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Nocturne Falls #9
The Reaper Rescues The Genie
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.
Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.
Death is what grim reaper Lucien Dupree knows best. Or rather, he did until his reaping powers became tragically unreliable. Now he’s living in a self-imposed exile to keep humanity safe. Sure, it’s a lonely existence, but it’s the best thing for everyone. Except him.
Retired genie, Imari Zephara, has found her happy place in Nocturne Falls. Well, as happy as she can be considering the alternative returning home would bring her. Then a dark force rears its ugly head and throws her life into turmoil. Suddenly the only way to save herself is to join forces with death, who turns out to be a pretty amazing guy.
But Lucien’s defective powers might not be enough to overcome centuries of jinn tradition, meaning Imari’s life would no longer be her own. All he wants is to give her the chance to choose her own future. Hopefully, one that includes him. What more could a guy a wish for?
Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.
Death is what grim reaper Lucien Dupree knows best. Or rather, he did until his reaping powers became tragically unreliable. Now he’s living in a self-imposed exile to keep humanity safe. Sure, it’s a lonely existence, but it’s the best thing for everyone. Except him.
Retired genie, Imari Zephara, has found her happy place in Nocturne Falls. Well, as happy as she can be considering the alternative returning home would bring her. Then a dark force rears its ugly head and throws her life into turmoil. Suddenly the only way to save herself is to join forces with death, who turns out to be a pretty amazing guy.
But Lucien’s defective powers might not be enough to overcome centuries of jinn tradition, meaning Imari’s life would no longer be her own. All he wants is to give her the chance to choose her own future. Hopefully, one that includes him. What more could a guy a wish for?
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2018
751 people are currently reading
932 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Painter
186 books3,368 followersKristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning paranormal romance, paranormal women's fiction, and cozy mysteries. The former college English teacher can often be found on twitter @Kristen_Painter, Facebook at www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor where she loves to interact with readers and her blog: http://kristenpainter.com/blog/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
March 20, 2022
I love the Nocturne Falls series by Kristen Painter. Sweet, light romances with a paranormal twist. We’ve had werewolves, vampires, gargoyles and fae, will o the wisps, witches, familiars and ghosts, and now we have a reaper and a genie… quite an interesting combination. Emery is on the run from bad guys who want to kidnap her to use her for her wishes. As well as her super-traditional family. Lucien has a tragic past because he’s unable to control his Reaper powers. Theirs is definitely an unconventional romance, but it’s always fun to spend a bit f time in Nocturne Falls, and I love seeing bits of this world.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
April 25, 2018
This is the . . . . well, ninth book in this specific series, but something like the 2,000th work in this Nocturne Falls series (counting those books/short stories by other authors). This specific book stars two side characters I never really had a huge desire to see front and center as main characters – the ‘retired’ genie Imari Zephara, spotted once or thrice in cameos in previous books, and Lucien Dupree, aka Death. Though he is also ‘retired’ – though he’s retired due to an inability to control his powers. Specifically his ability to kill someone with his touch or not kill (it’s the part where he can’t seem to stop killing, based on one experience. Once is enough, of course, when it’s your grandmother.)
Both of the main characters, Imari & Lucien (if I didn’t make that clear, heh), have their own point of views in this book. Lucien brings in his grandmother (as his roommate slash ghost), Graysen (mostly previously seen in that side series starring Jayne Frost), and one of the waitresses at the club he owns (that super hip supernatural only place that pops up in most books in both this series and . . . well, at least one or three of the Frost mystery series). He also brings in, as side characters, cameos from the head vampire family in Nocturne Falls – except for the one who actually lives in the same building Imari lives in who, oddly enough, makes no appearance in this story despite many chances to appear (many visits to the building he lives in with his wife; need to include the vampire family to help solve a story line, etc. etc.). Through Imari we the readers get, as cameos mostly, . . . a couple of the women who have previously appeared in this series – mostly as in they are mentioned by name, seen, not heard. Though at least one does have lines, but she’s gone to because of her job, not because she’s a friend. Also included in the story because of Imari are: her parents, that guy she’s was promised to before she was born (it wasn’t even her that was promised, just ‘first female born’ – what lovely parents, eh?), plus a wish merchant and another genie.
Right. So.
Imari is a ‘retired’ genie. Retired with little air quotes because she’s lying, but let’s not get into that, m’kay? Imari visits . . . crap, this is where me getting around forgetting the nightclubs name bites me on the ass. Um, Illusions? Illumanti? Illinois? Whatever it’s called, Imari visits the place with her friends. But this is seen from Lucien’s point of view, as he is hidden away, all creepy like, in a sheltered VIP area. He watches her. He finds her gorgeous. He notices her turning up her nose at . . . wait, no . . .okay, however it came about, he learned she wanted tea, but they didn’t serve tea, so he went all the way home (which is below the night club, not miles away), gets tea for her and sends it over. She wanders over to thank him, despite the part where he’s hiding, and no one is allowed back there. They meet cute.
Imari leaves. Is attacked by a human. Apparently is super super incapable of doing anything but stand there all sacredly like – genies sure are unpowerful, eh? A guy in a dark robe appears, flashes everyone (what, his skull head), and acts all scary. Wish merchant flees.
Lucien, now sad because he knows Imari will not want anything to do with him now that he flashed her, is whimpering at home. Technically, since he whimpers 24/7, I’m not sure how anyone will be able to tell he has a reason to whimper now. Graysen asks a favor of him – apparently not only is Imari not horrified by being flashed, but she wants Lucien to guard her bottle . . . reasons reasons reasons…..
