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Vampire Relationship Guide #1
The Vampire Relationship Guide: Meeting & Mating
Josie wants what she’s never been able to have—sex with a vampire. When she receives an invitation to a party thrown by one of the world’s richest vamps, she doesn’t stop to question her luck; she just jumps into her favorite stilettos and heads out to the event of a lifetime, secretly hoping that she’ll come home with a party favor in the shape of a sexy coffin dweller.
But the great undead, much to Josie’s chagrin, aren’t just pale sexbots with pointy teeth waiting to satisfy her carnal desires—they are dangerous…and sometimes cranky. With a single-minded focus on fulfilling her sole sexual longing, Josie unwittingly entrenches herself in the twisted and sometimes antagonistic world of vampire relationships with no one to guide her, but herself.
But the great undead, much to Josie’s chagrin, aren’t just pale sexbots with pointy teeth waiting to satisfy her carnal desires—they are dangerous…and sometimes cranky. With a single-minded focus on fulfilling her sole sexual longing, Josie unwittingly entrenches herself in the twisted and sometimes antagonistic world of vampire relationships with no one to guide her, but herself.
136 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2011
17 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Evelyn Lafont
40 books52 followersEvelyn Lafont. Evelyn is a full-time writer living in Florida with her perfect orange kitties and totally alpha hubby who saves her from squirrels, stray dogs, glue and herself.
Her debut paranormal romance series, The Vampire Relationship Guide, is a four-novella romp that takes a satirical look at what could happen if a clueless human chick really dated a vampire. It’s also got some good sex and romance shoved up in it, making it a lovely four-course meal that won’t leave you feeling bloated after consumption.
Her newest series, Pack Mistress (Quick ‘n’ Dirty Erotic Paranormal Romance) follows the adventures of red wolf Pack Mistress Lorena as she satisfies the males of her south Florida pack while trying to find herself. It’s more serious than VRG, and more erotic. The novel is being released in serial format, with new 30-35 page installments every other month in 2012.
You can also read Evelyn’s essays and ramblings weekly on her blog or by visiting VampLure, the satirical monthly magazine inspired by The Vampire Relationship Guide series. You can also find some of the guest posts she’s written on The Bitch Blog, Book Love Blog, and The Weblog of Zoe Winters.
Her debut paranormal romance series, The Vampire Relationship Guide, is a four-novella romp that takes a satirical look at what could happen if a clueless human chick really dated a vampire. It’s also got some good sex and romance shoved up in it, making it a lovely four-course meal that won’t leave you feeling bloated after consumption.
Her newest series, Pack Mistress (Quick ‘n’ Dirty Erotic Paranormal Romance) follows the adventures of red wolf Pack Mistress Lorena as she satisfies the males of her south Florida pack while trying to find herself. It’s more serious than VRG, and more erotic. The novel is being released in serial format, with new 30-35 page installments every other month in 2012.
You can also read Evelyn’s essays and ramblings weekly on her blog or by visiting VampLure, the satirical monthly magazine inspired by The Vampire Relationship Guide series. You can also find some of the guest posts she’s written on The Bitch Blog, Book Love Blog, and The Weblog of Zoe Winters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
November 25, 2011
The Vampire Relationship Guide Volume 1 is subtitled Meeting and Mating, but probably should have been labeled UR Doing it Wrong. While the writing is engaging and the world building fascinating, the narrator’s stunning lack of perception drags down the second half of the novella. The ending is further hampered by a bad guy plot so hideous, it’s no wonder it failed. I’ve seen better criminal plots hatched by first graders for a cookie raid.(And the first graders didn’t get caught.)
But let’s start with what works, and why it works. We’re introduced to Josie, a bridal shop worker who has an obsession with meeting and bedding a vampire. She’s offered the chance to attend a party of a well to do vampire named Gregory, and so dressing up fancy, she heads out to hook up. Josie and Gregory meet and hit it off well, and as Josie leaves, she meets another vampire. That meeting doesn’t go so well. Yet these introductions worked well for me, and I initially loved Josie’s random strange questions or comments. I also liked the little glimpses into the background of this world’s vampires. They have a good mix of familiar tropes as well as some new ideas to help keep the monsters fresh and interesting to learn about.
The second vampire Josie met at the party introduces himself the next day as Walker, and then proceeds to act like a jerk over, and over, and over. And yet, “there’s something about him” that Josie can’t help but like. Oy. I had a similar problem with the characters in Amanda Hocking’s Switched, and for the exact same reason. Nothing in the dialogue or the character’s actions hints at physical or emotional attraction, and yet the narrator tells me over and over how very hot the vampire is, and therefore, that overcomes their absolutely boorish behavior. Apparently female heroines are so lonely that the first guy to look at them is worth jumping, even if the look they’re getting is a scowl of contempt. This kind of “attraction” makes Josie look so desperate for approval that even when both guys are treating her like crap, she sticks around. Hey, at least it’s attention, right? Bleh, this is not a good quality when combined with her other bad traits.
The story moves to a big conflict for the final chapters, and when the bad guy steps out to reveal his plans, I wanted to weep with baby Jesus. The plan is poorly thought out, and the reasons that the bad guy chose Josie make no sense.
So, this leaves me in a bit of a pickle. Here we have a story with solid writing, many charming moments of wit, and with vampires who are a combination of familiar and new aspects that make the world building intensely interesting. But Josie’s method of world building is asking hick questions that aren’t even appropriate as fifth date material, much less the first. If Josie and I were on a date, I would expect her to say “So...you used to have a dick, huh? What's that all about?” That’s exactly how tacky she is in broaching vampire topics. And while the world Josie lives in is fascinating, once we get to that first set of dates, Josie reveals why she’s still single as she nears her thirties. She’s a goober who likes the taste of her own shoes. She has to, because she keeps opening her mouth wide to shove both shoes inside.
The vampires have an interesting background, and this is a world where vampires are out in society, something you don’t see often. It’s a unique enough view that if you can overlook Josie being a hick, the book isn’t bad. But even being a hick myself, I was frequently face-palming at how tacky she was. Think of this as a brief road trip with someone you sometimes wish you could sex up, only to wish you could drown her voice out with the radio a few minutes later.
I’m going to give The Vampire Relationship Guide Volume 1: Meeting and Mating 3 stars and recommend it to fans of vampire humor and urban fantasy series like the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries. And being charitable, Josie didn’t rub me the wrong way nearly as badly as Sookie, or as Wendy from Switched. I was able to make it through Josie’s book, while I dropped Switched and Dead Until Dark early on. So call that a tepid endorsement of Josie as being the least cloying of the three.
But let’s start with what works, and why it works. We’re introduced to Josie, a bridal shop worker who has an obsession with meeting and bedding a vampire. She’s offered the chance to attend a party of a well to do vampire named Gregory, and so dressing up fancy, she heads out to hook up. Josie and Gregory meet and hit it off well, and as Josie leaves, she meets another vampire. That meeting doesn’t go so well. Yet these introductions worked well for me, and I initially loved Josie’s random strange questions or comments. I also liked the little glimpses into the background of this world’s vampires. They have a good mix of familiar tropes as well as some new ideas to help keep the monsters fresh and interesting to learn about.
The second vampire Josie met at the party introduces himself the next day as Walker, and then proceeds to act like a jerk over, and over, and over. And yet, “there’s something about him” that Josie can’t help but like. Oy. I had a similar problem with the characters in Amanda Hocking’s Switched, and for the exact same reason. Nothing in the dialogue or the character’s actions hints at physical or emotional attraction, and yet the narrator tells me over and over how very hot the vampire is, and therefore, that overcomes their absolutely boorish behavior. Apparently female heroines are so lonely that the first guy to look at them is worth jumping, even if the look they’re getting is a scowl of contempt. This kind of “attraction” makes Josie look so desperate for approval that even when both guys are treating her like crap, she sticks around. Hey, at least it’s attention, right? Bleh, this is not a good quality when combined with her other bad traits.
The story moves to a big conflict for the final chapters, and when the bad guy steps out to reveal his plans, I wanted to weep with baby Jesus. The plan is poorly thought out, and the reasons that the bad guy chose Josie make no sense.
So, this leaves me in a bit of a pickle. Here we have a story with solid writing, many charming moments of wit, and with vampires who are a combination of familiar and new aspects that make the world building intensely interesting. But Josie’s method of world building is asking hick questions that aren’t even appropriate as fifth date material, much less the first. If Josie and I were on a date, I would expect her to say “So...you used to have a dick, huh? What's that all about?” That’s exactly how tacky she is in broaching vampire topics. And while the world Josie lives in is fascinating, once we get to that first set of dates, Josie reveals why she’s still single as she nears her thirties. She’s a goober who likes the taste of her own shoes. She has to, because she keeps opening her mouth wide to shove both shoes inside.
