My Hot Best Friend is an Irish Vampire

by Roxie McClaine

My best friend is hiding something from me.

October, 1970. Two years ago, Leigh Austen had it all: a loving husband, a healthy social life and a comfortable home. Until a telegram from the U.S. Military shattered her heart into pieces.

When it’s time to move forward, she needs help from the one man she knows she can trust: Michael Kelly, her best friend and owner of the most popular Irish pub in South Boston.

But mysterious deaths have the whole city spooked, and rumors of strange happenings surround the Mannock Tavern. Not to mention the patrons seem a little intense.

Leigh, dating? Absolutely not. I’ll kill any man who tries to touch her.

Michael is done with war. He’s fought in too many already. Besides, he has a promise to keep and an order to lead in the shadows of Boston. He doesn’t expect his best friend’s widow in his tavern on the most spiritual night of the year.

Hiding the truth from Leigh is practically impossible. When she uncovers the inevitable, he knows it’s only a matter of time before she discovers his real secret . . .

Vampires. Irish vampires, no less. How can such a thing be possible?

Drawn into his timeless underworld spanning two countries, decades of turmoil, loss and triumph, Leigh must either break free from the past or walk away forever.

But where there is a king, there are those who seek his crown. And falling for Michael may cost Leigh more than her life . . .

This is a best-friends-to-lovers, international, mythological, retro vampire romance with no cheating and a HEA. You can read this book as a stand-alone, or as the first installment in The Morrigan Brotherhood series.

Genres: Vampires, Romance, Paranormal, Audiobook, Paranormal Romance, Friends To Lovers, Urban Fantasy

396 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2022

About the author

Roxie McClaine is a sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal romance author. She's a military wife and mother and currently resides in the American Southwest.

For exclusives and short stories, visit www.roxiemcclaine.com.

EMAIL: author@mcclaine-harding.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/roxiemcclaine

TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@roxiemcclaine...

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/roxiemcclaineauthor

BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/roxie...

Reviews

[Kristin Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the dual reading in this audiobook, which made the character pop out. The story was good and the plot sturdy. My only comment is that I thought it was sometimes too drawn out, and some things where repeated one too many times which made the book drag a little... I enjoyed learning more about the Irish lore.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carmens.library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked the entire time! It was action packed, plot driven, spicy at time.
I was in complete awe with the author and how she portrayed vampirism. Her spin on their power and the way one becomes one….I had never read a book like that.

Leigh is newly widowed she lost her husband to a ruthless war. With her grieving she distance herself from her best friend. Which this best friend of her also was her late husband’s best friend too.

Michael had always had feeling for Leigh but for John his best friend he never acted upon these feelings.

So we are 2 years in after her loss and she misses her best friend.
She goes to his pub to find him. It’s Halloween and on this same night she discovers he is in fact a vampire.

Many things change that night, like for example this big secret he kept from her but also the fact she discovers she has feeling for him.

Michael Kelly is part of the Morrigan brotherhood, not only that but he is the leader. With this means enemies and people who would want to hurt Leigh.
Her life is in danger more times than one.

So many things happen, so Much action, so much plot
And the love we see from both FMC and MMC
Ahh I loved. It is a HEA

But, what I really loved about this book is all the other members of this brotherhood

I loved Fionn! He was my favorite. His backstory was so sad, and I just loved him from the beginning all the grumpiness.

[Sarah]

This could be the right book at the wrong time so I am going to DNF. Maybe I will come back but the reason I am DNFing is there is a lot of history and world building but I think I needed some more character development in the beginning and now that I hit the 1/2 way part I have lost interest in them as a couple or individuals.

[Shannon (litmuggle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit me with all the emotions which I was not expecting.

Leigh is just like any other woman who loves her husband dearly and struggle to move on and alienates herself from a lot of people including her best friend Micheal. After a couple of years she decides she needs to find herself again a little starting with surprise if Micheal in his Irish pub in Boston.