So, Imari is a genie – there’s a wish merchant chasing her (merchant wants to capture her and force her to give out wishes, and/or sell her (or the wishes). Lucien protects her. They get to know each other. Ghost grandmother bakes a lot. The end.
If I recall correctly, and I could double check by scrolling up but I’m lazy, I believe I started off by noting that I had not really thought I’d wish to read a book starring these two characters. Oddly enough, I rather enjoyed this book. And look forward to more books in this multiple series universe of Nocturne Falls.
Rating: 4.45
April 24 2018
Both of the main characters, Imari & Lucien (if I didn’t make that clear, heh), have their own point of views in this book. Lucien brings in his grandmother (as his roommate slash ghost), Graysen (mostly previously seen in that side series starring Jayne Frost), and one of the waitresses at the club he owns (that super hip supernatural only place that pops up in most books in both this series and . . . well, at least one or three of the Frost mystery series). He also brings in, as side characters, cameos from the head vampire family in Nocturne Falls – except for the one who actually lives in the same building Imari lives in who, oddly enough, makes no appearance in this story despite many chances to appear (many visits to the building he lives in with his wife; need to include the vampire family to help solve a story line, etc. etc.). Through Imari we the readers get, as cameos mostly, . . . a couple of the women who have previously appeared in this series – mostly as in they are mentioned by name, seen, not heard. Though at least one does have lines, but she’s gone to because of her job, not because she’s a friend. Also included in the story because of Imari are: her parents, that guy she’s was promised to before she was born (it wasn’t even her that was promised, just ‘first female born’ – what lovely parents, eh?), plus a wish merchant and another genie.
Right. So.
Imari is a ‘retired’ genie. Retired with little air quotes because she’s lying, but let’s not get into that, m’kay? Imari visits . . . crap, this is where me getting around forgetting the nightclubs name bites me on the ass. Um, Illusions? Illumanti? Illinois? Whatever it’s called, Imari visits the place with her friends. But this is seen from Lucien’s point of view, as he is hidden away, all creepy like, in a sheltered VIP area. He watches her. He finds her gorgeous. He notices her turning up her nose at . . . wait, no . . .okay, however it came about, he learned she wanted tea, but they didn’t serve tea, so he went all the way home (which is below the night club, not miles away), gets tea for her and sends it over. She wanders over to thank him, despite the part where he’s hiding, and no one is allowed back there. They meet cute.
Imari leaves. Is attacked by a human. Apparently is super super incapable of doing anything but stand there all sacredly like – genies sure are unpowerful, eh? A guy in a dark robe appears, flashes everyone (what, his skull head), and acts all scary. Wish merchant flees.
Lucien, now sad because he knows Imari will not want anything to do with him now that he flashed her, is whimpering at home. Technically, since he whimpers 24/7, I’m not sure how anyone will be able to tell he has a reason to whimper now. Graysen asks a favor of him – apparently not only is Imari not horrified by being flashed, but she wants Lucien to guard her bottle . . . reasons reasons reasons…..
So, Imari is a genie – there’s a wish merchant chasing her (merchant wants to capture her and force her to give out wishes, and/or sell her (or the wishes). Lucien protects her. They get to know each other. Ghost grandmother bakes a lot. The end.
If I recall correctly, and I could double check by scrolling up but I’m lazy, I believe I started off by noting that I had not really thought I’d wish to read a book starring these two characters. Oddly enough, I rather enjoyed this book. And look forward to more books in this multiple series universe of Nocturne Falls.
Rating: 4.45
April 24 2018
April 26, 2018
I am truly a huge fan of Kristen specially about " Dark Kiss of the Reaper
by Kristen Painter".But i think this series has gone to far now.
DOES any one disagree?
by Kristen Painter".But i think this series has gone to far now.
DOES any one disagree?
April 15, 2018
I know I probably say this after every book, but I think Kristen truly did out do herself this time. I was so excited to finally get Lucien’s book. And Imara was just perfect. Lucien is a grim reaper who’s powers don’t always work correctly. This lead to his grandmother’s soul being reaped. Now she is a ghost. So Lucien is now retired and lives a solitary life away from people, except his grandmother’s ghost lives with him. Imara is a genie out of wishes. Unfortunately, her life is in danger and only Lucien can save her. I’ve always loved Lucien’s character because he is very dangerous and so mysterious and broody. Imara has her work cut out for her. In the first chapter he is so woe is me. I was wanting his grandmother to smack him lol. But I can also understand how lonely his life would be and also the guilt he lives with. However, his eyes are opened when Imara and him actually touch and her soul isn’t reaped, not to mention what does happen. I highly recommend this book. You will find out more about why Lucien is the way he is and also how his grandmother was reaped. The books don’t have to be read in order, but doing so makes them feel that much more cozy. Side characters are strongly developed but having read their stories in the past makes them seem like family.
April 16, 2018
The Reaper Rescues the Genie by a Kristen Painter
A Nocturne Falls paranormal romance. Ninth book in the series. Can be read on its own but reading a least of few of the prior books will give you a better background of the town that celebrates Halloween every day.
Lucian is a Reaper. He owns a nightclub but rarely visits in person. He keeps to himself in his underground world of grays. Until Imari catches his interest and then turns his life around.
A darling romance where paranormal issues must be overcome. G rated outside the whole Reaper concept.
Without spoilers, I expected more conflict from the daughter but was pleasantly surprised.
Fun continues with these Nocturne Falls stories.
Excerpt from Lucian’s thoughts before his introduction and fascination with Imari:
“He was, in a word, miserable. But why use one word when there were so many others that did the job equally well? Despondent. Wretched. Morose. Hopeless.”
