Review posted on StoryGraph. Released 29/09/2024

3.25 stars. This feels harsh to write but truthful nonetheless. I really enjoyed this book and had a few chuckles when reading it. I wouldn't say it has made it to my favourites list, but that does not mean that someone else may not enjoy this more than I did. The use of some language and some abbreviations of today's language, such as AF (as f*ck), did not add to the book for me as I assume was the author's intentions. The main characters and the book club aspect really did make me laugh. I enjoyed the tropes and the twists at the end. I quite enjoyed the wrap around of the heavier themes of the book and how they were approached as a conclusion to our MC love story. The loose ends make me consider reading more from the book club and remain in this world. Loved the premise. Easily digestible and a great book to palate cleanse while still reading fantasy.
Thank you Bacchanalia House for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just not for me, I ended up DNFing. It was way too long at almost 600 pages and the pacing is slow. I didn't like reading in first person, and I didn't like the modern references (Elon Musk, hashtags, and many more). The hoarding was an interesting theme that I haven't seen in a book before, but I don't think the description of Alaric's hoarding gives the full picture of true hoarding.

It was so perfect for the season! Cute, fun and different; loved it!
Can't wait to see what the author releases next...

What a fabulous book! I had high expectations going into this book, and every one was surpassed. Genuinely this is a brilliant book, and executed so well. It's funny, cute, spicy, there is murder and intrigue. So much packed into one book and it had me constantly turning the pages. There's even an ode to 'Ghost' with a sexy pottery scene! I mean, you couldn't ask for more!
I think everyone should pick up this book, but you will especially love it if you enjoyed 'Assistant to the Villain'.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this ARC, and to share my honest views of the story. It is much appreciated!

I absolutely loved this book! It's a heartwarming, hilarious story that also manages to tackle mental health in a gentle and realistic way. Winnie is a professional organizer, and after growing up surrounded by her mother’s clutter, she’s learned to love order. Usually, her clients are rich folks debating between sage green and forest green—but not Lord Velarion. He’s got an entire castle filled with the results of his artistic hobbies. Too bad Winnie’s 'Wins Method' doesn’t just transform his castle; it also wins over the heart of a centuries-old vampire!

Overall, this was an ok read but wasn't quite what I typically would enjoy. Theres no real tension, the banter was more ditsy, the tropes are so under cooked and the drama is lame. The spice was also really unnatural and the awkwardness literally made me embarrassed to even read so I started skimming. The MCs also end up together incredibly quick, I remember looking at my progress and at 45% I was literally clueless on what else this book should even contain so theres that. Too much filler, not enough killer. -shrug- But I did like that the MMC was a hoarder, that was refreshing and as stupid as it sounds when I type it, it seems like a realistic problem for someone that lives that long.

Winnie Preston organizes people’s lives, unlike her own. When her fiancé Patrick and best friend since kindergarten Claire tell her that they’ve fallen in love and her mother keeps buying more things and the hoarding becomes even worse, she goes to see a new client. In small town. And the client lives in a castle. It’s the same man she saw the night before and who kissed her like she’d never been kissed before. There’s something odd about this Lord Alaric Valerian, that she just can’t put her finger on.

A mystery, new friendships, a book club, paranormal activities and a vampire falls first all come together in this book.

The epilogue shows us the next couple (I could already tell that these two would be endgame early on). It is a long book, that has a lot of inner thinkings that may drag a bit. I did keep putting this book down, but in the end enjoyed Winnie and Alarics story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Winnie is a professional organizer who takes a job at a castle. Yes an actual old style castle. This is where she meets the grumpy and secluded Lord Alaric Valerian who hoards his art. He needs help organizing a ball that his mother has planned. While Winnie helping this secretive man, she joins a book club full of women who all have weird quirky personalities but she feels welcomed and loves being around them. Throughout this book, you experience multiple supernatural beings including vampires, psychics, and witches.

