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Coastal Creatures #1
Don't Feed the Vampire
Riley’s been alone in the woods for a long time. Turned as a child, he’s hungrier and more fractured than the average vampire, and staying clear of humans is his safest bet. His moms think a mate could help him stabilize, but it’s unclear whether Riley has one, anomaly that he is. Until a new baker arrives in town, smelling so sweet and so perfect that Riley can barely stop himself from eating him up on the spot. Now it’s no longer a question of whether Riley has a mate, but whether Riley can pretend to be less of a monster long enough to woo him.
Romance has never been Seth’s priority. He’s always been more focused on family and friendships and his passion for feeding delicious baked goods to whoever will take them. So it’s odd that this too young, too quiet, too beautiful man keeps showing up at Seth’s door, looking at Seth like he’s something special instead of painfully ordinary. And it’s even more odd that Seth can’t keep his own boundaries straight or his hands to himself. And it’s maybe oddest of all that Seth is coming to feel like Riley’s unnerving, unwavering attention is something he might not be able to live without.
Don’t Feed the Vampire is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a broken, sweetheart vampire with zero social skills; a ray of sunshine human baker; fated mates and the vampire mothers determined to protect them; and a mysterious research institute raising everyone’s suspicions. Each book in this series will focus on a different couple.
Romance has never been Seth’s priority. He’s always been more focused on family and friendships and his passion for feeding delicious baked goods to whoever will take them. So it’s odd that this too young, too quiet, too beautiful man keeps showing up at Seth’s door, looking at Seth like he’s something special instead of painfully ordinary. And it’s even more odd that Seth can’t keep his own boundaries straight or his hands to himself. And it’s maybe oddest of all that Seth is coming to feel like Riley’s unnerving, unwavering attention is something he might not be able to live without.
Don’t Feed the Vampire is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a broken, sweetheart vampire with zero social skills; a ray of sunshine human baker; fated mates and the vampire mothers determined to protect them; and a mysterious research institute raising everyone’s suspicions. Each book in this series will focus on a different couple.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2026
369 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
About the author
Grae Bryan
23 books1,250 followersGrae Bryan has been reading romance since she was far too young to know any better. Her love for love stories spans all genres, and while her current series is of the paranormal variety, she knows she’ll be exploring other worlds further down the line.
She lives in Arizona with her husband, who graciously shares space with all the imaginary men in her head. When not writing, she can generally be found reading more than is healthy, walking her monster-dog, or cuddling her demon-cat. She loves anything and everything gothic, strange, lovely, or cozy.
She lives in Arizona with her husband, who graciously shares space with all the imaginary men in her head. When not writing, she can generally be found reading more than is healthy, walking her monster-dog, or cuddling her demon-cat. She loves anything and everything gothic, strange, lovely, or cozy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
February 25, 2026
Don't Feed the Vampire is Riley's story; he's the kid who was rescued, albeit reluctantly, by Wolfe in the Vampire's Mate series. Riley is now 19 and still very much unpredictable and volatile, despite his moms' best efforts.
Riley's love interest is baker Seth, Benny's cousin who's friends with Sascha and knows all the demon dudes (but not that they're demons).
Also, Wolfe and Eric make an appearance, so what I am saying is that this book does not read like a standalone, but maybe the other books will.
There is a sort of plot here about a mysterious new research facility in town, but mostly the narrative focuses on Riley mooning over Seth. Riley's moms are very present, giving the story an unfortunate YA vibe (granted, Riley is barely college age, so he is pretty much a young adult).
Keeping people hostage is never okay, so I wasn't really feeling all that (and I'm talking about the moms, not the research facility, although, yeah, that sucked too).
Also, Seth didn't give the whole changing into a vampire thing much thought. It was kind of glossed over.
There is an intro to future MCs, but it was subtle, so I didn't mind it.
Final verdict: cute beginning to a new series about all the things that go bump in the night and mate with humans; funny, sexy, one-evening kind of read.
Riley's love interest is baker Seth, Benny's cousin who's friends with Sascha and knows all the demon dudes (but not that they're demons).
Also, Wolfe and Eric make an appearance, so what I am saying is that this book does not read like a standalone, but maybe the other books will.
There is a sort of plot here about a mysterious new research facility in town, but mostly the narrative focuses on Riley mooning over Seth. Riley's moms are very present, giving the story an unfortunate YA vibe (granted, Riley is barely college age, so he is pretty much a young adult).
Keeping people hostage is never okay, so I wasn't really feeling all that (and I'm talking about the moms, not the research facility, although, yeah, that sucked too).
Also, Seth didn't give the whole changing into a vampire thing much thought. It was kind of glossed over.
There is an intro to future MCs, but it was subtle, so I didn't mind it.
Final verdict: cute beginning to a new series about all the things that go bump in the night and mate with humans; funny, sexy, one-evening kind of read.
February 21, 2026
I love these lil cinnamon rolls. Riley is kinda unhinged but also a sweet innocent angel baby & him & Seth work so perfectly together. They were really sweet & I loved that we got to see Seth from the Demon Bound series again. I also enjoyed seeing characters from her other series of course-I’m a sucker for a good cameo 😁 I adore Daphne & Sybil and thought their scheming & meddling was hilarious too!
So excited for more books in this series, & to see more of the people in town (Violet & Luke) and where the plot with the creepy research institute goes. I’m really looking forward to seeing more types of paranormal beings in the series. PS: I love literally anything Grae Bryan writes, what a queen
Fav parts:
Them doing face masks together & Seth painting Riley’s nails & being excited to do his makeup was so cute 😭
“I want to stand by you. With you. You’re not alone, Riley. Not in any of this. I love you—all of you. You’re mine, I’m yours. We protect each other. We protect our friends.”
So excited for more books in this series, & to see more of the people in town (Violet & Luke) and where the plot with the creepy research institute goes. I’m really looking forward to seeing more types of paranormal beings in the series. PS: I love literally anything Grae Bryan writes, what a queen
Fav parts:
Them doing face masks together & Seth painting Riley’s nails & being excited to do his makeup was so cute 😭
“I want to stand by you. With you. You’re not alone, Riley. Not in any of this. I love you—all of you. You’re mine, I’m yours. We protect each other. We protect our friends.”