“Lucien blew out a thick breath. His life was a complete and utter dung heap.”
Excerpt From The Reaper Rescues The Genie by Kristen Painter.
A Nocturne Falls paranormal romance. Ninth book in the series. Can be read on its own but reading a least of few of the prior books will give you a better background of the town that celebrates Halloween every day.
Lucian is a Reaper. He owns a nightclub but rarely visits in person. He keeps to himself in his underground world of grays. Until Imari catches his interest and then turns his life around.
A darling romance where paranormal issues must be overcome. G rated outside the whole Reaper concept.
Without spoilers, I expected more conflict from the daughter but was pleasantly surprised.
Fun continues with these Nocturne Falls stories.
Excerpt from Lucian’s thoughts before his introduction and fascination with Imari:
“He was, in a word, miserable. But why use one word when there were so many others that did the job equally well? Despondent. Wretched. Morose. Hopeless.”
“Lucien blew out a thick breath. His life was a complete and utter dung heap.”
Excerpt From The Reaper Rescues The Genie by Kristen Painter.
May 12, 2021
2.5 stars
Been skipping around this series because the last few books bored me. But I enjoyed this one! It follows the exact same formula as the ones that precede it but...hey! Genies and grim reapers. Fun stuff. (But also now I really want to see a grim reaper go head to head with a valkyrie...they even have the same tattoos...)
Been skipping around this series because the last few books bored me. But I enjoyed this one! It follows the exact same formula as the ones that precede it but...hey! Genies and grim reapers. Fun stuff. (But also now I really want to see a grim reaper go head to head with a valkyrie...they even have the same tattoos...)
April 17, 2018
I love when a new Nocturne Falls book releases, I feel like I’m spending time time with friends. Each visit is a new adventure with a little drama, and a whole lot of romance. I enjoy meeting the new characters and seeing familiar faces too. The nice thing about this series is it doesn’t have to be read in order. I look forward to reading what happens next.
I received a copy of this book from the author, my review has been voluntarily submitted.
I received a copy of this book from the author, my review has been voluntarily submitted.
July 16, 2021
Finally! I have made it to Lucien’s story!! The Reaper Rescues the Genie is book 9 of the Nocturne Falls series. I originally saw Lucien in the Jayne Frost spin-off series and was really interested in hearing more about him so I was really happy to get to this book.
This book is almost non-stop action. I loved it. A lot of this series is about Vampires and Shifters so it was really cool to see something a little different this time. Lucien is a Reaper and Imari is Jinn and a Genie. Learning about both of their ways of life and customs was interesting.
I love this series and I recommend it along with the spin-off series, Jayne Frost.
The narrator is the same for the entire Nocturne Falls series. He does a great job!
This book is almost non-stop action. I loved it. A lot of this series is about Vampires and Shifters so it was really cool to see something a little different this time. Lucien is a Reaper and Imari is Jinn and a Genie. Learning about both of their ways of life and customs was interesting.
I love this series and I recommend it along with the spin-off series, Jayne Frost.
The narrator is the same for the entire Nocturne Falls series. He does a great job!
October 20, 2022
Y'all. This is another one that I was hesitant to read but I ended up loving it! Imari and Lucien are fantastic! I seriously adore these two. The each had to face some tough challenges not only as individuals, but as a couple. Watching their relationship grow had this girl letting out all kinds of little dreamy sighs. I really did not want this book to end! It's definitely a favorite and one that I will be reading over and over and over again.
June 11, 2018
Really enjoyed this story! I've been wanting these characters to get a book or books for ages, so happy they ended up being a couple! They really are perfect for each other. Kora's existence was a revelation and I would like to see her get a book so we can learn more about her as well! Can't wait for the next Nocturne Falls book!
April 9, 2022
It's always fun to spend some quality time with the many supernatural denizens of Nocturne Falls and watch them fall in love. That said... I'm slightly perplexed. For some reason I can't put my finger on, I didn't love this one as much as the previous books. I honestly have no idea why - I liked both the protagonists (though Hattie is clearly the star of this installment), the love story is sweet and entertaining as ever, there's really nothing whatsoever wrong with it and I did enjoy it quite a bit... but somehow it's not quite a five star book for me. Maybe just a case of wrong book, wrong time? Ah well. Let's see how things go with the next one.
July 28, 2024
These books all follow a formula and after I took a much needed break, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!!
June 15, 2021
Ninth in the Nocturne Falls fantasy magical realism mystery series revolving around Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. The couple focus is on Lucien Dupree and Imari Zephara.
My Take
This is an incredibly sweet story of a very lonely man stricken with grief. And, man, Painter is so good at being intriguing. She very slowly reveals bits and pieces as the story goes along, including the truth about his forgiving grandmother who has her own exciting past, lol.
I absolutely love this cozy series with its caring, supportive characters! If only every group of people could be like them!
Both protagonists — Painter uses third person dual protagonist points-of-view from Lucien's and Imari's perspectives — have some hefty price tags attached to their being alive. Imari's is particularly nasty and has everything to do with jinn culture. If she must be married, she wants a partnership, not a dictatorship.
Lucien's house is pretty amazing, as are those secret passages. Imari's bottle is also secret. In her own hands, it's her freedom. In the hands of others . . . it's not.
Imari's entire aim in life is to remain free and make her own decisions, which means protecting her bottle and conserving her allotment of wishes. Talk about rock and hard place! Marrying will come with all sorts of problems.