The plot takes off quickly, sparks fly, secrets escape, and a adventure ensues.

This book gave of PS I Love you Vibes with a vampier twist set in the 70s. I am so glad this will be a continuing series because I need more.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook and e-book.
The duet narration was excellent!
Based on the title, I thought I was going to get simple, light-hearted smut, but this story was unexpectedly full of plot, world building, complex characters, and a couple of unexpected twists. I loved the chemistry between Leigh and Michael. Michael had his rough, predatory side and his restrained human side that worked well in their relationship and in his Brotherhood role. The only thing I didn't like was that the pace seemed too slow.

[Hayley Chow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story reminded me of Twilight + Boondock Saints. The duet narration for this was absolutely fantastic and I thought the idea of Irish vampire romance was a fun idea. The story took itself way more seriously though than I expected from the title, and I didn’t love the dynamic between the two main characters, and the Vietnam War eta backdrop felt a little strange to me. But if you’re looking for an interesting paranormal premise with great narration, this may be for you! (3.5/5)

[Renee Kountis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book. It is a vampire romance set in 1970. The author
takes us into the mythological history of how vampires came to be in existence by interweaving it with friends to lovers, a vampire brotherhood, murder, unexpected plot twists, characters you will love and plenty of spice with a little bit of humour along the way. I loved Leigh and Michael's story. I can't wait for the next book

I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily giving my review of this book.

[jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, this book is a must read! If you like a book about vampires then this is your book. This book had action, it had humor; I laughed a few times and it had a little spice. I fell in love with the characters and I do have a favorite. This book was damn good and I can’t wait to read book 2!



I received a kindle copy ARC of this book for my honest review.

[Anna Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I absolutly loved this! If you like vampires, friends to lover, you will enjoy this. The storyline, plot twist, spicy all amazing.

[Christina Luberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow Leigh and Michael's story. I got to listen to the story which was great. After Leigh's husband dies she has been hiding out. Now she feels she is ready, but what will happen when she walks into Michael's Establishment? Michael has alway loved her, nows his chance? But who is after her? Can he protect her?.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

👌

I am normally one that can push through a book, especially if I believe it to be a good one. However, this novel started out very well but then sort of drizzled out around the middle, and then towards the end I kind of lost interest in this book all together. The overall concept for this story has been wonderful, with a compelling story-line, there was just something missing from everything.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from BookSprout in exchange for an honest review, and honestly? I wasn't prepared for this level of chaos.

Let me just say that Roxie McClaine has written the book equivalent of that friend who shows up to your house at 2 AM with tequila, bad decisions, and the most ridiculous story you've ever heard—except this time, the ridiculous story involves centuries-old Irish vampires with trust issues and a protagonist who apparently never watched a single episode of Buffy.

The title doesn't lie, folks. Your hot best friend IS an Irish vampire, and he's got all the emotional availability of a haunted potato. Our heroine discovers this earth-shattering news with all the detective skills of someone who thinks "mysterious pale guy who only hangs out at night and has never been seen eating garlic bread" is just quirky. Bless her heart.

McClaine has crafted a paranormal romance that reads like someone took a serious urban fantasy, fed it three shots of espresso, and asked it to explain Irish mythology while doing stand-up comedy. The Morrigan Brotherhood mythology is actually fascinating when you can stop laughing long enough to appreciate it—ancient Celtic war goddesses meet modern dating problems, because apparently even immortal beings struggle with texting back in a reasonable timeframe.

The dialogue sparkles with the kind of banter that makes you snort-laugh on public transportation. Our vampire love interest delivers lines with such dramatic Irish flair that you can practically hear the fiddle music swelling in the background. Meanwhile, our heroine responds to supernatural revelations with the emotional regulation of someone discovering their coffee shop ran out of oat milk—mildly inconvenienced but rolling with it.