February 19, 2026
I was really hoping that we'd eventually get a story for Riley (the child Vampire) and I'm so happy with how it went!
Seth and Riley are really funny together, and I loved how Riley was obsessed as soon as he met Seth. It really has me craving orange cake now though...
I love the new small town setting, and I'm excited for more books to come in this series. I can't wait to see more of the town coming to life, finding out more about the coastal creatures, and I hope we get much more of Violet because I already love her.
Seth and Riley are really funny together, and I loved how Riley was obsessed as soon as he met Seth. It really has me craving orange cake now though...
I love the new small town setting, and I'm excited for more books to come in this series. I can't wait to see more of the town coming to life, finding out more about the coastal creatures, and I hope we get much more of Violet because I already love her.
March 14, 2026
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
I really enjoyed this early on, but it lost any tension in both the plot and relationship very fast. I felt kinda done with the story when I hadn’t even hit 40% yet, and that really sucked. I wanted to love this so much, as I’ve been excited for Riley’s book since I learned he would get one. While some external plot kicked in eventually, I just wasn't engaged or intrigued anymore at that point. I was kinda just reading to finish it.
While the book left a lot to be desired, the individual characters were sweet and they had some cute moments together (and hot ones). The last book I read by this author (Hot for Teacher) was so good and kept the tension even through mostly sex and a fast burn, and I loved that book a lot, so I had very high expectations and it just didn't deliver on those same things, sadly.
I don’t not recommend it, I’m sure many will love this a lot, but it just didn't keep my attention at all.
It was also a bit strange how hard the author insisted on pressing the age gap/how young Riley is. I didn’t even think about it in the beginning but by the end I was uncomfortable with it. Maybe no one else cares but this is so unnecessary to me, lol:
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Vampire x human
Fated mates
Sunshine baker
Insatiable vampire
Small town
Meddling moms
Virgin MC
A healing rimming
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Drinking blood
Killing animals for blood off page
Explicit sexual content
MC drugged and abducted on page
Mild kidnapping between MCs
Alcohol consumption
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Paranormal romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles (I think)
Main characters’ age: 19 and 26
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 315
Happy ending: Yes
“What does it mean—” Riley started to ask, then stopped. His moms turned to face him again. “What does what mean, darling?” Mama Daphne asked. “What does it mean that I want to bite him but also want to… I don’t know… lick him?” Riley frowned, trying to parse through it even as he spoke the words. “Touch him, maybe. I think I want to wrap my fingers around his throat and see if it feels just as delicate as it looks.” “Well.” Mama Sybil cleared her throat, sharing a look with Mama Daphne. “That sounds like it might be attraction, darling.” Oh. Right, that could be it.
Maybe Riley should be grateful attraction hadn’t been a big part of his life before now. He really didn’t seem to have much patience for it at all.
And the person Seth had gotten to know over these past weeks was intense and a little sad and surprisingly funny. And achingly, desperately in need of a friend. And friends didn’t abandon friends because of a few struggles with uncontrolled bloodlust.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
I really enjoyed this early on, but it lost any tension in both the plot and relationship very fast. I felt kinda done with the story when I hadn’t even hit 40% yet, and that really sucked. I wanted to love this so much, as I’ve been excited for Riley’s book since I learned he would get one. While some external plot kicked in eventually, I just wasn't engaged or intrigued anymore at that point. I was kinda just reading to finish it.
While the book left a lot to be desired, the individual characters were sweet and they had some cute moments together (and hot ones). The last book I read by this author (Hot for Teacher) was so good and kept the tension even through mostly sex and a fast burn, and I loved that book a lot, so I had very high expectations and it just didn't deliver on those same things, sadly.
I don’t not recommend it, I’m sure many will love this a lot, but it just didn't keep my attention at all.
It was also a bit strange how hard the author insisted on pressing the age gap/how young Riley is. I didn’t even think about it in the beginning but by the end I was uncomfortable with it. Maybe no one else cares but this is so unnecessary to me, lol:
It was a reminder that underneath the horny, newly turned vampire exterior, Seth was still Seth. A cheerful, kind, trusting man who was definitely mortified at having been caught molesting his young boyfriend in his in-laws’ driveway.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Vampire x human
Fated mates
Sunshine baker
Insatiable vampire
Small town
Meddling moms
Virgin MC
A healing rimming
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Drinking blood
Killing animals for blood off page
Explicit sexual content
MC drugged and abducted on page
Mild kidnapping between MCs
Alcohol consumption
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Paranormal romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles (I think)
Main characters’ age: 19 and 26
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 315
Happy ending: Yes
“What does it mean—” Riley started to ask, then stopped. His moms turned to face him again. “What does what mean, darling?” Mama Daphne asked. “What does it mean that I want to bite him but also want to… I don’t know… lick him?” Riley frowned, trying to parse through it even as he spoke the words. “Touch him, maybe. I think I want to wrap my fingers around his throat and see if it feels just as delicate as it looks.” “Well.” Mama Sybil cleared her throat, sharing a look with Mama Daphne. “That sounds like it might be attraction, darling.” Oh. Right, that could be it.
Maybe Riley should be grateful attraction hadn’t been a big part of his life before now. He really didn’t seem to have much patience for it at all.
And the person Seth had gotten to know over these past weeks was intense and a little sad and surprisingly funny. And achingly, desperately in need of a friend. And friends didn’t abandon friends because of a few struggles with uncontrolled bloodlust.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
February 28, 2026
i was bored out of my mind. if you say feral give me feral!!!! not whatever this was.
extra star for the twilight reference
extra star for the twilight reference
March 1, 2026
I found this especially bad.
