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Nocturne Falls #4.5
The Witch's Halloween Hero
*A Nocturne Falls Short Story*
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 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, fur, and all.
When a spell goes wrong on the night of Samhain for witch Corette Williams, her only hope is the man she loves, Bartholomew Stanhill. But time is running out. As the clock ticks toward midnight on Halloween, they grow closer to the moment when magic will erase him from her mind. Can Stanhill become Corette’s Halloween hero?
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 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, fur, and all.
When a spell goes wrong on the night of Samhain for witch Corette Williams, her only hope is the man she loves, Bartholomew Stanhill. But time is running out. As the clock ticks toward midnight on Halloween, they grow closer to the moment when magic will erase him from her mind. Can Stanhill become Corette’s Halloween hero?
41 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2016
258 people are currently reading
1114 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Painter
179 books3,410 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 175 reviews
November 13, 2021
I love all of Kristen Painter's characters, and this was a cute short story with neat cameos for lots of Nocturne Falls residents. In this book, Corette Williams, mother of the three Williams witch sisters, finally gets her happy ending with Bartholomew. I liked that there's always some sort of a twist or surprise in each of her books, even the shorts, and how they work their way out of this one is no exception. Highly recommended!🎃🦇👻🧛♀️
February 19, 2017
Halloween in February - Why not?
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Ugh, this is so cute and cheesy – I love it. I love seeing all of the old favorites, and seeing Stanhill finally getting his own story. I got a bit sentimental for a moment when they were running out of time for Corette to get her memories back of Stanhill. I adooooore Stanhill, and I was dying for him to get his happily ever after. Anyway, cute, short story. A good comfort read.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
What age level would be appropriate?
------------------
Ugh, this is so cute and cheesy – I love it. I love seeing all of the old favorites, and seeing Stanhill finally getting his own story. I got a bit sentimental for a moment when they were running out of time for Corette to get her memories back of Stanhill. I adooooore Stanhill, and I was dying for him to get his happily ever after. Anyway, cute, short story. A good comfort read.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
What age level would be appropriate?
October 25, 2017
(Audiobook Short)
A cute short story about Stanhill and Corette. Can true love be everlasting? They're about to find out.
I admit that I feel a little cheated that the Halloween story for Nocturne Falls ended up being a short story. I was expecting a double-long epic tale of paranormal drama and romance. Oh well, what we got was still dramatic and romantic, so I can't complain too much.
A cute short story about Stanhill and Corette. Can true love be everlasting? They're about to find out.
I admit that I feel a little cheated that the Halloween story for Nocturne Falls ended up being a short story. I was expecting a double-long epic tale of paranormal drama and romance. Oh well, what we got was still dramatic and romantic, so I can't complain too much.
April 13, 2017
http://bookslifewine.com/r-the-witchs...
2.5 stars rounded down to 2 stars!
Ugh. I liked and disliked this story. No. I mostly disliked this story. This story is NOT a real Romance and I felt terrible for Stanhill throughout the story.
In fact, I got a little misty-eyed for Stanhill....decreasing a half star for that, too. :-(
The Witch's Halloween Hero is a vignette that focuses on Stanhill (Rook to Hugh Ellingham from The Vampire's Mail Order Bride ) and his long-time girlfriend, witch Corette. Stanhill and Corette have been together about four years or so and are madly in love.
Sadly, right before Stanhill arrives to escort Corette to the Black & Orange Ball, her [witch] daughters accidentally spill a spell on her that was meant for a heartbroken friend. The spell was created to completely erase the memory of the friend's horrible relationship and - at midnight - to make the guy "disappear" for the friend - meaning the friend won't be able to physically see her ex.
And now Corette has the same issue.
I hate this. Corette and company were fine but to sit there and read about the heartbreak Stanhill was going through was terrible for me. I was so sad for him. Of course, everything works out in the end but...
2.5 stars rounded down to 2 stars!
Ugh. I liked and disliked this story. No. I mostly disliked this story. This story is NOT a real Romance and I felt terrible for Stanhill throughout the story.
In fact, I got a little misty-eyed for Stanhill....decreasing a half star for that, too. :-(
The Witch's Halloween Hero is a vignette that focuses on Stanhill (Rook to Hugh Ellingham from The Vampire's Mail Order Bride ) and his long-time girlfriend, witch Corette. Stanhill and Corette have been together about four years or so and are madly in love.