The romance burns hotter than a vampire in direct sunlight (too soon?), and their transition from "just friends" to "I want to bite your neck in the sexy way, not the hungry way" is surprisingly sweet when it's not being absolutely unhinged. McClaine writes steam scenes that manage to be both scorching and somehow still endearingly awkward, which is frankly impressive.

My only complaint is that sometimes the plot gets so distracted by witty one-liners that it forgets where it was going, like that friend who starts twelve different stories at once. But honestly? In a book titled "My Hot Best Friend is an Irish Vampire," over-plotting might be the real crime here.

This is cotton candy literature at its finest—sweet, colorful, gone too quickly, and likely to give you a sugar high. It's the literary equivalent of binge-watching reality TV while eating ice cream directly from the container: you know it's not good for you, but you're having too much fun to care.

Perfect for anyone who's ever looked at the serious, brooding vampire boyfriends in other books and thought, "But what if he was funny and had an accent?" McClaine has answered that question with enthusiastic Irish gusto.
Recommended for fans of paranormal romance who don't take themselves too seriously, anyone who's ever had a crush on someone with an accent, and readers who think "subtlety" is just a suggestion rather than a literary requirement.

Can't wait to see what other ridiculous supernatural shenanigans The Morrigan Brotherhood gets up to.

[SpicyBookMama86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storyline: 5/5 stars
Spice: 4/5 stars… very tastefully done!.

The storyline starts with a widow determined to make the best of the anniversary of her marriage with her late husband. She finally decided that she has been in mourning for 2 years and it was time to get back out there—- leading to her removal of the wedding ring.

It’s been a long time but she decided to stop by and see a mutual best friend of her departed husband agreeing stopping to aid a crow with a strange exchange with animal control as well.

This strange evening on Halloween led to under covering secrets (deep Vampire secrets of her sexy, amazingly sweet, and seductive) best friend. I think some of my favorite scenes were getting to know the rest of the clan.

Roxie doesn’t disappoint, this book is filled with intrigue, mystery, vampires, sexy romps, and so much more! This was my first time reading from this author and I can not wait to see what other books she has available!

This book gripped me hard from the get go! The FMC while mourning her late husband for over the last two years was a considerable badass throughout the entire book. The heroism between the MMC and FMC when it came to other characters in the storyline was both heart touching and immeasurable in strength/compassion.

The characters were well thought out and the development of the world in which the characters resided was amazing as well.

The dip into mythology both Celtic and Greek was delectable and rather accurate. The appreciative tones to both the Morrigan and Hecate as both strong goddesses and nod to the triple goddess (maid, mother and crone) really tied the book together. The research and understanding within these pages of a centuries like religious wars was palpable and very well done.

Overall, the book was a delight and very well written. I would highly recommend this book to people!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lois Karasek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was already a big fan of Roxie McClaine before I read this book, having read all her android romances. I loved them, and I was not disappointed in the Irish Vampire, even though it is set in a completely different, historical, environment.

This story has so many interesting characters and elements, all interwoven to produce a highly exciting and entertaining read. Leigh Austen, the widow of John, who was best friends with Michael Kelly, the bachelor owner of the Mannock Tavern in Boston, is also secretly enamored with Michael, although she has not seen or spoken to him since John's funeral two years ago and doesn't even realize it herself yet on a conscious level. Due to a misunderstanding, Michael believes Leigh blames him for Michael's death, and he has given her space to deal with her grief. Finally, one Halloween, Leigh receives a card from Michael and agrees to meet with him. She has no idea he, and the majority of patrons at the Mannock, are all vampires.

Once the truth is exposed, what will Leigh's reaction be? What other secrets are waiting to be revealed, and what will be the consequences of their revelations?