I didn’t like the nonconsensual first bite, I didn’t like Riley’s moms holding Seth hostage, I didn’t like how glossed over everything was. There was no detail. Seth put no thought into becoming a vampire and Riley didn’t give him much of a choice either. The plot was weak. This read mostly as YA. I am disappointed but not surprised. A child turned vampire who has grown up is definitely interesting and was wasted here.
I didn’t like the nonconsensual first bite, I didn’t like Riley’s moms holding Seth hostage, I didn’t like how glossed over everything was. There was no detail. Seth put no thought into becoming a vampire and Riley didn’t give him much of a choice either. The plot was weak. This read mostly as YA. I am disappointed but not surprised. A child turned vampire who has grown up is definitely interesting and was wasted here.
March 13, 2026
Okay, so the book is not bad because I love Grae’s writing, but I will say I was bored. It didn’t really feel like anything new and exciting for me. I felt like I had to keep convincing myself to continue reading this book. The story was fine, and I enjoyed the characters, but this wasn’t prime Grae for me. Maybe I just like her omegaverse more now, and I’m done with the supernatural? I’m not sure. It’s just a bummer because I was so excited for this. I’m pretty sure the next book will be a whale (merman?) shifter, so that will be something.
For more context on this book, this is about the young child that was turned into a vampire in Colin’s story. This is about Riley meeting his mate Seth, who was the baker in the demon series. It’s the same vampire story told in the other books where they don’t mate right away because it’s too fast and too much but then tragedy strikes in some way. The tragedy part is a little different in this one, I will give it that. Maybe the next book will be better for me. I will always try with Grae.
For more context on this book, this is about the young child that was turned into a vampire in Colin’s story. This is about Riley meeting his mate Seth, who was the baker in the demon series. It’s the same vampire story told in the other books where they don’t mate right away because it’s too fast and too much but then tragedy strikes in some way. The tragedy part is a little different in this one, I will give it that. Maybe the next book will be better for me. I will always try with Grae.
Did not finish
March 17, 2026SO BORING…is anything going to happen anytime soon? Not that I’ll be reading anymore to find out.
I believe giving the book a chance till reaching 51% is more than fair and by then if Im not hooked then please let’s just give up on this, life’s too short. NO RATING
I believe giving the book a chance till reaching 51% is more than fair and by then if Im not hooked then please let’s just give up on this, life’s too short. NO RATING
February 20, 2026
4.5 stars, rounded up
Ahhh, another lovely story by Grae Bryan! I'm a big fan of consistency, so when an author consistently brings us wonderful characters with beautiful stories, it makes my heart so very happy. Don't Feed the Vampire is the first book in a new series, set in the same world as Grae's Vampire's Mate and Demon Bound series, and I loved it so very much.
Our MC's in this book are two lovely guys we've met before. Riley made his first appearance in Wolfgang, while Seth appeared in the Demon Bound series. I wouldn't have put these two together when I first read those books, but having read this book? Yeah, they belong together. No doubt about that. Riley is a wonderful blend of innocent and feral/unhinged and I adored him completely. He definitely stole my heart right away. I wanted to hug him constantly. And Seth is so kind and has such a beautiful big heart. They were so good together and brought out the best in each other.
If you love Grae's books, you will love this one too. If you want fun, low-angst vampire romances that melt your heart, please check out her work if you haven't already. Don't Feed the Vampire is a beautiful, heartfelt story that hit me in the feels in all the right ways. Don't miss out on it!
Ahhh, another lovely story by Grae Bryan! I'm a big fan of consistency, so when an author consistently brings us wonderful characters with beautiful stories, it makes my heart so very happy. Don't Feed the Vampire is the first book in a new series, set in the same world as Grae's Vampire's Mate and Demon Bound series, and I loved it so very much.
Our MC's in this book are two lovely guys we've met before. Riley made his first appearance in Wolfgang, while Seth appeared in the Demon Bound series. I wouldn't have put these two together when I first read those books, but having read this book? Yeah, they belong together. No doubt about that. Riley is a wonderful blend of innocent and feral/unhinged and I adored him completely. He definitely stole my heart right away. I wanted to hug him constantly. And Seth is so kind and has such a beautiful big heart. They were so good together and brought out the best in each other.
If you love Grae's books, you will love this one too. If you want fun, low-angst vampire romances that melt your heart, please check out her work if you haven't already. Don't Feed the Vampire is a beautiful, heartfelt story that hit me in the feels in all the right ways. Don't miss out on it!
March 17, 2026
Tropes: age gap, Sunshine / black cat, hurt/comfort, small town
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 1.5/5
Kinks: blood drinking
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: kidnapping by MC and by bad guys, drugging by bad guys, evil researchers, MC forcibly turned as a child, childhood trauma
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: no. Riley is a virgin. Once they meet, neither of them are interested in anyone else.
3 stars
Riley is 19. He was turned into a vampire as a child, and children rarely survive when they are turned. In this version of vampirism, when you get turned the vampire part of you is basically a separate entity inside of you that you have to learn to exist with. It's like two people living in one body, and Riley really struggles with his vampire, they are combative, they want different things, Riley is afraid of his vampire side, so he suppresses it and it resents him. Then Riley meets Seth, a 26 year old sunshiny baker who comes to their small town and opens a business. He instantly recognizes Seth as his mate, and he tries to stalk and then slowly befriend him. He thinks Seth can't love him, because he doesn't think himself lovable, he thinks himself a burden.
Seth is attracted to Riley, but he thinks he's too old for him, and he thinks Riley deserves better than him. Seth thinks he's nothing special. He's initially afraid of Riley, but he quickly starts feeling bad for him and feeling warm things towards him. Riley's two moms interfere a little to help them along. And then some bad guys are researching paranormal creatures and experimenting on them, and that causes some conflict.
There were promising elements of this book. I appreciated the side characters and some of the humor. Violet was an awesome character, she was just a hoot. Seth and Riley were kind of sweet together.
But some things about this book just didn't hit with me.