The vampires have an interesting background, and this is a world where vampires are out in society, something you don’t see often. It’s a unique enough view that if you can overlook Josie being a hick, the book isn’t bad. But even being a hick myself, I was frequently face-palming at how tacky she was. Think of this as a brief road trip with someone you sometimes wish you could sex up, only to wish you could drown her voice out with the radio a few minutes later.
I’m going to give The Vampire Relationship Guide Volume 1: Meeting and Mating 3 stars and recommend it to fans of vampire humor and urban fantasy series like the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries. And being charitable, Josie didn’t rub me the wrong way nearly as badly as Sookie, or as Wendy from Switched. I was able to make it through Josie’s book, while I dropped Switched and Dead Until Dark early on. So call that a tepid endorsement of Josie as being the least cloying of the three.
April 21, 2011
Reviewed by Rabid Reads
The Vampire Relationship Guide, Vol 1 is a cute, quick read that will have you giggling in no time. The title of this book will give you a pretty good idea as to its contents. Josie goes through Evelyn Lafont's how-to steps in such a way that you can't help but smile. I was surprised by the ending when an element of danger is added. When I first picked-up this book I was expecting a light, chick-lit read which is exactly what I received but the twist at the end was a welcomed surprise. This novella is not only hilarious but it also has substance. Who would have guessed?
Josie has a one-track mind in this tale. Her sole goal is to get a vampire into bed. However, during her first date with one she quickly realizes that she knows absolutely nothing about them other than how pretty they are. The back-and-forth between her and Gregory is too funny for words. Josie automatically assumes that all of the stereotypes are true and as a result asks her date the most awkward questions imaginable. Gregory seems to take everything in stride and is overall a good sport in the face of her ignorance.
Walker is Josie's second prospect in the vamp lover department. He's the complete opposite of Gregory. He nails the bad-boy character to a tee. At first glance, the obvious choice is Gregory. He gives off a gentlemanly vibe and is very respectful towards Josie. However, as in most cases, first impressions can be deceiving. *Queue twist* I don't want to give too much away as this is a novella so I'll stop here. This story is a playful read that's perfect for anyone who's ever fantasized about what-if vampires were real.
The Vampire Relationship Guide, Vol 1 is a cute, quick read that will have you giggling in no time. The title of this book will give you a pretty good idea as to its contents. Josie goes through Evelyn Lafont's how-to steps in such a way that you can't help but smile. I was surprised by the ending when an element of danger is added. When I first picked-up this book I was expecting a light, chick-lit read which is exactly what I received but the twist at the end was a welcomed surprise. This novella is not only hilarious but it also has substance. Who would have guessed?
Josie has a one-track mind in this tale. Her sole goal is to get a vampire into bed. However, during her first date with one she quickly realizes that she knows absolutely nothing about them other than how pretty they are. The back-and-forth between her and Gregory is too funny for words. Josie automatically assumes that all of the stereotypes are true and as a result asks her date the most awkward questions imaginable. Gregory seems to take everything in stride and is overall a good sport in the face of her ignorance.
Walker is Josie's second prospect in the vamp lover department. He's the complete opposite of Gregory. He nails the bad-boy character to a tee. At first glance, the obvious choice is Gregory. He gives off a gentlemanly vibe and is very respectful towards Josie. However, as in most cases, first impressions can be deceiving. *Queue twist* I don't want to give too much away as this is a novella so I'll stop here. This story is a playful read that's perfect for anyone who's ever fantasized about what-if vampires were real.
July 9, 2012
This was a freebie on the kindle store a while back. The Vampire Relationship Guide: Meeting and Mating is a short story/novella written by Evelyn Lafont.
This one had been on my kindle a little while and so I had forgotten the synopsis. This is a very light paranormal romantic suspense comedy. Whew! That was mouthful.
Josie is a single girl in her thirties. She works in a bridal shop . Her dream is to date a vampire. So, when she lands an invitation to a party hosted by a millionaire vampire, she jumps at the opportunity to meet some eligible vampires. Not only does she meet one, she meets two. This story is about her adventure in dating vampires. There is a sequel to the book, and you are given a sneak peak at the end of this book.
Josie can be sarcastic, funny, and witty, likable most of the time, but also will make you mad that she lets these two guys get away with too much. I must confess, I am a tad bit older than the targeted audience here, so the language used by Josie was a little too high school for a woman in her thirties, in my opinion. She is also so hot to date a vampire she overlooks some major personality disorders she wouldn't have blown off if she had been dating a regular guy. But, this is light reading with maybe a little moral to the story to go with it.
The writing here is excellent and I think this author has the talent to do much more. I hope to hear from her again soon.
This one had been on my kindle a little while and so I had forgotten the synopsis. This is a very light paranormal romantic suspense comedy. Whew! That was mouthful.
Josie is a single girl in her thirties. She works in a bridal shop . Her dream is to date a vampire. So, when she lands an invitation to a party hosted by a millionaire vampire, she jumps at the opportunity to meet some eligible vampires. Not only does she meet one, she meets two. This story is about her adventure in dating vampires. There is a sequel to the book, and you are given a sneak peak at the end of this book.
Josie can be sarcastic, funny, and witty, likable most of the time, but also will make you mad that she lets these two guys get away with too much. I must confess, I am a tad bit older than the targeted audience here, so the language used by Josie was a little too high school for a woman in her thirties, in my opinion. She is also so hot to date a vampire she overlooks some major personality disorders she wouldn't have blown off if she had been dating a regular guy. But, this is light reading with maybe a little moral to the story to go with it.
The writing here is excellent and I think this author has the talent to do much more. I hope to hear from her again soon.
January 28, 2019
Sorry to say I wasn't a fan of this one. It wasn't completely a waste of time, if light and fluffy is what you're looking for, but that's hardly ever what I'm looking for when it comes to vampires.
I didn't hate the book, though I'm having trouble deciding what to say about it. The writing was easy to read and amusing. I think my issues come down to the fact that there wasn't really any substance or development. I'm used to vampires being creatures you aren't supposed to trust, so the fact that the main character was completely comfortable chatting up random vamps seemed a little odd. A bit more worldbuilding could have resolved this.
Another thing I didn't like was that one of the love interests constantly smelled like cigarette smoke. The smell announced his presence, and it clung to him during conversations. I've written a hot guy who smokes myself, but details like this are just so gross. The guy smoked inside the main character's apartment without asking permission, and ended up burning her comforter with his cigarette. Gross and rude!
Anyway, that about sums up my thoughts. Thanks for the buddy-read, Maraya!
I didn't hate the book, though I'm having trouble deciding what to say about it. The writing was easy to read and amusing. I think my issues come down to the fact that there wasn't really any substance or development. I'm used to vampires being creatures you aren't supposed to trust, so the fact that the main character was completely comfortable chatting up random vamps seemed a little odd. A bit more worldbuilding could have resolved this.
Another thing I didn't like was that one of the love interests constantly smelled like cigarette smoke. The smell announced his presence, and it clung to him during conversations. I've written a hot guy who smokes myself, but details like this are just so gross. The guy smoked inside the main character's apartment without asking permission, and ended up burning her comforter with his cigarette. Gross and rude!
Anyway, that about sums up my thoughts. Thanks for the buddy-read, Maraya!
April 28, 2011
I'm going to break this down into The Good and the Not-So-Good to try and keep my thoughts a bit more on track than the first draft of this review turned out.
The Good: This may be one of the funniest genre pastiches I've ever read. Vampire (and other supernatural creature) Romance is a huge market right now, and in 90 pages Evelyn Lafont manages to crack wise about almost every trope of the genre. I haven't even read that much supernatural romance (urban fantasy of the detective/crime realm is more my cup of tea) and I found myself smiling or laughing or nodding knowingly throughout the book. The main reason I enjoyed the book is that it does not take itself too seriously. The book is a fast easy read with lots of funny dialogue and wink-wink-nudge-nudge humor regarding the current obsession with sexy vampires. The author also does a nice job of taking all the standards of vampire lore and giving them the tweaks necessary to make them work in her world without straying too far from what is "canon" about vampires: they drink blood because the magic in their bodies prevents them from making new red blood cells; channels in their teeth draw the blood directly into their circulatory system; drinking blood is an act of sustenance not sexuality; anything that would cause a vamp to lose blood or that would destroy blood cells will eventually kill them (not just a stake to the heart, but any gaping bleeding wound, etc). The main character, Josie, is a bit of a rural rube in her thirties -- almost too innocent despite claims of being jaded -- that is a perfect send-up of the young-nubile-innocent heroine trope. The lead vamps, Gregory and Walker, fit the standard romantic types as well.