No, his nerves were because of the small velvet box in his jacket pocket. The one holding the exquisite sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring he’d picked out for Corette.
Tonight was the night. He was going to ask her to marry him.
Sadly, right before Stanhill arrives to escort Corette to the Black & Orange Ball, her [witch] daughters accidentally spill a spell on her that was meant for a heartbroken friend. The spell was created to completely erase the memory of the friend's horrible relationship and - at midnight - to make the guy "disappear" for the friend - meaning the friend won't be able to physically see her ex.
And now Corette has the same issue.
I hate this. Corette and company were fine but to sit there and read about the heartbreak Stanhill was going through was terrible for me. I was so sad for him. Of course, everything works out in the end but...
July 17, 2019
Just adorable.
I am going to use this word a lot but I absolutely adore Stanhill and this was a great little story for him and Corette. As a huge fan of the Nocturne Falls series, Stanhill is my “special unicorn” that must be protected at all costs so this little novella hit me right in the gut. I really like Corette but woiuldn like to get to know her character better. Due to the situation in this book, I didn’t get a real good sense of her character. The author did a job though of showing the chemistry and connection Stanhill and Corette have though.
BJ Harrison helped add to the emotional impact by narrating Stanhill so well you could almost see and feel the emotions Stanhill was going through.
I am going to use this word a lot but I absolutely adore Stanhill and this was a great little story for him and Corette. As a huge fan of the Nocturne Falls series, Stanhill is my “special unicorn” that must be protected at all costs so this little novella hit me right in the gut. I really like Corette but woiuldn like to get to know her character better. Due to the situation in this book, I didn’t get a real good sense of her character. The author did a job though of showing the chemistry and connection Stanhill and Corette have though.
BJ Harrison helped add to the emotional impact by narrating Stanhill so well you could almost see and feel the emotions Stanhill was going through.
December 27, 2017
A magic spell goes awry leaving Corette and Stanhill in dire straits! This was a cute read, with some holding breath moments, as Corette’s daughters race against the clock to reverse the spell. Steamy kisses and sound advice on love from friends and family round out this sweet short story.
April 27, 2021
Rook and Witch have dated for years and now, at the Halloween Ball, it’s time...
Queue the magic.
Queue the fireworks.
Queue the ring.
Happy Halloween!
March 18, 2021
The Witch's Halloween Hero is a short in between story and book 4.5 in the Nocturne Falls series. In this book, a spell has gone awry and suddenly, Corette doesn't remember Stanhill. To make matters worse, this is the night that Stanhill plans to propose to Corette and they have until midnight to reverse the spell or it will be permanent.
I enjoyed this short story and love this series.
I enjoyed this short story and love this series.
October 21, 2019
2019 bk 341. What do you do when a spell goes horribly wrong? On the night that Stanhope (rook) plans to ask Collette (witch) to marry him, a spell is knocked over and lands on Collette. All would be good, except that the spell causes Collette to totally forget the 4 years she has been dating Stanhope, and to forget him. She knows it is the night of the Orange and Black Ball, she has a dress from Paris, so she goes with Stanhope on a date while her daughters frantically search for a counter-spell. All ends well as true love again conquers all. Satisfying short story.
October 30, 2017
"Before I forget you forever, kiss me. Maybe the universe will smile down one me and I'll be able to remember that much of you."
Nor the spell of forgetfulness can destroy the true love. I really like this romantic story.
Nor the spell of forgetfulness can destroy the true love. I really like this romantic story.
January 22, 2016
The Witch's Halloween Hero by Kristen Painter
Bartholomew Stanhill is going to propose marriage to Corette Williams at the Black and Orange Ball in Nocturne Falls. But before that can happen, a spell needs to be fixed because she can't remember who he is!
A fun town that celebrates Halloween year round. This novella is so romantic as the two woo each other. I have read this series and it's one of my favorite paranormal series because of the lightness (humor), the romance, the quirky town and the mix of "others" from witches to vampires, gargoyles and werewolves.
Bartholomew Stanhill is going to propose marriage to Corette Williams at the Black and Orange Ball in Nocturne Falls. But before that can happen, a spell needs to be fixed because she can't remember who he is!
