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A review by riley_rogers
Vacationing with the Vampire in Hallow's Cove by Lyonne Riley
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Vacationing with the Vampire is Hallow’s Cove is a Lyonne Riley classic – comfy, romantic and heartwarming with just the right amount of spice. Riley writes some of the best fictional couples I’ve had the opportunity to read – with beautiful descriptions, hearty banter, and minimal misunderstandings.
Maisie is a video game coder – it’s her life. She never takes vacations – but when a critical launch error happens, her boss forces her to take a vacation, convinced she’s overworking herself. On a whim, she books a hotel in Hallow’s Cove – a monster town with ample tourists.
Barnaby is a cranky, grumpy and honestly rude (in the beginning) vampire. Saddled with his dark past and fear of the monster lurking within, he aspires to ward Maisie off with his cold personality. Of course, Maisie is the opposite – vouching to kill him with kindness. With just the right amount of tension, the classic of the grumpy x sunshine trope is leg-kicking cute!
After requiring some apartment furnishings (because Barnaby didn’t provide a bed, or a television or COOKWARE?) their talks get deeper, and so does Barnaby’s craving for her aromatic blood. Their connection deepens – but their timeline together only grows shorter as Maisie’s vacation dwindles to an end.
Barnaby eventually warms up and leaves his icy shell, becoming the man who wants to love her, to provide for her every whim and protect her at all costs. Hello, book boyfriend!
“I know what it’s like to want to see your woman smile.”
The only thing that knocked off a star rating for me was the ending and epilogue. It felt very rushed and very short. I also didn’t care for how Maisie made a life-changing decision based solely on a man who she was with for a little over a year. I know this would have a “happy ever-after” but it was hard for me to suspend my reality on that point. However, I recognize that this is something harder to do with a novella.
Overall, a really short, cute and spicy read! I heavily recommend it!
Maisie is a video game coder – it’s her life. She never takes vacations – but when a critical launch error happens, her boss forces her to take a vacation, convinced she’s overworking herself. On a whim, she books a hotel in Hallow’s Cove – a monster town with ample tourists.
Barnaby is a cranky, grumpy and honestly rude (in the beginning) vampire. Saddled with his dark past and fear of the monster lurking within, he aspires to ward Maisie off with his cold personality. Of course, Maisie is the opposite – vouching to kill him with kindness. With just the right amount of tension, the classic of the grumpy x sunshine trope is leg-kicking cute!
After requiring some apartment furnishings (because Barnaby didn’t provide a bed, or a television or COOKWARE?) their talks get deeper, and so does Barnaby’s craving for her aromatic blood. Their connection deepens – but their timeline together only grows shorter as Maisie’s vacation dwindles to an end.
Barnaby eventually warms up and leaves his icy shell, becoming the man who wants to love her, to provide for her every whim and protect her at all costs. Hello, book boyfriend!
“I know what it’s like to want to see your woman smile.”
The only thing that knocked off a star rating for me was the ending and epilogue. It felt very rushed and very short. I also didn’t care for how Maisie made a life-changing decision based solely on a man who she was with for a little over a year. I know this would have a “happy ever-after” but it was hard for me to suspend my reality on that point. However, I recognize that this is something harder to do with a novella.
Overall, a really short, cute and spicy read! I heavily recommend it!