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Ice blue eyes. Intense stare. Incredible French accent.
Vampire.

Had I missed the signs?

At the rock climbing gym, he's a harmless crush. But, when I run into Michel at an underground club, my reality and fantasy worlds collide.

I should walk away, but is it too late to escape. And do I want to? Someone I've wanted for so long is finally within my reach...

But, he lives in a world of dark secrets. And my life is threatened by getting too close to the flames.

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2012

538 people are currently reading
709 people want to read

About the author

Lisa Carlisle

172 books597 followers
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes or quirky outcasts. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and The Romance Reviews.

When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries. She was stationed in Okinawa while in the Marines, backpacked alone through Europe, and worked in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s married with two kids, two cats, and too many fish.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
Profile Image for Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️.
3,127 reviews2,735 followers
February 3, 2023
Vampires don’t like fire, but firefighters are a different story!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🤎🖤💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😠😘🤓
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Solo Narration

The Hero: Michel - A vampire and the owner of the goth nightclub called Vamps in an artist village near Boston. Vamps is a haven for the supernatural, but also caters to humans. Gargoyle shifters encased in stone are the guardians inside the club, they come alive if a human is in danger.

The heroine: Nike - she is a twenty four year old firefighter who likes to unwind with her friend Maya at Vamps, the underground club that catered to the outsiders. Nike is strong and independent. She has seen some strange things in peoples houses and garages and knows that everyone is strange in their own way which is one reason she loves Vamps.

The Story: Nike has had a crush on Michel for a while. She had seen him at the climbing gym she goes to and had fantasized about him for a while, so when he rescued her and her friend from some unruly men at the club, she was only to happy to have a drink with him and chat. Nike was surprised to find out that Michel owned Vamps and the rock climbing gym.

Like the prequel, this book was told via solo narration and was narrated by Bridget Bordeaux. Like I said before, she has a good voice, but doesn’t have a great range of different voices for different characters. She also speaks pretty fast, I actually had to check to see if I had accidentally turned up the speed on my audible app.

The story was good, though I think Nike was a bit too introspective for so early in a relationship. Granted she got some strange news when finding out that Michel was a vampire, she wasn’t as introspective about that than about the relationship in general. I did like the backstory of how Michel became a vampire and the other vampire who wants vengeance against him.

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Profile Image for "Avonna.
1,490 reviews588 followers
June 21, 2020
Check out all of my reviews at: http://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

SMOLDER by Lisa Carlisle is the revised novella start to her Underground Encounters paranormal romance series which was originally released in 2012 as Smoldering Nights. I love Ms. Carlisle’s various series, but this novella still lacks the depth of character and originality I look for in her books.

Nike is a firefighter who loves to let off steam with her best friend, Maya on the dance floor of Vamps, the local goth night club. On one of their nights at the club, she sees the man she has a crush on from her rock climbing gym. He has a French accent, a gorgeous body and beautiful eyes. She cannot believe her luck when Michel asks her up to accompany him to a private room upstairs, but she is about to get an education in other creatures that coexist with mortals.

Michel is a nightwalker. He does not know what draws him to Nike at the club or the gym and he knows he should not get involved with a mortal, but he finds her irresistible. When he gets Nike to agree to accompany up to the private rooms, they are attacked by an old enemy right when things begin to get interesting.

Michel and Nike go on the run. The attraction is too much to resist and they begin to explore their sexual attraction and also begin to wonder if it could become more. Can they have a future or will Michel’s enemy find them once again and destroy them both?

This novella was a very quick read and a good introduction to the Underground Encounters series. Nike is a strong heroine who can stand on her own which I loved. Michel is sexy and a dream, even with the fangs. There just was not enough depth to the characters due to the shortness of the story, it was very predictable and it ended abruptly. If you have not started this series, it is a fun intro and the sex scenes are steamy, hot and well written.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.
Profile Image for Christina.
632 reviews26 followers
September 16, 2017
3 Stars - 3 Flames

If you didn't already know, this novella was published back in 2012, with multiple books in the series. I thought it's important to mention that off the bat before you read my review...