The elements of this story have been well researched and include fact as well as fantasy and mythology. There are power struggles within the vampire Brotherhood which include a split between those supporting the war across the Atlantic in Ireland with violence, and those who want to see a peaceful end to the conflict. Michael supports peace while Cillian, his friend and cohort across the ocean, supports the opposite tack, causing conflict and hurt feelings. When Leigh enters the picture, it just throws more fuel on the fire.

There are a number of tropes intermingled in the story, and you need to pay attention. You won't want to put the book down once you start reading. It's a very engaging read, and I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I've read and listened to all of Roxie's New Carnegie Androids books, but I hadn't gotten the chance to read this book yet. So listening to it in audio was a brand new experience. And I loved it. Great world building and rich, wonderful characters. Leigh is a widow to a husband who died in the Vietnam War. Their good friend Michael was always there for her, but after an argument, she pushed him away and out of her life. Two years later, lonely and deciding it's time to move on, she decides to try and see Michael again at his pub and apologize. They reconcile and catch up. But later on at home, someone breaks into her house and attacks her. Michael saves her and in doing so, she discovers that vampires are real- and he is one of them.

I loved the relationship between these two. It was sweet and I kind of like that the story begins where it does and we see the past in snippets and memories.

As for the audiobook format, Andria Mae and Jake McAskill did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life! Andria's voice was perfect for Leigh. I even liked the Boston accent that came out when she was annoyed at the kids hurting a crow. Jake was perfect for Michael and his Irish accent was just dreamy!

I loved that in this book Andria did all the female voices and Jake did all male voices. In most dual narrated audiobooks [I've listened to], the female narrator will narrate all the characters in her chapter regardless of gender, and the same for the male narrator. This book also went a little further and did choruses and singing- like with the boys all going "Ohhhhh" when Leigh berated them, the male band members singing songs in the pub, and even Leigh singing a song at home. It just gave this book more elevation to me and made me appreciate it all the more.

A fantastic story and audio experience! I cannot wait for the next one!

Overall: 5 stars
Performance: 5 stars
Story: 5 stars

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book.

I’m always nervous when receiving ARCs for authors I’ve never read before. However 5 minutes in to reading this and I realized I had no reason to be worried. The writing was excellent, the characters were loveable, and the spice was 🥵

There was such a great mix of plot and romance/spice. Leigh is a widow who’s husband died two years prior during Vietnam. Their best friend Michael and her have not spoken in a year due to a moment of grief and anger on Leigh’s part. The story begins with Leigh coming to Michael to apologize for her behavior.

I was a bit worried about how the dead husband was going to be handled. Obviously with a new love interest there is usually guilt but sometimes I get a little annoyed when there is too much back and forth about will they / won’t they. And on the flip side, sometimes it’s too much too soon. But Roxie writes them so perfectly and the way they fall in to each other is amazing.

The history with the Morrigan and other deities, the war between the different “armies” of vampires. I was so intrigued the entire time.

Michael is so amazing. I can’t say one bad thing about him. *chef’s kiss*

Leigh jumping in to all the vampire affairs, having so faith in Michael, and standing up for herself made me love her as a FMC. Also, my favorite trope is probably the FMC being adored by her man’s men. And (for the most part), she wins everyone over by simply being herself.

The plot twist on who the bad guy ends up being really surprised me but I love the way they handle forgiveness. The way feelings are explained is kind of like Tinker Bell. They feel their feelings so hard. Lol

This doesn’t end in a cliffhanger but it does set up book 2. I can’t wait for it. I need a redemption for our boy.

[Kieraanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I just read this book because I thought the title was funny. The book itself was meh. The story is inexplicably set in 1970. I guess so they can take advantage of the "Troubles" in Ireland? Maybe there will also be significant time jumps in future books? Anyway, aside from some fashion choices (nylons and heels), the time period doesn't seem to matter to the story that much. What I had a problem with was that we seem to be dumped right into the middle of Leigh and Michael's relationship. They already know/love each other and have for years, and we're just supposed to accept that and care about them as a couple right away. I need a little more on-screen relationship building before I'm willing to care one way or another whether they can be together. Also, I felt like Leigh's instant and complete acceptance of the whole vampire society was a little unbelievable. As was her sudden decision to become one herself after only finding out about it a few days before. She went from not seeing her friend in a year and not knowing vampires exist, to complete acceptance and willing to throw away her life as she knew it to be with Michael in the span of a few dozen pages. Personally, I think there would have been a little more self reflection and world building before such a life changing decision, but whatever.