A fun town that celebrates Halloween year round. This novella is so romantic as the two woo each other. I have read this series and it's one of my favorite paranormal series because of the lightness (humor), the romance, the quirky town and the mix of "others" from witches to vampires, gargoyles and werewolves.
November 23, 2016
A very cute and short PNR (only 45 pages!)
The Nocturne shorts are perfect for a feel good pick me up before bed. For some reason I keep picturing Stanhill as actor Hector Elizondo which made this that much more entertaining to read. I have been hooked on the Nocturne Falls series since reading The Vampire's Mail Order Bride which had me laughing out loud. I plan to read the entire series. I recommend this to anyone who loves Halloween as much as they love romance comedies. It is a perfect combination of the two just like with Vampire's Mail Order Bride. :)
The Nocturne shorts are perfect for a feel good pick me up before bed. For some reason I keep picturing Stanhill as actor Hector Elizondo which made this that much more entertaining to read. I have been hooked on the Nocturne Falls series since reading The Vampire's Mail Order Bride which had me laughing out loud. I plan to read the entire series. I recommend this to anyone who loves Halloween as much as they love romance comedies. It is a perfect combination of the two just like with Vampire's Mail Order Bride. :)
June 6, 2021
A short story, 4.5 in the Nocturne Falls magical realism fantasy series, revolving around a caring, supportive town of supernaturals. The couple focus is on the hopeful Stanhill and the forgetful Corette Williams.
My Take
Oh, wow. Painter kicked me in the head within a few paragraphs. All that optimism, and then that wayward spell . . . with a deadline. A short one!
Stanhill is so sweet and so honest. An easy judgment when Painter uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Stanhill's and Corette's perspectives.
Ooh, it's Corette who proposes the idea of a wedding chapel, setting us up for a future romance...ooh là là.
It's a nice blend of character and action with Painter revealing the supportiveness and caring of Nocturne Falls in a short form. Although I do wish Corette hadn't put it together so quickly.
The Story
It's the night of the Black and Orange Ball, the biggest social event in Nocturne Falls, and Stanhill intends to propose.
Except Corette doesn't remember who he is and magic will erase him from her mind forever at midnight.
The Characters
Bartholomew Stanhill is Hugh's rook (and his former valet) AND in love with Corette.
Corette Williams is a witch (and coven secretary) who runs a bridal shop, Ever After. She has three daughters, who are also witches. Pandora Williams, the middle daughter, is a real estate agent who hooked up with Professor Cole Van Zant and his daughter, Kaley in The Professor Woos the Witch , 4. Marigold, a green witch who runs a florist shop, Enchanted Garden, has a precocious daughter, Saffie, who's in love with young Charlie Merrow. Charisma is a life coach. Their dad was a cheater.
Nocturne Falls is . . .
. . . a small town that celebrates Halloween every day of the year, the better for its supernatural citizens to blend in. The Ellinghams, a vampire family, owns most of the town. Elenora is the vampire grandmother. The intimidating and secretive Alice Bishop is a powerful witch and Elenora's secretary. Sebastian Ellingham is in charge of the family's and town's finances . . . and, man, is he cheap, lol. Hugh Ellingham is the matriarch's second oldest grandson, and he's blissfully married to Delaney ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1). The youngest, Julian, is the family playboy.
Bridget Merrow, a werewolf and the sheriff's sister, owns Howler's Bar and Grill, a dive bar. Sam Kincaid is Ivy's brother and the sheriff's brother-in-law. He has a secret crush on Bridget. Sheriff Hank Merrow is a werewolf married to Ivy Kincaid ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2). Charlie is their young son. Birdie Caruthers, a werewolf and the sheriff's aunt, is the police receptionist.
Missy Tressler hired the Williams witches to help her forget. Oops.
The Cover and Title
The cover is appropriately orange for a Halloween book with its orange walls and signature jack-o-lantern all lit up. There's a garland of black and orange pennants with flying bats strung along the very top and a black spider dangling down on the right. In front of the wall is a pair of black wrought iron staircases descending from the left and right to a single flight of curved stairs with a centered yellow rug. In a slinky, sparkling black evening gown, the red-haired Corette strikes a cocky pose while Stanhill stands slightly behind her on the first step. A goodlooking guy, he's striking in a tux. In front of him is the jack-o-lantern stuck to the black metal upright of a sign from which dangles a round wooden board providing us the series info in a pale yellow. The rest of the text is white. The title is centered at the top in a thick black outline. The author's name crosses Corette's ankles against a black background. An info blurb is immediately below it.