Nike is a firefighter. She works hard and needs to let off some steam from time to time in order to keep herself feeling normal. So one night, like many others, she goes out to a club with her co-worker to have some fun. But when she sees the guy she's been crushing on from the gym there, she's immediately nervous and shy. Not at all like the woman she is at work. And once she lets her guard down, things completely turn...literally.

Michel is the man from the gym. He's also the owner of the club Nike and her friend are currently dancing at. Michel has had his eye on Nike for some time now, and it looks like he's finally got enough courage to speak to her. Too bad an old friend/enemy has chosen that exact moment to find him, vying for revenge.

Annnnnnnnd, this is where I become disengaged with the book. The build up to this moment seemed good, but then all of a sudden, there is an explosion, vampires, fighting, gargoyles and a huge fire. Don't get me wrong, it was entertaining. But then we're thrust in to this instant romance with desire and lust while being chased by an enemy. Only to be easily found, easily killed and then.....it's over. What? Wait. Did I miss something? Sigh....

All in all, an entertaining novella. But not sure if I'd be interested in picking up the rest of the series, even if they are short.

*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Kirstie Sadlocha.
891 reviews6 followers
July 7, 2022
I love Michel's story.

A vampire with old enemies and bad history between them. A new love interest and throw in some misfits and other paranormals. The Author has the gift for writing words that kept me anxious for the next scene and character. Looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Ana.
2,038 reviews6 followers
September 8, 2017
This new series by Ms. Carlisle is going to rock like all her series do, but this is going to be even better because there are all types of Paranormal characters in this one and I love it !

Nike is a very independent girl, she is a firefighter by day and by night she unwinds by going to a very exclusive underground club with her co-worker and bestie Maya called Vamps. On this particular night she encounters the man she never expected to meet up there, the one that takes up all her fantasies and dreams. The hunk that works at the rock climbing gym she looks forward to visiting so she can drool.

Michel is a vampire, who thrives on giving the paranormal as well as humans a place to unwind....Vamps is his baby and he so looks forward to seeing the gorgeous beauty when she makes an appearance there in all her enticing attire, quite different to the gym clothes she wears to his rock climbing club, yes his gym.

Very soon Nike will achieve her fantasy while discovering that not all around her is what she thought. She is introduced to pleasures beyond her dreams and a world she never knew existed.
Profile Image for Cornelia.
Author 87 books142 followers
March 2, 2013
“Listen, buddy, I just saw a wall blow up, a man whom I was kissing sprouted fangs and jumped out a window, and now two men, if they even are men, are after me. So cut the crap. Who are you? No, what are you? Why are they trying to kill you? And what the hell is going on!”

After hard work as a firefighter, Nike and her friend Maya take a girl’s night out at Vamps, a hot goth club. There Nike spots the hot, mysterious French hunk from her rock climbing gym, Michel, who is also the owner of Vamps. Suspense an action ensues as a man, who has been after Michel for many, many years, blows up the club to try to kill him.

“Lisa Carlisle has loved vampire stories since she was in third grade, when she had a crush on Dracula.” Smoldering Nights is the first book of her Underground Encounter series. The point of view in Smoldering Nights and the Underground Encounters series is interesting and unique. The author uses first person point of view but switches it from hero to heroine by listing a header per scene or chapter as to which one she’s using.

I loved this slick, sexy, paranormal romance and its engaging characters. The book has both steamy love scenes and fast action with riveting suspense. I highly recommend Smoldering Nights.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,128 reviews54 followers
November 6, 2018
The Debut of Lisa’s Steamy New Underground Encounters Series!

“Listen, buddy, I just saw a wall blow up, a man whom I was kissing sprouted fangs and jumped out a window, and now two men, if they even are men, are after me. So cut the crap. Who are you? No, what are you? Why are they trying to kill you? And what the hell is going on!”

Lisa Carlisle has re-released her 2012 Smoldering Nights re-titled as Smolder with additional new content. It’s novella-length and serves to introduce her Underground Encounters steamy paranormal romance series which is slated to feature sexy shifters, thirsty vampires, wicked witches, and gorgeous gargoyles. This opener is the story of Nike, a female firefighter named after the Greek goddess, and Michael, a vampire nightclub and rock-climbing gym owner. The story is told from the hero’s and heroine’s alternating POVs.

