FinnGetting into the vampire-only detective unit was the easy part; what’s going to be more difficult is dealing with my new partner, an ancient vampire who keeps threatening to eat me. The unit has never had a human in it, and Marcus—or as I like to call him, Fangy McFangface—would really prefer to keep it that way. He’s grumpy, short-tempered, and broody, but I have a way with words and I know … words and I know he’s starting to like me, even if he swears he’s not. But what he doesn’t know is that I didn’t join the unit because I was tired of being a homicide detective, I joined because there is someone after me. They’ve already taken enough from me and I’m afraid they’re going to take all of me if I don’t find someone to help. That’s all Marcus was supposed to be, but now, he’s so much more and I can’t imagine my life without him.
Marcus
The moment the pesky human walked through that door, I knew I had to get rid of him. He’s charming and almost everyone else instantly loves him, but he doesn’t understand how risky it is being part of this unit as a human. But as I get to know the stubborn man, I learn that perhaps he’s not as naive as I once thought. And maybe he’s what I needed to realize there is more to life than just work and my dog. A group arises who is threatening to disrupt the alliance between the humans and the vampires, but Finn is the one who shows me how strong that alliance can be and reminds me why it’s worth protecting. When threats hit closer to home, I realize I would do anything for Finn because he’s brought so much joy to my life—and because he’s mine.
This 105k word book contains: A creative use for undergarments, unintentional splits, a wolfhound who just wants to be a part of things, a vertically challenged human who still manages to wrap every vampire he meets around his little finger, the best date ever, possessiveness, really awkward dancing, some workplace revenge, and just a bite or two. Or three.
more
OMG I’m still laughing, I had to work Saturday and I got to finish Alice Winters book “How to Vex a Vampire ” and Narrated By Michael Ferraluolo. There was so to love in this book it was so much fun. Finn, a spunky human and Marcus, a handsome grumpy vampire that can’t stand each slowly fall for each other and when you throw in a big, a very big dog, what’s there not to love. And out of all the books that I have read there have only been a few that have brought up the topic of a vampeal, a half human and half vampire. I thought it was just me. I also like how Alice handled Finn handicap and how he didn’t want to be treated any differently even though he was the only human Homicide Detective in an all vampire unit. There is also a mystery man that is stalking Finn. I can’t wait to find out who he is. Added the next book to my list already.
I had such fun reading this witty story about a human detective in a vampire crime unit. Lots of snark, lots of menace in this tale of a human who finagles his way into a group of vampires who basically can’t wait to eat him, in order to avoid a worse fate. Some scary moments and some laugh out loud humor. I really enjoyed it,
Yet again, Alice has created a cast I’m absolutely addicted to. From Finn’s shenanigans to Marcus’ allowance, to every other vamipre dhampir on the team and in the family, I just can’t seem to get enough! So the story isn’t perfect, but I kind of just don’t care at all because I had such a good time reading the story. There were a ton of things to love while there were only a couple issues that reduced “believability”…if one can believe that the world Alice created and the species present is actually, uh, believable.
So on to the praise!!
I’m in awe of how Alice can create a snarky, ridiculous, hilarious, charming, vulnerable lead each and every time and have them still be unique and captivating on their own. They’re all so utterly fantastic. With Finn we have an incredible amount of vulnerability with his limbs and the cause as well as the fact that his nightmare really isn’t over. And then there are his antics that are stupidly funny and make me wish to be at least a little like him. His natural setting to annoy and yet charm are what make him endearing to the team that never thought he’d fit. The way he gets Marcus to go along with his crazy is both confusing and completely obvious, as if there is any other way to be once you get sucked into Finn’s orbit.
The dots…so many connections to be made and while there were a couple distracted moments where they should have seen something coming, the connections made along the way were appropriate and no one played the dunce. No one played the ignorant fool that so many authors use to kind of portray the obliviousness they hope the audience embodies.
Progressing the relationship could have been straightforward, but with characters like Finn and Marcus a lot more work had to go into it all. I liked how it progressed, that there was a bit of push and pull and then the futility of fighting it brought them crashing together in all their passionate and awkward glory. There was quite a bit of humor to be had while they were getting up to their sexy times too. Though I can’t say that their sexual chemistry in the actual bedroom was incendiary, there were some amazing moments of tenderness that went a long way to helping Finn appreciate and be open with his physical state and believing Marcus’ enjoyment of Finn as a whole being.