The Not-So-Good: Because of the length, there is not a lot of obvious world-building beyond those basics of vampirism, and what other world-building details are mentioned are inconsistent throughout the book. For instance, we are told early on that Vampires are as publicly recognized a minority as any other group you can think of and that laws have been passed declaring that businesses must stay open 24 hours a day to accommodate those who cannot go out in the sun; there's no detail on how long ago Vampires "came out," or how readily they were accepted into mainstream culture. This creates a problem for our main character: vampires are common enough that it's apparently fairly easy to find them, and yet Josie knows so little about vampire culture that she asks incredibly personal questions at the absolute most wrong moments. I realize Josie's questions are a way to get the basic info about vampires mentioned above into the reader's path, but the result is a main character who in social situations is either incredibly stupid (this stuff should be mostly common knowledge and she doesn't have that knowledge despite her vamp-obsession) or incredibly insensitive (she knows what she's asking is a bit personal, but asks anyway, almost like she has no verbal filter between her brain and her mouth). I'm leaning towards the former, because I like the idea of Josie as a play on the young-nubile-innocent heroine and if she's knowledgeable-but-insensitive I don't think I like her as much.
The Part I'm Undecided About: As the book moves from "meeting vampires for sex" to "our heroine is in danger, who will save her" tropes, the plot either becomes burdened with holes large enough to drive a hearse through or becomes a pastiche on the action/adventure genre. i can't speak for the author or her intent, but I have plans to interview her and hopefully will get some insight. I'll post a link when I put the interview up on my website.
Overall, though, I recommend VAMPIRE RELATIONSHIP GUIDE to anyone who enjoys vampire romance fiction and likes a good send-up of genre tropes. I suspect Evelyn Lafont will be continuing the series (otherwise why call this Volume One) and it will be interesting to see how she maintains the tone of this volume.
I've also posted an interview with the author, which can be found at http://anthonycardno.com/?p=111
The Good: This may be one of the funniest genre pastiches I've ever read. Vampire (and other supernatural creature) Romance is a huge market right now, and in 90 pages Evelyn Lafont manages to crack wise about almost every trope of the genre. I haven't even read that much supernatural romance (urban fantasy of the detective/crime realm is more my cup of tea) and I found myself smiling or laughing or nodding knowingly throughout the book. The main reason I enjoyed the book is that it does not take itself too seriously. The book is a fast easy read with lots of funny dialogue and wink-wink-nudge-nudge humor regarding the current obsession with sexy vampires. The author also does a nice job of taking all the standards of vampire lore and giving them the tweaks necessary to make them work in her world without straying too far from what is "canon" about vampires: they drink blood because the magic in their bodies prevents them from making new red blood cells; channels in their teeth draw the blood directly into their circulatory system; drinking blood is an act of sustenance not sexuality; anything that would cause a vamp to lose blood or that would destroy blood cells will eventually kill them (not just a stake to the heart, but any gaping bleeding wound, etc). The main character, Josie, is a bit of a rural rube in her thirties -- almost too innocent despite claims of being jaded -- that is a perfect send-up of the young-nubile-innocent heroine trope. The lead vamps, Gregory and Walker, fit the standard romantic types as well.
The Not-So-Good: Because of the length, there is not a lot of obvious world-building beyond those basics of vampirism, and what other world-building details are mentioned are inconsistent throughout the book. For instance, we are told early on that Vampires are as publicly recognized a minority as any other group you can think of and that laws have been passed declaring that businesses must stay open 24 hours a day to accommodate those who cannot go out in the sun; there's no detail on how long ago Vampires "came out," or how readily they were accepted into mainstream culture. This creates a problem for our main character: vampires are common enough that it's apparently fairly easy to find them, and yet Josie knows so little about vampire culture that she asks incredibly personal questions at the absolute most wrong moments. I realize Josie's questions are a way to get the basic info about vampires mentioned above into the reader's path, but the result is a main character who in social situations is either incredibly stupid (this stuff should be mostly common knowledge and she doesn't have that knowledge despite her vamp-obsession) or incredibly insensitive (she knows what she's asking is a bit personal, but asks anyway, almost like she has no verbal filter between her brain and her mouth). I'm leaning towards the former, because I like the idea of Josie as a play on the young-nubile-innocent heroine and if she's knowledgeable-but-insensitive I don't think I like her as much.
The Part I'm Undecided About: As the book moves from "meeting vampires for sex" to "our heroine is in danger, who will save her" tropes, the plot either becomes burdened with holes large enough to drive a hearse through or becomes a pastiche on the action/adventure genre. i can't speak for the author or her intent, but I have plans to interview her and hopefully will get some insight. I'll post a link when I put the interview up on my website.
Overall, though, I recommend VAMPIRE RELATIONSHIP GUIDE to anyone who enjoys vampire romance fiction and likes a good send-up of genre tropes. I suspect Evelyn Lafont will be continuing the series (otherwise why call this Volume One) and it will be interesting to see how she maintains the tone of this volume.
I've also posted an interview with the author, which can be found at http://anthonycardno.com/?p=111
May 29, 2011
I had so much fun reading this book and there were countless times where I turned to my husband and said "Man, I think the author's writing about me!" I am a vampire girl ALL THE WAY. I love the broody, tortured soul and the intensity. The vampires in my head are UBER sexy and I think if I ever met one I'd melt into a heated puddle because it would mean ... there may be one of those erotic bites *blush* So when I began reading Vampire Relationship Guide, straight away I identified with Josie. She is a girl after my own heart, BFF material because she has some serious lusting after the fanged hotties as well.This book was a hilarious look at Josie's getting her hearts desire of dating a vampire BUT the author is especially sweet - she gives Josie TWO love interests. Can you imagine what it would feel like having that kind of attention? *swoon* This book was easy to fall in love with and I devoured it in one sitting. Once you start, you won't want to stop!
I really loved Josie. I loved the excitement that she had and I could totally see myself hanging out with her, gushing over men. She was so giddy to get an invite to a vamp party and I loved how confident she was in going to it by herself. She shows up and its glamorous. As much as I'd be in heaven, I would've been hiding behind a potted fern, lusting from afar but she talks to the hottest guy there - Gregory! Talk about swoony. I would've been quite content with him alone but after leaving the party, Josie crosses paths with another vamp and it was ALL over for me. Walker is the epitome of everything that is sexy about vampires. He's the reason why I get full body tingles and secretly wish my hubby would sprout fangs. He had me panting in parts and searching for ways to swap places with Josie. He is a bad boy, full of mystery and snark and he made me want to reach in to the book and do very dirty things LOL Josie really had her hands full - two very different guys and her feelings swaying this way and that. Gregory is attentive and Walker oozes yummy goodness so what's a girl to do. I really had a good time reading how Josie dealt with everything and how she responded to each guy.
This is the debut novella by Evelyn and guys, you need to watch out for her because she writes with an amazing sense of humor. I found myself laughing all through the story and it made it an amazing experience. There wasn't any point in the book where I lost interested, it kept me hooked to the end and left me desperate for more. Vampire Relationship Guide, Vol 1 is a read you'll relate to, that entertains and has you feeling good. Definitely grab yourself a copy and I'll be looking for your "I HEART Walker" tweets and Facebook comments LOL Happy reading!!
I really loved Josie. I loved the excitement that she had and I could totally see myself hanging out with her, gushing over men. She was so giddy to get an invite to a vamp party and I loved how confident she was in going to it by herself. She shows up and its glamorous. As much as I'd be in heaven, I would've been hiding behind a potted fern, lusting from afar but she talks to the hottest guy there - Gregory! Talk about swoony. I would've been quite content with him alone but after leaving the party, Josie crosses paths with another vamp and it was ALL over for me. Walker is the epitome of everything that is sexy about vampires. He's the reason why I get full body tingles and secretly wish my hubby would sprout fangs. He had me panting in parts and searching for ways to swap places with Josie. He is a bad boy, full of mystery and snark and he made me want to reach in to the book and do very dirty things LOL Josie really had her hands full - two very different guys and her feelings swaying this way and that. Gregory is attentive and Walker oozes yummy goodness so what's a girl to do. I really had a good time reading how Josie dealt with everything and how she responded to each guy.
This is the debut novella by Evelyn and guys, you need to watch out for her because she writes with an amazing sense of humor. I found myself laughing all through the story and it made it an amazing experience. There wasn't any point in the book where I lost interested, it kept me hooked to the end and left me desperate for more. Vampire Relationship Guide, Vol 1 is a read you'll relate to, that entertains and has you feeling good. Definitely grab yourself a copy and I'll be looking for your "I HEART Walker" tweets and Facebook comments LOL Happy reading!!