Nike lives a stressful life as a firefighter, works off the pressure at a rock climbing gym and releases her inhibitions every chance she gets via music and dancing at Vamps, a local, underground goth club. On one of her club visits, she happens to see Michael, a hot hunk from the gym she’s been drooling over. He has a French accent, a body to die for and eyes that she could lose herself in.

Little did Nike know, but Michael has been fantasizing about Nike too but has been fighting the attraction because he holds a dark secret. This evening, the temptation offered by Nike is too much for him and Michael asks her to join him in a private room upstairs. Nike is ecstatic. Little does she know that she’s about to get a quick education on the supernatural elements who secretly co-exist with mortals.

Michael is actually a nightwalker and the owner of Vamps. Just as things between Michael and Nike get interesting, an enemy seeking revenge against Michael launches a surprise attack on the club. Nike’s firefighting instincts kick in and there’s a lot of fast-paced action in this scene as the gargoyles defending the club fight back. During this interlude, Michael’s enemy scents Michael on Nike and realizes that Michael cares about her, thereby making her his target also. Michael and Nike are forced to run and fall instantly in love and lust. Is there a future for them? You’ll have to pick up Smolder to find out!

Michael and Nike display some delicious chemistry. Michael is sex-on-a-stick with fangs and Nike is an independent, strong heroine. Their sex scenes are hot, steamy and well-written.

Lisa is a favorite author of mine. Unfortunately, this tale was just too predictable for me. The characters needed to be more developed and the story lacked the fun, imaginative quality that I’ve come to expect from Lisa’s books. That said, I did enjoy Smolder, but it’s not one of my favorite reads from Lisa. However, I look forward to where Lisa will be taking this series as I do enjoy paranormal romances.
Profile Image for LIA  Kh. .
329 reviews38 followers
May 13, 2017
not bad. too short tho. 3,5 star
Profile Image for Deb.
1,099 reviews
September 5, 2017
Omg! What a vamp-a-licious PNR must read, full of action, suspense & smoking hot romance :D Ms. Carlisle always brings a fresh new storyline, with well defined characters & fantastic attention to detail that keep readers engaged & turning pages, then leaves us craving more ;) I highly recommend this & any of her other books and can't wait for more :)
Profile Image for Sheryl.
2,030 reviews22 followers
September 8, 2017
This will make you want more and more! Characters are spellbinding.

I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book.
Profile Image for Megan Riverina Romantics.
1,374 reviews75 followers
April 19, 2020
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
Narrator Performance: 🎧🎧🎧

This edition of Smolder contains the prequel to the Underground Encounters series, Cursed.

CURSED ••• ❤❤❤❤
Cursed is the prequel to the Underground Encounters series. The series revolves around a goth club called Vamps.

This delightful little story is about three of the stone gargoyles that decorate the club and how they got there. They're actually cursed shifters, brothers, and will eventually get their own stories later on in the series. I loved the repartee between the brothers and thought it was fantastic. I found myself grinning at their comments and actions more than once. And while the idea of a curse trapping shifters in one form or another isn't original the details of this specific curse were. As was it's interesting loophole.

I think that the author captured her readers' attention enough with this short novella to ensure that they'll keep on reading the series. That is, after all, the purpose of a story like this. I think that it's a cool world that Carlisle has created and I know that I'm interested in learning more about it.

SMOLDER ••• ❤❤❤❤
Smolder is the story of Vamps club owner, Michel and firefighter, Nike. I liked it but not quite as much as Cursed. The two stories had totally different feels to them. That's to be expected considering only Smolder is a romance. Unfortunately though I couldn't get the feel of Cursed out of my system as I started listening to this. I think that it threw off the flow of my experience.

Both Michel and Nike were likeable characters in my opinion. However nothing really stood out about them for me. I liked that she was a firefighter. I haven't come across a female firefighter in one of my reads prior to this. And I totally agreed with her "get over it" reaction to the conflict and villain of the story.

Carlisle kept up the pace in this PNR novella. There was a lot going on and she kept me entertained. Plus there were some great action scenes!