Oh man, guys would pant to have even a small percentage of Lucien's car collection! It is cute that Lucien has all these cars and yet doesn't go out much.
Hmm, it's interesting how much Lucien has contributed to Nocturne Falls just to keep his isolation intact.
Okay, it is so annoying when characters "interpret" what everyone else is "really" thinking. Oy. Yeah, I'm saying Lucien is beating himself up and yet he's such a hero! Even with his "trashy" taste in magazines, lol.
It's a blend of action, character, and culture — of hollow pride and of honor without love.
The Story
Grief and guilt strike when grim reaper Lucien Dupree's powers run amuck. Now he’s living in a self-imposed exile to keep humanity safe. Sure, it’s a lonely existence, but it’s the best thing for everyone. Except him.
Retired genie, Imari Zephara, has found her happy place in Nocturne Falls.
As happy as she can be considering the alternative returning home would bring her. Then a dark force rears its ugly head and throws her life into turmoil. Suddenly the only way to save herself is to join forces with death, who turns out to be a pretty amazing guy.
But Lucien’s defective powers might not be enough to overcome centuries of jinn tradition, meaning Imari’s life would no longer be her own. All he wants is to give her the chance to choose her own future. Hopefully, one that includes him. What more could a guy a wish for?
The Characters
The paranoid, thousand-year-old Imari Zephara is a "retired" genie who works as a massage therapist at the Nocturne Falls Spa.
The hermit-like Lucien Dupree is a retired grim reaper who now runs Insomnia, the supernaturals-only hotspot located in the derelict Caldwell building. Hattie Dupree, a.k.a. Mémé, is Lucien's ghost of a grandmother who lives with Lucien. Kora is his problem daughter, half-vampire, half-reaper. Pavlina, a vampire, is/was Kora's mother.
Nocturne Falls, Georgia, is . . .
. . . the small town where the tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. The Ellinghams, a family of vampires, owns most of the town. Elenora Ellingham is the matriarch of the family. Alice Bishop is Elenora's powerful witch secretary. Sebastian is the oldest grandson and engaged to Tessa Blythe, a valkyrie and librarian ( The Vampire's Fake Fiancée , 5). Greaves is Sebastian's rook. Hugh is the middle of her three grandsons, and he's married to Delaney who runs a sweets shop, Delaney's Delectables ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1). Stanhill is Hugh's rook, and he's engaged to Corette Williams, the mother of three witches and the owner of the bridal shop ("The Witch's Halloween Hero", 4.5). The Basement is an operational area that runs under most of the town.
Greyson Garrett is a daywalking vampire who works for Lucien on an as-needed basis. Hmm, actually Greyson seems to work for anyone on an as-needed basis . . . Willa Iscove, a fae jeweler, owns Illusions and creates the most incredible jewelry. Jasper is her cat. She's engaged to Nick Hardwin, a gargoyle ( The Gargoyle Gets His Girl , 3).
Birdie Caruthers, a werewolf and Hank's aunt, works as a receptionist at the sheriff's department. Sheriff Hank Merrow is a werewolf married to Ivy ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2).
Jayne Frost, niece of Santa Claus, daughter to Jack Frost, and heir to the Winter throne, manages Santa's Workshop. Marigold Williams, a green witch, runs the Enchanted Garden flower shop. Charisma Williams is her sister and a life coach. Pandora Williams, another sister, is a real estate witch who's with Cole Van Zant ( The Professor Woos the Witch , 4). Guillermo's is an Italian restaurant. Trina, a fae, is one of the shift managers at Insomnia. Shelley, a wood nymph, does hair at the spa. The Excelsior is an elite apartment building that caters to supernaturals.
The Chaos Realm is . . .
. . . the world the jinn call home, where everything must be in order. Imari's betrothed-from-the-cradle is an ifrit, Prince Khalid, who is the captain of the guards who patrol the Well of Wishes as well as the son of the king, Khan Memnat. Imari's parents are Farozza Zephara, vice-minister of Oasis Management, and Zakir, the king's vizara of Strategy, a.k.a. Secretary of Defense. Ravi manages the Zephara home. There is always a marid — Hammad this time — who acts as mediator in disputes.
Wish merchants capture genies to use them for their wish-granting abilities. Adira is the genie he holds captive.
The reapers
Lucien had been part of the War Angels division, each member stripped of their ability to see color. Phantom had been Lucien's assigned horse.
Sword and Scepter is a TV series about a made-up royal family in a made-up country who experience all sorts of drama. Hattie and Imari both love it! Mr Black, Mrs Crabapple, Ms Simmons, and Mr Franklin are unexpected new clients for Imari.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black and blue — probably what Imari's parents would like to do to her. A black background with sparkling stars in the background that help frame the central oval that is focussed on the sheer blue harem-outfitted Imari with her long black hair, her arms up and bent behind her head, her legs disappearing in a sparkly jeweled cloud that flows into her elaborately jeweled bottle. On the right side of the bottle is the dark-haired Lucien, his reaper blade over his right shoulder, incongruously dressed in a gray shirt and navy sweater vest and trousers. His left hand holds the emerald stopper. The white title covers one-third of the upper part of the cover while an info blurb and the author's name, all in white, are at the bottom. The orange series jack-o-lantern and the brown signboard with the yellow text that announces the series info is on the left and relatively level with the bottom of Imari's bottle.
The title is the truth, for it's The Reaper [Who] Rescues the Genie, who turns around and "rescues" the reaper.
My Take
This is an incredibly sweet story of a very lonely man stricken with grief. And, man, Painter is so good at being intriguing. She very slowly reveals bits and pieces as the story goes along, including the truth about his forgiving grandmother who has her own exciting past, lol.