April 25, 2011
3.5 stars
The Vampire Relationship Guide was a funny novella and a fun, quick read.
Josie is an outspoken 32 year old who works in a bridal shop and has an obsession with dating a vampire; until she suddenly has two hot vamps vying for her attention. Then she finds out that they may not be all the rage she thought they were.
Josie meets Gregory at a party and they instantly hit it off and he seems like the perfect man, err..vampire. But when she plans a date with him, Walker, the rude vampire that she met skulking outside of Gregory’s residence also asks her out. She figures why not and agrees but these two constantly rub each other the wrong way. I love me some bad boys so I was instantly drawn to Walker even though he managed to say all of the wrong things. Gregory was just too perfect for me. I loved the dialogue between Josie and Walker and Josie was just hilarious all by herself. The things that came out of her mouth had me laughing out load.
There was some suspense, action and a twist thrown in towards the end but the beginning went at a slow pace. And I knew that one of Josie’s love interests weren’t all of what they seemed but I was surprised as to how that aspect turned out. I also wasn’t believing the emotions between Walker and Josie, though I did love them, they’re relationship just wasn’t as developed as her and Gregory’s.
One sex scene that was so-so, with a middle aged woman dying to get into the sack with a vampire I thought there would be a bit more but alas, it was not to be.
The main lesson of this novella is, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! An entertaining and fast read to break up the routine of 300+ page novels.
The Vampire Relationship Guide was a funny novella and a fun, quick read.
Josie is an outspoken 32 year old who works in a bridal shop and has an obsession with dating a vampire; until she suddenly has two hot vamps vying for her attention. Then she finds out that they may not be all the rage she thought they were.
Josie meets Gregory at a party and they instantly hit it off and he seems like the perfect man, err..vampire. But when she plans a date with him, Walker, the rude vampire that she met skulking outside of Gregory’s residence also asks her out. She figures why not and agrees but these two constantly rub each other the wrong way. I love me some bad boys so I was instantly drawn to Walker even though he managed to say all of the wrong things. Gregory was just too perfect for me. I loved the dialogue between Josie and Walker and Josie was just hilarious all by herself. The things that came out of her mouth had me laughing out load.
There was some suspense, action and a twist thrown in towards the end but the beginning went at a slow pace. And I knew that one of Josie’s love interests weren’t all of what they seemed but I was surprised as to how that aspect turned out. I also wasn’t believing the emotions between Walker and Josie, though I did love them, they’re relationship just wasn’t as developed as her and Gregory’s.
One sex scene that was so-so, with a middle aged woman dying to get into the sack with a vampire I thought there would be a bit more but alas, it was not to be.
The main lesson of this novella is, be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! An entertaining and fast read to break up the routine of 300+ page novels.
August 6, 2011
3.5 stars
Lafont's character development of Josie was great. The book began with Josie, a somewhat shallow bridal shop employee. While the initial character irked me with respect to her views on humans and vampires alike, Josie departs from objectifying the vampires--she's initially only interested in getting into their pants--and looks at them as actual people when she has the opportunity to get to know two vampires, Gregory and Walker. I felt like the character development behind Gregory and Walker was not as good, with Walker's being the least in depth. I understand that the characters had to remain a mystery but I didn't feel like I got to know them well enough.
In terms of originality, I questioned whether or not I was reading a somewhat modified version of Twilight as the main character explains that although she lives in Florida she is pale, a characteristic that sets herself apart from other humans living there. However, the similarities end as the story progresses and the originality of the book was refreshing in terms of vampire lore.
The plot moves along fairly quickly (I finished reading the book in two days). The story is built up well but it seems that the climax and resolution pan out extremely quickly. Although this is not a fault, it left me wanting more in terms of closure.
Lafont's character development of Josie was great. The book began with Josie, a somewhat shallow bridal shop employee. While the initial character irked me with respect to her views on humans and vampires alike, Josie departs from objectifying the vampires--she's initially only interested in getting into their pants--and looks at them as actual people when she has the opportunity to get to know two vampires, Gregory and Walker. I felt like the character development behind Gregory and Walker was not as good, with Walker's being the least in depth. I understand that the characters had to remain a mystery but I didn't feel like I got to know them well enough.
In terms of originality, I questioned whether or not I was reading a somewhat modified version of Twilight as the main character explains that although she lives in Florida she is pale, a characteristic that sets herself apart from other humans living there. However, the similarities end as the story progresses and the originality of the book was refreshing in terms of vampire lore.
The plot moves along fairly quickly (I finished reading the book in two days). The story is built up well but it seems that the climax and resolution pan out extremely quickly. Although this is not a fault, it left me wanting more in terms of closure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2011
This book was an absolute joy to read, I know I have mentioned in previous reviews how much humor is an important factor for me in books and this one had it from practically the first page and continued through out the story.
I was literally laughing out loud for the majority of the book, Josie, I can easily say she will rank as my top favorite female character of 2011. She was experiencing what all of us that dream of having two vampires competing for her affection or to at least get her in bed or not(I won't spoil it for you).
Let me move on to Gregory, I thought at first oh yes this was a vampire,that was near perfect in every way but as I continued to read I had a nagging suspicion there was more to him than we were being told. So when Walker came into the picture- which I must say is the type I normally like the broody, grouchy type. I gravitate to this type because I know there has to be a heart of gold in there somewhere.
Overall I loved this book so much I was just searching to find anything I could on when the next book would be released. Would I recommend this book ? Yes, if you ever dreamed of what it would be like on the dating scene with a vampire or two and would love a good laugh as well then you will throughly enjoy this book. I know I did.
I was literally laughing out loud for the majority of the book, Josie, I can easily say she will rank as my top favorite female character of 2011. She was experiencing what all of us that dream of having two vampires competing for her affection or to at least get her in bed or not(I won't spoil it for you).
Let me move on to Gregory, I thought at first oh yes this was a vampire,that was near perfect in every way but as I continued to read I had a nagging suspicion there was more to him than we were being told. So when Walker came into the picture- which I must say is the type I normally like the broody, grouchy type. I gravitate to this type because I know there has to be a heart of gold in there somewhere.
Overall I loved this book so much I was just searching to find anything I could on when the next book would be released. Would I recommend this book ? Yes, if you ever dreamed of what it would be like on the dating scene with a vampire or two and would love a good laugh as well then you will throughly enjoy this book. I know I did.
February 1, 2019
🌈 First evah BR with the friendly & deadly Unikitty! ♥ 🌈
Hmm..
Yeah. This is one of those books that you didn't absolutely hate but you didn't really love, or even like, either.
The writing is decent but something is missing. Bits and pieces add up one could say. Like my friend Heather said, this was all fluff and if you want something with more weight then yiu have to look elsewhere.
Will continue on though cause I am curious! #die_curious
I guess my point was that I was extremely gullible. Truth is, I never really took the time to try and actually get to know a vampire, I was just so single-mindedly obsessed with having sex with them.
Oh my God—I was a teenage boy.
@72%
Hmm..
Yeah. This is one of those books that you didn't absolutely hate but you didn't really love, or even like, either.
The writing is decent but something is missing. Bits and pieces add up one could say. Like my friend Heather said, this was all fluff and if you want something with more weight then yiu have to look elsewhere.
Will continue on though cause I am curious! #die_curious
April 21, 2011
This novella is a whole lot of fun! Josie is feisty and knows what she wants. What she wants, by the way, is a sexy vampire! Judging by the success of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and other vampire franchises; she is not alone. She gets an invitation to go to a party thrown by a vampire and she takes full advantage of the opportunity!
She gets more than she bargained for though. She meets two vampires that both take an interest in her. She has to navigate relationships with both of them and I enjoyed reading about it. I know lots of us like a bad boy and this book delivers an awesome one! Take this novella to the beach and enjoy a hot afternoon!
BOTTOM LINE: FUN SUMMER READ!
She gets more than she bargained for though. She meets two vampires that both take an interest in her. She has to navigate relationships with both of them and I enjoyed reading about it. I know lots of us like a bad boy and this book delivers an awesome one! Take this novella to the beach and enjoy a hot afternoon!
BOTTOM LINE: FUN SUMMER READ!
April 28, 2011
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but whatever it was it sure went way beyond it. It was awesome. I loved it.
Josie was smart, funny and totally sarcastic kinda girl that I love. She gets caught between 2 dreamy vampires and I was on board with either one.
I honestly couldn't put this book down. It was just extremely awesome. It was action packed, sexy, funny and filled with twists and turns!! There was some things I never seen coming!!