The title is all about Stanhill and if he can be "The Witch's Halloween Hero".
My Take
Oh, wow. Painter kicked me in the head within a few paragraphs. All that optimism, and then that wayward spell . . . with a deadline. A short one!
Stanhill is so sweet and so honest. An easy judgment when Painter uses third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Stanhill's and Corette's perspectives.
Ooh, it's Corette who proposes the idea of a wedding chapel, setting us up for a future romance...ooh là là.
It's a nice blend of character and action with Painter revealing the supportiveness and caring of Nocturne Falls in a short form. Although I do wish Corette hadn't put it together so quickly.
The Story
It's the night of the Black and Orange Ball, the biggest social event in Nocturne Falls, and Stanhill intends to propose.
Except Corette doesn't remember who he is and magic will erase him from her mind forever at midnight.
The Characters
Bartholomew Stanhill is Hugh's rook (and his former valet) AND in love with Corette.
Corette Williams is a witch (and coven secretary) who runs a bridal shop, Ever After. She has three daughters, who are also witches. Pandora Williams, the middle daughter, is a real estate agent who hooked up with Professor Cole Van Zant and his daughter, Kaley in The Professor Woos the Witch , 4. Marigold, a green witch who runs a florist shop, Enchanted Garden, has a precocious daughter, Saffie, who's in love with young Charlie Merrow. Charisma is a life coach. Their dad was a cheater.
Nocturne Falls is . . .
. . . a small town that celebrates Halloween every day of the year, the better for its supernatural citizens to blend in. The Ellinghams, a vampire family, owns most of the town. Elenora is the vampire grandmother. The intimidating and secretive Alice Bishop is a powerful witch and Elenora's secretary. Sebastian Ellingham is in charge of the family's and town's finances . . . and, man, is he cheap, lol. Hugh Ellingham is the matriarch's second oldest grandson, and he's blissfully married to Delaney ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1). The youngest, Julian, is the family playboy.
Bridget Merrow, a werewolf and the sheriff's sister, owns Howler's Bar and Grill, a dive bar. Sam Kincaid is Ivy's brother and the sheriff's brother-in-law. He has a secret crush on Bridget. Sheriff Hank Merrow is a werewolf married to Ivy Kincaid ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2). Charlie is their young son. Birdie Caruthers, a werewolf and the sheriff's aunt, is the police receptionist.
Missy Tressler hired the Williams witches to help her forget. Oops.
The Cover and Title
The cover is appropriately orange for a Halloween book with its orange walls and signature jack-o-lantern all lit up. There's a garland of black and orange pennants with flying bats strung along the very top and a black spider dangling down on the right. In front of the wall is a pair of black wrought iron staircases descending from the left and right to a single flight of curved stairs with a centered yellow rug. In a slinky, sparkling black evening gown, the red-haired Corette strikes a cocky pose while Stanhill stands slightly behind her on the first step. A goodlooking guy, he's striking in a tux. In front of him is the jack-o-lantern stuck to the black metal upright of a sign from which dangles a round wooden board providing us the series info in a pale yellow. The rest of the text is white. The title is centered at the top in a thick black outline. The author's name crosses Corette's ankles against a black background. An info blurb is immediately below it.
The title is all about Stanhill and if he can be "The Witch's Halloween Hero".
June 3, 2017
Nocturnal Falls Romance at it's Best!
It seems becoming a happy couple in Nocturne Falls isn't easy at the best of time, even for a long established couple like our favorite Williams Witch, Corette and the the Ellingham's Room, Stanhill. A forget spell gone wrong just before the grand Orange and Black Ball throws everyone in a tizzy. Will the girls find the right counterparts in time to prevent their mother forgetting the love of her life at midnight? What can poor Standhill do to keep remind her of what they mean to each other? - A delightful if panic stricken romp that warms the heart and tickles the funny bone! -
It seems becoming a happy couple in Nocturne Falls isn't easy at the best of time, even for a long established couple like our favorite Williams Witch, Corette and the the Ellingham's Room, Stanhill. A forget spell gone wrong just before the grand Orange and Black Ball throws everyone in a tizzy. Will the girls find the right counterparts in time to prevent their mother forgetting the love of her life at midnight? What can poor Standhill do to keep remind her of what they mean to each other? - A delightful if panic stricken romp that warms the heart and tickles the funny bone! -
December 29, 2025
Super cute lil baby book to add to the Nocturne Falls family. I love that we got Stanhill and Corette's engagement story. Gah. I love those two. Definitely 5/5 soulmates.
