closer to a HEA. Overall, it's an action-packed read with plenty of humour and good characters.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Beth King · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I hadn’t cared about vampires much until getting the pool gig at the Witherbornes’, and now there were splintery things leaping from pools to kidnap vampire heirs, and the pool itself had some kind of vibe I could dial into. A man had died, a girl with no name had appeared, and somehow I’d ended up in the middle of it. But the wine was good, so none of that mattered."
Ariana Nash wins for writing the funniest book I have read this year. I know its only August but we are a couple hundred books deep and none have made me laugh like Just a Pool Boyat Vampire Mansion.
Theo is your classic troubled heir to a prominent family. He's all over magazines, kind of a fuck boy, and definitely not a good friend for Owen to be making when he's trying to be a good boy.
Owen in New to Miami and trying to make a nice life for himself. Fresh out of prison and on parole he needs to keep his nose clean and his head down. He come preloaded with bigger issues tham being attracted to a possibly suicidal vampire.
Right from the beginning they are fang deep in a murder mystery. A dead body is pool hopping and a murderer is somewhere hanging around Owen and all he wants to do is clean pools, but the drama keeps pulling him in.
Its Theo... Theo is the drama.
This book is worth a 5 star from me. I absolutely loved it!
There is a little bit of a cliffhanger, nothing that should keep you up at night, and Ariana is writing a book two. So get the jump on this one ASAP.
Happy Reading

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️

“Owen. You and I are going to solve Jay’s murder.” ‌‌‌‌‌ “Uhm, no thank you. I have to be in bed by one a.m.”

Pool boy Owen was trying to start a new normal life, but it seems normal isn’t really in the cards for him.
Murder mystery, a crazy dramatic vampire family, even crazier neighbors, a party boy vamp and human pool boy who are both so much more underneath the facade.

All I could do was hope that whatever he was getting me into didn’t leave me face down in the neighbors’ pool too.

While the plot and paranormal aspects were extremely fun, the romance was a little lacking for me. A slow burn low spice, with hopefully lots to look forward to in the next installment. Very curious to see more of our pool boy that’s a little darker inside than he wants to be and more of this weird but amusing family.

I might drown in Theo Witherborne, but in that moment, I realized it would be a fine way to go.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Complicated family dynamic
- Ex-con MC
- Manipulative ex & stalking
- Murder
- Vampire vs human
- Slow burn/Low spice (one scene)
- Frotting
- Dick piercing

[Suzi McWhinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was everything I expected and more. After reading the SOS series, I knew that @AriannaNash, who knows how to write MM romance would bring us another great series.
Just a Pool Boy delivers in spades!
A darkish rom com as Pool Boy, Owen tries to hide his true identity in Miami.
Having been burned by his previous relationship that landed him in prison, he didn't want to remember or be found by his ex.
So why not start as a bottom feeder and become a pool boy with an occasional car wash gig thrown in?
Simple right?
Until Owen meets Vampire Heir, Theo Witherborne, known Playboy and social media guru. He loved to # everything, and it was not long before #Thowen #Freckles #Splashsnack #MinimumWage MaximumTrauma was trending on Theo's his IG. So much for living under the radar!!
There is plenty of banter between the two MMC's as Owen takes stock of his life with having a Vampire in it!
A murder mystery to solve, and as the Pool boy for both the Witherborne's and their neighbours, the Briar's, Owen finds himself smack bang in the middle of something supernatural.
This is way more than a Pool Boy's job description!
And of course there is a trickling of spice on the way till both Theo and Owen finally "get it" together!! #Thowen!!
An overall great first book in this new series, and I cannot wait for book 2, Just the Pool Boy and The Demon Overlord!

[Edga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariana Nash's Pool Boy is a fun start to her new paranormal series. Unfortunately, I found the first half just a wee bit slow and the writing a little clumsy in places as it sets up the plot, but it does eventually pick up. The best part though is easily the banter and sarcasm, 10/10 in places.
Owen is a broke human, just trying to earn a few bob by cleaning a pool at an uber creepy mansion. The delightful Theo ("I'm afraid of blood" 😂) is a reckless, bratty vampire heir. The developing relationship between them is built on sarcasm and top class banter. Once the story gets past the rocky start, the murder mystery and the dark comedy blend perfectly. There is a moment you think might be a bit of a deal breaker when Theo literally shows his teeth:

"Theo's lips twitched. 'I’d kiss you, but I just killed a guy with my mouth, so... you’re probably not into that.'"

However, although a little shocked, Owen soon decides that he can live with Theo's idiosyncrasies.
I loved Owen. He is such a reluctant hero, a bit of a lad with a lovely wicked side, and his dark sharp humour is delicious. The bonkers group of vampires really do need him! If you like original stories, it is definitely worth a read. Just note that this is a slow burn romance , and acts as an introduction to a new series, which I'll definitely be reading.

[Fallingleave · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75 stars rounded up

This book is so much fun. I really am a fan of silly laugh out loud reads. It’s great for when you have read so many emotional, gut wrenching stuff and you just need something that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but is still a super solid read.

Especially the unhinged characters (you know I’m looking at you) I really vibed with. The situations Owen got into with them is pure gold to me.

I’m so curious about Owen’s past for sure. And yes, also curious about the ex…

What felt a little off to me personally is the romance. It wasn’t bad, but not really my cup of tea. It could be me, but it feels like I don’t really got to know Theo and that Owen was in love the moment he saw Theo even thought he didn’t want to be. Sorry, I really didn’t feel the chemistry between them.

This doesn’t mean I’m not curious on how it will evolve in the next book. I’m not giving up on the love part of the series just yet.