I love all things Ireland, so I thought the idea of The Morrigan making vampires and the druid/priests was interesting and original. I also thought the author handled the switching POV very well, especially during the love scenes. I think I just didn't like the FMC. I thought she was stupid and consequently made stupid decisions that we were supposed to think were "brave." 🙄

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by My Hot Best Friend Is an Irish Vampire. Corny title, but such a fun book. As a longtime fan of vampire romances, it’s not often I find one with fresh lore that pulls me in—and this book did just that. The Celtic mythology woven throughout the story, especially the connection to goddesses like The Morrigan and Hecate, gave the vampire mythos a unique and intriguing spin. It reminded me a bit of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series, which I also love. I only wish the story had introduced some of the Norse vampires teased in the lore, as that could have added even more depth and variety.

Set in 1970s South Boston, the historical backdrop added a nice flavour, though I found myself wanting a bit more ‘70s culture and atmosphere to immerse myself. Still, the author captured the time well enough to give a sense of place without it feeling like a history lesson. Leigh Austen is a standout character—strong, funny, and deeply human. Her journey through grief and her brave decision to reconnect with Michael felt authentic and heartfelt, making her someone to root for from page one.

Michael Kelly is the perfect blend of charm and mystery, and the narration, especially his Irish accent, was a delight. The cast of secondary characters brought the story to life, making the world feel lived-in and vibrant. I also appreciated the feminist and LGBTQ+ undertones that were handled with sensitivity and nuance. The external conflict was genuinely surprising and emotionally complex, allowing me to empathise with the antagonist in a way I didn’t expect. Overall, a satisfying paranormal romance that I’d recommend to fans looking for something a little different.

[Black Girl Tired Energy Book reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leigh a widower...her husband died in the Vietnam war and Micheal was their best friend, but when her husband passed away she mourned deeply and distanced herself from everyone including Micheal. On the second anniversary she decides that she needs to release herself from mourning and move on. The first place she needed to start was getting her best friend back in her life. As she makes her way to his pub and finally sees Micheal after all this time she realizes how much she missed him as well as possibly something more that isn't based off friendship. After an amazing evening hanging out at the pub and she returns home she finds she's not alone and an intruder was in her home...the issue isn't that he's just a intruder he doesn't look exactly human and neither does Micheal as he crashes through to fight the intruder.

Micheal carried a lot of weight on his shoulders as the leader of the Morrighan Brotherhood. Leigh was at first too nosy, but got the good results needed in certain situations. I still was yelling at my kindle like ma'am please calm down and mind the business that pays you. The sexual tension was whew chile rolling of the pages like a smooth Jameson Whiskey. There was so many characters that built this amazing world that I'm sure will evolve into a bigger series. My favorite characters were Sinead, Fionn, and Sean. The Irish accents I literally spoke in my head while reading this ( Don't judge me) was crazy because I have not a lick of Irish anything.

I'm so sad I have to wait till next year for the next installment...This was an amazing book 1 to this series.

[Chené Van der Merwe · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙🖤 Book Review 🖤💙

Title: My Hot Best Friend is an Irish Vampire
Author: Roxie McClaine (@roxiemcclaineauthor)
Pages: 401

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

~
When Leigh is attacked on Halloween night in 1970 she didn't expect anyone to come to her rescue, especially not her hot best friend.