I absolutely love this cozy series with its caring, supportive characters! If only every group of people could be like them!
Both protagonists — Painter uses third person dual protagonist points-of-view from Lucien's and Imari's perspectives — have some hefty price tags attached to their being alive. Imari's is particularly nasty and has everything to do with jinn culture. If she must be married, she wants a partnership, not a dictatorship.
Lucien's house is pretty amazing, as are those secret passages. Imari's bottle is also secret. In her own hands, it's her freedom. In the hands of others . . . it's not.
Imari's entire aim in life is to remain free and make her own decisions, which means protecting her bottle and conserving her allotment of wishes. Talk about rock and hard place! Marrying will come with all sorts of problems.
Oh man, guys would pant to have even a small percentage of Lucien's car collection! It is cute that Lucien has all these cars and yet doesn't go out much.
Hmm, it's interesting how much Lucien has contributed to Nocturne Falls just to keep his isolation intact.
Okay, it is so annoying when characters "interpret" what everyone else is "really" thinking. Oy. Yeah, I'm saying Lucien is beating himself up and yet he's such a hero! Even with his "trashy" taste in magazines, lol.
It's a blend of action, character, and culture — of hollow pride and of honor without love.
The Story
Grief and guilt strike when grim reaper Lucien Dupree's powers run amuck. Now he’s living in a self-imposed exile to keep humanity safe. Sure, it’s a lonely existence, but it’s the best thing for everyone. Except him.
Retired genie, Imari Zephara, has found her happy place in Nocturne Falls.
As happy as she can be considering the alternative returning home would bring her. Then a dark force rears its ugly head and throws her life into turmoil. Suddenly the only way to save herself is to join forces with death, who turns out to be a pretty amazing guy.
But Lucien’s defective powers might not be enough to overcome centuries of jinn tradition, meaning Imari’s life would no longer be her own. All he wants is to give her the chance to choose her own future. Hopefully, one that includes him. What more could a guy a wish for?
The Characters
The paranoid, thousand-year-old Imari Zephara is a "retired" genie who works as a massage therapist at the Nocturne Falls Spa.
The hermit-like Lucien Dupree is a retired grim reaper who now runs Insomnia, the supernaturals-only hotspot located in the derelict Caldwell building. Hattie Dupree, a.k.a. Mémé, is Lucien's ghost of a grandmother who lives with Lucien. Kora is his problem daughter, half-vampire, half-reaper. Pavlina, a vampire, is/was Kora's mother.
Nocturne Falls, Georgia, is . . .
. . . the small town where the tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. The Ellinghams, a family of vampires, owns most of the town. Elenora Ellingham is the matriarch of the family. Alice Bishop is Elenora's powerful witch secretary. Sebastian is the oldest grandson and engaged to Tessa Blythe, a valkyrie and librarian ( The Vampire's Fake Fiancée , 5). Greaves is Sebastian's rook. Hugh is the middle of her three grandsons, and he's married to Delaney who runs a sweets shop, Delaney's Delectables ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1). Stanhill is Hugh's rook, and he's engaged to Corette Williams, the mother of three witches and the owner of the bridal shop ("The Witch's Halloween Hero", 4.5). The Basement is an operational area that runs under most of the town.
Greyson Garrett is a daywalking vampire who works for Lucien on an as-needed basis. Hmm, actually Greyson seems to work for anyone on an as-needed basis . . . Willa Iscove, a fae jeweler, owns Illusions and creates the most incredible jewelry. Jasper is her cat. She's engaged to Nick Hardwin, a gargoyle ( The Gargoyle Gets His Girl , 3).
Birdie Caruthers, a werewolf and Hank's aunt, works as a receptionist at the sheriff's department. Sheriff Hank Merrow is a werewolf married to Ivy ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2).
Jayne Frost, niece of Santa Claus, daughter to Jack Frost, and heir to the Winter throne, manages Santa's Workshop. Marigold Williams, a green witch, runs the Enchanted Garden flower shop. Charisma Williams is her sister and a life coach. Pandora Williams, another sister, is a real estate witch who's with Cole Van Zant ( The Professor Woos the Witch , 4). Guillermo's is an Italian restaurant. Trina, a fae, is one of the shift managers at Insomnia. Shelley, a wood nymph, does hair at the spa. The Excelsior is an elite apartment building that caters to supernaturals.
The Chaos Realm is . . .
. . . the world the jinn call home, where everything must be in order. Imari's betrothed-from-the-cradle is an ifrit, Prince Khalid, who is the captain of the guards who patrol the Well of Wishes as well as the son of the king, Khan Memnat. Imari's parents are Farozza Zephara, vice-minister of Oasis Management, and Zakir, the king's vizara of Strategy, a.k.a. Secretary of Defense. Ravi manages the Zephara home. There is always a marid — Hammad this time — who acts as mediator in disputes.
Wish merchants capture genies to use them for their wish-granting abilities. Adira is the genie he holds captive.
The reapers
Lucien had been part of the War Angels division, each member stripped of their ability to see color. Phantom had been Lucien's assigned horse.