While this book gives extremely excellent cozy fall vibes, it does address some heavy topics for certain characters. That one topic is hoarding and I honestly really appreciate a book covering that. Personally, I haven’t read a fiction book yet that has covered hoarding.

I loved having a side of muder mystery going on while Winnie and Alaric fall in love. It truly is one of the best reads especially during fall season! So go warm up a hot chocolate and sit down and read this!

Read if you LOVE:
* vampires
* witches
* murder mystery
* fake engagement
* grumpy // sunshine trope

3.5 ⭐️

I’m choosing to believe this is a Klaus & Caroline AU. If you know, you know.

This was genuinely HILARIOUS while also dealing with heavier topics like hoarding, mental illness, and PTSD with tact. It definitely could have been trimmed down as the pacing ebbed and flowed as the story progressed but it was filled with a lovely spooky atmosphere and very unique characters, so I really enjoyed it nonetheless.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a relatively lighthearted and steamy paranormal romance/murder mystery!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Bacchanalia House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 🖤🧛‍♂️

Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes is a spicy and playful paranormal romance that blends humor, steam, and supernatural intrigue. The story centers around a feisty protagonist who finds herself entangled with sexy vampires in a quirky, small-town setting. The book offers a mix of steamy, smutty scenes and witty banter, with a lighthearted tone that keeps things entertaining. If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced read with some heat and paranormal twists, this one delivers on the spice and smut while maintaining an engaging plot.

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: hoarding, trauma

I saw this book on NetGalley and loved the title and the color of the book so much so I decided to request it. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Winnie is an organizer because she grew up with a mom who is a hoarder. She takes a job to organize the clutter for Lord Alaric Valerian and she learns that he is more than what he seems. I liked seeing how Winnie experienced anxiety at the thought of clutter (totally relatable), but it has shaped who she is. She has a complicated relationship with her mother, but I thought that was good to see.

+ I did like the romance and there was a tiny bit of fake-dating in the story as well. There is a nice amount of spice too. I did like that even though it seems like a cozy, murder mystery of a book, there was danger when it came to the vampires. I mean, that's why we love vampires right? So although Alaric comes off as this broody, artisitc, clutter-loving guy, he did bring out his vampire side when needed!

+ There is a big cast but I thought the ladies book club did a great job bringing the humor!

Dislikes:

~ It's a bit too long. It's under 600 pages so when I thought I would finish this in one day, it ended up being a couple of days because I lost some interest and put it down to read other books.

~ I wasn't invested in the murder mystery part.

My Final Thoughts:
For the most part, I enjoyed this book because of Winnie and Alaric's romance, plus the funny characters at the book club! There was more drama than I anticipated in this one and I do think it was too long and the murder mystery part fizzled out for me. But if you are looking for a Fall read with vampires, I think you would like this one.

TW: hoarding, childhood trauma, blood

What an unexpectedly sweet and spicy read! I initially picked up Fangs for Nothing because of its blurb and pretty cover but this ended up being so much more. After getting into the organizing business due to her childhood trauma of growing up with a hoarder for a parent, Winnie is called to the biggest job of her life. She’s been hired by a secluded and lonely man who lives in a crumbling castle with loads of art projects taking up all the space. Alaric has strange tendencies of only being awake at night and never eating in front of Winnie but he’s exceedingly kind to her and only wants to keep her safe.

Alaric and Winnie were so sweet, I loved them so much. They had great comforting chemistry and the author wrote some really good spicy scenes for them. I was a little annoyed with Winnie during the third act break up because it seemed she did a complete 180 in her feelings and didn’t really give Alaric a chance to explain any of the misunderstandings that occurred. But other than that hiccup this was a sweet and funny book and also really perfect for this time of the year (Fall/Spooky time!). The murder and smutty book club gals were hilarious and I feel like I need to read Mina’s books to really grasp the whole backstory there.