There were two main conflicts in the story and they each had enough attention to keep a fluid story line and to give a great lead-in to the continuation. Except how a college student could create a chemical in a casually-used lab with only a club affiliation and a bunch of textbooks, I’ll never know. Wrapping that up was a bit too tidy with the few pages of explanation before we get to the really big cliffhanger in regards to Finn’s other issue. Overall though, I think the story really worked well and the focus was well-placed all throughout. I seriously CANNOT WAIT for book two to get here!!!
5 stars
Heat Level: 3.75
Alice knows how to draw you in and weave a tale that keeps you enthralled, on edge AND laughing all in the same sentence!
I loved this one from Alice! While not as humorous as her last, this one had so much depth and character! A world where Vampires live in peace (sort of) with humans; this story is a complex and thrilling web of crime-solving, humor, a wish for revenge and safety and an unexpected connection that challenges the foundations of both main characters.
I loved Finn and his quick wit, humor and comedy that he often uses to mask so much more! Marcus was the perfect gruff and grumpy Vampire you’d expect but is constantly surprised and challenged by the enigma that is Finn! Their unique partnership is full of wit and humor as well as a somewhat slow-burning connection, not from Finn’s lack of trying though. When Marcus finally gives in, their connection explodes!
I really liked this story and the careful balance between Finn’s purpose and past and the current case and unrest the characters face. I was on edge waiting for Finn’s past to catch up with him but in true Alice style, she leaves us with a chilling teaser ready for book 2. I need it NOW!!
I loved the colorful collection of unique characters that make us this little family and VRC team. I look forward to learning more about the intriguing Karsyn and all his blushing and the rest of the team as they face the next case and hopefully help Finn faced his past and fears once and for all.
I loved it! Highly recommended new series!!
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Ice cream & roller skates
“Don’t eat the human.” When I heard that Alice Winters was writing a vampire book, I may have screamed out loud in joy. This book has it all: a sexy vampire, a feisty human, clever dialogue, humor, a tricky mystery, an evil villain and hidden secrets. I’m in love already.
“Why can’t you believe me when I tell you you’re perfect the way you are?” Oh Marcus, how I love him and adore how sarcastically protective and how sexily possessive he is of Finn. He’ll do anything and I do mean anything for him. And Finn, I love how sneaky and stubborn he is. I especially love his inner dialogue, his nicknames for Marcus and his blackmail skills. They both had me laughing out loud so many times. Let’s not forget Artie and Finn’s family; I wish I could meet them all.
I don’t think I’ve ever loved a vampire as much as I love Marcus and who wouldn’t fall in love with a quirky human, like Finn? “Why is it that everything I say backfires and makes me either into a horrible person or a p€rv€rt?” I don’t know but I do know I never wanted this book to end. It was amazing, magical, and these characters are unforgettable. I am beyond ecstatic we will see them again.
Finn had an agenda, so he’d planned and schemed in order to have a spot in VRC, alongside the vampires. He’s pushy, outrageously invasive and irreverent, not at all concerned with the obvious opposition and cold welcome.
I’ve had the best fun watching Finn force a space for himself on the team and get the others to like him. And, of course, the best thing was the way he got under Marcus’s skin. Grumpy Fangypants never stood a chance, not against the relentless attack of Finn’s sunny smiles and snark. Fin and Marcus are incredible together, their interactions an amazing combination of preposterous flirty comebacks, hilarious banter, tender moments and passion.
But not all of How to Vex a Vampire is jokes and giggles. I feared for every one’s lives more than once and I felt Finn’s terror because of his past coming back to haunt him. So, the book is action filled and suspenseful, all wrapped in a brilliant, funny and entertaining package. Loved every page of it and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Hilarious start to an absolutely fun new series! Totally adored the banter between Marcus and Finn! Marcus is such a grumpy bear.
There is suspense, drama, action, bad attempts at flirting and even worse attempts at dirty talk. This was such a fun book. Sarcastic, funny and sexy, I cannot wait to read the next book. And vampires!!!
“Why is it that everything I say backfires and makes me either into a horrible person or a pervert?” he asks as he begins to drive. I grin. “Maybe that’s just your true nature trying to squeeze its way out, and you’ve never noticed it before?”
Finn is like a hurricane. And Marcus never stood a chance. Finn also uses his humour as a diversion tactic and as a defense mechanism. And 9 out 10 times it works.
Marcus and Finn has amazing chemistry and they are adorable together.