- It gave me the ick that Riley was sooo virgin, never been kissed, never been attracted to anyone, and he was hooking up in his moms' house with a much older Seth. Like, it was giving awkward YA vibes, and it made me uncomfortable. I was glad when they left his parents house and went over to Seth's place. Riley was too emotionally immature for a relationship. There were a few big moments where he was like crying, having big feelings, and I was just thinking, you are a child and I feel uncomfortable reading about you having sex.
- I didn't love this take on vampirism or the world building. For one, it was like Seth was in a relationship with two people, because he was trying to win over and mollify Riley and his vampire side. And Riley wasn't really aware or present at times when the vampire side took over, so there was a time when Seth was just having sex with vampire riley, giving him his turn. And I'm not a person that enjoys poly romances, so this book giving that vibe was not great to me. And also, I felt like it was inconsistent lore and lazy. Because vampire bites were extremely sexual, erotic. But then all of a sudden, once Seth was turned, they were just biting people casually willy-nilly and it was completely devoid of any sexual undertone. It was like it wasn't convenient anymore to the author, so they just let that slide. There was also a bunch of background supernatural characters who just popped in and out, and we didn't get much context about their existence, it was poor world building and had little relevance other than for convenience. It didn't really build the way it should have.
Some notable moments:
"Did flowers and chocolate work in a situation like this? Maybe a card that said, I’m sorry I tried to maul you a second time. Third time’s the charm, I promise."
"“You think other people will come?” Seth asked Violet under his breath. “I want Riley—I mean, I want us both to socialize a little.” “I can get you Luke,” Violet told him, her tone the same as if she were telling him she could procure him a particularly rare cut of meat. “He’s my uncle, you know.” Seth did not know. He gaped at her. “What?” But Violet was already moving on. “And Mr. Evans. He teaches PE and coaches, like, football or something stupid at the high school. I have dirt on him.” “You have dirt?” Seth asked, unable to help the shrill edge to his voice. “Should—should I be concerned?”"
"Violet turned sharply to their customer. “Hey. You.” The guy froze in the act of quietly perusing the pastries, his sleepy brown eyes going wide and alert. Violet scanned him up and down. “Wanna join our book club?” Seth had apparently forgotten to go over some of the basics during training—mainly that no one should be addressing any customers as Hey You. But the guy didn’t act offended, although he stayed frozen for another long moment before answering, “Um…okay?” “Perfect.” Violet gave him a sharp nod. “We’ll put up a sign on the board. Look for it or I’ll find you where you live.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 1.5/5
Kinks: blood drinking
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: kidnapping by MC and by bad guys, drugging by bad guys, evil researchers, MC forcibly turned as a child, childhood trauma
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: no. Riley is a virgin. Once they meet, neither of them are interested in anyone else.
3 stars
Riley is 19. He was turned into a vampire as a child, and children rarely survive when they are turned. In this version of vampirism, when you get turned the vampire part of you is basically a separate entity inside of you that you have to learn to exist with. It's like two people living in one body, and Riley really struggles with his vampire, they are combative, they want different things, Riley is afraid of his vampire side, so he suppresses it and it resents him. Then Riley meets Seth, a 26 year old sunshiny baker who comes to their small town and opens a business. He instantly recognizes Seth as his mate, and he tries to stalk and then slowly befriend him. He thinks Seth can't love him, because he doesn't think himself lovable, he thinks himself a burden.
Seth is attracted to Riley, but he thinks he's too old for him, and he thinks Riley deserves better than him. Seth thinks he's nothing special. He's initially afraid of Riley, but he quickly starts feeling bad for him and feeling warm things towards him. Riley's two moms interfere a little to help them along. And then some bad guys are researching paranormal creatures and experimenting on them, and that causes some conflict.
There were promising elements of this book. I appreciated the side characters and some of the humor. Violet was an awesome character, she was just a hoot. Seth and Riley were kind of sweet together.
But some things about this book just didn't hit with me.
- It gave me the ick that Riley was sooo virgin, never been kissed, never been attracted to anyone, and he was hooking up in his moms' house with a much older Seth. Like, it was giving awkward YA vibes, and it made me uncomfortable. I was glad when they left his parents house and went over to Seth's place. Riley was too emotionally immature for a relationship. There were a few big moments where he was like crying, having big feelings, and I was just thinking, you are a child and I feel uncomfortable reading about you having sex.
- I didn't love this take on vampirism or the world building. For one, it was like Seth was in a relationship with two people, because he was trying to win over and mollify Riley and his vampire side. And Riley wasn't really aware or present at times when the vampire side took over, so there was a time when Seth was just having sex with vampire riley, giving him his turn. And I'm not a person that enjoys poly romances, so this book giving that vibe was not great to me. And also, I felt like it was inconsistent lore and lazy. Because vampire bites were extremely sexual, erotic. But then all of a sudden, once Seth was turned, they were just biting people casually willy-nilly and it was completely devoid of any sexual undertone. It was like it wasn't convenient anymore to the author, so they just let that slide. There was also a bunch of background supernatural characters who just popped in and out, and we didn't get much context about their existence, it was poor world building and had little relevance other than for convenience. It didn't really build the way it should have.
Some notable moments:
"Did flowers and chocolate work in a situation like this? Maybe a card that said, I’m sorry I tried to maul you a second time. Third time’s the charm, I promise."
"“You think other people will come?” Seth asked Violet under his breath. “I want Riley—I mean, I want us both to socialize a little.” “I can get you Luke,” Violet told him, her tone the same as if she were telling him she could procure him a particularly rare cut of meat. “He’s my uncle, you know.” Seth did not know. He gaped at her. “What?” But Violet was already moving on. “And Mr. Evans. He teaches PE and coaches, like, football or something stupid at the high school. I have dirt on him.” “You have dirt?” Seth asked, unable to help the shrill edge to his voice. “Should—should I be concerned?”"
