Coastal Creatures: Don’t Feed The Vampure – Grae Bryan

Riley’s been alone in the woods for a long time. Turned as a child, he’s hungrier and more fractured than the average vampire, and staying clear of humans is his safest bet. His moms think a mate could help him stabilize, but it’s unclear whether Riley has one, anomaly that he is. Until a new baker arrives in town, smelling so sweet and so perfect that Riley can barely stop himself from eating him up on the spot. Now it’s no longer a question of whether Riley has a mate, but whether Riley can pretend to be less of a monster long enough to woo him.

Romance has never been Seth’s priority. He’s always been more focused on family and friendships and his passion for feeding delicious baked goods to whoever will take them. So it’s odd that this too young, too quiet, too beautiful man keeps showing up at Seth’s door, looking at Seth like he’s something special instead of painfully ordinary. And it’s even more odd that Seth can’t keep his own boundaries straight or his hands to himself. And it’s maybe oddest of all that Seth is coming to feel like Riley’s unnerving, unwavering attention is something he might not be able to live without.

Don’t Feed the Vampire is a heated MM paranormal romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a broken, sweetheart vampire with zero social skills; a ray of sunshine human baker; fated mates and the vampire mothers determined to protect them; and a mysterious research institute raising everyone’s suspicions. Each book in this series will focus on a different couple.

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Don’t Feed The Vampire is Book 1 of Coastal Creatures, another series set in the interconnected fated mates paranormal world by Grae Bryan. In Vampire’s Mate, Riley was the child turned by an evil vampire and adopted by two female vampires who took him to live far away from humans until he learned to control himself.

Now 19, Riley is more in control of his vampire that he can now venture into town. He comes upon the new baker, Seth, who smells like orange cake, so irresistable that Riley couldn’t stay away. Slowly but surely, he resolves to get closer to Seth no matter what.

Seth, everyone’s favorite baker in Demon Bound, opens his own bakery near the coast. At 26, he’s aware of Riley’s rather intense interest in him but hesitates, wary of the age gap and the weight of commitment.

When Riley’s moms takes matters into their own hands, Seth is plunged neckdeep into the hidden paranormal world that his friends have been living in right under his nose. Not only is Riley a vampire, Seth is also completely gobsmacked to find out they are fated mates.

Shoutout to Daphne and Sybil for raising a total sweetheart. Riley is earnest, achingly so, lonely yet hopeful and naive but smart enough to woo his mate by starting as friends knowing Seth needs time to get to know him. Riley is an adorable cinnamon roll with fangs and overflowing love he’s ready to shower on Seth.

Seth is a ball of sunshine with his colorful headbands and nail polish. He’s attracted to the beautiful mysterious boy who hangs on his every move. He takes the paranormal in stride but the fated mates thing is something he needs to process. I wished the vampire moms let Riley and Seth’s bond develop naturally instead of forcing it.

Majority of the plot focuses on the romance with light angst. It’s mostly cozy boyfriends surrounded by delicious baked desserts, good friends and loving moms. There’s something unspeakably cute about two precious cinnamon rolls falling in love. Must protect at all cost.

The last arc involves a suspicious research agency and abduction giving us action and a literal handwaving rescue scene via some fae ex machina. Anticlimactic but I’m thrilled by cameos of my favorite vampire psycho Wolfgang and his mate Eric. The secondary characters promises intriguing future stories.

Don’t Feed The Vampire is a story of fate, courtship, and meddling moms. A thoroughly entertaining opener blending the wholesome vibe of YA with the intense passion of fated mates, overall, a treat if you like it sweet and spicy.

Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

Soundtrack: Blood Orange
Artist: Freya Ridings
Album: Blood Orange

P.S.

Even with cameos from other series, Coastal Creatures can be read as standalone.

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