I loved all the secondary characters, especially Karsyn. Please tell me he’s going to get a book. With DeGray obviously. Looking forward to the next book!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
Smexy fun that shouldn’t be missed
I stumbled across this one while browsing and know this –
This series is now on my must-read list!
Omg it has a bit of everything. Mystery, suspense, humor, romance, light angst, ridiculous banter, smexy scenes
“for some reason, I feel like stuffing a human body under a rug won’t go over very well” – Marcus
” But you don’t know until you try it” – Finn
Finn stole my heart. He is seeking answers and the preternatural section of the police force is the only place he will find them. The problem is there is nothing special about him.
But that’s not stopping him
Marcus does not want a squishy breakable human for a partner. Especially such a cute one
Easy fix make him want to quit
Famous last words
this was one laugh after another blended into a solid story that kept me engaged and turning pages. One minute I’m gripping my kindle on edge next I’m holding my stomach I’m laughing so hard
The police department is broken down into various divisions in order to better protect and to serve and solve crimes. In this imaginative series Ms. Winters adds a division to handle crimes committed by or against, you guessed it, vampires.
And what does every vampire only division on the force need? An annoying, sparky, completely compelling human of course.
Will he be a useful partner in crime solving or dinner?
You’ll just have to read and find out.
My introduction to Alice Winters and all her fabulous characters. I love the VRC series and cannot say enough good things about it.
How to Vex a Vampire is the first book in the VRC: Vampire Related Crimes series, a paranormal universe set within the contemporary world. Finn is a human detective who desperately wants to be part of the VRC – the only problem is that VRC is only for vampires and Finn is definitely human. But when there’s a will there’s a way, and Finn manages to wiggle his way onto the team and into the heart of one grumpy vampire. I really enjoyed this book. Alice Winters is the queen of banter and sarcasm, which worked really well with the mystery and suspense of the book. I loved the characters and was intrigued with the storyline. The romance between Marcus and Finn starts off hilariously rocky and develops into something powerful and romantic. The audiobook was really well narrated and well produced.
I can’t say enough about how this author makes me laugh out loud continuously through her books. I love the sarcastic banter between the main character and his new vampire boo 😉 I also REALLY love seeing a main character with a significant and realistically portrayed disability/physical challenge.
**********Contains Spoilers**********
I really enjoyed this book. I thought Finn and Marcus were great together, even though they both get a lot of pleasure annoying the sh*t out of each other but it seems to work for them. I liked Alice’s take on Vampires and that in this world they’re normal members of society, well as normal as bl*od suckers can be. I also liked how much fun Finn got at annoying Karsyn who hates humans’ but Finn seems to have made it past his walls so he kind of likes him, even though he wouldn’t admit it. When Finn was a teenager he was in a car accident but that wasn’t how he became a double amputee, an extremely old and extremely psycho Vampire took them and has been stalking him on and off for years. Finn had told his family that he hadn’t seen the Vampire in years but he’s felt his terrifying aura on and off over the years but it isn’t until this Vampire finds out that Finn and Marcus are together and he doesn’t like it as Finn is his little doll. Marcus couldn’t even stop him so the Vampire must be even older that him. I’m hoping we’ll find out who the Vampire is, how and why he attacked and is so obsessed with Finn. I’m also looking forward to seeing who’s behind the dr*g laced bl*od that makes any Vampire into mindless k*lling machines even if they’re as old as Marcus who usually has really good control and why they’re doing it. I’d recommend this book, series and author to everyone.
I do not think I can explain how great this is. I sat down and refused to move until I was done with it. Finn…wow. I do not think I have ever loved a character so much. I felt like I knew him because he was a talented cop, he was funny, he was determined, he was annoying at times as well. He was so perfect in his imperfections. And his emotional strength. I am impressed. And Marcus’s well he was sarcastic with all caps. Every time he and the others asked if they could eat the human I laughed. I couldn’t help it. You could hear the pleading in his voice. The characters really came alive. And the plot was a good blend of interesting, action, and leading to the second book. The romantic progression wasn’t too fast or slow, it was just right. No force just puppy dog eyes and attraction. A must-read if you like vampires, urban fantasy, or M/M romances.
The writing is a bit rough, but it was enjoyable enough for me to stick through. Read this when you’re in the mood to chuckle. The constant banter and ridiculous cheek of Finn mixed with begrudging grumpy ass turned overprotective Marcus was incredibly entertaining. The side characters (especially Aria & Karsyn) are a total riot, the Vampire has a giant dog, and there’s a roller skating date. Plus death, kidnapping and a stalker. A little something for everyone.