ABOUT THE NARRATOR ••• 🎧🎧🎧
Although parts of Bridget Bordeaux's performances delighted me others did not. I loved her portrayal of Nike's friend, Maya. Also her accents were good for the brothers. The other parts of her performance, like pacing and acting, were enjoyable but I think they need some working on.

*Voluntarily reviewed. Review copy provided by the author.
3,249 reviews71 followers
September 8, 2018
2.5. stars - they meet, hookup, defeat an evil OM and yes, they are so mad for each other, she knows she can't wait to be his. Well I know it's fiction, but the lack of depth to the characters and plot was annoying. For instance, we get silly names - hers is Nike and I'm still not sure if it is pronounced the same as the sports brand? She 22 and a firefighter, and just to add to this exceptional situation, to not only be a female fully qualified firefighter by 22, she gives all women firefighters and extra kudos by calling her team leader to get time off because the H is so hot and she's mad to spend time with him. Really, we fought for equality and this story line makes me ashamed if this is what this generation thinks is acceptable. Please put some effort into creative plot devices, a ethical heroine might have some consideration for her colleagues.
9,377 reviews140 followers
May 10, 2024
This is a well written vampire romance with strong characters in Michel and Nike. The author does a great job packing the story and painting her scenes and takes you into their live with drama and steam and kept me reading with all the action throughout. It's a fast paced story and I enjoyed reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are freely given.
Profile Image for lisa jung.
5,678 reviews45 followers
September 10, 2017
Vamp

A club run by a Vamp guarded by gargoyles catches fire and a human firefighter finds love with a Vamp.
Profile Image for Aimarel Garces.
117 reviews
March 20, 2018
I love it...

A Vampire, a Human and Fire what more can you ask for? I fell in love with Michel at soon as I read he was a Vampire. I love the bloodsuckers. If you add that he is French and has friends of others species in the supernatural world besides his own. WOW! Nike, the name of a Greek goddess, a beautiful firefighter by day and party girl with common sense that’s definitely an unique combination. What more can he ask for? I sincerely hope she becomes a day walker can grant him the gift by sharing their blood. I love their story.
Profile Image for Trish.
370 reviews4 followers
August 5, 2025
Smolder

This novella is a fun, fast read. I'd love to see it expand into a longer story with more details.
Profile Image for Merissa (Archaeolibrarian).
4,264 reviews123 followers
November 29, 2023
Smolder is the first book in the Underground Encounters series, and we start off this new series with a blast - quite literally! Nike, and her best friend Maya, are the only two firefighters where they work, and they both like 'alternative' music. So whenever they get some time off, they go to Vamps, the best 'alternative' club. Nike is a very shy person, which is often mistaken for her being bitchy. So when she sees the man she has been lusting after from the local rock-climbing club at Vamps, she stumbles over her words. Things move quickly between them, and the story really kicks in.

This is a fast-paced novella, and that really is my only complaint about this book! I would have loved to have known more. I loved Nike and her common-sense, no-nonsense, approach to something that she seriously wasn't expecting. Michel is a perfect partner for her, a case of opposites attracting. With attraction, danger, lust, and supernaturals, this book was very well written, drawing the reader into the world without any trouble. There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed this first novella. Looking forward to the next book in this series. Definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 7, 2017
Profile Image for Lena Loneson.
Author 5 books18 followers
January 22, 2013
Smoldering Nights is a very fun, hot read. It had me hooked from the opening setting: a club called Vamps, with drinks on the menu that had names like Dorian Gray. Definitely fit with my sense of humour.

This book hits the ground running. The lust and action start off immediately, with our heroine Nike (named after the Greek goddess, not the shoe) at the club spotting French hottie Michel from her rock-climbing gym. (As a climber myself this detail thrilled me.) They get hot and heavy in a private room, until some creeps attack...and the supernatural element takes over.