Great Great Book!! I can't wait to read more from this author!!!
Josie was smart, funny and totally sarcastic kinda girl that I love. She gets caught between 2 dreamy vampires and I was on board with either one.
I honestly couldn't put this book down. It was just extremely awesome. It was action packed, sexy, funny and filled with twists and turns!! There was some things I never seen coming!!
Great Great Book!! I can't wait to read more from this author!!!
April 11, 2011
This was a pretty good paranormal romance/ertotica read. I don't believe it was a full lenght novel, but rather a novella. It came highly recommended from someone else, so I was totally all about reading it asap. I didn't think it was like, totally great...but it was fun and fast. :) I would definitly like to read further installments of these characters...assuming there will be some. The author could have definitely made a full length novel out of it.
October 20, 2013
This is a fun series. Now I remember why I had that note to myself to buy the next two books. ;) The snark is great. I love "Nicotine-o" which seems to be Josie's preferred name for Walker. There is a tiny mystery of missing blondes, but it's almost a background story than the main story of Walker and Josie.
August 31, 2014
short but sweet!
This was an enjoyable read. A girl and 2 vampire lovers. They both have secrets. Which one will she choose?
This was an enjoyable read. A girl and 2 vampire lovers. They both have secrets. Which one will she choose?
May 7, 2018
I was in the mood for something, quick, flirty, and funny so I snatched up The Vampire Relationship Guide v. 1 to begin the serial story of average gal Josie who starts off just wanting to meet and maybe spend an evening with a vampire. How hard can it be since they're out there in the open now, right?
This freebie ended up being exactly what I thought it was. It was an easy read that was mildly amusing. Josie has some snark in her and a ton of naivete, but there's no harm in her. She can't believe her luck when she catches the eye of a wealthy, debonair vampire, but also a scruffy, call it like he sees it one, too. One is the vamp of her dreams and the other she wants to shout 'in your dreams'.
It was fun, but not real complicated. Josie has a little adventure and gets her eyes opened wide on the real vampire life and also learns quite a bit about herself at the same time. The story wraps up the main plot thread and ends things on a happy for now note that will carry it onto the next leg of Josie's adventures.
This one isn't meant to be taken seriously, but if someone's looking for a quick and light paranormal to fill an hour or two, this freebie (which is still free) is a good bet.
This freebie ended up being exactly what I thought it was. It was an easy read that was mildly amusing. Josie has some snark in her and a ton of naivete, but there's no harm in her. She can't believe her luck when she catches the eye of a wealthy, debonair vampire, but also a scruffy, call it like he sees it one, too. One is the vamp of her dreams and the other she wants to shout 'in your dreams'.
It was fun, but not real complicated. Josie has a little adventure and gets her eyes opened wide on the real vampire life and also learns quite a bit about herself at the same time. The story wraps up the main plot thread and ends things on a happy for now note that will carry it onto the next leg of Josie's adventures.
This one isn't meant to be taken seriously, but if someone's looking for a quick and light paranormal to fill an hour or two, this freebie (which is still free) is a good bet.
June 22, 2021
Vampire hotties and heroes!
Loves! Loved! Loved this story! I laughed and gasped throughout the whole book! Funny, witty and full of sexy vamps! Can hardly wait to sink my teeth into the next book!
Loves! Loved! Loved this story! I laughed and gasped throughout the whole book! Funny, witty and full of sexy vamps! Can hardly wait to sink my teeth into the next book!
July 1, 2017
Absolutely loved this humorous, well written story!! Great characters and different kind of vampire tale!!
August 23, 2011
Goodreads Book Synopsis
Josie wants what she's never been able to have--sex with a vampire. When she receives an invitation to a party thrown by one of the world's richest vamps, she doesn't stop to question her luck; she just jumps into her favorite stilettos and heads out to the event of a lifetime, secretly hoping that she'll come home with a party favor in the shape of a sexy coffin dweller.
But the great undead, much to Josie's chagrin, aren't just pale sexbots with pointy teeth waiting to satisfy her carnal desires--they are dangerous--and sometimes cranky. With a single-minded focus on fulfilling her sole sexual longing, Josie unwittingly entrenches herself in the twisted and sometimes antagonistic world of vampire relationships with no one to guide her, but herself.
My Thoughts
I love almost any kind of vampire story, cannot help it since seeing Bela Lugosi playing Dracula as a child. Growing up my favorite thing was to hide behind my Dad's chair when we watched those old Black and White movies, why they scared me is something that makes no sense to me now. However the idea of a creature of the night who seduced women and drank their blood while making it a pleasurable experience is one that still fascinates me. More so when I watch my favorite Salvatore brother, bad boy Damon, on The Vampire Diaries television series. I enjoy the stories written about vampires that incorporate humor as well as some steamy romance so Josie's adventures in the world of dating a vampire was something that absolutely entertained me and also proved once again you should never judge a man by his outer appearance or demeanor. Sometimes when it seems too good to be true it really is! What we all seem to forget is that vampires are not living creatures, they are not bound by human morals or human laws. Furthermore when you have the power of centuries of living at your fingertips such things as right or wrong no longer apply, especially if the vampire in question was never a nice person when they were human!
The twist that author Evelyn Lafont incoporates in The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating is one that I did see coming, however for me it added nicely to the buildup of the ending and when all is said and done this little novella is about as perfect a tale as I have had the pleasure of reading in a book 300-400 pages long. Amazing what the right usage of words can create in less than 150 pages!
Fans of Paranormal Romance who like a little bit of suspense and mystery in their plot will love this as much as I did. There is so much going on in such a short space that it is a shame to spoil the story for you, suffice to say it is a quick/easy/funny read which should appeal across many age groups.
Now only have to wait till the 31st of August for my copy of book 2 The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 2: Secrets and Trust , which I ordered from the author directly off her website and am looking forward to reading.
[I have to disclose that I read a copy of the novella which was given to me by the author. This in no way affected my thoughts or colored my judgement on the book and there was no other compensation for my review comments from the author.]
May 4, 2011
This was a fluffy read that would have only taken me one sitting if I would have been able to find a quiet place to sit down and read.
Josie really wants to date a vampire. They usually have tons of money and second hand reports claim they are gods in bed. What more could a girl want right? Josie is tired of her predictable everyday “normal” life. So when she gets invited to a vamp party she jumps to say yes. Upon arriving she locks eyes with the suave Gregory and sparks fly. But Gregory isn’t the only vamp interested in Josie. Walker, a mysterious, often rude vamp, keeps showing up everywhere Josie seems to be.
Trying to decide between the gorgeous Gregory and the enigma Walker is turning out to be more difficult then Josie expected. Especially since Gregory isn’t always the laid back man he pretends to be. Though Walker isn’t exactly who he claims to be either. Girls that look a lot like Josie are turning up missing and one of them knows more then they are letting on.
This was one of those books that kinda pulls you in and keeps you entertained effortlessly. Fairly short so those of you speed readers won’t have to set a lot of time aside for it. Intrigue, suspense and a bit of heat. I say a bit because the sex scenes were very tame. Much, much tamer then anything I’ve read lately.
The storyline was fast paced but I did have a few issues with the main character Josie. I totally understood her attraction to vampires but what I didn’t understand was her fascination with Gregory. From the get go she finds him attractive sure, but she always seemed to be warring with herself to actually like him. He said and did everything right (for a while) but yet she still couldn’t seem to make herself believe in him. It felt like she really only wanted him for his stature within the community…and his money.
Besides the Gregory issues I wish Josie would have been more content with herself. She’s in her early thirties, she doesn’t have one foot in the grave yet. Yet she seems to have to get married…quickly….and to a vampire…nothing else will do. A girl wants to get married yes, but for me to truly bond with female character I want her to be happy with herself. You don’t need man and all that. Girl power Josie….girl power.
I loved Walker’s mysteriousness. Yeah, he’s an ass about a lot of things and always knows how to stick his foot in his mouth, but honestly Josie got uptight real quick so I don’t necessarily blame Walker for all the upset. His character was tough, strong and cocky….the trifecta in hotness when dealing with fictional charisma.
Once the climax is reveled it was slightly predictable…though still fun. I enjoyed the build up towards the end and will most likely carry my warm fuzzies from the ending of this one to the next installment. Since we till don’t know much about Walker except for the basics. I’m hoping that will be taken care of in the next book.
Instead of reading like a book it read more like a talk with a friend. I enjoyed that. LaFont uses all kinds of slang and her writing is witty and funny. I will be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series.