Sword and Scepter is a TV series about a made-up royal family in a made-up country who experience all sorts of drama. Hattie and Imari both love it! Mr Black, Mrs Crabapple, Ms Simmons, and Mr Franklin are unexpected new clients for Imari.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black and blue — probably what Imari's parents would like to do to her. A black background with sparkling stars in the background that help frame the central oval that is focussed on the sheer blue harem-outfitted Imari with her long black hair, her arms up and bent behind her head, her legs disappearing in a sparkly jeweled cloud that flows into her elaborately jeweled bottle. On the right side of the bottle is the dark-haired Lucien, his reaper blade over his right shoulder, incongruously dressed in a gray shirt and navy sweater vest and trousers. His left hand holds the emerald stopper. The white title covers one-third of the upper part of the cover while an info blurb and the author's name, all in white, are at the bottom. The orange series jack-o-lantern and the brown signboard with the yellow text that announces the series info is on the left and relatively level with the bottom of Imari's bottle.
The title is the truth, for it's The Reaper [Who] Rescues the Genie, who turns around and "rescues" the reaper.
April 28, 2018
For Love And Money . . . It's Magic . . . Never Believe It's Not So !
The Jinn may gain the power of a thousand wishes each time they take a dip in the wish well, but it seems that reapers . . . one in particular , at least . . . has a magic all his own. Lucian Dupree may have considered himself a lonesome loser with every reason to deserve nothing better, but that notion is about to be turned on its head and drop-kicked right out the nearest door when a Jinn named Imara careens into his life with a simple thank you for a cup of tea at his night club. From that point on there is no getting off the emotional magic carpet ride for either of them.
Loved this one!
The Jinn may gain the power of a thousand wishes each time they take a dip in the wish well, but it seems that reapers . . . one in particular , at least . . . has a magic all his own. Lucian Dupree may have considered himself a lonesome loser with every reason to deserve nothing better, but that notion is about to be turned on its head and drop-kicked right out the nearest door when a Jinn named Imara careens into his life with a simple thank you for a cup of tea at his night club. From that point on there is no getting off the emotional magic carpet ride for either of them.
Loved this one!
April 16, 2018
It has been a while since the last official Nocturne Falls book (although we have had Jayne Frost stories to fill in the cravings) so I was excited to see that this book was focussing on Lucien.
He has really been pretty mysterious as residents of Nocturne Falls go, with most of his interactions coming in via the Jayne Frost series rather than directly in the NF series. We knew he was a reaper, we knew he was reclusive, and we knew he had secrets ... but that was about it.
Being a fan of reapers, and reaper stories in general, I was thrilled to learn more about him and as always Kristen Painter did not disappoint. I do love all the different lore that keeps arriving to keep me on my toes, in this case more Genie lore than reaper, but it kept me turning the pages and I loved every minute of it.
As I say with all of this series, although new fans could probably jump right in with this story as they are all complete in their own rights (no cliffhangers), I really think you get the most out of this series if you know the characters from before and hey as book 1 is currently free - seriously what do you have to lose?
An Easy 5 stars from me and an ever impatience to want to move here! I know I would be right at home!
V""V
He has really been pretty mysterious as residents of Nocturne Falls go, with most of his interactions coming in via the Jayne Frost series rather than directly in the NF series. We knew he was a reaper, we knew he was reclusive, and we knew he had secrets ... but that was about it.
Being a fan of reapers, and reaper stories in general, I was thrilled to learn more about him and as always Kristen Painter did not disappoint. I do love all the different lore that keeps arriving to keep me on my toes, in this case more Genie lore than reaper, but it kept me turning the pages and I loved every minute of it.
As I say with all of this series, although new fans could probably jump right in with this story as they are all complete in their own rights (no cliffhangers), I really think you get the most out of this series if you know the characters from before and hey as book 1 is currently free - seriously what do you have to lose?
An Easy 5 stars from me and an ever impatience to want to move here! I know I would be right at home!
V""V
December 2, 2022
Author Kristen Painter introduces us to new parts of Nocturne Falls paranormal community in The Reaper Rescues The Genie. Reaper Lucien Dupree has been retired since his powers went wonky, turning his beloved grandmother into a ghost. But somehow, he can touch genie Imari Zephara without killing her. All genie massage therapist Imari wants is be left alone to live her life, but between the wish merchant out to steal her powers, and the arranged marriage waiting for her back home, she seems doomed.
Both Lucien and Imari really are some of the most sympathetic characters in the entire Nocturne Falls universe. Between her horrible parents and misogynistic arranged fiance, no wonder she doesn't know how to deal with someone caring about her. And he's so afraid his powers will kill someone that he hasn't been close to anyone in years. Plus, they're adorable together, making this a great romance.
Both Lucien and Imari really are some of the most sympathetic characters in the entire Nocturne Falls universe. Between her horrible parents and misogynistic arranged fiance, no wonder she doesn't know how to deal with someone caring about her. And he's so afraid his powers will kill someone that he hasn't been close to anyone in years. Plus, they're adorable together, making this a great romance.
April 22, 2018
Utterly fantastic, Kristen as always does not disappoint, loved this book very much and definitely connected with our heroine and hero in many ways,
I won't give spoilers but will say this, those who love magic, supernatural beings, love hard won with adventure, joy and heartbreak along the way to a well earned HEA will love this as much as I do.
Thank you Kristen for writing it and sharing it with the world.
I won't give spoilers but will say this, those who love magic, supernatural beings, love hard won with adventure, joy and heartbreak along the way to a well earned HEA will love this as much as I do.
Thank you Kristen for writing it and sharing it with the world.
April 19, 2018
Cool… We got Lucien’s book!
Lucien was mentioned in previous book as the owner of that famous nightclub (sorry, I really couldn’t recall which one). He struck me as broody, mysterious and dark guy. Yeah, well, he’s a reaper. So, here’s he found a match in Imari the genie in trouble. Their interaction was great, their adventure was thrilling and their attraction was so sweet. Not a likely couple, but one that perfect nonetheless.
