Title: The Friendly Werewolf and the (Almost) Virgin Vampire
Author: Helen Louise Caroll
Length: 10,000 words
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: m/m paranormal romantic comedy
Rating: B-
Blurb:
Have you heard this one before? A well-adjusted werewolf meets a slightly neurotic vampire walking a cat…
His father thinks he should shave more often. His mother thinks he should meet someone. But all Alan wants to do is find a nice, quiet place and howl at the moon. It’s tough being a forty-something chef and werewolf. You never have time to meet that special someone who doesn’t mind your wearing a fur coat in all kinds of weather. But Alan’s on the trail of someone who might be The One—Eric, a goth moppet who smells like death and walks a bruiser of a cat named Princess.
Eric’s used to being alone. A fifty-plus vampire in a small town doesn’t meet a lot of compatible people. So he spends his time watching his favorite movies and strolling with his tomcat. But things start looking up when he runs across an intriguing werewolf in a flea collar and backpack. Could Alan be the one to help Eric with his little problem?
Review:
This paranormal romantic comedy starts off well with Alan, who’s a middle-aged werewolf starting his monthly change. He sets off into the wooded area behind his parent’s house where he meets Eric, a vampire who’s out for a walk with his cat. The pair hit it off straight away and Eric invites Alan back to his place.
This was a lighthearted and amusing read with a twist on the usual werewolf/vampire romances. I liked that the author had adapted both mythologies so that they were fresh and interesting – for example Alan shifts gradually over a long period of time and Eric isn’t hot blooded like some vamps. There’s much comedy to be had with Alan’s situation and Eric’s reaction to him and I found it amusing that Alan stays in his wolf form for much of the story and yet they sit and chat like he’s not a talking wolf :). However, there’s also an element of pathos in the story, with Eric’s past leading to him adopting a lonely life. The contrast between the gregarious Alan and the quiet, shy Eric also worked and I was cheering these guys on all the way.
The story follows them through an evening and towards dawn the next day. In that time they get to know each other and the story ends on a promise of more. I was a little disappointed when the story ended because I was enjoying the story and wanted to see how they got on the next day. Perhaps there will be another story in the pipeline which will shed some light on a possible problem for the couple in the future which was mentioned here but not fully explored.
Overall, this was a fun story which kept my interest. The two guys were great characters and I liked the paranormal aspects. It’s not your usual series paranormal tale, but I enjoyed it and would recommend.
The title’s fun!
The story was fun too :).