Quotes
“Still, service is service.”
“It is indeed. And because of that, I learned early on to watch my words. To temper my moods, to be careful in my speech. It shaped me. Hugh was never an exceedingly hard lord to serve, but we were from two different worlds. He was a peer. I was a commoner. Now that gulf between us is gone, but I cannot change the man I am.”
“You kissed me three times and after each time, I forgot what had happened?”
“That’s exactly right.”
She nodded. “I’ll tell you what happened. Love’s true kiss in its most powerful number: three."
Quotes
“Still, service is service.”
“It is indeed. And because of that, I learned early on to watch my words. To temper my moods, to be careful in my speech. It shaped me. Hugh was never an exceedingly hard lord to serve, but we were from two different worlds. He was a peer. I was a commoner. Now that gulf between us is gone, but I cannot change the man I am.”
“You kissed me three times and after each time, I forgot what had happened?”
“That’s exactly right.”
She nodded. “I’ll tell you what happened. Love’s true kiss in its most powerful number: three."
December 30, 2018
(audible review) This was a cute short romance story. I enjoyed it. I wasn't bored. I liked Stanhill a lot! He was patient and sweet. I like Corette too. Three kisses to break a spell.
As for the narration, it was good. Especially Stanhill's voice. Oh my did he sound super sexy.
As for the narration, it was good. Especially Stanhill's voice. Oh my did he sound super sexy.
January 23, 2020
Listened to this through Audible Escape. A cute little story!
October 2, 2025
Loved this little short story! Perfect for Halloween time! The characters and storyline were so fun!!
June 28, 2017
A quick read with a sweet ending, but I really felt bad for Stanhill for most of it. And I love Stanhill.
February 9, 2016
A Comedy Of Errors At Nocturne Falls
Imagine living in a town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year, and where the natural and the supernatural live side by side. This is Nocturne Falls.
It's the night of the gala and all of Nocturne Falls is attending. But things don't go smoothly. Pandora and her sisters are working on a potion for a client. That's when the fun begins. What happened you asked? The spell backfired thats what! Considering that Pandora was one of the witches involved with the spell something was bound to go wrong (for information about Pandora check out "The Professor Woos The Witch" it will explain everything).
The couple affected by the spell is Corette ( Pandora, Marigold and Charismas' mother) and Stanhill ( he is Hughs' room, meaning he's his vampire servant).
Corette has no memory of Stanhill! He and Corettes' daughters race against the clock to restore his ladyloves memory, because at the stroke of midnight the memory loss will be permanent.
Imagine living in a town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year, and where the natural and the supernatural live side by side. This is Nocturne Falls.
It's the night of the gala and all of Nocturne Falls is attending. But things don't go smoothly. Pandora and her sisters are working on a potion for a client. That's when the fun begins. What happened you asked? The spell backfired thats what! Considering that Pandora was one of the witches involved with the spell something was bound to go wrong (for information about Pandora check out "The Professor Woos The Witch" it will explain everything).
The couple affected by the spell is Corette ( Pandora, Marigold and Charismas' mother) and Stanhill ( he is Hughs' room, meaning he's his vampire servant).
Corette has no memory of Stanhill! He and Corettes' daughters race against the clock to restore his ladyloves memory, because at the stroke of midnight the memory loss will be permanent.
December 15, 2020
Series: Nocturne Falls #4.5
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
When Bartholomew Stanhill arrives to pick up his love, Corette Williams, for the annual Black & Orange ball he finds that a spell went wrong and she has no memory of him. Now he has until midnight to fix it before it is permanent.
We finally have a Stanhill and Corette story! These two lovebirds have been main side characters since the first book and I have been eagerly awaiting a story with them. Corvette and Stanhill were racing against the clock to break the spell and with each passing hour it seemed helpless. It was an emotional and tense story that ends in happiness. I couldn’t get enough of these two!
I really wish this story had been longer but maybe we will get lucky and there will be more Stanhill and Corette stories in the future. Overall, this was a wonderful Halloween novella and a great side story for the series.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
When Bartholomew Stanhill arrives to pick up his love, Corette Williams, for the annual Black & Orange ball he finds that a spell went wrong and she has no memory of him. Now he has until midnight to fix it before it is permanent.
