A Farewell to Charms

Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services #3

by Demitria Lunetta, Marley Lynn, Kate Karyus Quinn

Sex sells...for everyone except the person cleaning up after it!

I'm Paige Harper, and I've got problems paying the bills. My cleaning service for paranormal messes has only one major client. Charms is half gambling den, half brothel, and 100 percent of my income. Unfortunately, on the same week I'm due to get paid - Charms gets robbed.

The ogre madame can't pay me, cover her bribes, or keep her teenage daughter in-line. Somehow, I'm in charge of fixing all these things - while trying to figure out if the guy I'm dating is a serial killer.

On top of all that, Nico - a one-eyed werewolf private detective - is on the case, too. He gets under my skin, and has made it clear he wouldn't mind getting under my clothes. Somehow, I've gotta keep things strictly professional. Sure, no problem.

It's a lot of balls to keep in the air, but it's a juggling act I've got to ace, or else it's farewell to Charms, my livelihood, and maybe even my life.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Audiobook, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Fae

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Demitria Lunetta is the author of BAD BLOOD (Delacorte Press/Random House) and the YA Sci-fi duology, IN THE AFTER and IN THE END (HarperTeen). She is also an editor and contributing author for the YA anthology, AMONG THE SHADOWS: 13 STORIES OF DARKNESS & LIGHT.

Her next novel, THE FADE, will release from Delacorte /Random House in 2018.

IN THE AFTER is an American Booksellers Association 2013 ABC Best Books for Children and an Amazon 2013 Top Twenty Teen Book.

Find her at demitrialunetta.blogspot.com, on twitter @DemitriaLunetta and on Facebook facebook/DemitriaLunettaAuthor.

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who doesn’t like supernaturals Paige seems to be surrounding herself with more each day. I enjoyed this latest installment in the Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services series. I like Paige more with each book. She doesn’t need to go looking for trouble, it finds her. I love the secondary characters and look forward to future adventures with Paige and her friends.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest. My feelings are all over the place with this book. Overall I feel like it's much better than the second, putting it back on par with the first book, but there were some scenes in this book that drove me crazy.

The vampire serial killer plot ends up getting more screen time in this book and the balance between that plot and the new plot introduced flow much better than in previous books. Compared to the vampire pregnancy in the second book, I found this plot to be much more interesting and well done. I wasn’t able to figure out who the bad guys were until right before the reveal. Which is a nice change from the first two books.

Once again I enjoy the banter between Paige and Nico but they don’t spend a lot of time together, with opportunities arising for them to work together but once again don’t happen. They just feel like missed opportunities. It’s one of the big problems I have with them as a potential couple. The flirting and snark is nice, but I want to see that they can really count on each other. We get some minor snippets of that through the past three books but it doesn’t feel like enough.

Especially when you add in another problem I have with them. They seem to randomly break character and act unnecessarily mean to each other. For example, Paige will start to think about Nico in a more positive way and in the next scene he will walk in and be a complete ass. Immediately changing Paige’s thoughts back to negative. It feels like a cop out to keep their budding relationship ‘slow-burn’. But I think it ultimately hurts them.

While I do have some problems with how Paige and Nico have been interacting over the past three books, I was glad to see some progress in this book and am hoping that in the next there is even more.

Like I said earlier, the vampire serial killer plot gets more screen time in this book and becomes more of a focus. Which is good and bad. It is good to get some actual progress on that plot other than dead bodies ending up on Paige’s doorstep. But bad because it looks like the VSK isn’t who I thought it would be. Which should be a good thing right? Well... I guess it is, but here’s my problem.

It seemed like through the whole last book and majority of this one, a certain character was looking to be the killer, and the way they were explained away doesn’t exactly sit right with me. I’m not sure if it’s just because leading up to the reveal Paige was being stupid AF and annoying the crap out of me or if its because so much evidence and events point to him that it feels weird for it not to be him.



Either way I still don’t trust him.