"Violet turned sharply to their customer. “Hey. You.” The guy froze in the act of quietly perusing the pastries, his sleepy brown eyes going wide and alert. Violet scanned him up and down. “Wanna join our book club?” Seth had apparently forgotten to go over some of the basics during training—mainly that no one should be addressing any customers as Hey You. But the guy didn’t act offended, although he stayed frozen for another long moment before answering, “Um…okay?” “Perfect.” Violet gave him a sharp nod. “We’ll put up a sign on the board. Look for it or I’ll find you where you live.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2026
Bah lo mio con esta señora no tiene remedio.
Riley meneño 💕✨🥺
Riley meneño 💕✨🥺
Review of advance copy received from Author
"𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚁𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚜𝚖𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚖, 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚛𝚝 - 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚑𝚎'𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗."
Poor innocent Riley. I cannot imagine the trauma of being turned as a young child and ripped away from the only parent you have ever known and loved. Just utterly heartbreaking and all because of a selfish monster of a man. Children aren't supposed to be turned. They are too young to control the beast inside them, not to mention need to feed being a constant companion. I can't believe I am saying this but thank goodness for Wolfe finding Riley a home with his new vampire mums. I don't know what would have become of him if not.
I was delighted to learn that Riley's mate was our favorite baker Seth from the Demon Bound series. He's recently relocated and opened his own bakery. A fresh start in a new small town. I don't think he expected how different life was going to be for him when he made his move, but after reading this book I can tell you that I don't think Seth will ever regret it in the slightest.
"𝚁𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘, 𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕. 𝙷𝚎'𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢, 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚛 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚛𝚢. 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍, 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢."
Riley's "wooing" was absolutely adorable. Seth may have put up a token fight, mostly due to their age difference and inexperience on Riley's part, but he didn't stand a chance. I don't think Riley's vampire moms were going to allow Seth to leave Riley either. Their meddling made me laugh because you could tell they were doing it because of how much they loved Riley. He may not be their biological son, but he was their son all the same. And now that Riley found his mate in Seth, that family extended to him too. Can't wait for the next one!!
Poor innocent Riley. I cannot imagine the trauma of being turned as a young child and ripped away from the only parent you have ever known and loved. Just utterly heartbreaking and all because of a selfish monster of a man. Children aren't supposed to be turned. They are too young to control the beast inside them, not to mention need to feed being a constant companion. I can't believe I am saying this but thank goodness for Wolfe finding Riley a home with his new vampire mums. I don't know what would have become of him if not.
I was delighted to learn that Riley's mate was our favorite baker Seth from the Demon Bound series. He's recently relocated and opened his own bakery. A fresh start in a new small town. I don't think he expected how different life was going to be for him when he made his move, but after reading this book I can tell you that I don't think Seth will ever regret it in the slightest.
"𝚁𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘, 𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕. 𝙷𝚎'𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢, 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚛 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚛𝚢. 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍, 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢."
Riley's "wooing" was absolutely adorable. Seth may have put up a token fight, mostly due to their age difference and inexperience on Riley's part, but he didn't stand a chance. I don't think Riley's vampire moms were going to allow Seth to leave Riley either. Their meddling made me laugh because you could tell they were doing it because of how much they loved Riley. He may not be their biological son, but he was their son all the same. And now that Riley found his mate in Seth, that family extended to him too. Can't wait for the next one!!
March 7, 2026
4.75 ⭐️
Did not finish
February 25, 2026DNF at 60 pct. (CH19)
They started having sex and I stopped caring.
They started having sex and I stopped caring.
March 3, 2026
For the first 39% of the book, I was totally into it. Cute, funny, atmospheric in a small town with a hint of growing darkness kind of way. Seth is a sweet, bubbly guy who just wants to bake tasty treats and become part of the community. Riley is brooding in a teen heartthrob kind of way, and struggles with his inner vampire nature. I enjoyed hearing the inner monologue of both MC, and though I’m not normally into cute, I was going for it.
And then…
So, Seth sees his odd hot stalker “friend”/love interest Riley get his neck broken by his beautiful mom after almost being attacked by Riley and then learns that there are such things as vampires, demons, fae etc from his BFF, who is all super casual about the whole thing. He then bakes cookies, goes to what he now knows as a vampire lair and suddenly all of Seth’s previous pre-vampire reveal reservations about getting together with a much younger dude fly out the window and they end up having sex (not penetrative! The author is very clear that this is a boundary that Seth is nobly holding at this moment!) with Riley, who becomes possessed by his inner vampire demon in the middle of sex, which Seth notices and calmly de-escalates like he didn’t just learn of the existence of vampires earlier in the day before refusing to go any further with Riley at this time (nobly!). Seth is then held hostage by Riley’s moms with the worst car excuses ever, which is said jokingly because haha! Kidnapping is funny and cute! And though Seth makes mouth noises about not liking this, he and Riley proceed to go to town and have sex all over the house. Despite said moms being around because of their “car issues” that aren’t letting them take Seth home and work on his struggling new business that he’s was previously pouring his heart and soul into.
WTF???
I wish the pace of the first third of the book had held steady throughout. The writing and storytelling was pretty good, and I was just getting into it when that was ripped away like Seth’s ignorance about vampires.
Look, I’m all for spicy reads, but that was too much too soon for where the characters seemed like they should be. I’ve read some of this author before, and I get the impression that they vacillate between more and less…grounded? Coherent? Having characters who have a consistent inner logic?…storytelling. So while I’m not writing off this author, I don’t think I’ll be reading more of the series. Even my curiosity about the shady wilderness people faded as I didn’t trust that side plot not to become histrionic.
2.5 rounded up. Solid writing.
And then…
So, Seth sees his odd hot stalker “friend”/love interest Riley get his neck broken by his beautiful mom after almost being attacked by Riley and then learns that there are such things as vampires, demons, fae etc from his BFF, who is all super casual about the whole thing. He then bakes cookies, goes to what he now knows as a vampire lair and suddenly all of Seth’s previous pre-vampire reveal reservations about getting together with a much younger dude fly out the window and they end up having sex (not penetrative! The author is very clear that this is a boundary that Seth is nobly holding at this moment!) with Riley, who becomes possessed by his inner vampire demon in the middle of sex, which Seth notices and calmly de-escalates like he didn’t just learn of the existence of vampires earlier in the day before refusing to go any further with Riley at this time (nobly!). Seth is then held hostage by Riley’s moms with the worst car excuses ever, which is said jokingly because haha! Kidnapping is funny and cute! And though Seth makes mouth noises about not liking this, he and Riley proceed to go to town and have sex all over the house. Despite said moms being around because of their “car issues” that aren’t letting them take Seth home and work on his struggling new business that he’s was previously pouring his heart and soul into.