This was an okay book. It started off well but as I kept on reading it became more about just finding out what was going on than actually digging deep into the characters.
Finn starts out alright. I’m here for the snark. I only picked this book up because I liked ‘happy endings’ so much. The problem here was that it wasn’t always funny. Sometimes it just seemed unnecessary. And the secret that Finn was keeping about why he wanted to join the vampire unit never set well with me. I couldn’t help agreeing with everyone that he could get killed.
Marcus dark brooding, not a fan of the human. What’s not to love. I sorta liked him but I missed the point where he started to like Finn. It was like pesky human, oh you’re amazing. I went along for the ride because it was entertaining but I didn’t really get into it.
The reason behind the murders didn’t live up to my expectations either. It was what I assumed and a part of me was hoping it was something much deeper. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say the only reason I started book two was that I didn’t get enough info about the secret stalker in this book. And also I was hoping the side office romance would pay off. Not so much about reading more about the main characters.
Most importantly Finn is very human. I kept reading hoping on some level he’d be stronger or faster or something that could make me believe he can survive in a vampires hunting vampires kind of world. I was even on board with his injuries. The problem is they slow him down and he isn’t exceptional. It’s hard to suspend the belief that he’s capable when he’s just as ordinary, maybe not exactly the same but almost, as your typical human. Everyone is right about him being out there hunting Vampires. If his leg malfunctions or his tranq gun, he’s essentially easy prey.
That’s what it comes down to for me I guess. I don’t think Finn was realistic about his situation with the stalker and his humanness. Though the book was funny at times, and the side characters were very enjoyable, it didn’t have the same spark or finesse of ‘happy endings’. Even the quirky erotic scenes didn’t jump off the page as much.
I finished this book because it was enjoyable enough. It was a good light read but it was hard to connect or take Finn seriously so the book ended up being just okay instead of amazing. I’ll probably read more from this author because I like her humour but if the second part of this isn’t better I won’t be reading more of this series.
This was so much fun, and so entertaining. I spent a couple of days just laughing and swooning every time I picked it up.
I absolutely loved the story Alice Winters has weaved. Humans and vampires co-existing, separate police departments, the whole backstory to vampires and their different hierarchy within, their auras: I adored it.
I also adored both of the MCs. Finn is a delight: he’s hilarious and silly and fun; he’s also a bit broken and scared too, a practiced liar. I found his interactions with, well, everybody so funny that I literally could not stop grinning. I also loved Marcus, with his brooding and moody façade, that hides a really sarcastic and playful side and a protective (and a bit possessive) one that had me swooning. These two together are lovely and fun and they respect each other so much. All of the side characters were priceless too, funny and nice and I loved how they all unconsciously (and some, consciously) decided that protecting Finn is their life goal.
I found the plot interesting and well-structured, it kept me hooked. I especially loved how well Alice Winters manages to mix comedy and playful moments with some very dark stuff, that has me so excited to read the next, especially after that ending.
I don’t know when I started liking paranormal stories again, but I’m so glad I’m discovering all these wonderful books. I’m now a BIG fan of both shifter and vampire stories and I cannot wait to read some more of this series (and her other books).
This book hurts! Really! Honestly and truly! I laughed so much my head hurt for hours and my sides ached for days. I had the unique pleasure of enjoying it in audiobook format narrated by the simply incredible Michael Ferraiuolo! First, I never met a vampire story I didn’t like. But the M/M romance writers have taken this love to new heights as they combine elements not typically found in vampire stories. And this is not just the male-male dynamic! Alice Winters pairs her grouchy ‘Fangy McFangFace’ with an amputee using prosthetics so advanced, he is able to hold his own in a police department. But Finn dreams to be the first human in the Vampire Related Crimes division and he manages to make that happen. These characters are wonderful individually. Together? Oh, my effing goodness! I never laughed so much! Winters touches on body image issues and alludes to a tragic past that resulted in Finn’s loss of a left arm and a right leg. What a tremendously awesome book! Wow, just wow!
Alice Winters knows how to create a fascinating blend of romance, humor, and mild terror while educating the reader about personal challenges.
This is my favorite book from the author so far. I can’t wait for the next one.
The narrator is perfect for this series.
I totally love Alice’s books, here mind must be completely addled with these characters running around it. I wonder if she is a Snarky as her main characters. I do Hope so.
Seriously though this is another first class book/audi and I can’t wait to listen to the next book. Would thoroughly recommend.