Josie really wants to date a vampire. They usually have tons of money and second hand reports claim they are gods in bed. What more could a girl want right? Josie is tired of her predictable everyday “normal” life. So when she gets invited to a vamp party she jumps to say yes. Upon arriving she locks eyes with the suave Gregory and sparks fly. But Gregory isn’t the only vamp interested in Josie. Walker, a mysterious, often rude vamp, keeps showing up everywhere Josie seems to be.
Trying to decide between the gorgeous Gregory and the enigma Walker is turning out to be more difficult then Josie expected. Especially since Gregory isn’t always the laid back man he pretends to be. Though Walker isn’t exactly who he claims to be either. Girls that look a lot like Josie are turning up missing and one of them knows more then they are letting on.
This was one of those books that kinda pulls you in and keeps you entertained effortlessly. Fairly short so those of you speed readers won’t have to set a lot of time aside for it. Intrigue, suspense and a bit of heat. I say a bit because the sex scenes were very tame. Much, much tamer then anything I’ve read lately.
The storyline was fast paced but I did have a few issues with the main character Josie. I totally understood her attraction to vampires but what I didn’t understand was her fascination with Gregory. From the get go she finds him attractive sure, but she always seemed to be warring with herself to actually like him. He said and did everything right (for a while) but yet she still couldn’t seem to make herself believe in him. It felt like she really only wanted him for his stature within the community…and his money.
Besides the Gregory issues I wish Josie would have been more content with herself. She’s in her early thirties, she doesn’t have one foot in the grave yet. Yet she seems to have to get married…quickly….and to a vampire…nothing else will do. A girl wants to get married yes, but for me to truly bond with female character I want her to be happy with herself. You don’t need man and all that. Girl power Josie….girl power.
I loved Walker’s mysteriousness. Yeah, he’s an ass about a lot of things and always knows how to stick his foot in his mouth, but honestly Josie got uptight real quick so I don’t necessarily blame Walker for all the upset. His character was tough, strong and cocky….the trifecta in hotness when dealing with fictional charisma.
Once the climax is reveled it was slightly predictable…though still fun. I enjoyed the build up towards the end and will most likely carry my warm fuzzies from the ending of this one to the next installment. Since we till don’t know much about Walker except for the basics. I’m hoping that will be taken care of in the next book.
Instead of reading like a book it read more like a talk with a friend. I enjoyed that. LaFont uses all kinds of slang and her writing is witty and funny. I will be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series.
January 1, 2016
This is really more like a 3.5 for me. This is a short story, clocking in at just under 90 pages, and in some ways that was part of the problem. The story began as if it would be a standard length harlequin romance title, but with only a fraction of the time the author rushed the pace along at awkward moments (like with the development of Walker or the eventual reality of Gregory).
Josie was an engaging character--a little foul mouthed, but she had some funny observances. Plus she had a grounded sense of things; she knew what she didn't want (the 2.5 kids and house in the suburbs) and what did want (to have fun). I think LaFont overdid the fact that Josie didn't want to look 'slutty', in the course of her dressing for the vampire party Josie mentions it no less then four times and later she mentions it several more times.
LaFont took a broad stroke with explaining the world--there was a lot of 'let's explain this' moments because Josie understands very little of how vampires tick (despite being obsessed with them--she only seems to know they're gorgeous, marry a lot and are great in bed) and would ask questions like 'Do you even breathe?'
I was kind of uncomfortable with the nature of Walker and Josie's relationship initially. Things started off badly, but Walker's attempt to make up for it was awkward at best and Josie's judgy-ness was frustrating. She takes Gregory to a bowling alley for a first date--a bowling alley with a rich, cultured vampire--and yet Walker's attempt at a first date (at a biker bar) is more offensive? Walker compliments her and worries about her, while Gregory seems to be amused by her (almost like a pet), and Walker is in the wrong?
Admittedly Walker pushes all her buttons, but he puts up with a lot more abuse from her. Which made the ending all the more confusing. The eventual revelation of who Gregory is wasn't a complete surprise, but Walker's explanation was. And it doesn't explain why Josie, fresh from having a night of passion with Gregory is like 'Whatever you want Walker' and strips for him and let's him help with a bath. I sincerely think I missed a chunk of development.
The little 'excerpts' and 'Dear Vampy' segments were funny (though again Josie's was kind of abrupt) and I did like Walker's character, possibly the best. I think if LaFont had more time to flesh out the motivations of everyone involved, this would have read easier. Josie's just wanting to have sex with a vampire, Gregory's ambitions for the election and Walker's mysteriousness enticed the reader to read on, but there was ultimately little to no pay off for it.
Josie was an engaging character--a little foul mouthed, but she had some funny observances. Plus she had a grounded sense of things; she knew what she didn't want (the 2.5 kids and house in the suburbs) and what did want (to have fun). I think LaFont overdid the fact that Josie didn't want to look 'slutty', in the course of her dressing for the vampire party Josie mentions it no less then four times and later she mentions it several more times.
LaFont took a broad stroke with explaining the world--there was a lot of 'let's explain this' moments because Josie understands very little of how vampires tick (despite being obsessed with them--she only seems to know they're gorgeous, marry a lot and are great in bed) and would ask questions like 'Do you even breathe?'
I was kind of uncomfortable with the nature of Walker and Josie's relationship initially. Things started off badly, but Walker's attempt to make up for it was awkward at best and Josie's judgy-ness was frustrating. She takes Gregory to a bowling alley for a first date--a bowling alley with a rich, cultured vampire--and yet Walker's attempt at a first date (at a biker bar) is more offensive? Walker compliments her and worries about her, while Gregory seems to be amused by her (almost like a pet), and Walker is in the wrong?
Admittedly Walker pushes all her buttons, but he puts up with a lot more abuse from her. Which made the ending all the more confusing. The eventual revelation of who Gregory is wasn't a complete surprise, but Walker's explanation was. And it doesn't explain why Josie, fresh from having a night of passion with Gregory is like 'Whatever you want Walker' and strips for him and let's him help with a bath. I sincerely think I missed a chunk of development.
The little 'excerpts' and 'Dear Vampy' segments were funny (though again Josie's was kind of abrupt) and I did like Walker's character, possibly the best. I think if LaFont had more time to flesh out the motivations of everyone involved, this would have read easier. Josie's just wanting to have sex with a vampire, Gregory's ambitions for the election and Walker's mysteriousness enticed the reader to read on, but there was ultimately little to no pay off for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2014
From the cover and title I thought this book was going to be a witty satirical take the vampire love story genre, or perhaps just an amusing how-to ‘guide’ for vampire relationships. For me, it didn’t really meet either of these expectations. It was just another short, vampire love story with some humour and sex thrown in. While it wasn’t a bad book, I had high expectations of being amused so I was a little disappointed.
The main character in this novel has her own voice, she can be mildly amusing. She’s brash, independent, and a bit slow but does have some self awareness as seen when she comments on her desire for vampire sex: “Oh my God— I was a teenage boy”. I didn’t really feel she was a well rounded character, but as I said it is only a short book so she’s fleshed out relative to length. I found it difficult to believe that while she was trying to impress two sexy vampires she would use the word ‘yuppers’. I can’t imagine that word sounding sexy from anyone’s mouth. The character also seemed a little… old to be using that kind of word. But that was just a little thing that bugged me.
I really liked that vampires were explained in terms of why and how they drink blood. Even the apparently sexy vampire bite was explained with a bit of humour:
“Tell me, would that have been better for you if you’d eaten a salami sandwich while we did it?” “Ew, no . What an absurd question… oh. So then, you don’t like to suck blood while you have sex?”
I saw the end coming for the most part. Aren’t the ‘perfect’ ones always the evil ones? As it was a short book I didn’t mind the predictability, if I had invested five hours for a predictable ending, however, I would have been sad.
The relationships in this book seem to happen very fast and, as vampires live so much longer than humans, I would have thought they would be inclined to take their time to enjoy things. Perhaps some date stamps would have made the book feel less speedy. It seemed like everything happened within about 7 days.
Overall, it was an enjoyable short read, but it really didn’t intrigue me enough to want to read any further books in this series. I really like the book cover and title, it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
The main character in this novel has her own voice, she can be mildly amusing. She’s brash, independent, and a bit slow but does have some self awareness as seen when she comments on her desire for vampire sex: “Oh my God— I was a teenage boy”. I didn’t really feel she was a well rounded character, but as I said it is only a short book so she’s fleshed out relative to length. I found it difficult to believe that while she was trying to impress two sexy vampires she would use the word ‘yuppers’. I can’t imagine that word sounding sexy from anyone’s mouth. The character also seemed a little… old to be using that kind of word. But that was just a little thing that bugged me.