We finally have a Stanhill and Corette story! These two lovebirds have been main side characters since the first book and I have been eagerly awaiting a story with them. Corvette and Stanhill were racing against the clock to break the spell and with each passing hour it seemed helpless. It was an emotional and tense story that ends in happiness. I couldn’t get enough of these two!
I really wish this story had been longer but maybe we will get lucky and there will be more Stanhill and Corette stories in the future. Overall, this was a wonderful Halloween novella and a great side story for the series.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Read
January 22, 2016Originally published in the "Spell of the Ball" anthology The Witch's Halloween Hero is a cute Nocturne Falls short story that will amuse fans old and new. Those familiar with the series will enjoy this insight into a couple of characters we already know, but those new the these will get a great introduction to this amazing world (and probably develop a huge desire to devour the rest of the books as soon as possible! An easy 5 stars from me V""V
April 29, 2016
A spell gone awry causes Corette to forget all about being in love with Stanhill, the man she's been dating for the past four years. Now Stanhill and Corette's daughters only have until midnight to find a way to break the spell before the effects become irreversible...
A cute Halloween-themed short story from the delightful world of Nocturne Falls. Corette and Stanhill have been around as secondary characters in several of the books, it was nice to see them take centre stage for a change.
A cute Halloween-themed short story from the delightful world of Nocturne Falls. Corette and Stanhill have been around as secondary characters in several of the books, it was nice to see them take centre stage for a change.
February 14, 2020
Short but really fun. Ever since Stanhill showed up in the first book I was curious about him and Corette. Adding everything that happened in The Professor Woos the Witch and I was even more excited to get a glimpse into those two's relationship. They just seemed so right for each other so of course some trouble had to disturb their paradise. Trouble I thoroughly enjoyed!
October 18, 2019
On the night of the Orange & Black Ball, Stanhill arrives at his girlfriend’s house to find that not only does she not remember being in love with him, but she doesn’t remember him at all. Her daughters had been mixing a potion of forgetfulness for a client trying to get over a bad breakup and accidentally spilled it on their mother. So, Stanhill has to woo Corette all over again, but if she doesn’t fall back in love with him by midnight, the spell will become permanent and she will completely forget him from her life, never to notice him again.
This is a charming Cozy novella. It has a quaint, small town (which felt like it was set in the 50s, aside from the use of cell phones) full of a colorful cast of characters, and everyone is excessively nice and personable (with the exceptions of the couple of charming curmudgeons and socialites). (I’m not really a cozy fan. I prefer my cast of characters to be a bit more realistic and less fake plastic. Even on the paranormal side, it felt like we were getting the sweet, innocent side of things. Just a spell gone awry, but nothing truly evil. There wasn't even any mention of the vampires needing to drink blood). Honestly, I’m not certain why Halloween is in the title since there really wasn’t any celebrating of Halloween specifically. I did like the idea that the cast of characters stars in their own books within this series, since it does make the audience itch to read more about Corette’s daughters (especially Marigold and Pandora), and even the vampires (even with vampires being such a tired subject these days). The romance in this is innocent and sweet and it’s nice to see older characters finding love, rather than just the 20-somethings that star in the vast majority of books these days. And you do feel Stanhill’s frustration as he has to romance his lady love all over again, several times over during the story. Corette seemed a bit superficial and shallow every so often, and it did cross my mind of maybe Stanhill would do better with someone else, though he seemed rather attached to everyone else around her as well. Still, it had a nice ending, and the book was enjoyable, whimsical, and like a warm hug to read.