WTF???
I wish the pace of the first third of the book had held steady throughout. The writing and storytelling was pretty good, and I was just getting into it when that was ripped away like Seth’s ignorance about vampires.
Look, I’m all for spicy reads, but that was too much too soon for where the characters seemed like they should be. I’ve read some of this author before, and I get the impression that they vacillate between more and less…grounded? Coherent? Having characters who have a consistent inner logic?…storytelling. So while I’m not writing off this author, I don’t think I’ll be reading more of the series. Even my curiosity about the shady wilderness people faded as I didn’t trust that side plot not to become histrionic.
2.5 rounded up. Solid writing.
February 20, 2026
I don’t know what it is, but Grae Bryan’s writing just speaks to me on a visceral level; I’ve absolutely loved everything she has written so far, and this was no exception!
We previously met Riley in Wolfgang’s book; a child turned into a vampire and completely feral because of it. Riley is now 19 and has been living a sheltered life with his vampire moms in the forest. On a trip into town, he meets new arrival, baker Seth (Sascha’s best friend from the Demon Bound series) and Riley is instantly drawn to Seth. And his inner vampire knows immediately; Seth is Riley’s mate.
I loved these two; Riley is instantly intense and devoted to Seth and despite the seven year age gap (19 x 26) that gives Seth pause initially, Riley doesn’t take long to get under the baker’s skin. I liked the threat of the strange research institute in town and the fact that this book is almost certainly kicking off a new series of assorted paranormals!!! Eeeeeee exciting! But mostly I’m here for the crazy intense vampire lust 😌
Also some absolutely stellar cameos from Wolfe & Eric and Benny & Helio (whose novella I still haven’t read, but it’s next on the list!)
Read Don’t Feed The Vampire for:
✨ Feral(ish) vampire x human baker
✨ Intense obsession, insta-lust
✨ Fated mates, mating bonds
✨ Biting and 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Age gap (19 x 26, 19yo = vampire)
✨ Evil research institute
✨ Found family, new & returning characters
We previously met Riley in Wolfgang’s book; a child turned into a vampire and completely feral because of it. Riley is now 19 and has been living a sheltered life with his vampire moms in the forest. On a trip into town, he meets new arrival, baker Seth (Sascha’s best friend from the Demon Bound series) and Riley is instantly drawn to Seth. And his inner vampire knows immediately; Seth is Riley’s mate.
I loved these two; Riley is instantly intense and devoted to Seth and despite the seven year age gap (19 x 26) that gives Seth pause initially, Riley doesn’t take long to get under the baker’s skin. I liked the threat of the strange research institute in town and the fact that this book is almost certainly kicking off a new series of assorted paranormals!!! Eeeeeee exciting! But mostly I’m here for the crazy intense vampire lust 😌
Also some absolutely stellar cameos from Wolfe & Eric and Benny & Helio (whose novella I still haven’t read, but it’s next on the list!)
Read Don’t Feed The Vampire for:
✨ Feral(ish) vampire x human baker
✨ Intense obsession, insta-lust
✨ Fated mates, mating bonds
✨ Biting and 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Age gap (19 x 26, 19yo = vampire)
✨ Evil research institute
✨ Found family, new & returning characters
February 21, 2026
Hmmm I honestly don’t know. This is a solid beginning to a new series. Riley is originally introduced in the original series Vampire’s Mate. Seth is introduced in the second series Demon Bound. I’m not sure that you NEED to have read either series, but other characters make an appearance and/or are mentioned.
This was an ok read, but I felt like Riley and Seth deserved more than what they got in this book. I don’t know. Maybe my mood? I think I would have preferred that their book wasn’t the introduction to the new series. Maybe I’ll feel differently later.
This was an ok read, but I felt like Riley and Seth deserved more than what they got in this book. I don’t know. Maybe my mood? I think I would have preferred that their book wasn’t the introduction to the new series. Maybe I’ll feel differently later.
February 22, 2026
This was ehh for me.. very glossed over story that didn’t really pull me in. Things I wanted more detail for didn’t really happen, cause what do you mean your friends kept a huge secret from you, and not only did you not really feel a type of way about it, but none of that happened on page. The moms were interesting but I hated their tactics. Dnf 53%
February 23, 2026
Don’t feed the Vampire is the first in a new spin off series! Riley was turned as a child by a selfish vampire and some other vampires saved him and gave him to his mothers to raise. He is now 19, living in Washington. He all but attacks the new guy in town, Seth.
Seth is starting his life over, having moved from Maine, to open a bakery in this new area. He meets Riley when he jumps him and tells him he wants to eat him, before disappearing. It’s weird but he is too busy to really think about it. Then, randomly, Riley would show up to his work and sit there, staring intensely.
After a scene that could have come from a Twilight novel, Seth finds out about Riley being a vampire. He confirms this with his cousin, who apparently had been dating a Fae. Oh, and his friends from home are mated to demons.
They navigate Seth’s insecurities and Riley’s self control! There is also a weird new institute in town, studying who knows what.
Love this, so happy to dive back into this world! I got so hyped when I realized we got characters from both Demon Bound and Vampire Mates series!!! Riley is adorable, Seth is a cutie and I love a good Wolf/Eric sighting!!!
Seth is starting his life over, having moved from Maine, to open a bakery in this new area. He meets Riley when he jumps him and tells him he wants to eat him, before disappearing. It’s weird but he is too busy to really think about it. Then, randomly, Riley would show up to his work and sit there, staring intensely.
After a scene that could have come from a Twilight novel, Seth finds out about Riley being a vampire. He confirms this with his cousin, who apparently had been dating a Fae. Oh, and his friends from home are mated to demons.