He moves faster than humanly possible and is impossibly strong. He reveals to her what he is and takes her on a journey of healing, falling in love and navigating the dangerous roads of the Morrigan Brotherhood.
~

I'm going to be honest and say I was very thoroughly surprised by this book and story.

I expected a shoet and sweet historical romance about a vampire, but what I got was an amazing fantasy world, characters that are too die for and a plot that hooked my from the first page.

Leigh is a character that I really enjoyed following. She was brave, strong and kind, without being over the top about any of those three. She truly cares about those that are around her. We also follow her story of grief, making peace and moving on, which was beautiful and had me so happy in the end.

Micheal is just everything 🤌🏻 that man ne. He very much embodied the trope of "Who did this to you?" While also being an absolute sweetheart and cinnamon roll. And the SPICE 🔥🔥🔥

The world building was amazing and like I said the plot had me hooked from the first chapter. For me it kept a constant pace, meaning I didn't feel lost or bored during this read.

~ A definite recommend if you're in the mood to become more obsessed with the Vampire genre ~


💙🖤.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leigh, the female human lead, is emerging from the cocoon of grief that she entered when her husband died. Having withdrawn from all her friends, including their mutual best friend, on the anniversary of their death, she suddenly awakens to the fact that she’s still alive. Needing to apologise to Michael for cutting him out of her life, she heads to his Irish pub.

Michael, the male vampire lead, has been in alive for seventy years and has loved Leigh for the decade he’s known her, though he would never have interfered in her marriage. But he’s also the leader of this group of vampires who are part of the goddess Morrigan’s army and his life choices are limited.

But their attraction is real and Leigh’s engagement and integration into his life is smoother than it should be. As a human, though, she has a great big target on her back…

This long story is dual POV, well written, and is a huge change from the author’s first android series. It’s interesting, engaging, and obviously close to the author’s heart. I enjoyed Leigh’s assertiveness, given it’s set in the nineteen seventies when women’s rights were still hugely contentious. I enjoyed Michael’s care and his proactive nature in coordinating his brethren. I enjoyed their relationship development and both character’s development. I enjoyed the introduction of a whole cast of characters and the possibilities for this new series, particularly how well integrated the vampires were in each other’s lives.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marylovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of *My Hot Best Friend Is an Irish Vampire
*Morrigan Brotherhood, Book 1*
by Roxie McClaine
Narrated by Andria Mae & Jake McAskill
**4⭐️**

This audiobook features *excellent* narration. Hats off to Andria Mae and Jake McAskill, who truly went above and beyond bringing these characters and this world to life. Their performances added depth, emotion, and energy to the story.

When I first saw the title, I fully expected it to be overly cheesy—but I was pleasantly surprised. Roxie McClaine absolutely pulls it off. Set in a paranormal version of our world, vampires, druids, goddesses, and more exist alongside humanity while remaining hidden from human society, creating a rich and engaging setting.

The story begins in 1970s Boston, where Leigh Austen is still grieving the loss of her husband in the Vietnam War. Overwhelmed by grief, she once told her close friend Michael Kelly never to contact her again. A year later, Leigh realizes she wants to apologize and reconnect, so she goes to the pub Michael owns—and that’s where their story truly begins.

As a ruthless killer stalks humans in Boston, it becomes clear that Michael Kelly is far more than just a pub owner. He’s also deeply in love with Leigh, and secrets begin to unravel.

This is a well-done friends-to-lovers paranormal romance with solid world-building and a compelling mix of mystery, emotion, and supernatural elements. Paranormal romance fans should find plenty to enjoy here.

Thanks to Booksprout and Roxie McClaine for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[Morally_Gray_Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased the ebook after I received an advanced copy of the audio version of ‘My Hot Best Friend is an Irish Vampire’. Once I listened to the first chapter, I LOVED this book already and knew I wanted total immersion—this book is one awesome ride. It took no time to fall into the pages, losing sense of time. Everything about this book is the best kind of addictive. All characters were well-fleshed and easily ‘presented’ themselves in my minds eye for the commercial free showing that accompanies the best books. The world build is great. Storyline flow is so smooth I didn’t get lost, bored, or want to skim/skip ahead anywhere. ‘MHBFIAIV’ is solid in its intended foundation to the Morrigan Brotherhood series.