For more reviews and fun updates, you can find me at Cauldron Book Reviews!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Farewell To Charms (Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services: Book 3) by Kate Karyus Quinn, Demitria Lunetta, and Marley Lynn
Publisher : Little Fish Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Comedy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Mystery, and Novels
Release date : January 5, 2021

A Farewell To Charms is the third book in the Down & Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services series by Kate Karyus Quinn, Demitria Lunetta, and Marley Lynn. I absolutely LOVE this book and the series! You can totally read this as a standalone book, but why not binge read the whole series!

This book is filled with all the content that brings me joy: snark, sarcasm, a one-eyed werewolf, steamy cozy-mystery paranormal crime solving, spicy flirtations, and a heroine who knows the correct usage of the word "literally". Also, there is no holding back on appropriately used adult language!

I love how this book makes me laugh, like spit my coffee out kind of laugher! There is so much goodness packed into this book and is filled with special moments throughout. This book is fast paced and I could not put it down. I easily read this in less than 8 hours and did not want it to end.

Paige is definitely one of my favorite characters of all time. She gives all of herself, puts herself in harms way for the people/supes that she cares for, and doesn't expect anything back in return. I would totally be her friend in real life.

The next book in the series, The Lying, the Witch, and the Werewolf, is expected to release on March 9, 2021 and I am so ready for it! The series is available on Kindle Unlimited.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[JW USA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Painful

This is really painful. I’m not sure I like any of the characters at the end of this book. Paige hurts Liam. Nico is incredibly selfish and mixed messages thing is old. The other characters seem to be little more than annoying caricatures now. I enjoyed the first few but I don’t enjoy getting to the of a book and being mad at all the characters and yet another cliffhanger.

[Kreela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow,” Petey says with a low whistle. “You’re the type that could tempt a man to settle down with a regular human gal.” He clearly means this as a compliment, though someone should probably clue him in that ‘regular gal’ are not words to make a girl swoon.


Yes, Paige is confused. She thinks she wants a human boyfriend, a normal guy, but she doesn't want to be described as normal. Her life is crazy; her attraction to a (wolf-shifter) private Eye called Nico subverts her desire to just be normal with a guy named Liam. It reminds me of my mother, who was attracted to all the wrong men and could not recognize the right man when he came along.

Paige is also a micro-controlling "alpha" who wants to solve the cases herself: why were the places robbed, and where did the children go? Add a dalmation-cat cross for a pet, ogres that emit goo like snails, and a wimpy "normal" date, and I can feel her confusion.

This story is compelling. It is so funny, yet the exploration of the damaged lover seems too close to reality. I just wish she would stop lying to herself, admit she needs more than boring....I need more than boring, or I would read a slow-burn contemporary fantasy (yawn). Really, I am not interested in reading someone's dream domestic fantasy date: cupcakes, candles, movie....boring.

*Spoiler?*
I read 13 chapters the night I downloaded it; it was so good. Normally I don't last 3 books, no matter how good they are. It ends with a cliff-hanger. I hope I don't ruin it, but Liam, the boring guy? Maybe he will get more exciting the next book.

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

[Lalia Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Farewell To Charms is the third book in a series about a human woman who operates a cleaning service in a supernatural brothel. Our heroine, Paige Harper, is assertive and ready to deal with any trouble that comes her way. She's forced to, pretty much, as her major employer is robbed and Paige won't be paid unless she solves the mystery and gets money returned. In the middle of all this, Paige is attracted to two different men, actually one man and one werewolf. The human may be a serial killer of vampires. The one-eyed werewolf is much more alpha, but as a private eye, much more helpful.

The subplots enhanced the story and give lots of room for future books, including a female cop who is a fan of shifter lovers, and a couple of the females at the brothel who are unique.

There are a few references back to previous books in the series, and not enough information was laid down as backstory here to bring a new reader up to speed. In particular there were many references to "the ghosting," which was likely an inciting event for the series, but not enough is said here to explain the post-ghosting world.