What I really loved about Smoldering Nights were the heroines: Nike and her friend Maya were some seriously badass women, fire fighters who jump in to help when an explosion rocks the club (caused by Michel's Nightwalker enemies). Nike doesn't shrink from the paranormal or from love, demanding answering from Michel as they're on the run. Because of her strength, I fully believed their passion and her determination to help Michel overcome his past. Great characters and a great story.
Profile Image for Jada Ryker.
Author 29 books51 followers
November 29, 2013
Seek Heat in Smoldering Nights

In Smoldering Nights, by Lisa Carlisle, Nike exchanges her firefighter uniform for black leather and heads to her favorite club, Vamps. When Nike recognizes a hot guy from a rock-climbing gym, she wishes she wasn’t wearing “a laced-up black leather dress that exposed a lot of cleavage and was tight enough to show a pimple on her behind” and he didn’t render her as “speechless as a zombie”…

When the club is assaulted from the outside, Michel leaps into battle and Nike puts her firefighting training to use. When she helps Michel evade his enemies, Nike finds herself on the run…with a man who is not human and whose life is at “stake”...

On a cold winter’s night, seek heat in Smoldering Nights. Ms. Carlisle’s excellent storytelling brings Nike and Michel to life, leaving you hot and bothered by their hot adventure. With deft changes in the points of view, the story offers additional depths to plumb. Set your smoke alarm off when you dive into the heat of Smoldering Nights.

Profile Image for Erica.
85 reviews2 followers
January 23, 2024
I kept waiting for it to get better

This was weird and rushed and weird. It started out ok, but just kept getting worse. The dialogue was stunted and awkward. Just not very good unfortunately. I hope the series gets better because I don’t know how there are 5 or 6 more books if they’re all like this.
Profile Image for April.
179 reviews5 followers
February 9, 2024
There was so much potential with the plot, but it left me disappointed. This goes in my "I wish I was their editor pile".
I bought the series bundle, so I hope it gets more developed.
Profile Image for Kendra.
223 reviews8 followers
September 21, 2017
Full review posted on Reader's Edyn on 9/20/17 ... http://bit.ly/2fBnBpq

Nike is supposed to be a bad-ass female. One of the only two in her firehouse who can take the demands and pressure of such a rough job. With the high-stress situations of the profession, a little unwinding is in order occasionally. She chooses to let the tension ebb away in the form of Vamps; a nightclub for those who don’t exactly fit in. Ironically, she ends up running in to the object of her desires from the rock climbing gym. She has never had the guts to talk to him before, so when he starts a conversation, she loses all confidence and isn’t sure what to say. She’s not even sure it is really happening. And little does she know, he’s been desiring her for just as long.

Michele couldn’t be more excited to see Nike walk in to his club. He’s watched her a long time, but has never approached. He isn’t what she thinks and there isn’t a future for them, so why even go there. But maybe something would be better than nothing – even a couple of months. Before he knows it, they are alone – but an old nemesis rears his ugly head at the most inopportune moment and ultimately threatens Nike. Michele can’t allow any harm to come to her and she is quickly thrown into his supernatural life. Not only does she not have a lot of time to process this unexpected info, she quickly has to decide what he means to her.

Sounds like it would be pretty good. Yes? The best description I can come up with is … Meh.
This one just didn’t do it for me. I’m not sure if it was the school girl outfit that made me continue to think of Nike as a child (yes, it was supposed to be sexy); the crazy name she has (which really wasn’t working for me); or the fact that she was supposed to be a strong and independent woman, who can’t stop falling all over herself in the presence of Michele. Possibly also the fact that all of this happens within the space of 24 hours-ish. I mean – it’s fantasy. I get that. But I’d like just a bit of believability to come in to play in my stories. She’s a firefighter for Pete sake. She should be good under pressure. Unfortunately I just didn’t get that with this story. It’s a novella, so it can be read quickly. But as a prequel to a series, I think it needs a bit more substance to aid in drawing the reader in. I just didn’t get sucked in to this world.

But here is where I struggle even more. The novella contains a rather large chunk of the first book of the series, Fire. Fire actually comes out next week. I’m not sure why I read it. I wasn’t impressed with the prequel, so why keep reading, right? I did anyway. Now Fire … I actually liked it. Maybe it was the fact that they weren’t trying to jump each other the first time they met. Maybe it was that there were more characters introduced that provided a level of depth lacking in the novella. Maybe this author is just much better at a longer novel. I don’t know for sure, but I wasn’t turned off by my introduction to Fire. I would probably pick that one up to read in the future.