This book touches on the reality that is hoarding and the traumas associated with it. Winnie’s nightmares were horrible and I myself wanted to clean my heart out every time she described what happened in them. Please be aware that the hoarding is described thoroughly so take care of yourself first if this will be triggering for you.

Thank you so much to Bacchanalia House publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC. Fangs for Nothing is a fun new take on vampire romance. I loved how the mental health of both Winnie and Alaric were at the forefront of this story. I really related to that aspect. I also enjoyed the nuances of a vampire/human relationship and the very clearly laid out rules for how vampires work. There was a fake-dating trope in this book and I haven’t really read cake-dating tropes in the past, but I did enjoy it in this book. I look forward to additional works in this series. I would recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a vampire romance that takes places in a modern setting where the FMC is a more mature adult and if you want something that is very consent forward.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️ 2/5

Murder. Spice and everything nice… and naughty 🖤🔥
Thank you to NetGalley and Steffanie Holmes for an ARC of this amazing book and allowing me to share my thoughts with other readers.

This is definitely a book that is 5 stars based on exactly and PERFECTLY matching my vibes, this was everything I could have wanted and hoped for in a spooky season book and done to perfection.
The burn was slow and sizzling. The characters were unique, quirky and fun. The plot was complex and interesting with never a dull moment. I was immediately hooked and never let go.

I mean what about the “Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven” is there not to love? That’s everything right there! I loved the references to other popular books, we love a hype girl in the booksta world and this made me love this author even more.

Each of the peripheral characters clearly has their own story and I am simply elated that lots of those books exist in the series preceding this one, the Nevermore Bookshop series. I can’t wait to dig into all of them!

Okay, the spice. This was such a great slow burn with so much tension you could cut it with a knife! I loved the creative moments that led up to Alaric giving in! Absolutely perfect “f**k it” moments. This book was truly impressive somehow combining all of the best book boyfriend tropes and micro tropes together in the best way.

If you love the Sophie Morgan books, this is 100% your next spooky season, paranormal romance series.

4.25 stars!

This book did it all for me and I am so grateful for NetGalley and Steffanie Holmes for an ARC version of this book!

This is a must read for your spooky season vibes girls. Murder. Spice. Found family. Mental health.

Our main character Winnie lives in London running a business with her partner as a professional organizer. She gets hired by a butler of a few century old vampire and gets thrown into another world. She moves into his crazy castle in a small town to help organize before a large ball he is hosting. She meets some amazing new friends in town and joins their book club. "The Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven".

An absolute twist and turn story that had me unable to put it down! Winnie frustrated me a little but she always ended up explaining her thoughts and made me understand her mental health issues and trauma from her past and the reasons for her actions. This is a unique spooky spicy romance that I look forward to hopefully having a sequel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

ARC Review

A hilarious and whimsical paranormal romcom.

Winnie has been hired to help declutter an ancient castle on the edge of a bustling village, but the castle owner isn’t all he seems. Tragedy also follows Winnie’s arrival to the village and she is sucked into a circle of amateur sleuths to discover what has happened and to clear her clients name.

The characters and banter in this story are extremely amusing, making the book a pleasure to read - Alaric & Arabella’s wry humour got me especially.

The Nevermore Murder Club & Smutty Book Coven girls were all amazing and sound like the perfect book club. I wish I could join in real life!

The plot of the story is entertaining but remains light enough to keep the romcom vibes throughout.

It sounds like the story closely ties in with Steffanie’s Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries series (which I now plan to read) and some aspects may have made more sense if these books had been read first, so check out Steffanie’s recommended reading order before diving in. I’m excited to find out more about some of my favourite side characters in their own books.

Themes/Tropes:
Paranormal Romance, Low Fantasy? Band of Misfits, Found Family, Prophecy, Loyal Sidekick, Damsel in Distress, Dark Secret, Tragic Backstory, Emotional Scars, Afraid to Commit, Fake Dating, Magic, Witches, Vampires, Shifters, Disability, Mental Health & Multi POV.