I really liked that vampires were explained in terms of why and how they drink blood. Even the apparently sexy vampire bite was explained with a bit of humour:
“Tell me, would that have been better for you if you’d eaten a salami sandwich while we did it?” “Ew, no . What an absurd question… oh. So then, you don’t like to suck blood while you have sex?”
I saw the end coming for the most part. Aren’t the ‘perfect’ ones always the evil ones? As it was a short book I didn’t mind the predictability, if I had invested five hours for a predictable ending, however, I would have been sad.
The relationships in this book seem to happen very fast and, as vampires live so much longer than humans, I would have thought they would be inclined to take their time to enjoy things. Perhaps some date stamps would have made the book feel less speedy. It seemed like everything happened within about 7 days.
Overall, it was an enjoyable short read, but it really didn’t intrigue me enough to want to read any further books in this series. I really like the book cover and title, it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
March 29, 2011
Review posted here: Offbeat Vagabond
Thanks to Evelyn Lafont herself, she gave me the chance to read her very first book. Now I must admit (and I told her myself) that I do like paranormal romance, but chick lit has never been my thing. But she said if I was a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series, then this should be up my alley. I must say, she was definitely right.
Meeting and Mating is pretty straightforward. In a world where vampires and humans coexist on an actual normal basis, Josie, a thirty-two year old woman who works at a bridal shop, wants to finally do it...with a vampire. While at work one night, she gets an invitation from a mailman (who is a vampire) who says he can't make it to the party. Josie takes advantage and goes to this party and meets a sexy and rich vampire (with a spray tan) named Gregory. They hit it off and plan to meet up again. While leaving this party, she meets another vampire named who calls himself Walker. He is a smartass, a smoker, and is sort of stalking Josie. But oddly enough she ends up on a date with them both. It was more obvious the differences between the vampires and that just made it more fun to read.
I am not going to say more because I will end up giving things away. It is short, but it is quite packed. But don't go in to this book expecting some novel about a chick gawking about love because I can tell you now, it will change on you. I wish I can say it, but trust me, by the time I got to the last two chapters, my mouth was hanging open. I really enjoyed this book. It may not have been my genre of choice, but I am glad I broke out of my comfort zone. This book is full of humor, intriguing characters, and mystery. I just wish the book was longer, but I can tell you now, it is great either way. I am having an interview with Evelyn Lafont on Thursday and I hope to see you all there congratulating her on her first release. She deserves it. Thank you Evelyn so much and I can't wait to read more from this series.
Thanks to Evelyn Lafont herself, she gave me the chance to read her very first book. Now I must admit (and I told her myself) that I do like paranormal romance, but chick lit has never been my thing. But she said if I was a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series, then this should be up my alley. I must say, she was definitely right.
Meeting and Mating is pretty straightforward. In a world where vampires and humans coexist on an actual normal basis, Josie, a thirty-two year old woman who works at a bridal shop, wants to finally do it...with a vampire. While at work one night, she gets an invitation from a mailman (who is a vampire) who says he can't make it to the party. Josie takes advantage and goes to this party and meets a sexy and rich vampire (with a spray tan) named Gregory. They hit it off and plan to meet up again. While leaving this party, she meets another vampire named who calls himself Walker. He is a smartass, a smoker, and is sort of stalking Josie. But oddly enough she ends up on a date with them both. It was more obvious the differences between the vampires and that just made it more fun to read.
I am not going to say more because I will end up giving things away. It is short, but it is quite packed. But don't go in to this book expecting some novel about a chick gawking about love because I can tell you now, it will change on you. I wish I can say it, but trust me, by the time I got to the last two chapters, my mouth was hanging open. I really enjoyed this book. It may not have been my genre of choice, but I am glad I broke out of my comfort zone. This book is full of humor, intriguing characters, and mystery. I just wish the book was longer, but I can tell you now, it is great either way. I am having an interview with Evelyn Lafont on Thursday and I hope to see you all there congratulating her on her first release. She deserves it. Thank you Evelyn so much and I can't wait to read more from this series.
December 12, 2012
We are presented with a world where vampires and humans have assimilated as much as any group has become part of American culture.
No hiding under beds or in closets, no stalking through the dark forests, no secret meetings in basements and no angsting over outside prejudice – vampires are just part of the new normal, like his and his cake toppers.
So, now blood is an option on any restaurant menu, as ordinary as the gluten-free section, the ADA has been stretched to cover the vampiric need for banks to have nighttime hours (woot!), and magazines commonly run articles along the lines of how-to-date-a-vampire. One magazine has a “Dear Vampy” advice column, about human-vampire relations.
So, are vampires stand ins for a particular social, cultural, physical, ethnic, or sexual group here? I don’t know, and don’t really care, because I was too busy laughing at the both ease and hilarity of making vampires just another carrot in the American stew.
For the main character, she finds vampires to be her ‘type’, and is eager to find a way to meet one who’s single – working in a bridal store, she meets few guys who aren’t already engaged. Luckily, her vampiric mailman (I know, right?) offers her an invite to a party being thrown by one of the most handsome, rich, single vampires of them all.
Wacky erotic hijinks ensue with the girl enjoying, sort of, two sexy vampires expressing intense interest. The toothsome twosome cross multiple lines, to the point where even the main character (of a erotic/romance novel – the kind of story where any male behavior goes) realizes she might have to file two restraining orders.
She’s also incredibly insensitive, which annoyed me, until she actually articulates that she might be insensitive. She’s the equivalent of the “nice” girl who walks up to a lesbian couple she doesn’t know at a bar and asks, all innocence, “how” they have sex. >rolls eyes< Oh vey.
Basically, I found the setting more interesting than the characters.
June 1, 2011
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started this book, but I soon found that it was going to be a light, fun read. Though the title implies this book might be a paranormal romance, I think I would put this more under the "chick lit" category. It's full of dating dilemmas, insecurities and the inner drama that hysterical in a way that only thirty-something, single, chick lit character can pull off.
This story was different from most vampire stories in that humans know about vampires. They even enacted employment laws that forced businesses to stay open through the night to accommodate them both as employees and as patrons! Hey, at least equal opportunity employment is still alive and well!
Of course, a vampire story is nothing without a little bit of good vs. evil and Josie soon finds herself tangled up in a mess of vampires that are vying for her attention for different reasons. There's the super suave and sexy Gregory and the dark and distant Walker. Of course, Josie is smitten over Gregory and isn't sure what to make of Walker. Soon she finds out that outward appearances aren't always what they seem. And now, despite a lifetime to dreaming about being romanced by a vampire, she now has more vampire love interests than she knows what to do with.
I liked this book. It was a fun, short read that gave a different twist on vampire romances. It was a change of pace and at only 90 pages, it was a good "in between" book. It also made me laugh a few times which is always refreshing.
There's only one sex scene in this novella and while it was short, it was steamy!
Overall, this was a quick, fun read that I would recommend to fans of chick lit who want a little vampire action thrown in or to paranormal romance fans who want a little chick lit to break up the genre a bit.
This story was different from most vampire stories in that humans know about vampires. They even enacted employment laws that forced businesses to stay open through the night to accommodate them both as employees and as patrons! Hey, at least equal opportunity employment is still alive and well!
Of course, a vampire story is nothing without a little bit of good vs. evil and Josie soon finds herself tangled up in a mess of vampires that are vying for her attention for different reasons. There's the super suave and sexy Gregory and the dark and distant Walker. Of course, Josie is smitten over Gregory and isn't sure what to make of Walker. Soon she finds out that outward appearances aren't always what they seem. And now, despite a lifetime to dreaming about being romanced by a vampire, she now has more vampire love interests than she knows what to do with.
I liked this book. It was a fun, short read that gave a different twist on vampire romances. It was a change of pace and at only 90 pages, it was a good "in between" book. It also made me laugh a few times which is always refreshing.
There's only one sex scene in this novella and while it was short, it was steamy!
Overall, this was a quick, fun read that I would recommend to fans of chick lit who want a little vampire action thrown in or to paranormal romance fans who want a little chick lit to break up the genre a bit.
April 6, 2011
The Vampire Relationship Guide Volume 1 is the first book in a series by Evelyn Lafont. This short novel is full of mystery and humour.
Josie works in a bridal shop, the worst place to meet the man of her dreams. The only thing is the man of her dreams isn’t technically a man - he’s a vampire. All of Josie’s dreams come true when she is invited to a vampire party. This could be her chance to meet Mr Right..fangs and all.
Well not only does Josie land up dating one vampire, but she ends up dating another one too. Gregory is the vampire of Josie’s dreams; gorgeous, rich and a gentleman. Walker is the exact opposite of what she is looking for; a smoker and awful and rude to women. Who does she end up with? Well I will let you read that to find out.