Because I had such a conflicting response between this book and the following book intro, I struggled with this review. So here it is … Based on what I read, you don’t need this novella. If I were you, I’d just skip it and go straight to the meat of the series and get started with book 1. There is some mention of Nike and Michele in Fire – granted, not much given that Maya has no idea that Michele is a Vampire – but I’m pretty sure that will be revealed at some point given the supernatural twist quickly unwrapped in Fire. Of course, this is all just IMHO, and you may really like the quick read. And that’s cool too. This is just a suggestion based on my reading preference. Hopefully it helps you guys make a determination. For me, Fire definitely seems to have much more Smolder within.

Note: The author did provide me with an ARC of Fire and I did like that quite a bit more than Smolder. The review of Fire will appear in 2 days. My opinion stands. Read Fire first, then go back to Smolder. Reading in that order would have been more beneficial to me.

Kindle version provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Tiblu.
1,255 reviews49 followers
June 15, 2018
I’m not impressed.... not at all....

At first I thought I could get into it,Nike and Michel (Mee shell),
( love that name for a character especially French ) and I was thinking aaaaaaaaaaaa yeah! When they started to flirt ( though I’m more into thoughtful tough alpha types with a gentle side) and hearing how insecure Michel was when Nike goes off to see Maya to seemingly to get encouragement to o off with Michel and to also maybe to look for a way out....
Honestly both character seemed kinda odd,one minute our supposed tough firefighter Nike is ready to literally rip two guys a new one on the dance when they start act clingy and a bit controlling and the next she’s almost a panicked timid schoolgirl wanting to run from a guy she’s been crushing on for months who just also happens to be French ,( an accent she loves soo much supposedly hearing any French speak gets her all hot and bothered)... and for a little while I was able to get into it but things ended up just moving too far too fast ...
I was with them up in his office kissing ,then all heck ( not the word I’d choose) breaks loose when a former friend now enemy foe 200 years attacks and Michel is down fighting them while Nike uses her “skills” with Maya to get everyone out of the fire ..
Possible spoilers
Sadly any substance I thought this book had is quickly lost,when Michel can’t best one fellow vamp. and his crazed sidekick at over 200 years of being a Vamp.and quickly flees with Nike ...
Nike who’s been mutually drooling over him for months p,who goes touch chick to shy girl ,to trusting a man who’s really a vampire in less than a few hours...
And then in less than a full day together ,has sex w/said Vamp.,helps him kill h enemy,take his blood and rides off into the “sunset” w/a man she barely knows but suddenly loves and doesn’t even tell supposed best friend hardly anything ...
In a nice neat but completely shallow HFN....
Which ends at only 68% of the book ....
Considering empty and shallow this felt ending at 68% just almost felt right ....
The next story starts with a hurting and confused Maya going back to her favorite club ,to hang like us completely clueless as to why her former bestie and her guy sold out and left everyone and everything behind..
I mean,the threat WAS gone...
But that’s the thing ,this story is short ( only 7 chapters ) and shallow with no story building ,world building ,character etc.,very much a shallow wham! bam! Thank you kinda thing ,which even this short can be good if done right but this?
To sum up, short, shallow and unsatisfying and incomplete,that leaves more questions than answers and doesn’t leave you caring about the answers....
Had this for a while ,off to delete ...
Profile Image for Deborah.
971 reviews4 followers
April 2, 2018
This book was previously released in 2012. This new version has been expanded and twenty percent new content added for this release!

Nike is a firefighter and works extremely hard in stressful situations. When she wants to let go, she visits the local goth club call Vamps. One night she sees the guy she's been crushing on from her local rock climbing gym. She gets all tongue-tied and nervous around him-total opposite of the confident woman she is at work.

Michel has been watching Nike. Not only at the gym, but also at the club he owns. He finally decides to talk to her at the club. As the two strike up a conversation, Nike lets her guard down. Michel takes that as a good sign. Unfortunately for him, as he and Nike are getting to know each other better, an adversary chooses that moment to find him and to exact revenge.