3/5 🌶 rating

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

I was hooked from page one, cause I love vampires stories and rifling thru people possession in name of cleansing. The characters are lovable and the chemistry is great.

Fangs For Nothing follows the story of Winnie Preston, a professional organizer who struggles with OCD, as she ventures to a small town to help Lord Alaric Valerian organize his castle before his mother visits. The minute they meet, there is an instant connection between them. However, Winnie wants to stay professional, and Alaric is hiding many secrets from her, including the fact he is a vampire. With murders happening in town and Alaric’s mother showing up early with a bride-to-be, will Alaric and WInnie be able to keep up a fake engagement and stay together?

When I say this book sank its fangs into me and wouldn’t let go, I am not exaggerating. I was hooked so quickly, I found myself invested in the characters, including the side characters, and wondering if they have their own books (hint: one does, I plan to read that series!). How Winnie didn’t pick up on Alaric being a vampire is beyond me. She had so many hints of it and even her new friends pointing it out to her. That being said, I did really enjoy this book, I especially enjoyed the banter and her new friends at the book club. I definitely plan to read the next book in the series when it comes out and have already suggested it to my friends!

I highly recommend this book to readers who like paranormal stories that are easy reads (no complex world building), murder mysteries, quirky characters, and fake dating with a little smut on the side. Thank you, Steffanie Holmes and NetGalley, for providing me with this ARC to read.

This book surprised me - in a good way! I loved the atmosphere of the world in this book. It is set in Argleton (in the UK), which is by the way, a phantom village! Apparently, the village appeared in Google Maps but it doesn’t really even exist! Anyway, going back to the book, I had no expectations when I dove into the book because this is the first time I’ve read anything from the author. The book cover caught my attention because as you can see it’s really chic.

It was really entertaining and it gave the spooky, supernatural vibe, perfect for this season. I loved the world building and how the author wrote it because it was very descriptive. It will really immerse you. The plot is nothing new with the common tropes of fake dating/fake fiancé, love (or more like obsessed) at first sight, forced proximity, and all that jazz. But I’m a sucker for those (except for insta-love) that’s why I loved it.

The story was well-paced, albeit the cleaning and organizing of the Winnie Wins System was a bit too much for me. As a person with OCD though, I could relate. MariKondo all the way! Romance with a touch of mystery is also my go-to so I enjoyed the crime thriller aspect of the book. Who is the killer? I still can’t think who it could be lol.

The side characters - OMG I love them! The Nevermore Murder Club & Smutty Book Coven (that was a mouthful) was amazing! I want to be friends with them! I really enjoyed the banter amongst these ladies!

The spice…ooooh I did not expect that! I thought this would be just a silly, entertaining read but ooohhhh I loved the spice! The spice is spicing!!! Even if the story was really more on an instalove at the get go, the build up to Alaric’s and Winnie’s relationship was great. The tension between them was hoot and when they spice started, it buuuurneeed! It’s not a dark romance though, it’s more sensual and passionate and I loved every second of it!

Overall, the book was well-written and entertaining. It wasn’t that heavy but do note that it touches on trauma, hoarding, torture, nightmares and murder. Nonetheless, I would definitely wait for the second book of this series and will look into reading the Nevermore Bookshop Series because Mina and her three fictional husbands got me curious!

I thought the premise of this book was interesting for love interests to meet in a unique way.

The book is fun and has some cute tropes:

Paranormal romance
Grumpy x sunshine
Small town and Gothic castles
Close proximity
One bed (sort of, if you read it then you know)
🌶️🌶️🌶️

But I was surprised at how long it was and I did find it hard when it came to the Nevermore Book Club chapters because I couldn't really remember who was who, as there seemed to be quite a few members and I actually forgot about some of them until they'd pop up again.

I probably won't continue with the series but I can see it becoming popular and I did like it enough to find out how it ended.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bacchanalia House and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.