They navigate Seth’s insecurities and Riley’s self control! There is also a weird new institute in town, studying who knows what.
Love this, so happy to dive back into this world! I got so hyped when I realized we got characters from both Demon Bound and Vampire Mates series!!! Riley is adorable, Seth is a cutie and I love a good Wolf/Eric sighting!!!
February 22, 2026
Ugh I just LOVE Riley and Seth!!! I love that Riley is sweet AF but also a little unhinged and obsessive…love the vampire and fated mates story line. I really like that Riley’s vampire is almost like a second personality inside him…seeing that manifest with Seth was very…hot 😅
I didn’t realize this is book 1 of a second generation type series after her vampire and demon series…it didn’t take anything away from this book, not having read them, but I am certainly on my way to go read them now 😅
Also, I am STOKED that Luke’s story is coming next!!!!
I didn’t realize this is book 1 of a second generation type series after her vampire and demon series…it didn’t take anything away from this book, not having read them, but I am certainly on my way to go read them now 😅
Also, I am STOKED that Luke’s story is coming next!!!!
March 19, 2026
4.5
Thought this was really sweet and I loved Riley and Seth. The relationship was lovely but they both have some stuff in their closets.
The ending though damn. It went from lovely medium ish pace to getting thrown into the thick of it. I really thought it was going to go differently. But overall still a great read, one of my favourites of Grae Bryan's vampire books so far.
Thought this was really sweet and I loved Riley and Seth. The relationship was lovely but they both have some stuff in their closets.
The ending though damn. It went from lovely medium ish pace to getting thrown into the thick of it. I really thought it was going to go differently. But overall still a great read, one of my favourites of Grae Bryan's vampire books so far.
February 15, 2026
Such a sweet book!!
Love their dynamic and the feral obsession ❤️
And the badass female characters 😁
Love their dynamic and the feral obsession ❤️
And the badass female characters 😁
February 27, 2026
YESSSSS GRAE !!!
Riley is adorable and innocent in the way only a partly feral and completely honest and unsocialized cutie-pie paranormal being with a tragic back story can be.
These characters / cameos are starting to get that nostalgic feel after so many books, & I love them all. It’s going to be one of those universes that I revisit for some comfy character time.
3.5 rounded up
Riley is adorable and innocent in the way only a partly feral and completely honest and unsocialized cutie-pie paranormal being with a tragic back story can be.
These characters / cameos are starting to get that nostalgic feel after so many books, & I love them all. It’s going to be one of those universes that I revisit for some comfy character time.
3.5 rounded up
Read
February 26, 2026I read this on release day and still haven't been able to understand my own thoughts properly on how I felt about this book. I think that I have a big love for the previous vampires that in comparison I found this book sorta...lacking something. I really adored Riley at the beginning but I never found myself fully liking Seth, i didn't dislike him either tho.. I did really like some of his actions towards the end. but I kinda found myself bored when everything turned to sex during their interactions. Although I read these stories for the dopamine hit my brain gets when couples are ooey-gooey with each other, when the love declarations came I wasn't really feeling it..🤔 I found myself more interested when the side MC was helping with the rescue mission and guessing who was going to be the next couple🙃
I really didn't like how...nonchalant Seth was at how he met Riley, maybe it was supposed to be funny and I didnt find the humor,how easily he let it go instead of being concerned ? Maybe it wasn't to be taken too seriously but then was I also supposed to be nonchalant with the or was that supposed to be serious? I think the whole tone just went over my head and I found myself not enjoying it as much as I was anticipating.
Or maybe this was a mood issue and I wasn't in the right mood for it sooo no rating for this but you best believe i'll be reading the next one so who knows what that says about me 😂
I really didn't like how...nonchalant Seth was at how he met Riley, maybe it was supposed to be funny and I didnt find the humor,how easily he let it go instead of being concerned ? Maybe it wasn't to be taken too seriously but then was I also supposed to be nonchalant with the or was that supposed to be serious? I think the whole tone just went over my head and I found myself not enjoying it as much as I was anticipating.
Or maybe this was a mood issue and I wasn't in the right mood for it sooo no rating for this but you best believe i'll be reading the next one so who knows what that says about me 😂
March 6, 2026
3,4*
Most of the book unfortunately bored me. On the other hand, because I got stuck around the halfway point, I ended up finishing all of the author’s other books in the meantime, so in a way I have to thank this one for that. I read the short novellas, finally finished the last Vampire Mates book about Colin, which I had been putting off for a really long time, and I also caught up with the third book about Chaos.
That said, my overall feeling is still that this book was rather boring for me. The most entertaining character was Wolfe, which probably isn’t ideal, but I’m still looking forward to the next books in the series. This one hinted at which characters might appear in future installments, and I think those could be really good.
In general, I feel like some of this author’s books are absolutely great, some are average, and some are a bit weaker. Still, they are all quite easy for me to read — some of them just don’t hold my attention as much.
In this particular book I also skipped almost all of the sex scenes because they felt a bit strange to me. I just couldn’t really vibe with reading those scenes when one of the characters still felt like a child to me. But that’s more my personal issue, so I take that as my own preference.
Most of the book unfortunately bored me. On the other hand, because I got stuck around the halfway point, I ended up finishing all of the author’s other books in the meantime, so in a way I have to thank this one for that. I read the short novellas, finally finished the last Vampire Mates book about Colin, which I had been putting off for a really long time, and I also caught up with the third book about Chaos.
That said, my overall feeling is still that this book was rather boring for me. The most entertaining character was Wolfe, which probably isn’t ideal, but I’m still looking forward to the next books in the series. This one hinted at which characters might appear in future installments, and I think those could be really good.
In general, I feel like some of this author’s books are absolutely great, some are average, and some are a bit weaker. Still, they are all quite easy for me to read — some of them just don’t hold my attention as much.