Things go wild from here! Although it was an entertaining read, everything seemed to wrap up a bit too easily. There was an escape from the enemy, then quickly found, and then easily dispensed of. Kinda odd since it didn't seem that easy to escape from the get-go. Plus, I would've liked a little more information about both characters getting to know each other. Attraction has been going on for awhile, but after the escape, there was this instant love that didn't seem really believable. Nike was a smart girl, but I thought she would've questioned things a bit more than she did. Maybe in the next book we get more info about this couple.

I originally started this series on book five, Heat-which I loved, and I wanted to read the rest of the series. The series centers around the Vamps nightclub which caters to paranormals of all types. I am looking forward to reading them all!
Profile Image for iliana G.
1,723 reviews26 followers
December 20, 2017
I never thought a gym crush could be deadly...

We all lead double lives in a way. Only the most trusted are allowed into our private space. Yet, when my reality and fantasy worlds collide one night, I end up in danger.

All I wanted was an escape from reality. Being a firefighter can be stressful and I unwind at an underground goth club. I can forget about being on call for danger, and just be Nike, a woman who likes to lose herself in music and dance. But when I spot the guy I fantasized about at the rock climbing gym, he discovers my secret.

Michel has a darker one and a connection to a world I never knew existed. My life is threatened and I have to choose whether to go with Michel. How do I find a way out of this nightmare that doesn't end with me getting burned--or worse, sucked dry by a vampire?

This is a short story about love and past mingling together.
Michel and Nike ..... are simply meant to be together...But can they make it?
I loved this book and its fast paced story as much as its characters and its vibe!
Profile Image for Sue.
1,031 reviews10 followers
November 17, 2019
Format: audiobook
This is a good entertaining read so why only 3 stars? Well, it feels like two books made into one!
It starts with three gargoyle brothers and the curse they’ve been put under, their time spent looking for a solution to break the curse which it looks like could be finding mates, all good so far. They are offered a job in another country, good I think, this could be their new start and where they’ll start to find their mate/mates and possibly break their curse but then the story becomes all about their vampire boss Michel and an old enemy trying to kill him, Nike is his love interest who’s just appeared on the scene when the attack happens, Michel takes her to a safe house to protect her, they are found way too easily and a fight to the death which again is way too easy considering he’s been hunting him for centuries!
As I said both parts are good, entertaining and action packed at times but I feel like I’ve read/listened to the first part of one book and the second half of a completely different book.
1 review
November 11, 2025
Where to start? I really do hate to bash an author’s work when they’ve put effort into providing a story they think people will enjoy, but this was just plain awful.

Providing the first book in the beginning was an utter waste of time. The context it provided was not necessary for Smolder, and I just kept wishing it would end so I could get to the reason I picked up Smolder in the first place. Not only was it basically irrelevant, the story felt like it was written by a 13 year old. If you decide to read Smolder, do yourself a favor and skip the first book portion.

Now onto the actual Smolder book… This also felt like it was poorly written by an inexperienced author. The sentences felt stunted and the characters one dimensional. So many times did I cringe when certain words were used, like how he was ‘excited’ or she ‘squealed’. The audiobook version was incredibly awkward that I just DNF’d about 85-90% in. I’d hoped it would get better, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish.

Overall, this is one I’d skip.
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1,644 reviews5 followers
March 31, 2018
Michel and Nike

Nike is a firefighter who rock climbs and goes to a dance club to relax from the stress of her job. Her best friend Maya always goes to the club with her. They both are a little odd, but Nike feels like she finally fits in while at the club. The club is called Vamps. It has a goth feel to it with unpopular music and people who wear sexy costume-type outfits- "no jeans and tennis shoes allowed".
Michel is a several hundred years old vampire who owns Vampire and the rock climbing gym. He has an enemy who is after him for revenge.
Michel and Nike have seen each other at the gym but only say hello. They each have been entranced by the other. Finally Michel talks to her at the club.
There is drama and action throughout the story. I liked the book but the ending felt like it just stopped. I wondered what happened the next day? What was the result of what was done to her? I am hoping that the answers are given in the next book.
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