The narration for the audio version is rendered quite nicely by Jake McAskill 🥵 and Andria Mae. Where Jake, with his sexy-as-sin Irish accent, reads with a deep intimacy from the start, both narrators read more organically a couple of chapters in. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars.

Really looking forward to Cillian and Sarah’s story next! —Both the book and the audio version 🖤

*** Recommended ***

MMC:
✨Michael
FMC:
✨Leigh
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Book 1 of the Morrigan Brotherhood
Tropes:
👉vampire romance
👉friends to lovers
👉Irish fiction
👉Celtic mythology
👉touch her and ☠️
👉dual POV
Triggers:
💥18+
💥sex
💥profanity
💥violence
Burn Speed:
✨slow
Spice Level:
✨🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨MF

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO grateful for this ARC! After a period of what seems like endless unengaging audios (which I like to listen to when cleaning or dogwalking), this gripped me from the first with the excellent narration, then held me throughout thanks to the story.

Both actors were brilliant, and having dual male and female perspectives gave real life to the tale.

The story itself - despite the slightly cheesy title and cover art! - was far better than I ever anticipated. My perspective is unique, as I'm old enough to remember the Irish Troubles, my husband is of Irish descent, and I'm a pagan druid! So lots of boxes ticked for why I should enjoy.

The plot rattles along at a fine pace with lots of action and unexpected twists. The main couple had great chemistry and humour, but even the secondary characters were immensely likeable (more about Sioned and Shaun, please!). The author has clearly done their homework both historically and with regard to mythology, and I loved how the connection between the 'modern' (1970s) American world and that of the vampires was woven together. Extra points for the authentic Irish friendly banter and insults!

I loved everything about this journey and have already cued up the sequel. A big recommend.

I kindly received a free copy of this audiobook from the author, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an astonishingly good book. It offers a highly original take on the origin of vampires within the context of a steamy, friends-to-lovers relationship. At the same time, the author allows her characters to wrestle with difficult personal issues of love, loss, and leadership. Her grasp of historical themes ranging from Vietnam through the Irish Troubles and back to the Roman conquest of Britain is exceptional. It's rare to find a paranormal romance that also provides rich and intellectually thoughtful views on complex topics like war, religion, motherhood, and marriage. All the characters--major and minor--were well-developed with unique personalities. Michael and Leigh are a striking couple and their story is compelling. There is nothing predictable about the plot (except, perhaps, a happy ending) and it is a wonderful snapshot of life and its challenges for women in the 1970s. The depiction of widowhood for a Vietnam-era military wife is evocative and heart-wrenching. I've read a lot of books in this genre and this is one of THE best! Treat yourself to a beautifully crafted tale. I will be sure to keep my eye out for the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jammie Bebout · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first audiobook in The Morrigan Brotherhood series by Roxie McClain and is a fabulous paranormal romance. I absolutely adored this story! I love when I can discover brand new vampire lore, and the lore in this book is unlike any I’ve come across before. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, so I won’t elaborate on the specifics of that lore, but I found it to be incredibly interesting and unique. This story centers around Leigh, a war widow in 1970, and Michael, an Irish vampire who had been her and her dead husband’s best friend. Two years after her husband’s death, Leigh visits Michael in the Irish pub he owns and finds that her feelings toward him are beginning to change into something decidedly more than friendship. But they have more to overcome than the normal new relationship issues, because she soon learns that not only is Michael a vampire but High King over all of the Irish vampires of Boston. Over time, we see their relationship grow and thrive despite the unusual circumstances and see Leigh come into her own as a woman. It is a bit of a slow-burn romance, but once they go there, they really go there, and it gets pretty spicy.