I very much liked the heroine, Paige, who was up for any challenge. I would push her towards there werewolf, but at the end of the story she still is between the two males.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Vivenya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Welcome to this new world full of fairies, werewolves, vampires and other supernatural beings. Since mankind found out that this world existed, nothing is the same anymore and protagonist Page has felt that again and again.
The books in the series are direct sequels of one another, the predecessors of which should be read before starting this book.
The third book focuses more on Page's new client 'Charms' and a robbery that happens in the brothel. But also her personal life, like her relationship with Liam and Nico, take up space. At the same time, it was satisfactory to see how information and events from before were suddenly put in a different light or played a role again. And the end makes me anxious to wait for the sequel. All in all, the third book for me was the strongest in the series so far and I'm really excited to see how it will continue.

I can absolut recommand the book to the people who liked the first and the second. And when you have a thing for a crazy world, adult themes, puns and humor, than this series could be something for you.

[Cassio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is way better than the first two, but also way more exhausting. The whole shit storyline just isn't for me, then Shauna puts them into active danger by getting distracted and forgetting what they are trying to do multiple times and then the fucking kiss after sleeping with Liam. She already let him believe they are getting serious, letting him call himself her boyfriend. And Nico had to remind her, had to stop the kiss, because she doesn't have the backbone to do right by Liam. She keeps moaning about Jay cheating on her but does it herself not even 24 hours after sleeping with Liam.

The story is fun and super interesting. And I hope Shauna becomes a better character now that she is fully off of beauty and sugar. I want to read more but if scenes like that keep happening, I will get too frustrated to continue. At least the constant sexualization keeps getting dialed down with each book and kept for only appropriate scenes, mostly. It really says something that I want to keep going even with those gripes and problems. If this was any less entertaining, I would have stopped already.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine is a cleaning lady but the messes she gets into might be a bit above and beyond the call of duty. When her only client gets robbed, she has a lot of motivation to figure out what is going on. Otherwise, not getting paid might be the least of her worries.

This is book three of the series, but it works just fine as a standalone. You will be missing a little background, but nothing essential.

I am going to call this a paranormal romance with a strong sense of humor. Frankly, the entire situation is ridiculous and that just makes it too fun to resist. The writing is excellent and the setting is well detailed with lots of unusual elements to it that add to the entire bizarre nature of the story. The characters are also well developed with unique and interesting personalities. The story is highly entertaining and addictive, making it hard to put down for mundane tasks like eating, sleep, work, etc. Overall, a great story and I definitely look forward to more.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Margaret Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review, of ' A Farewell To Charms' Down And Dirty Supernatural Cleaning Services Book 3
Author, Kate Karyus Quinn, Demitria Lunetta and Marley Lynn
Narrator, Carrie Coello
Length 6hrs 22mins

Full of fantasy, mystery, humour and characters I have grown to love, the story is packed full from start to finish, there is not an area where something is not going on I was totally gripped and entertained, how Paige stays sane and holds it together I will never know.

Carrie Coello's narrative range is superb and and she brings the characters to life.
This series gets better and better, I loved this book and finished it in a day, I am hooked on the series and desperate for book 4 to come out on Audible to find out who VSK is, I think it is someone very close to home

A massive thanks to Kate and the Gang for giving me book 3 in this fantastic series to listen to and review, I feel very privileged to be one of the first people to have an audio copy.

[Colin Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Paranormal romances, especially with doses of humour, and this certainly fulfilled my wishes. In this third book in the series Paige helps the madam who runs a gambling den / brothel who has been robbed, partly to help out but mostly because otherwise she won't get paid. With Paige's friends helping her she goes undercover to try and find those who carried out the robbery.
With a varied cast including faeries, shifters, ogres and a Dalmanther (a Dalmatian / panther cross with a penchant for chewing things) amongst other supernaturals there is plenty to keep the story moving along. Definitely worth reading for those who enjoy this genre and I'm really looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, however this did not influence my review of the book.

[Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice easy read of everyday folk, humans, vampires, ogres and more. Add in Paige (a human), who not only runs her own cleaning business but also seems to attract trouble like a magnet. Her main source of income, Charms, is robbed and Paige was there but couldn’t stop them. Also, she’s not getting paid for the work at Charms as they are now broke. Incentive enough for Paige to try to find the culprits, with a little help from her friends, including a one eyed werewolf private eye.