My favourite part of the book was the ending where Josie realised who Mr Right for her is. She has been on a rollercoaster of a ride and to be honest, I was a bit confused as to who she should trust. There is one sex scene in this book and I must admit it is rather hot, so if hot and steamy scenes are your thing, you will love this book. Josie constantly has sex with vampires on the brain. She is so quirky and lovable as a character. I also loved the detailed explanations as to how the vampires in Lafont’s novel had to stay away from the sun etc. Brilliantly executed.
Overall, thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend it to my friends and fellow bloggers. It’s a nice short read and has all the right elements that is needed in a vampire romance. Can’t wait for the next instalment.
Disclaimer: I was sent this e-book ARC as part of a book blog tour from The Bookish Snob Promotions. I was not paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.
Josie works in a bridal shop, the worst place to meet the man of her dreams. The only thing is the man of her dreams isn’t technically a man - he’s a vampire. All of Josie’s dreams come true when she is invited to a vampire party. This could be her chance to meet Mr Right..fangs and all.
Well not only does Josie land up dating one vampire, but she ends up dating another one too. Gregory is the vampire of Josie’s dreams; gorgeous, rich and a gentleman. Walker is the exact opposite of what she is looking for; a smoker and awful and rude to women. Who does she end up with? Well I will let you read that to find out.
My favourite part of the book was the ending where Josie realised who Mr Right for her is. She has been on a rollercoaster of a ride and to be honest, I was a bit confused as to who she should trust. There is one sex scene in this book and I must admit it is rather hot, so if hot and steamy scenes are your thing, you will love this book. Josie constantly has sex with vampires on the brain. She is so quirky and lovable as a character. I also loved the detailed explanations as to how the vampires in Lafont’s novel had to stay away from the sun etc. Brilliantly executed.
Overall, thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend it to my friends and fellow bloggers. It’s a nice short read and has all the right elements that is needed in a vampire romance. Can’t wait for the next instalment.
Disclaimer: I was sent this e-book ARC as part of a book blog tour from The Bookish Snob Promotions. I was not paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.
April 5, 2011
There are two things you need to know about The Vampire Relationship Guide Vol 1. First, it is a novella, so it is the perfect afternoon read. Second, The snarky wit and humor Evelyn Lafont uses will leave you gasping for more. I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, but I can assure you it is 90 pages of pure fun!
Josie is a girl desperate to date a vampire. She knows very little about them except that they are red hot sexy. This can lead to unexpected consequences, since we all know that vampires and sexy men are usually not all that they seem. She is a balls-to-the-walls, foul-mouthed, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of gal. This took me by surprise, but I found it incredibly refreshing. In a fictional world of trembling maidens, unsure female leads, and heroines that need to be guided, Josie is like cotton candy for the mind. You might not want it for every meal, but it sure hits the spot.
Small spoiler: I don’t completely understand the reasoning behind the plot on Josie’s life. The scheme seemed not well thought out on the apprehender’s part, nor well executed. It seemed to be rushed as an explanation to tie up the book. This was the only part of VRG1 that I felt didn’t flow. The rest of the book felt very fluid.
Conclusion:
VRG1 hooks you deeply. Fast paced and entertaining, it leaves you wanting more after the last page. I definitely recommend checking it out.
Josie is a girl desperate to date a vampire. She knows very little about them except that they are red hot sexy. This can lead to unexpected consequences, since we all know that vampires and sexy men are usually not all that they seem. She is a balls-to-the-walls, foul-mouthed, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of gal. This took me by surprise, but I found it incredibly refreshing. In a fictional world of trembling maidens, unsure female leads, and heroines that need to be guided, Josie is like cotton candy for the mind. You might not want it for every meal, but it sure hits the spot.
Small spoiler: I don’t completely understand the reasoning behind the plot on Josie’s life. The scheme seemed not well thought out on the apprehender’s part, nor well executed. It seemed to be rushed as an explanation to tie up the book. This was the only part of VRG1 that I felt didn’t flow. The rest of the book felt very fluid.
Conclusion:
VRG1 hooks you deeply. Fast paced and entertaining, it leaves you wanting more after the last page. I definitely recommend checking it out.
April 21, 2011
Loved the story! Evelyn creates fabulous characters. I fell in love with Walker from the go. Gregory creeped me out from the start and I was so sure right away that he was really the bad guy. Josie is a great character, loads of spunk. I would have liked it if the story had been fleshed out and longer. So, I am hoping for a sequel (which I assume is coming considering that this is volume one).
This was a fast, fun read. The characters are great! Josie is spunky and funny, Gregory is smooth and mysterious, and Walker....what can a girl say about Walker! He is rough and crass, but you can see the soft and suave under the surface (it just doesn't like to show!). I was IN from the first page. Couldn't wait to see what would happen next and fell in love with Josie's personality! Gregory seems "off" from the start. Of course that could be the relationship cynic in me. If it seems too good to be true - it is. I enjoyed the interactions of Josie and Walker, I love the attraction that they each try to ignore. The story moves quickly and doesn't leave you hanging. I would have loved to see this story fleshed out more and moved from a novella to a full length story. I feel that the characters and the storyline could have sustained a longer book. If I had to say there was one thing that disappointed me - it would be that the story was over too fast. I can't wait for Volume Two!
This was a fast, fun read. The characters are great! Josie is spunky and funny, Gregory is smooth and mysterious, and Walker....what can a girl say about Walker! He is rough and crass, but you can see the soft and suave under the surface (it just doesn't like to show!). I was IN from the first page. Couldn't wait to see what would happen next and fell in love with Josie's personality! Gregory seems "off" from the start. Of course that could be the relationship cynic in me. If it seems too good to be true - it is. I enjoyed the interactions of Josie and Walker, I love the attraction that they each try to ignore. The story moves quickly and doesn't leave you hanging. I would have loved to see this story fleshed out more and moved from a novella to a full length story. I feel that the characters and the storyline could have sustained a longer book. If I had to say there was one thing that disappointed me - it would be that the story was over too fast. I can't wait for Volume Two!
June 18, 2012
This is a very easy and quick read. I read it a while ago, but forgot to put up a review. In this story Josie is a wedding dress clerk. She also has this fantasy to one day sleep with a vampire. Oh yeah...Vampires are known to the world. They actually have affected the world to a point where there is legislation in place that forces businesses to be open 24 hours a day in order not to discriminate against the vampires in need of jobs. They take part in the US government, but they also have their own council. Unfortunately, the human world is still not very efficient in controller the law breaking vampires or even hunting them down once they have done something wrong. This fact is important because the job of one of the vampires in the story is to seek out and control the bad vampires. The story actually has two vampires involved and both are vying for Josie's affection once she actually puts herself out there to try to achieve her her fantasy. Let's just say that she does indeed get her fantasy and also more than she bargained for. Her world gets turned upside down with two vampires coming after her (in more ways than one) and she is left trying to not break their hearts as well as stay alive. It really is a fascinating story and one I thoroughly enjoyed. The ending is shocking and fulfilling. Definitely a good book for those vampire lovers out there.
August 3, 2011
This book follows our heroine, Josie, as she lives the dream and dates not one but two eligible vampire bachelors. It’s pretty flattering attention considering she spends her days working at a bridal shop dealing with bitching bridezillas.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read this. Certainly not the down-to-earth problems and at times hilarious situations Josie finds herself in. She’s direct, insightful, occasionally a bit self-depreciating, and makes no bones about her desire to catch the eye of, have sex with, and maybe even get into a relationship with a hot vampire. Nor does she pull any punches in her descriptions or observations. I couldn’t help snickering, sputtering, and snorting a bit with laughter during some parts, like the visit to the biker bar for burgers for her first date with the not-quite-so-affluent vampire, Walker.
I strongly recommend it if you like your paranormal romance with a heavy dose of hilarity. I was a bit surprised when I hit the end so fast, and I was definitely left wanting more. Volume 2 should be out later this year, and I’m looking forward to the next installment!
To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read this. Certainly not the down-to-earth problems and at times hilarious situations Josie finds herself in. She’s direct, insightful, occasionally a bit self-depreciating, and makes no bones about her desire to catch the eye of, have sex with, and maybe even get into a relationship with a hot vampire. Nor does she pull any punches in her descriptions or observations. I couldn’t help snickering, sputtering, and snorting a bit with laughter during some parts, like the visit to the biker bar for burgers for her first date with the not-quite-so-affluent vampire, Walker.
I strongly recommend it if you like your paranormal romance with a heavy dose of hilarity. I was a bit surprised when I hit the end so fast, and I was definitely left wanting more. Volume 2 should be out later this year, and I’m looking forward to the next installment!
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