This is a charming Cozy novella. It has a quaint, small town (which felt like it was set in the 50s, aside from the use of cell phones) full of a colorful cast of characters, and everyone is excessively nice and personable (with the exceptions of the couple of charming curmudgeons and socialites). (I’m not really a cozy fan. I prefer my cast of characters to be a bit more realistic and less fake plastic. Even on the paranormal side, it felt like we were getting the sweet, innocent side of things. Just a spell gone awry, but nothing truly evil. There wasn't even any mention of the vampires needing to drink blood). Honestly, I’m not certain why Halloween is in the title since there really wasn’t any celebrating of Halloween specifically. I did like the idea that the cast of characters stars in their own books within this series, since it does make the audience itch to read more about Corette’s daughters (especially Marigold and Pandora), and even the vampires (even with vampires being such a tired subject these days). The romance in this is innocent and sweet and it’s nice to see older characters finding love, rather than just the 20-somethings that star in the vast majority of books these days. And you do feel Stanhill’s frustration as he has to romance his lady love all over again, several times over during the story. Corette seemed a bit superficial and shallow every so often, and it did cross my mind of maybe Stanhill would do better with someone else, though he seemed rather attached to everyone else around her as well. Still, it had a nice ending, and the book was enjoyable, whimsical, and like a warm hug to read.
October 3, 2020
This was really a two and a half stars for me but I rounded up because I generally like the series.
It is a novella wherein the mother of the heroine from the last book accidentally drinks a potion meant for a teenage girl who wants to completely forget her ex. Like, completely. To the point that she can’t even see him if he is standing right in front of her. Which seems fairly problematic in it’s own right but then Corette Williams drinks it instead and completely forgets her long-time boyfriend Bartholomew Stanhill. And just on the night he has a very important question to ask...
A lot of nonsense about true love’s kiss, etc. and why her daughters didn’t have an antidote recipe at the ready seems weird but... fine. It was short and not horrible but not as good as longer books in the series.
It is a novella wherein the mother of the heroine from the last book accidentally drinks a potion meant for a teenage girl who wants to completely forget her ex. Like, completely. To the point that she can’t even see him if he is standing right in front of her. Which seems fairly problematic in it’s own right but then Corette Williams drinks it instead and completely forgets her long-time boyfriend Bartholomew Stanhill. And just on the night he has a very important question to ask...
A lot of nonsense about true love’s kiss, etc. and why her daughters didn’t have an antidote recipe at the ready seems weird but... fine. It was short and not horrible but not as good as longer books in the series.
September 9, 2021
Corette and Stanhill might be in a long-term romantic relationship, but things get dicey when Corette gets accidentally hit by a spell being cooked up by her daughters. A little memory loss and the potential for losing the man she loves without realizing what she's lost has everybody (except maybe Corette thanks to the aforementioned little memory loss) more than a little frazzled.
What does a Rook do when his lady love's affections are on the fritz? He sets out to woo her all over again. The short window to prove his love is no match for Stanhill. (Okay, I might be exaggerating a bit. The short window is stressful for him, for Corette, and for the Williams daughters. But Stanhill's up to the task!)
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
What does a Rook do when his lady love's affections are on the fritz? He sets out to woo her all over again. The short window to prove his love is no match for Stanhill. (Okay, I might be exaggerating a bit. The short window is stressful for him, for Corette, and for the Williams daughters. But Stanhill's up to the task!)
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 20, 2020
Whew
Even knowing how things usually turn out for the best, this still had me in knots. Stanhill, Hugh Ellingham's rook/butler, is planning to ask Corette Williams to marry him at the Black and Orange Ball Halloween night. However, a rather large problem arises when a spell goes awry and the lady doesn't remember him anymore.
They only have until midnight to undo the spell before it becomes permanent. Watching the efforts of everyone involved made me more nervous than a little romantic fantasy ought. Guess that's a sign of characters that really grab you when you worry as much about them as you would people you actually know. Either that or I'm just weird
Even knowing how things usually turn out for the best, this still had me in knots. Stanhill, Hugh Ellingham's rook/butler, is planning to ask Corette Williams to marry him at the Black and Orange Ball Halloween night. However, a rather large problem arises when a spell goes awry and the lady doesn't remember him anymore.
They only have until midnight to undo the spell before it becomes permanent. Watching the efforts of everyone involved made me more nervous than a little romantic fantasy ought. Guess that's a sign of characters that really grab you when you worry as much about them as you would people you actually know. Either that or I'm just weird
January 21, 2023
A fun series that connects characters from book to book which brings cohesion to the story as the characters move through the years and mature in their lives. It doesn't matter what type of genre I read, I am always happy when a series is delightful to read and holds my interest throughout. For this series, I chose Audible books and enjoyed the narration of B.J. Harrison. He does a great job of narrating with feeling and voices/inflections that make it easy to keep track of the characters as the dialogue progresses.
Read this series and you will be delighted too.
Read this series and you will be delighted too.
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