In this particular book I also skipped almost all of the sex scenes because they felt a bit strange to me. I just couldn’t really vibe with reading those scenes when one of the characters still felt like a child to me. But that’s more my personal issue, so I take that as my own preference.
February 7, 2026
Grae Bryan is one of the few authors I've encountered who knocked it out of the park from her debut release and hasn't let me down since. Seth was a ball of sunshine throughout the Demon Bound series, and I'm thrilled he's getting his happy ending in this one. Riley, who we met at the end of the Vampire's Mate series, has grown up, and it's fun to see him use his sneaky charm to woo Seth (in his own fashion).
The small-town setting on the Washington coast is fun, and there are some quirky characters I'm looking forward to seeing in future stories. I think I had to use suspension of disbelief more on the idea that a 26-year-old baker could afford to move to WA and set up his own shop than on the existence of vampires and demons, but I don't even care because I loved it all!
If you haven't read Benny's novella, An Unwitting Bargain, I highly recommend doing so. Not only is it delightful, but some of the things he says here will be so much funnier in context.
Can't wait for more!
The small-town setting on the Washington coast is fun, and there are some quirky characters I'm looking forward to seeing in future stories. I think I had to use suspension of disbelief more on the idea that a 26-year-old baker could afford to move to WA and set up his own shop than on the existence of vampires and demons, but I don't even care because I loved it all!
If you haven't read Benny's novella, An Unwitting Bargain, I highly recommend doing so. Not only is it delightful, but some of the things he says here will be so much funnier in context.
Can't wait for more!
February 8, 2026
Seth & Riley
In the author’s words, “I love a case of sweetie pie meets sweetie pie, especially when of those sweetie pies is maybe half feral and a wee bit obsessive.“ I couldn’t have said it better myself!
Riley was intense, to say the least, but you could feel his utter devotion to Seth right through the page and it made me root for him right from the start. I already loved Seth from his introduction in, “Wreaking Havoc” and just wanted to the best for him. He didn’t know it was Riley, but the reader definitely does. These two MCs were clearly meant for one another as Fate made so.
This was a great beginning to a new series. The introduction to a new town and new characters was done well, without being too overwhelming or confusing. I loved the sense of community that was built, it truly makes me look forward to the next book.
In the author’s words, “I love a case of sweetie pie meets sweetie pie, especially when of those sweetie pies is maybe half feral and a wee bit obsessive.“ I couldn’t have said it better myself!
Riley was intense, to say the least, but you could feel his utter devotion to Seth right through the page and it made me root for him right from the start. I already loved Seth from his introduction in, “Wreaking Havoc” and just wanted to the best for him. He didn’t know it was Riley, but the reader definitely does. These two MCs were clearly meant for one another as Fate made so.
This was a great beginning to a new series. The introduction to a new town and new characters was done well, without being too overwhelming or confusing. I loved the sense of community that was built, it truly makes me look forward to the next book.
Did not finish
March 21, 2026“The dark brooding look really worked for this kid, but that smile? Devastating. He was sort of devastating. Seth needed to watch himself. He couldn't go getting smitten with a guy barely out of his teens. It screamed creepy old man vibes, and he wasn’t having it.”
Well said, Seth. It really does scream creepy. DNF at chapter 7.
MC1 is 19 years old and MC2 is 26, and I personally would have stopped once their ages were revealed because it’s not my thing. But I was really in the mood for vampires, and I loved An Unwitting Bargain by Grae Bryan, so I pushed a bit, but I just can’t.
Up until chapter 7 (around 20%), the 19 year old MC is called “kid” by the other MC close to 20 times. He’s also described as young (7–8 times) and inexperienced, and I’m just grossed out and put off.
Well said, Seth. It really does scream creepy. DNF at chapter 7.
MC1 is 19 years old and MC2 is 26, and I personally would have stopped once their ages were revealed because it’s not my thing. But I was really in the mood for vampires, and I loved An Unwitting Bargain by Grae Bryan, so I pushed a bit, but I just can’t.
Up until chapter 7 (around 20%), the 19 year old MC is called “kid” by the other MC close to 20 times. He’s also described as young (7–8 times) and inexperienced, and I’m just grossed out and put off.
Did not finish
March 14, 2026DNF at about 30%.
I don’t mind age gap romances, and it’s not the number of years that are making me uncomfortable here… it’s that Riley is only 19 and feels so much younger because of his inexperience and sheltered life. It’s been pointed out a million times how young he looks and how he seems even younger because of his reserved nature.
Seth (26), the love interest, has called him a kid several times and even noted being uncomfortable finding him attractive. There’s a lot of emphasis on Riley looking and acting so young.
I think if it were framed slightly older, maybe even 21 and 28, and Riley also felt less YA then it might have worked but I just can’t get myself to enjoy the book as is.
I don’t mind age gap romances, and it’s not the number of years that are making me uncomfortable here… it’s that Riley is only 19 and feels so much younger because of his inexperience and sheltered life. It’s been pointed out a million times how young he looks and how he seems even younger because of his reserved nature.
Seth (26), the love interest, has called him a kid several times and even noted being uncomfortable finding him attractive. There’s a lot of emphasis on Riley looking and acting so young.
I think if it were framed slightly older, maybe even 21 and 28, and Riley also felt less YA then it might have worked but I just can’t get myself to enjoy the book as is.
February 19, 2026
Don’t Feed the Vampire was a brilliant start to the Coastal Creatures series! The pairing of Seth and Riley was a bit unexpected but it worked so well. Seth, the sunshine baker and Riley the loner half-feral vampire. Both so different but total sweethearts who deserved the world. I just adored how their love story unfolded. Also shoutout to our meddling moms and chill cousin who had me cackling at some of their scenes.
I loved the hints we were given as to who’s going to be getting a mate of their own in future books of the series! And the creatures that we’ll be introduced to. I’m so looking forward to them all.
4.5 stars
*I received an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.*
I loved the hints we were given as to who’s going to be getting a mate of their own in future books of the series! And the creatures that we’ll be introduced to. I’m so looking forward to them all.
4.5 stars
*I received an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.*
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