Love the story, love the book. I’d love to have some more like this one
I was provided a complementary copy by the author / publisher, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.
Lucien was mentioned in previous book as the owner of that famous nightclub (sorry, I really couldn’t recall which one). He struck me as broody, mysterious and dark guy. Yeah, well, he’s a reaper. So, here’s he found a match in Imari the genie in trouble. Their interaction was great, their adventure was thrilling and their attraction was so sweet. Not a likely couple, but one that perfect nonetheless.
Love the story, love the book. I’d love to have some more like this one
I was provided a complementary copy by the author / publisher, but this in no way influenced my thoughts or opinions.
October 7, 2021
Lucien and Imari are up and...they have a few (tiny) hurdles to get past before they can frolic in their HEA. Probably the biggest one is the wish master who has it bad for Imari. And by "has it bad", I mean he wants to imprison her and force her to grant wishes for him.
Which is SUPER NOT COOL. Lucien thinks it's super not cool also and (reluctantly) agrees to help Imari with her problem. The reluctance stems from his (serious) trust issues and his attraction to Imari. Plus, he's worried about hurting her with his misfiring abilities.
Yeah, these two have things they need to figure out before they can be a couple. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. They sort of fall into coupledom for safety reasons, but they both keep telling themselves it's just for show. To protect Imari. NOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE. Riiiiight.
A not-so-nice bad guy, family that runs the gamut from great to terrible, wishes, kisses, and color. Yup, Imari brings color and chaos into Lucien's life and he couldn't be happier.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Which is SUPER NOT COOL. Lucien thinks it's super not cool also and (reluctantly) agrees to help Imari with her problem. The reluctance stems from his (serious) trust issues and his attraction to Imari. Plus, he's worried about hurting her with his misfiring abilities.
Yeah, these two have things they need to figure out before they can be a couple. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. They sort of fall into coupledom for safety reasons, but they both keep telling themselves it's just for show. To protect Imari. NOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE. Riiiiight.
A not-so-nice bad guy, family that runs the gamut from great to terrible, wishes, kisses, and color. Yup, Imari brings color and chaos into Lucien's life and he couldn't be happier.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
September 6, 2018
These are great stories, set in a quirky universe where vampires, werewolves and genies are normal and live their lives in the town called Nocturn Falls. This time we meet a reaper who has problems, we also meet a genie with problems of their own. This is the story of how they help each other and live happily ever after.
May 17, 2018
What would you wish for?
Oh my, this was perfect, just perfect! Adventuresome, romantic, dangerous, and thrilling, this book had me turning the pages ever faster! I would truly love to read more about the odd yet wonderful couple the Reaper and the Genie make and cant wait to see snippets of them in future Nocturne Falls books.
Oh my, this was perfect, just perfect! Adventuresome, romantic, dangerous, and thrilling, this book had me turning the pages ever faster! I would truly love to read more about the odd yet wonderful couple the Reaper and the Genie make and cant wait to see snippets of them in future Nocturne Falls books.
October 21, 2019
2019 bk 340. A jinn meets the Grim Reaper. One is about life and fulfilling wishes, the other about the end of life, only our Grim Reaper has been retired, his abilities having gone awry. The Jinn is being stalked by a Wish Stealer - who wants to steal her and her bottle. The plotting on this novel is a little more extensive than previous books in the series. I particularly enjoyed the description of his garage and car collection. A visit to the land of the jinn was also interesting as I know little of this mythical creature aside from the mis-information from "I dream of Jeannie".
September 17, 2019
Loved the book, wish it never ended
January 27, 2023
One of the weaker one of the series. The heroine's personality lacked development.
September 13, 2018
I could not put this book down... love hattie
May 1, 2018
This was a highly anticipated novel and the expectations were high, and true to her legacy, the author did not disappoint. On the contrary, she delivered probably the best book in the series so far.
With renewed freshness of the approach, the author focuses on Lucian, a retired grim reaper, a familiar and mysterious character often mentioned in previous novels, and she introduces a completely new and lovely character, Imari, a genie in hiding. Their story just proves that the author remains the undisputed queen of paranormal romance. The love story is slow build up, believable and intense, the chemistry is palpable, and the plot complex ad interesting.
Lucian and Imari have to overcome numerous obstacles to be able to settle down, and this is by far the most complex plot in the series. There is an array of familiar and new characters featured in this book, but I have to warn the Birdie fans that she is not present here. Of the new characters, Hattie is my favourite, loving and caring. There is some involvement of the Elligham family, hence Alice Bishop is there. I am hoping for her story some day. Greyson is there as well, and I can't help but wish for his story to be next. Whoever read Jayne Frost is probably in love with his character as I am, as he is very prominently featured in that series with all his deliciousness.
I have to mention the land of Chaos, where jinn live, which was described so vividly and in such detail that I felt like I was transported there. This was the second time the author decided to take the characters away from Nocturne Falls for a time. Overall, this was a great romance and one of the best stories, if not the best story of the whole series.