Thing is, the plot and romance really feel 50/50 so even when the romance isn’t your cup of tea, you can still love the book a LOT.

With this being said, I would definitely recommend to people who like having a good time and also to people who’re in a reading slump. This will get you right out of there.

[Canadian Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion received 4.5 🍁 from me!⁣
⁣
𝙃𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙩, 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙤 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤.⁣
⁣
Owen and Theo’s journey is a dark paranormal rom-com with a black cat vampire and a golden retriever human who are ultimately forced together to solve the mystery of the dead body floating in the pool and the creepy neighbour.⁣
⁣
Owen is trying to start over and keep his head down as a pool boy, not get wrapped up in a murder mystery, all while attempting to avoid his attraction to Theo, the playboy vampire heir.⁣
⁣
Theo is not who he appears to be and is tired of pretending, especially when his only true friend ends up dead, and the only person he can trust is the new human pool boy, Owen.⁣
⁣
An entertaining read that had me laughing out loud multiple times at the banter between the characters. Although this was a very slow burn, as the romance is secondary to the story, and it has a cliffhanger, it has me (im)patiently waiting for the next journey this group will be dragged into.⁣
⁣
This was my first, but certainly not my last Ariana Nash book.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion

Obsessed!! The author has done it again! This was a masterpiece!

Along the line of SOS Hotel; Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion, had the dark urban fantasy vibes mixed with sassy humor, supernatural creatures, plenty of drama, and of course some sexy romance!! And I was down for every entertaining moment of this!!

The story was so fun yet twisted dark and refreshing! I don’t know how the author does it but the blend of genres and weaving of the story was so well done I can’t wait for more!

Owen was just a pool boy, right, right?! lol He was such a fun character and I want to know so much more!! There’s a past and I want to know it!!

Theo was a sexy billionaire heir who has so many depths and then his family… definitely something else.

This story was so fun and if you loved SOS Hotel or dark humor and morally grey vibes you’ll love this one!! With paranormal romance, a dash of steam, lots of questionable mysterious things happening, a mysterious past, nothing is as it seems, vampires, hurt/comfort, psycho family, morally grey, and so so much more trust me this is not one you’ll want to miss!!

[Deb Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this dark and slightly twisted vampire mystery! Owen is such a great character because he’s basically walked into a house full of vampires, secrets and danger while just trying to earn enough money to pay his rent.

Theo was definitely my favourite. He’s messy, reckless and completely chaotic, but there’s much more going on underneath all of that. I really liked watching his relationship with Owen develop, especially as Owen slowly becomes someone Theo can actually trust. Their chemistry was fantastic, and I wanted more of them every time they were together.

The mystery took a little while to get going for me, but once things started happening, I was completely hooked. There are so many suspicious characters that I had no idea who could be trusted, and I’m definitely curious about some of the family members and what they’re hiding.

There’s also clearly a lot more going on with Owen than we’ve discovered yet, which has me very intrigued.

A fun, dark, mysterious start with vampires, murder, romance and plenty of questionable characters. I’m definitely ready for the next one!

[Jandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this one's fun. ❤️

We've got some intense mysteries going on here but they're balanced out by the hilarity that is Owen. He's so smart and so dang funny.

This book is freaking epic! I love Owen and Theo so much.

Apparently I'm reading this in Erik Bloomquist's voice in my head since I just finished listening to the whole Big Bad Wolf series by Charlie Adhara. My brain is weird. I do hope we get to have an audiobook of Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion though. It's so good! I would love to "re-read" by listening to it.

I'm very sad it's ended and I'm dying because the next book isn't out yet. I NEED book two already! 😭😂

I love all of Ariana Nash's books that I've read but I especially love the funny ones like this and the SOS Hotel books. They're so much fun!

I'll be counting down the days 'til the next one gets released. I can't wait to find out what happens next!!

[Bretton Coppedge · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was not clear from the blurb that this would be the first in a series. I was expecting this to be a standalone but the pace and tone was not that of a standalone which confused me up until the end when I realized there would be more books. We don't get all the answers to the mysteries of Owen and while we do come to know Theo pretty completely by the end, the vampires as a whole are still mysterious. The other thing that this not being a standalone explains is the very slow burn both in heat and romance.

I would say this is a unique take on vampires but I think that we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. For the other creatures as well. On other note, I feel like I know so much about pools now.

I would recommend this to fans of this author that are more familiar with their tone and pace. Or to those that like unique takes on the supernatural.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you GRR for providing and ACR copy of this book

Just like the title implies this is about a pool boy at a vampires mansion. This dark comedy had be hooked from the beginning.

Owen is the new pool boy for the Witherborne's, which is one of the most disfuncional families there can be. We have a mother how hates her children, a dad who's hardly seen, a bother who is out to kill his own brother and then there is Theo, the vampire heir party boy. Owen most definitely shouldn't get involved with this family but the connection between him and Theo simply wouldn't let that happen.

This book had me giggling one moment to being like what is going on the next. I can not wait for the next book to see how this is going to play out for Owen and the Witherborne's.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another fun story from this author. If you read the SOS Hotel series, you'll probably like this one. Just note, the author is very good at descriptive scenes, and I'll never look at pools, shrubs, even pianos, the same way again.

The story is told from Owen's POV. Owen tries to be good. He really does. He's just better at being bad and finding the 'bad boys.' Though, the one thing that kept running through my head while reading ... it sounded like Owen had a college degree, some sort of 'high-flying job experience', and two years in jail, but he was only 23 and a half (human) years old? hmmm...

Overall, an entertaining story. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

I noted only about 7 or 8 proofreading issues in the ARC.