This trots along nicely, enjoyably and entertainingly. The third in the series, it might have been better if I’d read the previous two, however, it does make a decent stand alone read. I look forward to the follow up.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Frances Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super funny!
Reviewed in Australia on 15 January 2021
I love this series.. I was only a short way into it when I found myself laughing out loud! Thank goodness I was alone because I’m pretty sure I’d have had to give everyone who’d heard me an apology! The story is so original and not something you see coming. I loved the title; you have to read the nook to realise how well it fits. I love the cast of characters and think ‘so, this is where Nico ended up!’. Poor Paige! She’s always being called a slut but, let’s be fair, most of the time she’s wearing clothes that belong to other women/queens. All she wants to do is lead a normal life without serial killers leaving gross presents on her doorstep and a nice normal man to get cosy with. Is that really asking too much!

[Nan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chaos has become the norm for Paige. Between living with a beauty addicted half pixie, working next door to a one-eyed werewolf who is uncomfortably attractive, having an ogress owned brothel be her main source of income, and her new boyfriend possibly being a serial killer, things tend to get a little hectic. And that’s before Charms gets robbed and can’t pay her and she decides to work with Nico. I love the world that has been created here and the characters that inhabit it. Paige and Nico dancing around one another is especially enjoyable and I love Darren/Daphne. I received an advance copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige is in hot water with her job, and it is not her fault. She cleans for a paranormal business that was robbed and the owner can not pay for anything right now. This is an action packed story with terrific characters and situations. The banter and snark keep it lighthearted, but the action keeps the pages turning. You do not want to miss anything. Paige is on the hook to figure out everything that is going on, or not paycheck. Some people, including a detective, are not making it any easier. Loved how the series has progressed through the storylines. Can not wait for the next story.

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

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige left last book thinking her new boyfriend was a vampire serial killer. This book picks up right there and throws Paige into one uncomfortable situation after the next. While she tries to prove his innocence (she just wants one normal boyfriend), she is roped into solving a robbery at her employers and she also finds out more than she bargained for about Niko the sexy werewolf next door.
The story is as hilarious as the first two books, Paige makes some growth as a person and the teases on the sexy times keep coming. Will Paige let herself go there finally? Or will she keep living in the past?
I received an ARC and decided to leave a voluntary review.

[Wanda Jewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series. I enjoyed the characters the most. Charms is a paranormal bordello run by an Orgress. There is a vampire serial killer on the loose who has set his romantic sights on Paige who is the cleaning lady for Charms and is leaving her gristly gifts. Paige has the hots for her hot werewolf PI next door to her business, but refuses to act on it. Although, she is not hesitant about calling him for favors, especially when she gets herself into trouble doing her own investigating after she was involved in the robbery at Charms. This is a entertaining book. I think the interaction between the characters is very well done and I would recommend it.

[J.T. Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Farewell To Charms was an exciting mystery. The drama around Charms (the robbery, the mother / daughter struggles, and other employee choices) was a hot mess (in the best way) that I could not stop reading. The slow burn between Nico and Paige has me reading in hopes of getting just a taste of what things could be like between them. The new information about who VSK might be has me hoping that Paige can figure it out and that things will turn out alright for her. I’m so involved in this supernatural world that I never want to leave. I definitely jumped right into the fourth book so that I could stay in Paige’s world longer.