The Nocturne Falls is a great series and the reading order is: The Vampire's Mail Order Bride (Nocturne Falls #1), The Werewolf Meets His Match (Nocturne Falls #2), The Gargoyle Gets His Girl (Nocturne Falls, #3), The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls, #4), and The Witch’s Halloween Hero (Nocturne Falls #4.5) in Spell of the Ball Anthology, The Werewolf's Christmas Wish (Nocturne Falls #4.6) in Hex the Halls Anthology, The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée (Nocturne Falls #5), A Vampire's Valentine Surprise (Nocturne Falls #5.5), Miss Frost Solves A Cold Case: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #1), The Shifter Romances The Writer (Nocturne Falls #6), Miss Frost Ices The Imp: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #2), The Vampire’s True Love Trials (Nocturne Falls #6.5) in Taming the Vampire collection, Miss Frost Saves The Sandman: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #3), The Dragon Finds Forever (Nocturne Falls #7), The Vampire's Accidental Wife (Nocturne Falls #8), Miss Frost Cracks A Caper: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #4), Miss Frost Braves The Blizzard: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #5), and ever growing series of Nocturne Universe Novels, which surpassed 30 by now. Great world to get yourself immersed in.
With renewed freshness of the approach, the author focuses on Lucian, a retired grim reaper, a familiar and mysterious character often mentioned in previous novels, and she introduces a completely new and lovely character, Imari, a genie in hiding. Their story just proves that the author remains the undisputed queen of paranormal romance. The love story is slow build up, believable and intense, the chemistry is palpable, and the plot complex ad interesting.
Lucian and Imari have to overcome numerous obstacles to be able to settle down, and this is by far the most complex plot in the series. There is an array of familiar and new characters featured in this book, but I have to warn the Birdie fans that she is not present here. Of the new characters, Hattie is my favourite, loving and caring. There is some involvement of the Elligham family, hence Alice Bishop is there. I am hoping for her story some day. Greyson is there as well, and I can't help but wish for his story to be next. Whoever read Jayne Frost is probably in love with his character as I am, as he is very prominently featured in that series with all his deliciousness.
I have to mention the land of Chaos, where jinn live, which was described so vividly and in such detail that I felt like I was transported there. This was the second time the author decided to take the characters away from Nocturne Falls for a time. Overall, this was a great romance and one of the best stories, if not the best story of the whole series.
The Nocturne Falls is a great series and the reading order is: The Vampire's Mail Order Bride (Nocturne Falls #1), The Werewolf Meets His Match (Nocturne Falls #2), The Gargoyle Gets His Girl (Nocturne Falls, #3), The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls, #4), and The Witch’s Halloween Hero (Nocturne Falls #4.5) in Spell of the Ball Anthology, The Werewolf's Christmas Wish (Nocturne Falls #4.6) in Hex the Halls Anthology, The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée (Nocturne Falls #5), A Vampire's Valentine Surprise (Nocturne Falls #5.5), Miss Frost Solves A Cold Case: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #1), The Shifter Romances The Writer (Nocturne Falls #6), Miss Frost Ices The Imp: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #2), The Vampire’s True Love Trials (Nocturne Falls #6.5) in Taming the Vampire collection, Miss Frost Saves The Sandman: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #3), The Dragon Finds Forever (Nocturne Falls #7), The Vampire's Accidental Wife (Nocturne Falls #8), Miss Frost Cracks A Caper: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #4), Miss Frost Braves The Blizzard: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #5), and ever growing series of Nocturne Universe Novels, which surpassed 30 by now. Great world to get yourself immersed in.
October 17, 2019
3 1/2
I might have bumped this to a 4 but it took a smaller story and kept going. She was trying to save herself from the wish merchant. OK that plays out now, saving from a bad marriage drama, now when you think, OK, they hit the main points even with a little drawn out part there in the end, it isn't the end. So more drama to prolong their commitment. It was pretty good up to there. I even like the drama of saving her from the marriage but could have done without the drama in the end. When should a story stop and leave well enough alone and not fix every little issue.
I might have bumped this to a 4 but it took a smaller story and kept going. She was trying to save herself from the wish merchant. OK that plays out now, saving from a bad marriage drama, now when you think, OK, they hit the main points even with a little drawn out part there in the end, it isn't the end. So more drama to prolong their commitment. It was pretty good up to there. I even like the drama of saving her from the marriage but could have done without the drama in the end. When should a story stop and leave well enough alone and not fix every little issue.
January 26, 2019
When you re-enter Nocturne Falls after a few times, you know exactly what you are going to find : a male character who's a real gentleman (even if sometimes a little broody), a sweet, quirky or both female character, a cute romance, fun, magic, cool supporting characters and a lot of good feelings.
Reading a book about Nocturne Falls is like taking a hot cocoa when it's gray outside : sweet, sugary and feel-good.
So yes, it is sometimes easy and some issues are taked care of a little too fast (I was a bit disappointed by how quickly everything get solved by jinn magic at the end of the book), but it let you all warm and confy, so who cares ?
Reading a book about Nocturne Falls is like taking a hot cocoa when it's gray outside : sweet, sugary and feel-good.
So yes, it is sometimes easy and some issues are taked care of a little too fast (I was a bit disappointed by how quickly everything get solved by jinn magic at the end of the book), but it let you all warm and confy, so who cares ?
April 19, 2018
Sweet, funny story
Imari and Lucian’s story was intense! Kidnappers, enslaved genies, and fights to the death were just some of the awesome obstacles in this story, and I devoured every single word. It was so great to learn a bit more about Greyson and Hattie, and meet Kora... some great new characters! This series is fun, sexy, and entertaining, and I can’t wait for the next book!
Imari and Lucian’s story was intense! Kidnappers, enslaved genies, and fights to the death were just some of the awesome obstacles in this story, and I devoured every single word. It was so great to learn a bit more about Greyson and Hattie, and meet Kora... some great new characters! This series is fun, sexy, and entertaining, and I can’t wait for the next book!
October 25, 2020
Great, fun book! Lucien was a perfect hero while still being a somewhat clueless man when it comes to daughters :)
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