Further enhancing the story is the duet-style narration performed by Andria Mae and Jake McAskill. Both of these were new voices for me, but I was so impressed by both of them. They both completely embodied their characters and brought this wonderful story to life in all the best ways. And I have to give a special shout out to Jake McAskill for flawlessly voicing so many different Irish-accented characters and managing to make each one distinct and unique in both sound and personality. A fascinating story coupled with stellar narration makes this a must-listen title for any fan of paranormal romance audio!

[Melanie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

All hail the Queen

I'm so enamored of Roxie McClaine's new vampire world: the Irish vampires of the Morrigan Brotherhood. Her fabulous vampires hide in plain sight, merged into the world of Boston's Irish-Americans in 1970. They're not romantic, they're not victims of a bite in the dark. - these men, at the moment of death, vowed to the Goddess in exchange for eternal life as Her warriors. Michael Kelley is their beleaguered king. Leigh Austen is a Boston blue blood, a war widow (VietNam) and formerly Michael's good friend. When Leigh emerges from mourning to reconnect with him, things begin to change. Starting with the rescue of a wounded crow, she is drawn inexorably, and willingly, into the Brotherhood, and knowledge of the goddess. Love with Michael is dangerous part and parcel of that world, and the inevitable slide into magic. I stayed up way past bedtime with this incredible, sexy, scary, enthralling story, and I am both delighted and dismayed that the series begun by this novel will consume my reading life for the rest of...

[Janessa Paun · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book out on Stuff Your Kindle day because I thought that it sounded interesting. It was, but there were few things that I just couldn’t get back when it came to this book. One was the main character’s extreme stubbornness so much so that she pushed away her best friend and is desperate to do something that puts her life in danger, to I don’t know, prove that she can. The second sin was when the main character judged someone simply for preferring to only read when it was about basketball, calling that an obsession with basketball, which was really judgy and a leap from what the character had said. At least he’s reading, also I like to read about basketball, doesn’t make it an obsession. And the most mortal of all sins in this book was the disrespect the main character had for her dead husband, who died during a war. Some of her comments were so out of pocket and unnecessary, I’ve read plenty of romances where people move on from a dead spouse and they’ve all managed to do it without spitting on their grave.

[Manuela Molteni · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIOVERSION
I have read my fair share of vampire-themed books, whole series, goods, bads and every nuances in between. So much so, that my family always says that I'm a vampire kind of girl. Anyway, vampires are definitely my piece of cake. But I have to admit that, with My Hot Best Friend is an Irish Vampire, Roxie McClaine wrote one of the best vampire novels I have ever read.
I have been lucky to get the audiobook as well, and both narrators, Andria Mae and Jake McAskill, did an amazing job with the story.
Leigh and Mickey are both amazing, with the background of the 70's and their society, when women still belonged more into the house than in the outside world, the wold and lore building for the different vampiric brotherhoods. A lot of action, a strong plot, history and politics behind the Irish and English conflict and all the side characters born from the pen of Ms McClaine are well worth the time to read or listen this book.
100% recommended.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is the first time in a long time that I have truly enjoyed a book with vampires as the main characters!

Leigh’s husband is killed in Vietnam and everything changes in her world. She pushes away every friends she had because they don’t understand. She struggles to find connection and doesn’t feel like she fits anywhere anymore. Two years after her husband’s death she decides she wants to reach out to the friend who she misses the most… he was their best friend… but he might not want anything to do with her. She was mean when he was trying to be helpful.

Michael Kelly lives in a world all his own, a world Leigh has no idea about! He is the very handsome best friend who promised to look out for her if anything happened to her husband. The one who tried to push her back to some normalcy…he wants more from Leigh than she might be ready to give.

This book had everything: mafia boss MMC, friends to lovers, spice, storyline to keep you interested and an Irish accent if you listen to the audio book!