[Marty Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 3 it could be read without having read previous books, but why miss the world building. Really enjoyed this edition, previous one was too much Shauna, however this had a good balance of all the supporting characters. Lots of action, if Paige wants to get paid she needs to solve the puzzle of what happened at Charms. Her personal life is moving forward, but who will she end up with? Enjoyable read, action packed and looking forward to the next installment. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was exactly what I was hoping it would be. Funny, snaky, kooky fun with some mystery, romance and excitement thrown in. Paige is a magnet for the unusual. She has roommates that make her life interesting, a troubled love life and a business cleaning up supernatural messes including a supernatural brothel. She's also of interest to a serial killer and a sexy one eyed werewolf. If you are looking for a fun light read this is a great choice!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the halfway mark into reading this book I would have given it only a 3 star I still really think it is only 3 ½ stars. As I have not read the previous books in this series I found parts of the book confusing. I know the literacy references are suppose to bring in some humour and a change to the usual novels, but I found them more annoying. The second half of the book was better and the ending does leave me wanting to read the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book very much redeemed my (slight) disappointment with #2. It was HILARIOUS again and I was laughing out loud multiple times. The main mystery is solved nicely and everything is tied up neatly andthere is just a teeny little segue into the premise of the next book. But unlike #2, it isn't a massive drop off a cliff disappointment when it abruptly ends. So happy I read this book since it had every bit of the hilarity and charm as the first one. I cannot wait for the next installment and hope it lives up to this one.

I received an ARC but my opinions are all my own.

[Katy Halsema · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I read books 1 and 2 from Kindle Unlimited so i knew what was going on and wasn't questioning stuff.

My favorite character has to be Shauna, even though she isn't the main character. Lol. Paige is a trouble magnet. Definite trouble magnet. There were a few twists and turns I wasnt expecting. Paige makes a better P.I. than Nico does!

This book had me laughing at spots and wondering how some situations are gonna play out. Especially at the end.

(I received an ARC for free and am leaving my honest review.)

[Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

An already broke Paige finds out that her only client she has been robbed, and she won't get paid until she gets to the bottom of the robberies and hopefully recovers her clients money. On the bright side she is pretty sure that the nice normal human male she is interested in is not a serial killer. I can't get enough of these characters. They are absolutely fascinating, and always make me laugh. Some suspense, a mystery solved, and plenty of surprising twists in the plot kept me engrossed in the fantastic read.

[Kat Montemayor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Paige. Why do you do this? If I could flip a switch and cut your libido I would. It's awfully convenient what happens to Liam after he overheard Nico talk about your lip lock. Who needs to commit murder when someone else does the job for you? The way you treat Liam and McGinnis at the end of this book is pretty bad. I enjoy this series, mostly because of the other characters. Vanna is my favorite. The House of Charms is cool. I'm not sure if they're more of these books but I'll probably read them. I'm hoping for some character growth for the MC.

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

This series has a unique charm and character that I'm growing to appreciate with each new book. There are still some frustrating parts that make me want to bang my head against a wall, particularly with Paige's decision making. Sometimes she has such sound reasoning, and then other times she overlooks things that should obviously be thought through more. For e.g. that cop is giving major serial killer, sociopathic signs; yet Paige hasn't even considered it.
Hopefully these issues get ironed out as the series progresses.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series! It is so nice to read about characters who are accepting of others’ differences! Especially in this whacked out MAGA lala land we live in in the US nowadays. I prefer the post-apocalyptic Down and Dirty world!

Really though, this episode of the series really ramps up the feels. Don’t let the snark fool you, the emotions are RAW here! Paige has some tough situations to overcome. I cannot wait to read book four!

[Cherish Kasner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another rollercoaster ride. It added more characters and more challenges. Some of her decisions were just terrible. I found myself upset with her at points. I really want to see what happens with her and her neighbor but she keeps fighting the attraction. Hopefully more will happen with them in the next book. The end was definitely a twist. Now I'm rethinking who the vsk could be. It's going to be a long wait for the next book. I'm loving this series though!

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Farewell to Charms: Down & Down Supernatural Cleaning Services Book 3 by Kate Karyus Quinn is such an amazing story that I have loved reading. This is book number three in this amazing series that I have been hooked on since the very beginning and I can not wait to read the rest. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about mysteries, fantasy and paranormal romance.

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

[A M Aliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first few pages of this book grabbed me by my funny bone and kept doing so periodically throughout. If you like really inventive characters with fully fleshed out personalities to include their quirks, this should be your next read. I am just sorry that I hadn’t read the first three books but they are on my reading list now. Just what I needed for a cheer me up but, warning, it ends in a cliffhanger.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.